Nikki read and liked Eastofoz's review of A Scotsman in Love:

"All the elements of a great story were supposed to be in this book: love-hate theme, reclusive hero, I-follow-my-own-path-and-the-world-be-damned heroine and all taking place around a foreboding castle in the Scottish highlands. Well, all that’s ...more All the elements of a great story were supposed to be in this book: love-hate theme, reclusive hero, I-follow-my-own-path-and-the-world-be-damned heroine and all taking place around a foreboding castle in the Scottish highlands. Well, all that’s there but the h/h are rarely together throughout the story and when they do get together it felt like the author was running out of pages and finally decided to smack them together with the I Love Yous. It’s as if you’re reading the beginning of a book that sets the scene for the story but it’s over 250 pages.

Margaret Dalrousie lives in a little cottage on the land of the great and powerful laird Robert McDermott who’s been absent for years. A famous court painter for the Russian aristocracy she had to flee Russia after something horrible happens to her. She lives in virtual isolation, apart from a housekeeper and a caretaker that also look after the castle, spending her days doing nothing and trying to forget her past. She also refuses to paint which is an integral part of her. Finally the laird returns with a sad past of his own that he’s trying to get through. He can’t seem to put the death of his wife and daughter behind him so he neglects his home and lives elsewhere. The two finally meet accidentally, dislike each other on sight and end up spying on each other for about three quarters of the novel because they’re both sort of interested in the other.

You’d think with that kind of a plot line some big love story would come of it but no matter how many pages you keep turning not much ends up happening. It’s such a dismal, miserable read from start to finish. There’s way too much dense narration with trivialities that are just page fillers and when the h/h finally do get together it’s so out of nowhere that the HEA in the end is totally unbelievable. One good thing the author can do is make colours come alive as Margaret starts to paint again. The description is very well-done and you can nearly see the different hues from how she mixes her paints to the final work on canvas. At the end of the novel the author provides an info page on how paints were quite dangerous back in that period and often artists risked their lives to get those vibrant colours.

Aside from the author’s note at the end, this book is sheer boredom and very difficult to get through which is amazing considering all the good pieces there but unfortunately they aren’t woven together well and remain individual pieces which makes for a truly lackluster story.
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Nikki read and liked Melissab's review of The Wicked West:

"***4 1/2 stars***

Hot, sexy little western story of a Sheriff who secretly longs for a bit more in the bedroom and an English widow who wants him to dominate her, so she shows him that it's okay to be a bit wicked.

The love scen...more ***4 1/2 stars***

Hot, sexy little western story of a Sheriff who secretly longs for a bit more in the bedroom and an English widow who wants him to dominate her, so she shows him that it's okay to be a bit wicked.

The love scenes were hot but I wouldn't have minded a few more. The BDSM didn't go beyond spanking and tying up so it shouldn't push too many boundries if it isn't your thing.

Overall it was a hot sexy little western romantica that I recommend to people who enjoy these types of stories.(less) "