Author: Barbara

Avid reader/reviewer of historical romance and historical mysteries.

The Duke That I Marry by Cathy Maxwell

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Regency Era (1811-1820)4 Comments

The Duke That I Marry (The Spinster Heiresses, #3)The Duke That I Marry by Cathy Maxwell

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Series: Spinster Heiresses #3
Publication Date: 11/27/18

Willa Reverly is one of the wealthiest heiresses on the marriage mart and she is the last unmarried Spinster Heiress. At the beginning of the season, in order to make standing around at balls more tolerable, the heiresses came up with a game. They chose the most eligible bachelor of the season and then devised a point system for interactions with him. They ALL wanted to win the game and to win the Duke of Camberly – but – Willa won both the game and the man.

Willa hasn’t seen her betrothed since the night of their betrothal party – quite some time ago. He left London without a word to her. She hardly knows the man since they’ve only spoken two or three times. She’d hoped for a kiss (at least) at the betrothal party, but that didn’t happen either. She knows they aren’t a love match, but she’d at least like to know that he has some respect and regard for her since they’d be spending their lives together. She definitely doesn’t want a marriage like her parents have. Since she is tired of stewing at home by herself, she sends Camberly a note to tell him that she is releasing him from their betrothal because they just will not suit.

Matthew Addision, Duke of Camberly, did NOT want to be the duke. Matt’s father had defied his parents and married the woman he loved – an actress. He was quickly disowned, but he didn’t let that stop him from having several children and raising them in a family filled with love and happiness. When both of Matt’s parents died, his older sisters approached their grandparents and begged them to at least give Matt the education he should have as the grandson of a duke. They did that but totally ignored him personally. Now, he is the duke and is responsible for his grandmother and an impoverished dukedom. Matt always wanted to marry for love just as his parents did, but it appears that he is going to have to sell his title on the marriage mart in order to salvage the dukedom. He’d managed to obtain a betrothal to one of the richest heiresses on the Mart and now all he has to do is sit back and wait for his wedding day. Just imagine his shock when he receives a missive from his betrothed who is releasing him from their betrothal. WHAT!

Matt has discovered that there are some very strange transactions in the estate ledgers. The money came in, but it never went to pay off creditors, repair cottages, purchase seed, etc. Where did it all go? After a confrontation with his grandmother, he learns that the old duke was being blackmailed and the demands had gotten greater and greater until the dukedom was bankrupt.

As soon as Matt gets the letter from Willa he sets out to convince her to change her mind and to give him another chance. He manages to secure her hand and things proceed. Willa wants love and Matt wants love – but can they love each other? The path won’t be smooth or easy if they do manage to fall in love. Their path will include betrayal, kidnapping, and murder.

The entirety of Chapter 8 could have been left out of this book and I would have been much happier. I really bothers me when someone uses the excuse of ‘losing control’ to excuse despicable behavior. The entire consummation scene was just too ‘over the top’ and not well done.

One thing that bothered me in this book was the use of American terms rather than British. I could see one slip-up with something that wasn’t particularly obvious, but when you use the American term ‘feet’ for height measurement rather than the British metric term that is very obvious. An even greater offense is using the term ‘lawyer’ throughout the book. In England, you either have a solicitor or a barrister, depending on your legal needs, but you don’t have a lawyer. Another term is when the author refers to him putting on his socks and boots – in that time period both men and women wore ‘stockings’.

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“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”

The Renegade Wife by Caroline Warfield

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Georgian Era (1714-1837)2 Comments

The Renegade WifeThe Renegade Wife by Caroline Warfield

Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Children of the Empire #1
Publication Date: 10/12/16

This book sucked me in from the first word on the first page and it is still holding me hostage. The characters are so well defined, even the villains, that you feel you know everything there is to know about them. Some of them you want to hug and keep near and others you want to help them fall in a hole that they can never crawl out of. I loved Meggy and the kids and Rand is just wonderful. His transformation from gruff, reclusive curmudgeon to open, honest and loving is a wonderful thing to see.

Meggy has lived in hell for ten years. She never thought it would be that way. How could she have misjudged the man she married so badly? Now, it isn’t just Meggy he is beating, abusing, and battering, he’s started on their children and she can’t have that. This last time, he broke Drew’s arm – just pulled it up behind his back and snapped it – all because sweet little Drew tried to save his mother. Then, he grabbed tiny little Lena up by her ankles and held her above the floor and threatened to drop her on her head. Meggy and the children head out as soon as they can get away – but it is the beginning of winter in Canada and they are on foot. Where is she running to? She’s going to try to find her Ojibwa grandmother but has no idea where she is.

Lena caught a fever and Meggy has luckily stumbled upon a cabin in the woods. Nobody is home and from some talk she overheard on the trail, the owner won’t be back for several days. She’s a highly moral person, but she has no choice, she simply has to get Lena inside so she can nurse her. She’ll only stay for a day or two – just until she can get Lena’s fever to break.

Rand Wheatley has had many hurts and disappointments in his life. He’d finally had enough when his cousin who is a Duke stole the woman that Rand loved and wanted to marry. So, he packed up his belongings and moved to Canada and he never intended to return to England. In the six years he’s been in Canada, he has grown his own holdings and has also purchased many acres in partnership with his brother-in-law. Rand doesn’t want anybody’s company, he lives alone and he likes it that way.

When Rand arrives home, he finds squatters in his home and he is furious. He flings Meggy out the door and doesn’t believe she’s there with her children. He thinks she’s there to steal from him, to trick him – after all – women absolutely cannot be trusted. Then, he sees a young boy and realizes there are children here. He then finds out one of them is very ill. Meggy is banging on the door to get back in to get her children. Rand is determined that they should leave – he doesn’t want them invading his home – but – they can leave tomorrow – when it is light. That scenario goes on for days – and turns into weeks.

She tells Rand their story and he’s determined to help her find her grandmother, but when the worst happens and her abusive husband finds them, Rand realizes what they have come to mean to him. Then, the real action begins. Rand chases them all the way to England – he’ll do whatever it takes to save them.

The story will keep your emotions high and your mind engaged. There are so many ups and downs to Meggy’s situation. She and the children face so much danger. I just felt like I was on a rollercoaster ride – never knowing which way it would turn next or what new danger it would bring.

The only thing wrong with this story was that it ended and I didn’t want it to. I wanted to travel back to Canada with them. I wanted to know if Rand started his sawmill and if he did was it successful. I wanted to know if he put Douglas Gibb out of business. I wanted to know if Rand and Meggy had children and, if so, how many. I just wasn’t through with this wonderful story and wanted more! Oh! It was a full book – I just wanted more.

I highly recommend this book and the entire series. This author never disappoints.

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