ARC Review: Protecting Rebel (Red Stone Security #21)

Protecting Rebel (Red Stone Security #21)

By Katie Reus

Blurb:

They’ve been friends since they were kids…

Musical superstar Rebel doesn’t have many people in her life she trusts. The majority have always wanted something from her; fame, money, influence. She’s learned to keep her protective walls high, but it’s made having a real life impossible. Then a funeral sends her home and into the arms of her childhood friend who protected her from danger when they were young—the only man she’s ever truly wanted.

But he’s always wanted more than friendship…

Weston is stunned when Rebel shows up to his aunt’s funeral. They’ve stayed in touch over the years but he always thought she was with someone and out of his league. When he discovers she’s single, the billionaire knows it’s time to make his move. But danger strikes before he can, and keeping her safe is the only thing that matters. The threat is closer than anyone imagined, and Weston will do whatever it takes to protect the woman who stole his heart so many years ago.

Themes:  Contemporary

Rating:  4.25 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Nothing is sweeter than first love, except maybe finding out that first love is true love never forgotten. Often when we think of first loves we know it’s the kind of love was either never meant to last, or we were too young to truly understand the trials and tribulations required for love to last. But in tis newest story by Katie Reus she shows us that sometimes that love is the kind of passion and love that only continues to linger in our hearts and truly lasts forever.  I loved every moment of this story and knew that Rebel and Weston were going to be an intriguing and entertaining couple as they came to terms with their feelings and the truth of their pasts and future.  The story gives us loves of flashbacks to when Rebel and Weston were teenagers, in the first bloom or life and love, when they were forced to separate in order to find their places in life and their careers, but they never forgot one another.  This story is just another example of how Katie manages to bring characters together despite everything being against them and us thinking there is no way she can do it.  I am dying to find out which of the Red Stone folks find their mate next and seeing more of the previous couples.

Rebel left her hometown a long time ago, leaving behind a terrible childhood, but she never forgot the loving neighbor that helped her to find her way to stardom and always supported her. When her “adopted Aunt” passes away she knows she can’t miss the funeral and attends in disguise so her stardom doesn’t cause a circus, but she also doesn’t want to make waves for Weston, the boy she never stopped loving who will definitely be at his Aunt’s funeral. Weston knows the moment Rebel walks into the funeral and there’s no way he is going to let her distance herself. He’s always loved the wild spirited girl he knew was too good for him, but now that the woman is back, not to mention single and in danger, he’s not letting her get away.  Determined to protect and care for her, but the more danger they discover in her life, the more Weston knows he can no longer hide what he truly wants from her.  When they finally admit to one another just how deep their feeling are, there is no longer any denying the passion and need between them, but can they build a lasting relationship with lifestyle Rebel leads, the danger’s swirling around them and a stalker out to kill Rebel? Or have they run out of time just when they finally found the courage to share their love?

Rebel was a great characters, the kind of woman we all want as our friends.  She’s sweet, fun, sassy, but when it comes to her friends, work, or the man she loves she does whatever is necessary to protect and provide.  Very seldom do we get to see the backstory in real time like we did with Rebel and Weston, but I enjoyed getting to see the story of how Rebel got her start.  It showed us how she’s developed and how far she’s come as a woman and a professional. She’s supportive of Weston as he begins his career in the military and then as he transitions into his tech startup, even if she can’t be with him in person, she always provides him the emotional connection he craves. Once they are back together she continues to show him the sweet and loving girl underneath the star that everyone else sees, reminding him that though they have both grown and changed, their love and connection remains and always will. Weston is the man that has done a lot and see entirely too much, like many military guys, but finally getting his chance to be with the woman he loves brings out all his protective and possessive instincts.  He was the sweetest and strongest alpha, taking over her protection, but still letting her make her own choices after they discussed things, instead  of simply overtaking her life.  He made sure she always understood how much she meant to him even in the smallest of ways and with the smallest of gestures.  They were obviously meant to be from the first moment their lives intertwined.

I truly relished every moment of this story, seeing Rebel and Weston both come to understood they have loved one another from the beginning.  Katie Reus has such a way with her characters, bringing them to life and showing us that even the richest billionaires, the brightest music stars, are just people, looking for love and hoping to connect.  Rebel has overcome her upbringing in order to dazzle music fans the world over, but she’s never gotten over the boy that touched her heart in her teens.  Returning home she knows she’ll be confronted with seeing him, possibly on another woman’s arm, but she can’t resist seeing him again.  Weston hopes to see Rebel again, but he has no hope of making her his, until he discovers the truth of her freedom and then he pulls out all the stops in order to make her his.  Together they will work to protect Rebel from a vicious stalker dedicated to stopping Rebel’s career no matter what it takes, including murder.  So they understand their love is deeper than either ever imagined and there is nothing they won’t do to have a bright future together.  The passion between these two once they opened the door to the emotions was red-hot and I loved experiencing it with them.  I am dying for the next story but nothing new there as I always beg for more from Katie at the end of every story.

Keep the magic coming Katie!

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

ARC Review: Stay Here With Me (The Wilder Brothers #5)

Stay Here With Me (The Wilder Brothers #5)

by Carrie Ann Ryan

Blurb:

The world thinks I only write songs about my ex-boyfriends.

They study each lyric to point a finger at which man broke my heart—even if I’ve never met him.

Only the man I refuse to write about is the one who is so tangled in my mind that I know I can never be with him.

I had one night with East Wilder, and I know that’s all there will ever be.

He broke my heart without even trying.

Yet now I can’t seem to write a single verse and I need a place to hide while I figure out who I am. The Wilder Retreat will have to be my refuge as the Wilders prepare for my best friend’s wedding.

And when I’m there, I refuse to fall for East again.

Even if the dark shadows in his eyes draw me in. And the dangers of his past might be the one thing that forces us to finally give in.

Themes:  Contemporary

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Most of us that have been following the Wilder boys from first appearance in the Montgomery’s series have been looker forward to getting East’s story, seeing why he is so broken and seeing him finally get to heal.  When Carrie Ann Ryan creates a group of sexy, grumpy ex-military heroes you know that the trauma they’ve faced is going to be heartbreaking and that the healing process is going to be excruciating, but that the women that capture their hearts are going to be just as awe-inspiring.  I have loved every story in this series, and knowing that Lark and East were going to find their love in the most unlikely of circumstances and fight to the bitter end against falling, I knew the story would be one hell of a read.  These two have each faced a lot of loss, trauma, pain, and their trust is not easily won, but as they get to know one another and experience the love that their friends and family have found, it becomes more than obvious to them both that they need more from life. I know this main group of Wilder’s are almost all paired off, with only the last brother, Elliot, left to find love, but I have heard lovely rumors that the series will continue with their cousins so we will be getting more fabulous Wilder’s and the adventures will continue.  Ryan’s magic with tragic characters and the trauma of life reminds me again and again that there are so many stories and paths to love that are as painful as they are beautiful and I love reading every one.

Lark Thornbird has made a career out of writing songs about love and heartbreak, but despite what everyone believes she’s actually never experienced either emotion.  Now she is having writer’s block at the worst possible time in her career so she runs to the only place that has felt like home to her in years, the Wilde Resort, where her best friend has made her home.  Too bad the one man that ever made her feel more calls the place home as well.  East Wilder is working his ass off to prove that he is healing, even though he is far from it, but he cannot handle the complication of the only woman that has ever made him feel anything being around again.  Lark and East both know that having a relationship is impossible, but the chemistry between them is too combustible and the attraction is irresistible.  Deciding to give into the primal passion, denying any deeper connection, they throw caution to the wind and dive into the best thing that has happened to either of them in years.  But when East’s past begins to rear its ugly head and his trust issues are brought to the forefront, can their fragile connection get them through the troubles or will they finally have to admit that their passion and emotional connection will never be enough to build a future? And will they even get a chance before the danger lurking around the corner takes the choice away from them both?

This story was a doozy and I have to say that both of these characters were extremely delusional if they ever believed they would be able to have such a passionate and heated affair without their emotions becoming entwined. Lark is such a strong character I so many ways, but her vulnerability and her fears are so deeply embedded I’m not sure that she even understands how they affect her choices.  She wants so badly to have the love and connection that her other female friends have found, but she fights against it at the same time instead of fighting for what she wants.  She is willing to stand up for those she loves, making them face their fears and work to heal themselves, but she won’t do the same for herself, almost like she doesn’t think she is worthy of healing.  Her sweetness, sass, wit, and grit are the best parts of her natures, but I wish she had fought harder for her peace and healing.  East is the quintessential tortured alpha hero, one that failed in the past to save those he thought he was responsible for and continues to torture himself subconsciously for that perceived failure by blocking his own path to healing and preventing himself from finding love. He knows that Lark is a good woman, one that could be the perfect match for him, but he continuously throws up walls between them because he doesn’t think he’s good enough for her.  I feared that the pain of his past would keep them apart, but Ryan so beautifully found a way to work in his forgiveness and healing, even forcing confrontation that allows him to finally begin healing and forgiveness for his past.  I loved East even when he is at his grumpiest because he is always there for his family and never lets them down.  His strength, passion, dedication, and intelligence made him such a beautiful character to finally watch heal and find love, even as I cried along with Lark through the painful scenes.

Not much beats a story between a sexy popstar and a growly ex-military guy, but when two people are meant to be, there’s not much that can keep them apart. Lark and East’s story is one of healing, two people coming to trust one another despite the odds, and two people finding love when they’ve never truly believed they ever could.  Lark has shied away from relationships ever since a man she trusted and idolized broke her trust in unimaginable ways, but the pull to East is too hard to resist.  When she truly gives herself the permission to feel what she feels for him, her heart begins to heal and she finds that the growly man is just what she needs to make her life complete, if only she can convince him to give their love a chance.  East has given up on any chance for a future that doesn’t involve his broken soul, but Lark makes him the happiest he has ever been in his life.  When his past comes back to haunt him and puts her and his family in danger, he can no longer hide from the trauma and has to find a way to come to terms with it.  I loved the way these two pushed and pulled against one another life two magnets creating the poles of the earth, creating the perfect balance of forces.  The passion between these two has been there since they began circling one another in Bethany’s story, but when we finally get to experience it with them, boy lookout, that first is almost hot enough to burn down the state of Texas.  I am so glad Lark and East found a way to their happiness, but I am really looking forward to that next book in the series where Elliot will finally get his chance at love—psst he gets way more than he bargained for.  And fair warning this story ends of a SERIOUS cliffhanger! 😉 Carrie Ann Ryan always finds a way to make her lovers face their pain and bring them through to the other side, showing the darker sides of life as she brings them the wilder side of love.

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

ARC Review: Ignite the Magic (Dark Kings #0)

Ignite the Magic (Dark Kings #0)

Donna Grant

Blurb:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Donna Grant delivers an epic prequel to her long-running and critically acclaimed Dark Universe series.

Passion’s magic ignites a fire too hot to touch—and too wicked to die…

The stars have always called to Ailis, beckoning her to see what other realms were out there. She’s told its impossible, but that doesn’t stop her need to explore beyond what others believe. Ailis never expected to change history by creating the first doorway to another realm. She certainly never imagined opening that door to find a commanding dragon who shifts into a man. She’s irresistibly drawn to Lennox, powerless against the yearning of her body and the longing of her heart.

Magic might have chosen Lennox as King of Dragon Kings, but it’s a position he’s never wanted. Until the day a new being arrives—and irrevocably changes his life. The closer he gets to the fearless, ravishing woman, the more he fights the passion that flares between them. He lives only for his duty, but one fiery kiss unleashes a firestorm of desire that will ripple across eons and realms. Fate might have brought them together, but will it also tear them apart?

The origins of the Dark Kings/Dragon Kings and the entire Dark Universe is finally revealed.

Themes:  Paranormal, Dragon Shifters

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

 Wow I have to admit when I heard that Donna was giving us a prequel to the Dark Kings series, I was totally unsure what to expect other than a great story of love and loss, but I was pleasantly surprised to experience where her imagination took us even though I was a lot to unpack for sure.  If you have a been a long-time reader of this series you will understand why it is important to reader this series, but I bet a lot of folks aren’t going to get what they thought they would get.  This story isn’t an original story so much as a peak into a long-held secret that we learned in a previous novel, the fact that there was one a mating between a fae, other than Rhi and Con, that produced a child, Melisse.  I enjoyed learning the story of Melisse’s parents and seeing the first mating of a Dragon King and his Fae lover, even with all the pain and strife they went through.  There were plenty of the twists and turns and the expected drama of a Donna Grant novel, and while the story ends in an HFN, we definitely need another novel, most likely Melisse’s to learn the rest of the story between Ailis and Lennox and what happened after their mating and the birth of their daughter.  The Magic has spoken and the first Dragon Queen has been born, but the story is definitely not over, and Donna has a lot more to share with us before Melisse can get her own HEA.

Ailis has always been pulled toward the unknown and she is determined to find a way to prove that her magic can open a doorway into another world, one that most believe is pure myth, but she knows in her heart exists.  When she finally braves the danger and crosses into the amazing world that has always drawn her, she is amazed to find the beauty not only of nature but of Dragons! When she comes face to face with a dragon, she never imagined he would shift into the sexiest man she’d ever imagine though. Lennox, King of Dragon Kings, has no idea what is happening to him when he meets the tiny creature by the lake, but the moment she begins to speak his body begins to change into a shape much like hers and suddenly he can communicate with her in her language. Now that they are able to communicate, Lennox and Ailis begin a leery friendship that quickly blossoms into something so much deeper.  When strife breaks out deep in Lennox’s people, he can only turn to his beautiful Fae mate for solace, but there is no hope for them loving in the open or presenting her to his people.  Can he really expect such a vibrant and exquisite creature to live out the millennia of their lives in hiding just because he selfishly can’t let her go, or must he find a way to release her from the bond they have formed?

Ailis was an interesting character, a mix of vulnerability and strength that reminded me of the most intrepid of women that have shaped out world in the past.  While a woman might have her fears, and though things that try to keep us down, when we truly find something worth fighting for, we know that there is no giving up and nothing will keep us down.  She is brave, sassy, sweet, funny, intelligent, loving, and most importantly she provides a light to Lennox’s darkness that will provide the balance so needed for the King of Kings in a world where war threatens at every turn.  Even when she knows that she is going to be forced to live a life in relative solitude, hiding most of the time from the world and those that inhabit it, she knows that the love Lennox and her daughter offer her will be more than worth it and won’t give it up for anything.  Honestly, she is one of my favorite DG heroines to date.  Lennox is a tricky one; while I can definitely see a bit of Con in him, he definitely has his own ruling style, and he handles problems very differently, so I would love to learn more about how the roles he and later Con share evolves over the eons. His steadfast belief in his people was beautiful, but made it harder for him to see the enemy in his midst when tragedy struck, though I was surprised by the villain fully this time, which let me tell you is rare. I loved seeing Lennox experiencing everything for the first time once he shifted, from certain textures/feelings against his skin, to tastes, sounds, and sights with his human senses, it was like seeing the beginning of a life. Lennox was also a wonderful male for showing her love, support, and caring when they experienced a loss, and being right by her side as they welcomed their daughter into the world, even though he was obviously lost and terrified.  He is going to be a great mate and the best father he can be, but I am looking forward to learning more about him and Ailis from Melisse’s POV when we get her story to be sure.

Prequels after such a long run of a series are always a little bit tricky, because we as readers are so invested in our thoughts on the series and the characters we know so well, but Donna Grant knew she needed to write the story and went and gave us a story we could all enjoy without finding too much to whine about.  Ailis makes her great escape from a realm that has never really had a place for her, only to find herself in a world where she is truly unique and will be for a long time. But she quickly stumbles on the one being in the universe Fated for her and Lennox proves to her quickly that their differences are less important than their similarities.  Lennox never imagined he’d stumble onto a tiny creature that would change not only him irrevocably but the entire world for him and his people.  While their love might never see the full light of the sun, it will never be forgotten and leads to the birth of the very first Dragon Queen, even if her people aren’t truly aware of her for millennia to come. I loved every moment of this story, from the laughter to the tears, the fear and pain, and even the suspense and drama.   I know that the ending we got doesn’t represent the true ending for these two, because we will learn so much more in coming novels, but I like to think now that they have their love and the love of their daughter they will have long and happy lives together, even if no one else on the realm knows it but the three of them.  I am really looking forward to Melisse’s story next year and any other novels or novellas that come in between, but for now I will just bask in the glow of the love between this beautiful and sweet Fae and her brave and loving Dragon King.  Long live the King and Queen, and may their love burn bright for many long millennia. Thank you for the memories, Donna!

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

mini Review: A Daring Pursuit (Ruthless Rivals #2)

A Daring Pursuit (Ruthless Rivals #2)

Kate Bateman

Blurb:

TWO ENEMIES

Carys Davies is doing everything in her power to avoid marriage. Staying single is the only way to hide the secret that could ruin her—and her family—if it was revealed. For the past two seasons she’s scandalized the ton with her outrageous outfits and brazen ways in a futile bid to deter potential suitors. Outwardly confident and carefree, inside she’s disillusioned with both men and love. There’s only one person who’s never bought her act—the only man who makes her heart race: Tristan Montgomery, one of her family’s greatest rivals.

ONE SCANDALOUS BARGAIN

Wickedly proper architect Tristan needs a respectable woman to wed, but he’s never stopped wanting bold, red-headed Carys. When she mockingly challenges him to show her what she’s missing by not getting married, Tristan shocks them both by accepting her indecent proposal: one week of clandestine meetings, after which they’ll go their separate ways. But kissing each other is almost as much fun as arguing, and their affair burns hotter than either of them expects. When they find themselves embroiled in a treasonous plot, can they trust each other with their hearts, their secrets…and their lives?

Themes:  Historical

Rating:  4.25 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

 Being from the south no one better understands a good family feud, even one that has been going on for centuries, and no one better understands the draw between the enemies that can ultimately lead to the most passionate of associations when enemies become lovers. I stumbled onto the first book in this series when I was killing time in the book aisle at the local department store and figured the story sounded interesting enough to give a new author a try and I am really glad I did.  The Davies/Montgomery families and Kate Bateman are intriguing, passionate, and hilarious as the dazzle, confuse, and mortify the haute ton and find their way into and out of the most fascinating of problems.  I am thoroughly looking forward to the rest of the family finding their matches and learning just how easy it is to fall in love with the enemy. Carys Davies is doing her best to prevent a match, but not for the reasons the ton and her family might believe; in order to protect herself and her family from the blackmailer that is threatening to ruin them all, she does her best to keep others in the dark and away from her.  But the one man that has always intrigued and drawn her is the one man who can see through her mask to the woman within, and the one man she wishes to keep furthest away.  Tristan Montgomery has always watched Carys as she flaunted her beauty and outrageousness, but she has become too much to bear of late and he is determined to get to the bottom of it.  But when he learns the truth, it opens the world to all new possibilities between the, and gives him the chance to do the one thing he’s never imagine—ravish the beautiful adversary.  Spending time together, even in secret, is a dangerous proposition for them both, but truly neither can resist the chance to embrace the passion between them, but once their time is up, with they be able to deny the deeper connection that was always there or will they forever leave one another in the past? Carys was the perfect hoyden to brazen her way through this plotline and find love in these circumstances, her obvious love of life, care for those she sees in needs, and determination to protect those she loves showed she wasn’t just an emptyheaded aristocratic lady like so many of her time.  She is intelligent, brave, witty, sassy, and I loved watching her not only stand up and fight for herself but for her brothers, Tristan, and even any animal being abused she came across.  She truly was a woman well before her time and I can see that she needed a man to support and stand beside her, never one to fight her battles for her or try to tame her as so many would have.  Tristan was the perfect man for the job, if he didn’t know it until it was almost too late. Tristian is the quintessential stick-in-the-mud soldier type that all women want to ruffle up and see come undone, and if was beautiful to see him as the more time he spent with Carys the more he found freedom and peace. He’s had a rough time of it, serving in the war and then trying to make his mark in his chosen profession, but it seems that resisting the pull of the woman he’s wanted so long but thought was not for him was the hardest challenge of his life.  His strength, courage, dedication, kindness, and love for his family showed him to be a truly good man, but the way that he was just that little bit naughty when around Carys reminded us that even those that were the most proper were still men with desires and needs.  The heat and fire these two generated was enough to warm and light all of the British fires for months, even through a rainy winter, and there was no denying that when they let loose together it go even hotter, surprising even themselves, I think.  I am dying for the next in this series and looking forward to seeing more of the mated couples and the rest of the crazy characters in these two more and more intertwined families with their craziness and their never-ending hilarity.  Bateman is a true find with a skill for mirth and sensuality all while showing us the most surprising side of the haute ton some of us have ever seen.

*eARC provided by publisher (via NetGalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

Review: Max Wilde's Cowboy Heart (Wyoming Wilde #3)

Max Wilde's Cowboy Heart (Wyoming Wilde #3)

Jennifer Ryan

Blurb:

They’re tough, tenacious, and sometimes tormented; they’re the Wildes of Wyoming, three brothers whose family ties are as strong as their wills. And when Max Wilde reunites with his lost love, he’ll do anything to keep her safe and in his arms… Max Wilde lived up to his last name and then some. Years ago, he fell hard and fast for Kenna Baker, thinking they had a love that would last for all time. When a horrible misunderstanding drove them apart, Max thought his chance to find the kind of love his brothers have is gone forever. He changed his bad boy ways, but he never got over the one who got away. Now, their lives have collided once again, as Kenna is the only witness to a murder and needs a place to hide while in protective custody. Max is determined to keep her safe on the ranch, and also maintain an emotional distance, but as they spend more time together, the lies and half-truths that once drove them apart are also uncovered, bringing them closer than ever. Kenna has always laid claim to Max’s heart—and soul—but will he be able to save her…and their love...before it’s too late?

Themes:  Contemporary

Rating: 4.5 stars

Heat Rating:  

Review:

Well ladies all I can say is communication really is the MOST IMPORTANT part of any relationship, and this story proves that in spades! Those of us that have been waiting for this story since the beginning of the series have been wondering just what the big reunion of these two lovers would reveal but damn this story broke and broke my heart and just would not let me go until the last moment.  Jennifer Ryan has become one of my favorite authors of contemporary western setting romance novels, writing about sexy cowboys that are tragic heroes and sassy heroines that tame and tease their hearts.  Max Wilde is the last of the wild brothers and while he’s lost his heart one already, he also lost his woman. He thought he was going to grow old with Kenna Baker and then she left him without a backward glance, leaving him confused and alone.  He’s since found as much solace as he can in as many women as he can, but the shine has long since worn off that diamond.  When Kenna’s world implodes, her new boyfriend murdered right in front of her and her life is suddenly in peril, he brings her to the safety of the family ranch to keep her safe.  Kenna broke her heart right along with Max’s and has regretted it ever since, but now there is too much water under the bridge to beg forgiveness and hope for reconciliation.  He loathes her and can’t stand to be in her presence, so hiding at his family’s ranch is the worst thing she can do, but the more time she spends in his presence the harder it is for her to hide her secrets or the love she still carries deep in her heart for him.  Can two broken hearts heal one another and have another chance at love or will their enemies eliminate them before they ever have a chance to clear the air and heal? Jeez all the feels and the pain in this one literally had me crying so much had to stop reading.  Kenna’s past and present colliding leave that poor woman floundering and unsure about every choice she makes.  She knows she’s made mistakes, but isn’t quite sure how to fix them as badly as she wants to; her fears and sadness over her breakup with Max cause her to continue to make mistakes when it comes to him until finally, she has no pride left and just gives him every secret in her heart, leaving herself naked and exposed to him.  Her present troubles with her brother are an even bigger issue, but damn the emotional pain of her relationship and troubles with Max overshadow even death threats and imminent possible death, that’s how bad it is.  I loved seeing her work through her pain and fears until she found a way to cleanse her soul and find her light again so she could come to Max once again offering her love and devotion.  Max was an asshole, lets face it, for much of the book.  He still loves Kenna, but can’t find it in himself to find any level of forgiveness or understanding in order to hear her out for far too much of the story.  Yes, he is determined to keep her breathing and safe, but if he’d just have sucked it up and LISTENED, he would have been able to put them both out of their misery so much sooner.  I loved his strength and willingness to protect her from all comers, and of course once he did finally find it in his heart to listen and forgive, he becomes the perfect hero, but just want to slap some sense into him more than once.  The passion between them, even when arguing or in the flashbacks, is more than obvious and intensely sensual.  I loved it that these two managed to get over themselves and around their obstacles to find their HEA and I cannot wait to see more of them in the coming spinoff of the Wilde cousins.  Jennifer Ryan just doesn’t quit and it makes me delirious to know that I get the chance to read her work.

*eARC provided by publisher (via NetGalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

Review: In Her Highlander's Bed (Highland Brides #11)

In Her Highlander's Bed (Highland Brides #11)

Lynsay Sands

Blurb:

An invigorating swim in the loch was exactly what Calan Campbell, Laird of Kilcairn, needed after defeating his enemies in battle. What he didn’t need was a thief running away with his plaid while he swam. Calan gave chase and managed to catch the lad, only the lad turned out to be a lass, and obviously a lady. Having hit her head when he’d tackled her to the ground, the woman was now unconscious and couldn’t explain how she had ended up bruised and naked in his woods. He’d have to take her back to his castle and tend her wounds to learn that.

Kidnapped and forced to wed her clan’s enemy, Allissaid MacFarlane had risked death to escape. But after a struggle over a plaid she tried to “borrow,” she awakens in a strange bed with a strange man seated in a chair beside her. Unsure if he is friend or foe, she claims not to remember her own name or how she’d come to be in the clearing. However, the more time she spends with Calan, the more she falls for this strong, honorable laird. She soon decides she can trust him with her life. . . but can she trust him with her heart

Themes:  Historical

Rating: 4.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

OMFG I have been dying to find out where Lynsay was going to go with this subarc and I just knew it was going to be fabulous. For longtime fans of this series, you’ve probably been waiting right along with me to see where this story would go for the last couple novels as this family was tortured by their enemy.  Lynsay has such a way with her plotline and her villains that you just never second guess that it is entirely possible someone was one just that evil and want to reach for a history book to see if it’s something you missed in your studies in the past. Calan Campbell is having an illicit swim in the loch, trying to shake off an old injury when he finds himself rescue and breathing life back into a naked lass that is near death.   Allissaid MacFarlane has finally escaped her kidnapper, just in time to prevent a rape that would have left her forced to remain married to the murder and thieving bastard, when she wakens in the home of an unknown and intimidating handsome man.  Pretending to have lost her memory seems like just the course to take until she can suss out where she is and if she is truly safe or has landed herself in the home of an enemy.  The more time she spends with Calan though the more Allissaid comes to care for him and his family, then she learns who he truly is and that connection quickly blossoms into a love that she cannot deny.  Calan’s feelings for Allissaid are just as undeniable and when their families propose a permanent link between them, he jumps at the chance to make her is for certain.  But their enemy is lurking just around the corner and will stop at nothing to get what he’s always wanted, no matter who he has to kill or what plan he has to enact.  Can Calan and Allissaid beat the bastard at his own game, with the help of her powerful new family or will their love forever be torn apart? Allissaid was a perfect heroine for a highland romance novel; she was willing to fight tooth and nail not just to maintain her freedom and innocence, but to get free from her captor so that she could return to her family to keep them safe. She literally risked her life because she was unwilling to give in to him, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of defeating him.  She as sharp, wise, rational, perceptive, and thought through each of her moves until she found herself in safe territory.  I loved seeing her when she found herself with the Campbell clan, finally allowing herself to calm down and take a breath, making friends and finding love when she has been so tightly wound for so long.  It was truly beautiful to watch her come out of the shell of her fear in order to blossom into the woman for Calan.  I also loved seeing her interacting with the Buchannan men and the Campbell women of course, she was not a pushover by any means and it was fun to see her kick butt metaphorically as well as physically.  Calan was the perfect hero to match Allissaid, a man willing to risk himself for a defenseless woman, and then willing to take the time to think about her reputation and take into account others’ opinions about her instead of throwing her to the wolves in order to just do the bare minimum.  I loved seeing him with his men, his sister and mother, and of course as he worked to bring Allissaid out of her shell.  He was an alpha through and through, but not an ass with in, instead a sweetheart and a darling of a Laird.  I am really looking forward to more in this series and hope it continues a long time in the future with many more twists and turns. Sands struck gold once again.

*eARC provided by publisher (via NetGalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.