A Naval Surgeon to Fight For - Carla Kelly (HH #1814 - Sept 2024)

Series: Channel Fleet (Book 4)
 
Return to her respectable life…
Or take a scandalous path to marriage?
 
As her snobbish aunt's companion, penniless vicar's daughter Jerusha Langley is sent to take a donation to the local naval hospital. There she meets dashing surgeon Jamie Wilson and embarks on a secret mission -- sneaking out to help him care for injured sailors!
 
With his life in peril fighting Napoleon, Jamie has never considered taking a wife, yet he's impressed by Jerusha's nursing ability -- and beauty inside and out. Jamie knows she's risking a scandal by helping him. Can he risk his heart and save her reputation with a marriage offer?
 
Terrific book. One of the things I like most about this author is her use of ordinary people instead of members of the nobility. It makes a refreshing change of pace. In this book, we have Jerusha, the penniless daughter of a vicar, and Jamie, a surgeon with the Royal Navy.
 
Jerusha's prospects are slim in her small hometown. Her mother sends her to Plymouth to be a companion to her aunt, where she looks at a dismal future catering to grouchy old women. Her aunt is selfish, snobbish, and mean-spirited. Things begin to change when chance takes her to a naval hospital nearby. She encounters Jamie, a navy surgeon she knew as a child, and discovers a calling to help the injured.
 
Jamie joined the Royal Navy as a surgeon's mate when he was thirteen. He eventually studied and passed the exams to become a surgeon. He spends most of his time either at the hospital in Devonport or onboard various ships. Because of the war with Napoleon, he is very busy. The last person he expects to see is the little girl from fifteen years earlier.
 
Jerusha quickly becomes involved with Jamie's work at the hospital. Her aunt would disapprove, so she sneaks out. Experience tells the reader that this will eventually cause a problem. I loved Jerusha's interactions with the patients she helped. Their stories are frequently heartbreaking, but some are filled with hope. I liked seeing how her confidence grew as she took on more responsibility.
 
I loved seeing the relationship between Jamie and Jerusha develop. It started in a fun manner, as Jamie referred to the day they met. There is a sweet part that refers back to that day, and Jamie won my heart right away with how he comforts her. I liked seeing them together. Their interactions are real and relatable, from the discussions of their work to the lighter moments of teasing. It is an unusual relationship in that they spend more time apart than together because of Jamie's long periods spent at sea. However, the often difficult and extreme circumstances of their time together bring them closer than a more traditional relationship is likely to do. The scene where Jerusha joined Jamie on the ship was especially intense. The ending was great, with a twist that would affect their future.
 
One of the many things I loved about this book was the detailed descriptions of the hospital and its patients. They weren't just nameless props for the story but portrayed as real human beings. Their lives and personalities were realistic, and their injuries and actions were believable. This book gave me a different perspective on the Napoleonic War's naval blockade, the effects on people, and the Battle of Trafalgar.
 
As a side note: The name Jerusha is unusual and memorable, and it took me a while to remember where I had heard it before. I finally recalled that Jerusha was the preacher's wife's name in James Michener's book Hawaii. 

 

Bargaining with the Lady of Merewood - C.H. Admirand (Dragonblade - Oct 2024)

Series: Ladies of the Keep (Book 2)
 
Widowed Viking beauty Lady Eyreka learns that the king plans to gift Merewood Keep to one of his Norman warriors…
Merewood Keep is just beginning to earn revenues with Garrick as its overlord. When the king decides to gift the keep to one of his favored knights, Garrick's mother is devastated until she hears rumors that the Norman is widowed.
 
Lady Eyreka seeks an audience with the king without her sons' knowledge. She offers marriage, and the continued stewardship of the profitable keep if Garrick remains on as seneschal. She never intends to fall in love again.
 
Norman Warrior Augustin de Chauret cannot refuse the king…
De Chauret has no desire to marry or live in England. But cannot refuse his liege lord. They marry and Lady Eyreka retains her family's holding, but she must convince her sons and the keeps' people to accept de Chauret.
 
De Chauret knew he would battle to win his wife's loyalty and that of her keeps' people. He never expected to have to battle to convince his men or his young daughter to accept his wife.
 
Though the Saxons were defeated in the Uprisings, small militant groups remain, striking out at the new Norman lord by capturing his daughter and wife.
 
Norman and Saxon must work together to rescue them. De Chauret will move Heaven and earth to save his daughter and the woman he has fallen in love with.
 
This book picks up where the previous book (Liberating the Lady of Loughmoe) left off. The keep does well under Garrick and Dunstan's management, and life is somewhat more settled. Then word arrives that King William intends to give the keep to one of his warriors. Widowed Lady Eyreka fears for the safety of her family and her people, so when she learns that the Norman is a widower, she develops a plan. She sneaks away to see the king and offers marriage to the Norman in exchange for her family's cooperation in running the keep.
 
Augustin loved his late wife and had no desire to remarry or stay in England. However, no one says no to the king, and Augustin quickly finds himself married and on the way to Merewood. He is an honorable man though also a bit arrogant and does not realize how unprepared he is to take over Merewood.
 
I loved watching the relationship between Eyreka and Augustin develop. They get off to a rough start, as Augustin is accustomed to having his orders obeyed, and Eyreka is used to a full partnership with her late husband. Their clashes of will are fun to watch as each strives to come out on top. Unexpected attraction complicates their interactions.
 
Melding Saxon and Norman into a cohesive unit doesn't come easy. The antagonism, both overt and subtle, keeps everyone on edge. Eyreka and Augustin realize that their resistance to the sparks between them adds to the tension. I liked seeing them get to know and respect each other before giving in to their attraction. The bigger question is whether they can let go of the past and make a future together.
 
I loved watching the Normans and Saxons learn how to work together. The initial distrust between them is evident and understandable. There are stronger undercurrents with some of Augustin's men, and I ached for Eyreka, who found herself the target of some of those resentments. There are some terrific scenes of Augustin as he settles into life at Merewood and begins to make progress.
 
But there is trouble looming. When Eyreka and his daughter become the targets of revenge, Augustin must bring together both sides if he will save them. The confrontation was intense, and I was on the edge of my seat until it was over. I loved the depth of emotion displayed at the end and what it meant for their future.

The Stranger I Wed - Harper St. George (Penguin - Apr 2024)

Series: Doves of New York (Book 1)
 
New to wealth and to London high society, American heiress Cora Dove discovers that with the right man, marriage might not be such an inconvenience after all. . . .
 
Cora Dove and her sisters' questionable legitimacy has been the lifelong subject of New York's gossipmongers and a continual stain on their father's reputation. So when the girls each receive a generous, guilt-induced dowry from their dying grandmother, the sly Mr. Hathaway vows to release their funds only if Cora and her sisters can procure suitable husbands -- far from New York. For Cora, England is a fresh start. She has no delusions of love, but a husband who will respect her independence? That's an earl worth fighting for.
 
Enter: Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth, a no-nonsense member of Parliament whose plan to pass a Public Health bill that would provide clean water to the working class requires the backing of a wealthy wife. He just never expected to crave Cora's touch or yearn to hear her thoughts on his campaign -- or to discover that his seemingly perfect bride protects so many secrets...
 
But secrets have a way of bubbling to the surface, and Devonworth has a few of his own. With their pasts laid bare and Cora's budding passion for women's rights taking a dangerous turn, they'll learn the true cost of losing their heart to a stranger -- and that love is worth any price.
 
Good book. I enjoyed the author's continued foray into the less-used period of the Gilded Age. This was when American heiresses came to England to find husbands - usually men long on pedigree and short on cash.
 
Cora and her sisters Eliza and Jenny are the illegitimate daughters of a wealthy New Yorker. Their mother was his mistress for many years while he promised to marry her. Then he caved to family pressure and married a society woman. As the story opens, Cora tries to get her father to comply with the terms of his mother's will that provided dowries for her and her sisters. He finally agreed, provided they find husbands far away from New York.
 
Fast forward to the Doves' arrival in England. Camille Thorne (The Duchess Takes a Husband), a family friend, takes the girls under her wing and promises to help them with their quest. She set up a house party and invited eligible men to attend. Camille gives the girls a preview by stopping by the local football pitch (soccer for the US), where some of the men are playing. Leopold Brendon, Earl of Devonworth, makes an impression on Cora when he collides with her. The attraction between them sparks immediately.
 
Cora must marry to claim her inheritance. A husband is the last thing she wants, but she has a plan. She will make a business arrangement with someone who needs her money with the understanding that it will be in name only, with the option to separate or divorce after two years. Cora wants the independence to pursue her interest in women's rights and other social issues.
 
Leo doesn't want to marry, but he is financially in a precarious position. His younger brother has large gambling debts, the family estate is crumbling, and Leo needs the funds to continue his work in the House of Lords. He's been burned once in love and has no intention of risking his heart again.
 
I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Cora and Leo. They are more socially conscious than many peers and willing to do something about it. I especially liked seeing them work together as Cora helped Leo polish his presentation on the Public Health bill. They grow closer and discover that they actually like each other. Their feelings for each other grow, but Leo is reluctant to admit his feelings even to himself. Giving in to their attraction only complicates matters.
 
Also a problem, neither Leo nor Cora has been entirely honest with each other about their backgrounds, and those secrets can potentially destroy what they are building. I loved the sharing of those secrets and the effect of those revelations on their feelings for each other. Some drama at the end brings everything to the surface, and they finally put the past behind them.
 
I enjoyed the segments dealing with women's rights and public health issues. I loved Cora's passion for her beliefs and cheered for her when she confronted Bolingrave at the dinner party. She wasn't afraid to stand up for her opinion. I loved it when Leo backed her up. I also liked it when Leo asked Cora for help with his speech. He didn't hesitate to incorporate her suggestions. It was sweet to see how moved he was by her interest. 

 
 
 

A Viking Heir to Bind Them - Michelle Styles (HH #1748 - Sept 2023)

An unexpected family
For the lone-wolf warrior
 
Nothing daunts Viking Tylir, until unassuming Melkorka Helmsdottar upends his life by revealing he has a secret heir! Mel has looked after little Katla since the girl's mother died, but now Tylir intends to claim his child. Yet this battle-hardened jarl has no idea how to be a father. Mel is the perfect person to help him. Only, spending time with the captivating Mel binds him closer to her than he ever thought possible…
 
I enjoyed the storyline of this book, though some of the execution was not as appealing. The story opens as Melkorka fulfills the deathbed promise to her friend by delivering the woman's daughter to her father, Tylir. Tylir, a former Viking berserker, has tired of war and death and now lives a quieter life. The last thing he expects is to find he is a father.
 
Tylir is a widower who has sworn off ever marrying again. He is wracked with guilt over the deaths of his parents and siblings, believing that he should have been there to protect them instead of off fighting elsewhere. He has also been unlucky in love, with his first love marrying another man, and the woman he eventually married being unfaithful and mercenary.
 
Mel is a widow whose marriage was very unhappy. Her husband was physically and emotionally abusive, and the brother with whom she lived was no better.  Mel's husband and son died of an illness, and she blames herself for not having the healing skills to save them. She is determined to take her inheritance and buy a farm where she can be independent once she delivers Katla to her father and sees her settled.
 
Their first meeting doesn't go well, thanks to a misunderstanding caused by someone else. Once Tylir realizes that Katla is his daughter, he is all in on accepting her and making her part of his life. I liked his determination to be a good father and his wish to keep Mel there to help Katla settle in. Mel didn't make a good first impression, but Tylir's opinion changed when he saw how protective she was of Katla.
 
I enjoyed the development of Mel and Tylir's relationship. The attraction between them is evident from the start, but neither wants to admit it. Each has their reasons, which we hear about over and over, but it doesn't stop their feelings from growing. However, there are outside forces working against them that could permanently end any chance they have of a future together. The resolution was a nail-biter and kept me glued to the pages until it was over.
 
Secondary characters played important roles. Katla was the most visible of those as the reason that Mel was there. She was a strange mixture of child (she is five years old) and preteen. Her matchmaking attempts were annoying and did more to push Mel and Tylir apart than bring them together. I liked her best when she acted her age. The maid Virin bugged me from the start with her attempts to stir up trouble. Tylir's friend Stargazer gave me creepy vibes from the get-go.

Danger in the Depths - Addison Fox (HRS #2240 - Aug 2023)

Series: New York Harbor Patrol (Book 1)
 
Some secrets should stay beneath the surface…
 
Working alongside Marlowe McCoy means that NYPD diver Wyatt Trumbull has to ignore his fierce attraction to the prickly safecracker. He faces a whole new set of challenges when she finally responds to his desire with her own -- and when clues in his latest case implicate her family. He wants to protect her, but will his own hidden scars make them both vulnerable?
 
Terrific book that hooked me from the start. I read it in one sitting. This is the first in a series about a little-known branch of the NYPD - the Harbor Patrol. These officers deal with everything from checking the bridges for bombs to diving for evidence recovery to water rescues. The underwater descriptions fascinated me and made me feel as though I was there.
 
Marlowe is a lock and vault technician, aka a safecracker. She has a stellar reputation and often works with the NYPD. Her path crosses with Wyatt's again when she works on a series of safes that are part of his murder investigation. I enjoyed the banter between them as Wyatt teased her with silly nicknames that got under her skin. However, underneath the irritation is an attraction that neither can deny, though both fight against it.
 
I enjoyed watching their relationship develop. Both have events from their pasts that have influenced who they are, though they try to keep them in the past. That becomes more difficult when aspects of the current case bring those memories to the surface. As Wyatt and Marlow spent time together, they began to see past the façades they showed others and found they had many things in common. There are some rough patches because both are stubborn when they get an idea in their heads. Marlowe does some things that damage Wyatt's trust, causing tension between them. A dangerous situation opens their eyes to their feelings and the hope for a future together.
 
The suspense of this story kept me intrigued from start to finish. The fast-paced action and the twists kept me guessing for a long time. A few scenes from the bad guy's perspective contribute to the case's complexity, while an unexpected link to Marlowe's family adds another layer of tension and danger. The final confrontation was a nail-biter, and I was glued to the pages until it was done.
 
I've already read the third book in the series and look forward to reading the second one. Though characters and workplaces connect the books, each story can be read as a standalone. 

 
 
 

Alaskan Blackout - Joanne Rock (HD #2967 - Sept 2023)

Series: Kingsland Ranch (Book 3)
 
His search leads him to the one woman he must resist at all costs -- until one storm-tossed night…
 
When Quinton Kingsley arrives in Alaska's rugged Aleutian Islands in search of his missing half-brother, he finds a brash, red-haired beauty instead. McKenna O'Brien maintains his brother's bar while he's off-grid. She has her reasons for keeping the truth from the wealthy cowboy CEO. Too many men have taken advantage of McKenna's trust.
 
Though McKenna's off-limits, Quint can't ignore their sizzling attraction. Giving into temptation the night a storm strands them together only makes Quint desire McKenna more. With the stakes high and a precious new complication, has Quint finally found the woman of his dreams? Or will he risk losing her forever?
 
Good book. Quinton is in Alaska to find his estranged half-brother but finds Clay's gorgeous red-haired stepsister instead. McKenna runs Clay's bar when he is away. She is very protective of him and refuses to tell Quint where he is. Quint and McKenna butt heads over their conflicting missions. Neither expected the intense attraction they felt for each other.
 
I liked Quint and McKenna. Quint is a good man who wants to ensure that Clay gets what he deserves from their father's estate. Though he grew up on the ranch, he left it behind as soon as he could, driven away by his tough, unyielding father and the memories of his mother's death. McKenna's childhood was tough until her father married Clay's mother, giving McKenna the stability she craved. Clay was there for her when her life fell apart, giving her a safe place to start over.
 
I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Quint and McKenna. Neither is happy about the intense attraction they feel for each other. Due to her previous relationship, McKenna has deep trust issues, and Quint feels guilty about desiring his brother's stepsister. While McKenna holds tight to her knowledge of Clay's whereabouts, she and Quint get to know each other. Quint is different than she expected, and he earns some of her trust when he offers to help her with the issue that brought her to Alaska.
 
Quint and McKenna can no longer resist the sparks when a storm strands them together. But guilt and insecurities pull them apart even when neither can forget the connection they felt. Time apart gives them perspective about their feelings, but there is still the issue of finding Clay to get past. There is some drama there, but I loved the ending and seeing how they resolved their conflict.

Saving Christmas in the Little Irish Village - Michelle Vernal (Bookouture - Oct 2024)

Series: Emerald Bay (Book 5)
 
Christmas trees decked with fairy lights twinkle in every window, carolers fill the streets, and charity worker Hannah is gearing up for the season of giving in the little Irish village. But it's not just the cold winter winds that are chilling her spirits this year…
 
When twenty-three-year-old Hannah Kelly finds out that the beautiful rolling hills around her hometown could be destroyed by a new building development, she rushes back to Emerald Bay to rally the community. But arriving home at The Shamrock Inn, there's another shock in store… the handsome and sparkling-eyed lead developer, Tom Flynn, has checked in as a guest. Is this Hannah's chance to save the village?
 
Hannah tries to convince Tom the beautiful area needs to be protected: even though he's as stubborn as the donkey in the local nativity play. But when sharing that this is also where her late grandfather first met and proposed to her grandmother, his gentle hug as she sobs makes her wonder if maybe they aren't so different…
 
As sparks start to fly, Hannah decides to invite Tom to experience the joys of a Kelly Christmas Day. When Tom's hand catches hers as they peel brussels sprouts together, Hannah's cheeks start to blush. But it turns to a flush of anger as he ducks out to take a call – about work starting in the spot she's fought so hard to save. And the voice on the phone is strangely familiar…
 
Can Hannah figure out who is behind Tom's project and stop the plans? Or will following her heart be the key to saving the little Irish village and Christmas for everyone?
 
Good addition to the Emerald Bay series. This is the story of Hannah, the middle daughter of the Kelly family. In previous books, Hannah stands out as the environmentally conscious activist member of the family. The book opens with Hannah's first foray into protesting for a cause at the age of eight, then moves on to the present day. Hannah works for the non-profit group Feed the World with Bees, where she also has a massive crush on her boss, Dylan. When Dylan shows her an article about a huge garden center planned for her hometown, Hannah rushes home to rally the community. She doesn't expect to find a guest staying in the house. Tom Flynn, an architectural project manager from Dublin, was sent to do the advanced work for the proposed development. Hannah takes an instant dislike to him because of it.
 
The initial meeting between Tom and Hannah was hilarious, leaving Hannah at a slight disadvantage. In addition, she is so focused on her mission that she comes across as very judgmental. I liked seeing Tom call her out on it. They are thrown together on several occasions, and Hannah discovers that there is more to Tom than she realizes. I liked Tom. He is charming and has a sense of humor even in difficult moments. Neither Tom nor Hannah expected the sparks that flared between them, complicating their interactions. A few bumps along the road to their happy ever after are mainly caused by Hannah's distrust. Fortunately, Hannah's journey includes some self-examination and rethinking of her priorities. I loved the scene of Tom and Hannah at the cottage as they finally cleared the air. The ending was sweet, and I loved seeing the whole family together.
 
I love the Kelly family, and this book is full of Kellyisms. The teasing among the sisters is hilarious, but they have each other's backs when support is needed. Kitty Kelly, the grandmother, shows a different side of herself when the proposed development intrudes on a special place in her history. I loved the history she revealed and how it brought her past to life for the sisters. There is also a bit of intrigue involving an American woman who appears to be stalking Hannah's mother, Nora. The resolution of that mystery was a shock to everyone.
 
The village residents add humor and depth to the story. I especially enjoyed Eileen and how she roped Hannah into helping with her latest project. The scenes with the teenagers were funny and moving.