Category: Tracy’s Reviews

One Night of Passion by Erica Ridley

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Novella, Regency Era (1811-1820), Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

One Night of Passion (Wicked Dukes Club #3)One Night of Passion by Erica Ridley

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: The Wicked Dukes Club, #3

Release Date: May 14, 2019

Thaddeus Middleton has decided that he is ready to take a wife, so like any respectable gentleman of means, he begins his search at Almack’s. Thad is a romantic at heart and is sure that he will recognize the love of his life at first sight – there will be a sign, a spark, a bolt of lightning – something to let him know that he has found “The One”. But this night what he finds is Miss Priscilla Weatherby – most definitely not “The One”, but he asks her to dance is shocked when she turns him down.

Priscilla has a plan and it does not include marriage – her father and grandfather are adventurers and she longs to join them on their journeys, she hasn’t seen her father in years, but when her mother died he told her that he set up a trust for her – ten thousand pounds will be hers on her 25th birthday if she has not married. But there are conditions, she must not avoid the marriage mart, attend 3 events week, no scandal, she can’t ruin herself and she can tell no one of the trust. Priscilla knows exactly what she will do with the money – join her father in Africa – so she has followed the terms to the letter and perfected the art of attending without participating! But if she was looking for a husband, Thad would be exactly what she would want. He is intelligent, kind and handsome. When the meet again in the park and they chat, she really likes him but refuses to risk her heart and again shuts him down.

Thad wonders if insisting on a love match is just prolonging his loneliness, he misses his cousin Diana and when she comes to visit him, he wonders if he has missed “The One” – he does mention Priscilla to Diana and she is surprised that she was rude to Thad – he says it doesn’t matter, because she is not “The One” – Diana askes how he knows that and he says there was no sign. Diana tells him to try to get to know her before he decides that she is not “The One”, he receives similar advice from his friends at the Wicked Duke. And sets out to befriend Priscilla. When he arrives at her house, the weather clears and he sees a rainbow. He thinks he might have been wrong and decides that he needs to get to know her.

Priscilla is surprised to see Thad, she thought she made it clear that she was not interested, but as she gets to know him, her desires become blurred. And when her father returns unexpectantly and offers to take her with him on his travels, she will have to decide if she should go or if loving Thad is the real adventure.

This was a very sweet story, more emotional than I expected, but a true delight to read. The characters are engaging, the love scenes mild and the ending is wonderful. This is the third book in the Wicked Dukes Club series, but it can easily be read as a stand alone title. I truly enjoyed this story and would be happy to recommend it!

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

The Highlander’s Lost Lady by Anna Campbell

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Regency Era (1811-1820), Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Highlander’s Lost Lady (The Lairds Most Likely, #3)The Highlander’s Lost Lady by Anna Campbell

Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Lairds Most Likely, #3

Release Date: May 6, 2019

The last thing Diarmid Mactavish, Laird of Invertavey, ever expected to find washed up on his beach is the love of his life – but that is exactly what he finds while out riding the night after a wicked storm.

Fiona Grant is on a mission to reclaim her daughter. Orphaned at 15, her father’s clansmen took custody of her and married her to the Laird’s brother – a man 30 years her senior. After 10 years of abuse at the hands of the Grants, Fiona is a shell of the woman she once was, now widowed, she thinks she might finally be free but when she learns of their plans for her daughter Christina, she will move heaven and earth to save her. Fiona escapes and with the help of Colin, a fisherman, she sets out to find Christina. When Fiona wakes, she learns that Colin is dead and she is on the lands of her clans most hated enemy – the Mactavishs – she is weak and in no condition to continue on with her search, she needs time to heal and form a new plan. Convinced the hated Mactavishs will send her back to her clan, Fiona pretends to have amnesia – a ploy that Diarmid clearly doesn’t beleive.

Fiona begins to heal and plans to run, but when her brother in law comes to Invertavey and says the mystery girl is his brother’s wife, Diarmid has no right to keep her and hands her over to them, even though she is clearly terrified. Later his friend convinces him to go after her and when he finds her tied to a bed, he knows that he can’t leave her, even if he has no legal right to her. He rescues her, but he wants answers.

After learning her story, Diarmid vows to help her find her daughter and will do whatever is necessary to reunite her with her child, even endure a loveless, chaste marriage. So with the help of Fergus, Marina and Hamish, Diarmid forms a plan – but will Fiona agree? After 9 years as a wife, she has no desire to marry again and submit herself to a man, even one as kind and handsome as Diarmid.

This was not your typical, boy saves girl and they fall in love story, it is much deeper than that, both Diarmid and Fiona have valid reasons to avoid love and Fiona has endured years of abuse. She is not broken, but she is deeply bruised and may never be able to be the wife Diarmid deserves, but to save her daughter the same fate she had, she will marry him and try to be the best wife she can. These two will have a very long journey to their HEA and it kept this reader reading long into the night, unable to put the book down until I knew how it would end. The book is well written, but it was a little repetitive in the beginning as we learn why Diarmid doesn’t trust love and why Fiona doesn’t beleive in it, but once her identity is revealed, the story takes off and doesn’t stop until the final page. There are cameos with Fergus, Marina and Hamish, steamy-ish love scenes, a lot of emotion, some chilling, nail-biting moments, evil villains and an unexpected ending. This is the third book in the Lairds Most Likely series, but it could be read as a stand alone title with no problem – but, I will give you fair warning, once you meet Fergus and Marina in this book, you are going to want to read their story!!! I am happy to recommend this book and can’t wait for the next one!!