Reviewed by Heather Osborne for Readers' Favorite

The Renegade Wife by Caroline Warfield is a historical romance novel which takes the reader from the wilds of Canada to London society and back. Rand Wheatly wishes for nothing more than the sanctity of his cabin in the wilds of Canada, fleeing from a failed relationship and family betrayal. However, when he arrives, he finds a woman and her two children have taken up residence. At first Rand is livid, demanding they leave immediately, but he soon softens to Meggy Blair and her renegade family. As time passes, Rand learns of the reasons why Meggy fled her husband, and resolves to help the little family however he can. Yet, with a brutish Scottish soldier on their tail, Rand must return to England, and face demons of his past in order to find happiness with the woman he has come to love. Can he put his heart on the line again, not knowing what the end result might be?

I certainly was not expecting some of the turns in this novel, and that is what kept me fully engaged in the story from start to finish. I appreciated Miss Warfield’s adherence to historical fact of the time, especially involving how a woman and her children were property upon marriage. It seems so antiquated to us now that a man could openly abuse his family and not face repercussions for it. Miss Warfield has carefully woven a plot around such constraints to create a beautifully written historical novel. The Renegade Wife by Caroline Warfield harkens back to the historical romance authors of old, and I gladly look forward to the next installment in her Children of Empire series!

Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

I Close My Eyes by Regina Puckett is a fantastic historical romance that you will love. I am a huge fan of Regina Puckett and her brand of writing; she is brilliant with her characterizations and how she builds the story. I Close My Eyes is the perfect Regina Puckett novel, the characters are wonderful, the story is fast paced and the plot is wonderfully constructed. I loved the setting and the main protagonists; they were wholesome and very human, which is a specialty of this wonderful writer. They had a wonderful chemistry that blossomed with time and developed right in front of our eyes.

The story follows two very different, yet similar people. The Duke of Greystone, Phillip, is really not looking for a wife and he is not really ready for one. Lady Jane, the daughter of the Duke of Rutherford, just wants some peace and quiet so that she can regroup and go back to the ball. She had no idea that the room she chooses to hide in was already occupied by Phillip. What happens next is their story that unfolds from that one room. Phillip is intense while Jane is looking for a future in which she will have the happiness she has always craved. But can they find what they are looking for in each other?

What more can I say about this novel? I truly enjoyed Phillip’s development; he grew and learnt to love with all his heart and soul. Jane changed as well, she learnt to bend the right way and she opened her heart to the future she deserved. They both learnt together and they loved together. I Close My Eyes is yet another amazing novel by this remarkable writer!

Reviewed by Rosie Malezer for Readers' Favorite

You’re the Rogue That I Want is the first book in the Rogues of Redmere series, written by Samantha Holt. Red is a smuggler who lives and works by his own rules. When Hannah St. John meets with him in a bar, he is anything but impressed with the woman who seeks his assistance in smuggling an ancient Egyptian artifact across the border. Although he first rejects her request, Red and Hannah inadvertently cross paths again, which ultimately leads Red to bend to her wishes. Little does Hannah realize that Red is, in fact, of royal blood, nor does Hannah know that the stone they are carting is cursed. With both feeling an inexplicable desire for each other, it is just a matter of time before they bend to each other’s wills.

Samantha Holt’s intricate tale of a rogue-smuggler of title is more charming than not. Initially loathing each other, Hannah and Red are glad to finally part ways after their first meeting, but it is not long before they are pulled back towards each other, in order to smuggle an artifact over the border and into her father’s hands. I liked how Hannah thought Red to be a low-life bum, smuggling goods in order to make ends meet, only to find out that he was titled and did it for adventure, and nothing more. As each member of Red’s crew becomes ill, blaming the curse of an artifact for their ailments, it is not long before Red and Hannah are forced to work with each other, one on one, to get the job done. Red’s longing for Hannah is overridden by his desire to get back to his men, but he is inexplicably lured back into her company by an invisible pull, as Hannah inadvertently steals his heart in every possible way. I quite enjoyed You’re the Rogue That I Want, and recommend it to fans of mystery, madness and mayhem, which is embroiled in a love that will withstand all that gets in its way.

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

Heart of the Highlands: The Beast is a historical romance novel by April Holthaus set in the wild lands of medieval Scotland. Part one in the Protectors of the Crown series, the novel weaves the expected intense romantic action into an unexpectedly intriguing political landscape. The Protectors of the Crown are allied to King James V of Scotland and are set to work against the burgeoning threat of English invasion. One such warrior is the Beast, our hero Ian MacKay, who captures nineteen-year-old Keira Sinclair when she is on her way to marry her betrothed, a powerful man whom she doesn’t love. Amidst the war and threat all around them, this unlikely pair first find attraction, then love despite their differences.

Romance fans will find very little to complain about in Heart of the Highlands: The Beast, as author April Holthaus displays a split-perspective narrative which follows both Ian and Keira through their gamut of emotions. The Highlands of Scotland are beautifully described and the political plot between the clans and the warriors is well developed and credible, grounding the whole romantic storyline in a place that feels real. I particularly enjoyed Holthaus’s use of dialogue to make the broad Scots’ accents stand out, and the fact that Keira was a feisty heroine rather than a passive one. Overall, The Beast was a highly enjoyable romance, and I’d recommend it to any reader looking for a lavish, imaginative and high-quality story to lose themselves in for a while.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

No Good Deed: Intertwined Souls Series, Book 5 is an historical fantasy written by Mary D. Brooks. While this is the fifth book in the Intertwined Souls Series, the author includes enough background information to enable readers to enjoy No Good Deed on its own. The story is set in the early 1950s, in the aftermath of the Second World War. Eva and Zoe Lambros have returned to Sydney, Australia, after their involvement in the resistance. Eva has learned to her surprise that she is the heir to a considerable fortune, including the Muller family industry which she will head along with her uncle. The two women have been trying to begin a family; however, Zoe has not succeeded in becoming pregnant, and adoption is becoming something they are reluctantly considering. When a freak accident at Eva's workplace leaves her with a fractured skull and comatose, any other considerations are dropped as Zoe and the rest of their family wait for her recovery.

Mary D. Brooks' historical fantasy, No Good Deed: Intertwined Souls Series, Book 5 is well-written, impeccably researched and absorbing. I was most impressed by the author's ability to weave the women's story in with the historical backdrop of the war and the Nuremberg Trials. The flowering and impact of Eva's paranormal gifts, which have been passed along through her family for generations, is described in a sobering fashion with the past stories of her and her aunt's electro-shock therapy sessions in German asylums for the condition, adding another grim reminder of the costs of being considered 'different' at that time in history. No Good Deed is a family saga that will delight fantasy and historical novel buffs alike. It's highly recommended.

Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite

Proud Mary: A Georgian Historical Romance by Lucinda Brant is the fifth book in the Roxton Family Saga, a historical romance that is every bit as dramatic as it is entertaining. This is a story that will transport the reader into the exciting world of the nobility and the traditions that have existed through time and history. Lady Mary Cavendish is a widow and she is penniless, a woman of noble birth — daughter of an earl and great-granddaughter to a Stuart king — and she has nothing but her pride and beauty to live for. While pressure increases for her to remarry, she doesn’t seem to give it much thought. But then country squire Christopher Bryce, her neighbor, has loved her silently for so long. Can he be any match for her, in spite of their class differences? Will Mary do what her heart tells her or follow the whims of tradition?

This is a historical romance that features family intrigue, dark secrets, love and romance, and a conflict that will have readers hooked from the beginning to the very end of the story. Although this is the fifth book in this family saga, it is the first I have read and it reads so well as a standalone story. It was a fun read for a number of reasons. First, the language is impeccable and it captures the soul and spirit of the historical setting beautifully. Lucinda Brant has a unique phraseology that will thrill readers. Second, the characters are wonderfully imagined and they are easy to connect with; they are well-developed and exciting. It was fun exploring the inner workings of their hearts. Third, the conflict is masterfully developed so that it holds the plot together and makes it a really fast read. Proud Mary: A Georgian Historical Romance had me mesmerized and enmeshed in the read until I was done. I fell in love with the characters.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

I Will Follow: To Eternity And Beyond is an historical romance written by Ju Ephraime. Growing up in an orphanage run by the nuns was a lonely experience for Catherine. She didn't seem to have anything in common with the other children living there, and the nuns were preoccupied with their devotions and caring for the children. One thing that bothered her the most was the fact that on holidays, when all the other orphans had relatives to visit, she was always the one to stay at the home. She wondered who her parents were and what happened to them. She also wondered why they didn't keep her. Catherine had plenty of work at the home to keep her busy from sunup to sundown, but what she enjoyed most was preparing herbal concoctions and remedies under the tutelage of Mother Agnes. When she could, Catherine would escape the confines of the home and walk for hours. She loved animals, and they seemed to respond in kind to her as she made her way through woods and fields. One day, as she was trying to catch a particular little rabbit she hope to make into a pet, she veered into the dirt path just as a car was roaring past. The driver swerved to miss her, but the bumper still clipped her, throwing her into the woods. She woke to find a man looking down at her and then felt him carrying her to his car. As she attempted to focus her gaze, she was struck by the intensity of his blue eyes and the way his hair was tangled and wavy. He was the most amazing creature she had ever seen.

Ju Ephraime's historical romance, I Will Follow: To Eternity And Beyond, is a heady and sensual romance about a love that transcends time and place. Catherine and Cameron are marvelous characters. She's the guiding star that he's inescapably drawn to, and he's the knight in shining armor who snatches her from the clutches of an unscrupulous nun who means her nothing but harm. This novel is set in the pre-WWI years, and the author does a beautiful job of setting the scene, especially in the care she takes with the descriptions of the landed gentility and the growing inroads the automobile makes into the British countryside. While there are a number of scenes involving love-making and sensuality, they are well-written and appropriate for an adult audience. The paranormal aspect of this novel is also enticing and adds a touch of mystery to the plot. I Will Follow: To Eternity And Beyond is most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Ray Simmons for Readers' Favorite

I find that women writers do emotions and relationships better than men, while men are great at plot, action, and suspense. Lorraine Evanoff excels at all aspects of writing. In Foliage: An International Banking Spy Thriller, the characters are well rounded, the action is crisp and realistic, and the plot is very believable and moves along at a sharp crisp pace. I found her portrayal of an American living and moving in international circles very accurate, and I have never read a better description of the jet setting lifestyle. But the thing I like most about Foliage is Louise Moscow. I even like her name. I was not really expecting a woman to be the heroine at the center of an international banking conspiracy. I don’t know why it was such a surprise, but it was a surprise, and it turned out to be a pleasant one.

Louise is smart, very smart, and that is something I admire in a character. She needs that intelligence to outmaneuver the players of the international banking world. The bad guys are very well educated, cultured, and charming. They are also as ruthless and dedicated as an Afghan soldier. Foliage is huge in scope and history and some of the most momentous movements of our time go into creating a conspiracy that will shake the banking world. Names of institutions and people plucked from the headlines combine with superb writing to make Foliage and Louise Moscow something you will want to see more of in the future. If you want to know more about what lies behind those BCCI headlines you occasionally run across, read Foliage: An International Banking Spy Thriller.

Reviewed by Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite

Clayton's Honor by MK McClintock is a clean historical romance that will keep your heart beating and your palms sweating. Set in Ireland in 1892, the novel follows Anne Doyle. She lost her father in the war and her mother died of madness; she only has her younger sister and she would do anything for her, no matter what. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she witnesses a murder. Now she has to take help from the remaining family members and she must only go to the person she trusts.

Devon Clayton never really wanted a part of this. He loved the thrill of living on the edge; the danger and the adventure are the perks of his life that he enjoys the most. But when he is given the duty of protecting an innocent woman who witnessed a murder, he is tested beyond his imagination. His life has always been about duty to his country, but this little woman ignites feelings in him he never knew he had. When faced with a choice between duty and honor, which will he choose?

There is nothing I like more than a good romance with strong characters and a powerful storyline. This is part of a series and there are a few mentions of the previous novels, but nothing too complicated that will make you scratch your head. Anne’s story is very powerful and Devon is a very compelling character. He is not scared of taking chances when it comes to his life, but when it comes to love he is headstrong. Nevertheless, I liked him, because his heart was always in the right place. This is definitely a novel that is going on my 'read again' shelf! A really good and smooth read!

Reviewed by C.J. Anaya for Readers' Favorite

To Tame The Wind is a delightful historical romance set against the backdrop of a warring France and England, while the American Revolution comes to its eventual conclusion. Author Regan Walker develops an intriguing love story amidst rough seamen, handsome privateers, and dangerous pirates. Our journey begins with a kidnapping when privateer Simon Powell takes the beautiful Claire Donet as his captive, holding her ransom on his ship in exchange for his crew and schooner which was stolen by none other than Claire's father, Jean Donet, a French pirate.

Walker did a beautiful job in the opening of this book, pulling the reader in with a little intrigue as Claire sneaks out of a convent to see a masquerade. This choice leads to unhappy consequences which become the heart of her own internal conflicts. Powell's personal struggles involve a scandal surrounding his parentage and the need to feel loved and accepted, despite his unorthodox entry into society. Both strong-willed and stubborn individuals, Claire and Simon tend to butt heads in the most delicious ways imaginable. This captive scenario is so clever because it puts them at odds with one another, but their chemistry and underlying tension can't be denied. It's that tension that keeps you turning page after page to see what will develop next between Simon and Claire.

Wonderful historical facts are sprinkled in, giving the plot depth and texture without bogging down the story. The descriptions of the countryside are simple, effectively pulling you into the beauty that Walker must have seen for herself. I thought To Tame The Wind was beautifully written, a real swashbuckling adventure that will leave you feeling anxious to delve into more of Walker's heartwarming romances.