Tag: Elizabeth Cole

How to Meet Your Match on the Moors by Elizabeth Cole

On By TracyIn Book Publicity, Georgian Era (1714-1837), Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820), Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

How to Meet Your Match on the Moors: A Scottish Regency Romance (A Lady’s Guide to Scotsmen Book 2)How to Meet Your Match on the Moors: A Scottish Regency Romance by Elizabeth Cole

Tracy’s Rating: 3/3.5 of 5 stars

Series: A Lady’s Guide to Scotsmen #2

Release Date: April 21, 2026

Elspeth McGregor is stunned when her father announces that she it to be married in a matter of days to a man she has never met. He assures her that Struan MacInnes approached him for her hand and is anxious to marry her as soon as possible. Elspeth is an eternal optimist and is eager to make her marriage successful when she first sees her groom, she is surprised by his size and when she notices his scars, she is filled with compassion. She doesn’t understand why man who wanted to marry her, seemed determined to keep her at a distance, but Elspeth is a proverbial ray of sunshine and manages to worm her way into her new husband’s heart and gives hers to him in return. She believes that she has finally found her happily ever after, until she learns the truth of their marriage.

After years of war and months of recovery, Struan MacInnes wants nothing more than to return home to the highlands, but while in Edinburgh, he needs to find James MacGregor and insist that he repay the loan Struan made to him six years ago. But his meeting with MacGregor doesn’t go as planned and instead of getting his money back, he ends up with a wife. A very tempting and cheerful wife and no matter how hard he tries to keep her at an arm’s length, she manages to charm him just like everyone else who meets her. Soon he can imagine his life without her and is more determined than ever to keep her from learning of how their marriage came to be, but when truth comes out and she is hurt, it seems like any chance for happily ever after seems lost.

Honestly, I have mixed feelings about this book – I loved the story right up until Elspeth learns the truth about their marriage and she changes – drastically. I completely understood her pain and anger, but she reacted completely out of character and seemed intent on targeting all that anger solely on Struan and seems to completely absolve her father from any wrongdoing. From that point on the story just seemed to fall apart for me, I felt that she was being irrational and while she had a right to be upset, she could have handled things differently. Eventually, they find their way to their HEA, but it took too long and I stopped caring. Overall, the book was okay, there is a lot of emotion, a bit of intrigue, steamyish love scenes, great secondary characters and it does end with a HEA, but it is not a book I would read a second time. This is the second book in the series, but I think the first book runs concurrently with this one, so I had no problem starting with this book.

*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 Sweetest Season by Elizabeth Cole

On By TracyIn American Historical, Christmas, Novella, Re-Release / Updated Edition, Standalone Title, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Sweetest Season: A Regency Holiday RomanceThe Sweetest Season: A Regency Holiday Romance by Elizabeth Cole

Tracy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: Originally Published in the Snowflakes & Scandal Anthology as ‘Tis the Season for Seduction

Release Date: November 18, 2025

Noel Forrest was injured and held as a prisoner of war by the British, but now he is home in Philadelphia and healing, but his life lacks the joie de vivre he once had. Nothing appeals; he isn’t eating, sleeping and he hasn’t even been able to enjoy his once favorite pastime of painting. But when his doctor gifts him a box of candy from a new confectionary shop he is tempted for the first time in months, and when the flavors explode in his mouth, it is like he has awakened from a long sleep. It has been so long since he felt anything and he doesn’t want to lose the feeling, so he sends his secretary to buy more. Soon he is finally feeling well enough to make the trip into town himself and finds a new obsession – the confectioner herself.

Miss Beatrice “Bea” Holliday is the proud and reclusive owner of Holliday’s Finest Quality Confections. She was raised in England but had a falling out with her aristocratic family and moved to Paris to study the culinary arts. After years abroad, she has left Europe and started a new life in America. She has secrets and pain in her past which makes her very wary of forming connections. But the persistent Mr. Forrest refuses to be ignored and soon she finds herself falling for the former soldier. She wonders if she can have it all, a successful career and love without losing herself and then the old insecurities begin to rear their ugly heads and jeopardize her chance at happiness.

This was an interesting story; I love that it was set in the US and explores the history and the social and moral challenges people faced at this point in our history. Noel and Bea share an instant connection and bring out the creative side of each other. I liked the story and wish it had been a little bit longer, as I felt like I never really understood Bea, as her background was just glossed over and I found myself wondering how she got to Paris and not only survived but thrived alone during the Napoleonic wars. Overall, it was a quick, sweet yet spicy, feel-good read that should delight HR readers. Note: this novella was previously published as ‘Tis the Season for Seduction in the Snowflakes & Scandals anthology.

*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. *