Category: Tracy’s Reviews

Blaike: Secrets Gone Askew by Collette Cameron

On By TracyIn Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's Reviews1 Comment

Blaike: Secrets Gone Askew (Conundrums of the Misses Culpepper Book 4)Blaike: Secrets Gone Askew by Collette Cameron
Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Conundrums of the Misses Culpepper, #4

Release Date: April 14, 2018

The Culpeppers have knack for trouble, so it should come as no surprise when Blaike and her twin sister Blaire find themselves stranded and penniless at the docks in France after fleeing a scandal at their school in Geneva. When a stranger introduces himself as Capt. Landon Abraham and offers to assist them, the agree but feel uneasy. When they learn that the ship they are supposed to take to England has no record of a booking for them, Landon says he will take them, they decline, but he insists.

Oliver Whitehouse is upset, merchants are refusing to ship their cargo with him and someone is spreading lies about him. He is sure the villain is Abraham, the scum who killed his family and burned their home/office to the ground, leaving him homeless. Olivier is the illegitimate & acknowledged son of George Talbot, Viscount Willoughby. Payment is due on his ship and the lost cargo could mean disaster for him, but he refuses to go to his father for help. He is wondering what he will do when he sees the last woman he ever expected to see again – Blaike Culpepper!

When Olivier intervenes to save the girls from the dastard Abraham, his reward is being shot! His men manage to get Oliver and the girls back to his ship, where Blaike insists on tending him. She doesn’t answer his questions about why she was in Lyons, but instead turns the conversation to her family. When Oliver falls asleep, Blaike crawls in the bunk with him, thinking he is asleep. She wonders out loud how she is going to explain leaving Geneva and to her surprise, Oliver asks why she left. Blaike spills the entire sordid tale and Oliver comforts her. He in turn tells her his suspicions about Abraham. These two have always had a connection, one that Blaike would like to explore, but Oliver doesn’t feel that the bastard son of a Viscount is good enough for her.

The chemistry between them is hot and after a harrowing and dangerous journey back to England, they part ways. Oliver never plans to see her again – he loves her, but is steadfast in his belief that they can’t be together leaving Blaike heartbroken.

But fate is not done with our lovers just yet, they will both have to confront their pasts, deal with their families and fight for their love before they can have their HEA.

This is a quick read, it is well written, flows nicely, has some warm love scenes, a foul mouthed cockatoo, cameos from the other Culpeppers, really nasty villains, secrets, surprises, shocking revelations and finally a very sweet and satisfying ending.

This is the fourth book in the series and while it could be read as a stand alone title, you will enjoy it much more if you read the series in order.

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

A Match Made in Bed by Cathy Maxwell

On By TracyIn Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

A Match Made in Bed (Spinster Heiresses, #2)A Match Made in Bed by Cathy Maxwell
Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Spinster Heiresses, #2

Release Date: April 17, 2018

When this book starts Cassandra Holwell, one of the Spinster Heiresses, is still intent on marrying the Duke of Camberly, but Soren York, the Earl of Dewberry has other ideas and with the help of the Duke and his grandmother, he sets out to win his heiress.

Cass has known Soren for years, they grew up together in Cornwall and their families are well known enemies. She has her own reasons for avoiding Soren, she knows he needs money, but she is not going to be the one who gives it to him! When he finally corners her and they talk, she begins to rethink her reasons for avoiding him, she likes Soren, but she can’t marry him, her father would never allow it and she is still sure the duke is “the one”. But later when she catches the duke in a compromising situation, she radically revises her opinion of him and isn’t sure what she will do. But fate has decided for her, when while trying to evade other houseguests on the way back to her room, she enters Soren’s room and is caught with a very naked Soren. He proposes and her father has a fit, threatening to disown her. She tells Soren she can’t decide now and runs after her father.

Her father tells her she did the right thing by refusing Soren, she is ruined, but her family will not desert her, she can go back to Cornwall and live a quiet life of a spinster. Cass is not happy with this option, she wants to stay in London and hopes to never return to Cornwall. So when she learns that Soren is fighting a duel to preserve her honor, she decides he is the lesser of two evils and agrees to marry him, much to her father’s disgust.

They marry and she is sure she has made the right choice, she begins to envision her future and the fruition of all her dreams coming true. But the road to HEA seems impassable for them when some startling truths are revealed and the detour leads them to Cornwall.

I really liked this book, but there were a few things that just didn’t sit right with me, I couldn’t believe that her father was the only one with a copy of her grandfather’s will and I think Soren should have been upfront with her about his first marriage before he married her. I did enjoy seeing Cass transform from pampered princess to a true helpmate, I also commiserated with her feelings about his first wife and I didn’t feel like Soren did anything to dispel her insecurities – (But, Ms. Maxwell’s author note at the end made me feel a lot better and is the reason I decided on a four star rating vs a three star rating). I loved Soren, he was an almost perfect hero and I love how he treated Cass, his patience, understanding and positive attitude were a refreshing change from the typical HR hero. I loved that these two actually TALKED! I am not sure how I feel about Camberly, I liked him in the first book, but thought he was a bit of twit in this one and I feel sorry for Willa! I also felt like the ending of this story was just a little too quick and tied up a bit too neatly. But the book was well written, flowed nicely, had a lot of twists and turns, steamy love scenes, some shocking secrets and a villain that got off way to easy.

This is the second book in the series, but it could easily be read as a stand alone title. I am happy to recommend the book and am very interested in finding out if Ms. Maxwell can change my opinion of Camberly yet again.

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