Tag: Anna Bradley

What Happens in the Highlands by Anna Bradley

On By TracyIn Georgian Era (1714-1837), Part of a Series, Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

What Happens in the Highlands (Cairncross Castle, #1)What Happens in the Highlands by Anna Bradley

Tracy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Series: Cairncross Castle, #1

Release Date: June 24, 2025

After the death of their father, Catriona “Cat”, Freya and Sorcha MacLeod are left to deal with the onslaught of treasure hunters trying to find the stash they believe Rory hid in Castle Cairncross. The way they dealt with the first invaders cost them severely, with the villagers turning on them, whispering of witchcraft and making their lives miserable. But it isn’t until a stranger follows Cat home from the village and is accidently poisoned that they agree they can no longer protect themselves from the rumors and may have to abandon their home. But when the stranger wakes and tells Catriona his story, she agrees to consider the possibility that the treasure is real.

Hamish Muir, the Marquess of Ballantyne, traveled to Castle Cairncross to reclaim the treasure his father told him of before his death. Originally, he sent his cousins to get the treasure, but they were thwarted by the sisters. So he has come himself and does a bit of reconnaissance before and learns from the villagers that the sisters are rumored to be witches and are recluses, barely ever leaving the castle since Rory’s death. Hamish sees Cat in the village and follows her home – admittedly a bad idea, but he is out of options. When they tussle and he is touched by a poisonous plant, he is lucky that Cat is knowledgeable about herbs and healing. When he recovers, he realizes that he might be wrong about the sisters. Cat agrees to help him find the treasure and they go through Rory’s papers, leading them to believe that Rory, Archie Muir (Hamish’s father), Malcolm Ross & Angus Dunn most likely found Bonnie Prince Charlie’s lost fortune and made a pact and that Rory as the last living member of the pact was most likely retrieving the treasure when he was shot. Hamish sends for his best friends Callum Ross & Keir Dunn – Malcolm and Angus’ sons to protect Freya and Sorcha, so he and Cat can find the treasure. But he never expected to fall for her and knows that if she ever learns that he started the treasure frenzy, there will be no chance for a HEA.

I was so excited for this book – I love a good treasure hunt / road trip romance, and this story seemed to check all the boxes, but unfortunately, it didn’t really work for me. It wasn’t bad, Cat and Hamish are both likable and relatable, but it was slow moving and lacked that true treasure hunt thrill. It does pick up a little at the end and the story ends in a bit of a cliffhanger, but it didn’t leave me excited for the next book. Overall, it was an OK read with great characters, and I am not sorry I read it, but it is not a book I would read again.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

The Duke’s Christmas Bride by Anna Bradley

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Christmas, Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

The Duke's Christmas Bride (Drop Dead Dukes #3)Barbara’s rating: 4.4 out of 5 Stars
Series: Drop Dead Dukes #3
Publication Date: 9/24/24
Period: Regency, Gloucestershire, England
Number of Pages: 400

Scrooge meets Pollyanna and they find love, laughter, the Christmas spirit, and their HEA. This was a most delightful, uplifting, feel-good story – even if there was a tad of angst. I loved both main characters immediately even with Max being obsessed with revenge – even against a man who is now deceased. Ah! Poor Max – he has met his match. For every sour note Max plays, Rose plays three happy ones.

At the age of twelve, the bottom finally fell out of Max’s world. His mother had passed away and his father wagered away the only home Max had ever known. The man who won the home was a man Max admired greatly and looked up to almost as a father. Max was never back in his home again and his father never met a bottle he didn’t like. Before he died, his father had lost every farthing and every unentailed property belonging to the Dukedom. Max had grown to hate the vile Ambrose St. Claire to the point he could think of nothing but vengeance. Max, now the tenth Duke of Grantham, has spent the last several years acquiring all of the properties his father lost. He is now one of the richest, most powerful, and reviled peers in the realm – and there is only one property left to acquire. His childhood home, Hammond Court, the crown jewel of the dukedom will be his at last.

Rose St. Claire, is a wonderfully happy and joyful young woman who always chooses to see the happy side of everything and everyone loves her. Even with the only home she has ever known falling down around her ears, she is still joyful. She still sees the best in everything and everyone even though her father, Ambrose St. Claire, the kindest, most loving, best man she’s ever known has just died and left her destitute.

Sparks fly between Rose and Max from the moment he breaks into her house and she almost shoots him, through the surprises at the reading of Ambrose’s will, and right through to the end. Max is brilliant and has schemes within schemes to get his way and Rose is – well – just Rose who blithely goes on about her business. Max never celebrates Christmas and has no clue how to do so, while Rose adores everything about Christmas and wants ALL of the traditions. No cause for clashes there. 😊

If you are looking for a book to make you smile and feel good, this is it. I love the way Rose always foils Max’s schemes without even knowing she is doing so. This is most definitely an entertaining read. Although it is part of a series, you can read it as a standalone.

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.