Tag: Nicole Locke

The Highlander’s Mysterious Maiden by Nicole Locke

On By TracyIn Medieval (1066-1540), Middle Ages / Medieval (476-1454), Part of a Series, Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Highlander's Mysterious Maiden (Lovers and Highlanders, #3)The Highlander’s Mysterious Maiden by Nicole Locke

Tracy’s Rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

Series: Lovers and Highlanders, #3

Release Date: August 26, 2025

Life has not been easy for Barabal of Clan Colquhoun, her parents died when she was only 5 and she was separated from her brothers and sent to live with her mother’s family. She lived with them for a few years, but when things got hard for the family, she was sent to another family, but after an uncomfortable encounter, she leaves in the middle of the night. For years she has been moving from clan to clan, trying hard to be useful, but never seems to fit in. She arrives at Clan Graham during the Beltane celebration, upset that she didn’t arrive earlier to help with the celebration, thus missing a chance to prove her worth. But when she sees what she believes to be a woman being kidnapped, she is shocked that no one is helping and sets her sites on a man standing away from the others. She is stunned when the man doesn’t seem concerned about the kidnapped woman and seems more interested in kissing! When she declines his kiss, he walks away and appears to find another woman. Barabal is stunned and wonders if she will find a home here or if she should just move on.

Seoc of Clan Graham has been out of sorts since recovering from a grave injury he suffered during the battle of Dunbar. Seoc is crippled by guilt, blaming himself for the death of the clan’s Laird and the capture of the Laird’s son. He has healed from his injuries and has resumed his duties, including brewing mead, but can’t seem to find a way out of the numbing darkness that has been gripping him since the battle. When Barabal walks up to him, he is shocked by his reaction, she makes him feel! She insults his mead, refuses his kiss and berates him for ignoring Anna’s “kidnapping”. He knows immediately that he must keep this woman in his life, but that will be easier said than done, as Barabal seems bent on ignoring him.

I have mixed feelings about this book, on one hand, I thought the writing was wonderful and filled with emotion, but on the other hand, Barabal was one of the most unlikable characters I have ever read. I tried to empathize with her struggles and the fact that she was alone in the world, but OMG – she is abrasive, a complete know it all, and insulting (albeit unintentionally). I understood her need to be useful and that her trust issues that caused her to act as she did, but I was expecting to see her slowly change and grow on me – unfortunately, she didn’t. Overall, it was an emotionally charged read, with some very likable characters, a bit of spice, a curvy heroine, reunions, heartache, healing, acceptance and a touching HEA. This is the third book in the series, and I would recommend reading the series in order.

*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. *

A Witch of His Own by Nicole Locke

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

A Witch of His Own: The Witches' BallA Witch of His Own: The Witches’ Ball by Nicole Locke

Tracy’s rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Witches’ Ball, #7

Release Date: October 3, 2023

Since the death of her parents, Joan Holland, a white witch of Winterbarrow Hundred has had a problem. She is no longer willing to help the villagers of Winterbarrow, as she blames them for the death of her parents. Now she can no longer make decisions and feels angry, causing her to change, she fears she is changing into a grey witch – something that has never happened in her family. She is desperate to keep herself a white witch, something she is hoping can be achieved by marrying a man who practices the white arts. Thankfully, she has been invited to the Witches’ Ball in Bocka Morrow. She sets out early, hoping to meet someone before the actual ball, but fate seems to have a different plan for he when her carriage gets stuck in the mud, miles from Nightshade Manor late at night. It is here she meets Branok Flavell, a man who is clearly not a white witch, but intrigues her like no man she has ever met. She feels herself falling for him, but for the sake of her siblings and her parents’ memory, she cannot allow herself to love him, or can she?

Branok Flavell is a ghost layer, but he too is changing and he has no idea how to stop it. He has searched far and wide to find the answer but has had no luck. When he comes upon Joan, he wonders if she could help him, but soon realizes she too is looking for answers. He invites her to his home and promises to help her get to Nightshade Manor the next day. But a late-night conversation changes everything. And Branok begins to think maybe change is exactly what they need, maybe their flaws are not flaws at all, and maybe love is the answer. But will he be able to convince Joan?

This was a good story, I liked Joan and Branok and was rooting for their HEA, but it was very different from the previous stories. I think my issue with the book is that I am not really sure what a “ghost layer” is, I thought it was someone who helped spirits crossover – like the Ghost Whisperer, but there was a brief mention of a “famous” relative who was an exorcist, but that isn’t the same thing and Branok’s problem is nothing like either of those things, so I am completely baffled. Nevertheless, everything works out in the end and the secondary characters were delightful. Overall, despite my confusion, I was happy that Joan and Branok decided to love each other and let the rest sort itself out. This is the seventh installment of the Witches’ Ball author collaboration series, but this story is very loosely connected and could be read as a standalone title with no problems at all!