[Review] Hit Me With Your Best Scot, by Suzanne Enoch

Title: Hit Me With Your Best Scot
Series: Wild Wicked Highlanders #3
Author: Suzanne Enoch
Publisher: St. Martins Press
Number of pages: 336
Publication date: February 9th 2021

Synopsis:

The MacTaggert brothers have one task: Find English brides or lose their land!

Coll MacTaggert, Viscount Glendarril, is a big, brawny Highlander who doesn’t like being told what to do—not even by his exasperated English mother who is determined to see her eldest son wedded and bedded. However, when he comes to the rescue of an irresistibly beautiful woman, Coll discovers that he may have found his perfect match…

The challenge isn’t that Persephone Jones is famous, wealthy, independent, and smarter than anyone he knows. The problem is that she is not interested in marrying any man---especially not a hot-headed Scot—even if he is the only man who seems to understand who she really is even when she’s not sure herself. When Coll learns that Persephone is actually a lady-in-hiding and someone is willing to kill her for what she stands to inherit…Well, Coll has never been one to turn down a fight. When hearts are involved, nothing comes between a Highlander and his lady.

Review:

I received an eARC at no cost from the publisher, and I am leaving a voluntary and honest review. Thank you.

This is the last book of the Wild Wicked Highlanders series, and it brings us the story of the oldest MacTaggert brother, Coll.

Coll is a bit, like his sister Eloise likes to call him, an angry mountain. But, as most romance heroes, he has a soft heart, and is a very unselfish person.

Persephone Jones is an actress, but also more than that, and when her life is in jeopardy, Coll jumps in at the chance to help her, spend time with her, and also upset his very English mother.

What somewhat started as a pursuit of spite, turns into a lovely affair of the heart, with Coll falling in love and declaring himself to Persephone, despite his concerns regarding having here the mistress of his house, because, as he so pointedly says, “I love ye. I ken it doesn’t change a thing, you’re still an actress and I’m the oldest son of an earl (…). I have a duty, and ye have a life you’ve made for yourself. But I’ve looked for nine –weeks and longer than that in the Highlands – to find a woman with whom I’d care to spend my life, and I damned well know when I’ve found one. It’s someaught I’m willing to fight for. But not if dunnae feel the same about me.” (From Hit Me With Your Best Scot. Copyright © 2021 by Suzanne Enoch). I love this quote because it says yes, Colls loves Persephone, but he’s also giving her the opportunity to share her own feelings, no matter what they are. Because it’s only worth fighting against the world if you’re together.

We have several attempts to harm Persephone throughout the book, and I have to say, I did not see it coming until almost the end, when we found out who the person trying to harm our heroine was. Very well done plot wise.

I really enjoyed this book, it was fun to spend some time with the brothers again, and to see Lady Aldriss and Angus together for once. Maybe will get a book, or a novella about their reunion?

I also really liked that Coll admitted that Persephone absolutely loved the theatre and acting, and therefore never questioned removing her from that world after marrying her, which most of the times happens, so it was refreshing to find a hero who admitted this right away, and always said any change in profession would only be Persie’s choice.

In the end, it was an entertaining book, with a hero learning what falling in love meant for him, and what he was willing to abdicate in the name of love – because compromise, my friends is the key to a loving, happy relationship.

[Review] A Princess by Christmas, by Julia London

Title: A Princess by Christmas
Series: A Royal Wedding #3
Author: Julia London
Publisher: Mills&Boon
Number of pages: 384
Publication date: October 1st 2020

Synopsis:

A Secret. A Lie. A Revolution.

Hollis Honeycutt has written her London gazette since the death of her husband – featuring fashion plates, marriage advice, and the latest gossip in and around Mayfair. But now she feels her gazette should have more meaning, cover topics of more consequence than the latest curl cream.

The opportunity presents itself when Hollis overhears rumours of a potential coup in the Kingdom of Wesloria, a coup linked to the highest level of government in London. During her investigation Hollis spies a man with no business lurking around peace talks, and determines to expose him for the traitor he most certainly must be.

When Weslorian Marek Brendan was fifteen he was shocked to discover his heritage was not what he believed – he was whisked away from the Weslorian palace when he was born because there was fear that corrupt forces would try and kidnap him. Now he is determined to stop these corrupt forces staging a coup in his home country. Except for the beautiful woman whose questions are putting his own investigation at risk. Yet soon Marek realises that pretty Hollis can help him. But when he confides his suspicions, Hollis’s loyalties are tested and she must choose between her loyalties to her family, or her heart…

Review:

I received an eARC at no cost from the publisher, and I am leaving a voluntary and honest review. Thank you.

First of all, I have to admit it took me quite a bit of time to read this book (and if you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen a few stories about me being bored with the current book). However, I kept reading, and around the 75%, 80% mark, the book did improve.

I usually really enjoy Julia London’s writing and stories, but this series has been amiss with me (I’ve started the first one I don’t know how long ago, but since it wasn’t an ARC, I’ve put it aside to read at a different time).

I didn’t really like the heroine, Mrs Hollis Honeycutt, and I didn’t like that the author kept perpetuating this “oh corsets are bad, they squeeze you up, bla blab la” situation. If you’re interesting in knowing more about the subject, and why it’s wrong to keep saying this, check out Abby Cox, Bernadette Banner, and others on YouTube. It really annoyed me that even though we were given a curvy heroine, she was always complaining about the tight dresses, not wanting to wear a corset, and her family just kept harassing her about her extra weight. It just seemed unnecessary, and too much, too many times.

I wasn’t a fan of the heroine’s family, either. It just didn’t feel right how they treat Hollis, and how she sometimes behaved.

I actually liked Marek, even though it was hard to know him – but that was part of his charm. I felt the whole white hair/deaf situation (me trying not to spoil things!) was left unfinished, and in truth the title made me think something different would have happened.

I liked the main plot point, but boy did it drag on! It took a looong time for something to happen, which is one of the reasons why this book was just too boring for me.

At the end, it picked up the pace a bit, but that didn’t make up for everything before.

There really isn’t much more to say about the book, it wasn’t bad, it just was… boring.

[Excerpt] A Princess by Christmas, by Julia London

Today I bring you an excerpt of Julia London's new book,
A Princess by Christmas!

Title: A Princess By Christmas
Series: A Royal Wedding #3
Author: Julia London
Publisher: Mills&Boon
Number of pages: 384
Publication date: October 1st 2020

Synopsis:

A Secret. A Lie. A Revolution.

Hollis Honeycutt has written her London gazette since the death of her husband – featuring fashion plates, marriage advice, and the latest gossip in and around Mayfair. But now she feels her gazette should have more meaning, cover topics of more consequence than the latest curl cream.

The opportunity presents itself when Hollis overhears rumours of a potential coup in the Kingdom of Wesloria, a coup linked to the highest level of government in London. During her investigation Hollis spies a man with no business lurking around peace talks, and determines to expose him for the traitor he most certainly must be.

When Weslorian Marek Brendan was fifteen he was shocked to discover his heritage was not what he believed – he was whisked away from the Weslorian palace when he was born because there was fear that corrupt forces would try and kidnap him. Now he is determined to stop these corrupt forces staging a coup in his home country. Except for the beautiful woman whose questions are putting his own investigation at risk. Yet soon Marek realises that pretty Hollis can help him. But when he confides his suspicions, Hollis’s loyalties are tested and she must choose between her loyalties to her family, or her heart…

Chapter Three

He didn’t hear the woman approach him, didn’t see her until she leaned into his line of sight, which gave him such a start that he must have jumped a good foot in the air. This happened to him quite often when someone approached him from the left. He was deaf in that ear.

He recognized her right away, of course. She smiled. She had a very pretty smile that matched her very pretty face, which he had noticed earlier today. She had deep blue eyes that shone with the light of a generous spirit. Her hair was very dark, almost black. He’d once heard that the Welsh had very dark hair. He wouldn’t really know—he’d never met a Welshman in his life.

He realized, a beat too late, that she was speaking. Her voice was soft and he couldn’t quite make out what she said in the din of so many voices. He leaned forward as was his habit, his gaze on her lips. How do you do. Aha. “Very well,” he said. “Thank you.”

“I really must thank you, sir!” she said. “I was so startled earlier that I couldn’t utter a word after you saved me from all but tossing myself into the street.”

He wasn’t certain whether or not she meant she had deliberately tried to fall into the street, or if the expression was another English euphemism he didn’t understand.

“Isn’t this something?” she asked, shifting slightly closer. Now that he could see her lips, the words she spoke sounded clearer to him. “So many kings and queens and potential kings and queens in one room.”

He looked around them. The people gathered here ought to have been kings and queens, given the purpose of this event.

When he looked at her again, she smiled prettily and asked, rather loudly, even to him, “Do you speak English?”

He blinked. “I—I just spoke English to you.”

“Ah, so you did!” she said cheerfully. “You must be Weslorian. Are you Weslorian?”

Was she Weslorian? No, impossible—she had an English accent and wore no green. Why was she asking him this? Why was she asking anything at all? A dull throb of suspicion went through him.

“I spotted your patch of green,” she said, as if she was proud of this, as if it was a special talent of hers. The green was on his cuff, clearly visible. He felt conspicuous. And a wee bit duped, as if someone should have warned him this would happen, that a beautiful woman would approach him from the left and startle him. But, then again, no one had expected him to be at this tea at all, and least of all, him. He’d received an engraved invitation, addressed to Marek Brendan, at the behest, he suspected, of Lord Dromio, the minister of trade.

The woman suddenly laughed, as if he’d said something amusing. “Do you at least have a name, sir?”

He’d failed to introduce himself, he realized, and now he was a bit reluctant. There was something about her that was causing him to feel a bit vulnerable.

In the space of his hesitation, she stepped closer. He caught a whiff of lilac or rosewater—something sweet and pleasurable. “I beg your pardon, I should have introduced myself—Mrs. Honeycutt.” She held out her hand.

He hesitated, then took it, bowing over it. “A pleasure. Marek Brendan.”


From A Princess by Christmas. Copyright 2020 by Julia London and reprinted with permission from Mills&Boon.

What do you think? Are you excited to read it?
The review for this book will be published soon!

Order now!

Book Depository

About the author:
Julia London is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of more than thirty romantic fiction novels. She is the author of the popular Cabot Sisters historical series, including The Trouble with Honor, The Devil Takes a Bride, and The Scoundrel and the Debutante. She is also the author of several contemporary romances, including Homecoming Ranch, Return to Homecoming Ranch and The Perfect Homecoming.

Julia is the recipient of the RT Bookclub Award for Best Historical Romance and a six-time finalist for the prestigious RITA award for excellence in romantic fiction.

She lives in Austin, Texas.

Connect with Julia London:

Website

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Goodreads

[Review] Love Is a Rogue, by Lenora Bell

Title: Love is A Rogue
Series: Wallflowers vs. Rogues #1
Author: Lenora Bell
Publisher: Avon
Number of pages: 384
Publication date: October 27th 2020

Synopsis:

Once upon a time in Mayfair, a group of wallflowers formed a secret society with goals that had absolutely nothing to do with matrimony. Their most troublesome obstacle? Rogues!

They call her Beastly Beatrice.

Wallflower Lady Beatrice Bentley longs to remain in the wilds of Cornwall to complete her etymological dictionary. Too bad her brother's Gothic mansion is under renovation. How can she work with an annoyingly arrogant and too-handsome rogue swinging a hammer nearby?

Rogue. Scoundrel. Call him anything you like as long as you pay him.

Navy man Stamford Wright is leaving England soon, and renovating Thornhill House is just a job. It's not about the duke's bookish sister or her fiery copper hair. Or the etymology lessons the prim-yet-alluring lady insists on giving him. Or the forbidden things he'd love to teach her.

They say never mix business with pleasure. But when Beatrice and Ford aren't arguing, they're kissing.

Sometimes, temptation proves too strong to resist…even if the cost is a heart.

Review:

I received an eARC at no cost from the publisher, and I am leaving a voluntary and honest review. Thank you.

I absolutely loved this book. A hero that’s a carpenter and a heroine who is an etymologist – perfect combination!

One of the things that always makes my heart flutter is acts of service. Because acts of service mean that you’ve been paying attention to your partner (or your friend, or whoever the other person is in this situation) and it just makes me so happy that the characters listen to each other’s needs *swoon*.

This book is a bit of a Beauty and The Beast retelling, since our heroine “was born with palsy of the facial nerve caused by damage from the instruments the doctors used” (in Love is a Rogue, by Lenora Bell) during her birth, which means one side of her face does not move “normaly”, and her smile is lopsided.

Lady Beatrice Bentley, this beautiful, rich lady, who prefers a comfortable blue dress than the somewhat growing and starting to be exaggerated creations of the 1830’s, can’t help but feel the attraction to Stamford Wright, the roguish carpenter working on her brother’s estate.

I loved falling in love with Ford and Beatrice, and seeing their love develop and overcome what would be thought of as a barrier for the time, or if not a barrier, at least a strong detriment for their union.

Beatrice loves words, and she is fascinated with the words that disappear from our language, and the ones that are almost “chosen” to remain, and for Ford this is not an interest, but he becomes fascinated with how happy Beatrice is when she’s talking about writing her dictionary, and how caring he is for her and her love of books. I mean… he built her BOOKSHELVES!

Also, this book is full of feminism, sisterhood, all the things we want to see in this world. As I was reading this book, I found myself mirrored in the women of The Mayfair Ladies Knitting League, with the same wishes and desires: “Why should being female preclude me from being an entrepreneur? I say, smash down the barriers” (Love is A Rogue, by Lenora Bell). One of my favourite quotes from this book is exactly related to women (women as in anyone that identifies as female), and how we see ourselves in the world and society: “We women are all so critical of ourselves. We’re too plump, or too thin. Too tall, or too short. Our hair is too curly, or too straight. We live in a society that rewards conformity to a strict set of physical standards and an even more rigid set of rules for proper behaviour. We have these unpleasant thoughts running round and round in our minds. Wouldn’t it be revolutionary if we decided to love ourselves exactly the way we are?” (in Love is a Rogue, by Lenora Bell). Apologies for the long quote, but I loved it so much, that I remember shedding a tear when I read this. Self-love, and supporting ourselves and others, shouldn’t that be the ultimate goal?

Anyway, this book was also a love dedication to all of us readers, as I’m sure you can understand from the above mentioned love of books and words. As I was reading this book, I found myself highlighting these sentences that put into words a feeling that I’m sure most readers relate to: “But I can’t possibly read all of them [books]. It keeps me up at night sometimes, knowing that I can’t read every book I own. You should see how many books are stacked beside by bed just waiting to be read. And I don’t have the time to read them all” (in Love is A Rogue, by Lenora Bell).

Of course, this book is a romance, and the love story is the main element. But in this case, for me, it felt like there was more than ONE love story – there was the love between Beatrice and Ford, but also the love between these women supporting each other’s endeavours, and the love for words, and for your own passions!

All in all, I loved this book. It is romantic, sexy, powerful, all you want in a good book.



P.S. Make sure you read the acknowledgements at the end!

[Review] The Love Study, by Kris Ripper

Title: The Love Study
Series: --
Author: Kris Ripper
Publisher: Carina Press
Number of pages: 336
Publication date: September 29th 2020

Synopsis:

Declan has commitment issues. He’s been an office temp for literally years now, and his friends delight in telling people that he left his last boyfriend at the altar.

And that’s all true. But he’s starting to think it’s time to start working on his issues. Maybe.

When Declan meets Sidney—a popular nonbinary YouTuber with an advice show—an opportunity presents itself: as part of The Love Study, Declan will go on a series of dates arranged by Sidney and report back on how the date went in the next episode.

The dates are…sort of blah. It’s not Sidney’s fault; the folks participating are (mostly) great people, but there’s no chemistry there. Maybe Declan’s just broken.

Or maybe the problem is that the only person he’s feeling chemistry with is Sidney.

Review:

I received an eARC at no cost from the publisher, and I am leaving a voluntary and honest review. Thank you.

Although this is a 2.75* stars review, I feel like I should make a few distinctions, and mention a few things. First of all, I’m not queer/part of the LGBTQIA+ community. I do, however, have very good friends who are. Second, I feel like the story of the book and the meaning of the book almost deserve different ratings (intellectual chemistry anyone?).

For me, the best part of the book was closer to the end, when and after Declan, our main character, does this huge thing that changes his life immensely, as well as the life of Sidney, the person he was dating. And why? Because I think that’s when we had more emotion, when we actually saw who Declan was, and what he was dealing with.

The plot itself didn’t really clicked for me, I loved the chemistry between our characters, but I always felt like it was all a bit fake… Maybe that was the point? Because the end leads to that, to the question of what we want for us, for our lives, and the most important one of who we really are. No masks, no “doing what society thinks it’s right”, etc. This is the part I actually liked. So, for the questions it raised, I would probably give it a 4*. But for the enjoyment of the book… It just didn’t work for me. Maybe 2*?

I really liked the YouTube stuff, how they planned the love study, the dates, etc. It was interesting to see a project like that come to life. And it was fun to see Declan and Sidney connect. But that was about it.

I’m sure it’s a great book for many people, for me it just was a bit boring story wise, but great in pointing out the problems with society and with what society makes us feel.