Top Pick – Highly Recommended – Page 100 – Flippin' Pages Book Reviews

Beyond Scandal and Desire by Lorraine Heath
Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Sin for All Seasons, #1

Release Date: January 30, 2018

WOW, Just WOW! Anyone who follows my reviews knows I read A LOT of books, but rarely do I want to cry at the end of book as much I as did this one – not because it was sad, but because it was over! I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this book! Ms. Heath has a way with words, she has the ability to draw a reader in and force them to become invested in her characters – their joy is your joy, their pain is your pain, their troubles become your troubles – it is a rare treat to find an author who has this talent and an amazing gift for anyone lucky enough to read the book.

This is the first book in the Sins for All Seasons Series, the series is centered around the Widow Ettie Trewlove and the children she raised, who are all illegitimate cast-offs. Ms. Heath sets up the series and introduces us to the future characters, but never does it feel like this book is just a set up for the series, Mick Trewlove and Lady Aslyn Hastings are truly the stars and the main focus of the book.

Mick knows that the Duke of Hedley is his father and wants to be acknowledged as such. He is a wealthy self-made man who literally pulled himself from the gutter and forged an empire. But he longs for the respect and acceptance of the nobility, he is sure if his father would acknowledge their connection, doors would be opened to him. He has written to the duke several times, but after responding that he has no bastard to the first letter, the duke has ignored him. Mick wants his acknowledgement more than anything in the world and hatches a plan. If the duke won’t accept him, Mick will ruin his heir.

Lady Aslyn Hastings in the orphaned daughter of an earl and the ward of the Duke of Hedley. She has lived with the family since she was a young child and though it has not been officially announced, she and everyone in society assume that she will marry Hedley’s son and heir, the Earl of Kipwick and affectionately known as Kip. Aslyn has been sheltered and knows little of the world, the duchess is a recluse and extremely over protective of her. Aslyn longs for excitement and begs Kip to take her to Cremorne Gardens. This is where Mick and Aslyn meet for the first time.

Mick along with his sister Fancy are at the gardens and “happen” to run into Kip and Aslyn. Kip knows of Mick and longs to gain entrance to his brother Aiden’s club – The Cerberus Club. After a bit of friendly chatter, Mick tells Kip, he will take him to the club. Meanwhile, Aslyn is mesmerized by Mick, never has she had such a reaction to a man and it makes her question her feelings for Kip.

Over the next few days, Mick enacts his plan and plays on Kip’s weakness for gambling, he also begins to “woo” Aslyn. He plans to steal her from Kip and bring Kip to ruin, thinking he will then be able to force the duke’s hand. What he didn’t plan for was Aslyn or his reaction to her.

This is an amazing story, it is well written, flows wonderfully, there are secrets, betrayal, moments of wonder and joy, moments of immense heartache, steamy love scenes, shocking twists that have even bigger shocking twists and a truly beautiful soul-mate type love. I cannot recommend this book enough, I will definitely be re-reading this one and cannot wait for the next book in the series.

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

A Devil in Scotland by Suzanne Enoch

Barbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: No Ordinary Hero #3
Publication Date: 1/30/18

I was mesmerized by the wonderfully well-written story right through the last page. As I grew to know the characters better and better, I was drawn more deeply into their stories. The planning, plotting, writing and execution of this book was flawless from beginning to end. You’ll fall helplessly in love with Callum from the immature, misguided, wild, reckless, hurt, and angry young man of twenty through the mature, vengeful, protective and very loving man of thirty. I didn’t want the book to end, but it was a delightful wrap-up to the series. You can read this as a stand-alone book even though it is part of a series. I read the first two books and loved them, so I’m glad I read them all.

The story opens in 1806 (near Inverness, Scotland) with a gut-wrenching scene. Callum is drunk and has just returned home from a period of drinking and wenching to learn that his brother, Ian, is now engaged to Callum’s long-time friend – Rebecca. Callum realizes that maybe he cares more for Rebecca than he realized and asks her to run away with him instead. Rebecca isn’t ‘in love’ with Ian, but she does love him and thinks that he’ll be a good, safe, steady husband for her and any children they have. She cares for Callum too but is smart enough to know that the raw, immature young man he is would not be good husband material. To add fat-to-the-fire, the Duke of Dunncraigh and his son are also there that night. Callum doesn’t trust the duke and thinks that he has some nefarious scheme afoot. When Ian overhears what Callum says to Rebecca, he orders him out of the house and tells him never to return. Callum goes, but before he does, he tries one last time to warn Ian about Dunncraigh – and he tells Dunncraigh that if anything happens to Ian, he’ll be back for vengeance – to end him.

Ten years later, Callum is in Kentucky – a very rich and successful distiller. He has abided by his brothers demand and has not made a return to Scotland. After about five years, his brother had spent a great deal of money to find him, but Callum did not read the letters at all. He just had his clerk burn them as soon as they arrived. Then, a fragment of a newspaper article caught the attention of his aid – and when Callum saw it, he knew – he just knew – that Ian had been murdered – and he knew who to punish for it. So, he was off on his journey back to Scotland. His biggest concern was how many were involved – was Rebecca involved? He didn’t care who or how many – they would all pay.

When Callum arrives in Inverness, he is remembered and treated as the wayward young man he had been ten years earlier. That was good. It was better they had no idea with whom they were now dealing. Then – plans abruptly change – he discovers his six-year-old niece and immediately loves her. That means he now has to keep her safe, figure out where Rebecca fits into the picture and punish the guilty parties.

What a wonderfully engrossing tale. You’ll love Callum and Rebecca as they get to know each other as the adults they are today rather than the children they were ten years ago. You’ll also love ‘Mags’ – Lady Margaret – Callum’s niece. She’s small, intelligent, curious, precocious, and has her uncle wrapped around her finger. Waya, the wolf is also exceptional and is gracious enough to accept Mags into her pack.

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“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”

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