Tag: The Reckless Rockwoods

The Rogue’s Countess by Monica Burns

On By TracyIn Tracy's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

The Rogue's Countess (Reckless Rockwoods: Reluctant Rogues, #2)The Rogue’s Countess by Monica Burns

Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Reckless Rockwoods: Reluctant Rogues, #2

Release Date: February 12, 2021

A case of mistaken identity results in a passionate interlude between Phoebe, Viscountess Helstone, and Gideon, the Earl of Chelmsford, an encounter that is beyond anything either of them has ever experienced and something that can lead nowhere, especially since Phoebe is married and refuses to tell Gideon her name. They part, but Gideon can’t let her walk away – that is until he learns she is an American heiress who married a title, knowledge that kills any feelings he may have had – or does it?

Five years later they meet again when Constance, the Countess of Lyndham meets Phoebe in a dress shop and has a vision. Phoebe’s miserable marriage ended when her husband was killed, but that was just the beginning of Phoebe’s nightmare, she learns her father never made any provisions for Phoebe and her husband’s heir kicks her out without a penny to her name. She takes work as a bookkeeper and secretly authors the satirical serial story in the Times – a story that pokes fun at the Marlborough Set and Gideon especially. Constance sets out to help Phoebe and by doing so puts her directly in Gideon’s path by introducing her to his mother and suggesting Phoebe would be the perfect secretary for the dowager Marchioness. Phoebe is blindsided when she learns that Gideon is the Marchioness’ son, had no idea who Gideon was, he was just her mystery lover and the man that she has thought of many times over the years – a man she never expected to see again and certainly never expected him to hold her in such contempt!

Gideon is sure that Phoebe is using his mother to land another title, he makes his disgust known and is angry that he is still attracted to her. Sparks fly and Gideon soon realizes he misjudged Phoebe. When they are caught in a compromising position, Gideon proposes and she initially rejects his offer, but after a heart to heart with his mother, she agrees to marry him. It is clear that the passion between them is strong, but trust isn’t as easy to come by, and just when it seems that HEA is within their grasp, they make some major missteps and misunderstandings, mistrust and secrets threaten to ruin their chance for happiness.

This was a very well-written, nicely paced story with strong lead characters and cameos from the Rockwoods – including an interwoven side story featuring Constance and Lucien and their ongoing road to HEA. This book has a lot of emotion, misunderstandings (that at times felt like they dragged on a bit too long), very steamy love scenes, secrets, wonderful secondary characters, disappointment, a little heartache, true love, and finally their HEA. I really enjoyed the side-story and was grateful that the author included a “primer” of Constance and Lucien’s love story at the beginning of the book to bring readers who might not recall their rocky road to HEA up to speed – it was well done and very helpful! I did end the story with a little bit of doubt about Phoebe and Gideon’s future – since the mistrust and doubts they had seemed to linger even after they declared their love, and there is a title issue that I am still trying to sort out how it can be – but in the grand scheme of things, unless that sort of thing bothers you, it is nothing that takes away from the story. I enjoyed this book and would happily recommend it. This book is part of a series, but it can definitely 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 are my own *

The Beastly Earl by Monica Burns

On By TracyIn Gothic Historical, Historical Paranormal/Fantasy, Scottish/Highlander, Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's Reviews, Victorian Era (1837-1901)Leave a comment

The Beastly Earl (The Reckless Rockwoods #5)The Beastly Earl by Monica Burns

Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Reckless Rockwoods #5

Release Date: December 24, 2019

Almost three years after the fire that claimed her brother Caleb and her husband Devin, Louisa Morehouse nee Rockwood, Viscountess Westbrook, has decided to go to Callendar Abbey for some time alone to center herself. She leaves her two sons with her brother Sebastian, Earl of Melton and sets off for the remote Scottish estate. Her trip is without incident, until she sets out to the Abbey from the train station. A storm spooks the horses and her driver is hurt, she takes a horse and rides out on the moors hoping to find help. She is thrown from her horse and injured, she would have died if not for her brother Caleb’s urging to get up and move. She goes as far as she can and finally collapses, but Caleb assures her that “he” is coming for her.

“He” is Ewan Colquhoun, the Earl of Argaty. Ewan returned from the Sudan a almost a year ago a changed man, physically and emotionally. He lost an arm and an eye in the wars and has become a bit of a hermit, he is angry and bitter, not just about his injuries, Argaty Keep is not a haven for him, but he accepts the responsibilities of the earldom and tries to tolerate his nasty, hateful mother and ignore his late wife’s son. When his steward tells him that a horse has shown up in the stables and they believe the rider is lost on the moors, Ewan grudgingly sets out without his eye patch or a glove to cover his prosthetic arm to find the missing rider. He finds Louisa and brings her back the Keep, he tends her injuries and nurses her through a fever. He thinks she is lovely, but believes she was repulsed by him on the moors and once she is well, stays far away from her. But Louisa is not going to be brushed off, she has the gift of sight (an dara sealladh, a trait shared by many in the Rockwood family) and is sure she needs to be at the Keep – she convinces Ewan to hire her as governess to his son Ross, she doesn’t tell him exactly who she is and she concocts a story of going to the Abbey for a position of a companion, a position she lost when Lady Matilda learned she had children. She implies she needs a position and asked him to let her sons Charles (Viscount Westbrook) and William “Wills” join her.

Louisa originally believes that she was sent to help Ross, but as time passes, she thinks Ewan might be the real person she was meant to help. She is attracted to the surly man and when they finally give into their mutual passion, it is beautiful and it seems like their HEA is a forgone conclusion. But what fun would that be? Secrets and lies will have Ewan pushing Louisa away and a gothic twist may keep them apart forever.

I really enjoyed this installment of the Reckless Rockwell series. The story is well written, paced well, has wonderful characters, lots of secrets, really evil villains, some nail biting scenes, a bit of comic relief, a little heartache, some steamy love scenes, a dash of the paranormal thrown in and an incredibly romantic epilogue. I really appreciate that the author prefaced the story with her author notes, it explained many things in the story that might have confused a reader if the notes were left to the end AND she provided a glossary of Scottish/Gaelic terms – also helpful. I do wish there had been a little more background on the Rockwood “gift”, but even without that information, I found this to be wonderful book that I am happy to recommend, it is the fifth book in the series, but it can be read as a standalone title with no problems.

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