Tracy’s Reviews – Page 425 – Flippin' Pages Book Reviews

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Highland Wolf by Hannah Howell

Series: The Murrays #15

Release Date: October 30, 2018 (Re-Release)

Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sir James Drummond, foster son to the Murray clan, has lost everything, his home, his wife and his child. Three years ago his wife was found burned to death and her cousin Sir Donnell MacKay cried murder, had James declared an outlaw and took over Dunncraig Castle and has told everyone that Margaret (Meggie) is actually his daughter, not James’. But after 3 years on the run, James is ready to return, clear his name and oust Donnell.

Annora MacKay is Donnell’s poor, unwanted, illegitimate cousin and was brought to Dunncraig to care for Meggie. Donnell and his friend Egan are brutal men, they rule by fear and have beaten Annora and Meggie numerous times – Annora stays for only one reason, Meggie. She is not sure she believes Donnell is the child’s father and is sure he gained the castle by underhanded means. When Donnell hires a woodworker to work at the castle, Annora finds herself drawn to him – James has gain entry to the castle by posing as Rolf the woodworker. He gains Annora’s attention because she has a gift, she is an empath and his rage makes her curious, but for some reason, she doesn’t fear him.

Rolf is frustrated at his lack of progress and by his ill-timed attraction to Annora, a woman that Egan clearly views as his – much to Annora’s disgust. When they both have the same idea to search Donnell’s ledger room – they share a kiss and are almost caught by Donnell and Egan. She tells herself to stay away from Rolf, lest she end up like her mother. Later she learns Donnell’s plan for Meggie and is more determined than ever to learn Donnell’s secrets.

James’ attention of Annora has not gone unnoticed and he is warned away by Donnell, but when he comes upon Egan trying to rape her, he intervenes. Things between them escalate and when she overhears Donnell and Egan making plans for Egan to marry her – she runs to Rolf and learns that he is not who she thought he was – he is Sir James! He explains why he has returned and she offers to help him – he does not seem put off by her gift and believes her when she says, she doesn’t think his wife Mary was dead when he was outlawed, but is sure she is dead now. He kisses her and things became heated, James claims her as his mate and will do whatever is necessary to keep her.

They try to find out what happened to Mary, but Donnell has covered his tracks well. But the discovery of Mary’s journals and the arrival of Sir Symon Innes & Sir Tormand Murray really get the investigation moving. They need more proof, but are running out of time – when Egan again tries to rape Annora, James beats him and is ready to throw away his dream of redemption to save the woman he loves and his child. They run, but are caught, James is take prisoner and Annora is brutally beaten – it seems all is lost, but Annora is not willing to let the man she loves die and forces herself to get help. Will it be enough to save James? Will there be a HEA? Will he still want her once his name is restored?

This is a well written, fast paced book, with a lot of steamy love scenes, a lot of violence (there are triggers for both physical abuse and rape – if these are sensitive issues for you, be warned), action, mystery, really nasty bad guys, great secondary characters and finally a HEA complete with an epilogue. I liked this story, but it is on the violent side and the formal address is not quite right, but all in all, not a bad read. In fact, I read this book when it first came out in 2008, I don’t think I ever wrote a review, but I would be hard pressed to say if there was anything different in this re-released edition (other than the cover and in my opinion the new cover is WAY BETTER). This is book 15 in the Murray series, but it can easily be read as a stand alone title and it quietly sets up the next two books in the series.

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

Barbarous by Minerva Spencer
Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Outcasts, #2

Release Date: October 30,2018

If you read the previous book, Dangerous, then you already have met Hugh and Daphne – the story begins a short time before that book and seems to run concurrently.

Daphne Redvers, Lady Davenport is fending off an attack by her vile cousin Sir Malcolm when her late husband’s nephew, Hugh Redvers, Baron Ramsey returns from the dead. The man from whom she has stolen everything from.

Hugh has returned to England (and from the dead) for one reason, to protect Daphne and her sons. He was sent away by his uncle almost 20 years ago and when he was captured by corsairs and enslaved, he let everyone believe he had died. The stablemaster and Hugh’s childhood friend, Will is the only one who knew the truth – he contacted Hugh because he has been receiving anonymous letters saying Daphne and her boys are in danger. Hugh is surprised by his immediate attraction to Daphne, but tries to fight it – there can be nothing between them, not only because she is technically his aunt and forbidden by ecclesiastical law but because he has no plans on staying in England – he will leave once the threat to her is taken care of and continue on his quest for vengeance against the man that betrayed him – Emile Calitain. Calitain was a slave with Hugh and turned on him, costing Hugh his eye, freedom and the lives of his friends. Hugh escaped and became the privateer “One Eyed Standish”, and for the last 15 years he has been roaming the seas in search of Calitain.

Daphne is being blackmailed by Sir Malcolm, her marriage to Hugh’s uncle Thomas was in name only – she was raped by her cousin at 17 and Thomas married her to protect her. Sir Malcolm threatens to expose the truth of the boys birth if she doesn’t marry him. But now that Hugh is back, she knows that she must tell him the truth – her sons Lucien and Richard are not Thomas’, so Hugh is really the new Earl of Davenport – she is sure he will think that she duped his uncle and wishes she had proof that he was aware that the boys were not his. For this reason, she holds off telling him. She needs to make plans for herself and the twins before she confesses.

They grow closer after an attempt on Hugh’s life and she is on the verge of telling him the truth when an unexpected visitor arrives and Daphne catches Hugh with the woman in his arms. Unable to tell her the truth about Mia, he leaves her a vague note and takes Mia to London. Daphne believes the worst about Hugh and Mia, which motivates her to step up her plans to move to Yorkshire. She takes the boys and goes to London. They are reunited with Hugh and she gets the proof she needs to confess to Hugh. When Hugh saves her from an attack by Malcolm, she knows she has run out of time and confesses. Hugh assures her that he doesn’t want the earldom and that Thomas’ considered the boys his and Hugh will never challenge Lucien’s right to the title. He is in love with Daphne and asks her to marry him. She agrees and it seems like a HEA is within sight. But ghosts from both their pasts will return and threaten their newfound happiness.

I loved this story, it has a bit of everything, mystery, action, pirates, secrets, steamy love scenes, likable characters, betrayal, blackmail, laugh out loud moments, really nasty and demented villains and finally a very hard earned HEA. My only complaint would be that while this story seems to run concurrently with Mia’s story, major scenes involving Hugh from her story are not in this story, which I found a little odd – but not enough to diminish my enjoyment. This is the second book in the Outcast series and while there is a connection to the first book, this title can easily be read as a standalone. I would happily recommend this book and am eagerly awaiting the next book!!

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

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