ARC Reviews

21/10/2020

Destined for Love (Runaway Medieval Wives #3) by Alexa Aston. Historical Romance Release & ARC Review.


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A widow who seeks to protect her unborn child. A knight willing to shield her from harm. A journey where two souls come together—and a destined love is born...

A lazy, jealous brother banished Sir Drake Harcourt from his home once their parents died. Drake comes to Mallowbourne, home to the Baron and Baroness of Gaynesford, and makes his mark with superb combat skills and a kind heart.

Lady Faylinn d’Albert wed her father’s close friend, a man more than three decades older. After ten years of marriage, her husband dies—and Faylinn finds herself with child. Her bitter stepdaughter shoves Faylinn down the stairs, hoping it will kill her and the babe, so she can offer herself to the king as a bride for the new baron and remain in her beloved home.

Drake finds the injured Faylinn and learns of the threat she faces, nursing her with skills learned from his mother, an exceptional healer. Faylinn pretends she doesn’t remember the attempt on her life, trying to buy herself time. But when her stepdaughter poisons Faylinn’s wine and Drake prevents her from drinking it, he knows her life is in danger and spirits her away.

On the journey to her brother’s estate, the pair fall in love but their future is uncertain. If Faylinn births a daughter, she is free. If she delivers a son, she must return to Mallowbourne and raise the next baron—and wed a man of the king’s choice. Their fate hangs in the balance, even as new threats appear.

Will Faylinn and Drake find happiness—or will they be torn apart forever?

Each book in Medieval Runaway Wives is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.
 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐



Lady Faylinn d'Albert found out she is pregnant and became a widow on the same day.  Her elderly husband was happy to hear the news but would never meet his child.  Unfortunately her stepdaughter is furious and lays dangerous plans.  To save her own and her baby's life Faylinn must run.  
Sir Drake Harcourt was turned out of his home by his brother after the death of their father.  Now he must make a life for himself ,maybe he can become a Captain of the guard somewhere. 
First though he must protect his liege lord's widow. 
A long and dangerous journey is ahead for our characters with only uncertainty at the end of it.  
You will be involved in their travels from the first to the last page and enjoy every step.  You will meet old friends from other books in the series but you can easily read this and each of the others as stand alone stories.  
I loved it.  


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Alexa Aston’s historical romances use history as a backdrop to place her characters in extraordinary circumstances, where their intense desire for one another grows into the treasured gift of love.

She is the author of The Knights of Honor, a medieval romance series that takes place in 14th century England during the reign of Edward III and centers on the de Montfort family. Each romance focuses on the code of chivalry that bound knights of this era.

A native Texan, Alexa lives with her husband in a Dallas suburb, where she eats her fair share of dark chocolate and plots out stories while she walks every morning. She enjoys reading, watching movies, and can’t get enough of Fixer Upper or Game of Thrones. Alexa also writes romantic suspense, western historical, and standalone medieval novels as Lauren Linwood. 


Connect with Alexa:
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19/10/2020

The Highlander's Unexpected Proposal (The Brothers of Wolf Isle #1) by Heather McCollum. Historical Romance Release & ARC Review.


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A lass begging to marry him might top the list of “oddest things to happen,” but Chief Adam Macquarie is desperate. And no matter how much he hates to do it, he’s not above lying to get what he wants. Starting with the fact that he just omitted the truth about the situation back at his home—where there are no women and only a handful of other people. Because he has a secret need for a wife himself, one she won’t be too happy about when she finds out.

Lark Montgomerie is thrilled the brawny chief agrees to save her from her drunken father’s machinations of wedding her off to the first fool that agrees. He’s easy on the eyes and no one can be worse than her current options. Now a new life awaits her, on an exciting Scottish isle no less, and nothing will dampen her spirits. That is, until she arrives in her new homeland and realizes more than a few things are amiss…

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐



Chief Adam Macquarie is desperate to find brides for him and his brothers.  He promised his father they would rebuild their clan.  The beltane festival looks like a good place to start.  Maybe they should not tell the ladies about their home just yet.  
Lark Montgomerie cannot return home after this festival,  home is not a safe place.  She needs to find a husband before her father sells her off. 
Secrets can be dangerous,  especially when they are revealed but sometimes honesty can be as bad.  
A cursed island, desperate families and enemies, all add to the excitement.  A big sexy hero and a brave and capable heroine. All the characters are great fun and I can't wait to read the rest of the series.  The brothers are all very different.  
I loved it.  


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Heather McCollum is an award winning, historical and YA paranormal romance writer. She earned her B.A. in Biology, much to her English professor’s dismay, and was a 2009 Golden Heart Finalist.When she is not picking her teen’s brain for authentic attitude for her YA books and finding time to write, she is usually found educating women on ovarian cancer symptoms. Ms. McCollum has recently slayed the cancer beast and resides with her very own hero and 3 kids in the wilds of suburbia on the mid-Atlantic coast.

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14/10/2020

Lyon's Prey (Rakes of Mayhem #0.5) by Anna St. Claire. Historical Romance Release & ARC Review.

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Enter the world of the most notorious gambling den in London, where matches are made... unusually. Welcome to the world of THE LYON'S DEN: The Black Widow of Whitehall Connected World, where the underground of Regency London thrives... and loves.

Haunted by his wife’s death, he vowed to never marry again...until he meets her!


Evan Prescott, the fifth Earl of Clarendon lost his wife during the birth of their child. Broken, Evan seeks solace in the Lyon’s Den, a world of drink, cards, and excess—where wins and losses are easier to navigate than responsibilities. Overconfident and in his cups, he makes a bet that will change his life.

Still mourning the loss of her father and elder brother…

Lady Charlotte Grisham saves her young brother from the path of a speeding carriage. In a fit of pique, she throws propriety to the wind and storms up the steps of the owner’s London townhouse—and meets the man that upends her world.

The stars align when his high stakes bet and her lapse in judgement give the Black Widow of Whitehall the perfect opportunity to spin her web of hearts, while untold danger lurks a step behind.

Can a marriage of convenience give rise to love in time to avoid deadly disaster?

(Note: This is an introductory novella to the Rakes of Mayhem Series - The Earl of Excess, Book One, coming soon!)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐



Evan Prescott,  Earl of Clarendon lost his wife to childbirth. In the year since he has drowned his loss in drink.  His son is being cared for by Evan's sister.  This cannot carry on,  and he's already feeling guilty for it when he is told in no uncertain terms of the damage he very nearly caused. 
While Lady Charlotte Grisham is still mourning the recent death of her father, something happens that very nearly cost the life of her little brother.  Her temper causes her to act rashly and that could ruin her.  
This is an exciting story with lovely characters,  a wicked villain and more than a few surprises.  It's part of a series of books by various authors centred on the Widow who owns the Lyon's Den gambling hall and her matchmaking.  They are all good fun and I've enjoyed each one that I've read.  
I loved it. 


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Escape to a Time of Romance and Adventure, Where Rakes and Rogues Meet Sass and Spice!

Anna St. Claire is a big believer that nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself. She sprinkles her stories with laughter, romance, mystery and lots of possibilities, adhering to the belief that goodness, love, dark chocolate and popcorn will win the day.

Anna St. Claire is an avid reader, and now author, of both American and British historical romance. She and her husband live in Charlotte, North Carolina, where their once empty nest has two dogs. They have also just become grandparents.

Anna relocated from New York to the Carolinas as a child. Her mother, a retired English and History teacher, always encouraged Anna's interest in writing, especially, after discovering short stories Anna would write in her spare time.

Her fascination with history and reading led her to her first historical romance, Margaret Mitchell's 'Gone With The Wind.' The day she discovered Kathleen Woodiwiss' books, 'Shanna' and 'Ashes In The Wind,' Anna was hooked. She read every historical romance that came her way.

Today, her focus is primarily the Civil War and Regency eras, although Anna enjoys almost any period in American and British history. She would love to connect with any of her readers at annastclaireauthor@gmail.com.

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13/10/2020

A Governess Under the Mistletoe (Highland Christmas #2) by Emma Prince. Historical Romance Release & ARC Review.


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After being forced to dismantle his childhood home, Blair MacTierney, Earl of Brenmore, has vowed never to return to the Highlands. Yet with the passing of a distant relation, Blair is abruptly saddled with an ancient Scottish manor, a young ward, and an unconventional governess, Miss Amelia Harlow. Blair has every intention of avoiding entanglements, both with the estate he’s inherited, and with Amelia. But in a season of magic and miracles, it’s all too easy to fall in love.

That she is determined to melt...

With Blair’s plans to shutter the manor, Amelia is in danger of losing not only her position as governess, but her newfound home. To prove the estate is worth saving—and remind Blair of the cozy comforts and heartwarming joys of a Scottish Christmas—she launches a campaign of gingerbread, boughs of holly, and long evenings before the fire. But an unexpected kiss beneath the mistletoe may sweep them both up in a Yuletide romance neither had planned. Can Amelia remind Blair of the true spirit of the season, and of the Highlands, before it’s too late?

This low-heat (kisses only) Victorian historical romance is part of the Highland Christmas series, but it can be enjoyed as a stand-alone story any time of the year.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐



Blair MacTierney , Earl of Brenmore worked with his father to try and save his own estate in the Highlands from the necessary clearances but failed.  It devastated him to watch his people suffer. Now he has to return to the Highlands because he has been made guardian to a young heiress and her land.  He is not going to enjoy doing the same again.  
Miss Amelia Harlow loves her work.  She is governess to a bright young girl and helps the children of the crofters with a little education. This could all change very soon.  
This is a sweet historical romance with it's characters hoping for a Christmas miracle. Our hero really doesn't want to be the bad guy and our heroine will try to sweeten him up.  Maybe it's the Christmas spirit that will save the day.  
Good fun.  


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Emma Prince is the bestselling author of steamy historical romances jam-packed with adventure, conflict, and of course love! Emma grew up in drizzly Seattle, but traded her rain boots for sunglasses when she and her husband moved to the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada. Emma spent several years in academia, both as a graduate student and an instructor of college-level English and Humanities courses. She always savored what she calls her fun books—normally historical romances—on breaks or vacations. But as she began looking for the next chapter in her life, she wondered if perhaps her passion could turn into a career. Ever since then, she's been reading and writing books that celebrate happily ever afters! Emma has completed the Sinclair Brothers Trilogy, a series of books set in medieval Scotland, during the harrowing Wars for Independence. In the Viking Lore series, she delved into the rich history of the Viking conquests. Now she is returning to medieval Scotland for a new series on historical Highland bodyguards! Emma loves to connect with readers and writers—sign up for her newsletter and get all the latest on current and future projects, plus sales and giveaway alerts. Happy reading!

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08/10/2020

Hollywood Double (Hollywood Name Game #4) by Alexa Aston. Contemporary Romance / Suspense. Release & ARC Review.


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She’s a Hollywood leading lady who’s never found love – except with Jax, her Basenji.

He’s divorced from a cheating wife and refuses to ever give his heart away again.

Together, their smoking-hot chemistry leads to movie magic . . . and murder . . .

Mac Randall’s life turns upside down when he walks in on his wife and her lover. He finishes his tour of duty overseas and leaves the army, becoming a popular stuntman in Hollywood. When the actor Mac doubles for is murdered, Mac is surprised to find himself cast as the film’s leading man—at the suggestion of the actress who will play opposite him.

Keely Kennedy has built a solid career in Hollywood, rising from supporting roles to leading lady, but she’s been unlucky in love. She becomes close friends with Mac Randall, her new co-star, while she helps him prepare for his first on-screen role. Friendship blossoms into love during their shoot and despite several mishaps on the set, she knows not only has she done the best work in her career on this film, but she believes Mac will become an instant star.

Before production is complete, though, the murderer surfaces—ready to kill the film—and its two stars.

Hollywood Double is the fourth book in the Hollywood Name Game series. Each book in the series is a standalone story that can be enjoyed out of order.

Series order:
Book 1 – Hollywood Heartbreaker
Book 2 – Hollywood Flirt
Book 3 – Hollywood Player
Book 4 – Hollywood Double
Book 5 – Hollywood Enigma
 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐



Mac Randall has spent all his working life in the army and knows how fleeting that life can be.  When his faithless wife dies he is offered a totally different type of career,  as a stuntman. 
Keely Kennedy is a leading lady in Hollywood. She was thrust into the limelight unexpectedly and understands how much it impacts a person's life.  The dramatic events that follow the start of her latest movie will turn everyone's world upside down.
The loyalty and support from real friends is never more important than when things go wrong.  
This is a contemporary romance with suspense. Our characters don't realize the danger they are in.  Someone doesn't want this movie made.  
All the characters are dynamic and full of love but sometimes a little lacking in confidence.  The storyline will keep you entertained from the first to last page. 
If you have read any of the previous books in the series you will have met the supporting cast.  Because they play a big part in each story, the series is best read in order but each book can be read alone.  
Really good fun. 


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Alexa Aston’s historical romances use history as a backdrop to place her characters in extraordinary circumstances, where their intense desire for one another grows into the treasured gift of love.

She is the author of The Knights of Honor, a medieval romance series that takes place in 14th century England during the reign of Edward III and centers on the de Montfort family. Each romance focuses on the code of chivalry that bound knights of this era.

A native Texan, Alexa lives with her husband in a Dallas suburb, where she eats her fair share of dark chocolate and plots out stories while she walks every morning. She enjoys reading, watching movies, and can’t get enough of Fixer Upper or Game of Thrones. Alexa also writes romantic suspense, western historical, and standalone medieval novels as Lauren Linwood. 


Connect with Alexa:
 Website * Goodreads * Facebook * Twitter





A Flawed Scotsman (Clan Ross #4) by Hildie McQueen. Historical Romance Release & ARC Review.


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When love blossoms between two unwilling people, will hopeless odds end it all?

Book 4 in the bestselling series Clan Ross is now available! Read Free in Kindle Unlimited.

Ruari Ross, cousin to the laird, ponders a marriage arrangement that would ally Clan Ross with Clan Fraser. After a lonely youth, Ruari wants the companionship of a wife without the complication of a love match. When he stumbles upon an injured woman in the forest, he not only saves her life, but changes the course of his entire future.

Strong-willed daughter of Laird Fraser, Esme has avoided all her parents’ matchmaking attempts. Above all else, she wishes to avoid marrying a Ross. During a jaunt in the forest, she is mortally wounded and left for dead. When she awakens, she realizes her courageous rescuer is not only a Ross, but the man who would be her husband.

As Esme recovers beneath Ruari’s watchful eye, an unexpected love blossoms, and Ruari soon discovers his betrothed is not only a fiery beauty, but the best archer he’s ever seen. But when a massive enemy army attacks, Clan Fraser faces hopeless odds. With the shadow of war looming, will these reluctant hearts find love, or will a brutal attack end it all?

There can only be one outcome. Triumph or death!

Clan Ross
A Heartless Laird
A Hardened Warrior
A Hellish Highlander
A Flawed Scotsman
A Fearless Rebel
A Fierce Archer

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐



Ruari Ross was abandoned by his mother and left in the care of his uncle and brought up as if he was one of that family.  He loves his cousins as if they were his brothers. His job as horse trainer for the clan gives him freedom and responsibility. A message from a small clan nearby could change his life forever. Our hero's clan has had enough of war and are enjoying peace as a strong and respected clan. How easily that could change is scary. 
Esme Fraser knows her clan is vulnerable, and it's dangerous to be out on her own but her pet fawn could be in trouble. Our heroine is definitely one who puts everyone above herself when thinking about safety. She has a warrior's heart in a female body.  Unfortunately for those who love her, that can cause problems. 
This is an action packed historical romance with wonderful characters.  There are several times you will feel sorry for our hero's battle with unfamiliar emotions. 
It's part of a series but easily read on it's own.  I have read most of the series and must now go back and pick up the one I missed.  
I have loved each one.  


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Bestselling author Hildie McQueen loves unusual situations and getting into interesting adventures, which is what her characters do as well. She writes romance because she is in love with love! Author of Romance in Highland historical, Western Historical and contemporary, she writes something every reader can enjoy.

Most days she can be found in her pajamas hiding from deliverymen while drinking tea from her David Gandy coffee mug. In the afternoons she browses the Internet for semi-nude men to post on Facebook.

Hildie's favorite past-times are romance conventions, traveling, shopping and reading.

She resides in beautiful small town Georgia with her super-hero husband Kurt, an unruly boy Chihuahua Pepito and a spoiled rotten girl Chiweenie named Lola.