Category: Scottish Romance - Alyce Caswell - Author

Alyce Caswell - Author

Lost and Found

27/12/2024

The Highlander's Kilted Bride (Clan Kendrick #6)
by Vanessa Kelly

Charlie Stewart has no interest in doing as her parents bid. But with some help, she might be able to behave at her sister's wedding...except that she crosses paths with Kade Kendrick, a Highlander she has quietly admired since childhood. Kade is supposed to be writing a concerto, not being distracted by mad quests to find lost trinkets or lovely lasses. Some distractions are more pleasant than others!

Another enjoyable read from Vanessa Kelly. I have grown very fond of the Kendrick boys, even their grandfather, so this was a treat. I do feel that some of the moving parts didn't align perfectly plot-wise, but I managed to overlook that most of the time. The Highlander's Kilted Bride cheered me up during a rather trying week and I'm glad it's what I chose when I opened my Kobo.

An Author's Doll's House in Maine

16/6/2024

Charming the Highlander (Pine Creek Highlanders #1)
by Janet Chapman

Grace Sutter is fulfilling her sister's dying request - taking her nephew to meet his strange father in her hometown - when she is in a plane accident and stranded on a snowy mountain with Greylen MacKeage, a laird who was uprooted from medieval Scotland and has been adjusting to modern ways. Surviving their precarious situation is one thing. Surviving each other is quite another.

This is clearly a product of its time. A heroine who is a totallyindependent woman but needs a big strong man to help her out. Fear of weapons of mass destruction. Consent that is incredibly dubious. I tried to recall if I'd read better romance novels from the early 2000s. The Bridgerton books, the first that sprang to mind, were also very dodgy... fortunately, romance novels have come a long way in 20 years. But even then there were love stories that developed properly, instead of whatever was going on here. Kissing and intimacy scenes did not feel natural at all; Grace and Greylen acted like dolls that the author was mashing together, whether they liked it or not. It was weird and off-putting.

I realise that this was Chapman's first book and she is no longer here to defend herself, but I doubt I'll be checking out the rest of her work.

Whose Kilt is This Anyway

5/3/2023

In Her Highlander's Bed (Highland Brides #11)
by Lynsay Sands

Allissaid MacFarlane escaped her family's enemy with nothing, not even her clothes, and her attempt to steal a man's kilt resulted in her waking up in his bed! Calan Campbell, Laird of Kilcairn, wants to protect the lass he found in a sorry state by the loch...but it's hard to do that when she has seemingly lost her memory. His bed is the safest place he can keep her. But his heart isn't safe at all.

I always enjoy Lynsay Sands' historical Scottish romances (and not just because of their fabulous covers). This was no exception! An exciting continuation to the storyline that began in the previous book, In Her Highlander's Bed offers a sweet and sensual romance that develops naturally, characters that you immediately want to befriend - and who doesn't love reading about secret passages?

Fair to Middling

2/3/2023

One Night in Edinburgh by Nina Kaye

Steph loses her comfortable life on Hogmanay and a party is just what she needs to recover - that, and the super hot Jamie who she hooks up afterwards. The only problem? He leaves before they can exchange numbers! Steph launches a creative campaign to find him and she does. But a series of misunderstandings and omissions might be a sign that this wasn't meant to be.

"Romcom" is not the right label to use here, because it's more like chicklit engaging with a serious issue. One Night in Edinburgh perfectly captures the insecurity and messiness of the lives of twenty-somethings who are still growing - so Steph is realistic, even if that doesn't always make her a likeable character! The book itself has some pacing issues and isn't very tight. But it's an okay read.

A Very Scottish Christmas Romance

6/11/2022

The Highlander's Holiday Wife (Clan Kendrick #5)
by Vanessa Kelly

Braden Kendrick is no stranger to the roughness of Edinburgh's slums, but he's never needed rescuing before - and he certainly didn't expect his rescuer to be a woman. Lady Samantha Penwith is determined to identify her late husband's murderer, to find the missing children she feels responsible for and to keep her sister-in-law safe. Impossible? Not when a Kendrick gets involved...

There are two reasons why it might take me over a week to finish book: 1) I just wasn't into it or 2) I was so enchanted by the characters and didn't want their story to end. I'm happy to report that the latter was the case here. Despite the angst and deep issues covered within its pages, The Highlander's Holiday Wife was the literary hug that I needed. And one can't help but love Braden.

Another Reliable Sands' Romance

18/10/2022

Highland Wolf (Highland Brides #10)
by Lynsay Sands

Claray is saved from a dreadful marriage at the last minute by the Wolf, the infamous mercenary of the Highlands. But his name is Conall - or rather, that's one of his names. His survival has been kept secret so that he may one day return his lands to their former glory. The one thing that hasn't changed since he lost most of his clan? He's still Claray's betrothed! From one wedding to another...

What I really enjoyed about this book was the logistics of getting an abandoned castle back up to scratch. That was pretty interesting and I don't think I've seen it covered in another romance novel before. I didn't feel that Conall's "reveal" about his identity had much impact on the plot and the finale veered into melodrama territory, but gosh it was fun to read. I wish I hadn't been quite so sleep deprived while reading this book, because I might have enjoyed it more. Or perhaps the opposite is true!

And so the series ends

17/7/2022

Some Like It Scot (Scandalous Highlanders #4)
by Suzanne Enoch

Catriona MacColl rescued her sister from an unwanted marriage and went on the run with her, all the way to Scotland. Munro MacLawry finds a lass dressed like man hiding out on his brother's land and is immediately drawn to her. But it soon becomes difficult to sneak away and visit her without raising the suspicions of his family - and Catriona may be hiding from something else.

What is with the heroes in this series launching kisses of dubious consent on the heroines? And Munro's brothers...I can't recall them being this irritating and dense in their own books. I'm SURE I enjoyed Some Like It Scot. I'm sure I did. Perhaps I enjoyed it despite its many glaring flaws. Let's just say it was average and leave it at that.

And it was going so well...

15/7/2022

Mad, Bad, and Dangerous in Plaid (Scandalous Highlanders #3)
by Suzanne Enoch

Rowena MacLawry ran away to have her London season and now she's returned to the Highlands at the age of eighteen, ready to put aside her childhood obsession with the man who ignored her. Lachlan MacTier should be relieved that the lass who loved him for years has moved on. But it's strangely difficult to watch her pretending she fancies Englishmen who can talk about theatre...

I loathed Lachlan so much I nearly DNFed this many times. I wish I wasn't so stubborn about finishing what I start. Lachlan is a petulant and forceful arsehole - and oh yeah, he only suddenly develops a tendre for the heroine WHEN SHE GETS OVER HIM. I didn't buy that Rowena was still into him and I didn't want them to end up together. But as usual, I liked the clan drama. Pity about the "romance".

Drama, romance - action!

14/7/2022

Rogue with a Brogue (Scandalous Highlanders #2)
by Suzanne Enoch

Arran MacLawry dances with an enchanting lass at a masquerade, but instead of being his intended - she's from a rival clan! Mary Campbell knows she should avoid Arran and marry the man her parents have chosen, but the Highlander in her is drawn to the Highlander in him. Will they manage to resist each other - or will they imperil an important, fragile truce?

Gosh, I loved this one. Maybe because I'm such a sucker for enemies to lovers - and a sucker for dramatic races to Gretna Green. I'm amazed that Enoch managed to see the romance, given that they spent a lot of the book on the run. The minor characters assisting Arran and Mary were brilliant and I find myself missing them. I really enjoyed the clan drama too. Definitely my favourite of the series so far, but it is only book 2... ;)

Final Act to the Rescue Again

11/7/2022

The Devil Wears Kilts (Scandalous Highlanders #1)
by Suzanne Enoch

Ranulf MacLawry, the Marquis of Glengask, has come to London to bring his wayward sister home, but instead finds himself agreeing to allow her a two-week stay. He's no fan of the English and Lady Charlotte Hanover has a way of getting under his skin better than most of them. Charlotte has no patience for men who use violence to get their way. Can she convince him to change...or accept him as he is?

This was a typical historical romance novel and didn't really stand apart from the others until the climax, which was unexpected but not unwelcome. Truthfully, I found the clan dynamics a lot more interesting than the actual romance. Mind you, the intimacy scenes were excellent - but even those won't help me remember the particulars of this book when I come across it again.