This is another in the continuing saga of the MacGregor and Grant clans. Set in early 18th century beginning iA Pirate Sails Away with a Highland Lass
This is another in the continuing saga of the MacGregor and Grant clans. Set in early 18th century beginning in Scotland, this is the story of Caitrina Grant, daughter of a Highland chief, who longs for adventure and wants to avoid the marriage her father has arranged for her. Alexander Kidd is a pirate who is in Scotland seeking the map to a sunken treasure ship, a legacy of his pirate father. He comes to her home to retrieve the map his father left with her clan—and sails away with Caitrina.
While Alex’s ship is anchored, she steals aboard with her cousin, Kyle, to take see the ship. But she and Kyle fall asleep and the ship sails… Alex, who is very attracted to Caitrina (and she to him) doesn’t want her messing up his plans, but it seems they are to spend a month sailing together to the West Indies and beyond.
I like how Quinn made Alex into a real pirate…the language…the deeds, even his casual relationships with women. Of course, that didn’t make him a likely hero but he developed a noble streak when it came to our heroine; otherwise, he’s the real, swashbuckling, bad boy deal. There a lot of adventure, battles at sea and exotic locales in this story as the pirates hunt for treasure…and hunt…and hunt. Caitrina wanted adventure and she certainly gets it!
There’s little of the Highlands here, and the only Scot on stage for most of the story is Kyle, though the cast of the Grant and MacGregor families show up at the beginning at Camlochlin and the end in the West Indies and Africa. Though it can be read as a stand alone, I think it might be best read after the earlier Children of the Mist series.
Highland Heirs series:
THE SEDUCTION OF MISS AMELIA BELL THE SWEET SURRENDER OF JANET BUCHANAN THE WICKED WAYS OF ALEXANDER KIDD THE SCANDALOUS SECRET OF ABIGAIL MACGREGOR...more
This is the 2nd in French’s “Fortune trilogy.” It begins in Maryland in 1724, 52 years after the first book. Great Adventure to the Jungles of Panama!
This is the 2nd in French’s “Fortune trilogy.” It begins in Maryland in 1724, 52 years after the first book. Lady Elizabeth Lacy Bennett (“Bess”) granddaughter of Lacy Bennett (heroine in book 1), is mistress of Fortune’s Gift Plantation. Bess experiences a series of setbacks that have her wondering if she can keep her land and feed her people. Then she remembers her grandfather telling her about a Spanish treasure he buried in Panama, and she decides to go in search of it. To aid her, she will take her new indentured servant, a Scot named Kincaid, and the ghost of an Incan warrior named Kutii who has always been with her. Meanwhile a man called “Faulkner,” whose father once loved Bess’ grandmother, seeks his revenge—on Bess.
This is a tale of adventure as Bess and Kincaid travel into the jungles of Panama with a crew of rough men. French vividly portrays all they see from the teaming wildlife and vicious predators to the beauty of the lush vegetation and bird life. Though neither Kincaid nor Bess wish to marry, Kutii tells Bess the Scot is her destiny. And so he is. Brash and brave, with a past that is concerning, he agrees to help Bess for the money and the freedom it will gain him. But he is to win more.
A worthy trilogy of stories, each a generation or two after the other, but each can also be read as a stand alone. I recommend them.
Note: despite the cover, the heroine in the story has red-gold hair and the hero blond hair.
Set in England, Scotland and the Caribbean, beginning in 1709 (and going to 1713), this is the story of Oriana, the daWonderful Story of Love Deferred
Set in England, Scotland and the Caribbean, beginning in 1709 (and going to 1713), this is the story of Oriana, the daughter of a Norwegian princess and a savvy English sheep farmer on the border of Scotland (near Hadrian’s Wall) who went into the shipping business to transport his wool. When his son disappeared in the port of Calais, he raised his daughter to take the son’s place. And Oriana thrived in the world of ships and sheep, dressing more like her brother than the young lady she was.
Oriana loved only one man, Gaerith Treig, a Scottish neighbor and fellow sheep farmer who plays bagpipes and makes her laugh, but who is unfortunately locked into a loveless marriage. His wife is a jealous harridan of a woman who is slowly going mad. One night when Gaerith and Oriana are at sea, she gives herself to him, and for him she wants to become a lady. On a trip to the Caribbean, she gets the chance to be made over in appearance (with some help from heroines of books 1 and 2 in the trilogy) and she takes it. Still courageous, intelligent and independent (my favorite kind of heroine), Oriana is now a woman men drool over.
The story drew me in from the beginning and held my attention through its many twists and turns. There are some great action scenes, wonderful characters and some funny episodes as the women try to make tomboy Oriana into a lady. Althea, the “auntie” who takes Oriana under her wing, is priceless. Oriana is a very worthy heroine, taking initiative, rising to every challenge and caring unselfishly for others. Gaerith is noble at heart and constant in his love for Oriana. There is history, too—of a tumultuous time in Scotland’s past (Rob Roy is a character). And all the twists and turns are neatly tied up in the end.
It’s well written and a pleasure to read. I recommend reading the trilogy in order as some of the earlier characters reappear in this last book.
I read this because I had already read and reviewed books 1 and 3 in the Pirates trilogy and liked them. While Vayle writStrong Women who are Pirates!
I read this because I had already read and reviewed books 1 and 3 in the Pirates trilogy and liked them. While Vayle writes well and tells a good story with lots of historical detail woven in, which appeals to me, this story has some aspects that will not appeal to all, mostly related to the morals of the main characters.
Genevieve Faunton, as a young girl, was living on an island in the Caribbean with her mother and sister (and possibly a pirate father) when she was captured by pirates and sold to a well-meaning but coddling woman who made Genevieve her ward. Years later (1701), she married and was widowed from the woman’s son (who, by all accounts, was not missed). On her way back to England from the West Indies, Genevieve’s ship is attacked by pirates, but this ship, the Black Angel, is captained by a woman—Evonne Meadows—who turns out to be Genevieve’s long lost sister.
To make a long summary shorter, Genevieve joins her sister in piracy and they fall in with two British rakes, Jean-Michael (“Michael”, French born but British raised, who serves the English king) and Robert St. Justine (a ne’er do well aristocrat Evonne takes captive and then invites to her bed). Genevieve's main desire is to find her mother (another pirate).
I was enjoying the adventure when half way through the book, Genevieve, who struck up an intimate relationship with Jean-Michael (just called “Michael”), sleeps with Robert when Michael goes off on some mission. Right. Well, there’s lots more in this 440-page story. Michael is a fun-loving, horse-stealing spy who eventually decides he cares for Genevieve. Robert, who dallies with many, suddenly falls for a young debutante. Frankly, while I liked Genevieve, I would have been happier if the women leads didn’t have the morals of an alley cat. Still, for those who don’t mind that, it’s a historically accurate, detailed fun read.
I’ve read the whole trilogy and think Oriana is the best. The first two are related (Garlanda and Rogue, the heroine and hero in book 1, appear in book 2) but the third is more a stand alone.
Set in France in 1794, during the French Revolution, this is the story of beautiful Claire Deveraux, the bastard child of a prominent American who felSet in France in 1794, during the French Revolution, this is the story of beautiful Claire Deveraux, the bastard child of a prominent American who fell in love with her mother on a trip to France, though he already had a wife and children. Raised by her uncle Claire loves his family as her own. When they are threatened with the guillotine, she agrees to a bargain with the diabolical new commissioner in Rouen, Phillipe Dehet, the protégé of Robespierre: she will become Phillipe’s mistress in exchange for her family’s safe transport out of France.
Unbeknownst to innocent Claire, Phillipe has a look-alike half brother, Adam Dillon, who though raised in France, is now an American patriot and the most sought after bachelor in New York. Adam is sent to France by none other than Claire’s real father to engage in a daring escapade to take the place of Phillipe and provide the nobles fleeing France a path to safety. Claire’s natural father tells Adam to do all he can to protect his daughter, Claire Deveraux, if he finds her.
When he arrives in Rouen where Phillipe has been appointed commissioner, Adam finds Claire waiting in his bedroom, but under an assumed last name. He has no idea the young woman whose beauty he cannot resist is the woman he was asked to protect.
This is a great story. Thornton has done much research to provide us with a vivid picture of what was going on in France at the time, including the fear that had spread throughout the population. And this is a wonderful romance surrounded by deception, treachery and misunderstanding that keep Adam and Claire apart. Fast-paced and full of action, it kept me reading late into the night. I recommend it!
This is a part of the Devereux Family trilogy but can be read as a stand alone:
TENDER THE STORM VELVET IS THE NIGHT CHERISHED SEPTEMBER ...more
18th century Bodice Ripper (sort of) and an Enthralling Story!
This was Kaley’s debut novel and I have to say it’s a wonderfully exciting read that I c18th century Bodice Ripper (sort of) and an Enthralling Story!
This was Kaley’s debut novel and I have to say it’s a wonderfully exciting read that I could not put down.
The story begins in the North West of England in 1743, where Rosalinda lives in poverty with her parents and three brothers on Lord Windermere’s magnificent estate. In a cruel response to her brothers’ poaching to put food on the table, the boys are sent away and her husband transported to the Colonies. Thus, Rosie loses her family in one fell swoop. Seeing the men lusting after Rosie’s virtue, her mother decides to send her to London to live with her aunt, never knowing the aunt runs a bawdy house, the worst of its kind.
Before she leaves, Rosie encounters a handsome highwayman, who is the alienated son of an English lord. Blake Glenowen, a dark, mysterious figure, takes a fancy to the beautiful young woman, repeatedly saving her from those who would rob her innocence or do her harm. Yet all the while, he warns her of danger, including himself, as he covets her innocence.
Will she be robbed her of her innocence by Blake, or will Blake do the noble thing? Blake cannot marry her, as he has no life to share with a woman. Yet, when they finally get together, Rosie will join him in his highwayman’s adventures.
This is very much a “perils of Pauline” story as Rosie goes from one misadventure and narrow escape to another, in both England and France, all the while thinking of her dark savior. The characters are endearing and the story captivates. For a time, Rosie lives with Gypsies and learns to love their culture though a Gypsy king is determined to have her for his woman. And Blake hovers in the background.
It is well written and exciting. There are bodice-ripping elements, to be sure, but the hero never forces the heroine. The ending is a bit abrupt, and there are a few forms of address issues, but there’s enough story here to satisfy the discerning historical romance reader. ...more
The story begins in London in 1723 as Ross Campbell, “half Scot, half Delaware and half wolverine,” abducts Anne, Superb Scottish-American Love Story!
The story begins in London in 1723 as Ross Campbell, “half Scot, half Delaware and half wolverine,” abducts Anne, Marchioness of Scarbrough just as she is about to be wed, thinking she is the one he was sent to retrieve for a man he met in Edinburgh. Unfortunately for Ross (and perhaps for Anne), he gets the wrong woman. And so begins an exciting tale of a reluctant bride and an American frontiersman, both of whom have ties to Scotland.
I loved this story. French had me laughing out loud at the proud Scot who kept calling the “sensible, meek and shy” Anne “Hinney” while madly riding from London to Scotland on his huge black stallion. The tale of his capture of her is one for the books.
Ross’ father sent him from America to his ancestral home in Scotland to collect a title and a fortune (which they badly need to clear title on their lands in America). Unfortunately, when he arrived, Ross discovered the castle was in ruins and plagued with debts. So when he discovers Anne has a fortune, he decides to keep her and wed her.
Anne has been badly mistreated by the men in her life and fears she is unworthy of love. She wears an amulet a gypsy tells her is from “the little dark people who raised the standing stones.” Called the “Eye of Mist,” it was given to her by her natural father, Cameron Stewart, who told her it holds a blessing and a curse: She will be carried from her family to a far-off land (the curse), but will have one wish granted, even to life or death (the blessing). She is definitely carried away and most of the adventure occurs in 18th century America where Ross and Anne join his Shawnee friends.
Rich in detail and vivid pictures of the American frontier, it’s a grand adventure as well as a romance. It is also clearly part of a series and, while you can read it alone, I recommend reading them in order. Moonfeather is a character in this book as well as her own story.
The Native American/Scottish (Indian Moon) series:
Emotionally Wrenching, Enthralling Tale from 18th Century England
It’s hard to see how this book could be rated anything other than 5 stars just for thEmotionally Wrenching, Enthralling Tale from 18th Century England
It’s hard to see how this book could be rated anything other than 5 stars just for the effort it is. The writing is meticulous, the plot intricate, the characters well drawn and the story enthralling. It’s a well-told tale of cruelty, deception, dishonor and treachery—and, yes, it’s emotionally wrenching. I also thought the ending was melancholy. There are a few other negatives that I will point out that might turn away readers who would prefer a more sedate historical romance. Just so you know, this was my first by Harris, and it’s the first in the Eden series (see list below). I’ve already got book 2 waiting on the shelf to be read though I may take an emotional break before I come to it.
Set in England, beginning in 1790, it tells the story of Thomas Eden, the Fifth Earl and Thirteenth Baron, lord of the stone monolith, Eden Castle, on the Devon coast, and the servant girl, Marianne Locke.
Marianne is no ordinary servant, being both beautiful and taught by a well-educated tutor to young ladies. She is smart and, for the most part, quite a reflective thinker. However, she is naïve and too trusting, and thus taken advantage of by those who would manipulate her, including her sister and Lord Eden. Somehow, through all the betrayals (and there are many), she maintains her kind heart. That I wanted to slap her at times was a reflection of how easily she was misled.
As the story begins, 16-year-old Marianne is being publicly flogged for rebuffing Lord Eden’s advances. The event scars her for life and nearly kills her. (It also drives her father to madness.) All that changes her. Once a spirited beauty, she is now a shell of a young woman, sent to London by friends of her father to see if she can be revived. There she lives with her conniving sister who is jealous of Marianne’s beauty. Jane is the kept mistress of a journalist named William who quickly falls in love with Marianne.
Alas for Marianne, Lord Eden has not forgotten her. No matter he is more than twice her age (she is 16, he is 40), he lurks in the background plotting to have her and willing to do any unethical thing to achieve his goal. Thomas Eden is a man who sees himself above all those who serve him, who thinks he is entitled to take any young girl’s virginity simply because she is “low born.” To their shame, most of his acquaintances aware of his dirty dealings either enable him or look the other way. He goes from one “heinous deed” (his words) to another. I was 3/4ths of the way through the book when I decided this man was beyond redemption. I so wanted to see him fall, and fall hard. In the end, he did not fall hard enough for me.
If you don’t like stories where the hero and heroine are separated for a time, or a “hero” who seems truly evil, this may not be the book for you. Still and all, it kept me up to the wee hours of the morning reading—-two nights in a row. So, for the brave among us, I do recommend it!
The Eden series: (All are Victorian save for the first)
This Other Eden (late 18th century) The Prince of Eden The Eden Passion The Women of Eden Eden Rising American Eden (Civil War) Eden and Honor ...more
3 and 1/2 Stars--Good Spy Tale, but has a few issues
It was difficult to rate this book. There were parts I loved and would have given 4 and ½ stars to3 and 1/2 Stars--Good Spy Tale, but has a few issues
It was difficult to rate this book. There were parts I loved and would have given 4 and ½ stars to and others I really just wanted to skip. My rating is a sort of compromise.
Set in England in 1790, this is the story of Selina Rosewall and Sir James Mitchell, “Lord Penventen.” The story begins with a shipwreck off the coast of Cornwall and there are allusions later to the special cargo the ship was carrying when it went down in a mystery dealing with someone in the government surreptitious supporting the French revolutionaries. Then we are thrust into the world of London and the affairs of the ton.
While helping her sea captain brother further his merchant business, Selina meets Sir James Mitchell. Tired of the ladies of the ton, James is immediately taken with Selina’s sincerity and her direct manner. And Selina, an artist, begins putting her fantasies about James onto canvas, unaware that the rake is also a spy for Prime Minister Pitt. With the situation in France worsening, James warns Selina his life is complicated. And it is…and Selina becomes involved in the mystery.
This story is obviously based on considerable research into the period and I did like that. It also has some good twists and turns, and the dialog was very good. Both James and Selina are worthy characters, though neither seemed to have a flaw and there was virtually no conflict between them. They quickly fall in love.
However, there were some distractions that affected my rating: incorrect forms of address persisted throughout (for example, we are told first James is a viscount and then he is a baronet, but the latter is not a peer so he would not be Lord Penventen, and once a woman in the nobility is married she is no longer referred to as Lady [firstname]); a plethora of secondary characters that were sometimes difficult to recall; modern words (for the era); breaches in late 18th century customs (it read more like a Victorian. One confused reviewer called it “a delightful romp through Regency England”); and narrator intrusion into the characters’ thinking (the omniscient point of view dropped in to tell us some facts). Some readers might not notice these things or not care, but they bothered me.
I think the author has great potential and is obviously a good storyteller able to weave an intricate plot, but I’d like to see the next one correct the issues noted. ...more
A Splendid Finish in the Highlands for a Great Trilogy… A Keeper!
This is a brilliant finish to the Cameron trilogy of stories set in the Highlands andA Splendid Finish in the Highlands for a Great Trilogy… A Keeper!
This is a brilliant finish to the Cameron trilogy of stories set in the Highlands and the wilderness of America… all highly recommended. This one features the two daughters of Cameron, a feisty lass whose daughters are much like her.
It begins in 1782 in the Great Lakes region of the American wilderness after the war. Golden-haired Kestrel and her sister, the raven-haired Rue have experienced hardship and the brutality of evil men. Thus, they have walled off their hearts and trust no one.
Dr. Nick Mackay, fresh from the battlefield, promises Cameron he will wed Kestrel and care for her. Very soon, he realizes what Cameron must have seen—that he loves the wild girl. Meanwhile, the pirate Hawk captures the ship the two sisters are sailing on to Scotland and decides to make Rue his wife.
I love Aleen Malcolm’s writing. She is historically detailed; her stories reflect much research and they are emotionally moving. I can forgive her the frequent head hopping as she jumps from one character’s mind to another because her characters are so well developed, so endearing. Simply wonderful.
Malcolm holds back nothing as she reveals the savagery young women faced on the frontier but she brings into the sisters’ lives wonderful men to love and care for them and tame their wild spirits. They can be read as stand alones but get the trilogy. You will love it.
The Cameron trilogy:
The Taming (Sir Alex Sinclair and Cameron, set in the Highlands) Ride Out the Storm (Alex and Cameron in the New World) The Daughters of Cameron (Rue Sinclair and Torquin MacKay and Kestral Sinclair and Alex MacKay
I’m especially fond of stories set in the time before American’s Independence, so I grabbed up this one. Ma4 and ½ Stars! America Before Independence!
I’m especially fond of stories set in the time before American’s Independence, so I grabbed up this one. Malcolm is a great storyteller, too, as you will see. Ride Out The Storm begins in 1762 as Alex and Cameron, just wed, are traveling back to his ancestral hall, Glen Aucht. Young Cameron is feeling unprepared to assume the role as his lady. Worse, when they arrive, the English redcoats have taken over and Alex has been recalled to service. A surly English colonel has taken over the estate, perpetuating all sorts of crimes on the people and the servants (a very worthy cast of secondary characters), who have resorted to stealth to protect their young mistress.
Cameron’s origins hide a secret. She has a twin brother she has not seen since she was eight. She learns he has left Scotland for the New World. Alex and his errant bride are separated as she defies him and leaves the Highlands for the wilderness of the New World near Ft. Detroit on the St. Lawrence River. Alex will serve as a British scout, hoping to regain his lands in Scotland while Cameron is on the run, searching for her brother.
The plot is intricate, the characters well developed and the story intriguing with some exciting, if not disturbing, action scenes. The pace is a bit slower that your typical romance, especially in the beginning, but it picks up to move along at a good clip. I loved Cameron’s free spirit and her courage and Alex’s persistence in claiming his bride, though during their separation, he was not faithful.
Malcolm captures the frustration and anger of the Scots and the Indians at the cruel treatment they receive from the English in America. The story has a very satisfying feel and is obviously based on much research into the history of the period. I recommend it!
Note: Ride Out The Storm is the continuation of the love story of Sir Alex Sinclair and Cameron, the wild Scottish lass he was forced to marry in The Taming. While you can read this as a stand alone, I recommend you begin with book 1. It was a very worthy post Culloden story of a proud Scot and his young Scottish bride. Both are great reads!
The Cameron trilogy:
The Taming Ride Out the Storm The Daughters of Cameron...more
Revolutionary War Saga of and English Girl and a Spy for the American Rebels
Set in 1777, in the time of the Revolutionary War, this is the story of DeRevolutionary War Saga of and English Girl and a Spy for the American Rebels
Set in 1777, in the time of the Revolutionary War, this is the story of Devon Mackinsey, the illegitimate daughter of a Scottish lord who, caring nothing for her, consigned her to the kitchens of their estate. A kind butler helped introduce her to the grandmother she never knew who saves her from a life as a scullery maid. Sent away to a proper lady’s school, Devon becomes a well-mannered beauty who resorts to crime as the infamous Shadow to save her family’s estate from its many debts. But when wealthy heir to Lord Barclay, Hunter Barclay discovers her stealing his uncle's silver, they make a bargain -- one kiss for silence about both her secret and his (he's a spy for the Rebel colonists).
Devon and Hunter part that night, but Hunter must intervene again to save Devon from the gallows when a cruel English lord would have his vengeance upon her for another theft. Hunter’s intervention grants Devon her life in exchange for a lifetime as Hunter’s bond slave. He takes her to the Colonies, and on the way, he claims her as his mistress, never telling her he will marry another woman when they reach Virginia. Nor does he tell Devon of his dual life as a Royalist and an American Revolutionary.
I have loved others by Byers so I was not surprised I loved this one, too. It’s well told with lots of sexual tension and great action—kept me reading late into the night. There are a few improbable elements but none so ridiculous they bothered me. Beyers made them seem plausible. Devon is a worthy heroine, just the kind I like: a courageous young woman who rises to every challenge life throws at her. Hunter begins as a selfish though patriotic rogue who takes Devon’s innocence thinking only of his own pleasure, but gets caught in his obsession with the lovely girl. I recommend this one.
Set in Massachusetts in 1715-16, this is the story of Maria Hallett, a 15-year-old innocent who—through a mistakenThe Pirate and the Puritan Find Love
Set in Massachusetts in 1715-16, this is the story of Maria Hallett, a 15-year-old innocent who—through a mistaken assumption—is deflowered by Captain Samuel Bellamy, an adventurer who sails into Maria’s puritanical town looking for financial backers for a treasure-hunting scheme.
After ruining Maria, Sam thinks to marry her by her aunt, unaware of what happened, won’t have it. Sam sails away to seek a fortune with the thought the money might convince her aunt to let them marry. When he returns a year later, he is changed. He has become the notorious pirate “Black Sam”.
Based on the true story of the pirate ship Whydah and an old Cape Cod legend about two ill-fated lovers, this was Harmon’s debut novel, first published in 1992, now updated and re-edited.
The story is well written and the dialog lively. There is action aplenty, including swordfights and a violent storm aboard Sam’s ship. Maria is an admirable heroine, handling the adversity life has thrown her with courage, but she wants nothing to do with piracy and harps on Sam about it continuously even though she had wanted to marry him. Sam never gives up, taking command of his life as well as his crew. Shifting points of view and the narrator’s additions make it an unusual read.
If you like a pirate romance with real pirates, including Blackbeard, you’ll find it in this story. An unlikely couple come together through very difficult circumstances! ...more
A Brilliant Story of Scotland’s Past Affecting its Future & Two Intertwined Love Stories. A Keeper!
This was an unusual story for me. With a few notablA Brilliant Story of Scotland’s Past Affecting its Future & Two Intertwined Love Stories. A Keeper!
This was an unusual story for me. With a few notable exceptions, I don’t generally read time travel historical novels. And it’s difficult to characterize this one. It’s not straight historical romance, nor is it historical fiction, nor is it paranormal/fantasy or even time travel as such, yet it has elements of all these.
Part of the story is set in modern Scotland and part in early 18th century Scotland where, in the spring of 1708, an invading Jacobite fleet of French and Scottish soldiers nearly succeeded in landing the exiled James Stewart in Scotland to reclaim his crown. The story is also told in two voices, one in the first person (Carrie, the writer in modern times) and the other in the 3rd person, the voice of the heroine from Carrie’s family’s past and Scotland’s, Sophia Paterson.
Key in the telling of both stories is Slains Castle, a ruined castle in Aberdeenshire, overlooking the North Sea from its cliff-top site east of Cruden Bay.
As her writing proceeds, Carrie begins to realize she is not just inventing a story set in history but experiencing the memories of her long-ago relative. Sophia meets and falls in love with Mr. Moray, the Jacobite who works to bring the king back to Scotland. And Carrie develops a tendre for Graham Keith, the oldest son of her landlord. The parallels of the two stories and the two romances are uncanny and add to the intrigue. Both are well-told and had me turning pages. Even though the ending dawned on me early on, the author kept me in suspense, wondering if it would be.
The characters are richly drawn, Graham (Carrie’s love interest,) and Sophia being my favorites. I relished the thought that those who loved both Sophia and Moray were pulling strings for them. The language is beautiful, the descriptions vivid and all are woven together in marvelous fashion.
A Choice Between Love and Honor in a Great Georgian Romance!
Kathleen Woodiwiss has written some truly great romances. She was a great storyteller. ThiA Choice Between Love and Honor in a Great Georgian Romance!
Kathleen Woodiwiss has written some truly great romances. She was a great storyteller. This one at well over 500 pages is no exception. A rose in winter...a flower blooming out of time...a sign of true love to come. Ah yes...how we love it.
Set in late 18th century England, this is the story of the Sexton noble family, whose lord and his eldest son were killed for their wealth and lands. Now the young lord, who succeeded his father, has supposedly died in a fire purposely set to end his life, the same fire that burned a wing of their mansion.
Years later, a wealthy Yankee merchant seaman, Christopher Seton, has come to the village of Mawbry seeking a place to live while he settles a debt owed him. He makes inquiries about the old Saxton Hall, still vacant after the death of the young lord.
Living in the same village is Erienne, a beauty whose only value to her father (the Mayor) is to be sold to the highest bidder among her many suitors. Her father needs the money to pay his debts, including the one he owes to Seton, who has taken a fancy to Erienne.
At the sale, the highest bidder is an agent for a mysterious "Lord Saxton," supposedly the very same lord who was thought burned in the fire. He wears a mask to hide his deformed face and walks with a deep limp. Now wed to the man, Erienne initially fears him, but he is kind and generous to her. She holds him at bay as to their physical relationship. Slowly, she comes to respect and care for him, but alongside this growing feeling for her husband is a growing attraction to the Yankee Seton.
Woodiwiss deals us a fast moving hand as the players hide their true motives and their true characters from each other. As we follow along, we are not disappointed. Like her other romances, she weaves a complex tale and provides a rich tapestry of characters. Her descriptions will put you in the scene and leave you wanting more.
If you're a Woodiwiss fan, you'll love this one. ...more
A Case of Mistaken Identity and an Intriguing Love Story from old Louisiana
Originally published in 1984 and updated for the eBook version, this is a cA Case of Mistaken Identity and an Intriguing Love Story from old Louisiana
Originally published in 1984 and updated for the eBook version, this is a classic romance--a bodice ripper--from a great historical romance author.
Set in New Orleans and environs beginning in 1799, this is the story of 16-year-old Leonie Saint-Andre, whose only living parent is a gambling grandfather who has impoverished their family’s plantation. Knowing he does not have long to live, her grandfather decides to take care of Leonie’s future by finding her a wealthy husband. Unfortunately, the man he picks, Morgan Slade, is a bitter man whose first wife married him for his money and then left him for another. And what Leonie’s grandfather does not know is that Morgan has a look alike cousin who, unbeknownst to Morgan, has assumed his identity in order to wed Leonie to steal her dowry.
Busbee has done her research and the history of Louisiana in the late 18th century is vividly portrayed. It was a time of plantations and the French creole families; and it was a time of dramatic change. Originally claimed by Spain, Louisiana was also claimed by France, and in 1803 most of it was acquired by America. The plot has many twists and turns and while the reader knows what is going on, the characters don’t. Lots of sexual tension and angst as Leonie is deceived yet rises as a courageous heroine to triumph in the end. I recommend it....more
Absorbing Bodice Ripper But With Some Improbable Elements
This was Busbee’s first novel, and was followed by LADY VIXEN (to which I gave 5 stars). BusbAbsorbing Bodice Ripper But With Some Improbable Elements
This was Busbee’s first novel, and was followed by LADY VIXEN (to which I gave 5 stars). Busbee is, in my opinion, a brilliant writer of romance. She weaves intricate, historically accurate and absorbing stories that you do not want to put down. However, in both this one and the related WHILE PASSION SLEEPS, there were some improbable events at critical points that had me tearing out my hair and kept me from giving Busbee the 5 stars she otherwise deserves.
GYPSY LADY is set in an interesting time in history and Busbee integrates the history well, weaving in real historic figures. America is forced to seek an alliance with England to thwart Napoleon’s influence in America, and Napoleon, needing money for his planned war with England, is willing to sell America the Louisiana Territory. And our hero is in the middle of it all.
This story begins in England in the late 1700’s as Catherine Tremayne, who Gypsies kidnapped a young girl along with her half brother Adam, is returned to her father, the Earl of Mount. But she never lost her Gypsy beginnings. Years later, Lady Catherine Tremayne, now an 18-year-old noblewoman, still sometimes dresses as a Gypsy and dances at their camp. It is there American Jason Savage, who is in England on a secret assignment for President Thomas Jefferson, sees her and thinks to make the beautiful Gypsy his mistress.
Here’s where the improbable events come in: First, Jason assumes Catherine is another man’s mistress just because he saw them talking. Then, when he makes a degrading offer to Catherine to buy her favors, she, a British earl’s daughter, takes it lightly allowing Jason to think she is entertaining the idea. Please. Though she speaks like a noblewoman, Jason thinks she’s just a common whore. Don’t think that flies either. When he kidnaps and brutally rapes her, she finds him attractive and even enjoys a dinner with him “smiling at one of his amusing tales.” Right. He brutally rapes her a second time. Still she does not tell him who she is. (I could see him not believing her but not tell him? Can’t quite see that, can you?) Half the time she acts like a zombie (“accepting her fate”), making her look weak and stupid. The other half she is daydreaming he is her suitor (major Stockholm syndrome here). She never tells him who she is. And Jason was just mean and cruel, treating her like a slave and keeping her prisoner. After he forces her to go with him to Paris (still on the mission for President Jefferson), he goes out whoring every night. (At this point I thought he was nonredeemable; I couldn’t even see honor in his political dealings. Know what I mean?) He pretty much remains a bastard for most of the book; and Catherine never does seem to successfully defy him, but of course, in the end they come together. If the improbable elements don’t bother you, you’ll enjoy it.
Here’s the whole list in Busbee’s Louisiana Series (stand alone novels with some overlapping characters):
• Gypsy Lady, 1977 • Lady Vixen, 1980 • While Passion Sleeps, 1983 • Deceive Not My Heart, 1984 • The Tiger Lily, 1985 • Midnight Masquerade, 1988 • Whisper to Me of Love, 1991 (re-released 2012) • Each Time We Love, 1993...more
4 and ½ Stars! A Poignant Love Story from the Highlands of Scotland After the Battle of Culloden
This post Culloden story set in Scotland, beginning in4 and ½ Stars! A Poignant Love Story from the Highlands of Scotland After the Battle of Culloden
This post Culloden story set in Scotland, beginning in 1761, tells of Sir Alex Sinclair, the son of a laird who was exiled following the battle in 1746. When we first meet Alex, he is 25 and living in Scotland, called to Cape Wrath at the top of the country by a friend of his father (the author includes a great map!). Once there, he learns he is to become guardian of a young hellion, Cameron (no last name), who rides a magnificent black stallion across the wild moors. Alex decides to bring the child back to his estate north of Edinburgh to try and tame the hellion. Along the way he discovers his ward is actually a 15-year-old girl, and worse, he’s attracted to her.
This story echoes the heart of the Highlands and the Scots who lost so much on the Culloden Moor. Alex tries to straddle two worlds—the past and the “new” Scotland dominated by the English. Cameron reminds him of “the spirit of true Scotland…wild and free but, alas, undisciplined and with no direction.” For her part, Cameron is struggling to live in a civilization she does not understand. She wants only to ride free and bathe naked in the lochs of the far north. She hates shoes and the female attire she is forced to wear in Edinburgh. She is courageous and endearingly honest, though at times her anger directed at Alex got tiring. Still, you can’t help but love her.
Just to tease you, I’ll tell you her past hides a powerful secret.
The story held my interest and the characters were wonderful, some even memorable. If you love the real Scottish historical romances, I think you might like this one. I recommend it.
This was my first by Malcolm and I intend to read more (see the trilogy below). The story of Alex and Cameron continues in book 2.
The Cameron trilogy:
The Taming Ride Out the Storm The Daughters of Cameron ...more
I do not agree with those who say this is a "weak link" in the Outlander series or that it is not as good as the first ones. I foThe saga continues...
I do not agree with those who say this is a "weak link" in the Outlander series or that it is not as good as the first ones. I found this 4th book (another "all day sucker" at over 1000 pages), to be a richly woven tale with great depth and lots of twists and turns as the story moves to 18th century America several years before the Revolutionary War.
And this one not only continues the great love between Jamie and Claire, but adds the story of their daughter Brianna and her love Roger. I did find the latter two to be a bit hard to grasp, but I did not think Roger to be too much like Jamie, which some readers did. Perhaps it is just that we haven't yet seen enough of Brianna and Roger to feel like we truly understand them.
Gabaldon does an extraordinary job of depicting life among the Indians and the slaves and the hardships the white settlers faced, particularly in the back country where the Frasers live.
There are wonderful secondary characters that I came to love and expect to see in the remaining volumes. The story of Jamie's nephew, Ian, becomes one of heart rending interest and likely reflects what may have happened to some in that time. Lord John Grey is still in the picture as the friendship with Jamie continues.
Once again, Gabaldon uses the "time travel" aspect of Claire's and Brianna's (and Roger's) being 20th century people to show what a change in lifestyle it would be for us to go back and live in that time. Finally, to see all the Scots in America after losing their homeland to England's abuses after Culloden was encouraging even though the reminder they had lost family and clan roots at the hands of the cruel English tugged at my heart. Still, as this story drives home, England's loss was America's gain....more
Absorbing, Heartrending Story of an American Privateer and an Endearing Young Englishwoman
Though no date is given, since England is at war with FranceAbsorbing, Heartrending Story of an American Privateer and an Endearing Young Englishwoman
Though no date is given, since England is at war with France and President Jefferson’s Embargo Act is referenced, I believe the story is set during 1807-08 at the dawn of the Regency era. It begins on a British naval vessel (a 3-masted sailing ship) on its way to Australia, transporting a famous prisoner—American privateer, Justin Phillips—as well as civilian passengers, including shy, 17-year old Christina Marks, in mourning for her father’s death and going to live with her uncle.
From the first time they meet, Justin and Christina share a love for books and ideas but are terribly different personalities. Were it not for the unusual circumstances in which the shy, unselfish girl speaks through a small window to a prisoner she can’t see, they never would have formed the bond they did. Though Justin, a successful privateer and man of the world, thought the timid young woman who brought him books, food and conversation was probably a plain girl (all he could see were her feet), she was nevertheless “a most sympathetic and sweet young lady.” And when, in the course of his crew’s rescuing him, he first sees her, her beauty leaves him speechless.
Horsman has brilliantly crafted a heroine who will win your heart from the first page. She is winsome, loving and incredibly unselfish. Christina has led a very sheltered life as the daughter of a vicar and is totally unprepared for a hardened man like Justin. To him, her kindness is a soothing balm. But his rough ways and harsh judgments are often too much for Christina. Despite that, the two fall quickly and desperately in love.
This is a love story of misunderstandings and second, even third chances as Justin struggles to accept the purity of Christina’s love, a love he has sought since childhood.
There is love on the high seas, a monsoon, a shipwreck, a tropical island and life in colonial America—and a wonderful crew of men and even a sweet, loyal St. Bernard dog, “Beau,” whose thoughts we occasionally hear.
Horsman’s historical romances are wonderful, well-written tales of passion and love that are on my keeper shelf. And this one is a story to read and re-read. I highly recommend it!
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