Tag: Julie Johnstone

Lady Frederica and the Scot Who Would Not by Julie Johnstone #GIVEAWAY

On By TracyIn Blog Tour, Book Publicity, Contests/Giveaways, Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)4 Comments

When the guarded King of the Underworld collides with a maddeningly reckless lady, the road to ruination becomes impossible not to take.

Lady Frederica Darlington isn’t prim, obedient, or appropriately dispassionate as a proper lady of the aristocracy should be. Nor is she interested in securing a husband, whether rake, rogue, duke, or lord. Freddy wants to live as she pleases in a place she feels she belongs, and for a unconventional lady, the bohemian world of Covent Garden seems the perfect spot. She has a plan to achieve her goal, but when one of her secret missions goes awry and the King of the Underworld rescues her, danger never looked so enticing. And the future she was certain of now feels utterly confusing.

Born and bred on the cutthroat streets of London, Gabriel Beckford has known his share of struggle and loss. He even obtained a few enemies, one of whom is waiting to destroy any lady Gabe falls in love with, so Gabe lives by one simple, necessary rule: never get close. It’s a dictate that’s been easy to abide—until the day Frederica sweeps into his life like a storm. Her passionate nature and impossible impetuousness tempts him beyond reason, and when she declares to make the territory he rules her home, he’ll do everything in his power to stop her and keep her out of his life, head, and heart.

But when a threat to Frederica brings Gabe to her side once more, keeping her at a distance becomes impossible. As Gabe’s enemy closes in, Frederica and Gabe must learn how to trust themselves—and each other—and either submit to the love they thought they never wanted or risk losing the very thing that could save them both.

Giveaway!!!

One randomly chosen, release day (May 10, 2021) commenter will will a copy of this title! No purchase necessary – just leave a comment on May 10th 2021 to be entered, then check back on May 11th 2021 to see if your comment was the winner!!

Tracy’s Review:

Lady Frederica and the Scot Who Would Not (Scottish Scoundrels: Ensnared Hearts #4)Lady Frederica and the Scot Who Would Not by Julie Johnstone

Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Scottish Scoundrels: Ensnared Hearts, #4

Release Date: May 10, 2021

Now that her eldest sister Guinevere and her friends in the SLAR (Society of Ladies Against Rogues) have all married and her sister Vivian is on the cusp of getting betrothed, Lady Frederica “Freddy” Darlington has a plan for her life – one that does not include marriage to a Lord or living in Mayfair. After meeting Blythe Beckford, sister to Gabriel “Gabe” Beckford, (owner of the Orcus Society, a gaming hell in Covent Garden and business partner of her brother-in-law, the Duke of Carrington) and recruits her to help with rescue missions now that the SLAR is basically defunct – Freddy and Blythe come to an agreement, Freddy will teach Blythe how to be a lady, so she can marry a lord and Blythe will teach Freddy how to survive in Covent Garden, which is perfect since Freddy plans to live there once Vivian is safely married. But when a rescue goes terribly wrong and Gabe has to rescue them – her plans might be permanently on hold once Gabe assigns himself as her protector.

Gabe is attracted to Freddy in a way that he has never been before and he would love nothing more than to make her his, but a betrayal years ago that cost his first wife her life and promised more of the same to any woman Gabe loves has him trying to keep her at a distance. Too bad Freddy is not listening to him and keeps ending up falling in his path. He is determined to resist her, but when she ends up ruined and only marriage can save her, he will have to come up with a new way to save her and protect his heart.

This was a well-written, fast-paced story with very likable characters and a bit of suspense. Gabe and Freddy are clearly made for each other and Gabe’s reactions to her kept this story from becoming too dark. The book has a little of everything, betrayal, murder, steamy love scenes, a hero who refuses to fall in love, a heroine who doesn’t fit the ton’s mold of a lady, a great cast of secondary characters as well as a secondary romance, a really awful villain and finally a much deserved HEA. I did feel like the story ended a bit abruptly and I would have appreciated an epilogue or at least a bit of closure for Blythe and Huntley, but even without that, this was a great story and I would happily recommend this title. This is the fourth book in the series, but it could be read as a standalone title with no problems.

*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. *

Lady Guinevere and the Rogue with a Brogue by Julie Johnstone

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

Lady Guinevere and the Rogue with a Brogue (Scottish Scoundrels: Ensnared Hearts #1)Lady Guinevere and the Rogue with a Brogue by Julie Johnstone

Tracy’s rating: 3/3.5 of 5 stars

Series: Scottish Scoundrels: Ensnared Hearts, #1

Release Date: August 18, 2020

Five years ago Lady Guinevere and Asher Talbot were in love, but their HEA was snatched from them leaving Guinevere heartbroken and the subject of gossip and Asher married to Guinevere’s friend Elizabeth and returning to Scotland, due to the machinations of someone close to them and their own insecurities, they each believe the other lied and betrayed them.

Raised believing he was a bastard, Asher started a distillery and experience success before his mother died. On her deathbed, she confessed that Asher is the legitimate firstborn son of the Duke of Carrington, she and the duke had been married, but his father threatened to cut him off if he didn’t divorce her. She begs Asher to meet his father and take his rightful place. He does, but he never really bonds with the duke and when Elizabeth and her unborn child die less than a year after their marriage, Asher stayed in Scotland and continued to build the distillery business, refusing to have anything to do with the duke or the “ton”, even when his business begins to falter. But when his father dies and the terms of his will are known, Asher will have to return to London and marry one of the women his father has chosen, or he will lose his fortune and the means to help his failing business. He is shocked and angered to learn that Guinevere is on the “list” – but to save his business, he will marry her if need be.

Guinevere was heartbroken when Asher was caught with her best friend and married her without ever talking to her – she thought that Asher used her to make Elizabeth jealous. When they married and left, Guinevere became the subject of gossip and it took years for her to regain her social standing. To protect other women from the pain she endured, she and her friends started the Society of Ladies Against Rogues and they diligently keep watch for ladies that are in danger of being ruined and intervene when they can. It was on one such mission that Guinevere learns that Asher is back – he catches her trying to climb a tree. It is clear that they still harbor deep feelings for each other, but neither is willing to acknowledge them. But when Asher realizes that if he wants to save his company, he will have to marry Guinevere, will they be able to finally move on from their tragic past and find a HEA or will the villain that kept them apart before manage to tear them apart again?

I thought the book itself was well written and paced nicely, but the prolonged misunderstanding / misassumption trope is not a favorite of mine – I felt that the misunderstandings, lies, doubts and misassumptions dragged on for much too long and then when the villain is revealed, there was no comeuppance at all. The book is brimming with emotion, anger, betrayal, lies, misunderstandings, a bit of intrigue, some steamyish love scenes, a lot of secondary characters, twists and turns and finally a HEA, that I have to wonder will last considering the way Asher and Guinevere were so willing to believe the worst in the other. This is the first book in a new Georgian era series and despite my feelings about this particular title, I will be looking forward to future installments as Ms. Johnstone is an exceptional author who time and again delivers deeply emotional, passionate and engaging stories.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me.*