Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Devil in Tartan by Julia London - Review, Excerpt, and Giveaway

   

From New York Times bestselling author Julia London, comes DEVIL IN TARTAN—the fourth novel in her Highland Grooms Series!

DEVIL IN TARTAN is now available. 

Order your copy today!

   

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Author: Julia London
Publication Date: 20 February, 2018
Publisher: Harlequin Books
Series:  Highland Grooms, book 4
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Age Recommendation: 16 and Up
Rating: 4 Stars

~ I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ~ 


Book Description:

Lottie Livingstone bears the weight of an island on her shoulders. Under threat of losing their home, she and her clan take to the seas to sell a shipload of illegal whiskey. When an attack leaves them vulnerable, she transforms from a maiden daughter to a clever warrior. For survival, she orchestrates the siege of a rival’s ship and now holds the devilish Scottish captain Aulay Mackenzie under her command.

Tied, captive and forced to watch a stunning siren commandeer the Mackenzie ship, Aulay burns with the desire to seize control—of the ship and Lottie. He has resigned himself to a life of solitude on the open seas, but her beauty tantalizes him like nothing has before. As authorities and enemies close in, he is torn between surrendering her to justice and defending her from assailants. He’ll lose her forever, unless he’s willing to sacrifice the unimaginable…

 

       

My Review:

I had so much fun with this book.  I loved the heroine, Lottie.  Her spirit and courage are unstoppable and so refreshing.  She is the epitome of what I expect a Highland Lass to be, or at least the one that I would hope I would have been.  When you are the only hope to save your family, your clans fortunes then wouldn't you go to any lengths?  This is exactly what Lottie does when faced with challenges, quick thinking and a desire only to keep those she loves safe may send Lottie down a path she never expected and into the 'clutches' of a righteous man, but those choices also lead her down a path she could have never expected and her family and clan into a content and happy future.  I loved watching Aulay's little safe bubble of the sea explode around him as he comes to terms with his self imposed solitude and his true desires.  

I really enjoyed this couple.  I loved the give and take between the two of them.  I loved Aulay's indignation in the beginning, his disbelief that he let himself be broadsided by Lottie, and finally the knowledge that his righteousness is nothing in the face of his attraction to Lottie.  I loved Lottie's courage, her refusal to back down, and her acceptance of the future she believes is before her.  One of my favorite things and that I found most enjoyable is the 'fighting' between these two.  The storyline itself;f could actually be pretty heavy and tense if it wasn't for these moments of levity brought about by the bickering between these two.  

This book is one adventure after another, each one flowing easily into the other. This is one of those books that in my mind I can watch play out as if it was on a movie screen as I read.  Julia does a beautiful job of setting the scene and making the story flow easily from one page to the next.  I even loved that while this is a romance it isn't all about the romance.  This is a story of finding your place in the world and being lucky enough to find it with some one you love.

This is the first book I have read from Ms. London and I throughly enjoyed it.  This is also the 4th book in this series but as you can see it can clearly be read as a standalone within the series.  I will most assuredly be going back and reading the first three and I am quiet eager to get the stories that belong to secondary characters in Devil in Tartan.  


~ HAPPY READING ~ 

   

EXCERPT:        

The wind out of the west was light, but brought with it heavy clouds. Nevertheless, the ReulagBalhaire was sailing along just as she ought to be, the sedative dip and rise of the ship’s bow into the rolling waves a steady reminder that all was right.

Captain Aulay Mackenzie listened to the sound of his crew calling out to each other as they manned the sails. He closed his eyes and felt the mist of the sea on his face, the wind ruffling the queue of his hair. It was days like this—well, he preferred those glorious, sun-filled days—days at sea, when he felt most himself. When he was most at home. He was in command of his ship, of his spirit, of his world. It was, perhaps, the only place in his life that was so.

It had been too long since he’d been at sea—a few months, but to him, a lifetime. Aulay chafed at life at his family’s home of Balhaire. He had lived his entire adult life at sea, and every day away from his ship was a day something was missing. He was useless at Balhaire. His father was chief of the Mackenzie clan. His older brother, Cailen, was his father’s agent, his face to the world. Rabbie, Aulay’s younger brother, managed the day-to-day business of the sprawling estate of Balhaire, along with his youngest sister, Catriona. His mother was engaged in the social aspects, as was his sister Vivienne. And Aulay? He had no useful purpose there. Nothing worthwhile to occupy his days. He was merely an observer on land.


GIVEAWAY:
(Print copy of DEVIL IN TARTAN for 5 winners)


 

   
About Julia London: Julia London is the New York Times and USA TODAY best-selling author of more than thirty romantic fiction novels. She is the author of the popular Cabot Sisters historical romance series, including The Trouble with Honor, The Devil Takes a Bride, and The Scoundrel and the Debutante. She is also the author of several contemporary romances, including Homecoming Ranch, Return to Homecoming Ranch and The Perfect Homecoming. She has over 100,000+ Facebook followers, is the recipient of the RT Book Reviews for Best Historical Romance and a six-time finalist for the prestigious RITA award for excellence in romantic fiction. You can visit her website JuliaLondon.com. She lives in Austin, Texas.        

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Julia London’s DEVIL IN TARTAN – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:
February 12th
Behind Closed Doors Book Review – Review & Excerpt
Thoughts by Tash – Review & Excerpt
February 13th
My Nook, Books & More – Excerpt
Only One More Page – Review & Excerpt
February 14th
For The Love of Fictional Worlds – Review & Excerpt
Vagabonda Reads – Review
February 15th
Feel the Book – Excerpt
What I’m Reading – Review & Excerpt
February 16th
Miss Riki – Review & Excerpt
February 17th
Bookishly Yours – Review & Excerpt
Read more sleep less – Review & Excerpt
February 18th
Sofia Loves Books – Review & Excerpt
February 19th
Becky on Books – Review & Excerpt
Literary Gossip – Review & Excerpt
February 20th
Bookalicious Babes Blog – Review & Excerpt
Reads All the Books – Review & Excerpt
February 21st
Jax's Book Magic – Excerpt
Mom's Secret Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
February 22nd
Booked All Night – Review & Excerpt
Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt
February 23rd
Love Notes Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Susan’s Books I Like – Review & Excerpt

     

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