Enjoy the Ride of this Remarkable Historical Romance
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Somehow, this book Ride the Fire caught my eye twice so that I ended up with two copies of it.  I guess I had forgotten I had it in my to be read pile already.  And yes.  It's that good.

I looked up the author on her wonderful and informative web site.  She is very intelligent and well educated and it SHINES in this novel.  She has transmitted her love for this time period to print and we are all the beneficiaries of her interest and talent.

I'm NOT a historical romance fan, but this one is just.... awesome.  It screams READ ME, and enjoy the ride.

What I liked:
The historical authenticity was so amazing, I felt like I knew about every facet of the day to day life on the frontier.

The characters had great depth.  Elspeth has the courage of 10 and I admire her even more for being willing to face down her own personal demons.

Nicholas is a master woodsman and the epitome of honor and bravery.  He should be the poster boy for all things wise and wonderful on the American frontier.  I really love the scene when he sat down with his father and discussed why he left and barred his soul.

There is even an appearance by Ben Franklin, and it points out the Quakers in Philadelphia who callously call on their ideals of peace when their neighbors plead for help, can suddenly bring out a cannon and arm themselves, when it is the lives of THEIR wives and children at stake.

SYNOPSIS:
It's a historical romance set in the pre-revolutionary war time.  It boils down to being about two survivors of sexual predators.  The heroine Elspeth was mistreated by her brother, her unloving mother and beaten by her step father before he sent her away as a child - well a 15 year old to marry a man old enough to be her father.  The hero Nicholas was captured by Indians and suffered vicious and unfathomable torture at their hands.

Nicholas is injured.  He stumbles across a newly widowed and very pregnant Elspeth and forces her to help him.  She turns the tables and drugs him.  He wakes up tied to her bed.  They forge an uneasy truce and face her difficult delivery and eking out a life in the frontier.  Trouble follows Nicholas and the other settlers, and they are forced to flee with the infant.

They make it to  a fort and face down in Indian siege.  Nicholas of course becomes smitten with the beautiful and frightened Elspeth, who in turn is intrigued by her newly discovered longings for this rough tumble mysterious woodsman.

This is part 3 of a 3 part trilogy of the Kenleigh/Blackwell Family that the author mentions in the author notes on her web site that she wants to expand to include 5 books.

1)Sweet Release
2)Carnal Gift
3)Ride the Fire
2695275
A beautifully written novel that was not only an escape from this life for a while, but an amazing ride back and forth through time. I was completely invested in all the characters in this book, the two main characters especially. The author does a job to really admire mixing well researched actual history and a fictional love story to last lifetimes.

I throughly enjoyed this book and hope to read more from this talented author soon! I highly recommend it!
1250208
Anita Davison has written a compelling Victorian Gothic Romance about dark family secrets and the true meaning of love and marriage. Our heroine is Isabel who bravely enters the maze on her family's summer manor house, where she was once lost as a child, and discovers her father locked in an embrace with her dying mother's companion. She is caught between two men, one whom she loves and the other whom she is expected to marry. And this sets Isabel off on a voyage of discovery about herself and her family.

Trencarrow Secret is a romantic family saga with complex characters whose motivations are revealed slowly, as are secret liaisons and love ties. What I enjoyed most was Anita Davison's descriptive prose and charming storytelling style as she slowly reveals long buried secrets, dark ambitions, and the love that exists between family members.

Isabel is a charismatic character with whom readers cannot help but like. She is a woman restricted by the strict Victorian values of the time. It pleased me to see that the author did not make her heroine feisty as is demanded by the romance genre, but rather, she made her authentic to the times, her behaviour keeping with the strict society she was subjected to. And that's what I look for most in any historical novel is the accuracy and authenticity rather than following the current trends for the publishing industry. I very much commend and respect the author for that.

With rich prose and compelling characters, Anita Davison weaves a magnificent Victorian era love story filled with intrigues. Each chapter is more tempting than the one before it. Fans of eloquent and meaningful romantic historical fiction will want to savour every word. Not only are the historical details well presented, but the love story that unfolds is exhilarating and stunning. A deep, enriching lesson on the nature of life and love.

For those of us who love a touch of mystery, an elegant setting in an old English manor house, and stories with satisfying endings that leave you surprised - this one has all that and more. Be prepared to be completely enthralled with his novel!
Also recommended&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Blighted-Troth-A-Historical-Novel-of-New-France/dp/B004MPRF2A/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Blighted Troth: A Historical Novel of New France</a>
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I love a good historical romance and because this one is based on actual lives in history, it made it all the more intriguing to me. Walter Scott lived a humble life and fell in love with someone far above his station. I think it's interesting to note that later in his life, he was knighted and became Sir Walter Scott. The love story unfolds as Walter and Mina are very young, as they grow, Mina begins to question if she is truly in love with Walter. The character of Walter is written as a man who felt things deeply and experienced life's hardships, failures, and successes with the viewpoint of a writer. When Walter meets Charlotte, it is a completely different feeling from the young Mina which brings more confusion. What is the right love, the true love for his heart?

I love Charlotte's no-nonsense character and immediately thought of her as someone I'd like to be friends with. She also had a hard life and rose above her circumstances to do great things. During a point of history where scandal and history taint innocent children, Charlotte believes she will most likely not marry. It was with great anticipation that I read this novel to find out the story that actually took place in Walter Scott's life.

If you like historical romance that is well-written, clean, and enthralling, read the Lady of the Lakes. Kilpack has proven that her novels won't ever collect dust on the nightstand because they're too good to put down!
I received a review copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review which I've given.
4764276
incredible atmosphere, touching story, a history-lover's delight!
380405
Incredibly sensitive,sweet love story bringing this historical romance alive with her wonderful characters to enchant us with their story containing sacrifices,struggles,humorous moments and their enduring commitment and love to each other. Her heroine brings understanding and unity to a family stifled by past traditions and creates happy chaos and freedom from previous traumatic situations. Her warrior hero's protective,honorable and passionate whose mission is going to set her free while his love gives her strength to believe in herself...they save each other and receive a HEA. I'm totally recommending that you check out for yourself and enjoy this fantastic storyline.
520386
This was one of those historical romances that sweeps you away from the beginning and holds you captive until the last page.  I could not put it down.  Set in 11th century England and Normandy, it tells the story of William the Conqueror, the bastard duke of Normandy, who would be king of England following Edward the Confessor's death.

The prologue is 33 pages long and begins with the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and its immediate aftermath. Alaric, the bastard Count of Anlou, has served William since he was 12 and victory is theirs that day.  Fallon, the beautiful blue-eyed, black-haired Saxon princess, daughter of King Harold Godwinson, sees her father and uncles dead, her betrothed lost to her and her country ravaged by the dreaded Normans.  Then Alaric, who takes her from the battlefield where she is wielding a sword with the best of the warriors, takes her innocence and her honor making her his whore.  She has lost everything and you will feel the loss along with her.  But she and Alaric have a long history for they have known each other since she was a young girl and he was a young knight. Even then she hated the Normans.

After the prologue, the story goes back in time to the original conception of William and first meeting with Alaric.  Alaric becomes William's champion and a valiant warrior and commander of William's knights as William conquers Normandy and then seeks the throne of England.  Alaric is in and out of Fallon's life as she grows up and each time they meet it is a tempestuous encounter as she is proud and willful and fiercely loyal to her father, her people and England and he is a Norman bastard who will not give an inch though he is known by all to be an honorable knight.  But England will be conquered and the Saxons will be subdued.  Alaric is bitter toward women as he was betrayed by his first wife. So, while he desires Fallon, he will not love her and he wants no wife. Fallon hates him but is now his prisoner and his woman whether she likes it or not. Though Alaric doesn't love her, he has claimed her so he will not let her go and escape becomes her passion.

It's another excellent historical tale by Heather Graham (pen name Shannon Drake) with history woven in so well you do not feel you are getting a history lesson but you will come away with a clear feel for what England experienced at the hands of the Conqueror. The characters are rich and well developed, the sexual tension very high (nearly constant) and the action is fast moving. You'll want to read the sequel,

Knight of Fire about Bret D'Anlou. While not quite as good as Princess of Fire (to which I'd give 6 stars if I could), I rated it 5 stars.
1113531
Pirates of Savannah is a great read of historical fiction. The story entwines a delightfully twisting plot with well researched historic fact resulting in an intoxicating  'hard to put down' read. Tarrin Lupo creates characters bursting with adventurous spirit and sturdy enough to withstand the journey they must undertake and the trials they must endure to achieve a life of freedom.  I particularly liked the way he weaves in historic facts and characters to achieve a real sense of living history in a sexy, fun tale of the making of a pirate.
525562
Readers, get ready to be transported back to 1881 London. Delamere paints a lovely portrait for you in this historic read where you can easily see the setting before you. The characters will grab your attention right away, and you will find yourself not only reading a love story, a story about differing parts of society, a story about secrets; but a story about God's love and the mission to share His love with others.

Julia Bernay is the epitome of a strong character. She is intelligent, graceful, charming, witty, and compassionate. Her drive to become a doctor brings a passion that you don't see in a lot of lead characters. But even more than that is her love for the Lord and wanting to share His grace with others. Michael calls her a feisty woman in the book and that is exactly the word to describe her. I enjoyed watching her work with others. And her scenes with Michael? **sigh** From the moment they locked eyes on the train I knew I was in for a great story.

With every great story there has to be some bumps in the way of course. Michael wasn't afraid of Julia, in fact it was pretty obvious he was drawn to her. Even when everything around him was telling him not to be. But it wasn't the forbidden love kind of feeling. I think he was just intrigued by this strong minded woman who just happened to save his life. Laura Maynard, however, was kind of a thorn in this story's side. Michael's sister kept pushing Laura at him, and while I understood the idea behind it (Laura's family had money, marry "up" so to speak), I found it irritating that she wouldn't let Michael just be and find the love of his life on his own. That is the romantic in me speaking of course. It did make the story interesting though, and kept me turning pages to see just how this love triangle was going to work out. And I did not dislike Laura, just the situation.

I did learn from this book as well. I do not have a lot of knowledge of what it took to become a doctor in the late 1800's, and never dreamed too many women would try to take on that role. I appreciate the time and energy spent in researching that to make the book come together so well. The characters, the setting, and the plot lines will warm your heart and draw you in. I hope you enjoy the story as much as I did. I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
2526762
A true delight to read. Lately historical reading has been a bit repetitious, so how refreshing it was to pick up To Love A Wicked Scoundrel and find it was anything but that.

Anabelle Bryant paints a wonderful picture of a time period I wished I lived in. From the tender and endearing moments with Lily to the steamy romance between Con and Isabelle, Ms. Bryant captures her readers attention and never lets go.
3226233
Swept Off Her Feet takes us into the world of unKilted men and antiques.

Hester Browne weaves of an amazing story about a woman who wants to keep her job and is sent off to a castle to hit the antique pay dirt but finds herself tossed in a reel of desire.

What Evie needs is to stop feeling the life through the antiques she buys, and find something more than the clutter of her home, but into the arms of someone special. Left to her own devices Evie just may get lost in the merchandise she buys for her employer in the antique trade, but she soon is set into a wild adventure inside of a historic castle in Scotland.
What Evie doesn't realize is love is closer than she thinks, and that learning Scottish Reels to replace her sister in a dance, can bring her closer to what she has been wanting for so long.

Browne uses fantastic description to make us fall in love with her characters. You can almost feel the old wood through the pages, along with the pounding of feet in the dances.
The main, and supporting characters were fabulous. Their stories and interactions were breathtaking as well as inspiring. While I may not get to run off to Scotland, I can feel a bit of the experience through this book.

If you would like an adventure, and a lesson in Scottish Reeling dance along the way, get ready to be swept away by Swept Off Her Feet. It was one of the most pleasurable reads I have had this year.
3980564
my thoughts in a few sentences: A wonderfully thought-out historical world with an undercurrent of the paranormal to excite and bewitch, Born Wicked gives us a familiar take on witches with a twist and takes us back to a time period in our history that sickens us when we think of it, for innocents were slaughtered unmercifully for the wrong reasons. The romance is sexy and adorable, throwing in another heart-throbbing element to an already delightful story.

full review: So it's no secret that I was absolutely obsessed with the idea of reading this book. Witches are my thing, for sure, but it was Finn Belastra that beckoned me. I was happily surprised to find, however, that I enjoyed the main character, Cate, just as much. A story of the shaky, though unbreakable bond between close siblings, the lengths to go to protect what's most important, even if it means losing the power to choose, and how sacrifice isn't always noble but is sometimes necessary, Born Wicked provokes us to ask questions and shows us the importance of appreciating our ability to make choices.

The characters weren't the only aspect driving me to finish the book; I had so many questions that I desperately coveted the answers. Spotswood is clever in her writing and plot development, as she gently strings us along, careful not to turn us off as she gradually reels us in, lets up, then yanks fast, eliciting the perfect reaction from us. Underlining that is the sense of fear that plagues us, stemming from understanding the actions of the Brotherhood--a group of men with the singular goal of taming women and weeding out ones even slightly suspected of witchcraft. Living in that kind of tension, almost waiting for a guard to fall upon on Cate and her sisters--who are indeed witches, if you haven't guessed--and drag them away is it's own kind of torture. This whole retelling of our history feels so authentic, we wonder if these events really occurred or if they mimicked our country's tragic witch hunts of old and relatively recent.

Spotswood does a remarkable job breathing life into a headstrong heroine that's believable and is considerate to the time period. Cate is stubborn, opinionated, and possesses quite the temper, yet she comes across as meek and inclined toward obedience to others, cautious in her actions because she's well-aware of the consequences. For someone with a close relationship to his or her siblings, it's incredibly easy to resonate with Cate and her instinctive protection of her two younger sisters. Sympathy strikes our hearts for the heavy burden that set fire to her childhood, pressed upon her by her late mother, who urged her to promise to protect their secret. Her frustrations and sorrows make her all the more stunning. And when she catches the eye of Finn Belastra, the studious hunk, a romance full of delicious sweetness, sharp sexual tension, and the spicy edge of the forbidden ignites and sets us all ablaze, making us very willing captives of the sensuous flames.

The ending shakes out curses from our thinned lips the moment we near it, brutally aware of what's about to happen and are completely powerless to stop it. Fortunately, this isn't a goodbye, but a seemingly hopeless beginning that we believe will lead into a hopeful future for these characters whom we've come to adore.

Damn. Why must the sequel keep us suspended in torment until next year?!
4652810
Twists and turns are quite numerous in the latest installmant of T.L. Higley's Seven Wonders series. The book is Historical Fiction and has a heavy dose of romance. I am not a romance reader but Higley doesn't allow the romantic aspects to bog down the story. Some of the conflicts are far fetched but fun. The research and attention to detail make the book a worthwhile read. I must begrudgingly admit that the author has won me over and I am now looking for her other books in the series.

The story is quite compelling. Learning about the importance of the lighthouse and the coalition of Caesar and Cleopatra is fascinating. The story revolves around Sophia who is the keeper of the lighthouse. Higley brings to life ancient Egypt all while weaving an incredible mystery with some romance thrown in for good measure.
773073
Royal Regard is one of the most well written historical romance novels I've ever read. The amount of detail the author infuses into the story about the life and pursuits of these wonderful characters is truly impressive. Romance cleverly weaved together with a bit of intrigue, this book kept me royally engaged from the first scene. I appreciated the strength of the main female character, Bella, and was charmed by Nick and his appreciation for Bella's intellect and independence. This is the second book I've read by this author, and before I was done, I was already downloading the third. Well done.
4431621
The Circle of Ceridwen is a beautiful historical Novel. Ceridwen is a wonderful heroine. I read this first novel on the way to my vacation destination. The eight hour flight seemed to last only a few minutes.  Before I flew back, I ordered the 2nd book for my kindle and read it all the way home.  I have since read the rest of the series. I am excited for the next new book in the series that is promised out in April.  They are wonderful and beautiful. My origins come from Scandinavia. Its wonderful to learn about my roots in such an entertaining way.  5 stars is not enough.
722134
This is a well crafted, lovely romance that I stayed up late to finish. The themes here are not new (spinster aunt comes West to care for dead sibling's children and meets not ready to move on widower). As it is a character driven book, I wasn't holding my breath to see what crazy thing the plot would do next. I simply really enjoyed being with Olive and Jacob and the childern and so I didn't want to leave them.

While much of the plot is like sitting in a well worn rocking chair and running your hands soothingly over the thumb shined wood, the characters all have extra notes of flavor in them that make this book one that I will reread again to savor their growth and just who they are. I won't tell you what the spices are because that will be your joy to find while reading this book.

The love story is real and sensual. This is especially impressive for a book that has a handful of kisses and lightly drawn wedding night at the end of the book.

Olive is a religious woman and at appropriate moments this aspect of her character comes into her thoughts. The hero is a wonderful father. In my opinion, the villain wasn't really needed because he and some of the backstory he is connected to could have been explored a bit more to give the book another layer of richness. However, with his role in the book, there is a nice bit of action and bravery at the end of the book that is moving.

I highly recommend this book and I am thrilled to have found this writer. I am always on the look out for a new good historical romance writer and I found one!
2301940
This was a great historical romance with the heroine, Aishlinn, coming from an emotionally and physically abusive step-family. She gets sold to a maniacal lord but is fortunately saved by a band of loving "brothers" and their clan. They all build up her shattered self-image in a way she isn't yet savvy enough to understand.
Her repetitive mantra of being "plain" had been instilled from since she can remember. It's not as if they had mirrors everywhere like we do!
You will enjoy her journey as she gains confidence and comes to let others' words begin to choke out her old thinking.
A tight-knit clan I'd love to belong to! It's worth the read.