Category: Barb’s Reviews

The Wrong Highlander by Lynsay Sands

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Middle Ages / Medieval (476-1454), OtherLeave a comment

The Wrong Highlander (Highland Brides, #7)The Wrong Highlander by Lynsay Sands

Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Highland Brides #7
Publication Date: 1/29/19
Number of Pages: 384

I think I enjoy this series more and more with each new book. Each book is witty and humorous while still being tense, exciting and romantic. The writing, as always, is excellent and the story is tightly plotted and well executed. I love the main characters as well as the re-appearances of the large and boisterous Buchanan family. You can read this book as a stand-alone, but I highly recommend the rest of the series – otherwise, you’ll miss out on some lovely stories and great background on some of the characters appearing in this story. Including this story, we’ve found HEA’s for 5 of the 8 Buchanan’s – only three more to go. I’ve loved each of their stories and they are all wonderful. So far the only sister, Saidh, has married along with Dougall, Niels, Aulay and now Conran. We only have Rory, Alick, and Geordi left. I can’t wait for their stories.

Conran Buchanan doesn’t think he has any real talents. It doesn’t bother him overmuch though. He loves helping his brothers with the things at which they are good and he has learned a lot from each of them. He’s more a jack-of-all-trades. He’s learned about horses from Dougall, sheep and wool from Niels, being a good Laird from Aulay, and healing from Rory. So, it isn’t surprising to find Conran out with Rory looking for medicinal herbs. Conran’s saddlebags are so full that he can hardly close them.

After hunting for Rory’s medicinals all morning, Conran is hot and itchy and is looking forward to stripping down and enjoying some time beneath the waterfall. UGH, he feels as if there are creepy-crawlies under his clothes. He knows there isn’t, that it is just the wool of his plaid against his damp, sweaty skin, but still – he can’t wait. As soon as Rory heads back to see a patient, Conran strips and heads for the waterfall.

Evina Maclean has ridden non-stop from her home, a good two-day ride, to fetch the healer, Rory Buchanan. He’d accompany her to her home whether he wanted to or not. Her father lies dying and she’ll do anything to help him. So, she’ll ask Buchanan nicely, but if he was unwilling, she’ll kidnap him!

Evina has spent her life doing as she pleased. Her mother died when Evina was ten, and her father just closed off and left everything to Evina to take care of – even the care of her newly arrived and orphaned two-year-old cousin, Gavin. She wears trewes under her skirts, carries a sword, rides astride and runs the clan in her father’s stead. Everybody in her clan loves and respects her.

Imagine a completely naked Conran suddenly finding another fully naked man joining him in the waterfall. Yep, that meeting didn’t go well and the two end up fighting and tumbling from the waterfall into the stream where they continued the fight. Suddenly – out of nowhere – there is the hilt of a sword coming toward his head. Then, nothing, just blackness.

Conran’s nude and unconscious trip to Evina’s home is quite an adventure. You’ll wonder how he ever makes it alive, but it is quite entertaining to read.

Once Conran revives, he learns that they think he is Rory and he certainly doesn’t intend to tell them differently until he finds out what is what. However, when he sees the dying Laird Maclean, he decides he’ll do what he can to save him. Even though Conran is not Rory, he has learned a bit from him – and there is nobody else to help.

Conran is drawn to Evina but knows that he has no chance of courting her. He’s the fourth son and she’s a Laird’s daughter. Then, there is an attempt on Evina’s life – and another – and another. Don’t try to figure out who the villain is – you won’t, but it is fun to try.

One of the fun things about this read is that you really believe the love between Evina and Conran. She challenges him rather than following meek and ladylike – and he admires her for that. Great romance.

Please check out my reviews at:
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“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”

Nobody’s Duke by Scarlett Scott

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)2 Comments

Nobody's Duke (League of Dukes Book 1)Nobody’s Duke by Scarlett Scott

Series: League of Dukes #1
Publication Date: 1/8/19
Number of Pages: 277

This is an absolutely lovely second chance romance. Two wonderful young people who were very much in love and were torn apart by a nasty fiend. Eight years later, they get their chance to find love with each other again. The story is well written and excellently delivered. I loved both of the main characters and could absolutely feel the love they had for each other even after all that was done to them. Great read.

The story jumps back and forth in time – part of it telling the events of eight years earlier and part of it telling their current story. The main setting is London in 1882 – during the time the Irish Finians are using terrorism to gain home rule for Ireland. Many of their tactics are the same as terrorists use today.

Clayton Ludlow is the illegitimate son of the Duke of Carlisle. The duke raised Clay alongside his legitimate son. The Duke loved Clay’s mother and they all lived together as a family – leaving the Duke’s cold and unfeeling wife on her own. I didn’t understand the little I saw of Clay’s brother, Leo. He was raised in a very loving home with a woman who loved him and treated him as if he were her own. However, he appears to be very aloof and unfeeling in this book. I guess we’ll learn more about him in the next book.

Lady Araminta (Ara) Winters is the youngest child of the Earl of Wickham. She’s bright, funny, loving, and unspoiled. It is kind of hard to imagine her being so sweet given the parents she has. She had two seasons but just hasn’t found anyone who curled her toes.

When she’s out riding one day Araminta sees the most gorgeous young man running down the path. She conceals herself so she can admire him without being seen. She returns the next day and the next and the next before he finally confronts her. They spend more and more time together and fall in love with each other. They finally make plans to marry without her father’s consent and agreed to meet at dawn to leave. Dastardly deeds intervene and each thinks the other has betrayed them.

Eight years later, Clay works for an elite organization in the Home Office and Ara has just become the widow of a duke who was killed by the Finians. The Finians are now threatening Ara’s life as well and the Home Office assigns Clay to her protection. He fights the assignment, but in the end, he has no choice but to accept.

It was a wonderful time watching these two very lovely people find that their love had never died. They slowly come to realize what happened to them all those years ago and they realize that they can now have all they lost.

I definitely recommend this book!

Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
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Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlippinPagesRev
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbBookReview

“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”