Category: Check Content Warning/Triggers

Again, Scoundrel by Kay K. Denner

On By TracyIn Check Content Warning/Triggers, Debut Novel, New To Me Author, Part of a Series, Tracy's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

Again, ScoundrelAgain, Scoundrel by Kay K. Denner

Tracy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: Unknown, #1

Release Date: June 25, 2025

The last time, American heiress, Violet Goodwin was in England, she met Lord Alistair Crawford on a dark terrace at a ball and almost shared a kiss with him, but their timing wasn’t right so they are just left with a memory of what could have been. Violet finishes her season without seeing him again and returns to America, thinking often of her scoundrel. But shortly after her return tragedy strikes and completely changes Violet’s future. After the death of her twin brother, Violet studies to become a nurse and has some success, enough that she decides that marriage is not her for her and focuses on her career. But fate has other plans for her, and she finds herself back in England to act as a companion to her cousin, Lady Catherine West. It is there that she is reunited with her scoundrel, but Violet is no longer a wide-eyed debutante, and she has no interest in renewing her flirtation with Alistair – at least that’s what she tells herself and anyone who will listen. But their paths keep crossing and denying her feelings is getting old, why can’t Alistair just make things easy for her; be a scoundrel, kiss her and leave? So, she can carry on with the life she has set for herself and stop wanting something she can never have?

Lord Alistair Crawford is the second son of the Marquess of Timsbury but has made his own way in life. He ran away from home at 15 and joined the Navy, then after 7 years, he left the Navy to join the East India Company with hopes of making his fortune. He met Violet on his last night in England before leaving for his post with the East India Company and as much as he wants her, he knows now is not the time and slips away, but he never forgets her. Three years later, Alistair is back in England, broke and disillusioned, without a true purpose, he is just throwing away his money on vice. But when Andrew McGann, an old friend, offers to make him a partner in a new shipping business in exchange for Alistair’s nobility connections to get him an introduction to an heiress, how can he say no? He agrees and then is dismayed to learn the heiress is none other than Violet. Will he be able to watch his friend woo the woman he wants for himself?

I have mixed feelings about this book, parts of it are great and other parts are a bit hard to believe. I liked Violet and Alistair, but they reminded me of the Katy Perry song Hot N Cold – they were both very mercurial and inconsistent. I also found Violet’s character completely unbelievable, because in less than 3 years, she studied medicine and becomes so knowledgeable that she is smarter than most doctors and is going to open her own hospital and add to that her constantly pointing out how irresponsible and inconsistent Alistair is, just made her a hard character to root for. She has a good heart, but seriously, Alistair nailed it when he said to her – “Pot and Kettle, Violet”. Overall, I enjoyed the book, I did think it was a bit too long and dragged in the middle, but it does have some very good characters, touches on issues like grief, women’s health, male domination and family dynamics, and it has some witty banter and spicy love scenes, so not a grand slam, but it does get on base. This book alludes to future installments, and I would definitely read Catherine and Andrew’s story!

NOTE: Be sure to check the content warnings before reading this book – there are scenes that might be triggering to some readers.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

Never Run From An Immortal by Victoria Price

On By TracyIn Check Content Warning/Triggers, New To Me Author, Paranormal / Fantasy, Part of a Series, Romantasy, Tracy's Reviews2 Comments

Never Run From An Immortal (Immortals #1)Never Run From An Immortal by Victoria J. Price

Tracy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Immortals, #1

Release Date: June 17, 2025

With people disappearing at random, tensions are running high in Demesia, the factions at odds and no one sure who is responsible for the disappearances. Rae Farren is a witch with a plan and a lot of secrets, but when her employee and dear friend witch Nimala “Nim” and her fae boyfriend Reed go missing, Rae knows she needs help. She turns to the Vampire Lord, Aidan Vale and makes a deal – she will help find his lost magic and he will help her find Nim. But to make it believable, Aidan insists they marry, making her his “odalik”. That is fine by Rae, as long as she has access to his resources and he stays out of her mind and her bed.

Aidan Vale knows Rae is hiding something, but he too has secrets and has his own plan for the future of Demesia. But implementing his plan is no easy task, despite being the leader of the Vampire faction, and de facto ruler of Demesia, there is always someone trying to kill him so they can take his place. Add to that the missing people, his missing magic and his inconvenient attraction to his wife and it is clear that Aidan has a lot on his plate. He tries to stay focused on his own plan, but there is something huge going down and his wife is smack in the middle of it.

I have mixed feelings about this book; I was sucked in by the blurb and thought the author did a great job with world building. But it was not an easy book to get into – there are a lot of characters and different types of characters, as well as different types of each type – it is a lot to grasp. I also felt like the author was a bit stingy releasing information to the reader about the character’s secrets, thoughts and their pasts. I also had a hard time connecting with Rae – there is so much anger in her, but the reader doesn’t really understand why until almost the end of the book. And OMG, the ending, to say I felt disappointed would be an understatement. Overall, I did like the book, I was completely invested in the story, and I will definitely be impatiently waiting for the next installment.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *