Category: Author Collaboration Series

Seduction on a Snowy Night by Madeline Hunter, Sabrina Jeffries & Mary Jo Putney

On By TracyIn Author Collaboration Series, Christmas, Georgian Era (1714-1837), Novella, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's Reviews2 Comments

Seduction on a Snowy NightSeduction on a Snowy Night by Madeline Hunter
Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Duke Dynasty / Redeemed Rogues

Release Date: September 24, 2019

This is a delightful anthology with a Christmas theme and if you follow these authors you will recognize many of the characters from previous books!!

A Christmas Abduction by Madeline Hunter – 4.5 stars – Adam Prescott, Baron Thornhill is on his way to celebrate Christmas with his cousin Nigel, the Marquess of Haverdale and if all goes according to plan, he may be announcing his betrothal to a wealthy debutante. But all does not go according to plan and when Adam tries to help a young woman he thinks is being assaulted, he finds himself abducted at gunpoint. Caroline “Caro” Dunham is trying to keep what is left of her family and their legacy together, so when she learns that her younger sister Amelia has been compromised and pregnant at the hands of well-known rake, she does what any older sister would do, she abducted the scoundrel and will make him marry her! This was a cute story that was paced nicely, has a little bit of steam and a HEA

A Perfect Match by Sabrina Jeffries – 5 stars – Cassandra “Cass” Isles has been tricked before by fortune hunters and is extremely distrustful of the men on the marriage mart, so much so that she lets everyone believe she is a poor relation. She has also made it her mission to protect her cousin Kitty, who is sweet and kind, but not quite as savvy as Cass. Currently she is attending a ball and is trying to put off one of Kitty’s suitors, Capt. Lionel Malet, Cass is sure he is a fortune hunter and will do her best to keep Kitty away from him. While searching for Kitty, she stumbles upon Col. Lord Heywood Wilde, son of the late Duke of Armitage and younger brother to the new duke – he is also a close friend of Kitty’s brother Douglas. Heywood says he must speak with Kitty on an urgent matter and asks Cass to locate her for him. Heywood is attracted to Cass, but the woman he wants to marry is Kitty – the heiress. This was an excellent story with a lot of depth for a novella. It was also the steamiest of the three offerings. If you have been reading the “Duke Dynasty” series, you will recognize most of the characters and enjoy catching up!

One Wicked Winter Night by Mary Jo Putney – 4 stars – Lady Diana Lawrence is the black sheep of her family, she left England 7 years ago after a doomed love affair and spent years traveling, finally ending up in India. But a letter from her niece Rory has Diana returning to England, she believes that at 30, she is a spinster and the man she loved is probably long ago married with children and she is in no danger of meeting up with him. Anthony Raines, the Duke of Castleton is bullied by his sisters to attend the Masked ball at Vance’s townhouse and is mesmerized by the woman who performed an Indian dance – he approaches her and they share a dance and a kiss, which causes both of them a bit of shock when they realize who it is they are kissing! Anthony wants answers as to why she left him after he proposed and she just wants to forget and carry on with her life. When she tells him to leave her alone and never call again, Anthony is forced to resort to abduction to get the woman he loves to talk to him. This was a great second chance romance, but it did feel a little rushed, had very mild love scenes and the issue keeping them apart was resolved way to easily, but the ending was wonderful.

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

Earl of Dryden by Tammy Andresen

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

Earl of Dryden (Chronicles of a Bluestocking, #1)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Chronicles of a Bluestocking #1; Wicked Earls’ Christmas #1; Wicked Earls’ Club #13
Publication Date: 9/24/19

The authors of the Wicked Earls’ Club series are giving us part two with the series Wicked Earls’ Christmas series. I don’t know if the release schedule is the same as the original series or not, but that one released a new novella every two weeks.

I loved meeting and getting to know The Earl of Dryden and Miss Chloe Finch. At first glance, they are an improbable match, but as you get to know them, you realize that they are actually perfect for each other. I loved seeing them find their HEA.

Fenton (Fin) [sorry, we never learned his last name], the Earl of Dryden, has a dark and troubled past. He still feels as if he’s filled with that darkness and hates to be anywhere near society. Over the last few years, he’s recovered his health and then built up his bankrupt estate – but the rumors about him are wild. Many think he is associated with the criminal element – though he isn’t. He certainly isn’t marriage material – nor does he trust himself to marry because he can’t do anything that would send him back into that dark place and emotions could do that.

Chloe lost her father before she was even old enough to form a memory of him. However, her mother made a loving and happy home for them. Then, when Chloe was thirteen, her mother died. That was when Chloe’s nightmare began. She went to live with her aunt who was cruel to her, belittled her, denigrated her, and abused her. Chloe lost her ability to speak. She wanted to speak, she just couldn’t get the words past her constricted throat.

Things become more and more intolerable at home, but there is no way for Chloe to escape. She’ll never get a proposal because – well – she can’t speak to the gentlemen. Many of those gentlemen now think she’s a joke and that she is deaf and dumb. None of them want to chance passing her affliction on to their own children.

While at a ball, Chloe’s aunt was being particularly mean and Chloe turned and spoke to the statue that was beside her – “Would you save me, kind sir, from the dastardly tongues of wicked old women?” Then, the statue answered back, “Why yes, I will.”

Fin couldn’t believe he’d just uttered those words – yet there was something about that lovely young woman that drew him to want to protect her and save her.

I really liked Fin who was a very good man, he just had a troubled past and Chloe was just what he needed to bring light into his dark places.

This is definitely a good read and I am looking forward to reading the next books in both the Wicked Earls’ series and The Chronicles of A Bluestocking series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.