Tag: Jennifer Trethewey

Saving the Scot by Jennifer Trethewey

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

Saving the ScotSaving the Scot by Jennifer Trethewey

Tracy’s rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

Series: Highlanders of Balforss, #4

Release Date: March 25, 2019

Louisa Robertson is known far and wide as the General’s daughter from hell – a title that she more than lives up to. The story opens with Louisa’s father pulling her off stage during a performance of Twelfth Night, where is performing the part of Viola, dressed in trousers. Her father is furious and makes it clear that she has finally pushed him as far as he will go. He tells her that she will be married by the end of the summer.

Ian Sinclair longs to return to the army, so when his former commander and the man who saved his life, General Sir Thomas Robertson aka the Tartan Terror requests a meeting, Ian thinks that he will be offered a commission. He is disappointed to learn that the General wants him to take his daughter to America on his ship the Gael Forss, the pirate ship he and his family took years ago and converted into a merchant vessel. If he delivers her, the General will award him a commission. Thinking that this is merely a short delay before he claims his prize, he agrees. He heads back to the docks and is dealt another shock – an old woman is looking for him and informs him that he has a son – the product of a brief affair seven years ago. He meets his son Rory and learn that Alice the widow he had an affair with died giving birth. He is wracked with guilt and shame, but promises to set everything to rights when he returns from America.

Meanwhile, Louisa has no intention of marrying, she hatches a plan to switch places with her maid Mairi, who is more than willing to marry her betrothed, Mr. Kirby. Louisa will pretend to be Mairi and after she sees them married, plans to go to New York and become an actress. Her father left for Belfast, so she just has to get on the ship without anyone learning of the ruse. She convinces her brother Connor to see her off on the docks and she and Mairi board the ship and begin their deception.

During the journey, Louisa begins to realize the magnitude of her lies and how it will affect Ian and even Mairi, but she thinks it is too late to do anything about it. When they arrive, the tension between Ian and Louisa comes to a head and they become lovers, but when Mairi marries Mr. Kirby and a surprise visit from her brother Nathan reveals the truth will Ian still want her? And when she learns his secret, will she be accepting or will she live up to her nickname in truth?

This was an interesting story with a lot of twists and turns, it dragged a bit in the middle, but the last 30% is a non-stop rollercoaster of revelations, bad decisions, passion and a rocky road to HEA. I thought the idea of the story was great, but I really, really disliked Louisa. She was selfish, hypocritical, immature, irrational and just plain stupid. She does realize that what she has done is wrong, but still carries on with the lie and then when she is called out, makes one stupid decision after another instead of owning her misdeeds. I think the author was going for a “Taming of the Shrew” simile, but for me, it just didn’t work, Louisa was unlikable and if I didn’t already dislike her, I definitely would have at the end when she learns his secret. Personally, I think Ian should have let her go and run away as fast as he could. He was a wonderful hero and I wish he could have gotten a better heroine than the “General’s Daughter from Hell” and I wondered why everyone believed that Ian would face the General’s wrath for HER deception – he never met her, so why would he be blamed?? It really made no sense to me, but maybe Louisa inherited her irrational, hypocritical nature from her father.

This is the fourth book in the Highlanders of Balforss, but it could be read as a stand alone title. I liked the idea of the book, but for me, this installment just fell flat.

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

Forgetting the Scot by Jennifer Trethewey

On By TracyIn Regency Era (1811-1820), Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's Reviews2 Comments

Forgetting the Scot (The Highlanders of Balforss)Forgetting the Scot by Jennifer Trethewey

Tracy’s rating: 3 of 5 stars

Series: The Highlanders of Balforss, #3

Release Date: October 22, 2018

Let me start this review with a PSA – this book contains several triggers – in the form of abuse and adultery. It is well written, but some of the content may be upsetting to some readers.

Virginia, Viscountess Langley is in a very unhappy marriage. Her husband was charming and attentive until the wedding and then his true colors began to show. He married her for her dowry and once he had it, he was cruel and abusive. Virginia has had enough, enough physical, mental and emotional abuse. Her greatest desire is to have children to love, convinced that she will never be able to have a child, she has turned her heart towards the forgotten children of London. She has a plan, she will use the trust fund her father set up for her and build a home for these children, she will live separately from Lord Langley and devote her life to orphans.

She is livid when she learns that Langley has stolen her money and plans to confront him, but everything changes when she is abducted after leaving the solicitors office. She is sold to the pirate O’Malley and held on his ship for months. She is sure all is lost when a miracle happens – they are rescued!

Magnus Sinclair never believed in love at first sight, until he saw Virginia. He saves her from certain death and wants nothing more than to always protect her. They form a bond and he believes that she is the “one”. But then the truth comes out – Virginia is married. Magnus is heartbroken, but he can’t seem to let her go. No one and nothing will keep him from her. Even the threat of his death. He will help her return to London and reclaim her fortune and ensure that her husband can never hurt her again – even if he dies in the process.

When things come to a head in London and Virginia is freed, Magnus has hope that they will have a HEA – But Virginia has her own dreams and as much as she wants Magnus, she will not forsake her dream for him or ask him to forsake his for her. A HEA for these two seems impossible, but a twist of fate may change everything.

I loved this book until about the 60% mark, up until then, I couldn’t read it fast enough, but then it hit a wall for me – in the form of adultery – I know her husband was a scumbag, I know he abused her and broke his vows, but that doesn’t change the fact that she committed adultery – this is a deal breaker for me – they shared kisses before this and while I wasn’t overly thrilled with that, I could let it go, but when they moved past kisses to an intimate relationship, I was upset and disgusted. But, I made a conscious decision to ignore my personal bias and be fair and open minded for the rest of the story. But once they got to London the story just fell apart in my opinion. Virginia just made one bad decision after another and several improbable/unbelievable things transpired. By the end of the book, I wanted Magnus to walk away and find another woman to love. Honestly, even without the adultery, I would have wanted him to wash his hands of her – she was so incredibly set on her path that she refused to even consider compromising – I just felt like she didn’t love Magnus as much as he loved her and hurt him over and over again.

This book was well written and flowed nicely, but in my opinion, the story fell apart after they got to London. I liked that this book tied all the books together, I liked revisiting characters from the previous books, I loved Lucy’s brother George, I LOVED Magnus and my heart broke for Virginia. But in the end, I felt that this was a 3 star read. The first half of this book was a easily a 5 star read, but the second half was barely 2 stars, there were so many questionable legal issues and consequences that were wrapped up too quickly and easily to be convincing and the possible legal ramifications of her pregnancy were completely ignored. If you have read the other books in this series, I would recommend this book, but caution that there are “triggers” in this book. If you haven’t read the other books, I would recommend starting with Tying the Scot and deciding for yourself.

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