Monday, November 18, 2024
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Uncaged Review – Earl of Scarborough by Collette Cameron

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Earl of Scarborough
Collette Cameron
Historical Regency

‘Tis the season to be wicked…
When a woman desperate for a job saves the life of an earl…
… both of their plans for the future are thwarted.

He’s eccentric and society-shy…
There’s no polite way to describe Ansley, Earl of Scarborough’s obsession with schedules and inflexible routines. Unfortunately, he’s also in need of a wife, which forces him squarely in the midst of the society he can scarcely function within. If only he dared to ignore the haut ton’s censure and claim the lovely, wholly unsuitable Willow as his own.

She seeks a governess post…
Up from the country, Willow Harwood must quickly secure a governess position and save enough money to return to America. Only, her plans are foiled when she rushes to the rescue of a devastatingly handsome earl in the process of being robbed. Though he’s far above her station, she can’t fight the irrepressible attraction she feels toward him.

Neither is prepared for the upheaval to their lives when she reluctantly accepts his offer of employment…as his housekeeper. Nor can either predict the mayhem that follows when a lord who disdains society and a country miss with no experience plan a haut ton Christmastide gathering.

Uncaged Review: “Her tread lightened somewhat, the furious tramping giving away to normal footfall. Ah good. He was making headway, then.”

This was one of the many lines in this book that made me either smile broadly, or laugh out loud. The characters are very endearing, especially Ansley with his need of schedules and routines to keep his life relatively calm. Although he is an Earl, he’s also kind, fair and completely thrown for a loop when he meets Willow.

Willow is a commoner, half English, half American, with an excellent education, but society is prejudiced against her, and it’s been difficult to find a job as a teacher after her grandfather passes away. When she is hired by Ansley, she knows her station as a commoner and there can’t be anything between her and the Earl. Or can there? What about the haut ton?

This is a type of Cinderella story, and I was completely charmed. The author gave us an imperfect hero – which in turn, made him perfect. And the cover? I know exactly where that takes place in the book. Cheers. Reviewed by Cyrene

5 Stars

Uncaged Review: Red Snowflakes by Kristal Dawn Harris

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Red Snowflakes
Kristal Dawn Harris
Paranormal Romance

Forensic photographer, Dena Williams, has spent her life trained to see what others cannot. Vampire, Dimitri Kovac, has waited every Christmas for a miracle that does not come. In the Oregon wilderness, during a snowstorm, these two destined souls collide. Dena’s only hope of survival rests in a vampire with the heart of a poet. Dimitri only has five days to win a skeptical woman’s heart. As the Christmas tree lights burn brightly and the snow continues to fall, will Dena succumb to a vampire’s charms? With so little time, can Dimitri win her love?

Uncaged Review: A Christmas themed book with a fairy tale aspect which reminds me of Beauty and the Beast. I really enjoyed reading this book in places I was giggling like a love struck teenager. It’s not weird to want to be bitten by a vampire right? Highly recommended for some pre-Christmas vampire fun. Reviewed by Jennifer

4 Stars

Uncaged Review – Keeper of the Flame by Elizabeth Rose

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Keeper of the Flame
Elizabeth Rose
Medieval Historical Fantasy

Immortality isn’t always a blessing . . . sometimes it’s a curse!

An old sorcerer is how everyone knows him, but Orrick Pendragon has only chosen to shapeshift into the image an old man because of his painful past. When he stole the Eternal Flame over a hundred years ago, he had no idea of the consequences of his action. Being immortal and also married, he had to watch as his loving wife grew old and died while he stayed young and continued to live forever. Heartbroken, he swore, he would never fall in love again. But when Lady Hope appears at his tower door seeking his assistance to find the Eternal Flame, he’s intrigued and strangely attracted to her. Against his better judgment, he finds himself shapeshifting back into his young and handsome form of Sir Rick.

Lady Hope Threston arrives at Blake Castle as Lord Corbett’s ward. However, it is only a ploy on her part to get what she wants. She’s been betrothed to Lord Irwin, a blackhearted, greedy man. In order to convince him to break the betrothal, she agrees to help him find the Eternal Flame. However, she needs the assistance of the old sorcerer to do it. Lord Irwin wants to be powerful, invincible, and immortal, but all she wants is to be free. Then she meets the handsome Sir Rick and magically, everything changes.

Can an immortal man who is destined to live forever, find love again with a mortal woman who is bound to die?

Uncaged Review: This is the fifth book in a series, and I hadn’t read the others, but I’m definitely planning on going back and reading them – I really enjoyed Orrick’s story. The medieval time period is where this author excels.

After his wife died, Orrick is an old sorcerer, or at least that’s what he shows the world, as he keeps up the old man look. But when Hope arrives, he begins to feel for the first time since he lost his wife and the real Orrick comes through. I wasn’t a huge fan of Hope in the beginning, but I grew to like her as the story progressed. This book brings, suspense, romance and even a bit of humor. Well worth picking up. Reviewed by Cyrene

4.5 Stars

Uncaged Review: Wildfire and Roses by Hope Malory

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Wildfire and Roses
Hope Malory
Contemporary Romance

Sparks fly when tenacious mountain climber and hiker Beasley McLemore meets hot smokejumper Will Gregor on a search and rescue mission in Yosemite. Getting together, however, isn’t easy. Strong-willed Beasley is bent on building a thriving landscaping business back home in the foothills of the majestic Smoky Mountains. Busy working 24/7, she has no time or energy for a man in her life…she thinks.

Scorched by love in his past, Will is content to live near awe-inspiring Lake Tahoe where he saves lives and forests as a remote wildland firefighter. He doesn’t need a committed relationship complicating his dangerous lifestyle…he thinks.

Through life-changing events and a family mystery, each must question long held beliefs about work, love, and life. Looming over their blossoming love affair is the 2,400 miles separating their homes and livelihoods. Will love keep them together or distance tear them apart?

Uncaged Review: This is a nice contemporary that will draw a reader in pretty fast with a good lead-in in how Beasley and Will meet – with a little boy missing on a trail and both of them being on the team that volunteers in the search. Will is a firefighter/smokejumper and is not thrilled to have a thin woman on the team, but Beasley proves herself pretty quickly.

This is a good debut novel, and the backstories of the characters, even the secondary characters, are very well developed and interesting – my only wish was there just a bit fewer characters overall to read about. The long distance romance between Will and Beasley plays out and this book covers about a year’s time, so the reader has a lot to cover. But it’s done beautifully and paced well, and for those who like a bit of suspense in their novels, the mystery in Beasley’s family is woven seamlessly into the story. An author to watch in the future. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review: Wicked in Winter by Scarlett Scott

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Wicked in Winter
Scarlett Scott
Historical Regency

Devereaux Winter is one of the wealthiest men in England, but he hails from a notorious family. The Wicked Winters are as reviled as they are renowned. He is desperate to find a wife of good breeding so he can begin the Herculean task of seeing his siblings settled. Fortunately for him, the duke next door’s wits are addled. Even more fortunate? The duke’s only daughter is a beautiful spinster.

Lady Emilia King has sworn off love and vowed to remain unwed. When the brutish Mr. Winter wins her ailing father’s unentailed assets in a game of chance, she is aghast. Upon hearing his requirement for forgiving her father’s debt, she is outraged. She has no intention of marrying the villain and sponsoring his wild sisters in their seasons.

But Dev always gets what he wants, and Lady Emilia is about to discover what he wants more than anything is her. Far more astonishing, she just may want him too…

Uncaged Review: I have discovered, that I love Scarlett Scott’s books. This one took me a little longer to like, because I hated Lady Emilia in the beginning. She was arrogant, spoiled and cruel – and she vowed never to go below her station, but she did that, over and over with her cruel words. As for Dev, I liked him and his sisters almost immediately. Don’t worry, Emilia does redeem herself….eventually. But it was unfortunate, as I did grow to like her well enough, but I never loved her as the beginning chapters set the tone for her. I did understand her outrage at being “sold off” to settle her father’s debts, I know that would never fly in this day and age, but the author went a bit over the top with her.

Even with that said, this is a good love story at the bottom of it. Emilia and Dev are a good pairing and I’m looking forward to more of this series, and I hope we see the two in future books as supporting characters. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

Uncaged Review: Ascending by Meg Pechenick

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Ascending
Meg Pechenick
SciFi

Twenty-five years ago the Vardeshi came to Earth. Then they vanished without a trace. Graduate student Avery Alcott always knew they would return. When they do, she’s the only one who can speak their language. She’s quickly recruited to join the crew of an 11-man starship on a one-year mission into the depths of space. Avery leaps at the chance to leave behind everything she’s ever known. Wearing a Vardeshi uniform, adapting to their culture, following their orders, she’s as close to being one of them as she’ll ever be. But there’s more to interstellar diplomacy than knowing the right words to say. And shedding her identity turns out to be harder than she expected. When her ship, its crew, and the fragile human-Vardeshi alliance are threatened, Avery’s humanity—the very thing putting her at risk—just might be the one thing that can save her.

Uncaged Review: I can be a hard sell on scifi. I love the genre – when it’s done right. And this book is one of those. Is it a hard-core scifi? No, but it’s not meant to be. This is not Timothy Zahn or Arthur C. Clark, but this is a debut novel, and this author is one to watch in this genre. A lot of this is setting up and world/character building – and some of it gets a bit drawn out, but it has good pacing and it didn’t take long to draw me in. There is even a bit of suspense and danger – that threatens the alliance, and it has good twist to it. The book did not leave off on a cliffhanger, but it did set up nicely for book two. Is it going to set up as a romance down the line? Maybe….but that’s not in this book. I’m definitely moving on to book two. Reviewed by Cyrene

4.5 Stars

Uncaged Review: The Innocent Wife by CiCi Cordelia

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

The Innocent Wife
CiCi Cordelia
Historical Western

JOSHUA . . .
As the Sheriff of Little Creede, Joshua Lang has had his hands full more than once. Protecting his town from a criminal bent on destructive revenge. Keeping the peace when Little Creede grows too fast for its own good during the height of the silver mining boom. Trying to remember a certain beautiful, shy, and sheltered young woman is off-limits because she’s the baby sister of his two best friends.

VIVIAN . . .
For Vivian Carter, it’s not easy being the younger sister of the Carter brothers, two of the strongest, most honorable men she has ever known. But she’s a grown woman now, ready for a life—and love—of her own. In trying to assert her independence and claim her womanhood, she finds herself stymied by not only her brothers’ overbearing opinions, but the maddening habit Joshua Lang has, of pushing her away just as things between them start to get “interesting.”

THE SHERIFF AND THE VIRGIN . . .
Everyone seems to be finding love in Little Creede, marrying and building their families. As Colorado grows larger and richer, will Vivian and Joshua find their way to each other?

Uncaged Review: This is the third book in The Brides of Little Creede series, and I am hoping that this series continues as the stories continue to get better and better, and I’m learning to love this growing town and even all the misfit residents. This time out, young Vivian Carter, the teacher of the town and Joshua, the sheriff are forced into a quick “shotgun” wedding after being found making out by Vivian’s brothers. Even though this was a forced marriage, both Joshua and Vivian have loved each other for years.
As with all of the books so far in this group, the danger arises from a small boy that has abandoned by his tramp of a mother – and has won the hearts of many in the town, especially Vivian who spends extra time teaching him as he’s a brilliant student soaking up the lessons. But when the whore mother returns and wants Nate back for all the wrong reasons, this book gets really moving. Danger and attempts on Vivian’s life have Joshua and Vivian’s brothers scrambling.

This is a fantastic addition to this series, the danger keeps you turning the pages, and the characters almost leap from the pages. It’s not too often that I can see a story playing out in my mind as I read along as this did. Highly recommended. Reviewed by Cyrene

5 Stars

Uncaged Review: Taming My Christmas Rogue by Tammy Andresen

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Taming My Christmas Rogue
Tammy Andresen
Historical Regency

A roguish lord and an innocent lady…

Lord Andrew Maddox is a rogue of the first order…he’s the last man Dani should want. Yet her eyes are drawn to Drew every time he enters the same room as her, which is often since her family and his are spending Christmastide together. Dani just has to avoid him for a week and then she can go back to her orderly life and her almost husband hunt. Being shy does make it difficult to search. Except for her rakish rogue has other ideas.

Miss Danielle Frazier is far too virtuous for his tastes… so why can’t he stop thinking about her? He must take drastic measures. His plan? Steal one kiss. He likes a woman with a certain amount of knowledge and Dani clearly has none. One botched kiss and he’ll be over this ridiculous infatuation. Except for from the moment their lips touch, nothing goes the way it’s supposed to and kisses under the mistletoe rarely end romantic fantasy. Now Drew has a new problem entirely… for the first time in his life, he might be falling in love.

Uncaged Review: Another delightful read by this author. Drew has been a first class rake, much to the dismay of his family. But one woman has set his heart into motion, and that’s Danielle – and leave it to his family to set up a Christmastide celebration, inviting the family along with Danielle- who is a cousin to one of his brother’s wife and along with two other eligible suitors, enough to drive Drew crazy.

A bit of danger and a hero with a huge heart, some laughter and a heartwarming tale of love during the holidays. A great novella to give you a great feeling for the holidays. Reviewed by Cyrene

4 Stars

#historicalromance #regency #holiday

Uncaged Review: Fire Maidens: London by Anna Lowe

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Fire Maidens: London
Anna Lowe
Fantasy Romance

“Rebel with a cause” Gemma Archer flees Boston one step ahead of a creepy stalker. Now she’s in London, trying to build a new normal — and absolutely, positively not getting involved with any men. That is, until an irresistible stranger prowls into her life. Liam is a sweet, sexy modern-day knight who sparks her sizzling desires. The problem? He’s as loony as some of her relatives. Dragons? Lion shifters? Werewolves? The poor man really seems to believe the tales he spins.

Liam Bennett is fresh out of the military and doing his best to adjust to civilian life. But fitting in was never his forte as a shifter of mixed blood. He’s part lion — a member of London’s most noble family — and part rogue, with “undesirable” dragon blood. When the Guardians of London hire him to help maintain law and order, Liam jumps at the chance to prove himself. Soon, he discovers nothing is as it seems — not among his allies, enemies, or even his own family. The only thing he can be sure of is the danger Gemma is in.

A deadly foe has stalked Gemma for thousands of miles, and Liam has no choice but to spirit away his destined mate to his ancestral dragon home — the remote castle in Wales he’s been avoiding for years. But hiding out is not enough. Can Liam and Gemma survive cunning enemies and the deceptions of the past?

Uncaged Review: In this second book of this series, we get Liam and Gemma’s story. We met Liam in the first of the series, but these books definitely can read as standalones. Liam is the lion-shifter with dual bloodlines, lion and dragon, so the Guardians consider him – of mixed heritage and undesirable because of the dragon bloodlines from his father, but when they see that Gemma – a Fire Maiden, they task Liam to the job of seducing her and bringing her in to the Guardians. But Gemma is Liam’s mate, he feels it deep in his soul, so how will he convince Gemma that she’s his soul mate after she finds out about his orders?

It’s fun to get to know these two, Liam is still the same sexy, fun shifter we met before and Gemma is a strong heroine that shows she’s not a pushover or someone to be kept in a corner. The action scenes are fantastic, the sex scenes – hot, and the world building is still developing with this world and the author makes you feel like you are there. Highly recommended and looking forward to the next one.
Reviewed by Cyrene

5 Stars

Uncaged Review: Rogue’s Holiday by Regan Walker

By
Cyrene Olson
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0

Rogue’s Holiday
Regan Walker
Historical Regency

Robert Powell’s work as a spy saves the Cabinet ministers from a gruesome death and wins him accolades from George IV. As a reward, the king grants him a baronetcy and a much-deserved holiday at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton where he thinks to indulge in brandy, cards, good horseflesh and women.

But when Muriel, Dowager Countess of Claremont, learns of Sir Robert’s intended destination, she begs a favor…to watch over an “errant child” who is the grandniece of her good friend living in the resort town. Little does Robbie know that Miss Chastity Reynolds is no child but a beautiful hoyden who is seemingly immune to his charms.

Chastity lives in the shadow of her mother and sisters, dark-haired beauties men admire. Her first Season was a failure but, as she will soon come into a family legacy, she has no need to wed. When she first encounters Sir Robert, she dubs him The Rogue, certain he indulges in a profligate lifestyle she wants no part in.

In Brighton, Robbie discovers he is being followed by friends of the conspirators who had planned to murder the Cabinet. Worse, they know the location of Chastity’s residence.

Uncaged Review: The final book in the Agents of the Crown series, but don’t be alarmed, you can easily read these as standalones. Having the background of the family from the beginning just enhances the books. I’ve come to rely on this author to always be a good read, and she doesn’t disappoint here. This book is not just a romance, it’s a thrilling regency, with suspense and danger. There were times I laughed out loud and other times I was reading as fast I could to see what happened next. With real history facts woven thru out the story, you will unknowingly learn as you are entertained with this clean historical.

No spoilers from me, but any reader that loves a good historical romance, won’t go wrong with this book, or this series. Highly recommended.
Reviewed by Cyrene

5 Stars

#historicalromance #regency #uncagedbooks

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