I know I’ve watched you cradle a sparrow hatchling in your hand and feed it from a tincture dropper. She's tempted to abandon her dreams and the town under a cloud of shame. But perhaps there's more to Grayson than meets the eye. Can he swallow his pride, change his plans, and help Mallory romance her own home--and possibly her life? Show book In 1715, Lady Blythe Hedley's father is declared an enemy of the British crown because of his Jacobite sympathies, forcing her to flee her home in northern England. Secreted to the tower of Wedderburn Castle in Scotland, Lady Blythe awaits who will ultimately be crowned king. But in a house with seven sons and numerous servants, her presence soon becomes known.

She shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. “Perhaps I’ll have to surrender my membership in the Ladies’ Social Justice Society. The meetings were rather a bore, anyhow.” But you were the one who saw it through. The dear little bird thought you were its mother. Remember?” She hooked two fingers and skipped them up his arm. “Hop, hop, hop…” Christi has been my favourite (read ‘obsessive’ favourite) for the longest I can recall. My love for historical romance doubled manifold with her stories. While Tessa Dare has been a recent recommendation, that I have also lapped up, because her books just make me laugh. It is her witty prose that took me by surprise and had me hooked. So no surprise there either when I read book 1 in this anthology, His Bride for the Taking, I simply just fell in love with Mary Clayton. She was a perfect heroine in all ways. She wanted something and she went about it systematically to get it. A love story that had an embarrassed hero and a spunky heroine, is a refreshing change and the twist at the end turned out to be the icing on the cake. Made a perfect story even more perfect. His Bride for the Taking did all of the above. It features a marriage of rescue convenience between a man and his best friend's older (YES!) sister. There is a twist to keep readers on their toes, but it is an otherwise simple, easy and utterly lovely story. I don’t care if he’s the Prince of Wales. The man made a promise to you, and he’s not here to keep it. That makes him a bastard. A tardy bastard, at that.”Sebastian Ives, Lord Byrne, had never been one for following rules. But promises? He took those seriously indeed. His friendship with Henry Clayton had been the anchor in his turbulent youth, too valuable to risk. So he’d made a vow to himself, and he’d steadfastly held to it—as best he could, anyhow—for years. What's better than a great story by one of my favorite authors? A book containing great stories by 2 of my favorite authors. Tessa Dare and Christi Caldwell write a winning combination of lost love found again. Both stories are delightful, delicious tidbits of romance. Mary was suddenly curious about the impolite ways to say it. But that wasn’t a conversation for the moment. “They’ll assume we anticipated the wedding vows.” In eleven years, he’s never laid a finger on his best friend’s sister. Now he’s going to take her with both hands. To have, to hold…and to love.' Although I enjoyed this duet - it is Tessa Dare and Christi Caldwell, after all - petty is as petty does and I have to complain about the cover. Both heroines have reddish (described as auburn and crimson) hair. Yet I spy...a blonde?

There’s no other way to say it. 2020 has been a rough one for everybody. Even though our holidays might look different this year, I’m finding it makes me reflect on what’s truly important. And you, readers, are so important to me. Well, he’d done more than notice Mary. She’d captured his attention from the very first, and all because she was older. She was more worldly and interesting than the girls his own age. Not to mention, her womanly figure had been a source of both temptation and torment. Goodness. For once, she was caught without a response. He’d taken her breath away. She’d already lost her father, then her only brother. Sebastian appointed himself as Mary’s knight. He and only he can protect her. So he does, even if it means marrying her himself, which is no penance when he has longed for her for over a decade.

In His Bride for the Taking, Tessa Dare tells the story of Sebastian. He knows there is only one rule - don't touch your best friends sister. So, even though he had loved Mary since they were children, he has kept his distance. Ms Dare manages to turn the tables on poor Sebastian to create one of the most beautiful Happily Ever Afters to be had. Celeste believes this so-called "legend" is just some scary fairytale her grandmother made up to scare her. But was she ever wrong when a pair of moonlit eyes stared straight at her through her bedroom window and entered her room. Next thing she knew, she was being carried out the house and into the woods by a half-naked man who called her his.

This was my first read by Ms. Caldwell. I did enjoy the story but for a short one it did drag in places. Though at times I really enjoyed it and the pain the H and h felt as they recounted the past memories and hurts with each other was a nice bit of angst. Still, I was left wanting, not sure why.

Spindle Cove Series

In eleven years, he’s never laid a finger on his best friend’s sister. Now he’s going to take her with both hands. To have, to hold...and to love. Sebastian stopped pacing and turned to her, staring directly into her brilliant blue eyes. Then I’ll call the bastard out. * * *