Author: Tracy

Avid reader (and reviewer) of historical romance.

Never Trust A Scoundrel by Gaylen Callen

On By TracyIn Part of a Series, Re-Release / Updated Edition, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

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Never Trust a Scoundrel by Gayle Callen

Tracy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Sons of Scandal, #1

Release Date: March 2008, Updated and Rereleasing May 14, 2024

After learning that her mother gambled away not only their late father’s prized violin, but also their country manor and their London townhouse before leaving with no hint of where she’d gone, Grace Banbury rushes to London to inform Edward, her younger brother. But when she arrives, she finds the house open, bare of any valuables and no servants, she immediately realizes that her brother is gambling too and is desperate to find a way to save them from ruin and restore her brother’s birthright. She gets ready for bed and hears someone entering the house, thinking it is Edward, she runs downstairs in her nightclothes to confront him, but instead of Edward, she finds a handsome stranger who claims the house is his. It is then she learns that her mother wagered with three men and in her desperation to win, lost not only the family homes, and her late husband’s priceless violin, but she also wagered the right to marry her daughter. Grace is horrified and when the winner, Daniel Throckmorten, informs her he is not in the market for a wife, but would take her as his mistress, a new wager is made. She will give Daniel two weeks to seduce her into agreeing to be his mistress, but if he fails, he will return her father’s violin to her. So with his promise not to tell anyone of the wager, which would ruin her, Grace is sure she can beat him, after all, she is not as innocent as he thinks she is, so what could possibly go wrong?

Daniel Throckmorten never had any intention of marrying Grace, he didn’t even what the houses, he wagered with her mother strictly to get the violin, which reminded him of one his father had owned and was lost after his death. He wasn’t even going to contact Grace, but when he meets her, he is intrigued and can’t seem to sever their acquaintanceship quite yet. So, he agrees to their wager, confident that he will win. But he has never met a woman like Grace, and the more time he spends with her, the more he wants, and what started as a “can’t lose” bet, has turned into a battle of the wills, one he is not sure he can win.

I read this book years ago when it was first released and I loved it, it is probably my favorite Gaylen Callen book ever. The story is well-written, nicely paced and is not quite as cut and dry as the blurb leads readers to believe. The story is filled with witty banter, blatant sexual overtures, steamy love scenes, secrets, scandal, stalkers, wonderful secondary characters, familiar faces from previous books, blackmail, healing and finally a very sweet ending with the promise of HEA. This book has an “old-school” historical romance feel to it (which I personally love but acknowledge might not be for everyone), featuring a strong heroine and a scoundrel with a heart of gold as well as lots of steam. I loved it when it first came out and I love it now. Highly recommended!

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

His Secret Highland Bride by Allison B. Hanson

On By TracyIn Check Content Warning/Triggers, Jacobean/Stuart Era (1603-1714), Part of a Series, Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

His Secret Highland BrideHis Secret Highland Bride by Allison B. Hanson

Tracy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Series: Clan MacPherson, #1

Release Date: May 13, 2024

After fighting abroad for five years, Shane MacPherson, now a guilt and grief-stricken widower is back in Scotland and must take over as Laird of his clan now that his father has passed away. He must also honor an agreement made by his father to marry the Laird of the Wallace clan’s daughter. He is on his way home to Cluny Castle to face the responsibilities bearing down on him, when he comes across a woman being assaulted on his lands, he is horrified to realize the men are MacPhersons and intervenes. This is when he meets Lindsay and with her, he finds peace for the first time since his beloved wife died. She seems to understand his grief and helps him heal. Yet neither is quite honest with the other, Shane believes Lindsay to be a maid and she believes him to be a simple soldier. They find a bit of happiness together and though they both think they are promised to others thanks to their fathers, they plan to defy them by marrying. But eventually Shane must return home and it is there that his short-lived happiness ends.

Lindsay Wallace was sent to the MacPherson clan by her mother to tend her ailing aunt, but when she arrived it was to learn that her aunt had already passed. She tries to help her uncle and his children, but is treated horribly by them and wants to return home. Her parents refuse and inform her of her impeding nuptials to the Laird of the MacPhersons. After the way she has been treated by them, Lindsay wants nothing to do with the MacPherson clan and certainly doesn’t want to marry their Laird. Shane is the only MacPherson she has met who seems honorable and they form a friendship of sort. She agrees to marry him to save herself, but wonders if she is doing the right thing, since he clearly still loves his first wife. When they return to Shane’s home, Cluny Castle, the truth comes out and any chance of happiness she might have had vanishes.

I am torn about this book, the writing was good and the characters likable, but the pace of the story was slow and the misunderstandings and misassumptions dragged on way too long to be truly enjoyable. The story has a lot going on and a lot of action, but relies heavily on misunderstanding, secrets and lies to keep the story moving forward – all of which become tiresome to the reader, especially when the issues could have easily been resolved with a bit of honest conversation. Personally, I didn’t feel any chemistry between Shane and Lindsay – he was still in love with his wife and blamed himself for her death, making it almost impossible for him to move on and then when he decided that it was time, he found something else to feel guilty about – UGH! And Lindsay wasn’t much better, she was a hypocrite who was quick to jump to conclusions and to judge and very slow to forgive – Double UGH! I didn’t hate this book, but I didn’t love it and wouldn’t read it again. This is the first book in the and while I didn’t care for this story, I would definitely read the next book.

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