Tag: Shana Galen

Snowbound with the Viscount by Shana Galen

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Novella, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

Snowbound with the ViscountBarb’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Standalone Novella
Publication Date: 11/10/20
Number of Pages: 85

In this delightfully lovely tale, we attend a house party that is to end just a couple of days before Christmas. Since the weather has been miserably rainy and uncooperative, the guests are looking forward to heading home for Christmas. However, just as it is time to leave – the weather turns, snow covers the grounds, and keeps the guests in residence.

Holly Farthing and Adam Ivy had been friends since they were children because Adam was close friends with Holly’s brother. She was immediately as smitten as a six-year-old girl can be with a nine-year-old boy. However, as her brother’s friend, nothing ever came of her devotion. Then, during her first season, she met and fell in love with the man she married. That all ended with the death of her husband, and now she’s just lonely and Christmas is a difficult time for her. When her best friend invites her to a house party, she decides to attend because she knows Adam Ivy will be attending. After all, her affection for him is still there and she’d like to see where it could go – if he doesn’t still think of her as a ‘little sister’.

Adam had always liked Holly – as much as a nine-year-old boy could like a six-year-old girl. Even during her come out he was drawn to her and always made an opportunity to speak to her – then – she fell in love and married – and he went on his way in life. He hopes to see her at the house party because she is best friends with the hostess, but he knows Holly will probably be bringing along a betrothed. She is entirely too beautiful and delightful not to be betrothed by now.

Holly and Adam dance around each other for the entire house party – never really approaching – just watching from afar. Until almost the end when Holly makes her move – and WOW – who would have thought. Then, an unfortunate event occurs and forces them to become even closer. Can a fake betrothal become a real one? After what Holly learns, can she trust any man again?

I absolutely loved both Holly and Adam. I loved that Holly knew what she wanted and, even though she was very shy, she went after it. I loved how Adam appreciated Holly and I loved how their HEA grew.

I hope you’ll read this novella and enjoy it as much as I did. I thought it was a great story and just the right length. I do wish it had an epilogue though – somehow I never feel ‘finished’ with a book until the wedding has taken place. So, a short epilogue taking place sometime after the wedding would have made it just perfect for me.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Highlander’s Excellent Adventure by Shana Galen

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

The Highlander's Excellent Adventure (The Survivors, #8)Barbara’s Rating:  5 of 5 stars

Series: The Survivors #8
Publication Date: 9/8/20
Number of Pages: 325

OMGoodness – what a fun romp this was! I loved the characters. I loved the storyline. I LOVED that we got two great romances and two great HEA’s in one book. What isn’t to love? It is fast-paced, well-written, and well-plotted. I think it is one of my favorites of the Survivors series. One of my favorite parts is that the story is told by all four of the main characters. You get each person’s individual perspective. Nice way to do that.

We met Ines Neves in The Claiming of the Shrew when her sister Catarina found her HEA with Lieutenant Colonel Benedict Draven. Catarina is now trying to pair Ines up with men that Ines finds totally unacceptable. I have to say this part surprises me because I thought Catarina, given her history, would be very understanding about that sort of thing and would let Ines set her own pace and make her own choices. But then, I guess we wouldn’t have a story if she did that.

Catarina is encouraging a match between Ines and Mr. Podmore. Ines finds the man an utter bore and takes every opportunity to avoid him. When she discovers that Mr. Podmore is due for a visit, she decides to do all she can to avoid him. Sneaking outside, she intends to hide until he gives up and leaves – and what better place to hide than in his coach. She’ll just sneak out of the coach once he gives up waiting for her – no harm, no foul – right? Except, it isn’t his coach – and she falls asleep – and she is well out of town before she realizes she’s run away without meaning to do so. OH! My! Goodness!

Duncan Murray, a Scotsman, a war hero, a survivor from Draven’s expendable troop, is in London to find an English wife. He doesn’t want an English wife, but his mother, Lady Charlotte, has ordered him to find one – and he owes it to her to do as she asks. However, his trip has been unsuccessful because all of the English women run at the sight of a huge Highlander. Now, he’s headed back to the highlands to let her know he’s failed. When he is well outside London, he finds a stowaway inside his carriage – and she doesn’t speak English. What is he to do with her? OH! My! Goodness!

Emmeline Wellesley, the oldest of five siblings, has suffered through one too many seasons and she’s just tired of it. She’s brash, outspoken, intelligent, adventurous, Rubenesque, and men just don’t seem to want that in a potential bride. Well, no problem – she has a solution. She’ll take the coach from the posting house and go to her paternal grandmother who lives in the far north of England. OH! My! Goodness!

Stratford Fortesque, a war hero, a survivor from Draven’s expendable troop, is always on the outside looking in when it comes to his family. He has long admired the brash and bold Emmeline Wellesley, daughter of his mother’s best friend, but he knows a match would never meet with family approval. When he learns from Emmeline’s sister that Emmeline has run away, he doesn’t think twice, he just takes off after her. OH! My! Goodness!

You’ll laugh with them. You’ll cry with them. You’ll even sigh with them. Most of all, you’ll be thoroughly entertained by their adventures as they wend their way across England and into the Highlands of Scotland and their HEA’s. It is a delightful read and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Note – there is an appearance by Nash – another survivor – and I hope we see his story soon because he really, really, really needs one.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.