Author: Barbara

Avid reader/reviewer of historical romance and historical mysteries.

Irresistible by Darcy Burke

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

Irresistible (The Phoenix Club #6)Barbara’s rating: 3.7 of 5 Stars
Series: The Phoenix Club #6
Publication Date: 7/26/22
Period: Regency
Number of Pages: 344

Lord Dougal MacNair has spent his adulthood in service to his country. First, as a member of the Black Watch during the wars with Napoleon, then as an agent of the Home Office. Now, his life has been turned upside down with the death of his older brother Alistair. Dougal had played so many roles that he didn’t know who he was any longer. He didn’t deal with emotions, he just pushed them down deep and assumed whatever role he was playing at the moment. With Alistair’s passing, Dougal has to assume yet another role – that of Viscount Fallin, heir to the Earl of Stirling.

Jessamine Goodfellow has spent the last six seasons avoiding marriage. She’s happily looking forward to becoming an independent spinster. Not only is Jessamine lovely, but she is also an amazing cryptographer and the Home Office wants to use her skills. However, as a young, genteel, lady, she can’t just flit around the country to decrypt messages. Working from home works well – until they need her to go on a very important mission. As an inexperienced agent, she needed a partner – and not only that – the partner agent was a male whom she also had to investigate. Oh! What tangled webs we weave.

Dougal has never worked with a partner before and he doesn’t want one now – not for what will most likely be his last mission. He also doesn’t want to leave London at the moment because he wants to finish his investigation into what went wrong with his last two missions.

I liked Dougal and Jessamine, but the supporting characters were my favorites – especially Gil and Mary who are definitely originals. I thought the author did a nice job of presenting a story where a mixed-race (black/white) man would become an Earl during the Regency period.

This story was slower-paced than some in the series – definitely no exciting chases across the countryside. However, while it drags a bit in spots, it was a nice steamy read.

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

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Impossible by Darcy Burke

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

Impossible (The Phoenix Club #5)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Series: The Phoenix Club #5
Publication Date: 4/19/22
Period: Regency – 1815
Number of Pages: 318

I have really been looking forward to Ada Treadway’s story because I just knew she would have to have a very special hero – and – OMGoodness – she definitely got him. This story is well-written, excellently paced, and the characters are so very likable. We have two very broken people – one shows it and the other doesn’t. Seeing them manage to heal each other’s wounds is truly magical.

Ada Treadway is sunshine on a stick. She always tries to see the good, the bright, the happy side of things. She sees the best in people and somehow manages to make everybody love her. There have been some very bad times in her life, and she could easily be bitter, dark, and unhappy. She’s not though – because she actively chooses to make each day a happy day – to find the best it has to offer. She’s highly intelligent, organized, competent, and insatiably curious and inquisitive. So, when her employer at the Phoenix Club, Lucien Westbrook, sends her to the estate of his best friend to straighten out his books, she’s anxious to prove her worth.

Maximillian Hunt, Viscount Warfield, lauded and celebrated war hero is grievously wounded inside and out. The outside wounds are healed, but the inside wounds are still festering and may never heal. His grouchy, cantankerous, hostile, inhospitable ways have driven away almost all of his friends and most of his staff – and that is just the way he wants it. He doesn’t care if the estate falls into ruin. He’s lost everyone he’s ever loved and all he wants is to be left alone. Now, the man who was once his best friend is plaguing him about getting his estate in order – and he’s even sending a bookkeeper to do it. Bah!

I loved how Ada bowled right over Max’s grumpy churlishness and set about performing her tasks. He couldn’t goad her into leaving. He couldn’t threaten her into leaving. She just smiled at him, said something pleasant, and went right on about her business. Max didn’t know what to make of Ada, but he was drawn to her brightness like a moth to a flame.


Impossible
is a wonderfully told tale of two tortured souls finding their HEA and I am so glad I could be a witness to it. It is well-written, well-delivered, and all of the supporting characters are excellent. I can definitely recommend this book.

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