Nichole Van

“Ye are woven into the very fabric of my soul.”

Ahh, my heart is so full! This book! A Tartan Love will rip your heart out & then in an achingly beautiful way, weave it back together. Nichole Van delivers a powerful, tender, heart-rendering, second chance romance that’s unforgettable. If you’re looking for a major book hangover, this is it.

Tavish & Isla were born to be enemies. For six generations, their families have carried on a bitter feud. When they meet at their mothers’ graves show more as teenagers, a forbidden friendship blossoms into love & a secret marriage. But, when Isla’s older brother catches them kissing, their lives are destroyed.

Lady Isla Kinsey was devastated when Tavish left & joined the military. In the years he’s been gone, she’s discovered herself & found comfort & purpose in taking charge of Malton Hill, the inheritance she’s to receive from her mother. Determined to move on with her life after her reckless marriage to Tavish, she needs to find a way to divorce him so she can find a gentleman who’ll ensure Malton Hill remains in her control. When Tavish returns, her carefully laid plans threaten to incinerate at the very sight of him.

After seven long years of no contact, Captain Tavish Balfour returns from Waterloo a respected Rifleman determined to dissolve his marriage & move on. But, despite the years, pains, & longing, seeing each other awakens all the old feelings. Will they be able to walk away from each other a second time?

Loved, loved, loved this book! Make sure to set aside a whole day, because once you start reading, you won’t be able to put it down. The ache, tenderness, & throbbing emotion exudes from each page. The pull between Tavish & Isla is undeniable & Nichole Van really puts them through the wringer at every turn. It’s an epic, soul deep love that just can’t be denied & I loved all the sizzling moments between them.

The villain in this story is one you love to hate & complicates things every chance he gets. If there’s a way to redeem him this author will find a way. But, it’s going to be a while before I can look past what he did.

Highest recommendations for this closed door Scottish romance! I received an advanced copy from the author, but also purchased a copy through Kindle Unlimited. All opinions are my own & provided voluntarily. show less

Wowza! If you adored Tristan & Isolde as much as I did in A Heart Sufficient, then you definitely need A Heart Devoted! I loved seeing the continuation of their story with all the romance, passion, wit, & Silver Fox goodness. As Tristan & Isolde are navigating their new roles as a couple, they face some daunting challenges & a mystery to solve.

When Queen Victoria summons them to London, Tristan & Isolde must put their lovely plans on hold & return. They arrive at their London home shocked to show more find Tristan’s detestable cousin & his wife installed there & his secretary missing. Tristan also finds himself having to host the upstart couple to protect Izzy’s status & reputation. But, where is his secretary, Ledger?

Isolde never wanted to be the center of Society, but falling in love with Tristan puts her right in the middle of it. Her unconventional education, previous scandals, & jealous peers make navigating this new position difficult. But, Izzy’s determined to do it even if her number one enemy is beneath her roof.

Ahhh, this story was impossible to put down! I relished reading every page. Tristan’s & Isolde’s relationship continues to grow & flourish & I loved seeing them as a united couple. As in the previous book, Tristan struggles between being the cold, austere Duke of Kendall & the loving, open Tristan. As he tries to find new purpose, I enjoyed seeing him become a bit of a detective & embrace his softer side. Tristan has a knack for solving mysteries & I’d absolutely love seeing his & Izzy’s story continue as a detective series!

Izzy’s just adorable & I really felt for her as she endures the cattiness of the ton. She wants so desperately to prove to Tristan she can handle things on her own & I loved the clever ways she & Tristan’s sister Lady Allegra outwit her nemesis.

The romance is absolutely delicious. While everything is kept firmly closed door, the tenderness, teasing, & sweetness is on display throughout. It was also so fun seeing characters from previous books.

Absolutely a must read!! Definitely recommend reading A Heart Sufficient before reading A Heart Devoted to avoid spoilers. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the author. All opinions are my own & voluntarily provided. show less

Dear Nichole,

Holy. Coo. This book has left me utterly paralyzed for any other. I haven’t any desire to read anything, or even think of another love story, because I am wholly obsessed with this one. My feelings about this book are akin to Tristan with his unholy obsessions—I want only to talk about and think about and read again this book and only this book.

You know what isn’t cool? Having this book on my ARC list in the middle of half a dozen other ARCs I must also read. It’s show more almost a cruel injustice to all other books, because Tristan and Isolde shine so brightly as to outshine all others.

I’ll get over it.

Perhaps.

Though perhaps I don’t want to get over it.

Because riding the high of Isolde and Tristan is a euphoric, delightsome experience.

I love Isolde. I love Tristan. I love how Allie pushes Tristan. I love how Isolde pushes Tristan. I love how his conscience pushes him. I love how life circumstances force him to rethink everything he was sure of. I love how bright and loving Isolde is. I love how fiercely and deeply Tristan feels. I love the family relationships Isolde has (and seeing a couple of the Brothers from the Black Tartan books is so good for my soul). I love how Tristan learns to see the family relationships he has. I love the ice house scene. I love the ballroom scene. I love the scene in the library, Isolde on Tristan’s favorite chair. I love the carriage ride (good for you, Isolde!). I love the island. Oh my heavens, do I love the island! I love love love Isolde’s choice in the inn.

Essentially: I. Love. Everything. About. This. Book.

And I feel somewhat bereft that the book is over and my life must somehow go on. Even weeks later, I still find myself yearning for the tug and pull that is the relationship between Tristan and Isolde. I suppose it is a good thing books do not have to be singular experiences, for I know I will need these characters for a lifetime.

I was already a devoted, forever fan. But somehow that devotion has deepened, strengthened, with Tristan and Isolde. This book is sunshine and wind, the full moon and smallest star, the largest ocean and every single drop of rain. The oxygen I need and the sweet air I want.

I love it with all my soul.

All my love,
Jessica

**many thanks to the author for the copy. A positive review was neither requested nor required. All thoughts are my own. show less

“Though they seem like opposite ends of a long spectrum, love and hate reside quite closely to one another.”

Oh my! How to express my feelings on this magnus opus of redemption stories? It’s brilliant! I knew underneath the prematurely white haired, austere Duke of Kendall there was a tender heart just waiting to be unfurled and wow did Nichole Van deliver one heart palpitating, swoon worthy story. It was everything I hoped for and more. Lady Isolde Langston is his match in every way show more and she really gives him a run for his money. It’s a witty, enthralling, enemies to lovers, he falls first, wounded hero, redemption story that’s impossible to put down.

Tristan Gilbert, Duke of Kendall knew the minute the spritely Lady Isolde covered his eyes at the garden party he was lost. But, what to do when she’s the daughter of his bitter rival. He’s immediately besotted with her, but hates himself because of it. He must disdain her even though he desperately wants her. Lady Isolde Langston feels that spark between them, but with the Duke’s bitter prosecution of her father, that’s entirely her fault, she has no choice but to hate him and torment him at every turn.

Whenever these two are together, you can feel that crackling tension just under the surface. I won’t say what happens, but these two are forced together and forced to rely on one another and that’s when everything changes. As much as they hate each other, they equally love and once Tristan shares his feelings along with his troubled childhood and past, he finds a compassionate, supportive companion in Izzy. This wounded, abused man turns his lust for power and vengeance into a beautiful love that was so worth waiting for.

Isolde is just as amazing. I loved her intelligent, impetuous, sunshiny personality. Her loyalty is admirable and I loved the way she quickly expresses that loyalty to Tristan when she needs to. I loved her willingness to forgive even when I wondered if she would.

This story is so amazing. I have to admit I teared up a little at the end because I was so sad to see the series end. It was a beautiful ending to a fantastic series. You just need to read it. But, be sure to read all the previous books in the series first. This can be read as a standalone, but will be even more meaningful if you’ve read the previous books. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the author. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided. show less