Category: Tracy’s Reviews

Blog Tour – Escaping Her Saxon Enemy by Sarah Rodi

On By TracyIn Ancient Britain, Blog Tour, Part of a Series, Tracy's Reviews, VikingLeave a comment

Escaping With Her Saxon Enemy

 

Escaping With Her Saxon Enemy

 

Escaping Wtih Her Saxon Enemy

Her tempting enemy is a chink in her armor!
Viking shield maiden, Svea Ivarsson, would far rather face Saxon warriors than be on the run with the fiercely captivating Lord Ashford Stanton, protector to the Saxon King. Reaching Ash’s family castle, Svea must swap her chainmail for life as a Lady. She can wield a sword like an expert, but no training has prepared her for craving the touch of her greatest enemy…

Purchase Links:

Amazon UK – Amazon US

Author Bio:

  Sarah Rodi has always been a hopeless romantic. She grew up watching old, romantic movies recommended by her grandad or devouring love stories from the local library. Sarah lives in the village of Cookham in Berkshire, where she enjoys walking along the River Thames with her husband, her two daughters, and their dog. She has been a magazine journalist for over 20 years, but it has been her lifelong dream to write romance for Mills & Boon. Sarah believes everyone deserves to find their happy ever after.

Social Media Links:

Email ~ Website ~ Twitter 

 

Tracy’s Review:

Escaping with Her Saxon Enemy (Rise of the Ivarssons #2)Escaping with Her Saxon Enemy by Sarah Rodi

Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Rise of the Ivarssons, #2

Release Date: April 26, 2022

At her brother Brand’s wedding to Princess Anne, Viking Shield Maiden Svea Ivarsson is once again in the company of Ashford “Ash” Stanton, King Eallesborough’s right-hand man and the only man that has ever captured her attention. But she fights the feelings because not only will she never marry or let any man have control over her, but it was Ash who robbed her of her chance for vengeance!  Years ago a Saxon named Lord Crowe killed her father and then violated Svea before giving her to his men for their pleasure. She barely survived the attack and when she finally confronted Crowe, Ash stopped her from killing him. But for her brother’s sake, she is trying to be civil and even accompanies Ash when the king leaves the next day.

But what should have been a quiet escort turns deadly when they are ambushed. Svea and Ash fight the attackers, but soon realize they have no chance of winning and see the king and several of their men taken prisoner. They follow the men and discover Crowe’s brother is behind the attack and has taken the king hostage. Ash convinces Svea to travel with him to his home to recruit help, never expecting to find common ground with the beautiful Viking. As they get to know each other, secrets are revealed and feelings intensify, but before they can think of a future, they must deal with the present and save the king.

This well-written, emotional book is the second installment of the series and picks up shortly after the end of the first book. This book utilizes the classic enemies-to-lovers trope and is filled with action, steamyish love scenes, secrets, past trauma, healing, acceptance, surprises, and finally a HEA complete with an epilogue. I would note that the book does have a trigger-sensitive scene in which a very young Svea recalls being brutally violated, which might be disturbing to some readers, I do believe the author did her utmost to minimize graphic details of the attack, but it is clear what was done. Overall, this was an excellent book and I would be happy to recommend it.

*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.*

 

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A Scot is Not Enough by Gina Conkle

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Part of a Series, Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

A Scot Is Not Enough (Scottish Treasures, #2)A Scot Is Not Enough by Gina Conkle

Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Scottish Treasures, #2

Release Date: April 26, 2022

After helping her clanswoman Anne complete her mission, Cecelia MacDonald has become the de facto leader of the group of women committed to restoring some of the things taken from their clan after the Jacobite uprising. With Anne’s mission to find the clan’s gold completed, it is up to Cecelia to find the MacDonald’s ancient ceremonial dagger and restore it to the clan’s chief. And now after years of searching, she knows where it is and just needs to figure out a way to gain access to Sir Hans Sloane’s collection, but first, she needs to shake the man following her.

Alexander Sloane is a man with a dream, he wants to be appointed a Baron of the Exchequer, and to attain that goal he has left his family’s legal practice, where he served as a barrister and has taken a job as the undersecretary to the undersecretary to the Duke of Newcastle. Currently, he is tasked with examining Bow Street’s funds and deciphering a Jacobite ledger. But when the magistrate of Bow Street asks him to follow a Jacobite sympathizer and report her day-to-day activities to him, in exchange for help getting appointed to the Court of the Exchequer, Alexander has no choice but to comply. However, once Alexander meets Cecelia everything changes, and soon protecting this fiercely independent woman becomes more important than any appointment.

Trust doesn’t come easy to Cecelia, but Alexander is unlike any man she has ever known and when he suggests a partnership, she is tempted to believe that it could work. But in her heart, she knows that an upstanding, honorable man like Alexander has no future with a displaced Jacobite sympathizer like her and that she will need to guard her heart. Working together proves they are a good team and she begins to think she might actually succeed at her mission, but when a villain from her past with a score to settle sets, Cecelia, in her sites, any chance for a HEA seems to disappear, and she can only pray that she doesn’t take Alexander down with her.

This second installment of the series is just as intense as the first book and packed with more than one surprise. I wasn’t sure I was going to like this book after meeting Cecelia in the previous story, but she is not the woman I thought she was, Cecelia has lots of layers that she keeps in place to guard her tender heart and she meets her match in Alexander. This book has wonderful characters, a lot of sexual tension, a couple of mild love scenes, a hero that is sure to win your heart as he did Cecelia’s, a bit of betrayal, intrigue, some live and death moments, great secondary characters, cringe-worthy villains, and a sigh-inducing HEA. The story starts a bit slow and if you didn’t read the first book, you might not understand the significance of certain things, but overall it is a good read and I would happily recommend this title.

*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.*