#BookReview ~ Highland Escape (Hardy Heroines #1) by Cathy MacRae #HistoricalRomance #Scotland @CMacRaeAuthor

Highland Escape

 (Hardy Heroines #1)

By Cathy MacRae

Fleeing the English army that murdered her family before her eyes, Anna Braxton rescues two young women, kidnapped by a barbaric Highland clan only to find herself unjustly imprisoned by the clan she aided. Disgusted by her treatment, she counters their belated offer of friendship with anger and distrust. But she does not count on the unexpected effect the laird’s son has on her heart.

Duncan MacGregor does not understand his da’s command to imprison the young woman who saved his sister’s life. He is more than intrigued with Anna’s skill with a bow and sword—in fact, he is fascinated by everything about her, in spite of her lack of feminine wiles. Straightforward and with a deep-seated sense of honor, Anna Braxton disrupts his entire notion of a suitable woman.

Trained as a warrior and unwilling to be any man’s chattel, Anna shuns the idea of marriage—until Duncan coaxes her into a world of acceptance and passion she never knew existed. He wants her as his wife. She will agree, but only on her own terms—conditions Duncan is not sure he can accept.

The Coffee Pot Book Club Review

Anna Braxton watched as the English slaughtered her kin, and now she is on the run. She has no idea where she is going, but she is determined to put as much distance between herself and the English soldiers as she can. But then she stumbles upon two women who are moments away from being raped. She cannot stand by and do nothing. She has to intervene. But by doing so, it means her path will cross with the MacGregor clan.

Duncan MacGregor has never met anyone like Anna. A woman warrior is not unheard of, but the things that Anna can do are beyond anything he has ever witnessed. But although she saved his sister from a terrible fate his father, the Laird, looks at Anna with suspicion. How will Duncan convince his father that Anna isn't the enemy? And how will he convince Anna that he is worthy of her love?

They say you cannot judge a book by its cover, and I know this to be true, but when I saw the cover of Highland Escape (Hardy Heroines #1) by Cathy MacRae, I knew I just had to read it.

Initially, I was a little sceptical about the portrayal of Anna. I wasn't expecting to read about a 14th Century martial arts expert in Scotland, but actually, Ms MacRae's portray of Anna really worked. It was indeed an interesting twist. I was very interested to read the author's ‘Note to the Reader’ at the end of the book, which explained where she got her inspiration from and how the 9th Crusade influenced her story.

I adored the characterisation of Duncan. He is slightly bemused by Anna, to begin with, but he admires her greatly and eventually, as with all good romance, love blossoms. There are many reasons why our two protagonists should not be together, and they overcome many obstacles to find their happy ever after.

I thoroughly enjoyed Highland Escape, and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series.

I Highly Recommend.

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Cathy MacRae

Amazon best-selling author Cathy MacRae enjoys weaving tales of romance in the Highland mists. Her stories feature strong heroes and feisty heroines in pursuit of their happy-ever-afters in medieval Scotland.

When not writing, Cathy can be found curled up in a chair with a book or enjoying the outdoors with a German Shepherd or two. A member of RWA, NTRWA, and Celtic Hearts Romance Writers, she is currently working on another Highland romance novel and planning her next trip to Scotland.

#BookReview ~ Finding Balance (The Portal Prophecies #6) By C.A King #YA #Fantasy @PortalProphecy

Finding Balance 

(The Portal Prophecies #6)

 By C.A King

The cards are stacked against Willow. Two evil kings seek destruction; The Department of Secrecy wants to imprison her; the memory potion has everyone in disarray; and she is running low on allies. Can she overcome the odds and bring balance back to the realms? It all comes down to one final battle – winner takes all. When it's all said and done, who will be left standing?

This epic conclusion to The Portal Prophecies series will provide all the answers readers are itching to know

The Coffee Pot Book Club Review

The deciding battle is upon them. If Willow and her allies do not win then the consequences will be catastrophic. But even if they do, things will never be the same again.

I have both dreaded and looked forward to reading the final book in The Portal Prophecies series. I have dreaded reading book six because that would mean the end of a fantastic adventure, but at the same time, I could not wait to find out what would happen to Willow and her friends. Like the other books in the series Finding Balance (The Portal Prophecies #6) by C.A.King did not disappoint. I was gripped from the beginning, and I simply could not put the book down until I had finished. I must admit there were moments when I was shouting "NO!" at C.A King, and I burst into tears!! This is how much I have grown to love the characters in this extraordinary tale!

Lots of loose ends are tied up in book 6 and a few of these 'loose ends' I did not realise where loose ends until the end!! I know that makes no sense, but if you read this fabulous series from the beginning to the end, then you will know exactly what I mean.

As before I loved the characterisation of Willow. This series is very much her story and the people she meets along the way. In each book she continues to grow as a character. I really enjoyed reading about her.  William is also worthy of a mention in this book. He struggles with what he did when he was under a memory spell, and he is determined to make it up to Willow and the people whom he cares for.  And as for Lance...  I can't even speak right now without a lump forming in my throat when I think about him. He really wriggled into my heart in this series, and I was heartbroken when he...  No, I am not going to give away any spoilers!!

The world in which The Portal Prophecies is set in is very real in the telling — think Lord of the Rings meets Harry Potter. I loved it.

If you are looking for quality fiction for the young adults in your life, then you cannot go far wrong with C.A Kings The Portal Prophecies series.

I Highly Recommend.

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C.A. King

The 2017 Platinum – 1st Place winner for the Best Local Author category in The Hamilton Spectator Readers' Choice Awards.

The recipient of the 2017 Readers' Favorite Silver Medal Winner in the Fiction - Short Story/Novella genre.

"Hmmmmmm,
Who am I?…Who am I?
Silence…chews pencil…
Who am I?…Who am I?
Hmmmmmm,
I am…
a daydreamer…a hopeless romantic…an optimistic pessimist…a psychic…a childish adult…an animal lover…an over-emotional wreck…an adventurer…an artistic fool…
Aha!
I am…A Fiction Writer!
Nice to meet you!"

About the author!

I was diagnosed with clinical depression after the loss of my mother, father and husband within three years of each other - to cancer. The years of 24/7 in-home care, coupled with the loss I felt, left its mark on my psyche.

Depression takes up a lot of my life. Reading and writing are the only things I have found that help (in connection with regular medication), even if only for a short time. To escape to a different world can make a big difference in my mood in real life.

To put things in perspective, when I was at my lowest point, I couldn't open mail, talk on the phone, or even drive to the store. Walls of sadness surrounded me. As they closed in, tears would fall, There didn't need to be a reason or trigger.

People ask me why I started writing. My answer is simple: I wanted to create a world other people could escape to. I wanted to share the place that had helped me for many years.

I read books as well as write them. I have visited the worlds many different authors have created. Those worlds make me feel better and give me strength to face real life again. I want to thank everyone who writes - I want them to know they are making a difference.

I always said that as long as one person finds a little bit of happiness out of my books, I am, in my opinion, an accomplished author. The same is true for every writer out there. Please don't ever let anyone tell you different.

Thank you for reading and writing. (less)

#BookReview ~ Blue Belle (Wildflowers of Scotland, #3) by Sherrie Hansen #Romance @SherrieHansen

Blue Belle

 (Wildflowers of Scotland, #3)

 By Sherrie Hansen

Isabelle doesn't want to be found. Michael doesn't want to be found out. When Damon starts searching for the centuries-old gold he thinks is buried at Tobermory Bay, it won't matter what walls they are hiding behind. Rocks will fall. Castles will crumble. No secret will be safe. Age-old castles and blue-watered bays; white sandy beaches and quaint cottage stays; a rainbow of colors, and chocolates-hand dipped; a valley of bluebells, and sheep-freshly clipped. Legends galore, buried treasure and more . . . in Tobermory, Scotland, that's what's in store.

The Coffee Pot Book Club Review

Isabelle thought she had it all. A successful career, good friends, a loving boyfriend. Only it was an illusion. Her boyfriend was, in fact, a con-artist, and he now has intimate pictures of her that he threatens to expose to her family, her work colleges, and her friends. With her perfect life in shatters, Isabelle escapes to the Isle of Mull in Scotland. Here she hopes to recover from her terrible ordeal and start again.

When Michael St Dawndalyn first met Isabelle, he knew that something terrible had happened to her. Years working as a psychiatrist meant that he saw people as they really were. If only he could offer her his help, but like Isabelle, Michael is running from the past, and it is just a matter of time before that past catches up with him.

But that is not all. Strange and dangerous things are going on in Mull. If Isabelle thought her con-artist boyfriend was trouble, he is nothing compared to what she has to face in this seemingly quite island. She needs to keep her head, if she is going to come out of this adventure alive.

Oh, My Days!! Blue Belle (Wildflowers of Scotland, #3) by Sherrie Hansen was a gripping story that I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved the characterisation of both Isabella and Michael. The characters were well-rounded and more importantly believable. I really felt for Isabelle. She had been through hell, and yet she does her very best to carry on. Likewise, I loved Michael's integrity and how he would not back down even in the face of strong opposition.

The story itself was fast-paced, and once I started reading, I did not want to stop. There is intrigue, danger, romance, and so much more. A great story.

I Highly Recommend.

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Sherrie Hansen

Twenty-five years ago, Sherrie Hansen rescued a dilapidated Victorian house in northern Iowa from the bulldozer's grips and turned it into a bed and breakfast and tea house, the Blue Belle Inn. Sherrie grew up on a farm in southern Minnesota and has lived in Bar Harbor, Maine, Colorado Springs, CO, and Augsburg, Germany. She attended Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL.

After 12 years of writing romance novels late at night when she couldn't sleep (mostly because she was so keyed up from working 12 hour days at the B&B), she met and married her real-life hero, Mark Decker, a pastor. Sherrie lives in 2 different houses, 85 miles apart, and writes on the run whenever she has a spare minute. With her Wildflowers of Scotland novels, "Wild Rose", "Blue Belle", "Shy Violet", "Sweet William" and "Golden Rod", she has ten books in print, most featuring a "second-chance-at-love" story. Sherrie enjoys playing the piano with the worship team at church, photography, decorating historic homes, traveling, and going on weekly adventures with her nieces and nephew.

BookReview ~ Operation Home by M.L. Rosado #Romance

Operation Home

 (Operation series Book #3)

By M.L.Rodado

For the Gessati brothers, there’s never a boring moment.

When Vinny Gessati, a hot restaurateur with an even hotter temper, falls in love with his brother’s soon-to-be sister-in-law, he believes he’s found the one. But Cristina just isn’t ready—not after a rough breakup with a cheating ex-boyfriend. She finds every excuse to avoid Vin’s enchanting green eyes and ripped body, but she soon realizes her heart is already lost to the Gessati family’s “little brother,” a man who’s anything but. Could love really be that simple, she wonders, or are the two of them a recipe for disaster?

Both Cristina and Vinny soon must put their feelings aside as the entire Gessati family is rocked by a threatening note sent by a psychotic stalker from the past. With the entire family on alert, Cristina thinks she’ll never find the right moment to make Vinny her own. And her hot Italian lover must fight his own demons to feel worthy of the woman that he craves.

Their family will be threatened more than ever and the only way to survive is to fight together. In this last book in the Operation Series, Tati and Donato, Cristina and Vinny, and Luisa and Gio all come together to head out on the most exciting adventure yet. Home, Gessati family will discover, is the best destination, and the best reason for living.

The Coffee Pot Book Club Review

It takes a lot to get over a breakup. Especially when you walk in on your boyfriend making love to another woman.  Christina fears she may never trust another man again. It was just a shame that her sister was marrying into the Gessati family, because the way Donato’s youngest brother looks at her makes her rethink that maybe she should not give up on the whole love thing, just yet.

Vinny fell in love with Christina the moment he cast his eyes upon her. It is just a shame that the timing is wrong. How long does it take for someone to get over a broken heart, anyway?

I so love this series, and book #3 did not disappoint. Operation Home by M.L.Rodado

picks up where the story left off in book #2. I was really excited to dive between the covers of Operation Home and I could not wait to read about the budding romance between Vinny and Christina, which had been alluded to in the last book. As I have come to expect from M.L.Rodado, Vinny and Christina’s relationship was beautifully portrayed, and the characters were authentic in the telling.

What makes this series different from many romance series is that the story continues for all the characters. You are really getting three romances in one, with a fabulous story that involves them all. The Italian Mafia plays a part in this series, and there is one detestable character in particular that threatens to destroy the Gessati family. This helped to drive the story forward.

I grew to love all the characters, and I find myself in this usual situation where I can’t decide which book I enjoyed the most. I think it is fair to say that I enjoyed them all.

I will certainly be looking out for more books by M.L.Rodado.

I Highly Recommend.

Links for Purchase

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ML Rosado

ML Rosado is a romance author originally from the beautiful island of Puerto Rico, living in Miami, Florida. She is a mother of two wonderful boys and is devoted to her husband of twenty years. She loves books, food, chocolate, raspberries and wine. 

Visit her blog: www.sexybooksblog.net