Book Review! Changing the Earl's Mind by Kristen McLean

Changing the Earl's Mind (The Lords of Whitehall, #3) by Kristen McLean
Genre: Adult (Historical Romance)
Date Published: March 26, 2017
Publisher: Young Ink Press

A man who knows everything…

For nearly a decade, Drake Ramsey, the disciplined and logical Earl of Saint Brides, has been the driving force behind the Home Office; meeting with foreign leaders to negotiate treaties, spurring a lethargic Parliament into action, and directing a secret army of spies. The last thing he wants to find while taking a well-deserved vacation is a dangerous fugitive. Nevertheless, when he catches a beautiful murderess hiding in his hunting cabin, he has little choice but to bring her to justice, landing himself in a battle for control he could never hope to win.

…meets a woman determined to prove him wrong.

Marrying a stranger simply to gain access to her dowry and travel the world, admittedly, was the biggest mistake of Sarah Tindall’s life. In fact, she would readily admit to making several big mistakes. Killing her husband, however, is not one of them. When a starchy lord takes it upon himself to bring her to a London prison, she is determined to escape him and prove her innocence, yet every attempt ends with her back in her handsome captor’s arms. Even if her innocence is proven, his forbidden and passionate kisses leave her uncertain if escape was ever an option. 

Changing the Earl's Mind is the third book in The Lord's of Whitehall series by Kristen McLean. Drake prefers to keep to himself. He's reserved, works hard, and grumpy. Sarah is loud, brave, and wants to travel the world. When they meet, they clash immediately. These two opposites, were so funny as they argued and fought. Sarah kept trying to escape him, only to get caught by him. These moments were fun. I loved watching Mr Gumpy Pants be put in situations with her where he felt all awkward and out of his element. I liked him quite a bit actually. He's some nice book boyfriend material. I think he may be my favorite of the Lords of Whitehall so far too. Some mystery, murder, and twists added to the romance gave me a story that was very hard to put down.

The ARC of Changing the Earl's Mind by Kristen McLean was kindly provided to me by http://indiesage.com  for review. The opinions are my own.

Have you read the other books in this series yet?

Kristen has always had a love of novels, with a special place in her heart for historical romance. After reading enough of them to fill a rather impressive library, she decided to write her own. Now she has the pleasure of writing at home, tucked away in a forest with her husband, two children and her cat. Her husband is loving and impressively patient, her two beautiful children strive to embarrass and exhaust her, and her cat hates everyone, but tolerates—well, she tolerates whoever will feed her. Check out my interview with the author!

To learn more about Kristen McLean and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.

Book Review of To Win a Scoundrel's Heart by Kristen McLean

To Win a Scoundrel's Heart (The Lords of Whitehall #2) by Kristen McLean
Genre: Adult (Historical Romance)
Date Published: July 19, 2016
Publisher: Young Ink Press

When her husband’s death is ruled a suicide, Lady Dumonte suspects foul play. However, finding the truth seems impossible after every investigator in Paris turns up empty-handed. Now she is forced to seek help from Lord Pembridge, a feckless libertine. 

Although the pain of loss is a constant reminder of why she must hide her heart, this carefree scoundrel threatens to break past her defenses. He could uncover the truth regarding her husband’s death, but is learning the truth worth risking her heart?

Lord Pembridge has wealth, angelic good looks, and a sunny disposition. None would guess the dark secret blackening his past or the grudge controlling his future. It was the reason he could never have a family of his own, a fate he had accepted until he was forced to play detective for the one woman who could tempt him. 

To Win a Scoundrel's Heart by Kristen McLean is the second book in The Lords of Whitehall Series. I love love/hate relationships. You can always feel the tension, and it makes the time fly by. Plus, Nick just loves to bust Celeste's chops, and she falls for it every time. She's pretty prim and proper and a touch naive, although not in the usual way. I'm a little confused about her husband's past involvements. I'm assuming he was a shady character, but I never saw her come to that realization in the book. So, it made me question if I had read something wrong. Nick and Celeste were entertaining. Their story was a fun one. Along with the romance, it had humor, mystery, and suspense. I'm enjoying this series quite a bit.

The ARC of To Win a Scoundrel's Heart by Kristen McLean was kindly provided to me by Tasty Book Tours for review. The opinions are my own.

“You, m’dear girl,” he murmured, “are old enough to know better than to tempt a scoundrel.” “I know what I am doing,” she spouted back indignantly. “I am not a child.” “No,” he agreed easily. “You are certainly not a child.” “Then I would expect you not to treat me like one.” Her eyes flashed, giving him a teasing glimpse of passion. Lady Dumonte possessed passion? Another surprise. “Of course not.” He frowned in mock seriousness. “How should I treat you? As a lady or a mistress?” “As a woman,” she ground out. “I am a woman!” Her lips pursed together as she glared up at him. He smiled broadly; he couldn’t help himself. “Ah, yes,” he agreed, looking her over as though he had only just noticed. “I believe you are.” She took in a deep breath, pushing her breasts against the tight fabric of her bodice. His cock jumped to attention. “I was wrong about not liking you. I hate you!” “And yet,” he mused with a knit brow, “you throw yourself at me like all the others. You are either in denial of your overwhelming attraction to me or a glutton for punishment. For my own complacency, I choose the former.” Céleste shook her head slowly, her eyes narrowed and seething with anger. “Regardless,” he continued frankly at his own peril, “you had better run along, or you may find your offer accepted, and we both know you never expected that. Your bluff has been called, Lady Dumonte. Go on home like a good girl.” “I never bluff.” “Never say never, m’dear,” he murmured with a purposefully wicked smile.

Have you read the other books in this series yet?

Kristen has always had a love of novels, with a special place in her heart for historical romance. After reading enough of them to fill a rather impressive library, she decided to write her own. Now she has the pleasure of writing at home, tucked away in a forest with her husband, two children and her cat. Her husband is loving and impressively patient, her two beautiful children strive to embarrass and exhaust her, and her cat hates everyone, but tolerates—well, she tolerates whoever will feed her.

To learn more about Kristen McLean and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.

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Book Review of Behind the Marques's Mask by Kristen McLean, Plus an Interview with the Author

Behind the Marquess's Mask (The Lords of Whitehall, #1) by Kristen McLean
Genre: Adult (Historical Romance)
Date Published: April 30, 2016
Publisher: Young Ink Press

Even the mask of an expert spy is no defense against his own heart.

With a reputation as dark as his appearance, Greydon Sharpe, the Marquess of Ainsley, ought to have been the last agent assigned to the daughter of a well-respected Member of Parliament. However, when she is brutally attacked and left for dead, it becomes clear he is the only one with the skills to keep her alive. All it will take are a few lies to keep her breathing long enough to capture the villain. Then he can send her on her way. If she would only behave herself, he might be able to complete his mission before she turns his contentedly miserable life into a chaotic mess.

Marriage is not an option … until it is. 

Lady Kathryn Bryant, the adventure-seeking socialite, has no plans to behave. Kathryn would much rather spend her time in subterfuge, nabbing villains and finding clues. However, when her memory is lost in an attack, she has little choice but to trust the handsome Marquess. Though she is almost certain he is hiding something, she is helpless against his disarming smile and warm touch. Eventually, his lies will come to the surface, leaving only one question: Is England’s deadliest spy equipped to save a broken heart? 

Behind the Marquess' Mask is the first book in The Lords of Whitehall series by Kristen McLean.. There were many characters, and I suspected many of them as being the antagonist at one point or another through the book. I think Grey and Kathryn make a great pair. She loves adventure, and doesn't want just the life of a  house wife. Grey's life is one big adventure. Their personalities clash in a big way, but their arguments sure were fun to read. I love how Grey says things just to irritate Kate. She takes the bait every time. This book gave us a little suspense and mystery with our historical romance, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

The ARC of Behind the Marquess's Mask by Kristen McLean was kindly provided to me by Tasty Book Tours for review. The opinions are my own.

Grey didn’t bat an eyelash as he stared down the barrel twenty feet ahead of him. Surely, Bexley couldn’t be that good of a shot. The man’s hand shook something awful. Perhaps he might get an arm or even a shoulder at this range if he were lucky. There was only a small chance he would get a fatal shot off. Still, there was a chance, and the last thing Kathryn needed was someone else shot and killed in front of her.
“Kathryn, you need to leave,” Grey ordered softly.
“Absolutely not!” she protested.
“Kathryn,” Grey said patiently with a slight tremble. “For once in your life, listen to me.”
For the first time in a long time, he had no desire to die, but if he did die, he could not allow her to witness it.
“No!” Kathryn spat out defiantly, stepping out into the middle of the room between the two adversaries.
Grey blanched of all color as he stared at her, crippled with fear before torrid fury took over.
“Kathryn, what the bloody hell do you think you are doing?”
Kathryn frowned at him as if she was the one who ought to be angry. Then she turned to face Bexley, who looked more than a little annoyed.
The voice of reason piped up from behind Grey.
“Kathryn, you really should not see this,” Nick advised.
“I am not leaving.” Her simple, quiet refusal only seemed to unnerve Bexley, who was still aiming straight at Grey’s heart, the heart Kathryn was standing in front of.
“You don’t want me to waste my bullet on you, now, do you?” Bexley spat out as his hand flexed over the gun anxiously. “Move aside!” Bexley stomped his foot to emphasize his point, and a small explosion rent the air.

What inspired you to write Behind the Marquess's Mask?
At my lowest, a good book never failed to lift me up, so I decided to give something back. I was especially fond of suspenseful historical romances, and spies, and things of that nature, so when I finally started writing it's no wonder what came out was a spy novel with torture, murder, and revenge.

What was the weirdest thing you had to google while doing research?
I had to google a lot about espionage, drugs, guns, knives, and the UK government. If anyone is being profiled for suspicious internet activity, it's me.

Which of your characters do you relate to most and why?
I relate to Grey the most, I think, because I'm not outwardly emotional. I keep things in. In fact, it took years for my husband to get me to talk about my feelings, and still I'm reluctant. 

What is a secret about you that nobody else knows?
Sometimes when I'm making dinner I waltz around the kitchen, usually while holding a glass of wine.

What is the best piece of writing advice you ever received?
The best advice for writing I have ever had was to just do it, even when it doesn't seem like there's any inspiration. Some of my favorite scenes were created when I thought I had nothing to write.

If you could hop into the life of any fictional character, who would it be and why?
This usually changes based on what I happen to be reading, which at the moment is Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton series. I would love to be a Bridgerton, because they're so funny, and sarcastic, and interesting. 

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?
That I could write! I rewrote Behind the Marquess's Mask five or six times before I had figured out how to write a decent story, and I'm still learning.

Have you read the other books in this series yet?

Kristen has always had a love of novels, with a special place in her heart for historical romance. After reading enough of them to fill a rather impressive library, she decided to write her own. Now she has the pleasure of writing at home, tucked away in a forest with her husband, two children and her cat. Her husband is loving and impressively patient, her two beautiful children strive to embarrass and exhaust her, and her cat hates everyone, but tolerates—well, she tolerates whoever will feed her.

To learn more about Kristen McLean and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.

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