Category: Tracy’s Reviews

Seduction on a Snowy Night by Madeline Hunter, Sabrina Jeffries & Mary Jo Putney

On By TracyIn Author Collaboration Series, Christmas, Georgian Era (1714-1837), Novella, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's Reviews2 Comments

Seduction on a Snowy NightSeduction on a Snowy Night by Madeline Hunter
Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Duke Dynasty / Redeemed Rogues

Release Date: September 24, 2019

This is a delightful anthology with a Christmas theme and if you follow these authors you will recognize many of the characters from previous books!!

A Christmas Abduction by Madeline Hunter – 4.5 stars – Adam Prescott, Baron Thornhill is on his way to celebrate Christmas with his cousin Nigel, the Marquess of Haverdale and if all goes according to plan, he may be announcing his betrothal to a wealthy debutante. But all does not go according to plan and when Adam tries to help a young woman he thinks is being assaulted, he finds himself abducted at gunpoint. Caroline “Caro” Dunham is trying to keep what is left of her family and their legacy together, so when she learns that her younger sister Amelia has been compromised and pregnant at the hands of well-known rake, she does what any older sister would do, she abducted the scoundrel and will make him marry her! This was a cute story that was paced nicely, has a little bit of steam and a HEA

A Perfect Match by Sabrina Jeffries – 5 stars – Cassandra “Cass” Isles has been tricked before by fortune hunters and is extremely distrustful of the men on the marriage mart, so much so that she lets everyone believe she is a poor relation. She has also made it her mission to protect her cousin Kitty, who is sweet and kind, but not quite as savvy as Cass. Currently she is attending a ball and is trying to put off one of Kitty’s suitors, Capt. Lionel Malet, Cass is sure he is a fortune hunter and will do her best to keep Kitty away from him. While searching for Kitty, she stumbles upon Col. Lord Heywood Wilde, son of the late Duke of Armitage and younger brother to the new duke – he is also a close friend of Kitty’s brother Douglas. Heywood says he must speak with Kitty on an urgent matter and asks Cass to locate her for him. Heywood is attracted to Cass, but the woman he wants to marry is Kitty – the heiress. This was an excellent story with a lot of depth for a novella. It was also the steamiest of the three offerings. If you have been reading the “Duke Dynasty” series, you will recognize most of the characters and enjoy catching up!

One Wicked Winter Night by Mary Jo Putney – 4 stars – Lady Diana Lawrence is the black sheep of her family, she left England 7 years ago after a doomed love affair and spent years traveling, finally ending up in India. But a letter from her niece Rory has Diana returning to England, she believes that at 30, she is a spinster and the man she loved is probably long ago married with children and she is in no danger of meeting up with him. Anthony Raines, the Duke of Castleton is bullied by his sisters to attend the Masked ball at Vance’s townhouse and is mesmerized by the woman who performed an Indian dance – he approaches her and they share a dance and a kiss, which causes both of them a bit of shock when they realize who it is they are kissing! Anthony wants answers as to why she left him after he proposed and she just wants to forget and carry on with her life. When she tells him to leave her alone and never call again, Anthony is forced to resort to abduction to get the woman he loves to talk to him. This was a great second chance romance, but it did feel a little rushed, had very mild love scenes and the issue keeping them apart was resolved way to easily, but the ending was wonderful.

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

Scandalous by Minerva Spencer

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's Reviews2 Comments

Scandalous (The Outcasts, #3)Scandalous by Minerva Spencer

Tracy’s rating: 3 of 5 stars

Series: The Outcasts #3

Release Date: September 24, 2019

Martin Bouchard, Captain of the Golden Scythe, privateer for England has captured a Dutch ship that is most certainly a slaver. As a former slave, Martin lives to capture and punish slavers and in the process has become a very rich man. When he enters the room to parlay with the captain of the Blue Bird, he is shocked to see one of the people waiting is a woman. Sarah Fisher was taken along with all the people in her village during a slaver raid – she is the daughter of missionaries and is trying to convince Martin to forgo the prize and let everyone go. She even goes as far as to hold him at gunpoint and to offer herself in exchange.

Martin just wants to get rid of Sarah and the annoying captain Mies Graaf, but soon finds out that he will not be getting his prize and must transport Mies and Sarah back to England. Along the way he gets to know Sarah and she teaches him to read and write. She is falling hard for him – just like every woman with eyes does – but he keeps pushing her away.

As the story progresses the reader learns much more about Martin and his past, which explains a lot of his behavior, but failed to make me like him – he is just such a jerk – he is arrogant, vain and cruel. Why Sarah loved him is beyond me. I mean what’s not to love about a hero that is snide, rude, hurtful and runs off to brothels every chance he gets? Or one that sends a letter explaining everything and then leaves England without the heroine? I really tried to forgive him, but every time he had a chance to win me over, he blew it. I remember him being a bit cocky in the previous book, but not like this. Upside, we got to reunite with Hugh, Daphne, Mia, Adam and Jabril (Gabriel) from the previous books and that was wonderful. I struggled to rate this story, it was well written, flowed nicely, has steamy love scenes, interesting historical details about the slave trade, great secondary characters and a sweet epilogue. But Martin and Sarah were not my favorite couple and their “romance” just fell flat for me. This is the third book in the series, and I HIGHLY recommend the previous books, but neither are necessary to read to enjoy this book.

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