Category: Tracy’s Reviews

The Elusive Earl by Maddison Michaels

On By TracyIn Tracy's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)2 Comments

The Elusive EarlThe Elusive Earl by Maddison Michaels
Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Saints and Scoundrels, #2

Release Date: August 27, 2018

Brianna “Bree” Penderley doesn’t have to go looking for trouble, it will find her, and when it does, Daniel Wolcott, the Earl of Thornton is usually the man to rescue her.

Brianna’s current predicament will take Daniel to Italy, she has somehow managed to betroth herself to two men at the same time. His superior in the War Office is Brianna’s uncle and he has tasked Daniel with untangling the mess Brianna has found herself in. Daniel is not happy, especially when her uncle jokes that he should marry her! Bree is a hoyden and drives him insane. Daniel is her complete opposite, he is controlled, proper and responsible. Bree is lovely, but he cannot imagine being with such a woman. When he marries, his wife will be calm, sweet and proper. His parents had a terrible marriage and it ended badly, Daniel never wants to have that kind of emotion, which is exactly why Bree is the wrong woman for him.

He arrives in Italy and finds Bree climbing out of a window to escape her suitors, he says he will take her home and they will leave for England in the morning. Bree does not agree with that plan, she is not ready to go, she is having her mother’s journal’s translated and won’t leave until she is ready! But on the way back to her home, they are accosted by the Garendetta and they want the journals. Daniel saves them and demands that Bree tell him the significance of the journals, she grudgingly tells him the journals belonged to her mother and may hold the secret to the location of the lost treasure of King Aleric. Bree and Daniel learn her cousin Travis has been kidnapped and they must travel to Cosenza to save him. Cosenza is where Bree’s departed mother is from, her parents were murdered when she was just a toddler, she was saved from the same fate and delivered to her uncle’s family. She really has no knowledge of her mother and is a little apprehensive about going to her mother’s homeland. But to save Travis, she will do anything, even pretend to be married to His Lordyness. Let the adventure begin!

They set out and find themselves in one bad situation after another. Bree learns some shocking information about her parents and finds herself forced to make her pretend marriage to Daniel real. But that is just the beginning of the shocks and surprises they have in store! There will be long lost relatives, near death experiences, kisses, treasure, more kisses and heartache before these two can even think about a HEA.

Maddison Michaels is an author who has an amazing writing style. One minute she has you laughing and the next you are cringing, all without interrupting the flow of the story. She draws you into the book and holds you in thrall until the very last page. I enjoyed the story, it was fast paced and exciting, but really light on the romance, there were a couple of heated kisses and a lot of bickering, I really wanted to smack Daniel more than once. But when they finally stop being stupid with one another, the ending is lovely and the epilogue was wonderful. This is the second book in the series, but it can definitely be read as a standalone title.

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

The Governess Game by Tessa Dare

On By TracyIn Regency Era (1811-1820), Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's Reviews2 Comments

The Governess Game (Girl Meets Duke, #2)The Governess Game by Tessa Dare
Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Girl Meets Duke, #2

Release Date: August 28, 2018

Alexandra “Alex” Mountbatten met Chase Reynaud six months ago when he ran into her in a bookshop – literally – they did not exchange names but she never forgot him and he was the star in many of her fantasies. Secretly she hoped that he was thinking of her and they would met again.

Be careful what you wish for! They do meet again, but it is clear Chase doesn’t recognize her and mistakes her for a governess applicant. Chase is heir presumptive to his uncle, the Duke of Belvoir and as his uncle is incapacitated, Chase has taken over his duties, including the care and guardianship of two young hellions. He is desperate for a governess to teach the girls enough that they will be accepted into school. Chase is a rake and refuses to form attachments or make promises. When Alex takes him to task, he knows she is the perfect person to get the girls ready for school. He drags her up to meet them, but upon entering the room and seeing what appears to be a gruesome murder scene, Alex flees. Chase follows and offers her an outrageous amount of money to stay, but Alex refuses.

Later when a panic attack causes her to lose her chronometer and therefore her livelihood, she returns to his house and accepts the job. She starts the next day and immediately realizes two things, one, Rosamund and Daisy are not going to be easy and two, Chase is not going to be easy to ignore. She tries to bond with the girls, but quickly recognizes their pain, for she has been in their shoes. When she is awoken the next morning to attend the funeral of Millicent, Daisy’s doll, she learns that this is an almost daily occurrence and one Chase is also part of. Chase is called to perform the service and tries his best to make Alex laugh.

They all settle into a routine, the girls ignoring Alex, pulling pranks, Alex using Chase’s telescope to try and find a comet (her new profession) and daily funeral services with Chase officiating. Alex begins to see the real Chase and tries to include him in the girls lives. But Chase just seems to want to complete his Cave of Carnality and get back to his rakish ways. Slowly they get to know each other and kisses follow. She wonders what happened to make such a loving man keep everyone at arms length.

When the truth is revealed, Alex tries to make Chase see that he can move on from his past and help the girls, but Chase doesn’t believe he can be trusted and keeps pulling away. When Alex finally finds a comet, Chase is by her side and helps her face her own fears. They both confess their love and it seems like their HEA is well in hand. But when the unexpected happens, words are exchanged and hearts are broken. Can Chase finally conquer his demons and win back the only woman he has ever loved?

This was an extremely well written, witty, fast paced novel, that was nearly impossible to put down. Alex and Chase are wonderful leads, they both have things in their pasts that affect them, but they are incredibly supportive of each other, the secondary characters are great and highly entertaining, the love scenes are steamy, the story grabs you from the first pages and doesn’t let go until the last word. I highly recommend this book, it is the second in the Girl Meets Duke series, but it can absolutely be read as a stand alone with no problem.

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