Tag: Anna St. Claire

Unmasked by the Earl by Anna St. Claire

On By TracyIn Author Collaboration Series, Georgian Era (1714-1837), Historical Paranormal/Fantasy, Novella, Paranormal / Fantasy, Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Unmasked by the Earl (Witches Ball)Unmasked by the Earl by Anna St. Claire

Tracy’s Rating: 3/3.5 of 5 stars

Series: Witches’ Ball, #4

Release Date: September 12, 2023

Lady Charlotte “Charlie” Penrose along with her grandmother, the dowager Countess of Penrose, and her twin brother Caden, Viscount Penrose are on their way home to Bocka Morrow to attend the Witches’ Ball when they see two men being attacked and intervene. Charlie is immediately smitten with the handsome stranger and soon finds herself falling for him. Charlie comes from a long line of female witches and has guarded her secret from non-magical humans for her whole life, but when she shares a kiss with Logan at the ball, she knows she must tell him the truth and hopes he can accept it. But when the confession doesn’t play out as she hoped, she flees and soon finds herself filled with regret and wonders if she will be blessed with a second chance or if this is how her story ends.

After the unexpected death of his brother, soldier Logan Thomas, becomes the new Earl of Fitzwater. He leaves the continent and travels home to Cornwall after being away for four years. He and his batman, Bronson are just a day away from his home when they are set upon by highwaymen, they are fighting off the men but they are outnumbered and Logan has been shot and stabbed and rapidly losing consciousness when two blonds join the fight, Logan is not sure, but he thinks one of them might be a woman. Later he wakes to learn that he was rescued by Caden and his twin sister Charlie. He is enchanted by Charlie and is surprised at how fast his feelings for her develop and how quickly his thoughts turn to forever, especially when he has no plans to marry anytime soon. But surprising revelations, assumptions, and highwaymen may end their HEA before it even begins.

This was a quick read, filled with likable characters, a sassy cat, dancing lessons, highwaymen, a magical kiss, great secondary characters, and finally a HEA with the promise of more to come. I enjoyed this story, despite the title errors and the somewhat confusing telepathic conversations, so if you like, slow-burn, no-steam romances that end in HEA, this is the book for you. The book is part of the Witches’ Ball series, but can easily be read as a standalone title as this title is very loosely connected.

Lyon’s Prey by Anna St. Claire

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Novella, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

Lyon's Prey (Rakes of Mayhem, #0.5; The Lyon's Den)Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Rakes of Mayhem #0.5/The Lyons Den Connected World
Publication Date: 10/14/20
Number of Pages: 97

This was a lovely, but quick, read that was well-written and well-delivered. I enjoyed it so much that I really wished it had been a bit longer – there were many things I wanted to know and I felt it was rushed.

Evan Prescott, Earl of Clarendon, and his wife were a love match, and when he lost her in childbirth, he went off the deep end. He immediately turned his newborn son over to his sister and her husband and set off on a year-long drunk. After a long night of drinking and gambling, a trio of events and their consequences changed his life – again. First, his sister and her husband arrived and informed him that he was expected to take over the responsibilities of his son, Edward, by the end of the week. Second, he had a whirlwind of a termagant, Lady Charlotte Grisham, berating him because his coach almost ran down her little brother. Third, and perhaps scariest, he received an order to appear before “The Widow” at the Lyons Den. Oh! My!

Lady Charlotte Grisham has had a horrid year as well. She lost her father, the Earl of Romney, her older brother Matthew is missing and her nefarious uncle, Baron Langdale, has had him declared dead – thus declaring her young brother, Jason, as the Earl with Langdale as his guardian. When a speeding coach nearly runs Jason down, it is just a step too far and Charlotte marches to Lord Clarendon’s home to confront him about his behavior.

When Charlotte’s mother discovers a nefarious plan by her brother, Langdale, she approaches an unlikely friend known as “The Widow” for help. And help is what she gets. Both Charlotte and Evan have received a summons from ‘The Widow’ and neither of them expects, or are prepared for, the ultimatum that is given.

With kidnappings and slavers afoot, Charlotte and Jason are both in danger. Can Evan save them – even with the help of his good friend Christopher Angelsey, Earl of Banbury, and ‘The Widow’ helping him? Can they find their own HEA?

I thoroughly enjoyed this read and wanted to know more about the characters. Since this is apparently the prequel to a series, maybe we’ll learn more about Charlotte and Evan in future books. I’m happy to have tried this author and will definitely be looking for more books in the series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.