Category: Medieval (1066-1540)

To Vex a Highlander by Callie Hutton

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Medieval (1066-1540), Middle Ages / Medieval (476-1454), Part of a Series, Scottish/HighlanderLeave a comment

To Vex a Highlander (The Sutherlands of Dornoch Castle Book 4)

Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 Stars
Series: The Sutherlands of Dornoch Castle
Publication Date: 6/17/21
Period: Medieval Scotland
Number of Pages: 171

Can you imagine showing up to your wedding to a woman you’ve never met – only to find out – oops – you have met her – and you didn’t like her – and she feels the same way about you? That is the way the marriage of Malcolm Sutherland and Lady Christine Ross begins. Things have to look up from there because they are already at the bottom.

Neither Malcolm nor Christine had ever expected to marry for love, but they did want a spouse they could like and respect – but neither thinks they got what they’d wanted. Being pragmatic Scots, though, they were determined to at least make an amicable marriage of it. Goodness though, Malcolm certainly hoped his new wife didn’t hate bed sport.

Christine is constantly chafing at Malcolm’s over protectiveness. She’s headstrong and impulsive and he is constantly trying to get her to think before she acts and not to take off on her own. Christine feels as if he is locking her up and treating her like a child.

While Malcolm is away chasing down reivers, Christine gets word that her father is in danger and she immediately heads out for Ross lands to see what is going on. Yes, her impulsiveness has landed her right in the middle of trouble – again. Will she survive long enough to tell Malcolm she loves him?

This is a short, entertaining read with memorable characters and a villain who gets the appropriate punishment for their crime (YAY). It is well-written, nicely paced, and well-plotted. However, I hate loose ends and it was never made clear (or even hinted at) who wrote the note to Christine to get her to her father’s castle?

I can recommend this book and this series.

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

View all my reviews

The Welsh Lord’s Convenient Bride by Lissa Morgan

On By TracyIn Medieval (1066-1540), Middle Ages / Medieval (476-1454), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Welsh Lord's Convenient BrideThe Welsh Lord’s Convenient Bride by Lissa Morgan

Tracy’s rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: N/A

Release Date: May 24, 2022

Rhun ab Owain has been living abroad for years after a falling out with his father, but now he has learned his father is dead and he must return home to Castell y Lleuad in Wales to take his place as the lord and marry his enemy’s daughter. He will honor his father’s wishes, but he will never accept Eleanor de Vraille as his wife.

Eleanor is no more thrilled with the marriage than Rhun is, she is leaving the only home she has ever known to become the mistress of an ancient castle in a country where she is a stranger and doesn’t even speak the language. But she has no options and accepts her new life with dignity and tries her best to make her marriage work, too bad her husband refuses to make her his wife in truth and avoids her at every turn. But when Rhun is called by her father to fight against the Welsh uprising and he refuses and is branded a traitor, Eleanor surprises everyone by standing by him. Can they find love despite their forced union?

This was an interesting, slow-burn romance story by a new to me author, the writing was good, but the pace was not as smooth as I had hoped. The book starts out slow and doesn’t really pick up until nearly the end. The author drops a lot of things on the reader at the start without much information, answers do come, but for most of the book, I was left wondering why he hated her family, why he limped, why she thought she was deformed, etc. The book has a classic enemies-to-lovers trope, as well as lots of secrets, betrayal, shame, guilt, mild love scenes, wonderful secondary characters, a slow-burn romance, and finally a HEA complete with an epilogue. I did like the book, but I wish the pace was a bit faster and that the author had provided a glossary of Welsh terms/phrases that she used. But I also appreciated setting the book in Wales and thought Rhun and Eleanor were likable characters who deserved their HEA. This was my first book by this author and despite the hiccups in this story, I liked the story and will be looking out for her future work!

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