Novella – Page 111 – Flippin' Pages Book Reviews

A Diamond for a Duke by Collette Cameron
Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Release Date: July 24, 2017 (tentative)

Series: Seductive Scoundrels, #1

This sweet novella is based on the Fairytale “The Fairies” aka “Diamonds and Toads”

The heroine, Jemmah is the younger sister of Adelinda and daughter to Belinda. Adelinda and Belinda are outwardly beautiful women, yet they are nasty, selfish women in reality. Belinda favors her older daughter who takes after her in both appearance and personality. Both women are verbally abusive to Jemmah and treat her like a servant. Jemmah believes her mother distains her because she takes after her father. Her father passed away while in the arms of his mistress and soon after, Belinda started taking out her unhappiness on Jemmah and opened the door for Adelinda to treat her the same way. The one bright spot in her life was her friendship with Jules.

Jules is now the Duke of Dandridge, but years ago he was simply the often overlooked second son. He and Jemmah shared a special bond, both never quite fitting into their families. When he left for school, he lost touch with her. He has suffered incredible losses, his father, his brother and his betrothed. When a chance meeting reunites them, he is thrilled and immediately knows that she is the woman he has always been looking for. They share a kiss and Jules asks to call on her.

Knowing her mother would never let Jules court her, especially while Adelinda is unwed, she makes plans to meet him at her Aunt’s house. Later that evening, she is offered the opportunity to act as companion to her Aunt’s mother in law and she will also sponsor Jemmah for the season. She is happy to accept the position and participate in the season. But her mother and sister make a scene and insist that Adelinda should be the one to be sponsored. Aunt Theo steps in and threatens to cut them off if they do not allow Jemmah to be sponsored.

The next day, her mother confronts her and tells her in no uncertain terms that if she doesn’t step down and let Adelinda have the position, Jemmah will no longer be welcome in their home.

Jemmah has a kind and sweet soul, but for the first time in her life, she thinks of herself first and leaves. She meets up with Jules at her aunts house and he informs her he intends to court her.

This was a truly sweet and touching story of two overlooked people finding complete happiness with each other. The book is well written, paced perfectly and while I generally prefer a steamier read, I found I did not miss the lack of love scenes in this book (it was kisses only).

I would be happy to recommend this book and look forward to the next book in the series!

*I was gifted a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review*

Catching Captain Nash by Anna Campbell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: The Dashing Widows, #6

Release Date: Available Now

This is the story of Morweena & Robert Nash and in my opinon, the best book in the entire Dashing Widows Series.

We first met Morweena in book 4, Pursuing Lord Pascal, when Sally convinced Amy and Morweena to come with her to London and become dashing widows. Morweena had no desire to go to London and had no intention of being a dashing widow. She was still in deep mourning for her husband Robert, who had been lost at sea and declared dead almost 4 years prior. The only thing that kept her going was their daughter, Kerenza, a daughter that Robert never met or even knew about.

Morweena finally decides to put aside her grief for the sake of her daughter and agrees to marry Hugh Rutherford, Baron Garson. She doesn’t love him, but she considers him a friend and holds some affection for him. The night they are to announce their engagement, Robert reappears.

Robert is not the man Morweena remembers and as overjoyed she is at his return, she maintains her distance, unsure of the man standing before her.

This is a second chance at love story done so right, I cannot even put into words how much this story moved me. I always hoped that Robert would miraculously return from the dead, because the love that Morween held for him was so potent, so deep and so beautiful, that I couldn’t bear for her to have lost it so soon after finding it. But the man that returns to her is not the man who left all those years ago, any more than she is the same woman.

Robert has lived through a nightmare and his return to his former life is not as simple as one would assume (I kept thinking of the movie Castaway while reading this book – but thankfully, this has a much better ending!). Robert is overwhelmed by everything, especially finding the love of his life on the verge of marrying another man and learning he has a daughter.

Other reviewers have commented that the story suffered from a lack of conflict and while I respect their opinions, I disagree. I thought the conflict was subtle and mostly internal – but I felt Robert’s pain and internal struggle to accept the changes, I grieved for the lost moments with his daughter, I was awed by the steadfast love that both Robert and Morweena shared and I was filled with joy when he finally met his daughter (I am not ashamed to admit that I cried when they met for the first time). I also felt Morweena’s apprehension, her worry and her undying love for this man. It is so rare to read a book that both points of view are so clearly expressed and Ms. Campbell nailed it.

This book is well written, paced perfectly, it is super steamy (YES!!), emotionally charged and perfectly executed. And while I am sad that the series is over, I couldn’t have asked for a better ending. I highly recommend this book – it could be read as a stand alone title, but believe me when I say you should really read at least books 4 & 5 before you read this story.

*I was gifted a copy of this book for the purpose of review*

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