Archive for the ‘Scottish’ Category

A SCOTTISH LOVE
Karen Ranney
ISBN:  978-0062027788 (Mass Market Paperback)
ISBN:  978-1617933288 (Hardback)
ASIN: B0053V714O (Kindle)
December 2011 (Mass Market Paperback)
December 2011 (Hardback)
December 2011 (Kindle)
AVON / Harper Collins / Harper Collins
Historical Romance / Scottish

Years ago, Shona Imrie and neighbor Gordon MacDermond were pretty much inseparable, but through some parental manipulation of realizing how prideful Shona was, she choose instead to marry an older man with the title of Earl. Gordon who had gone off to war, was back – now a lauded hero with a baronetcy and fortune earned through his own efforts; Shona was a widow facing disgrace and poverty after refusing to follow her heart those many years prior.    Her pride would not allow her to ask for help, neither from her brother, returned home a wounded hero; and especially not Gordon who would certainly gloat over her now penniless situation, and never know how much she still loved him body and soul.  Shona’s only option is to sell the family Castle to a wealthy American, but when accidents started to occur in the castle, Shona questioned whether they were of the human or ghost variety!

***   Now I know that there must be a requisite amount of angst in a romance, or danger, or misunderstanding to create a superlative romance.  However, as much as I am a huge fan of author Ranney; the angst that drove the bulk of this story might just have been a bit over the top even for me.

Ranney’s main characters, Shona and Gordon, were well suited to one another – they had after all been lovers before Shona’s stubbornness led her to make a disastrous life-changing decision of marrying an older man – no matter that he was kind to her – instead of fighting for love.  That being said, after a while Shona’s attitude and  pride-driven rudeness towards Gordon got to be ‘old’ and not at all enjoyable, all the while he was trying to be kind and neighborly towards a woman he had not only loved but considered a friend as well as lover.  The lady doth protest way too much!

Bottom line:  While Ms. Ranney’s prose is spot on as usual and she inserts a very nice mystery along with her story, it just didn’t make up for the boring and unenjoyable angst that seemed to overstay it’s welcome in A SCOTTISH LOVE.  This was rather a disappointment for me.

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com

THE KING’S MISTRESS
Sandy Blair
ASIN: B0057WU6TQ (Kindle)
July 26, 2011 (Kindle)
Samhain Publishing Ltd.
Historical Romance / Medieval

Scotland’s King Alexander has sent Britt MacKinnon, his captain of the guard, to fetch Greer Armstrong, his sovereigns’  favorite mistress to continue to appease his insatiable sexual appetite, which by rights he should be participating in with his queen so that Scotland would soon have a legal heir to the throne. But being the stalwart soldier he was, Britt found himself galloping across country toward a woman he never liked during the time she spent at the castle.

At the same time, Geneen, Greer’s identical twin sister, has just learned that Greer is pregnant with the heir to the throne. Understanding that if it were known, Greer and her child would be in danger from the queen, Geneen devises a plan to whisk Greer out of the country to Ireland where both she and her babe would be safe.  However, a knock on the door was about to foul up Geneen’s entire plan.

***  First of all this was a wonderful read where the author gave you a little bit of everything, fiction woven around actual historical events which is exactly the way I like it, served up with humor and sensualness during a time period when betrayals and murders were the normal everyday occurrence in trying to wrest power from one side to the other.

I loved how Ms. Blair crafted Geneen who was not at all like her pampered sister. Hardly, Geneen bore calluses on her hands from hard work, walked with purpose rather than floating on air as Greer did; and most of all, most people liked her.  Trying to step into Greer’s life to prove she was not pregnant with the king’s child was the one thing she had to do and prove Greer was NOT pregnant.  Then Geneen could leave court immediately and join her sister.

However, Britt MacKinnon was no fool and was immediately aware that Geneen/Greer  was not the same woman he’d avoided at the king’s castle.  She looked the same, but Britt never liked Greer but there was something about this ‘Greer’  that was definitely likeable!  Britt soon figured out that Geneen was an imposter and agreed with her that her sister and babe would be in danger if the truth were known.   Ms. Blair went ahead and gave these two a purpose to do their best in keeping that secret, especially after the king’s fatal accident.  Britt wanted nothing more than to protect and love Geneen, but he bore a terrible secret himself and while he wished he and Geneen could be together, the truth would only tear them apart.  [However, if I told you what it was it would spoil the story and I don’t give away spoilers!]

Bottom Line:  this is a phenomenal read that lovers of historical Scottish romances will love.  I highly recommend THE KING’S MISTRESS.

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwisandkritiques.com

HIGHLAND ARMS
Cathie Dunn
ASIN: B005E03J72 (Kindle)
July 20, 2011 (Kindle)
Wild Rose Press / English Tea Rose
Historical Romance / Scottish
E-Book

Catriona MacKenzie, due to her vile brothers lies, has been banished from her home in Edinburgh to her godmother’s estate at a remote manor in the Highlands. As her father ponder’s Cat’s future, Cat’s curiosity manages to land her straight into trouble and into the arms of a notorious Highlander who at the moment is tempting his own fate. Years earlier Rory worked behind the scenes of an ill-fated Jacobite rebellion, now Rory is working as a smuggler to raise arms and money for the cause.   However, when Catriona discovers and innocently exposes his plans Rory must decide whether his cause is worth losing the woman he has come to love.

***   It is almost strange after reading as many books as I do to run across similar plot lines (evil brothers) consecutively, and just when you think you couldn’t discover a more despicable sibling you come across another one more despicable than the last – her brother Angus.  Bad enough Catriona had been covering up Angus’ misdeeds all her life,  to keep her parents from being broken hearted, but for him to engineer her ruination – whew that took the cake!

Ms. Dunn did her research well, and sending Cat, who was brought up in Edinburgh to the Scottish Highlands was like sending a butterfly to the north pole.  One had to be tough to deal with the Highland elements where only the strong survive.  However, Ms. Dunn created Cat as a survivor  and what should have felt like isolation to the city bred Cat exposed her instead to a clean smelling and vibrant paradise. In fact it was her pure joy of exploring that landed her in the middle of Rory’s plans for the newest Jacobite uprising.

The romance was handled quite well as Rory, afraid to show Cat his feelings, knew that any involvement with him would be extremely dangerous for her. However, the worse danger was the behind the scene mechanisms of her vile brother that blended quite well with the story line which Dunn took and weaved into a terrific edge of the cliff surprise ending.

Bottom Line:  This was a wonderful Scottish Historical Romance that I truly enjoyed and devoured from the first to last page.  Those readers who enjoy this genre, or just a beautiful romance are sure to treasure HIGHLAND ARMS.

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com

THE BRIDE
Julie Garwood
Performed by Rosalyn Landor
ASIN: B002Z9LM0G (Unabridged Audio)
ISBN: 978-1410424464 (Lg Print HB)
ISBN-13: 978-0671670054 (Mass Market PB)
Nov 2009  (Unabridged Audio)
Mar 2010  (Lg Print HB)
Jul 1989  (Mass Market PB)
Brilliance Audio / Thorndike Press / Pocket
Historical Romance / Scottish

By edict of the king, fearsome Scottish laird Alec Kincaid must wed an English bride.  He made his choice after eavesdropping and seeing Jamie the feisty, outspoken, violet eyed beauty and youngest daughter of Baron Jamison.  Forced to marry, Alec’s arrogance felt he would at least enjoy taming the young lady.  However Jamie vowed to never surrender to her highlander husband’s barbaric ways.  Why he didn’t even carry a sword, but his kisses she admitted to herself, did do strange things to her body and her senses.

*** Anyone who has ever been a Historical Romance Scottish fan and who hasn’t read Julie Garwood’s  THE BRIDE is denying themselves the most enjoyable and totally engrossing pleasure of pure satisfaction (in this case listened to).  While the plot of having to marry for political reasons has been done hundreds of times Ms. Garwood made this premise a pure delight with the fashioning of her characters.   I really can’t tell you how many times I truly belly-laughed out loud!

Jamie had been brought up by Baron Jamison along with his other daughters with the exception that Jamie was not his by blood.  While not mistreated, her shoulders had been the one upon most  responsibility fell to.  Jamie ran the household, protected and took care of her older sisters.  The stable master, a wily old Scot had been her mentor and outside the walls had taught her fighting skills as well as Gaelic.  Jamie was an undeniably accomplished horsewoman as well as having other highly honed skills.   Jamie was in my estimation a wonderful heroine and I totally fell in love with her.  Along with all her other accomplishments, Garwood also gave her great depth with a sweet and loving heart, courage, and healing skills.

Alec was a terrific hero, who for all his bluster, was highly amused by the antics of his new wife.  Garwood endowed him with phenomenal fighting skills – with or without a sword – and a man of great patience.  Being married to Jamie – whose ceaseless questions both amused and frustrated him made for many of those laugh-out-loud moments I mentioned earlier.

THE BRIDE has everything I love in a book, love and romance, beautiful sensualness, and a villain to boot.   There are so many amusing and loving moments in this book that the pages and time simply flew by. I don’t want to give away any spoilers and take away the pure pleasure I had in THE BRIDE. Suffice it to say that it has become one of my top to-be-read-again-and-savored-keepers and should be read by all.

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com

THE BORDER CHRONICLES BOOK 5: THE BORDER VIXEN
Bertrice Small
ISBN:  978-0451231222 (Trade Paperback)
ASIN: B0044UHOQU (Kindle eBook)
October 5, 2010 (Trade Paperback)
October 5, 2010 (Kindle eBook)
Penguin Putnam/NAL Trade
Historical Romance/Scottish
Trade Paperback and eBook

At the age of seventeen, the heiress Margaret “Mad Maggie” Kerr is the last of laird Dugald Kerr’s grandchildren who would inherit the family fortune. Her eventual marriage to the right  man and to produce a son is paramount in keeping the Aisir nam Breug (a vital passage between England and Scotland) to be used only by travelers with  peaceful intent, in the Scottish Kerr family’s possession.  However, having spoiled Maggie all her life, Dugald has agreed to her demands that not just any man would do as husband material. Nay, the only man she would marry was one who could “outrun, outride, and outfight” her – only then would she be able to respect the man who would be her master. So far only one man Ewan Hay who has obsessed over Maggie for years has taken up the challenge and was beaten soundly and failed the test. Still smarting over his failure, Ewan tried to win King James V support. Instead the King sends his kinsman, Lord Fingal Stewart to marry the heiress with his blessing.  An order from the king was not to be ignored and Maggie must marry Fingal, who not only wins her tests but eventually wins Maggies heart!

***   Once more, I’ve finished a book and have that wonderful ahhhhhhh feeling.   Not surprising when it is authored by the incomparable Historical Romantic Fiction queen Bertrice Small.  Ms. Small is an amazing author whose historical research is top-notch not only weaving fictional characters in and around factual historical persons, but she always gives a bit of a history lesson (which I always love to follow up with) at the end of each book.  Her historical research just adds enormously to each and every book I’ve read by her and THE BORDER VIXEN not only offers a rollicking great tale of romance with two superb leads but her depth of research and descriptions allow the reader to be transported right back into that time period and experience all the highs and lows, the pageantry, the emotions and of course the marvelously described sensual encounters right along with the characters in the stories.

This sixteenth century romp features two leads with the tom boyish heroine Maggie offering up some delightful and amusing scenarios, and the ever patient and kind hero Fingal who often enough gives tit for tat in his response to Maggies frequent spoiled brat antics.  Along with some of the humorous bits, there are of course, the sinister evil people who would try to spoil what had turned into a blissful marriage for Fingal and Maggie.  There was Maggie’s Uncle Edward whose greed and jealousy tried many times to undermine their happiness, but the sinister Lord Ewan Hay was  far and away the villain who I was happy to see get exactly what was coming to him – not to sound blood thirsty but oh, it was a perfect end to a despicable human being!

By and large THE BORDER VIXEN was a marvelous, fast action and delightful read I highly recommend.

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com

THE DEVIL WEARS PLAID
Teresa Medeiros
ISBN-13: 978-1439157886 (Mass Market Paperback)
ASIN: B003LL3KOI (Kindle)
August 2010 (Mass Market Paperback)
August 2010 (Kindle)
Pocket Books/Pocket Star 
Historical Romance/Regency
Historical Romance/Scottish
Mass Market Paperback and eBook

Young Emmaline’s wedding day is rudely interrupted when a handsome Highlander, Jamie Sinclair and his men kidnap the bride. Lavish and expensive as it was, Emmaline was not as dismayed as she should have been, after all – she felt as if she was a sacrificial lamb anyhow and was marrying the wealthy and decrepit old earl as a means to pay off her father’s drinking debts.  As they sped through the countryside in order to escape the earl’s men Emmaline began to see that Jamie was not as bad a rogue as  she initially thought.  In fact, the more they began to learn of each other the more Emmaline was hoping Jamie might take advantageous and ravish her, only she began to see that he was more honorable than the Earl of Hepburn could ever be.

*** Ms. Medeiros has always been a go-to author for a guaranteed great historical read and with THE DEVIL WEARS PLAID she retains that status.  No, it is not the first time I’ve read this type of plot where the hero comes to kidnap a bride from marrying his enemy.  Probably won’t be the last either, but when Medeiros puts her spin to it, giving her characters more life and dimension then the reader becomes invested in the outcome and can’t put the book down, as was the case with THE DEVIL WEARS PLAID.

The ransom Jamie was asking for was not what one might think.  As it turns out the bride’s ransom price had more to do with an ages old feud and honor, rather than to enrich oneself.  Jamie himself was a complex character and in the end he had to wrestle his conscience in whether or not he could go through with releasing Emmaline, whose spirit and soul would be broken by what he knew was a horror of a human being, or to keep her for himself to love and cherish. Yes, this was one of those really terrific romances!

Emmaline was just about perfect, as the eldest daughter, she really would have sacrificed herself for the good of her family.  Medeiros gave Emmaline a wonderful wit and effusive spirit that Jamie easily recognized as they both tried to do the right thing Emmaline (for duty) and Jamie (for loyalty and honor).   The ending came out in a twist I never saw coming.  I was so enthralled with Jamie and Emmaline’s predicament the hints must have flew right over my head.

Bottom Line:  With the DEVIL WEARS PLAID you will get what you buy a book for – an extraordinary story by one of the most accomplished authors in the genre.

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com

THE MARRIAGE RING
Cathy Maxwell
ISBN: 9780061771927
February 23, 2010
AVON
Historical Romance/Regency/Scottish
Mass Market Paperback

Richard Lynsted is not a popular fellow.  Actually he’s a bit of a recluse spending all his time at his ledgers; but, while doing that he has channeled his families investments brilliantly over the years and made them all wealthy.  He knows that the woman who will one day wear his ring will be genteel, dainty, and well-bred.  This all but eliminates Grace MacEachin on all counts for she is a hellion of the first order.  Grace is an alluring, infuriating woman who should be nothing more than a passing temptation to an upstanding gentleman like Richard – if it weren’t for the fact that she’s trying to blackmail his father! Only Grace sees this as getting justice on the people who tore her family apart when she was a youngster.

At the age of twenty-nine, Richard has spent his life trying to get his father’s approval and Grace is looking for the same thing, so being a fair man a bargain is made for Richard to travel to Scotland with Grace to hear her father’s side of the story.  On the journey Richard and Grace discover many things together – including the fact that Richard is not quite as stuffy and stiff as she thought, but could be kind, gentle, fair, and a great kisser!

***   These two leads actually had much in common; both were looking for their parents approval and both felt their parents’ were innocent.  Grace wanted to make up for her blaming her father for all her mother’s heartache, until she began to believe his story of being set-up by Richard’s father and uncle.   Whereas, Richard just wanted to be noticed and appreciated by a father whom all his life seemed more in tune with his twin (Richard’s uncle) than Richard, his own son.   

While both leads were stubborn, their conversations and dialogs were amusing and the reader will derive quite a few chuckles here and there.  And while there were many poignant moments in the reading of the book which were very lovely, the attempts of someone trying to remove Grace from the picture were rather weak ploys in plotting and overwhelmingly obvious as to who the villain(s) were.    Additionally, the secondary villainous plot was also a given in the scene at the inn where  Richard first came to Grace’s rescue on their journey – although I loved the way the author let Richard take care of the “bully” which I thought was very inventive and loved the imagery the author invoked as the bully’s “just desserts were served”.

The overall pace of the book was adequate, but overall there were no real surprises in store for the reader.  This would be a nice easy read to while away the time on a beach, but I tend to like the can’t put it down books I normally expect from Ms. Maxwell.  This was cute, but I suggest a new reader not judge this author’s talent based on this example.

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com