Highlanders; never has a man looked sexier in a skirt. These bunch of heroes are just so damn sexy, I think it is the gorgeous accent, am I only the only one who swoons upon hearing a sexy Scottish burr whispering naughty little nothings in my ear? Or maybe it is the mystery of what exactly they are wearing under their kilts? Who knows, but I do know that I want to find my very own Highlander and ride him like a pony!
Anyway on to the book!
Gwyneth Carswell wants nothing more then to protect her son Rory, but when she makes the decision to save a man from an enemy clan her relatively peaceful life comes to an abrupt halt as she realizes that the man is not only a man from the enemy clan but also their Laird.
Oh Alasdair! What a completely PERFECT man! Not only has he got the Highlander thing working for him (as detailed above!) but he is also kind, considerate and great with children and animals (I am guessing the animals bit!) Gwyneth was one lucky lady.
As for Gwyneth...God but she annoyed me! At first I didn't mind her but as the book went on I couldn't stand her, she was so set against being with Alasdair, which at first I understood, but bloody hell what did the poor man have to do to her earn her trust!? Right to the end she used her son as an excuse to distance herself, which was a load of BS. Then she kept doing the ONE thing that is guranteed to annoy me more. She slept with him, said she would never do it again, 5 minutes later she is doing the naked Tango with him, and again declares she will never do it again, and then YET AGAIN, she is shagging him 10 minutes later!!! This happens repeatedly! In fact she annoyed me so much I began to lose respect for Alasdair for being in love with such a twit.
But, I did like this book, especially the beginning although I found it dragged a bit in the middle. Apart from the heroine annoying me it was a good read and gave me a fix of hunky Highlander!
Well, well. Lookie at what we have here! For your dose of the Highlander, UTC has brought to you, Vonda Sinclair! Vonda writes fierce historical romances about hot Highlanders, so today we'll be talking about her two books and more! For more information on Vonda, please check out her website here. She also has a fun Facebook page, so don't forget to check that out as well!
Welcome to UTC, Vonda! Let's talk about your road to publishing. My Fierce Highlander is your first book. Was it difficult to get published? How long did it take you to finish this book?
Thanks so much for allowing me to visit your blog today! Yes, My Fierce Highlander became published in a very roundabout way. Finishing the book took about seven or eight months. Getting it published took… longer. :) I sent out queries to agents seeking representation for the manuscript. One agent said she loved it and signed me. She spent over three years trying to sell the book to NY publishers. We got several requests, even a revision request. Editors said they loved it and that it was publishable quality, but they simply couldn't publish it right now for various reasons. Move forward a few years and, with the proliferation of Kindles, Nooks and other ereaders, and Amazon's and B&N's brilliant idea of letting authors publish their own books, I took the plunge. The book is selling well and I have a second book in the series out, My Wild Highlander.
What would you say is the best quality about Laird Alasdair MacGrath? What is his worst quality?
Alasdair is honor personified. Most everyone around him looks up to him with respect and admiration. He's a fierce, skilled warrior when necessary, but he also has a heart of gold with a lot of compassion and love to share. His worst quality is probably that he wants to believe people are basically good (like he is) but he finds out the hard way this isn't the case. So in that way perhaps he is too trusting at times. But he's also highly intelligent and quickly figures out people never change.
My Fierce Highlander has lots of historical details in it. How much research went into this book? Have you ever visited Scotland?
Yes, I've visited Scotland three times. It's my absolute favorite place to visit or go on vacation. You can't sunbathe on any of the chilly beaches or swim in the ocean (although I'm sure some tough and brave people do), but it is an amazing place. I love visiting castles, exploring abandoned castle ruins or prehistoric sites. The scenery and views are simply breathtaking, and the weather is always unpredictable. Exploring Scotland has allowed me to put much more realism into my books. The only way to accurately describe the violence of a gale, the atmospheric dampness of a moor, or the smell of peat smoke is to experience it first.
Alasdair's rakish younger brother Lachlan has his own book called, My Wild Highlander. What can we expect from the second book?
You can expect to catch him doing his favorite thing… seducing the ladies. LOL But that doesn't last long. Once he meets Angelique, the woman the king wants him to marry, Lachlan realizes he could be so much more than he ever imagined. More than his father or anyone expected of him. He can become an earl and a chief, just like his brother, but he has to marry a hellcat first. And she is the only woman he can't charm with a wink and a smile. It will take a lot more work to earn her trust because she knows exactly what he is and believes he could never be a faithful husband. Lachlan's warrior side also comes out as he has to protect her from the vultures circling, hoping to snatch up Angelique or her inheritance.
When you write do you have any rituals or habits?
I like to drink flavored coffee, preferably chocolate or hazelnut. When I'm writing new material I like to listen to certain kinds of music, like Celtic New Age. I find it helps me think more creatively and get into the mood of the story.
What inspired you to start writing? Why did you choose to write historical romance?
I've always loved reading historical romance. It's amazing to be able to escape to the past, explore a different world and fall in love along with the characters. Even as a child, I had a vivid imagination but I didn't write any of these stories down until later. Back then I had no idea I wanted to be a writer. But the more romance novels I read, the more I thought… why not create my own stories and my own hot heroes?
Who is your favourite author and what is it about their work that resonates with you?
My absolute favorite author would have to be Laura Kinsale, who writes historical romance. Her work is simply amazing and indescribable. She creates art when she creates stories. I'm in awe of her writing ability. Her heroes are flawed and imperfect and I can't help but fall in love with them. They're so real and multifaceted but at the same time every woman's fantasy. With her prose, she creates beautiful imagery and emotions. She makes you think hard and feel deeply. If you haven't read one of her books, give Flowers From the Storm or The Shadow and the Star a try. Those two are my absolute favorites but all her books are on my keeper shelf.
Fun questions! What is it about Scottish Highlanders that gets your heart racing?
Oh wow! Everything! LOL The ones I like to read about (and write about) are tall, broad-shouldered, tough-as-nails, highly-skilled warriors. Their defined muscles say they can swing a sword all day if they have to, fighting for their rights or their freedom, or protecting those they love. With those muscular calves, they look hot in a kilt (or without.) LOL They're a bit untamed but also honorable.
If we snuck in your house (not that we would!) what book would we book would we find on your bedside table?
You would find my iPod Touch containing my growing ebook collection. At the moment I'm reading Beyond a Highland Whisper by Maeve Greyson, and I'm loving it!
If you could drop your characters into another author’s world, whose world would you pick and why?
I'm going to choose the world of Karen Marie Moning's Highlander series. It's one of my favorites. I love the way she mixes history with myth and legend to create a fun read.
Thank you, Vonda for chatting with us today! We really appreciate it!
Vonda is generously giving away a ecopy of My Fierce Highlander! *squee* Open to everyone! Winner will be chosen using Random.org
Gwyneth Carswell, an English lady banished by her father to the harsh Scottish Highlands, wants nothing more than to take her young son away from the violence of two fighting clans--her own distant kin, the MacIrwins, and their enemies, the MacGraths. She risks everything to rescue the fierce MacGrath warrior from the battlefield where he’s left for dead by her clan. She only knows she is inexplicably drawn to him and he wants peace as she does. When her clan learns of her betrayal, they seek vengeance. Dare she trust the enemy more than her own family?
Laird Alasdair MacGrath is driven to end two-hundred years of feuding with the MacIrwins. But by taking in and protecting Lady Gwyneth and her son, he provokes more attacks from his mortal enemy. As the danger and conflict surrounding them escalate, Alasdair and Gwyneth discover an explosive passion neither of them expected. With the arrival of a powerful man from her past, a horrible decision confronts her--give up her son or the man she loves.
The Many Sins of Lord Cameron (Highland Pleasures #3)
by Jennifer Ashley
Historical Romance
The Mackenzies, what a delectable and decandent treat! They are like a box of chocolates full of your favourite flavours how the hell are you supposed to pick!? You have the nutty Ian Mackenezie, the silky smooth Mac Mackenzie and now the dark chocolate treat that is Cam Mackenzie, I say dark chocolate one, because it is my favourite and two because like dark choclate Cam is slightly bitter. And frankly who can blame him? Like some of the best heroes he has a tortured past, when he was young he impulsively married, not realizing until too late that his wife was completely mad (shades of Jane Eyre in this book, but don't worry, she isn't hiding in the attic!) and she preceded to make Cam's life miserable until she died under some rather suspicious circumstances.
As you can tell I completely loved Cam, I always liked him in the previous books and this one he managed to exceed my expectations. He was a little rough, he liked horses, drink and women, exactly in that order, but you know he is a good man by the way he treats his brothers and how he's tried bumbling through being a parent to his son Daniel. What was fantastic was watching him soften a little as Ainsley becomes important in his life, he doesn't become all gooey but he definitely melts a little.
Ainsley, I liked her, like all the heroines in this series so far she isn't some blushing debutante but a grown woman who knows her own mind and knows what she wants. That is another thing I like about this series the heroines seem more like real women with pasts and inseurities of their own that make them stand out a little more in this genre.
Now to the SEX factor, they were hot together, the chemitry between them was fantastic you could feel the heat and the longing as you read it and it may be wise to carry around a fan with you whilst reading it because it is knicker changingly good.
So, Lord Cameron Mackenzie is my flavour of the month, I recommend you all get your teeth in to him!
My Favourite Quote:
"I don't want to be friends with you, Ainsley Douglas. I want to be your lover. I want to bury myself inside you. I want to find out whether you taste as good all the way down, I want to feel you squeezing me, and I want to hear your cries as you take me inside you."
My Next Flavour of the Month Hart Mackenzie
"Hart wants to win by proving he's right-about everything- not with tittle-tattle and bedroom gossip. Hart wants to be God Almighty. No, he already thinks he's God Almighty. Now he wants to prove it to everyone else."
Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage (Highland Pleasures #2)
by Jennifer Ashley
Historical Romance
I LOVED Ian MacKenzie so I was a little sceptical about reading about Mac and Isabella. Don’t get me wrong, I found them both likeable characters but after starting off with such a great book, I was honestly expecting something less than spectacular for this one. After all, I’m not usually a fan of rekindled romances.
The reason being that is that half of the romance has been told before the actual book. Therefore, we only get glimpses here and there of their past love and the writer has to work extra hard to establish that yearning and that spark in a shorter amount of time.
But with Lady Isabella’s Scandalous Marriage, I found that Ashley did a pretty good job of getting that constant yearning and distress onto the page. I liked that she added the not-so-happy scenes where they yelled the house down during their marriage and Mac’s careless drunkenness. It briefly showcased their problems that showed why they separated in the first place. I could see her efforts to try to get those feelings across but I didn’t always feel it.
In comparison to Ian’s book, I thought Mac’s book was equal in its goodness, if not more. Ashley really heats things up in Mac’s book! I don’t recall Ian’s love scenes to be this steamy. That scones and cream scene?? Yeah, totally unexpected but very,very HOT!!!
The only thing I wish there was more of is....I can’t believe I’m saying this but, WHERE’S INSPECTOR FELLOWS?! He makes a few appearances but after the first book and the whole reveal at the end, I thought he would play a much larger part in the storyline.
I love this series and this book was an easy one to devour. Mac is so tempting in those Mackenzie kilts! Paired with that wicked smile and his charm, there is no reason why Isabella wouldn’t find herself falling hard for her husband again.
My advice? PICK.THIS.BOOK.UP!! I can’t wait for Cam’s book!
Favourite Quote:
"I loved and adored you, but I drained you like a thirsty man at a spring. I loved what you could give me - your admiration, your acceptance, your love, your forgiveness. I forgot to love you for yourself."
In Bed with a Highlander is the first in a new historical romance trilogy by Maya Banks. First off, the covers of this trilogy are amazing, not to mention they all feature the hottie that is Paul Marron. Cue swoons.
But there is more! Banks introduces three McCabe brothers who are simply delicious. In Bed with a Highlander is Ewan McCabe’s story. Ewan is the laird of his keep, where his brothers Alaric and Caelen are his second in command. While Ewan himself is strong and mighty, his keep and clan are not. They are dwindling in resources and food and a war is threatening to rise among clans.
The book starts off with Mairin Stuart, the niece of King David, praying that her enemies do not find her. However, her prayers are not heard because Duncan’s men find and capture her, bringing her unwillingly to his keep where he commands her to marry him. Mairin bears the crest of Alexander on her thigh, which was placed upon her at birth so that no one would ever mistake her identity. With a wealthy dowry and power, Duncan wishes to wed her immediately and consummate their marriage, thus gaining power and an advantage. But Mairin is a tough woman who doesn’t go down easily. She fights with all her might, even using her body as a shield to cover a young eight-year old boy who had the unfortunate luck of crossing paths with Duncan.
The young boy turns out to be Ewan McCabe’s son and when Mairin and the boy escape Duncan’s keep for McCabe’s, that’s when the story really begins...
I was really surprised with how quick I read this book. Banks crafts an intriguing story with her strong characters and fast-paced dialogue. So much happens within the first few chapters that I didn’t really have the chance to put the book down. It was that good.
Mairin, for me, was the stand-out star. I loved her tenacity and wit. She seemed to never show fear, even in the face of Duncan who beat her mercilessly. And I have to admire a woman who is able to keep a man like Ewan on his toes. As a Laird, Ewan is certainly arrogant and is not used to being disobeyed. Mairin matches him well and while it took me awhile to get into the romance, it was all worth it in the end.
I cannot wait for the next book in the series. Banks sets up Alaric’s book perfectly in this one. Rionna is from the McDonald clan, a clan that had possible alliances with McCabe. And so, to strengthen that alliance, Gregor McDonald wishes for her daughter, Rionna to marry Alaric. I am dying to know how this plays out since Alaric isn’t too keen on the idea of marriage and Rionna is a warrior herself.
Having read everything that Julia Quinn has written I was very much looking forward to starting a series about the famous (or is it infamous?) Smythe-Smiths. If you have read any of her books you would have heard about the Smythe-Smith Musicale the most anticipated and by that I mean dreaded social event in the ton calander. Honoria Smith-Smythe plays the violin, terribly ofcourse in true Smythe-Smith tradition, in the quartet and she hopes that this will be her final year as she is desparate to get married and start a family of her own; however, what she doesn't realize is that Lord Chatteris her older brothers best friend, has been looking out for her and scaring away all potential suitors as they all seem to him unsuitable. The more he sees of Honoria the more he comes to the realization that he may actually love her...
I managed to read this book in a day; I just couldn't put it down. It was everything I have come to expect from a Julia Quinn book, funny, romantic and cute. As in most of her books the characters are funny and lighthearted, there is no real angst or darkness in this book so if you are looking for a broody read this isn't for you. However, if you want a book that will have you smiling and laughing all the way through then I recommend that you pick this up.
Honoria was quirky and fun and I liked her immensley, she had a dry wit and I often found myself laughing at the things that she said or did. Marcus was also very sweet and quite adorabley shy! You could see from the start that they were perfect for eachother and it was great fun watching them finally come to that realization themselves.
This was a great read and anybody looking for a light hearted funny book should give this book a try.
Favourite Quote:
He rather hoped he was sleeping, because he was quite certain he'd seen a six-foot rabbit hopping through his bedchamber, and if that wasn't a dream they were all in very big trouble. Although really, it wasn't rabbit that was so dangerous as much as the giant carrot he was swinging about like a mace.
Isabella Fairmont longs for a respectable and safe life and marriage and promises herself that she will never be like her scandalous mother who lived a hard and pitiful life because of her reckless passion. Instead she writes novels pouring her passionate nature into her words. However, the Earl of Black, who bears a remarkable resemblance to the hero of her nover, seems to provoke her in to wantoness and desire whenever he touches her. Black has loved and desired Isabella from a far for a long time and now he is finally taking action. However, he has deep dark secrets and a family legacy he must protect at all costs and his legacy may now be a direct threat to Isabella's life.
I really enjoyed this book, it was very atmospheric and had a very gothic feel to it that really made the book stand out. It was written in Charlotte Featherstones's flowery and poetic writing that makes the whole book seem stuffed full of emotion and is perfect for the dark and gothic vibe of them book.
Lord Black was a great hero, very sensuous and mysterious, yet still quite open in his need for Isabella. I am not sure how Isabella resisted him for as long as she did, despite her reasons for doing so. I liked Isabella as well, although I did start getting frustrated with her resistance to Black. Especially as we could see Black point of view and knew that although he planned to thoroughly ravish her, he also intended to marry her as well.
The love scenes in this were fantastic as well, they were both romantic and completely erotic. Charlotte Featherstone has a way of writing sex that is both hot and yet really beautiful.
What I also liked about this was the mystery and magical element to this, and the Brethren Guardians idea. I won't spoil the story by giving too much away, but Black and two of his friends are descendents of Templar Knights and they all have to protect certain relics for the sake of humanity. However, these items have been stolen and they need to get them back. The story doesn't resolve in this one, but continues to the next book in the series and I cannot wait to see what happens next.
Although I really liked this book, for me it isn't quite 5 stars. I thought it was quite slow, I would have liked to see more action in it and also I think Black and Isabella waited too long to be together. It seemed one minute everything was going along at a plodding pace and then in the last few chapters everything happened at once. In conclusion it was a great read and I am very much looking forward to the next book.
Favouriet Quote:
"...I will bear all my sins, all my secrets, when you come to me. It's all I can offer. You see, little love, I'm afriad too, but the difference between us is that I believe it's worth it to face that fear if it means that I'll have you."
This anthology is three stories on what happens after the wedding, when perhaps the hero and heroine didn't quite have the best start, but somehow end up walking the aisle anyways. Can these three couples fall in love despite the circumstances that brought them together?
The Wedding of the Century by Mary Jo Putney
This is a my first Mary Jo Putney book and although it didn't set my world a light it was quite nice. I think what stopped me from enjoying it so much was that the whole story was based around misunderstandings and miscommunications. These kind of stories bug me, I spend the whole book just wanting to bang the protaginists heads together and tell them to sit down and have a proper discussion like rational adults instead of agonizing in silence. This book was no exception it bugged me. But not enough to spoil the whole thing, I did like the main characters of Sunny and Justin, Sunny was as the name implies has a cheerful dispostion, but when her mother forces her to marry Justin she fears that she will never love or be loved when he seems so distant and cold. But little does he know that Justin has loved her since he first saw her and although it may be a marriage of convinience he longs for it to be more.
In conclusion I did enjoy this story, it had likable characters and a hot moment or two, and I will keep a look out for any Mary Jo Putney books that interest me.
Jesse's Wife by Kristin James
I have a weakness to western romances, so I think I was predisposed to like this story before I even started! But I did genuinely like this, it was a sweet story about a young newly wed couple, who had been forced in to the marriage by unfortunate circumstances. However, Jesse doesn't think the marriage unfoturnate at all as he has been in love with Amy for years, but she was above his station as he is him employers daughter, so they were just close friends.
Like the MJP book this book was based around a misunderstanding, but it didn't annoy me as much in this book, mainly I think because there wasn't as much silent anguish (just a huge case of blue balls!) I thought the whole story was rather cute, watching them both come to terms with their newly married state and watching Jesse trying to keep his hands off Amy, due to the erroneous assumption that she would not welcome him.
This was an enjoyable and light read that left me with a smile on my face.
Seduced by Starlight by Charlotte Featherstone
I am a huge fan of Charlotte Featherstone, and this story was the reason I wanted to read this anthology. It is about the Jase and Blossom the children of the couples in "Addicted" and "Sinful"
This book was more to do with Jase's seduction of Blossom and his efforts to convince her that he was genuine in his courtship and really wished to marry her, but it does have a chapter of them on their honeymoon having a wicked time with some strawberries and clotted cream!
Although I did not think this was as good as "Addicted" and "Sinful" I really liked this story, it was sensual and sweet, definately a lot naughtier then the previous two novellas. Jase was seductive and charming and I am really not sure how Blossom managed to resist him for so long! I would have been a puddle at his feet from the first moment. But Blossom was strong willed and spirited and I found myself liking her immensly and understanding that she was trying to protect herself.
What also delighted me about this book was that you got to see some famliar characters, I love to see couples after they have had their HEA, so it was a treat to see the Anais and Lindsey and Jane and Matthew a couple of decades later and still very much in love.
I read the first book in this series a while a go and it was one of the few Lisa Kleypas that I didn't fall in love with, which is why it took me so long to get started on this book, that and the cover where it looks like the woman is being strangled to death!!!! This was a mistake, I adored this book!
We met Sir Ross Cannon fairly briefly in previous book, Someone to Watch Over Me, and he seemed staid and slightly cold with his wintery grey eyes, that just goes to show you that it is always the quiet ones! As we see Sir Ross come out of his shell under the care of Sophia we find out that he is a passionate but lonely man, who has crushed all his human desires under his massive pile of work. Sophia was also a great heroine, originally she has come to Bow Street to try and destroy the man who she believes responsible for the death of her younger brother, Sir Ross Cannon, but as she gets to know the man she is finding it more difficult to carry put her plan of revenge.
Once again LK has managed to write a love story that is both sweet and caring but also hot as hell, you could feel the tension between the two characters from the first moment they laid eyes on eachother, and I thoroughly enjoyed Ross' wicked thoughts about Sophia when he first saw her across his desk.
There was also a small mystery, but I thought Sophia's "stalker" was fairly obvious but I don't mind that too much, honestly I was so enthralled watching Sophia and Ross together that it paled in comparison. But having said that, it has made me look forward to the next book very much.
Favourite Sir Ross Quote:
"I am not overbearing," Ross counteres evenly. "I merely happen to know what is best for everybody."
Grant Morgan, London's most eligible bachelor, insists the temptingly beautiful woman he rescued from the Thames is the notorious Vivien Rose Duvall -- but she's not so sure. Now her life is in his hands, and he's determined to unravel the secrets of her past, no matter what.
She couldn't remember who she was...A temptingly beautiful woman awakens in a stranger's bed, rescued from the icy waters of the Thames, her memory gone. Told that she is Vivien Rose Duvall, one of London's most scandalous beauties, she finds herself under the protection of enigmatic, charming Grant Morgan. Her life is in his hands. Deep in her heart, she knows he has mistaken her for someone else...
He was the only man she could trust. As one of London's most eligible, and unattainable catches, Grant Morgan is a man who has known every kind of woman. And the one in his arms now seems so innocent, so vulnerable, that he can't help but be enchanted. And as his love for this mysterious beauty grows, he's determined to unravel the secrets of her past and discover the truth--no matter what. (Taken from GoodReads)
Normally I am a huge fan of Lisa Kleypas, I adore her Wallflower series and it has remained a favourite of mine since I first read it. However, this book has not lived up to my expectations. For some reason the characters seemed to lack that spark that makes Lisa Kleypas books so brilliant. Although I liked them I didn't fall in love with them.
The romance between the two characters was good, but I couldn't help getting frustrated with Grant's treatment of the heroine and I kept wondering when his supposedly amazing sleuthing skills were going to realize that perhaps there was something a bit more then amnesia going on. As for the heroine of the story, well it is always harder for me to like a heroine rather then a hero, and well she was okay kind of standard historical romance fare!
This all makes it seem like it was a bad book, but it wasn't, infact I am not sure if my high expectations of Lisa Kleypas had perhaps brought it down a feather but neither was it outstanding.
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on Amazon. 
