When a Laird Loves a Lady by Julie Johnstone

When a Laird Loves a Lady by Julie Johnstone
This is book 1 in the Highlander Voves:  Entangled Hearts series.
Marion de Lacy's father is marrying her off to an evil baron to gain access to soldiers. She isn't about to do what her father demands, so she has made plans to run off to Scotland and seek help from her mother's clan.  She didn't count on the King stepping in and changing her plans.
Iain MacLeod has been ordered by the king to marry Marion. The king has uncovered a plot to overturn his rule and if Marion marries Iain he has a better chance of stopping the rebellion. Having loved and lost his first wife, Iain tells Marion that he will never love her. Knowing her only other option is to marry a man she despises, Marion agrees to marry Iain.
Can this marriage of convience bloom into one of love?
I really enjoyed this story. I always love when the heroine is strong willed and a little out of the ordinary. Marion is definitely strong willed and has learned to protect herself with the help of a friend. This is definitely not your typical society miss.
I liked Iain too.  He was a hardened warrior, but he also had his soft side which came out when he was dealing with Marion.
This is my first novel by Johnstone, although I've been wanting to read her stuff for awhile now. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next book in the series!

You can get this book at the following retailers:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Thanks go out to Night Shift Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.

When Morning Comes by Lori Handeland

When Morning Comes by Lori Handeland

This novella was originally published in the anthology, Then He Kissed Her.

Union Major Seth Torrance is just trying to get his life back together after the war when he receives a letter stating that he is now the guardian of a child. Said child just happens to be in Virginia where a Union officer would definitely not be welcome. Not willing to turn away from his responsibility, he makes his way to Virginia and is greeted by a woman wielding a shotgun when he arrives at his destination. He soon learns that he has control of not one but five children plus the farm and he is woefully unprepared for the task.

Ella Fontaine has been caring for her friends' children since their parents passed away. She doesn't want to give them up to the Yank, but he has been given their guardianship. She decides to go back to her farm and leave Seth with control of the five children. But just a couple of days later, Seth comes looking for her help with the children.

Can these two strangers come to gather to make one big happy family?

I enjoyed this short story. Some of my favorite stories are when enemies (in this case someone form the North and another from the South after the Civil War) come to be lovers.   Seth and Ella definitely have to got over their prejudice of each other to find what each of them needed in their life.

This is my first story by Handeland, but I will definitely be looking for more to read!

You can get this book at the following retailers:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Thanks go out to Nightshift Publishing via NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.

The Leading Lady by Deb Marlowe

The Leading Lady by Deb Marlowe
This is book 2 in the Half Moon House Series
Miss Callie Grant is on a mission to find her sister. She is taken aback when she is told she must work with Lord Truitt (Tru) Russell to do so. Callie and Tru had had run-ins before and she doesn't think they can work together, especially when she find out that they are to pose as husband and wife.
Tru is determined to restore his honor. The only way he can do so is to help capture the man that destroyed him, Lord Marstoke. Reluctantly agreeing to work with Callie, he soon learns that what he thought about her might not be true. He also does his best to make Callie see him in a new light.
Could this faux marriage turn into one in truth?
I had hoped that Tru would get his own story and Marlowe didn't disappoint. It was nice to see that under all that troubled exterior, there was a very nice man trying to get out.
We discover many hidden depths of both Callie and Tru whom we met in The Love List. It was pure joy watching Callie and Tru pretend to be married and falling in love in the process. Once they let each other in, they were finally able to see the true person behind the facade that each of them had in place.
I've really enjoyed the Half Moon House series and can't wait to see what Marlowe has in store for us next.

You can get this book at the following retailers:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Thanks go out to Night Shift Publishing via NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.

Chasing Miss Montford by Claudia Dain

Chasing Miss Montford by Claudia Dain
Originally published in the Anthology An Encounter at Hyde Park
Miss Elaine Montford has been told that she must marry a titled gentleman. All her parents careful planning gets undone when she encounters Roger Ellery in Hyde Park. Thinking that she needs to be rescued, he practically drags her out of the park unchaperoned. 
Trying to stop the rumors from spreading, they plan a small dinner party to stop the tongues from wagging. But what happens next might be an even bigger scandal...
This was a very short read, less than an hour. It was quick paced and kept my attention. We even have a short visit with Sophia Dalby to make it that much more enjoyable.
If you want to quick, light read, this is the story for you.

You can purchase this book at the following retailers:

Barnes & Noble

Thanks go out to Night Shift Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.

A Waltz in the Park by Deb Marlowe

A Waltz in the Park by Deb Marlowe
A Half Moon House series novella.
Miss Adelaide Stockton has to act the prim and proper miss in public to try and make society forget the scandal of her parent's marriage. She didn't count on the one person to see through her persona being a scoundrel. Try as she might, she just can't stop thinking about him.
James Vickers is trying to bring down his father. The key to that just might be with Adelaide's aunt. As he tries to find answers, he finds himself getting closer and closer with Adelaide who happens to be the wrong type of person to fit in with his plans.
Can James get revenge on his father and find the love of his life?
This was a great quick read.  Marlowe has a way of quickly drawing you into her stories and giving you the satisfaction of a full novel with her novellas. I loved seeing Hestia again!!
I can't wait for more Half Moon stories!!

You can purchase this book at the following retailers:

Amazon | Barnes & Nobles | iBooks | Kobo

Thanks go out to Night Shift Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.