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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Stalking
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death
dark
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
3.5 stars
There was a lot to like in The Temptation of a Highlander and some eh kind of aspects. Clarissa (h) is a sweet Englishwoman who loves to dance and was overlooked for multiple seasons until she caught the eye of an obsessed monster. She's an orphan who lives with her grandmother and they're dealing with dire financial straits in addition to the threat of her stalker. After the events of the prologue (please see trigger warning), they flee to Clarissa's friend's home in Scotland, where she meets the friend's BIL Campbell (H). There's an instant attraction between the two but Clarissa gets majorly flustered around him and starts spouting off suggestive innuendos in an embarrassing way each time she tries to speak to him (that I thought was hilarious) and Campbell is a grumpy/stoic giant with some past hurts who doesn't think he'd be good for her. But he's also the best one to protect her, thus driving them into a forced proximity situation and ultimately to their romance. There are also some metaphysical elements with characters having "the sight" and communicating with those who have passed. The story is written in third person, dual POV. No true ow drama (H had a young love who died and the h does feel some jealousy over her), om drama from the crazy stalker and the H is jealous over h's friend who she considers marrying for protection only, h is a virgin and H is not but unknown how long since he'd been with anyone else (one recollection of a past relationship with an ow told to h but no details), no bc.
As much as I liked both Clarissa and Campbell together, this was a very insta-feeling type of story. I also sometimes felt like lust played too strong of a role when it came to Clarissa's feelings for him. But I still felt they made a nice couple with her bubbliness balancing out his general calm/quiet and their interactions were entertaining. My heart did break for everything Clarissa went through with the terror of her stalker. Campbell made an excellent protector, even if he wasn't great with drawn out explanations. This is a slow burn story and a slow build for their relationship, but their interactions do turn quite steamy (although one word used during these times was not a favorite of mine referring to his *ahem*) and we get a size difference here since Campbell's such a big boy. Campbell also has a touch of "the sight" - this aspect of the story was both intriguing and a touch weird for me. Campbell also keeps a secret from Clarissa that was hugely important and the handling of this was also not quite right imo and involved a bit of the metaphysical again.
Besides their romance, the villain does cause trouble both with written threats and with actual follow through. Campbell and his brothers have tracking skills, but unfortunately the stalker is an expert huntsman who's not easily pinned down. He's also very violent and multiple scenes show this side of him, there are a couple injuries and deaths in this book (no major characters).
This is the third book in the series but stands alone well since I had no issues reading it and it's the first in series I tried. Prior series characters make appearances and Campbell's family are fantastic. A wise woman type character is also important for the family - suggesting things to come as she also has "the sight". Her poking at characters and tossing out hints for this story and for the future was fun and mysterious. Clarissa's friend who's an English noble is also wonderful and wants to protect her as well (he's in love with his valet so it would have been a marriage in name only). Clarissa's grandmother was also sweetly supportive and hilariously pushy. Then the cute animals designed to steal your heart included an adorable dog and a cute calf. Clarissa tries to distance herself to some degree from people and esp animals out of fear that others will be harmed in the crossfire and it was so sad, but Campbell's dog Fergus is so determined to get her to love him.
Evil is vanquished, though not too easily, and Clarissa and Campbell do head off towards their HEA. I do wish there had been a bit more between the conclusion of the danger and the epilogue, since as nice as the epilogue was, it doesn't focus on their life after settling in. But the series continues with the next brother in the family so these two are sure to make an appearance.
Trigger warnings:
There was a lot to like in The Temptation of a Highlander and some eh kind of aspects. Clarissa (h) is a sweet Englishwoman who loves to dance and was overlooked for multiple seasons until she caught the eye of an obsessed monster. She's an orphan who lives with her grandmother and they're dealing with dire financial straits in addition to the threat of her stalker. After the events of the prologue (please see trigger warning), they flee to Clarissa's friend's home in Scotland, where she meets the friend's BIL Campbell (H). There's an instant attraction between the two but Clarissa gets majorly flustered around him and starts spouting off suggestive innuendos in an embarrassing way each time she tries to speak to him (that I thought was hilarious) and Campbell is a grumpy/stoic giant with some past hurts who doesn't think he'd be good for her. But he's also the best one to protect her, thus driving them into a forced proximity situation and ultimately to their romance. There are also some metaphysical elements with characters having "the sight" and communicating with those who have passed. The story is written in third person, dual POV. No true ow drama (H had a young love who died and the h does feel some jealousy over her), om drama from the crazy stalker and the H is jealous over h's friend who she considers marrying for protection only, h is a virgin and H is not but unknown how long since he'd been with anyone else (one recollection of a past relationship with an ow told to h but no details), no bc.
As much as I liked both Clarissa and Campbell together, this was a very insta-feeling type of story. I also sometimes felt like lust played too strong of a role when it came to Clarissa's feelings for him. But I still felt they made a nice couple with her bubbliness balancing out his general calm/quiet and their interactions were entertaining. My heart did break for everything Clarissa went through with the terror of her stalker. Campbell made an excellent protector, even if he wasn't great with drawn out explanations. This is a slow burn story and a slow build for their relationship, but their interactions do turn quite steamy (although one word used during these times was not a favorite of mine referring to his *ahem*) and we get a size difference here since Campbell's such a big boy. Campbell also has a touch of "the sight" - this aspect of the story was both intriguing and a touch weird for me. Campbell also keeps a secret from Clarissa that was hugely important and the handling of this was also not quite right imo and involved a bit of the metaphysical again.
Besides their romance, the villain does cause trouble both with written threats and with actual follow through. Campbell and his brothers have tracking skills, but unfortunately the stalker is an expert huntsman who's not easily pinned down. He's also very violent and multiple scenes show this side of him, there are a couple injuries and deaths in this book (no major characters).
This is the third book in the series but stands alone well since I had no issues reading it and it's the first in series I tried. Prior series characters make appearances and Campbell's family are fantastic. A wise woman type character is also important for the family - suggesting things to come as she also has "the sight". Her poking at characters and tossing out hints for this story and for the future was fun and mysterious. Clarissa's friend who's an English noble is also wonderful and wants to protect her as well (he's in love with his valet so it would have been a marriage in name only). Clarissa's grandmother was also sweetly supportive and hilariously pushy. Then the cute animals designed to steal your heart included an adorable dog and a cute calf. Clarissa tries to distance herself to some degree from people and esp animals out of fear that others will be harmed in the crossfire and it was so sad, but Campbell's dog Fergus is so determined to get her to love him.
Evil is vanquished, though not too easily, and Clarissa and Campbell do head off towards their HEA. I do wish there had been a bit more between the conclusion of the danger and the epilogue, since as nice as the epilogue was, it doesn't focus on their life after settling in. But the series continues with the next brother in the family so these two are sure to make an appearance.
Trigger warnings:
Spoiler
animal cruelty/abuse starting in the prologue and other mentions multiple places in the book, recollection of death of loved ones, discussion of infertility, stalking, descriptions of death
I think this one was my favorite. Loved Clarissa, and the things she blurted out.
This was a decent enough entry in the series. I didn't remember Campbell, the hero, at all from the previous books and I would have liked a little bit more about Angus and Eleanora, my second favorite couple in the series, but the story moved along and was mostly enjoyable.
Clarissa was a standard heroine, nothing special or unique, tbh. I do wish the series would vary a little from its current obsession with women being in serious danger from deranged men. As for the hero, Campbell's the typical Scottish one that I don't overly love. He's moody and brawny and constantly claiming the heroine as his. Actually in this one, his size is kind of super fetishized. It's laughable, but I don't know. I wonder if Scottish men would find their portrayals in romance novels like this offensive. Maybe they'd just be happy they're always written as so well endowed.
The first book is still the best. I miss the fun of Annie and Huxley. I hope the next heroine is more sassy and less damsel in distress.
Clarissa was a standard heroine, nothing special or unique, tbh. I do wish the series would vary a little from its current obsession with women being in serious danger from deranged men. As for the hero, Campbell's the typical Scottish one that I don't overly love. He's moody and brawny and constantly claiming the heroine as his. Actually in this one, his size is kind of super fetishized. It's laughable, but I don't know. I wonder if Scottish men would find their portrayals in romance novels like this offensive. Maybe they'd just be happy they're always written as so well endowed.
The first book is still the best. I miss the fun of Annie and Huxley. I hope the next heroine is more sassy and less damsel in distress.
For sure the strongest of the series! Don't get me wrong, there's many tiring tropes and patriarchal stereotypes in this, but it was the right plot for my mood. I'm nothing if not a mood reader.
The FMC was really dumb and naive, but it seems that almost all historical romance heroines are written that way. Still, Kate was kind of fun. The smut quickly turned funny in its absurdity, but I read this for the plot. I've come to accept the author's penchant for paranormal in this series.
The FMC was really dumb and naive, but it seems that almost all historical romance heroines are written that way. Still, Kate was kind of fun. The smut quickly turned funny in its absurdity, but I read this for the plot. I've come to accept the author's penchant for paranormal in this series.
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
3.5/4 Stars
Have I mentioned I love the strong silent type of hero?? Because I absolutely adore them. Man, Campbell was everything I was hoping for. That man had a naughty mouth on him that had me sweating. Phew.
But when it came to how Campbell felt for Clarissa, well, that was just beautiful. That man...ugh. Safe to say these McPherson men are setting some high standards for my book hero's.
Clarissa was a solid heroine. I liked her alot. Her uncontrollable babbling and innocent blurting of double entendres was pretty hilarious. That girl was so gone for Campbell though. Such a fascination with his hands and his huge size in general. Could hardly blame the girl.
I adored them together. Truthfully I would've loved to have more from them but then again I would love another novella for each of these couple's because I find myself growing so attached that I don't want the book to end. Alas they do though.
The only thing that was a blip in my enjoyment me was the villain/stalker Northfield. He was lurking the entire book and yet when the final showdown occurs in the final chapters it's all rather underwhelming. He was pretty twisted and completely obsessed with Clarissa. He was an expert marksman and hunter and came from a well respected family so he was a solid threat tbh. And then to have it all wrapped so tidily and easily with his very brief in person appearance...well it was disappointing. Felt like all that build up just fizzled out.
I am looking forward to the rest of the series though!
Have I mentioned I love the strong silent type of hero?? Because I absolutely adore them. Man, Campbell was everything I was hoping for. That man had a naughty mouth on him that had me sweating. Phew.
But when it came to how Campbell felt for Clarissa, well, that was just beautiful. That man...ugh. Safe to say these McPherson men are setting some high standards for my book hero's.
Clarissa was a solid heroine. I liked her alot. Her uncontrollable babbling and innocent blurting of double entendres was pretty hilarious. That girl was so gone for Campbell though. Such a fascination with his hands and his huge size in general. Could hardly blame the girl.
I adored them together. Truthfully I would've loved to have more from them but then again I would love another novella for each of these couple's because I find myself growing so attached that I don't want the book to end. Alas they do though.
The only thing that was a blip in my enjoyment me was the villain/stalker Northfield. He was lurking the entire book and yet when the final showdown occurs in the final chapters it's all rather underwhelming. He was pretty twisted and completely obsessed with Clarissa. He was an expert marksman and hunter and came from a well respected family so he was a solid threat tbh. And then to have it all wrapped so tidily and easily with his very brief in person appearance...well it was disappointing. Felt like all that build up just fizzled out.
I am looking forward to the rest of the series though!
Nah seriously wtf is this. I’ve had Pap smears more enjoyable than this book.
We get a creepy villain who makes the terror and threat believable in this novel, giving a legitimate reason for the forced proximity and eventual marriage of Clarissa and Campbell. As Campbell guarded her, Clarissa thought he didn't want her but of course he did! Sometimes it's hard for me to read books where the woman doubts her attractiveness or has unrequited love, but I think Campbell made up for that. I giggled multiple times from the dialogue. Clarissa gets nervous around Campbell and says the funniest, most cringeworthy things. Campbell, doesn't say much, but when he does, boy does it count.
I think that the author does a great job of developing and using each MacPherson brother's particular gifts to both advance the plot and make a unique romance. This book was no different. Though we knew the villain had to die for our well-deserved HEA, the novel still held the suspense through to the end.
Can't wait to see the romances of the remaining MacPherson men!
I think that the author does a great job of developing and using each MacPherson brother's particular gifts to both advance the plot and make a unique romance. This book was no different. Though we knew the villain had to die for our well-deserved HEA, the novel still held the suspense through to the end.
Can't wait to see the romances of the remaining MacPherson men!