Category: Top Pick – Highly Recommended

All Scot and Bothered by Kerrigan Byrne

On By TracyIn Scottish/Highlander, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)2 Comments

All Scot and Bothered (Devil You Know, #2)All Scot and Bothered by Kerrigan Byrne

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Devil You Know, #2

Release Date: September 29, 2020

Before she met Alexandra and Francesca and became a member of the Red Rogues, Cecelia Teague led an awful life – hated and tortured by the man she called father until she was rescued by a beautiful woman named Genny on behalf of a mysterious benefactor. Genny tells Cecelia that she is beautiful and that she should never deny herself again. Words Cecelia takes to heart. She leaves and never looks back. She goes to school and meets Alex and Francesca and her beloved Jean-Yves, she goes to college and travels the world. Never knowing who her benefactor is until they pass on. Cecelia learns her mother’s sister was the one who saved her and has left everything to her – including Miss Henrietta’s School for Cultured Young Ladies. It doesn’t take long for her to realize that the school is in fact a gaming hell and she is reunited with Genny. She is given a letter from Henrietta and learns that no only was her aunt murdered, but she has inherited a ward, Phoebe, in addition to several properties and a fortune. But she doesn’t have time to absorb this information – Genny gets word that the police are on their way to raid the club and she needs Cecelia to pose as the “Scarlet Lady” – she is quickly disguised and is stunned that her friend Alex’s brother in law – Sir Cassius Gerard Ramsay, the Lord Justice is the one conducting the raid.

Ramsay has a tip that some missing girls are being held at Miss Henrietta’s and he will stop at nothing to save them and see those responsible brought to justice. Ramsay’s life is all about justice, he has no time for vice or women, he refuses to be tempted, so he is frustrated that the Scarlet Lady is eliciting a lustful reaction – it has been years since he has been with a woman and in the space of months she is the second woman to cause his thoughts to turn to sex – her and Cecelia Teague, his sister in law’s best friend. He pushes aside his lustful thoughts and threatens hellfire to the Scarlet Lady if she doesn’t tell him where the missing girls are – Cecelia stands her ground and sends him away, shaken by the incident. After he goes, she tries to figure out what is going on and how she will be able to decode the journal her aunt left her.

It doesn’t take long for Ramsay to figure out the Cecelia and the Scarlet Lady are one in the same, he is not happy, but when he realizes her aunt’s enemies will stop at nothing to prevent Cecelia from uncovering their secrets, he whisks her away to Scotland. There they will explore the passion that is barely contained between them, but between his stubbornness and her enemies – HEA seems like just a dream.

I loved this book, it was a wonderfully well written, fast paced follow up to the Alexandra and Piers book with the same level of heat, danger and intrigue with a fresh storyline. I liked Cecelia and Ramsay in the first book and loved them in this book. Ramsay was a bit hard to warm up to, but when his painful past is revealed I was in tears. I was a bit worried that Cecelia might end up being a doormat because she is a genuinely sweet person – almost Pollyannaish – but behind that sweet, kind, empathic heart is a spine of steel. This book was just a treat to read, it has wonderful characters, cameos with the Red Rogues, action, mystery, more than one twist, a villain that wasn’t a huge surprise, but still caught me off-guard, steamy love scenes, a lovely declaration scene followed by a sigh-worthy ending. There were a couple of inconsistencies and title errors, but nothing egregious enough to disrupt the story or ruin my reading enjoyment. This is the second book in the series, but it could easily be read as a standalone title. I am happy to recommend this title and can’t wait for Francesca’s book!!

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

Redeeming Her Viking Warrior by Jenni Fletcher

On By TracyIn Ancient Britain, Author Collaboration Series, Middle Ages / Medieval (476-1454), Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's Reviews, VikingLeave a comment

Redeeming Her Viking Warrior (Sons of Sigurd #4)Redeeming Her Viking Warrior by Jenni Fletcher

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Sons of Sigurd, #4

Release Date: September 1, 2020

Danr Sigurdsson has come to the Isle of Skye looking for answers about the massacre three years ago that killed his father, sister in law and his brother’s betrothed, but when he confronts his late father’s wife Hilda, he new husband Joarr injures him and he is forced to run. He collapses in the forest and would have died for sure if not for the help of a silent woman with silver-blonde hair. He tries to talk to her, but she doesn’t speak. She tends him and after a few days leaves. He is weak, but he finds her living alone in the woods and doesn’t stop talking until she finally speaks. She is unlike any woman he has ever known (and there have been MANY), he wants her, but he made a vow of celibacy and can’t forget his true purpose, no matter how enticing he finds her.

Sissa has lived alone for years and trusts no one, especially not warriors. After an attack on her village by raiders leaves her alone save the company of her wolf, Tova, she would have perished if not for the kindness of a Gael healer, Coblaith. Unable to understand each other’s languages, Sissa stopped talking but Coblaith taught her healing skills and quite by accident she began to help the villagers, but she never spoke to anyone – until the Norseman and that was only to tell him to shut up and leave her alone – but the man will not listen! She agrees to let him stay and slowly they form a friendship. But the past has taught her a painful lesson of loss and as much as she likes him and enjoys his company, she believes she must guard her heart or suffer the pain of losing him.

This book was set in ancient Scotland and was a well written, fast paced book with wonderful characters and a lot of emotion. I really loved this book, Danr is such a great hero, I loved that he talked all the time – usually heroes are cast as the strong, silent type, so to have a chatty hero was a refreshing change of pace. And Sissa was far from your typical heroine, she is strong, capable and stubborn, she harbors so much pain that she almost forces the love of lifetime to walk away – thankfully, Danr was not willing to go without a fight! The book has a bit of everything, action, a quest for vengeance, heartbreak, betrayal, warm love scenes, reconciliation, wolves and a very sweet HEA. This book is the fourth book in an author collaboration series that follows five brothers in an interconnected plot to find out who killed their father – I did not read the three previous books before reading this installment and had no problem whatsoever following the ongoing story line – but it did make me want to go back and read the other books!! I am happy to recommend this title, I think it might be one of the best books I read this year and will definitely be checking out the other books in the series.

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