Highlander in Love is one of the sweetest, most delightful romances I have had the pleasure to read. Julia London spins a masterful tale that weaves the magic of Scotland into your heart. The intimate scenes between Payton and Mared are thrillingly sensual and are on a scale of not to hot, super hot. Highlander in Love combines all of the genre’s standard plots in a delightful new way.

Payton Douglas, Laird of Eilean Ros, has two hobbies: sheep raising, whiskey brewing. He has been in love with Mared Lockhart for years, the vibrant young woman from the castle Talla Dileas on the other side of the mountain. She does not hold any affection for him at all as he’s a Douglas, the enemy, the man she believes who brought destitution down on the heads of her family.

Mared has a curse upon her, one that has lived in the family for hundreds of years with devastating consequences. No daughter of a Lockhart will ever marry until she looks into the belly of the devil. Those that try to wed find themselves dead or their lovers dead. Separated from the rest of the lochs because of this curse, Mared grew into a young vivacious woman with a lot of sass. Payton finds her irresistible.

However, the Lockharts’ are in dire straights. With the introduction of sheep to the lochs, cows were not bringing in the money they’d used to bring. A large loan of 3,000 pounds was extended by Payton to Mared’s father with her hand in marriage as collateral should they fail to pay the loan back in a year.

Then the scoundrel Hugh MacAlister stole the beastie from the Lockharts, leaving them without a way to repay Douglas. But Mared won’t marry a Douglas! Determined to bring Miss Beitris Crowley into Payton’s esteem, Mared hopes that he’ll offer for Beitris instead. But Payton won’t be deterred, and in desperation Mared breaks off the betrothal.

Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Wounded by her refusal, Payton lashes out and demands that the loan be paid, as agreed upon the collateral of Mared’s promise. He forces Mared into his house as a housekeeper. But she vows to never serve him.

Packed full of wonderful dialog and scenes, this is just the tip of the iceberg with Highlander in Love. Payton is the new Mr. Darcy; composed, misunderstood, passionate, wealthy, and desperately lonely. How will he overcome Mared’s hate of the Douglas clan and see his way to a future built on the glimmering foundation of dreams?

Rating: 5 Stars

• Highlander Romance- From the Wilds of Scotland and Wales What is highlander romance? Highlander romance is a subgenre of historical romance. Not to be confused with the show, highlander romance is all about those sexy warrior men. The setting for these romances usually takes place in Scotland or Wales....
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Lady Phoebe Fairchild is in a pickle. Mrs. Ramsey is blackmailing her. The awful woman has guessed her biggest secret– that she is Madame Dupree, the French modiste, whose fashion creations are the talk of the ton. In exchange for not exposing her secret and ruining her reputation Phoebe must go to Wentworth Hall. Immediately.

The fantastical experience she had imagined for herself was not living up to the reality. Ladies Alice and Jane are the most ill behaved women of quality Phoebe has ever met. They constantly bickered and goaded one another. Neither one of them listened to her and treated her as the very lowest of servants.

William Darby, was the one bright spot. Lord Summerfield intrigued her. This man who had traveled the world, bore a tattoo from India, and could tame wild horses thrilled her beyond imaginings. Here was a man that evoked fever in her blood, the very fever her mother had talked about, but Phoebe feared would never find her. The more she came to know him, the harder it was to tell the truth. Why he had said lies and those who purposefully deceived were the only things he could not abide or tolerate! She could not bear it if he hated her.

Will hated being home. If it was not one thing with his family, it was another; Alice fantasized herself in love with a smithy, his brother thieved and whored about, and his father was mute and parallelized from a seizure. He knew he had come home too late and despite the chafing of the polite society, Will was determined to do his father proud and uphold the family honor. He would do his duties as heir and older brother to the best of his abilities. That unfortunately included finding a bride.

The bummer crop of women that paraded by him day and night, he found not one woman that stirred his passion. Madame Phoebe Dupree, the seamstress he had hired on to outfit his sisters stirred his blood in a way no woman abroad or at home had ever done. He found utterly enchanting. His thought constantly pulled in her direction. The troubles of his family could not distract him for long, not even Joshua’s insolent ways and fierce determination to ruin the family name.

But how could he marry Phoebe, even if he loved her, when Caroline Fitzherbert was more the wife that he needed? It would all be so different if Phoebe were of quality. Why if she were, all of his problems would be solved.

In the end I found The Dangers of Deceiving a Viscount by Julia London was a sweet and engaging romance story. I found the love scenes lacking however. They were too short and not overly descriptive. Not the worse I’ve encountered by far, but in the middle of such a tender story it’s a little too lukewarm for the passion I was expecting… craving.

Rating: 3 Stars

• Review: The Perils of Pursuing a Prince by Julia London Marcia is the first person to respond to the $10 Gift Card Contest! Her review for us this week by Julia London and looks to be a devilishly wild ride across England. The story mixes modern language with historical settings...
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Marcia is the first person to respond to the $10 Gift Card Contest! Her review for us this week by Julia London and looks to be a devilishly wild ride across England. The story mixes modern language with historical settings which might turn you off reading, but the the thrill behind the tale should hook you back in easily.

Lady Greer Fairchild is on a journey to find her inheritance in this second novel of the Desperate Debutantes trilogy.  She began her travels in London as the companion of Mrs. Smithington who wanted a little adventure and to see more than just London before she died.  Unfortunately, Mrs. Smithington did die before Greer finishes her journey.  A gentleman by the name of Mr. Percy has been traveling with them and has been a charming and helpful companion during the trip.  After the death of Mrs. Smithington, he suggests that they continue the journey together, since their destination is the same.

Greer is desperate to continue into Wales where she has learned that her inheritance is in the hands of a distant relative of her deceased stepfather.  It is for this reason that she agrees to continue her journey with just the company of Mr. Percy even though she knows that to do so would ruin her reputation.  The distant relative is none other than the Prince of Powys, a man who is known to Mr. Percy as a thief.  Mr. Percy has many a dark tale to tell of this prince, Rhodrick Glendower, Earl of Radnor, and Greer is terrified when they meet him riding a fearsome stallion on the road to the Earl’s castle.

The setting is out of a gothic novel with the wild countryside of Wales, a large oppressive looking castle and a dark brooding prince.  There are also strange dreams, ghosts and mysterious past crimes none of which really add up to a true gothic atmosphere since there is no real mystery or suspense.  The reader knows immediately that Mr. Percy is no gentleman and Rhodrick Glendower is a kind loveable person depicted as a wolf in sheep’s clothing.  We also know that Rhodrick could never have committed the mysterious crimes and that they were probably committed by Mr. Percy.  Instead of trying to imitate early 19^th century speech, Ms. London has written the dialog a frank, modern style that may or may not appeal to readers.  Even so, this is an enjoyable albeit light story.

Rating: 3 Stars

Thank you Marcia for writing to us! If you’ve just finished reading a romance novel and want to write review but weren’t sure how check out RRN’s submission guidelines for tips and advice to get started.

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