Author: Tracy

Avid reader (and reviewer) of historical romance.

The Wicked Viscount by Heather McCollum #BlogTour

On By TracyIn Restoration Era (1660-1714), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Meet the Author:

Heather McCollum is an award winning, historical romance writer. She currently has seventeen published novels and is a member of the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood of 2009 Golden Heart finalists. She is a 2015 Readers’ Choice winner and a member of Heart of Carolina Romance Writers.The ancient magic and lush beauty of Great Britain entranced Ms. McCollum’s heart and imagination when she visited there years ago. The country’s history and landscape have been a backdrop for her writing ever since.

When she is not creating vivid characters and settings, she spends her time educating women on the symptoms of Ovarian Cancer. She has recently slayed the cancer beast and resides with her very own Highland hero and three spirited children in the wilds of suburbia on the mid-Atlantic coast.

Connect: Site | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

About the Book:

1685, Scottish Highlands
Cat Campbell knows all about Nathaniel Worthington, fifth Viscount of Lincolnshire. The determined Englishman is never far from Finlarig Castle, where his sisters train women to do more than read and write. And thanks to the fiery kiss they shared nearly a year ago he is never far from her thoughts. No one ever trained her how to forget an irresistible man.
Nathaniel knows he should keep his distance from the fierce Scottish lass, but when an urgent letter from Queen Catherine calls Cat to London, he can’t resist volunteering to escort her. The tension between the two has simmered for months, but the long journey in close quarters creates a raging wildfire that could burn them both.
Secrets of their past and the treachery lurking at court put both their future together and their very lives at risk.

Add to Goodreads

Giveaway:

  • $15 Amazon Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Tracy’s Review:

The Wicked ViscountThe Wicked Viscount by Heather McCollum

Tracy’s rating: 3.5/4 of 5 stars

Series: The Campbells #3 (formerly the Highland Roses Series)

Release Date: May 27, 2019

3.5 stars rounded up.

Catriona “Cat” Campbell is called to London by Queen Catherine, her husband King Charles II is deathly ill and the queen suspects foul play. Nathaniel Worthington, Viscount Worthington is tasked with taking her to London, Nathaniel dreads the task, he is intrigued by Cat and still remembers the kiss they shared months ago, but Nathaniel is not free to follow his heart. His father’s will is iron-clad and Nathaniel will lose everything (and by extension so will his sisters) if he does not marry a woman of refinement and noble family.

The set out to London and they really begin to know each other, Cat has sworn to never love after seeing her mother wither away after losing her father, and she especially won’t love an Englishman after her father was slain by the English in the battle of Bothwell Bridge. But the more time spent with Nathaniel, the harder it is for her to hold to that vow. But Nathaniel has secrets that would destroy that budding tenderness if she ever learned of them. When they finally reach his estate, they learn that the king is dead and his brother James is now king. Nathaniel is confronted by some of his father’s cronies and is pressured to choose a side. Cat is saddened to see Nathaniel sliding back into his formal English manners and wonders who the real Nathaniel is. In an effort to find the Nathaniel she is coming to love, she gives into the passion between them, refusing to let him share his secrets.

They make their way to London and Cat is thrown headfirst into the intrigues of court life, where secrets, betrayal, deceit and lies threaten to tear our lovers apart, especially when Nathaniel’s secrets are revealed. With accusations of treason and murder being thrown around and betrayal running rampant, will they find a way to happily ever after? Or will the guilt and anger festering inside tear them apart forever?

I thought this was a good read, but not something I would read again. I liked both Nathaniel and Cat, and while this was an interesting story, the book had a lot going on, so much that the “romance” seemed to be secondary. That along with the numerous title errors and slight historical errors regarding minor things (like bourbon and whist), made this a 3.5 star read for me. I rounded it up to four, because I did enjoy the story and thought the author did a good job overcoming the things keeping them apart with a plausible solution.

This is the third book in the series and does reference several events from the previous books, but I believe it could be read as a stand alone title nonetheless.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to be from NetGalley and the publisher.*

 

The Rogue of Fifth Avenue by Joanna Shupe

On By TracyIn America's Gilded Age (1870-1900), American Historical, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Rogue of Fifth Avenue (Uptown Girls, #1)The Rogue of Fifth Avenue by Joanna Shupe

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Uptown Girls #1

Release Date: May 28, 2019

As a fan of the Four Hundred Club, I was excited to learn that this series was going to be about a familiar secondary character from that series, the dashing and brilliant lawyer, Frank Tripp. In the previous series, Frank has been portrayed as a rakish bachelor with a knack for getting the impossible done for his clients. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book, but I am happy to say I was completed blown away – it was way better than I imagined and that is saying a lot as I had very high hopes…

For the past few months, Frank Tripp has been helping Marion “Mamie” Greene out of tight spots, he tells himself it is just because her father is one of his best clients, but the truth is, she intrigues him like no other woman ever has and even though he knows she can never be his, he can’t seem to walk away.

Mamie leads a bit of a double life, society darling by day and a bit of a Robin Hood at night. She gambles and even steals to raise money for the poorest of the poor in NYC – people who have been refused charity because they refuse to convert religion. Mamie has befriended and aided several families and helps support them with her night-time activities. Activities that are being ruined by the too handsome and arrogant Frank Tripp! She doesn’t know exactly why he hasn’t told her father what she has been doing, but she is tired of him getting in her way. When he catches her picking pockets, he wants answers and asks her to dine with him. She agrees to go, but she plans to keep her secrets and instead learn his.

Frank does have secrets, ones that could ruin him if anyone ever found out. He knows his attraction to Mamie is futile, not only is she practically engaged, but if her father ever learned of his past life, his career would be destroyed. The safe thing to do is to walk away from her, but he just can’t seem to make his feet agree. When her father visits him after their dinner and warns him off, Frank vows to walk away. But when Mamie askes for a favor, he can’t say no.

He agrees to represent one of the women Mamie helps, Mrs. Porter, who has been charged with murdering her husband. This means more time with Mamie and he has to fight to resist his growing attraction. Mamie’s father is pressing her to marry his best friend’s son, an agreement that she has long resigned herself to, but the more time she spends with Frank, the more she longs for a different future. When her sister Florence suggests that she seduce Frank, the idea takes hold and will not let go. They embark on an affair, neither believing they have a future. But when Frank finally decides to stop fighting his attraction and give in to her seduction, he knows that he can never let her go. But when the truth comes out, will Mamie be able to forgive his deceptions or will they both be ruined?

This was such a well written, fast-paced amazing story, filled with wonderful characters, secrets, lies, steamy loves scenes, moments of heartbreak, redemption and acceptance. I. LOVED. IT. If I didn’t have a ton of other books to review, I would re-read it right now and savor every single word. I happily recommend this book and can’t wait for the next book in this series!!!

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