Month: April 2025

Hardly a Gentleman by Eloisa James

On By TracyIn Check Content Warning/Triggers, Georgian Era (1714-1837), Historical Rom-Com, Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Rom Com, Scottish/Highlander, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Hardly a Gentleman (Accidental Brides, #2)Hardly a Gentleman by Eloisa James

Tracy’s Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Accidental Brides, #2

Release Date: April 29, 2025

For years, Prince George has pursued, harassed and humiliated Miss Clara Vetry making her social life a nightmare, but all that comes to a shocking end at a garden party in which Clara is pushed beyond her tolerance and she does the unthinkable, she hits the prince with her reticule. Her horrified mother decides to wash her hands of Clara, she sends her to live with a distant cousin and giving her control of her dowry. But while waiting for the carriage her mother hired, Clara decides to take control of her own future and enters a carriage bound for the highlands, claiming to be Mrs. Potts, the housekeeper the driver, Mr. Cobbledick was waiting for, never imagining how this would change her life. She arrives at Castle CaerLaven and is enchanted, she heads inside ready to assume the position of housekeeper, until she sees the state of the dwelling. She then decides that she will wait for Mr. Cobbledick to return from picking up his daughter and convince him to take her away – she will find her own castle and fill it with books and live happily ever after. As the castle seems abandoned, so she goes looking for the owners to inform them she is not staying, and she finds a very naked Caelan MacCrae, Laird of CaerLaven fishing in the loch. They return to the castle and Clara is even more horrified by the kitchen and makes it clear she isn’t staying. Convinced Caelan has let his house fall into disrepair because his is grieving for his late wife, whom everyone has told her is the love of his life. She agrees to stay for a few days and recruits help to clean the castle. Falling in love was never part of the plan, especially to a man who is still in love with his dead wife! When he proposes, she declines, but when her identity is uncovered, she doesn’t have a choice – but is determined not to lose her heart to a man who has sworn to never fall in love again.

Caelan MacCrae, Laird of CaerLaven is perfectly happy living alone in his castle, fishing, making whisky, writing books about fishing and whisky and improving his tenant’s lives. It is his sister Fiona who has decided he needs a housekeeper from England and informs him she is on her way. Everyone believes that Caelan is heartbroken and that the state of his castle is a reflection of that grief – but that isn’t quite right. When Clara arrives and starts bringing the castle back to life, Caelan who was at first was opposed to a housekeeper, is determined to keep her. Too bad she keeps saying no to his proposals – especially since he has everything she wants – A castle and books! When her true identity is revealed, Caelan is ecstatic that she will have to marry him and is sure they can be happy together, as long as she doesn’t want more than he is able to give.

I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book! It was the perfect book to segue into my spring reading, it was a fun well-written, nicely paced story with wonderful characters. I loved Clara and Caelan together, they have both had pain in their lives, but they don’t lock themselves away, instead they find new joy. This book has a bit of a grumpy/sunshine trope, amazing characters, steamyish love scenes, witty banter, laugh out loud moments, fabulous secondary characters; including a “rabbity chicken”, naked fishing, a dramatic rescue and finally a HEA complete with an epilogue. The book does touch on grief, loss of a loved one, and sexual abuse/harassment – but I felt like these subjects were handed respectfully and compassionately with plenty of levity to keep this book from becoming a dark read. This is the second book in the series, but they are very loosely connected and can definitely be read as standalone titles with no problems. Overall, if you are looking for your next favorite book – this is that book, which I happily and highly recommend to my fellow HR readers and can’t wait for the next installment in this outstanding series!

*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 Writer and the Rogue by Lydia Drake

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

The Writer and the Rogue (Debutantes of London, #2)The Writer and the Rogue by Lydia Drake

Tracy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Debutantes of London, #2

Release Date: April 14, 2025

For years, Caroline “Caro” Devereux has been keeping her father’s creditors at bay by using the money she earns as gothic pamphlet author, Mr. C.D Winthrop. But when her publisher informs her that a rough looking creditor has been asking about “Mr. Winthrop” she is terrified that her family will lose everything and her father will be thrown in debtor’s prison, leading her to take drastic action. She will have to marry and since she has no prospects, she will have to blackmail Gabriel Kane, the Earl of Rockford, her would-be groom. She writes to him, telling him that she has a letter from the previous Earl that proves that Gabriel is not the former Earl’s son and unless he marries her, she will make the letter public. Never would she have imagined that Gabriel would confront her in person or that he would be so intriguing. He agrees to court her, forcing her to spend time with him, which is dangerous for her heart.

Second son, Gabriel Kane was never supposed to be the earl, and left home at 12 to become a cabin boy and spent years traveling the world. But when his older brother died just months before the former earl, Gabriel is forced to return to England and take up the title – a title that was tainted by the former earl. When Caro threatens to expose truth of his birth, he is enraged and storms over to confront her. He refuses to marry her and tries to call her bluff, but Caro isn’t backing down and why in the world does that turn him on?? The more time he spends with Caro the more he feels like marriage isn’t such a bad idea. Everything seems like it is going to work out – until it doesn’t!

This was a fun read with new characters as well as some familiar favorites. I loved Caro and Gabriel together and was rooting for them from their first meeting – but believe me when I say these two WORKED for their HEA. This book has a lot going on that will keep you turning pages, but you will never forget that it is a love story. The story has blackmail, secret identities, surprising revelations, great secondary characters (including FELICITY – IYKYK), steamyish love scenes, accidental shootings, vicious gossip, well-meaning family, heartbreak, more than one twist and finally their well-deserved HEA. I enjoyed this book but could have done without the third act breakup. This is the second book in a new spinoff series and can be read without reading the previous book or series (but you should read them because they are excellent).

*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. *