Page Princess: BORDERLAND LEGACY by Samantha Holt

Title: BORDERLAND LEGACY BOX SET

Author: Samantha Holt

Publisher: Samantha Holt

Publish Date: 02.04.2019

Category /Genre: Historical Romance

Recommended for: 18+ due to sexual content

Grammar/editing: B – a few errors

Received from: Samantha Holt (as a gifted copy)

Goodreads link: Borderland Legacy

Date completed: 02.09.2019

Description from the publisher:

All three bestselling books in one bargain boxset!

Meet the men of the borderlands – where nothing and no one will stand in their way of protecting the women they love.

Borderland Bride
Jake stumbles across a woman badly beaten and with no voice. But she brings along a whole host of trouble. That doesn't stop him from wondering if he could ever be worthy of a woman like her... but honor must prevail.
And he must give her to her brother.

Borderland Beauty
Lucy Montgomery loathes Dominic of Thornewall. She always has and always will. No marriage contract or his attempts to charm her will win her over.

Borderland Betrayal
Captain James has little time for women. At least until the captivating Ellise takes him into her bed for one night then vanishes...only to turn up on his castle doorstep. But what is she hiding?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was lucky enough to have already read the first two books in this series years ago. I re-read them to refresh my memory before moving onto the third and final book. I was so happy to return to Thornewall! Though each book would stand on their own, it is even better to read them all and in the order of release.

BORDERLAND BRIDE:

On the night of her betrothal, Lady Isabel has run away from an arranged marriage in which she was betrothed to a sadist. She is intent on forging her own destiny, perhaps a lady's maid in Scotland. Unfortunately, during her journey north, she is ambushed by a gang of men intent on stealing her jewels. When she fights back, they beat her and leave her for dead. Jake chases off the gang and is surprised to find a noble lady alone and near death on his brother's lands. From the beginning, she captures his heart, but will her secrets and his past prevent him from claiming her?

I loved the characters in this story. Lady Isabel is feisty, independent, and sweet. Jake's brother, Dominic, is flirtatious, intelligent, compassionate, and loyal to his brother and his people. Jake has been misjudged based on his size and has built an armor of protection around himself because of it. I have known young men like Jake. They grow tall at such a young age, that people expect them to act more the age they appear than the age they actually are. This makes them appear socially awkward, when society is actually the awkward factor. Luckily, Isabel sees the true Jake and does not make the common assumptions. He is a warrior, but inside he is still a teddy bear and his soft heart has fallen for her.

I enjoyed this lighter story. Think of it as éclair cake (my favorite dessert) after a satisfying, but heavy, meal of steak and baked potatoes. They're all delicious, but sometimes you just need a little fluffy dessert.

This was – at the time – the second book I had had the privilege of reading from Ms. Holt and I already absolutely loved her style. This book is reminiscent of the classic bodice-rippers of my youth with added humor and wit.

BORDERLAND BEAUTY:

After arranging the marriage of his older brother, Jake, to Isabel, Dominic embraces the idea of finding his own wife for the sake of his lands and to produce an heir. He plans feasts and activities for the Christmas season. One of the firsts to arrive in Thornewall is the Montgomery family and Dominic finds out there is a marriage contract signed by his parents to have him wed Lucy. Lucy was an ugly duckling. She was hurt by comments made by Dominic when he was a younger man and she knows of his rakish reputation, making it hard for her to trust the charming lord. Dominic is determined to show her that he is not pursuing her for sport. Can he turn her 'nay' to a 'yea?'

After reading Borderland Bride, I knew I wanted to read Dominic's HEA; I knew he deserved one. Feisty Lucy does not make anything easy for him, except for falling in love with her. She is smart, passionate, and beautiful, but she is also shy, a little socially awkward, and nursing the hurts of her past. Both Dominic's patience and his impatience work on her resistance, breaking her down until they can both be happy.

I absolutely loved this story and will continue reading all from Ms. Holt that I can grab up.

BORDERLAND BETRAYAL:

The third book in the Borderland Legacy is all about Dominic’s Captain of the Guard and best friend, James, stumbling upon and eventually laying claiming to a bewitching, mysterious, Hispanic beauty. They only need to be honest with one another, trust, and accept the fates.

I loved the twists and turns that brought them together and Ellise’s secrets that threatened to divide them. She is a strong woman in a world that expects women to be weak. Much of what she has been through, even a modern woman would have trouble being the awesome person that she is. Yet, she has a softness to her, too… a softness that James recognizes immediately.

BORDERLAND BETRAYAL is a strong finish to the series. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves historical romance.

Note: While I received this box set as a gifted copy via Booksprout, my opinions are my own and are given freely.

Borderland Legacy:

1. Borderland Bride

2. Borderland Beauty

3. Borderland Betrayal

Also from Samantha Holt:

· The Angel’s Assassin

· Buckle Down

· Christmas Seduction

· The Crimson Castle

· Eden’s Fire