Monday, December 31, 2018

Review - A Christmas Revelation

Author:  Anne Perry
Series:  Christmas Stories #16
Genre:   Mystery/Thrillers
Publisher:   Ballantine Books
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:  173
Date of Publication:  November 6, 2018
My Rating:  4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:
In this intriguing, uplifting holiday mystery from bestselling author Anne Perry, an orphan boy investigates a woman's kidnapping--and discovers there's more at stake than a disappearance.

It wouldn't quite be Christmas without a holiday mystery decorated with all the Victorian trimmings as only New York Times bestselling author Anne Perry can render it. Now the tradition continues as mayhem is once again found under the mistletoe, and intrigue stalks the cobblestone streets and gaslit parlors of old London Town.


Formerly a river urchin living on the banks of the Thames, nine-year-old Worm has never experienced a family Christmas. But thanks to a job at Hester Monk's clinic in Portpool Lane, he's found a makeshift family in kindly Miss Claudine Burroughs and curmudgeonly old bookkeeper Squeaky Robinson.


When Worm witnesses the abduction of a beautiful woman by a pair of ruffians just days before Christmas, he frantically turns to Squeaky for help. A one-time brothel owner, Squeaky knows the perils of interfering in nasty business, but he can't bear to disappoint Worm--or leave the boy to attempt a rescue on his own. What neither of the would-be saviors expects, however, is that the damsel in distress already has her dilemma well in hand . . . and is taking steps to bring her captors to justice for crimes far worse than kidnapping. But the rogues, as cunning as they are deadly, are not to be underestimated. The aid of cynical old Squeaky and hopeful young Worm just might make the difference between a merry triumph over evil and a terrible yuletide tragedy.


MY THOUGHTS:

Worm is a nine-year-old boy who is an orphaned street urchin living at Portpool Lane Clinic. Worm becomes embroiled in a mystery that turns quite dangerous when he witness a beautiful woman, Eloise, being abducted. Worm goes to Squeaky, who is the clinic's bookkeeper and is also a former brothel owner.

More than familiar with seediest type of life and some nefarious people, Squeaky doesn't want to run into anyone of that sort, so he is reluctant to help Worm. As it turns out, Eloise's abduction is part of a bigger situation and the danger is real. Should Squeaky or Worm try and help the woman, things could get really ugly.

As we read the story, we learn more about Worm, and how Squeaky really is a good guy. Also, we are able to understand Eloise's situation and motives. I love the relationship between Worm and Squeaky. There is a lot of intrigue, and this was a very quick read. The story is very warm and is just a perfect read for this season. 

A Christmas Revelation is loosely connected to the William Monk series.

Many thanks to Ballantine Books and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This is my honest opinion.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR: 

Anne Perry (born Juliet Hulme) is a British historical novelist.

Juliet took the name "Anne Perry," the latter being her stepfather's surname. Her first novel, The Cater Street Hangman, was published under this name in 1979. Her works generally fall into one of several categories of genre fiction, including historical murder mysteries and detective fiction. Many of them feature a number of recurring characters, most importantly Thomas Pitt, who appeared in her first novel, and amnesiac private investigator William Monk, who first appeared in her 1990 novel The Face of a Stranger. As of 2003 she had published 47 novels, and several collections of short stories. Her story "Heroes," which first appeared the 1999 anthology Murder and Obsession, edited by Otto Penzler, won the 2001 Edgar Award for Best Short Story.


Recently she was included as an entry in Ben Peek's Twenty-Six Lies/One Truth, a novel exploring the nature of truth in literature.



Sunday, December 30, 2018

Review - The Scot's Bride

Title:   The Scot's Bride
Author:  Paula Quinn
Series:  Highland Heirs #2
Genre:   Historical Romance
Publisher:   Forever
Format:  Kindle
No. of Pages:  384
Date of Publication:  October 31, 2017
My Rating:  5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

AN IRRESISTIBLE SCOUNDREL

Highlander Patrick MacGregor likes his life just the way it is. Fighting for his coin, enjoying a woman's charms, and bearing no responsibility at all. Aye, that's the life for him. That is, until Patrick sees her-a raven-haired beauty with eyes as dark as midnight. Patrick swore never to fall in love. Not even with a lass as wild as he...especially when she's from a rival clan.

AN UNDENIABLE DESIRE

Charlotte Cunningham knows Patrick is trouble the moment she sets eyes on him. Her only goal is to escape the possibility of marriage. Any marriage. But as the summer days turn into sultry nights, enticing her beyond reason, Charlie is forced to choose between the freedom she craves and the reckless rogue she can't forget.

In the New York Times bestselling tradition of Lynsay Sands, Hannah Howell, and Karen Hawkins comes a new book in Paula Quinn's new sinfully sexy Scottish romance series.

Link to purchase the book

MY THOUGHTS:

This might just be one of my favorite historical romance stories. For one thing, I absolutely adored Patrick MacGregor, who is a Highlander. He is extremely powerful. He can fell a man - or several men - without a sword. What's more is he is extremely sensitive. For example, one of my favorite lines from this story was, "He smiled as his pitiful heart melted all over his ribs." Well, my heart melted as I read that line.

Charlotte Cunningham wields a slingshot like young David in the Bible. That is who I thought of. When Charlie spotted this huge highlander, and certainly couldn't guess his motives, she hit him with it and completely knocked him out. This allowed her brothers to tie him up and capture him. Even from the very beginning, she could sense that he was Trouble.

Both Patrick and Charlie have made their niches in life. Patrick is quite comfortable living a life free of responsibility. Conversely, Charlie is imbued with responsibility, for her sister Elsie, and for others she has taken it upon herself to defend and protect. Marriage is something that she will avoid to any extent, even though her time with Patrick raises that possibility more than once. For one thing, Charlie is grieving the loss of her first love.

So how does a pair of complete and utter opposites find love? Freedom of responsibility vs. an overload of responsibility. As much as I enjoyed both of these characters, there were other characters nearly as compelling. There is Elsie, Charlie's younger sister. There is a family in town that Charlie has come close two. All of there trials were dealt with so well that this story flowed together seamlessly. As if Patrick and Charlie, and their struggle to find love isn't enough of a challenge. Their are clan feuds going on and Patrick is forced to hid his true identity.

For a captivating story rich with warmth, love, passion, a bit of intrigue, and certainly, angst and hatred, The Scot's Bride is just the perfect read. This delectable book grabbed my attention from the very beginning and I could not put it down until I read it completely through. It is a brilliant read and makes me long for the highlands of Scotland.

The Scot's Bride is the second book in the Highland Heirs series. The following books that have been released are Highlander’s Christmas Kiss, Laird of the Black Isle and Highlander Ever After. There were previous stories in a related series, The MacGregors: Highland Heirs, that is connected to this one.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I made it! I'm finally here! My first book, Lord Of Desire, will hit the bookshelves August, 2005.

It's been a long road.

I've always loved stories. I was fortunate to have a mother who not only read to me, but made up tales of her own. My luck continued as I grew up. Fourth grade was one of my favorite years as a student. Some things you just never forget, like Sister Joseph Anne and her original stories about the adventures of Jane and Fifi at Avocado Green. I could have sat at my desk for the next ten years and listened to her.

When I was eleven I had the supreme audacity (and confidence) to submit my own masterpiece, a short story, to a science fiction house. To my disbelief and dismay, my story was rejected. Not one to be disillusioned by a mere, We're sorry, but this is CRAP, I submitted yet another manuscript, this one a full length paranormal. Rejected again. What did they know, anyway?

It didn't stop me from writing. I wrote poems, plays, and short stories. But I never submitted any of them again. They were the children of my loins! (Sure I thrived on the dramatic, but doesn't every pre-teen?) I couldn't bear having someone critique them.

An avid reader, I read The Exorcist and Jaws before the movies came out. After all, what could a producer show me on screen that could compare with my imagination?)

My favorite genre in reading was science fiction, but something was always missing. Enter my other first love. When I was fourteen I met the boy who would become my husband. By then, I was already a hopeless romantic, (I just didn't know it yet) so the poor guy didn't stand a chance. Then one day he kissed me. Aha! That's what had been missing from my library! A knee-melting, heart-accelerating kiss! I bought myself a black and white composition notebook and poured my heart out into sonnets, which I read to my sweetheart while he yawned. But who cares if I brought him close to unconsciousness? I had found my niche! Romance, ah, sweet, scintillating romance! Life made sense. I finally understood why I always had to have a Ken doll to go along with my Barbie.

Happiness. Bliss.

Then reality came a' knocking. I wrote because I loved writing. The thought of making it my career hadn't crossed my mind. (And those rejection letters tucked deep beneath my stack of journals, calling out, remember me? Remember me? Well, they didn't help either.) I had to get a job. One that paid real money. My life took a different turn, one that I affectionately call, The Joys And Why Can't You Just Put The Toilet Paper On The Roll Thingie Of Motherhood. Yes, I married my knee-melting kisser of a boyfriend and had three beautiful children and a zoo, complete with a Lhasa Apso, a Chihuahua, a brand new beautiful Cockatoo named Marley, and lots of finches, keets, and fish.

I still wrote. I happily clicked away at my keyboard, page after page, content to share my stories with my mom and my best friend before sealing each manuscript in a colorful plastic envelope and retiring it to my file cabinet. Fortunately, I took them out every so often and read them to my husband late at night, after the kids went to sleep. He never yawned, but he did fall asleep on several occasions.

But he was always my champion. (Would a romance writer marry anything less?) And he convinced me to submit my work.



Saturday, December 29, 2018

Review - Not the Duke’s Darling

Author:  Elizabeth Hoyt
Series:  Greycourt #1
Genre:   Historical Romance
Publisher:   Historical Romance
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:  468
Date of Publication:  December 18, 2018
My Rating:  3.5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:

New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Hoyt brings us the first book in her sexy and sensual Greycourt Series!

Freya de Moray is many things: a member of the secret order of Wise Women, the daughter of disgraced nobility, and a chaperone living under an assumed name. What she is not is forgiving. So when the Duke of Harlowe, the man who destroyed her brother and led to the downfall of her family, appears at the country house party she's attending, she does what any Wise Woman would do: she starts planning her revenge.

Christopher Renshaw, the Duke of Harlowe, is being blackmailed. Intent on keeping his secrets safe, he agrees to attend a house party where he will put an end to this coercion once and for all. Until he recognizes Freya, masquerading amongst the party revelers, and realizes his troubles have just begun. Freya knows all about his sins—sins he'd much rather forget. But she's also fiery, bold, and sensuous—a temptation he can't resist. When it becomes clear Freya is in grave danger, he'll risk everything to keep her safe. But first, Harlowe will have to earn Freya's trust-by whatever means necessary.

Features a bonus novella from New York Times bestselling author Grace Burrowes!

MY THOUGHTS:

Freya de Moray is a warrior woman. She has had a tragic past, and is living under an assumed name. Freya is part of a secret order of Wise Women and also serves as a chaperone for employment. She is also driven by vengeance for her brother, plotting to one day avenge the downfall her family suffered. To her great surprise, she spots the Duke of Harlowe while at a house party. Let the plotting begin.

Christopher Renshaw, the Duke of Harlowe, has some plotting of his own in mind. He is being blackmailed and he is finally planning to put an end to it. But then Harlowe’s plans are derailed when he spots Freya at the party. Freya could be Harlowe’s very undoing, in more ways than one.

Although the premise was quite interesting, especially since Harlowe’s and Freya’s paths had crossed once before, the challenges they faced in this story were a bit distracting. The history of the Wise Women, Freya’s reasons for wanting revenge against Harlowe, and her methods prevented me from being as engaged in this story as I would have liked. Also, the whole Wise Women aspect, and the related practices, when relayed, were a bit off-putting to me.

That said, there was plenty of action as well as twists and turns to keep me riveted enough to want to see whatever resolution the various circumstances could lead to. Another interesting factor was that Freya and Harlowe had to fight intense feelings for one another, especially when they had impossible situations facing them. The conclusion was satisfying, and I do look forward to the next book in this series.

Not the Duke’s Darling is the first book in the Greycourt series. The next book is When a Rogue Meets His Match, scheduled for release July 30, 2019.

Many thanks to Forever for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

b
Elizabeth Hoyt is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of historical romance, including reader favorite, The Raven Prince.

Elizabeth was born in New Orleans but grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota. She was fortunate to be able to travel extensively as a child, visiting St. Andrews, Scotland; Germany; France; and Belgium. She spent a year in Oxford, England and was a summer exchange student to Kawasaki, Japan.

Elizabeth has a BA in anthropology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison and, as a result of having no clue what to do with her life thereafter, a career history as a barista, a (terrible) sales clerk, a Wisconsin Revenue Service data entry slave, and an archeological field work grunt. Fortunately, Elizabeth married relatively young and produced two children who kept her busy until her mid-thirties. At about this time, when her youngest was entering Kindergarten, Elizabeth’s mother hinted that perhaps Elizabeth should get a Real Job.

Sadly, Elizabeth was so delusional she thought writing a romance novel might qualify as a Real Job.

But! Five years later, to everyone’s surprise, she actually sold that romance novel (The Raven Prince) and began a rather successful career as a Romance Novelist. This was most fortunate since Elizabeth is singularly unqualified to do anything else but Make Up Stories. Since then Elizabeth has written over twenty books to critical acclaim including three contemporaries under the pen name Julia Harper.

Elizabeth lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with three dogs, a garden in constant need of weeding, and the ever faithful Mr. Hoyt.




Review - The Lady is Daring

Title:   The Lady is Daring
Author:  Megan Frampton
Series:  Duke's Daughters #3
Genre:   Historical Romance
Publisher:   Avon
Format:  Kindle
No. of Pages:  352
Date of Publication:  September 25, 2018
My Rating:  4 Stars

DESCRIPTION:
Five well-bred sisters, one sensational scandal. Now the Duke of Marymount's daughter Ida is about to find love in the most unconventional way...

It was easy for society to overlook Lady Ida Howlett; they found her bookish, opinionated, and off the marriage mart. But little did they know that behind a calm exterior beats the heart of an adventuress, one who, determined to discover her runaway sister's whereabouts, steals a carriage and sets off on a daring mission. Then she discovers she's not alone! Bennett, Lord Carson, is inside, and he refuses to leave.

Lord Carson's plans had always been to find a soft, gentle wife who would run his home and raise his children. Still, he makes a bargain with Ida—he won't desert her during her mad adventure. He'll make sure she's safe, and then find a suitable lady to fall in love with. But when rules (and garments) become discarded during this long, intimate journey, it's soon clear that this surprisingly daring lady is the woman he's needed all along.



MY THOUGHTS:

Lady Ida Howlett is none too pleased to have her mother tell her that it is time for her to find a suitable mate and marry. She is hardly bride material. She is a bookworm, smart and far too opinionated to be a good choice for any man. Instead of worrying about that, there is something even more important for her to do. One day she steals away because she has always wanted to know the whereabouts of her older sister, Della. When she spots a carriage, she jumps in, fully intent on finding Della. 

Bennett, Lord Carson, is both shocked and suddenly powerless. A woman jumps into the very same carriage he has just taken refuge in. Bennett thought he was just getting away from his problems, which includes marry well in order to deal with his father’s debts, if only for a little while. He won’t leave the carriage, she will not return home. What soon begins is a remarkable journey for both Ida and Bennett. Both need to marry, they know that. However, despite the most undeniable chemistry between them, after many discussions, they know that their journey will one day end and that they both will indeed marry. But, certainly not each other. 

Ida is certain that she is in the adventure of a lifetime. But all her wit and intelligence have not prepared her for the incredibly intense way that Bennett makes her feel. Nothing she read in books prepared her for that. On the other hand, Bennett is fully aware of the effect that he and Ida have on each other. He does his best to remain a gentleman, fighting the fact that desire quickly moved to powerful feelings. 

The Lady is Daring is a sexy and exciting story. There are some humorous moments as well. This is also a very warm read. This was definitely a nice read to wrap up a lazy Saturday afternoon. 

This is the third book in The Duke’s Daughters series. I haven’t had the opportunity to read the first two stories. They are Lady Be Bad and Lady Be Reckless. The nextbook in the series is Never a Bride, which is due for release on April 30, 2019. It is obvious that Bennett was in both of the first two stories, so this series might better be enjoyed if read in order. 

Many thanks to Avon and to Edelweiss for this ARC to review. This is my honest opinion.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Megan Frampton writes historical romance under her own name and romantic women’s fiction as Megan Caldwell. She likes the color black, gin, dark-haired British men, and huge earrings, not in that order. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and kid. You can find her at meganframpton.com, at facebook.com/meganframptonbooks/, and http://www.twitter.com.meganf.




Thursday, December 27, 2018

Review - Immortal in Death

Title:  Immortal In Death
Author:  J.D. Robb
Series:  In Death #3
Genre:  Detective Fiction
Publisher:  Berkley Publishing Group
Format:  Kindle
Date of Publication: March 3, 2007
No. of pages: 324
My Rating:  5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:


She was one of the most sought-after women in the world. A top model who would stop at nothing to get what she wanted -- even another woman's man. And now she was dead, the victim of a brutal murder. Police lieutenant Eve Dallas put her professional life on the line to take the case when suspicion fell on her best friend, the other woman in the fatal love triangle. Beneath the facade of glamour, Eve found that the world of high fashion thrived on an all-consuming passion for youth and fame. One that led from the runway to the dark underworld of New York City where drugs could fulfill any desire -- for a price . . .


MY THOUGHTS:

As a police lieutenant, Eve Dallas has always been in charge. In this next book in the In Death series, we see that facade that Eve has erected crumble more than a little bit. The circumstances are extenuating for more than one reason. First of all, her wedding to the ultra-sexy Roarke is fast approaching and of all things, Eve has to go shopping! On a far deeper level, this book really delves into Eve's past and we are able to see the tragic things she experienced. However, instead of her horrific experiences destroying her, they made her into the powerful woman that she is.

And Roarke...his love for Eve holds no bounds. Instead, her strength is what makes his love for her so all-consuming. Aaaahhhh. Yeah ...

In this story, right in the middle of the wedding preparations, a viperous woman is killed. The chief subject is none other than Eve's best friend Mavis. As a reminder, in the first book in this series, Naked in Death, when Roarke was the primary suspect, Eve was absolutely confident of his innocence. She is just as certain in this case. There is no way that Mavis is a murderer.

This is only the third book and I have dozens to go. Just as in the first two, this certainly gets 5 Stars from me. There are so many reasons. First of all, there is Eve. She is sharp, beautiful, sarcastic, loyal and is really blossom as she is opening her heart to Roarke. Then there is Roarke. I need a drool bib if I am going to really talk about him. He is gorgeous, strong, his love for Eve knows is just incredible, and it certainly doesn't hurt that he is a billionaire.

For a fast-paced, thrilling story with a great mix of characters and scenarios, definitely pick this book up. The danger never lets up and the angst when it comes to Eve's memories is nothing less than heartbreaking.

As a matter of fact, run to your local library, bookstore, audiobook source or Amazon and dive into this series. If you are anything like me, you will want to keep reading. The next book in the series is Rapture in Death.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nora Roberts was born in Silver Spring, Maryland, the youngest of five children. After a school career that included some time in Catholic school and the discipline of nuns, she married young and settled in Keedysville, Maryland.
She worked briefly as a legal secretary. “I could type fast but couldn’t spell, I was the worst legal secretary ever,” she says now. After her sons were born she stayed home and tried every craft that came along. A blizzard in February 1979 forced her hand to try another creative outlet. She was snowed in with a three and six year old with no kindergarten respite in sight and a dwindling supply of chocolate.
Born into a family of readers, Nora had never known a time that she wasn’t reading or making up stories. During the now-famous blizzard, she pulled out a pencil and notebook and began to write down one of those stories. It was there that a career was born. Several manuscripts and rejections later, her first book, Irish Thoroughbred, was published by Silhouette in 1981.
Nora met her second husband, Bruce Wilder, when she hired him to build bookshelves. They were married in July 1985. Since that time, they’ve expanded their home, traveled the world and opened a bookstore together
Through the years, Nora has always been surrounded by men. Not only was she the youngest in her family, but she was also the only girl. She has raised two sons. Having spent her life surrounded by men, Ms. Roberts has a fairly good view of the workings of the male mind, which is a constant delight to her readers. It was, she’s been quoted as saying, a choice between figuring men out or running away screaming.
Nora is a member of several writers groups and has won countless awards from her colleagues and the publishing industry. Recently The New Yorker called her “America’s favorite novelist.”

Review - The Night Stalker

Title:   The Night Stalker
Author:  Robert Bryndza
Series:  Detective Erika Foster #2
Genre:   Psychological Thriller
Publisher:   Grand Central Publishing
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:  416
Date of Publication:  October 2, 2018
My Rating:  5 Stars

DESCRIPTION:
If the Night Stalker is watching, you're already dead...

In the dead of a swelteringly hot summer's night, Detective Erika Foster is called to a murder scene. The victim, a doctor, is found suffocated in bed. His wrists are bound and his eyes bulging through a clear plastic bag tied tight over his head.

A few days later, another victim is found dead, in exactly the same circumstances. As Erika and her team start digging deeper, they discover a calculated serial killer - stalking their victims before choosing the right moment to strike.

The victims are all single men, with very private lives. Why are their pasts shrouded in secrecy? And what links them to the killer?

As a heat wave descends upon London, Erika will do everything to stop the Night Stalker before the body count rises, even if it means risking her job. But the victims might not be the only ones being watched... Erika's own life could be on the line.

The global bestselling author of The Girl in the Ice is back with a heart-racing, electrifying thriller. If you love Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott and Peter James, you'll be hooked on Robert Bryndza.



MY THOUGHTS:

Anyone who has read this book will not soon forget this line from the blurb, repeated for emphasis, If the Night Stalker is watching, you're already dead...

When Detective Erika Foster approaches a gruesome murder scene, she senses that this may just be the beginning of a pattern. Her instincts are right on target, as another body is soon discovered, and it appears he has died under the exact same circumstances. Erika and her team work vigorously while striving to find out the facts, only to realize that a very calculating serial killer is at large. 

One of the very first things Erika must determine is what these dead men have in common. What’s more is that they seem to have secretive pasts. How very odd. 

The Night Stalker is a harrowing story, full of twists and turns. The deeper Erika and her team investigate, the more gruesome facts they discover. This book cleverly divides time between the investigation while also allowing readers to see into the crazed killer’s mind and motivations. 

I am reading this series in the wrong order. I read book six, and am now reading this book, so it is very interesting to learn more about Erika and her tragic past. This goes a long way as to help me to see what drives her. Learning about Erika’s devastating loss of her husband was quite difficult to read. 

One really harrowing scene results from a bone-chilling phone call Erika received. If the suspense wasn’t already top-notch, this really ratcheted this book up. This story is definitely compelling. When I was forced to take a break, I realized that I had listened to 50% of the book. During my next sit down, I devoured the rest of it. As I reached the heart-stopping conclusion, I could barely take a breath!

If I ever have a chance to gain control of my toppling TBR pile, I would definitely like to read this entire series in order. This is the second book in the Detective Erika Foster series. The first book is The Girl in the Ice. The following books are Dark Water, Last Breath, Cold Blood and Deadly Secrets, which I read and reviewed last April.

Many thanks to Grand Central Publishing and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

This book was originally released on June 2, 2016.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Hello, I’m Robert Bryndza and welcome to my website. Here you can find out all about me and my books. I’m the author of the international #1 bestseller The Girl in the Ice, which is the first in my Detective Erika Foster series, and to date, it has sold over one million copies.

The Night Stalker, Dark Water, Last Breath and Cold Blood are the second, third, fourth and fifth books in the series. The sixth book, Deadly Secrets, has just been published.

My books have sold over 2.5 million copies, and have been translated into 28 languages. In addition to writing crime fiction, I have published a bestselling series of romantic comedy novels. I am British and live in Slovakia. Be sure to check out the pages for all my books, my blog, and the ‘frequently asked questions’ page.





Wednesday, December 26, 2018

Review - Christmas with an Angel


Author:  Debbie Mason
Series:  Harmony Harbor #1.5
Genre:   Romance
Publisher:   Forever
Format:  Print ARC
No. of Pages:  54
Date of Publication:  December 6, 2016
My Rating:  4 Stars


DESCRIPTION:

It's been eight long years since Michael Gallagher has laid eyes on Shay Angel, back when he was a boy from the most prominent family in town and she was a girl from the wrong side of the tracks. But he hadn't cared about their differences - until one bad decision landed her in jail.


That was years ago and now he's back in Harmony Harbor for the holidays. So when Shay goes missing, Michael is intent on finding her - and finding out if their sizzling attraction is still there. But he's now a district attorney, and it looks like Shay is once again on the wrong side of the law. 


MY THOUGHTS:

What a delightful story. Patience Friendly is an advice columnist and steps up to the challenge  against a rival columnist per the advice of her boss Douglas McHugh. Can they create more columns than ever before without tearing each other’s throats out?

During that era, it was not common for most women to have to work to support themselves, but that is what Patience must do. What is wonderful is that she excels at her job. Douglas loves the incredible talent that Patience has. How far can her push her, however?

Although hard work is key, the two share a mutual attraction. This brief regency romance has emotion, passion and humor. Crumpets anyone? 🙂

This novella was a bonus story in Not the Duke’s Darling by Elizabeth Hoyt.

Many thanks to Forever for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion. 



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Debbie Mason is the USA Today bestselling author of the Christmas, Colorado series and Harmony Harbor series. Her books have been praised for their "likable characters, clever dialogue, and juicy plots" (RT Book Reviews). She also writes historical paranormals as Debbie Mazzuca. Her MacLeod series has received several nominations for best paranormal as well as a Holt Medallion Award of Merit. When she isn't writing or reading, Debbie enjoys spending time with her very own real-life hero, three wonderful children and son-in-law, two adorable grandbabies, and a yappy Yorkie named Bella.


Visit debbiemazzuca.com for Debbie’s Scottish Romances.