ARC REVIEW Caught by the Scot by Karen Hawkins

First book in a new The Made to Marry series, Caught by the Scot starts this series off fantastically. Karen Hawkins as usual bring her Historical Romantic Comedy to life. Humorous situations and witty characters it really was good read.

Conner Douglas has to get married if he wants his inheritance or else it goes to the family's blood enemy the Campbells. His sister Anna died after childbirth and left stipulated in her will that her three brothers will be married in three months time or lose it all. Conner can think of only one woman he would want to tie himself to and that is his best friends little sister Theodora Cumberbatch-Snowe. Conner foolishly thinking Thea will quickly accept his proposal and be thankful for it takes his time getting to her. But when he arrives at the house he learns she ran off and eloped with a Squire. Conner not one to give up easily runs after her certain that once she learns he wants to marry her she'll change her mind.

Thea has been in love with Conner Douglas as long as she can remember but recently she has come to the conculsion that he will never settle down and stop privateering. She has decided she just wants a house, a home a can settle in and put down roots something she has not been able to do with he r diplomatic father constantly moving the family around. So when Lancelot Fox proposed and suggested they run off to Gretna Green to get married she accepts. She almost immediately starts having second thoughts. But then Conner shows up out of the blue and fully discloses why he wants to marry her she becomes even more resolved that she must marry Lance. Lance while a completely amiable young man is a little too susceptible to suggestion and lets Conner manipulate him. Conner plans to draw out the travel time to Scotland as long as possible to show just how ill suited Lance is for Thea. Along the way they pick up a companion for Thea in the form of a fragile Miss Jane Simmons and a talkative and very forward lady's maid Alice. But the more Conner tries to convince Thea that Lance is all wrong for her the more he falls in love with the woman she has grown up to be and the more resistant Thea becomes even though she still loves Conner. Things get more so complicated when Jane falls sick and the closest doctor would be the ship doctor Conner employes on his vessel, so they travel to Conner's home. Where Conner and Thea finally have it out and Conner realizes just how much he loves her.

Overall, such a fun read. I can't wait for the two other brother's stories.

   

ARC REVIEW Mad for the Plaid by Karen Hawkins

I have been waiting for Nikolai's story from the very beginning. I was not let down you get to see the many facets of Nik from his Prince Nikolai Romanovian of Oxenburg to just Nik. I love books that start of with letters between the two main characters. Nik and Ailsa are both headstrong and stubborn, Nik however is use to knowing when to argue his point and when to drop it for later. Ailsa is use to being in charge, her father gave her the job of manager of the house and grounds and she has excelled at it. Ailsa and Nik are alike in many ways. Alisa is constantly pushing Nik's buttons to see how far she can push him. Nik has had years of court experience behind him the little Scottish woman shouldn't be able to push his buttons yet something about her just sets them all off.

Tata Natasha has gone off to visit an old friend while on this visit she disappears, not like she did the last time but kidnapped, along with a local landowner. Ailsa does her duty by informing HRH Nikolai explaining she has it handled. Nik not trusting an inexperienced person and not wanting this information to get out for fear someone might exploit the opportunity. So Nik and two of his most trusted friends and guards sneak off to help find and return Tata. Ailsa is worried that Nik might take charge and just run roughshod over her but he doesn't and even though she tries her best to do the rescue without him he's not a fool and is able to keep up with her and her men. Ailsa received a ransom note and to get to the rendezvous point in plenty of time the take the quickest but more dangerous route their. Along the way Nik and Ailsa argue over whether or not they should pay the ransom and it turns out there is a traitor in their midst. Nik and Ailsa are trying to keep from falling in each other's arms but the attraction is too strong and when they get separated from the group they admit their lust and spend what time they have together and what come after they rescue Tata will be dealt with later. Ailsa doesn't want to leave her home and Nik doesn't want the corruption of court to taint the sweet and naive Ailsa. But never fear Tata knows best.

Overall, I really liked this one, it's not my favorite of the series but it was perfect for Nik.          

ARC REVIEW The Princess Wore Plaid by Karen Hawkins

This is an in between novella for the Princes of Oxenburg series centered on one of the Princes' cousins. I love Karen Hawkins she always has a witty cast of characters who get pushed into unlikely situations and fall in love.

Princess Tatiana was on her way to her cousins wedding there was an accident and when she came too could remember nothing, she fled the scene and wandered for a couple of days before coming to an inn where she was offered a job. When she finally regained her memory she had no way to prove her identity to anyone, and the proprietors of the inn, the Drummonds, didn't believe she was a Princess of a country they never heard of. Tatiana learned as she went to earn her keep at the inn waiting for her cousins to come and find her.

Lord Darrac Buchan was injured while in service during the war with the French. His leg was damaged so bad he almost lost it; now riddled with scars and damaged muscle tissue he walks with a cane. Embarrassed by his impairment he stays at home the only time he leaves is for his Friday night dinner at the local inn where the innkeeper's wife is a much better cook then his own estates cook.

One particularity rainy night Buchan and Tatiana meet. For her own safety and because the Drummonds are worried that she's a bit daffy told Tatiana not to talk to anybody. Buchan knows right away she's no ordinary maid her forthright manner and the lack of callous' on her hands says she is something more and that intrigues Buchan. It is three weeks before Tatiana serves him his meal again. In this second meeting Tatiana says something that let on she is more with little convincing she tells him the truth. Buchan doesn't really believe her at first but with a little bit of reading he soon believes her.

Of course Tatiana and Buchan fall in love, but they both feel likes it's doomed, they both know as soon as her cousin shows up she will go back to the Royal life. Overall, this was too short I just enjoyed the characters that much, but really, as it was I don't think it could have been turned into a full length novel. I loved this one, it is a great addition to the series.  

ARC REVIEW The Prince and I by Karen Hawkins

The Princes of Oxenburg book two by Karen Hawkins, The Prince and I, is a funny role reversal on the classic Robin Hood tale. I was hesitant to read this book because it is book two but it sounded too good to pass up and I'm glad I didn't. Murian is a headstrong and loyal woman, Max is tortured warrior Prince, and the comic relief is in the form of a stubborn old woman, Grand Duchess Natasha Nikolaevna and self acclaimed Queen of the Gypsy and Max's grandmother. The story is inventive and romantic. I love Karen Hawkins, she's a great writer and following her facebook page is quite amusing.

Lady Murian is a young widow who is seeking the revenge for the murder of her husband, Lord Robert, against the man, The Earl of Loudan, who supposedly won the estate of Rowallen Castle on the gaming table then later killed Robert in a "duel". Exiled with the rest of the castles retainers Murian has taken up the subterfuge of a highwayman to keep knocking Loudan down a peg, and to be used as a distraction when Murian has to search the castle for proof that Loudan gained the estate through fowl play.

General of the Grand Army of Oxenburg, Prince Gregori Maksim Alexsandr Romanovin is traveling with his Tate Natasha to a house party in the wild Highlands of Scotland. Why she agreed to this is baffling but Max has his own reasons for escorting her. On the way there they are stopped and asked to donate goods to the their cause. Max knows almost immediately that the leader of this band of bandits is a woman. She stays in his mind not because she had the nerve to rob him it's because she almost bested him in a swordfight. Max is able to track her down when found he finds out her story and sides with her. He uses his own men to help repair the houses in preparation for winter. Murian has to continually sneak back into the castle to find a dairy Lord Robert always wrote in and she knows that if she can find it then she can prove Loudan is a scoundrel. Max finally finds out why Tate Natasha accepted the invite because Loudan pushed Tate into gamboling something that she had no right to betting and lost it and is now taunting her with maybe buying it back. The more Max learns about Loudan the more suspicious he becomes about the about Loudan and the real reason Max is there.

The attraction between Max and Murian is pretty much instantaneous and they both agree to an affair but with Murian devotion to her people and Max being a soldier and not wanting to subject Murian to that life as a soldiers wife they are hesitant to commit to anything else. But Tate is more cunning than she lets on and knows just the thing to save all.

Overall, I really enjoyed the story, I love the role reversal of the story. and the supporting characters really make the story.