The Highlanders: A Smitten Historical Romance Collection by J’nell Ciesielski
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
If you enjoy stories with a Scottish tang, then these four novellas are your next “must read.” Two are set in the old country, and two on America’s shores, but all of them include a Highlander you’ll be swept away by. And the final story will throw you a curve you never see coming! If you dinna get your copy yet, you shouldna wait much longer!
Misleading Miss Verity by Carolyn Miller
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I enjoyed a lot about this book. The characters are interesting and believable, the setting is beautifully written, and the writing is good. The ending, however, fell apart for me. That could very well be just a personal preference, so I’m still giving it a solid three stars, because others may love the ending.
Lady in the Mist by Laurie Alice Eakes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book has moldered in my Kindle for years – literally – and I finally opened it. So glad I did! I enjoy stories about midwives, and this one didn’t disappoint. Set shortly after the Revolutionary War, it’s full of angst and distrust between the Americans and the British with the British Navy stealing American men and pressing them into service to the Crown. Good story!
The Wood’s Edge by Lori Benton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I don’t know why it took me so long to read a book by Lori Benton. But I’m glad I finally did! This story is a rich tapestry of the era peopled with characters who will draw you into their world. Benton does a very credible job – and it’s a difficult one – of balancing the relationship between white settlers and natives. Too many authors want to make the former all evil and the latter all saints. Benton didn’t do that. Her characters are all true-to-life with warts and all. That’s what makes it easy to slip into sync with them as you read. I highly recommend this on to all readers who enjoy historical romance at its best.
Fire by Night by Lynn Austin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I always enjoy Lynn Austin’s books, so this one was no surprise. It wasn’t her easiest book to get into, it wasn’t that it started slowly, but more that I had a harder time connecting with the main heroine. She wasn’t very likable. But stick with her because her character arc is really something! I absolutely loved her by the end. The other main female character was more fascinating from the start. They are as different as chalk from cheese, but both really interesting characters. So worth reading!
America’s First Daughter by Stephanie Dray
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A very interesting and entertaining story! Based on true history, there is – of course – quite a bit of filling in between the lines of what is known. But the authors did a great job of keeping the story moving through all the historic bits.
The Witness Tree by Denise Weimer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A fascinating and engaging story about a historic time and place that isn’t often showcased in fiction. I was captivated by the characters from the very start. The lifestyle of the Moravians is something I knew just a little about. Their interaction with the natives – both positive and negative – kept me reading until late into the night. And – of course – the romance didn’t hurt either!
Pegg Thomas