Tag Archives: Lauren Linwood

Marked by Honor (Knights of Valor #2) by Lauren Linwood-a review

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Marked by Honor (Knights of Valor #2) by Lauren Linwood-a review

Marked by Honor

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / BAM

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 6, 2016

Lady Beatrice Bordel blames herself for the riding accident that cost her father his life when she was a child. Tragedy strikes again when her mother and grandfather die on the same day, leaving her homeless. The young woman decides to travel to visit her grandfather’s closest friend, hoping she can use her domestic skills and lute-playing talent to find a permanent place in his household. Barely into her journey, a band of highwaymen accosts Beatrice and her sole servant. All seems lost—until Raynor Le Roux arrives.

As a knight of the realm, the code of chivalry guides Raynor’s life. While returning to his family’s home after many months absence, he rescues Beatrice, who tells a white lie to this handsome stranger. Raynor takes her to safety at Ashcroft, but his home has changed during his time away. No longer a thriving estate, Ashcroft has fallen into disrepair because his brother Peter is no longer interested in its welfare after his wife’s untimely death. Raynor determines to restore his home before he escorts Beatrice north so she may unite with the man he believes is her betrothed.

The couple’s growing attraction turns to love, but Beatrice’s dishonesty stands between her and Raynor’s happiness. Will she finally tell him the truth—and hope he forgives her deception—or will it be too late?

•••••••••

REVIEW:

Marked by Honor is the second book in this romantic series of love and adventure by Lauren Linwood. It’s the story of Raynor Le Roux  and Beatrice

The setting is Southern England, beginning in 1363. There’s a tragic scene as Beatrice, just a little girl of three, was riding with her father. He held her in front of him and they galloped across a field, she loved going fast and was thrilled to be with her father. Just as she was about to tell him she loved him, the horse stumbled and they fell. Her father held onto her and turned to cushion the fall. Unfortunately, he broke his neck or back and died, leaving her with a fear of horses.

This marvelously complex and twisting story then takes us to meet a grown Beatrice, living not in luxury but with some comfort with her grandfather and mother. Her life is one of housework, cooking and taking care of her sickly mother and aging grandfather. But soon both her mother and grandfather died. She was left with little money and nowhere to go, except for an old friend of her grandfathers. He had invited her and her grandfather to come visit and attend the wedding of his grandson. She wasn’t sure she would be welcomed alone, if she could manage to get to Brookhaven.

Raynor departed Kinwick castle bidding goodbye to his cousin Geoffrey de Monfort, his wife Merryn and their children. According to Ashcroft’s steward, he was sorely needed at Ashcroft. Raynor meets Beatrice when he rescues her from highwaymen who killed her one servant and were to rob and rape her. Being late at night, he took her the rest of the way to Ashcroft and gave his word to see her safely to Brookhaven as soon as possible.

That’s the gist of the beginning. As usual, I didn’t give you all the details or interesting points. Those must be discovered by each reader. Let me just say that this talented author has written a tale of honor, love, romance, issues, and more. It’s so well woven you really find a hard time with a place to start, it’s difficult to explain all the marvelous ins and outs of this story without giving away all the great surprises in store for the reader.

Marked by Honor is a complicated tale that is well worth the read. It’s indicative of the times. Both exciting and frustratingly steeped in tradition. If you love knights and ladies and all the wonderful things that this world holds…you won’t want to miss this story or this series!!

Reviewed by Georgianna

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Word of Honor by Lauren Linwood-Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

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Word of Honor (Knights of Valor #1) by Lauren Linwood-Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

Word of Honor Banner

Word of Honor
Knight of Valor #1
by Lauren Linwood
Genre: Historical, romance
Release Date: April 6, 2016

Word of Honor

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / itunes/ Wind Tree Press

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 6, 2016

Merryn Mantel and Geoffrey de Montfort have loved each other since childhood. Once betrothed, Geoffrey leaves for the wars in France for five long years. Upon his return, the two marry and spend one blissful night consummating their love and making plans for their future.

But her new husband vanishes the next day without a trace. Merryn grieves for almost seven years—and then Geoffrey returns to her—changed from the boy and man she knew and worshipped. This stranger refuses to reveal where he has been and why he stayed away for so long.

Will her husband’s silence create a rift too large to heal, or can Merryn and Geoffrey recapture the love they once shared?

•••••••••••••

REVIEW: The talented author Lauren Linwood has begun a new series, Knights of Valor. Book one is titled Word of Honor, and is begun in 1351 in England, during King Edward’s rule.

The Prologue finds our main characters, sixteen-year-old Geoffrey De Montfort and his recently betrothed, thirteen-year-old Merryn vowing love and saying goodbye for a while, as Geoffrey would leave for France to fight for his king. It’s a tender and loving opening, letting everyone know how a rare love match had been made between these two neighbors.

Chapter One finds us in France 1356, Geoffrey is discussing war policy with Sir Thomas. They drank to their King and his son, another Edward (the Black Prince). On his way back to his tent, Geoffrey discovers a neighbor of his engaged in whoring and betraying his king and cause. Barrett, son of Berold, earl of Winterbourne. The charges resulted in a trial by combat which Geoffrey won, resulting in the beheading of Barrett, just as his father arrived from his own fighting. Berold vows to Geoffrey to make him suffer and pray for death someday, which Geoffrey dismisses as the words of a distraught father (feeling guilty for his part in the son’s death).

This marvelous story continues in November of 1356 as Geoffrey returns to marry his Merryn and begin their life together…they have a marvelous wedding and one night of bliss before all hell breaks loose!

That’s the setup, I’ll not spoil this marvelous story by telling more. The writing is clear and wonderful, the tale exciting and emotional. Just when you wonder what else could these two young people so much in love could go through…our talented author takes the mystery and twisting to another level, both enjoyable and frustrating at the same time.

If you love tales of knights and ladies, love and adventure, you won’t want to miss this series. It’s well written, incredibly interesting (had a hard time not putting it down…so of course I didn’t). I found it both exciting and entertaining. It’s much more than just a good story…an epic tale of the kind of love we all dream about.

Copy supplied by the author

Reviewed by Georgianna S

guest post

Developing my Heroine for Word of Honor

I am a Pride and Prejudice fan from way back. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve read Jane Austen’s masterpiece, much less admit how many times I’ve watched the BBC mini-series (COLIN FIRTH!) or the 2005 film with Keira Knightley. Actually, I wouldn’t mind telling this to readers at The Reading Café, but just in case my husband catches this post on my FB or Twitter feed? He would be flabbergasted at the double digit numbers . . . so I suppose I’ll keep my readings & viewings a secret. For now.

One of the reasons I love Austen’s classic tale so much is because of heroine Elizabeth Bennet. Lizzy is intelligent, compassionate, loyal, witty, charming, and feisty—everything I love in a heroine. Of course, she’s not perfect. Perfect is boring. No reader wants to read perfect, and Lizzy does have a few (fixable) faults. She’s a great conversationalist, but her sharp tongue gets her into trouble sometimes. Her biggest flaw is that she tends to judge people a little too hastily and harshly, which occurs when she first meets Mr. Darcy. It’s this mistaken impression she gets of him which leads her to reject his proposal of marriage the first time around.

Thank goodness our hero finds her interesting enough to hang around, hoping that he can change her mind. Lizzy gradually realizes that Darcy, besides being impossible handsome and wealthy, has something truly important to her. He possesses a noble character. She realizes her prejudice against him is undeserved. This was truly the only obstacle to finding lasting happiness with him, as she has fallen in love with him after seeing many instances of this good character in action. His feelings for her never change, but hers do an about face.

Romance writers try to give both their hero and heroine character flaws which they must overcome during the course of the novel and their growing relationship. In my latest medieval romance, Word of Honor, I wanted just as strong a heroine as Elizabeth Bennet.

Merryn Mantel is betrothed to her childhood friend and sweetheart, Geoffrey de Montfort, who leaves England to fight against France in the Hundred Years’ War. Merryn matures into a woman in the five years her betrothed is away. They marry upon his return, but Geoffrey vanishes without a trace the next day. In the years Geoffrey is away, Merryn assumes an incredible amount of responsibility.

Upon Geoffrey’s return, she finds him to be a stranger—and yet she, too, has had to change in order to cope with the circumstances of his disappearance. I had to walk a fine line and balance having Merryn continue to love Geoffrey—the new Geoffrey—and still be true to the woman she has become in his absence. I let her frustration show at the situation, but I allowed her to keep her sense of humor even when things proved tough. It didn’t hurt that she was already intelligent and compassionate, but I had to let Geoffrey see how she had changed, just as Merryn needed to understand how and why Geoffrey changed, as well. Love isn’t the issue between these two lovers; it’s trust. Both must learn once again to trust one another and respect the person each has become in the years of their separation.

I thoroughly enjoyed writing Merryn and Geoffrey’s love story, and I’m thrilled that they are the first book in the Knights of Valor series. In the upcoming five books, I have the pleasure of revisiting this couple again and watching their love mature even as other heroes and heroines appear so that I may tell their love stories, too.

~~Lauren~~

About The Author

Lauren LinwoodLauren Linwood’s historical romances use history as a backdrop to place her characters in extraordinary circumstances, where their intense desire for one another grows into the treasured gift of love. Her romantic suspense novels feature strong heroes and heroines who unite to defeat a clever antagonist and discover a deep, abiding love during their journey.

A native Texan, Lauren is an avid reader, moviegoer, and sports fan who manages stress by alternating yoga with long walks. She plans to start a support group for Fixer Upper addicts—as soon as she finishes her next piece of dark chocolate.

Website / Goodreads/ Facebook / Twitter

Giveaway

Lauren Linwood has graciously offered an ecopy of WORD OF HONOR to TWO (2) lucky commenters at The Reading Cafe.

1. If you have not previously registered at The Reading Cafe, please register by using the log-in at the top of the page (side bar) or by using one of the social log-ins.

NOTE: If you are having difficulty commenting after logging onto the site, please refresh the page (at the top of your computer).

2. If you are using a social log-in, please post your email address with your comment.

3. Please follow Lauren Linwoood on Facebook.

4. LIKE us on FACEBOOK and then click GET NOTIFICATION under ‘liked’ for an additional entry.

5. LIKE us on Twitter for an additional entry.

6. Please FOLLOW us on GOODREADS for an additional entry.

7. Please follow The Reading Cafe on Tumblr

8. Giveaway is open internationally

9. Giveaway runs from April 9-12, 2016

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Illusions of Death by Lauren Linwood-a review

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Illusions of Death by Lauren Linwood-a review

Illusions of Death

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 2, 2016

Best-selling author Karlyn Campbell is ready for a new start after her recent divorce from a temperamental artist. When she receives word that her father had a stroke, she heads for Walton Springs with mixed feelings. Broderick Campbell wrote Pulitzer Prize-winning literary novels and denounced his daughter’s work as pedestrian and commercial, causing a rift that finally heals on his deathbed. Karlyn chooses to stay in the small Georgia town to write her popular Matt Collins series and decides to try her hand at true crime when Atlanta’s Rainbow Killer, Roy G. Biv, captures her interest.

Detective Logan Warner’s marriage didn’t survive after he lost his twins to a crazed killer who was never caught. He returns to his hometown’s police force and runs for police chief, happy he’s escaped big city crime and corruption. Emotionally dead, his interest in life is renewed when he falls in love with Karlyn and begins to build a new life with her.

But the Rainbow Killer moves beyond Atlanta, leaving a trail of dead bodies painted in bright hues in several towns north of the city. Leaving no trace evidence or DNA and choosing random victims with no apparent rhyme or reason, Roy proves unstoppable. Then he arrives in Walton Springs, threatening the peaceful town with his murder spree. With a serial killer in their back yard, Logan and Karlyn unite with the FBI to find the killer—before he finds them.

••••••

REVIEW: Illusions of Death is a new Mystery/Crime/Romance novel from one of my favorite authors, Lauren Linwood. This deliciously thrilling novel starts off with a serial killer just completing the last of a series of murders, giving chilling insight into the mind of this diabolical murderer. Thinking of these crimes as a particular genius in the spree of child abductions in Atlanta. These included, the kids of a fireman, a school superintendent’s daughter, a cop’s twins (important), and a mayor’s grandson. This latest spree of ‘specimens was a group of high-end prostitutes. While burying the latest victim, a new series of murders presented itself in the appearance of a rainbow. The next mission of murders would be done as the rainbow killer….murdering victims and painting them in the hues of a rainbow…a specific order.

It difficult to summarize this novel in a few paragraphs, as so much goes on. The set up begins with Logan Warner, a detective, who joined the Walton Spring department after leaving Atlanta. He’s divorced and often thinks of his twin children who were murdered a few years prior. He and his partner find Broderick Campbell, famous author having what looks like a stroke on the side of the road. The man having the stroke asked him to “call Karlyn”. He and his partner call for an ambulance and then go find the author’s wife, Martha, and let her know.

Karlyn Campbell, successful author of suspense novels featuring her character Matt Collins, has finished her last manuscript and delivered it to her agent. She’s told her novel and character may be in a movie deal, in which she is given a change at writing the screenplay with the help of a seasoned screenplay writer of her choice. She of course is happy, but it seems her marriage to Mario Taylor is on the rocks…in fact headed for a nasty divorce. She meets Logan when she comes to town to see her dying father in the hospital.

That’s the set-up, I don’t do spoilers but what I can tell you is that this begins a thrilling ride of murders, family drama, budding romance that has the possibility of healing our detective’s and writer’s broken hearts. This story is chock full of twists and happenings, great romance and so much more. It’s a page turner that is very difficult to put down.

Grab your favorite beverage and settle in for a magnificent read!

Copy supplied by the author

Reviewed by Georgianna S

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A Knight for Kallen by Lauren Linwood-a review

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A Knight for Kallen by Lauren Linwood-a review

A Knight for Kallen

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 4, 2015

Kallen de Mangeron grew up in a convent, her noble family never knowing of her birth. When a new Mother Superior informs them of her existence, they send trusted knight Griffith Sommersby to escort her home.

Griffith’s heart broke when he lost his wife and infant son during childbirth, and he’s kept his feelings locked away from the world—until he meets Kallen. He soon learns her dark secret—that she sees auras around people—which allows her insight into their actions and personalities.

Now Quentin, bastard brother to the king, decides to harness Kallen’s gift in a plot to win the throne. Will Quentin successfully use a kidnapped Kallen as his political pawn, or will Griffith be able to stop him before Kallen changes the course of England’s history?

•••••••••••••••

REVIEW: A Knight for Kallen is an old world romance story set in the south of England, 1293. It’s difficult to give you the set-up without retelling too much of this wonderful story. Kallen is the child of rape, at the hands of one Quentin, Earl of Nowland (and bastard son of the King, Edward ‘Longshanks’). She was born at a convent in northern England, the abbess was the sister of her grandfather who took her mother there to hide her ruin at Quentin’s hands. These men were not the best, neither particularly honorable. The girl’s (Bevia) mother was told she died in a riding accident while traveling with her father. She was raised by Savina, a sister at the convent who loved her and her mother very much. Her mother, Bevia, never recovered her mind from the rape.

It’s a very complicated beginning, that is very well written with good dialogue that shows you the type of people.

The main story begins when the old abbess and her brother, Renton, die. The good sister writes to Crispin, Reston’s son and now the Lord of Mangeron. He’s nothing like his father, the estate is prospering under his fairer hand and he’s delighted to learn he has a niece. His wife is about to give birth and he can’t leave her so he sends his wife’s brother and his good friend, Lord Griffith Sommersby to bring Kallen back to her true family.

What follows is a lovely story of a wondrous young lady finding herself, and a magnificent young man healing from losing a wife and child a few years earlier. The story of their trip back through England to her true family and the dangers of being related to Quentin is an adventurous one. The writing is well done, the characters are well developed and you’ll fall in love with many of them.

Author Lauren Linwood has created an inspiring story, filled with love, danger, and the wonders of the spiritual. Be prepared with some tissues, a few snacks and, of course, your favorite beverage. Dive into this delightful story, just right for these chillier nights!

Copy supplied by the author

Reviewed by Georgianna

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Leave Yesterday Behind by Lauren Linwood-a review

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Leave Yesterday Behind by Lauren Linwood-a review

Leave Yesterday Behind

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 3, 2015

Callie Chennault vaulted to fame on the nighttime soap Sumner Falls, but after a decade of playing the same role, she is ready for a new acting challenge. When Callie is attacked by a stalker on the streets of New York, she takes a leave of absence from the show and returns to her roots in Aurora, Louisiana, to heal both physically and emotionally and determine her next career move.

Former professional baseball pitcher Nick La Chappelle has also come to Aurora to lick his own wounds after a messy divorce. A Cy Young winner and one-time ESPN broadcaster, Nick longs for the quiet of a small town in order to write murder mysteries under a pen name.

Sparks fly when Callie believes Nick is taking advantage of her great-aunt’s hospitality, but they resolve their differences—and surprise themselves by falling in love. Their bond is tested when both Nick and Callie become the focus of a serial killer nicknamed Lipstick Larry. Can they outwit a murderer bent on seeing them dead and survive to build a lasting relationship?

•••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: Leave Yesterday Behind is Lauren Linwood’s new crime and romance thriller. I do mean thriller. It’s well plotted with myriad twists and surprises. It’s incredible terror, murder, personal issues and romance all rolled into one exciting package.

The story revolves around Callie Chennualt, who plays Jessica on a soap called Summer Falls. The other main character is Nick La Chappelle, former baseball star turned best-selling writer of crime novels.

I’m leaving a lot out…I think you’ll need to discover this wonderful story for yourself and I hate spoilers. The two had met as teenagers, but life took them on different paths. Now they come back home and find each other again, both damaged and healing. Then the terror begins again as they find the stalker they arrested for assaulting Callie isn’t the serial killer, he’s still out there and he’s coming back.

Okay, no more spoilers. This is a marvelous fast paced, but twisty story. It’s exciting, sexy, romantic, terrorizing….and so much more.

If you love thrillers and mysteries with sizzling romance thrown in…this is your next read! I thoroughly enjoyed the story and found it very hard to put down! So yourself a solid and pick this up and give it a read, you’ll be glad you did!

Enjoy everyone, I truly did!

Copy supplied by the author

Reviewed by Georgianna

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Ballad Beauty by Lauren Linwood-a review

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Ballad Beauty by Lauren Linwood-a review

Ballad Beauty

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date March 25, 2015

After ten years apart, Boston schoolmarm Jenny McShanahan receives a letter from her beloved father that instructs her to join him in Texas. She has no idea that he’s become Famous Sam McShan, the Robin Hood of the West. She arrives to find Sam already gone, but he left instructions for Jenny to hire a guide and rendezvous with him in Nevada.

Texas Ranger Noah Daniel Webster knows Sam personally because his father, Pistol Pete Webber, was Sam’s longtime partner in crime. When Pete is killed during their last big score, Noah requests the assignment to bring Sam to justice. Going undercover, he volunteers to act as Jenny’s escort across the dangerous prairie, using her to track her outlaw father’s location.

As they journey through rough country, love blossoms—but Noah knows the second he arrests Sam, his betrayal will kill Jenny’s love for him. Should the lawman do his duty as a Ranger, or should he let love rule? The choice Noah makes will change their lives forever.

•••••••••••••••••••

REVIEW: Western and Romance fans rejoice! Lauren Linwood has written another magnificent tale of the Old West that thrills the heart and mind.

Ballad Beauty is a masterfully written story of rough beginnings, family drama and finding love and more to build a life on. Noah Daniel Webster is a Texas Ranger determined to make up for his criminal father, Pistol Pete Webster. Pete is a bank robber, thief and killer. Noah was raised by his mother with a decent education and a guilt complex (courtesy of Mom) that makes him want live a life on the right side of law and order. When he decides he has to bring in his father’s partner, Famous Sam McShan, who he believes killed his father, Noah sets out to find Sam. Knowing Sam has a daughter he will contact, Noah decides to follow said daughter until he finds Sam.

Jenny McShanahan, was raised in The Thompson School (for girls) after her mother died and her father wanted a safe and good place for her. Jenny knows her father intends to send for her…but it’s been over ten years. Finally a letter arrives and gives her directions and money on how to meet her father in Texas. Jenny is unaware of her father’s way of making a living…she doesn’t know he’s Famous Sam McShan. She sets out to find him, and finds much more than she thought.

That’s the set up for the story…of course there’s much more to it, but discovery is all the fun, right? Let me tell you that this story is well written. The characters are believable and as colorful as the Old West itself. Ms. Linwood has done a magnificent job of transporting the reader to times past with realism and yet romance. The attraction and building love between the main characters is swoon-worthy.

Grab your favorite beverage, some snacks, maybe just a couple of tissues and get ready for a thrilling and compelling story that will curl your toes and warm you heart! Enjoy, I certainly did.

Copy supplied by author.

Reviewed by Georgianna

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A Bit of Heaven on Earth by Lauren Linwood-a review

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A Bit of Heaven on Earth by Lauren Linwood- a review

A Bit of Heaven on Earth

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date December 2, 2014

When Gavin of Ashgrove and his closest friend are captured in a fierce battle during the Hundred Years’ War, their captors demand a hefty ransom from their fathers for their return. Robert is quickly set free, but Gavin’s father refuses to pay for his son’s release, leaving him to rot in a squalid French prison. Aided by a sympathetic priest, he escapes and returns home to England, only to find he has been proclaimed a bastard and disinherited.

With nowhere to turn Gavin journeys to Kentwood, where he fostered as a boy, hoping Lord Aldred will take him on as a knight in his guard. The old warrior is close to death, but he soon realizes Gavin is his son. Aldred plots to have Gavin inherit Kentwood and marry his much younger wife, Elizabeth, a famed and opinionated beauty who remains a virgin after a decade of marriage.

Will the king recognize Lord Aldred’s first request of a marriage between Elizabeth and Robert, uniting Robert’s estate with Kentwood—or will the temperamental Edward reward Aldred’s years of service and honor a dying man’s final request?

•••••••••••••••••••••

A Bit of Heaven on Earth is a historical romance fiction by Lauren Linwood. It’s an intricate story of life in that era for women and the trials they had of living life as property of men with no thought to their feelings. However, this is one of finding and attaining true love.

The heroine of this story is the lovely Elizabeth of Aldwyn, a young head-strong woman-child. She’s a bit of an untamed shrew. She’s had many suitors, but doesn’t like the thought of a man or marriage and spurns or embarrasses them until they leave. Her father is at his wits end to get her married and out of his hair. He drugs her and delivers her to be married to an older nobleman whose latest wife has died. She wakes to find herself away from home and must get married.

She becomes resolved, but finds that her husband Aldred of Kentwood. Her wedding night her new husband fails to be able to perform his marital duties, and gently tells her he’ll have the marriage annulled and she can return home. She strikes a bargain with him, she stays his wife and he teaches her to read and write, to keep account of Kentwood, and anything else she needs to know to be able to help him run the estate. He gets to keep his pride and she will take care of him to the end of his days. They actually learn to care for each other and all goes more than just well for over ten years.

The hero and love interest is Gavin of Ashgrove. Gavin is off fighting the French with his King’s son when his mother dies badly, When he finally escapes prison and returns home, he finds his mother dead, his father remarried and lets him know his mother confessed on her deathbed that he is not the son of the Lord of Ashgrove.
Not having a home he goes to the man who raised or fostered him and taught him everything he knows to ask for a place in his guard or help getting into the King’s guard. This man is Aldred of Kentwood.

Okay, that’s the really intricate setup. Getting to this point was a good part of the story and the details of how this was all accomplished is something that needs to be read to be felt and understood. It’s well written, with good dialogue and descriptive scenes. There is so much more involved than these two people, but for purpose of the review, I’d rather you got the privilege of reading Ms. Linwood’s words, not mine.

It’s a quick read, only a little over two hundred pages and well worth the time investment. A perfect read for a snowy winter’s day or evening. Suffice it to say the road to true love and happiness is twisty with many ups and downs to keep you turning pages.

Do yourself a favor and give this a read. It’ll curl your toes with sizzling heat and heartache as the lovers travel toward an HEA! Enjoy everyone, I truly did.

Copy supplied by author

Reviewed by Georgianna

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Written in the Cards by Lauren Linwood-a review

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Written in the Cards by Lauren Linwood-a review

Written in the Cards

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / Amazon.uk/

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 20, 2014

Maggie Rutherford jilts her too-perfect society groom at the altar and flees New York for the American West, where she turns her travels into dime novels that she writes and illustrates under the pen name Lud Madison.

After the Civil War, veteran Ben Morgan marries his childhood sweetheart and takes her to homestead on the Great Plains. Losing her and their unborn child in an Indian attack, Ben detaches from emotion and becomes a roaming gambler. When he kills a cheating opponent in self-defense, the man’s gunslinger brother swears revenge upon Ben.

Ben hides on a cattle drive and brings in a herd to Abilene, where a waiting Maggie wants to find a rough and tumble cowboy to interview for her next story idea. Sparks fly as the dangerous drover and popular novelist wind up living in the same household, running a general store east of Abilene. But with Black Tex Lonnegan hot on his trail, will Ben run from his growing attraction to Maggie and the gunfighter’s promise of death–or will he make a stand for his life–and love?

•••••••••••••••••••••

REVIEWS:  If, by some chance, you haven’t read the other fine books by Lauren Linwood you really must begin now!

This is a wonderfully romantic story of the Old West! Old towns like Abilene, Easton bursting with the flavor of the Old West. Gamblers, gunfights, cattle drives and so much more.

Ben Morgan is introduced in the first chapter as a man, damaged by war, who has taken his young (not so eager) bride out west to begin a life as a farmer. While he’s away getting supplies, his wife (pregnant with their first child) is brutally killed by Indians. The stunning reality of this chapter amazed me, yet the details were not hammered out to the point of nausea as some would tend to do.

The heroine is a strong and talented woman, born to wealth, but with an independent nature and heart. She leaves a Lech at the altar, heads west to adventure and a successful writing career. Margaret E. Rutherford (aka: Maggie) is a lovely young woman with imagination and incredible talent, who meets Ben Morgan while in Abilene after a cattle drive. She interviews him about life on the trail for her next best-selling dime novel.

How Ben becomes a gambler, then has to run from a lethal gunslinger and takes off on a cattle drive, only to meet Maggie after the drive in Abilene is so well written you actually feel the dust and your heart races at the danger.

Of course, these two are fated to find each other, and do in Easton a small town outside of Abilene. Ms. Linwood weaves this intricate yet flowing tale of two fated lovers in her usual wonderful twisty style, mixing their past adventures into the present tale with well written dialog and descriptions.

It’s so great to feel the adventure and yet so much reality of the Old West that you feel your rear hurt from the saddle and you just know you need to shower the dust off yourself! While at the same time the thrill of new love and romance (and yes some nice steamy lust) keeps your heart pumping.

I won’t give you anymore spoilers, this is just too good, you have to experience this adventure for yourself! It’s well worth the time to read and enjoy.

Grab your favorite beverage, a few tissues…you’ll be in for a great adventure with humor, danger, romance, steamy love scenes, some incredible sadness and a magnificent HEA! Enjoy everyone; I certainly did as I couldn’t put this one down!

Copy supplied by the author

Reviewed by Georgianna

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