BLOG TOUR – A Laird in London by Catherine Tinley

A Laird in London

There’s a new Laird in town

Will he leave with a wife?

Angus MacDonald has just arrived in London to reclaim his land when he rescues Lady Isabella Wood from a cattle stampede! Their instant attraction is undeniable, but Isabella must wed this Season and Angus isn’t looking for a bride. His wild Hebridean home is a world away from London Society, so Isabella is completely out-of-bounds. Even if their connection is unlike anything he’s felt before.

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Author Bio:

Catherine Tinley is a multi-award-winning author of witty, heartwarming historical romance. Her first novel, Waltzing with the Earl, won the Rita® Award for Best Historical Romance in 2018, while Rags-to-Riches Wife won the RoNA Award for Best Historical Romance 2021 as well as the HOLT Medallion, and A Waltz with the Outspoken Governess won the RoNA Award for Best Historical Romance 2022.

She has loved reading and writing since childhood and has a particular fondness for love, romance, and happy endings. After a career encompassing speech & language therapy, Sure Start, maternity campaigning, and being President of a charity, she now manages a maternity hospital. She lives in Ireland with her husband, children, cats, and dog and can be reached via her website, or find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Full links are here.

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Tracy’s Review:

A Laird in LondonA Laird in London by Catherine Tinley

Tracy’s rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: Lairds of the Isles, #2

Release Date: December 27, 2022

After months of trying and failing to purchase the adjoining estate of Lidistrome from Viscount Burtenshaw, Angus MacDonald, Laird of Broch Clachan, decides to go to see the man in London. The Englishman’s family was given the estate by the King after the battle of Culloden, but no one has ever visited the island or even maintained the property, which is falling into disrepair, yet they continue to collect and raise the rents, which has seen many families leaving, which is something that Angus cannot stand to see happening any longer. So Angus and his sister Eilidh set out for London, but soon find that without connections, London society is almost impossible to infiltrate, and without going about in society, his chances of meeting Lord Burtenshaw are almost nil. In an attempt to meet people, the siblings have been walking in the park, and thanks to a stampede of cows, they make the acquaintance of Miss Isabella Wood, when Angus saves her from being trampled.

Isabella is having a bad day, first, she is in London for the season and second, she must find a husband before the season ends, or her eldest brother and guardian, Viscount Burtenshaw will find one for her. But things begin to look up when she literally runs into a handsome Scotsman who saves her life. Days later, Isabella gets her middle brother Max to join her for a walk and they meet the MacDonald siblings again, and after a bit of wariness on Max’s part, a true friendship between them starts, but Eilidh warns Isabella that Angus is not in the market for a wife and if he were, he would marry a girl from the island. Isabella tries to take that advice to heart, but can’t seem to stop herself from falling for him. Angus feels the same for her but is sure that Isabella could never be happy in his remote section of Scotland and tries to ignore his feelings and stick to the task at hand – which surprisingly becomes easier when he learns that Isabella is Lord Burtenshaw’s sister. But when Isabella becomes betrothed and Lord Burtenshaw makes it clear that he will never sell Lidistrome to him, Angus admits defeat and makes plans to return to Scotland empty-handed and broken-hearted. Just when it looks like HEA is impossible, help comes from the last person you would expect, but will Angus be in time to claim Isabella, or are they destined to be star-crossed lovers?

This was a well-written, interesting romance with very likable characters. The book wasn’t quite what I was expecting and moved a lot slower than I would have liked. What I really like about this book was the “fish out of water” trope with Angus and Eilidh, it was a fresh twist and I appreciated that. I also enjoyed the inclusion of Beau Brummell, as well as the St. James herd, both were incorporated into the story perfectly. The book is a no-steam romance, with love scenes limited to kisses, and there is definitely a second romance brewing, which I am hoping will be the next book. Overall, it was a nice read, it was a little slow but still enjoyable.

*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.*

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The Wallflower’s Stocking by Jane Charles

The Wallflower's Stocking (Christmas Wallflowers, #9)The Wallflower’s Stocking by Jane Charles

Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Ties to “The Reluctant Rake” (Available on Amazon) and “Christmas Bauble” (Free on the author’s website)

Release Date: December 9, 2022

Last Christmas Eve, Lady Gaia Evans and Zachariah Radburn, the new Marquess of Lydell met in a brothel after they were both waylaid by a blizzard. They spent the evening talking and made plans to meet again in London and she promised to save him a waltz. Sadly, they didn’t manage to reconnect during the season as Zachariah was snubbed due to the evil doings of his cousin the former Marquess, and left town before Gaia arrived. But fate wasn’t done with this couple and they meet again in Bath when Gaia’s brother Angelo introduces them and is surprised to learn that they have already met!

Gaia spent a miserable season in London and was disappointed when Zachariah never appeared. Despite being very popular in her mother’s homeland of Italy, she found herself more comfortable with the wallflowers. When her mother suggested they move to Bath for Christmastide, she was happy to leave – until she learned that her mother had plans to find her a husband! Her brother offered to introduce her to one of his friends and she was beyond delighted when Angelo’s friend turned out to be the handsome stranger she spent last Christmas Eve with. She immediately felt the connection they had shared and hoped to get to know him better.

Zachariah was just as happy to see Gaia as she was to see him, he had thought of her many times over the last year and was sorry that he never got to claim his waltz. He would have waited for her, but the treatment he received in London made it clear that he was not welcome, thanks in part to his American heritage, but mostly because of his cousin’s actions, even though he never met the man. Left to raise his cousin’s daughter Alice, he could only hope that one day the gossip would die down when the ton saw that he was nothing like the former Marquess. Now it seems as if his luck is changing and he has been given a second chance with Gaia – a chance he won’t squander! But when it becomes clear that his cousin’s vile doings have hit closer to home than he thought, any chance for a HEA seems impossible.

This was a well-written, nicely-paced, sweet novella that ties into two previous stories. I loved Gaia and Zachariah as a couple and the antics of her Angelo were absolutely hilarious! This is set at Christmas, but it didn’t really feel like a Christmas novella, it was more like a second-chance romance. I liked that this wasn’t an “insta-love” story and that the characters actually took the time to get to know each other and while I usually prefer some sizzle, this kissing-only story didn’t suffer from a lack of heat. I am happy to recommend this delightful story, it is perfect to curl up with in a cozy spot and a cup of tea and it can be read in an afternoon (if your people leave you alone – good luck) that I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

*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.*