Eva Scott

Red Dust Runaway by Eva Scott

Romance down under – Young Adult – Musicians but complete opposites make a road trip that changes their lives forever.

Burnt out Christopher Edwards has had it on the road being lead singer of Steel Cutt so he makes drastic changes that lead to him being on the road with the support crew and THE non the road with a classical violinist who has also made a break from the future plotted for her by her father. The two have fun together seeing sights in Australia and take the reader with them. The main glitch is that Kris opts not to come clean with Iris about who he is and it sneaks up and bites him in the tooshie and that leads to a major break-up that only his bestie, Mick, can fix.

This was a feel-good, fun, road trip that was taken by two twenty year olds with music backgrounds that have something to share with and learn from the person they are traveling with. It was fun for both…until it became dicey. It was well written and perfect for the age group it (I believe) is intended for. I tend to stay clear of NA and YA books so…am giving it a 3 from me though am sure others who read this genre might rate it higher.

Thank you to NetGalley and Escape Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3 Stars… (more)

The Barbarian Bride be Eva Scott is a 2014 Escape publication. I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

On the day of her wedding, Klara takes a stroll to get away for a little time alone after being surrounded by drunken wedding guest. She encounters a Roman named Lucius and they tussle over some beads. In order for Klara to get the beads away from him she must kiss him. The silly little kiss turns into a very serious kiss. After the wedding vows are exchanged Klara's new husband passes out cold. She finds him murdered in his sleep and gets a slight glimpse of the killer. She recognizes the coat the man was wearing and is positive it was the Roman she had kissed. Now there is is a price on Lucius's head and Klara aims to kill him before anyone else can do it.
Klara soon finds that Lucius was not guilty of killing her husband. Now she can explore the feelings she had towards him when they kissed. But, things don't turn out like she planned. Before long, the two of them are running away together, then get separated and Klara winds up being sold to a gladiator school. Lucius and his sister scheme to find a way to free Klara, but the more they scheme the worse matters become. Will Lucius and Klara ever find a way to be together?
I really enjoyed this book because of the different historical setting. Rome is not often a location historical romances are set in. This locale opens up a plethora of possibilities. Ambition, pride, politics, manipulation and the laws of the country all work against Lucius and Klara. Klara is one tough lady inside and out. She must survive the tense coliseum competition in order to hopefully win her freedom. If she loses , she dies. That's one heck of a choice. Needless to say the tension mounts higher and higher as we hope against hope that Lucius will find a way to free Klara without having to bend to his father's will. Lucius finds his back up against a wall with very little wiggle room. His love for Klara is so great he is willing to sacrifice his chance at happiness and living the life he wishes to in order to free her from slavery. What a guy!
There are plot twist and shocking secrets, action, supsense, romance and terrific ending! Overall this one is an A or 4 stars.… (more)

I received a complimentary copy of this book as a part of a book tour in exchange for a fair and honest review. I rated it 4 out of 5 Stars.

Fans of historical romance set in ancient Rome have plenty to cheer about in Eva Scott’s Barbarian Bride, the newest addition to her Romancing the Romans series. Well developed characters, plenty of political intrigue and lively romance kept me turning the pages from start to finish. Filled with colorful descriptions of life during ancient times, Ms. Scott’s story is enjoyable and well worth reading.

Ms. Scott’s tale begins on the day that Klara, the daughter of Rigula, a powerful Hun tribal leader, is to be married to her childhood friend. While Klara has always known she would eventually have to get married, she dreads the loss of her independence. She could never have imagined how much her life would change due to her chance meeting with a mysterious Roman.

The son of a Roman senator, Lucius Arelius is determined to live life on his own terms and loves traveling throughout the empire. Earning a living as a tradesman gives him the opportunity to interact with all manner of people. He never imagined he’d fall in love with a Hun princess or find himself on the run due to a plot to overthrow her father.

The scenes between Klara and Lucius are fun, full of lively dialogue and simmering attraction. While they both know the timing is wrong; they’re drawn to each other and can’t ignore how they feel. Especially when they discover they are both targets as a result of a political power play. Ms. Scott does a good job developing both characters; both individually and as a couple. It’s clear they share a sense of adventure and independent spirits. Ms. Scott also does a good job developing the secondary characters in the story and I especially liked Klara’s dad, though he was narrow minded when it came to his thoughts on a woman’s place in the tribe.

When Klara and Lucius are separated and Klara ends up as a gladiatrix, they’ll both have to take risks to set her free. Will Klara survive her time as a gladiatrix and gain her freedom? Will Lucius be able to help her win her freedom? You’ll have to read Barbarian Bride to find out. I know I enjoyed it and look forward to the next book in the series. While this book is a part of a series, it can be read and enjoyed on its own… (more)