Tag: Emily Windsor

The Rake of Hearts by Emily Windsor

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

The Rake of Hearts (A Lady to Suit #2)The Rake of Hearts by Emily Windsor

Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: A Lady to Suit, #2

Release Date: August 23, 2021

Widowed Hebe Locke artist is thrilled when the Duke of Rothwell, her patron, commissions her to paint his hunter. He tells her he will not be in attendance, but she is welcome to stay at Wychmere Castle in the Cotswolds as long as she likes and he will even encourage his neighbors to let her sketch their horses as well. It is a dream come true for her and for the first time in quite a while, she feels excited.

Lord Ernest Brooke, younger brother of Casper, the Duke of Rothwell, is a renowned rake and the complete opposite of his straightlaced brother. He knows that everyone considers him irresponsible and useless, but he wants to change that perception, he has taken over the breeding program at Wychmere Castle and hopes to soon establish his own stud farm and prove to Casper that there is more to him than just a careless rake. He has worked hard and seen promising results, but has recently suffered a setback – a horse, Sir Oswald has gone missing and he is sure that he was stolen. He is equally sure that Casper will blame him. Much to his surprise, his brother doesn’t blame Ernest and supports his decision to go to the castle and investigate, but he warns Ernest that he will not be alone, that Mrs. Locke and her aunt Mrs. Cassell and tells him to leave them alone. Ernest is thrilled, he is intrigued by Hebe Locke and longs to get to know her, despite her obvious revulsion to him.

Hebe learns that Ernest will be traveling to the castle the night before they are set to leave and is not happy. She is annoyed that he will be there but is even more annoyed that she is attracted to him. Her late husband, Tobias was a rake and wooed her with tenderness and sweet words, making her fall head over heels in love and believing that he loved her in return, but as soon as their vows were spoken, his true character was revealed and the next few years were hell for Hebe. Even after he died, she was plagued by nightmares and insecurities, so much so that she has vowed to never love or marry again. A vow she has had no problem keeping until she met Lord Ernest. She just needs to remind herself that he is no different than Tobias and that he will use her and discard her. But this position gets harder to keep when he keeps proving her assumptions about him wrong. Is it possible for a broken heart to heal and love again? Is Ernest truly the caring, thoughtful man he has shown himself to be and is she willing to trust him, or will she hold fast to her vows to spend her life alone?

This was a well-written and interesting story with wonderful characters and an intriguing mystery. Ernest and Hebe are well-defined characters that are easy to understand and relate to, especially since the author does such a great job giving the reader their backstory and their internal musings, thus making the reader feel like they “know” them as this slow-burn romance plays out. In addition to their romance, there is also a very well-done secondary romance as well as the mystery regarding the disappearances of several horses and who is seemingly trying to scare Hebe away and why. I did enjoy this book, but I did feel that some parts of the story were a bit too drawn out and I was hoping for a bit more steam between Hebe and Ernest. But considering Hebe’s past, I did understand the author’s decision to tone down the physical romance scenes. Overall, this was a very enjoyable read about a wounded heroine and hero who has a heart of gold. It is a book that I would happily recommend and while it is the second book in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone title.

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

A Governess Should Never Tempt…A Prizefighter by Emily Windsor

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

A Governess Should Never... Tempt a Prizefighter (The Governess Chronicles, #1)A Governess Should Never… Tempt a Prizefighter by Emily Windsor

Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Governess Chronicles, #1

Release Date: November 9, 2020

Matilda Griffin is the daughter of the late Viscount Astwood, a title now held by her cousin and guardian. With mere months before she comes of age, her cousin has decided she will marry and has betrothed her to the vile Earl of Sidlow – a man old enough to be her grandfather and repulsive to boot! To avoid this fate, she applies for the position of governess to Seth Hawkins’ thirteen-year-old daughter Chloe. She knows her cousin has frittered away her father’s fortune and her dowry, so she figures she can hide out until she turns twenty-one and then use her inheritance and travel the world. It is the perfect plan, but that was before she met Seth.

Seth Hawkins is a widower, father and former prizefighter, who has opened a boxing academy that is vastly popular and wildly successful. He has raised his daughter alone for years, but knows she needs a woman’s guidance and is fast losing hope of finding the perfect governess when he meets Matilda, at first, he thinks she is all wrong, but is taken with her honestly and hires her. She is lovely and he is surprised to realize he is attracted to her – after years of guarding his heart and keeping women at arm’s length, Matilda manages to worm her way past his defenses.

As they spend time together, they grow close and Seth begins to imagine a future, but her cousin isn’t willingly to let her go without a fight and if they want any type of future, Seth will have to protect her – but Astwood doesn’t fight fair and Matilda may have to save them both!

I really enjoyed this book, it is well written, fast paced and fun. Matilda and Seth are amazing characters who are incredibly likable and easy to root for. They don’t fight their love or make excuses why they can’t be together and when faced with trouble, they work together – they are just wonderful and the book was a delight to read. The secondary characters were great, the love scenes warm, there is some action, some surprises and a sweet ending complete with an epilogue. If I had any complaint it would be that the book has a lot of boxing cant and British slang, which I will be honest, was a bit hard to understand, but not impossible and didn’t really affect my enjoyment of the story. This is the first book in the series and I really can’t wait for the next installment! I enjoyed this book and would be happy to recommend it.

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

 

Blurb:


“So tell me, Miss Griffin, why should I employ you as governess?”
A question to rouse fear within the breast of any prospective governess but for Matilda, a lady without references, appropriate brown clothing or any experience with children whatsoever, doubly so.
Yet alone in the world except for a brutish guardian and a malodorous betrothed, Matilda must seek her own future, even if that means employment in the household of a rugged ex-prizefighter with sizeable muscles and doubtless minuscule intellect.

“Please continue to enlighten me, Miss Griffin.”
Mr Seth Hawkins, owner of famed Boxing Academy, has reached the point of desperation in his search for a governess.
Yet with no other suitable candidates, could this yellow-clad, bespectacled female who seemed to think him a witless dolt with calloused knuckles and no books, teach his daughter the ways of a lady?

The Lady and the Prizefighter.
One should never judge a man by his well-defined muscles or a lady by her yellow-silk slippers, for beneath both façades lay yearning hearts, shared dreams and a taste for adventure.
With tavern excursions, scandalous kisses in midnight carriages, whifflers, nobblers and dressing as a nefarious footpad on the prowl, the vocation of governess has never been so exciting…

A fun, heart-warming Regency romance, this is the first book in a companion series to the Games of Gentlemen.
This tale contains sensual scenes.

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