The story starts out with King James ordering two rival clans to unite in marriRead: 3/25/25 2.5 stars Setting: 1537 Scotland
Oh, the wasted potential!
The story starts out with King James ordering two rival clans to unite in marriage. Fiona Sinclair is to be the sacrifice. She has to marry the son of the man who murdered her mother. She will do this for her clan because they desperately need this truce, but she won't forget what the Campbells did and what they are.
Myles has no desire to unite with the Sinclairs, even if Fiona is beautiful. He decides to make the best of the situation. Now, if he can only break through Fiona's hatred.
The story starts out with such potential! I love a good enemies to lovers/forced marriage. It's my bed and butter. Unfortunately, this book drops the ball, thanks largely to Fiona. I seriously could not stand her! She's a cruel b***h to Myles through 62% of the book. I understand being loyal to your clan and what his father did (he didn't).Blah blah blah. My understanding and sympathy of her situation died after 200 pages of venom. She married a good man who cares about her happiness. The problem was that he was too nice and had the patience of a saint. Somebody needed to put that spoiled girl over their knee. I still don't know what her endgame was. It's death do you part. If you don't want to be miserable for the rest of your life, maybe you should find a compromise or at least be civil
The story finally improved in the last 100 pages. Once she learns the truth about her mother, Fiona no longer needs to feel guilty about her feelings for Myles. Finally, I began to enjoy the story and their romances. There are some good mysteries and intrigue. The secondary characters definitely enriched the story, and I wish the Campbell family members had their own book.
Conclusion: The h ruined a good story and a great H. The author kept the h's animosity going for way too long!...more
**spoiler alert** Read: 4/17/25 Setting: Scotland, England 1814 Trope: friends to lovers, Proximity, abandoned 2.7 stars
Plot: Lady Lily is desperate to b**spoiler alert** Read: 4/17/25 Setting: Scotland, England 1814 Trope: friends to lovers, Proximity, abandoned 2.7 stars
Plot: Lady Lily is desperate to be loved for herself. She is the odd duckling of the family and her family are indifferent to her. Lily thinks she finally found someone that loves her. Poor thing couldn't be more wrong! The story starts with Lily waking up in Scotland to discover her fiancee abandoned her with no money after anticipating their wedding night early. In her grief she sits down at the front door and waits.... and waits. This is where Finneas finds her
Finneas, Duke of Granton, is returning home from visiting London when he meets a sunburned woman. He tries to ignore her until he hears his late sister's voice telling him to help her. So he offers to take her to his castle until she hears from her family. Finneas is understanding. He knows what it's like to be alone. Unlike Lily, he was raised in a loving household. Unfortunately, he's the only member of his close family left. Both live a lonely life.
The couple slowly build a wonderful friendship. Finneas is so understanding and the first person to really see her. They both fight their attraction ( I wish they hadn't). Lily can't trust her own judgement anymore and Finneas doesn't want to take advantage of her. Still, these two come alive every time they were around each other.
spoiler Unfortunately, Lily discovers that there are more consequences to her impetuous elopement. When Finneas finds out about the child he proposes but deep down he wanted to marry her. Lily agrees because she is already in love with him. Now, they face her horrible, indifferent family who finally shows up 3 months after receiving her letter about her botched elopement. How will this couple survive them? Will Finneas really treat her child as his own? What will happen when Lily runs into her child's biological father again?
MC characters
1. IRL I would be madly in love with Finneas. He was such a a great guy. Unfortunately, that doesn't make him exciting in a book either. The character was too perfect! I wanted him to break his proper behavior and society rules just once. While, the couple had a few kisses I wanted a little more heat. They do make up for lost time later.
Finneas gets extra points for always correcting Lily when she would call their son hers, "He is our son". He also didn't care about the gender of her child. Since, he was a Duke that's saying a lot.
2. Lily was such a underrated gem that her selfish family ignored. It's very understandable why Lily trusted her ex. She wanted someone that would see her. She's always been in the shadows but with Finneas, she comes out of her shell and gains some confidence. She was witty and smart. Lily could play several instruments and compose music. She stopped playing because of her rude family. Though I don't believe someone with such an exceptional gift would hide it.
Problems: Why two stars?
This book would have been so much better as a novella than a full novel. Editing was definitely needed. Their SLOW courtship could be tedious. There was not really any other characters present nor did the settings change. They mainly just walked and talked every day. Nothing happened to change the monotonously setting. Their conversations could be witty and entertaining but it wasn't enough to liven up the plot.
The plot does pick up after her crazy family FINALLY arrives. Unfortunately, they don't appear until 60% into the book and they didn't stay long enough nor does the H's friends. The plot was better when they go to London for Parliament in the last 20% of the book.
Conclusion: Did they end up together because of love or because both were lonely and proximity of each other? I think it's more the later, which is not good in a romance.
I don't think this author is for me. The first book I read by this author I really enjoyed but I'm starting to think it was a fluke....more
I can't believe this book was written by ET! It's just a bag of constant misunderstandings and misunderstandings that never stopped. TRead: 2/20/25 Bad
I can't believe this book was written by ET! It's just a bag of constant misunderstandings and misunderstandings that never stopped. There was never any peace for the couple. I really liked Julian. His only problem is that he wants Serena ...more
Read: 2/16/25 2.5 stars round up to 3 It would have been 4 until the last 40% of the book was ruined
I have a lot to say but need to process my disappoiRead: 2/16/25 2.5 stars round up to 3 It would have been 4 until the last 40% of the book was ruined
I have a lot to say but need to process my disappointment. RtC...more
Read; 2/13/25 What a disappointing RG book! The romance was practically nonexistent. The MC were rarely together. I could live with that but the historRead; 2/13/25 What a disappointing RG book! The romance was practically nonexistent. The MC were rarely together. I could live with that but the history was boring too. In fact, there is little history. The plot had the H going from preparing for battle (rarely happened) to court, then home and back again. Nothing really happens...more
Read: 2/8/25 2.5 stars! Meh! This was an okay read. It's not bad but not particularly good either. The story starts off with potential in India. Two menRead: 2/8/25 2.5 stars! Meh! This was an okay read. It's not bad but not particularly good either. The story starts off with potential in India. Two men see the beautiful woman with the tiger pet, both want her, but only one kills everyone to get her. In the 1st chapter, the h is now living in England about to marry a crazyman who is blackmailing her. Our H arrives to save the h and marry her. Unfortunately, the h has to leave because her soul is in India, and it's the only where she is safe. So, there is a fun boat ride with the evil villain lurking nearby.
Again, the story was okay but not memorable. So far, I'm not impressed with this author's books....more
This one wasn't for me! If it wasn't Feb BOTM read, I wouldn't have finished. The pacing to the book is slow, and we are given no Read: 2/8/25 2 stars!
This one wasn't for me! If it wasn't Feb BOTM read, I wouldn't have finished. The pacing to the book is slow, and we are given no clues to the mystery. What was in the coded letter that convinced Horatia that her brother's killer was at this party? We never know until near the end. It's 67% into the book before she asks Lord Devizes what they are actually looking for in the houseguests' belongings. Maybe they should have figured that out long ago. The whole mystery was boring and not well thought out. I felt like the author didn't know where the plot was going and just threw something together at the end.
It's a bad mystery plot with one-dimensional characters. The romance was a bust, too. I can't think of many things I liked about the book. Sorry, It's just not for me!...more
Poor Stephen has had a hard time of it! First, the Earl was kidnaped, then impressed. One night, he was able toRead: 1/10/25 2.5 stars Read in order Okay
Poor Stephen has had a hard time of it! First, the Earl was kidnaped, then impressed. One night, he was able to escape that ship. Unfortunately, it was not land he saw but a convict ship. Most of their passengers died, so the captain switched Stephen's identity with a dangerous but dead convict so he could get more money selling him. Stephen was sold to a very cruel man who made a press gang look like a cakewalk. Now, he's escaped, but the wolves are behind him, and he is too ill to go further.
Stephen collapsed in front of Megan's cabin. She and her brother take the sick man into their home. Meghan used to run her father's plantation until he died. Her mother married a fortune hunter who was strangely awarded guardianship of a 23 year old Meg. Hmm.. nothing strange there. The man loses everything and takes his wife's children to the frontier in Virginia. He is later murdered. Megan's eldest brother took off. So now it's just Megan and her 16 year old brother. I love that Megan doesn't dwell on her loss but focuses on creating a home for her brother. She knows she'll never marry because who would want or be faithful to a plain, skinny woman like her. Words from her mother that ruin some of her character because her inner monologue repeats this a lot!
She decides to help Stephen even if she believes he is lying about his identity. She nurses him back to life. Stephen needs to leave before he is caught but he can't leave Meg with all this work. So he stays for the harvest. He isn't much help at first because he's never had to do anything for himself. Humourous occurrence does happen because of that fact, but I wish there were more. Eventually, he falls in love but can't leave Meg behind. He marries her and plans to take her to England.
The 2nd half is Stephen adjusting to life in England. The villain who kidnapped him already was vanquished in book 1. So he dedicates fixing the wrongs done to Meg. He will do anything for his wife, including not upsetting her with bad news, which proves to be a mistake. Still, Stephen was a great H who grew to a wonderful human being.
Unfortunately, Meg started to get on my nerves. She constantly puts herself down and never thinks she's good enough for him to be faithful. That thought process got old. It doesn't fit with her resilient personality. The author needs to write better conflicts because this was a lame excuse.
So, the book was just okay. I'll never reread it again. I'm not sure if I'll read the last book ...more
This was not up to KLV standards. The author seemed to add every character from her other books. It was unnecessary, and it took away12/10/24 2.5 stars
This was not up to KLV standards. The author seemed to add every character from her other books. It was unnecessary, and it took away from the story. As far as the MC...meh.
The story started out interesting. The H is sent to take the castle from a traitor to the crown. He finds that the Lord is dead and only the man's daughter and son are alive. He has to deliver the pair to King Henry. On the way, he falls in love with the h. When she's sick, he takes her to his home and doesn't want to let her go. What will he do when King Henry demands his hostages back?
Problems: 1. The villains of the story were dull and easily defeated. 2. The brother was soo annoying. I wanted to spank him too. 3. I didn't buy the romance. It was rushed and unconvincing. 4. The story was constantly interrupted from returning characters. I remember most of them from her other books. Though I loved them, I didn't need them all in the story. They brought nothing to the story, so what was the point?
Conclusion: This might be the lowest rating I've ever given a KLV book. The author is so much better than this!
Read: 10/20/24 Setting: after Culloden 1745 This was disappointing! The H kidnaps the h and threatens to rape her and give her to his man all so he can Read: 10/20/24 Setting: after Culloden 1745 This was disappointing! The H kidnaps the h and threatens to rape her and give her to his man all so he can send her back to her new cruel husband (married by proxy) with a Scottish baby in her belly. He threatens this on a regular basis but never carries it out. There is very little romance, and the H spends much of the time avoiding the h. When they finally hook up, it's consensual sex but I don't know why she actually loves him.
Then there is the second romance between her married mother and that mother's first love. Neither romance is worth the time
This is probably a better book if you're not expecting a romance or an interesting story. This one just wasn't for me!...more
Read: 8/4/24 ⚠️ Sorry to the fans of this book in advance. My feelings aren't pretty!
A very funny beginning, but the rest was slow and boring.
Plot: SaRead: 8/4/24 ⚠️ Sorry to the fans of this book in advance. My feelings aren't pretty!
A very funny beginning, but the rest was slow and boring.
Plot: Sarah and Jamed mistakenly end up in the same bed at an inn. Sarah's screams wake up the entire inn, and she is discovered naked with the Duke. It was like a Barney Hill episode with everybody coming in to gawk at the naked couple. James is willing to do the right thing. He needs a wife and heir to prevent his crazy cousin from inheriting his lands. Sarah is beautiful and will make him a good wife. Sarah convinces everybody to forget what happened and that James needs to court her first.( totally realistic ...more
Read: 7/12/24 2 generous star! This was a letdown! Book 2 had a charming rake and adorable h to distract from the modern but cute story. I couldn't findRead: 7/12/24 2 generous star! This was a letdown! Book 2 had a charming rake and adorable h to distract from the modern but cute story. I couldn't find the charm in this book. I like the wounded soldier trope for about a minute and then it just got boring. I could have cared less about the mystery. The last 100 pages were a chore.
Read: 7/14/24 3 stars This just wasn't my type of book! The characters were too modern, and the recurring characters from other books just confused me. Read: 7/14/24 3 stars This just wasn't my type of book! The characters were too modern, and the recurring characters from other books just confused me. I felt like I was dropped in the middle of a story that was contemporary but in a historical setting.
The story had its moments. I liked the MC! Who doesn't like the humorous bad boy and the sweet h who tries to reform him? They were a great couple! I enjoyed the ending, but it took a while to embrace modern storytelling.
I'm glad I tried the story, but I won't be continuing the series anytime soon!...more
Read: 6/18/19 Not bad, but a little bland and nothing unique. The first half is so slow and boring with constipated dialogue and one-dimensional characRead: 6/18/19 Not bad, but a little bland and nothing unique. The first half is so slow and boring with constipated dialogue and one-dimensional characters. The story greatly improved in the second half, but by then, it was too late for me.
Read: 6/24/24 The writing was well done, but the plot was lacking. Such great potential but the author didn't follow through. Instead, there are one-diRead: 6/24/24 The writing was well done, but the plot was lacking. Such great potential but the author didn't follow through. Instead, there are one-dimensional characters and a rushed ending...more
Madelyn and her mother escaped her crazy father when she was 10. She has spent the last 10 years in a wonderLate review Read: 5/24 Lackluster and dull!
Madelyn and her mother escaped her crazy father when she was 10. She has spent the last 10 years in a wonderful abbey. When Gavin's party is injured in battle, his men stubble onto a hidden abbey. The nuns heal his wounds and drop him off in the forest. It doesn't take him long to figure out the identity of the beautiful madonna who treated his injury. Madelyn is the lost daughter of his enemy. Gavin forces Madelyn to leave, and he eventually brings her to court where the king declares she must marry.
Meanwhile, her bat shit crazy father tries to reclaim his daughter. He is OBSESSED with alchemy and believes he is the one that will turn metal into gold. He is under the delusion that God has chosen him and that he will be gifted with immortality. ...more
Read: 5/26/24 2.5 stars This was just an okay novella! Luckily, it was a quick read and free on KU. I would have rated it lower if I had paid for it.
ThRead: 5/26/24 2.5 stars This was just an okay novella! Luckily, it was a quick read and free on KU. I would have rated it lower if I had paid for it.
The author had the premise of a good story but didn't bother to flush out the characters. She couldn't decide if she wanted a serious book on wounded soldiers or a cute romance. Therefore, she failed at both
I won't be trying the other books in the series...more
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