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.

Website: http://collettecameron.com/
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Soul Mate Publishing Author's Blog: http://smpauthors.wordpress.com/

**********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.