Category: Tracy’s Reviews

What a Highlander’s Got to Do by Sabrina York

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

What a Highlander's Got to Do (Untamed Highlanders, #5)What a Highlander’s Got to Do by Sabrina York
Tracy’s rating: 3/3.5 of 5 stars

Series: Untamed Highlanders, #5

Release Date: March 6, 2018

Maybe 3.5 (assuming the title errors/formal address are fixed by publication)

I was really looking forward to this book, I have enjoyed Isobel’s antics from the beginning of the series when she was a little girl and I was excited to see her all grown up.

I guess it’s true – be careful what you wish for – what I found cute and precocious in a six year old child, I found to be vastly annoying in a young woman. She is still just as bratty and impetuous now as she was then, she still thinks she knows better than anyone else and that her ideas and wishes are paramount.

Isobel is staying with a family friend in Newcastle while the rest of her family is attending Aunt Esmerelda, once they return they will all be going to London for the season – to find a husband for Isobel and Catriona – a plan that Isobel doesn’t agree with nor one she plans to follow.

While out riding she meets a man and assumes he is a stable boy, they talk and flirt and share a kiss. Isobel makes plans to see him again the next day. Edward Nicholas Wyeth, Viscount Stirling aka Nick is not a stable boy and he is captivated by the wild Scottish girl he just met, he plans his seduction, thinking she is a maid. Later he learns he might be wrong and she might actually be a well born lady, but he keeps his rendezvous with her anyway. They talk and he is sure she is a maid but then discovers she is a virgin and his honor won’t let him despoil her – but Isobel wants to be despoiled! When they meet again she is bound and determined to be had – and takes matters into her own hands. They make love and it is earth shattering and they plan to meet as often as they can before she leaves.

She returns back to the house and is dismayed that her family has arrived, she has no way to tell Nick that she is leaving but it was never going to be anything more than a fleeting affair, its not like they were in love or anything… So why is she still thinking about him days later and thinking that she sees him in the park? Nick realizes that the family left for London and takes off after them – happy to leave considering his host’s sister is “hunting” him and even tried to compromise him into marrying her. He arrives in London and has no idea how to find her and knows he will have to ask his mother for help. That is when he learns that his Isobel is not a maid and that his mother has met her and wants Nick to meet her. Perfect!

Later that night they meet at a ball, but Isobel still thinks he is a stable boy and has snuck into the ball, they go out to the terrace and after a kiss, she asks him what he is doing there and tries to get him to leave, when someone calls him, she is worried he has been caught, but soon realizes that his is not a stable boy but a Lord – an ENGLISH Lord – she is miffed and leaves with his friend Tully, leaving Nick alone with Lady Celia – the girl that is “hunting” him. Nick needs to speak to Isobel, but she ignores him and leaves the ball. She is angry, he lied to her! But Cat points out that he never lied and Isobel is not being fair. Isobel admits that he didn’t lie, but she is still angry.

They meet again at a house party given by his mother and form a truce of sorts, he wants her and believes that he may be falling in love, but Isobel just wants an affair. When they ended up betrothed, he is elated and it seems like she is too – but he soon learns the truth – she is happy because it means they can have an affair and then she can dump him when she is ready to go back to Scotland. Nick is intent on winning Isobel and plans to woo her and win her.

For the next couple of months everything goes well, but Isobel still refuses to marry him and when she learns something that could change everything – she bolts. Leaving Nick to decide if he should still fight for her or finally let her go.

While the story was non-stop and very amusing, I failed to truly understand what exactly Isobel was afraid of – losing herself? I have a hard time with this mindset in this era – there is no such thing as an independent woman, especially an unmarried woman of no fortune. Isobel came across as very selfish, ignorant and a bit TSTL. She wasn’t mean and she understood her actions would hurt people, but it didn’t stop her from doing them anyway and for that I lost what little respect I had for her. Nick was wonderful and I loved him as well as the other Edwards and his twin cousins. The story had a lot of steamy love scenes, more than one villain, some laugh out loud funny moments and a very sweet HEA. On the downside, Isobel is annoying and there are more formal address and title errors in this book than any other book I have ever read – I was shocked, Ms. York is not a HR newbie, so I can only hope these are fixed before this book publishes.

This is the fifth book in the series, but it is set much later and could absolutely be read as a stand alone title. While this wasn’t my favorite in the series, I would recommend it and look forward to reading Cat’s story.

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

The Earl of Benton by Madeline Martin

On By TracyIn Author Collaboration Series, Novella, Regency Era (1811-1820), Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's Reviews1 Comment

Earl of Benton (Wicked Earls' Club, #9)Earl of Benton by Madeline Martin
Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: The Wicked Earls’ Club, #9

Release Date: March 6, 2018

Alistair Johnstone is the reluctant Earl of Benton, raised Scottish, he wants nothing to do with his English heritage, but when his grandfather dies, he has no choice, much to his mother’s dismay (and rage). He is attending a house party hosted by the Wicked Earl’s Club when he learns that his mother is in trouble and he needs to return to Scotland right away. While discussing his mother’s dilemma with his valet, he spies Emma hiding in a stall with his dog Beast.

Emma is running for her life, she is a month away from inheriting her father’s vast fortune and ceasing to be under her uncle’s guardianship. Her uncle has tried to force her to marry his son Conrad, but she refuses, so now it appears that her uncle has a new plan. Emma finds her maid Jenny dead and her servants urge her to go, pointing out that Jenny was wearing one of her dresses and looks like her from the back – Jenny was not the intended victim, Emma was. Emma takes off and knows they are following her, she heads for the nearby estate and lets her horse go, she hides in the stables and overheads Alistair and his valet McKenzie talking. He spots her just as her uncle arrives and he covers for her. After her uncle leaves, he says he will help her, but wants some answers.

Alistair sneaks her into the house and there is a comical scene with Emma trying on disguises, they settle on a shocking gown and will pretend that she is his lover. They leave and successfully fool her uncle before they make their escape. Once in the carriage, Emma tells Alistair to leave her in the next village – he assures her he will not hurt her and goes as far as to give her a dagger to “protect” herself. He offers to take her to Scotland and ensures that he will give her safe passage back to London. Emma agrees. They travel together and let the innkeepers assume that they are married, for the sake of her reputation (and to throw her uncle off her trail). They arrive in Scotland and he sees his cousin Hamish, Hamish sees Emma and makes a comment, but Emma tells him they are married. A statement that Alistair agrees to, but what Emma doesn’t realize is they are in Scotland and by declaring themselves married in front of witnesses – they are in fact married. Alistair decides to keep this from her and figures he will sort it out later. They share a room and finally give into the desire they have both been denying.

They travel to his castle and Alistair is dismayed when he sees that nothing has been repaired. Emma begins to have doubts about Alistair – maybe he is just after her money and all his compliments and sweet words were just a ruse to trick her into falling for him. If this revelation wasn’t bad enough, she then meets Madge, Alistair’s English-hating mother. Madge is livid that Alistair has brought Emma to her home. She spits at Emma’s feet, demands Alistair make her leave and refuses to leave her room until she is gone.

Emma has had enough and asks to be taken to her room. Alistair takes her and explains why Madge is so hateful and he says he will go talk to Madge. As he leaves, Emma realizes that she is falling in love with him. He talks to Madge and learns why the repairs haven’t’ been made, she is still angry, but it is clear she loves him and misses him, which is why she forced him to come home.

Emma spends a restless night and when she hears someone at her door, she thinks it is Alistair – but it is Madge – a raging, screaming Madge who charges at Emma. Emma grabs the dagger Alistair gave her – she is tired of being the victim and will not go down without a fight!

Alistair goes looking for Emma and finds her in the great hall with Madge – they are both drunk. Alistair helps Emma back to her room and she finally explains why she doesn’t believe Alistair’s compliments are sincere. Alistair tells her she is wrong, what she believes are flaws are what he likes best.

The next day, Alistair meets with Hamish, they are preparing to smuggle whisky to England for Madge. This was the great emergency that brought him to Scotland, she made promises to some very shady people and there was no way she could deliver the whisky. Alistair has to save her, but if he is caught smuggling Scots whisky into England, he will be tried for treason. He also doesn’t want Emma to know, because it will only further her belief that men only want her for her money. He makes the final preparations with Hamish and they enter the hall. Emma and Madge are together and Hamish addresses her as Lady Benton. Emma is embarrassed and says it was a lie, but Madge points out that because they declared themselves in front of witnesses, they are in fact married. Emma is stunned and then angry – why didn’t Alistair tell her? And when Madge mentions her fortune, she feels betrayed, she loved him and believed that he was sincere, but now she knows she was a fool.

The next day before she leaves, Madge talks to her and tells her that she thinks that Emma and Alistair can be happy and that Emma is welcome at the castle. Emma is touched, but is not sure Madge is correct about her and Alistair. When they finally set off, he tries to talk to her, but she is not having it. And when she asks about the carriage and the cart, he lies. She calls him on his lie and he finally tells her everything. She is still upset and heartbroken, but even worse – still in love with him. Alistair doesn’t want to lose her, but he has no idea how to right the wrongs he has done.

Can Alistair convince Emma he loves her? What about her uncle? And the whisky? Is there anyway for these two to overcome the hurt and betrayal? You’ll just have to read the book to find out!!

This was a well written, fully fleshed out novella, it has amusing moments, steamy love scenes, lies, betrayals, crazy mothers and evil relatives, a sweet dog and very hard won HEA.

This is the ninth installment of the Wicked Earls’ Club, but like the previous books, it is a stand alone title. I highly recommend this book and the entire series!

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