Choosing the Highlander

Highland Wishes #3

by Jessi Gage

As a mechanical engineer in 1981 Chicago, Connie designs plumbing systems. She has also designed her life to perfection, right down to the man she hopes to marry. But when Mr. Right proposes, she can’t say yes. A head-clearing vacation brings her to the Scottish Highlands, where her free-spirited twin wishes for Connie to find true love. Neither sister expects the wish to send Connie hurtling five hundred years into the past.

Wilhelm Murray, heir to the barony of Dornoch, hopes to one day hold a seat in parliament and bring urgently needed reform to Scotland. But everything changes when a woman slated for execution proclaims her innocence using the most peculiar language. Powerfully attracted to the brave beauty, he rescues her even though it means becoming a fugitive and forfeiting his dream.

As Connie and Wilhelm evade capture, she discovers his passion for justice. Scotland needs his ideas. It needs him. And so does she. But in order to clear Wilhelm’s name, she will have to turn her back on everything she’s worked so hard for and embrace the magic of love.

Genres: Time Travel, Romance, Historical Romance, Fantasy, Historical, Historical Fiction, Audiobook

350 pages, Paperback

First published June 23, 2015

About the author

Jessi lives with her husband and children in the Seattle area. She’s a passionate reader of all genres of romance, especially anything involving the paranormal. Ghosts, demons, vampires, weres, faeries...you name it, she’ll read it. As for writing, she's sticking to Highlanders and contemporaries with a paranormal twist (for now).

For updates, visit Jessi's website at www.jessigage.com. Using the contacts page to sign up for her newsletter will ensure you never miss a new release.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again a well written story full of exciting characters and a lovely romance. Well recommended

[Abby Ang · Rating 1 out of 5]

"There was instantly no question that Aifric’s cervix had dilated to ten centimeters because a bluish scalp with matted black hair pressed at a perfect tight circle of flesh like a cereal bowl coming through a hole in a sock."

[rj · Rating 3 out of 5]

Virgin hero completely besotted from the get-go. Nuff said.

[Inishowen Cailín · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

This was a nice story but it was a bit slow for me. The beginning was fast paced and grabbed my attention quickly but I began to lose interest about a third of the way through the book and it didn't pick up, for me, until the last 20% of the story.

[Seon Ji (Dawn) · Rating 4 out of 5]

++Possible Spoilers++

4 stars

I don't usually care for time travel reads, but I will admit that I enjoyed this one more than I expected.

The last 20% made up for the slower moving, slightly repettitive beginning and raised what was originally going to be a 3 star up to a 4 star.

The pace was steady and accelerated at 80% leaving me hanging on the edge of my seat until the very end. The characters were well developed and the world building was good. The antagonist was not cartooinishly evil, and his motivations were logical, but I felt he was a bit too evil and could have been a bit more developed.

The hero was perfect! I completely loved him. The heroine was relatively likable but it bothered me that she kept trying to distance herself from the hero and only wanted to go back to her time (for a while anyway) luckily this didn't drag on too long and she finally chose to stay in his time.

What brought down the stars was the fact that the heroine who is supposed to be rather intelligent (an engineer) said some pretty stupid things regarding the future. I would think an educated person would have used different terms (not modern ones) knowing that she would not be understood in the 1400's. But this is pretty minor, and it wasn't difficult to get past it.

I also didn't quite get, or even care for, the heroine's bad attempt at an English accent. To what end? I thought the Scots didn't like the English! Why would you do this and risk further wrath? Especially since she didn't do the accent very well.

Overall, I liked it very much and plan to read the others in this series. I would recommend it.

Safety-

Hero-Virgin. Heroine is his first, only & last
Heroine- Experienced. (apparently the hero didn't catch on to this either).
OM/OW-No
Cheating-No
Violence-Yes. Not terrible
Abuse-some. Some characters are beaten including the hero. (all live)
Rape-Yes. One secondary character was raped. Not detailed, in the past.
Cursing-Mild
Adultery-No
Sex-Yes. 2 or 3 love scenes not very spicy, but somewhat detailed.

[BookPauper · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF 88%

Sooo slow. It also bugs me when the "smart, independent woman" spends so much time wondering if the man thinks she's pretty, she tells him not to touch her but why won't he touch her?! while being simultaneously baffled by her quivering lady biz. You went to college, ya simple b! (Hell, teens are hormonal horn dogs. School has nothing to do with it.) You've had sex. You should at least recognize the concept of attraction.
It picks up after a while, and I would have finished it...but I didn't want to.
The audiobook didn't do this any favors. The voice for the heroine came off as whiny to me. I just couldn't hang.

[Dawn Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, what do you get when you take a career focused girl who has everything in her life planned and structured, send her to the past 500 years, take her out of her element? Only to have her questioning the choices she has made? Then add a sexy highland lord to the picture that is fighting for justice and reform that rescues her from being burned at the stake? You have a clash of wills and a struggle of the heart, but which will win out. This is a must read, although it took me a couple of chapters to get into the story, once I did, I couldn't put it down. Jessi has once again put together my two favorites, time travel and a sexy highland lord. So, grab this read, settle in for an adventure and see how these two soulmates meet and struggle through finding their happily ever after.

[Barbara➰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another beautiful romance by Jessi Gage. I was so glad to have Connie and Wilhelm's story after reading about them in the first book, Wishing For a Highlander.

[Nikki Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic book!! Full review to come...

[Tiblu · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a really great time and I wish I could go there too..

I really enjoyed this story you can easily see just how much work and care Ms. Gage puts into all her works,I Loved "Wishing for a Highlander" ,I just Adored Melanie and poor and very sweet "big" Darcy ( I always laugh when I think of Darcy's so called problem thou it's caused him a great deal of pain,and seemed to make the girls of his time run away but was the kinda " problem" that would had all the girls running to him NOT from him) ;) and while I was thrilled to have the chance to read the story of two very wonderful characters from the 1st book,having soo enjoyed Constance and the very wonderful Wilhelm who help save and protect Darcy and Melanie, I gotta say Connie through most of this book!
She was more in her head than anything else and a story where the characters,especially there two leads spend more time in their heads thinking than with their mouths talking is really quite frustrating!!!! Especially when you have a woman who was a slow to get a clue as she was, dissatisfied with the present life the works towards and the engagement she'd orchestrated she's in Scotland to think things thru and after plunging over 500 years into the past and surviving almost being burned at the stake and being rescued by a incredible man like Wilhelm and all the rest she keeps fighting her feelings and instincts , for what? Her twin? Her family ? All of the 20th century? No, she keeps talking about That guy Milt ( the guy she didn't really want) and a life that didn't make her happy... A lot of things would have made sense to hold on to but after a while I was wanting scream at her for all this bs about Milt and Chicago ,a life and a man she didn't really want while an amazing man was pulling her towards him and she was resisting it for something she didn't even really want... I was extremely frustrated til almost 70% of the book when she finally started to get a clue... And if I didn't already completely love and adore Wilhelm I fell hopelessly in love with him when he asked her to "kindly relieve me of my virtue ".... O Wow!!!! A gorgeous,wonderful,kind,sexy,yummy Highlander who's all your and a Virgin??? I couldn't believe one those existed, one hand with Wilhelms's wonderful strength of character is not too hard to imagine on the other hand where/when you EVER get this situation? I bet even in the romance type stories where the characters are still in high school it's almost always the guys had some experience while the girl is a virgin between the two ...
I just loved that moment!!! Wilhelm was everything you could ever possibly want in a man inside true to his own convections and yet open minded to learn new things and allowing others their own beliefs and intelligent and caring and forward thinking plus a sexy yummy loving warrior!!! Wow!! A complete package and them some ;)
I'd love to learn what happens to Leslie and more stories in this series,thou Connie was on my last nerve most of the story I'm glad we both got there in the end...
Only wish Ms. Gage could write me into a story like this and the let me go live with my own Highlander ;)

[Laura Hamadi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am loving Jessi Gage, and I am LOVING this series!

There's something mystical about being able to travel back and forth in time. I can't resist a novel that involves time travel; it draws me and then drowns me slowly, allowing me to luxuriate in the bliss of it all. The characters were like old friends, having been previously introduced in the first novel. The kind of friends that when you meet, it's like starting up the conversation where you left off. I adored getting to see a younger, more independent Connie.

I was excited to finally get a peek at Connie and Wilhelm's story, although I must admit I was slightly disappointed. I was really hoping to learn more about the story between King Magnus and Anya's sister. Hopefully, the lovely Ms. Gage is working on something right now! I can dream, right?

If you're looking for a wonderful time-travel romance, that has (dare I say it?) more "fluffiness" than Outlander, this series is a must-read. No offense to the author on the "fluffy" comment, because these books are definitely well written!

[Isabel Winsor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it! I was just about to pre-order Jessi Gage's new book, Choosing the Highlander when she sent a copy to me for a review!

Just as she had with the first two books in this series, Jessi's characters and her masterful storytelling enchanted me. It's the 80's and Connie has run away from a successful career and a sort-of-fiance to Scotland with her twin sister. But when she stands in a magic circle, she finds herself in Medieval Scotland. About to be burned at the stake as a witch, she is rescued by Wilhelm Murray.

I was glued to my ereader, sneaking in pages when I cooked dinner, after putting my son to bed and late into the night.

As Connie and Wilheim slowly fall in love, the suspense of what will come between them just about killed me. You know something terrible has to happen - the villain in this book is a real nasty piece of work - and when the stuff hits the fan, just turn off your phone and hide from your children because it's a page turner until the end.

Thank you Jessi for such an enjoyable read. I can't wait to the next one!

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so very much enjoyed this novel. I love that Constance was afraid to love, she had set plans for herself, but she forget to find that one thing that made a difference, she was purpose to by the man she was seeing and instead of saying no, she went to Scotland to be with her Twin who was the free spirit of the two of them. While there they went to a Druid site and her sister stated that she wanted her to find love and made a wish and pop she was in Scotland 500 years before and going to be burned alive with another young woman who was pregnant by the Baron who was trying to kill her. She has a wonderful hero and his cousin and they save the both of them. It is turns out the other woman was pregnant and they brought them to an Abbey outside of the Baron area. Wilhelm falls in love with Constance, but it takes Constance awhile to fall for him. She wants to go back to her time but realizes that will not be possible and she finally admits she loves him and makes wonderful choices to save the both of them. And he understand her being from the future.

[Barb Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! First time reader of Gage read all 3 within days of each other.
Just as she had with the first two books in this one Jessi's characters and her masterful storytelling enchanted me. I couldn't put them down. Great read start to finish.

I can't wait for the next one. Thank you for the enjoyable read!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the rest of this series it is sweet, cute, and not at all historically accurate if that is something that is important for you. I don't care about that though and like lighthearted reads so I loved it. It is the third of the series, but can be read as a standalone. In fact the events here take place before book one.

[Listener · Rating 3 out of 5]

I somehow managed to enjoy this and the first book in the series despite the insta lust/love thing and the fact that they were often OTT and completely unrealistic, besides the time traveling plot obvously.
I skipped the second book as I didn't care to read Anya's story to see if she redeemed herself.

[SuzyHD · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Enjoyable 5+

This story was very enjoyable to read. The storyline has passion and well developed characters. The story holds your interest from start to finish. Definitely recommend reading this book.

[Kylie Gilmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Part time travel, part historical, and SO romantic. The hero Wilhelm was dreamy and I loved how the heroine grew from her orderly existence into a more rounded and truly happy person. Now I have to catch up on the rest of the series!

[Patrice Veilleux Roth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicely Written Romantic Escape to Medieval Scotland

Like some other readers, I’m not a romance fan because they are often trite, formulaic and have way too much repetitious and boring sex but this Highlander Series caught my eye as I was browsing Kindle Unlimited. I was feeling somewhat lonely from this year long pandemic and I guess I wanted to live vicariously though “someone else’s” romantic life. Sigh... so now I am envious of a book character named Constance..lol.

My logical mind most assuredly reminded me every so often that such a man as Wilhelm could not possibly have existed during that brutal period of time but hey, they rarely exist in this time period either 😉 so I willingly plunged into this writer’s magical creativity and enjoyed the heck out of this story. The male hero, Wilhelm’s, amazing chivalry and intelligence became believable when the author began filling in details about his parents, his religious upbringing, his warrior self-discipline, his role as heir apparent and his higher education and political aspirations.

The twists and turns are imaginative and the many nuggets of historical information are not only insightful, they add to the solid suspension of disbelief. I have enjoyed three volumes of The Highlander series so far but this one is my favorite probably because Constance, the independent, systems engineer, who has so carefully planned her life, is relatable to any woman who has worked hard at her career, has had endless meetings, male competition or project deadlines. When an unexpected event precipitated by her twin lands Constance not only in 15th century Scotland but on a pyre to be burned as a witch, her strength as a feisty, intelligent woman shines through. Her struggle between who she should be, the assertive 20th century woman or a more compliant, docile woman while facing a strong, sometimes overbearing and extremely handsome man from the Middle Ages while in his care with no one to turn to is also very convincing. Women are often put in this similar type of predicament today and we do what we must to survive.

I hope the author continues more Highlander books with longer appearances of the magic wielding Frenchman. I would love to see a book where the heroine is postmenopausal, a worldly woman in her fifties or sixties like us baby boomers who aren’t dead yet! That would be pretty fun because once those wrinkles and gray hairs appear, holy Toledo, self perception and knowing men tend to like younger women can become challenging so we could use a heroine our age too..just sayin’ 😊

[Winniehex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Die Bauingenieurin Connie hat alles in ihrem Leben erreicht was man erreichen kann. Aber irgendwas macht Sie unglücklich, trotzdem Sie eigentlich glücklich sein sollte, denn ihr Freund hat ihr einen Heiratsantrag gemacht und was macht Connie, Sie schlägt ihn einfach aus. Um auf anderen Gedanken zu kommen reist Sie mit ihre Zwillingsschwester nach Schottland um etwas Abstand zu gewinnen. Ihre Schwester Leslie ist ein Freigeist, Spirituell veranlagt und wünscht in den schottischen Highlands ihre Schwester die wahre Liebe. Kaum ausgesprochen wird Connie in die Vergangenheit zurückversetzt.

Zur gleichen Zeit versucht Wilhelm Murray in das Parlament zu kommen, damit er die dringend benötigten Reformen für Schottland einbringen kann. Aber genau zu diesem Zeitpunkt taucht dort Connie auf, sofort sind die beiden voneinander angetan. Aber die beiden müssen noch mehr durchleben, schafft er es Sie zu retten?

Die Autorin hat es wieder einmal geschafft eine wirklich bildhafte Beschreibung zu geben, so dass man sich sofort aufgehoben fühlt und dass man in Schottland in den vergangenen Jahrhunderten mit Connie und Will dem Highlander spazieren kann. Was die Autorin auch berücksichtig hat ist natürlich auch die Sprache und Gegebenheiten des 15. Jahrhunderts. Es ist genauso spannend wie Outländer nur nicht ganz so brutal geschrieben!

[Sue Coleman · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite of the series

I read the series out of order: books 1, 2, 4, 3. This begins with what occurs so often with time travel romances. Modern women visit standing stones. One is a serious, driven professional while the other is carefree and a believer in whimsy, wishes and magic. Of course the serious one gets thrown back 500 years! For most of the book there seems to be no connection to the others, except perhaps the similarities of the men in books 1 and 3, since both are willing to learn more about the circumstances that brought their women from modern times. Then, just like magic (well, of course), a 20th century shopkeeper becomes the quasi-French entertainer that is sometimes part of a gypsy traveling troupe, sometimes a medieval shopkeeper, and is maybe more than that. Wait till you meet Duff in book 4. What is special about this story is the undeniable connection this couple has, so that even their differences and difficulties keep pulling them together. While there is a touch of steaminess, this story is sweet. We should all be so lucky to find our soulmates.

[Abar Afrn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! I LOVED this book. This was the first book in This Series that caught my attention and I had to wait a month after reading the last one to get to this one. It was just as amazing as I thought (hoped) it to be.

I have been wanting to read Constance and Wilhelm's story ever since they were introduced in the very first book. Their story was as cute and sweet as I had thought it would be. Like I said amazing.

I love Jessi Gage's writing style. Her storyline is amazing and her characters are relatable. Choosing The Highlander is a great book and I hope to read more of her books.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in this series. Though in my opinion it could have been first. Connie was from the 1980s when on a wish from her twin she is sent back in time to meet her soul mate. Who happens to be a berserker by the name of Wilhelm Murray. Their journey into the unknown for her and his insta love for her no matter what is the basis of the story. There is the proverbial bad guy who wants to burn Connie as a witch. And a time lord who can bend time at its whim not his was fun to read about. I wish there would be more in this vein. But too many lasses going back in time would cause chaos. I listened to this and the Audio portion of Amazon and enjoyed it a lot.

[Deborah Wheat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Through Time

This was beautiful and moving. Connie was at times a bit much and pigheaded, but I did understand her plight. Now Will was just wonderful and patient and kind, and loving. He was also so understanding and accepting. Terran was just too cute for words and little Afric ☺️.

I found myself sucked in and yelling at the book as well as laughing and crying. My heart broke for Turstin and Mary, but I understood why it had to happen that way. This is a book to get lost in and find a new way to breath.

[Jacque · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun read. Taking a girl from the 80's and finding her true love with a Scottish highlander what a combination!

I enjoyed the story, and felt like I was going back in time myself by reliving through the main character. The items she took with her...a Walkman, a travel guide...ha, things from my past long forgotten! Fun read!

[Jami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magical or Miraculous?

Loved this story. Some places felt long, but only because I wanted to know what was going to happen next and the author is trying to tell a story beautifully, but this reader was trying to skip ahead. :) Anxious in a few places and sad at the injustice in a few others.

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was probably an OK book. It’s just that it seems like it has all been done before. If you are new to this genre it might be fresh and appealing. But for someone who has read quite a bit of time travel/Highlander books it’s old news.

[Suzanne Wagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable Time Travel

This book answered all my wishes in a time travel story. I liked the plot but I really felt the characters emotions. I'm not a twin but I had a sister named Leslie and we were best friends. Those exchanges with her sister made my heart ache. Great story.

[Melissa Carlstrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved that we got the nostalgic side of time travel. With her Walkman and Lighter (among other things) and how they were helpful in the past. I love time travel novels and I really enjoyed this book! Thank you Jessi!

[Ria H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent Series

Each book is a stand-alone, tied only by mentions of characters. An intriguing series of magical objects, true love and new species. Strongly encourage anyone who likes time-travel romance to read.