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A review by courtneyhf
Highland Crown by May McGoldrick
4.0
This novel is one of many written by the married writing duo, Nikoo and Jim. They write under the name May McGoldrick, among others. If you don't know them yet, go check them out today...like, right now...go...I'll wait...
Amazing, right?
Now that you know what the heck is going on here, let's dig in, shall we?
I will say that I wish I had read this writing duo before because I probably would have been more prepared for a closed-door romance novel. Sometimes the fact that I like going in completely blind bites me right in the butt. I didn't realize what was going on until I was about 50% through this book with nary a love scene or much more than a couple of very intriguing glances being exchanged. It's always a bit of a shock when you don't see it coming but there are usually signs. I just wasn't paying attention (more on that later).
When we finally DID approach a love scene it had a wonderful build, a lovely and vague overview, and we were back to relationship and character building in a matter of about 4 paragraphs. Every once in a while that is just refreshing! Do we HAVE to spend 5 pages drudging on and on and ooonn about the velvet feel of a leg or the way someone sighs someone else's name? Not today we don't! I have laundry to do! The scene itself is paced beautifully and you get a real sense of them growing as a couple and of how down to earth they both are from the immediate before and after moments.
Remember up there (🠉) when I said that I missed all of the signs of a closed-door romance...?
I'm sure your asking yourself, "How could she MISS that??"
Well, it's because I absolutely LOVED the heroine, Dr. Isabella Drummond, and every. single. freaking. time. that she was on the page, I was distracted by how fierce, intelligent, logical, and tough she is. There isn't a moment that she was present that I wasn't obsessed with her. She is endlessly selfless, powerfully independent, and the feminist we all need in our lives. What a joy she must have been to write!
On the flip side, our hero, Cinaed Mackintosh, is a very typical hero with a secret inner sense of self. I was instantly impressed with how well he leads his people and encourages those around him. He doesn't just bark orders and walk around with his broad shoulders, looking lovely in a Highland breeze. He is in the trenches working right along beside everyone and leading by example. When he starts to build a relationship with Isabella he is all in and ready to start, no matter where it may take them. I absolutely adore a man who knows his own mind. (Don't ask me how to pronounce his name though...Kinny, Kenneth, Sin-aed, Shin-aed, Kin-aed? Research gave me all of those and nothing concrete)
The intrigue and action in this novel had me on the edge of my seat and fidgeting the entire time! Every time I THOUGHT I knew what was coming I was sorely mistaken and pleasantly surprised. Even without the mass carnage or hacking and slashing that you tend to see with Highland Historical Novels, you get enough of a sense of what's happening in the distance and just "off screen" that you comprehend the extraordinarily violent nature of our antagonist.
Speaking of the horrible human that is our antagonist, because of him, every moment of our hero and heroines lives are down right nerve-wracking and exhausting. You finish the novel completely wrung out and with a sense that they will be moving into a loving, if not dangerous, future together. I'm not used to Romance Novels ending with a big ol' question mark (anyone else DESPERATE to find out the one remaining unknown in our heroes life?) but it does help to encourage a reader to return and reassures us that we WILL get to follow up with these two in books to come.
My only draw back with this book is that I think we could have dug a bit more and fleshed out the romance between the hero and heroine. While I understand this is a very fast-paced book written in a very fast-paced world, I think there were a few missed moments that would have really rounded these guys out and made me swoon a little longer. Everything is very matter of fact and then the short moments we get with these two are over and we're back to history, politics, and relationship building with the secondary characters.
The secondary characters are all well written but, again, I think I could have fallen in love with them and their stories if we had just had a few extra "join hands and get to know each other" moments. I'm looking forward to revisiting these guys in the future and getting to know everyone a little bit better throughout the series.
Bottomline: A well researched and well written venture into the deep and colorful history of the highlands. Looking forward to seeing these guys' final HEA!
Rating: ★★★★
Favorite Quote: "They were fearless. With a gang of armed men, he had freed two so-called enemies of the Crown, but these people-- born with the same Highland blood that flowed through his body-- had come here with nothing but empty hands and raised voices. They'd come to this protest, crying out for reform, for freedom, for justice, armed only with a free, clear conscience...and their courage."
*I was given a free copy from NetGalley for an honest review*
Amazing, right?
Now that you know what the heck is going on here, let's dig in, shall we?
I will say that I wish I had read this writing duo before because I probably would have been more prepared for a closed-door romance novel. Sometimes the fact that I like going in completely blind bites me right in the butt. I didn't realize what was going on until I was about 50% through this book with nary a love scene or much more than a couple of very intriguing glances being exchanged. It's always a bit of a shock when you don't see it coming but there are usually signs. I just wasn't paying attention (more on that later).
When we finally DID approach a love scene it had a wonderful build, a lovely and vague overview, and we were back to relationship and character building in a matter of about 4 paragraphs. Every once in a while that is just refreshing! Do we HAVE to spend 5 pages drudging on and on and ooonn about the velvet feel of a leg or the way someone sighs someone else's name? Not today we don't! I have laundry to do! The scene itself is paced beautifully and you get a real sense of them growing as a couple and of how down to earth they both are from the immediate before and after moments.
Remember up there (🠉) when I said that I missed all of the signs of a closed-door romance...?
I'm sure your asking yourself, "How could she MISS that??"
Well, it's because I absolutely LOVED the heroine, Dr. Isabella Drummond, and every. single. freaking. time. that she was on the page, I was distracted by how fierce, intelligent, logical, and tough she is. There isn't a moment that she was present that I wasn't obsessed with her. She is endlessly selfless, powerfully independent, and the feminist we all need in our lives. What a joy she must have been to write!
On the flip side, our hero, Cinaed Mackintosh, is a very typical hero with a secret inner sense of self. I was instantly impressed with how well he leads his people and encourages those around him. He doesn't just bark orders and walk around with his broad shoulders, looking lovely in a Highland breeze. He is in the trenches working right along beside everyone and leading by example. When he starts to build a relationship with Isabella he is all in and ready to start, no matter where it may take them. I absolutely adore a man who knows his own mind. (Don't ask me how to pronounce his name though...Kinny, Kenneth, Sin-aed, Shin-aed, Kin-aed? Research gave me all of those and nothing concrete)
The intrigue and action in this novel had me on the edge of my seat and fidgeting the entire time! Every time I THOUGHT I knew what was coming I was sorely mistaken and pleasantly surprised. Even without the mass carnage or hacking and slashing that you tend to see with Highland Historical Novels, you get enough of a sense of what's happening in the distance and just "off screen" that you comprehend the extraordinarily violent nature of our antagonist.
Speaking of the horrible human that is our antagonist, because of him, every moment of our hero and heroines lives are down right nerve-wracking and exhausting. You finish the novel completely wrung out and with a sense that they will be moving into a loving, if not dangerous, future together. I'm not used to Romance Novels ending with a big ol' question mark (anyone else DESPERATE to find out the one remaining unknown in our heroes life?) but it does help to encourage a reader to return and reassures us that we WILL get to follow up with these two in books to come.
My only draw back with this book is that I think we could have dug a bit more and fleshed out the romance between the hero and heroine. While I understand this is a very fast-paced book written in a very fast-paced world, I think there were a few missed moments that would have really rounded these guys out and made me swoon a little longer. Everything is very matter of fact and then the short moments we get with these two are over and we're back to history, politics, and relationship building with the secondary characters.
The secondary characters are all well written but, again, I think I could have fallen in love with them and their stories if we had just had a few extra "join hands and get to know each other" moments. I'm looking forward to revisiting these guys in the future and getting to know everyone a little bit better throughout the series.
Bottomline: A well researched and well written venture into the deep and colorful history of the highlands. Looking forward to seeing these guys' final HEA!
Rating: ★★★★
Favorite Quote: "They were fearless. With a gang of armed men, he had freed two so-called enemies of the Crown, but these people-- born with the same Highland blood that flowed through his body-- had come here with nothing but empty hands and raised voices. They'd come to this protest, crying out for reform, for freedom, for justice, armed only with a free, clear conscience...and their courage."
*I was given a free copy from NetGalley for an honest review*