Reviews - - Close to Home and Home at Last

Close to Home

By Lily Everett

Publisher: St. Martin’s

Release Date: February 7, 2017

Reviewed by Janga

 

Johnny Alexander completed an eighteen-month deep undercover assignment for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms scarred by the experience and still on edge from the danger, but eager to see his wife Theresa. Instead of the anticipated reunion, however, he is given a Dear Johnny letter and divorce papers.  The letter tells him that Terri, although grateful for all he has done for her and with no regrets for their years together, believes they both deserve more than their marriage offers them. Johnny’s only thought is to find Terri and make sure she is safe. His ATF handler agrees to give Johnny the information he needs if Johnny, who has been resistant to the idea of talking to a psychologist, agrees to therapy. Both Theresa and the therapy can be found on Sanctuary Island.

At seventeen, Theresa Mulligan fled the religious commune where she was raised, determined to somehow find the medical help her rigidly patriarchal father refused to allow her to receive. Twenty-two-year-old Johnny Alexander found her hiding in a barn. He has his own, deeply rooted reasons for needing to save her, and he offers to marry her so that she will have health insurance to pay for medical care. For eight years, she is Johnny’s wife in name only. Between his military service and later his duties as an ATF agent, the two spend limited time together, but during that time, Terri remains as untouched as she was at seventeen. Leaving Johnny and striking out on her own was not an easy decision, but it was a necessary one. In the year she has lived on Sanctuary Island, Theresa Alexander has forged a new identity for herself. She has a new hairstyle, a job she loves at Patty Cakes bakery, and a new name--Tessa Alexander. Tessa has become part of the Sanctuary Island community, and as much as she loves Johnny, she has no interest in returning to the life they have shared.  

Johnny may be surprised by the changes that have taken place in his wife, but they do not affect his commitment to her or his determination to preserve their marriage. Tessa’s love for Johnny has never been in question. So, when he proposes couples therapy, Tessa agrees. But someone is determined to destroy their chance for happiness.

Close to Home is the fifth book in Everett’s Sanctuary Island series, but it is only loosely connected to the earlier books and can easily be read as a standalone. The marriage-in-trouble trope is one of my favorite tropes, and this book offers an interesting twist on it. I admit that I am skeptical of the virgin bride in contemporary romance—especially after eight years of marriage—but Everett makes Tessa’s innocence plausible by revealing the damage Tessa and Johnny have suffered, their youth at the time of their marriage, and all the time they spent apart due to Johnny’s career choices. I was invested in these characters and rooting for their HEA, but I would have been happier to have seen more complexity in their emotional growth rather than the suspense thread, which, despite the interesting twist, held little appeal for me.

There is a secondary romance involving two natives of the island, Marcus Beckett and Quinn Harper, to which I had mixed reactions. I am intrigued by the characters and their relationship, which will be further explored in Home at Last (March 7, 2017). At the same time, I felt that Marcus and Quinn’s relationship was sometimes distracting when I wanted to see more of Tessa and Johnny.

If you have read earlier Sanctuary Island novels, I think you will enjoy another visit to the community. If you are a fan of second-chance-at-love stories, this one provides a different take on that popular trope even as it offers another example of why Sanctuary Island deserves its name. I don’t think this is the best book in the series, but it is a heartwarming read that is an enjoyable, if imperfect, addition to a solid series.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Home at Last

By Lily Everett

Publisher: St. Martin’s

Release Date: March 7, 2017

Reviewed by Janga

 

Marcus Beckett returned to Sanctuary Island after fourteen years living a life away from the island, a life very different from the one his parents had envisioned for him. With his mother dead and his father no longer a part of his life, Marcus has no ties to the island. Yet it is where he came when his life feel apart a second time. However, he is beginning to wonder if he made a mistake. He is certain that he made a mistake beginning a relationship with sunny-natured Quinn Harper, a decade his junior, his former next-door neighbor, and a favorite with Sanctuary Island residents. So beloved is Quinn that Marcus’s breakup with her is all the reason people need to boycott Marcus’s Buttercup Inn. His customers have dwindled to so few that it is scarcely worth opening the doors of the bar.  

After a series of false starts, Quinn believes that she has finally found what she is supposed to do with her life through her work with the Windy Corner Therapeutic Riding Center. But her work is the only area of her life that is going well. Her heart is still hurting from Marcus’s unceremonious dumping, and she is worried about her parents who are talking about selling the family home and whose marriage seems so troubled that Quinn fears they won’t last to celebrate their thirtieth wedding anniversary that is only a month away.

In an attempt to assure her parents that her life is on track and they need have no concern for her, Quinn tells them about her job and about her “serious boyfriend.” The latter she has created out of desperation, but she persuades Marcus to be her fake boyfriend for a month. His presence will convince her parents that they can concentrate on their own relationship without worrying about Quinn, and the townspeople will forgive Marcus and end the boycott if they believe he and Quinn are together again.

But what was supposed to be a win-win situation grows increasingly complicated. Soon there is a fake engagement, although Marcus and Quinn’s feelings for each other are anything but fake. Quinn believes that the kind-hearted boy who was her pre-teen crush still exists beneath the face of cynical grump that Marcus shows to the world. Dr. Bob, her mother’s relationship guru, may be as fake as the mustache of the villain in an old-fashioned melodrama, but the threat to the Harpers’ marriage is very real. It will take the revelation of secrets and lies to distinguish the false from the genuine and clear the way for these characters to find the happiness they deserve.

The sixth book in Everett’s Sanctuary Island series follows last month’s Close to Home in which Marcus and Quinn were introduced and their heated affair begun. I like the Sanctuary Island setting, and the suggestion that runs through the series that the island is a place of refuge and healing. Marcus has a lot of baggage, some from dealing with his mother’s death when he was still quite young and the subsequent estrangement from his father and some from losses he has experienced since then. Quinn, on the other hand, has led a rather sheltered life and seems younger than her years. It is the experience gap and the personality differences between sweet-hearted Quinn and curmudgeonly Marcus that form the real barrier between the two rather than the ten-year difference in their ages. I found the references to the age difference irritating. It is not as if Quinn were eighteen. She is in her mid-twenties, and no one other than Marcus (except perhaps Quinn’s dad to a far lesser degree) appears to be bothered by the age difference. It is a minor point, but it pulled me out of the story several times. Despite my irritation with this issue, I liked Marcus and Quinn and rooted for their HEA. The secondary plot involving Quinn’s parents is interesting and highly relevant given the increase in the divorce rate among older couples. The stress Paul Harper’s retirement put on the marriage and Ingrid’s dissatisfaction with the status quo also fit the real pattern. However, I thought their struggles were sufficient without the addition of the smarmy Dr. Bob, who seemed more gimmick than credible character.

Overall, this is not the strongest book in the series, but the dimensional major characters, the emotional punch of the story, and an appealing mix of humor and sexy scenes outweigh the flaws. If you have liked the other Sanctuary Island books, you will likely enjoy this one too. If you are new to Everett, you will find enough to like in Home at Last to understand why readers eagerly return to Sanctuary Island.

Review - - Devil in Spring

Devil in Spring
By Lisa Kleypas
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: February 21, 2017
Reviewed by PJ

An eccentric wallflower  . . .

Most debutantes dream of finding a husband. Lady Pandora Ravenel has different plans. The ambitious young beauty would much rather stay at home and plot out her new board game business than take part in the London Season. But one night at a glittering society ball, she’s ensnared in a scandal with a wickedly handsome stranger.

A cynical rake  . . .

After years of evading marital traps with ease, Gabriel, Lord St. Vincent, has finally been caught by a rebellious girl who couldn’t be less suitable. In fact, she wants nothing to do with him. But Gabriel finds the high-spirited Pandora irresistible. He’ll do whatever it takes to possess her, even if their marriage of convenience turns out to be the devil’s own bargain.

A perilous plot  . . .

After succumbing to Gabriel’s skilled and sensuous persuasion, Pandora agrees to become his bride. But soon she discovers that her entrepreneurial endeavors have accidentally involved her in a dangerous conspiracy—and only her husband can keep her safe. As Gabriel protects her from their unknown adversaries, they realize their devil’s bargain may just turn out to be a match made in heaven . . .

Lisa Kleypas's Devil in Winter, book 3 in her Wallflowers series, is one of my favorite Kleypas novels, telling the story of one of my all-time favorite couples, Evie and Sebastian, Lord St. Vincent.  It's understandable then that when I began reading Devil in Spring, the story of Evie and Sebastian's son Gabriel and another wallflower, Lady Pandora Ravenel, my expectations would be high. By the end of the first chapter, I was certain those expectations would not only be met but far exceeded. 

Gabriel, the current Lord St. Vincent didn't fall far from the family tree, inheriting his mother's kindness and strong sense of responsibility along with his father's charm and golden good looks. His path most likely never would have crossed with Pandora's had he not come to her rescue when she becomes entangled in the furniture in the hilarious opening chapter of this story. His honor compels him to do the right thing but it isn't long before he's intrigued by this unusual young woman who is his intended. However, she's so far removed from the society wife he had envisioned she may as well be from another universe. Then there's the dark secret he carries that makes it impossible for him to believe they could ever be truly happy together. I fell in love with Gabriel right along with Pandora. I loved that he was attentive and caring enough to discover hidden facets of Pandora that even her own family hadn't guessed. He was everything I had hoped he would be and, as a bonus, I was thrilled that we got to see him interact with his close-knit family. 

Pandora is that rare creature who has zero interest in a London Season and marriage. A brilliant young woman who was raised far from society by negligent parents, her life is focused on becoming a successful, independent businesswoman producing the games she creates and intends to sell at her brother-in-law's store. She's not about to hand control of her business and the money she earns over to a husband, even one who seems to see and appreciate her for who she really is. She's a breath of fresh air and an absolute delight but also unpolished, outspoken, clumsy (though there's a hidden medical reason for that), quirky, with a tendency to make up amusing words (swirladingles, anyone?), and easily distracted (I sense that in today's world she would be classified as ADHD). I found her funny, smart, vulnerable, determined, and endearing. Here's a small example of what makes Pandora such a delight, taken from her journal entries during a train journey to spend time getting to know Gabriel and his family:

Journey to Heron's Point

OR

The Impending Matrimonial Doom of Lady Pandora Ravenel

Facts and Observations

#1 If people think you're dishonored, it's no different from actually having been dishonored, except you still don't know anything.

#2 When you've been ruined, there are only two options: death or marriage

#3 Since I am gravely healthy, the first option isn't likely. 

#4 On the other hand, ritual self-sacrifice in Iceland cannot be ruled out.

I adored this story. There's no other way to put it. It made me laugh, made me sigh, and kept me smiling throughout. It's vintage Kleypas, filled with the swoon-worthy, heart-tugging romance, witty banter, humor, and emotion that made me fall in love with her historical romances years ago. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough, highlighting more passages that I wanted to remember in the first two chapters than I usually do in full novels. It's a keeper that I will undoubtedly be re-reading time and again and would have been a Top Dish review if not for one issue. The last quarter or so of the book introduces a suspense plot that was a bit jarring in its disconnect from the rest of the book; not enough to take me out of the story completely but enough to make me stop and wonder about the shift. I was so in love with these characters and their journey to love by that point that I was willing to go wherever Kleypas took them but it did disrupt the flow of the story for me enough to scale my rating back from a Top Dish to a 5-Star review. Still, Devil in Spring is a wonderful book that I highly recommend. It's earned a spot on my Best of 2017 book list as well as a place of honor on my All-Time Favorite Comfort Reads keeper shelf. I'm looking forward to more books in this series and am hoping that Gabriel's widowed sister, Phoebe is in line for a story of her own. More page time for Evie and Sebastian would, of course, be much appreciated! 

Do you ever make up words? 

What's the last book that made it to your keeper shelf?

Do you enjoy second generation stories?

Have you read Devil in Spring yet? How about Devil in Winter? What did you think?

One randomly chosen person leaving a comment before 11:00PM EST, March 12, 2017 will receive a signed print copy of Devil in Spring. U.S. and Canadian addresses only.

Review Tour - - The Orphan's Tale

The Orphan's Tale
By Pam Jenoff
Publisher: Mira
Release Date: February 21, 2017
Reviewed by PJ

A powerful novel of friendship set in a traveling circus during World War II, The Orphan's Tale introduces two extraordinary women and their harrowing stories of sacrifice and survival 

Sixteen-year-old Noa has been cast out in disgrace after becoming pregnant by a Nazi soldier and being forced to give up her baby. She lives above a small rail station, which she cleans in order to earn her keep… When Noa discovers a boxcar containing dozens of Jewish infants bound for a concentration camp, she is reminded of the child that was taken from her. And in a moment that will change the course of her life, she snatches one of the babies and flees into the snowy night. 

Noa finds refuge with a German circus, but she must learn the flying trapeze act so she can blend in undetected, spurning the resentment of the lead aerialist, Astrid. At first rivals, Noa and Astrid soon forge a powerful bond. But as the facade that protects them proves increasingly tenuous, Noa and Astrid must decide whether their friendship is enough to save one another—or if the secrets that burn between them will destroy everything.

In this powerful and poignant tale, Pam Jenoff brings to life the people in and around a German traveling circus amidst the devastation of WWII. As bombs rain down from the sky and rail cars packed with innocent Jews head east to concentration camps, a small circus prepares to bring a brief respite to the citizens of towns and villages across war-torn Germany and France. For two women, Noa and Astrid, faced with life or death decisions, the circus offers sanctuary, a chance to start over, the possibility of love, and a friendship that will change the course of both their lives.

Jenoff is a gifted writer, her evocative prose and impeccable research melding to immerse readers in each new world of her creation. In The Orphan's Tale, she not only brings to life the precarious daily existence of ordinary citizens in Germany and occupied France but, especially, those attached to the Neuhoff Circus. I had no idea that circuses still performed during the war or that some of them bravely hid Jews among their company. (be sure to read the Author's Notes and Q&A at the end of the book)

As a child, circus people seemed magical, almost otherworldly to me. I wasn't able to relate to the life they led. Jenoff pulls that mystical curtain aside and shows us the person behind the greasepaint. Each complex character is meticulously crafted, an essential cog in both the circus as well as the overall story. I could feel the hopes, dreams, fears, jealousy, kindness, and grief that form the layers that make them whole and opened my heart to their pain, their sorrow, their ambition, their joy.  But while there are many fascinating characters in this story, it's heart revolves around Astrid, a 40-year-old Jewish woman divorced by her beloved husband on orders from his Nazi superiors, and Noa, a Dutch teen forced to grow up too soon. Their journey from reluctant teacher/student, to professional adversaries, to mutual protectors, to sisters by choice is rich with emotion, compelling suspense, heartbreak, betrayal, and sacrifice that is heart-wrenching but also life-affirming. The reader is reminded that even in the face of devastation and death, the human spirit is strong and resilient and will, eventually, triumph.

I was captivated by this story from beginning to end. In fact, I was so absorbed that I read the entire book in one day. Jenoff keeps readers on their toes with the numerous twists and turns throughout Astrid's and Noa's journey as well as the emotional peaks and valleys that had me reaching for tissues more than once.

The Orphan's Tale is historical fiction at its finest. I highly recommend it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pam Jenoff was born in Maryland and raised near Philadelphia. After schooling at George Washington University and Cambridge University, she became a Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Army. During her time in that position she was involved in helping families of the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing obtain a memorial at Arlington National Cemetery, observing recovery efforts following the Oklahoma City bombing and attending WWII 50th anniversary commemoration ceremonies at Bastogne and Corregidor.

After moving to the State Department, Pam was assigned to the U.S. Consulate in Krakow, Poland where she developed her expertise in Polish-Jewish relations and the Holocaust and developed close relations with the surviving Jewish community.

Pam left the Foreign Service in 1998 to attend law school and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. She worked for several years as a labor and employment attorney both at a firm and in-house in Philadelphia and now teaches law school at Rutgers.

Review - - The Bastard Billionaire

The Bastard Billionaire

By Jessica Lemmon

Publisher:

Release Date:

Reviewed by Maria Lokken

  

Enemies to lovers is a familiar romance trope and it happens to be one of my favorites.  In The Bastard Billionaire author Jessica Lemmon uses this trope to tell a sigh-worthy and sizzling romance.

Eli Crane is an injured Ex-Marine who wants nothing to do with his family’s business, and has zero interest in a relationship.  Combat has left him both physically and emotionally injured.  He’s built a wall, and it’s safer for him to stay on his side of the wall and not let anyone in.  He’s been down the relationship road before and it’s left him with nothing but a world of hurt. 

Isabella Sawyer is a smart, savvy business woman with a lot to prove; the only thing standing in the way of her success is a grumpy, gnarly, Ex-Marine.  She’s been pushed around by her family and taken advantage of in love.  She’s gotten tough and she isn’t about to let Eli Crane sink her business.

When Eli rejects the tenth personal assistant Isabella’s company has sent – there’s no alternative but for Isabella to set him straight by stepping in and becoming his personal assistant. Let your imagination go wild from there - or better yet- buy the book and find out how the sparks that fly turn into a full on fiery romance.

Jessica Lemmon creates delicious conflict, sexual tension, and hopeless attraction between a hero and heroine who are both emotionally shut down. When they finally ignite the passion in each other old walls fall and new walls are built creating a solid foundation for a relationship. As a reader, the journey to the HEA is rewarding.  

The Bastard Billionaire is the final book in the Billionaire Bad Boys series and it’s a treat, but I give it particular props for the strong female lead who can seemingly navigate any rough terrain.

Who are your all time favorite heroines? 

Review - - A Million Little Things

A Million Little Things

By Susan Mallery
Publisher: Harlequin Mira

Release Date: February 28, 2017

Reviewed by: Janga

    

Zoe Saldivar doesn’t realize how isolated she has become until she is accidentally trapped in her attic. The accident forces her to realize that the combination of working from home, ending a long-term relationship, and her best friend’s immersing herself in motherhood means that Zoe’s contact with other people has diminished to almost none. Resolved to become more social, she reaches out to her best friend Jen Beldon, but Jen lacks the will and the energy to be a comforting best friend.

Jen doesn’t mean to ignore Zoe, but she is consumed with worry about her family. Her husband Kirk has left his job as a Mischief Bay cop to become detective for the LAPD, and Jen is concerned not only that the new job is more dangerous but also that his new partner, Lucas, is an adrenalin junkie who may increase the risks Kirk faces. Even greater that her fears for Kirk, however, is her concern that something is wrong with her son Jack, an eighteen-month-old who is not yet talking. Being Jack’s mother and advocate doesn’t leave room in Jen’s life for friendship and her behavior is affecting her relationship with family members and her marriage as well.

When Zoe approaches Jen’s mother, Pam Eiland, about an intervention for Jen, their common concern for Jen is the beginning of a friendship between Zoe and the older woman. Zoe becomes even more involved with the family when she begins dating Stephen Eiland, Pam’s son and Jen’s brother. And then Pam, who was widowed two years ago (The Girls of Mischief Bay), begins dating Miguel Saldivar, Zoe’s charming father. Things get really complicated when Pam decides that a serious relationship between Zoe and Stephen is a bad idea for her son. Her interference pushes people to take sides, and a happy resolution seems impossible.

Susan Mallery returns to Mischief Bay for the third novel in this women’s fiction series that explores female friendship and the various roles that make up a woman’s identity. Mallery departs from the more typical focus on the ways that women friends support one another to look at changes that test their friendships. Although Zoe’s relationship with her father gets some attention, it is motherhood that is central as the three women, each at a different stage in that role, considers what it means to be a good mother.

Mallery’s romance readers can be assured that she does not neglect the romantic element. The credibly developing relationship between Zoe and Stephen, the growing pains of Jen and Kirk’s marriage, and Pam’s struggle between loyalty to the past and the promise and risk of the future are also significant threads in this story. As much as I enjoy Susan Mallery’s romance fiction, I’m grateful that she keeps writing women’s fiction as well. I know I can count on her to deliver a tale of women’s lives that is authentic, interesting, and optimistic. If you like women’s fiction that is all these things as well as satisfyingly romantic, I recommend A Million Little Things. Although it is part of a series, the novel works well as a standalone.

Meredith Duran Winner

The randomly selected winner of autographed copies of

Fool Me Twice, Lady Be Good, and Luck Be A Lady by Meredith Duran is:

Cathy P

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address to:

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

Donna Alward Winner

The winner of a print copy of

Donna Alward's Somebody Like You is:

Robin Brock

Congratulations!

Please send your full name and mailing address (U.S. addresses only) to:

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Review - - My Fair Duchess

My Fair Duchess

By Megan Frampton

Publisher: Avon

Release Date: February 28, 2017

Reviewed by: Janga

  

Genevieve, the new Duchess of Blakesley, is that rare creature, a duchess in her own right rather than by virtue of marriage. Because she grew up on one of her father’s country estates, loved by her servants but isolated from her father’s life and from the society to which she belonged by birth, she is unprepared for the responsibilities that come with her title. Even though it is common knowledge that her family is one of the few that has been granted permission for the duchy to descend through the female line if there is no direct male heir, no one bothered training Genevieve for the role she would someday inherit. Conscientious though clueless about being a duchess and determined not to fail, she writes her godmother for help.

Mr. Archibald Salisbury, third son of a viscount, war hero, and eye candy for females in his vicinity, is employed as a steward for Lady Sophia, Genevieve’s godmother. Lady Sophia responds to Genevieve’s plea for help by sending Archie to take charge of duchess training. Estranged from his family, Archie is not pleased by an assignment that sends him to London where the chances of meeting them are high. He is also convinced that the duchess will prove to be yet another flighty female aristocrat, but he agrees to take on the task, expecting it to be not much different from his military experience training raw recruits.

The attraction between Genevieve and Archie is immediate, mutual, and potent. What follows is a sort of double life: one in which Mr. Salisbury helps her grace acquire the knowledge of estate management, the social skills, and the proper air of superiority that are essential to her becoming a successful duchess; another in which Archie and Genevieve exchange heated glances, warm words, and occasional sizzling kisses. Throughout the mix, the two gradually become friends, and their love for one another, unarticulated but genuine, becomes as strong as the lust that flares from the beginning. However, despite their emotional and physical compatibility, the gap between an estranged third son of a low-ranking noble and a wealthy, powerful duchess is enormous. Neither Archie or Genevieve think it can be bridged, but they discover that the heart is not ruled by reason.

This is the fifth book in Frampton’s deliciously witty Dukes Behaving Badly series. I love that one of the dukes is a duchess with ducal powers (although it is her father who truly was a badly behaved duke). I love that this is an adaptation of the Pygmalion myth. I love the prefatory letters, especially the unsent ones. Most of all, I love the gender reversal that runs through the novel. It is present in obvious ways such as Genevieve’s being the one with position and power that is thought of as exclusive to males and in Archie’s being not just a servant but a gently bred character forced into servitude by circumstances. (Honestly, how many historical romances have you read in which the heroine, often a governess, faces exactly these circumstances?) But gender reversal is also present in subtler forms such as Archie’s estrangement from his family because of his refusal to marry a wealthy bride and in Genevieve’s proposition and its consequences. The story is smart and funny, and though the humor is gentle, its points are sharp. That Frampton could hone the points without damaging the novel’s lightness or losing reader sympathy for her endearing protagonists is a measure of her gift.

All that kept My Fair Duchess from being a five-star read for me is the conclusion. It just ended too quickly. I know many romance readers dislike epilogues, but I needed one here to feel fully satisfied as I bid farewell to Archie and Genevieve. Nevertheless, that lack was not enough to prevent my labeling the book as a keeper. If you like historical romance that is intelligent, sexy, and tender, I highly recommend this one. And if Megan Frampton ever decides to give her readers a short story, I hope it will be Archie and Genevieve’s epilogue.

Today's Special - - Julia London Sinful Scottish Laird Tour

Sinful Scottish Laird
By Julia London
Publisher: HQN
Release Date: February 28, 2017
Reviewed by: PJ
    

Widowed and forced to remarry in three years' time or forfeit her son's inheritance, Daisy Bristol, Lady Chatwick, has plenty of suitors vying for her hand...and her fortune. But a letter from a long-lost love sends Daisy and her young son to her Scottish Highland estate to buy time for his return. Along the way she encounters the powerful Cailean Mackenzie, laird of Arrandale and a notorious smuggler, and she is utterly - though unwillingly - bewitched.

Cailean has no use for any Sassenach in his glen. But Daisy's brazen, flirtatious nature and alluring beauty intrigue him. When her first love appears unexpectedly at her estate, Cailean knows that a passionate woman like Daisy cannot marry this man. And to prevent the union, Cailean must put his own life at risk to win her heart. 


I've always enjoyed Julia London's books but I take special delight in those set in the highlands of Scotland. London has a knack for capturing the rugged beauty of the land as well as the determination and fierce loyalty of her people. In Sinful Scottish Laird, she returns to the highlands with a story that combines humor, passion, witty banter, and heartfelt emotion in an enjoyable read that never lags. 

London's characters are well developed and multi-layered with internal conflict that guides their actions and rings true, especially in the case of Daisy and Cailean. I cheered for them from beginning to end. But as much as I enjoyed the evolving relationship between the two leads, I was equally touched by the heartwarming relationship between Cailean and Daisy's son, Ellis. Cailean was born to be both a loving husband and father but a fickle woman had broken his heart and sent him on a different path. Will Daisy and her young son show him a different way or will his involvement with them bring danger to Cailean and his entire family? Daisy's parents' insistence that she marry the man of their choosing caused her to lose her first love. Now that she's a free woman and that lost love is on his way to her will he still be the perfect man of her youthful memories or does he have a hidden agenda? Will her heart rejoice at his return or yearn for a stubborn Scot? Or, considering her precarious situation thanks to her late husband's will, will the choice even be hers to make? 

London rounds out this enjoyable story with an intriguing cast of secondary characters who add humor, intrigue, and conflict to the story. I'm looking forward to seeing some of them again in future books. 

If you enjoy highland historicals with vibrant characters, intrigue, witty banter, and heartfelt romance then I recommend you give Sinful Scottish Laird a try. It's the second book in a series but stands well on its own. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

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Julia London is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publisher’s Weekly bestselling author of more than thirty novels, including the popular Secrets of Hadley Green historical romance series, the Cabot Sisters historical romance series, and the Homecoming Ranch contemporary romance series. She is a six time finalist for the presitigous RITA Award for excellence in romantic fiction, and RT Bookclub award recipient for Best Historical Romance for Dangerous Gentleman. She lives in Austin, Texas.

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Connect with Julia

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Julia London’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:

Monday, February 20th: Booked on a Feeling

Tuesday, February 21st: From the TBR Pile

Wednesday, February 22nd: A Chick Who Reads

Thursday, February 23rd: Deborah Blanchard

Friday, February 24th: The Maiden’s Court

Monday, February 27th: A Holland Reads

Wednesday, March 1st: The Reading Wench

Wednesday, March 1st: The Sassy Bookster – feature/spotlight

Thursday, March 2nd: The Romance Dish

Friday, March 3rd: Buried Under Romance

Monday, March 6th: Lampshade Reader

Tuesday, March 7th: Laura’s Reviews

Wednesday, March 8th: Romantic Reads and Such – feature/spotlight

Thursday, March 9th: BookNAround

Monday, March 13th – Book Reviews and More by Kathy – feature/spotlight

Wednesday, March 15th: Becky on Books

Coming Attractions

The month of March brings brisk winds, the Madness of college basketball, a day when everyone wants to be Irish, the first breath of spring, and a whole lot of terrific books. Here at The Romance Dish, it also brings the following:

The Julia London, Sinful Scottish Laird blog tour stops at the Dish on Thursday, March 2. This new highland, historical romance is the second book in London's The Highland Grooms series.












On Wednesday, April 8, the Pam Jenoff, The Orphan's Tale tour stops at the Dish. This new novel set in a traveling circus during WWII has been getting rave reviews.

Janga brings us another On Second Thought review on Wednesday, March 15.









Thursday, March 16, we host the Delores Fossen, Holden blog tour. This fast-paced romantic suspense story wraps up Fossen's The Lawmen of Silver Creek Ranch series for Harlequin Intrigue.

Join us Tuesday, March 21 for all the excitement as we report the finalists for the 2017 Romance Writers of America RITA® Awards.










Tuesday, March 28 brings the B.J. Daniels, Renegade's Pride excerpt tour to the Dish. This western contemporary kicks off Daniels' new A Cahill Ranch series for HQN books.







What are you looking forward to this month?