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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
Love Jennifer Ashley. Really. She's on my autobuy list for her historicals. This one, however, not my favorite. Bit slow, but still entirely worth the price. I just liked the other books in the series better.
It was nice to be back with my favorite two Scottish families! I've neglected them for a while. As always, Jennifer Ashley has a way of making a great romance but infusing it with much stronger themes. In The Sedution of Elliot McBride it was PTSD. I find it so interesting to see these issues that we understand so much better now and actually try to treat in historical settings where they still struggled to understand what's going on. I think Ashley does a fantastic job of handling the historical setting with our modern understandings.
I also really loved the characters - but that's no surprise. Ashley creates such strong female characters and she matches them with men that are interesting, equally strong, but also appreciate their women. I love seeing this second-chance romance, the healing of Elliot McBride, not to mention a great mystery. Looking forward to reading more.
I also really loved the characters - but that's no surprise. Ashley creates such strong female characters and she matches them with men that are interesting, equally strong, but also appreciate their women. I love seeing this second-chance romance, the healing of Elliot McBride, not to mention a great mystery. Looking forward to reading more.
I made it about 80% and just skimmed the rest. I just did not feel the chemistry and got bored out of my mind.
Tinha mais profundidade do que os outros, mas não me conectei tanto quanto queria
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A delightful surprise amongst the MacKenzie clan books of Highland Pleasures; young, innocent love blossomed into mature, redemptive romance.
It was a pleasure to follow the beginning of Elliot & Juliana's life together, and Scots remain at the top 'o the heap for passionate historical heroes & heroines. Elliot's backstory made for heart-wrenching reading while Juliana's steel-cored character grounded the current story in its reality.
The title is misleading- the book should be called "The Redemption of Elliot McBride".
It was a pleasure to follow the beginning of Elliot & Juliana's life together, and Scots remain at the top 'o the heap for passionate historical heroes & heroines. Elliot's backstory made for heart-wrenching reading while Juliana's steel-cored character grounded the current story in its reality.
The title is misleading- the book should be called "The Redemption of Elliot McBride".
2025 Review
I did a reread of this one here and it was a blast. I honestly couldn't put it down. I was so swept away by this story and THIS is what I have been missing in historical's. the set up was fascinating, and seeing them renovate a old mansion was neat and loved the suspense plot. Seeing the hero push through his PTSD just kept me up all night. I loved their swoony moments of this
Juliana has been engaged for quite some time, even though its not to the man she truly desires. Then on her wedding day, her fiancee jilts her for his piano teacher without even informing her of his plans, with over two hundred people waiting for them in the chapel. So when she seeks a few peaceful moments, she ends up finding Elliot Mcbride, who has recently returned. She surprises even herself, when she proposes to him, and then he actually says "yes". She knows it won't be a easy union, with Elliot having been a prisoner for quite some time. But she has always loved him, and wants to be his wife more than anything. Elliot, is thrilled with Juliana proposes to him, he has always wanted her, but lately has never felt worthy of her. Elliot has demons and nightmares, and feels like he is almost half mad. But he also knows that he could never let her go when she falls right into his lap. What is a Scot to do? As they start their life together, the road is dangerous and full of twists and turns, but a burning passion builds between Elliot and Juliana. One that turns from a fierce desire to a explosive love that could very well save them both.The Seduction of Elliot McBride is the fifth installment in the series. I just fell in love with the previous books...however this one fell a bit short. Don't get me wrong though, it was a fun and easy read, the kind you can relax into, but it didn't fully grasp me, and had me at every page like the previous books in the series had. I really enjoyed the plot and the characters. Elliot, has suffered much in the past, including being a prisoner and still barely sane. He is a very passionate man though, he can't stop making love to his wife. And some of the bed scenes were very playful and fun and I know this is bad...but I almost laughed, they could be quite humorous. Juliana, is very supportive of Elliot, and fully accepts his illegitimate daughter into her home. She doesn't believe Elliot is mad, just trying to heal. The side characters were also fun to see with their little quirks of personalities that just added a flair to the story. I also got to see a bit more of the Mackenzie family, which is always a delight. I enjoyed how vivid the characters emotions were portrayed throughout the story. It almost felt like they were real, and I could feel what they were feeling...it was so intense at times. Of course there is still Ashley's sharp wit and brilliant writing talent, that is ever present...so no worries on that front. The flow for the most part was pretty smooth like touching glass. Very emotionally provoking on every page. Overall a very romantic and poignant love story that will just enchant you and sweep you away into a world of seduction, danger, intrigue, and a intense love story. A winner!
I did a reread of this one here and it was a blast. I honestly couldn't put it down. I was so swept away by this story and THIS is what I have been missing in historical's. the set up was fascinating, and seeing them renovate a old mansion was neat and loved the suspense plot. Seeing the hero push through his PTSD just kept me up all night. I loved their swoony moments of this
Juliana has been engaged for quite some time, even though its not to the man she truly desires. Then on her wedding day, her fiancee jilts her for his piano teacher without even informing her of his plans, with over two hundred people waiting for them in the chapel. So when she seeks a few peaceful moments, she ends up finding Elliot Mcbride, who has recently returned. She surprises even herself, when she proposes to him, and then he actually says "yes". She knows it won't be a easy union, with Elliot having been a prisoner for quite some time. But she has always loved him, and wants to be his wife more than anything. Elliot, is thrilled with Juliana proposes to him, he has always wanted her, but lately has never felt worthy of her. Elliot has demons and nightmares, and feels like he is almost half mad. But he also knows that he could never let her go when she falls right into his lap. What is a Scot to do? As they start their life together, the road is dangerous and full of twists and turns, but a burning passion builds between Elliot and Juliana. One that turns from a fierce desire to a explosive love that could very well save them both.The Seduction of Elliot McBride is the fifth installment in the series. I just fell in love with the previous books...however this one fell a bit short. Don't get me wrong though, it was a fun and easy read, the kind you can relax into, but it didn't fully grasp me, and had me at every page like the previous books in the series had. I really enjoyed the plot and the characters. Elliot, has suffered much in the past, including being a prisoner and still barely sane. He is a very passionate man though, he can't stop making love to his wife. And some of the bed scenes were very playful and fun and I know this is bad...but I almost laughed, they could be quite humorous. Juliana, is very supportive of Elliot, and fully accepts his illegitimate daughter into her home. She doesn't believe Elliot is mad, just trying to heal. The side characters were also fun to see with their little quirks of personalities that just added a flair to the story. I also got to see a bit more of the Mackenzie family, which is always a delight. I enjoyed how vivid the characters emotions were portrayed throughout the story. It almost felt like they were real, and I could feel what they were feeling...it was so intense at times. Of course there is still Ashley's sharp wit and brilliant writing talent, that is ever present...so no worries on that front. The flow for the most part was pretty smooth like touching glass. Very emotionally provoking on every page. Overall a very romantic and poignant love story that will just enchant you and sweep you away into a world of seduction, danger, intrigue, and a intense love story. A winner!
3 1/2 stars
OK, put a bit of Cam and a bit of Ian together and you get Elliot McBride. After his ordeal, he lashes out, kind of like Cam when he wakes, and he zones out, kind of like Ian, except Ian's is more of seeing the world differently, whereas for Elliot, it is his mind taking him away. His is due to trauma, so different, yet similar. Still this book starts right off with the 2 characters getting together, which is refreshing. The only issue with that is then it is light on the romantic plot, and more on the relationship plot. With that, some of the sex scenes seem out of place, thrown in just because you need a certain number of them. The ending with the couple didn't have a definite conclusion other than they are together and love each other. With that it'll work out. Well, that was pretty much the beginning too, so seemed redundant. Still the relationship real was sweet and the intrigue was not idiotic and too overwhelming, so turns out to be a pretty good story. I thought it was a good addition to the series.
OK, put a bit of Cam and a bit of Ian together and you get Elliot McBride. After his ordeal, he lashes out, kind of like Cam when he wakes, and he zones out, kind of like Ian, except Ian's is more of seeing the world differently, whereas for Elliot, it is his mind taking him away. His is due to trauma, so different, yet similar. Still this book starts right off with the 2 characters getting together, which is refreshing. The only issue with that is then it is light on the romantic plot, and more on the relationship plot. With that, some of the sex scenes seem out of place, thrown in just because you need a certain number of them. The ending with the couple didn't have a definite conclusion other than they are together and love each other. With that it'll work out. Well, that was pretty much the beginning too, so seemed redundant. Still the relationship real was sweet and the intrigue was not idiotic and too overwhelming, so turns out to be a pretty good story. I thought it was a good addition to the series.
Before I get start giving you my reaction to this book, can we just have a moment of silence for that cover? HOLY HOTNESS! A man in a kilt with a tan and those abs? YES! What's even better is this cover is perfect for Elliot McBride. Romance (or any genre for that matter) covers aren't always accurate representations of the characters, but in this case it's DEAD ON.
This story is book five of the Highland Pleasures series - sometimes referred to as The Mackenzies - which I absolutely LOVE. I've been reading them since the very beginning and have enjoyed following the cast of characters as they grow, change & come together in many ways. The series takes place during the late 19th century, one of my absolute favorite settings for historical fiction. The ton in all its glory is always interesting with its balls, aristocrats, rules and oppressive ways. Throw some Highland Scots into the mix and it just gets better and better. :)
Because of my love for the previous books in this series, I couldn't wait for this one. I was a little apprehensive since it was the first which didn't directly involve a Mackenzie main character. A pet peeve of mine is when authors try to stretch out a series beyond it's potential by continuing to develop secondary characters. In this case it totally works. The ties are there from the very beginning, the relationships of all the players laid out. Lady Juliana St. John is a proper lady preparing for her wedding day, and Ainsley Mackenzie, Cameron's wife, is her matron of honor. This same Ainsley Mackenzie is the sister of Elliot McBride who also happens to be a childhood friend of Juliana St. John. What's clear early on is Juliana's wedding to her long-time fiancé isn't going to happen as planned.
Elliot McBride has returned from India where he escaped a brutal imprisonment that continues to haunt him. He hopes coming to his Scottish homeland will help free him from his demons, and his plans involve Juliana. What he doesn't expect is for her to ask him to marry her and save her from uncertainty once she's jilted at the altar. The adventure they embark on involves one very neglected Scottish manor, dark secrets from Elliot's past and a danger that follows him.
Jennifer Ashley spins a story that's compelling, and I never once felt like these characters didn't own it or deserve it. I appreciated how secure Juliana & Elliot were about their relationship. Each seems to be smitten with the other, committed to their marriage and never questions or strays. It's really refreshing to find that in a romance novel. It also makes the steamy scenes (and there are MANY ;) ) that much more satisfying. There's also plenty of one of my favorite Mackenzies, Daniel, which is only fitting since the next Highland Pleasures novel will be his, The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie. The wait for that one will be long - October 2013 *cries* - but luckily I'll have A Mackenzie Family Christmas: The Perfect Gift to help take my mind off it.
This story is book five of the Highland Pleasures series - sometimes referred to as The Mackenzies - which I absolutely LOVE. I've been reading them since the very beginning and have enjoyed following the cast of characters as they grow, change & come together in many ways. The series takes place during the late 19th century, one of my absolute favorite settings for historical fiction. The ton in all its glory is always interesting with its balls, aristocrats, rules and oppressive ways. Throw some Highland Scots into the mix and it just gets better and better. :)
Because of my love for the previous books in this series, I couldn't wait for this one. I was a little apprehensive since it was the first which didn't directly involve a Mackenzie main character. A pet peeve of mine is when authors try to stretch out a series beyond it's potential by continuing to develop secondary characters. In this case it totally works. The ties are there from the very beginning, the relationships of all the players laid out. Lady Juliana St. John is a proper lady preparing for her wedding day, and Ainsley Mackenzie, Cameron's wife, is her matron of honor. This same Ainsley Mackenzie is the sister of Elliot McBride who also happens to be a childhood friend of Juliana St. John. What's clear early on is Juliana's wedding to her long-time fiancé isn't going to happen as planned.
Elliot McBride has returned from India where he escaped a brutal imprisonment that continues to haunt him. He hopes coming to his Scottish homeland will help free him from his demons, and his plans involve Juliana. What he doesn't expect is for her to ask him to marry her and save her from uncertainty once she's jilted at the altar. The adventure they embark on involves one very neglected Scottish manor, dark secrets from Elliot's past and a danger that follows him.
Jennifer Ashley spins a story that's compelling, and I never once felt like these characters didn't own it or deserve it. I appreciated how secure Juliana & Elliot were about their relationship. Each seems to be smitten with the other, committed to their marriage and never questions or strays. It's really refreshing to find that in a romance novel. It also makes the steamy scenes (and there are MANY ;) ) that much more satisfying. There's also plenty of one of my favorite Mackenzies, Daniel, which is only fitting since the next Highland Pleasures novel will be his, The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie. The wait for that one will be long - October 2013 *cries* - but luckily I'll have A Mackenzie Family Christmas: The Perfect Gift to help take my mind off it.