ARC Reviews

31/12/2020

Always the Widow (Never the Bride #9) by Emily E.K. Murdoch. Historical Romance Release & ARC Review.

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Always the widow and never again the bride—her one chance of happiness lost...

Once Elizabeth Howard was widowed, that's all anyone saw her as—but it does come with some perks. She's well-respected, of course, and no one is surprised when a dark gentleman leaves the house in the middle of the night. But that's not all he's left, and now, the thirty-four year old widow has a secret to keep for nine months.

Jacob Beauvale thought nothing of his romantic entanglement with the widow Howard last year, but his return to town with a fiancée brings a shock in the shape of a small child with his grey eyes. Gossip starts to fly, as Jacob ignores his intended to pursue a woman with a child—and Elizabeth knows the facts can never be known. He's determined to have the truth. She's sworn all along that it was her late husband's child. Knowledge is in the balance, and neither will give up their ground.

Will the truth of that night be more dangerous if known—and can Elizabeth and Jacob talk long enough to keep their hands off each other?

This full length novel is a steamy Regency romance with a happily ever after, no cliffhangers, and is part of a series that can be read in any order.

⭐⭐⭐⭐



Lady Elizabeth Howard is miserable in her marriage,  so after his death she is sure she will remain a Widow forever. There is one little thing that might just change her mind. Our heroine has always had to be strong and rely solely on herself.  
Lord Jacob Beauvale never envisioned collecting a debt could change his life,  or cause so much confusion. He doesn't behave in an honourable way and he will upset many people.  
It's very hard for our hero to find a way out of his predicament. 
An unusual historical romance that is part of a very good series.  You can easily read each book on it's own but you will meet the characters from previous books.  
Great fun.  


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Welcome! I love to read and write sweet and steamy historical romance, and if you love falling in love then you've come to the right place.

Enjoy my sweet romances written as Emily Murdoch, and my steamy romances as Emily E K Murdoch.

A SPRINGTIDE MEETING is currently free!

I am a historian and writer, and have a varied career to date: from examining medieval manuscripts to designing museum exhibitions, to working as a researcher for the BBC to working for the National Trust.

My books range from England 1050 to Texas 1848, and I can't wait for you to fall in love with my heroes and heroines!

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30/12/2020

Lord of Mistrust (Trysts and Treachery #4) by Elizabeth Keysian. Historical Romance Release & ARC Review.

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Following their hearts could destroy the monarchy.

Headstrong Chloe dresses as a boy and runs away to her birth mother to escape a horrendous marriage. She’s shocked to discover that her parent owns a bawdy house, and is in no position to help—nor will she reveal the identity of Chloe’s father. When a street accident throws Chloe into the lap of the tempting Robert Mallory, he offers distraction and adventure, but his stubborn refusal to trust her endangers them both.

Hot-headed Robert Mallory is battling to protect his sister, his livelihood, and his honor. He’s a spy who can’t follow the rules and distrusts everyone, particularly the delectable young woman from the bordello. Having endangered her, then rescued her from a nest of traitors, he learns that Chloe is the natural daughter of the one man he can’t afford to upset, Sir Mortimer Fowler. Offering marriage to save Chloe’s reputation is out of the question, as Fowler needs her for bait in a deadly trap.

Robert is faced with an impossible choice. He’s desperate to save Chloe, but if he follows his heart, the security of the entire realm is at risk.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐



Chloe Emmerson has discovered that she's not an orphan as her aunt and uncle had led her to believe.  With her mother's address in her mind Chloe dresses as a boy to go and find her,  and maybe discover who her father is.  Our brave heroine will find a lot more than she bargained for on her dangerous journey. 
Robert Mallory is a spy in service to Queen Elizabeth.  This job makes him suspicious of just about everyone he meets.  There are enemies everywhere and he's on important business.  
This is an exciting historical romance set in Tudor England.  There is danger,  intrigue, fights and laughs.  Just about everything you could wish for in a very enjoyable story.  
I loved it.  


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Elizabeth Keysian is an English archaeologist, teacher and museum curator. She first started writing "long stories" when her headmaster father needed something to keep her quiet during school summer holidays. In her teenage years she produced angst-ridden poetry, slightly disturbing sketches for an amateur dramatics group and even her own magazine, to the mixed delight and consternation of her friends.
After completing her History degree, Elizabeth joined an English Civil War re-enactment group, messed about with the Middle Ages and finally settled to an enjoyable reconstruction of Tudor Daily Life at Kentwell Hall in Suffolk.
Her imagination was further inspired by living for seven years on a Knights Templar estate, with a garage full of skeletons, a resident ghost and a moat teeming with newts. She now lives near Bath with her partner and cats.
Elizabeth likes to keep her historical novels atmospheric and authentic, with both tears and laughter along the way. She loves to hear from readers.

Want to catch up on her latest releases and giveaways?






29/12/2020

Truly Madly Plaid (Prince Charlie's Angels #2) by Eliza Knight. Historical Romance Release & ARC Review.

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These Highland warriors are prepared to give up everything to fight for their country.

Annie MacPherson's world was torn apart when her family's castle was ravaged during the war. Determined to aid her countrymen, she braves the battlefield and finds Lieutenant Craig MacLean left for dead. Soon, her heart belongs to the fierce warrior.

As the English dragoons draw closer to Annie's makeshift hospital, Craig knows they have to escape together if they'll have any chance to survive. But when they come face-to-face with the enemy, and Craig is imprisoned, Annie will have to risk everything she has to save the man she can't live without.

History and adventure come to life in Eliza Knight's thrilling Scottish Highland romance. Annie is based loosely on Anne MacKay, Anne Leith and Lady Maxwell, who risked their lives to protect Jacobite soldiers by hiding them, healing their wounds, and aiding in their escape from enemy forces.
 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐



Annie Macpherson is a gifted healer who is very much in demand.  This story is set around the time of the battle of Culloden so there are very many wounded men for her to help.  Our heroine goes right to heart of the battlefield to search for her family.  
Graig MacLean has fought for the Bonnie Prince trying hard to rid Scotland of the hated English King's men.  It's heart breaking and extremely dangerous, even after the main battle has ended.  
A historical romance filled with courageous, strong and loving characters.  You will need tissues and there are several scary moments.  
A very exciting book.  


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Eliza Knight is a USA Today Bestselling and award-winning author of sizzling historical romance and time-travel erotic romance. Under the name E. Knight, she pens riveting historical fiction. She runs the award-winning blog, History Undressed. When not reading, writing and researching, she likes to cuddle up in front of a warm fire with her own knight in shining armor. 





Her Wicked Marquess (Sinful Wallflowers #2) by Stacy Reid. Historical Romance Release & ARC Review.

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Miss Maryann Fitzwilliam is too witty and bookish for her own good. No gentleman of the ton will marry her, so her parents arrange for her to wed a man old enough to be her father. But Maryann is ready to use those wits to turn herself into a sinful wallflower.

When the scandal sheet reports a sighting of Nicolas St. Ives, the Marquess of Rothbury, climbing out the chamber windows of a house party, Maryann does the unthinkable. She anonymously claims that the bedchamber belonged to none other than Miss Fitzwilliam, tarnishing her own reputation—and chances of the dastardly union her family secured for her. Now she just needs to convince the marquess to keep his silence.

Turns out Nicolas allows for the scandal to perpetuate for his own reasons… But when Maryann’s parents hold fast to their arranged marriage plan, it’ll take a scandal of epic proportions for these two to get out of this together.

Each book in the Sinful Wallflowers series is STANDALONE:
* My Darling Duke
* Her Wicked Marquess

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐



Lady Maryann Fitzwilliam and her friends have named themselves the sinful wallflowers.  Even if society doesn't seem to notice them, the are determined to enjoy themselves.  However Maryann's parents are insisting she marry a man she has no feelings for,  so maybe by being sinful she can escape her fate.  
Nicolas St.Ives,  Marquess of Rothbury hides his real intentions behind the facade of a rake.  He is pursuing vengeance again a group of men who caused irreparable harm to someone he loved.  
This is a wonderful, sexy historical romance with interesting characters.  It also has a big surprise at the end. Although it's part of a series you can read it on it's own but it will tempt you to buy the other books.  Our wallflowers are very special ladies.  
I loved it.  


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I am an avid reader of novels with a deep passion for writing. I especially love romance and enjoy writing about people falling in love. I live a lot in the worlds I create and I actively speak to my characters (out loud). I have a warrior way “Never give up on my dream.” When I am not writing, I spend a copious amount of time drooling over Rick Grimes from The Walking Dead, Lucas Hood from Banshee, watching Japanese Anime and playing video games with my love—Dusean. I also have a horrible weakness for ice cream.

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WolfeSword (De Wolfe Pack Generations #3) by Kathryn Le Veque. Historical Romance Release & ARC Review.

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He's a veritable god of beauty, position, and talent. She's a lady of sweetness, wealth, and compassion. When gorgeous Cassius de Wolfe falls for a plain but sweet lady, the woman who hoped to have his affection doesn't take kindly to it.

Cassius has set himself up for retribution of the female kind. As the old saying goes, there's nothing like a woman scorned…

Or a de Wolfe protecting his mate.


Welcome to a de Wolfe Pack Generations tale!

Cassius de Wolfe, second son of Patrick “Atty” de Wolfe (Nighthawk), has made a name for himself as the Great Protector of Edward I. Cassius is the beauty of the family—handsome, skilled, built like the statue of a Greek god. He has no problem getting women into his bed, and in London, they follow him around in droves.

Cassius is a Medieval celebrity.

But all of that is secondary to the fact that Cassius is a truly skilled knight. He's a de Wolfe, and that means the knighthood lives in him as surely as the sun lives in the sky. After two years away, he's finally earned the chance to return home to see his father and mother and family, so on the eve of returning home, Fate has something else in mind for him.

Dacia of Doncaster is the heiress to a massive fortune. With both parents deceased, she is an only child, living with her elderly grandfather, the Duke of Doncaster. The old duke descends from an ancient royal line, and Dacia is the very last of her kind… and a hugely sought-after bride. There's only one problem—she's not what men would consider traditionally beautiful.

When Cassius the Handsome comes face to face with Dacia of Doncaster, a chance meeting turns into something more. Cassius wasn't looking for a bride, and Dacia wasn't looking for a husband, but when Dacia saves Cassius' life, it's more than a debt of honor he feels towards her.

Sometimes the most beautiful woman in the world isn't the obvious one, and Cassius must find that out the hard way.

Join Cassius and Dacia for an unusual—and truly beautiful—love story.
 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐


Dacia de Ryes is an intelligent, kind hearted heiress. Because she's always been told her freckles are ugly marks from the devil,  she hides her face behind veils whenever she leaves her home. An orphan who has lived with her loving but distant grandfather, she has lots of people around but no real friends.  
Cassius de Wolfe is King Edward's Lord Protector but he's managed to claim a holiday long enough to visit his grandmother. He just has one errand to run for the King on his way home.  Cassius might be a huge battle tested warrior,  but he has a very soft heart and loves his family fiercely. 
This story will definitely tug on your heart strings.  Our poor heroine has suffered from nasty, small minded people all her life without complaint. Unfortunately that is about to come to a head. 
Our hero has more than one life threatening battle ahead. We also have a canine character that will have you giggling as much as his owner.  
An absolutely fabulous stand alone story where we meet up with several family members you will know from other books.  
I loved every page. 


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KATHRYN LE VEQUE is a USA TODAY Bestselling author, an Amazon All-Star author, and a #1 bestselling, award-winning, multi-published author in Medieval Historical Romance and Historical Fiction. She has been featured in the NEW YORK TIMES and on USA TODAY's HEA blog. In March 2015, Kathryn was the featured cover story for the March issue of InD'Tale Magazine, the premier Indie author magazine. She is also quintuple nominee (a record!) for the prestigious RONE awards for 2016.
Kathryn's Medieval Romance novels have been called 'detailed', 'highly romantic', and 'character-rich'. She crafts great adventures of love, battles, passion, and romance in the High Middle Ages. More than that, she writes for both women AND men - an unusual crossover for a romance author - and Kathryn has many male readers who enjoy her stories because of the male perspective, the action, and the adventure.

Kathryn loves to hear from her readers.

Connect with Kathryn:





23/12/2020

The Lyon's Den in Winter (The Lyon's Den Connected World) by Whitney Blake. 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.

Viola Black is not conventional — she dresses as a man to sell her sought-after plays to London companies. She's lucky. Her father, wily solicitor Malcolm Black, turns a benevolent blind eye to her habits. That is, until one frigid night, when she’s cornered by ruffians. While Viola tries to dismiss the incident as a hazard of London life, Papa is more alarmed. She senses there is far more he's not telling her.

But she's keeping something to herself, too. Though she was shaken by her attack, she also had the good fortune of running into Dr. Duncan Neilson — whom she can't banish from her head. When Papa insists the Black Widow of Whitehall find her a husband, Viola balks. None of the eligible bachelors will be the magnetic Dr. Neilson, for a start.

Then he walks into the Black Widow’s parlor, charming and enigmatic as ever.

But before the two can benefit from fate or providence, Viola is abducted and becomes entangled in an old feud she knew nothing about. Papa has been concealing his past from her, and it involves the same underworld as the Black Widow’s.

As Viola keeps a level head and contemplates escape, her unexpected fiancée is working with her father to bring her home. Does love wait for her on the other side of intrigue and deception?

She dearly wants to find out, and she’s certain that even her plays are less dramatic than all this...

⭐⭐⭐⭐


Miss Viola Black is a very unconventional young woman.  She writes plays,  and because that's a men only pastime she dresses as one.  Her father is also unconventional and has secret even Viola doesn't know.  
Dr Duncan Neilson is normally a sober and responsible man,  mainly due to looking after his daughter and his work.  At this moment though he's visiting London and an old friend who's leading him into the bad habits of drinking and gambling.  
This is an amusing tale filled with unusual characters,  danger and fun.  Our heroine's father is the cause of her adventures.  
Great fun.  


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Whitney is a bit of a wanderer and something of a bluestocking. She's been telling stories since childhood, when she would rewrite the endings of her favorite books and movies (or add "deleted scenes" to them). When she's not writing or reading, she enjoys cooking, dancing, and going for long walks with no specific destination in mind.

Literary work comes naturally to Whitney, and she's very excited to be pursuing her passion - rich storylines, vibrant characters, and most of all, a happily ever after. Whitney has a doctorate in history, making her something of an expert!

Whitney loves to hear from her readers: whitneyblakeauthor@protonmail.com

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15/12/2020

Forbidden Heart (Hearts of the Highlands #6) by Paula Quinn. Historical Romance Release & ARC Review.

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Galeren MacPherson never met a lass who wasn’t willing to offer herself up to him. But he doesn’t want that life. In fact, he swore a soon to end six-year vow of chastity to help him dedicate his life to one thing. Battle.

As captain of John Stewart, High Steward of Scotland’s army, Galeren is the only man trusted to bring the high steward’s niece to Scotland. The last thing Galeren wants to be is an escort to a novice from a nunnery. Especially when he sees her in the early morning dawn weeping on the cliffs. Throughout his life, he has felt the urge to flee from things, on the field and off. But he never fled. He conquered the urge and faced whatever it was, head on. But he never faced a force like the one placed in his path.

Novice Silene Sparrow is on her way to Scotland, where she will speak to the church council on her uncle’s behalf so that one day he may gain their support, being next in line for the throne.

Raised in the priory and groomed to give her life to the Lord, she rarely leaves the church’s land in Bamburgh, so she is unprepared for her rough and rowdy Highland escorts. Their leader is a tall, broad, golden warrior who vows to protect her, and does. He is a savage and she does everything to resist him. But how does one resist a man with a kitten cuddled in the crook of his neck? No matter what he has trained to be, he is patient and gentle with her. He begins to get into her blood, her bones. When he kisses her, slowly, passionately, eager for more, he makes her question her future vows.

But Silene’s heart is forbidden. If she lets Captain MacPherson have it, her uncle will lose the church’s support and they likely won’t live a day before he has them hunted down and possibly killed.

How much will Galeren and Silene risk for love?

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐



Novice Nun Silene Sparrow has spent years in the Priory and is happily looking forward to taking her vows,  until her uncle sends for her.  He needs her to persuade the Church council that he's a good man.  
Captain Galeren Macpherson and his men are the most trusted in John Stewart the High Steward's retinue.  Galeren doesn't expect delivering one novice to make keeping his vow so difficult.  
An exciting historical romance full of danger and intrigue.  Our hero comes from a family you might have met before in previous books,  but this is a stand alone story.  
I loved every page.  


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Paula Quinn is a NY Times and USA Today bestselling author of medieval, Scottish historical, and paranormal romance. To date, four of her books have garnered a starred review from Publishers Weekly. She has been nominated for Storyteller of the year by RT Book Reviews and every one of her books from the Children of the Mist series have garnered Top Picks from RT Book Reviews. She also writes fantasy romance under the pen name of Genevra Thorne. 





10/12/2020

The Heart of Love (The Book of Love #9) by Meara Platt. Historical Romance Release & ARC Review.


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Welcome to Regency England and the Farthingales of Chipping Way.

Heather Farthingale has always dreamed of marrying a marquess and that dream is about to come true. She has made a brilliant match with a handsome, wealthy nobleman who is everything elegant and refined that irreverent Highlander, Captain Robert MacLauren, is not. So why does the Book of Love keep pointing her toward Robbie? And why does her heart insist on listening?

Robert MacLauren earned his wicked reputation as a womanizing hound, and never had an interest in courtship until he met Heather Farthingale. When a Highlander falls in love, it is forever, and he knows there will be no one for him but this lass with big, pixie eyes, who puts magic in his heart. How can he convince her to trust him?

Does this mysterious Book of Love have the power to bring true hearts together?

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐



Miss Heather Farthingale has exactly what she's wanted since she was a child. Her betrothal to a Marquess even made her parents happy.  Unfortunately as soon as a certain Scot comes back to town her heart is fighting for control over her head.  
Captain Robert MacLauren promised to read a certain book with Heather and he's dreading it.  He has read it by himself and it confirmed what he's known all along.  
Our tormented hero has a battle on his hands, one he doesn't think he should win.  
A tense and worrying time is ahead for everyone.  The characters are fabulous and loveable.  If you have read the previous books in the series you will have met many of them before.  Although  you can read this on it's own.  
I loved it.  


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Meara Platt is happily married to her Russell Crowe look-alike husband, and they have two terrific children. She lives in one of the many great towns on Long Island, New York, and loves it, except for the traffic. She has traveled extensively, occasionally lectures and finds time to write. Her favorite place in all the world is England’s Lake District, which may not come as a surprise since many of her stories are set in that idyllic landscape, including her Romance Writers of America Golden Heart award winning story.

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