The friendship that changed the destiny of a nation…
In the waning years of the thirteenth century, two young noblemen form a bond that forever changes their destiny and that of Scotland’s. Their shared pledge of honor would endure for a lifetime to secure power in the Isles for Angus Og Macdonald and a crown for Robert Bruce. This is the story of their friendship, their times and the battle that secured their future.
Standing beside them would be two women from Ireland, Áine O’Cahan, the dark-haired beauty from Ulster, who captured the heart of the Lord of the Isles, and Elizabeth de Burgh, the fair Norman heiress who stood by her man, King Robert Bruce, though it would cost her dearly.
Enter the world of medieval Scotland and live the adventure!
Uncaged Review: This is a sweeping tale that encompasses the friendship and loyalty of 2 men, and the history around medieval Scotland when Robert the Bruce was reigning, and with battles for the freedom from England. Angus and Robert form an unbreakable bond after meeting when there is a meeting called for many families to discuss the future of Scotland. There is love interests in this book, and even though they are crucial to the story, this isn’t a historical romance in that respect. What this is, is a epic journey with real historical facts, there is so much research that had to go into this saga, that it boggles the mind. This is a bit longer of a book, but it really does bring you to medieval Scotland with descriptions that never slow the book down. This story is based on a lot of facts from the author’s own ancestry and she does them proud. Start from the first book and you may be surprised at the time you spend reading. Reviewed by Cyrene
Don’t believe what they tell you about Robin Hood, outlaw of Sherwood Forest. There never was such a man. But there is a woman…
That’s me, Robynne: fox shifter, master archer, and jaded outlaw with a fierce desire to avoid trouble. But when my impulsive brother and his merry band of misfits rob a passing carriage, they set off a chain of events that changes my destiny forever. Too late to stop them, I settle for the next best thing: taking from the rich and giving to the poor.
All well and good, except that puts the new sheriff of Nottingham hot on my trail. Operative word: hot, because unlike his predecessor, Daniel is a muscle- and duty-bound knight/dragon shifter freshly back from the Crusades. One who inspires all kinds of new desires…
As outlaw and sheriff, we’re sworn enemies, though we want the same things: justice for the downtrodden, the return of our rightful king, Richard…and a chance to indulge our wildest, most sizzling fantasies.
But that’s not so simple for us star-crossed lovers. The year is 1193 — an era of scheming princes, greedy warlords, and ruthless shifters. To earn our happily-ever-after, Daniel and I must rely on cunning, fierce fighting, and love that burns hotter than dragon fire.
I’ve never let rules, expectations, or impossible odds stop me…but I have to admit, this will be one hell of a challenge.
(And if you hear a canine growling, that’s my fox side. Challenge accepted.)
Uncaged Review: This is a master retelling of the Robin Hood tale, with a well rounded cast of shifters, which this author is known for. The outlaw of Nottingham is none other than Robynne, a crafty fox shifter who is talented with a bow and arrow. Her group of Merry Men include her brother Robert – a wolf shifter who needs a better education, Little John – a bear shifter and a few other shifters. Daniel, a dragon shifter and Robynne’s true mate, has returned from the Crusades and is given the post of acting sheriff of Nottingham. But sometimes him and Robynne are on the wrong side of each other with the law and when Robert gets captured and found guilty and sentenced to hanging, it will take all the Robynne, the clan and Daniel to save him.
This is a great book that had me hooked right away and so different from what I’ve read from this author. Plenty of action, romance and suspense. I’ve read several different Robin Hood retellings, and this is by far my favorite. This is a trilogy and I’ll be first in line to get the next one. Reviewed by Cyrene
A fun-loving man who has become a staid duke . . .
An independent lady who wishes to pursue her artistic bent . . .
A long-ago meeting which left a lasting impression on them both . . .
Daniel Judson, the Duke of Westfield, changed from a carefree young rogue into a sober duke once faced with a mountain of responsibilities after he assumed his grandfather’s title. After seeing both his sisters wed, Daniel knows it is finally time for him to take a wife in order to provide the necessary ducal heir.
Lady Margaret Townsend’s come-out was delayed by the ill health and subsequent deaths of her parents. Now an ancient four and twenty, she makes her debut into Polite Society—not to find a husband—but to secure important social connections within the ton in order to acquire commissions to paint their portraits, a dream she has long held.
Sparks surfaced during their initial encounter ten years ago. Their second introduction at the inaugural ball of the Season leaves Daniel certain he has found his duchess, while Margaret is confused by the never-known feelings stirring within her.
Will the duke convince this lady she can have both marriage and her art—or will her stubbornness to follow a chosen path have her miss out on love?
Uncaged Review: Lady Margaret has always placed 2nd fiddle to her beautiful sister. Her sister was doted on by their mother and when it came time for a match, they schemed to find her the best match with the most value and the best title. As Lady Margaret took care of her ailing mother and father, her debut wasn’t until she was 24 yrs old, much later than most debutantes. Having to live with her sister and her husband, Lady Margaret is thrust into the Polite Society to find her match and to move her out from her living situation by her sister Dolley. But Lady Margaret is an artist, inheriting the talent from her late Grandmama.
Daniel, the newly minted Duke, has finally agreed to find a wife. Daniel had met Lady Margaret during Dolley’s coming out when Lady Margaret was not quite 15 yrs old. He never forgot the spitfire and when he saw her again, he knew he’d found his match. But Lady Margaret has no intention of getting married, and Daniel will need to work for it.
This is a nice historical that is a great page turner. I was pulled into the pages almost immediately, and loved the characters and the original story. I liked that Daniel knew what he wanted, and that Lady Margaret was an independent planning on making a living on her paintings. An engaging, original storyline that is smart and addicting. Reviewed by Cyrene
Cuba in the 1930s is the backdrop for a vibrant short story about the rhythms of the heart and the twists of fate that echo through time by the New York Times bestselling author of Next Year in Havana.
Havana, 1939: It’s opening night at the famed Tropicana nightclub. Cuban American college student Natalie Trainer, on vacation from Miami, is watching from the sidelines—as usual. Then comes an invitation to dance from a handsome stranger named Antonio. Normally cautious and reserved, Natalie somehow finds herself saying yes. A tiny thrill of rebellion, of taking a chance, and Natalie’s in heaven. Will her first step into this unfamiliar realm set a new course for her life, or only tonight?
Uncaged Review: This is a short, sweet story of a young lady who goes on vacation with her parents to Cuba in 1939, and meets Antonio at the famed nightclub, Tropicana. About love lost and found, the author does a great job having you care about the characters in a short amount of space. I can’t give away too much, but if you have an hour to spare, this is a perfect interlude to your day and a great introduction to this author. Yes, it’s short and sweet, and sometimes that’s exactly what we need. Reviewed by Cyrene
Welcome to Uncaged! Your newest book, Training the Duke released on October 12 and is part of a series called Suddenly a Duke. Can you tell us more about the series and this book?
AA: Suddenly a Duke is an 8-book Regency romance series. I love a fish out of water story, and so my 8 heroes gain their unexpected dukedoms and have to adjust to their new lives as a duke. These dukes find themselves attracted to interesting females Polite Society does not believe worthy of holding the title of duchess. The heroines I this series are not typical ladies of the ton. One is a portrait painter. Another composes music. Two are designers—of hats and furniture. One is even a famed Bow Street runner! Fortunately, these dukes choose to forge their own paths with these remarkable women and find that trusting their heart is always the right choice.
Training the Duke’s unusual heroine, Lady Finola Honeyfield, is a dog trainer, specializing in training English springer spaniels. Army officer Cyrus Cressley’s head wound has left him alive but blind in one eye, so he is unsuited to lead soldiers into battle. He returns to his childhood home to heal and find a purpose in life—and Finola’s adorable pups bring the two of them together. Of course, both Cy and Finola hold close a few secrets, and things become even more complicated when he suddenly becomes the Duke of Margate. Cy must convince Finola they are meant to be together.
What are you working on now that you can tell us about?
AA: I have two different series in the works for 2024.
My Regency historical romance series, The Strongs of Shadowcrest is my first family series I’ve written since my popular St. Clairs. It will tell the love stories of the Strong family, including eldest brother James; his four half-sisters; the girls’ mother; and his two cousins. This series will release between February & October.
My small-town contemporary romance series is set deep in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, where people come seeking new opportunities and a chance to reinvent themselves—and maybe even find love. Lost Creek is a 5-book series, and a new romance will drop each month from May to October.
Read more of this interview in the issue below
USA Today and Amazon Top 100 bestselling author Alexa Aston’s historical romances use history as a backdrop to place her characters in extraordinary circumstances, where their intense desire for one another grows into the treasured gift of love. Her contemporary romances are light and flirty and sometimes contain a bit of suspense.
She is the author of 16 historical and contemporary romance series, including Suddenly a Duke, Second Sons of London, Dukes Done Wrong, Sugar Springs, and Hollywood Name Game.
A native Texan, Alexa lives with her husband in a Dallas suburb, where she eats her fair share of dark chocolate and plots stories while she walks every morning. She enjoys a great Netflix binge, reading, and travel, and she has the two most adorable grandkids on the planet.
An army officer who has returned to his childhood home . . .
An earl’s daughter forced to earn her own living . . .
Two damaged souls who find friendship . . . and love . . .
Lieutenant-General Cyrus Cressley’s head wound leaves him blind in one eye and unsuited to lead men into battle. Selling his commission, Cy returns to Melrose to find his father long dead and his distant brother, who is in poor health, the new Duke of Margate. Cy is given use of the hunting lodge on the estate, where he seeks to find his purpose in life after being forced from the military.
Lady Finola Honeyfield’s come-out was ruined when a cruel trick was played upon her, leaving her to trust no one but her dogs. She retreats to the country and becomes one of England’s premier trainers of English springer spaniels, having found a way to earn her keep, even as she is lost in loneliness.
Thanks to her Honeyfield spaniels, Finola has a chance meeting with Cy. Soon, a friendship springs up between them, with Cy even helping Finola train her current litter of pups. But these two keep secrets from one another and when Cy suddenly finds himself the Duke of Margate, Finola washes her hands of him. Can Cy convince Finola they are meant to be together and forge a path as the Duke and Duchess of Margate—or will her mistrust of gentlemen of the ton keep them apart forever?
Excerpt
“My commitment to you is unbreakable, Finola,” Cy said, holding her hand as she perched on the bed where he lay. “I may not bring a wealth of worldly goods into our marriage, but know that my love is the biggest gift I can offer you.”
He kissed her tenderly.
“Will you allow us to live at Belldale?” she asked quietly, and he saw the worry in her eyes. “It has been your home for many years. I would not take you from it or your dogs. The sale of my commission will bring in some income for us to live on, but you will need to continue training and selling your Honeyfield spaniels.”
“We,” she emphasized. “We will train them together. Perhaps we should rename them Cressley spaniels.”
The thought left a sour taste within him. Cy wanted no association with his brother or father touching his relationship with Finola. “No, they are to remain Honeyfield spaniels. That is what they are known as. It will be your lasting legacy, and I am more than happy to continue to help you in this work.”
She touched his cheek, stroking her fingers against it. “Bertie will be happy about this turn of events.” Cy chuckled. “He will, indeed. And speaking of Bertie, where is the lad?”
“I sent him to Belldale to work with the dogs today so I could stay with you since your headache was so debilitating.” He kissed her hand. “Thank you for being with me during the worst of it. I am much better now. Dr. Sheffley said the headaches, like my eyesight, are results of the bullet entering my head and the swelling and stress that resulted from that. I hope if my sight returns that the headaches might end.”
Finola rose from the bed, saying, “Dr. Addams will return tomorrow morning to check on you.”
“What of Stoneham? And Pollux? When do you plan on delivering the pup to the duke?”
“His Grace knows I wanted you and Bertie to accompany me. He said he would send his carriage again the day after tomorrow, hoping you would be fully recovered by then.”
Cy took her hand, bringing it to his lips for a tender kiss. “When will you wed me?”
“I suppose in three weeks’ time. It will take that long to call the banns.”
“There are other ways to speed things up,” he told her.
“I’ve got one rule and it’s no women on board. Ever.”
When the youngest brother of the rough and tumble Smith family turned to smuggling, Fulton Smith knew he had to keep his operation simple to keep from being caught.
But the beautiful stowaway, Sophie, makes his life anything but easy. His smuggling self knows he ought to drop her at the nearest port and follow his own damn rules. It’s a dangerous business. The lord in him, however, can’t help but protect the fragile beauty who has demons of her own.
But when his past begins to haunt them too, danger lurks around every corner and not even his boat is fast enough to outrun it.
Keeping her safe will push him to the breaking point. Keeping his hands off her…
Uncaged Review: This is a fun story with a perfectly imperfect hero, and a woman who is the perfect combination of courage and grace. Sophie hides away on Fulton’s ship, trying to escape an arranged marriage with a cruel man and a loveless family, and Fulton is hunting a criminal who has terrorized his family. But things don’t always go to plan, and when Fulton discovers the daughter of the wine maker he purchased at one of their stops in the hold of the ship, he threatens to take her back to where she’s escaping from. But he has a hard time fighting his attraction to her.
This book has romance and danger, and secrets that will be revealed. Secondary characters are well developed, and I look forward to reading more in this series. Reviewed by Cyrene
Paige, a popular hard-charging television anchor, is handed a dismal new assignment to improve the station’s ratings. Her new job involves, of all things, sports. Gag. She hates sports, plus being on the road may put her career and her secret engagement to a rival news anchor in peril. Never mind that her fiancé constantly flirts with his so-called fans or the fact that her new male coworker may be after her job. What about the wedding? Hello? How can Paige possibly plan nuptials while constantly traveling to, ugh, games?
Emma, an overwhelmed single mother, is asked by her best friend to plan her wedding. Problem is, Emma has a thriving Etsy business making promotional items for authors, plus her energetic five-year-old daughter is beginning kindergarten. And little Lucy happens to have the hottest teacher on the planet. With a teenage-like crush, Emma can’t stop volunteering for every school activity imaginable. Always loyal, Emma agrees to help her BFF. Except her crazy schedule causes memory issues. Big ones.
Will Emma realize her mammoth blunder and race against time to create an unforgettable wedding for Paige, or is it too late? What if the wrong bride is getting married? Should they swap or forget the whole thing? Guilt is a powerful drug.
Uncaged Review: This book started out a bit slow for me as contemporary romance is a really not a go-to genre for me, but once I hit the halfway point, I couldn’t put it down. I “had” to read what happened next. After I read the Coconuts series by this author, I was intrigued of where she was going next, and this book doesn’t disappoint. Two unlikely best friends, totally different paths and the book narrates between the two of them, chapter by chapter. I was completely absorbed in their lives, and I was already choosing their partners. Paige is a regionally famous television news anchor who gets saddled with a sports job from her boss, a part of the news she has zero knowledge of. On top of that, she gets a partner – who seems too good to be true. She also is engaged to a rival station’s anchor, a cad of a man named Trent. Emma is a single mom with a charming daughter in kindergarten who is quickly falling for her daughter’s teacher.
This book is funny, it will make you laugh and cry, and have you cheering on the characters. There is a bit of a surprise toward the end, and if you’ve read the Coconut series, you will know what I mean. All I can say is there had better be a book two. Reviewed by Cyrene
Welcome to Uncaged! The Countess Caper released on October 24 th , (this will publish after the release) and is the second book in a series called The Dainty Devils. Can you tell us more about this book and the series?
Thank you so much! The Dainty Devils is my first historical romance series for Dragonblade’s Flame line, and it’s been such fun! It focuses on women outside of the usual restrictions of Regency Society… and the law. A Lady Smuggler, a Highwaywoman, and an Art Thief break all of the rules for love! (And it can be read out of order)
The Countess Caper focuses on Tessa who has bought a dilapidated house in the middle of nowhere and fills it with women who are hiding from Society. Tessa will do anything to keep them safe.
Even steal a carriage from Roarke Noble, the Earl of Dartmoor.
As her first foray into being a highwaywoman, it has mixed results. She gets her cousin to the midwife just in time. But she also gets a marriage proposal. Because Roarke needs a wife.
And with Tessa he gets more than he bargained for. She won’t tell him why she is fighting off housebreakers and stealing from earls and viscounts. Or why her disaster of a house is rigged with traps to discourage unwanted visitors.
But when those secrets put her life in danger, Roarke discovers he will do anything to save her.
What are you working on now that you can tell us about?
I’m currently working on The Husband Heist which is the third book in the series, about Lady Summer who pops up in the earlier books. She steals back an art collection for a friend…and ends us with secret spy information… and a handsome earl!
Read the rest of the interview in the November/December issue of Uncaged Book Reviews
Alyxandra Harvey is the author of The Cinderella Society, The Dainty Devils, The Drake Chronicles, The Witches of London, Haunting Violet and more!
She likes chai lattes, tattoos, and books. Sometimes fueled by literary rage.
Sometimes you have to break the rules to find your happily ever after.
The stern and proper Callum Winter, Duke of Tremaine, must marry. At least according to his mother.
Enter:The Duchess Games where ladies are invited to display their accomplishments in dancing, music and all social graces.
Caitriona Sparrow just wants to steal the duke’s signet ring to get her smuggling operation running and save the village from ruin. Options are scarce for a thirty-one-year-old spinster, her two younger siblings, four dogs, a cranky goat, and a one-eyed fox.
She might not have any pretty accomplishments, but she can sing sea shanties and debone a haddock in minutes. But between pianofortes and watercolors, Caitriona is shocked to discover that Callum remembers her from that passionate summer long ago and she has never forgotten him.
Cat might not be duchess material—but she’s the perfect woman to save Callum…and their happily ever after.
The only problem is that she has to betray him first.
Excerptfrom Chapter One
On the last Wednesday of September, Lady Tessa Kilkenny stole a man.
She didn’t mean to.
But she wasn’t giving him back.
At least, not yet. There simply wasn’t time. She needed his carriage, and he happened to be inside of it. That was his own bad luck and nothing to do with her.
Mostly.
Anyway, he would survive. Her cousin Dove might not.
And to think that this time last year she had been sitting down to another interminable tea, her ankles crossed, her gloves pristine, her smile polite and as sweet as the teacakes being served. She had told stories, played the pianoforte when asked, laughed when appropriate, murmured when necessary, her spine straight no matter how tired she was.
She’d survived it with another of those terrible smiles because it was meant to protect her, to make her family love her. She was a lark, always up for a laugh. It was meant to save her cousin Deirdre from ruin, and so much worse.
When it did neither, what, as a woman, was she to do?
Burn it all down.
Metaphorically, of course. She would never damage a three-hundred-year-old house with better bones and a better reputation than anyone in her life. Than herself, come to that. Her reputation had not improved. Not to mention Mayfair, with its cobbled stones and marble pillars, would be a bit of work to burn, to be honest.
Still, The Incident followed her.
A week later, a month later. A year later.
And she wasn’t the least bit sorry for it.
Lord Tewksbury got what he deserved. He deserved far worse, but she had acted on impulse with the tools at hand.
And now here she was.
Ruined. Banned from Society. Disdained.
And stuck in a thunderstorm with her cousin crouched in the mud, shouting obscenities.
As one of Tessa’s first forays into being a highwaywoman, it left something to be desired. But she could hardly be held responsible for Dove’s situation. Or the timing of babies deciding they were ready to fling themselves into the world. If she was, she’d have chosen a much warmer day, and a much closer proximity to a midwife. Any midwife, but preferably Noni from the village, which was an hour’s walk away.
She didn’t know the first thing about childbirth.
Neither did Dove, regrettably. She went by Marigold now, changing her name as they all did when moving to Magpie House. It was safer that way. Only Tessa kept her name because she was not in hiding. And no one was looking for her. Certainly, no one wanted to find her.
Sometimes you have to break the rules to find your happily ever after.
The stern and proper Callum Winter, Duke of Tremaine, must marry. At least according to his mother.
Enter:The Duchess Games where ladies are invited to display their accomplishments in dancing, music and all social graces.
Caitriona Sparrow just wants to steal the duke’s signet ring to get her smuggling operation running and save the village from ruin. Options are scarce for a thirty-one-year-old spinster, her two younger siblings, four dogs, a cranky goat, and a one-eyed fox.
She might not have any pretty accomplishments, but she can sing sea shanties and debone a haddock in minutes. But between pianofortes and watercolors, Caitriona is shocked to discover that Callum remembers her from that passionate summer long ago and she has never forgotten him.
Cat might not be duchess material—but she’s the perfect woman to save Callum…and their happily ever after.
The only problem is that she has to betray him first.
Uncaged Review: This is such a fun book, I read this quickly as I couldn’t put it down for long. I laughed so many times in this one and the cast of characters are well thought out. Caitriona is a fisherman’s daughter living in a poor village, and has nothing to do with society. She smuggles brandy and lace to help feed the village. Now she needs to steal the Duke’s signet ring to help get the smuggling business going, and to do that she finagles her way for her sister to compete in the Duchess Games, a contest of sorts set up by the Duke’s mother to try to marry him off and produce an heir with the potential debutantes. Callum, the new Duke, is put out by the silly games, but when Cat shows up, he remembers a passionate summer they shared years ago….and the woman that stole his heart.
This is a fun book, filled with laughter and animals and even a bit of danger. Even though Cat and her sister Viola were not born to be a Duchess, Callum will have a bit of trouble remembering that. The supporting cast is fun, even the backstabbing contestants. The ending was a little too fast, but this is a fun book and doesn’t disappoint. This is a first book for me by this author, and it definitely won’t be a last. Reviewed by Cyrene
EIGHTEEN MONTHS AGO, THE WORLD LEARNED THE UGLY TRUTH: GOD EXISTS. HE JUST DOESN’T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT US.
After a deadly virus wipes out most of the world’s population, those of us who survive are left as food for the Damned, the walking corpses ravaged by the infection.
Yet, something far more sinister stirs in the bowels of New York City. The Four Horsemen are prowling the streets, kidnapping young girls and dragging them back to their lair. And when a supply run becomes a rescue mission turned deadly, I’m left at the mercy of a sexy stranger.
Jax Constantine weaves himself into my life with blood tingling charisma and a smile that rekindles my hope in love. But a dark secret lurks beneath his penetrating gaze and sizzling touch. One he’s not willing to share, leading me to believe he might not be the man I thought.
Now, humanity’s last stand rests in my hands. To save a world consumed by evil, I must choose between stopping the Devil from claiming an already scorched Earth as his own or saving the man I love.
The same man destined to curse my soul.
Uncaged Review: This is a true good vs. evil in all sense of the word. In this dystopian world, the evil is Samuel (or the devil himself) trying to free himself from Hell so he can have dominion over earth. Survivors have to fight off the lesser demons that destroy everything in their path, and if you get scratched or bitten, you become a zombie-like creature and there is no cure. The devil’s Lieutenants are the Four Horsemen and they are kidnapping young girls to try to find a vessel who will carry the child that Samuel can take over.
A lot of twists and turns, it will make you laugh and cry, and still have hope for humanity. There is a lot of religious overtones which I expected with an angels vs. demons apocalyptic world, but it’s not preachy. Action packed with plenty of gory fight scenes and a few hard-hitting sex scenes. But this is book that has enough action and twists and turns to keep you turning pages. Excellent start to a new series. Reviewed by Cyrene
