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roseygirl203's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
cup_of_nerd's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
bmwest's review against another edition
I couldn't handle the disjointed action, the painful repetition of 'topaz eyes,' and the utter lack of cohesive plot. Also our heroine is both smart and exceedingly dumb at the same time?
soteriae's review against another edition
2.0
1.5
ARC copy graciously provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
I read a lot of historical romance and I am familiar with works of what feels like all of the well-established authors, but I have never even heard of Mary Wine.
The storytelling in Between a Highlander and a Hard Place is quite unique for the genre. Historical figures and events really come into play in this novel. However, this is one of my pet peeves in historical romances. Every time king or queen decides to play matchmaker or personally govern main characters’ private lives, I cannot help but roll my eyes. Influential people of the time seem like shadows of themselves and never given proper stage time to develop.
Our main heroine travels in disguise as a boy from England to Scotland fleeing London after setting fire to the home of her former suitor, who, as it turned out, only wanted her to be his mistress. During one of holiday celebrations in Scotland she lets her hair down, quite literally, and catches the eye of a powerful Scottish laird. What ensues is an entertaining courtship with medium amounts of heat.
Story had it’s lulls at times despite being overly convoluted and dramatic, but has the right amount of happy coincidences and happy endings!
Overall this is pleasurable novel if you don’t mind a bit of heavy-handed historical context layered on top of your steamy reads.
ARC copy graciously provided by the publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
I read a lot of historical romance and I am familiar with works of what feels like all of the well-established authors, but I have never even heard of Mary Wine.
The storytelling in Between a Highlander and a Hard Place is quite unique for the genre. Historical figures and events really come into play in this novel. However, this is one of my pet peeves in historical romances. Every time king or queen decides to play matchmaker or personally govern main characters’ private lives, I cannot help but roll my eyes. Influential people of the time seem like shadows of themselves and never given proper stage time to develop.
Our main heroine travels in disguise as a boy from England to Scotland fleeing London after setting fire to the home of her former suitor, who, as it turned out, only wanted her to be his mistress. During one of holiday celebrations in Scotland she lets her hair down, quite literally, and catches the eye of a powerful Scottish laird. What ensues is an entertaining courtship with medium amounts of heat.
Story had it’s lulls at times despite being overly convoluted and dramatic, but has the right amount of happy coincidences and happy endings!
Overall this is pleasurable novel if you don’t mind a bit of heavy-handed historical context layered on top of your steamy reads.
meg369's review
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
prawntaar's review against another edition
1.0
I usually reserve a 1 star rating for books I couldn't finish, but I'm making an exception for this book.
I absolutely hated this piece of garbage book. Had it not been a bookclub selection, I probably would have put it down half way through.
This book was more about violence towards women in the name of love than it was a romance. I understand that if I were to jump back in time, women in 1579 (or whenever this book takes place) were probably treated far worse. But come on. This is a ROMANCE novel. I'm not here for historically accuarate(?) domestic violence. The men talk about women as possessions and property. Instead of going "hey you!" to get Athena's attention Symon is constantly grabbing at her clothes. Athena is forced to undergo a pelvic exam at one point. There is also more than one threat of selling more than one of the female characters into prostitution. Also our first moment of intamacy ends with Symon "hammering" it in. I'm not even kidding. "He hammered into her her a final few times" is the most disgusting thing I have read in quite a while.
Violence in the name of love is still violence. Shame on you, Mary Wine for perpetuating the trope that it's okay if he's abusive as long as he love you.
I will not be reading this author again.
I absolutely hated this piece of garbage book. Had it not been a bookclub selection, I probably would have put it down half way through.
This book was more about violence towards women in the name of love than it was a romance. I understand that if I were to jump back in time, women in 1579 (or whenever this book takes place) were probably treated far worse. But come on. This is a ROMANCE novel. I'm not here for historically accuarate(?) domestic violence. The men talk about women as possessions and property. Instead of going "hey you!" to get Athena's attention Symon is constantly grabbing at her clothes. Athena is forced to undergo a pelvic exam at one point. There is also more than one threat of selling more than one of the female characters into prostitution. Also our first moment of intamacy ends with Symon "hammering" it in. I'm not even kidding. "He hammered into her her a final few times" is the most disgusting thing I have read in quite a while.
Violence in the name of love is still violence. Shame on you, Mary Wine for perpetuating the trope that it's okay if he's abusive as long as he love you.
I will not be reading this author again.
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