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3.6 AVERAGE
3.6 AVERAGE
I wasn't 100% invested, maybe I'll give another series a shot.
This wasn’t the best read, but it wasn’t the worst. Rather than judging it by what I wanted it to be or what it could have been, I can appreciate it for what it was: a typical historical romance to fill up a couple evenings.
The plot wasn’t overly complicated and the characters weren’t difficult to understand, but I did not feel any particular spark to make the book stand out. I found Catherine, the main female lead, to be somewhat irritating at times. She was impulsive and didn’t think things through, but she only just turned 18 so I kind of understand why she comes off the way she does. Similarly, I found the relationship between her and Alex didn’t progress very naturally. They went from tearing at each other’s throats to tearing off each other’s clothes a little too quickly… only to realize it was because they loved one another from their first encounter. That saying, though the course of their relationship (and the entire novel) spans a solid three weeks, nothing risqué actually happens until 75% in. So, while we have to wait a loooooong time for any spicy moments, they’ve spent so little time together in-novel.
There is a sequel as it does end on a bit of a cliffhanger, but I’m not attached the the characters or their plights enough to continue with the series. If I stumble across the sequel I may pick it up, but I doubt I will go out of my way to find it.
The plot wasn’t overly complicated and the characters weren’t difficult to understand, but I did not feel any particular spark to make the book stand out. I found Catherine, the main female lead, to be somewhat irritating at times. She was impulsive and didn’t think things through, but she only just turned 18 so I kind of understand why she comes off the way she does. Similarly, I found the relationship between her and Alex didn’t progress very naturally. They went from tearing at each other’s throats to tearing off each other’s clothes a little too quickly… only to realize it was because they loved one another from their first encounter. That saying, though the course of their relationship (and the entire novel) spans a solid three weeks, nothing risqué actually happens until 75% in. So, while we have to wait a loooooong time for any spicy moments, they’ve spent so little time together in-novel.
There is a sequel as it does end on a bit of a cliffhanger, but I’m not attached the the characters or their plights enough to continue with the series. If I stumble across the sequel I may pick it up, but I doubt I will go out of my way to find it.
adventurous
mysterious
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:
Yes
Catherine Ashbrooke is a feisty, spoiled, and very witty member of elite English society. She pines for her true love, Lieutenant Hamilton Garner, a rather stuffy boor, in my opinion. On a hunt one day, Catherine decides to veer away from the crowd. Riding in a hidden glen, she confronts a gorgeous man washing by a stream. She's quite taken with him while telling him to get off her property at once. The scene is very well written and I had butterflies in my belly while reading it.
The next night, during a ball, Catherine is introduced to her brother's friend, Raefer Montgomery - the man she encountered in the glen the day before. He invites her to dance and, while spinning around the floor, he kisses her. Hamilton sees this insult and challenges Raefer to a duel for Catherine's hand. Raefer wins and is thus betrothed to Catherine. And she isn't happy about it. At all.
Once they leave London, Catherine discovers that Raefer is not who he says he is. He's not a London merchant but none other than a Highlander by the name of Alexander Cameron. Alex takes Catherine home to Scotland and they are both thrown into political turmoil. However, through this turmoil their love develops into a deep and caring bond.
The Pride of Lions was a great read. Marsha Canham brought the story and the characters vividly to life in this historical romance. I recommend it.
The next night, during a ball, Catherine is introduced to her brother's friend, Raefer Montgomery - the man she encountered in the glen the day before. He invites her to dance and, while spinning around the floor, he kisses her. Hamilton sees this insult and challenges Raefer to a duel for Catherine's hand. Raefer wins and is thus betrothed to Catherine. And she isn't happy about it. At all.
Once they leave London, Catherine discovers that Raefer is not who he says he is. He's not a London merchant but none other than a Highlander by the name of Alexander Cameron. Alex takes Catherine home to Scotland and they are both thrown into political turmoil. However, through this turmoil their love develops into a deep and caring bond.
The Pride of Lions was a great read. Marsha Canham brought the story and the characters vividly to life in this historical romance. I recommend it.
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Welp, I'm glad this wasn't my first Marsha Canham (for the record, it was Through a Dark Mist, which was a five-star read for me). I started reading this and felt like I was reading another author's work. It was serviceable but a little... basic? When I realized it was only Canham's third book, it clicked for me: her authorial voice and confidence were still developing.
The FMC, Catherine, is written as "feisty" but comes across as "spoiled, highly strung and argumentative for no good reason." I normally love an unlikeable heroine, but she was working my last nerve. Catherine is forced into marriage with a visiting merchant (OR IS HE?) who is a friend of her brother. This man, who is named Raefer Montgomery (OR IS HE?), begrudgingly accepts even though Catherine is quite clear that she loathes him and only has eyes for her swain, Hamilton Garner.
The story takes place in 1745 in Derby (in the north of England) and Scotland and precedes the battle of Culloden. Along with the general nails-on-chalkboard vibes from Catherine, Canham deploys massive history info dumps, both as prose and as overly expository dialogue. My eyes glazed over even though I normally love history-heavy romances. In her Robin Hood trilogy, she integrated historical detail much more seamlessly.
All that said, the book took off at 80% and remained thrilling till the end. It felt, at long last, as if I was reading a Canham, rather than a run-of-the-mill late-80s histrom.
One last note: There is an Evil Other Woman present here, which is a plot device something Canham often uses and which I do not like. But I'll chalk it up to the era in which it was written.
The FMC, Catherine, is written as "feisty" but comes across as "spoiled, highly strung and argumentative for no good reason." I normally love an unlikeable heroine, but she was working my last nerve. Catherine is forced into marriage with a visiting merchant (OR IS HE?) who is a friend of her brother. This man, who is named Raefer Montgomery (OR IS HE?), begrudgingly accepts even though Catherine is quite clear that she loathes him and only has eyes for her swain, Hamilton Garner.
The story takes place in 1745 in Derby (in the north of England) and Scotland and precedes the battle of Culloden. Along with the general nails-on-chalkboard vibes from Catherine, Canham deploys massive history info dumps, both as prose and as overly expository dialogue. My eyes glazed over even though I normally love history-heavy romances. In her Robin Hood trilogy, she integrated historical detail much more seamlessly.
All that said, the book took off at 80% and remained thrilling till the end. It felt, at long last, as if I was reading a Canham, rather than a run-of-the-mill late-80s histrom.
One last note: There is an Evil Other Woman present here, which is a plot device something Canham often uses and which I do not like. But I'll chalk it up to the era in which it was written.
A slow start, I thought about abandoning it a few times but I’m glad I didn’t! So passionate, the angst, I’m here for it all.
This was lovely, and I'm fine with where it ends, tbh.
The Pride of Lions is the first book within the Highlands series.
Sure, this had its ups and downs but what book doesn't. The romance and the characters were quite enjoyable. Though, I'll admit, that I wasn't a huge fan of everyone for the entire book. In the beginning, Catherine rubbed me the wrong way. She acted very childish but eventually she grew on me.
Then there's the overall romance, which sort of lacked for this book. Sure, it was there but it felt like a whisper. Definitely wanted more of the romance to help balance out the rest of the book. Especially since I really did love the love interest for Catherine. Needed more time of these two getting together for sure.
Other than that, not a fan with how things ended with this one. Hopefully the next book ends on a much better note.
Sure, this had its ups and downs but what book doesn't. The romance and the characters were quite enjoyable. Though, I'll admit, that I wasn't a huge fan of everyone for the entire book. In the beginning, Catherine rubbed me the wrong way. She acted very childish but eventually she grew on me.
Then there's the overall romance, which sort of lacked for this book. Sure, it was there but it felt like a whisper. Definitely wanted more of the romance to help balance out the rest of the book. Especially since I really did love the love interest for Catherine. Needed more time of these two getting together for sure.
Other than that, not a fan with how things ended with this one. Hopefully the next book ends on a much better note.
I wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. The lead female is about as pleasant as fingernails on a chalkboard and the dialogue was often cumbersome and dry. Furthermore the dialogue is annoyingly modern in English and doesn't bother offering definitions for the Gaelic/Gàidhlig terms and phrases until they've appeared several times. Sure, I wanted to keep Google open for every few pages of a novel. :-/
I was beyond irritated with the lack of consistency throughout the book - is his name Alexander or Alasdair? Is her hair long and straight or curly and wavy? Did they spend 3 weeks together? 5 weeks? 4 weeks? It began to feel like a merry-go-round I desperately wanted off of halfway through the book, I'm not sure why I trudged on for such a buy-the-next-book cliffhanger at the end.
The enjoyable components of the book primarily centered around the descriptions of Scotland and when the female protagonist is out of the scene or silenced. I think I would have preferred spending time with a historical non-fiction or a guidebook to Scotland.
I was beyond irritated with the lack of consistency throughout the book - is his name Alexander or Alasdair? Is her hair long and straight or curly and wavy? Did they spend 3 weeks together? 5 weeks? 4 weeks? It began to feel like a merry-go-round I desperately wanted off of halfway through the book, I'm not sure why I trudged on for such a buy-the-next-book cliffhanger at the end.
The enjoyable components of the book primarily centered around the descriptions of Scotland and when the female protagonist is out of the scene or silenced. I think I would have preferred spending time with a historical non-fiction or a guidebook to Scotland.
This was a really great read. I couldn't put it down and I can't wait to start [b:The Blood of Roses|707222|The Blood of Roses (Highlands, #2)|Marsha Canham|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320547649s/707222.jpg|693499]! The plot is about as [b:Outlander|10964|Outlander (Outlander, #1)|Diana Gabaldon|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1304187141s/10964.jpg|2489796]-esque as I've found, minus the time-travel. I'm rating it a very solid 4 stars.