The Highlander’s Rescued Maiden by Anna Campbell

The Highlander's Rescued Maiden (The Lairds Most Likely, #9)The Highlander’s Rescued Maiden by Anna Campbell

Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: The Lairds Most Likely, #9

Release Date: March 31, 2021

When Will Mackinnon, the heir to Achnasheen is caught in a storm and takes shelter on a seemingly deserted isle, he is shocked to find a well-built tower. He can tell the dwelling is occupied, but when no one answers and the door is locked, Will gains entry by climbing the walls and entering a window. There his shock is magnified when he finds himself face to face with a pistol and even more shocked when he realizes the pistol-wielding beauty is none other than a woman he believed to be a myth – Fair Ellen of the Isles.

If Will was surprised to find Ellen, it was nothing compared to the shock she felt when the handsome highlanders climbed in her window! Normally she is not alone, but due to the storm, her maid and guards were not able to return from her father’s castle at Inchgallen, across the channel. Ellen Cameron has lived on the Isle of Bortha for ten years, banished by her father for the offense of being lame. Over the years Ellen has created a life for herself, researching and writing stories of the Highlands and even though several men have tried to “save” her, Ellen believes she will live out her days alone in her tower.

Ellen demands that Will leave, but he turns on the charm and convinces her to let him stay until the storm passes, he swears he means her no harm and finally Ellen grudgingly agrees to let him stay. The storm rages for days and during that time, Will learns that Ellen is far more than a pretty face and begins to fall in love with the brave, intelligent woman. For her part, Ellen is falling for Will but knows nothing can come of it and that he will be leaving as soon as the storm ends, but she can’t ignore the desire she feels for him and welcomes his kisses and caresses, thinking it will be her only chance in life to experience passion.

By the time the storm ended, Will knows that Ellen is the love of his life and the only woman he wants for his wife, but convincing her that her lameness doesn’t matter will be harder than he thought and may call for extreme action. Will he be able to convince her to leave Bortha or will her insecurity cost her the love of a lifetime?

This was a delightful, well-written, fast-paced story with wonderful characters, steamy love scenes, and a lovely HEA. This is the ninth book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone title with no problems.

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Deadly Editions by Paige Shelton

Deadly Editions (Scottish Bookshop Mystery)Deadly Editions by Paige Shelton
Barbara’s rating: 3 of 5 stars

Series: Scottish Bookshop Mystery #6
Publication Date: 4/6/21
Number of Pages: 304
** 3.3 Stars **

Delaney Nichols moved to Edinburg from Kansas just a bit over a year ago – and what an exciting year it has been. She’s made many new friends, including a police inspector, and she’s gotten married to a handsome-as-sin pub owner named Tom. Life just couldn’t get much better – until she’s invited to a meeting concerning a treasure hunt. The prize? The entire library owned by the very eccentric Shelagh O’Connor goes to the person who manages to find the final treasure in the hunt.

The exceedingly wealthy Shelagh has quite a colorful background and an obsession with Robert Louis Stevenson’s book, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The four treasure hunters must follow the obscure clues to find an original copy of the Stevenson book. Delaney’s three competitors are Birk Blackburn (a recurring character), Jacques Underwood a distant relative of Shelagh’s, and Tricia Lawson who is a librarian at a local school.

As the hunt ensues, the city is plagued by sightings of the monster (Hyde) who is committing robberies – and murder. Then Shelagh disappears from her home leaving behind a disordered library and a bloody handprint on the door. Is the monster responsible for all of it? Did the monster appear because of the treasure hunt or is it a coincidence? Will they be able to find Shelagh before she is harmed? Or, did Shelagh stage her own disappearance? Can Delaney figure it all out and solve the case? You’ll just have to read the book to find the answers.

I have enjoyed each book in this series, but I just couldn’t get into this one. There were too many people running in too many directions and no coherent plan at all. Delaney doesn’t seem to do any real investigating – she just seems to fall into things. Then there are her normal ‘bookish voices’ but she doesn’t understand what they are trying to tell her or she doesn’t have time to think about them. Those voices just seem superfluous if they serve no purpose. I just couldn’t come to care about any of the characters (those non-recurring ones), and the recurring characters just didn’t even seem to reach out and grab me. I really wanted to love it and given the book blurb, I should have loved it. At any rate, this is my least favorite of the books in this series, but I am totally looking forward to the next one.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.