Category: Novella

The Duke and I by Heather Boyd

On By TracyIn Novella, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's Reviews2 Comments

The Duke and I (Saints and Sinners Book 1)The Duke and I by Heather Boyd
Tracy’s rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: Saints and Sinners, #1

Release Date: July 5, 2018

3.5 stars – rounded up because this was an ARC and will probably (hopefully) be corrected before release.

Nicolas Westfall, the Duke of Stapleton is a widower with several grown children, his youngest daughter Jessica is almost ready to make her come out and he needs someone to guide her. Enter Gillian Thorpe.

Gillian is a widow and has just lost her position as a governess when she meets Nic. She agrees to be Jessica’s companion and will help prepare her for her upcoming season. She and Nic get on very well together and keep their relationship strictly professional for almost nine months, then a kiss under the mistletoe opens the flood gates and their relationship takes a steamy turn!

Nic is falling hard for Gillian and decides to ask her to marry him once all his houseguests leave. Gillian is also falling for Nic, but he has made no promises or spoken of a future, so when Nic’s eldest daughter Rebecca says that Nic is going to marry and Gillian is no longer needed, she has no reason to believe it is not true and agrees to take another job.

I thought this was a very sweet story of second chance love, it was well paced for a novella and very steamy without being gratuitous, the characters were likable (except his daughter Rebecca) and the ending was very sweet and satisfying. There were a lot of typos, title errors and an inconsistent timeline – but they didn’t really ruin the story for me, but they were distracting if you are a detail oriented reader (and I am). But overall it was a nice short book and I will be looking forward to the next installment.

* I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher*

The Risk of Rogues by Sabrina Jeffries

On By TracyIn Novella, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's Reviews1 Comment

The Risk of Rogues (The Sinful Suitors, #5.5)The Risk of Rogues by Sabrina Jeffries
Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Sinful Suitors, #5.5

Release Date: July 2, 2018

Years ago Lord Hartley Corry fell in love with Miss Anne Barkley, but when their father’s refused to approve a marriage between them, he left to join the army – hoping to make a living to support her. But when he returns to England five years later, Anne has disappeared. He is devastated and returns to India, but he has never forgotten her. When he returns to England again, six years later and takes a position spying for Lord Fulkham, he doesn’t use his connections to find her, because he doesn’t want to learn that she married and will never be his. He makes it clear to family and friends that he is a confirmed bachelor, because if he can’t marry Anne, he won’t marry.

So imagine his surprise when he arrives at his brother’s hunting lodge for a week of manly pursuits and finds not only a house party in full swing but his lost love Anne! But she is no longer Miss Barkley, she is now Lady Anne. He convinces her to meet him alone and is ready to pick up where they left off – but Anne has other ideas.

Anne was heartbroken when Hart left her with no word, he promised to elope with her if her father refused and instead he just up and left. It was probably for the best, her father told her that he was a gambler and a wastrel and the rumors she has heard over the years have only confirmed what her father said. She insists that they don’t know each other and she doesn’t trust him. He asks if he can court her, give them time to reacquaint themselves and see if marry is possible.

Anne is still in love with Hart, but old fears and new secrets keep her from fully committing to him. He is sweet and woos her with gifts and kisses, but she can’t seem to accept him – especially when he is so closemouthed about his prospects. Hart wants to tell her, but he needs her to trust him and commit before he can. When they finally make love and she still refuses to marry, he knows what he has to do to prove that he loves her for her and not for what she brings to a marriage.

This is a very sweet second chance at love story, it is very short, but it is well written, flows without feeling rushed and has wonderful characters, warm love scenes and a very lovely ending. It is part of the Sinful Suitors series, but it can be read as a stand alone title with no issues.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher*