Review: Castles

Castles (Crown Spies #4)
by Julie Garwood
Historical Romance
Amazon  /  Goodreads

Plot Summary:

Orphaned and besieged Princess Alesandra knew that only hasty marriage to an Englishman could protect her from the turmoil in her own land. To the amusement of her makeshift guardian, Colin, younger brother of the Marquess of Caineswood, the bold raven-haired beauty instantly captivated London society. But when Alesandra was nearly abducted by her unscrupulous countrymen, the fighting instincts that won Colin a knighthood for valor were rekindled.

Deceiving himself that he wanted only to protect her, Colin swept her into a union meant to be a marriage in name alone ... yet Alesandra's tender first kiss and hesitant caress ignited a wildfire in his soul. As the lovely princess dashed headlong into unforeseen dangers, Colin would follow, knowing he must claim her as his own forever. Now he would risk life itself before he would lose this sweet, tempestuous angel ...

Review:

Castles is a lovely romantic story with a little mystery and a quietly sassy heroine.  Alesandra keeps tries to act with decorum and it's not always easy, but she is very smart and figures out ways to get what she wants.  I enjoyed reading about a heroine who wasn't too outspoken or confident, but was not a pushover and could hold her own against the forceful personality of Colin.

Colin was a total alpha male, and a great match for Alesandra, even though I sometimes felt like Colin could be a little too overbearing and harsh.  But he did soften in time (as of course he had to!) and it was very sweet to see how Alesandra changed him for the better.  Both of them had their insecurities that they worked through and I love that their romance developed somewhat slowly.

I also loved that the secondary characters felt fleshed out and added to the story - even the smaller characters felt like a big part of Alesandra and Colin's development, and it was great to see how much they added to the plot.

The story has a mystery that is pretty predictable, and because it figured so little into the main plot, it was a little jarring when the story would make reference to it.  It created a great denouement for the story, but sometimes it did feel unnecessary.  This is a book I'd recommend for the way it builds the romance which is very touching, and for the great heroine.

Review: The Secret

The Secret (Highland's Lairds #1)
by Julie Garwood
Historical Romance
Amazon  /  Goodreads

Plot Summary:

Judith Hampton was as beautiful as she was proud, as purposeful as she was loyal. The dear Scottish friend of her childhood was about to give birth, and Judith had promised to be at her side. But there was another, private reason for the journey from her bleak English home to the Highlands: to meet the father she had never known, the Laird Maclean...Nothing prepared her for the sight of the Scottish barbarian who was to escort her into his land...Iain Maitland, Laird of his clan, a man more powerfully compelling than any she had ever encountered.

In a clash of spirited wills and customs, Judith reveled in the melting bliss of Iain's searching kisses, his passionate caresses. Perplexed by her sprightly defiance, bemused by her tender nature, Iain felt his soul growing into the light and warmth of her love. Surely nothing would wrench her from the affection and trust of Iain and his clan...not even the truth about her father, a devastating secret that could shatter the boldest alliance, and the most glorious of loves!

Review:

The relationship between Judith and Iain is utterly romantic!  They are drawn to each other very quickly, with an intense attraction, and the romantic tension in their verbal sparring and and little power struggles made up a big chunk of why they were so fun to read about.  Judith's strong personality also makes for a fun read as she has to deal with a limiting, prejudiced and misogynistic 16th century Scottish culture.  And even though Iain can be overbearing and imperious to a vexing extent, he's of course caring, loving and would do anything to keep Judith safe and happy.  He always knows when to give in to her.  It's a glorious (unrealistic?), and perfect mix for a strong romantic hero.

There is another aspect to this story that really touched me, and that was Judith's friendship with Frances Catherine, which was just as strong as the love Judith felt for Iain, and a very touching tribute to the beauty of friendship.  The strength of Judith's character was also proved when she had to help the women in the clan deliver their babies, when each and every time she was terrified of the duty.  And yet when she had to, she was calm and assured for the mothers-to-be.  It made me love Judith as a character so much, and made what was mostly a straightforward historical romance, more of an intriguing study of character and personality.

There is a personal issue that Judith has to deal with as well, which gave more drama to the story, especially with the resolution.  This is a quick, effortlessly entertaining read, and despite the speed at which Judith and Iain fall in love, I was totally invested in their romance.

Thanks again to Quinn for recommending this book to me! :)