Author: Barbara

Avid reader/reviewer of historical romance and historical mysteries.

Fearless By Lynne Connolly

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Georgian Era (1714-1837)Leave a comment

Fearless (Those Scandalous Shaws)Fearless by Lynne Connolly

Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Those Scandalous Shaws
Publication Date: 8/22/17

Connolly has added a great follow-up series to her ‘The Emperors Of London’ series. This first book in the series is a wonderful lead-in to the series. It is action packed and leaves you wondering where it will head next.

Plots within plots, villains you didn’t expect, twists and turns and lots of passion – it sucks you in from the first page and doesn’t let you go until the end.

Lord Valentinian Shaw’s reputation exceeds his exploits – although those exploits are many. As one of several sons of a Marquess he is under no pressure to marry and produce an heir, so he’s in no hurry to give up his freedom and marry. He’s restless, unsettled and is constantly moving from adventure to adventure. However, he has been more settled over the last two years because he has found an outlet for his restless spirit – he, his brother, and their cousin have been pursuing financial ventures that are exciting and interesting.

Lady Charlotte Engles has been engaged to Val for two very long years. She suspects he will never be ready to marry and if they do marry, she is sure he won’t be faithful. She NEEDS to marry in order to get out from under her cruel father’s thumb and to provide for her younger sister. When she receives an offer from someone else, someone she feels is infinitely suitable, she asks Val if he would please release her from their engagement.

When Lady Charlotte asks Val to release her from their engagement, it unexpectedly leads to a kiss and a budding desire to keep her. However, he does reluctantly agree. Then, he gets to know her better and better and finds he is beginning to love her. He’ll live up to his agreement though – as long as the new suitor is worthy.

Val and his twin brother Darius begin to investigate and they find that the suitor isn’t just unworthy, he’s unsavory and debauched to the highest degree. Val cannot let Charlotte marry this man, but he cannot tell her the truth either. So, he does the only thing he can do – he refuses to end the marriage contract and doesn’t give her an explanation.

I won’t provide a blow-by-blow description of the entire plot, but you should know that it is a wonderful, exciting read and you will love watching Val and Charlotte find love and understanding. Val grows and matures so much through this book that you will hardly recognize him at the end. Coming to know all of the abuse Charlotte and her sisters have had to live with throughout their lives will keep you in tears.

The last twenty percent of the book will have you on pins and needles. I won’t describe it, but to tell you that it is suspenseful and gut-wrenching is putting it lightly.

“I requested and received this 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.”

Too Scot To Handle by Grace Burrowes

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Regency Era (1811-1820)2 Comments

Too Scot to Handle (Windham Brides, #2)Too Scot to Handle by Grace Burrowes

Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Windham Brides #2
Publication Date: 7/25/17

I absolutely LOVE Grace Burrowes’ world. Yes, she has basically populated her own world. She has several series with dozens of books and in any given book, you might encounter characters from any of her other books or series. If you think about it, this just makes sense. After all, they are all existing in the same basic time and place so why wouldn’t they know or know of each other. I really like that she does that.

The Windham’s all believe in marriage for love, and so far most of them have found it. This Windham series features the nieces of the Duke and Duchess of Moreland. So far, one of them has found love and marriage and this book features the next one to do so – Anwen Windham.

Anwen is the youngest of four sisters and she is really feeling constrained. Because she was ill and almost died when she was young, everyone treats her as if she is an invalid. She isn’t. She’s actually healthier than most of the others. But, in deference to them, she presents a false front to the world. Meek and mild isn’t anywhere close to an accurate description of Anwen, but it is the face she displays. At least, it is the face she displays to everyone except Colin MacHugh. With him, she feels comfortable and free enough to express her true self.

Lord Colin MacHugh is a very uncomfortable Scot thrown into the midst of the ton. He didn’t ask to be among the aristocracy and really doesn’t want to be there. He’d prefer to be home in Scotland tending to his distilleries. However, his brother is a newly minted Duke and as the heir presumptive Colin must make his bows to society. He’d have an easier time of it if his brother were there, but he has married Anwen’s sister and they are off on their honeymoon.

I really like the way the love and trust grew between Anwen and Colin. It only moved forward and grew with no backward movement or distrust when events occurred that could have made one distrust the other. The immediate response was ‘I know he/she didn’t do that’ and there was no convincing them otherwise. That isn’t something you see very often in a romance book.

I won’t give you a rehash of the story because that would spoil your read. You can see the gist of the story by reading the book blurb. Just know that Colin was the target of a very nasty and cunning individual who was supposed to be his friend.

I’m giving it 4-stars because I just didn’t like what happened with the villains of the story. Yes, I understand this is the Regency period and that the aristocracy is immune to most prosecutions and that scandal is to be avoided at all costs. However, Colin, Anwen, and the Windhams are some pretty shrewd, crafty and inventive folks themselves and I think they could have come up with something better as punishment.

“I requested and received this 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.”

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