Category: Novella

The Summer of Wine and Scandal by Shana Galen

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Novella, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Summer of Wine and Scandal: A NovellaThe Summer of Wine and Scandal: A Novella by Shana Galen

Tracy’s rating: 3.5/4 of 5 stars

Series: originally published in the Anthology “A Gentleman for All Seasons”

Release Date: June 29, 2016

Peregrine Lochley, the youngest son of Viscount Lochley meets Miss Caroline “Caro” Martin when she helps him free his carriage from the mud. Lochley feels awful for letting her do the work and impulsively invites her and her family to dinner. She asks if his hosts will mind and he assures her it will not be a problem, she is not so sure…

Caro has secrets, there is much speculation about the village about what happened to her 4 years ago after the town’s fair, most people think she was sent away to give birth to a child, but the truth of her time away is much more heartbreaking. She is ruined and her family is avoided and have not been invited to any events since she returned. She knows that once Lochley learns of her scandal, the invitation to dinner will be recalled. But to her complete shock, it isn’t! They go to dinner and she learns that Lochley is known for his ability to pick wine, in fact, he will be judging the wine tasting at the upcoming fair. An event that her family’s vineyard will be entered in. When talk turns wine, Lochley goes to his room to retrieve a bottle and is shocked to find Caro wandering the halls, turns out the host’s sister is a bit of a matchmaker and set them up, but Caro believes the worst of Lochley and thinks he is trying to seduce her and gives him an earful.

Days later their paths meet again and this time she helps him find his way back to his friend’s estate, when they arrive, he kisses her and to her surprise, she likes it – too much. But this begins a friendship of sorts and he meets her again and again. Lochley is falling for her, but when a chance meeting in Tunbridge Wells has him learning the truth of her scandal, he is taken aback and is not sure he can accept the truth. It will take some wise words from his friend Gage and some soul searching, before he comes to a decision, but is it too late? Did his initial reaction hurt Caro too deeply for her to believe his feelings are sincere?

I thought this was a well written, fast paced novella about overcoming the past and learning to forgive yourself. It is filled with a lot of emotion, forgiveness, heartache, acceptance and sweet kisses. I liked Lochley and Caro, but I am not a big fan of the story’s ending, if felt incomplete and a bit unfinished. Overall this was a good story and completely different than your typical Regency but be warned, there are some trigger issues (attempted rape, survivor shame) that might upset some readers.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eBook that was provided to me.*

Stealing the Duke’s Heart by Shana Galen

On By TracyIn Anthology, Georgian Era (1714-1837), Novella, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Stealing the Duke's HeartStealing the Duke’s Heart by Shana Galen
Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Anthology

Release Date: May 15, 2018

This book features two previously released novellas and my rating is an average of both

How to Steal a Duke – 4 stars – Dominick Spencer the Duke of Tremayne is on the hunt for a rare book, the Duke’s Book of Knowledge, it is written in 4 parts and he and some schoolmates what to present all four to their retiring professor. Dominick is unaccustomed to failure and when yet another man he hires to find the tome comes up empty-handed, he decides he will find it himself. He goes to the library at the Bibliomania Club and finds a serious lead. Small problem, the book may be in the hands of a mad Earl living in a remote, impenetrable castle in Cornwall. Failure is not an option, so when the answer to his problem basically falls at his feet in the form of a lovely young thief, he will not hesitate to exploit her.

Rosalyn Dasher never imagined she would grow up to be a thief, but when her gentleman father died and left them nearly penniless, their mother moved them from the country to London, they survived, but when medical bills for the youngest brother, drain the family’s funds, Rosalyn and her brothers supplement their income by stealing. When a job goes wrong and Rosalyn finds herself at the mercy of the Duke, she agrees to help him in exchange for the money needed to help her family.

They travel to Cornwall and try to ignore the desire simmering between them, but when the Earl refuses to see them and Rosalyn decides to take matters into her own hands, Dominick realizes that Rosalyn means more than the book, but is it too late??

I enjoyed this book, but really wish it was longer and the ending could have been drawn out a bit more with a more definitive HEA.

Taken by the Duke – 4 stars – Henry Selkirk is the Viscount Bexley, a title he never expected or wanted. His woe only get worse when he is tricked into acting as accountant for Prinny’s birthday and Waterloo celebrations, while planning the events at Vauxhall Gardens, he is ambushed and abducted. When he wakes, he finds himself face to face with the infamous Duke of Vauxhall, who also happens to be his childhood sweetheart, Kate Dunn.

Kate’s life has taken a huge turn since the days she lived next door to Henry Selkirk, they were best friends and falling in love when her family’s fortunes took a downturn and eventually led her into a life of crime. She has never forgotten Henry, but she is no longer the innocent young lady he knew, she is now the crime lord know far and wide as the Duke of Vauxhall and as much as she fondly remembers Henry’s sweet kisses and kindness, she has a business to run and his “improvements” to Vauxhall Gardens are hampering her crew from making money. She reveals herself to him and tells him to cease his changes – he can’t, but maybe they can work together to come up with a compromise…

I liked this story as well, my heart broke for Kate and I adored Henry, but again I wish this story was a bit longer and the ending was not quite so rushed.

All in all, this was an enjoyable read and I would happily recommend it!

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an e-book that was provided to me.*