American Historical – Page 13 – Flippin' Pages Book Reviews

When You Love a Scotsman by Hannah Howell

Series: Seven Brides for Seven Scotsmen, #2

Release Date: December 26, 2017

I liked this book, but I didn’t love it and I probably wouldn’t read it again.

The story opens with Matthew MacEnroy and his men staking shelter from Rebel forces at a farmhouse. The house is the home of Abigail Jenson and her parents. When the Rebels arrive, Abbie races inside to warn her mother and father.

Weeks earlier her family was attacked, her brother was “pressed” into service, her father beaten and her mother violated, Abbie was spared because she had hidden. Her father is near death and her mother is mentally unstable. When she enters the house, Matt and his men are there, but she soon realizes that they are going to help her. Abbie tries to warn her mother, but the woman will not listen. Abbie is a crack shot and impresses Matt with her ability. When one of his men is wounded, she cares for him, but is not able to save her parents. The Rebels set the house afire and there is nothing Abbie can do to save them or her home.

Matt offers to take her to the town where his company is stationed and will no other options, Abbie agrees. When they arrive at the town, Abbie is taken to the “Benton House” which houses various war widows and orphans. Abbie settles in and even begins to assist the doctor. She and Matt do not have a lot of interaction at this point in the book – but they are both attracted to the other. This part of the book focuses more on Abbie’s relationship with the women and children in the house, especially her roommate Julia. Julia is in love with Robert, one of the soldiers stationed at the camp and they plan to marry. When it becomes obvious that Julia is expecting a child, Abbie tells her she must marry now. Robert and Julia marry and then tragedy strikes.

Matt and Abbie have been spending time together, Matt knows he is interested in her, but is not sure if he is ready to marry or if what he feels for her is more than lust. When they are alone, the passion between them is undeniable, and they become intimate but they are constantly interrupted. When they slip away together a few days after the wedding, they spot a band of men sneaking up the river. They rush back to town to warn the others and then a battle ensues, in which Robert is mortally wounded. Julia is brought to his side and is inconsolable when he dies. Her grief is consuming and causes her to go into labor. When her son is born, Abbie hopes it will be enough to drag her out of her grief – but it isn’t and when the town is attacked again, Abbie finds Julia near death on her husband’s grave. She takes Julia home and goes for the doctor. At the medical tent, she asks the doctor to check on Julia and then learns that Matt has been wounded. She tends Matt while the doctor takes care of Julia. Sadly, Julia is dying and she begs Abbie to take care of her son. Abbie agrees and when Julia passes, she has her buried next to her beloved Robert.

Soon after, the company of soldiers is commanded to move south, Matt is told to go home, his commission is almost up and Abbie is recruited to take him home. There is a heart wrenching moment when Abbie must say goodbye to Noah, one of the orphaned children. She promises she will come back for him, but with no home or husband and a newborn baby, she is not able to take him at this moment. Noah is upset and refuses to see her off.

They journey back to Matt’s family and he again wonders what his intentions towards Abbie are and she wonders as well. They are attacked by marauders but manage to reach his home unscathed.

Matt’s family welcomes Abbie with open arms and they too question Matt’s intentions. Matt and Abbie are perfect for one another, but Matt can’t seem to decide what he feels for her.

The book was good, but it was a little boring and repetitious. There is no real conflict and nothing keeping Abbie and Matt apart, except Matt’s inability to decide what he wants to do with her. I honestly was not very happy with him, he took her virginity and took no precautions to keep her from getting pregnant, but didn’t plan to marry her – it seemed dishonorable to me. The story drags a bit due to the lack of conflict and Matt’s indecision becomes a little tiresome. But the secondary characters were good and the love scenes were steamy, there are a couple of heart breaking moments and a few surprises as well as a lovely reunion scene for Abbie. All in all not a bad book, but I had hoped for more.

This is the second book in the series, but it could easily be read as a stand alone title.

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

Deirdre’s True Desire by Heather McCorkle

Series: Emerald Belles, #3

Release Date: November 7, 2017

Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Deirdre and Sadie arrive in California eager to reunite with fellow widow Cat (Courting the Corporal) and begin building the winery they envisioned.

However the news is not good, Ainsworth, a local landowner wants the widows lands and has already tried to stop Cat from arriving in time to claim their land. Upon failing to kill Cat, Ainsworth employs other means to steal their land. If they do not have houses on all three lots by Spring, they will have to forfeit their claims. Ainsworth convinces everyone to refuse to sell the widows lumber and will not let them cross his land to bring any in. Desperate the widows must come up with another plan to get lumber and keep their land.

Deirdre comes up with a plan, under the guise of planning a wedding for Cat and Rick, she means to lull Ainsworth into a sense of ease, all while they sneak lumber right under his nose and begin to build their houses.

To make things more interesting, Deirdre meets two men, both to whom she is attracted, but she is not sure either is what she is looking for in a husband. After the fiasco of her first marriage, she is firm in what she is looking for in a man, she wants nothing to do with a man with ties to high society, she would prefer a working man, someone who would accept her as a partner and not treat her like a child that needs protecting. She is also looking for a man who is not afraid of passion, she was stifled in her first marriage and has no desire to relive that nightmare. Two men seem to have potential, Dylan the ranch hand working for Rick and Kinan the owner of the inn she is staying at. But while she finds both men attractive, only Kinan shares her interests, too bad he is so proper!

Kinan has a secret and he is sure that Deirdre will be disgusted when she learns of it, but what he doesn’t know is Deirdre has secrets of her own.

As Deirdre and Kinan work together to build her home, she becomes more attracted to him and wonders if he is really as proper as she first thought, maybe he would accept her once he knew the truth, but too much is at stake for her and her friends to risk letting him know.

When Dylan makes his interest known, Deirdre has to admit that she has feelings for Kinan and tries to discourage Dylan’s attentions. During Cat’s engagement ball, after dancing with Kinan and getting a surprise proposal from Ainsworth, Deirdre escapes the ball to get some air and in doing so learns Kinan’s secret. Instead of being disgusted, Deirdre is relieved, because she knows now that Kinan can be trusted with her secret. When he finds her, she shares the truth with him and it seems that these two are well on their way to a HEA.

But before they can act on their feelings, Dylan arrives with the terrible news – the widow’s houses are all afire. By the time they arrive, Deirdre’s house is almost gone and to make matters worse, Dylan is injured fighting the fire. Deirdre is heartbroken, with winter setting in, there is no way to get more lumber and it seems that her dreams will be shattered.

But help comes from a surprising source and again Kinan shows Deirdre that he will do anything to support her dreams and things between them progress. But their budding relationship will be tested again when Dylan heals and confronts Deirdre. That confrontation leads to a final confrontation with Ainsworth and Dylan’s secrets will be revealed.

I thought the story was well written, but I would not recommend reading this book without having read Courting the Corporal first, I also had mixed feelings about Deirdre, I have nothing against a strong, independent woman, but for most of the book Deirdre came across as indecisive and wanton – she is practically drooling over the men and seems more like a cat in heat than the modern no-nonsense woman she claims to be. I would also agree with another reviewer who said that the graphic love scene came out of nowhere – because while I have no problem with a graphic love scene, there was no real build up to it – they don’t even kiss until well past the 3/4 point of the book and then BAM! they are having sex. The scene was well done, but the timing didn’t seem right. I also found the final confrontation with Ainsworth completely anti-climatic. But many of the lingering questions I had at the end of Courting the Corporal were answered in this book and I loved the relationship between Deirdre, Sadie and Cat.

I really enjoyed the book and having read the previous book I was thrilled to see Cat, Rick and Sadie again and very happy to see Ainsworth get his comeuppance – I would happily recommend this book but would highly recommend reading at least Courting the Corporal before starting this book.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an ARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher*

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