Category: Victorian Era (1837-1901)

In the history of the United Kingdom, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria’s reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardian period, and its later half overlaps with the first part of the Belle Époque era of continental Europe.
Preceded by: Regency era
Followed by: Edwardian era
Monarch: Victoria

The Traitor’s Club: Hugh by Laura Landon

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The Traitor's Club: HughThe Traitor’s Club: Hugh by Laura Landon
Tracy’s rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Traitor’s Club, #2

Release Date: September, 12, 2017

This was a quick read for me and I enjoyed idea of the story.

Lady Annalise Lyman aka Nellie is a spinster, she hates London and would like nothing better than to retire to the country – which she plans to do just as soon as she marries off her youngest sister.

Lord Hugh Wythers is the second son of a Marquess and a rake – since his return from the war, he has spent his time pursuing all the delights London has to offer, that is until his father cuts him off – he tells Hugh that he is gifting him an estate and Hugh will have to live off the profits. Hugh hates the country and will do anything to stay in London. His initial plan is to marry an heiress and use her money to continue living the life he loves, but when he is turned down yet again, he gets rip roaring drunk and hatches a new plan – he will marry a plain woman. He explains his plan to his friends and then falls off the balcony, literally landing at the feet of Nellie. In a drunken haze, he kisses her and tells her she is perfect because she is homely.

The next day, after he sobers up and his friends tell him what a jerk he was, he calls on Nellie to apologize. While he doesn’t consider her a candidate for the position of his wife – he is drawn to her kind and generous nature.

When Nellie learns that her sister may have to move far away because they don’t want to take the management of her father’s estate from her, Nellie reaches out to Hugh and offers her services as estate manager. Hugh agrees, but insists that they marry.

They marry and go to the estate – it has been agreed between them that Hugh will stay a short while and then return to London. Nellie makes him promise not to return. After a month together, Hugh leaves and at first is overjoyed to return to London. But as time passes, he misses Nellie and writes to her. Nellie has also missed Hugh, but can’t bear the pain of his leaving her – unbeknownst to him, she conceived and she hasn’t told him, nor has she read any of the letters he has sent.

Six months pass before Hugh returns and is shocked to learn that she is with child, he insists on staying until the child is born. Hugh doesn’t want to return to London, but Nellie is insisting that he goes after the birth of their child.

I though the book was well written, but there are formal address issues (which might be corrected in the final published copy – but I am basing my review on what I read) Hugh is the second son of a marquess – he has an honorific title of Lord Hugh – NOT Lord Wythers. The love scenes are there, but they are muted and would be best described as lukewarm. Nellie is a strong heroine, but she suffers from low self-esteem because of her looks and Hugh comes across as very selfish and self-serving. But they are really both loyal and honorable people who stupidly think they are doing what is best for the other. I did like both of them and hoped that they would figure out how to compromise and have a happy marriage before it was too late.

This is the second book in the series, but it could easily be read as a stand alone title.

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

Where Dreams Merge by Maureen Driscoll

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Where Dreams Merge (Jasmine Cottage Book 2)Where Dreams Merge by Maureen Driscoll
Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Released: July 20, 2017

Series: Jasmine,Cottage, Book 2

Grace Moore and Carter Beckett, Earl of Wainwright meet for the first time at Arabella and Jonathan’s wedding (Where Hearts Meet), but the two are known to each other because Carter writes political articles for a London paper and Grace delights in writing to him to comment on his work and to correct his spelling errors. When Carter finally meets her, he realizes he has met his muse.

Carter has been staying with Christopher Aston, Lord Audsley trying desperately to write his novel, but the words will not come – that is until he meets Grace. He convinces her to work with him as his editor and the two form a friendship and exchange some very amusing letters. Carter is attracted to Grace, but a long standing family agreement prevents him from declaring himself to her. He hopes that he will be able to work things out so he might be able to offer for Grace, but until he does, he cannot make her any promises.

Grace is aware of Carter’s prior understanding and wishes with all her heart that they could be together, but she also concedes that she is not of his world and they will probably never be anything more than friends. When Carter tells Grace he must return to London for the Holidays, she believes that will be the end of their relationship – but Carter insists that she and Emma come to London, he promises to help the sisters contact their grandfather’s solicitor and try to help them contact their parents. He makes arrangements for them to stay with Audsley and has Audsley’s widowed cousin, Lady Endicott chaperone them.

In anticipation of Grace’s arrival, Carter meets with Lady Cecile – the woman his parents hoped he would marry, though no formal betrothal was ever made, there has always been an understanding between the families. Carter believed that when Lady Cecile became linked to another Lord, that their “understanding” had ended, but he is dismayed to find that Cecile has been jilted and expects Carter to marry her. He tells her in no uncertain terms that he will not marry her and that he has met another woman, he asks Cecile to release him from the “understanding”. Cecile agrees, but begs Carter to pretend to court her for a few weeks to help ease her back into society after being jilted. Carter is reluctant, but feels he owes her that much and decides to recruit his brother Jeremy to escort Grace while he attends Cecile.

Enter Jeremy Beckett, the younger brother, dashing, handsome and a former spy – the man has hero material written all over him! Jeremy and Grace become fast friends – which leads to a lot of hilarious scenes with Carter becoming jealous and imagining all the ways he could beat his brother to a pulp. But when Jeremy’s life is threatened and by extension Grace – Carter will stop at nothing to save them both.

I really loved this book, it is well written, it flowed well, it has some laugh out loud moments, a little bit of angst, some nail biting moments, a couple of plot twists that change everything for the sisters, a bit of steam and finally a beautiful soulmate type of love.

While this is the second book in the series, it could easily be read as a stand alone title. I highly recommend this book and am looking forward to reading the next installment!