ARC Review: Hope's Wish (Guarded Souls #2)

Hope's Wish (Guarded Souls #2)

by Lexxie Couper

Blurb:

It’s not the lamp she needs to rub…

Investigative journalist, Tahlee Hope is fierce, stubborn, and doesn’t pull punches. Overhearing a political assassination plot, her life is now in serious danger. No biggie for Tahlee. All in a day’s work. She’s not prepared, however, for the security agent assigned to protect her: James Hastin, the man who changed everything in her life three years ago, and then disappeared without a trace.

Summoned and trapped by a desperate sorcerer, James Hastin has been living amongst man for centuries. Life as a secret djinn in today’s society isn’t all that bad. Getting the rush of granting wishes is easy, he’s never felt the need to tap into his darker side, and he loves his job at Guarded Souls Security and Protection. Of course, there’s the little issue of the fatal curse placed upon him by the bastard sorcerer, but as long as he’s careful he should be okay. And then Tahlee Hope—his only weakness—enters his life. Again.

Their history will either make them stronger, or bring about the end of the world. Yes, the stakes really are that high…

Themes:  Paranormal, Witches

Rating: 3.75 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

So nothing on a cool rainy night beats a sensual and sexy story about a man, even one with a little something extra, finally coming face-to-face with his past and having to accept fate.  When I was offered the opportunity to read this story in exchange for an honest opinion I had to rush to read the first story in the series, and while I am a huge fan of everything I have ever read by Lexxie, this series was not shaping up to be my favorite.  I almost changed my mind and sent the story back, but figured I was already in for a penny so I started James and Tahlee’s story with a bit of a chip on my shoulder having not loved Nathaniel’s.  However, I can honestly say that I had to eat my shoe in this case because James’s story was way more in line with what I would have expected from the greatness that is Lexxie Couper.   Not only is she a mistress of sensual intensity between her characters, she always manages to squeeze in laughter, sweetness and a deep love that is undeniable; in this series we are even getting a bit more with the supernatural angle as each of her main characters comes with a  special POV, in this case James being a millennia old Djinn. James has lived millennia trapped in our realm, but no one has ever affected him the way Tahlee Hope does, and now he has come face-to-face with her for the first time in years after he walked out on their lives abruptly.  Tahlee is stunned to see James in the private security firm that has been pushed on her, for her own safety after she stumbles into some political intrigue, but  she is just as determined that he not disappear again until he answers her questions as to why and where he disappeared to. When the truth of his existence and their lives together is thrust into Tahlee’s sheltered existence, they have to cope together with their new relationship, because neither of them is willing to give up their chance at a new life together. I loved seeing the playful, frat boy-esque James finally have a serious side and of course when his woman was in danger the alpha and dangerous man was willing to do just about anything to keep her safe despite her fighting him at every turn.  The true depth of his devotion was heart wrenching and brought me to tears, but the level of love that he shows made me beyond jealous. Tahlee is definitely the type of woman I want to be when I grow up (giggle); she is full of sass and snark, without being mean about it and has a courage that is undeniable.  When she accepts the reasons and forgives her man, she doesn’t hold a grudge and expresses her own love for the man that never really gave back the heart he stole.  The danger these two have faced for so long, just to have a chance together for a life, shows that the two of them above just about any other characters I’ve read, deserved their HEA.  Lexxie unleashes the sexual passion between her characters of course, but the sensual sweetness and emotional depth is just as obvious to readers and makes the story truly great.  I enjoyed James and Tahlee’s story of hope and redemption, and I am looking forward to the next story—Kitt’s story I hope—in the series soon.  One can never truly go wrong with a Lexxie Couper romance, but Hope’s Wish is a truly amazing tale of love, loss, and passion unleashed on an unsuspecting world.

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

Review: Protected (Deadly Secrets #3)

Protected (Deadly Secrets #3)

by Elisabeth Naughton

Blurb:

Up-and-coming designer Kelsey McClane is on the cusp of success. Recently divorced, she should be enjoying her newfound freedom and glamorous future. Instead, she’s living in fear of the past. When she returns home to Portland on a press tour, danger creeps closer than ever. As threatening messages from her bitter ex-husband leave her vulnerable, a new man in her life makes her feel protected.

Former Army Ranger turned security professional Hunter O’Donnell is hired to guard Kelsey. When a shattering explosion rocks her world, Kelsey’s ex is the prime suspect, but Hunter speculates there’s more to the situation than Kelsey’s letting on. Intent on keeping her safe, he delves into Kelsey’s past. As the two work together to unmask her stalker’s identity, a fire ignites between them that they both struggle to contain.

While the investigation proceeds, it draws them closer not only to each other but also to a lethal plot that’s been in the works behind their backs. And with each new secret unveiled, it’s not just temptation putting them at risk—it’s a madman who will not stop until Kelsey is dead.

Themes: Contemporary, Suspense

Rating: 4 stars

Heat Rating:  

Review:

 The third McClane sibling has found love, in the most unlikely of places and definitely the most unfortunate of times. I am a huge fan of Elisabeth Naughton, and as I read more of her romantic suspense novels I become even more enamored of her writing. I am really enjoying this series and learning more about this amazing family of siblings-by-circumstance. Naughton has a way of making readers understand even the most outlandish things that can happen in this day and age.  These novels may have had the basic thread of being about a single family, but otherwise the stories are so original and unique to each sibling that the series continues to be an amazing experience to enjoy.  Kelsey and Hunter have had a chemistry from the very beginning of their adult acquaintance, once they understood neither of them were children any longer.  While she has gone through a lot in her relationship past, with a bastard of an ex-husband still stalking her and Hunter has pushed every woman away, thinking love isn’t real. Kelsey has finally taken control of her life, getting her fledgling clothing design firm off the ground, finalizing her divorce, and truly moving on, when suddenly her life is in danger and the world around her no longer makes sense. When Hunt steps in at her brothers’ request to provide her with protection, he is determined to make sure that nothing stands in the way of his mission.  As they are faced with continuous danger, they get closer to one another and each comes to understand that the feelings they both pushed deep down years ago never really died.  But when danger gets too close, Kelsey and Hunt have to come together to keep themselves and their family safe or lose it all.  I loved seeing Hunt and Kelsey find a way to get past each of their issues and find a way to truly come together.  Kelsey has had a rocky past since the beginning of her life, more even than she knew until this story unfolded, and has let it color a lot of the way she looks at men and the world.  Hunt too has let his past mistakes with women and his father’s mistakes as well keep him from embracing life. Once they each learned from those mistakes and let go of their fears, Kelsey and Hunt found a truly lasting and deep love that will allow them build a life together.  I enjoyed the emotions that were exposed and worked through in the most interesting of ways in this novel, even if there were a few times I wanted to slap either or both of them for the way they reacted or even overreacted to the problems they faced. I am looking forward to the last siblings' story and imagine it will be a real doozy considering all that happened to the others.  Kelsey and Hunt were magic together and this family just gets better and better.  Keep the magic coming, Elisabeth.

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

ARC Review: Sweet-Loving Cowboy (Kinky Spurs #2)

Sweet-Loving Cowboy (Kinky Spurs #2)

by Stacey Kennedy

Blurb:

Harper McKinney finished culinary school with big dreams. Right now, she’s a bartender at Kinky Spurs. While she’s content with her life, her brother is determined that she make a name for herself, because he wants her far away from what he deems a trashy bar. But Harper refuses to go anywhere. She’s in love with her brother’s best friend, Chase Blackshaw, and that love is keeping her in River Rock.

After the death of Chase’s father, he’s the one responsible for running the construction of the Blackshaw Cattle Company’s guest ranch. Back in the day, he had dreams of opening a construction company, but lack of finances kept him working for the family’s cattle ranch. Now with the responsibility of his family’s guest ranch on his shoulders those dreams seem far away. Though he has bigger problems. His build is failing the inspections.

Now Chase has more trouble on his hands. Harper, the woman he’s forbidden to ever touch has decided to move to Las Vegas. She isn’t so little anymore, and Chase is finding her all too tempting. She’s also not shy about what she wants. Him. Naked. And giving her some sweet lovin’ in all the kinky ways he craves. But neither Chase nor Harper can anticipate the fate that awaits them if they dare give in to their desires, as Chase soon learns there is something far worse than not being able to live out his dreams. It’s being given the chance to live out his dreams but having to watch Harper lose hers.

Themes:  Contemporary, Cowboys

Rating:  3.75 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

 So the Blackshaw men strike again… and they are as kinky as ever.  I am a fan of Stacey Kennedy’s work and am really enjoying this newest series, revolving around a family of cattle ranchers and the women that steal their hearts.  The second brother Chase has fallen in love with his best friend’s little sister and though he has resisted her for months, ever since he began noticing her as a woman, it has become too much.  Harper has been in love with Chase for a long time, or at least in lust with him, but she knows his bro-code won’t allow him to cross that line, even though he is the only guy she’s ever really wanted in their little town.  When she finally decides she has put her dreams on hold, waiting for him, long enough, the tables are suddenly turned and Chase is ready to give her everything her heart and body desires.  Chase knows that she is leaving in a week and he refuses to stand in the way of her dreams, but he can’t stop himself from taking her before she leaves.  Embarking on a fast and passionate affair, Chase and Harper are soon both swept into the maelstrom of their cravings and desires, but it’s the emotional connection that neither of them can deny that leaves them wondering if they have made a mistake.  Both begin to question if a week-long affair is enough, or if their future could be something so much more, something a lot more permanent, despite the forces against them and the fears they will have to overcome.   Chase was the ultimate gentleman cowboy, sweet and caring in all ways except in the bedroom where he is hot and kinky—and boy did I love every second of seeing that man in action. It is obvious that he has a connection to Harper that scares him, but he refuses to be the determent to her dreams, but at the same time he never holds back those emotions from her, giving her all of himself despite those fears and the trouble he knows it will cause. Harper is a little bit lost, mainly because she has let life pull her along ever since the sudden loss of her parents, never really digging deep to find out what, beyond Chase, she truly wants for herself out of life.  I enjoyed watching her grow and find a way to embrace her independence, even though she was afraid that it would cause a rift between Chase and her brother, she isn’t willing to give up Chase without giving them a true chance.  I really liked this story, and the sensuality of the passion between Chase and Harper left me a lot warm more often than not, and I could see that heat keeping their relationship deep and fulfilled for a long time to come.  I am looking forward to Nash’s story next and I suspect I know who his woman will be and can see the storm that will cause coming a mile away, yee-haw!  Another fun and sexy read for sure, Ms. Kennedy.

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

Review: Demon's Mercy (Dark Protectors #9)

Demon's Mercy (Dark Protectors #9)

by Rebecca Zanetti 

Blurb:

Mercy O’Malley hates killing people. So when she’s assigned to take out Vampire-Demon Logan Kyllwood, she lures him to a seedy bar in Scotland, then decides to kidnap him instead. How can she cold-bloodedly end all that heat, those green eyes, that ripped body?

 Unfortunately for Mercy, attempted murder and kidnapping are just foreplay for the Kyllwood brothers. Logan may be the youngest of the bunch, but death and violence are already a way of life.  Now he’s ready to complete a painful, terrifying ritual to become one of the Seven, dedicated to protecting this world from the most dangerous evil it’s ever known. But first he has to deal with a blackmailing Fey, a ransom demand and his own pounding need for the last female he ever should have fallen for . . .

Themes: Paranormal, Demons, Fae, Vampires and More!

Rating: 4.75 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Wow did not see this one coming! 

Rebecca continues to keep readers enthralled with her Dark Protectors and the magic of the world that she shows us can be found within ourselves. The Dark-Protectors Series has been going on a long time now, spanning over thirty years within its pages, and we have watched several of the characters grow up in it.  One of the characters that we first met as a kid was Logan, whose brother was a huge part of the overall story ARC of the original story line, and now Logan has found his own woman to lead him around by the—um nose. I was really looking forward to this story after the last in the series as we have begun a new story ARC, after having gotten to enjoy several shorter spin-off series and Logan and his generation are going to be the ones that lead a new group into saving the world as we know it from being destroyed by evil.  I loved seeing the older generation, especially dealing with their kids and grandkids, and knowing that those loves continue to be strong and passionate is fun, but the story truly does revolve around the way Mercy and Logan come together, first in conflicting missions then in passion and love, to bring a plot against the realm to an end.   Logan has decided the time has come for him to step up and join the battle, becoming a member of the Seven, but he has a mission to find one of the Keys and has no problem keeping an eye on the sexy and sensual woman.  When Mercy turns the tables on him, using her seductive skill to kidnap him and try to convince him of the dangers uniting the Seven will bring to the world, neither of them ever imagined just what their attraction would lead to. Quickly the passionate fighting and seductive arguments lead them to a connection that is stronger than even the evil trying to bring them down, and more important than even the treaties between the factions of their worlds.  Mercy and Logan will do whatever it takes to protect one another and keep the world from collapsing, everything but give one another up now that they have truly found their mates.  I loved seeing the passionate hybrid fall in love with the deceptively delicate and snarky-as-hell Fae, Logan and Mercy being both so filled with conviction and willing to battle for what they wanted led to some interesting arguments and even hotter sexual chemistry.  Mercy was an interesting character, having been raised in a very closed and tight-knit society, she was a little bit behind on the times in some ways, but in others knew even more about the world than Logan and his comrades.  She was also feisty, sensual, and sassy enough to stand up to Logan even though she was attracted to him beyond belief.  Logan is the typical Neanderthal man, but despite his “me Tarzan, you Jane” moments, he is also a sweet and sensual male where his mate is concerned, even though he doesn’t want to have a mate knowing he will be in constant danger in the coming war, and could quite possibly die.  That willingness to give up what he wants in order to keep Mercy from having to feel the pain of losing her mate in the future was what first showed me that he was a lot deeper than he was making himself out to be. I loved getting to see both of them expand their understanding of the world and find a way to mesh their beliefs and  to bring the Fae into the fold of the realm, while at the same time preparing the world for the coming battle with the big bad.  I also, of course, enjoyed the extremely intense sexual chemistry between Mercy and Logan and every time it sparked I was afraid my kindle was going to fry before I had a chance to finish the story (*giggle*).  I am dying to see what comes next, see who falls in love with whom, and meet the third key, and not to be neglected is the building arc of Logan’s niece and her mysterious dream friend! 

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

ARC Review: Old Dog New Tricks (The Dogfather #8)

Old Dog New Tricks (The Dogfather #8)

by Roxanne St. Claire

Blurb:

Daniel Kilcannon, the veterinarian known as the Dogfather, has been widowed for four years. He's spent the time running the largest canine rescue and training facility in North Carolina and pulling some strings to make sure each of his six grown children find a love like the one he lost when his beloved Annie died.

But as the years slip by, Daniel's vow to never love again is starting to make him restless. When a woman who was pivotal to his past arrives in Bitter Bark, he wonders if her appearance is coincidence or the guiding hand of his dearly departed wife...but the truth is neither. She's about to change his life again in ways he could never have imagined. And Daniel isn't sure if his heart -- or his family -- will ever recover from the impact.

Themes: Contemporary, Second Chance Love

Rating: 5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Like other long time Dogfather readers, I had a load of fears about this story when I saw it coming, mainly because we never imagined there would ever be a way for Rocki to bring us around to accepting a love for Daniel beyond his beloved Annie.  When the time finally came I was filled with trepidation, but I dove right in as always and let Rocki prove to me that magic came come around a second time in a person’s life, and I am so glad I gave her the chance to prove it to me. Daniel was given a second chance at a love to last a lifetime once his first chance was taken from him too soon, but only Rocki could truly bring these two families together despite thirty year secrets, pains and hurts. This series, set in the heart of an operation revolving around dogs that makes the animal lover inside me drool, has led us down some amazing paths and into the psyche of the type of family that I could imagine exists but could never imagine having been a part of.  I enjoyed every second of this story and shall do my level best to share why without giving away too much of story, but the most important thing I have to say is that the love of this family truly amazes me more and more each time they come together to support each other.  I am looking forward to whatever comes next as the Dogfather and his new love turn their magic on his niece and nephews to try to bring them the happiness he has helped bring to his children. If you haven’t become a Dogfather faithful yet, starting with this story is the perfect place to jump in, and I guarantee you will then want to go back to the beginning and read every thrilling story to find out how Daniel and his family have grown from a grief-stricken family of 9 to a strong and fulfilled clan of over 20 close-knit but individually wonderful people.

Daniel has watched, and helped a bit, as his six beautiful children have all found love and begun their own small families to expand the Kilcannon clan, but lately he has been feeling a little bit listless.  His connection to his late-wife has started to fade a bit and as his children again and again try to connect him with women, he is wondering if it might be time to find a companion though he knows he will never have another love like his Annie.  When he stumbles on a long-forgotten face in the bakery on his regular morning walk, he thinks that she has returned to his life at just the right time to remind him of his lost love and give him that second level of connection with Annie he has been missing.  Katie Rogers, however, has returned to his life after over 40 years for an entirely different reason, one that will rock both of them and change the course of two families forever.  Katie has a secret to share with Daniel, but is instantly swept up in his enthusiasm for their reunion and the connection that she still feels with him, even though she is dealing with her own widowhood after 40 blissful years of marriage.  As they spend more and more time together, Katie knows she can’t keep the secret forever, but at the same time she is woe to break a family and a man she is fast coming to care for again.  Daniel too is coming to care for Katie in a completely different way than he ever imagines he could care for a woman again, but can either of them move past the fears and worry over betraying their last spouses to find a second-chance love for the ages?

Daniel has been a man that I never would have put into the spotlight in a romance novel in the past, mainly because of the way he still talked of the love of his life even though she was lost to him, but a little bit because of his age too (sorry but fact is fact).  Most of us aren’t used to a silver fox with a thirty-plus year marriage, six kids, and several grandkids under his belt being the star of a romance, even a second chance love story, but only Rocki can make me forget all of those classifications and remind me that Daniel is still just a man with a broken heart in need of a woman to help him heal.  I loved getting to know more about him as a man, and I can say that, were I an older gal, I would be tackling him myself for sure.  His obviously huge heart has some bruises and a few cracks, but it is still full and open to those around him where many men would have become closed off after losing love the way he did. I also enjoyed getting glimpses of his past both with Katie and with Annie as he reminisced and came to terms with his past and present, and looked to the future with the sudden change they had to come to terms with.  
Katie is a woman that has had a huge shock and now has to share that shock with Daniel and possibly bring drama and anger into his life, but she is determined that she tell him the truth.  I liked watching her fall under the spell of the Dogfather and come to terms with the chemistry that they had 40 years before, despite her being in love with someone else,  and seeing that chemistry reignite the passion that they had both been without for several long years.  Katie is a loving woman, wonderful mother, caring friend and will obviously be a great addition to the Kilcannon family, even bringing in her own fun additions and we might get to see a lot more of those kids of hers in coming stories.  She deals with the pain and heartbreak she is dealt with a grace and aplomb that shows she is an amazing woman, even when Daniel is the one being an ass (yes it happens, he is a man after all!).  Katie is the kind of woman I would like to say I am in 30 years, a woman that has lived her life in love, sharing that love with her family, and remaining a beautiful  and passionate woman despite the world trying to crush her with circumstances and fate kicking her in the gut a few times. Katie and Daniel are the perfect pair no doubt in my mind and when they come together the fire is undeniable despite both of them being out of practice and more than a little scared of their pasts and future intruding on their love. 

The old saying certainly holds true with this story, old dogs can be taught new tricks, but only if Roxanne St. Claire is the one doing the teaching in my opinion.   Daniel and Katie have both lived full and loving lives, but now that fate has left them without a mate it is time to give themselves a second chance to have a love that will last a lifetime.  Daniel seeks to spend more time with Katie so that he can reconnect with his Annie, but soon he sees that Katie is her own woman and the feelings he has for her are completely separate from his feelings for Annie.  Despite his fears, he cannot seem to keep away from her and, with the shared secret between them, and trying to figure out how to share their secret with their families, leads him to wonder if maybe he is ready to move forward with his life and find love again.  Katie knows that Daniel is the kind of man that can make her love him easily, despite having loved another man most of her adult life, but she is terrified that their secret and the way he clings to Annie’s memory will keep them from ever truly being whole together.   Once their secret is out, it will take the love of two clans to make sure that these two people, finally having found love again, give themselves the chance to embrace it and make a life together. I loved every single second of this story, even at moments when I was crying my eyes out, and couldn’t put the book down until I finished.  For Dogfather fans, this story brings the main family’s story to an end with a magic that brought us full circle and shows us that love can truly heal a family and leaves us dying for what comes next for the extended family.  For those that are just coming to the story, I hope you get a glimpse of the magic of the Kilcannon’s and circle back around to the very beginning and experience all the magic that the rest of us have enjoyed.  Roxanne St. Claire is the kind of author that will leave you breathless with tears, laughter, and longing as she brings two people together, whether it is their first true love or a second love to last for all time.  Another stunning success Rocki!

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

Review: The Only Thing (The Donnigans #3)

The Only Thing (The Donnigans #3)

by Marie Harte

Blurb:

What do you do when a "fake" relationship is so much better than the real thing?

Hope Donnigan is finlly getting her life together. She's working a job she likes, has some amazing friends, and is steering clear of Mr. Wrong. Now if only she could get her mother to understand that. Maybe a hot tattoo artist from the other side town is just the ticket to teach her mom a lesson.

J.T. Webster fell for Hope months ago at his sister's wedding. So when she propositions him to be her fake boyfriend to get her mother off her back, he's all in. The only problem is J.T. had no idea their pretend relationship would be better than anything real he's ever had...

Themes:  Contemporary

Rating: 4.75 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

The final book in the Donnigan Trilogy has finally landed and seriously I need to go back and read this greatness again just to appreciate the full level of awesomeness. For long time fans of Marie Harte most of the characters in this book will be extremely familiar and much loved, but most of us have been waiting a long time to see J.T. find his own HEA with the woman of his dreams, who it just so happens turns out to be the sister of the Donnigan boys.  This story begins with a typical trope of “fake boyfriend turned real” but soon we see the magic of Marie lead us into the true and abiding love that never fails to make her novels truly memorable.  I loved every second of this story and though I was sad to see the end of the series, I am wondering what comes next and if we will be seeing more of these characters in future series coming our way, because I want to see how J.T. and Hope fare in the future. J.T. has been a tiny bit obsessed with Hope since the first moment he saw her, but he knows she is beyond off limits to him because of all the twisted family connections between them. Hope has her own little crush on the sexy bad boy, but she’s never really gotten a chance to know him, because if she had she would have known how truly in trouble she would be when she goes to him for help with a scheme to convince her mother to back off of her matchmaking.  J.T. is the kind of deep character that on the surface you could write off as just another bad boy, but once we get to know him we can see the sweet, charming, wounded soul underneath, and of course the sexy factor only increases because of it.  His intensity and the way he shows Hope just what she means to him, even as he knows he could never keep her, gives every woman hope (sorry no pun intended) that we might find our own bad boy with a heart of gold out there somewhere someday.  Hope has her own issues, not the least of which are her problems with her mother (boy, do I relate to the mother  issues), but when she pulls J.T. into her life she never imagined she’d found the best thing to ever happen to her.  He boosts her confidence in herself and shows her that she is the perfect woman just the way she is and she doesn’t need to change for anyone, and what woman doesn’t want that from her lover.  I enjoyed seeing her finding her footing and accepting that sometimes wanting something different from everyone else doesn’t make you “less” just different and realizing that ambition doesn’t look the same for everyone. The chemistry between Hope and J.T. was off the scale and there is no way you will be able to keep cool reading their story, even if you’re in a bikini in the snow! I only wish the story could have gone on even longer so I could have continued to enjoy it, but that’s the beauty of books isn’t it—always we can reread and enjoy again and again. I am looking forward to whatever Marie sends us next and cannot wait to find out more about the interesting people of this town.  If you have missed the other series that link to this story, you might miss some of the subtle backstory, but Marie never leaves us hanging so don’t fear… but I DO highly recommend picking up those other series and having a field day with them ASAP.  Another sensual and satisfying ending to a series of sexy and badass men.

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

Series Premiere Review: Not the Duke’s Darling (Greycourt #1)

Not the Duke’s Darling (Greycourt #1)

by Elizabeth Hoyt 

Blurb:

Freya de Moray is many things: a member of the secret order of Wise Women, the daughter of disgraced nobility, and a chaperone living under an assumed name. What she is not is forgiving. So when the Duke of Harlowe, the man who destroyed her brother and led to the downfall of her family, appears at the country house party she's attending, she does what any Wise Woman would do: she starts planning her revenge.

Christopher Renshaw, the Duke of Harlowe, is being blackmailed. Intent on keeping his secrets safe, he agrees to attend a house party where he will put an end to this coercion once and for all. Until he recognizes Freya, masquerading amongst the party revelers, and realizes his troubles have just begun. Freya knows all about his sins—sins he'd much rather forget. But she's also fiery, bold, and sensuous—a temptation he can't resist. When it becomes clear Freya is in grave danger, he'll risk everything to keep her safe. But first, Harlowe will have to earn Freya's trust-by whatever means necessary.

Themes:  Historical

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heat Rating:

Review:

And so a new adventure begins.

I began my foray into the writing of Ms. Hoyt when I stumbled across the Maiden Lane series and was immediately hooked.  Her ability to pull readers into this world of Georgian Era England, and now Scotland, while showing a hidden part of the past that most of us never imagined is nothing short of magical.  This new series seems to be centering on a secret society called the Wise Women, which is a bit of a play on words for the classic belief of the medieval and historical wise woman that developed into the witches or female physicians or even pagan goddess worshipers depending on your views of history. I am enamored of this little twist in history, seeing that I would definitely have been one of these women and found a kinship with Freya immediately.  I loved learning about Hoty's new world and her world building was interesting and educational. That being said the story certainly focused a lot on world building to get the series off the ground, but does not in any way neglect the core of the story—the relationship between Freya and Christopher aka Harlowe.  I loved getting to see Freya and Harlowe each come to terms with their past, both together and apart, and finding a peace and solace in one another even as they felt pulled apart by their choices and present situations.  Freya was the quintessential stubborn and independent warrior woman of her time; she was fighting for women to have a voice and felt that by giving up her independence to love and marriage she would be betraying those vows.  But thankfully the women around her were able to help her see that the most important thing she was fighting for was the CHOICE for women to do whatever they wanted, including falling in love and marrying. There were a few moments when I wanted to slap a bit of sense into her myself, but her stubbornness is what makes Freya the typical Scottish warrior female and I could certainly have seen her hundreds of years earlier in full battle gear leading an army of Britain’s greatest female fighters into battle against the Romans. Her interactions with Harlow were always spirited whether she is fighting with him, asserting her stance on life, or fighting for his sanity and love, and I loved watching that fire displayed at a time when women were expected to be calm and docile.  Harlowe has had a lot of tragedy in his life and it has turned him into a dark and brooding man, but he is still a good man and never loses sight of the things that make him human, even if he is determined to spend most of his life paying for sins that aren’t even his.  I loved his character and even as he fell in love with Freya I could see that he would be the type of man that would never force her into anything, despite how much he loves her and needs her to complete his life.  He understands that love and need, devotion and admiration, all go hand in hand, and that once you fall in love, truly fall, there is no going back and changing who you fell in love with just because you might not like their choices.  He was definitely a man before his time and the perfect match for Freya.  I loved the fire between Freya and Harlowe and am looking forward to seeing them in future stories, maybe on a few adventures together even.  Whatever comes next in this series is bound to be interesting and I cannot wait to see where Elizabeth takes us on this new journey through the world of Wise Women and the men that steal into their hearts.

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