Loved it! This book surprised me. I have pretty high standards for books taking place in the midst of the Peninsular Wars. I love the 'following the drum' stories and stories where there is a class difference between the hero and the heroine. This one is one of those rare ones where the hero is of a lower class than the heroine. The story was not one of those where all the action happens in a week. It plays out over time which adds to the believability of the H/h's feelings. The only thing really that could have been better was a little more description of physical things to help set the scene. I'll be reading more of this author. ( )

I picked up this last year, when Kobo had offered selected Carina Press titles for 0.99. For a number of reasons, I didn't get around to read it until now. This book is on many levels a complex story about survival and second changes. The characters suffers through the whole novel. Even when they are in camp, there is some sort of trouble. The plot is gripping, and with unexpected plottwists. But what I really loved with this book is the settings. I love how the setting is described in a blunt honest way. The dangers with being on the trail, in enemy land, isn't hidden. But, despite the plotting, and setting which is good I felt that the characters were lacking. Oh, they weren't bad. They were flawed, but I didn't feel that they grew. Or maybe it was there and I didn't discover it.

( )

It took me a few chapters to re-orient myself to this world and realize that I was glad Sebastian was dead for more reasons than the obvious. So glad Anna got her HEA, Will is a darling. ( )

I really loved this story of how, during the Peninsular Wars in Spain, a corporal under Wellington becomes friends with the wife of an officer in his regiment. It is an unhappy marriage, her husband is awful to her and he gets what he deserves before long. A widow now, she and the corporal develop a closeness, though forbidden. After he rescues her from captivity from a mad French general, they spend four night's together on the road alone and ... well, they can no longer deny the attraction that's been brewing between them. But when they return to the army camp, they must act as if nothing happened. How can these two who have fallen in love be together when society forbids an enlisted man to marry the widow of an officer? It's just not done. Their growing love for one another and the moments they share together before the inevitable parting were both wonderful and bittersweet. My heart went out to them. This is a tender love story that was hard to put down for I had to see how it ended. Will they be reunited or not? This romance was a nice surprise and I will definitely read more by this author. It wasn't until after I finished it, I realized this is the 2nd book in the series. Oh well... I'll have to get to the first book now - pronto! ( )

I haven't grown up reading romance novels so the genre is pretty new to me, but I've discovered I do enjoy historical romances.  This one came on holiday with me and was kind of the perfect thing to read while on deck of the cruise -- super fun but enough meaty history and plot to keep me engaged.  

The sexy bits were fun and I especially loved the ending.  In fact, I wish more of the novel focused on the people and plot of the end of the novel rather than the off-putting (to me) plot twist in the middle.  (I don't mean to be so vague but I don't want to spoil the story for anyone!)  I'm told the plot twist is a common romance novel convention and as a result I can't be too unhappy about it, but I found it went on longer than I would have liked. 

Fraser's next novel is about the heroine's brother, flashing back to his courtship with his wife.  I'm especially looking forward to that as these characters -- like all of Fraser's side characters -- were interesting and fleshed out.  I cared about them and I'm thrilled to see at least two are getting their own story.  ( )