Alyce Caswell - Author
  • Home
  • Books
  • Other Works
  • Book Reviews
  • Contact

Book Reviews

A Not-So-Hidden Gem

3/2/2021

0 Comments

 

Scoundrel's Fortune (Highlander's Pact #2)
by Sky Purington

Picture
The last time Malcolm MacLauchlin saw Isabella De la Croix, the woman who was such a thorn in his side in France, she removed her veil and kissed him. Now she has come to Scotland, apparently seeking him so they can be married - but what she is really seeking is hidden treasure.

Sky Purington always impresses me with just how much story, emotion, and character development she can fit into a story that is shorter than standard for the genre. Flashbacks are always a risky thing to use as well. But they work so well here. I will admit to wishing that the treasure hunt itself had received more focus - it would have been nice if it had been a little more complicated.

0 Comments

Gladiator: Scots Style

3/1/2021

0 Comments

 

Highland Defender (Scots and Swords #2)
by Kathryn Le Veque

Picture
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Bane Morgan has hit rock bottom when a chance encounter with Lucia, a lady's maid, turns his life around. But with no way to pay the debt that keeps her shackled to an increasingly dangerous situation, Bane must enter the Ludus Caledonia and survive not only battles but the jealousy of Lucia's lady.

A gladiatorial arena in medieval Scotland? With our heroes pitted against other fighters as well as the obstacles between them and true love? What a fascinating premise! I love reading the same Scottish romance story over and over again, don't get me wrong, but this was such a refreshing take on the genre. I blitzed through this because I was just so keen to see how things would end. The pacing was pretty good too, allowing the relationship to develop realistically (despite the short timeframe).

Change is definitely a good thing here.

0 Comments

Be Still My Beating Heart

6/12/2020

0 Comments

 

Forbidden Heart (Hearts of the Highlands #6)
by Paula Quinn

Picture
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Silene Sparrow is a novice who intends to take her vows and become a nun in the spring, in order to help her uncle, but the arrival of Galeren McPherson throws her mind and heart into disarray. Galeren has taken a vow of chastity and intends to see his duty done. If only Silene wasn't betrothed to God. If only she didn't tempt him so much...

What's better than a Highlander romance? A forbidden Highlander romance! Delicious pining and pining-related angst make this one worth a read. Things slowed down a little towards the end when Galeren touched base with the growing family, but it's hard not to enjoy seeing everyone. Another great romance by one of my favourite romance authors.

0 Comments

Let It Snow

18/10/2020

0 Comments

 

A Very Highland Christmas by Various

Picture
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

There is a tavern on the way to Culloden with colourful characters and, if you're lucky, a warm place to sleep during the chilly festive season. The Highlands are still reeling from the defeat of Bonnie Prince Charlie, but there are still celebrations to be had. These six romantic novellas include guardian angels, ghosts, mystical swords, family feuds and enough steamy scenes to thaw any reader out.

This collection is exactly what I needed. It combines two of my greatest weaknesses: Highlander romances and stories with a slightly supernatural bent. I'll admit that I enjoyed the latter quite a bit more than the other novellas on offer, but the entire anthology is a great read. Perfect for cosying up with. My only quibble is that I would have liked to see Carrie find true love - the collection felt somewhat incomplete without her story.

0 Comments

Sailors Ahoy!

9/8/2020

0 Comments

 

Kilts Ahoy! (Clash of the Tartans #6)
by Anna Markland

Picture
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Marshall Robson has admired Teagan MacCray from afar, but her clan has been feuding with his for centuries. He has a chance to put an end to the feuding - by proposing marriage between Teagan and his brother, the laird of his clan.

I really liked the premise and things definitely started well, but I can't say this one captivated me. The hero and heroine didn't have much "screen time" together - Marshall was either brooding or tearing off to Norway - which meant that I didn't feel the love, so to speak. Marshall's brother wasn't really much of a roadblock either, so I never got the "will they/won't they" vibe. But that cover is pretty awesome.

0 Comments

Blink and Miss It

19/7/2020

0 Comments

 

Heart of Thanks (Hearts of the Highlands #3.5)
by Paula Quinn

Picture
Elysande MacPherson would love to wed and raise a family, but her father has chased off every suitor. When she falls for the son of his enemy, she knows she'll have a hard time convincing him.

A sweet enough short story that fully utilises the Christmas setting. I'd have liked it to be a bit longer.

0 Comments

Scoundrel? More Like Sweetheart!

16/7/2020

0 Comments

 

Scoundrel's Vengeance (Highlander's Pact #1)
by Sky Purington

Picture
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Keenan returns home from wars that have hardened and changed him. He's determined to forge an alliance with a nearby clan through marriage, no matter the cost. Even if it means losing the true love of his life. Fionna is her clan's laird and has guarded her people in difficult times. But she cannot guard her heart from Keenan - or her secrets.

This is honestly the best Highlander romance novella I've ever read. When I dive into something of this length, I expect backstory and character development to be sacrificed for the plot. That didn't happen here. Keenan and Fionna were so lovely together, but if I'm honest...it was Neil who really stole the show. What a fantastic supporting character.

0 Comments

Short and Scot

23/6/2020

0 Comments

 

To Bargain with a Highland Buccaneer (Heart of a Scot #8)
by Collete Cameron

Picture
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Bryston McPherson is a former privateer with a painful past. Branwen has been interested in him ever since they met, but she is unaware of how his secrets will soon endanger her - and has no idea that she's competing with a ghost for Bryston's affections.

As always with this series, you agree to compromise on background and buildup in exchange for a short, easy read that you can manage around a busy life. The pace was quick, Bryston's past intrigued me, and I enjoyed the action. Branwen was a wonderful heroine, but she honestly didn't deserve to be compared so much to Bryston's late wife. I cringed a little. I generally prefer romances that are a bit more tactful about past loves.

0 Comments

Twisty and Tangled

16/6/2020

0 Comments

 

Tempest Heart (Hearts of the Highlands #5)
by Paula Quinn

Picture
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Tristan MacPherson is a cold-blooded killer on his way to take yet another life. He doesn't expect to come across Rose, a lass beset by the Black Plague and left for dead - and he doesn't expect to fall in love with her or discover that she is the daughter of the man he intends to kill.

Oh, I loved Tristan. He's a Medieval bad boy with a heart of gold and even I fell for him. He and Rose were so adorable together. I also thoroughly enjoyed all the twists and turns in this one; the mystery of who was trying to kill Rose kept me guessing right up until the end. Tempest Heart had a bit of a Tangled feel (a charming hero freeing the heroine from a life of captivity!), so if you love that movie you'll probably love this.

0 Comments

A Timely Plague Romance

14/6/2020

0 Comments

 

Lion Heart (Hearts of the Highlands #4)
​by Paula Quinn

Picture
​Lily Bennet immediately catches Elias MacPherson's eye and only she can keep the terrors of his past at bay. But she is another man's wife - a man who is honourable and decent and Elias cannot wish any ill on him. Being near Lily is a torment and things will only worsen when the Black Death comes to town.

This series has been a bit uneven thus far, but Lion Heart is wonderful and everything I've come to love about Paula Quinn's books. The combination of an at-large villain and a plague made for some fantastic tension. And the pacing was practically perfect, a marked improvement from previous books. It was also nice to see how Elias is getting on - he's certainly grown since we last "saw" him.

I can't wait to get into Tempest Heart. In fact, I have an ARC that I should be reading right now...!

0 Comments
    Picture

    About

    Alyce Caswell, when she isn't buried in a book or drinking her way through a giant pot of tea, is a keen writer of science fiction and romance. She has published two novels and four novellas in her space opera family saga, The Galactic Pantheon Series.

    Picture

    Archives

    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020

    Picture

    Categories

    All
    Alt Hist
    Australian
    Book Review
    Canada
    Chicklit
    Classic
    Collection
    Comedy Of Manners
    Diversity
    Female Relationships
    Historical Romance
    Hugo Award Winner
    LGBTQIA+ Representation
    Literary Fiction
    Memoir
    Messy Family
    NetGalley
    New Adult
    Non-fiction
    Novella
    Paranormal Romance
    Patricia Briggs
    Paula Quinn
    Romance
    RUBY
    Rural Romance
    SA
    Sci Fi/fantasy
    Sci-fi/fantasy
    Scottish Romance
    Sequel
    Space Opera
    Star Wars
    Uk
    Urban Fantasy
    US
    Vampires
    Video Games
    Witches
    YA
    Zimbabwe

    RSS Feed

  • Home
  • Books
  • Other Works
  • Book Reviews
  • Contact