Love is a battlefield in this engaging wartime tale.
A warrior gives up everything for love in McCollum’s latest historical romance.
This second installment of the Sons of Sinclair series picks up with the story of Joshua Sinclair, the brutal Horseman of War who was last seen heading for foreign lands to polish up his mercenary skills. After a bloody battle at South Ronaldsay, Joshua travels to Orkney Isle to train Lord Robert Stuart’s soldiers in defensive maneuvers, though Joshua is far less interested in making war than he used to be. He’s ready to head back to his home when he’s waylaid by fierce fighter Kára. She’s desperate to help her people defend themselves from Lord Robert and his men, who, Joshua learns, hunted, raped, killed, and imprisoned many of them in the past. Joshua quickly falls for Kára, but he’s hesitant to join in her fight, as he’s seen the terrible cost of combat and knows that the Orkney inhabitants don’t stand a chance against the men he helped to train. But Kára’s persistence and her people’s desperate plight convince him to help; he lobbies for a way to avoid an all-out war, but a murder and a kidnapping alter his plans. McCollum’s lengthy novel wastes no time jumping into a romance. Joshua and Kára kick their relationship off with a steamy sex scene early on, and the story’s pace never slows down. Joshua is a very attractive Scottish warrior, complete with bulging muscles and a soft side (he’s great with kids), but he’s also rather complicated. It’s a nice twist to see the Horseman of War seek out alternatives to violence, and it’s always lovely to see a swordswoman who’s fully capable of extracting herself from danger. A clever trick and other unexpected events precede the ending, which ties things up nicely.
Love is a battlefield in this engaging wartime tale.Pub Date: April 27, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-68281-570-0
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Entangled: Amara
Review Posted Online: April 8, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A lovely and moving romance that examines what it truly means to live.
Opposites attract when a Grim Reaper clashes with a Guardian Angel in this whimsical paranormal romance.
Darcy Moore is in a bit of a tough spot; she’s a Grim Reaper who’s grown tired of death. When she’s given her next assignment, Darcy decides to go rogue. Rather than reaping, Darcy is determined to save her mark, which only upsets the balance kept by the Department of Hauntings and Spirits. Nothing good comes from a Grim Reaper who’s gone AWOL. Bartender Gabriel Aetos works as a Guardian Angel. He doesn’t take kindly to the fact that a Grim Reaper is slinking around his territory. His role is to protect people, while hers is to usher souls into death. To him, their very natures are at odds and his sudden attraction to Darcy won’t change that. This is very much a grumpy-meets-grumpy romance. Gabriel tries hard to keep Darcy at arm’s length and is open about his mistrust of her. Darcy’s standoffishness, though, is born out of her feelings of isolation and loneliness. Dealing in death has taken an obvious toll on her, and she’s traveling her own introspective path on what it means to be human. Darcy’s fragility is what slowly convinces Gabriel to get close to her, despite the heady yearning he keeps under wraps. However, both view their jobs as central to their existence, for better or worse. While Darcy is actively wondering what it would mean to break free of her Grim Reaper responsibilities, Gabriel has never seemed to ponder being anything other than a Guardian Angel. Borison’s romances—most recently And Now, Back to You (2026)—always strike an emotional chord, with deep-seated conflicts that tap into themes of identity, connection, and grief. This addition is truly the epitome of a Borison romance.
A lovely and moving romance that examines what it truly means to live.Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2026
ISBN: 9780063430464
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 6, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
The heartfelt soap appears to be Hannah’s chosen romance niche, and she mines it skillfully. (First printing of 125,000)
Hannah’s sequel to On Mystic Lake (1999) is yet another tear-jerker set in northwest Washington State.
Perfect mother Mikaela (“Mike”) Campbell takes a hard fall off a horse, hits her head, and sinks into a coma. In order to help bring her out of it, perfect husband-doctor Liam sits at her bedside and begins to talk to her about their life together. He brings her favorite music, scented potpourri, and, to place across her inert body, sweaters that may smell like home. He also tries to keep life as normal as possible for their two kids: Bret, nine years old, and Jacey, Mike’s teenaged daughter by her previous husband. Going through Mike’s closet to find a prom dress for Jacey, Liam stumbles on souvenirs of her first marriage and a picture of her ex—not just any old, anonymous first husband, but Julian True, a gorgeous superstar actor, the hero of women’s fantasies all over America. Liam has always known that he got Mikaela on the rebound; she was honest about the fact that he was not the love of her life. But she is the love of his life, and when she doesn't respond to the sound of his voice, he contacts Julian in hopes that the actor can save Mikaela. Julian travels up to Last Bend, a cutesy town founded by Liam’s larger-than-life father and filled with homey shops like the Emperor’s New Clothes store and Zeke’s Feed and Seed. When Mike finally comes out of unconsciousness and into her family’s emotional upheaval, she apologizes to Liam and bids goodbye to Julian. Yes, she’s discovered that it’s that gentle guy who stays with you through years of cramps and decorating the Christmas tree who defines what love really is.
The heartfelt soap appears to be Hannah’s chosen romance niche, and she mines it skillfully. (First printing of 125,000)Pub Date: April 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-609-60592-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2007
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