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Secrets of the Loch #2
Pleasured
From New York Times bestselling author Candace Camp comes the second delicious novel in her trilogy of Scottish historical romances, Secrets of the Loch.Damon, the earl of Mardoun, is smitten the moment he meets Meg, the village healer—but she rejects every advance from the earl, and will have none of him, even if he is the most handsome man she’s ever laid eyes on. But when unforeseen circumstances bring them together, her conviction begins to fade… Damon’s daughter falls gravely ill, and distraught, he turns to Meg for help. During the course of nursing his beloved daughter back to health, Meg and Damon fall madly in love, but they both know an earl must wed a noble bride. And Meg will be no man’s mistress. Will the two lovers overcome the seemingly insurmountable odds and be together at last? Find out in this sweeping, romantic novel in which love is the greatest treasure of all.
401 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 24, 2015
91 people are currently reading
490 people want to read
About the author
Candace Camp
122 books1,251 followersCandace Camp is the New York Times bestselling author of over sixty books.
Her first novel, *Bonds of Love*, was published by Jove Publishing in 1978, under the pseudonym Lisa Gregory. Two pseudonyms (Kristin James and Sharon Stephens)and many books later, Candace writes under her own name Candace Camp and still loves creating stories.
Candace lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and is the mother of Young Adult author Anastasia Hopcus.
Her first novel, *Bonds of Love*, was published by Jove Publishing in 1978, under the pseudonym Lisa Gregory. Two pseudonyms (Kristin James and Sharon Stephens)and many books later, Candace writes under her own name Candace Camp and still loves creating stories.
Candace lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband and is the mother of Young Adult author Anastasia Hopcus.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
April 27, 2022
First of all, lets appreciate how gorgeous this book cover is. Omg, I was in awe when I saw it. One of the most beautiful covers I have seen in a long time.
Pity the book was so common. Norhing special happenend here, be his mistress or not be his mistress? Give herself to him or not give herself to him? Spend the rest of her life with him or not spend the rest of her life with him? Do I love or or do I not? And so on.
In the first book of this series we come upon a quest of a literary lost treasure and they trying to find out what happened to the heroine's grandpa. The mystery picks up in this story in a more subtle way and the end of the book is about the MC finding out that the treasure does indeed exists. And who her grandpa was...
The end was so abrupt that I had to come back a few pages to see if I had missed something, so that was a huge disappointment.
I think this series is very meh, you know? Not great but also not super bad.
Pity the book was so common. Norhing special happenend here, be his mistress or not be his mistress? Give herself to him or not give herself to him? Spend the rest of her life with him or not spend the rest of her life with him? Do I love or or do I not? And so on.
In the first book of this series we come upon a quest of a literary lost treasure and they trying to find out what happened to the heroine's grandpa. The mystery picks up in this story in a more subtle way and the end of the book is about the MC finding out that the treasure does indeed exists. And who her grandpa was...
The end was so abrupt that I had to come back a few pages to see if I had missed something, so that was a huge disappointment.
I think this series is very meh, you know? Not great but also not super bad.
May 29, 2018
Despite the large number of romances I've read through the years, I don't think I've ever binge read an entire series all at once! Well, my buddy Midniteillusion is the queen of binge reading and so she is helping me take the plunge :) Here is a link to her review.
Pleasured is the second book in what has thus far been a highly enjoyable trilogy for me. I read Treasured while I was actually in Scotland which was great fun and then Pleasured while I wished I was in Scotland :)
At first, I was not convinced I was going to like this novel. The first impression of each character is a bit insta-lust-y. They are each struck by how much attraction they feel for each other. At first, I was a bit put off, but then it dawned on me that this was an entirely new feeling for each character. They are each such self-contained individuals with their own lives, worries, and goals that feeling such a pull to another person was very startling.
What I liked about this story was how organic the romance felt. It had a Pride and Prejudice feel. Both misunderstood the other, but slowly through arguments, discussions, and shared experiences the two came together. Sure, lust drove their initial interactions, but their relationship definitely went deeper as the book progressed and their chemistry remained excellent. It really surprises me that this book does not have a higher rating. I loved that there was no mustache-curling villain waiting in the wings, that the treasure mystery continued on in this story but didn't feel shoe-horned in, and that Meg (heroine) developed such a nice, natural relationship with Damon's (hero) daughter.
This story had unexpected love, good sex scenes, beautiful descriptions of Scotland, insight into the push-pull between landowners and crofters, and a family history arc. I found the low-drama to be refreshing, gentle, and romantic...even when the two jumped to conclusions or argued! I'd definitely recommend this one. While the mystery would make more sense if you've read the first (which I also enjoyed), I believe you can still enjoy this romance as a standalone as well.
On to Enraptured and the conclusion to the treasure mystery!! <3
Pleasured is the second book in what has thus far been a highly enjoyable trilogy for me. I read Treasured while I was actually in Scotland which was great fun and then Pleasured while I wished I was in Scotland :)
At first, I was not convinced I was going to like this novel. The first impression of each character is a bit insta-lust-y. They are each struck by how much attraction they feel for each other. At first, I was a bit put off, but then it dawned on me that this was an entirely new feeling for each character. They are each such self-contained individuals with their own lives, worries, and goals that feeling such a pull to another person was very startling.
What I liked about this story was how organic the romance felt. It had a Pride and Prejudice feel. Both misunderstood the other, but slowly through arguments, discussions, and shared experiences the two came together. Sure, lust drove their initial interactions, but their relationship definitely went deeper as the book progressed and their chemistry remained excellent. It really surprises me that this book does not have a higher rating. I loved that there was no mustache-curling villain waiting in the wings, that the treasure mystery continued on in this story but didn't feel shoe-horned in, and that Meg (heroine) developed such a nice, natural relationship with Damon's (hero) daughter.
This story had unexpected love, good sex scenes, beautiful descriptions of Scotland, insight into the push-pull between landowners and crofters, and a family history arc. I found the low-drama to be refreshing, gentle, and romantic...even when the two jumped to conclusions or argued! I'd definitely recommend this one. While the mystery would make more sense if you've read the first (which I also enjoyed), I believe you can still enjoy this romance as a standalone as well.
On to Enraptured and the conclusion to the treasure mystery!! <3
August 13, 2018
Not enough interaction between the leads. I appreciated the enthusiastic personality of the teen daughter though. She was darling. Also, I stringently object to the contrived set up of Meg being at the house that long. No one manor born with a daughter so few years from her come-out would ever be so careless and straight up disrespectful of the impact of such on the reputation of his female offspring whom he professes to love. The issues of their difference in station and how that would impact their future were never properly addressed, but I wish them luck with the bile from the London crowd.
September 15, 2022
Adoro la Camp, ma qui non sembra neanche lei . Noioso, lento , due personaggi a tratti antipatici , ho avuto molta difficoltà nel finirlo
November 28, 2015
Good book. Meg is the local healer, from a family of women known for their healing abilities. They have also been known for their independence, and Meg is no different. She also looks out for the local people, and is furious over the things she sees happening.
Damon is part English, part Scot, and has inherited Duncally. He has had an estate manager running things, but has recently arrived, along with his daughter, to spend some time on his property. He is recently widowed, and is taking the time to get to know his daughter again. The first time he sees Meg he is attracted to her, but she wants nothing to do with him, something he isn't accustomed to,
I had a little trouble warming up to Damon at the beginning. From the little that he had heard about Meg, he simply assumed that she would be amenable to his attentions. His first encounter with her had him finding out just how wrong he was. He has also left his estate in the hands of his manager, without paying any real attention to the man's methods, as long as the property was showing a profit. So he had a reputation of being a cold and cruel man who had no problem with throwing people out of their homes just to make room for more sheep. When confronted by Meg, he simply told her the land was his to do with what he wanted. The only redeeming factor I saw at the beginning was his obvious love for his daughter.
The relationship between Damon and Meg was an interesting one. It started out with the attraction that they both felt, but Meg is determined to resist. There's no use getting involved with a man so far above her, and who won't be staying around. I loved how she told him off when he assumed that she would be happy to sleep with him, and Damon's utter confusion over it. They have a couple of encounters where the attraction nearly overpowers her common sense. Plus, she can't reconcile the attraction with the reputation he has for the way he treats the people. She begins to suspect that the reputation is undeserved when he stops his manager from destroying a circle of standing stones, and again when she meets his daughter Lynette.
When they finally give in to the passion between them, it is amazing for both of them. But Damon does something that makes Meg question his opinion of her, and she reacts quite strongly, putting them at odds yet again. When Meg witnesses another act of cruelty done in Damon's name, she is devastated by the idea that she could be attracted to a man like that. When she confronts him about it, he is at first defensive, but once he finds out the details he is stunned and horrified. I loved the actions that he took then. That began his transformation from the uncaring and oblivious English lord to one who wants to do what is right. But the damage has been done to their fledgling relationship, and Damon has to accept that she wants nothing to do with him.
Meanwhile, Meg has befriended Damon's daughter, Lynette, and they get along really well. Lynette had been overprotected and treated as frail by her mother. Damon's marriage had not been a happy one, and he had stayed away a lot, but that had kept him from getting to know his daughter. With his wife's death, they now have a chance to reconnect, and Damon's attention has caused Lynette's self confidence to bloom. Lynette has also come to love the time she spends with Meg. When Lynette gets really sick, Damon is terrified he'll lose her and begs Meg for her help. I loved seeing the two of them work together to take care of Lynette, and how that put them on the road to repairing their relationship. Once the crisis is past with Lynette, there's nothing else to distract them from the attraction that still burns between them. I loved seeing Damon trying to bury the feelings that are just growing stronger. Meg was also trying to fight her feelings, and finally decides that there is nothing wrong with living her life the way she wants to. As they spend time together taking care of Lynette, those feelings just get stronger.
They've settled into a comfortable pattern when unexpected guests arrive. The sister of Damon's late wife and two of her friends show up, with Violet claiming she wanted to see Lynette. Of course, it's obvious to everyone except Damon that she's really there to try to snag him for herself. There are some very interesting encounters before Damon sees the truth and puts his foot down. But in the meantime, Meg's insecurities reappear, reminding her of the gulf between her and Damon. The question becomes one of whether Damon can convince her that their love is enough to overcome the obstacles.
There has also been a thread running through this book and the previous one about a treasure rumored to be hidden in the area, A local man had brought back gold for the Jacobite rebellion fifty years earlier, but no one knows what happened to it. In the process of Meg trying to find out more about her grandmother, she and Damon discover a clue to the whereabouts of that treasure. During a rather hair raising adventure something of real interest is found, which leads into the next and final book in the trilogy.
Damon is part English, part Scot, and has inherited Duncally. He has had an estate manager running things, but has recently arrived, along with his daughter, to spend some time on his property. He is recently widowed, and is taking the time to get to know his daughter again. The first time he sees Meg he is attracted to her, but she wants nothing to do with him, something he isn't accustomed to,
I had a little trouble warming up to Damon at the beginning. From the little that he had heard about Meg, he simply assumed that she would be amenable to his attentions. His first encounter with her had him finding out just how wrong he was. He has also left his estate in the hands of his manager, without paying any real attention to the man's methods, as long as the property was showing a profit. So he had a reputation of being a cold and cruel man who had no problem with throwing people out of their homes just to make room for more sheep. When confronted by Meg, he simply told her the land was his to do with what he wanted. The only redeeming factor I saw at the beginning was his obvious love for his daughter.
The relationship between Damon and Meg was an interesting one. It started out with the attraction that they both felt, but Meg is determined to resist. There's no use getting involved with a man so far above her, and who won't be staying around. I loved how she told him off when he assumed that she would be happy to sleep with him, and Damon's utter confusion over it. They have a couple of encounters where the attraction nearly overpowers her common sense. Plus, she can't reconcile the attraction with the reputation he has for the way he treats the people. She begins to suspect that the reputation is undeserved when he stops his manager from destroying a circle of standing stones, and again when she meets his daughter Lynette.
When they finally give in to the passion between them, it is amazing for both of them. But Damon does something that makes Meg question his opinion of her, and she reacts quite strongly, putting them at odds yet again. When Meg witnesses another act of cruelty done in Damon's name, she is devastated by the idea that she could be attracted to a man like that. When she confronts him about it, he is at first defensive, but once he finds out the details he is stunned and horrified. I loved the actions that he took then. That began his transformation from the uncaring and oblivious English lord to one who wants to do what is right. But the damage has been done to their fledgling relationship, and Damon has to accept that she wants nothing to do with him.
Meanwhile, Meg has befriended Damon's daughter, Lynette, and they get along really well. Lynette had been overprotected and treated as frail by her mother. Damon's marriage had not been a happy one, and he had stayed away a lot, but that had kept him from getting to know his daughter. With his wife's death, they now have a chance to reconnect, and Damon's attention has caused Lynette's self confidence to bloom. Lynette has also come to love the time she spends with Meg. When Lynette gets really sick, Damon is terrified he'll lose her and begs Meg for her help. I loved seeing the two of them work together to take care of Lynette, and how that put them on the road to repairing their relationship. Once the crisis is past with Lynette, there's nothing else to distract them from the attraction that still burns between them. I loved seeing Damon trying to bury the feelings that are just growing stronger. Meg was also trying to fight her feelings, and finally decides that there is nothing wrong with living her life the way she wants to. As they spend time together taking care of Lynette, those feelings just get stronger.
They've settled into a comfortable pattern when unexpected guests arrive. The sister of Damon's late wife and two of her friends show up, with Violet claiming she wanted to see Lynette. Of course, it's obvious to everyone except Damon that she's really there to try to snag him for herself. There are some very interesting encounters before Damon sees the truth and puts his foot down. But in the meantime, Meg's insecurities reappear, reminding her of the gulf between her and Damon. The question becomes one of whether Damon can convince her that their love is enough to overcome the obstacles.
There has also been a thread running through this book and the previous one about a treasure rumored to be hidden in the area, A local man had brought back gold for the Jacobite rebellion fifty years earlier, but no one knows what happened to it. In the process of Meg trying to find out more about her grandmother, she and Damon discover a clue to the whereabouts of that treasure. During a rather hair raising adventure something of real interest is found, which leads into the next and final book in the trilogy.
April 7, 2015
This is a nice story.
I liked the protagonists, the earl is realistically unaware of the effect of his actions and the heroine is independent but not strident. I feel the author has created realistic setting and was happy to meet characters from the first book in the series, especially as they were introduced smoothly without a lot of unnecessary explanations or rehashing that story. The parts that dealt with illness and treatment seemed true to the time. A few of the plot twists seemed a bit unlikely. Since there twas no mystery about the heroine's grandfather's identity for the reader, the method of revealing the identity within the story was handled in an interesting and satisfying manner. I look forward to Coll's story. I wish this was a real place that I could visit and explore.
I liked the protagonists, the earl is realistically unaware of the effect of his actions and the heroine is independent but not strident. I feel the author has created realistic setting and was happy to meet characters from the first book in the series, especially as they were introduced smoothly without a lot of unnecessary explanations or rehashing that story. The parts that dealt with illness and treatment seemed true to the time. A few of the plot twists seemed a bit unlikely. Since there twas no mystery about the heroine's grandfather's identity for the reader, the method of revealing the identity within the story was handled in an interesting and satisfying manner. I look forward to Coll's story. I wish this was a real place that I could visit and explore.
November 10, 2018
The plot here left a fair amount to be desired. I honestly don't understand why these two like each other, apart from lust, and the whole conflict is unsatisfying. The whole making-assumptions-and-refusing-to-actually-communicate bit is cheap, and then the Huge, Insurmountable Obstacle of class — an earl can't marry a commoner! — is ultimately just brushed aside. They make a huge deal out of it for 100 pages, and then at the end, they just decide, oh, never mind, it's not actually important. Nothing has changed, no grand realizations or shifts in the situation happen; they just decide, oh well, never mind, don't care.
I do like Meg as a protagonist, and I still like Coll as a secondary character, though his machismo and constant threats to beat up Damon for no apparent reason really started grating on my nerves here. The saving grace, as in the first book, was the digging into old family secrets; it was nice to see Meg's mystery joining up with Isobel's from the first book (and since I've already read the third, I know how it ends). The romance, though, was just "meh" at best.
I do like Meg as a protagonist, and I still like Coll as a secondary character, though his machismo and constant threats to beat up Damon for no apparent reason really started grating on my nerves here. The saving grace, as in the first book, was the digging into old family secrets; it was nice to see Meg's mystery joining up with Isobel's from the first book (and since I've already read the third, I know how it ends). The romance, though, was just "meh" at best.
June 2, 2025
3.75 stars
October 15, 2020
This is my second Candace Camp book and both have been 1 star reads for me. I'm not sure if it's her writing and pacing, or the plot... but this was really painful to get through for me.
Maybe I don't like books that are an Englishman owning Scotland land. This is just a problematic piece of history and in so many stories like this one, the Englishman is doing something incredibly evil - like running the people who have lived on this land for generations out of their homes for an easy profit.
At first I though, what kind of fucking idiot doesn't check into what his steward is doing? Because the Earl of Mardoun's steward was BURNING PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HOMES. But then we find out that he DOES know people are being run out, and he asks: "What, is it my job to let them live on MY land?" Like because the English monarchy gifted it to him it's *his* with no questions asked. And that people should just "get a job in a city" - okay, great... so they can leave the place their family has lived for centuries for, what, London? To work in factories when they've spent their lives as farmers or shepherds? And then he says "well they can move to Canada or Australia!" to which the heroine points out, these are poor cotters... they don't have enough capital to just up and move and start a new life somewhere.
It was PEAK white male idiocy.
Also, what a stellar hero he was for saying this to the heroine: “There are doubtless an ample number of women here who will warm my bed as well as you.” Wow, beautiful! I am swooning!
Maybe I don't like books that are an Englishman owning Scotland land. This is just a problematic piece of history and in so many stories like this one, the Englishman is doing something incredibly evil - like running the people who have lived on this land for generations out of their homes for an easy profit.
At first I though, what kind of fucking idiot doesn't check into what his steward is doing? Because the Earl of Mardoun's steward was BURNING PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HOMES. But then we find out that he DOES know people are being run out, and he asks: "What, is it my job to let them live on MY land?" Like because the English monarchy gifted it to him it's *his* with no questions asked. And that people should just "get a job in a city" - okay, great... so they can leave the place their family has lived for centuries for, what, London? To work in factories when they've spent their lives as farmers or shepherds? And then he says "well they can move to Canada or Australia!" to which the heroine points out, these are poor cotters... they don't have enough capital to just up and move and start a new life somewhere.
It was PEAK white male idiocy.
Also, what a stellar hero he was for saying this to the heroine: “There are doubtless an ample number of women here who will warm my bed as well as you.” Wow, beautiful! I am swooning!
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May 4, 2015I could not finish this book...love her other books but this one just did not do it for me.
I love reading romances set among the highlands of historical Scotland, I enjoy the mystic and magic usually attributed with these stories. Unfortunately this one did not do it for me, I did not like the heroine from the beginning and by the time I stopped reading she never won me over.
Meg is a healer who is independent and lives life on her own. She chooses her lovers and when she meets Damon, although attracted to him she resists his charm, which aggravates him.
Damon is a widower with a daughter, who is returning to his family estates. When his daughter becomes ill he turns to the healer for help. The relationship between Meg and Damon starts off on the wrong foot and he has a hard time winning her over.
I have read and enjoyed several books by Ms. Camp in the past and jumped at the chance to read and review this book. I did not read the first in the series but felt I could enjoy this second book. Unfortunately I just did not like Meg, she did not come across as a warm, engaging person and I did
not like how the relationship with Damon developed. I could not finish this book and I stopped at about 40 percent, because I have issues with not knowing the ending of stories, I did flip to the last chapter to see what happens, it did not make me want to read the rest.
I will definitely read another of Ms. Camp’s books; however I am not sure about this series.
I love reading romances set among the highlands of historical Scotland, I enjoy the mystic and magic usually attributed with these stories. Unfortunately this one did not do it for me, I did not like the heroine from the beginning and by the time I stopped reading she never won me over.
Meg is a healer who is independent and lives life on her own. She chooses her lovers and when she meets Damon, although attracted to him she resists his charm, which aggravates him.
Damon is a widower with a daughter, who is returning to his family estates. When his daughter becomes ill he turns to the healer for help. The relationship between Meg and Damon starts off on the wrong foot and he has a hard time winning her over.
I have read and enjoyed several books by Ms. Camp in the past and jumped at the chance to read and review this book. I did not read the first in the series but felt I could enjoy this second book. Unfortunately I just did not like Meg, she did not come across as a warm, engaging person and I did
not like how the relationship with Damon developed. I could not finish this book and I stopped at about 40 percent, because I have issues with not knowing the ending of stories, I did flip to the last chapter to see what happens, it did not make me want to read the rest.
I will definitely read another of Ms. Camp’s books; however I am not sure about this series.
April 15, 2015
Enjoy a visit to the Scottish Highlands! If you are looking for a straight-up romance with minimal conflict, then I have a book for you. Pleasured is a diverting mix of instant attraction, sizzling passion, misunderstandings, different worlds, and just a dash of mystery. It helps, too, that Meg (an independent and respected healer) and Damon (a widower rebuilding his relationship with his young daughter) were warm, friendly people who were easy to like, and I settled comfortably into their everyday lives. Their rocky beginning only made their eventual affair more satisfying. I was glad they decided to dive in and enjoy each other.
I got a big kick out of Damon not being able to figure out Meg. Poor Damon! His confusion over why she thought so poorly of him kept him in knots and made him a very frustrated man. His attempts to woo her were exercises in persistence and self-control and very entertaining to witness. Make him work for her, I say! And he eventually got it right, too.
Aside from their affair, Meg and Damon experienced a treasure hunt adventure that was equal parts thrilling, dangerous, sexy, and romantic. A brief recap of the legend was enough to refresh my memory of the star-crossed lovers and the origins of the treasure, and of how their story fit with Meg and Damon's discovery of yet another piece of that 18th-century puzzle.
I got a big kick out of Damon not being able to figure out Meg. Poor Damon! His confusion over why she thought so poorly of him kept him in knots and made him a very frustrated man. His attempts to woo her were exercises in persistence and self-control and very entertaining to witness. Make him work for her, I say! And he eventually got it right, too.
Aside from their affair, Meg and Damon experienced a treasure hunt adventure that was equal parts thrilling, dangerous, sexy, and romantic. A brief recap of the legend was enough to refresh my memory of the star-crossed lovers and the origins of the treasure, and of how their story fit with Meg and Damon's discovery of yet another piece of that 18th-century puzzle.
Want to read
October 23, 2021Currently on p.118 for future reference
December 30, 2025
***MEDIUM SPOILERS ***
This book is the second in the Secrets of the Loch trilogy. It can be read as a standalone. The male main character of the third book is the brother of the female main character in this one.
The reason I gave this book one star is because there were points where the female main character, Meg, said no to Damon, the main male character and he did not listen. It does not go so far as sex/rape for a couple of reasons, but, if it had, I think he would have thought it was seduction. He single mindedly pursued getting her in bed. It is my understanding that it was a typical attitude of a wealthy and/or titled person at that time to believe that they could have s*x with basically anyone they wished and pursued it regardless of that person’s feelings. He says that he does not think she is “easy” but believes that only with a little persistence will she give in as all the other women he has wanted in the past have done. Because she is responsive, he sees it as permission. Am I looking at this through today’s lens? Yes. But it was still wrong then and it is wrong today.
Later, when they are a couple, it never crosses his mind to marry her until someone mentions it to him and also mentions the consequences to his daughter if he lives with his mistress. That is realistic to the time.
Damon’s steward has made decisions that have made life very difficult for the people who live on the land. Meg believes that these decisions were made with his approval and they were, although he was unaware of the cruel way they were carried out. Many of the decisions were cruel, yet she still thinks he is attractive and cannot resist him. Both Meg and Damon are good looking and that is all that seems to matter at least at first. When Meg finally confronts him about throwing crofters out of the homes they have lived in for generations, Damon says “I am responsible for what happens to every soul who lives here? I must see to it that they all have full bellies and places to live? Good God! Why don’t they emigrate to Canada or Australia or some such place?” Well, yes, you are the earl so you have a responsibility to those on your land. Eventually, he faces this responsibility and does what is right. Further, he is ashamed of what happened to the people in his care.
Meg is a strong woman and lives on her own. She makes her living as a healer, a skill which has been passed down for generations through the women in her family. I liked that about her and that she stood up to the earl. He comes to respect her.
Damon’s first wife had poor health but they also did not get along. As a result, Damon spent time away from his daughter, Lynette, in order to avoid his wife. He says that he thought it would be better for Lynette to be with her mother. He is now looking to get to know her again. Although I do not think it was great that he had barely seen his daughter in years, I did like the fact that he wanted to make up for lost time and respected her. I liked Lynette, she was clever and interesting.
I guess it is foolish to expect a book titled Pleasured to not focus on lust, but the two characters in this book were almost unable to think because of their lust for each other.
If it had not been for Damon’s refusing to hear the word no, I probably would have given the book 3 or 4 stars.
This book is the second in the Secrets of the Loch trilogy. It can be read as a standalone. The male main character of the third book is the brother of the female main character in this one.
The reason I gave this book one star is because there were points where the female main character, Meg, said no to Damon, the main male character and he did not listen. It does not go so far as sex/rape for a couple of reasons, but, if it had, I think he would have thought it was seduction. He single mindedly pursued getting her in bed. It is my understanding that it was a typical attitude of a wealthy and/or titled person at that time to believe that they could have s*x with basically anyone they wished and pursued it regardless of that person’s feelings. He says that he does not think she is “easy” but believes that only with a little persistence will she give in as all the other women he has wanted in the past have done. Because she is responsive, he sees it as permission. Am I looking at this through today’s lens? Yes. But it was still wrong then and it is wrong today.
Later, when they are a couple, it never crosses his mind to marry her until someone mentions it to him and also mentions the consequences to his daughter if he lives with his mistress. That is realistic to the time.
Damon’s steward has made decisions that have made life very difficult for the people who live on the land. Meg believes that these decisions were made with his approval and they were, although he was unaware of the cruel way they were carried out. Many of the decisions were cruel, yet she still thinks he is attractive and cannot resist him. Both Meg and Damon are good looking and that is all that seems to matter at least at first. When Meg finally confronts him about throwing crofters out of the homes they have lived in for generations, Damon says “I am responsible for what happens to every soul who lives here? I must see to it that they all have full bellies and places to live? Good God! Why don’t they emigrate to Canada or Australia or some such place?” Well, yes, you are the earl so you have a responsibility to those on your land. Eventually, he faces this responsibility and does what is right. Further, he is ashamed of what happened to the people in his care.
Meg is a strong woman and lives on her own. She makes her living as a healer, a skill which has been passed down for generations through the women in her family. I liked that about her and that she stood up to the earl. He comes to respect her.
Damon’s first wife had poor health but they also did not get along. As a result, Damon spent time away from his daughter, Lynette, in order to avoid his wife. He says that he thought it would be better for Lynette to be with her mother. He is now looking to get to know her again. Although I do not think it was great that he had barely seen his daughter in years, I did like the fact that he wanted to make up for lost time and respected her. I liked Lynette, she was clever and interesting.
I guess it is foolish to expect a book titled Pleasured to not focus on lust, but the two characters in this book were almost unable to think because of their lust for each other.
If it had not been for Damon’s refusing to hear the word no, I probably would have given the book 3 or 4 stars.
March 23, 2024
1.5 stars
Tropes: Single Parent, Mistress, Opposites Attract
Genres, settings, categories, themes: historical romance, mystery, Scotland
POV: 3rd person
Series/Sequencing Style: 2nd in an anthology series, can be read as standalone, no cliffhanger
understanding series types: dynamic, static, anthology - source 1, source 2
Heat level: sensual (from Susanna Carr's categorizations – wholesome/clean, sweet, sensual, sexy, erotic)
Review/Notes
Was hoping this series would get better, as the 3rd was on a romance adventure story list, but this was still not really my cuppa. The H is very imperious and their connection is lust-based. The story was pretty boring. Goes from not much connection to sappy. Unsure what's so great about him. She goes from being independent & interesting to kind of waiting around on him. Meh overall.
Tropes: Single Parent, Mistress, Opposites Attract
Genres, settings, categories, themes: historical romance, mystery, Scotland
POV: 3rd person
Series/Sequencing Style: 2nd in an anthology series, can be read as standalone, no cliffhanger
understanding series types: dynamic, static, anthology - source 1, source 2
Heat level: sensual (from Susanna Carr's categorizations – wholesome/clean, sweet, sensual, sexy, erotic)
Review/Notes
Was hoping this series would get better, as the 3rd was on a romance adventure story list, but this was still not really my cuppa. The H is very imperious and their connection is lust-based. The story was pretty boring. Goes from not much connection to sappy. Unsure what's so great about him. She goes from being independent & interesting to kind of waiting around on him. Meh overall.
May 23, 2018
I enjoyed this book much more than the first one in the series. I’m surprised it doesn’t have a higher rating.
I felt the mystery in this book was much more organic as well.
I liked both the heroine and hero. I’ve enjoyed Meg since the first book so I’m glad I wasn’t disappointed by her in this book. She’s strong and knows who she is even when it’s not the norm for the times though the norm for her family.
The hero shows lots of growth through the book as well, he’s not some jerk that we often see but he has been living in his aristocracy world without too much thought about those outside his class.
I recommend if you’re on the fence after the first book, but the mystery does build off of the first book so it’s not really a stand alone.
I felt the mystery in this book was much more organic as well.
I liked both the heroine and hero. I’ve enjoyed Meg since the first book so I’m glad I wasn’t disappointed by her in this book. She’s strong and knows who she is even when it’s not the norm for the times though the norm for her family.
The hero shows lots of growth through the book as well, he’s not some jerk that we often see but he has been living in his aristocracy world without too much thought about those outside his class.
I recommend if you’re on the fence after the first book, but the mystery does build off of the first book so it’s not really a stand alone.
January 3, 2018
This was a quick read for me. It was entertaining and I love the imagery of Scotland.
Meg, a healer, has been caught in the line of sight for the new Earl of Mardoun, Damon. He finds her captivating with her red hair and being a Bonny scot. Meg could say the same about his English dark looks. Their paths cross multiple times and they never seem to want to leave each other’s company especially after Damon’s daughter is sick and Meg nurses her. He is afraid he will lose her forever. Will Meg give up her life of ordering her own freedom to be with Damon?
It had all the makings for an engaging story and it transitions well into book three with Coll.
Meg, a healer, has been caught in the line of sight for the new Earl of Mardoun, Damon. He finds her captivating with her red hair and being a Bonny scot. Meg could say the same about his English dark looks. Their paths cross multiple times and they never seem to want to leave each other’s company especially after Damon’s daughter is sick and Meg nurses her. He is afraid he will lose her forever. Will Meg give up her life of ordering her own freedom to be with Damon?
It had all the makings for an engaging story and it transitions well into book three with Coll.
November 24, 2017
This is the middle book in the series and by far my favourite. I liked the heroine, the hero was alright, but the overall story felt much more _Scottish_ than the first and third books. (The third is downright anachronistic.)
As with every other Candace Camp there is a lot of sex. And it's all pretty predictable. Past a certain point it even gets tiresome. I strongly advise that nobody read more than two Camp novels in a row. (This was my third in four days.)
As with every other Candace Camp there is a lot of sex. And it's all pretty predictable. Past a certain point it even gets tiresome. I strongly advise that nobody read more than two Camp novels in a row. (This was my third in four days.)
July 8, 2019
It was a so-so kind of book for me. I guess I was expecting a lot more from the story based on the synopsis. There was just too much "inner dialogue" going on between the H and h, too much rehashing of what transpired between them that I found myself skipping a lot of pages. Plus the ending was so rushed I was like what just happened here??? I love Ms. Camp so I guess this is just a one off...
April 29, 2019
Enjoyed the story. Of course it was predictable, but I liked the characters. Not bad for a used book sale find.
August 21, 2024
One of the more enjoyable and saucy Camp books I've read in a while.
January 2, 2025
3.5 stars. I was excited to read Meg Munro's love story with the Earl of Mardoun and I liked the h and H, but the story was a bit too long and not as captivating as the first book in the series.
October 22, 2025
Ended abruptly and didn’t feel like there was much conflict tbh
May 15, 2015
Och, it's time for Super-hump Sassenach man, ye ken.
I haven't read Candace Camp since days of yore when she was Lisa Gregory, and that's been a long time. The skills of a veteran writer are still very prevalent in >i>Pleasured, but before I begin with my take on this novel let me talk about Peter Jackson. I promise, I will connect the dots. I'm a big fan of Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Love the adventure, love the story. But, I am not such a big fan of battle scenes, especially digitized synchronized battle scenes that go on and on and on. For all of you who have sat through these movies you will know that the battle sequences are quite lengthy. However, there is the magic of DVD and fast-forwarding, something not available in a theater. It's amazing how short those movies are when one is pressing the fast forward button on a remote control. Why do I do that if I love these movies so much? Well, my answer is, if you've seen one digitized synchronized battle scene with orcs you've seen them all. One can only take so much repetitious flying through the air, rhythmic elves jumping over dwarves before one becomes indifferent to the glut. And, that is what happened in Pleasured.
Of course, I did not have a remote control in my hand, but I did skip. What did I skip? Let me put it this way - Damon, our hero, had one of the busiest Timothy Toads I've seen in a long time. This guy was on alert from the moment he cast eyes on our heroine, Meg, to the very last page. And, when Meg finally caves in, OMG, the whacky-dack just filled the pages. Pages and pages. My eyes glazed over.
I'm one of those people who loves Scottish-based romances; never grow tired of all that brogue. I have to admit that Pleasured is vivid in its portrayal of Scotland. There is a strong sense of what was going on at this time period in Scottish history, especially with the land clearances. One of the things which I found interesting was the rendering of our hero Damon when he's allowed to show something more than how much his Timothy Toad controls him. A lot of English lords in Scottish romances are portrayed as the unknowing landlord. Usually they have an evil steward who has been doing things to the poor Scottish people without his knowledge or his approval. Well, in this book we do have an evil steward; however, Damon has told his steward to clear the land of people and told him to make it a productive land. He of course isn't aware of some of the really loathsome things his steward has been doing. So, it was interesting to watch Damon struggle with his aristocratic rights and what Meg wanted for the Scottish people. Because of the way Ms. Camp portrayed Damon's right-to-the land thought process, the antagonism between Meg and the rest of the Scottish people was a little bit more realistic, not the normal we-hate-you-because-you're-a-Sassenach. I thought the conflict in this story was well thought out.
Speaking of Damon's thought processes, he jumps to a number of wrong conclusions concerning Meg. You see, Meg is a healer who lives by herself. Because she has a nice little cottage, she doesn't seem to be starving and she has no visible means of support, he jumps to the conclusion that she sells herself. Because of his over-active Timothy Toad, he tries to set her up, thinking she will be honored. Not only does Meg not like him because he's kicking people off of the land, but now he offers her dishonorable employment. Which she flings back in his face with relish. They are off to a pretty rocky start. There are sparks that fly off of this couple from the very beginning; it is a constant entity hovering in the background. However, as I've said before, once they act upon their desires the spark or chemistry or blaze was overdone and I lost interest in watching these two maneuver around the bedroom.
A moment of reflection. I wonder why in Romanceland when we have a couple who have extra hot steam, can't keep their hands off of each other, that the first time they act upon it, they insist on taking off all of their clothes. I can understand partial clothing. In fact I would prefer a half open shirt and some boots left on occasionally. It just seems to me that they start out in this frenzy, then take the time to remove all of their clothes and since I read mainly historical we are talking a lot of clothes. I would love to see the first time frenzy with the clothes on - just once.
Overall, while there were parts of this book I really liked, for the most part, the story was overwhelmed by all the cavorting conjugation. The characters had possibilities but when they crossed that line the story lost its appeal for me. Sometimes all the spark and sensuality gets lost in redundancy.
Time/Place: 1807 Scotland
Sensuality: Lots, but not sensual
KaysBlog
I haven't read Candace Camp since days of yore when she was Lisa Gregory, and that's been a long time. The skills of a veteran writer are still very prevalent in >i>Pleasured, but before I begin with my take on this novel let me talk about Peter Jackson. I promise, I will connect the dots. I'm a big fan of Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Love the adventure, love the story. But, I am not such a big fan of battle scenes, especially digitized synchronized battle scenes that go on and on and on. For all of you who have sat through these movies you will know that the battle sequences are quite lengthy. However, there is the magic of DVD and fast-forwarding, something not available in a theater. It's amazing how short those movies are when one is pressing the fast forward button on a remote control. Why do I do that if I love these movies so much? Well, my answer is, if you've seen one digitized synchronized battle scene with orcs you've seen them all. One can only take so much repetitious flying through the air, rhythmic elves jumping over dwarves before one becomes indifferent to the glut. And, that is what happened in Pleasured.
Of course, I did not have a remote control in my hand, but I did skip. What did I skip? Let me put it this way - Damon, our hero, had one of the busiest Timothy Toads I've seen in a long time. This guy was on alert from the moment he cast eyes on our heroine, Meg, to the very last page. And, when Meg finally caves in, OMG, the whacky-dack just filled the pages. Pages and pages. My eyes glazed over.
I'm one of those people who loves Scottish-based romances; never grow tired of all that brogue. I have to admit that Pleasured is vivid in its portrayal of Scotland. There is a strong sense of what was going on at this time period in Scottish history, especially with the land clearances. One of the things which I found interesting was the rendering of our hero Damon when he's allowed to show something more than how much his Timothy Toad controls him. A lot of English lords in Scottish romances are portrayed as the unknowing landlord. Usually they have an evil steward who has been doing things to the poor Scottish people without his knowledge or his approval. Well, in this book we do have an evil steward; however, Damon has told his steward to clear the land of people and told him to make it a productive land. He of course isn't aware of some of the really loathsome things his steward has been doing. So, it was interesting to watch Damon struggle with his aristocratic rights and what Meg wanted for the Scottish people. Because of the way Ms. Camp portrayed Damon's right-to-the land thought process, the antagonism between Meg and the rest of the Scottish people was a little bit more realistic, not the normal we-hate-you-because-you're-a-Sassenach. I thought the conflict in this story was well thought out.
Speaking of Damon's thought processes, he jumps to a number of wrong conclusions concerning Meg. You see, Meg is a healer who lives by herself. Because she has a nice little cottage, she doesn't seem to be starving and she has no visible means of support, he jumps to the conclusion that she sells herself. Because of his over-active Timothy Toad, he tries to set her up, thinking she will be honored. Not only does Meg not like him because he's kicking people off of the land, but now he offers her dishonorable employment. Which she flings back in his face with relish. They are off to a pretty rocky start. There are sparks that fly off of this couple from the very beginning; it is a constant entity hovering in the background. However, as I've said before, once they act upon their desires the spark or chemistry or blaze was overdone and I lost interest in watching these two maneuver around the bedroom.
A moment of reflection. I wonder why in Romanceland when we have a couple who have extra hot steam, can't keep their hands off of each other, that the first time they act upon it, they insist on taking off all of their clothes. I can understand partial clothing. In fact I would prefer a half open shirt and some boots left on occasionally. It just seems to me that they start out in this frenzy, then take the time to remove all of their clothes and since I read mainly historical we are talking a lot of clothes. I would love to see the first time frenzy with the clothes on - just once.
Overall, while there were parts of this book I really liked, for the most part, the story was overwhelmed by all the cavorting conjugation. The characters had possibilities but when they crossed that line the story lost its appeal for me. Sometimes all the spark and sensuality gets lost in redundancy.
Time/Place: 1807 Scotland
Sensuality: Lots, but not sensual
KaysBlog
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2015
4.5 stars
I really enjoyed this book.
Meg and Damon are both extremely likable and they have an instant attraction. Which for Meg is totally unacceptable. Watching them both try to ignore the attraction is very entertaining. The denial might have dragged on a little too long - but not enough to be annoying.
This book didn't seem to focus as much on the treasure as the last book. But a few more pieces of the puzzle fall into place.
This book is much more sensual than the last book. The love scenes while not what I would consider hot, were definitely very warm and well done.
I would recommend this book, it is a well written, entertaining read. I am looking forward to the final book featuring Coll. I just wish we didn't have to wait another year for it :)
I really enjoyed this book.
Meg and Damon are both extremely likable and they have an instant attraction. Which for Meg is totally unacceptable. Watching them both try to ignore the attraction is very entertaining. The denial might have dragged on a little too long - but not enough to be annoying.
This book didn't seem to focus as much on the treasure as the last book. But a few more pieces of the puzzle fall into place.
This book is much more sensual than the last book. The love scenes while not what I would consider hot, were definitely very warm and well done.
I would recommend this book, it is a well written, entertaining read. I am looking forward to the final book featuring Coll. I just wish we didn't have to wait another year for it :)
May 4, 2015
Second book in the series and it's pretty predictable, fiery Meg meets up with the local Earl, Damon who is a widower trying to bond with his semi-invalid young daughter. Damon from London is despised because his land is being cleared of all the crofters by his overseer in a less than generous manner.
Meg despises him but is attracted to him, Damon is attracted to her and eager to know her better after hearing she comes from a long line of women who are healers and who live life their own way.
Of course, he doesn't know she's not that way and how his overseer is acting. Lots of flaring up at each other before passion flares. The daughter falls ill requiring Meg to help out. No surprises in this one, we'll see where the next one take us.
Meg despises him but is attracted to him, Damon is attracted to her and eager to know her better after hearing she comes from a long line of women who are healers and who live life their own way.
Of course, he doesn't know she's not that way and how his overseer is acting. Lots of flaring up at each other before passion flares. The daughter falls ill requiring Meg to help out. No surprises in this one, we'll see where the next one take us.
March 5, 2016
Meg Munroe is a healer and woman of the woods. Independent and passionate Meg loathes the Earl who has been evicting families from his land to make room for sheep.
Damon, the Earl of Mardoun has travelled to Scottland to see his estate and meet with his land manager to see about making it profitable.
When Meg and Damon lay eyes on each other they are both surprised by the intensity of their attraction, especially Meg, who dislikes the Earl and his actions towards the people she cares for.
As the two become lovers and learn more about one another they find that first impressions can be far from a true version of a person.
Damon shows Meg just how much he cares, by trying to help her learn who her grandfather was.
Damon, the Earl of Mardoun has travelled to Scottland to see his estate and meet with his land manager to see about making it profitable.
When Meg and Damon lay eyes on each other they are both surprised by the intensity of their attraction, especially Meg, who dislikes the Earl and his actions towards the people she cares for.
As the two become lovers and learn more about one another they find that first impressions can be far from a true version of a person.
Damon shows Meg just how much he cares, by trying to help her learn who her grandfather was.
April 13, 2015
I loved this book. The characters were strong. The sexual tension and chemistry between them was great. The conflict was believable. I loved the setting, and the fact that Meg was portrayed as a true-to-type healer of the time period. The setting was awesome, rural Scotland, standing stones, caves, ancient ruins, small village. I also enjoyed the H/h relationships with the villagers was believable as well, him a not so well-liked Lord of the Manor and an Englishman while she was highly respected among the locals as she was the healer. I love Candace Camp, and for me this one was a real page turner. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I am looking forward to the next one.
Read
April 24, 2016I really like spunky heroines and Meg is the definition of an independent and self-reliant gal. She wants to choose her man and is waiting for love. Then she meets the hero, Lord Maldoun, and despite her protestations to him that she is not interested he easily seduces her. What?! This is a perfect example of a woman saying no and meaning yes. No wonder men get confused. The hero (misnomer, he's not hero material in my mind) is not interested in anything but her beauty and wanting to bed her. I understand attraction but these two were no holds barred.
Ended up being a DNF because I don't want to waste my time reading about someone more dysfunctional than I am.
Ended up being a DNF because I don't want to waste my time reading about someone more dysfunctional than I am.
September 1, 2018
This book was a dud for me!
Though I read a lot of great reviews before reading this book I had a lot of problems getting through this book. It wasn't bad per say it just couldn't hold my interest I read more then three-quarters of the way through and still was struggling so much that I finally just gave up. I don't know if it was just boring to me or if maybe I should have read the first book of the series so I could better understand it but I don't know or even think if that really would have made a difference.
This book was a thumbs down from me I may try to read this again at a later date.
Though I read a lot of great reviews before reading this book I had a lot of problems getting through this book. It wasn't bad per say it just couldn't hold my interest I read more then three-quarters of the way through and still was struggling so much that I finally just gave up. I don't know if it was just boring to me or if maybe I should have read the first book of the series so I could better understand it but I don't know or even think if that really would have made a difference.
This book was a thumbs down from me I may try to read this again at a later date.
December 13, 2015
This is a second book in a series. I haven't read the first one but that did not stop me from enjoying this one. I loved the book. Also this is a great author.. I have enjoyed all of her books so far. The heroine does have a different life than most heroines but I thought she was a very caring person with strong feelings. I will say the hero wasn't the best hero I have read but I still liked him in the end! I would recommend it!
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