New Review: Kathryn Le Veque’s BEAST – An Arranged Marriage Neither Wants Leads to Love between a Noble Knight and His Lady

This is the 3^rd in the de Russe series. Set in 1431, it’s the story of Sir Bastien de Russe, first knight of the Duke of Bedford, who, while fighting in France, was assigned the job of guarding the captured Maid of Orleans, Joan of Arc. During the course of her captivity, they became friends. Before he death at the stake, she asks Bastian to bring her remains back to England to bury. He doesn’t do that, but he does bring back a piece of her.

The Duke of Bedford, orders Bastien to London to become the “Lord Protector” for young King Henry. For his service, Bastien receives lands, the title “baron,” and the hand of Lady Gisella le Bec. Bastien and Gisella get off to a bad beginning when Bastien shows up at the manor where she lives and she is engaged in a play he finds appalling.

While neither desires to wed, they quickly get over that and a sweet romance develops. Le Veque does an excellent job of portraying their budding romance. For all his bravado with his men, Bastien is a softy when it comes to the women in his family and, uncharacteristic of a warrior, he is comfortable showing emotion, both tears and “giggles.”

It’s a tale with many characters, some no doubt from earlier books in the series, and some historical, but it can be read as a stand alone. Le Veque develops the secondary characters well. There is much action and intrigue as the French patriots who want the part of the Maid’s remains Bastien took from France and his new wife misunderstands his feelings for the Maid.

This is a long one at 418 pages and a lot of it is taken up with medieval life, the food, the travel and the obligations of a knight serving nobility, and the relationships between Bastien and his family, all of which are well described. Le Veque places the story well in the history of the time. The ending was sweet and the epilog endearing. Fans of Le Veque’s work will love it.

The de Russe Legacy series

BLACK ANGEL

DARK KNIGHT

BEAST

New Review: Bertrice Small’s A DANGEROUS LOVE – Wonderful and Unique Historical Romance

This is the first in Small's Border Chronicles...and it's a good one. If this is your first by Small, I note that she has a very different style and tells very complex stories. But adjusting your expectations from the typical romance to embrace her unique style will reap a rich reward of plunging into a deep historical setting with well developed characters whose life experiences are realistic for the time, the late 15th century, and the place (the border between Scotland and England). 

Small uses long narratives, repeated scenes told through different characters' eyes, "head hopping" from one character's perspective to another in rapid succession when it helps her give the scene depth, and a well woven tapestry of lives for a captivating story. One has to love the "historical" part of these historical romances as Small gives you a lot of what was going on at the time, including the food they ate. But it all contributes to a rich background. Finally, you must adjust your expectations for the hero and heroine. Not all have one love and live happily ever after. Oh, there will be a happy ending, don't get me wrong, but it won't be what you expect and may not be with the hero you expected. Nevertheless, they are quite absorbing.

This first book tells of strong-willed Adair Radcliffe, the Countess of Stanton, and the "brat" (bastard daughter) of King Edward IV. During the War of the Roses, when she is six , her mother and her "adoptive" father are killed by the Lancasters, and she is taken into King Edward's household to be educated and raised in the royal nursery. At 16, she flees to her family's estate to avoid the king's plans to wed her to a Lancasterian. While she's on the run, the king marries her by proxy to a 14-year-old Tudor boy. When he shows up at her estate, Adair refuses to accept him. Just as well since he is killed by Scots.

Her second marriage is to handsome neighbor Andrew Lynbridge who served Richard, Duke of Gloucester, brother to King Edward. But Andrew is killed along with Richard, now the king, in a coup. The new Tudor king brands Adair a traitor for her husband's loyalty to King Richard and strips her of her title and property. Adair returns to her beloved home only to be taken into captivity by Scottish raiders and sold to border laird, Conal Bruce. And now begins the story of her love affair with Conal.

See what I mean about the hero changing in the story? But trust me, it works. And, that is just what happened in the lives of many women of that time. It's a well told tale with lots of twists and turns and much adventure. I highly recommend it.

Here are the Border Chronicles in order:

A Dangerous Love
The Border Lord's Bride
The Captive Heart
The Border Lord and the Lady
The Border Vixen
Bond of Passion

New Review: Kaki Warner’s MIRACLE IN NEW HOPE – Christmas in the Rockies with a Mystery and a Twist

Set in 1871, this is the story of Daniel Hobart, a furniture maker who escapes from the South to the Rockies to heal from the death of his wife and young son at the end of the Civil War. Since October he has been building a dollhouse for reasons unknown even to him. Just as he’s finished, he goes to town and gets caught in an avalanche. Buried under snow, he hears a child crying. When he’s rescued, he asks about the child he heard but he’s told there was no child. Back at his cabin, he hears the same child, this time seeing the young girl asking if he’s going to come for her—a girl who mysteriously disappears.

When Daniel learns that the beautiful young widow Lacy Ellis lost a young daughter a year ago who fits the description of the girl who appeared to him, Daniel goes looking for the child. He thinks she may have been taken with a wagon train moving west. Lacy decides to go with him, believing this may be one last chance to find her daughter. Along the way, much happens as Daniel solves the mystery and he and Lacy fall in love.

This is a well-written story that will capture you from the beginning. It definitely has elements that take it into the supernatural but they seem to fit. Warner depicts the West with the knowledge of one who has lived there and she brings the snow-laden Christmas season to the reader with enough realism to have you reaching for a sweater. Daniel is a very worthy, yet wounded hero. The ending is heartwarming.

A great holiday read--and as a novella, a short one. I recommend it.

The Winners of The Holly & The Thistle!

Thanks to all those who commented on my Favorite Heroes & Heroines list. As promised, two have won my Christmas story, The Holly & The Thistle, which one reviewer described in this way,


"One of Regan Walker's strengths as a writer of historical romance is characterization, and in this charming holiday story she excels in this regard. Lady Emily Picton, an attractive but set-in-her-ways widow was once married to a brute of a man and has vowed never to place herself again under any man's "ownership", a man who would, in her very amusing description, "put her in a sack like a rabbit" and carry her home. But she didn't wager on the strength of character of a wonderful shipbuilder Scot, William Stephen, whose path she crosses at Berry's Wine Shop. The gentleman is smitten and vows to make her his wife and take her back to Scotland. A war of wills ensues in this enjoyable romantic tale that I highly recommend for anyone who wants to get into the holiday spirit."

So, without further ado...Congratulations to Carolyn M. Hughes and Linda Thum! Your story will be on the way to you today!

Favorite Heroes & Heroines!

I have read and reviewed over 750 historical romances and in those novels that I have rated 5-stars there are some wonderful heroes and heroines…noble men who though they may have tortured pasts, flaws and all the odds against them, overcome to conquer and to love; and heroines who persist against great obstacles to be with the man to whom they would give their heart—strong, intelligent women of character.

Worthy heroes and heroines every one.

Here are my favorites--my Christmas gift to you! This just might be your next year’s reading list!

If you have a favorite among these, or another hero or heroine from a historical romance I’ve not listed, let me know! Two lucky commenters will win my Christmas short story, The Holly & The Thistle. So make sure I have your email.

Heroes

Alasdair (“Dair”) from LADY OF THE GLEN by Jennifer Roberson

Bret from WITHOUT WORDS by Ellen O’Connell

Ethan from MOOD INDIGO by Parris Afton Bonds

Sean from STORMFIRE by Christine Monson

Domenico from THE SILVER DEVIL by Teresa Denys

Felipe Tristan from THE FLESH AND THE DEVIL by Teresa Denys

Fulke from THE OUTLAW KNIGHT by Elizabeth Chadwick

Roger from LADY OF FIRE by Anita Mills

Alex from BRIDE OF THE MACHUGH by Jan Cox Speas

Tade from NIGHTWYLDE by Kimberleigh Caitlin (Kimberly Cates)

Devon from THE WINDFLOWER by Laura London

Gabriel from BROKEN WING by Judith James

Gannon from ON A HIGHLAND SHORE by Kathleen Givens

Alex from KILGANNON by Kathleen Givens

Cord from EYES OF SILVER, EYES OF GOLD by Ellen O’Connell
Anthony from DEVIL'S EMBRACE by Catherine Coulter

Trevor from LIONS AND LACE by Meagan McKinney

Simon from ACROSS A MOONLIT SEA by Marsha Canham

Ethan from IF YOU DECEIVE by Kresley Cole

Derek from THE CAPTAIN OF ALL PLEASURES by Kresley Cole

Rory from BROKEN VOWS by Shirl Henke

Simon from THE DRAGON AND THE JEWEL by Virginia Henley

Shane from THE HAWK AND THE DOVE by Virginia Henley

Christian from DECEPTIVE HEART by Maureen Kurr

Drake from PIRATE’S ANGEL by Marsha Bauer

Adrian from THE BLACK HAWK by Joanna Bourne

Cougar from MOUNTAIN MISTRESS by Nadine Crenshaw

Derek from INNOCENT FIRE by Brenda Joyce

Johnny from THE OUTSIDER by Penelope Williamson

Julian from THE DUKE OF SHADOWS by Meredith Duran

Wolf from LOVE, CHERISH ME by Rebecca Brandewyne

Jesse from ONE WORE BLUE by Heather Graham

Zack from HEART OF THE WEST by Penelope Williamson

Shay from THE PASSIONS OF EMMA by Penelope Williamson

McCady from ONCE IN A BLUE MOON by Penelope Williamson

Jamie from OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon

Brandon from THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER by Kathleen Woodiwiss

Callum from LAIRD OF THE MIST by Paula Quinn

Lucas from WHISPERS OF HEAVEN by Candice Proctor

Daegan from RAELIKSEN by Renee Vincent

Roc from A PIRATE’S PLEASURE by Heather Graham

Francis from HEARTSTORM by Elizabeth Stuart

Heroines

Cat from LADY OF THE GLEN by Jennifer Roberson

Briar from SLEEP IN THE WOODS by Dorothy Eden

Lysistrata from RANGOON by Christine Monson

Catherine from STORMFIRE by Christine Monson

Juana from THE FLESH AND THE DEVIL by Teresa Denys

Felicia from THE SILVER DEVIL by Teresa Denys

Lissa from WHEN ANGELS FALL by Meagan McKinney

Jamelyn from SILK AND STEEL by Cordia Byers

Eleanor from LADY OF FIRE by Anita Mills

Elspeth from BRIDE OF THE MACHUGH by Jan Cox Speas

Sarah from BROKEN WING by Judith James

Fallon from PRINCESS OF FIRE by Heather Graham

Mary from KILGANNON by Kathleen Givens

Katherine from DANCING ON COALS by Ellen O’Connell

Anne from EYES OF SILVER, EYES OF GOLD by Ellen O’Connell

Kayleigh from MY WICKED ENCHANTRESS by Meagan McKinney

Cassie from DEVIL’S EMBRACE by Catherine Coulter

Isabeau from ACROSS A MOONLIT SEA by Marsha Canham

Maddy from IF YOU DECEIVE by Kresley Cole

Nicole from THE CAPTAIN OF ALL PLEASURES by Kresley Cole

Darcy from BEYOND THE CLIFFS OF KERRY by Amanda Hughes

Lauren from THE PRIDE OF THE KING by Amanda Hughes

Scarlett from SCARLETT by Alexandra Ripley

Eleanor from THE DRAGON AND THE JEWEL by Virginia Henley

Sara from THE HAWK AND THE DOVE by Virginia Henley

Summer from THE PIRATE AND THE PAGAN by Virginia Henley

Justine from THE BLACK HAWK by Joanna Bourne

Flame from MOUNTAIN MISTRESS by Nadine Crenshaw

Maggie from THE BORDER VIXEN by Bertrice Small

Clementine from HEART OF THE WEST by Penelope Williamson

Emma from THE PASSIONS OF EMMA by Penelope Williamson

Jessalyn from ONCE IN A BLUE MOON by Penelope Williamson

Heather from THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER by Kathleen Woodiwiss

Shanna from SHANNA by Kathleen Woodiwiss

Aislinn from THE WOLF AND THE DOVE by Kathleen Woodiwiss

Jessie from WHISPERS OF HEAVEN by Candice Proctor

Whitney from THE PARADISE BARGAIN by Betina Krahn

Skye from A PIRATE’S PLEASURE by Heather Graham

Katherine from THE GAME by Brenda Joyce

New Review: Paula Quinn’s THE WICKED WAYS OF ALEXANDER KIDD – A 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

New Review: Meagan McKinney’s MY WICKED ENCHANTRESS – Scottish Heroine, Alpha Male Hero and a Superb Love Story!

Another great page-turner from McKinney, this was her second book, first published in 1988. It was a finalist for the Romance Writers of America’s Gold Medallion award (now called the RITA).

Set in 18th century Scotland, New Orleans and Georgia, it tells the story of Kayleigh Kerr, who was raised in Mhor Castle near Inverness until the day tragedy struck and her life of affluent nobility was taken away. Escaping to America and the slums of New Orleans, she dresses in rags. To survive, she becomes a cutpurse named “Kestral.” Her only dream is of returning to Scotland and having revenge on her evil cousin Straught who took her life from her. But when she tries to steal from the darkly handsome St. Bride Ferringer, who has just arrived on a ship from France, she finds a man to be reckoned with. St. Bride is really the Duke of Lansdowne in disguise, secretly plotting his own revenge, not coincidentally against the same cousin who has followed Kayleigh to America.

I love a heroine who is beaten down by life but never gives in and holds her head high as she sticks to her principles and her virtue, even if the whole world assumes she’s a whore. And who doesn’t love a hero who recognizes a diamond in the rough…or rather, a diamond sullied by misfortune? The wild and beautiful Kayleigh becomes St. Bride’s obsession and his constant distraction. Love the names and the emotions McKinney gives her characters.

This is suspenseful storytelling at its best; and I recommend it. (The cover does nothing for this wonderful tale...)

New Review: Nadine Crenshaw’s MOUNTAIN MISTRESS – Captivating Western Historical from the American Frontier—a Keeper!

This was Nadine Crenshaw’s first book and it won the Golden Heart Award in 1987. It was her first novel yet it compete wells with anything out there in romance today. Her writing is superb. Her story captivates—it’s a real page-turner, a keeper. And may I add, the hero is one of my favorites.

It is an all consuming, passionate story of the relationship between a Scottish mountain man the Indians call “Waiting Cougar,” who takes an unwilling “winter squaw”—one he bought with beaver pelts from the Blackfeet Indians who captured her in a raid. Innocent, young Victorine Wellesley, with pale blonde hair and blue eyes, was raised in Philadelphia in the parlor rooms of elegant homes only to be forced to leave when her father died and her foolish brother took her west. Almost raped by the Blackfeet Indians who killed her brother and his wife, she is “rescued” by Cougar and forced to travel with him high into the Bitterroot Mountains—and to warm his bed of furs for the winter. He calls her “wife,” but she knows better. She is not a real wife, she’s only a “mountain mistress.”

Victorine, who Cougar names “Flame,” feels her identity slipping away as she begins to dress like a squaw, her beautiful fair skin turns brown from the sun, and she falls victim to the passion he seems to draw from her at his will. You will be inspired by this heroine as her courage rises to every challenge (and there are many in the wild mountains).

As she has with all her subsequent romances, Crenshaw draws you into her story and into Victorine’s mind from the beginning. You can literally feel the anger and frustration rise in you as your sympathy for Victorine (“Flame”) grows with each day of the long journey into the mountains. She wants her freedom but she cannot resist the man who has led her into this life. Since she knows nothing of surviving in a wilderness, she is well and truly trapped.

Crenshaw accurately presents the essence of the era (the 19th century American frontier), even the nuances in speech. She has the place names, history and Indian culture (Blackfeet and Salish) just right. In fact, she has it ALL just right. It is such a good story!! I highly recommend it.

Nadine Crenshaw wrote more books after this one and I recommend them all:

CAPTIVE MELODY
EDIN’S EMBRACE
SPELLBOUND
DESTINY AND DESIRE
THE HIGHWAYMAN
VIKING GOLD
FIELDS OF THE SUN

New Review: Ellen O’Connell’s WITHOUT WORDS – Fall in Love with a Bounty Hunter!

Set in 1871, beginning in Missouri, this is the story of Hassie Petty who just put her husband in his grave when bounty hunter Bret Sterling shows up to kill her stepson, a thief and a murderer wanted by the Army. Realizing Hassie has no food and is likely starving, Bret takes her with him when he leaves.

Both Bret and Hassie have been hurt in the past. Bret paid for his choice to fight for the North in the Civil War. His Southern family will take the bounty money he sends home but deprives him of his place as the eldest and heir. Due to an injury to her neck, Hassie cannot speak above a whisper, and when she does, no one understands her. No one save for Bret who seems to know what she is saying “without words.”

O’Connell knows how to serve up a magnetic hunk of a hero. Bret is a tough bounty hunter of noble character with a good heart. He even saves a half starved dog from a man who would take its life. A man who can shoot like he can but still has a soft spot for a girl who can’t speak and her dog (not to mention a horse passed its prime) is a man we can love. And Hassie, who is beautiful and has suffered the lustful advances of men, tries hard to please her savior. Along the way, a marriage of convenience turns into love. It’s a wonderful story of second chances, of love that wipes away bad memories.

O’Connell brings the West to life in this fast paced story as Bret and Hassie travel from Missouri to Wyoming in his search for wanted criminals, Hassie his partner in bringing them in. Rich in detail, great characters, exciting action, it’s a story that will warm your heart. The end scenes take place at Christmas so it’s a great holiday read.

Superb storytelling, highly recommended.

New Review: Meredith Duran’s FOOL ME TWICE – Unusual Victorian Romance with a Deranged Duke

If, like me, you discovered Meredith Duran with her first novel, DUKE OF SHADOWS, and loved it and gobbled up her next ones, just know this one, book 2 in the Rules for the Reckless series (and perhaps the entire series) is quite different. Not so much historical, and not even a good glimpse of London.

Set in 1885, much of the story takes place in the home of Alastair de Grey, Duke of Marwick where the heroine, Olivia Mather takes the position as housekeeper to surreptitiously search through the duke’s papers for information on her family. (You don’t find out until near the end why.)

Alastair is bitter (some say deranged) because his wife betrayed him with four other men before dying of an opium overdose. He has forgone his role as a leader in Parliament to sulk in his bedchamber and focus on his revenge. While he seems bent on self-destruction and revenge, his new housekeeper seems intent on saving him from himself.

Duran’s writing is superb as always and her dialog witty. She is simply a great writer. The heroine has a lot of spunk and I liked her, though her mission was often vague. The hero, however, was just odd. I suppose an unfaithful wife could send a man into a tailspin but total self-destruction and planned murder of four peers? That seemed a bit over the top. Of course, he backs off of that, but still…

I found the beginning hard to get into and the setting in one house a bit confining. (Olivia doesn’t even get out of the house until after the first 150 pages.) When the duke finally comes out of his cave and Olivia is gone from his house, things get interesting. The action is exciting, the sexual tension intense and the story unfolds.

I recommend it but it’s not for everyone.

Rules for the Reckless series (the novels):

THAT SCANDALOUS SUMMER
FOOL ME TWICE
LADY BE GOOD
LUCK BE A LADY

The winner of Regan's book...

Thanks to all who commented on my Top 20 Historical Romances list yesterday...I loved hearing your favorite titles and some are now on my "to read" list.

And now to the winner. Congratulations, Elizabeth! You have won your choice of my own books. I'll be in touch with you to get your choice.

Later this month there will be a chance to win one of my Christmas stories when I post my Favorite Heroes & Heroines List so do come back!

My Top 20 Historical Romances

I am frequently asked what are my favorite historical romances. That’s a long list, as you know from my “best lists.” There are currently 100 5-Star romances on my "Favorite Keepers" shelf on Goodreads. But since you asked, I'm giving you my current top 20. Some are from new authors; some from authors who lived decades ago. The list changes each year.

These stories are the ones that have stayed with me, the ones I want to re-read, the ones I can’t forget. They are all keepers and rated 5 stars. Their heroes and heroines grace my Favorite Heroes and Heroines list I’ll post later this month. It’s no coincidence that they are written by some of my favorite authors.

I'd love to know your all time favorite historical romance. One lucky commenter will have the choice of my own eBooks, so make sure I have your email.

1.     Bride of the MacHugh by Jan Cox Speas

2.     The Silver Devil by Teresa Denys

3.     Once in a Blue Moon by Penelope Williamson

4.     The Passions of Emma by Penelope Williamson

5.     The Windflower by Laura London (aka Sharon & Tom Curtis)

6.     The Dragon and the Jewel by Virginia Henley

7.     Lady of the Glen by Jennifer Roberson

8.     Heartstorm by Elizabeth Stuart

9.     Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss

10.  Whispers of Heaven by Candice Proctor

11.  The Wind Dancer by Iris Johansen

12.  The Pride of Lions by Marsha Canham

13.  Moonstruck Madness by Laurie McBain

14.  Kilgannon by Kathleen Givens

15.  The Captain of All Pleasures by Kresley Cole

16.  Dancing On Coals by Ellen O’Connell

17.  Beyond the Cliffs of Kerry by Amanda Hughes

18.  Nightwylde by Kimberleigh Caitlin (aka Kimberly Cates)

19.  Mountain Mistress by Nadine Crenshaw

20.  Princess of Fire by Shannon Drake (aka Heather Graham)

New Review: Joanna Bourne’s ROGUE SPY – Brilliant Sexy Spy Adventure!

Another great spy romance from RITA winning Joanna Bourne. This story opens in 1802 as Camille Leyland (“Cami” – also known as Vérité), a French spy who for the last 10 years has pretended to be British and the niece of two eccentric female code breakers (“the Fluffy Aunts”) receives a letter that tells her she’s been discovered. At the same time, Thomas Paxton, an “infamous French spy” (also known as Devoir), who as a lad named “Pax” served the British agents in London before he turned traitor, returns to London to confess.

Neither Cami nor Pax initially recognizes the other, even though they were friends as children in Paris where they were trained to be part of the Caché, a network of French spies during the Revolution. There, Pax led the other children and was close to Cami.

Cami is determined to escape both Pax and the man she calls Mr. Smith who is blackmailing her—he wants a certain code in exchange for an insipid young woman he claims is the real Camille, whose place Cami took 10 years ago, a woman Cami thought the French had killed. Pax knows the man, called “the Merchant,” a fanatical supporter of the Revolution, and Pax plans to kill him.

This is a great spy story and a sensual love story—possibly Bourne’s best yet. There are many threads, many disguises (neither Cami nor Pax is French) and some suspenseful action leading to a brilliant ending. The descriptions are vivid, the dialog splendid and the characters richly drawn.

All the old Meeks Street British Service regulars are back: Doyle, Hawker and Galba (head of Service). The Baldoni family, introduced in this book, is a treasure. A nice touch, which I thoroughly enjoyed, was the inclusion of the Baldoni family’s sayings. One of my favorites was, “Malevolence is sold at a bargain. One pays full price for stupidity.”

You will love this one, I promise.

The series so far—all recommended:

MY LORD AND SPYMASTER (London 1811)
THE SPYMASTER’S LADY (France and England 1802)
THE FORBIDDEN ROSE (France 1794)
THE BLACK HAWK (Paris, beginning in 1794 (seen in flashbacks) and London 1818)
ROGUE SPY (England, 1802)

I recommend reading THE FORBIDDEN ROSE first, as it’s something of a prequel to the others. BLACK HAWK jumps around quite a bit (1818 to 1794 to 1797 to 1818 to 1802 to 1818) and Hawker’s story is told after ROGUE SPY, so you might want to read the series in this order:

THE FORBIDDEN ROSE (France 1794)
THE SPYMASTER’S LADY (France and England 1802)
ROGUE SPY (England, 1802)
MY LORD AND SPYMASTER (London 1811)
THE BLACK HAWK (Paris, beginning in 1794—seen in flashbacks—and London 1818)

New Review: Jennifer Roberson’s LADY OF THE GLEN – Superb Storytelling and a Keeper—a Highland Love that endures the Massacre of Glencoe!

I absolutely loved this story—a keeper, now ensconced on my “to read again” shelf. It has everything I love in a Scottish historical romance: an epic love story, a noble hero, a strong heroine, real history, attention to detail and enough suspense and drama to draw me in. Even the music of the Highlands is included. I could hear the pipes and their mournful sound as Roberson described them.

The story begins in 1682 when Catriona (“Cat”) Campbell first encounters Alasdair (“Dair”) Og MacDonald. She is an awkward, uncomely girl raised like one of her brothers by her druken father, but Dair pays her a compliment when no one else does, telling her that she has “bonnie eyes…all bluey-green and bright. The sort of eyes a Highlander likes to come home to.” How could Cat ever forget him after that? Not even though he is one of the dreaded MacDonalds, the enemies of clan Campbell, could she fail to harbor a tenderness for him.

Much happens in this intricately woven tale that spans a decade. It’s the time when King James was exiled to France and William and Mary ruled England. Some of the characters were real, historic figures. The Scots battle each other as much as the English. Grey John Campbell, Earl of Breadalbane seeks to be the power behind the throne and he thinks it is William who will sit in that throne. He exerts his influence to unite the clans, pretending to support King Jamie, while planning on serving the Highland clans up on a silver platter to William. The clans don’t trust him but the lairds have little choice, seeing the English Ft. William erected as a symbol of their dominance.

Famous battles like Killiecrankie are vividly described as Dair fights with the MacDonalds of Glencoe and the Stewarts of Appin. Both the MacDonalds and the Campbell’s kill each other’s young men caught reeving cattle, and Dair saves Cat from harm, and she saves his life. All this while another woman shares Dair’s bed. Then Cat’s father agrees to wed her to the Earl of Breadalbane’s son, Duncan Campbell in exchange for money to pay his many debts.

Battle of Killiecrankie

Perhaps the most intense moment is the Massacre of Glencoe when the Campbells, joined with the treachery of the English, including the king, murder nearly the entire clan of MacDonalds without provocation. The massacre of Glencoe is still remembered to this day it was such great perfidy on the part of the Campbells and England. A very sad chapter in Scotland’s history. As Roberson says of Glencoe, “’Tis a glen of sorrows, an empty place of blood and broken stone, of charred timber and burial cairns.”

Glencoe, glen of beauty, glen of sorrows

I did not want to put this one down. The author truly captured the heart of the Highlands and the characters she vividly portrayed brought to life one of the most incredible periods of Scotland’s history.

If you love Scotland and real Highlander romance—the deep ones, the keepers—you will love this book! Highly recommended. It’s going on my Top 20 list.

New Review: Virginia Henley’s THE HAWK AND THE DOVE - A Privateer to Love, a Sea Hawk, and a fiercely independent Irish lass...oh yes!

I love Henley's storytelling, her attention to historic detail and her ability to weave a captivating tale. This one is no different. The story is set in 1586, when Queen Elizabeth ruled England and her sea hawks ruled the seas, robbing the Spanish fleet to fill her coffers. Captain Shane Hawkhurst was Queen Bess' favorite. She named him “the sea god.” He was, in fact, not the son of Lord Hawkhurst, but the son of an Irishman named O'Neill, the Earl of Tyrone. But his English father claimed him as heir, and when Shane’s father died, Shane became Lord Hawkhurst.

Shane had promised his father he would marry, and to stave off Queen Bess' jealousy and because he did not really want a wife, he had his solicitor find a country lass who had some land in Ireland he wanted and married her by proxy. Little did he know his new wife was the red-haired Irish vixen, Sara Bishop, referred to by her jealous half siblings as "Sabre Wilde" after her dead father and his sword. Shane planned to have his brother Matthew take Sara to one of his estates and dump her there, never wishing to meet her. Ah, but Sara—as Sabre—has a different plan. She intends to go to Court and seduce her husband and become his mistress, making him her love slave and having her revenge.

Classic cover

You have to love this heroine. She is fiercely independent, courageous, feisty and smart. Just the woman to tame a wild man like Shane Hawkhurst. And Shane is a man worthy of taming. Both have Irish blood running through their veins--at a time when Queen Elizabeth feared the rebellious Irish. So the sparks fly continuously. It’s one of the things Henley does so well—excellent characters and a plot with great twists and turns!

Henley’s love scenes are unique and fit the people and the story, so very well done, very sexy and not contrived. It is so worth it to dive into one of her complex, winsome tales.

In addition to wonderful characters, a great plot and interesting history, she has included some great one-liners. One of my favorites was: "...to be Irish is to know the world will break your heart before you are thirty." So true.

Get this one; you won't regret it!

New Review: Penelope Williamson’s ONCE IN A BLUE MOON - Heart Rending Story of a Truly Great Love!

If you've read KEEPER OF THE DREAM, you're already a fan of Penelope Williamson. ONCE IN A BLUE MOON, which was her next book is equally wonderful—and it’s one of my Top 20. It's the story of unrequited love that refuses to die no matter the tests it must endure. And nobody does unrequited love like Williamson.

The story was inspired by the love of Williamson’s grandparents who were kept apart for 6 years, but then came together to love for another 65 years. Here’s what she had to say about them (get out the Kleenex):

“It was in 1902 that Elizabeth and Peter first met and fell in love. But Elizabeth’s father forbade the match for six long years, until Peter could prove himself good enough for his daughter. Together at last, they had nine children and sixty-five wonderful years as husband and wife. They died in their nineties, within two years of each other, as much in love as they had always been. A love that wouldn’t give up…”

The story of ONCE IN A BLUE MOON begins in 1815 when Jessalyn Letty is 16—a wild flame haired girl raised by her grandmother on the Cornish highlands above the sea, a young woman of character with a brave heart that never varies throughout the story. I loved her for that.

While Jessalyn is still a tall gawky teenager, she meets McCady Trelawny, then in his early 20s, and youngest brother of the infamous Trelawny noblemen, known for living lives of debauchery and dying young and in debt. McCady was wounded while becoming a war hero defeating Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. He returns home to Cornwall with a vision for a steam locomotive that can carry passengers, but he’s too poor to invest much in the idea. His cousin, Clarence, who could be his illegitimate half brother, joins McCady in the venture, but stands in McCady's shadow, determined to one day gain great wealth that will bring him the status he craves and the woman he wants—Jessalyn.

But once Jessalyn meets McCady, her heart is lost forever to the handsome dark haired rogue. And McCady wants Jessalyn but he is too poor to have her and too honorable to take what he knows she would give. Jessalyn’s love will be tested by years of separation and so much more.

This is a compelling, well-told tale with many twists and turns, all woven in with great characters and details set against the beauty of Cornwall. You will feel like you're living it. You will laugh at Jessalyn’s 16 year old antics, and you will cry as you endure her years of loving and losing McCady.

You simply must read this one. Trust me, you won't be disappointed! It’s a 5 star novel from the queen of unrequited love.

It's Christmastime on my blog!...starting with The Twelfth Night Wager! and The Holly & The Thistle!

Looking for a story that will put you in the mood for Christmas? And perhaps the traditions from a simpler time? Then I have two for you from Regency England!

THE REDHEADED RAKE, THE INNOCENT WIDOW

It was a dull day at White’s, the day Christopher St. Ives, Viscount Eustace agreed to the wager: seduce bed and walk away from the lovely Lady Leisterfield, all by Twelfth Night. This holiday season, Christopher planned to give himself a gift.

Here's what the reviewers say:

"...a sweet sexy sugar cookie of a title." --Library Journal

"A handsome rake, a virtuous widow, and a scandalous holiday wager. I loved the chase!” --National bestselling author and RITA Award–winner Kaki Warner

"Loved the sizzling attraction between these two and the little Christmas magic that bought the two together. The Twelfth Night Wager had everything I could ask for. Wonderful romance, likeable characters, and a sweet storyline!" --Lilly Pond Reads

"A delightful novella that is best served with a warm drink and a smile on your face." --Amazon reviewer

"This delightful Regency romance really packs a punch! I really loved this story! By the way, in this story you'll meet some of the characters in Ms. Walker's Agents of the Crown trilogy...and I highly recommend it." --Amazon reviewer

“…a beautiful story filled with a little mystery, a little fun and A LOT of romance." --The Reading Cafe

Here's a short snippet:

THE RACE BEGINS

Eustace slowed the horses and guided the phaeton to the side of the path. Holding the reins in one hand, he turned to face to her. His eyes seemed to glow in the dim light.
“I never would have thought the serene Lady Leisterfield would be so stimulated by a ride in the park. You are flushed and your eyes bright. I do think you enjoyed our dash through the Row.”
“Yes, I quite liked it,” Grace said, breathless. “Though you must admit, the ride was more like a race.”
He looked at her lips and then her neck. “I can see your pulse jumping. Perhaps you like to race as much as I do.”
Grace wondered if he was still speaking of horses or something else. Her heart sped as he leaned toward her and brushed his lips across hers. After only a moment, she pulled back.
“Too soon?” he asked.
“That question implies such is inevitable, my lord. I can assure you it is not.”

And then, to find out what happens to Lady Emily Picton (a secondary character) and how she falls in love with a Highlander, there's The Holly & The Thistle.

"...a wonderful addition to any romance lover's collection and in this reviewer's humble opinion, goes best with some chocolates and a nice glass of wine." --Breath of Life Reviews

From a 5 Star review on Amazon:

"One of Regan Walker's strengths as a writer of historical romance is characterization, and in this charming holiday story she excels in this regard. Lady Emily Picton, an attractive but set-in-her-ways widow was once married to a brute of a man and has vowed never to place herself again under any man's "ownership", a man who would, in her very amusing description, "put her in a sack like a rabbit" and carry her home. But she didn't wager on the strength of character of a wonderful shipbuilder Scot, William Stephen, whose path she crosses at Berry's Wine Shop. The gentleman is smitten and vows to make her his wife and take her back to Scotland. A war of wills ensues in this enjoyable romantic tale that I highly recommend for anyone who wants to get into the holiday spirit."

I wish you all a wonderful holiday season. Stay tuned to my blog as I share my favorite heroes and heroines and my Top 20 list!