Ruth A. Casie

A Duke in Winter
A Historical Romance Collection

Ten novella length historical romances by ten authors gives the reader the chance to read authors already or yet to be read for the first time. With half of the stories read so far, I eagerly look forward to reading the rest after I post this review.

As with any collection of stories, some will appeal more than others and yet at least one or more will no doubt be just what you needed to read in that moment that you sit down to do so. You can see how others live, what motivates them, how your life differs from theirs, try on a character or two to see if any are ones you could play the part of, and perhaps meet an author that will see you looking for their work again.

Emily Royal’s THE TAMING OF THE DUKE has a side bet instigated that sees a fake courting become real but not without a bit of drama. A spinster will meet her match and so will the duke that begins a fake courtship with her.

Anna St. Claire’s’ ONCE UPON A WINTER’S TALE is a bit darker tale of a love left behind with fear the motivating force but driven also by the desire of one man for an heir.

Sandra sookoo’s MUCH ADO ABOUT A STORME sees the matriarch of the Storme family, now widowed, finding a second chance at love.

Elizabeth Keysian’s THE TEMPESTUOUS DUKE is almost Gothic in feel with a young woman washed ashore after a capsizing faced with two brothers that are at odds with one another due to what happened in the past. A Talking parrot, wonderful canine, and a mystery to solve are only part of the story.

Caroline Warfield’s THE SIXTH HENRY might have been my favorite with a bit of a Capulet’s and Montagues feuding families feel to it but…this couple lands in a better situation than poor Romeo and Juliet. This story made me think about how difficult it would be to step into the shoes of a Duke without having training to do so.

Did I enjoy the stories I read – yes
Will I read the authors again in the future – yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 – 5 stars… (mere)

The Lady and the Spy by Ruth A. Casie
The Ladies of Sommer by the Sea #2

Lady Patrice has just finished the mandatory year and a day mourning period when this book begins. She has finally decided to take her life into her own hands and returned to a place that gives her peace…Sommer by the Sea. In the midst of a blizzard a child is lost and she joins the search but what she finds is a lot more than a small child and changes her life forever.

What I liked:
* Patrice: intelligent, widowed, wealthy, underestimated, puzzle solver, capable, intriguing
* Nikolai: Russian prince, lethal, skilled, diplomatic, in his father’s business, much more than he seems
* The time period and what Europe was dealing with
* That the book stood on its own without having read book one first
* Reading a new-to-me author that provided a great story
* The way secrets came to light and revealed a great deal to Patrice that she needed to know
* The relationship that developed between Nikolai and Patrice
* The friends Patrice was in school with – would love to learn more about them
* The plot and writing
* The games – word based, code breaking, political, romantic
* The twists and turns
* All of it really except…

What I didn’t like:
* Patrice’s parents and brother – seemed less invested in Patrice than they should have been
* The traitors…and there were more than one or two

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars… (mere)

I will start by noting this book ticked a lot of boxes for me before I even turned the first page; standing stones, time travel, England – I was all set. And I don’t judge books by their covers any longer because they can be very deceiving. While this wasn’t the most history based of historical fiction I have read lately the story was solid and bodice ripper cover belies what’s inside.

As with all time travel novels you just have to let reality go and accept the premise that someone can fall through stones and land in another century. If you try and fight this the book is just not going to work for you. You can’t try and logic it out, you can try and assume the impossibility of it. Just accept, accept, accept and enjoy the ride.

Arik is not sure about this new woman in his domain but he feels a spark around her. Rebeka is still trying to figure out how she came to be where (and when?) she is. Last she remembered she was learning about her new inheritance, Fayne Manor. THAT came as a huge surprise as her father never told her their family had relatives in that area.

Rebekah is explained away as someone who will help to figure out what is causing strange lightening and other problems in Arik’s domains. She soon settles into the household but all is not well as forces are coming for Arik. Problem is, he thinks Rebekah might be against him.

i really did enjoy this book; the story was intriguing and the Druid elements were different from most books I read. I do find myself with some questions left after reading the book but there is another chapter in the story and I suspect they will be answered in that next volume. It is good when a book leaves you thinking.

Knight of Runes was a great way for me to spend my Thursday. The hours sped by quickly as I went back in time with Arik and Rebeka.… (mere)

So I give this book a solid 3 stars, maybe 3.5.

Knight of Ruins started a little slow for me. I put it down a handful of times before really giving it a chance. The story just didn't grab me. However, once I got about a quarter of the way in, I wanted to know what happened next.

The plot: I really liked the plot. Time travel, romance, homicidal maniac...what's not to love. Outside of the uneven pace, which starts slow, gets a little faster, then finishes at breakneck speed, I have no complaints.

The characters: This is tough. I wanted to like the characters, but I never felt like I really got to know them. There is back story, but it didn't really illicit a connection for me...so it felt like I just knew the characters based on their reactions to what was going on. But there is a ton of potential.

The writing: Again, aside from the pace, I have no complaints. The author tends to tell more than show, but it's not done enough to take away from the story overall.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. I've never read this author, so I'll probably check her out. If you like romance and time travel as well as magic, you should read this!

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review.… (mere)