Category: Top Pick – Highly Recommended

The Scot Who Loved Her by Eliza Knight

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Scottish/Highlander, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Scot Who Loved Her (Scots of Honor, #4)The Scot Who Loved Her by Eliza Knight

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Scots of Honor, #4

Release Date: August 16, 2022

When a scandal cuts short her London Season and her father sends her to Scotland until things settle down, Olivia Aston, the daughter of Viscount Halvellyn, couldn’t be happier! She loves Scotland and can’t understand why her father hates it so, especially since he is half-Scot. She looks forward to hunting, and riding and also hopes to visit her older sister Marian, who is currently in Scotland in an asylum after going mad. But she never expected to get caught up in the search for a traitor!

Malcolm Gordon, the Earl of Dunlyon and agent in HRM Secret Scots and is hot on the trail of a traitor when his path crosses with Olivia’s. He is on his way back to London with a suspect and a stolen manifesto from the traitor’s ship when he is attacked by a boar and in the process of killing it, is shot. He sees Olivia coming towards him with a gun and is sure she is the traitor or at least a spy, he pulls his dagger to hold her at bay and then passes out. Unable to let him die, she leaves him to get help. Olivia finds the groundkeeper’s son, David and together they tend his wound, she notices that the sole of the man’s boot is gone, as is his horse and her gun. Worried her dad will discover she was hunting in defiance of his orders, she asks David to take care of the man. But while David is gone to get a wagon, Malcolm wakes and realizes the manifesto is gone and so is his horse! When David returns, Malcolm learns Olivia’s name and knocks out David, steals his horse and shirt, and sets out for London to meet with his superior and to find Olivia. But finding Olivia means going into society, which means he will have to ask the last woman he ever wanted to see again for help – his mother. And so begins this wild adventure to find a traitor and if they survive, maybe even the love of a lifetime!

This is the final installment in the Scots of Honor series and WOW, readers are in for a treat! This well-written, fast-paced book has something for everyone; spies, traitors, sibling reunions, rumors of madness, great secondary characters, steamyish love scenes, shocking revelations, more than one twist that will keep you guessing until the very end, and finally a lovely HEA complete with an epilogue. All four books were so good that it is almost impossible to pick a favorite, but if I had to choose, I think this one would be my pick. This is the fourth and final book in the series, but it could easily be read as a standalone title, but do yourself a favor and read the series in order – you won’t be disappointed!

*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.*

Reign of Wicked Temptation by Jen Bradlee

On By TracyIn Medieval (1066-1540), Middle Ages / Medieval (476-1454), Part of a Series, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Reign of Wicked TemptationReign of Wicked Temptation by Jen Bradlee

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: The Prince of Whispers, #3

Release Date: August 9, 2022

After the cliffhanger ending of book two, left the fate of Ruby, Henry, and Crispin in question, the wait for answers is finally over, and be prepared to pick your jaw up off the floor!!! Please be warned, if you have not read the previous installments and plan to, do not read this review as parts of it may be spoilerish to those who haven’t read books one and two.

At the end of the last book, Crispin’s older brother Francis returned from the dead, badly scarred and posing as Ruby’s friend the monk known as Brother James. Despite his return and his position as the rightful heir to the throne, he swears he has no desire to take his rightful place as king. Crispin doesn’t trust him but his fears seem pointless, especially when Francis/James returns to the Monastery. But shortly thereafter, Ruby and Henry disappear, leaving Crispin frantic.

Ruby wakes to learn she is being held captive by Francis, who has finally shown his true colors and does in fact plan to reclaim the throne and force Ruby to honor their betrothal – but first, he wants to make Crispin suffer. She soon learns that Francis is also holding Henry captive and that they were betrayed by Ivy.

Crispin questions Ivy and learns that she is an assassin from the “Guild” but she refuses to tell Crispin who her master is, she admits to helping him capture Ruby and Henry – he forces her to take him to her meeting place, but when a badly beaten Henry arrives in place of her master, she once again betrays them, by taking them by surprise and turning them over to Francis. It seems as if all is lost and Francis will succeed in his plan to destroy Crispin, force Ruby to marry him, and claim the crown. But help comes from an unexpected source and secrets are revealed that change everything.

OMG – this entire series has been fantastic and this final installment is by far the best of the collection. I loved Ruby and Crispin and especially loved watching Crispin transform from the self-centered lothario that he was into a just ruler. This book was filled with heartbreak, betrayal, secrets, lies, shocking revelations, forgiveness, healing, a soulmate-type love, and finally a hard-won HEA. This is the third installment of the series and the books really need to be read in order. I absolutely loved this entire series and if you like bad-boy heroes, then this is the series for you!

Important Note: This book does contain a scene that might be a trigger for some readers – I will not say what it is as it is a spoiler, but if you would like to know, feel free to contact me privately.

*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.*