Review: Jessica James’ NOBEL CAUSE – Loving the Enemy in the Civil War

Set in Virginia, beginning in 1862, this is the story of Captain Alexander Hunter, an officer in the Confederate army, who is respected by all but continually outsmarted by a Union scout, a mere boy. In reality, the boy is a young woman named Andrea Evans, who works for her cousin’s husband, Col. J.J. Jordan of the Union army.

Thinking to send Andrea away from battle, J.J. sends her to Richmond on an undercover assignment to act the lady in the heart of the Confederacy. She is to report to Col. Daniel Delaney who is sweet on her. (Their emerging “sort of” romance was a bit confusing, especially given I was pretty sure Hunter was the hero.)

The author takes pains to tell us what courageous beings both Hunter and Andrea are—larger than life characters of extraordinary intelligence, strength, courage and ability. Andrea thinks Hunter is “the incarnation of knighthood”; he thinks her smile is “the sweetest that had ever illuminated a mortal face”.

Though she is a Southerner, Andrea fights for the North because of her past experience with slavery, slipping across the South’s lines, going without food for days (apparently without ill effect) as she defies Hunter. No less gifted than his nemesis, Hunter is committed to seeing the South independent.

Our heroine Andrea begins the story dressed as a lad with short hair, but less than a year later, she’s in Richmond with long hair, dressed as a lady and waltzing around the dance floor with Hunter, who sees her as the only intelligent female around. Her appearance, specifically her hair, was a constant question throughout the story. When she acted the lad, all accepted her as a boy; when she played the lady, she had a lady’s hair. Hmm….

When Andrea ends up in prison (beaten badly, but apparently not raped), Alexander brings her back to his family home to slowly recover. In that same house is Victoria, who we are led to believe is Hunter’s mistress, but we are never sure about that.

You won’t experience a major battle of the Civil War, but you will see some of the guerilla warfare Hunter and his men engage in and you will live through the aftermath of bloody men and horses.

I liked the story, much of it very well written, but the pace is uneven. The first part and the last part were the best; the middle dragged with the constant and repetitive bickering between Andrea and Hunter at his Virginia estate.

Review: Becky Lee Weyrich’s TAINTED LILIES – Old New Orleans and the Pirate Jean Laffite in the time of the War of 1812

This is a wonderful novel from a winner of the Romantic Time Lifetime Achievement Award. Set in New Orleans and environs beginning in 1811, this is the story of Nicolette Vernet, a beautiful Creole girl, who falls in love with Jean Laffite, the gentleman pirate. I thought it was very brave of Weyrich to choose a real person for her hero, but she did it well and the story is absorbing.

Nicolette dreamed of a handsome husband and a family of her own, but it seemed fate conspired against her. Her first betrothed was killed in a sword fight and, to avoid scandal, her father sent away to Paris to visit her Aunt Gabrielle. On her way home two years later, her ship is attacked by pirates. She is rescued by Jean Lafitte who assumes she was raped. And thus begins an adventure that takes Nikki on a very different course than she’d imagined for her life.

Weyrich writes well and the story will keep you turning pages. It’s obvious she has done much research into the enigmatic figure of the pirate Jean Laffite. Her other characters are richly drawn, too, including Aunt Gabi and Jean’s two older brothers. I loved the romance that developed between Nikki and Jean and hated the bad guy that her father wanted her to marry. (Weyrich does a good villain!) If I had any negatives it would be Nikki herself, who at times seemed weak, yet at other times was brave and defiant.

I love this description Nikki gave of Jean’s hair:

“I’ll always remember the texture of his hair, how wonderfully warm it feels against my palms, how fresh and clean it smells, like sea air and Spanish limes.”

A great story from old New Orleans in the time of the War of 1812. I recommend it.

Review: Judith E. French’s SCARLET RIBBONS – Exciting Story of Love in the time of the Revolutionary War!

Set in Maryland in 1777, scarlet ribbons tells the story of Sarah Turner, originally from England who, through a series of misfortunes, is now innkeeper of King’s Landing, and wed to a man serving the loyalists. Then one day to her inn comes Forest Irons, a Rebel spy sent to watch the goings on at the inn for General Washington. Forest dons the disguise of a beard and an eye patch and poses as a man in need of work, a man with no loyalties. Sarah needs help at the inn and for her young son, so she hires him, never knowing he is an enemy and never telling him her husband lies in an unmarked grave nearby.

With treachery, intrigue, and bad guys aplenty, French weaves a well-written tale of love in the time of war. The story reflects extensive research as she puts you in the scene with conflicting loyalties as some Americans supported England’s reign and others wanted their new country free from England’s tyranny. Forest is a worthy hero, bound by his dream of a free America to the Rebel cause, yet finds himself falling in love with a courageous woman who is loyal to the Crown. Sarah is one smart, clever heroine who will have you cheering.

If you want to experience our nation at war in the time of its early beginnings, this is a great romance to read. While there are no battles, you’ll see what went on in the early days of the war between Maryland and the Rebels' winter camp in Pennsylvania.

Review: Christine Dorsey’s THE REBEL’S KISS – Captivating Post Civil War Story

Set in 1865, just as the Civil War is ending, this is the story of Dr. Jacob (“Jake”) Morgan, who has seen enough blood and men dying to last him a lifetime. Having lost his wife and young son to death, he heads west toward Texas. He gets as far as Kansas where he is mistaken for a bushwhacker and shot by Samantha (“Sam”) Lowery, left alone on her family’s ranch with only her younger brother, Will.

Despite her menfolk have been killed by Rebels, Sam decides to nurse the Rebel soldier who, she discovers, is a doctor and not a bushwhacker. As he recovers, the chemistry between them grows and Sam discovers Jake is an honorable man.

Dorsey’s penchant for details and putting the reader in the character’s head captured me. The emotions each feels comes across as real. Despite the quick changes in point of view (which normally distracts), I liked the story. I so appreciated the author’s research into the era, even giving the reader a feel for the speech of the time.

It is very well written and highly recommended.

Review: Heather Graham’s LOVE NOT A REBEL – Great Revolutionary War Romance

This is the 3rd in the North American Woman trilogy, which is a part of the 6-book Cameron Saga, and it is one you will really enjoy. I loved this trilogy and highly recommend it.

The story begins in Boston in 1773 when Lord Eric Cameron, a Virginian with estates in England and a descendent of the Camerons whose stories are told in the first two books, meets and falls in love with the beautiful and tempestuous Lady Amanda Sterling who is only 17. Lady Amanda, a loyalist, is in love with dashing Lord Robert Tarryton but he wants a title and is willing to marry a duchess he does not love to get it. While Amanda is expecting a proposal from Lord Tarryton, she learns of his betrothal to the duchess and is heartbroken.

Tarryton would take her as his mistress, which shocks her and she spurns him for it. Meanwhile, Eric has spoken to her father about marrying her and her father has given his consent. To get away from her father who is brutally cruel to her, and to flee her only other prospect, Amanda consents to wed Eric. She does not love him, but she is inexplicably drawn to the handsome, virile man. Eric is fast becoming an American patriot. A friend of George Washington and Patrick Henry, he values liberty and is willing to risk all to have it.

I love how Graham weaves real history into the story. Amanda is forced by her father to spy on her husband and the actions of the patriots. Eric suspects this and though he has fallen in love with her, he does not trust her and feeds her false information. Their lovemaking is passionate, but neither says anything for fear of giving the other power. George Washington believes Amanda may be "the Highness," the spy who is hurting the rebel cause. Eric believes it, too.

Swept up in the tides of history, we discover that love still matters, treachery can come from those closest to us, and truth is hard to find. If you love American history and the Revolutionary War period, and if you love truly great historical romance, you'll love this one. Graham's writing and well-described action does not disappoint. I really loved the way she shows us how the "lords" of England became the ordinary—or rather, extraordinary—men of America. No titles but with great courage and a greater legacy.

The Cameron Saga:

The North American Women trilogy: Sweet Savage Eden, A Pirate's Pleasure and Love Not a Rebel
The Camerons in the Civil War trilogy: One Wore Blue, And One Wore Gray, And One Rode West

Review: Mary Jo Putney’s ONCE A REBEL – The War of 1812 Comes Alive!

Set in 1814 (Prologue in 1799), this is the story of Callista (“Callie “) Brooke, who sought refuge in Washington when her husband died in Jamaica. As the British burn the Capital, she discovers her best friend Lord Gordon Audley who she thought dead is alive and has been sent from England to bring her home.

Gordon and Callie have a history, one that brought them both to near ruin, but now they come together to survive the war in America. Gordon has feelings for Callie but she vows never to wed again. Having made a life as a successful seamstress, renowned for her gowns, she likes the feel of independence and she has two stepchildren of mixed race who she vows to protect.

Both Callie and Gordon hate and are hated by their families and have no wish to see them again. Callie has mixed feelings about returning to England but the more she thinks of it and Gordon, the more appealing it is.

Putney has given us a historically authentic tale with some great action scenes from the War of 1812 as the British burn Washington and lay siege to Baltimore. Through it all, Gordon tries to win Callie’s love and she wonders if her home is America or England. A well written tale fans of Putney will love!

Review: Laurie McBain’s WHEN THE SPLENDOR FALLS – Sweeping Saga of Southern Life Before the Civil War and New Mexico Territory After

Regrettably for lovers of historical romance, this was McBain’s last novel. I have read, reviewed and loved all of them (see list below). McBain was a part of the seminal group of authors who ushered in the modern historical romance in the 70s and she stayed for the booming 80s to give us more wonderful, well-written, and deeply emotional sagas. As if she knew this would be her last, she took her time with it, slowly developing the tapestry of the two Southern families whose lives were intertwined before, during and after the terrible conflict known as the Civil War.

Leigh Alexandra Travers, of Travers Hill in Virginia loved her home, her family and her horses for which the Travers family was famous. Neil Braedon was from the branch of the Virginia Braedons that went west to the Territories. He was captured by Comanches as a child to become the warrior “Sun Dagger,” then later rescued and sent east to school, graduating from Yale. One day, seeing Leigh in the woods, he mistakes her for a lady’s maid and steals a kiss—her first. Both were forever changed by the encounter. Neil wanted Leigh as no woman before and Leigh was no longer content with her handsome, wealthy gentleman fiancé, though she would wed him to save her family from financial ruin. Neither Leigh nor Neil spoke of the deep feelings they had for each other.

Then the war intervened and changed everything.

Original cover

McBain meticulously presents the devastation the Civil War brought to the two families as Leigh and Neil are separated by years (and more). Her family fights for the South and Neil becomes the Yankee raider known as “Captain Dagger.” The descriptions are vivid and rich, the dialog amazing and the story satisfying. As a sample, thinking about Leigh, Neil reflected,

“She was like the willow on the riverbank. She bent to the winds that swept across Travers Hill. She had adapted gracefully to the changes that had come so tragically into her life. She hadn’t broken trying to resist, to fight against a far greater force that would have destroyed her. Nor had she been weakened by the struggle, she had become stronger, finding a strength within that she might never have known otherwise.”

This is a sweeping saga, and a love story that develops across years. (It’s a long one, too, at 678 pages in my print edition). For fans of McBain, as I am, it will not disappoint. It's a keeper!

McBain’s Novels:

Devil's Desire (1975)

Tears Of Gold (1979)

Wild Bells To The Wild Sky (1983)

When The Splendor Falls (1985)

Dominick Trilogy

Moonstruck Madness (1977) Sabrina and Lucien

Chance The Winds Of Fortune (1980) their daughter Rhea and Dante

Dark Before The Rising Sun (1982) Rhea and Dante (cont’d.)

Review: Christine Dorsey’s THE CAPTAIN’S CAPTIVE – English Girl and American Privateer Fall in Love in the War of 1812

Set at the beginning of the War of 1812, this is the story of Charlotte Winston, a young Englishwoman who lived in her daydreams while caring for her dying mother. When her mother passes on, Charlotte sails from England to Montreal to join her father, a general in the British army who has arranged a marriage for her to Captain Levid of the Royal Navy.

When Charlotte’s ship is fired upon by the American captain Jonathan Knox, the British captain quickly turns over control and Charlotte becomes Jon’s prisoner. Charlotte tells him she is betrothed to Captain Levid. Jon wants to know where he can find the English captain who impressed Jon’s younger brother (impressment was one of the causes of the war). Charlotte has only a vague idea where Levid is, and doesn’t like the man herself, but tells Knox she doesn’t know. Jon doesn’t believe her and decides to keep her in his cabin until she gives him the information he wants.

Initially, I thought the heroine a bit simpering and over theatrical (her voice squeaks and she shuts her eyes when reality is too much for her) and I did get a bit tired of her “fantasy pirate” that supposedly was a twin for the hero. The hero seemed too much of a gentleman. Those impressions changed somewhat as the book progressed, because the characters changed. In the last half of the book, Jon became more "real" and Charlotte acquired a backbone.

To my thinking there was a bit too much introspection and too much sex...the latter seemed to be piled on irrespective of the plot (or any concern for her getting pregnant, I might add). Don’t get me wrong; I like a good love scene, but I don’t need one each time the hero and heroine meet. And why was his family surprised to learn she was British and her father in the Royal Army? After all, she was raised in England (Oxfordshire) and I assume had an accent and other characteristics that gave her away.

There is no question Dorsey can write well and tell a good story. And I admire how she wove in the history and the abuses of the British military along the Chesapeake. Her battle scenes are realistic, and she captured well the terror of the night the British sacked Washington. For all that she gets full marks and a spot on the best list.

Review: Mairi Norris’ LANTERNS IN THE MIST – Terror Lurks in the Colony of Virginia

Set in Norfolk, Virginia in 1759-60, this is the story of Duncan MacCabe, a wealthy Scot shoemaker who wants a partner for his business and a wife. He gains a boon when he buys a wife at an auction who can do figures.

Susanna Cooper joined a bride ship headed for the Colony of Virginia because of her family’s dire straits. She got lucky when Duncan chose her for his wife and bought her contract, outbidding a horrible man who lurked in the shadows, a man who would seek revenge.

From the beginning, the newlyweds enjoy a warm relationship, in bed and out. Duncan seems the perfect man (though he came across as old when he was young). Susanna is kind, meticulous and conscientious, yet she is late to everything, which her husband, understandably, finds irritating.

The villain, a twisted nobleman of terrible perversions (including torture), is quite a contrast to the Colonists and their warm friendships. We are in his mind and see his infliction of pain on others. I have to confess, I skipped the graphic torture scenes.

The author has taken great pains to create the Colonial period in America’s history, down to the smallest details in entertainments, food, terms and speech. We experience the Colonists’ commitment to each other and their rising discontent with England’s taxes and ill treatment. The seeds of the Revolution have clearly been sewn.

It’s a sometimes dark, well written historical romance with authentic history and a sweet love story where all comes right in the end.

4th of July Sale!

The Red Wolf’s Prize, WINNER of the RONE Award and #1 on Amazon’s Top 100 Medieval Romances for many days, is on sale for 99¢ for July 3-5. It's a geat time to begin the Medieval Warriors series!

On Amazon US and UK

What the reviewers say:

 

“An engrossing love story grounded in meticulous research. Regan Walker makes the transition from Regency London to Anglo Norman England with consummate ease.”  

  – Glynn Holloway, author of 1066 What Fates Impose

“Beautifully written, perfectly paced, action packed, with a passionate and epic love affair...what more could you ask for? 5 stars."   – The Book Review  

“...a story that grabs hold and doesn’t let go. There is intrigue, action and a beautifully developed romance. Masterful world building!"   – The Reading Cafe

Review: Aleen Malcolm’s RIDE OUT THE STORM – Intricately Woven Tale set in America before Independence!

July is American Patriotic month on Historical Romance Review when I share romances set in America’s past from the French and Indian War, the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and the Civil War. I’m especially fond of stories set in the time before American’s Independence, so I’m beginning with one of those.

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

Review: Catherine Hart’s NIGHT FLAME – Enthralling Saga of a White Woman’s Love for a Cheyenne Warrior

Set in the mid 19^th century in Wyoming, this is the story of Sarah Wise, the spoiled Southern belle daughter of General Wise, who indulged his only child. So when she asked to go into the West with him and his men, he finally agreed. And so begins the tale of Sarah’s new life.

As they move deeper into the frontier, Sarah begins to change, as she must accept hardships of the road. She dare not complain, as it was she who insisted on coming along.

At Fort Laramie, the young Cheyenne chief Night Hawk sees Sarah and knows instantly the redhead he calls “Flame” is his soul mate. Sarah recognizes him from a dream she has had, one of many dreams that tell of future events, and is frightened. Little does she know that she is about to become his captive.

Night Hawk steals her away and soon makes her his wife, giving Sarah no choice in the matter. Having taken his dead brother’s wife Little Rabbit into his tipi. Sarah mistakenly assumes the pregnant squaw is his wife in truth but Night Hawk merely shelters his dead brother’s pregnant wife. Little Rabbit resents Sarah and is jealous of the love Night Hawk shows the white woman.

Hart kept me on the edge of my seat reading all that happens to Sarah and the Cheyenne over the next few years. There are many twists and turns as Sarah makes a new life among the Cheyenne, tries to escape, discovers her gift of dreams makes her a “Dreamer” to the Cheyenne and greatly prized. She grows up and falls in love with her respected Cheyenne warrior husband. And Night Hawk never flags in his love for her, save for when she tries to escape and he believes she has betrayed him.

Hart’s deep research into the Cheyenne people comes through as we experience all that it means to live among them. She brings the era to life and adventure to the page. I highly recommend this story!

A new way to connect with Historical Romance Review!

Guess what, all? Historical Romance Review has a brand new Facebook page! If you like to interact on Facebook, you can get all the posts and more there!

Click HERE and “Like” the page to get the posts!

And while you’re at it, why not sign up for my author newsletter and “Follow” me on Amazon:

     For the newsletter, sign up on the Home page of my website HERE.

     To “Follow” me on Amazon and get word when I publish a new book, click the “Follow” button 

     under my picture HERE.

Best Western Historical Romances!

I first discovered Western romances by reading those written by my favorite authors who also wrote in other subgenres. Since then, I have become a true fan of the subgenre and find myself every now and then reaching for a good romance from the Old West. I love those Indian and gun-slinging heroes. So, it seemed a “best” list was in order to share some of these wonderful stories with you.

Here are the best of those I’ve read…all rated 4 or 5 stars by me. I think you’ll like these!

·               A Fire in the Blood by Shirl Henke

·               A Heart So Wild by Johanna Lindsey

·               Beautiful Bad Man by Ellen O’Connell

·               Beauty and the Bounty Hunter by Lori Austin

·               Behind His Blue Eyes by Kaki Warner

·               Branded Hearts by Heather Graham (Pozzessere)

·               Brave the Wild Wind, Savage Thunder & Angel, Wyoming trilogy by Johanna

Lindsey

·               Brighter Than Gold by Cynthia Wright

·               Broken Vows by Shirl Henke

·               Captive Melody by Nadine Crenshaw

·               Capture the Sun, The Endless Sky & Sundancer, trilogy by Shirl Henke

·               Colorado Promise by Charlene Whitman

·               Comanche Moon, Comanche Heart & Indigo Blue (from the Comanche series)

by Catherine Anderson

·               Dancing on Coals by Ellen O’Connell

·               Eyes of Silver, Eyes of Gold by Ellen O’Connell

·               Fair is the Rose by Meagan McKinney

·               Fire Hawk’s Bride by Judith E. French

·               Fireblossom & Wildblossom, the Matthews duology by Cynthia Wright

·               Forever Mine by Charlene Raddon

·               From Fields of Gold by Alexandra Ripley

·               Golden Fancy by Jennifer Blake

·               Golden Lady by Shirl Henke

·               Haven’s Flame by Marie Piper

·               Heart of the West by Penelope Williamson

·               Heartbreak Creek, Colorado Dawn & Bride of the High Country by Kaki Warner

·               Her Bodyguard by E. E. Burke

·               Her Wicked Captor by Sandra Jones

·               Hummingbird by LaVyrle Spencer

·               Innocent Fire, Firestorm, Violet Fire & The Fires of Paradise (from The Bragg

Saga) by Brenda Joyce

·               Into the Light by Ellen O’Connell

·               Lavender Blue by Parris Afton Bonds

·               Lawless by Nora Roberts

·               Love a Dark Rider by Shirlee Busbee

·               Love Cherish Me by Rebecca Brandewyne

·               Love Unwilling By Shirl Henke

·               McCrory’s Lady by Shirl Henke

·               Moon Dancer by Judith E. French

·               Mountain Mistress by Nadine Crenshaw

·               Night Flame by Catherine Hart

·               Night Wind’s Woman, White Apache’s Woman & Deep as the Rivers, trilogy by

Shirl Henke

·               No Other Man, No Other Woman and No Other Love, trilogy by Shannon Drake

·               Pieces of Sky, Open Country & Chasing the Sun, the Blood Rose trilogy by Kaki

 Warner

·               Reckless Angel by Elizabeth Awbrey (aka Elizabeth Stuart)

·               Savage Ecstasy and Defiant Ecstasy by Janelle Taylor

·               Silken Savage by Catherine Hart

·               Silver Nights with You and Desert Sunrise by Sawyer Belle

·               Sing My Name by Ellen O’Connell

·               Star of the West by Cordia Byers

·               Sweet Savage Love by Rosemary Rogers

·               Tears of Gold by Laurie McBain

·               Tender Touch by Charlene Raddon

·               The Ballad of Emma O’Toole by Elizabeth Lane

·               The Bequest by Candice Proctor

·               The Darkest Heart by Brenda Joyce

·               The Double Cross by Carla Kelly

·               The Outlaw Hearts by Rebecca Brandewyne

·               The Outsider by Penelope Williamson

·               The River Nymph by Shirl Henke

·               The Tiger’s Woman by Celeste De Blasis

·               The Vintner’s Daughter by Kristen Harnisch

·               To Have and to Hold by Charlene Raddon

·               Under the Desert Moon by Marsha Canham

·               When the Splendor Falls by Laurie McBain

·               Where the Horses Run by Kaki Warner

·               Where the Wild Wind Blows by Nancy Morse

·               While Passion Sleeps by Shirlee Busbee