Month: December 2024

The Highlander Burns for Vengeance by Julie Johnstone

On By TracyIn Medieval (1066-1540), Part of a Series, Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Highlander Burns for Vengeance (Return of the Highlanders #3)The Highlander Burns for Vengeance by Julie Johnstone

Tracy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: The Return of the Highlanders, #3

Release Date: December 30, 2024

When his home was attacked by the Lord of the Isles and the Campbell clan, leaving his parents dead and 3-year-old Graeme Stewart captured along with Eppie Stewart, a family retainer tasked with getting him to safety and held prisoner for the next 18 years. After enduring years of beatings and horrific tortures, he finally escapes with Eppie on the very evening his captors got word from their laird via a message delivered by Maisie Campbell to kill him. Graeme carries Eppie and makes the 40 mile walk to his family’s holding of Dunstaffnage and is reunited with his brother Ross, the new laird. For the next 3 months, with the help of his brother, he prepares his mind and body for revenge, the Campbell laird who attacked his family was found to be a traitor and is dead, but they are sure his son Brody was also a traitor and at the very least knew of Graeme’s imprisonment and did nothing to help him. They have an audience with the king to discuss the broken betrothal between his sister and Brody Campbell and plan to ask for retribution. But the king surprises them by being unwilling to condemn Brody and demands that Graeme handfast with Campbell’s daughter – the same woman who arrived with the missive the night he escaped. Graeme wants nothing to do with Maisie Campbell but won’t defy his king. But handfasting with her doesn’t mean he will stop looking for proof to convict her brother of treason, nor does it mean he will ever trust her. Too bad he desires her more than any woman he has ever known and despite his plans, he can’t seem to ignore her.

Maisie Campbell is on the cusp of marriage with her brother’s best friend, Aidan Buchannan when she is sent to St. Benedicts’ Abbey to deliver a message for her brother and finds herself caught up in an unforgivable act perpetrated by her family. Maisie was crushed when her father was found to be a traitor and further devasted when he killed himself, but despite her father’s crimes, she cannot believe her brother knew anything about the attack on the Stewarts or Graeme’s imprisonment. She agrees to the handfast, intent on proving Graeme wrong about her brother. They butt heads from the start, but Maisie is a good person and knows that Graeme has suffered at the hands of her family, she tries to show him that she is not like her father and slowly it seems like Graeme is coming around, but trust is hard for these two and familial loyalty just makes everything harder. Can there be a happy ever after for them or are they doomed to heartbreak?

As usual, Ms. Johnstone delivers another well-written, emotionally satisfying story filled with likable characters and a dash of intrigue. Graeme and Maisie are both wonderful characters, Graeme has suffered unimaginable horror at the hands of the Campbells and Maisie is appalled by that fact, but they each are firm in their convictions and sure that their understanding of the situation is the right one. Together they have a lot to overcome and despite seemingly impossible odds, they do find their HEA. I really enjoyed this story, but I will be honest, I had a really hard time believing that Graeme who had been a prisoner, who hadn’t been around any women besides his caregiver since he was 3, and had no true sword training managed to become not only an accomplished lover and swordsman but also learned to ride a horse and oversee the family’s holdings in less than 3 month after escaping his 18 year captivity. That point aside, I found this to be a well-crafted story that finishes up the series nicely, reuniting the Stewart siblings and finding them each a love to help them overcome the tragedies of their youth. This is the third book in the series but can be easily read as a standalone title with no problems.

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

The Secret Daughter by Anne Gracie

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Secret Daughter (The Brides of Bellaire Gardens Book 4)The Secret Daughter by Anne Gracie

Tracy’s Rating: 3.5/4 of 5 stars

Series: The Brides of Bellaire Gardens

Release Date: December 24, 2024

Zoe Benoit grew up in the slums of London, the daughter of an aristocratic French emigrant and an unknown English gentleman, and when her mother died, she was sent to an orphanage. But her life changed when Clarrisa Studley found her and claimed her as a sister. Clarrisa along with her other half-sister Izzy, realized that they all shared the same father and decided to introduce Zoe to society. They sent her to France with their dear friend Lucy and her husband to learn to be a lady away from the prying eyes of the ton and planned to launch her once she returned. While in France Zoe attends a house party not far from her mother’s former home and when there is an incident that leads to her leaving the party early, she decides to use it as an opportunity to visit her mother’s home. She switches places with her maid and calling herself Vita, she sets out on her own. But it isn’t long before she realizes that it isn’t safe for a young woman to travel alone, lucky for her she meets a vagabond painter named Reynard, who gives her a ride to her mother’s old home and then later offers her shelter. She plans to return to Paris immediately, but after spending time with Reynard, she decides to stay and even helps him with his painting. She falls in love with him and can envision a life with him, but a misassumption of his character has her fleeing without a word. Back in England, she tries to forget him, but it seems impossible and when he finds her, it is clear that she was not the only pretending to be someone else.

Julian Fox, the Earl of Foxton never expected to inherit the earldom and never wanted it. But he takes his responsibility seriously, but that doesn’t mean he is willing to give up his freedom or his passion for painting. So, he takes a sojourn to France for three months and then plans to return to England to assume his responsibilities. What he didn’t plan on was falling in love and then losing her, all without knowing who she really is. He tries to find her but has to accept that she is gone. He returns to England and is stunned to see a painting that he is sure was done by his Vita. He tracks her down and discovers that he was not the only one hiding something, but that doesn’t matter to him, can he convince Zoe that her secrets don’t change the way he feels?

This was a well-written, interesting story with wonderful characters, and while I did enjoy this book, but it was not really the story I was expecting and while I definitely felt the connection between Zoe and Julian, I found myself wishing they spent more time together and let the reader experience the development of their romance. I loved catching up with Clarrisa, Lucy, Izzy and Lady Scattergood and enjoyed the secondary storyline with Millie, but it ends rather abruptly, and it really needed an epilogue to give readers a bit of closure. Overall, this was a good book, and I am glad that I had the opportunity to read it, but it is not a book I would read again. This is the final book in the series, it could be read as a standalone title, but I would recommend reading the series in order for the best reader experience.

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