A Double Deception by Joan Wolf


A Double Deception by Joan Wolf
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Historical, Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

ONE BETRAYAL SHOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH

Enchantingly lovely Laura Dalwood was little more than a girl when she was given in marriage to a man whose glittering wealth concealed a dark secret revealed to her only on her wedding night.

Now her husband’s death had freed her from that odious union—and Laura vowed never to make so grievous an error again.

But how could she reject the handsome and brilliant Mark Cheney, Earl of Dartmouth, when his proposal was one that no young woman of sense or sensibility could rightly decline?

And what could she do when, as his bride, he carried her over the threshold to allow her to discover just how much she could love a man—and then, to her distress, just how much she could fear him…

The synopsis for A Double Deception was a great advertisement that piqued my interest enough to want to pick up and read this story.

My attention was absorbed while reading this sweet romance between the hero, Mark, and the heroine, Laura. I found it easy to connect with them through their developing relationship as they discovered how to trust and love one another despite all the rumors and secrets.

Mark was serious, intelligent and, I felt, mysterious. Laura was independent, strong and compassionate. Together they made a perfect family. There was a mild suspense plot thread woven throughout the story that kept me riveted to my seat and turning those pages. I was filled with worry over Laura’s safety and the impact of this plot conflict on their relationship.

I have to be honest and confess that the first two chapters felt like information overload. I had to read the first two chapters twice to process the family history of the cast of characters that were introduced by Lady Maria. Lady Maria is actually Laura’s godmother and Mark’s aunt. It helped me to draw a family tree to visually see and help me to remember who was who. It was definitely worth persevering through the beginning of the book because when Mark and Laura did finally meet in chapter five it was if I had already knew them.

In conclusion, this was a very good book. My heartstrings were pulled, my funny bone was tickled, and my romance meter was raised. I’d definitely recommend picking this book up.

Rebellious Ward by Joan Wolf


Rebellious Ward by Joan Wolf
Publisher: Untreed Reads
Genre: Historical Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

CATRIONA WAS NO STRANGER TO SCANDAL—BUT SHE WAS AN INNOCENT IN LOVE

Only a girl as captivating as Catriona MacIan could have overcome the scandal of her birth to shine as the most sought-after young lady of the London Season.

Only a girl as daring as Catriona would have played with the fiery attentions of suitors as different as the eminently eligible, handsome and proper Lord Wareham and the notoriously worldly and wicked Marquis of Hampton.

Only a girl as stubborn as Catriona would have persisted in adoring the one man she could not have—the brilliant and iron-willed Duke of Burford, the guardian who saw her every fault and was so blind to all else…

The Rebellious Ward was ecstatically amazing. Why? It was everything to me. It even had an epilogue. I love a book that includes an epilogue. It’s like the cherry on top. It’s an imperative ingredient necessary to create a long lasting book glow.

The main characters in The Rebellious Ward are Catriona and Edmund. They actually were twelve years apart in age but Catriona was mature beyond her years. I didn’t have an issue with the age gap especially since their romance was sweet and innocent. I found their relationship to be be heartwarming, fun and entertaining. The cast of characters were well developed and relatable. I felt bad for Marquis of Hampton and would love to see him have a book of his own. I really enjoyed the guest appearance of Ian and Frances.

The writing, pace, and plot were all spot on. I can’t think of any constructive criticism of any kind regarding this novel. I loved how the story started and ended at the same scene. The book began with a prologue and consisted of twenty three chapters with a Part One and a Part two and ended with an epilogue. It all hit my feel good spots. The whole story was engaging, riveting, and original.

I’m starting to think that Joan Wolf is eclipsing all my other favorite authors. If you have never heard of Joan Wolf then I can’t impress enough to give her a chance. If you love historical romance like me then The Rebellious Ward is one I confidently recommend.

Escape from Behruz by Judy Meadows


Escape from Behruz by Judy Meadows
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full length (208 pages)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3 stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

Rashid will help Olivia and the baby escape the violence in Behruz, but he must guard his heart. He can’t risk being hurt by her again.

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Their escape involves traveling with nomads across the mountains into Iran. As they trek together by day and sleep beside each other in a tent at night, the attraction that has always drawn them to each other grows ever stronger, Can Olivia survive the trip without revealing her secrets and without losing her heart to Rashid once again?

Did this story accurately describe the locations from Behruz to the mountains into Iran? I have no idea since I’ve never been to those locations. The setting sounded authentic and aesthetically pleasing to me. Was the plot plausible or the story realistic? It was for me. I’ve never been on the run or in another country never mind a hostile one. However, from what I’ve seen on T.V. or in the movies, I thought the story was believable and entertaining.

The hero, Rashid and the heroine, Olivia, had an undeniable attraction towards each other that was tested throughout the fast paced, never-a -dull-moment plot. I had to lower the air conditioner down because of their chemistry. I was drawn to their love story and couldn’t wait to see if they took the risk to lose their hearts once again. As if the story wasn’t exciting enough we had to endure the Sultan of Behruz and his selfish manipulations.

I felt this story was more of a “how to get to from one place to another without getting caught” travelogue. My anticipation was bigger than it needed to be. Ms. Meadows missed an opportunity to engage me and keep me riveted. A case in point was how the Sultan of Behruz was portrayed. He was a man of selfish persistence. I had high expectations for the “escape” plot but it felt a bit flat. I guess it might make the story unpredictable for others but for me, I felt disappointed from the lack of surprise. There was so much potential but the story missed the mark.

Overall though, I was pleased with the happy ending and how all the plot threads were tied up. If the synopsis sounds interesting to readers as it did me, then I suggest you give it a try. I can honestly say that I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to my friends. It had enough good stuff to make it worth it.

His Highland Rose by Willa Blair


His Highland Rose by Willa Blair
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (204 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Mistflower

His Highland Heart Series Prequel
Iain Brodie is a fierce warrior and passionate lover, but to prove he’s responsible enough to follow his ailing father as the clan’s chief, he must give up the lasses and find a bride–quickly. He doesn’t expect to fall for any of the Rose chief’s three daughters, but he can’t get one out of his mind–or heart–even when he discovers she is not who she claims to be.
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Skilled rider and archer Annie Rose values her freedom. She doesn’t want to be anyone’s bride, not even deliciously and annoyingly sexy Iain Brodie’s. But her father wants an alliance with Iain’s clan and he’s chosen her to forge it. Unaware she could be sealing the fate she desperately wants to avoid, Annie falls under Iain’s seductive spell at the spring known in old tales as the fairy pool.

But when her father suddenly decides against their match, Annie discovers the love she never expected to find–with Iain. To win her, Iain must risk losing everything he values–the clan he was born to lead and even Annie, the woman he sees for who she truly is–his only love.

His Highland Rose was an easy entertaining read. I wasn’t ready for the ending when it came. It was over before I knew it. The synopsis pretty much tells the entire story so there weren’t any tense surprises or unexpected plot twists. Everything was nicely wrapped up with a happily ever after ending.

The romance between Lain Brodie and Annie was spicy and fun. Brodie’s eyes were set on Annie and no other sister would do. He just had to have her. Annie was set on never marrying so it was fun to see Annie fall under Brodie’s spell. Brodie was irresistible!

All the characters were well developed. I especially enjoyed the bond between the sisters. I know that this story is a prequel to His Highland Love which is a story about Annie’s sister Mary Catherine. I am looking forward to reading her romance with Kenneth who is Lain’s cousin. I also found the relationship between the father and his three daughters to be realistic and a bit humorous. I will say that the three sisters are quite clever. I don’t think the father really stood a chance against them, at least not when they put their heads together to achieve changing his mind.

This is my second book written by Willa Blair that I’ve read and I can say that her writing style makes for a pleasant romantic read. His Highland Rose was a simple yet fun, well-paced enjoyable read. If you haven’t read a book by Willa Blair than I’d suggest you give this one a try.