Dec 13, 2019
'Let's elope.'
May McGoldrick, from Tess and the Highlander
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'Let's elope.'
May McGoldrick, from Tess and the Highlander
Book Title: Highland Crown
Author: May McGoldrick
Pub Date: April 30th, 2019
***ARC was provided to me by Net Galley and the Publisher for a fair and honest review***
Overall rating: 5/5 If you are looking for the start of a romantic adventure, this is the story for you.
Heroine (Isabella Drummond): 5/5 She is a doctor and her first husband was involved in Scottish Rebellion meetings. She thought she never wanted to be apart of any rebellion until she is already in one.
Hero (Cinaed Mackintosh): 5/5 The Son of Scotland is a sea captain who smuggled goods and firearms for the purpose of a Scottish Rebellion.
Plot: 5/5 Isabella is on the run and in hiding from the British crown’s men when a ship’s captain washes up on the beach after an explosive ship wreck. Isabella tends to the man and they travel to what they hope is safety when they get swept up in a rebellion movement. The same movement that got Isabella’s husband killed and forced her to go into hiding in the first place. Will taking Cinaed’s name be enough to cover her identity? Will it remain only a cover?
Personal Review: I loved the story. I just finished binging Outlander on Starz and this was a great read to follow up with. There was great tension with the cat and mouse game with the antagonist. I wish we Isabella got her step daughter and sister back earlier in the story so they’re not so new in the next book. But other than that it was a fun ride.
REVIEW
Dukes By The Dozen
What a delight this collection of historical romances was! I have read some but not all of the authors who have contributed to this book and felt compelled to write my review before finishing all of the stories because I want to get the review posted as soon as possible. I will read a story a night before I sleep because I am sure sweet dreams will follow the reading. The novellas I have read are:
HOW TO DITCH A DUKE by May McGoldrick: This story had me smiling a number of times. Lady Talor Fleming was quite a woman and so wasted on her father and brother! Thankfully the Duke of Bamberg knew a catch when they met in the mud and pursued Taylor till he caught her. Loved this story!
DUELING WITH THE DUKE by Eileen Dreyer: Another wonderful story with a bit of a second chance aspect to it. I loved the way Adam and Georgie meet and how their story unfolds. They so deserved one another and the happiness they found.
THE DIFFERENCE ONE DUKE MAKES by Elizabeth Essex: What a wonderful this story proved to be! I loved both male and female lead characters and so many scenes in the story. Another couple well suited to one another and their story a marvelous read.
I am looking forward to reading the other stories soon and may return with updates. I would like to thank May McGoldrick for the copy to read – this is my honest review.
5 Stars
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43659639-dukes-by-the-dozen
BLURB
A DUKE FOR ALL SEASONS! What’s better than a dashing duke? A dozen of them! In this case, a baker’s dozen—thirteen of your favorite historical romance authors have come together to bring you more than a dozen tantalizing novellas, with one per month, for a year’s worth of never-before-released romances. January – Duke in Winter by Alyssa Alexander — When the highwayman demanded that the Duke of Highrow stand and deliver, he didn’t know she would steal his heart. February – The Difference One Duke Makes by Elizabeth Essex — All it takes is one frosty night for two imperfect people, former naval commander Marcus Beecham and ruined Penelope Pease, to meet and make the perfect February Valentine. March – Discovering the Duke by Madeline Martin — Reunited at a house party after a lackluster start to their marriage, the Duke of Stedton attempts to win his Duchess’ heart. Will a sizzling wager be enough to melt the frost between them, or will it truly remain the coldest winter in London? April – The Duke and the April Flowers by Grace Burrowes — The Duke of Clonmere must marry one of the Earl of Falmouth’s three giggling younger daughters, but Lady Iris—Falmouth’s oldest, who is not at all inclined to giggling—catches Clonmere’s eye, and his heart! May – Love Letters from a Duke by Gina Conkle — The Duke of Richland needs a proper duchess, but he wants his thoroughly fun, entirely inappropriate neighbor, Mrs. Charlotte Chatham. She’s widowed, older, and if the whispers prove true—barren. June – Her Perfect Duke by Ella Quinn — Still suffering over the loss of his wife and child, Giles, Duke of Kendal sees Lady Thalia Trevor at a market and is instantly smitten. There is only one problem. She is already betrothed to another man. Will she defy her powerful father to marry him? July – How to Ditch a Duke by May McGoldrick — Lady Taylor Fleming is an heiress with a suitor on her tail. Her plan to ditch him is simple, escape to the Highlands. But there is nothing simple about the Duke of Bamberg. And even with the best laid plans, things can go awry… August – To Tempt A Highland Duke by Bronwen Evans — Widowed Lady Flora Grafton must be dreaming. Dougray Firth, Duke of Monreith, who once pledged her his heart but then allowed her to marry another, has just proposed. Why now, after eight years? When she learns the truth, can she trust Dougray to love her enough this time? September – Duke in Search of a Duchess by Jennifer Ashley — The meticulous Duke of Ashford is dismayed when his children ask Helena Courtland, the gossipy, busybody young widow next door, to find Ash a new wife. But she sweeps into his home and his life, turning Ash’s precisely ordered world into a chaotic whirlwind. October – Dear Duke by Anna Harrington — When the Duke of Monmouth, decides to build a canal, he isn’t prepared for an old mill owner and his daughter to stand in his way. The only person who understands him is the anonymous pen pal to whom he’s been pouring out his heart, a woman not at all who she seems. November – Must Love Duke by Heather Snow — Lady Emmaline Paulson already has the only Duke she wants in her life—an adorable puppy she rescued from the Serpentine with the help of a handsome stranger. Can Maxwell Granville, heir to a dukedom, convince her there’s room for him, too? December – The Mistletoe Duke by Sabrina York — The Duchess of Devon can't think of a better way to tempt her widowed son into marrying again, than to throw a Christmas Ball. And there simply must be mistletoe everywhere! But it's not until Jonathan meets his mother's humble companion under the mistletoe, that fireworks erupt. January – Dueling with the Duke by Eileen Dreyer — When Adam Marrick, Duke of Rothray, shows up on Georgie Grace’s doorstep, she thinks it is to become acquainted with his cousin James’s widow and daughter. Instead he brings news that will completely upend their lives and put them all in danger.
Don’t Miss SAY YES TO THE SCOT - 4 Historical Romances set in the Highland by 4 Great Authors
REVIEW
Erase Me by May McGoldrick/Jan Coffey
Time & Tide #2
Delightful though provoking second book in a wonderful time travel series that had me hoping all would turn out well for Avalie, Reed, and the people they cared for.
What I liked:
* Avalie Briar: from the future, rogue on a mission, computer hacker and IT nerd, brilliant, strong martial arts skills, has hopes to save someone dear to her even if it disrupts time
* Reed Michaels: time traveler from the future, person who adjusts issues in the past, bounty hunter without a bounty to collect, sometimes assassin, important connections in the future, lethal
* Watching the cautious relationship develop between Avalie and Reed
* The tie-in to Mr. & Mrs. Smith
* Getting to see Xander and Nadine from Jane Austen Cannot Marry and finding out what they are doing and may be doing in the future
* Thinking about how time travel might come about, how it would impact people in the past and future, and wondering what it would be like
* Thinking about the authors and why this type of story was written by them and has meaning to them
* The location in San Clemente since I grew up in Southern California
* The reasons Avalie went back in time, the way she presented her reasons to Reed, and the decision that Reed made regarding her request
* Thinking about rules, why they are made, and also thinking about times it is better not to follow but perhaps bend or break the rules
* All of it really except…
What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Thinking about the greed of some people and how they might use time travel for negative reasons
* Having to say goodbye to the characters
Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series/by this author? Definitely!
Thank you to the authors for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
BLURB
Love and Loyalty Clash in a World of Secrets and Deception! From USA Today Bestselling Author May McGoldrick and Jan Coffey ERASE ME In the sun-soaked streets of a California beach town, two strangers' paths collide, sparking an unexpected and fiery connection. Brought together by chance, they quickly discover that fate has a twisted sense of humor. And their entanglement is far from your typical love story. Both harbor secrets, lead double lives, and are on missions of paramount importance, setting the stage for a high-stakes battle of wits and wills. Far from the conventional star-crossed lovers, Avalie and Reed are covert agents, each possessing the power to alter the course of history. Sparks ignite with every moment they share, yet their hearts and loyalties are divided. They find themselves ensnared in a whirlwind of deception, and their missions pit them against each other. Trapped in a perilous game of cat and mouse, trust is scarce, and betrayal lurks around every corner. As they race against time and each other, their emotions intensify, blurring the lines between duty and desire. Will they follow their hearts, risking everything they've ever known, or will they remain loyal to the orders that bind them? Can love conquer all, or will loyalty to their missions tear them asunder? Erase Me is a thrilling tale of cunning deception and a forbidden attraction so intense it could reshape the world. Brace yourself for a rollercoaster ride filled with intrigue, betrayal, and passion.
AUTHOR BIO
May McGoldrick, Nik James, and Jan Coffey are pen names for USA Today bestselling authors Nikoo Kafi and Jim McGoldrick. Together, they have crafted over fifty fast-paced, conflict-filled historical, contemporary, and Western novels, and two works of nonfiction. Nikoo’s education and training was in engineering. She worked in robotics and submarine shipbuilding. Before earning a PhD in sixteenth-century Scottish and English literature, Jim pursued a hundred and one jobs, including a decade in submarine construction. Storytellers at heart, Nikoo and Jim were always searching for careers that gave them time for both family and writing. Then, after thirteen years of marriage, they recognized each other’s creative strengths. Nikoo is all about characters and feeling. Jim is about action and sense of place. Their first attempt in writing fiction together produced their award-winning novel, The Thistle and the Rose. Since then, their stories have touched the hearts and minds of millions of readers all over the world. Their work has been translated into over a dozen languages and counting. Nikoo and Jim are four-time Rita Finalists and the winners of numerous awards for their writing, including the Daphne DeMaurier Award for Excellence, the Romantic Times Magazine Reviewers’ Choice Award, three NJRW Golden Leaf Awards, two Holt Medallions, and the Connecticut Press Club Award for Best Fiction. The authors make their home in California. Here is a complete catalogue of May McGoldrick, Nik James and Jan Coffey’s work, in chronological order. Each book stands on its own. MAY McGOLDRICK Macpherson Clan Series The Thistle and the Rose A Midsummer Wedding (novella) Angel of Skye Heart of Gold Beauty of the Mist The Intended Flame Tess and the Highlander The Dreamer (Highland Treasure) The Enchantress (Highland Treasure) The Firebrand (Highland Treasure) Much Ado About Highlanders (Scottish Relic) Taming the Highlander (Scottish Relic) Tempest in the Highlands (Scottish Relic) Arsenic and Old Armor --- Pennington Family Series The Promise The Rebel Borrowed Dreams Captured Dreams Dreams of Destiny Romancing the Scot It Happened in the Highlands Sweet Home Highland Christmas (novella) Sleepless in Scotland Dearest Millie (novella) How to Ditch a Duke (novella) --- Royal Highlander Series Highland Crown Highland Jewel Highland Sword --- A Prince in the Pantry (novella) Ghost of the Thames --- Made in Heaven Thanksgiving in Connecticut (novella) NIK JAMES The Winter Road (novella) High Country Justice Bullets and Silver Silver Trail Christmas JAN COFFEY Trust Me Once Twice Burned Triple Threat Fourth Victim Five in a Row Silent Waters Cross Wired The Janus Effect The Puppet Master Blind Eye Road Kill Mercy (novella) Tropical Kiss Aquarian When the Mirror Cracks NONFICTION Marriage of Minds: Collaborative Fiction Writing Step Write Up: Writing Exercises for 21st Century --- Sign up for the May McGoldrick, Nik James, Jan Coffey Newsletter https://www.maymcgoldrick.com/contact-us --- Visit their author websites www.MayMcGoldrick.com www.NikJamesAuthor.com www.JanCoffey.com https://www.facebook.com/MayMcGoldrick/ https://twitter.com/MayMcGoldrick https://www.instagram.com/maymcgoldrick/
REVIEW
Jane Austen Cannot Marry! by May McGoldrick
Witty wonderful second chance romance filled with life, love, and hope that had me thinking, caring, and hoping Nadine and Xander would find a way to be together through time.
What I liked:
* Xander Nouri: genuine, concrete thinker, good friend, charismatic, loves deeply, strongly drawn to Nadine Finley
* Nadine Finley: from the future, Scribe Guardian, dedicated to her work, cares deeply for Xander, has some obstacles to overcome
* Ken: Xander’s friend and business partner, soon-to-be father, deeply in love with his wife Donna
* Donna: pregnant, bonds with Nadine quickly, enjoyed seeing her with Nadine and how their time together impacted Nadine
* Deirdre: from 1811, mother, wife, supportive of Nadine
* Jane Austen being the focus of Nadine’s trip back in time – and how that all turned out
* The time travel element of the story and why it was so important to Nadine
* Thinking about how difficult life must have been in the 1800’s
* That the story drew me in, made me care, and feel I was there
* The complexity of the story as well as its warmth
* Wanting to find out what will happen in the future for Xander and Nadine
* That the story left me feeling hopeful on the last page
What I didn’t like:
* Thinking about the difficult choices some of the characters faced and wondering what I would have chosen if in their shoes
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Definitely
Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
BLURB
A comically offbeat, fish-out-of-water, time travel novel set in Regency England and the 21st century Colorado Rockies. Nadine Finley is a Scribe Guardian from the future who must play ‘un-matchmaker’ to Jane Austen, a British naval officer, and the romance that A comically offbeat, fish-out-of-water, time travel novel set in Regency England and the 21st century Colorado Rockies. Nadine Finley is a Scribe Guardian from the future who must play ‘un-matchmaker’ to Jane Austen, a British naval officer, and the romance that jeopardizes literary history.
Nadine has made the quantum commute to 1811 to stop Jane Austen from meeting and marrying Captain Charles Gordon. The two of them share a romantic past, and if Nadine fails in her mission, Jane will never get to London. The fledgling author will never get her first book ready for publication. And if the novel is never readied for the presses, Jane will never go back home and revise the manuscript that will eventually become Pride and Prejudice. In short, disaster.
The mission instructions were plain and simple: Jane Austen cannot marry.
Except...matters become extremely complicated when the Scribe Guardian’s own romantic interest unintentionally follows her across the centuries to 1811.
Xander Nouri is a tech millionaire who is cheerfully unfamiliar with both history and literature. He has also forged a life where he is insulated from the non-quantifiable uncertainties of feelings and romance. In fact, the only time he let his guard down was for three wildly unexpected days in Las Vegas when he allowed his heart to be fondled and then stomped on by an elusive woman named Nadine. Xander lives in a world of reason, facts, and data…none of which explain her appearance, dressed in period clothing, in a coffin a mile from his secluded mountain home.
And her claim of time traveling doesn’t exactly compute.
It’s not long before sparks once again begin to fly between the former lovers. But Nadine needs to get back to her mission before literary history is permanently damaged. By the time she’s able to make the quantum leap back in time, Jane Austen and the captain have already met again...and romance is brewing. To complicate matters, Xander has made the trip, as well. And Xander is the unlikeliest ‘nerd-out-of-water’ ever to land on Regency shores.
But that’s where the fun begins...
REVIEW
A Midsummer Night’s Romance
One magical masquerade ball,
The event of the season.
Love is in the air,
Fifteen couples’ lives will change
As you, the reader, watch.
I have only read a few of the stories so far but am enamored and eager to read more. I have decided the BEST way for me to enjoy these stories are to indulge in one at a time over a period of time. Perhaps reading a bit before bed or while soaking decadently in the tub with a tasty beverage.
There are authors I have read and know I love and others I am eager to befriend as I read about the couples they have created to be at this enchanted society gathering. I am sure there will be gorgeous costumes, music, dances, food, flirtation and much more as I enjoy pages filled with delightful surprises.
After reading of a foreign prince meeting the perfect woman and of a couple given a second chance to find their happily ever after, I am ready read the next story in this anthology when I head upstairs to run the bathwater, climb into the tub, and escape into this collection of delightful stories.
Thank you to author Erica Ridley for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
Fifteen Authors:
Grace Burrowes Erica Ridley Ella Quinn Jennifer Ashley May McGoldrick Sabrina York Bronwen Evans Jade Lee Anna Harrington Madeline Martin Elizabeth Essex Eileen Dreyer Alyssa Alexander Heather Snow Gina Conkle
BLURB
An Invitation to the Ball…By Fifteen of Your Favorite Historical Romance Authors! You are cordially invited to the most anticipated event of the Season—Lord and Lady Whitwell’s annual ball! This year’s theme is the most extravagant yet…A Midsummer Night’s Dream, filled with fairytale gardens and fantastical costumes, sparkling champagne, and heartwarming romance. Opportunities abound for secret trysts in the shadows of moonlit walks, mistaken identities, delicious unmaskings, and perhaps even a magical spell or two. But one thing is certain—fifteen pairs of hearts will never be the same again. Enjoy this collection of never-before-released novellas by your favorite historical romance authors!
REVIEW
Regency Box Set by May McGoldrick
Dearest Millie & How to Ditch a Duke
(Companion Pennington Novellas – Scottish Dream Series Book 6)
How delightful to have two best friends love stories in the same volume. I remember one well and loved it just as much the second time as I did the first. And the other…it made me smile while tearing at my heartstrings while hoping for an eventual happily ever after.
DEAREST MILLIE: A story of family, illness, love, and laughter that I could not put down. Derwent fell for Millie before even meeting her and the way to her heart and his wooing had me smiling often. And yet, this story has dark undercurrents that still crop up in this era with family’s having to deal with loss, potential loss, and the aftermath of both. Derwent was intelligent, tenacious, and knew what he wanted, and he wanted Millie. Millie was a sweet woman, loving daughter, wonderful sister, had a bit of mischief up her sleeve, and was perfect for Derwent…but was the timing right or perhaps not? I loved this story!
HOW TO DITCH A DUKE: Lady Taylor Fleming must feel she is the cuckoo in the nest with her grasping, abusive, over-spending brother and father to look after. The opening scene with the carriage mired in the mud was choice…loved it! I also loved the way the two finally were thrust together with a bit of matchmaking done by Derwent and Millie from the first novella in this set of wonderful stories. And, how PERFECT to see how Derwent and Millie were doing a bit after their story ended…a wonderful epilogue indeed. Now…I wonder what Taylor and the Duke of Bamberg end up going to see first as I know they will have adventures aplenty together!
Did I enjoy these two stories? Definitely!
Do I recommend them? Without a doubt!
Would I read more by this author? As soon as I can!
Thank you to the author for this book ~ This is my honest review.
5 Stars
BLURB
Regency Box Set: Dearest Millie
Lady Millie, youngest of the Pennington family, has always lived in the shadow of her talented and powerful siblings. She's been the rock of stability and order for her sisters and brothers. Her future looks bright until fate deals her a tragic hand.
Dermot McKendry is a former surgeon in the Royal Navy who has returned to his home in the Highlands to open a hospital. As disorganized as he is passionate, he is a man with wounds and a secret past he has worked a lifetime to hide.
Providence brings them together, but their future may lie beyond redemption. Dearest Millie is a poignant tale of two lovers, life's calamities, and the healing power of the human heart.
How to Ditch a Duke
Lady Taylor Fleming is an heiress with a suitor on her tail. Her step-by-step plan to ditch him is simple. But there is nothing simple about Franz Aurech, Duke of Bamberg.
Taylor tries to escape to sanctuary in the Highlands, but her plans become complicated when the duke arrives at her door and her loyal allies desert her.
And even with the best laid plans, things can go awry.