For Love or Loyalty

For Love or Loyalty 
Jennifer Hudson Taylor 
Abingdon Press
November 2013
Fiction, Historical, Romance 

Scotland to Carolina, 1760

One conquest could destroy her, but avenge his family.

Malcolm MacGregor vows to free his family and exact revenge against Duncan Campbell. When the opportunity arises, Malcolm decides to use Duncan’s daughter as the bargaining price. Lauren Campbell is the perfect answer, until she begins chipping away at the bitterness in Malcolm’s heart and changing everything. Her bold faith and forgiveness ignites guilt he would rather avoid and a love he doesn’t deserve.

Lauren Campbell never expected to discover such a caring and protective man behind the façade of Malcolm MacGregor’s fierce reputation. When they arrive in America, things turn against them, and Lauren finds herself in a fate worse than death. Now Malcolm has the dilemma of freeing the rest of his family or rescuing Lauren, but time is short and with little means, he needs a miracle.

This book started off rocky and confusing and I nearly put it down. I'm glad I didn't. Taylor introduced a number of characters as the very beginning that were very hard to follow. I actually thought I had stumbled into the middle of a series rather than the start of one. I stuck with it and the main characters quickly grew on me. 

Malcolm was a bit confusing as if he couldn't quite decide whether he was bad or good. Lauren is a sweetheart of a character that seemed to have emerged from a very dark place. I had to remind myself that things were very different back in the "ole days" because it seemed quite unbelievable that Lauren and Malcolm could just disappear as they did. 

The love story was believable and intriguing. It's one of those books where you feel like the writer has maybe written herself into a corner and you're just along for the ride. It was a good ride. While a bit amateur in writing and story development I did enjoy this one and would be willing to pick up another book from Taylor. 

My thanks to Abingdon Press for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my real and honest review. 

Before the Scarlet Dawn

Before the Scarlet Dawn
Rita Gerlach
Abingdon Press
February 2012
Romance, Fiction, Historical 



In 1775, Hayward Morgan, a young gentleman destined to inherit his father's estate in Derbyshire, England, captures the heart of the local vicar's daughter, Eliza Bloome. Her dark beauty and spirited ways are not enough to win him, due to her station in life.

I have to honestly say I found this book to be a little odd. You definitely don't end it feeling good, it's very open at the end which sets you up for the next book in the series. Eliza is an interesting character and I can't decide if the author was simply trying to capture the feel of the day or if Eliza was just...odd. Obviously a beauty in love with the husband she managed to snare she also manages to catch the eye of a local neighbor in the New World. When she learns her husband is dead in her grief she turns to her neighbor with devastating results. 


Scarred and abandoned Eliza is sent childless and husbandless back to England. It is there where the story ends leaving us hanging wondering if Eliza will ever reunite with her husband and her child and what will be come of her. 


As I mentioned, it's an odd book. However, it kept my attention and I will definitely read the next installment. It's a heavy book dealing with heavy subjects so be forewarned. 


Thanks to Abingdon Press and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this e-book in exchange for my honest review.