Category: Tracy’s Reviews

The Highlander’s Princess Bride by Vanessa Kelly

On By TracyIn Regency Era (1811-1820), Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's Reviews4 Comments

The Highlander's Princess Bride (The Improper Princesses, #3)The Highlander’s Princess Bride by Vanessa Kelly

Series: The Improper Princesses, #3

Release Date: October 31, 2017

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this installment of The Improper Princesses!

Victoria Knight is and governess and the natural daughter of the Prince Regent and Aden’s half-sister, after landing herself in a bit of trouble at her last post, she turned to Sir Dominick for help.

Sir Dominick suggests that Victoria take a position in Scotland while he and her brother straighten out her problem. But he recommends that Victoria keep her reason for taking a post in Scotland to herself. Upon arriving at the Kendrick’s castle, Victoria is not sure that she is better off in Scotland and that maybe it would be better to return to London and face the consequences her actions.

Nicholas Kendrick, Earl of Arnprior needs help, he has returned home after years of war to complete chaos. His estate needs attention, his grandfather is a menace and his brothers have been running wild. When Sir Dominick recommends Victoria to him, he jumps at the chance to hire her.

After a very rocky start, Victoria settles in to life with the Kendricks and starts to feel at home with the rough and rowdy bunch of highlanders, especially Nick. When Victoria begins to unravel Nick’s secrets, they grow closer and end up being caught in a compromising position. Nick immediately suggests they marry, but Victoria has secrets of her own and tries her best to keep Nick at an arm’s length.

Nick is not the sort of man that will take no for an answer, he wants Victoria, she is light and joy in a life that has known too much grief, betrayal, pain and darkness. He sets out to woo her and in doing so, shares his deepest, darkest secrets. When Victoria finally agrees to marry him and it appears that they will get their HEA, everything goes wrong. Nick learns Victoria’s secret and is deeply hurt and lashes out at her. For her part, Victoria accepts his vitriol and breaks their engagement. But before she can return to London, problems arise and someone from Victoria’s past is determined to see her dead.

This was a great story, it is well written and flows wonderfully. The story is chock full of emotion and humor, as well as steamy loves scenes and tense life or death moments. This story takes off at a gallop and doesn’t slow down until the very last page. It was truly the best book in the series and I highly recommend it. It could be read as a stand alone title, but I recommend reading the books in order for maximum reader enjoyment.

I certainly hope Ms. Kelly is planning a series for the Kendrick brothers, because it would be vastly unfair to introduce me to 6 handsome highlanders and then leaving me hanging!!

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

Bound to a Spy by Sharon Cullen

On By TracyIn Elizabethan Era (1558-1603), Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Bound to a Spy (All the Queen's Spies, #2)Bound to a Spy by Sharon Cullen
Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: All the Queen’s Spies, #2

Release Date: October 24, 2017

Rose Turner is a fish out of water in Mary’s court, she would rather be running free outside than engaging in gossip and doing embroidery. Every chance she gets, she slips away, one night upon returning to the castle, she overhears a plot to kill the Queen’s husband, shocked she runs away, not realizing she dropped her shawl.

Will Sheffield is a spy for Queen Elizabeth, he is at court under the pretense of being a childhood friend of the king. He saw Rose enter and drop her shawl, but was not able to retrieve it before Lord Lysle exits the room. Worried for her safety, he garners an introduction and they form a friendship of sorts.

Rose has been sent to court to find a husband, but her family is neither wealthy or noble, so she is surprised when Lord Lysle takes an interest in her. She is still struggling with what to do with the information she overheard and is unsure who she can trust. When she revisits the location of the secret meeting, trying to learn who was speaking, she is caught by Will.

Desperate to keep her safe, but unable to disclose his mission and unwilling to let her be a causality, Will decides to share some of his information with Rose, including Lord Lysle’s involvement. Rose is hurt when she learns the “truth” about Will and tells him to leave her alone.

Will doesn’t understand why he can’t let Rose go and approaches her again in a few days. There is something between them and he isn’t ready to let it go. They share some passionate encounters, but Will knows he will be leaving soon and cannot offer marriage to Rose.

When Rose finally decides what she must do with the information she overheard, everything goes horribly wrong for her.

When Will learns that Rose is missing, nothing will stop him from finding her. He knows he cannot ask his fellow spies to help him, so he goes to her family. Once Rose is safe again, it becomes clear that she will not be able to remain in Scotland and Will will have to make a decision.

This was a really good story, it was well written and the story flowed nicely with a lot of violence, some steamy-ish love scenes, a lot of intrigue and some very tense, nail-biting moments and finally a hard earned HEA. I would have liked another chapter or an epilogue with their life in England, but even without that, I enjoyed this book.

This is the second book in the series, but it could easily be read as a stand alone title and I am happy to recommend it.

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