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MacGregors #1
Laird of the Mist
Protecting Her Was His Passion
High-born though she is, Kate Campbell isn't afraid to draw her sword. When raiders strike, she rushes into the fray...and is lucky when a mysterious Highlander shields her from a deadly blow. Swept onto his stallion, she soon discovers that her rescuer is her clan's most hated Callum MacGregor, the man they call The Devil. Yet she cannot ignore his achingly tender touch or the way his fiery gaze leaves her breathless.
POSSESSING HER WOULD BE HIS PLEASURE
Callum MacGregor has taken many Campbell lives, but he's never saved one--until now. Mesmerized by this spirited lass, he wants her by his side, even if it means holding her for ransom. As his fingers graze her sumptuous curves and tangle in her unruly tresses, Callum realizes Kate Campbell is his most dangerous foe of all. For he can't make love to her without betraying his kinsmen and his honor...and surrendering his heart forever.
High-born though she is, Kate Campbell isn't afraid to draw her sword. When raiders strike, she rushes into the fray...and is lucky when a mysterious Highlander shields her from a deadly blow. Swept onto his stallion, she soon discovers that her rescuer is her clan's most hated Callum MacGregor, the man they call The Devil. Yet she cannot ignore his achingly tender touch or the way his fiery gaze leaves her breathless.
POSSESSING HER WOULD BE HIS PLEASURE
Callum MacGregor has taken many Campbell lives, but he's never saved one--until now. Mesmerized by this spirited lass, he wants her by his side, even if it means holding her for ransom. As his fingers graze her sumptuous curves and tangle in her unruly tresses, Callum realizes Kate Campbell is his most dangerous foe of all. For he can't make love to her without betraying his kinsmen and his honor...and surrendering his heart forever.
311 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 2007
233 people are currently reading
6661 people want to read
About the author
Paula Quinn
58 books1,388 followersPaula Quinn is a NY Times and USA Today bestselling author of medieval, Scottish historical, and paranormal romance. To date, four of her books have garnered a starred review from Publishers Weekly. She has been nominated for Storyteller of the year by RT Book Reviews and every one of her books from the Children of the Mist series have garnered Top Picks from RT Book Reviews. Check out her series, Hearts of the Highlands featuring the brave, romantic MacPhersons on Amazon now!
Also, look for her new time-travel series Echoes In Time coming soon!
Also, look for her new time-travel series Echoes In Time coming soon!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 433 reviews
February 21, 2014
This book was lovely and very enjoyable. For once the heroine thinks before she starts with the accusations and listens to reason and the truth. It was very refreshing.
December 7, 2020
Callum MacGregor și Kate Campbell au fost crescuți să se urască. Clanul ei i-a provocat un rău imens lui Callum, ținându-i închiși pe el și pe sora lui. Odată evadat din închisoarea din castelul Kildun — castelul bunicului ei, acesta este hotărât să omoare fiecare Campbell ce-i iese în cale.
Dar cum socoteala de acasă nu se potrivește cu cea din târg, tânărul nostru curajos se trezește îndrăgostit până peste cap de fata plină de curaj care a fost în stare să lupte cot la cot cu bărbații pentru a-și apăra căminul.
Doar că numele lui este proscris, iar orice asociere a fetei cu el poate însemna moarte... Hotărât să o facă să îl urască, acesta îi spune că nu-i mai suportă prezența în casa lui. Astfel, Kate pleacă din castel singură, nedorind să pună oamenii MacGregor în primejdie. Aceasta se va dovedi a fi o greșeală, deoarece este prinsă de doi bărbați ce o cred membră a acestui clan proscris și sunt hotărâți să o vândă. Ba chiar este și bătută înainte ca lordul MacGregor, Diavolul în persoană, să-și facă apariția să o salveze.
Este clipa în care puternicul Callum este înfrânt. Recunoaște că este îndrăgostit de fată și că nu poate trăi fără ea.
Alertă și plină de suspans, “Stăpânul negurilor” este o lectură captivantă, plină de pericole ce țin cititorul cu sufletul la gură.
Cum se încheie povestea celor doi tineri dispuși să lupte cu destinul potrivnic, vă întrebați? Doar citind cartea aflați răspunsul.
Dar cum socoteala de acasă nu se potrivește cu cea din târg, tânărul nostru curajos se trezește îndrăgostit până peste cap de fata plină de curaj care a fost în stare să lupte cot la cot cu bărbații pentru a-și apăra căminul.
Doar că numele lui este proscris, iar orice asociere a fetei cu el poate însemna moarte... Hotărât să o facă să îl urască, acesta îi spune că nu-i mai suportă prezența în casa lui. Astfel, Kate pleacă din castel singură, nedorind să pună oamenii MacGregor în primejdie. Aceasta se va dovedi a fi o greșeală, deoarece este prinsă de doi bărbați ce o cred membră a acestui clan proscris și sunt hotărâți să o vândă. Ba chiar este și bătută înainte ca lordul MacGregor, Diavolul în persoană, să-și facă apariția să o salveze.
Este clipa în care puternicul Callum este înfrânt. Recunoaște că este îndrăgostit de fată și că nu poate trăi fără ea.
Alertă și plină de suspans, “Stăpânul negurilor” este o lectură captivantă, plină de pericole ce țin cititorul cu sufletul la gură.
Cum se încheie povestea celor doi tineri dispuși să lupte cu destinul potrivnic, vă întrebați? Doar citind cartea aflați răspunsul.
February 28, 2016
Despite it's ridiculous cover, this book was actually quite an enjoyable read.
It was fun to read a book which was very easy to follow and I was surprised by the plot. I hadn't expected much but it was actually quite interesting at times and had a few plot twists along the way. I doubt it was completely historically accurate, but it's clear that the author did do research on Scotland in the 17th century - enough that it isn't just a book of Scottish stereotypes.
The POV changed randomly throughout the chapters which was quite annoying, however I still liked each POV. At times the main characters had complete personality changes, but apart from that they were interesting enough to make me keep reading.
As you can probably tell from the cover, this book has some saucy scenes. However they don't occur until quite far through the book and thankfully this book isn't an instant-romance type situation.
As with many books set in Scotland and written by American authors the accents are very inconsistent and change all the time. There are also some very strange spellings in there and repeated use of the word 'nae' which is annoying. As someone with a Scottish accent, I just can't stand the way Scottish accents are written and it's even worse when they are inconsistent.
Whilst this book had some typos and wasn't the best, I would still recommend if you wanted a quick slightly saucy read set in the Scottish highland with inconsistent accents. Despite it's faults I was pleasantly surprised.
It was fun to read a book which was very easy to follow and I was surprised by the plot. I hadn't expected much but it was actually quite interesting at times and had a few plot twists along the way. I doubt it was completely historically accurate, but it's clear that the author did do research on Scotland in the 17th century - enough that it isn't just a book of Scottish stereotypes.
The POV changed randomly throughout the chapters which was quite annoying, however I still liked each POV. At times the main characters had complete personality changes, but apart from that they were interesting enough to make me keep reading.
As you can probably tell from the cover, this book has some saucy scenes. However they don't occur until quite far through the book and thankfully this book isn't an instant-romance type situation.
As with many books set in Scotland and written by American authors the accents are very inconsistent and change all the time. There are also some very strange spellings in there and repeated use of the word 'nae' which is annoying. As someone with a Scottish accent, I just can't stand the way Scottish accents are written and it's even worse when they are inconsistent.
Whilst this book had some typos and wasn't the best, I would still recommend if you wanted a quick slightly saucy read set in the Scottish highland with inconsistent accents. Despite it's faults I was pleasantly surprised.
April 13, 2024
Classic bodice ripper! Brave and bonny lassie tames the Laird of an outlawed clan 🏰🏴🐴🌳🏴🗡️💨
✔️ fierce Highland laird with protective tendencies
✔️ battleground meet-cute ⚔️
✔️ vivid scenery of misty Scotland Highlands
✔️ sassy “loud-mouthed” lass!
Kate is kidnapped by the infamous Callum MacGregor aka The Devil as collateral for her evil uncle. Their romance is slow burn sizzle 🔥 made even spicier by the general Scottish burr & mysterious Highlands. I WAS SEDUCED BY THE SCOTTISH MISTS & MODDY CLIFFS 🌬️
Best part of this book was definitely the found family & soldier banter! Callum was constantly herding his soldiers/friends who just loved to tease him & also already liked Kate 🏴 and I just loved Kate’s great relationship with Callum’s eccentric little sister!
The ‘revenge’ side plot was a bit predictable so I found it difficult to finish the book. Don’t do the audiobook!
enemies-to-lovers
strong & brave fmc
slow burn 🔥
historical ‘passion’ language 🌶️ “liquid heat” references
virgin fmc
one bed 🛏️ & sick bed!
mystery side plot
found family
HEA
✔️ fierce Highland laird with protective tendencies
✔️ battleground meet-cute ⚔️
✔️ vivid scenery of misty Scotland Highlands
✔️ sassy “loud-mouthed” lass!
Kate is kidnapped by the infamous Callum MacGregor aka The Devil as collateral for her evil uncle. Their romance is slow burn sizzle 🔥 made even spicier by the general Scottish burr & mysterious Highlands. I WAS SEDUCED BY THE SCOTTISH MISTS & MODDY CLIFFS 🌬️
Best part of this book was definitely the found family & soldier banter! Callum was constantly herding his soldiers/friends who just loved to tease him & also already liked Kate 🏴 and I just loved Kate’s great relationship with Callum’s eccentric little sister!
The ‘revenge’ side plot was a bit predictable so I found it difficult to finish the book. Don’t do the audiobook!
enemies-to-lovers
strong & brave fmc
slow burn 🔥
historical ‘passion’ language 🌶️ “liquid heat” references
virgin fmc
one bed 🛏️ & sick bed!
mystery side plot
found family
HEA
March 16, 2012
Loved it from the 1st page till the end. I laugh I cried, the characters really drown me in satisfaction.
Camlochlin Castle
Camlochlin Castle
May 19, 2016
I loved it so much! <3 It was heartbreaking. But in a good way.
Edited 6th August 2015
When I first read this book, my heart wanted to weep with the pain and anguish. I loved it so much! It was beautiful, it was exactly what I looked for in a romance.
But when I tried rereading it a couple of years ago, I hated the heroine right from the beginning. Hated her so much. It was then that I decided to leave the book and let the fond memories remain, instead of continuing the book and hate it altogether. So now I remember I loved this book, but it is definitely not up for a reread.
Edited 6th August 2015
When I first read this book, my heart wanted to weep with the pain and anguish. I loved it so much! It was beautiful, it was exactly what I looked for in a romance.
But when I tried rereading it a couple of years ago, I hated the heroine right from the beginning. Hated her so much. It was then that I decided to leave the book and let the fond memories remain, instead of continuing the book and hate it altogether. So now I remember I loved this book, but it is definitely not up for a reread.
December 14, 2016
I think this is a typical, rather cheesy Scottish romance story with a very tough hero laird and a damsel in distress from a enemy clan."I love you", "I cannot love you", "I am doing this for your own good", this sort of things.
The hero comes from an outlawed clan, being despised and hunted by all highlanders. The heroine is raised to hate his clan because she was told that his clan is responsible for her losing her family. They met, hero saved heroine, knowing she was from the enemy clan. They of course hated each other in the beginning and this went on for a while. I was however relieved that Paula Quinn did not spent too many pages on how they despised each other because of family feuds. Constant bickering gets so old so fast.
Cliche it may be, but i think it is up to the writer to make the story come to life. Paula Quinn gave these characters lives. And for that, the book gets 4 stars from me overall. Writers have used similar plots and characterization but not every book that employed similar mechanism is a success. Laird of the Mist is one of the success stories.
I really appreciate that Paula Quinn made the heroine overcome her prejudice sooner than later. The heroine learned soon that what she heard about the hero was falsehood and did not fight overmuch internally over it. I really do not like when romance novel writers describe the characters' internal struggle over things like family feuds, old history and blah blah blah. I mean, use it as a plot, by all means, but don't make it the main plot, please. Thankfully, Paula Quinn did not do that. She focused on the romance development and how the characters overcame the struggles (difficult but did not invest too many pages on describing them).
There are a few things that bother me:
1. At some points I did feel that the descriptions are jumping around a bit. I had to re-read some paragraphs because the story feels inconsistent. Is he standing in front of her or behind her? Did she drop the sword before or after she walked away? The book isn't very "tidy" in the sense that there are some small things hanging around. The main plot is good and works well. The details, need some work.
2. I was very surprised to read that Callum (oh sorry, the hero) had a castle and did not seem to lack funds. From the description and the story flow I was imagining an impoverished clan with little resource. But he did not seem like that at all. Not that I mind, it is just I had to correct my mental picture of Callum and his men. I imagined them to be a poor lot (monetarily) but they seemed to do well enough.
3. I skipped all parts about Kate's (the heroine's) evil uncle and good brother, where they were planning to rescue her, albeit for different reasons. I understand it is necessary to build the plot. But I feel that the story could have done without that particular piece of information. Thankfully, Paula did not spend too much time on this.
Overall I think it is a decent highland romance, with all the necessary elements, gripping conversations and vivid descriptions. There isn't much new, in the sense that you won't be surprised by what happens in the story. But the way the lead characters are portrayed keeps you interested. Your heart goes out to them and wants them to find the courage to come to each other with open arms. You feel for them and smile when they manage a few moments of tenderness. If you compare it to really original works, it will probably be 3.5 stars. But for a wonderful reading experience, this book gets 4 stars from me.
The hero comes from an outlawed clan, being despised and hunted by all highlanders. The heroine is raised to hate his clan because she was told that his clan is responsible for her losing her family. They met, hero saved heroine, knowing she was from the enemy clan. They of course hated each other in the beginning and this went on for a while. I was however relieved that Paula Quinn did not spent too many pages on how they despised each other because of family feuds. Constant bickering gets so old so fast.
Cliche it may be, but i think it is up to the writer to make the story come to life. Paula Quinn gave these characters lives. And for that, the book gets 4 stars from me overall. Writers have used similar plots and characterization but not every book that employed similar mechanism is a success. Laird of the Mist is one of the success stories.
I really appreciate that Paula Quinn made the heroine overcome her prejudice sooner than later. The heroine learned soon that what she heard about the hero was falsehood and did not fight overmuch internally over it. I really do not like when romance novel writers describe the characters' internal struggle over things like family feuds, old history and blah blah blah. I mean, use it as a plot, by all means, but don't make it the main plot, please. Thankfully, Paula Quinn did not do that. She focused on the romance development and how the characters overcame the struggles (difficult but did not invest too many pages on describing them).
There are a few things that bother me:
1. At some points I did feel that the descriptions are jumping around a bit. I had to re-read some paragraphs because the story feels inconsistent. Is he standing in front of her or behind her? Did she drop the sword before or after she walked away? The book isn't very "tidy" in the sense that there are some small things hanging around. The main plot is good and works well. The details, need some work.
2. I was very surprised to read that Callum (oh sorry, the hero) had a castle and did not seem to lack funds. From the description and the story flow I was imagining an impoverished clan with little resource. But he did not seem like that at all. Not that I mind, it is just I had to correct my mental picture of Callum and his men. I imagined them to be a poor lot (monetarily) but they seemed to do well enough.
3. I skipped all parts about Kate's (the heroine's) evil uncle and good brother, where they were planning to rescue her, albeit for different reasons. I understand it is necessary to build the plot. But I feel that the story could have done without that particular piece of information. Thankfully, Paula did not spend too much time on this.
Overall I think it is a decent highland romance, with all the necessary elements, gripping conversations and vivid descriptions. There isn't much new, in the sense that you won't be surprised by what happens in the story. But the way the lead characters are portrayed keeps you interested. Your heart goes out to them and wants them to find the courage to come to each other with open arms. You feel for them and smile when they manage a few moments of tenderness. If you compare it to really original works, it will probably be 3.5 stars. But for a wonderful reading experience, this book gets 4 stars from me.
November 1, 2015
This book got me like...
Serious love!
Serious love!
January 9, 2019
Plot/Storyline: 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Feels: 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sensuality: 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall: 4.5 stars rounding to 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was amazing. It was complex and emotional and exciting and all wrapped up in true historical detail. I don’t want to go too much into the plot. If you read the book summary and google “MacGregor Clan proscription” you’ll discover a lot of interesting stuff.
For this review, suffice it to say that this is a true enemies to lovers story. And part of what I loved so much about is that these two had real reasons to be enemies. It was not some silly feud or even one with unknown origins where they didn’t know why they were fighting anymore. They had good reasons. I do believe the actual characters were fictional, as were the particulars of their story, but this was done so well within the bounds of the historical background.
This book is for those of you who like a kidnap/captive plot that turns into a romance without any shred of Stockholm syndrome or rapey-ness. Paula Quinn handles this type of storyline beautifully. Callum never expected to take a hostage and his main reason for doing so is because Kate is wounded while he’s trying to protect her. He and his clan are never cruel to her. They do not treat her like a hostage. And a connection between them forms almost immediately.
Both Callum and Kate have beliefs about each other that are wrong going into the book. Particularly Kate, who has been completely in the dark about the atrocities her own clan has committed. But they come to understand each other and learn the truths of their pasts as they spend more time together. Misunderstandings evolve into understanding in a normal way, instead of them lingering for the entire book because they don’t speak to each other.
I love when an author gives me a truly tortured hero. So often they’re tortured by something that is tragic, but that most people experience in their lives and manage to get through it. A betrayal. The death of a loved one. A singular traumatic experience. All terrible. All survivable. But Callum, what he went through, most would not survive. His torment is appropriate. And what the experience turned him into is, in some ways, even more tragic than the experience itself. His past is so devastating and how he deals with it, how he feels about himself because of it, is so heartbreaking.
He overcomes that through his relationship with Kate. Her clan is responsible for every bad thing that has happened to Callum. She was in the dark about it and once she learns the truth she bears the weight of it on her shoulders. She becomes determined to give Callum back the life that was taken from him. And it was the very fact that she began as his enemy that enabled him to get there. Because she saw something in him he never saw in him self. A hero.
Somehow through all the anguish in his life, Callum manages to be an entirely reasonable person. He is not entirely ruled by his emotions or his desire to avenge his name. He thinks and reasons about everything. He’s not afraid of love. He’s not even afraid of these unbidden and unavoidable feelings he has for Kate. But he knows that being with her is impossible. Literally impossible. And I love that his resistance is not because of the history with her clan, but because he wants to protect her.
That Callum can love her despite the horrendous things her clan had done to his clan, his family, his person, is a testament to how tender his heart truly is. From the beginning he has a soft spot for her. He treats her fairly and does not punish her for the sins of others.
I admit it. I love when the hero gives the heroine longing looks and caresses her with his eyes. When everything about him seems hard and unyielding but his eyes give away the tender emotions hidden inside. When he literally cannot take his eyes off her and casts her ages of yearning and burning looks. When he cannot hide because his eyes give him away. This book is full of that. Callum wants Kate so bad you can feel it in every page. This book is exploding with emotion. It was the best part.
The tension was so hot and so satisfying. There were plenty of those longing glances, soft touches and caresses, tons and tons of kisses, and the sex was decent too. I do think the actual love scenes were pretty good, but not at the top of my list of best love scenes. And the steam fizzled a bit it at the very end. However the feels in this book made up for that, even through a ridiculous sex on a horse scene.
I read some reviews that claim this book is unoriginal and uninspired. That there are a thousand other highlander books just like it. I haven’t read many highlander books so perhaps that’s why it felt more fresh to me. But either way, if this is what highlander books are like, I need to read a lot more of them.
Feels: 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sensuality: 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall: 4.5 stars rounding to 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was amazing. It was complex and emotional and exciting and all wrapped up in true historical detail. I don’t want to go too much into the plot. If you read the book summary and google “MacGregor Clan proscription” you’ll discover a lot of interesting stuff.
For this review, suffice it to say that this is a true enemies to lovers story. And part of what I loved so much about is that these two had real reasons to be enemies. It was not some silly feud or even one with unknown origins where they didn’t know why they were fighting anymore. They had good reasons. I do believe the actual characters were fictional, as were the particulars of their story, but this was done so well within the bounds of the historical background.
This book is for those of you who like a kidnap/captive plot that turns into a romance without any shred of Stockholm syndrome or rapey-ness. Paula Quinn handles this type of storyline beautifully. Callum never expected to take a hostage and his main reason for doing so is because Kate is wounded while he’s trying to protect her. He and his clan are never cruel to her. They do not treat her like a hostage. And a connection between them forms almost immediately.
Both Callum and Kate have beliefs about each other that are wrong going into the book. Particularly Kate, who has been completely in the dark about the atrocities her own clan has committed. But they come to understand each other and learn the truths of their pasts as they spend more time together. Misunderstandings evolve into understanding in a normal way, instead of them lingering for the entire book because they don’t speak to each other.
I love when an author gives me a truly tortured hero. So often they’re tortured by something that is tragic, but that most people experience in their lives and manage to get through it. A betrayal. The death of a loved one. A singular traumatic experience. All terrible. All survivable. But Callum, what he went through, most would not survive. His torment is appropriate. And what the experience turned him into is, in some ways, even more tragic than the experience itself. His past is so devastating and how he deals with it, how he feels about himself because of it, is so heartbreaking.
He overcomes that through his relationship with Kate. Her clan is responsible for every bad thing that has happened to Callum. She was in the dark about it and once she learns the truth she bears the weight of it on her shoulders. She becomes determined to give Callum back the life that was taken from him. And it was the very fact that she began as his enemy that enabled him to get there. Because she saw something in him he never saw in him self. A hero.
Somehow through all the anguish in his life, Callum manages to be an entirely reasonable person. He is not entirely ruled by his emotions or his desire to avenge his name. He thinks and reasons about everything. He’s not afraid of love. He’s not even afraid of these unbidden and unavoidable feelings he has for Kate. But he knows that being with her is impossible. Literally impossible. And I love that his resistance is not because of the history with her clan, but because he wants to protect her.
That Callum can love her despite the horrendous things her clan had done to his clan, his family, his person, is a testament to how tender his heart truly is. From the beginning he has a soft spot for her. He treats her fairly and does not punish her for the sins of others.
I admit it. I love when the hero gives the heroine longing looks and caresses her with his eyes. When everything about him seems hard and unyielding but his eyes give away the tender emotions hidden inside. When he literally cannot take his eyes off her and casts her ages of yearning and burning looks. When he cannot hide because his eyes give him away. This book is full of that. Callum wants Kate so bad you can feel it in every page. This book is exploding with emotion. It was the best part.
The tension was so hot and so satisfying. There were plenty of those longing glances, soft touches and caresses, tons and tons of kisses, and the sex was decent too. I do think the actual love scenes were pretty good, but not at the top of my list of best love scenes. And the steam fizzled a bit it at the very end. However the feels in this book made up for that, even through a ridiculous sex on a horse scene.
I read some reviews that claim this book is unoriginal and uninspired. That there are a thousand other highlander books just like it. I haven’t read many highlander books so perhaps that’s why it felt more fresh to me. But either way, if this is what highlander books are like, I need to read a lot more of them.
May 27, 2020
Favorite Renaissance HR yet (that I remember)! I would like to read book 2.
February 23, 2010
A Romeo and Juliet tale with plenty of Hatfield's and McCoy's thrown into the mix, Quinn does a fine job of making the Scottish medieval setting in Laird of the Mist feel accurate and I got the feeling she threw in a bit of real history too.
The Campbells and the MacGregor's have been fighting for hundreds of years. Kate Campbell is not even sure how it all began, but she does know this- The Devil Macgregor was responsible for her Father and Grandfather's death. That's enough for her to hate ANY Macgregor on sight.
When Callum Macgergor happens upon her while she and her clan are fighting a deadly battle with a rival clan, he does something totally uncharacteristic for him- he saves her then promptly rides off with her into the sunset.
But that's only the beginning. Soon enough, Kate discovers exactly who her rescuer is and is forced to make a choice between the growing attraction she feels for him- or finally take out the man who has caused so much pain in her life.
Of course the more time they spend together the more they realize that both have been living under misconceptions- especially Kate- and when the truth finally comes out, Kate makes a decision to follow her heart, even if it means losing her family.
I must admit that Laird of the Mist came off as too over the top for me, in many ways. Too much accent (aboot), too much purple prose at times and too much cliché. (Several eye rolling moments in it for me.)
Yet, it had a good enough plot and heated chemistry between the two protags to keep me engaged.
Kate is not only fierce, she's smart. And I really liked that once she knew she felt something for Callum, she wasn't afraid to admit it too him right away. Callum of course had to be shown the light- but even that tired plot device worked because he was attempting to keep his distance for all the right reasons. (Anyone sympathetic to the MacGregors would fall to major harm not only because of his enemies but because the Clan had been annexed.)
More importantly, Callum tugged at my heart. For so long he had to be a warrior Laird and wouldn't allow himself the time to dream of better things. Once Kate brought him the hope of a brighter future- he was lost.
I love sappy junk like that.
(btw, this book is surprisingly sensual, so don't shy away from it because you like a steamy read. It's in there!)
The Campbells and the MacGregor's have been fighting for hundreds of years. Kate Campbell is not even sure how it all began, but she does know this- The Devil Macgregor was responsible for her Father and Grandfather's death. That's enough for her to hate ANY Macgregor on sight.
When Callum Macgergor happens upon her while she and her clan are fighting a deadly battle with a rival clan, he does something totally uncharacteristic for him- he saves her then promptly rides off with her into the sunset.
But that's only the beginning. Soon enough, Kate discovers exactly who her rescuer is and is forced to make a choice between the growing attraction she feels for him- or finally take out the man who has caused so much pain in her life.
Of course the more time they spend together the more they realize that both have been living under misconceptions- especially Kate- and when the truth finally comes out, Kate makes a decision to follow her heart, even if it means losing her family.
I must admit that Laird of the Mist came off as too over the top for me, in many ways. Too much accent (aboot), too much purple prose at times and too much cliché. (Several eye rolling moments in it for me.)
Yet, it had a good enough plot and heated chemistry between the two protags to keep me engaged.
Kate is not only fierce, she's smart. And I really liked that once she knew she felt something for Callum, she wasn't afraid to admit it too him right away. Callum of course had to be shown the light- but even that tired plot device worked because he was attempting to keep his distance for all the right reasons. (Anyone sympathetic to the MacGregors would fall to major harm not only because of his enemies but because the Clan had been annexed.)
More importantly, Callum tugged at my heart. For so long he had to be a warrior Laird and wouldn't allow himself the time to dream of better things. Once Kate brought him the hope of a brighter future- he was lost.
I love sappy junk like that.
(btw, this book is surprisingly sensual, so don't shy away from it because you like a steamy read. It's in there!)
November 19, 2016
Abductor...Protector...And then honest to my swooning heart, the Sweetest Lover.
This book has got all the shebangs. A warrior heroine, a muscular, alpha scot with a tortured past and delicious men in side roles.
Paula Quinn doesn't shy away from the gory bits of history. She's described gruesome deaths and awful tortures. All for the sake of the story and never for bringing out some measly tears. This book, however much chick-lit it may be, has true historical merit. With all the historicals I'd been reading, I was beginning to think that history was all balls and dresses. This books transports the reader to another realm, much scarier but no less beautiful.
By the end of the book though, the heroine falls prey to some typical romantic crap. She's suddenly the mother hen to the whole clan and all the strong, muscular men shake in their boots just from her glare. A little too much of cuteness maybe?
Nevertheless, rock solid romance and hero and heroine that I enjoyed reading about from the beginning till the end.
This book has got all the shebangs. A warrior heroine, a muscular, alpha scot with a tortured past and delicious men in side roles.
Paula Quinn doesn't shy away from the gory bits of history. She's described gruesome deaths and awful tortures. All for the sake of the story and never for bringing out some measly tears. This book, however much chick-lit it may be, has true historical merit. With all the historicals I'd been reading, I was beginning to think that history was all balls and dresses. This books transports the reader to another realm, much scarier but no less beautiful.
By the end of the book though, the heroine falls prey to some typical romantic crap. She's suddenly the mother hen to the whole clan and all the strong, muscular men shake in their boots just from her glare. A little too much of cuteness maybe?
Nevertheless, rock solid romance and hero and heroine that I enjoyed reading about from the beginning till the end.
June 11, 2018
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋
Love the MacGregor series , they are so well written .
Plunging you from romance and love ,to war and aggression and back again .
Brilliant characters , stunning backgrounds of Scottish mountains and castles.
What more could you want
💋💋
Love the MacGregor series , they are so well written .
Plunging you from romance and love ,to war and aggression and back again .
Brilliant characters , stunning backgrounds of Scottish mountains and castles.
What more could you want
life-is-too-short
December 6, 2018I kinda of started to lose focus. So many books and all that.
April 13, 2016
4,5 stars.
Entertaining, even paced book. All the characters are lovable and I was glad to see an antagonist developed enough that his actions were justified, albeit misguided.
The hero to me was perfect. Fearsome yet reasonable. Tormented past, yet was able to overcome it.
I reduced a half a star because there was little emotional turmoil within the conflict. Not that this is bad, but there could have been a little more umpft. I just didn't get the feeling of being on the edge of my seat type of emotion. But sometimes this is good if one is looking for a gentle read.
An added bonus is that none of my pet peeves or emotional triggers were touched.
Entertaining, even paced book. All the characters are lovable and I was glad to see an antagonist developed enough that his actions were justified, albeit misguided.
The hero to me was perfect. Fearsome yet reasonable. Tormented past, yet was able to overcome it.
I reduced a half a star because there was little emotional turmoil within the conflict. Not that this is bad, but there could have been a little more umpft. I just didn't get the feeling of being on the edge of my seat type of emotion. But sometimes this is good if one is looking for a gentle read.
An added bonus is that none of my pet peeves or emotional triggers were touched.
September 7, 2021
It was a nice fast paced medieval romance. I enjoyed it somewhat.
February 24, 2012
4 and 1/2 Stars! Superb First in the Series, You'll love the MacGregor men!
This was my first Paula Quinn romance and I just loved it. It's a worthy highland romance and a great first in her series (see list below). It introduces us to a fierce and proud clan, the MacGregors, who historically were officially denounced but eventually regained their position among the clans. Those MacGregor men who kept pride in their heritage and kept their name alive would be stronger than most and worthy of a woman's love.
The story begins as Kate Campbell, a very fiesty heroine who is good with a sword, rushes into fight alongside her clan when attacked by their enemies, the MacGregors. She is saved by Callum MacGregor, the man they call the Devil, when he sweeps her onto his stallion.
I loved the authenticity of this tale and the character development and the way Quinn built the attraction and love between Callum and Kate, who would otherwise be enemies. Quinn brings the Highlands to life. I did not want to put it down. I highly recommend it.
Here's the whole series:
The MacGregors:
Laird of the Mist (Callum MacGregor and Kate Campbell)
A Highlander Never Surrenders (Graham Grant and Claire Stuart)
The Children of the Mist (connected to and follows the MacGregors):
Ravished by a Highlander (Robert MacGregor and Davina Montgomery)
Seduced by a Highlander (Tristan MacGregor and Isobel Fergusson)
Tamed by a Highlander (Mairi MacGregor, Connor Grant) - reviewed in today's blog
Conquered by a Highlander (Colin MacGregor and Gillian Dearly)
This was my first Paula Quinn romance and I just loved it. It's a worthy highland romance and a great first in her series (see list below). It introduces us to a fierce and proud clan, the MacGregors, who historically were officially denounced but eventually regained their position among the clans. Those MacGregor men who kept pride in their heritage and kept their name alive would be stronger than most and worthy of a woman's love.
The story begins as Kate Campbell, a very fiesty heroine who is good with a sword, rushes into fight alongside her clan when attacked by their enemies, the MacGregors. She is saved by Callum MacGregor, the man they call the Devil, when he sweeps her onto his stallion.
I loved the authenticity of this tale and the character development and the way Quinn built the attraction and love between Callum and Kate, who would otherwise be enemies. Quinn brings the Highlands to life. I did not want to put it down. I highly recommend it.
Here's the whole series:
The MacGregors:
Laird of the Mist (Callum MacGregor and Kate Campbell)
A Highlander Never Surrenders (Graham Grant and Claire Stuart)
The Children of the Mist (connected to and follows the MacGregors):
Ravished by a Highlander (Robert MacGregor and Davina Montgomery)
Seduced by a Highlander (Tristan MacGregor and Isobel Fergusson)
Tamed by a Highlander (Mairi MacGregor, Connor Grant) - reviewed in today's blog
Conquered by a Highlander (Colin MacGregor and Gillian Dearly)
April 30, 2015
Historic Romance Delightful!
No bickering, no silly misunderstandings, and no irritating characters! Add a moving storyline regarding the proscription of Clan McGregor plus lots of humor, and this novel is a pleasant surprise indeed.
This is my first Paula Quinn book, but it will not be my last. I loved the main characters, both of them. The heroine is kind-hearted and decisive, someone I could really identify with. And the hero, oh my goodness, how rare it is for me to really like the hero of a romance novel, usually they are far too one-dimensional for my tastes.
Highly recommended, don't discount because of my 4 stars. I only hand out 5 stars for unforgettable books, and this one doesn't have quite enough tragedy for that.
The novel has several detailed intimate scenes, but tastefully done and not overly long, they don't derail the story. There are maybe two bad words, hidden in Scottish brogue.
No bickering, no silly misunderstandings, and no irritating characters! Add a moving storyline regarding the proscription of Clan McGregor plus lots of humor, and this novel is a pleasant surprise indeed.
This is my first Paula Quinn book, but it will not be my last. I loved the main characters, both of them. The heroine is kind-hearted and decisive, someone I could really identify with. And the hero, oh my goodness, how rare it is for me to really like the hero of a romance novel, usually they are far too one-dimensional for my tastes.
Highly recommended, don't discount because of my 4 stars. I only hand out 5 stars for unforgettable books, and this one doesn't have quite enough tragedy for that.
The novel has several detailed intimate scenes, but tastefully done and not overly long, they don't derail the story. There are maybe two bad words, hidden in Scottish brogue.
July 29, 2019
This is one of the best books I’ve read - no jokes.
I read the children of the Mist series first and needed more so I went for Laird of the Mist. It felt so overwhelming, I had to pause at almost every page. Understanding the history of the Mist was beautiful. The imprisonment, the trauma, the proscription.. wow.
I loveee Kate. I love how she was so open with her feelings. Callum was also a captivating character. Hunted, driven, passionate. I also liked Rob and Graham.
Brodie, Angus and Jamie were absolute clowns!
I didn’t read the book, I experienced it. And I kept gushing about it on Twitter after every chapter lol! Took me 2-3 days to finish cause I was reveling in every page!!
My favorite from the Mist series 💙💙💙💙💙
I read the children of the Mist series first and needed more so I went for Laird of the Mist. It felt so overwhelming, I had to pause at almost every page. Understanding the history of the Mist was beautiful. The imprisonment, the trauma, the proscription.. wow.
I loveee Kate. I love how she was so open with her feelings. Callum was also a captivating character. Hunted, driven, passionate. I also liked Rob and Graham.
Brodie, Angus and Jamie were absolute clowns!
I didn’t read the book, I experienced it. And I kept gushing about it on Twitter after every chapter lol! Took me 2-3 days to finish cause I was reveling in every page!!
My favorite from the Mist series 💙💙💙💙💙
May 7, 2014
The first book in Paula Quinn's MacGregors series. Kate Campbell is "rescued" from raiders by the feared Highlander, The Devil. Callum has reason to hate the Campbells but this is one he has a hard time hating. He takes her with the intention of luring her uncle to him to get his long awaited revenge on the man.
I noticed this is a favorite of many but it didn't quite do it for me. I didn't dislike it or anything. I just didn't feel the actions matched the situation at times. It had a bunch of wonderful secondary characters that added some nice comic relief but the main couple wasn't convincing to me. Also, it was amazing how quickly these people healed from their injuries.
I noticed this is a favorite of many but it didn't quite do it for me. I didn't dislike it or anything. I just didn't feel the actions matched the situation at times. It had a bunch of wonderful secondary characters that added some nice comic relief but the main couple wasn't convincing to me. Also, it was amazing how quickly these people healed from their injuries.
July 11, 2010
Laird of the Mist was mostly just literary candy for me. I found the historical aspect of the book well done though. I also thought the secondary characters were well developed too. However for the most part it was just lots of fluff and sugar and was simply satisfying.
April 30, 2013
Eh. 2.75 Stars.
June 23, 2020
Pretty good read. Focus on the historical outlaw clan McGregor.
October 29, 2021
3.5 stars
This was my first book from this author and it was an unexpected surprise. I usually do not like medieval books because they tend to have a lot of history which I don’t really care about. But this book’s history wasn’t hard to understand and it wasn’t that much. I did skim some of it though.
The romance building between Kate and callum was a little too slow for my liking. Though i did not love them, i did like them. Callum was what i would call a gentle giant, he was so gentle and caring towards Kate. Kate was a brave and spitfire lady. The chemistry between them was alright. They did enjoy some jokes and banter at times but it would have been nice if there were more.
I enjoyed the camaraderie amongst callum, Brodie, Jamie, Angus and graham. Their antics and interactions amused me and it’s really rare that i enjoy the appearances of supporting characters. I really liked graham the most, as a supporting character and am looking forward to reading his book.
I will definitely be reading more of this author’s books.
This was my first book from this author and it was an unexpected surprise. I usually do not like medieval books because they tend to have a lot of history which I don’t really care about. But this book’s history wasn’t hard to understand and it wasn’t that much. I did skim some of it though.
The romance building between Kate and callum was a little too slow for my liking. Though i did not love them, i did like them. Callum was what i would call a gentle giant, he was so gentle and caring towards Kate. Kate was a brave and spitfire lady. The chemistry between them was alright. They did enjoy some jokes and banter at times but it would have been nice if there were more.
I enjoyed the camaraderie amongst callum, Brodie, Jamie, Angus and graham. Their antics and interactions amused me and it’s really rare that i enjoy the appearances of supporting characters. I really liked graham the most, as a supporting character and am looking forward to reading his book.
I will definitely be reading more of this author’s books.
December 27, 2017
2 stars!
I’m so disappointed!
Why me? Why am I always finding books with a great start, but then becoming a headache as the story progresses?
This book had a great start and I was thinking I will love it.
But noooooo, why should I have the pleasure of reading a great book?
Reading 70% of it and then skipping the rest, I think is enough to know that I don’t give a fuck anymore. They can all die for all I care and for all the headache that I had to endure.
I’m so disappointed!
Why me? Why am I always finding books with a great start, but then becoming a headache as the story progresses?
This book had a great start and I was thinking I will love it.
But noooooo, why should I have the pleasure of reading a great book?
Reading 70% of it and then skipping the rest, I think is enough to know that I don’t give a fuck anymore. They can all die for all I care and for all the headache that I had to endure.
August 28, 2024
4 stars.
I really enjoyed this. It’s a classic Scottish Highland romance. There’s a few cliches but the writing was good enough that I didn’t care. The romance was well built and believable and when I felt it was going down a predictable route, something was thrown in to make it a little different.
I will be reading more books by this author.
I really enjoyed this. It’s a classic Scottish Highland romance. There’s a few cliches but the writing was good enough that I didn’t care. The romance was well built and believable and when I felt it was going down a predictable route, something was thrown in to make it a little different.
I will be reading more books by this author.
April 20, 2019
4.5 stars
October 15, 2013
**SIGH** what can I say about this book, except I absolutely loved it! Damn I love a great love story and this was one that will resonate with me for some time. It resembles Romeo and Juliet (minus the unfortunate ending), forbidden love of a man and woman from rival families, but once they are stuck together (due to a kidnapping;-) their attraction to one another grows by leaps and bounds. I loved Callum MacGregor, but of course, I have a weakness for big Scottish men, he was masculine and strong, protective of what was his and possessive. He was also conflicted and anger, but once he met Kate Campbell that all started to change, we started to see a tender side to him. I loved Kate too, my favorite type of heroines will always be the woman who doesn't spend a large amount of time feeling sorry for herself or being bossed about silently by a man. She was tough and spirited and she spoke her mind with a sharp tongue. There were some surprising moments that made me laugh several times, something I wasn't expecting but appreciated it all the more. I like the other various characters in the book as well, Jaime, Maggie, especially Graham, and Angus and Robert. I loved how the story played out and how, and how the real villain was slowly revealed to us. Great read, I'd been wanting to read this book for ever, I am glad I finally did, because it will be one that I won't soon forget. So if you love a Scottish Highlander who's big and dangerous on the battlefield but tender and loving in the bedroom, I suggest you pick this up!!!!
June 13, 2020
This novel was like a cup of hot chocolate on a snowy night. Despite the book's being relatively short, Quinn was able to bring the characters together very well. I think that is the reason the conflict (read: noble idiocy on Callum's part) was shorter than it might have been in a longer book. I enjoyed all of the supporting characters, and, even though the mystery (if you can call it that) was pretty easy to solve, the plot remained engaging throughout the story.
March 11, 2014
3.5 stars
I don't know what it is with me and the 3.5 stars lately, but this is another one. I enjoyed it but wasn't over the moon or anything. Hero and heroine were pretty good. I appreciate the fact that the old "I hate you because your from an enemy clan" thing wasn't dragged out too long...at least from the heroine's pov. She realized and went with her feelings pretty early on. Guess it could be a bit of insta-love, but it was fine. Hero was pretty good, though I wasn't swooning or anything. Sexy definitely needed to be ramped up a little. Overall, enjoyable HR read.
I don't know what it is with me and the 3.5 stars lately, but this is another one. I enjoyed it but wasn't over the moon or anything. Hero and heroine were pretty good. I appreciate the fact that the old "I hate you because your from an enemy clan" thing wasn't dragged out too long...at least from the heroine's pov. She realized and went with her feelings pretty early on. Guess it could be a bit of insta-love, but it was fine. Hero was pretty good, though I wasn't swooning or anything. Sexy definitely needed to be ramped up a little. Overall, enjoyable HR read.
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