Book Review #bookreview #bookrecommendation #historicalromance #scottishromance #elisabradden #highlanderromance
I was absolutely taken with this novel and completely swept up into this story and romance! I definitely believe I have found a new favorite author in Elisa Braden and can not wait to explore her back list more as well as get to the next novel in this series!
Elisa Braden's writing is accessible, extremely engaging, wonderfully paced and beautifully written. Her characters are three dimensional and realistic, the world they occupy was vivid and lush, her tone was comfortable and enchanting. I was delighted from beginning to end. I loved the intermixing of mysticality and magic that surrounds our heroine that helps to drive her desires and will. I was enchanted with the hero and how promptly he fell in love and how determined he was in the pursuit of the heroine.
Our heroine-Annie, is bold and brash in her ways, she is independent and extremely capable but she also can be shy among others and keep to herself, due to the treatment she has received by villagers and the reputation she has of being "mad". The hero-John Huxley (or fondly referred to by Annie as "English") is a handsome adventurer who is currently locked in a land dispute which has brought him into contact with Annie on a few occasions. In order to get out of these land disputes John must win the Highland Games, and Annie, in order to get her best friend back-who is a ghost, must marry a lord, these are the catalysts in which bring our hero and heroine into more contact with each other. Annie and John enter into a bargain with each other in order to help the other with their goals, John will teach Annie how to be a proper lady and Annie will teach John how to win the games.
The building of their relationship is so charming, I loved watching each of them challenge the other to find their strengths as they move toward their ultimate goal. I also loved that the hero very early on, realizes that Annie is perfect the way she is, he loves her foul mouth and hoydenish ways, he sees that she is the perfect woman to create the home and family he has been dreaming of-she is protective of those she loves, she knows how to run a household and keep people in line, and she is a fantastic cook! I love that Annie feels so comfortable around John that she can tease him, test him and provoke him. Their relationship was just so beautiful and I believed their feelings every step of the way. I loved that they were able to build a foundation of friendship that blossomed into romantic feelings that they can begin to comfortably explore and when they know it is love they don't question it, they fully embrace it. Their relationship is sensual and steamy and their chemistry is bold and heart warming. I love that even when they make each other angry they still love each other and they find ways to work it out, and better understand the others feelings and motivations.
I can not recommend this book enough! Definitely do yourself a favor and pick this up, especially if you love a Scottish set romance, love a bold heroine and a hero who is so in love, the charming dynamics of strong family units. I am so excited to get to the next novel in this series (which I already have) and I am anticipating the continuation of this series as well! 6 Stars, definitely a new favorite of mine!!!
Comments