A Stranger’s Kiss (Lords of Chance Book 2)

I enjoyed reading this book and truly fell in love with Olivia. She is sassy and self sufficient and completely her own woman which for this time period was truly incredible. There was romance, intrigue, mystery and action. Overall it was a good story!

My biggest qualm was this was an INCREDIBLY slow burn book with, in my mind, little pay off. The first 80%+ of the story is like completely clean. And their chemistry was so great I just wish there had been more sexy times!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

In true Regency fashion, a rogue meets his match and yearns to make her his. All because she wanted to make her almost-fiancé jealous.

This was my first Tara Scott novel and I thoroughly enjoyed it. What’s not to enjoy? A dashing Peer who became a rake due to a broken heart. A disowned Lady struggling to keep a roof over her family’s head. She brings out his nobility and he helps her family. He cares not a whit that she’s not his equal and loves her fire, strength and determination. She’s been dealt several tragedies but manages to be uncowed, even in the face of her dour grandfather.

One of the things I loved about this story is that Olivia truly is a woman of spunk and grit. Some romances describe their heroines as such, but Olivia is the real deal. I love her for it. She has her moments when she’s overwhelmed, which makes her so very human, but she never gives in for very long. Instead, she chooses to *do* something rather than wait to be rescued. (Even though, in the end, Nicholas solves most of her problems, the more challenging ones she handles herself.)

The supporting characters were endearing, too. None of them were perfect, but they relished in doing good, which made me love them in spite of their churlish exteriors. (Deborah’s crying was the most annoying, but she was still likable enough that I overlooked it.)

It’s a truly enjoyable tale and the terrible fop who started it all quickly disappears and is replaced by someone infinitely better.

Be warned that this is a saucy rather than sweet Regency romance.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

An enjoyable sweet historical romance. I loved the journey Olivia and Nicolas take.

After her parents accident, Olivia is struggling to keep her music shop and make her father’s music known to the world. Lord Nicolas is a known rake but her mother’s best friend’s son.
While never meeting they share a first kiss after Olivia witnesses her to-be fiance kiss another.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Starts Off Well, Then Goes Completely Off the Rails

Well, this book started off with a fantastic first scene. The heroine quite boldly kisses the man who turns out to be the hero of the book to make her philandering nearly betrothed jealous. The kiss sparks the entire rest of the novel because both of them were affected. It is a steamy, well described kiss.

I absolutely adored the heroine at first. Unlike many Regency heroines, she is not of either the nobility or gentry. She is a working young woman who runs her father’s music shop and printing press after he suffered a traumatic brain injury in a carriage accident (which killed her mother) that leaves him confused and out of sync with time. The heroine struggles mightily to keep everything together without much help. She has big dreams about having her father’s magnum opus played in a major theater in town (London). She has even contracted with the theater and an opera singer to get everything in motion. But all of this unravels as she struggles in the first half of the book.

The hero is a charming rake, as they usually are. The heroine, unfortunately, learns a possible secret about the hero from her cousin that casts him in a very bad light. This is the crux of my problem with this book. I absolutely loved the strength of the heroine in the early parts of the book, as she tried to keep everything together even as one bad thing happened after another. I loved it when she stood up to her maternal grandfather, who had disinherited her mother, and therefore, her. She was super strong willed in dealing with her father and grandfather and trying to make the concert happen against all odds.

So, why then did she become a spineless, wavering young woman when this potential issue with the hero came up? Why would she trust her cousin—whom she just met—any more than this man she’d just met? (And especially after seeing the cousin’s reaction when she and the hero meet in the presence of the heroine.) Certainly, why would she trust the opinions of another man whom she has actually seen in a contentious discussion with the hero? Clearly, these two do not get along, so why would she think that he would have no reason to lie, but the hero would? She goes back and forth in her opinions on him rapidly, even though he’s basically treated her with respect and kindness—although, perhaps, a bit too forwardly with all the stolen kisses. I got so frustrated with the heroine that I nearly gave up on the book as these absolutely silly events just kept stacking up. I hate it when heroines appear to be so strong at first, but then become hopelessly confused—with opinions shifting like the wind—and almost blind in one area (the hero, in this case).

So while I liked a lot of the book, this part just rubbed me the completely wrong way. I do not feel like I can recommend this book.

I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.

This story actually cracked me up at times. It was a fun read that left an excellent feeling. I loved the characters and found Olivia to be perfectly spirited

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This is a delightful story about a young woman, Olivia, on the fringes of society trying to keep her fathers print ship afloat as he suffers from loss of memory. He is a talented musician that her mother married and was then disowned by her father Duke of Lennox. Her now deceased mother was much admired by society and there are still those who include Olivia on their guest lists As she attends parties etc to take orders for sheet music she works closely with an opera singer, Louisa whose performances lead to orders for the printed music. Desperate to save her fathers business Olivia is considering marriage to a young man she doesnt even like until she catches him in the garden embracing another young woman, as she turns to flee she literally runs into a stranger (Nicholas as we learn later), she reaches up and kisses him to SHOW the other young man, this amusing scene was the first of many encounters. It just gets better from this point. Lots of action, twists and turns before an inevitable HEA

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I could not put this book down!! This romance has changed my expectations of historical romances!

The mystery, intrigue, romance, the strong, caring, hard working heroine and the equally strong, caring, intelligent hero made for the perfect combination. This author knows what she’s doing.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Music and love go hand in hand.
In this one perhaps a spur of the moment kiss will bring much more to Olivia’s life. Olivia’s main wish is to put her father’s music on stage and right now marriage is not something she was after. Nicholas does have other ideas after that kiss and getting to know Olivia. This is a romance with so much more to offer the reader. I loved every minute I spent reading this brilliant piece. This is one you should pick up I know why not give yourself an early Christmas present you will be glad you did. I did receive a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to review it.

A Stranger’s Kiss is the second book in the Lords of Chance series. I loved this historical romance. The characters are well developed and most are likable. The storyline is well written, with blackmail, suspense, drama, redemption, forgiveness, and a wonderful romance. I am looking forward to reading more books in this series.
I read and reviewed this book with no obligation.

A Duke’s Grandaughter who wants to make her own way.

Olivia Mackenzie, disowned granddaughter of the Duke of Lennox, has only one foot in society and a tenuous one at that. One day at a garden party, she stumbles upon her soon-to-be fiancé in the arms of another woman

Eight years ago, Lord Nicholas Blair turned to gambling and womanizing in an effort to hide his pain when his rival, Lord Randall, wed the woman he loved.

It seems that Olivia’s cousin has found herself in trouble and she has blamed Nicholas. He knows that what the girl is claiming can not be true because he has had no contact with her for two years.
Olivia believes her cousin wouldn’t tell her a lie so endeavors to make Nick take responsibility for his actions.

This is an unlikely pair whose chemistry is obvious from their first encounter.
There is a little bit of mystery and subterfuge in this well written romance by Tarah Scott.

Will Nick and Olivia find their happily ever after or will others interfere in what seems to be a perfect fit.
I gave this book 4.25 of 5.0 stars for story line and characterization.

Although I received a complimentary copy of this book to read via Booksprout I found I already had it on my Kindle.
I have voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts are my own.