Author: Tracy

Avid reader (and reviewer) of historical romance.

A Kiss from a Rogue by Elisa Braden

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Regency Era (1811-1820), Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

A Kiss from a Rogue (Rescued from Ruin #9)A Kiss from a Rogue by Elisa Braden

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Rescued from Ruin, #9

Release Date: August 2, 2019

Hannah Gray has been through hell and survived, but she bears the scars of evil, on her body and her soul. Through a lot of tenderness, healing and love, Hannah has decided that she wants a family of her own. Her sister in law Eugenia has conferred with her sisters and have decided that the house party being given by the dowager Marchioness of Wallingham it the perfect place for Hannah to meet her future husband.

Bow Street Runner, Jonas Hawthorne, has been summoned by the dowager to find a stolen trunk and she wants both the trunk and the thief brought to her. The reward for completing this mission is almost everything Jonas has ever wanted and he sets off without a backwards glance.
When he arrives, Lady Wallingham surprises him by insisting he stay at the castle and expects him to interact with her house party guests. He agrees and then sees her – the woman he cannot forget – the woman who will not look at him – the woman who haunts his dreams – the woman who is haughty and cold to him – the woman who will never be his – Hannah Gray.

Hannah is attracted to Jonas, but at the same time she is terrified of him. When she finally admits her feelings and decides that Jonas is the only man she could marry, she asks her brother for advice and when she is not satisfied with his suggestions, she gets more advice from Maureen Huxley. The scene in which she implements their advice is laugh out loud funny and Jonas’ reaction is priceless.

Can two damaged souls find a love that will heal them and make them whole? Or will they let their fears and past hurts steal their happy ever after?

This book was probably the most emotional, as well as one of the darker offerings and certainly one of the steamiest of the series. It is deep, dark, vivid read with scarred characters, tears (yours and theirs), triumphs, betrayals, pain, healing, laughter and the fabulous Lady Wallingham. I would strongly recommend read the series in order and while Ms. Braden gives a lot of background, to truly immerse yourself in this story, you will want to at the very least read the previous book in the series – A Marriage Made in Scandal. I loved this story and am so sad to know this is the final book in the series, but what a series it was! I highly recommend every single installment and cannot wait to see what Ms. Braden offers us next!!

The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's Reviews2 Comments

The Wallflower Wager (Girl Meets Duke, #3)The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare
Tracy’s rating: 4.5/5 of 5 stars

Series: Girl Meets Duke #3

Release Date: August 13, 2019

When her adopted parrot Delilah escapes her cage and flies into the neighboring house, Lady Penelope “Penny” Campion of course follows, but finds a lot more than just her wayward parrot. She finds the new owner of the house, Gabriel “Gabe” Duke, AKA the Duke of Ruin, barely dressed and dripping wet and for the first time in her 26 years, Penelope feels lust and desire so intense it stuns her.

Gabriel Duke is a self-made man, he grew up penniless and destitute and has worked hard to amass a fortune that will ensure that he will never know poverty again. He hates aristocrats and thinks nothing of using their secrets and debts against them earning himself the moniker of the Duke of Ruin. Gabe bought the house next door to Penny’s because he knows he can turn a profit by selling the renovated house to a commoner just because she is the neighbor. He is shocked to see that she is lovely and young, he heard that she was a spinster and a recluse, but after seeing her, he can’t imagine why and thinks the men of the ton must be blind or stupid.

The next day Penny gets a visit from her Aunt Caroline and is told in no uncertain terms that if she doesn’t make some sweeping changes in her life and get rid of the animals that she has accumulated, that Caroline will not stop her brother Bradford from taking her back to Cumberland for good. Penny cannot bear the thought of returning the family seat and with her parents away in India, her brother is in fact able to force her to return with him. She promises her aunt that she will get a new wardrobe, attend events and find homes for her foundlings.

Gabe’s architect comes to him to complain about Penny, showing Gabe a stack of letters she has sent that have delayed construction. Gabe promises to take care of Lady Penelope and gets his chance a short while later when he sees her in the park with a goat. He confronts her and tells her that she must get of the animals, she tells him that it doesn’t matter, she will be leaving soon anyway. He says she can’t leave, his profit in the house depends on her! He tells her he will help her find homes for the animals. And so it begins…

This was an absolutely charming, fun and surprisingly emotional story. As always, the writing is outstanding and the story is paced well. The characters are both entertaining and likeable, the banter is amusing, the secrets they both hold are heart retching, the resolution to her heartache is amazing, the love scenes are steamy, the cameos from Chase, Ash, Emma, Alex and Nicola are priceless and the ending is wonderful. I loved Gabe and Penny together, I thought their chemistry was evident from their first encounter and never waned. As much as I loved this story, I did think that the title was a bit misleading as there was no real “wager” and that there is a real contemporary feel to this book, and while it wasn’t enough to ruin my enjoyment, it did at times jar me. This is the third book in the series, but it can easily be read as a stand-alone with no problems.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an uncorrected e-ARC that was provided to me by Edelweiss and the publisher.*