The Highlanders Excellent Adventure by Shana Galen

The Highlanders Excellent Adventure

by Shana Galen

★★★★★

It's another racing romance from the wonderful

Survivors Series. In this story, #8 of the series,

you get a rocking adventure with two couples! 

The Highlanders Excellent Adventure is filled with

 just that, adventure!  When your life isn't going as

you wish, sometimes you have limited ways to do 

something about it.  But if you're a smart, bold 

woman, you can take matters into your own hands. 

Ines and Emmeline do just that. They are each 

struggling to get their lives moving in the direction

they want. Separately, they take action. In the

process, they find themselves on an exciting trip

into Scotland. 

There is a lot of story in this book. I am a slow reader.

But I kept finding I had to read faster and faster to 

keep up with all the action. The bold women. The

crazy, brave men. A surprise dog. A friendly gunshot. 

A runaway carriage. The story is proof that love 

simply cannot be halted. 

Review by Lisa Hutson

First Comes Scandal by Julia Quinn

First Comes Scandal

by Julia Quinn

★★★★★

 

There you are, a young woman, just trying

to be nice, following the rules and the next thing

you know, you find yourself the center of 

an ugly scandal. 

There you are, a young man, going to medical

school, working hard, following the rules and the 

next thing you know, you find yourself being called

home to be included in the center of an ugly scandal. 

Georgiana Bridgerton and Nicholas Rokesby have 

been friends since childhood.

Their families are very close. 

These are the people that you hope can help

you out of an ugly scandal. 

But will they really help? Or only make things worse?

First Comes Scandal is a story from the Bridgerton family. 

Marriages that come with love are more typical. But it 

appears there are many ways to begin a loving marriage.

I always enjoy a Julia Quinn story. Especially when it 

comes from the wonderful Bridgertons. 

Review by Lisa Hutson

Christmas at the Castle - by Victoria Connelly - Audio Version

Christmas at the Castle

by Victoria Connelly

Audio Version

★★★★★

Christmas at the Castle is a wonderful little

Christmas story. I was really surprised at how

much story there was! For no longer than it is,

it kept going on and on. In a good way!

 

Victoria Connelly was a completely new author to me.

I loved the cover. I am a complete cover lover. I always

judge a book by its cover. Ms Connelly has written a

sweet story of family, during the holidays.

We often forget the important things at these times.

In this story, the characters help each other to

remember. Everyone ends up having a wonderful

vacation at the castle.

Jan Cramer is the narrator. I don't mean to gush.

I have no idea where she is from. But her

Scottish accent was so wonderful! Calming.

Easy to understand. Perfect for this story.

 I would have loved

to have the story go on longer just to listen to her.

 

I have gone on to another story from this author.

With Jan Cramer again narrating. Only this time,

it's a British accent! Typically, I struggle with them

in audio books. It's why I rarely listen to my much

loved historical romance. But her British accent is

also well done. Easy to listen to.

 

I got my copy from Amazon.com

Review by Lisa Hutson



Caught by the Scot by Karen Hawkins - Audible version

Caught by the Scot

by Karen Hawkins

Made to Marry Series, Book I

☆☆☆☆

I have to admit, it was the cover that sold me on this one.

I have read and liked Karen Hawkins before. But this one,

it was the cover and the Scottish accented narrator.

I am so glad to be able to put this audible clip on here.

 

 

 

 

 

Theodora & Conner have grown up knowing each other.

Theodora has long been in love with Conner. But he is a man after all.

They aren't always the most observant. He has been off living a

silly, wasteful life. Theodora is finally tired of waiting for him.

So she finds herself a predictable, kind man to marry.

Conners beloved sister has died and her only wish was for her

brothers to marry.  She wanted each of them to marry a good woman.

Conner knows he must follow his sisters final wish. But where

will he find such a woman willing to marry him in a short time?

Well, of course, it would be his old friend, Theodora. He likes

her. They get along well. She knows him so she would not have

high expectations. Perfect.

He goes to find her only to find out she has

run off to marry her predictable land owner.

Now, Conner has competition. Not only does another man

want to marry Theodora. But she has decided he is not worth

the certain heartache that would come with marrying him.

She has no intention of being Caught by the Scot.  

She does not want him.

 Conner isn't even sure what he would be willing to give up.

But Theodora is certain about what she is willing

to settle for. Can Conner get it all together before

it's too late? Can he convince her that he is serious?

Will Theodora be willing to take a chance on Conner?

 

The narrator is Gary Furlong. I hope you will enjoy the

audio clip above. You can make up your own mind.

 

I bought my copy from Audible.com

Review by Lisa Hutson

 



Susan's review of Katharine Ashe's The Pirate and I

The Pirate & I (A Novella)

Book 2.5 in the Devil’s Duke Series

Years ago, Miss Esme Astell fell hopelessly in love with Charles Brittle, an unassuming and highly respectable London bookmaker.
Then he disappeared without a word.
The last thing Esme ever dreamed was to meet Charlie again —
In a dark alleyway —
In a drenching rain —
In a chase with the police —
In Scotland.

Can she resist falling again, this time for the dangerous scoundrel he’s become?

"Good evening, Esme.”
Lips framed in whiskers barely moved as the words came from them like a husky growl. His beautiful eyes were two hard, cool pieces of flint.
‘I need your nose.”

Imagine looking towards your bedroom window and finding a handsome man from your past staring at you?
A man whom you were secretly in love with?
And he’s asking for your nose?


Katharine Ashe’s The Pirate and I is a fast-pace, suspenseful novella. Set in Scotland, the story is a continuation of the author’s The Devil’s Duke Series.

Esme Astell has worked at a perfume shop on Gracechurch Street in London for five years. Her efforts had increased the sales of the shop but, her employer would not increase her wages. One of her London clients appreciates Esme’s sensory abilities and arranges for her to attend a meeting of the Society of Perfumers, in Scotland. Esme spent a good portion of her savings to travel to Scotland in hopes that she would be offered an apprenticeship at an elite Paris perfume shop.

Esme encounters a criminal on her way home from the meeting. She is stunned to discover that the criminal is Charlie Brittle, who worked at the printing shop across from the perfume shop in London. Esme had been secretly in love with him for years and was devastated when Charlie disappeared from London and was presumed dead.

Charlie needs Esme to help him find a dog. He needs the dog in exchange for his freedom. Charlie has a plan to leave Scotland for America and he is determined to have his freedom. Ms. Ashe always sets the mood with her descriptive writing, and The Pirate & I is enhanced by the way she adds the sense of smell throughout the novel. I could imagine drinking black tea and eating oven fresh bread at the Hart and Rose pub with Charlie and Esme and smelling the perfume, candlewax and fabrics at the ball.

Katharine Ashe does a superb job balancing the romance and intrigue in this story. The romance between the couple is enchanting and the author’s lush, descriptive, sensual voice shines when the couple makes love. Charlie cherishes Esme and his feelings are conveyed in both his actions and words. Esme recognizes that Charlie has changed. She asks about his scars and burns and accepts Charlie as the man he has become, not the man she knew two years ago. The secondary characters of Pate and Rory added to the underlying feeling of suspense the author created throughout the novel. The conclusion had several surprising plot twists which surprised and delighted me!

Katharine Ashe’s novellas read as full length novels—the characters are well developed and there are several intricate plotlines. This is the perfect weekend read –especially for those of us who are looking forward to reading The Duke!

5 Stars!

★★★★★

Reviewed by Susan Gorman
ARC provided by the publisher

❤ MEET KATHARINE ❤

Katharine Ashe is the USA Today bestselling author of the acclaimed Devil’s Duke series, and eighteen other historical romances that reviewers call “intensely lush” and “sensationally intelligent.”  She is a two-time finalist for the prestigious RITA® Award of the Romance Writers of America — in 2014 for How to Marry a Highlander and in 2015 for My Lady, My Lord — and a three-time nominee in the Reviewers’ Choice Awards, including winner for Best Historical Romantic Adventure in 2012, and her novel How to Be a Proper Lady was an Amazon Editors’ Choice for the Ten Best Romances of the Year.  Her books have been recommended by Woman’s World Magazine, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, All About Romance, Booklist, Library Journal, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and many others, and translated into languages around the world. 

Katharine lives in the wonderfully warm Southeast with her husband, son, dog, and a garden she likes to call romantic rather than unkempt.  A professor of European history and pop culture, she writes fiction because she thinks modern readers deserve grand adventures and breathtaking sensuality too.  Her favorite thing is to meet readers in person, but she loves connecting with readers by mail and email and on social media too!

Follow Katharine at:

❤ Website ❤

Facebook ❤ Twitter ❤ Instagram ❤ Goodreads ❤ Pinterest

To Scotland with Love by Patience Griffin

To Scotland with Love

by Patience Griffin

Caitriona MacLeod left Gandiegow-home- a long time ago.

When she left, she cut herself off from there. Now she is

realizing that she cut herself off from her career, her family,

her past. Cait finds that the husband she left all that behind

for was not worth it. He is dead, she is humiliated.

Now, Cait is out of there.

She buys a cottage site unseen and

shows up in Gandiegow surprise her gran. However, Gran is

not so quick to welcome Cait back into the fold.

Can Cait find a way to fit back in here?

 Gandiegow is a magical small fishing village on the shore in

Scotland. Everyone there, knows everyone. There is a

quilting society as large as the fishing society. There is also a

handsome successful popular actor. Graham Buchanan is also

from Gandiegow. He loves being able to live here between movies.

The real life he gets to lead there is what keeps him sane.

Graham is sure that Cait will make the perfect wife for his son,

Duncan. Duncan has a wonderful son, Mattie. But should he

be matchmaking for his grown son? Should he let Duncan
find his own match?

I wont go into the story line. But it is a moving tale. Filled with

love and community. Where people look out for each other.

People lean on each other for strength and warmth.

Their faith is strong, obvious and bold. They depend on it

as well as each other. They diligently pass on tradition and

history. As I read the story, I could see this place. Having 

grown up in a small town, I remember the feelings. The 

comfort you get knowing that you are never alone. You will

not face your trials by yourself. You will feel like you are

falling into Gandiegow as you read along.
I loved this story. As I read, I worried for some. I was excited
and happy for others. Frustrated and wanted to scold some.
The town and the story is as true life as can be.
Find a comfortable place to sit and visit Gandiegow, you
will be glad that you did.

 I bought my copy of To Scotland with Love.
Review by Lisa Hutson   





Must Love Scotland -Highland Holidays BOOK 3 by Grace Burrowes

Read an excerpt here. 

What are the first three words that you think of when someone mentions the word Scotland?

For me, the words heather, whiskey and kilts come to mind; not necessarily in that order.

I am loving each one of the stories within the Highland Holiday series! Each novella is well- paced, entertaining and provides a slice -of -life look into the lives of the tight knit Cromarty clan, their friends and the guests visiting Dunroamin Cottage. The author's descriptive voice adds credibility to the storyline as the reader can imagine tasting the toffee pudding, smelling the flowers and listening to the music playing at the local pub. Must Love Scotland contains two charming novellas Love On The Links and My Heartthrob's In The Highlands. The novellas feature sisters Julie and Megan Leonard who travel to Scotland for different reasons. Recently divorced, Julie Leonard has travelled to Scotland to improve her golf game in an effort to be considered for a judgeship appointment. Megan is in the middle of securing a loan to expand her business when her sister calls and invites her to Scotland.

Grace Burrowes is a gifted storyteller who creates unique characters who are faced with every day career and family choices. She tells her character's stories with humor and compassion. In Love On The Links, Julie Leonard's self esteem has been shattered by her ex-husband 's infidelity. She is focused on pursuing a judgeship because it's the next logical step in her career path. Niall Cromarty is Julie's golf instructor. A former golf professional, he has plans to expand his golf course which his neighbor and former best friend , Declan MacPherson, strongly opposes. Declan is my favorite character in this series. His relationship with Niall is important because it provides a the backstory to the reader and connects each of the characters to the present day story. The kilt wearing, whiskey drinking farmer and his lamb steal many of the scenes in Love on the Links . I was pleased to see Declan as Megan's love interest in the second novella!!

Julie's sister Megan Leonard is the heroine in My Heartthrob's In The Highlands. Megan is focused on her career and has put her professional dreams ahead of her personal ones. This excerpt from Megan and Declan's story intrigued me and I preordered this book after reading it. The characters grabbed my attention. I had to know how the author brought the whiskey drinking farmer and the pragmatic business woman together. This couple had lots of chemistry and I enjoyed reading every single page of this novella!!

Loved the humor and compassion in both of the novellas. Julie's character resonated with me. She was faced with career and personal choices. Would she take a leap of faith and make a career change? I wondered what she would discover as she read through Declan's great, great granny's will. Would she be able to find some wording that would put an end to Niall and Declan's dispute? Megan has a few decisions to make as well. Will she stay in Scotland and enjoy her holiday or travel back to the States to start a second florist shop? And what happens to Wee Mary?

If you love Grace Burrowes historical novels, you will adore these two modern day stories set in the Scottish Highlands. Make yourself a cup of tea and enjoy!

Photo courtesy of Marian Johnson Your.

Reviewed by Susan Gorman

Book purchased by Susan Gorman

In Your Wildest Scottish Dreams---by Karen Ranney

In Your Wildest Scottish Dreams

Karen Ranney

In Your Wildest Scottish Dreams is a fabulous second chance romance novel. The author touches upon social and political issues in this story of passion, forgiveness and intrigue which takes place in Glasgow, Scotland in the 1860's.

The effects of the American Civil War reach across the Atlantic impacting the two main families of the novel. Lennox Cameron heads Cameron and Company, a successful boat building enterprise. Lennox's best friend and neighbor, Duncan MacIain owns MacIain Mills. Because of the Union blockade, there is a short supply of cotton, resulting in the near closing of the mill. It is rumored that Lennox's new ship, the steel-hulled Raven is being sold to the Confederate Army. The Raven is fast enough to run the Union blockade. As the ship nears completion, security at the ship yard increases because several unexplained accidents and fires have occurred. Can Lennox's Raven run the blockade and return to Scotland with cotton to keep his friend's business out of bankruptcy?

Glynis MacIain has returned home to Scotland after the death of her husband, British diplomat Richard Smythe. She attends a party honoring her neighbor William Cameron where she sees Lennox Cameron, William's son. Glynis left Scotland six years ago after a misunderstanding with Lennox.. Within a month, she met and married her husband. Seeing Lennox effects Glynis deeply. She regrets her impulsive decision to leave Scotland and wonders if Lennox still has feelings for her. There are unresolved feelings between the couple and the attraction between them sizzles off the pages.

Lennox Cameron resembled a prince and a devastating Highlander and he'd been the hero of most of her childhood dreams. No longer, however. Too much had happened in the intervening years

Karen Ranney has created a complex heroine and an honorable hero in this story. Lennox comments to Duncan that Glynis has changed. He mentions that she seems different and he is determined to find out why she is not herself. After spending several years as a diplomat's wife, Glynis has learned to mask her emotions, paint a smile on her face and side -step the truth. I loved seeing how this passionate pair interacted in the story. The author does a fabulous job telling what happened to Glynis during her marriage. The reader learns how and why Glynis' experiences shaped her personality and her choices. Lennox observes Glynis speaking to American Matthew Bauman and wonders how Glynis knows him? And how well does she know the man who many believe is a Union spy?

  

Each of the secondary characters in the book play an important part in the story. I loved Gavin Whittaker and his English wife Lucy. The couple planned to set sail on the Raven to bring goods to the Confederates and return with cotton for the mill. Lucy hated everything about Scotland, including her amorous husband! Matthew Bauman provides the reader with insight about the political scene in Washington ,D.C. as well as the background of Glynis and Richard Smythe. Richard is an excellent villain. His death occurred before Glynis returned home to Scotland. But, his presence is felt during the story as memories of him and his actions haunt Glynis.

The last few chapters of In Your Wildest Scottish Dreams were fabulous . The two well-written parallel storylines added to the suspense and romance. Glynis and Lennox's passionate love story captivated me. I wanted to figure out who was behind the mischief at the boatyard and who was behind the espionage. There were several surprising plot twists in the final few pages of the novel. I  LOVED the ending!

I am looking forward to the next book in the series! 

Reviewed by Susan Gorman This review was published on January 24, 2015 on freshficton.com. You can read the review here.

Kiss and Tell by Grace Burrowes ~~~~ A Sweetest Kiss Novella

Divorce is a messy business. It's often a battlefield. Formerly  happily married spouses are at odds with each other, family secrets are exposed, emotions run high with discussions over custody issues and money. Family and friends are expected to choose sides. Holidays become tense, scheduled events. Choosing the right lawyer can make a huge difference in determining and finalizing the settlements in one's favor. Kiss and Tell features two lawyers who specialize in family law and is the first novel in Grace Burrowes contemporary series set in Damson Valley, Maryland.

Grace Burrowes delivers an outstanding  story in this 89-page novella. It's an honest, compelling look at marriage, relationships and family law set in a small town. The opening paragraphs in Kiss and Tell are superbly written. The reader is immediately drawn into the story as Dorie Almquist describes her version of what's wrong with her marriage to her attorney Dunstan Cromarty. Her story is full of anger, frustration and hurt;  feelings that anyone who has been in a long-term relationship can relate to. Dorie refuses to consider Cromarty's suggestion of counseling or mediation.

'What will this divorce cost me?" Is the first question that Calvin Almquist asks his attorney Jane DeLuca. Calvin is a busy accountant, too career focused to see that his 17 year marriage is disintegrating.  He doesn't understand that divorce will cost him his wife, family and his savings. Calvin can't sort out what happened to his marriage . He refuses Jane's offer to seek outside guidance.

Jane used the law library because people frequented the place. People who might pass the time of day with her, or needed a hint where the Atlantic Second Reporters were shelved. People who made quiet, comforting people -friendly noises without troubling her. She'd have to find somewhere new to work that didn't leave her open to attacks from Highland shoe pirates.

Give me my shoe.

He hesitated a single instant before passing over the shoe, the smile becoming a damned dimple in his left cheek.

The excerpt sums up the first meeting between Jane DeLuca and Dunstan Cromarty, the opposing counsels in the Almquist case. I loved how they were trying to figure out each other's strategies. The back and forth banter between Jane and Dunstan made me smile and I enjoyed how they tested each other and sparred to determine each other's weaknesses.

Dunstan and Jane agree to meet at a monthly bar luncheon to discuss their case. They leave and walk to a local restaurant. They shared a delicious meal, had great conversation and most of all, enjoyed each other's company. Dunstan is amused by Jane's fondness for bread and her large bag which serves as briefcase, purse and gym bag. Jane finds Dunstan charming and sweet and wonders if his stern behavior is an act. By the end of the lunch, it's apparent that the couple is attracted to each other. But, both of them know that it would be unethical for them to act on their  feelings. 

This new book by Grace Burrowes contains all of the elements in her historical novels that readers have come to expect and enjoy. It's  told with honesty and a large dose of humor. The novel has a sexy, honorable hero in Dunstan Cromarty  and an intelligent attractive heroine in Jane DeLuca. This couple brings out the best in each other. What's not to like about a man who stocks his pantry with chocolate and scotch and talks to his cat? 

The couple has hard decisions to make about their personal and professional lives just as many readers do each day. Dunstan and Jane resonated with me and I wanted them to figure things out, go for it and have their happily ever after. I was surprised and pleased with their stories conclusion. There are several  secondary characters that I am looking forward to seeing in future books.  The novella is well-paced and the ending was perfectly satisfying.

Kiss and Tell is the perfect read for a cold, rainy afternoon. Enjoy the book with some chocolate  and a glass of wine ( or scotch ). .....   you will be glad that you did!

Reviewed by Susan Gorman

Photo by Normajean Dee

Normajean has loved photography and animals all her life.

She usually has her camera by her side.