The Laird and I

Kilts and Quilts #7

by Patience Griffin

(Previously published in an anthology with New York Times bestseller, Grace Burrowes...Must Love Highlanders) Praise for the Kilts and Quilts series "Griffin's lyrical and moving debut marks her as a most talented newcomer to the romance genre." ---Publishers Weekly Starred Review “Patience Griffin gets love, loss, and laughter like no other writer of contemporary romance.”—Grace Burrowes, New York Times bestselling author Scotland is known for bringing reluctant hearts together... Last summer, when Sophie Munro met Hugh McGillivray for the first time, she liked him instantly. But the dashing young Laird behaved as if she didn’t exist…even though she was Summer Sophie—sunny and cheerful. Now in the dead of winter, Winter Sophie has arrived, and she’s one despondent lass without her therapy lamp! When Sophie receives a cryptic email from Hugh—Can you housesit for me while I’m away?—she’s surprised, but agrees on one condition. While she’s there, she wants to learn the ancient art of kiltmaking at his woolen mill. But mischief is afoot. The quilters of Gandiegow and Whussendale have plotted to bring the pair together, thinking they would make the perfect match. But Hugh isn’t so sure. Although…Sophie has become indispensable as the kiltmaker's apprentice. And even the dogs like her best! The Laird starts to realize Sophie’s presence is healing his grieving heart, and he’s doing his best to bring sunshine into her dark winter days. Will the Laird allow Sophie to leave when her time at Kilheath Castle is up? Or will he take a risk and keep her there forever? Fans of Marie Bostwick, Janet Chapman, RaeAnne Thayne, JoAnn Ross, Robin Carr, Susan Mallery, and Susan Elizabeth Phillips will enjoy Patience Griffin’s novels. Patience Griffin’s THE LAIRD AND I is a novella. This love story set in Scotland was previously published in MUST LOVE HIGHLANDERS, a duet anthology with New York Times bestseller Grace Burrowes. THE LAIRD AND I is not a historical or time travel story, but a contemporary Scottish romance with a hint of women’s fiction set around the small town quilters of Gandiegow and Whussendale.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Scotland, Audiobook, Mystery, Quilting

132 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 21, 2015

About the author

Award-winning author Patience Griffin has been writing and sewing her whole life but didn’t discover her love of quilting until her late thirties. She decided the best way to acquire her first quilt was to make one for herself. At nearly the same time, she started commuting three and half hours a day for her dream engineering job. To pass the time on the long drive, she got hooked on audiobooks—especially books with love stories.

Within a couple of years, she was writing stories of her own. It was no surprise to her family and friends when she combined her love of quilting, her small town roots, and her obsession with Scottish romances into novels.

She has gained some recognition with her September 11th Story Quilt which has toured the country as the property of the Pentagon. She has a master's degree in nuclear engineering but spends her days writing stories about hearth and home, and dreaming about the fictional small town of Gandiegow, Scotland.

Reviews

[Angela Holland]

This was another great book by one of my favorite authors. I liked that Deydie made a quick appearance in the book to tie it in with the rest of the other series. It was kind of funny that Sophie got hoodwinked by her friend and friend's mom. Then Hugh was really taken for a loop as he had no idea that someone was coming into his home. I don't know what I would have done in either of their situations as it would have been a strange thing. The addition of the two dogs was fun. They did add to the story. I am looking forward to this author's new book when it comes out.

[Barbara Baugh]

I absolutely love this whole series! They are fun and familiar and my very favorites!

[Wendy]

It was a very quick read and not much of a payoff but a nice contribution to the series.

[Sierra]

I received this from First Reads.

I very much enjoyed this novella for the Kilts and Quilts series. This series has been on my TBR pile for a long while and when I was given the chance to read this, I was excited since it was a novella and while attached to the series, I need not have known anything about the series at all to full understand or enjoy it.

I liked both the main characters (and the dogs too) and this small taste has proven to me that I need to bump up the series higher on my list and I hope to start on the first of the series ASAP.

[EvilAntie Jan]

A charming story

All at once third sentence in I fell in love with this story. Patience Griffin works her worldly magic with Huge and Sophie and I believe another great Scottish tale.

[Jessica]

Great little novella to help give some story to some back characters in the Kilts and Quilts Series. Even in a shorter format, Patience and weave beautiful and descriptive background and detail to give a great visual to the story. Loved it!

[Prince William Public Libraries]

This novella is an enjoyable read with a wonderful small cast of characters.

Sophie is looking for a little independence and a way to contribute to her village. She jumps at the opportunity to learn kiltmaking. Hugh is dedicated to his family business and moving it into the future while respecting the ways of the past. Sophie suffers from Seasonal Affective Disorder and Hugh is still grieving the loss of his family. Neither believes they will ever find love or happiness. Little do they know someone is playing matchmaker.

- Cherie G.

Click here to find the book at Prince William Public Libraries.

[Lenore Kuipers-Cummins]

This was a novella, but it was great to read. It is part of the Kilts and Quilts Series.
This is all about Sophie Munro from Gandiegow, Scotland and Hugh McGillivray from Whussendale, Scotland. Hugh is the Laird of Kilheath Castle and owns a woolery and everything that goes into making kilts.
Sophie receives an e-mail from Hugh asking her to housesit for a week while he is away, and dogsit the Wallace and the Bruce. She agrees to do so.
When she arrives Hugh knows nothing of the e-mails that Sophie received. There-in lies the story.

[Donna]

This book was perfect for me while waiting for my son to have surgery. It was short and easy to read. Love anything set in Scotland. Its a love story about Sophie and Hugh and how there love helps them overcome some difficult things in their lives.

Read it all while waiting.

[Judy Schulz]

Fantastic

I read this one last but just because I didn't realize it. It's great. It seems to be a quick read but I couldn't put it down. I love these stories and this author is quickly becoming one of my favorites.

[Katie]

Cute Quick Read

I loved this short story. How quickly Sophie and Hugh found love and healed each other making them whole. Loved the community in the Laird’s town, as well. Highly recommend.

[Katherine]

This is a cute novella in the Kilts and Quilts series. I enjoy the characters in this story and this new novella adds another intersting bunch of villages to the mix.

It was a cute addtion to the series.

[Jennifer]

I want more!!! Please keep writing about this new place in Scotland. Loved the characters and place.

[Kelly]

Novella introducing the new series. Cute and fun, like the Quilts series.

[TX Dee]

A quick, thoroughly enjoyable tale with romance, brawny men, and kilt-making.

[Diane]

Very shallow.

The author used car too much sexual tension. It made her characters one dimensional - sex seemed to be their total motivation.

[Sandy Forman-Johnson]

not one of her better books

[Flewts]

A light little novella that I enjoyed because I've read other books by this author and she refers to well-known characters. A little bit of home...

[Julie Kovach]

Formulaic

No different than any other of her soft porn books about horny men and women. Would not recommend for anyone.

[Peggy]

Loved it! Characters are well thought out and great story line.

[Kay]

Love in Scotland

Makes me want to visit Scotland! Both characters rescued each other and fell in love! What a sweet story. Loved it.

[Taylor]

This one was satisfying due to the fact that it didn't drag itself out over a 10 hour audiobook. Still not as exciting as some of the ones before.

[Linda K.]

Similar formula different characters

[Sherry Sharpnack]

I hope this was a steeply discounted Kindle e-book. I don’t usually read “romance” novels b/c the plot device of mad-attraction-out-of-no-where-but-now-we’re-apart-over-a-silly-misunderstanding drives me nuts. This very short book takes Sophie to Kiltheath castle, the home of Hugh the Handsome Laird, to learn kiltmaking, as Hugh owns a woolen mill. They are thrown together in an eye-rolling manner, and romance ensues. I can only guess that I was missing “Outlander” when I downloaded this book.

[Marinella]

Per testare alcune nuove autrici, dopo le delusioni di quest'estate, mi sono affidata alle "novellas", storie brevi sul centinaio di pagine. L'autrice Patience Griffin scrive romanzi contemporanei ambientati in Scozia. Grazie ad alcuni altri romanzi (di Tessa Dare) il linguaggio e le peculiarità dialettali non mi sono del tutto nuovi, perciò ho apprezzato il libro, in particolare l'ambientazione e i personaggi.
*Attenzione spoiler*
Alcune scene mi sono sembrate un po' ovvie o forzate (trovarsi nel cottage bloccati dalla tempesta, il cane che rischia la stessa morte avvenuta alla sorella del protagonista...), e per me hanno rovinato in alcune parti la bella atmosfera del racconto. Altre scene (i primi sguardi tra i due, il dormire insieme, la giornata passata al villaggio, lo svelamento delle debolezze e difficoltà di ognuno dei due, la proposta finale...) sono ben costruite, coinvolgenti, a volte intense o commoventi.
Anche i dialoghi sono ben scritti, vivaci e naturali.
Per questo, nonostante alcuni elementi non così positivi, è un romanzo breve gradevole, che fa venir voglia di leggere le due serie che The Laird and I collega, e che per me merita 4 stelline.

[Rhonda K]

Loved this novella. Only complaint is that it would have made a great novel on its own with more detail on kilt making and the locals. But hey, I was just excited to have something extra to read from the author!

[Shannon]

While this is a novella instead of a novel, I still enjoyed the story a lot. It was interesting to read about a modern-day laird because the only ones I have read are set back in the 1700s in another amazing book series / tv show. This book is perfect for a relaxing night with a cup of tea.

[Jasmine Bird]

Loved this book. I wish it was longer! I canna wait for another book to be written. Verra happy with all the books. Aye!

[Christy Olesen]

I enjoyed this contemporary Scottish romance. Just the kind of story my friend calls a 'couch curler'.

[Helen Maddix]

Love the story, wish it could have been longer...