Category: Tracy’s Reviews

Six Weeks with a Lord by Eve Pendle

On By TracyIn Blog Tour, Tracy's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)1 Comment

 

Meet the Author:

Eve lives in England and writes angsty, snarky and passionate Victorian era romance. She has National Trust membership, a big-boned cat, and a crazy dog. She loves wearing dresses and eating chocolate.

Connect: Site | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

 

About the Book:

 

Grace Alnott is out of time. To save her younger brother from an abusive guardian, her merchant father’s will demands she must marry a peer. Handsome but destitute Everett Hetherington, Earl of Westbury agrees to her offer of a marriage of convenience but stipulates she must live with him for six weeks. No matter how honorable he seems she can’t allow him to get too close, because the aristocracy cannot be trusted.
Six weeks. Major Everett Hetherington, new Earl of Westbury, has exactly six weeks to convince the very independent Grace Alnott to spend the rest of her life with him. Despite her belief she doesn’t belong in his world, he must tempt the alluring Grace into staying, because he has fallen for her. Hard. He just has to ensure she never discovers his secret.
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo

Add to Goodreads

Giveaway:

  • $15 Amazon Gift Card!

th

Tracy’s Review:

Six Weeks with a LordSix Weeks with a Lord by Eve Pendle
Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Grace Alnott returns from finishing school to learn that her father is dead and has left her nothing but her dowry, a dowry she will only get upon her marriage to a peer. Her father named Lord Rayner as guardian to her young brother and expects Grace to marry him.

Grace despises Lord Rayner, he is an awful man and she plans to petition the Chancery court for guardianship of her brother Henry. But to do that, she needs money. She makes it known that she is looking for a marriage of convenience and is willing to split her dowry with her new husband.

Everett Hetheringon, the Earl of Westbury needs a rich bride. His father and older brother both neglected the estate and left behind huge debts, when his younger brother tells him of Grace with her dowry of 50,000 pounds, it seems like the answer to his prayers. He offers for Grace and learns that he will only get half of the dowry and she doesn’t plan to live with him. They make a bargain – she will live with him for six weeks and he will not take his “husbandly rights” – he agrees but he is not completely honest with her – he plans to seduce her into staying and claiming her entire dowry to pay off his brother’s debt.

They marry and return to his estate, she doesn’t trust men and tries to keep Everett at arms length, she hasn’t told him what she plans to do with her half of the dowry instead she told him that she wants to be an independent woman and travel. But over the course of the first few weeks, they form a friendship and she tells him about her brother and Lord Rayner. He offers to help her with her problem, but still doesn’t disclose his plan to keep her entire dowry. He woos her with kindness and kisses.

Grace begins to fall in love with him and thinks that he may be a man she can trust with her heart, and after a visit from Lord Rayner, she is sure of it. She decides to wait until the six weeks is up to tell him of her feelings, but lets him consummate the marriage.

The morning after the six weeks is up, she is excited and in love, she wants to tell him and is just waiting for the perfect moment. But everything goes terribly wrong and Grace is heartbroken. Everett tries to explain and swears that his love for her is true, but he needs the money to pay the debt and thinks that is more important than getting guardianship of Henry. Grace decides to return to London and Everett doesn’t stop her. But a visit from his mother makes him realize what he has given up and what he has to do to win back Grace. But is it too late?

This was a well written book that moves along at a steady pace, with likable characters, steamy love scenes, a nasty villain, interesting secondary characters and a true chemistry between Grace and Everett. I really enjoyed the book and would happily recommend!

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

The Duke’s Distraction by Maggie Dallen

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

A Duke's Distraction (Devilish Lords Book 2)A Duke’s Distraction by Maggie Dallen
Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Devilish Lords, #2

Release Date: June 20, 2018

Rhys Galwin, the Duke of Roxborough needs to find a bride, in fact he has a list and Georgette “Georgie” Cleveland is NOT on it!

Georgie has come to stay with her sister and brother-in-law for the season. She has high hopes for finding her own love match this season and may have already found him! Lord Malcolm Reynolds is the man of her dreams, he is handsome, charming and a poet! He hasn’t noticed her yet, but he will.

When Rhys accompanies Georgie and the family to a ball, Georgie spots her rival Mary with Lord Malcolm. She decides that Rhys is the perfect man to make Mary jealous, she commands Rhys to dance with her. Shocked by her forwardness, Rhys complies and is a bit annoyed, this dance will but a kink in his bride hunting! He scoffs when Georgie offers to help him find a bride – she is the LAST person he would ever ask for help, she is frivolous and doesn’t have any clue what is required of a duchess. But despite that, he feels oddly protective of her.

Her dance with Rhys did make Lord Malcolm take notice and he asks her to dance, but instead of feeling elated, she feels unsettled by him and when he asks her to meet him in secret, she is shocked. She wonders what she did to give him the impression that she was that type of girl. Later Rhys overhears Malcolm boasting to his friends that he will seduce Georgie, he intervenes and implies that he is interested in her and is glad that Malcolm isn’t considering her as a wife. He finds Georgie and forbids her to meet Malcolm, she didn’t plan on it and when he goes further and insults her family, she slaps him. They bicker and he kisses her!

Her friend Mary comes to visit and tells her of the gossip – Rhys wants to court her! WHAT?? She needs answers, she finds Rhys and confronts him, he is just about to kiss her again when his mother bursts in, she has heard the rumors and wants to do damage control. Georgie is confused by her feelings and wonders if she should give up on finding a love match.

Rhys tries to apologize about the kiss, but Georgie brushes it off and again offers to help him with his “list”. Georgie makes him laugh and he feels lighter than he has in years. Days later, the duchess tells her that she noticed her connection with Rhys and approves, Georgie pretends to misunderstand and the duchess doesn’t fall for it – she says she won’t tell Rhys of Georgie’s feelings – Georgie is overwhelmed, she isn’t falling in love with him! It was the kiss – yes, she needs to kiss him again! When Rhys happens upon her, she throws herself at him, he kisses her back, but then tells her he can’t marry her – she babbles and runs off.

Later that night, Rhys escapes the bride choosing soirée – he finds Lord Malcolm in his study and sends him away, Nic comes in and offers him some advice. Rhys realizes, that Georgie is the bride he wants and needs, but how can he convince her?? That is when he notices the “list” is missing. But he no longer needs a list – he has made his decision!

This is a delightful story with very likable leads, some heated kisses, wonderful secondary characters, a dash of humor and a very wonderful declaration scene. This is the second book in the series (third if you count the Wicked Earl’s book), but it can easily be read as a stand-alone title.