Thursday, June 25, 2020

An Outlaw’s Honor by Terri Brisbin

πŸ“šπŸ“šπŸ“šBook🏴󠁧󠁒󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿ReviewπŸ“šπŸ“šπŸ“š

                         

Book: An Outlaw’s Honor

By @Terri Brisbin

 

Series: Midsummer Knights, #6


Release Date: June 23, 2020


Reviewed by: Barb Massabrook of

1. Tartan Book Reviews

2. Purple Tulip Book Reviews

3. Celtic World of Historical Book Tartan Book Review Blog 


Heat Rating: πŸ”₯πŸ”₯πŸ”₯πŸ”₯πŸ”₯


Overall Rating: 5 Star & 5 Kilts



Passion! Intrigue! Knights, ladies and lords! A Medieval tournament! 


May 1193, Northumberland, Scottish-English Border


Thomas Brisbois of Kelso is in King William of Scotland’s dungeon starving to death awaiting his execution. As his father and he himself had made some enormous blunders betraying their Scottish King and his Kingdom! This caused them to lose their lands, titles and holding. They previously had been royal torturers some called bone breakers. Now the King has given Thomas a reprieve and promises to give Thomas his freedom and return everything that was taken away from him, if he does this one small favor for his King. Of course a dying man in his current position would accept anything to escape the hangman’s noose!


This is at Lord Yves tournament in England on the Scottish/ English border to compete, win and humiliate the Scottish King’s enemy! This King’s enemy is Lord Robert de Umfraville, however Lord Robert now has his own champion, who is Sir Lawrence Le Govic. This champion was also an enemy of Thomas Brisbois of Kelso! As this enemy line seems to grow longer in by the minute. This game piece also includes de Umfraville’s beautiful daughter Annora, who was the ultimate and biggest game piece of this prize. As the Scottish King wants Thomas to seduce and discard, to ruin this innocent woman in the most dishonorable way possible. This would be easy as the lassies were always attracted to Thomas both in and out of bed. Plus Thomas needed more in a wife than this woman had to offer. After all his King will most likely ruin them financially and socially and he needed wealthy dowry who could hold her head up high. Of course this was before he got to see and know her. Soon he sees how she is just a pawn in this game piece on both sides of the game. Yet his honorable self is not happy with this part of the puzzle. He had no idea what Annora’s father had done to earn the King of Scotland’s wrath.  No matter what the reason was for but Thomas definitely recognized this was just good old fashioned revenge! 


Unfortunately this would be no easy win for Thomas who has been malnourished while in the Kings not so inviting filthy and starving accommodations. Plus the fact even when Thomas is in tip-top form and shape, they are both big men and this man was a dirty fighter - that always broke the rules and cheated. In addition this is the only Knight who beat him on the battlefield! 

s about the fate of  three previous before her. She understands her forced  marriage would be an abusive and unhappy one. After all her own father beats her and  treats her like a cow to be sold on the market. She is just a pawn to be sold. As he is a monster just like Sir Lawrence, and realizes Thomas Brisbois of Kelso, the Scottish traitor and former prisoner is the lesser of the two evils. Of course he also happens to be the most beautiful man she has ever seen too! Yet she wants this agreement with Thomas on her own terms and he must promise  will eventually let her go and give her the freedom she desires.  Soon she and Thomas are more acquainted, Annora starts peeling away the layers of Thomas’s fake self and finds a man of integrity, honesty, goodness, protective nature, honest, honor and passion. Annora knows her heart is in danger of falling in love with this man of such rare beauty both inside and out. Will this man shatter her heart just to satisfy his King of Scotland?


 I will stop here as there is so much more to this incredible awe-inspiring book. A book Brisbin fan whether new or loyal readers of her books do not want to miss.


I have been reading Terri Brisbin novels for over two decades and she is definitely one of my favorite authors. I find her clever mind pretty incredible. She is one of those rare authors that keeps my attention going where I can read one of her books in one sitting! Her stories make me laugh but also make me cry and some of her steamy, passionate scenes sometimes make me blush! Do not misunderstand I still love the passionate scenes and read every word or lick! Yet each book is a HEA though each couple has to go through a lot of hurdles to get there! 


This book was a glorious, riveting, fast paced, page-turning, romantic adventure. Thomas and Annora had many hurdles to jump that pulled my heart right from the start! Oh Thomas’s first competitive friend was a dirty rat in his prison cell in the first few pages. So that scene right from the beginning pulled at my readers heart. The characters in this book were either angels or monsters though I think the hero could go both ways with his devilish fun loving nature. Yes another swoon worthy Scot that was very charismatic in so many ways with his devilish charm. The heroine was very innocent but learned quickly the dark side of some men. Plus she was beautiful but honest, protective, intelligent, caring, and loving unlike her sire. 


The setting in this novel  was absolutely breathtaking, awe-inspiring, clever-dialogue and multi dimensional characters, both good and bad, that absolutely blew me away! The plotting had me holding my breath with anticipation, never knowing what the result would be, or what could possibly happen next! Yes, definitely more than one plot in this novel. This book has all the elements historical romance readers love from traitors to brutality, with treachery, royal politics, revenge, hated villains and forced marriage to unsavory characters! This includes a swoon-worthy, passionate, hero and a beautiful, responsive, maiden, who knows her own mind. This bonnie lass is determined to achieve what she one day desires hopefully! 


“An Outlaw’s Honor” by Terri Brisbin is a book I absolutely and unequivocally love and highly recommend! 


Midsummer Knight Series

1)Forbidden Warrior

   by Kris Kennedy


2)The Highlander's Lady Knight 

   by Madeline Martin


3)The Highlander's Dare 

    by Eliza Knight


4)The Highland Knight's Revenge 

    by Lori Ann Bailey


5)My Victorious Knight 

   by Laurel O'Donnell


6)An Outlaw's Honor 

   by Terri Brisbin ***JUST RELEASED


7)Never If Not Now 

   by Madeline Hunter- July 7, 2020. 



Disclaimer: I received a gift copy from the author for a fair and honest review. I voluntarily agreed to read, review and blog. All words, ideas and thoughts are my own.


BUY IT NOW


AMZ: https://amzn.to/2NlXPps


BN: https://tinyurl.com/ybklafsn


Kobo: https://tinyurl.com/y93eu8ck


Google Play: https://tinyurl.com/y8onl72b


Apple Books: https://tinyurl.com/y9pgcjlq

















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Wednesday, June 10, 2020

The Seduction of Laird Sinclair by Kara Griffin Lairds of the North series, book #1 Five S




Book: THE SEDUCTION OF LAIRD SINCLAIR 
By Kara Griffin

Series: Lairds of the North, Book #1

Reviewed by: Barb Massabrook (of)
1)Tartan Book Reviews
2)Purple Tulip Book Reviews
3)Celtic Barb’s Tartan Book Review Blog

Heat Rating: πŸ”₯

Rating: 5/5 Stars/Kilts



Northern Scotland
August 1388

Callum Sinclair was the second son as his useless elder brother Gavin, was the Laird of their Sinclair clan. He was staring at the sudden appearance of the bright fireball, that was lightening up the sky. Callum now knew there was going to be big changes in his life. Usually not in a good way, yet his clan was already panicking viewing nothing but gloom and doom in their future. Horribly their drunkard Laird, his brother Gavin, was not seeing to his duties but was only drinking and making merry. Instead of pacifying and and keeping his clan safe and calm, besides the other important duties for the clans survival. 

As Callum did this duty not as Laird, but due to his loyalty protective nature and loving his clan. Now his brother forced him to go on a raid where he was now dying on a battlefield. He had been expecting a raid not a bloody battle! Afterwards, they were yelling victory but Callum realized he was surrounded by his own clan’s lads in a threatening manner who seemed to want to murder him in cold blood and he had no idea who or why! It was the fight of his life, he killed many of his own clan, but he was exhausted from the earlier raid from the English. Expecting the final blow but it never came, instead he was saved by a bloody Sassenach!

At first he thought he was being taken prisoner to be tortured. As King Richard was not a kind King by any means as he was cruel and brutal! However a Sassenach noblemen was aiding him, he had no idea why. Yet he let him heal on his on his estate on the Sassenach’s words “you owe me now scot!” It was Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Lancaster who became a dear friend.  After recuperating at The Dukes estate Callum returns home realizing someone wants him dead, learning his wife has died in childbirth, which is 0very peculiar as they hadn’t had intimate relations in quite some time. On top of that his brother Gavin has been murdered! Callum had promised to work on his marriage and now he feels both rejected and betrayed and angry. He trusts nobody, not even himself, leaving the care of his young daughter with an abusive cousin unknown to him. He soon gets a message from Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Lancaster that one of his English friends needs his help to be invisible in Scotland. Of course he ageees to help this man afterall Henry saved his life. He is not as certain as bring Laird though his clan wants him in that position. He is filled with so much doubt and betrayal though he promises to protect Henry’s friend his upcoming guest.

Olivia Danvers arrives at court bring both shocked finding out her husband was executed. She knew her husband and his best friend Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Lancaster and the Kings cousin and  parliament were unhappy about King’s illegal activities and wanted it stopped. Somehow it reached the Kings ears and they were paying the cost. Except the Kings favorite knight Sir Nicolas who was a man obssesed with Olivia since childhood! He had murdered a close family member and done other evil acts against her family. Even her husband only married her out of protection from this villain to save her from this man. Except when she refuses the King’s cold offer to marry Sir Nicolas the day after her husband is executed! Except the King has stolen her daughter Cora as protection. Even at court she is safer than with Sir Nicolas as their life was filled with abuse. So the Duke who has not gotten a death sentence due to their family relations but even he knows he will be exiled or some type of punishment until he cools off. So they had to act fast so he tells her to go to Scotland and he will work at finding her daughter. He tells her to seduce Callum Sinclair and stay in Scotland forever and never return to England. Except she had no idea how to seduce anyone so her maid was giving her lessons.

She is surprised how gorgeous Callum Sinclair is and falls not only his spell but his young daughters as well. Callum is immediately drawn to Olivia as she is the most attractive woman but he no longer judges his character. Not that he ever loved his first wife he never though she would cuckold him yet it was not his child she died with! He had a mistrust of women and even people on general when his own clan members try to assassinate him.

Will Olivia ever be able to break down his walls. There is also someone in the clan trying to hurt her. Will they ever find out who. Will Sir Callum ever admit his true feeling and open his heart again? Will Olivia ever be able to see and hold her daughter Cora again? Will King Richard and Sir Nicolas ever locate Olivia and bring her and her daughter to harm again. Will the Duke ever be free of his King and cousins punishment. Will the evil Scot against both Callum and Olivia ever be discovered.

Kara Griffin penned another wonderful tale I was totally hooked on. Oh boy more than one villain in this fabulous read! So if you love a bit of suspense and mystery in your historical romance I highly recommend The Seduction of Laird Sinclair. 

Again Kara Griffin pens another spectacular tale I was totally hooked on!Oh boy more than one villain in this fabulous read! So if you love a bit of suspense and mystery in your historical romance I highly recommend The Seduction of Laird Sinclair. 

A  riveting, historical, action-packed, romantic adventure that is a captivating, nail-biting, fast-paced, page turner. This book includes all the elements historical romance readers love! The plotting was amazing, as it had so many twists and turns too! The setting was breathtaking, brilliant dialogue, The multi dimensional characters just blew me away, both good and bad. A book I highly recommend.

Disclaimer: I received an advance reader copy from the author and publisher. I voluntarily agreed to do a fair review and blog through netgalley. All thoughts, ideas and words are my own.

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Monday, June 1, 2020

A Dark and Stormy Knight by Kerrigan Byrne. Book Release Day and Book Review. Victorian Rebels Series #7 Five Kilts. Celtic Barb absolutely loved Cutter and PRU. One of her favorite reads of the year!






 



πŸ“šπŸ“šHAPPY🎈BOOKπŸŽ‰RELEASE🎈DAYπŸ“šπŸ“š
                                AND
                πŸ“šπŸ“šBOOKπŸ‡¬πŸ‡§REVIEWπŸ“šπŸ“š

Book: A DARK AND STORMY KNIGHT 

By Kerrigan Byrne

Series: Victorian Rebels, Book #7

Reviewed by: Barb Massabrook (of)
1)Tartan Book Reviews
2)Purple Tulip Book Reviews
3)Celtic Barb’s Tartan Book Review Blog

Heat Rating: πŸ”₯πŸ”₯πŸ”₯πŸ”₯πŸ”₯πŸ”₯

Rating: 5/5 Stars/Kilts

Congratulations Kerrigan Byrne, my multi talented and extraordinary author of the century! A book I definitely know with be a #1 best seller! Of this I have no doubt! 

Wishing you nothing but success and oodles of book sales! ~ Tartan Book Reviews

London, 1855
Cutter “ Dead-Eye” Morley and his sister Caroline were two orphans with no papers working the streets of London. He stole, picked pockets, gambled, killed and his sister even sold a pound of flesh, though she was no whore! They did this to sleep under a roof in hopefully a clean pallet or for a few morsels in their empty bellies. That was until the most horrific nightmare became a reality in his young life….

25 years later…London, 1880

Now twenty-five years later Sir Carlton Worley, previously known as Cutter “Dead-Eye” Worley, is now working on the other side of the law as the respected Chief Inspector of Scotland Yard. He had been a war hero and he seems to have two personalities now, one as the respected Chief Inspector of  Scotland Yard by day and the Knight of Shadows in the evenings. This is where he trails his clues and finds his man. Sometimes with vigilante justice, for the laws of the street, where he can become a shadow and find his villains and find justice in the worst and most dangerous areas of London, where the legal system has failed. He was on a case and looking killers of male prostitutes or at least clues at “Miss Henrietta’s School for Cultured Young Ladies”. This was actually a high class brothel for mostly titled wealthy ladies of the ton. He is dressed in a mask to keep hidden and in disguise as was required by all the male prostitutes. Luckily he had a mask from a ton formal he had previously attended and learned a password to enter.

Now Lady Prudence Goode had always thought she would marry a love match, an honorable, faithful, husband to become a loving wife and mother to. She finds out her fiancΓ© George Hamby-Forsyth, the sixth Earl of Sutherland, she had thought was marrying her for love, only wants to marry her for her rich dowry to pay his debts, support his mistresses and brood of  illegitimate children. Now she is so hurt and feels betrayed by her parents, the two people she trusted most in the world! They explain this is the way their world, of most men in her social standing live, they have mistresses and are unfaithful and won’t even allow her to break her engagement! After all the man is an Earl and she had to accept this in her life. So she decides she is going to have an affair of her own after she finds out about  “Miss Henrietta’s School for Cultured Young Ladies.” For Pru it is a last night of freedom, making her own decision, giving her virginity away to someone else other than her scoundrel unfaithful husband to be! Plus her non caring husband will be ordering her around for a lifetime. 

Except the male prostitute she picks is Sir Carlton Worley unknown to her. He who was on the job, but breaks all the rules as he sees Prudence as something pure, angelic and good in this place of ugliness and darkness. So he becomes her lover of the night without exchanging names. Even though he knew this  was so wrong on so many levels he couldn’t refuse, of course he didn’t take her money. 

The problem after there sordid night Morley couldn’t stop thinking or looking for her ever since. She explained to Morley this was something she did for herself, though once she was married she would not be unfaithful. Although it was totally acceptable for her husband to have mistresses and bastard children, in this world unfair to married women. Morley told her not to marry him but she unfortunately had no choice. Life was not fair to women, so it was her night to lose her virginity on her own terms! Three months before her father sold her to the highest bidder with the loftiest title!

Morley had been obsessed looking for her with no success. Of course they never shared names so it was most difficult. Yet he does locate her three months later with her dead fiancΓ© at her feet! Also pregnant with Morley’s child! He was not going to abandon this women or this child. He could finally be the father his father was not! Yet he does not trust Prudence Goode in the least, as Morley trusts no one. However he also sees this woman as his weakness! Now Morley has a job of proving her innocence and protecting his child plus her father is the bloody Commissioner with his own secrets to hide!

Something he never expected plus can Morley ever open his heart with so much heartache and misfortune in his past? He would protect Prudence no matter if she is guilty or innocent. As Chief Inspector of Scotland Yard he has many resources, as the Knight of Shadows he has even more! Yet he must keep his emotional distance, as his enemies would use and harm her, seeing Prudence as his weakness. Do Carlton and Prudence have a future? Can a man who has never opened his shattered heart since that horrific day twenty-five years ago, will he ever learn to open it again? There is much more to this phenomenal story that I won’t spoil it for other readers. This novel is an absolute masterpiece and one you definitely don’t want to miss! 

I have been waiting for Morley’s story for a long time and OMG Kerrigan Byrne is brilliant. I personally find Ms. Byrne one of my most favorite authors. Every book this special author has written has blown me away. I started reading her with her independent Scottish Highland historical series. My first books were Unspoken, Unwilling and Unwanted,  which is revamped with a new book titles and the series is now called Highland Magic. It’s a nine book series that I so highly recommend! 

As for “A Dark and Stormy Knight,” this regency suspense is absolutely awe- inspiring I was absolutely so blown away! A book readers won’t be able to put down. I can’t recommend it enough. A book I know I will be rereading again and again. Also for readers of the Victorian Rebels series some of your favorite heroes will make appearances in this book - after all they are Morley’s mates! You can read as a stand alone but I highly recommend reading each book in the series. Especially if you want to fall in love with some bad boys! This is a riveting fast paced, page turning, romantic, regency adventure. It is filled with suspense, mystery, murder, mayhem, suffering, treachery, mistrust, sorrow, faith, love and so much more. 

 Ms. Byrne makes her multi dimensional characters feel so real-it is so easy to get swept into this marvelous storylines and never letting go. A definite nail biter with so many  twists and turns and so many plots it’s hard to keep up. I kept finding myself holding my breath with anticipation never knowing what was coming next! A define heartstring puller so have a box of tissues nearby, I was sobbing right after the prologue in the beginning. So I did find this book emotional at times, which only make me give this novel the highest rating allowed. As this book is truly a masterpiece one of my favorite reads of 2020 and definitely my favorite pandemic read!

Victorian Rebel Series 
by Kerrigan Byrne

1.The Highwayman
2. The Hunter
3. The Highlander
4. The Duke
5. The Scot Beds His Wife
6. The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo 
7. A Dark and Stormy Knight 

I received this book from the publisher for a fair and honest review. I voluntarily agreed to read, review, blog and promote through netgalley. All words, ideas and thoughts are my own.

Buy Links:

AMAZON: https://amzn.to/2ZY0vkO 

KINDLE: https://amzn.to/2XSFeGs 

NOOK: http://bit.ly/39QToNE 

APPLE BOOKS: https://apple.co/36AsEyJ






AMAZON: https://amzn.to/2ZY0vkO 

KINDLE: https://amzn.to/2XSFeGs 

NOOK: http://bit.ly/39QToNE 

APPLE BOOKS: https://apple.co/36AsEyJ








  


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