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La tentazione del capitano
Scozia, 1816
La battaglia di Waterloo ha tolto al capitano Lucas Johns-Ives l'amato fratello, la serenità e la salute. Indebolito dalla malattia, infatti, Lucas perde conoscenza davanti alla porta del Barone di Dunburn. Accudito amorevolmente da Mairi, la figlia del nobile, riprende presto le forze e, scoperte le difficili condizioni finanziarie della famiglia, decide di rimanere senza rivelare di essere in realtà il futuro Conte di Foxgrove, svolgendo alcune mansioni come domestico. Questa finzione gli consente anche di prendere tempo per riflettere e rimandare il momento in cui dovrà farsi carico delle responsabilità che il titolo comporta. Ma quando la dolce Mairi ha bisogno del suo aiuto, Lucas è costretto ad affrontare i propri demoni e a rivelare i propri natali.
La battaglia di Waterloo ha tolto al capitano Lucas Johns-Ives l'amato fratello, la serenità e la salute. Indebolito dalla malattia, infatti, Lucas perde conoscenza davanti alla porta del Barone di Dunburn. Accudito amorevolmente da Mairi, la figlia del nobile, riprende presto le forze e, scoperte le difficili condizioni finanziarie della famiglia, decide di rimanere senza rivelare di essere in realtà il futuro Conte di Foxgrove, svolgendo alcune mansioni come domestico. Questa finzione gli consente anche di prendere tempo per riflettere e rimandare il momento in cui dovrà farsi carico delle responsabilità che il titolo comporta. Ma quando la dolce Mairi ha bisogno del suo aiuto, Lucas è costretto ad affrontare i propri demoni e a rivelare i propri natali.
240 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 20, 2019
10 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
Diane Gaston
175 books127 followersDiane Gaston’s dream job had always been to write romance novels. One day she decided to pursue that dream and has never looked back; she is now writing full-time. Her books have won Romance’s highest honour—the RITA Award, the National Readers Choice Award and the Golden Heart. She lives in Virginia with her husband and three very ordinary house cats. Diane loves to hear from readers and friends.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
February 24, 2023
Dit is een vrij origineel verhaal waarin de zoon van een Graaf zich niet te goed voelt om als butler te werken .
De jongere broer en zus van Mairi vinden een zieke en bewusteloze man en Mairi zorgt ervoor dat hij naar hun huis wordt gebracht waar zij het grootste deel van zijn verzorging op zich neemt omdat zij bijna geen personeel meer hebben . Wanneer Lucas weer opgeknapt is helpt hij Mairi als wederdienst met het overtuigen van haar ouders dat zij wat spullen moeten verkopen en moeten bezuinigen om al hun schulden af te betalen . Mairi en hij werken daar nauw bij samen en zijn waardering voor haar groeit .
Een fijn verhaal waarin aantrekkingskracht langzaam uitgroeit tot liefde .
De jongere broer en zus van Mairi vinden een zieke en bewusteloze man en Mairi zorgt ervoor dat hij naar hun huis wordt gebracht waar zij het grootste deel van zijn verzorging op zich neemt omdat zij bijna geen personeel meer hebben . Wanneer Lucas weer opgeknapt is helpt hij Mairi als wederdienst met het overtuigen van haar ouders dat zij wat spullen moeten verkopen en moeten bezuinigen om al hun schulden af te betalen . Mairi en hij werken daar nauw bij samen en zijn waardering voor haar groeit .
Een fijn verhaal waarin aantrekkingskracht langzaam uitgroeit tot liefde .
June 28, 2019
An English veteran of Waterloo who has survivors guilt meets a Scottish woman with a tortured past. He feels he has no right/reason to live; she wants nothing more than to bury the past five years. Add into the mix that Lucas, the soldier, is found unconscious on the woman's family estate. It falls to Mairi, the daughter of the house and mainstay of the family, to take care of him. And when he recovers, he takes care of her desperate family in a most unusual way. Altogether, a very compelling read.
September 28, 2019
The Lord's Highland Temptation by Diane Gaston is am emotional, and compelling story. Set in 1816 Scotland.
An Englishman, who is heartbroken at his eldest brother's death on the battlefield meets a Scottish lass, who has heartbreak of her own. Meet Captain Lucas Johns-Ives and Mairi Wallace and share their incredible story.
Well written with heart pounding adventure at times.
Well crafted with charming, engaging and interesting characters. Absolutely loved Mairi's siblings, they were so entertaining! Hope they will find their way into a book of their own.
Ms. Gaston has written an incredible story of past trauma, grief, secrets, misery, facing demons, romance, with a bit of suspense, an eccentric family with unfortunate circumstances and a few twists and turns, and an Englishman posing as a lowly servant, which all makes a terrific and page turning story. An emotional and compelling, sweet Scottish romance.
Fans of Scottish Romance, adventure, secrets, Historical Romance will definitely find THE LORD'S HIGHLAND TEMPATION to their liking. A must read!
Rating: 4.5
Heat rating: Sweet
Reviewer: AprilR
An Englishman, who is heartbroken at his eldest brother's death on the battlefield meets a Scottish lass, who has heartbreak of her own. Meet Captain Lucas Johns-Ives and Mairi Wallace and share their incredible story.
Well written with heart pounding adventure at times.
Well crafted with charming, engaging and interesting characters. Absolutely loved Mairi's siblings, they were so entertaining! Hope they will find their way into a book of their own.
Ms. Gaston has written an incredible story of past trauma, grief, secrets, misery, facing demons, romance, with a bit of suspense, an eccentric family with unfortunate circumstances and a few twists and turns, and an Englishman posing as a lowly servant, which all makes a terrific and page turning story. An emotional and compelling, sweet Scottish romance.
Fans of Scottish Romance, adventure, secrets, Historical Romance will definitely find THE LORD'S HIGHLAND TEMPATION to their liking. A must read!
Rating: 4.5
Heat rating: Sweet
Reviewer: AprilR
August 5, 2019
Secrets greatly affect lives in this enchanting Regency era novel which is filled with one complicated dilemma after another. A soldier who is to be a future earl is tormented by a past incident, while the oldest daughter of a baron fights a losing battle when it comes to keeping her family’s estate running smoothly. When they meet, there is a surprising connection, but know unsaid facts will always keep them apart. I was kept engrossed in the multitude of unanticipated happenings in the romantic story, where situations could either bring happiness to numerous individuals or take away most everything that matters. Diane Gaston blends historical accuracies with imaginative fictional situations to create an engaging read.
After the brother of Lucas Johns-Ives dies during the same skirmish against the French that also injured him, the Englishman feels remorse in knowing the title of Earl of Foxgrove will one day be his. This overwhelming regret keeps him from remaining at his home, and he goes to Scotland where wandering about aimlessly is his only goal. Upon becoming very ill, he ends up at the home of a Scottish baron where his daughter, Mairi Wallace, does all she can to keep him alive and her efforts pay off. To repay her kindness, he agrees to help her family during a crisis, where his good intentions might lead to additional difficulties.
THE LORD’S HIGHLAND TEMPTATION intrigues with interesting and often unexpected incidents. Lucas is plagued by what happened to his older sibling, as it made his own life much more important though he never desired the title. But pretending he has no duties waiting on him is much easier than facing them. Mairi also has an unsettling event that troubles her, and I really felt for how much it influenced her everyday life. As the story progresses and more truths come out, I become totally caught up in what might occur to not only this couple but those for whom they care.
Historical details bring realism to the story, while colorful descriptions had me visualizing the setting for each scene. From fancy balls to daily routines, I got to see what the characters experienced. Some scheming is going on, too, and I wanted a positive outcome yet had no idea if my wishes would turn out to be true. An entertaining book with appealing characters and notable circumstances.
I voluntarily reviewed the book, and all comments are my honest opinion
After the brother of Lucas Johns-Ives dies during the same skirmish against the French that also injured him, the Englishman feels remorse in knowing the title of Earl of Foxgrove will one day be his. This overwhelming regret keeps him from remaining at his home, and he goes to Scotland where wandering about aimlessly is his only goal. Upon becoming very ill, he ends up at the home of a Scottish baron where his daughter, Mairi Wallace, does all she can to keep him alive and her efforts pay off. To repay her kindness, he agrees to help her family during a crisis, where his good intentions might lead to additional difficulties.
THE LORD’S HIGHLAND TEMPTATION intrigues with interesting and often unexpected incidents. Lucas is plagued by what happened to his older sibling, as it made his own life much more important though he never desired the title. But pretending he has no duties waiting on him is much easier than facing them. Mairi also has an unsettling event that troubles her, and I really felt for how much it influenced her everyday life. As the story progresses and more truths come out, I become totally caught up in what might occur to not only this couple but those for whom they care.
Historical details bring realism to the story, while colorful descriptions had me visualizing the setting for each scene. From fancy balls to daily routines, I got to see what the characters experienced. Some scheming is going on, too, and I wanted a positive outcome yet had no idea if my wishes would turn out to be true. An entertaining book with appealing characters and notable circumstances.
I voluntarily reviewed the book, and all comments are my honest opinion
September 6, 2019
Good story about two people with painful pasts who find love and healing with each other. Lucas was devastated by his brother's death at Waterloo and consumed by the guilty feeling that he should have been able to save Bradleigh. Unable to face taking his brother's place as heir to the earldom, Lucas wanders aimlessly through Scotland, drinking his way from inn to inn while trying to forget. Ill and passed out near some standing stones Lucas is found by the younger children of Baron Dunham, who fetch their older sister for help. They take Lucas to their home to nurse him back to health.
Mairi is at her wit's end, trying to keep her family from financial ruin. The last thing she wants is a strange Englishman to take care of, especially one who reminds her of a devastating incident that happened several years earlier. That incident has had a significant impact on Mairi's life and the way she looks at the world.
There is a connection between Lucas and Mairi from the start, though both of them try to resist it. As Lucas recovers from his illness, he has a front-row seat to Mairi's efforts to save her family. Impressed by what he sees and unexpectedly compelled to help, Lucas conceals who he really is as he does what he can. Though Mairi is suspicious and wary at first, she finds herself trusting Lucas. Lucas is drawn further into the lives of the family as he plays the part of a servant to help them out of an awkward situation. I ached for Mairi whose efforts are unappreciated by her family and felt her frustration at her parents' attitudes. I loved Lucas's support of her, and his attempts to show them the truth.
Matters become more complicated when the visitors include a man with a hidden agenda. Hargreaves is a wealthy man who has designs on their land and title and who will do anything to get it. When he also attends the same house party as the Dunhams, Lucas's protective instincts are aroused. I liked seeing Mairi and Lucas grow closer and loved how they opened up to each other about their pasts. Lucas knows he has to come clean with Mairi about who he is, especially when someone at the party recognizes him. When matters take a turn for the worse, Lucas must decide if he's ready to face his past and his responsibilities. I ached for Mairi as she faced a miserable future. I was on the edge of my seat as I wondered how long it would take Lucas to come to his senses. I must say, he came through in a stellar manner in a very exciting scene. The epilogue was good too.
I liked the secondary characters also. From Mairi's family to the servants, they all added complexity to the story. Mairi's brother and sister were realistic in their sibling disagreements and their often obliviousness to what went on around them. I wanted to shake her parents on multiple occasions because of their utter unwillingness to face the truth of their circumstances and their attitudes toward Mairi as she tried to help. I liked seeing some of the story from the servants' side of things and the look at what their lives were like. Their respect for Lucas said a lot about the kind of man he was.
Mairi is at her wit's end, trying to keep her family from financial ruin. The last thing she wants is a strange Englishman to take care of, especially one who reminds her of a devastating incident that happened several years earlier. That incident has had a significant impact on Mairi's life and the way she looks at the world.
There is a connection between Lucas and Mairi from the start, though both of them try to resist it. As Lucas recovers from his illness, he has a front-row seat to Mairi's efforts to save her family. Impressed by what he sees and unexpectedly compelled to help, Lucas conceals who he really is as he does what he can. Though Mairi is suspicious and wary at first, she finds herself trusting Lucas. Lucas is drawn further into the lives of the family as he plays the part of a servant to help them out of an awkward situation. I ached for Mairi whose efforts are unappreciated by her family and felt her frustration at her parents' attitudes. I loved Lucas's support of her, and his attempts to show them the truth.
Matters become more complicated when the visitors include a man with a hidden agenda. Hargreaves is a wealthy man who has designs on their land and title and who will do anything to get it. When he also attends the same house party as the Dunhams, Lucas's protective instincts are aroused. I liked seeing Mairi and Lucas grow closer and loved how they opened up to each other about their pasts. Lucas knows he has to come clean with Mairi about who he is, especially when someone at the party recognizes him. When matters take a turn for the worse, Lucas must decide if he's ready to face his past and his responsibilities. I ached for Mairi as she faced a miserable future. I was on the edge of my seat as I wondered how long it would take Lucas to come to his senses. I must say, he came through in a stellar manner in a very exciting scene. The epilogue was good too.
I liked the secondary characters also. From Mairi's family to the servants, they all added complexity to the story. Mairi's brother and sister were realistic in their sibling disagreements and their often obliviousness to what went on around them. I wanted to shake her parents on multiple occasions because of their utter unwillingness to face the truth of their circumstances and their attitudes toward Mairi as she tried to help. I liked seeing some of the story from the servants' side of things and the look at what their lives were like. Their respect for Lucas said a lot about the kind of man he was.
August 29, 2019
Captain Lucas Johns-Ives cannot get beyond the battle where he was injured and his brother, the heir, killed. Lucas feels as if it should have been him dead on the battle field. Injured and weak, he is saved by Mairi Wallace and her siblings. The family needs some help and Lucas decides to pose as the family's butler. That way he can ovoid his new responsibilities as the heir. He finds himself enamored by Mairi but know he cannot claim her until he faces his demons. Mairi has her own demons to fight. Perhaps together they can heal and conquer those demons.
Mairi was a brave woman, willing to do what was necessary to ensure the well being of her family. Her parents were caught up in the game of appearances while racking up lots of debts. Mairi tried to help but was thwarted at every turn. Lucas wanted nothing more than to escape the pain of his injuries and the loss of his brother, the true heir. Taking on the duties of the butler helped him realize he had a lot to offer. The only problem was if it was enough for taking up his position as the new heir and making himself good enough for Mairi.
You cannot help but falling love with Mairi and Lucas. Each had something major in their pasts to deal with while at the same time trying to keep the Wallace family solvent. As things go downhill, Lucas begins to realize what is important and steps up. The endings is so very romantic, the stuff dreams are made of. This one with stay with you long after the last word has been read. Pick up The Lord's Highland Temptation. You'll be glad you did.
Mairi was a brave woman, willing to do what was necessary to ensure the well being of her family. Her parents were caught up in the game of appearances while racking up lots of debts. Mairi tried to help but was thwarted at every turn. Lucas wanted nothing more than to escape the pain of his injuries and the loss of his brother, the true heir. Taking on the duties of the butler helped him realize he had a lot to offer. The only problem was if it was enough for taking up his position as the new heir and making himself good enough for Mairi.
You cannot help but falling love with Mairi and Lucas. Each had something major in their pasts to deal with while at the same time trying to keep the Wallace family solvent. As things go downhill, Lucas begins to realize what is important and steps up. The endings is so very romantic, the stuff dreams are made of. This one with stay with you long after the last word has been read. Pick up The Lord's Highland Temptation. You'll be glad you did.
March 1, 2020
This was such a meh read. Even for its genre it was just average. And predictable.
August 27, 2019
Book: The Lord’s Highland Temptation
by Diane Gaston
Reviewed by: Barb Massabrook of
1. Tartan Book Reviews
2. Purple Tulip Book Reviews
3. Celtic World of Historical Book Reviews
4.Celtic Barb’s Tartan Book Review Blog
Heat Rating: Sweet. No passionate or sexual content
Overall Rating: 5 Stars, 5 Kilts
This is the story of two people who have had such sorrow, devastation, misery and pain in their lives. Yet all they want to do is forget and escape from their horrendous circumstances….
Ayrshire, Scotland
1816
Englishman, Captain Lucas Johns-Ives, feels guilty for not protecting his elder brother Bradleigh, in Waterloo from their French enemies swords. He can not face his father, the Earl of Foxgrove, to tell him his heir has died. So Lucas kept running until he ended up wounded and sick in Scotland.
As the young teenage Wallace children, Niven and Davina, discover Lucas in the standing stones, when all he wanted to do is die! As his guilt was eating him up! It turned out it was their older beautiful sister Mairi, who would care for him. As they were all the children of the Scottish Baron and Lady Dunburn. Lucas decided he wanted to be unnoticed and not the son of an English Earl so he changed his name to John Lucas. He didn’t realizes how petrified Mairi was of English men. As she had been sexually assaulted by an Englishman five years ago. No one know her deep dark secret. As Lucas recovers he sees how The Baron And Lady Dunburn are in dire straits and in financial ruin. He see that they let go much of their staff, due to their exuberant spending on frivolous items. Mairi has tried to give them advice and is doing servants duties to help. Now Lucas is playing a servant for the family for saving his life. As he has seen the servants in his house perform various duties valet, cook, butler etc. Then a man and younger son by the name Hargreaves, who wants to use them and take their titles and lands away plus marry Mairi. A man that Mairi can’t stand yet her family is trying to force the match.
Now Mairi feels comfortable around Lucas, a man for the first time. Could this be love? Will the Dunburns ever see Hargreaves true colors? Can all of Hargreaves evil shenanigans force Lucas to show his true identity? He knows as the servant he is portraying that he and Mairi can never have a chance at a future. He knows Mairi will be furious for keeping his true identity a secret. Do they even have a chance at a future together?
A book historical readers will absolutely love. Another fast moving Diane Gaston novel that readers will absolutely love. It has all the elements that will captivate readers from start to finish. It is an emotional roller coaster with more than one plot. I know I could not put this book down. Feeling the emotions and heart break for both the swoon worthy hero and the beautiful caring heroine.
Another Diane Gaston Book I highly recommend.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC copy from Harlequin publishers through netgalley. I voluntarily agreed to read, review and blog an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts, ideas and opinions are my own.
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February 9, 2020
4.5 Stars. An enjoyable read, it touches on some heavy baggage for the main characters while also being a fun page-turner.
The author did a fantastic job of expressing the darkness Lucas (feeling responsible for his brother’s death) and Mairi (a rape survivor) carry with them, the way they’d be okay one moment living their lives, only to be triggered the next, it felt realistic to have those difficult memories wash over them in unpredictable waves.
Lucas and Mairi’s struggles with the past are smartly counterbalanced throughout the story with Lucas, a wealthy lord masquerading as a servant for Mairi’s family, while that does have it’s dramatic moments, too, the subterfuge, as well as the sweetly supportive relationship developing between Lucas and Mairi, adds just the right amount of light to the book.
Readers who prefer their romance on the super steamy side may be disappointed here, but I never really care how much sex is in a book, be it explicit, a firmly closed door, or no further than a kiss, all that matters to me is whether or not it fits the story and the characters and I felt like exactly the right choice was made for where Mairi is at with her trauma and staying true to Lucas’s understanding nature.
If I had one small complaint, it’s just that I would have liked a scene or two showing Lucas interacting with his parents maybe in place of a scene from the villain’s point of view, though at the same time I get that the villain’s POV does ratchet up tension/concern for the heroine, so with a limited page count I could see where it would be tough to decide what to include and what to exclude.
As for the ending, this is a romance, happily ever after is a requirement, so I don’t feel like the following paragraph will be a spoiler, especially since I don’t go into detail, but if you’re leery, don’t read any further.
Sometimes I feel a bit iffy about a hero riding to the rescue, I tend to want to see the heroine solve her own problems and have the romance be sort of separate from that, however, in this instance, Mairi has been rescuing herself and her family the entire time, you have such a strong sense of all she’s been through, and so to see some of that burden lifted off of her, it gave this particular ride to the rescue an exhilarating quality (and not just because it does involve some actual horseback riding).
I received this book through a giveaway.
The author did a fantastic job of expressing the darkness Lucas (feeling responsible for his brother’s death) and Mairi (a rape survivor) carry with them, the way they’d be okay one moment living their lives, only to be triggered the next, it felt realistic to have those difficult memories wash over them in unpredictable waves.
Lucas and Mairi’s struggles with the past are smartly counterbalanced throughout the story with Lucas, a wealthy lord masquerading as a servant for Mairi’s family, while that does have it’s dramatic moments, too, the subterfuge, as well as the sweetly supportive relationship developing between Lucas and Mairi, adds just the right amount of light to the book.
Readers who prefer their romance on the super steamy side may be disappointed here, but I never really care how much sex is in a book, be it explicit, a firmly closed door, or no further than a kiss, all that matters to me is whether or not it fits the story and the characters and I felt like exactly the right choice was made for where Mairi is at with her trauma and staying true to Lucas’s understanding nature.
If I had one small complaint, it’s just that I would have liked a scene or two showing Lucas interacting with his parents maybe in place of a scene from the villain’s point of view, though at the same time I get that the villain’s POV does ratchet up tension/concern for the heroine, so with a limited page count I could see where it would be tough to decide what to include and what to exclude.
As for the ending, this is a romance, happily ever after is a requirement, so I don’t feel like the following paragraph will be a spoiler, especially since I don’t go into detail, but if you’re leery, don’t read any further.
Sometimes I feel a bit iffy about a hero riding to the rescue, I tend to want to see the heroine solve her own problems and have the romance be sort of separate from that, however, in this instance, Mairi has been rescuing herself and her family the entire time, you have such a strong sense of all she’s been through, and so to see some of that burden lifted off of her, it gave this particular ride to the rescue an exhilarating quality (and not just because it does involve some actual horseback riding).
I received this book through a giveaway.
September 1, 2019
The Lord's Highland Temptation is the first book I've read by Diane Gaston. I will definitely be checking out more of her books. If you like the heat of your romances to be behind closed doors instead of in your face, this story will be right up your alley.
Captain Lucas Johns-Ives was a cavalry officer who served with his brother, an heir to an earldom. He was tasked by his parents to do everything necessary to keep his brother from harm. But alas, who can possibly keep that promise in the midst of a bloody battle? His brother was cut down at Waterloo. Having failed his parents and not wanting to be an heir to what should never have been his, Lucas takes off, wandering and drinking, and ends up in Scotland. Extremely sick and frankly wanting to die, he collapses in a ring of fairy stones, to be discovered by the younger brother and sister of Mairi Wallace. Mairi and the children bring him back to their home to recover.
Mairi is apparently the only person in the household who lives in the real world. Her frivolous parents have practically beggared the estate. Most of the servants have been let go, and the ones remaining are no longer paid. Mairi is the one person trying to keep the family afloat. Beginning to recover, Lucas does not tell her who he really is or what has happened. Mairi, too, has a secret of her own. When company unexpectedly comes, Lucas volunteers to act as their butler to help the family keep up appearances. Things snowball from there.
This is a lovely romance between two broken people. Mairi suffers from what we now call PTSD from an incident that occurred five years earlier. Also, her family makes her feel like the bad guy when she attempts to force them to economize. Lucas feels tremendous guilt over the death of his brother and his parents' reaction to Lucas surviving instead of their heir. These two people desperately need someone to help them each heal...can they find that healing together? Such a touching romance!
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
Captain Lucas Johns-Ives was a cavalry officer who served with his brother, an heir to an earldom. He was tasked by his parents to do everything necessary to keep his brother from harm. But alas, who can possibly keep that promise in the midst of a bloody battle? His brother was cut down at Waterloo. Having failed his parents and not wanting to be an heir to what should never have been his, Lucas takes off, wandering and drinking, and ends up in Scotland. Extremely sick and frankly wanting to die, he collapses in a ring of fairy stones, to be discovered by the younger brother and sister of Mairi Wallace. Mairi and the children bring him back to their home to recover.
Mairi is apparently the only person in the household who lives in the real world. Her frivolous parents have practically beggared the estate. Most of the servants have been let go, and the ones remaining are no longer paid. Mairi is the one person trying to keep the family afloat. Beginning to recover, Lucas does not tell her who he really is or what has happened. Mairi, too, has a secret of her own. When company unexpectedly comes, Lucas volunteers to act as their butler to help the family keep up appearances. Things snowball from there.
This is a lovely romance between two broken people. Mairi suffers from what we now call PTSD from an incident that occurred five years earlier. Also, her family makes her feel like the bad guy when she attempts to force them to economize. Lucas feels tremendous guilt over the death of his brother and his parents' reaction to Lucas surviving instead of their heir. These two people desperately need someone to help them each heal...can they find that healing together? Such a touching romance!
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.
October 21, 2020
Tedious, repetitive, and molasses runs faster. For Gaston this was a miss in my opinion. Evil man was evil, which that Lucas had pounded him, would have added to story. Stupid parents, tiresome younger siblings, and wonderful downstairs characters. Best part Lucas discovers what being a servant really means, and allows us a glimpse also into a world of rich and poor so similar to our own. Yes we have no servants, we are all our own servants. So little romance that ending was cropped, like a bad haircut. Epilogue needed few more pages, and perhaps some detail of life at Foxwood. was glad to finally get to the end, it required perseverance.
November 29, 2019
I love this genre = historical/Highland romance. Have not read Diane Gaston before, but enjoyed this a lot. Both of the main characters had some heartbreak in their lives, and the female had idiot parents besides. She not only had to try to take care of them, but her younger brother and sister as well. The male was guilt-ridden because his brother, whom he was supposed to take care of, got killed in battle. Took a while, but they finally unburdened themselves and moved on. The bad guy was so obnoxious that even his hired help hated him. Good job, Diane.
August 15, 2025
I appreciated the fact that the author did not sugarcoat serious life issues and the ways in which they affect relationships. It was admirable how Mairi and Lucas worked through their personal problems and were able to form a stronger bond of love rooted in healing and empathy. I wish more historical detail had been included in the novel but overall, a touching story.
March 24, 2020
A wonderful story. I liked how Lucas and Mairi healed each other. They were well matched and the reader could see them falling in love. The plot was sometimes implausible but always sincere. You feel better for having read it.
August 30, 2019
La Gaston mi piace sempre, ma qui l'ho trovata particolarmente originale, con una storia insolita, due bei protagonisti dal passato tormentato e un amore tenero, che sboccia lentamente.
November 19, 2019
Well written, but I lacked a little more "love" between the two, always surrounded by other characters that did not allow the protagonists not to deepen their feelings.
April 8, 2023
well written
Mesmerizing characters entwined together. They conquer sickness, debt, and lies. I can’t tell you the rest. You will need to read it for yourself. Enjoy!
Mesmerizing characters entwined together. They conquer sickness, debt, and lies. I can’t tell you the rest. You will need to read it for yourself. Enjoy!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews