Category: Tracy’s Reviews

The Highlander’s Unexpected Bride by Nicole Locke ~ BLOG TOUR

On By TracyIn Blog Tour, Book Publicity, Medieval (1066-1540), Middle Ages / Medieval (476-1454), Part of a Series, Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Highlander’s Unexpected Bride

Escape to Medieval Scotland, where a Highlander searches for a bride…

Is the wife the Highlander seeks

…already by his side?

Back from battle, Hamilton of Clan Graham makes a bet with his brother to find a wife by summer’s end. So, the Scottish warrior enlists the help of his childhood friend, Beileag, to help him woo his perfect woman. But like Hamilton, Beileag has changed whilst he’s been away…and she intrigues him like never before! His focus should be on winning a bride. Yet why is Beileag all he can think about?

Purchase Links:

Harlequin ~ Retailer Links

Author Bio:

Nicole writes exciting Medieval romance where all the first discovered romance novels are hidden in her grandmother’s closet. Convinced hidden books must be better, Nicole greedily read them. It was only natural she should start writing them (but now not so secretly). If she isn’t working on the next book in her historical series, she can’t be found. No, seriously. Because she’s always working on the next story!

Social Media Links:

Website ~ Instagram ~ Facebook ~ X (formerly Twitter)

Giveaway

Win a Signed Copy of The Highlander’s Unexpected Bride (Open Internationally)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for the fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for the despatch or delivery of the prize.

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Tracy’s Review:

The Highlander's Unexpected Bride (Lovers and Highlanders, 2)The Highlander’s Unexpected Bride by Nicole Locke

Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Lovers and Highlanders, #2

Release Date: September 26, 2023

Beileag of Clan Graham has secrets, one of those being a crush she has harbored for Hamilton, a warrior in the clan. Beileag is tall, lovely, quiet, and unassuming, yet she has never had a suitor and believes the problem lies with her. She longs to be seen and have a family of her own, hopefully with Hamilton, but when he asks her for help in wooing her friend Murdag, she has to face the fact that her love is unrequited.

Hamilton has secrets too, the biggest being that in an attempt to push his twin, Camron, into finally going after the woman he loves, has convinced him that while they were drunk, Camron made a bet with him that he would marry his love Anna before Hamilton married and that he would do it by summer’s end. To that end, Hamilton has set his sights on Anna’s sister, Murdag. He hopes the bet kills two birds with one stone, first that Camron and Anna will be happy and second that he will have his own family and hopefully that will ease the restlessness he has been feeling. But when his attempts to woo Murdag come to naught, he seeks out their friend Beileag for help. He soon realizes he has been wooing the wrong woman, but has no idea how to win Beileag without exposing his lies.

This story runs concurrently with the first book and clears up any questions that might have lingered from that book. This story is filled with bets, lies, miscommunication, insecurity, misconceptions, a bit of heartache, retribution, friends, lovers, secrets, steamyish love scenes, revelations, and finally a happy ending, complete with an epilogue. This is the second book in the series and I would recommend reading the books in order.

*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.*

 

The Duke Gets Desperate by Diana Quincy

On By TracyIn Part of a Series, Tracy's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

The Duke Gets Desperate (Sirens in Silk #1)The Duke Gets Desperate by Diana Quincy

Tracy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Sirens in Silk, #1

Release Date: September 26, 2023

When his father died, Anthony “Strick” Carey, the new Duke of Strickland, was shocked to learn that his spendthrift father let the entail on the family’s castle lapse and that he left the castle to his second wife, Deena Darwish, an American of Arab decent. Strick never liked Deena and was sure that she was selling off family heirlooms to support her lifestyle, he is also convinced that she had stolen some of his personal possessions, including some rare Saxon goblets he found at a dig, but he was just as surprised as everyone else when she tragically dies after falling from a tower in the ruins. He believes that the castle is now his, and even plans to sell off his precious Saxon collection to fund the castle’s restoration, but when her will is read he learns that even in death Deena has found a way to steal from him because instead of returning the castle to him as she said she would, she left it to her cousin, Miss Raya Darwish of New York. A termagant, who drives him mad with her money-making schemes, yet still makes him burn with a desire more powerful than anything he has ever experienced.

Raya travels to England to meet her cousin Deena for the first time, only to arrive and learn that she is dead and has left Castle Tremanyne to Raya. Raya came to England not only to meet Deena but also to lick her wounds. Raya along with her brother, Salem worked with their father in the family’s linen business, but when her father died, he left the business entirely to Salem, who promptly cut Raya out. Raya is an astute businesswoman and was responsible for the successful expansion of the family business, so being cast out was a double blow, leaving her with no purpose and no way to support herself. She is at first thrilled to learn she inherited a castle, but then learns the truth, the castle is all she has, since all the outbuildings and tenant farms belong to Strick, so she has no way to pay for improvements, upkeep, or even the staff. Never one to give up, Raya has ideas for ways to generate income, but it will mean working with Strick, who annoys her and excites her in equal measure, and happens to be the man rumored to have killed her cousin. They butt heads constantly, but can’t seem to keep their hands to themselves, a problem that ultimately finds them betrothed. But when a secret comes to light and a surprising offer comes in, will Raya marry the duke, or will she choose business over her lover?

This was a well-written, fast-paced story with wonderful characters and a fresh and unique plot. The story was filled with betrayal, murder, lies, secrets, jealousy, miscommunications, prejudices, steamy love scenes, a hero who falls first, and finally, a HEA that didn’t seem possible. The story had a lot going on, but it never seemed “busy”, it flowed nicely and while I think Raya was a bit too “in love” with making money, I did appreciate the struggles she encountered and found her to be a very likable as well as one of the most resilient heroines I have ever read. Overall, this was a very good story and I am happy to recommend this title. This is the first book in a new series, so this would be a great book to start with if you are new to this author!

*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.*