The Devil's Heart by Cathy Maxwell

 

On the Cover: They call her the Unattainable. Lady Margaret Chattan spurned every suitor for her hand, vowing never to marry. The only way to break the curse plaguing her family for two centuries is this ultimate sacrifice. But now her brothers' lives are in danger. Determined to save them, she risks her very soul by traveling into the heart of the highlands to battle a force that has transcended time.

Heath Macnachtan is not superstitious. Laird of the most independent, nonconforming, madly infuriating clan ever to grace Scotland, he believes he has his hands full. And then, a woman lauded as one of the most beautiful in England, arrives on his doorstep with wild accusations and a mystical quest . . . one that just might help him discover who murdered his own brother.

But the real danger for Heath and Margaret is not a supernatural foe, but a very real love that could destroy them both.

*****

"Love well, love fully, love completely. Because in life, love is all that truly matters."

Exciting, thrilling, passionate, and romantic, this final book is a brilliant, fitting end to Cathy Maxwell’s The Chattan Curse trilogy!

I’m not normally a fan of fantasy novels, but this trilogy really worked for me. The writing is excellent, the characters compelling, the world complex… it’s everything I could ask for, and more.

If you’ve been following these books then all you need to know about this installment, other than what we're given in the book blurb, is that Margaret and Heath are the last hope of breaking the curse that was cast upon Charles Chattan and his descendants almost 200 years earlier. And if you haven’t been following this story but are interested in doing so, I strongly urge you to start at the beginning and read in order. The world building and character development is critical early on, and to miss those books would be to miss watching two beautiful love stories unfold. These happily ever afters are just too good to pass up.

The bottom line: The Devil’s Heart is a truly well told story with a great cast of characters and plenty of twists and turns that had me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out how they could possibly succeed in time. Until this trilogy I hadn't read anything by Cathy Maxwell, but you can bet I'll be reading more by this very gifted writer.

My thanks to Avon Books for providing me with a copy of The Devil's Heart in exchange for an honest review. It's been a pleasure!

To purchase the books in this series:

The Wanderer by Robyn Carr

 

 From the cover:

Nestled on the Oregon coast is a small town of rocky beaches and rugged charm. Locals love the land's unspoiled beauty. Developers see it as a potential gold mine. When newcomer Hank Cooper learns he's been left an old friend's entire beachfront property, he finds himself with a community's destiny in his hands.

Cooper has never been a man to settle in one place, and Thunder Point was supposed to be just another quick stop. But Cooper finds himself getting involved with the town. And with Sarah Dupre, a woman as complicated as she is beautiful.

With the whole town watching for his next move, Cooper has to choose between his old life and a place full of new possibilities. A place that just might be home.

*****

Robyn Carr is one of the truly great voices in contemporary romance, and fans of her Virgin River series are going to fall, and fall hard, for the people of Thunder Point.

Ms. Carr holds a special place in my heart because she's the author who introduced me to the contemporary romance genre, and while a lot of people write it, few write it as well as she does. Story after story she delivers tales of love, passion, and hope, whether growing up or growing old. The people are not just words on a page, they come alive and make me wish I were a part of their world. Neighbors or friends, families or lovers, they're everyday people with such heart and soul that I can't get enough of them.

The Wanderer is the first book in the Thunder Point series, and yet, it doesn't feel like a 'first' at all. I was immediately swept up in this community, the lives and the loves of its residents... Truly, I can't say enough good things about this wonderful story.

My thanks to Harlequin MIRA and Netgalley.com for providing me with a copy of this story for review. I enjoyed every minute of it!

Highlander Most Wanted by Maya Banks

In Highlander Most Wanted, a reclusive woman content to live in the shadows shows a Highland warrior the true meaning of love.

Genevieve McInnes is locked behind the fortified walls of McHugh Keep, captive of a cruel laird who takes great pleasure in ruining her for any other man. Yet when Bowen Montgomery storms the gates on a mission of clan warfare, Genevieve finds that her spirit is bent but not broken. Still, her path toward freedom remains uncertain. Unable to bear the shame of returning to a family that believes her dead or to abandon others at the keep to an imposing new laird, Genevieve opts for the peaceful life of an abbess. But Bowen’s rugged sensuality stirs something deep inside her that longs to be awakened by his patient, gentle caress—something warm, wicked, and tempting.

Bowen seizes his enemy’s keep, unprepared for the brooding and reclusive woman who captures his heart. He’s enchanted by her fierce determination, her unusual beauty, and her quiet, unfailing strength. But wooing her will take more than a seasoned seducer’s skill. For loving Genevieve, he discovers, means giving her back the freedom that was stolen from her—even if it means losing her forever.

 *****

Highlander Most Wanted is the second book in the Montgomerys and Armstrongs series. It picks up right on the heels of the first book, Never Seduce a Scot, and while I truly enjoyed that story, I loved this one!

This is one of those rare stories that truly is the perfect blend of romance and passion, despair and hope, trials and triumphs. It's the story of a woman whose world has been turned upside down, her heart and soul destroyed by a man so despicable, there's no doubt that he truly is evil. And the most heartbreaking trial of the story is also one of its triumphs, but I won't go into detail because I'd be giving away too much, and I wont deny you the experience of learning it for yourself. But, I will say that there were times I despised Genevieve for the same reasons I ached for her. This woman so hated, so scorned and mistreated by the McHugh clan is one of my favorite historical romance heroines ever, because despite her year in hell, they never broke her, they only made her stronger.

There were a few times I was sure I'd have to reach through the pages and throttle Bowen Montgomery! Stubborn, so devoted to his clan that I wanted to kick his man bits because I was sure he was too proud, too blind to see the truth right in front of his face... and then he'd stop, think, and realize that not everything is always as it seems. Honorable, compassionate, strong and sexy as sin, Bowen is a hero worthy of a woman like Genevieve.

The bottom line: I really can't say enough good things about Highlander Most Wanted. It's an exciting, sexy, poignant story about never giving up, never losing hope, and never turning your back on love because, in the end, love is all that matters.

My sincerest thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for allowing me a copy of this book in return for an honest review. It was such a pleasure, start to finish.

This is a graphic I put together after reading this story, but knowing I had to wait to post the review. My heart was so filled with emotions that I created a heart made of the words this story is about. I was incredibly flattered - and honored - when Ms. Banks contacted me asking if she could add it to her website. It means so much to me that it meant that much to her.

The Earl in My Bed by Sophie Jordan

The Earl in My Bed is a sweet and passionate short story, just in time for Valentine’s Day. It’s part of the Forgotten Princesses series and takes place between books two and three, though I can honestly say, it works as a standalone.

It was unspoken, but well understood, that Paget and her childhood friend, Owen, would one day marry, but with Owen off fighting a war a world away, and his older brother Jamie, the new Earl of Willingham close by, Paget starts wondering why Jamie can evoke such strong feelings in her heart, and her body, feelings she never had for Owen. After all, growing up, Jamie made it clear that she, a mere vicar's daughter, had no business associating with he and his brothers, so what is it about him, now... why is he tempting her with things she shouldn't want, things that have her questioning which brother she truly loves?

Poignant stories can be difficult to tell in novellas, but Ms. Jordan did a fine job here. Jamie and Paget are well matched, and their story is tender and heartwarming. There were times I laughed, times I sighed, times I fanned myself, and even times my heart broke for the child that Jamie was never able to be. I adored Paget for her insight and compassion, and for recognizing what made Jamie the boy he had been, the man he became, and for loving them both.

I hope to read more of this series, very soon, most especially Owen's story, which promises to be an emotional journey.

3.5/5 stars

My thanks to Avon Books for giving me the opportunity to read this sweet story, in return for an honest review.

The Duchess War by Courtney Milan

Sometimes love is an accident.

This time, it’s a strategy.

Miss Minerva Lane is a quiet, bespectacled wallflower, and she wants to keep it that way. After all, the last time she was the center of attention, it ended badly--so badly that she changed her name to escape her scandalous past. Wallflowers may not be the prettiest of blooms, but at least they don't get trampled. So when a handsome duke comes to town, the last thing she wants is his attention.

But that is precisely what she gets.

Because Robert Blaisdell, the Duke of Clermont, is not fooled. When Minnie figures out what he's up to, he realizes there is more to than her spectacles and her quiet ways. And he's determined to lay her every secret bare before she can discover his. But this time, one shy miss may prove to be more than his match…

*******

The Duchess War is the first full length novel in Courtney Milan’s Brothers Sinister series, and a story that I've been looking forward to. Having read The Governess Affair, the prequel to this story, and having read the epilogue that sets up this book, I knew that what was to come would be an wonderful, emotional read, but this... it was so much more than I had hoped for.

Let me get this said right up front. This book is brilliant. The way Ms. Milan writes historical romances, the way she uses the ridiculous social standards of the times to not only hinder her characters but to make them triumphant – yes. Brilliant.

When I first began reading historical romances, I thought things like the ton, peerage, seasons, the need to marry well… I thought they were all silly things, a bunch of hogwash made up by authors to flesh out their stories. But then, as I did more research of this on my own, I discovered that not only was it not hogwash, it was often far worse than historical romance portrays it. So when I read books like The Governess Affair and The Duchess War, and knowing that this was a reality of the times, I find I become very emotionally attached to the… lessers. The Underdogs. Those who don’t fit and will never fit regardless of the kinds of people they are. It doesn’t matter how much good they do, how many lives they might save, or how they treat others. They would never fit. And yet there were those who took up more space than they were worth, but were welcomed wherever they went… it all seemed so unfair. So hopeless.

But not the way Ms. Milan tells the story.

The Duchess War is a story of right and wrong. Of honor - and not just honor when it’s convenient. It’s being a person of high integrity, no matter the cost. It’s also a beautiful romance. And not just about discovering love and holding on to it with every single thing you are - more importantly, it’s about being worthy of that love.

Robert and Minnie are such compelling characters, and had they been real people, I would truly believe that their chance meeting was destiny giving them a hand. They’re so very opposite from one another, but alike in the ways that matter. Both flawed, emotionally scarred people who recognized that in one another, and that's what drew them together. Were they perfect? No! They were human! There were times I was angry with Robert, times I was livid with Minnie, but in the end, I came to adore them both. And that's all that matters.

The bottom line: Courtney Milan never ceases to amaze me with her stories that are witty, clever, intelligent, sexy and so very romantic. She’s one of very few auto-buy authors on my list, one of the few whose stories I am guaranteed to love, and books like those found in The Brothers Sinister series are why.

So do yourself a favor and pick up the novella, The Governess Affair and this story, The Duchess War and settle in for two of the most delightful, poignant, lovely romances you’ll likely ever read.

My sincerest thanks to Ms. Milan for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for sharing my honest thoughts with you. It was a true pleasure, start to finish.

All He Ever Desired by Shannon Stacey

 

A second shot at first love…

After college, Ryan Kowalski decided to leave Whitford, Maine, rather than watch Lauren Carpenter marry another man. Now his siblings need his help to refurbish the family-owned Northern Star Lodge and he's forced to face the past sooner rather than later when he collars a vandal—and learns the boy is Lauren's son…

The last person Lauren needs back in her life is Ryan Kowalski. With a bitter ex-husband and a moody teenage son, she has enough man trouble already. But her son needs to learn a few lessons about right and wrong, even if Lauren has to escort him to Ryan's door every day to work off his crime.

With all this close contact, Ryan and Lauren can't deny the chemistry between them is as powerful as ever. But can a few searing kisses erase their past and pave the way for a second chance at true love?

*******

All He Ever Desired is the fifth book in the Kowalski Family series and another enjoyable story. I can tell you, without hesitation, that Shannon Stacey is one of my favorite contemporary romance authors, and this series is must read for me. The stories are sweet, passionate, humorous, and often focus on valuable lessons, reminding us of what is most important in life; Love, family and integrity.

There are so many things to love about this story! Revisiting the Kowalski clan as they come together for Paige and Mitch’s wedding made for some fun times. Watching Rose and Andy grow closer – Rose’s snarky (for Rose) comments and Andy’s obvious affection for her. Meeting Lauren’s troubled teen age son, Nick, and getting a glimpse into the man he’ll become. And most especially, Ryan and Lauren, the stars of this story.

Ironically, my favorite part of this story is also my least favorite. Like the cover blurb tells us, a lot of years have passed since Ryan made Lauren an offer she was obviously able to refuse, and both moved on with their lives, though neither ever forgot the other. Circumstances have brought them together again, so with all those years behind them and nothing to stop them, they’re finally ready to take a chance on each other and see what the future might hold.

And this is why it's my favorite part: I loved how real it felt. How we watched their struggle - Ryan's to approach Lauren again after having already been shot down once. It might have been 16 years ago, but the wound she inflicted to his pride, and his heart, is still fresh. And Lauren's struggle to take a chance and allow someone into her life again, especially a man like Ryan Kowalski who makes her feel things no one, not even her ex husband, had ever made her feel.

And this is why it's my least favorite part: It's heartwarming, at times poignant and inspirational, but by the very nature of this story, it also causes some lag in the flow and pacing. Not to the point of distraction, mind you, but for me it was there and that's the only thing keeping this from being a 5 star read.

So now I'm very much looking forward to Josh's story and finding out if he can make his own dreams come true. He's been the one person holding everything together while everyone else was off following their own dreams and now it's his time to shine. And then there's Liz's story, too. That girl's had it rough and it's time that she have a chance at love, whether she realizes she wants it or not.

The bottom line: Like all the books in this series, All He Ever Desired is a romantic, steamy, funny, feel good story. The devotion to family and community gives these books that small town feel that I adore, and the characters - their lives and loves - are what keeping me coming back for more.

My thanks to netgalley.com and Carina Press for providing me with a copy of this book for review. As always, it was a pleasure.

Holiday Hideout, An Anthology

Once upon a time, a middle-aged couple named Ken and Jillian Vickers rented a cozy cottage overlooking Lake Tahoe in hopes that a weekend away would revitalize their marriage. The plan worked so well that they bought the cottage. But it was far too small to accommodate their children and grandchildren, so on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s, it sat empty.

Ken suggested renting it out for those holidays, which made financial sense to Jillian. But after several seasons, an unusual pattern emerged. Renters routinely left notes expressing their joy at either rekindling an old love or finding a new one during their stay at the cabin.

The consistent theme of the notes fascinated Ken and Jillian, both sociology professors at the University of Nevada in Reno. Perhaps the little cabin had a special effect on couples. If so, Ken and Jillian vowed to collect enough evidence to uncover its secret.…

What a fun setting for all three of the stories in this anthology. This is exactly the kind of light, magical, exciting Christmas reading I look forward to.

The Thanksgiving Fix by Vicki Lewis Thompson – 4.5 stars -

Finding Mr. Right is the furthest thing from Beth Davis's mind when the Reno professor takes Thanksgiving break at a colleague's Lake Tahoe cabin. Until Coinneach McFarland arrives to fix a suspicious leak. It looks like somebody's playing matchmaker for two people sworn to stay single. But as things heat up, Beth is astonished to find she has discovered her soul mate just as she'd given up looking.

I really enjoyed this “finding love for the first time” story. It was funny, sweet, and very hot. Mac, with his easy going, laid back attitude, and Beth, a strong, independent woman, were awesome characters. Watching as they each started questioning their self imposed ban on committed relationships was funny and heartwarming! But could they compromise, with themselves and each other, to give love a chance? You'll have to read it for yourself and find out!

The Christmas Set-Up by Jill Shalvis – 4 stars

Competing architects Zoe and Jason have two weeks to come up with the design to win a coveted new project. But when a snowstorm strands them together at a secluded cabin, Zoe sees her chance to show Jason how she really feels. With romance blooming under the mistletoe, can she get the gorgeous Scrooge into the true Christmas spirit?

While reading this story I was reminded of this passage from Corinthians: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
This was a very sweet, very sexy “love was right in front of me all along” story. Funny, heartwarming, passionate… even as I’m sitting here writing this review I’m smiling. I wonder if this story is related to any others by this author? Anyone know?

The New Year's Deal by Julie Kenner – 3.5 stars

Five years ago, Cleo Daire and Josh Goodson said goodbye and went their separate ways. But first they made a promise to reunite. Now the ex-lovers are spending New Year's Eve in a romantic cabin, where passion takes them by surprise and long-wished-for dreams can sometimes come true.

I enjoyed this “second chance” romance, but had a hard time getting into it. I couldn’t understand how they could so easily say goodbye in the first place. But once they found themselves together, in a magical cabin during a magical time of year, they couldn’t deny what was still between them.

The bottom line – Holiday Hideout is a wonderful, romantic, sexy trio of stories to warm up the holidays, and to remind us that with a little hope, a little patience and a lot of faith, anything - even falling in love - is possible!

This ebook was provided by netgalley.com in behalf of Harlequin.