Ransom by Julie Garwood

Laird Brodick Buchanan and Gillian’s book





Ransom (Highland Laird's book 2)

By Julie Garwood

Book Blurb:
In the dark days after the death of Richard the Lionhearted, lives and lands would fall into upheaval at the hands of a power-hungry British ruler and his violent minions. One victim of the scourge is innocent Gillian, who is a mere child when the cruel and ambitious Baron Alford slaughters her father and tears her family apart. Alford, determined to recover a jeweled box for the despotic King John, is furious when the precious treasure slips through his fingers -- only to be lost for more than a decade. 

Now a beautiful young woman, Gilllian finds the key to resolving her past in handsome Scottish chieftains Ramsey Sinclair and Brodick Buchanan. With the cunning and courage of the daring Scotsmen, and with the friendship of a new ally, Bridgid KirkConnell, Gillian at last fights the unscrupulous Baron Alford, laying claim to her home, her family, and her father's reputation. But in the presence of the mighty warriors, Gillian and Bridgid discover that desire can be a weapon of conquest ... betrayal can slay trust in a heartbeat ... and the greatest risk of all is surrender -- to the deep emotions of unexpected love.

Ransom is the second book in the Highland Laird series. I did not read “The Secret” first as it was  proving to be a difficult book to hunt down.  I did eventually find it and I'll update a review on here later.  Regardless, I don’t think I needed to read the  The Secret about the Maitland’s before this one. 

Ransom was simply FAB-U-LOUS and it will go down as one of my most favourite historical romances that I have ever read. I would also say that Ransom is my favourite Julie Garwood book of all time. I completely enjoyed reading all about Gillan and Brodick. The story was captivating and a page turner. In fact, I devoured it so quickly that I turned right around and re-read it. I wanted to feel that magic connection all over again. There were so many enjoyable parts to the novel. One of the main deep routed themes of Ransom was protection. I loved how protective Gilllian was to the young child Alec Maitland and in turn, I adored how protected Gillian felt with Brodick. 

One of my favourite scenes of Ransom was how Gillian and Brodick got married while they were on a horseback and Gillian had no idea that the marriage was even taken place. Brodick's friend Ramsay had a perfect part in that trickery and it had left me giggling. I thought the entire peice was extremely well written and very well thought out. I can’t imagine being an author sitting down and thinking ‘okay I am going to marry them but I don’t want Gillian to know what is happening’ Somehow Julie Garwood wields her magic and creates one of the most memorable scenes I will never forget. 

I often find when I love a book as much as I adored Ransom, it is difficult to review because I want to spill with spoilers all the amazing scenes and banter that occurs between the characters. I just don't want to ruin for any potential new readers. If you love alpha Highland Lairds, warriors who strive to protect, smart, brave and witty female characters  you will adore Ransom right along with me. 

There are twists and turns in Julie Garwood's plots so I kept expecting something predictable and I was pleasantly surprised when it didn't turn out that way. 

Teasers: secret treasure, brutal beating, rocky cliff conversation "You know what?"

Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas

Evangeline (Evie) Jenner and Lord St. Vincent (Sebastian)







Devil in Winter (Wallflowers book 3)

By Lisa Kleypas

Book Blurb:
A DEVIL'S BARGAIN 

Easily the shyest Wallflower, Evangeline Jenner stands to become the wealthiest, once her inheritance comes due. Because she must first escape the clutches of her unscrupulous relatives, Evie has approached the rake Viscount St. Vincent with a most outrageous proposition:marriage! 

Sebastian's reputation is so dangerous that thirty seconds alone with him will ruin any maiden's good name. Still, this bewitching chit appeared,unchaperoned, on his doorstep to offer her hand. Certainly an aristocrat with a fine eye for beauty could do far worse. 

But Evie's proposal comes with a condition: no lovemaking after their wedding night. She will never become just another of the dashing libertine's callously discarded broken hearts --- which means Sebastian will simply have to work harder at his seductions ... or perhaps surrender his own heart for the very first time in the name of true love. 

According to Goodreads, Devil in Winter is Lisa Kleypas' most popular book. Oh yes, that is a very accurate assessment. Devil in Winter was a fabulous historical romance. It is the 3rd book in the Wallflower series. I had not read the two previous books, Secrets of a Summer Night or It Happened One Autumn but you can bet that I will be reading them soon. 

I don't like reading books out of order but I had a gift card and out of the Wallflower series, Devil In Winter was the one I wanted to read the most. It can be read as a stand alone but I really felt I missed excellent points and story plots from the previous book, It Happened One Autumn. It appears that Sebastian was a main carry over cast member and his actions in It Happened One Autumn is what sets the main stage in Devil in Winter. 

Sebastian is a rake of all roguish rakes. He is selfish, sarcastic and even a bit witty. Now although he held those less than satisfactory qualities, I found the smile he put on my face with his comments, allowed me to forgive him a bit more than I probably should. Of course, not having read, It Happened One Autumn my view may have been different. 

Evie is a red headed wallflower and by all accounts she seems to be the most shy of her group of friends. The reason I chose to select the graphic at the top is because that is exactly how I pictured her. I thought it was a near perfect representation of what I imaged. I love when the cover art matches the characters closely. 

From a personality perspective, I liked Evie. Women of the time (London 1843) rarely had opportunities to make life decisions for themselves. Evie concocted a plan and as outrageous as it was, it was a means to an end. It was rather brilliant if not desperate. 

Devil in Winter will go down as the best loss of virginity scene. It was emotionally charged and moving. I loved it. It was right then that I fell for Lord St. Vincent. It was also then that Sebastian fell for Evie too. 

I think it would be hard to redeem a character from a previous book that was not well liked. Sebastian did a nasty action in It Happened One Autumn that shouldn't be easily forgiven. I totally love that Lisa Kleypas didn't take the normal easy route and give Sebastian a wicked abusive up-bringing to explain his behaviour. Sure he had some sad moments but he was spoiled as he admitted and instead of harbouring on why his character was rakish, the story more focused on his changing behaviour. I really liked that. I also liked that it wasn't just an overnight change but rather a gradual change.

A couple of things that I think Devil in Winter did miss out on. I thought there would be more attempts  from Evie's wicked family to abduct her.  I just really wanted them to really pay for what they did to her. Also, I was curious why there was no lawyer or will reading ceremony. Maybe because it was not needed since all was left to Evie by her father but for some reason, I felt it was missing. Also, it didn't really feel winter out to me. It was a cold carriage ride back from Scotland but that was about it for the winter season. 

Evie was the best thing to happen to Sebastian and visa-versa. They were perfect for each other's souls. They didn't intend it go that way but I loved how hard their feelings hit each other. What a pleasure Devil in Winter was to read!

Teasers: hot brick for carriage ride, an early Cam from Mine Till Midnight was in the book a lot (squee), flirtatious billiard game,  emotional shaving scene.

Saving Grace by Julie Garwood

 Lady Johanna and Laird Gabriel MacBain's book

Saving Grace

by Julie Garwood

Book Blurb:

When Lady Johanna learned that she was a widow, she vowed she would never marry again. Only sixteen, already she possessed a strength of will that impressed all who looked past her golden-haired beauty. Yet when King John demanded that she remarry -- and selected a bridegroom for her -- it seemed she must acquiesce, until her beloved foster brother suggested she wed his friend, the handsome Scottish warrior Gabriel MacBain. 

At first Johanna was shy, but as Gabriel tenderly revealed the splendid pleasures they would share, she came to suspect that she was falling in love with her gruff new husband. And it was soon apparent to the entire Highlands clan that their brusque, gallant laird had surrendered his heart completely. But now a desperate royal intrigue threatened to tear her from his side -- and to destroy the man whose love meant more to her than she had ever dreamed!

I put up both covers of Saving Grace because I have both books. Julie Garwood books are so timeless. The cover may change and age but her stories go on and on regardless of the decade. 

I have a stack of Julie Garwood books on my shelf. I haven't read them all yet. I try to pace myself because I just love them so much that I don't want to run out of her historicals. Sadly this depletion is the case. I only have a few left that I haven't read. I save them for when I am in a "Julie Garwood mood".  I just finished up a week of excellent contemporary romance books by Jill Shalvis and then I dove right into a sexy erotic cowboy book by Lorelei James. I was due to be whisked way back in time to 1206. 

The Prologue (love Garwood's Prologues) of Saving Grace starts the reader out with the proper frame of mind. Only a few pages into Saving Grace and it was revealed that a Holy Bishop Hallwick's teachings dictate that women are so low on the "God's Love Hierarchy" that even a dull-witted ox is placed above women. So going into chapter one, you can guess my frame of mind. 

Then you are introduced to Johanna. You take pity on the poor thing as she was forced into a marriage barely into her teen years and her not so gentle husband abused her. As you can imagine, Johanna was timid and very fearful. Even with her heartbreaking back ground, you get the sense through her brave actions that she is cunning and if given the chance, she would shine. 

What I particularly liked about Saving Grace is how I could literally see the growth of the characters. In regards to Johanna, Saving Grace starts out with her struggling just to maintain eye level glances with the Laird MacBain and slowly you read about her growing and becoming more confident. I had a sense of pride towards her on more than a few occasions. 

The Laird MacBain was taken with Johanna literally on the day he met and married her. (Oh yes, it was a very quick wedding to solidify the match). He handled Johanna with gentle touches and at times he was afraid she would break. It did get annoying to constantly hear him dictate that she needed to rest even when she was just getting out of bed in the morning. His world of wedded expectation for a wife was to get up, not go outside and then sit in front of a fire and sew all day. Poor silly man didn't really know what hit it him when he finally figured out how much he ended up loving Johanna. 

There was an abundant of humourous moments, a few courageous rescues and with lots and lots of love I found Saving Grace a very enjoyable read that will satisfy me until I reach for my next Julie Garwood. 

Teasers: wolf fight, barbarians learning manners, plaid merger, Holy redemption