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Mackinnon #5
Heaven Knows
With her big dreams and flair for the flamboyant, Lizzle Robinson is a feisty child, besotted by the lazy charm of the most eligible bachelor on Nantucket. She had loved him forever. To Travis Mackinnon, Lizzie is nothing more than a delightfully outrageous imp: whenever they meet she does something foolish.
Then Lizzie's reputation is so tarnished that she is banished to Boston for some much-needed taming. She returns to Nantucket, no longer Lizzie but Elizabeth—a proper lady who steps into Travis' life once again. Travis can't help but see the beautiful woman she has become.
But their forced marriage drives them apart, and Elizabeth learns to live without him. She can never imagine that the dark and disturbing man who abandoned her on her wedding night will someday walk down a sandy stretch of beach and back into her life. For how can she know that time will turn his bitterness to love? And that obsessed by the woman he cannot forget, Travis will set out to win her for good, willing to do anything for the love he so carelessly cast aside?
Then Lizzie's reputation is so tarnished that she is banished to Boston for some much-needed taming. She returns to Nantucket, no longer Lizzie but Elizabeth—a proper lady who steps into Travis' life once again. Travis can't help but see the beautiful woman she has become.
But their forced marriage drives them apart, and Elizabeth learns to live without him. She can never imagine that the dark and disturbing man who abandoned her on her wedding night will someday walk down a sandy stretch of beach and back into her life. For how can she know that time will turn his bitterness to love? And that obsessed by the woman he cannot forget, Travis will set out to win her for good, willing to do anything for the love he so carelessly cast aside?
402 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 2, 1994
21 people are currently reading
318 people want to read
About the author
Elaine Coffman
63 books117 followersBarbara Elaine Gunter was born in San Diego, California, to William Samuel Gunter, Jr., a naval officer and Edna Marie (née Davidson) Gunter, a homemaker. From the age of three she lived in Midland, Texas and graduated from Midland High School. After she received a degree in elementary education from North Texas State University, she taught elementary school in Midland, Texas, while working on her Master’s Degree and certification for Language and Learning Disabilities at Texas Tech in Lubbock.
Elaine currently resides in Austin, Texas, where her son, Chuck, also lives. She has two daughters, Lesley who resides in Raleigh, N.C. and Ashley, who lives in San Diego, California.
Elaine Coffman is a New York Times bestselling author with a large international following. She has penned novels in both the historical romance genre and suspense. A lover of history, she has penned several novels set in Scotland, Regency England, Italy and the American West. To date, she is the author of nineteen novels and five novellas.
While writing her first novel, My Enemy, My Love, she found herself inspired by a letter her great-great grandmother, Susannah Jane Dowell Shacklett wrote in 1920, telling about her journey from Brandeburg, Kentucky to San Antonio, Texas, and then going with an army escort to El Paso, Texas, where her brother, Ben Dowell, a veteran of the Mexican War, was El Paso's first mayor.
Elaine continued to write best-selling, award-winning books until the publication of her eleventh novel, If You Loved Me, which was the last book of her beloved Mackinnon series and her first book to hit the New York Times bestseller list.
Her first suspense novel, Alone in the Dark, was published by Pocket books in 2006.
Elaine currently resides in Austin, Texas, where her son, Chuck, also lives. She has two daughters, Lesley who resides in Raleigh, N.C. and Ashley, who lives in San Diego, California.
Elaine Coffman is a New York Times bestselling author with a large international following. She has penned novels in both the historical romance genre and suspense. A lover of history, she has penned several novels set in Scotland, Regency England, Italy and the American West. To date, she is the author of nineteen novels and five novellas.
While writing her first novel, My Enemy, My Love, she found herself inspired by a letter her great-great grandmother, Susannah Jane Dowell Shacklett wrote in 1920, telling about her journey from Brandeburg, Kentucky to San Antonio, Texas, and then going with an army escort to El Paso, Texas, where her brother, Ben Dowell, a veteran of the Mexican War, was El Paso's first mayor.
Elaine continued to write best-selling, award-winning books until the publication of her eleventh novel, If You Loved Me, which was the last book of her beloved Mackinnon series and her first book to hit the New York Times bestseller list.
Her first suspense novel, Alone in the Dark, was published by Pocket books in 2006.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
February 28, 2021
*** Book Q & A***
* How did the book make you feel?: It made me feel equal parts frustrated and hopeful.
* How do you feel about how the story was told?: The beginning dragged a lot in my opinion and it was redundant in places.
* What did you think about the main characters?: Tavis was such a stubborn, selfish character. It was hard to like him after all he put Lizzie through. He took her for granted throughout the whole book. I didn’t understand why Lizzie was so hung up on Tavis when he did nothing but reject and scorn her.
* Which parts of the book stood out to you?: When the H leaves the h on their wedding night! The things he said to her. Ouch!
* What themes/tropes did you detect in the story?: Unrequited love, Civil War, abandoned wife and child
* What did you think about the ending?: I enjoyed the ending. It was very hard-won. I think the H should’ve had to have groveled way more. I enjoyed the epilogue.
* What is your impression of the author?: Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was well-written, though I wished the beginning wasn’t so slow.
* How did the book make you feel?: It made me feel equal parts frustrated and hopeful.
* How do you feel about how the story was told?: The beginning dragged a lot in my opinion and it was redundant in places.
* What did you think about the main characters?: Tavis was such a stubborn, selfish character. It was hard to like him after all he put Lizzie through. He took her for granted throughout the whole book. I didn’t understand why Lizzie was so hung up on Tavis when he did nothing but reject and scorn her.
* Which parts of the book stood out to you?: When the H leaves the h on their wedding night! The things he said to her. Ouch!
* What themes/tropes did you detect in the story?: Unrequited love, Civil War, abandoned wife and child
* What did you think about the ending?: I enjoyed the ending. It was very hard-won. I think the H should’ve had to have groveled way more. I enjoyed the epilogue.
* What is your impression of the author?: Overall, I enjoyed this book. It was well-written, though I wished the beginning wasn’t so slow.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2017
H compromizes h and is forced to marry her. H is mad because h won't cry off . H leaves on the wedding night - 3.5 stars
April 6, 2017
Tavis the selfish pr*ck and Lizzie the martyr.
Wow, the supposed grovel.. well it never happens. Sure he feels guilty, but he never actually grovels or makes any romantic gesture to make up for it, until this flowery speech at the very end that seemed out of character. He's just like 'Your my wife so we should be together. So what if I don't love you'. I'm paraphrasing of course, but that was the gist. At least he stays true to her once they are married.
-sigh- so disappointing.
The story starts like the screenplay for a 1940's romantic comedy, but it is more like 1860. I skimmed a lot of the first half. Lizzie is sent to her aunt in Bosten at 16 because she keeps throwing herself at Tavis who is 10 years older and thoroughly annoyed with her antics.
She stays there for 8 years until the now beloved tyrannical aunt has died. Returns to Nantucket a much changed woman of 24 but still in love with Tavis.
Now starts the push and pull. Tavis who has always been the local playboy, squiring other women around where she is sure to see. But oggling her when he thinks.she.isnt looking.
Then they end up stranded on a boat together for weeks. Finally get 'busy' like bunnies, 'cause they might die anyways, right?. They almost did die and it would have been his fault, but somehow he never apologizes... even though she ends up apologizing for everything under the sun at some point in the book.
When they get back to Nantucket after being rescued, her brothers force them to marry. Tavis gets all p*ssed *ff like she somehow manipulated things to lead to this. Classic palm to forehead moment here. He's an utter douch bag (not for the first time either) and leaves her ON HER WEDDING NIGHT for almost 3 years. (But hey, he did want to come back after several months but the army wouldn't let him).
So he returns after all this time to find he's a father, Lizzy's father and sisters are dead and is confused why she isn't at his house playing happy homemaker.
The story is already pretty depressing, but wait, there's more! I'm not going to get into the rest cause honestly there's no point and it just turns my stomach.
Maybe if the story hadn't gotten so maudlin. Maybe if the author didn't always go on for pages and pages of purple prose. Maybe if her repetitive inner thoughts for the characters didn't constantly contradict themselves. Maybe if the Lizzy wasn't constantly shit on by everyone except her grandad. AND maybe if Tavis wasnt such an unforgiving asshat for 98% of the story....
Then maybe it would have been an enjoyable romantic read.
But it wasn't.
Wow, the supposed grovel.. well it never happens. Sure he feels guilty, but he never actually grovels or makes any romantic gesture to make up for it, until this flowery speech at the very end that seemed out of character. He's just like 'Your my wife so we should be together. So what if I don't love you'. I'm paraphrasing of course, but that was the gist. At least he stays true to her once they are married.
-sigh- so disappointing.
The story starts like the screenplay for a 1940's romantic comedy, but it is more like 1860. I skimmed a lot of the first half. Lizzie is sent to her aunt in Bosten at 16 because she keeps throwing herself at Tavis who is 10 years older and thoroughly annoyed with her antics.
She stays there for 8 years until the now beloved tyrannical aunt has died. Returns to Nantucket a much changed woman of 24 but still in love with Tavis.
Now starts the push and pull. Tavis who has always been the local playboy, squiring other women around where she is sure to see. But oggling her when he thinks.she.isnt looking.
Then they end up stranded on a boat together for weeks. Finally get 'busy' like bunnies, 'cause they might die anyways, right?. They almost did die and it would have been his fault, but somehow he never apologizes... even though she ends up apologizing for everything under the sun at some point in the book.
When they get back to Nantucket after being rescued, her brothers force them to marry. Tavis gets all p*ssed *ff like she somehow manipulated things to lead to this. Classic palm to forehead moment here. He's an utter douch bag (not for the first time either) and leaves her ON HER WEDDING NIGHT for almost 3 years. (But hey, he did want to come back after several months but the army wouldn't let him).
So he returns after all this time to find he's a father, Lizzy's father and sisters are dead and is confused why she isn't at his house playing happy homemaker.
The story is already pretty depressing, but wait, there's more! I'm not going to get into the rest cause honestly there's no point and it just turns my stomach.
Maybe if the story hadn't gotten so maudlin. Maybe if the author didn't always go on for pages and pages of purple prose. Maybe if her repetitive inner thoughts for the characters didn't constantly contradict themselves. Maybe if the Lizzy wasn't constantly shit on by everyone except her grandad. AND maybe if Tavis wasnt such an unforgiving asshat for 98% of the story....
Then maybe it would have been an enjoyable romantic read.
But it wasn't.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2019
3.5 stars. I liked it. The heroines youth was cringe worthy for sure.
The positives: As adults, when they were not fighting, they had that special spark, the author tied up Elizabeth's love for Travis in rainbow verbiage and the epilogue was awesome. The story was interesting even if it did lag at the parts when they were separated from each other. I would read this one again.
Some of the negatives: Was not a fan of her being sent to live with her aunt for EIGHT years. (Of course she was "in love" with Travis all those years she was away. Meh! Granted she was only 15/16 ish went she went to live with her aunt). Then after Elizabeth and Travis had sexual encounters on a boat (she had decided that at least she would not be a virgin anymore and would have nice memories of him now that she is a ripe old age of 24/25 ish) our good old boy Travis still tells her he does not love her and does not want to be married. As usual, an unplanned pregnancy AND her father/older brothers make sure that her and Travis are married. So do we get to see them working out there new marriage issues together? Nope, Travis leaves the next day and is gone for almost another THREE years while she get to raise her son that he knows nothing about and dealt such a family tragedy that I was actually crying out loud. Maybe the next time I read this Elizabeth with decide to choose Harry and not follow the rainbow. LOL
The positives: As adults, when they were not fighting, they had that special spark, the author tied up Elizabeth's love for Travis in rainbow verbiage and the epilogue was awesome. The story was interesting even if it did lag at the parts when they were separated from each other. I would read this one again.
Some of the negatives: Was not a fan of her being sent to live with her aunt for EIGHT years. (Of course she was "in love" with Travis all those years she was away. Meh! Granted she was only 15/16 ish went she went to live with her aunt). Then after Elizabeth and Travis had sexual encounters on a boat (she had decided that at least she would not be a virgin anymore and would have nice memories of him now that she is a ripe old age of 24/25 ish) our good old boy Travis still tells her he does not love her and does not want to be married. As usual, an unplanned pregnancy AND her father/older brothers make sure that her and Travis are married. So do we get to see them working out there new marriage issues together? Nope, Travis leaves the next day and is gone for almost another THREE years while she get to raise her son that he knows nothing about and dealt such a family tragedy that I was actually crying out loud. Maybe the next time I read this Elizabeth with decide to choose Harry and not follow the rainbow. LOL
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2015
Fantastic book, my first first of many from this author. A wonderful blend of humour and heartbreak, the book's introduction of the feisty heroine was reminiscent of Anne of Green Gables. Fifteen year old Lizzie had plethora of charm and wit and a nose for trouble and sniffing out the whereabouts of Tavis Mckinnon, her much older object of infatuation. Her shameless crazy antics designed to catch his attentions only resulted in her banishment to live with an elderly aunt to learn the proper conduct of a refined lady. Many years later she returned back to her home town more beautiful, wiser and subtler but still with only the one man imprinted in her heart. Her beauty and beguiling honesty finally captured his notice and then some, but her childhood dreams got distorted with a dose of reality and her rosy happily ever after was contaminated by stormy greys and blacks. Tavis, the man who once stepped out of a rainbow into her heart, he was not all magical but also full of ice and ire, and when he finally thawed, she had moved on and was determined not to look back. And that means whole lot of glorious grovelling to change her mind. Beautiful writing.
January 12, 2016
ending was rushed and the H was a jerk till the end....I didn't even understand why she loved him besides his looks...
but overall, a good read:)
but overall, a good read:)
December 14, 2018
It takes the girl 400 pages to realize that what she felt for Tavis at age 11 was infatuation, not love. It takes him one second to realize that because he was born in Texas he would have to side with them in the Civil War, which isn't mentioned again until the narrator mentions that her brothers, normally gone five years at a time hunting whales, are fighting for the Union. This book was all about wanting something the girl hadn't earned.
So many loose ends, such as how she had taken over her aunt's financial issues and stocks and then just never mentioned it again..... and the man's accident made no sense. He would have fallen in pain and drowned. Just a scattershot story.
So many loose ends, such as how she had taken over her aunt's financial issues and stocks and then just never mentioned it again..... and the man's accident made no sense. He would have fallen in pain and drowned. Just a scattershot story.
March 19, 2019
A book that stays with you even when you are not reading. Fantastic writing. Just when you think the end is near a new exciting twist comes about. Great reading one you just can't put down. Debbie Race
May 23, 2023
Sometimes an author should know when to STOP. Just stop. With your wild ideas and insane imaginations. It's okay to have dramatic turn of events and giving readers angsty shocks, but there should be a certain amount after which you know the time has come to just stop.
Because this book was a disaster.
What the hell was that gruesome death in the middle? Why? It came out of nowhere and knocked me sideways. It was so uncalled for. And not even one or two, THREE deaths together? And that too the innocent little sisters? It would have been fine with just the death of the father, it would have been tragedy enough, but no. The author was feeling extra sadist and killed off her sweet little sisters in a gruesome fire no less. Not a carriage accident or a shipwreck. A fire. The most horrible and painful way to die. The author was nuts to write this.
I couldn't decide the third act of the book if it's really a romance or a depressed person's journal because all I read was death after death after death. Was the author going through something? Was she grieving a loss while writing this book? Because she put all forms of grief, death, despair and tragedy into the last part of the book. And it was never ending. It became frustrating at one point and I was contemplating DNF at almost 90% point of the book.
And the actual thing promised in the blurb never came. The grovelling. Where was it? I saw tragedy after tragedy hit the h and little anything going on between her and the H's relationship. There was no development in their situation or any kind of healing or mending of their broken relationship. It was just a grief and angst gallore of unnecessary deaths that this story could have done without.
This book made me stop reading for a while which a NO for me. I don't like books who make me miserable enough to stop reading. Just no.
But the epilogue was a baby gallore which I have a weakness for so another star only for that.
Because this book was a disaster.
What the hell was that gruesome death in the middle? Why? It came out of nowhere and knocked me sideways. It was so uncalled for. And not even one or two, THREE deaths together? And that too the innocent little sisters? It would have been fine with just the death of the father, it would have been tragedy enough, but no. The author was feeling extra sadist and killed off her sweet little sisters in a gruesome fire no less. Not a carriage accident or a shipwreck. A fire. The most horrible and painful way to die. The author was nuts to write this.
I couldn't decide the third act of the book if it's really a romance or a depressed person's journal because all I read was death after death after death. Was the author going through something? Was she grieving a loss while writing this book? Because she put all forms of grief, death, despair and tragedy into the last part of the book. And it was never ending. It became frustrating at one point and I was contemplating DNF at almost 90% point of the book.
And the actual thing promised in the blurb never came. The grovelling. Where was it? I saw tragedy after tragedy hit the h and little anything going on between her and the H's relationship. There was no development in their situation or any kind of healing or mending of their broken relationship. It was just a grief and angst gallore of unnecessary deaths that this story could have done without.
This book made me stop reading for a while which a NO for me. I don't like books who make me miserable enough to stop reading. Just no.
But the epilogue was a baby gallore which I have a weakness for so another star only for that.
April 24, 2023
Well written romance
But I'm a bit peeved by Lizzy's self martyrdom.
*Spoilers*
1.she totally should have let Tavis know about the baby. He has a right to know. She made a very emotional decision and robbed him the opportunity to be a father.
2. He literally couldn't leave to return home, so attributing his 3 year absence to his malice is a bit much.
3. #1&2 could have been easily resolved had she read / responded to Tavis' letters .
4.She clearly sees herself as the victim throughout only because her love was unrequited. Well, I would have overlooked that had she been, immature due to age, like 17, 18. But, she's friggin 25-28, and her emotional maturity should have allowed her to see what was best for the child.
But I'm a bit peeved by Lizzy's self martyrdom.
*Spoilers*
1.she totally should have let Tavis know about the baby. He has a right to know. She made a very emotional decision and robbed him the opportunity to be a father.
2. He literally couldn't leave to return home, so attributing his 3 year absence to his malice is a bit much.
3. #1&2 could have been easily resolved had she read / responded to Tavis' letters .
4.She clearly sees herself as the victim throughout only because her love was unrequited. Well, I would have overlooked that had she been, immature due to age, like 17, 18. But, she's friggin 25-28, and her emotional maturity should have allowed her to see what was best for the child.
November 18, 2024
2.5⭐️’s
“𝓘 𝓴𝓷𝓸𝔀 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓯𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓼 𝓶𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝔀𝓪𝓻𝓶𝓽𝓱, 𝔀𝓱𝓲𝓵𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓪𝓫𝓼𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓮 𝓲𝓼 ��𝓼 𝓬𝓸𝓵𝓭 𝓪𝓼 𝓲𝓬𝓮.”
Tropes:
🤍 Age Gap
🤍 Marriage In Trouble
🤍 Forced Proximity
🤍 Unrequited Love
⚠️Please check for triggers before proceeding to read⚠️
“𝓘 𝓴𝓷𝓸𝔀 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽 𝓸𝓯 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓯𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓼 𝓶𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝔀𝓪𝓻𝓶𝓽𝓱, 𝔀𝓱𝓲𝓵𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓪𝓫𝓼𝓮𝓷𝓬𝓮 𝓲𝓼 ��𝓼 𝓬𝓸𝓵𝓭 𝓪𝓼 𝓲𝓬𝓮.”
Tropes:
🤍 Age Gap
🤍 Marriage In Trouble
🤍 Forced Proximity
🤍 Unrequited Love
⚠️Please check for triggers before proceeding to read⚠️
October 19, 2023
In my view, the initial part of the story moved slowly and had repetitive elements. I couldn't grasp why Lizzie was so fixated on Tavis, considering his constant rejection and disdain.
September 8, 2024
Women in the 90s deserved better.
June 28, 2025
I love this book. Such a good read and easy to follow along.
June 12, 2019
This is such a complex plot that it kept me reading until I finished it. First, let me say that I don't enjoy (as much) novels that keep the main characters apart for long periods of time. The first separation was almost eight years and the second was two-and-a-half years.
Tavis Mackinnon has been the focus of Elizabeth Robinson thoughts since she was eleven (and Tavis was twenty-one). She loves Tavis with all of her young soul. Eventually, the couple marries, even though Tavis does not believe in love. This book did not spend much time reminding the reader of the early (devastating) years of the Mackinnon sons. It is completely possible that Tavis did not understand love because he did not see it in his life.
This novel has many twists and turns. The author warns in the early chapters that the Brewster women have a hard time with love. Lizzie is a case that proves the point. Tavis is a happy-go-lucky guy who never intends to marry. However, as he becomes more involved with Lizzie, he sees that he is out of his depth with a woman of her complexity.
I enjoyed this story even though at times I thought it was all-over-the-map with emotions.
MacKinnon Brothers Series
1. Angel in Marble (1991)
2. For All the Right Reasons (1991)
3. Somewhere Along the Way (1992)
4. So This Is Love (1993)
Tavis Mackinnon has been the focus of Elizabeth Robinson thoughts since she was eleven (and Tavis was twenty-one). She loves Tavis with all of her young soul. Eventually, the couple marries, even though Tavis does not believe in love. This book did not spend much time reminding the reader of the early (devastating) years of the Mackinnon sons. It is completely possible that Tavis did not understand love because he did not see it in his life.
This novel has many twists and turns. The author warns in the early chapters that the Brewster women have a hard time with love. Lizzie is a case that proves the point. Tavis is a happy-go-lucky guy who never intends to marry. However, as he becomes more involved with Lizzie, he sees that he is out of his depth with a woman of her complexity.
I enjoyed this story even though at times I thought it was all-over-the-map with emotions.
MacKinnon Brothers Series
1. Angel in Marble (1991)
2. For All the Right Reasons (1991)
3. Somewhere Along the Way (1992)
4. So This Is Love (1993)
July 15, 2012
This is a gripping book where your opinion of the main characters changes along with them. The h at first makes the H's life miserable with her childhood crush on him (a very aggressive crush) until she is sent to live with an aunt in Boston to get her away from the beleagered object of her affection and give her some polish. She comes back years later, polish acquired to a less than polite H. In the course of events he manages to compromise her (and gets her pregnant) and is snitted when her brother's make him marry her. He takes off on their wedding night (before she can tell him about the baby) and heads to Washington to design ships for the U.S. to be used in the Civil War. When he comes back, it is to a totally estranged wife, and a son he's never met. His voyage back into her good graces is an interesting journey.
September 26, 2013
*Some spoilers*
Very well written story of an enduring love. Lizzie had a crush on Tavis from the time she met him when she was 12; stalked him until she was sent away by her Dad to stay with a spinster aunt; came back to Nantucket and found herself still in love with Tavis. Things happen; marriage of convenience; anger from Tavis that she trapped him..a lot of tragedies.... just a great romance written by an excellent author.
Very well written story of an enduring love. Lizzie had a crush on Tavis from the time she met him when she was 12; stalked him until she was sent away by her Dad to stay with a spinster aunt; came back to Nantucket and found herself still in love with Tavis. Things happen; marriage of convenience; anger from Tavis that she trapped him..a lot of tragedies.... just a great romance written by an excellent author.
Want to read
July 17, 2012Recd on Amazon Discussion for very emotional/ emotional first meeting
March 17, 2014
My favorite all time romance novel. The story of the characters have stuck with me over the years.
Read
June 4, 2016Used - Good - binding worn
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews