PinkcowlandReads

A Very Highland Holiday A collection of six enchanting seasonal novellas By Kathryn Le Veque, Jennifer Ashley, Tanya Anne Crosby, Kerrigan Byrne, Eliza Knight, Darcy Burke ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ /5 Two of my favourite things, highlanders and Christmas romance! All six stories are connected thought the Balthazar Tavern and Inn during the first Christmas time after the devastation of Culloden in the highlands. They were all fun and unique on their own with plenty of love, romance and holiday magic! The collection of authors have captured the holiday spirit and each story has a delight! My favourite stories included; The Earl of Christmas Past by Kerrigan Bryne, which included a romance with a ghost; One Knight’s Stand by Tanya Anne Crosby, where an unhappy bride travels to meet her groom and finds he is not the boy she expected, but a man; and The Highlander Who Stole Christmas by Eliza Knight, in which vengeance emboldens a rival Laird to steal the sister of his enemy and finds his captive to be m...

Feel the Fire A HotShots Novel, #3 by Annabeth Albert ⭐⭐⭐⭐ /5 A hot and steamy second chance at romance! As boys, Tucker and Luis became thee best of friends and even explored taking their friendship further… that is until Louis’s family is moves to California. Even that distance doe not immediately curb their attraction and plans for their future. Yet fate and family intervene, keeping them apart and causing hurt feelings on both sides. Half a lifetime later, Luis is sent back to his prior home to assistantships the Oregon forestry service and end up working side by side with Tucker! Their reunion is awkward, but for work they quickly attempt to be amenable… and soon their previous sparks return! I loved how organically their reunion takes place and the swiftness that they rekindle their romance. Tucker and Luis were a delightful pairing and their mutual respect was obvious.  An extra bonus to this coupling were the rest of Tucker’s family, his twin teenage boys were ...

The Secret Ingredient by KD Fisher ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ /5 This was a surprising delight!  I was immediately swept into the story by KD’s easy writing style, the beautiful Maine location and the delicious food descriptions. I especially enjoyed how these two opposites found each other and within that, their other half! Adah was rough up in a strict religious home and now the single mother of a young boy has taken the opportunity to escape her refuge of the big city to make a hoe in a seaside resort town. She has the been give the hard chef position at anew restaurant… too bad she is still under the thumb of a misogynistic manager who does not respect her and her abilities. On the flip side , there is chef and owner of the critically acclaimed restaurant across town, Beth. Beth was brought up in a loving home and has had the freedom to follow her dreams. She now lets her creativity flow in her business. Like two opposite magnets, the attraction between these two is palpable. Both ne...

Tall, Duke and Dangerous A Hazard of Dukes Novel Book #2 by Megan Frampton ⭐⭐⭐/5 A Cinderella like tale, where Lady Ana Maria, the daughter of a duke is teated like the lowest of servants from her step-mother, is released for her servitude upon her death and is touted about in the marriage mart by her brother and cousin, the new duke. Lady Ana Maria can have her pick of the gentleman, but she prefers, her cousin dn brother’s friend, the dangerous Duke of Malvern. Since she has known him from her time in servitude and he understands her difficulties with her new station, she feels a bond with him. Too bad, the duke has vowed not to marry for love and refuses to feel any emotions for they are what powered his fathers abusing tendencies… This book was a miss for me. The grunting behemoth of a duke, who refuses to have emotions got old pretty quick and the heroine who expressed the dichotomy of her current and former life was very repetitive. If you were in the mood to get drunk,...

Just a Little Bet Smoke Jumpers, Book 2 by Tawna Fenske ⭐⭐⭐⭐ /5 [ Content warning at end of review ] After dating for a short period of time, Kayla and Tony decide that they make better friends than lovers. And after a year of serious best friendning they decide to help each other out. Smoke jumper, Tony agrees to accompany Kayla as she tours the midwest for old forrest fire burn sights to photograph for a book and Kayla bets Tony that they can determine weather he is just a bad boyfriend or afford of commitment by catching up with his former loves along the way! This totally sound like a recipe for disaster, but these two are so perfect together that he their road tripping and ex interviewing becomes an exercise in growth for the two of them! At the beginning of this book, the hero, Tony seems so shallow and out just for a good time and a laugh. I really enjoyed seeing his layers be unraveled as he accepted some hard truths about him self and his motivation. Kayla also learn...

A Duke for Miss Townsbridge The Townsbridges, Book 4 by Sophie Barnes ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ /5 Sophie Barnes is a master at the novella! Every time I read one of her novellas, it is just perfect! Characters that are developed and graphics you, quick flowing plots to move the story and an ending to delight! As a duke, Matthew believes he should be able to marry anyone he decides on… and he decides that the perfect bride to fit into his unconventional life is his neighbour, Sarah. Since Sarah has never even met Mathew before his proposal, she decides that a courtship is needed before she make up her mind! I was was immediately invested in the non-traditional courtship between nearly on the shelf Sarah, and her reclusive duke for a neighbour Matthew. The determination and genuine personalities of both characters carries this book off effortlessly and would leave me wanting for more if the story had not been finished up so neatly! I adore a good romance novella and liken it to the perfect bite ...

The Highlander’s Unexpected Proposal Brothers of Wolf Island , Book 1 by Heather McCollum ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫/5 A clan of five brothers need to find wives to repopulate their clan on a cursed island… Ok -I’m in for that journey!!! The eldest and clan chief, Adam Macquarie finds himself married after a surprise encounter and an even more surprising proposal from a lovely lass in need of a marriage of convenience at a Belltine festival. Adam and Lark’s marriage of convenience doesn’t end up too convenient when Lark discovers Adam’s commissions about his cured island and then secrets from her past complicate their union further! This was delightful read! I was drawn into the plight of the Macquarie clan from the beginning and the romance and attraction between Lark and Adam kept me turning the pages! The easy flow of the narrative was engrossing and kept my attention rapt. This book had everything I was in to mood for; highlanders, marriage of connivence, fun plot twist and great characte...

The Highland Laird Lords of the Highland, Book 8 by Amy Jarecki ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫/5 A highland wedding brings all the clans together, including the Grants and the MacDouglas that have been ally’s for way back. Laird Ciar MacDougal has always admired the quiet strength within Emma Grant, the sister to the Grant Laird. Born without sight she is commendable in her kind and beautiful spirit and has always brought joy to Ciar during their interactions… Now a young lady, Emma hope for more than friendship with the one man who has always treated her with respect made her feel like a woman, not a child to be coddled. After a night-time interlude, she intends to ensure that he sees har as a potential mate… A twist of fate takes Ciar away and finds himself wrongfully imprisoned and his life on the line… all the clansmen have been sent far and wide and Emma believes she is the only one who can now rescue her love… but how can a blind woman who has barely left her keep stage prison break?!?! Wow!...

London’s Most Elusive Earl Midnight Secrets, Book 4 by Anabelle Bryant ⭐⭐💫 /5 The newly inherited Earl of Lindsey has just been told the stipulations of his maniacal father’s will: Before he can inherit he must recover 3 lost paintings owned but the family and marry and beget an heir. Jonathan is incensed, but decides to search out the lost painting, even though he refuses to ever marry or continue the family line. Ok- this is where you loose me… why search out the painting when you refuse to complete to second half of the requirements??? The painting investigation, just didn’t draw me in. As for our lady love interest who shows up in all the right places, Caroline may end up with her HEA, I found her common sense lacking. When you start your association with your London renewed rake/ love interest by overseeing his most recent tryst… why do you continue to pursue? I couldn’t get behind their romance and the search for the paintings. I have really enjoyed the previous boo...

The Footman and I The Footman’s Club Book 1 by Valerie Bowman ⭐⭐⭐⭐ /5 What happens when a couple of lords get into their cups while strategizing how to find a wife? A scheme, that’s what! In The Footman and I we are introduced to four friends that decide to help their fellow lord find a woman that loves him, not his title… and they will use a house party and dress up as servants to find a woman with a true heart. But what happens when you find the love of your life while disceiving her as a footman… not to mention she hate’s what she knows about the real you??? Now the real work begins! This was such a fun story of peer and lower classes finding an insta love match. I loved the banter between the the Earl in disguise come footman, Lucas and social justice warrior Miss Frances. These two made a great pair as a footman and a lady, I am eager to see if they pop up in the future books in their roles as Earl and Countess! A sweet romance and simple courtship direct this book- i...

A Princess by Christmas A Royal Wedding #3 by Julia London ⭐⭐⭐⭐ /5   The last of the Tricklebank sisters finally find someone to love! As a reader who has read the previous two books in the series, I felt that the character for Hollis Honeycutt took a more frivolous turn in this book. I remembered her being more of the voice of reason for her friends, but in this book, she reminded be of her sister, Eliza and her bumbling courtship with the prince… That said, the story and mystery/plot Hollis and her beau, Marek Brendan of Wesloria were captivating. I enjoyed the slow and and hesitant romance that blossomed between these two and enjoyed the royal twist that made this book stand out for the other two. Another bonus was seeing Eliza, Caro and the princes again! I love a good catch up of beloved characters! This was nice conclusion to the series and wrapped up the stories of many other side characters made familiar throughout the series. A delightful Christmas time happily ...

Any Rogue Will Do Misfits of Mayfair, Book 1 by Bethany Bennett ⭐⭐⭐⭐ /5 She broke his heart, he ruined her reputation… years later, can these two come together and repair both of them? Ethan, Lord Amesbury, wasn’t raised for a life in the ton, and now that he has inherited he lives on the outside of the toning resents those you shun his humble beings… Lady Charlotte was one of those. She and her father spurred his suit years ago and he hasn’t looked back. So why has a chance encounter have him thinking about her constantly and wanting the repair the damage he did to her reputation after she refused his suit??? Lady Charlotte had felt a connection to Lord Amesbury from their first dance at a ball, but those feeling were dashed after he failed to show up at he promised time to officially start their courtship, and instead slanders her name! Year later when an accident requires the assistance of the patrons at a roadside inn, she is astounded to find Ethan and have him lead th...