Month: June 2023

Blog Tour for The Warrior’s Prize by Jennifer C. Wilson

On By TracyIn Blog Tour, Medieval (1066-1540), Tracy's Reviews, Tudor Era (1485-1603)Leave a comment

The Warriors’ Prize

Stirling Castle, 1498

Visiting court for the first time since her father’s death, Lady Avelina Gordon finds herself drawn to the handsome warrior, Sir Lachlan MacNair. But as a woman who has seen too many of her friends lose everything for ‘love’, she keeps her heart guarded.

Castle Berradane, 1502

Lady Avelina is unceremoniously told to expect her new husband within the month. The man in question: Sir Lachlan.

Lachlan arrives in Berradane carrying his own secret, and a determination to control his heart. As attraction builds between the couple, they find themselves under attack and fearful of a traitor in their midst.

Can the teamwork they’ve shown in adversity so far pull them through one final test, and will they find the strength to risk their hearts, as well as their lives?

Purchase Link

Author Bio:

Jennifer has been stalking dead monarchs since she was a child. It started with Mary, Queen of Scots, then moved on to Richard III. At least now it results in a story!

She won North Tyneside Libraries’ Story Tyne short story competition in 2014 (no dead monarchs, but still not a cheerful read), and has been filling notebooks and hard drives ever since. Her Kindred Spirits series, following the ‘lives’ of some very interesting ghostly communities, is published by Darkstroke, and her historical romances by Ocelot Press.

Jennifer is currently exploring new ideas for historical romance, and hoping to visit Kindred Spirit friends old and new, north of the border…

Social Media Links:

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Website ~ Instagram

Tracy’s Review:

Lady Avelina Gordon, Lady of Berradane is shocked to learn that King James has promised her hand and lands to one of his most trusted knights, Sir Lachlan MacNair. Lachlan is well known to Avelina as he visited her castle many times when her father was alive and Lachlan was on missions for the King. But despite what she knows of him, she is enraged that the King has essentially given her birthright to him. She will not defy the King’s command, but she will be damned before she gives up her position and power to Lachlan.

Lachlan has long admired and lusted after Avelina and can’t believe that she will finally be his, but he had no desire to fall in love, he hopes to establish a friendship with his new wife and is not prepared for the angry woman he encounters when he arrives at Berradane. He has no desire to usurp her position, but neither will he roll over and play lap dog to her. And so begins the marriage of Avelina and Lachlan, and what a journey it will be, these two will have much to overcome before they can lay claim to their HEA.

Penance for the Dead by Cara Devlin

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Historical Mystery, Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

Penance for the Dead (Bow Street Duchess Mystery #4)

Barbara’s rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Series: Bow Street Duchess Mystery #4
Publication Date: 6/3/23
Period: Regency London
Number of Pages: 238

I have been totally smitten by this author’s virtuoso performance in creating mysteries that perplex and characters that endear. Each book in the series has provided us with a pulse-pounding fast-paced mystery and a further look at the slow-burn romance between Audrey and Hugh. How smitten am I? Well, I’m still reading the series even though I have very strong feelings about adultery no matter the reasons behind it.

We’ve met – and not loved – Hugh’s estranged, dysfunctional family. In this book, we are dealing with them directly because Hugh’s half-sister has been murdered – and Hugh is the accused. Well, WE all know Hugh didn’t do it – and Hugh’s close friends know he didn’t do it – but Bow Street is another matter. They are looking for him everywhere. Can he keep out of their clutches and find his sister’s murderer – and also track down the truth of the story she told him shortly before she was murdered?

Audrey, Duchess of Fournier, and her husband Philip discovered the body of Hugh’s sister Eloisa just after her death. When Audrey learns Hugh is being sought for the murder, she knows she has to help him. She also knows Bow Street will be watching her every move because of her friendship with Hugh. How can she escape them and find Hugh? How can she help him? Can she solve it on her own?

You’ll be holding your breath throughout the fast-paced, spine-tingling tale that has plot twists that spin the whole narrative on its head. Audrey and Hugh must work together to thwart Bow Street, find a murderer, and untangle a web of lies and deceit that has been almost 30 years in the making.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and this series. By the way – I highly recommend you read the series in order to get the full feel for Audrey, Hugh, Philip, Sir, and Audrey’s secret that she must keep hidden from the world. However, as much as I’m loving it – I’m also questioning where it is going. I have strong feelings about infidelity of any sort, for any reason, and in my view, Hugh and Audrey are just there – right on the edge. So, how is this author going to manage to deal with the duke in a way that will allow Hugh and Audrey to have a true HEA? The duke makes a suggestion in this book – but, for me, it wouldn’t work. Neither would him dying because that would hurt Audrey. So, I’m anxious to see what is going to happen in the next book.

Anyway – this is a finely told tale and I hope you will love reading it!

View all my reviews