Category: Top Pick – Highly Recommended

A Mackenzie Clan Christmas by Jennifer Ashley

On By TracyIn Anthology, Christmas, Novella, Scottish/Highlander, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

A Mackenzie Clan Christmas: A Mackenzie Yuletide/A Mackenzie Clan Gathering (Mackenzies & McBrides, #8.5 & 11.5)A Mackenzie Clan Christmas: A Mackenzie Yuletide/A Mackenzie Clan Gathering by Jennifer Ashley

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series:Mackenzies & McBrides, #8.5 & 11.5

Release Date: October 29, 2019

This anthology has two Mackenzie Family Novellas – A MacKenzie Yuletide (an all new MacKenzie Family novella) & A Mackenzie Clan Gathering (released in 2016 and is a XL novella

A Mackenzie Yuletide:

As usual, the MacKenzies descend on Kilmorgan Castle to celebrate the Yuletide season and Hogmanay. Mac is up in his studio painting when a noise disturbs his concentration, he goes to investigate and finds a ghost! But as he approaches her, she disappears, unconcerned, Mac goes to bed and mentions it to the family at breakfast. Some of the children, decide to build a ghost trap – no sure if the ghost is in fact a ghost or if it is another break in attempt.

Uninterested in ghosts, Ian is consumed with tracking down a necklace that he wants to give to Beth for Hogmanay, but the trail he followed has hit a wall and he calls in his half-brother Lloyd Fellows, a chief supervisor at Scotland Yard to help him.

Ian’s son Jamie is also trying to find the necklace in hopes of impressing his father. He gets his cousin Gavina and his father’s valet Curry to help him. Jamie and Gavina are pulled into the ghost hunt when Jamie sees the ghost after Gavina breaks in to Ian’s study.
With mysteries to solve and all the MacKenzies in attendance, this will turn out to be a very interesting and exciting Yuletide!!

I loved this novella, it was entertaining, well written, interesting and a lot of fun. Catching up with all the MacKenzies and seeing their children growing up was heartwarming and satisfying. And as always, I loved reading about Ian and Beth, they truly are one of my all-time favorite fictional couples and I never get tired of reading about them. This was a really wonderful read and while it is set at Christmastime, I didn’t really consider it a “holiday” read.

The Mackenzie Clan Gathering

This very long novella is the second book in this collection and it was released in 2016, the blurb reads as follows:

Ian Mackenzie is awakened at Kilmorgan Castle one night to find robbers stealing the priceless art collection of his oldest brother, Hart. Since Ian and Beth are the only ones in resident at Kilmorgan at the moment, Ian decides he must find the art and the culprits before the family shows up for Hart’s birthday gathering. With Inspector Fellows and Beth, he investigates, though Ian is somewhat worried by Beth’s late husband’s brother, a retired missionary, who decides to visit. Does John Ackerley hold the “cure” to Ian’s madness? And can Ian discover what has happened to Hart’s treasures, and who is targeting the Mackenzies before the enemy strikes again?

Return to Kilmorgan Castle to visit the Victorian branch of the Mackenzie family, and catch up on the brothers and friends, their children, and their lives.

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

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The Widow of Rose House – Blog Tour

On By TracyIn America's Gilded Age (1870-1900), American Historical, Gothic Historical, Historical Paranormal/Fantasy, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's Reviews, Yearly Favorites1 Comment

The Widow of Rose HouseThe Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller
Tracy”s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: N/A

Release Date: October 8, 2019

Alva Penrose Rensselaer Webster is back in New York after 13 years and it is clear that her scandalous past has not been forgotten. She is having dinner at Delmonico’s with a publisher, desperately hoping to sell him on the idea of publishing her book on interior decorating, and the whispers are growing louder. Finally, she convinces the publisher to give her a chance and leaves just as fast as she can. But her escape is thwarted by a very large man who introduces himself as Sam Moore. She mistakenly believes he is propositioning her, which his first words to her confirm, but it is not the proposition she expected.

Professor Samuel Moore is famous, he is a genius and sought after inventor – in fact his whole family is famous, but what many people don’t know is Sam’s secret passion is ghost hunting – an Alva Webster happens to have just purchased a home with a ghost! When he sees her at the restaurant and learns that she owns the house, nothing will stop him from talking to her. Once the true nature of his “proposition” is revealed, a very embarrassed Alva refuses to grant him access. But Sam won’t give up, because now he is not just interested in the ghost, he is interested in Alva as well.

When Alfred, her former brother in law begins to blackmail her and the workers at her house refuse to return until she gets rid of the ghost, Alva decides to let Sam investigate the house – just so she can finish the project and write her book. Sam agrees, but now he wants to investigate whatever is between them as well as the ghost. Alva has no desire to remarry, but she agrees to an affair, but for Sam that won’t be enough. And while Alva knows she loves him, she knows her secrets and scandalous past, as well as the current threat Alfred presents would not ruin just her, but Sam and maybe his family and she will push him away before she lets that happen. But to do that, she must get rid of the ghost, once and for all.

I loved this story, I will admit the description of a “gothic romance” left me a bit wary, but I can honestly say this was not a dark read at all, there are some serious issues and possibly some triggers for sensitive readers, but Ms. Biller manages to keep this from being truly dark. Alva is a wonderful heroine who has been hurt and misused by those who should have loved her and Sam is awesome – I loved him so much, he is brilliant, funny and very, very protective of Alva. My understanding is this book is a debut offering and I have to say if that is true – WOW – it is well written, flows nicely, stays on point and has incredible imagery and emotion, I am very impressed and will be looking for Ms. Biller’s next book and hoping she is writing books about the other Moore siblings!!

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