Category: Barb’s Reviews

The Highlander’s English Bride by Vanessa Kelly

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Georgian Era (1714-1837)Leave a comment

The Highlander's English Bride (Clan Kendrick, #3)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Clan Kendrick #3
Publication Date: 5/26/20
Number of Pages: 448

Oh! Graeme Kendrick, the brother who is always in or causing trouble, has grown up and makes the most marvelous hero. I loved him – and Sabrina Bell made the perfect heroine for him. She calmed the restless energy within him, steadied him, while he brought out her courage and spirit of adventure. Add in marvelous visits with most of the other members of the Kendrick clan and you have a wonderful, exciting, romantic adventure. It was particularly fun to see the heroine pursuing the hero – until he caught her. Remember Graeme’s affliction with breaking furniture – not on purpose – he’s just a big fellow? Well, there is a wonderful furniture breaking scene included – just to make you smile – and wonder.

We first met the Kendrick family in The Highlander’s Princess Bride, Improper Princesses series #3. In that book, we met Nicholas Kendrick, Earl of Arnprior, and his six very unruly siblings – Logan, Royal, Graeme & Grant (twins), Braeden, and Kade plus their irascible grandfather Angus. We’ve already had Royal’s story (The Highlander Who Protected Me) and Logan’s story (The Highlander’s Christmas Bride) and now we finally get to Graeme. I had wondered how the author was finally going to mature Graeme and make him into a believable and admirable hero – and now I know. She did it very well!

The Kendrick’s are a very close-knit family, but Graeme has somewhat separated himself from them for the last couple of years. He loves them, but he carries a lot of guilt and blames himself for a number of things that are not his fault – but his biggest secret is the one that makes him feel unworthy. Unworthy of their love or anyone else’s. When he rescues a beautiful young lady in Hyde Park – early one morning – he is immediately drawn to her. When she stands up to him and holds her own with him, he is even more drawn to her. Except he knows he doesn’t deserve her and walks away – all the way back to Scotland. He needs the distance and he has a mission to perform for the Crown.

Lady Sabrina Bell is a wealthy heiress and is totally accustomed to having men pursue her for her fortune. She’s quite sanguine about it and just marches along with her life – and she’s very happy that way. She does need to marry though and has met a newcomer to town who she thinks might be a candidate. Against all propriety, she even agrees to meet him very early in the morning – in Hyde Park. What an ordeal of a morning it turned out to be! It was raining, her assignation didn’t show up, she was wet, she was robbed and pushed into the Serpentine, and then she was rescued by a beast of a Highlander when she didn’t even need rescuing. He is certainly an intriguing man though.

As Graeme and Sabrina come into contact more and more often, both are thoroughly smitten. She freely admits it to herself – and he denies it totally. When he leaves London and heads to Scotland, she finds a way to get herself to Scotland. She’s a determined lass and has decided Graeme is the one for her. He doesn’t make it easy on her – and she almost gives up. He fights it with every fiber of his being, but poor Graeme just isn’t a match for Sabrina and his entire family. Then, add in kidnappings, smugglers, bootleggers, plots against the king and you have a rollercoaster ride of a story.

I hope you enjoy this story as much as I did – even though it does have some very modern situations and conversational styles. You’ll love both Graeme and Sabrina as well as visiting with most of his brothers and their wives.

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

A Bewitching Governess by Patricia Rice

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

A Bewitching Governess (School of Magic, #2)Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: School of Magic #2
Publication Date: 5/26/20
Number of Pages: 339

I have loved every book I’ve ever read featuring the Malcolms. What an intrepid and intriguing lot they are! In the first book, Lessons In Enchantment, we met most, if not all, of the characters in this book. I loved Olivia and Simon – she’s the calm port in his storm and he’s the strength and courage she needs. When you add all those lovely children into the mix, you have an absolutely delightful read. Additionally, we get to meet the stars of the next book – and that seems like a really intriguing match!

In the previous book, we learned of The Association and their controlling and manipulative ways. Nothing is beyond them – even murder and they wanted Letitia Blair and her children dead. When the Association managed to murder Letitia, Simon, her husband, went wild in grief and revenge. He placed his children in the care of his cousin Andrew and went about hunting down the murderers. Little did he know they’d still be coming after those babies. Simon, Andrew, and Phoebe (Andrew’s wife) stopped the villains but sent the children into the care of another relative until they could assure the children would be safe.

Things are safer now and Simon is collecting his children – and what a trip it has been. Then he meets the very disapproving governess and his temper flares. You see, Letitia had ‘gifts’ and she passed ‘gifts’ along to her children as well. Simon wanted to stamp out those gifts – deny them – but here was this governess teaching them how to use them. He certainly doesn’t want that wicked woman around his children.

Olivia has fallen in love with the children in her care and wants very much to teach them how to control their gifts so they don’t harm themselves or others – and so they don’t inadvertently use them and call unwanted attention to themselves. What a drunken oaf their father is! How can she turn these lovely children over to him when he is in total denial of their gifts?

Simon and Olivia circle each other each bound and determined to have their own way. Then the trouble starts and things get dangerous. Can Olivia and Simon work together to keep themselves and the children safe? Can they thwart the villains? Can they prove that oil and water do mix? You’ll just have to read this delightful tale to find out that and more.

I highly recommend this author, this series, and this book. It is well-written, well-plotted, well-paced, and filled with delightful characters you’ll quickly love. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

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