Friday, May 31, 2013

Book Tour for Any Duchess Will Do by Tessa Dare (Review & GIVEAWAY)


Today one of my favorite authors is visiting!  Tessa Dare is her to give us a glimpse of her newest release and you can read my impressions of it as well.  Don't forget to fill out the form below for your chance to win a great prize.....

Today Pauline is just a serving girl in Spindle Cove but tomorrow... she'll be a Duchess?! It's a Spindle Cove Pygmalion story as only New York Times Bestselling author Tessa Dare can tell it.
What's a duke to do, when the girl who's perfectly wrong becomes the woman he can't live without. 
Griffin York, the Duke of Halford, has no desire to wed this season-or any season-but his diabolical mother abducts him to "Spinster Cove" and insists he select a bride from the ladies in residence. Griff decides to teach her a lesson that will end the marriage debate forever. He chooses the serving girl.
Overworked and struggling, Pauline Simms doesn't dream about dukes. All she wants is to hang up her barmaid apron and open a bookshop. That dream becomes a possibility when an arrogant, sinfully attractive duke offers her a small fortune for a week's employment. Her duties are simple: submit to his mother's "duchess training"… and fail miserably.
But in London, Pauline isn't a miserable failure. She's a brave, quick-witted, beguiling failure-a woman who ignites Griff's desire and soothes the darkness in his soul. Keeping Pauline by his side won't be easy. Even if Society could accept a serving girl duchess-can a roguish duke convince a serving girl to trust him with her heart?

EXCERPT:

“I thought you didn’t have noble impulses.”
“Believe me.” He stared into her eyes and spoke the words without lewdness or irony. “I don’t.”
If he possessed a single grain of decency, he would have set her down long moments ago. Wicked as it made him, he loved the way she was clinging to his neck. As though the world around them were a vast, frozen waste and sharing the heat of his body was her only chance to survive. It was so easy to believe, for this moment, that she needed him. Needed his touch, his mouth, his heated breath. His bared, feverish skin all over hers.
Amazing, what acrobatic contortions the lusting male mind could achieve. He’d almost convinced himself that kissing her lush, sweet lips was the noble thing to do.
Almost. But not quite.
“I’ll put you down now,” he said.
She nodded.
And then she pressed her lips to his.
Praise and curses be heaped. The girl kissed him.

BUY HERE:  Amazon   |   Amazon Paperback

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS STORY:

Next to Lorraine Heath I have come to also count on Tessa Dare to write a historical book that leaves me immensely satisfied after reading it.  This latest release left just such an impression with me.  From start to finish this book completely won me over heart and soul and just thinking about the main characters puts a smile on my face!  To put it plainly, Pauline and Griff have become my quintessential couple, the one by which all other couples will be measured.  Their interactions crackled from the moment their eyes met.  They were delightfully playful with one another and their scenes together teemed with sexual tension.  Not only did they make good lovers, but they were truly good friends too.  No matter their differences in social status they found much to connect them and found great comfort in their mutual understandings.

Pauline always wanted more in life but was held back by a father who couldn't stand to see her become better than him.  She never stopped dreaming though and planned a future for her and her slow-thinking sister as a self-sufficient woman.  Just when she gets a bit ahead financially something always happens to set her back.  That's why Griff's offer is so appealing to her.....he'll give her a thousand pounds to prove she'll never become the duchess his mother promises she can turn Pauline into.  After being called a disaster her whole life she knows that her failing is guaranteed and the money for her library within reach.  Being around Griff brings out the best in her and before long she starts becoming his ideal duchess.  Unfortunately society rears its ugly head and it will take all her courage to grab the HEA she's truly discovered she wants.  Pauline is an amazing heroine!  Protects her sister and works hard to provide for her family without complaint. She's honest and strong-willed, not afraid to be who she really is. Even as she learns to be a duchess she still does it in her own fashion. There's no artifice about her, just a refreshingly smart and loyal young woman who helps Griff to heal from a heartbreaking loss.

Griff was always thought of as a rake until a heartbreaking loss, that he's kept hidden from everyone, has him changing his way of living. He's now sworn off women and marriage and sets out to thwart his mother's plan for his future using Pauline as a pawn at first.  He quickly comes to admire her and soon does everything in his power to protect her.  They have an easy rapport with one another with a romance that evolves slowly and steadily.  They start out as friends who share their hopes and dreams with one another and then as lovers they make those dreams come true.  No matter how much Griff calls himself a rake and a scoundrel he can't help but be heroic and caring.  No matter how hard he hid his heart, Pauline brought him back to life with her quiet support and understanding.  His sadness was heartbreaking and being with Pauline was like a breath of fresh air and had me rooting for their HEA every step of the way.

Along with a wonderful main couple comes Griff's mother.  She was a wonderfully cantankerous woman who appeared gruff but was a truly caring woman beneath her commanding exterior.  Even as she was teaching Pauline you could see her learning too.  She loosened up and showed a more loving and funny side as the story progressed.  The sexual encounters between Pauline and Griff were hot and yet playful. You could sense their connection deepening every time they were together.  While there are no big misunderstandings, Griff's reasons for swearing off marriage are big to him.  It takes a lot of unloading of emotional baggage for him to realize how important Pauline is to him as opposed to his past and the moment he acts on it is truly crowd pleasing.  

This whole story ends up being an absolute joy with characters I still think about long after the final page was turned.  Ms. Dare's Spindle Cove series continues to entertain and I look forward to the next installment where hopefully I can catch a glimpse of my new favorite couple again.

My rating for this is an A+

*I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

AUTHOR INFO:

Tessa Dare a part-time librarian, full-time mommy, and swing-shift writer. She makes her home in Southern California, where she shares a cozy, cluttered bungalow with her husband, their two children, and a dog.


**********GIVEAWAY**********

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Tour for Trilogy of a Wolf's Endowment by Destiny Blaine (GIVEAWAY)


Today we're celebrating an enticing series of paranormal stories from the talented Destiny Blaine.  Keep reading to get a taste of the addictive books in the Trilogy of a Wolf's Endowment and make sure to fill out the form below for your chance to win these books!

THE WILD SIDE:

The wild side is an interesting stretch of territory where only the courageous survive.......
Joe Kramer is a simple-minded young man tending farm with his father. When a neighbor needs a lift, his dad sends him out to give the woman a ride. Soon, a Moonlight Clan Council member has her claws in Joe, leaving him a changed man.
Accepting his fate, Joe joins a wolf pack steeped in history and tradition, but someone among them is threatening to tear their pack apart. To make matters worse, as the pack master, Joe rebukes the traditions of the past while ignoring the mandated placement of two mates.
As he leads his pack to a position of strength, Joe will stand out as the clear Alpha destined to protect the East Tennessee Moonlight Clan Council, but will his lack of experience and immaturity cost the clan what they cherish most? And who, if anyone, will stand beside him when he fights to protect those closest to home?



THE PRIMITIVE STATE:

Captivity temporarily restrains, but love forever binds.......
Shuke and Tommy are forced into captivity by a twisted hunter with knowledge of the Moonlight Clan Council. Desperate to separate the growing East Tennessee wolf pack, the shifter-hunter ships Shuke and Tommy to Arizona where a beautiful woman soon releases them.
Once freed, Shuke and Tommy decide to return to Tennessee, but there’s a slight problem with their plan. They can’t keep their hands off each other. Worse still, Shuke finds he can’t leave the Phoenix area due to an unexpected mate calling.
Following the scent of a woman, Shuke insists on returning to Salt River, the last place he saw the female who freed them. And with the lust growing between Shuke and Tommy not at all overshadowing his desire for a woman, Shuke sees his fate sealed as the trilogy of endowment calls to him in a way he never expected.



THE SAVAGE RELEASE:

One beast may die, but another one will rise. And his savage ways will live on forever......
Two members of the Moonlight Clan Council are abducted. After they’re pulled away from their East Tennessee pack and shipped to Canada, they awaken only to find themselves surrounded by the snow-covered peaks of the Northern Rocky Mountains. To make matters worse, a formidable enemy stands before them and challenges them in a battle for their lives.
Fighting their way to freedom, Len and Ray come face to face with Sable, another wolf-shifter defending their pack’s enemy, Corey Marshall. Once Sable learns she supported the wrong wolf, she realizes how much she stands to lose.
Drawn to their attacker in a way that doesn’t make sense, Len and Ray see vivid images as the trilogy of endowment unfolds before them. They embrace their mating call, but the young woman is quite a handful. And Sable isn’t prepared for Len’s idea of a first mating. After Len and Ray unleash their building passion, Sable is left with only one choice—complete surrender.



AUTHOR INFO:

Destiny Blaine is an award-winning, bestselling e-book and paperback author. She writes under several pseudonyms in various genres.
When Destiny isn't writing, she enjoys spending time in Mississippi and South Carolina. She loves NFL and college football, college basketball, volleyball, poker, casino craps, and attending outdoor concerts. Her favorite pastime is sitting on the beach reading about intelligent ALPHA males who know how to take the lead in all situations.
Destiny lives in East Tennessee with her daughter and husband. Her son is serving in the United States Navy.

Visit Destiny Blaine on Amazon or at eXtasy Books

**********GIVEAWAY**********

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Book Tour for The Cowboy's E-Mail Order Bride by Cora Seton (GIVEAWAY)


Today I'm introducing you to a book guaranteed to put a smile on your face.  The Cowboy's E-Mail Order Bride by Cora Seton puts a modern twist on the mail order bride scenario that's permeated many historicals.  Keep reading to get a taste of this book and make sure to leave a comment for your chance to win a GC to Etsy!

Ethan Cruz should be mending fences on his Montana ranch, but instead he’s driving to the Chance Creek, Montana, airport – to pick up the bride he didn’t know he had. This latest salvo in his ongoing practical joke battle with his best friend, Rob Matheson, has gone too far, and Ethan plans to send his “bride” right back home, then get busy plotting his revenge. One look at Autumn Leeds changes his mind, however. Perhaps he needs a bride, after all. A breathtakingly beautiful city bride.
Autumn Leeds needs a story – fast – or she’s going to lose her lucrative contract with CityPretty Magazine, so when she sees the crazy video plea for a modern mail-order bride for a cowboy, it sounds like the story of the century. Making a video of her own, she casts herself as the perfect mail-order bride for a rancher, but when she finally reaches Montana, she’s surprised to find Ethan’s the perfect cowboy husband-to-be. Against her better judgment, her plan to keep her handsome groom at arm’s length disintegrates into a night of passion spent in his arms.
Ethan knows he can’t keep playing this game – he has to come clean with Autumn and tell her the truth; about the practical joke and about the state of his ranch. He’s about to lose it all because of the debts his mother racked up before his parents’ deaths. Now his sister, Claire, wants to sell the ranch and collect what little money they can. He’ll be out of a home and a job, and in no shape to support the bride he desperately wants to marry, after all.
Autumn’s in bigger trouble than ever. Not only has she fallen in love with the subject of her expose – she might be carrying his child. If she doesn’t write this article and secure her job for another year, she’ll lose everything – her career, her apartment, and more importantly, her family’s approval. The only alternative is to stay and marry Ethan. But how can she trust a man she’s just met when she knows too well that men always let you down?
Can a love based on lies last?

EXCERPT:

She glanced up at Ethan to find him glancing down, and the warm feeling curved around her insides again. Surely New York men couldn’t be shorter than this crew, or any less manly, but she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been around so much blatant testosterone. She must be ovulating. Why else would she react like this to a perfect stranger?
Ethan touched her arm. “This way.” She followed him down the hall, the others falling into place behind them like a cowboy entourage. She stifled a sudden laugh at the absurdity of it all, slipped her hand into her purse and grabbed her digital camera, capturing the scene with a few clicks. Had this man – this…cowboy – sat down and planned out the video he’d made? She tried to picture Ethan bending over a desk and carefully writing out “Sweet. Good cook. Ready for children.”
She blew out a breath and wondered if she was the only one stifling in this sudden heat. Ready for children? Hardly. Still…if she was going to make babies with anyone…
Shaking her head to dispel that dangerous image, she found herself at the airport’s single baggage carousel. It was just shuddering to life and within moments she pointed out first one, then another sleek, black suitcase. Ethan took them both, began to move toward the door and then faltered to a stop. He avoided her gaze, focusing on something far beyond her shoulder. “It’s just…I wasn’t….”
Oh God, Autumn thought, a sudden chill racing down her spine. Her stomach lurched and she raised a hand as if to ward off his words. She hadn’t even considered this.
He’d taken one look and decided to send her back.

AUTHOR INFO:

Cora Seton loves cowboys, country life, gardening, bike-riding, and lazing around with a good book. Mother of four, wife to a computer programmer/eco-farmer, she ditched her California lifestyle eight years ago and moved to a remote logging town in northwestern British Columbia.
Like the characters in her novels, Cora enjoys old-fashioned pursuits and modern technology, spending mornings transforming a neglected one-acre lot into a paradise of orchards, berry bushes and market gardens, and afternoons writing the latest Chance Creek romance novel on her iPad mini. Visit www.coraseton.com to read about new releases, locate your favorite characters on the Chance Creek map, and learn about contests and other cool events!

Website: www.coraseton.com
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/coraseton/
Twitter: @coraseton

**********GIVEAWAY**********

Cora will be awarding a $50 Etsy gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

-To be entered, leave a comment, along with your email addy.
-Winners will be chosen randomly from all comments made throughout the tour, so the more you comment the greater your chances of winning.  A list of all participating blogs can be found here.
-Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM CST on 6/7.

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Book Tour for Dangerous Submission by Lori Toland (Review & GIVEAWAY)


Today Lori Toland makes a return visit to my site with her newest m/m story Dangerous Submission, which takes place in the intense world of BDSM.  So keep reading to discover more about Lori in our interview and read my impressions of this new release as well.  Make sure to leave a comment for your chance to win a bookstore GC!  Now let's welcome Lori Toland.......


TSP:  Knowing what you do now about the publishing business, would you have done anything different career-wise?
LT:  Back in 2002, I put aside my writing to concentrate on building my business. We did well to get where I am today but if I knew then what I know now, I would have never stopped writing and trying to get published.
TSP:  What does your writing space look like and do you surround yourself with any particularly inspirational items?
LT:  I’m always on the go and I bring my laptop with me. I can get writing done anywhere, as long as I have headphones. That is absolutely necessary. The mood is created by my music. The background falls away and I’m in a huge hall where the smell of leather is almost overpowering, but sexy and dangerous.
TSP:  The majority of your books are erotic in nature, what draws you to that genre?
LT:  I’ve always written erotic romance, especially LGBT even back in the 90s when it wasn’t getting published. When it was original fiction, I would get a lot of reviews about my sex scenes so it’s a strength in my writing. It always flows so easy because I enjoy the spark of chemistry between my characters.
TSP:  Beyond its synopsis, what do you want us to know about Dangerous Submission?
LT:  I always focus on the romance between my characters and on top of it, besides the fact that this book is about BDSM, it is an erotic romance. It is focused on Drake and Robbie’s highly sexual relationship. This book is very hot but if you have read my other books, that shouldn’t come as a shock. It’s a very fun romp and lots of sexy times are happening between the pages.  
TSP:  Which of your books would you like to see made into a movie and who would play the main couple?
LT:  OMG. Is there anyone who could play Nathaniel Bradley? He is so cocky and full of himself, he drives me nuts. I think if they made a movie of The Long Con, people would throw stuff at the screen when Bradley entered the scene. But actually I loved that plot so much, it was a very hot and sexy story with an extremely sexy and buff Italian boy named Tony. (YUM!) Anyway, I don’t think anyone is making a movie of my books, unless it’s a porn :D
TSP:  Of all the heroes you've written, who's the most heroic in your opinion?
LT:  I think Drake is. He is definitely someone who would protect a person he loves to his dying breath, plus he is ex-Military. He’s pretty damn sexy!
TSP:  How has the digital revolution affected your career and how you market yourself?  Do you have an eReader yourself?
LT:  I have several eReaders - a Kindle, an iPad and iPhone and they’re all linked across my network to sync. I never lack for entertainment. :) I wasn’t published before the digital revolution but my promotion exists of a few ads and a blog tour because I love to connect with my fans. It’s a joy! Honestly, the best promotion is to write a new book, especially a hot one like Dangerous Submission.
TSP:  My site's all about favorite things, so what are your favorite things/the things you can't live without?
LT:  Oh, I love my own coffee cup. I often travel with it. I have a couple that I use. The one I have today has a rainbow peace sign on it and I also have one that is from Jaguar that is matte red. It is so gorgeous! :) I love that one.

British Agent Drake Steele never thought when he was hired on at the Serious Organised Crime Agency that his job would involve spanking a co-worker. But when the colleague is Lord Robbie Covington, the sexy red-headed computer hacker for SOCA and MI-6, Drake can't agree fast enough to pop Robbie's cherry and pull him into the sensual world of BDSM.
Now they are caught up in a web of lies as they pose as members of the jet-setting crowd. Drake and Robbie have to race against the clock to stop a weapons haul that could threaten the safety of all Europe. As their covers begin to fade and danger is closing in, protecting Robbie is Drake’s most important task, but neither man is ready for the moment when their hearts are put on the line.

EXCERPT:

Oblivious to my desire, he turned back to his suitcase and dragged out his tuxedo. “This party we’re going to tonight, it’s a black-tie ball, right?”
“Yes, it is.” I turned my back to him, trying my hardest to ignore how much my cock loved him nearly naked with just a scrap of cotton covering his bits.
“Do you think there will be dancing?”
God, I hoped not, because I was an awful dancer. Robbie would run away screaming from me if he saw me try to waltz. I mumbled something under my breath, hoping that would satisfy him.
He was persistent with his line of questioning, though. He let out a sigh. “What I’m trying to ask is…do you know how to dance?”
“Not really.”
“Maybe I should give you a quick lesson.”
Unable to hold back my horror, I groaned. “We don’t have to do that. It’s not a requirement to dance at this party, I’m sure.”
“No, it probably isn’t, but we aren’t supposed to be wallflowers either. We should try our hardest to fit in.”
“I’m six foot five, and you’re a redheaded royal. Do you really think we’re going to blend in?”

BUY LINKS:


MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

Drake has always been a man in complete control which makes his being a Dom a natural fit and will be useful when his latest mission has him catching criminals who frequent BDSM events.  The man chosen to be his partner is a complete novice to the lifestyle and his actions early on show someone not cut out to be a sub.  Robbie's intrigued though and before long finds himself longing for punishments only Drake can mete out.

Those looking for a mystery to be solved will be disappointed as this story's main focus is on the characters and their evolving relationship.  It's not until the very end that time is spent wrapping up the crime after laying the groundwork at the beginning.  This story is told mainly through Drake's perspective so while I got to understand him a bit, Robbie was a bit more of a mystery and early on I found myself a bit annoyed by his flippant/un-sub actions.  It's not until later on that his actions are understood and I was finally able to enjoy his playful attitude.  Drake's emotions were conflicted too and ran hot and cold as he fought with himself to keep their relationship professional.  He desperately wanted to take care of and keep Robbie safe but didn't see how to make things more permanent.  As much of an alpha as Drake is, there's still a sweetheart lurking inside desperate to get out and claim the man who's won him over completely.

Even though this book is the second installment in the Dangerous Affairs series it can definitely be read on its own as there's very little connecting this book to the previous release.  The scenes involving BDSM are intense but not as much as I've read in other books.  The descriptions of these scenes are vivid and sweat-inducing and pull you into the scene completely.  The connection between Drake and Robbie is full of sexual tension and is surprisingly emotional, especially for such a dominant man as Drake, and I found their rocky relationship immensely satisfying in its complexity.

Ms. Toland has created another satisfying read full of emotional and sexual intensity.  While not as good as the previous installment I still found myself clamoring to reach the end and greatly anticipate the (hopefully) next book in the Dangerous Affairs series.

My rating is a B+

*I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

AUTHOR INFO:

CEO by day, erotic romance writer by night, Lori Toland lives in Orlando where the summers are hot but the romance between her characters is even hotter. Writing since the tender age of 13, Lori somehow finds time to play video games and watch movies while taking care of her beloved cats and a husband who will forever be her hero.

Website: http://www.loritoland.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/loritoland
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tolandlori

**********GIVEAWAY**********

Lori will be awarding a $50 Amazon, ARe, BN or Loose Id gift certificate (winner's choice) to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

-To be entered, leave a comment, along with your email addy.
-Winners will be chosen randomly from all comments made throughout the tour, so the more you comment the greater your chances of winning.  A list of all participating blogs can be found here.
-Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM CST on 5/31.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Book Tour for Highlander's Hope by Collette Cameron (Review & GIVEAWAY)


Those looking for a story that gives readers a bit of everything will find Highlander's Hope by Collette Cameron exactly what they're looking for to entertain them.  So keep reading to get my impressions of the book and make sure to leave a comment for your chance to win all sorts of goodies!

Not a day has gone by that Ewan McTavish, the Viscount Sethwick, hasn't dreamed of the beauty he danced with two years ago. He's determined to win her heart and make her his own.  Heiress, Yvette Stapleton, is certain of one thing; marriage is risky and, therefore, to be avoided.  At first, she doesn't recognize the dangerously handsome man who rescues her from assailants on London's docks, but Lord Sethwick's passionate kisses soon have her reconsidering her cynical views on matrimony. On a mission to stop a War Office traitor, Ewan draws Yvette into deadly international intrigue. To protect her, he exploits Scottish law, declaring her his lawful wife—without benefit of a ceremony. Yvette is furious upon discovering the irregular marriage is legally binding, though she never said, "I do." Will Ewan's manipulation cost him her newfound love?

EXCERPT:

Ewan jolted awake. “Merde.”
He had fallen asleep with Yvette in his arms. Shooting a worried glance at the window, he recognized the first golden blush of daybreak sweeping across the hazy sky.
Sucking in a strangled breath, he grasped the inexperienced hand fondling him. Blast it. The towel had come loose while he slept, of course.
“Yvette,” he whispered as she showered kisses across his bare chest and neck. Grasping her roaming hands, he ensnared her in his embrace, and raised his voice. “Yvette, wake up.”
He gave her a gentle shake. Dark lashes trembled, rising to reveal drowsy eyes. A smile lit her face when her gaze met his. She lifted her hand, caressing his face, her fingers lingering on his scar before she raised herself up and kissed the mark. Caught up in the powerful spell, he almost forgot himself. He fought the urge to throw reason to the wind and kiss her with all the desire he was holding in check. “Yvette. . .”
Ewan knew the moment she awoke. He felt her stiffen in his arms and heard her small cry of shocked dismay. She pressed at his chest with both hands. He released her and watched her scramble across the bed. She stopped in the middle, facing him. Her hair swirled around her, settling in shimmering waves about her hips.
Dawn’s glow lit the room. He could see her expressions. Shock—followed by confusion, then complete horror as she realized the full scope of her situation.

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

There's a lot going on in Highlander's Hope and for the most part Ms. Cameron keeps tight control over the action to create a satisfying story overall.  From the controlled high society of Regency England, to the high seas, to the wildness of Scotland our protagonists set out on a journey full of danger, suspense, and surprising humor on their way to their HEA.  This journey is vividly depicted which makes it easy to fully immerse yourself into this intriguing world Ms. Cameron has created and has me looking forward to more stories set in this world after being introduced to so many delightful characters.

Life isn't easy for heiress Yvette as her inheritance puts her life in danger as well as her heart once  the man who haunts her dreams, Ewan, races to her rescue.  That's not to say that Yvette is the kind of heroine constantly in need of help, because she's not.  She's smart, well educated, and not afraid to stick up for herself.  She's book smart but naive when it comes to love and untrusting when it comes to men.  Ewan therefore has to work doubly hard to win her over.  And with his charming and playful ways it's not long before he succeeds.  Along with attraction, he also needs Yvette to capture her traitorous step-brother which does leave him conflicted as her safety is his main priority.  Their romance evolves slowly but steadily with the sexual tension quite obvious and with a few rocky spots along the way I had some misty-eyed moments too.

The suspense revolving around the hunt for the traitors and spymaster had me on the edge of my seat, but I wish we would've dug a bit deeper into this as it felt pushed aside in deference to other parts of the storyline.  I wanted to know more about the Diplomatic Corp and the men working there.  I greatly enjoyed the journey to see Ewan's family as they were a delightfully colorful bunch and I look forward to their stories being told as each one is deserving of the spotlight.  The sea journey too was a highlight as it brought unexpected humor to the story through Ms. Pettigrove and forced Ewan and Yvette into close quarters and set them up for their ultimately HEA.  The only time the story dragged was the journey to Northumberland to meet Yvette's relations.  It slowed down the story's momentum and the characters weren't nearly as memorable as Ewan's family so omitting this part in favor of more time spent in Scotland would've made the story stronger for me.

For her first published book Ms. Cameron has created an exciting story with larger than life characters amidst an intriguing mystery and an intensely emotional relationship between two strong-willed people.  Highlander's Hope satisfies not only readers of Regency romance but those who love those rugged Scots and brash Americans too.  With her writing talent on obvious display here I greatly look forward to what Ms. Cameron publishes next as should you.

My rating for this is a B+

*I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest opinion.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BOOK VISIT here.

AUTHOR INFO:

A life-long Oregonian, Collette Cameron was born and raised in a small town along the northern Oregon coast. Today she makes her home in a rural community, 30 minutes west of Portland. Her Victorian farmhouse sits on a one-acre certified wildlife habit, interspersed with a plethora of gardens: English, rose, butterfly, rock, water, and of course, vegetable.
A voracious reader of romance since her teens, she even named her daughter after a heroine in her favorite romance novel. An enthusiast of times gone by, and anything related to romance, shewrites Historical Romance, with a dash of inspiration, a pinch of humor, and a liberal portion of suspense.
Having dabbled in interior decorating in her youth, Collette returned to school, graduatingsumma cum laude from Oregon State University, and going on to obtain her Master's Degree in Teaching. She is member of Romance Writers of America, Rose City Romance Writers, The Beau Monde, and Love Faith and Hope, Inc.
Some of Collette's favorite things include unique blends of coffees and teas, trivia, Cadbury Milk Chocolate, inspirational quotes, and scented candles. Her Christian faith, husband, three adult children, and five miniature dachshunds round out her life quite nicely! When she's not teaching or writing, she enjoys amateur photography, bird watching, gardening, interior decorating, rock-hunting, boating or fishing on the Columbia River, and reading.



**********GIVEAWAY**********




 Collette will be awarding a gift basket that include a gift card, blue rose tea cup, blue rose soap, vintage looking cameo pendant, shortbread, tea, and other goodies to a randomly drawn commenter during the tours.


-To be entered, leave a comment, along with your email addy.
-Winners will be chosen randomly from all comments made throughout the tour, so the more you comment the greater your chances of winning.  A list of all participating blogs can be found here.
-Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM CST on 6/14.