Month: June 2024

The Question of the Wedding Pearls by Patricia Rice

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

The Question of the Wedding Pearls (Gravesyde Priory Mysteries #4)Barbara’s rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Series: Gravesyde Priory Mystery #4
Publication Date: 7/11/24
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 291

I was surprised to look at the title and see this was only the fourth book in the series. Not because it seems to have dragged on, but because so many interesting, exciting, and romantic things have already happened. Have you read the first three books? If not, you should if you want to really be immersed in the dynamic of the story and the relationships between all the characters. The author does very nicely include a section in the front of the book called The History of Wycliffe Manor which spells out a lot of it.

While the tired, worn-down manor isn’t exactly bursting at the seams (yet), there are already more guests and residents than there are staff to serve them or furniture to give them comfort. With two weddings and a valuable book auction in the immediate future, even more guests are expected. What they really didn’t need was two sets of unexpected and uninvited guests. What are they up to? They are all of French ancestry, are they spying now that Napoleon has broken free and is back in France?

Another thing they didn’t need was to discover a murder victim. Such a young man! What was he doing on a trail almost no one knew about – not even the local villagers? Who is he? There is nothing to identify him. How can they investigate if they don’t even have a place to start? When they do finally identify him, it is a shock, and some will dearly mourn his passing. At least they knew the identity of the second victim – yes, there was another murder. The two victims couldn’t possibly be related – except through the murderer. Oh! No! The murderer has to be someone within the Manor because there is no way a stranger could have gotten to the second victim. Hunt and Jack are practically panicking because their main concern is keeping Clare and Elsa safe – and finding the murderer.

While they search for the murderer, there is also the code to decipher, the treasure to find, weddings to plan, and solving the mystery of the pearls. Yes, folks, the manor is a beehive of activity and filled with the most disparate group of individuals you may ever meet. They are all interesting, fun, intelligent, eccentric, and have their own agenda – but they all also fully intend to work together to make the manor their home. I can hardly wait to see what happens next.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Never Dare a Duke by Gayle Callen

On By TracyIn Book Publicity, Check Content Warning/Triggers, Part of a Series, Re-Release / Updated Edition, Tracy's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

Never Dare a Duke New CoverNever Dare a Duke by Gayle Callen

Tracy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Sons of Scandal, #2

Release Date: Originally Released in 2008, Rereleasing June 11, 2024

Miss Abigail “Abby” Shaw is the daughter of Leo Shaw, owner of the Morning Journal and has high hopes of one day being a journalist herself, for now she secretly writes for the paper as the literary and drama critic. And this is how she learned that her father’s paper was in trouble. She is desperate to find a way to save the paper and thinks she might have found the answer thanks to her dear friend Lady Gwen. While strolling with Gwen in Hyde Park, she meets Christoper Cabot, the Duke of Madingley and Gwen informs her of his family’s scandalous history but added that the duke himself seems immune to scandal, she also adds that she has been invited to a house party at the duke’s estate and offers to bring Abby. Abby is sure the duke must be hiding something and knowing how much society thrives on scandal, she is determined to find out what he is hiding and write about it in the Morning Journal. But Abby never expected to like the duke and his family so much, nor did she think that the duke would be suspicious of her, making uncovering his secrets even harder. As her feelings deepen choices will have to be made and it seems like they will all lead to heartache.

Christopher “Chris” Cabot, the Duke of Madingley does have a secret, but that scandal was a long time ago and his father made sure that it never hit the scandal sheets. But that doesn’t mean it didn’t affect him deeply or change the entire path of his life. Chris has worked hard to be a better man, to make a difference and to live a life that never gives society any reason to gossip about him. And that has worked for years, but when he arrives at his estate, he learns that his sister and mother are hosting a house party and have invited prospective brides as well as the intriguing Miss Abigail Shaw. He doesn’t trust her a whit and decides to keep her close until he can figure out what she is up to. He just doesn’t count on feeling anything for her or for what he believes is the ultimate betrayal of those feelings.

Another great installment of the Sons of Scandal series! The story is well written, and Chris and Abby have such wonderful chemistry that you can’t help but root for their happily ever after. This story has secrets, a bevy of scheming hope-to-be brides, good friends, more than one romance, sizzling love scenes, blackmail, lies, heartache, betrayal and finally a well-deserved HEA including a lovely epilogue. This is the second book in the trilogy, but it could easily be read as a standalone title. I feel like it needs to be noted that this book is a rereleased title from 2008 and it definitely has “old school” historical romance feel to it – which personally, I LOVE but I also know might it be off-putting to more sensitive readers.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own. *