Tag: Historical Romance

The Duchess Takes It All by Michelle McLean

5 Stars

An Outsider in Society

This story features a newly widowed Duchess of Clevesly, Tamsin Palmer, who is the daughter of a merchant.  She has a toddler whom she adores, her deceased husband not so much.  Being an outcast in high society is not easy, and to make matters harder, her husband had appointed a co-guardian for the son, the German Count of Rauchberg Christian august.  The story of the two of them is interesting and well written, a little slow in the middle, but an enjoyable book.  Michelle McLean does a great job of giving the details of both London society and German city-states political stresses.  The characters were written mostly in the time period the story is set in, and the author did a wonderful job of keeping Tasmin within the constraints of the period.  I have read other books by her that were set in the American West and enjoyed them also.  Ms. McLean does a thorough job of detailing the environment that surrounds her characters.  I’m looking forward to reading more books that she has written.

I received an ARC of the book through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

The Duke is Wicked (League of Lords #3) by Tracy Sumner

5 Stars

Is he really wicked?

In this book, our two main characters are an American named Delaney Temple who has a reputation, and the ability to read and absorb the information in books quickly.  Our main male character is Sebastian Tremont, the Duke of Ashcroft of the English aristocracy and who can manifest fire.  Our Duke has been in the other books in the series but in this one we get a better picture of who and what has shaped him.  Our American heroine is considered a Hellion, but you’ll have to make up your own mind it that is true, the same with the Duke being wicked.  I enjoyed this book, and the continuation of the series.  Fun and easy to read with no grammatical errors and the main characters are well developed.  Hopefully we’ll see Delaney’s twin in an upcoming book.

I was given this book as an ARC through BookSirens, and this is my honest opinion.

The Rake is Taken (League of Lords, #2) by Tracy Sumner

5 Stars

Another great book!

Book number 2 in the League of Lords series, and this is a really fun, interesting offering from Tracy Sumner.  Our two main characters are Lady Victoria Hamilton and Finn Alexander (aka the Blue Bastard), Finn can read minds, and has the reputation of a playboy, and a scoundrel.  He’s dreaming about Lady Victoria, whom he has never met.  Lady Victoria also has a gift of both moving time, and blocking others supernatural powers.  She decides that the two of them should be friends.  And so, the story is off at breakneck speed.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Sisters of Magic series Shadow Magic Book 1 by Donna Grant

Magic. Long has it been debated on whether it truly exists. Yet, exist it does, and in the most noble of women.

Through time women have dabbled in magic, some have even died for it. Here are the stories of amazing, beautiful, adventurous women who happen to be a dying race of witches that were cursed by one of their own centuries ago and the men who stood by their side.

SHADOW MAGIC

With a past soaked in sin and darkness slowly closing in around him to claim his soul, Drogan only wants to live his life in solitude. Years in the king’s service and his numerous deeds directed by the crown have left Drogan with horrendous nightmares and immeasurable guilt…

Serena is a witch, cursed and forever alone. She accepts her future. Until she meets Drogan. With Drogan a passion deep and unyielding awakens inside her. She is willing to sacrifice herself for his love, but can he put his past to rest and embrace the future?

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***Audio coming soon***

The Lady is Trouble (League of Lords, #1) by Tracy Sumner

4 Stars

Fun Historical Paranormal romance

This is the first book in Tracy Sumner’s new series The League of Lords, with a whole new world for her to develop.  We meet Piper Scott, who sees Auras and can heal and Julian Alexander who is a type of psychic.  Piper’s grandfather was the man who created the League of Lords to help good combat evil, and he rescued Julian from London’s underbelly when Julian was a child.  Julian has promised her grandfather years ago when they were children to stay away from Piper, and he’s done that.  But now, since her grandfather was murdered the forces of evil are looking for Piper to use her power to heal to advance their cause.  Julian is now in charge of the League, and has been “collecting” people who’ve been persecuted because they have magic, and bringing them to the estate he has purchased.  Now, after 3 years, Piper is looking for Julian, to help him with the League, and also because she has loved him since they met as children. 

  Tracy Sumer has done a good job of building the bones of this world that surrounds 17th century London.  She mixes in the way London would have been at that time and then adds in the people who could do magical things who come from all walks of life.  I didn’t notice any writing or grammatical errors, and Ms. Sumner does an excellent job of describing people and places.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book as a series starter.  I didn’t care for some of the interactions between Piper and Julian- they both are written more like 20th century people.  But the book is entertaining, and I continued onto book 2. 

  I was given an ARC of the book by the author/publisher through BookSirens and this is my honest opinion.

Four Weddings and a Duke by Michelle McLean

4 Stars

Unexpected connection

Our story starts with the two main characters Alexander Reddington, second son and now the Duke of Beaubrooke and Lady Lavinia Wynnburn, the socially inexperienced middle daughter of the Earl of Abberforth.  Alex, never expecting to become the Duke of Beaubrooke has spent his life studying botany, and his goal is to create a hybrid plant that can help people.  Lady Lavinia, Livy, feels that she has been outshone by her two sisters’ beauty and talents, so she has devoted her time to reading, and fading into the background.  An accurate description for one, and a shield for the other. Michelle McLean takes the story she’s set up and gone where her readers might not expect.  Well written, with characters developing throughout the book, with good side characters.  Of the two main characters Livy is the one I felt did not really grow through her life with Alex.  She becomes a totally different person to the people around her, while her inner self is still stuck as who she was before she met Alex.  I enjoyed the book, and by the end of it saw that both Alex and Livy deserved the lives they wanted. The only thing that threw me was the title, which I still am not sure about.   I was given an ARC of the book through NetGalley and Entangled Publishing and this is my honest opinion. 

Two Scandals and a Scot (Duchess Society Book 5) by Tracy Sumner

5 Stars

More Duchess Society fun

This book is fun, but not nearly as compelling as the prior books.  Our story starts out with Theodosia Astley, who is the Duke of Leighton’s (from Book 2) sister.  She’s about to marry, when she finds out the bridegroom isn’t what she wants.  She runs, but not too far, into a waiting coach.  The coach belongs to Dashiell Campbell, a self-made man and former pickpocket and current card sharp, author, and friend and partner in the gaming hell of Xander Macauley (from Book 3).  Though the book is well written, it doesn’t have the sharpness and details of the prior books.  Both of the characters could have been more developed, and the overall plotting is not as detailed as in the other books.  Still, it is a very enjoyable book that I enjoyed reading.  I’m looking forward to additional books in the Duchess Society.  I was given and ARC of the book through BookSirens and this is my honest opinion.