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The Douglas Legacy #2
Claimed by a Highlander
THE DOUGLAS LEGACY
The Douglas sisters, beauties all, are valuable pawns in their family's bitter struggle to control the Scottish Crown. But when their enemies strike, each Douglas lass will find she’s been left to face them alone.
CLAIMED BY A HIGHLANDER
Lady Sybil Douglas’s fall from court favorite to royal enemy is swift after her brothers are charged with treason and flee Scotland. When a huge Highland warrior appears claiming they are bound by a marriage contract, she’s desperate enough to ride off with him. She’ll worry later about how to escape the wedding.
The last thing Rory MacKenzie needs is a pampered Lowlander wife. He traveled to Edinburgh in the hope of dissolving the ill-begotten marriage contract. But now that the Douglas men have abandoned his would-be bride, he’s honor-bound to protect her.
Sybil and Rory fight scorching passion on their perilous journey to the MacKenzie castle, where murder and intrigue await. When everything is at risk, will they rely on each other and claim their unexpected love before it’s too late?
The Douglas sisters, beauties all, are valuable pawns in their family's bitter struggle to control the Scottish Crown. But when their enemies strike, each Douglas lass will find she’s been left to face them alone.
CLAIMED BY A HIGHLANDER
Lady Sybil Douglas’s fall from court favorite to royal enemy is swift after her brothers are charged with treason and flee Scotland. When a huge Highland warrior appears claiming they are bound by a marriage contract, she’s desperate enough to ride off with him. She’ll worry later about how to escape the wedding.
The last thing Rory MacKenzie needs is a pampered Lowlander wife. He traveled to Edinburgh in the hope of dissolving the ill-begotten marriage contract. But now that the Douglas men have abandoned his would-be bride, he’s honor-bound to protect her.
Sybil and Rory fight scorching passion on their perilous journey to the MacKenzie castle, where murder and intrigue await. When everything is at risk, will they rely on each other and claim their unexpected love before it’s too late?
330 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 25, 2016
729 people are currently reading
1333 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Mallory
24 books1,071 followersMargaret Mallory, a recovering lawyer, is thrilled to be writing exciting tales with sword-wielding heroes rather than briefs and memos. Since abandoning the law for romance, she's become a USA Today bestselling author, and her Scottish and medieval romances have won numerous honors, including National Readers' Choice Awards, RT Book Reviews' Best Scotland-Set Historical Romance, and a RITA© nomination.
Margaret lives with her husband in the beautiful (and rainy) Pacific Northwest. Now that her children are off on their own adventures, she spends most of her time with her handsome Highlanders, but she also likes to hike and travel. You can find information about Margaret’s books, photos of Scotland, historical tidbits, and links to Margaret on Facebook and Twitter on her website, www.MargaretMallory.com. She loves to hear from readers!
Margaret lives with her husband in the beautiful (and rainy) Pacific Northwest. Now that her children are off on their own adventures, she spends most of her time with her handsome Highlanders, but she also likes to hike and travel. You can find information about Margaret’s books, photos of Scotland, historical tidbits, and links to Margaret on Facebook and Twitter on her website, www.MargaretMallory.com. She loves to hear from readers!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
August 13, 2016
Margaret Mallory is one of my go to authors for historical romance. When I discovered that she was taking the indie route I was beside myself with joy. This talented writer crafts tale after tale that leaves me impatiently waiting for the next one
CLAIMED BY A HIGHLANDER by Margaret Mallory has it all,murder, intrigue, and sweeping tale and handsome, rugged men in kilts. What else can I say to convince you that this second book in the DOUGLAS LEGACY is a must read, just as the first one is? Ms. Mallory's carefully crafted tale is one to keep you on the edge of your seats until the final word. i highly recommend this wonderful book!
December 31, 2018
To be honest, I did not expect this book to be good. But I also did not expected it to be as bad, as it was eventually. It is probably the worst book I have ever read.
A friend of my bought this book, since we thought, it would be funny to read cheesy romance.
And it was. In the beginning. Then, reading became a never ending sequence of clichés, repetition and unnecessary drama.
A short summary: Rory, a good looking, strong and manly highland warrior, wins Sybil, an educated sexy lowland beauty, while gambling. Unfortunately, she does not know about it. A few years later, he visits her for the first time to annulate the engagement. However, since Sybil has some political trouble with the queen, and since all her brothers happen to be assholes, she decides to follow Rory. During their journey, both develop feelings for each other. Surely, this sounds cheesy, but it could have been okay, if the author Margaret Mallory would be capable of good writing. Which she is not.
First of all, the protagonists are completely inauthentic and overloaded with clichés. Margaret Mallory wanted Sybil to be emancipated and sometimes, she is. But most of the time, she is just a woman who has to be saved. Again and again. While she is screaming to be saved by Rory.
Rory is the male protagonist, hence he should be a man who the female reader can admire. However, he is not. Most of the time, he is horny or angry. Angry because he once again thinks, Sybil is distrustful or because someone threatens his clan. Then, Rory becomes a brainless asshole, purely consisting of muscles and manliness. One of the worst scenes in this book though is the scene, where he finds out, Sybil is not a Virgin anymore. Since this was something, he wanted to claim. Seriously, what a bastard! But of course it is okay, that he is no virgin anymore either. And what kind of role model is this anyways?
But that is not the worst. In another chapter, she tells him, that the marriage contract was a fake. However she still married him, because she loves him. But he is completely out of control, raging, pressing her against the wall, spitting on the ground in front of her, leaving her alone in their bedroom, sobbing and heartbroken. For this, I wanted to beat his head into pulp so badly. Furthermore, he blames her for not being honest, however, he kept quite about having a fucking son!
Then, both frequently name adjectives to describe each other, which are just not true. E. g. clever. All decrictions are just that. They describe the characters. But it is not, what the reader feels. (Most of all, I feel rage.) Margaret Mallory made one of the worst mistakes, you can do in writing. She tells, but she does not show. The characters are dumb, have no mutual trust in each other just to create more drama, and frequently misunderstand each other for the same reason. This is, what the text actually tells.
Next, the Big Bad is Hector, a distant relative of Rory. He is described to be evil and full of rage against Rory. But again, that is just what they told. I did not feel it. He is lame and literally does nothing during the whole book.
Margaret Mallory furthermore has two very specific way of creating and solving a conflict. Firstly, the conflict arises but before the conflict has time to be build up proberly, only two pages later, Mallory solves the conflict, just to come up with the next one. It is like Mallory just threw up all the conflicts, that came into her mind on a sheet of paper, and tried to squeeze all of them in just one book. The second method of Mallory is to make the conflicts dull and endless. In internal dialogs, Sybil struggles to tell Rory about the fake marriage contract. Over fucking 200 pages, over and over again. Honestly, this is just very shirty story writing.
There is so much more, I hated about the book, however, there was one good thing: One day, we glued googly eyes over Rorys face on the cover. I laughed ever time I saw it.
A friend of my bought this book, since we thought, it would be funny to read cheesy romance.
And it was. In the beginning. Then, reading became a never ending sequence of clichés, repetition and unnecessary drama.
A short summary: Rory, a good looking, strong and manly highland warrior, wins Sybil, an educated sexy lowland beauty, while gambling. Unfortunately, she does not know about it. A few years later, he visits her for the first time to annulate the engagement. However, since Sybil has some political trouble with the queen, and since all her brothers happen to be assholes, she decides to follow Rory. During their journey, both develop feelings for each other. Surely, this sounds cheesy, but it could have been okay, if the author Margaret Mallory would be capable of good writing. Which she is not.
First of all, the protagonists are completely inauthentic and overloaded with clichés. Margaret Mallory wanted Sybil to be emancipated and sometimes, she is. But most of the time, she is just a woman who has to be saved. Again and again. While she is screaming to be saved by Rory.
Rory is the male protagonist, hence he should be a man who the female reader can admire. However, he is not. Most of the time, he is horny or angry. Angry because he once again thinks, Sybil is distrustful or because someone threatens his clan. Then, Rory becomes a brainless asshole, purely consisting of muscles and manliness. One of the worst scenes in this book though is the scene, where he finds out, Sybil is not a Virgin anymore. Since this was something, he wanted to claim. Seriously, what a bastard! But of course it is okay, that he is no virgin anymore either. And what kind of role model is this anyways?
But that is not the worst. In another chapter, she tells him, that the marriage contract was a fake. However she still married him, because she loves him. But he is completely out of control, raging, pressing her against the wall, spitting on the ground in front of her, leaving her alone in their bedroom, sobbing and heartbroken. For this, I wanted to beat his head into pulp so badly. Furthermore, he blames her for not being honest, however, he kept quite about having a fucking son!
Then, both frequently name adjectives to describe each other, which are just not true. E. g. clever. All decrictions are just that. They describe the characters. But it is not, what the reader feels. (Most of all, I feel rage.) Margaret Mallory made one of the worst mistakes, you can do in writing. She tells, but she does not show. The characters are dumb, have no mutual trust in each other just to create more drama, and frequently misunderstand each other for the same reason. This is, what the text actually tells.
Next, the Big Bad is Hector, a distant relative of Rory. He is described to be evil and full of rage against Rory. But again, that is just what they told. I did not feel it. He is lame and literally does nothing during the whole book.
Margaret Mallory furthermore has two very specific way of creating and solving a conflict. Firstly, the conflict arises but before the conflict has time to be build up proberly, only two pages later, Mallory solves the conflict, just to come up with the next one. It is like Mallory just threw up all the conflicts, that came into her mind on a sheet of paper, and tried to squeeze all of them in just one book. The second method of Mallory is to make the conflicts dull and endless. In internal dialogs, Sybil struggles to tell Rory about the fake marriage contract. Over fucking 200 pages, over and over again. Honestly, this is just very shirty story writing.
There is so much more, I hated about the book, however, there was one good thing: One day, we glued googly eyes over Rorys face on the cover. I laughed ever time I saw it.
March 20, 2018
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
Claimed By A Highlander is the second book in the trilogy, and I have to say that every time I pick up this author, I am always amazed in how much I enjoy her writing and she never disappoints, and she certainly doesn't with this one.
This story sets off with our heroine, whose brothers have been declared traitors to the crown, and her life is in danger. She needs help to escape, so she can find safe haven. She is startled when a highland warrior comes to her claiming that they are betrothed due to a contract that one of her brothers set up years previous. She knows secretly that the contract is not valid, however, she is in need of this highlander's aid, so she accepts. Sybil is used to living in the city, among the courtiers and she has never been to the Highlands and she knows she will be pushed to her limits, but Sybil is more than willing to take on any challenge especially with Rory by her side.
Rory MacKenzie had come down to Edinburg, to try to get this marriage contract dissolved, but when he learns that Sybil is in danger and that her brothers deserted her to protect their own skins, he can't abandon her as well. So he decides to take her with him and accept the marriage contract. He knows that Sybil is a lowlander and many of his people wouldn't accept it kindly, but he senses something more about this young woman that only endears him even more.
When there is a plot hatching, his brother being murdered, his sister has disappeared, and his uncle out to be the Laird of the MacKenzie clan, he knows that it is his birthright to claim Lairdship but he will have a fight on his hands especially with a lowlander for his bride. But Sybil, she may be a lowlander and spent all of her time in court, however, she is a fighter and when she realizes that she loves her husband and refuses to let him down, she fights for them both.
I was so IMPRESSED with this story, and man, the narrator was brilliant. It is so rare for me to fall so hard for a male narrator, but honestly, he did the accents and inflections so well...so I will definitely be looking for more audiobooks narrated by this man. This story was so intense and the historical details were so well done, although why I am surprised...because Margaret Mallory does her research so well and she really knows her time eras and the Scottish culture especially in the difference between the Highlanders and the Lowlanders in Scotland.
The plot is so well detailed and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I swear, I never knew what was going to happen next and the whole "uncle of the hero being evil" definitely works because his uncle is pretty horrible. But what I admired most is our couple. Because they are so perfect together. Not only do they have some great chemistry, but they compliment each others' strengths and weaknesses so flawlessly. I truly was endeared by both of them. Sybil is a heroine, that may be used to certain comforts, but she takes to be a Highlander so well. You would think she was born to it, being a member of court most of her life, has taught her to be cunning and crafty and a bit creative to help with proving her husband is the right Laird for the Mackenzies. She is really the glue that holds the clan together and is so likable. She has a compassionate heart, is courageous and has a will of iron and just as stubborn as her husband. Now our hero....*swoon* can I just say that because man he is one swoon-worthy hero. I love his good heart, and how honorable he is and even though he isn't perfect, we see him work through his imperfections and learn to overcome so he can become a better man and you just have to admire that. Which I definitely do so much. :)
The romance that develops between these two is both tender and hot!! I mean honestly, the scenes themselves aren't anything super explicit or anything, but the way that they are written just pull you in. I loved the sexual tension between these two, and you definitely see how much they care for each other in the beginning. And seeing them learn to rely on each other through the rough times ahead, really add a unique intimacy between them. And yes, they are both so stubborn and prideful, but I really appreciated that their love is what holds them together and how it makes it so they refuse to give up on each other even when lies and secrets come between them.
So honestly....what did I think of it???!!! BRILLIANTLY WRITTEN.....CAPTIVATING ROMANCE and characters that tug at your heartstrings!!! Grab this author up and you won't regret it...I promise!!
[foogallery id="23171"]
Claimed By A Highlander is the second book in the trilogy, and I have to say that every time I pick up this author, I am always amazed in how much I enjoy her writing and she never disappoints, and she certainly doesn't with this one.
This story sets off with our heroine, whose brothers have been declared traitors to the crown, and her life is in danger. She needs help to escape, so she can find safe haven. She is startled when a highland warrior comes to her claiming that they are betrothed due to a contract that one of her brothers set up years previous. She knows secretly that the contract is not valid, however, she is in need of this highlander's aid, so she accepts. Sybil is used to living in the city, among the courtiers and she has never been to the Highlands and she knows she will be pushed to her limits, but Sybil is more than willing to take on any challenge especially with Rory by her side.
Rory MacKenzie had come down to Edinburg, to try to get this marriage contract dissolved, but when he learns that Sybil is in danger and that her brothers deserted her to protect their own skins, he can't abandon her as well. So he decides to take her with him and accept the marriage contract. He knows that Sybil is a lowlander and many of his people wouldn't accept it kindly, but he senses something more about this young woman that only endears him even more.
When there is a plot hatching, his brother being murdered, his sister has disappeared, and his uncle out to be the Laird of the MacKenzie clan, he knows that it is his birthright to claim Lairdship but he will have a fight on his hands especially with a lowlander for his bride. But Sybil, she may be a lowlander and spent all of her time in court, however, she is a fighter and when she realizes that she loves her husband and refuses to let him down, she fights for them both.
I was so IMPRESSED with this story, and man, the narrator was brilliant. It is so rare for me to fall so hard for a male narrator, but honestly, he did the accents and inflections so well...so I will definitely be looking for more audiobooks narrated by this man. This story was so intense and the historical details were so well done, although why I am surprised...because Margaret Mallory does her research so well and she really knows her time eras and the Scottish culture especially in the difference between the Highlanders and the Lowlanders in Scotland.
The plot is so well detailed and keeps you on the edge of your seat. I swear, I never knew what was going to happen next and the whole "uncle of the hero being evil" definitely works because his uncle is pretty horrible. But what I admired most is our couple. Because they are so perfect together. Not only do they have some great chemistry, but they compliment each others' strengths and weaknesses so flawlessly. I truly was endeared by both of them. Sybil is a heroine, that may be used to certain comforts, but she takes to be a Highlander so well. You would think she was born to it, being a member of court most of her life, has taught her to be cunning and crafty and a bit creative to help with proving her husband is the right Laird for the Mackenzies. She is really the glue that holds the clan together and is so likable. She has a compassionate heart, is courageous and has a will of iron and just as stubborn as her husband. Now our hero....*swoon* can I just say that because man he is one swoon-worthy hero. I love his good heart, and how honorable he is and even though he isn't perfect, we see him work through his imperfections and learn to overcome so he can become a better man and you just have to admire that. Which I definitely do so much. :)
“Hmm?” She raised her eyebrows and looked up at him, then her cheerful expression faded. “Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?” he asked, though he knew damned well what she meant.
“Like ye think I’d be willing to have my wedding night lying in the dirt,” she said, narrowing her eyes at him. “If ye believe that, you’re quite mistaken.”
“So we’re only debating where, and not whether, to have a wedding night?” he asked.”
The romance that develops between these two is both tender and hot!! I mean honestly, the scenes themselves aren't anything super explicit or anything, but the way that they are written just pull you in. I loved the sexual tension between these two, and you definitely see how much they care for each other in the beginning. And seeing them learn to rely on each other through the rough times ahead, really add a unique intimacy between them. And yes, they are both so stubborn and prideful, but I really appreciated that their love is what holds them together and how it makes it so they refuse to give up on each other even when lies and secrets come between them.
“I’ve been wanting to kiss ye since the first moment I saw ye,” he said. “I’m going to do it now.”
Sybil could not breathe, let alone form the words to object. When she moistened her lips with her tongue, she felt his heartbeat leap beneath her palm. Her gaze fixed on his mouth as he drew her to him ever so slowly.
She had expected a sweet, teasing kiss, not this explosion of passion that seared through her body at the first touch of their lips. No one had ever kissed her like this before, as if he would die if he could not have his mouth on hers. With a will of their own, her arms wound around his neck and her fingers tangled in his long, thick hair as she pulled him closer.
She was lost in the sensations and long past thought. As his kisses slowly changed from feverish to tender, she felt as if she were floating. She wanted this to go on forever.
When Rory pulled away, she stared up at him, stunned.
“That was promising,” he said with a wide grin.”
So honestly....what did I think of it???!!! BRILLIANTLY WRITTEN.....CAPTIVATING ROMANCE and characters that tug at your heartstrings!!! Grab this author up and you won't regret it...I promise!!
[foogallery id="23171"]
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April 24, 2021‼️⭐️⭐️free on Amazon today 4/24/21 ⭐️⭐️‼️
September 27, 2016
I really enjoy Margaret Mallory's books, but these characters really annoyed the crap out of me.
January 23, 2020
This was just a bit too long-winded and I don't always enjoy reading the text written as a Scottish brogue- lots of "ye"s and "yer"s - I guess it is supposed to add authenticity, but it's a little distracting.
Pleasant story, clearly well-researched, but it just didn't grab me.
Pleasant story, clearly well-researched, but it just didn't grab me.
July 24, 2018
Review posted on Got Fiction?
In this second book in Margaret Mallory's Douglas Legacy, our hero Rory is 6 months younger than his elder brother Brian, making Brian laird. However their uncle has been running things behind the scenes since their parents died, and Rory has known for a long time that their uncle is bad news. But Brian is too trusting and too soft. I just want to say I felt like Brian was 15 until I found out he was the same age as Rory. Like seriously he comes off very young and naive. But, moving on, Rory is trying to save his brother from their manipulative uncle. He goes to Edinburgh to have a marriage contract dissolved with a woman he won in a game of cards eight years earlier. She doesn't even know her brother wagered her though. This got interesting pretty quickly.
The Douglas family is now considered to be enemies of the throne, so her life is now in peril. Rory comes at just the right time to get her before the queen's guards do. Sybil is sister-in-law to the queen, however her brother royally pissed her off, and since he ran off to France, Sybil is the only Douglas she can get her hands on. When Rory realizes that she's alone and her family abandoned her, he feels duty-bound to marry her.
Rory can't read, so the contract he's held in secret for the past 8 years may or may not say what he thinks it does. Sybil knows instantly that this Highland warrior claiming her as his bride is the better option to the queen's guard, so she doesn't tell him what the contract says, or that it was signed by the wrong brother.
Rory is the perfect Highlander, the perfect hero for that matter. He's loyal to his clan, he wants to protect his brother, but what he doesn't realize is that he isn't protecting him, he's sheltering him. And his brother isn't chieftain material. Brian is a good man, but he isn't a warrior, and he's far too trusting in their uncle. But something happens to make Brian flee their clan, and this gives their uncle a chance to slide into the laird's place, and barring Rory from coming home.
Once Rory and Sybil realized what they were up against, they began to work together really well. I liked them as a team, and I think that's what made Rory's overreaction to Sybil's secrets so hard for me. She does have a couple of secrets, but so does he, so it felt a bit frustrating. One thing I like about Margaret Mallory's heroes is that they usually figure things out on their own, though, and Rory did, but it was much later than I would have liked. I wanted to shake him at one point.
Sybil started out spoiled, soft, and pampered, but she rose to the occasion. I really liked her, and I liked the qualities she brought out in Rory. Rory annoyed me sometimes with his very black/white viewpoints. For example, he didn't use the laird's bedroom since he wasn't laird, but his uncle sure did. So when he goes to make a claim for the chieftain position, he has a hard time "looking the part," so to speak. He doesn't want to sit in the laird's chair since he isn't laird. That sort of thing. Almost honorable to a fault. Sybil gives him the push he needs, which is why I liked how well she complimented him. I just wish he hadn't been an idiot about the whole thing. Men, am I right?
Some more hurdles pop up that they need to cross together and Rory needs a swift kick in the rump to see things clearly, but once he does, the two of them become unstoppable. Love and trust go hand in hand, and these two finally reach that point.
With Highlanders, swords, damsels in distress, and betrayal, this book has it all, and you won't want to miss a moment.
***ARC courtesy of the author
In this second book in Margaret Mallory's Douglas Legacy, our hero Rory is 6 months younger than his elder brother Brian, making Brian laird. However their uncle has been running things behind the scenes since their parents died, and Rory has known for a long time that their uncle is bad news. But Brian is too trusting and too soft. I just want to say I felt like Brian was 15 until I found out he was the same age as Rory. Like seriously he comes off very young and naive. But, moving on, Rory is trying to save his brother from their manipulative uncle. He goes to Edinburgh to have a marriage contract dissolved with a woman he won in a game of cards eight years earlier. She doesn't even know her brother wagered her though. This got interesting pretty quickly.
The Douglas family is now considered to be enemies of the throne, so her life is now in peril. Rory comes at just the right time to get her before the queen's guards do. Sybil is sister-in-law to the queen, however her brother royally pissed her off, and since he ran off to France, Sybil is the only Douglas she can get her hands on. When Rory realizes that she's alone and her family abandoned her, he feels duty-bound to marry her.
Rory can't read, so the contract he's held in secret for the past 8 years may or may not say what he thinks it does. Sybil knows instantly that this Highland warrior claiming her as his bride is the better option to the queen's guard, so she doesn't tell him what the contract says, or that it was signed by the wrong brother.
Rory is the perfect Highlander, the perfect hero for that matter. He's loyal to his clan, he wants to protect his brother, but what he doesn't realize is that he isn't protecting him, he's sheltering him. And his brother isn't chieftain material. Brian is a good man, but he isn't a warrior, and he's far too trusting in their uncle. But something happens to make Brian flee their clan, and this gives their uncle a chance to slide into the laird's place, and barring Rory from coming home.
Once Rory and Sybil realized what they were up against, they began to work together really well. I liked them as a team, and I think that's what made Rory's overreaction to Sybil's secrets so hard for me. She does have a couple of secrets, but so does he, so it felt a bit frustrating. One thing I like about Margaret Mallory's heroes is that they usually figure things out on their own, though, and Rory did, but it was much later than I would have liked. I wanted to shake him at one point.
Sybil started out spoiled, soft, and pampered, but she rose to the occasion. I really liked her, and I liked the qualities she brought out in Rory. Rory annoyed me sometimes with his very black/white viewpoints. For example, he didn't use the laird's bedroom since he wasn't laird, but his uncle sure did. So when he goes to make a claim for the chieftain position, he has a hard time "looking the part," so to speak. He doesn't want to sit in the laird's chair since he isn't laird. That sort of thing. Almost honorable to a fault. Sybil gives him the push he needs, which is why I liked how well she complimented him. I just wish he hadn't been an idiot about the whole thing. Men, am I right?
Some more hurdles pop up that they need to cross together and Rory needs a swift kick in the rump to see things clearly, but once he does, the two of them become unstoppable. Love and trust go hand in hand, and these two finally reach that point.
With Highlanders, swords, damsels in distress, and betrayal, this book has it all, and you won't want to miss a moment.
***ARC courtesy of the author
August 9, 2016
5/5!!
Margret Mallory is my all time favourite historical author! And let me tell you I have waited a long long long long time for this book to come out!!!!
And it did not disappoint! I sees there is another books coming out!! I hope I dont have to wait to long!!!! ( I'm totally inpatient when it comes to great writers lol)
Yummy highlanders, safe read, a must read!!!
Margret Mallory is my all time favourite historical author! And let me tell you I have waited a long long long long time for this book to come out!!!!
And it did not disappoint! I sees there is another books coming out!! I hope I dont have to wait to long!!!! ( I'm totally inpatient when it comes to great writers lol)
Yummy highlanders, safe read, a must read!!!
October 22, 2016
Claimed by a Highlander by Margaret Mallory is an exciting historical romance set in early 1500's Scotland. Like all of Margaret Mallory's novels, it is well written with well developed characters. As an added bonus, you get several characters from the history books mixed in with the fictional characters featured in this story.
Claimed by a Highlander centers around Lady Sybil Douglas who is fearing a hangman's noose after her infamous brothers commit treason and flee to France, leaving her behind to fend for herself. Once a favorite in the Queen's court, Sybil fears for her life as guards approach her family home in Edinburgh until a handsome stranger suddenly appears. Highlander Rory Mackenzie claims he and Sybil are bound by a marriage contract and he is compelled to protect her. After spending several nights in each other's company, and after escaping several terrifying adventures, Rory begins to see Sybil as not so much lowland baggage, but as a potential life partner IF she can learn to live in the Highlands.
And, of course she can learn to live in the Highlands! Sybil is one of the smartest, politically savvy, badass characters I've read in years. She makes her husband and his clan much stronger because she can diffuse a clash between clans simply by inviting the opposing side to dinner. It's not quite that simple, but I enjoyed reading about all of Sybil's antics and how they turn out. Thank you, Margaret, for writing such a wonderfully complex female character!
I listened to the Audible version of this book narrated by Derek Perkins. He did an outstanding job. He clearly differentiated between male and female voices and changed the tempo in the performance when warranted. His smooth undertones and character nuances made for an extremely enjoyable experience. I highly recommend this audiobook!
Claimed by a Highlander centers around Lady Sybil Douglas who is fearing a hangman's noose after her infamous brothers commit treason and flee to France, leaving her behind to fend for herself. Once a favorite in the Queen's court, Sybil fears for her life as guards approach her family home in Edinburgh until a handsome stranger suddenly appears. Highlander Rory Mackenzie claims he and Sybil are bound by a marriage contract and he is compelled to protect her. After spending several nights in each other's company, and after escaping several terrifying adventures, Rory begins to see Sybil as not so much lowland baggage, but as a potential life partner IF she can learn to live in the Highlands.
And, of course she can learn to live in the Highlands! Sybil is one of the smartest, politically savvy, badass characters I've read in years. She makes her husband and his clan much stronger because she can diffuse a clash between clans simply by inviting the opposing side to dinner. It's not quite that simple, but I enjoyed reading about all of Sybil's antics and how they turn out. Thank you, Margaret, for writing such a wonderfully complex female character!
I listened to the Audible version of this book narrated by Derek Perkins. He did an outstanding job. He clearly differentiated between male and female voices and changed the tempo in the performance when warranted. His smooth undertones and character nuances made for an extremely enjoyable experience. I highly recommend this audiobook!
September 6, 2016
I guess this was an okay book if you exclude what a push over Rory is and his constant fight with his pride that gets him into all these petty fights with Sybil. I might even have given this book a higher rating if I read this a few years ago when I enjoyed more drama in my books. Now I'm just rolling my eyes because of how annoyed I am with the characters.
Aside from those petty fights that Rory and Sybil had, I just couldn't stand how Sybil kept trying to make Rory the better person and to make the right choices. I'm sitting over here screaming (in my head of course) "Kill Hector! DO IT!!!" And what does Sybil tell Rory to do? To not do it or Rory would be stooping to Hector's level. I swear I'm not a blood thirsty person but come on. What do they expect Hector to do if all he has to do is swear his loyalty to Rory? Hector is going to try to kill him again obviously! And that is EXACTLY what he does. There was just so many instances that Sybil tells Rory what he's doing is wrong and what she thinks he should do.
This was me on the sideline every time Sybil tried to preach her opinion to Rory:
Add that on top of the reasons why Sybil and Rory fight made me give this book a low rating. Sybil is a whole other level of stupid if her mother's so called spirit came to her the day of her wedding to tell her to confess everything to Rory but Sybil still doesn't do it. If it's important, you can make time for it. And Rory? Grow up. If you're going to get mad over a fake marriage contract and assume everything Sybil ever told you was a lie, you need to reevaluate your relationship and so called love for Sybil.
Aside from those petty fights that Rory and Sybil had, I just couldn't stand how Sybil kept trying to make Rory the better person and to make the right choices. I'm sitting over here screaming (in my head of course) "Kill Hector! DO IT!!!" And what does Sybil tell Rory to do? To not do it or Rory would be stooping to Hector's level. I swear I'm not a blood thirsty person but come on. What do they expect Hector to do if all he has to do is swear his loyalty to Rory? Hector is going to try to kill him again obviously! And that is EXACTLY what he does. There was just so many instances that Sybil tells Rory what he's doing is wrong and what she thinks he should do.
This was me on the sideline every time Sybil tried to preach her opinion to Rory:
Add that on top of the reasons why Sybil and Rory fight made me give this book a low rating. Sybil is a whole other level of stupid if her mother's so called spirit came to her the day of her wedding to tell her to confess everything to Rory but Sybil still doesn't do it. If it's important, you can make time for it. And Rory? Grow up. If you're going to get mad over a fake marriage contract and assume everything Sybil ever told you was a lie, you need to reevaluate your relationship and so called love for Sybil.
April 3, 2018
Lady Sybil Douglas's fall from court favorite to a royal enemy is swift after her brothers are charged with treason and flee Scotland, leaving her and her sisters behind. When a huge Highland warrior appears claiming they are bound by a marriage contract, she is desperate enough to ride off with him, Sybil will worry later about to escape the wedding. The last thing Rory Mackenzie needs is a pampered Lowlander wife. He traveled to Edinburgh in hopes of dissolving the ill-begotten marriage contract. Now that Douglas men have abandoned his would-be bride, he is honor-bound to protect her. Sybil and Rory fight the scorching passion between them, while they head for Castle MacKenzie, where murder an intrigue await them. When everything is at risk, will they rely on each other and claim their unexpected love before it is too late.
August 30, 2021
I enjoyed returning to the Highlands in “Claimed by a Highlander.” As expected, Mallory’s historical research also formed a great foundation for her book. However, I found this story rather predictable after reading Mallory’s other books. While the tension and conflict that arises between Sybil and Rory is realistic, I found myself wishing for something a bit more surprising. I wanted to know what would happen if the tension and conflict came more from external forces and less internally from Sybil and Rory’s misunderstandings. Regardless, I enjoyed the book. I just think I could have enjoyed it more if it went in a different direction.
April 21, 2020
3.5
While this one has a very slow start and that did work against my being able to get into it in the beginning ultimately I loved my time in this world! So many of my favored tropes and all while I got the historical romance I was craving. This author could so so much for within many of the clans we see at the time.
While this one has a very slow start and that did work against my being able to get into it in the beginning ultimately I loved my time in this world! So many of my favored tropes and all while I got the historical romance I was craving. This author could so so much for within many of the clans we see at the time.
February 22, 2019
Fight🔪 For What's Right💘
What a wonderful adventure! Larger than life Scottish warriors🐺🔪 gallop through the historical Scottish Highlands of the early 1500s!
The author has done her research and her book is based on real people and events, with fictional characters interwoven inbetween to give the story life and Romance💞.
Well ✔done!
What a wonderful adventure! Larger than life Scottish warriors🐺🔪 gallop through the historical Scottish Highlands of the early 1500s!
The author has done her research and her book is based on real people and events, with fictional characters interwoven inbetween to give the story life and Romance💞.
Well ✔done!
February 15, 2020
Meh. Too much secret keeping. Even from the reader. Made the revaluations by the characters seem less authentic. Like "oh this secret just came out of no where" because we as the reader hadn't even known there was a secret. Seemed like bad plot devices.
December 21, 2021
4 stars.
There is a lot of action in this one and a few gut wrenching moments that only come out of good storytelling. Only my second Mallory book but I’m really liking the historical accuracy and galloping pace of her stories.
There is a lot of action in this one and a few gut wrenching moments that only come out of good storytelling. Only my second Mallory book but I’m really liking the historical accuracy and galloping pace of her stories.
August 29, 2018
I love all the battles and intrigue!
Want to read
April 14, 2021🎁 FREE on Amazon & on iBooks today (4/14/2021)! 🎁
February 12, 2017
I’ll be honest, I’m not too fond of stories where a simple revelation or the simple truth could have resolved so many misunderstanding and could have prevented even more problems down the road, but then again the truth is hardly ever just simple.
Rory is an honor bound man that will do anything to protect the innocent, even his would-be bride he’s never met. Sybil is so desperate to escape her horrid fate that will go as far as travel with the man that’s presented himself as his contracted groom, even when she knows they may not end up together.
The story was a clash of wits and temperaments and I loved that aspect about the story. They were both strong-minded and smart but neither one of them imposed their personality on the other. While their dialogue could at times sound a spar of words it was never meant to offend or to prove one smarter than the other and it always led to open conversation, always striving to resolve misunderstandings right off the bat. Both of them were flawed but they were still honorable and true to their beliefs.
The depictions of the battles, the settings where the story took place, the customs, and even the bit of history lesson drew me right in from the beginning. And in spite of what I said at the beginning, the secrets were a nice complement to the story. Perhaps that’s why I wasn’t bothered by them here, because in this case they were only the catalyst and not the heart of the plot.
There is an author’s note at the end of the book that provides deeper insight into this period of history and how she was inspired to write the series. I just thought that was a nice touch and it actually made me want to read the rest of the series even more. I definitely recommend this book to any historical lover romance.
This is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.
Rory is an honor bound man that will do anything to protect the innocent, even his would-be bride he’s never met. Sybil is so desperate to escape her horrid fate that will go as far as travel with the man that’s presented himself as his contracted groom, even when she knows they may not end up together.
The story was a clash of wits and temperaments and I loved that aspect about the story. They were both strong-minded and smart but neither one of them imposed their personality on the other. While their dialogue could at times sound a spar of words it was never meant to offend or to prove one smarter than the other and it always led to open conversation, always striving to resolve misunderstandings right off the bat. Both of them were flawed but they were still honorable and true to their beliefs.
The depictions of the battles, the settings where the story took place, the customs, and even the bit of history lesson drew me right in from the beginning. And in spite of what I said at the beginning, the secrets were a nice complement to the story. Perhaps that’s why I wasn’t bothered by them here, because in this case they were only the catalyst and not the heart of the plot.
There is an author’s note at the end of the book that provides deeper insight into this period of history and how she was inspired to write the series. I just thought that was a nice touch and it actually made me want to read the rest of the series even more. I definitely recommend this book to any historical lover romance.
This is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.
July 22, 2020
Mein erstes Buch dieser Art und ich muss sagen, dass es mir sehr hut gefallen hat. Die Storyline, die Charaktere, das Setting und der Schreibstil konnten mich alle überzeugen.
October 22, 2016
Claimed by a Highlander by Margaret Mallory is an exciting historical romance set in early 1500's Scotland. Like all of Margaret Mallory's novels, it is well written with well developed characters. As an added bonus, you get several characters from the history books mixed in with the fictional characters featured in this story.
Claimed by a Highlander centers around Lady Sybil Douglas who is fearing a hangman's noose after her infamous brothers commit treason and flee to France, leaving her behind to fend for herself. Once a favorite in the Queen's court, Sybil fears for her life as guards approach her family home in Edinburgh until a handsome stranger suddenly appears. Highlander Rory Mackenzie claims he and Sybil are bound by a marriage contract and he is compelled to protect her. After spending several nights in each other's company, and after escaping several terrifying adventures, Rory begins to see Sybil as not so much lowland baggage, but as a potential life partner IF she can learn to live in the Highlands.
And, of course she can learn to live in the Highlands! Sybil is one of the smartest, politically savvy, badass characters I've read in years. She makes her husband and his clan much stronger because she can diffuse a clash between clans simply by inviting the opposing side to dinner. It's not quite that simple, but I enjoyed reading about all of Sybil's antics and how they turn out. Thank you, Margaret, for writing such a wonderfully complex female character!
I listened to the Audible version of this book narrated by Derek Perkins. He did an outstanding job. He clearly differentiated between male and female voices and changed the tempo in the performance when warranted. His smooth undertones and character nuances made for an extremely enjoyable experience. I highly recommend this audiobook!
Claimed by a Highlander centers around Lady Sybil Douglas who is fearing a hangman's noose after her infamous brothers commit treason and flee to France, leaving her behind to fend for herself. Once a favorite in the Queen's court, Sybil fears for her life as guards approach her family home in Edinburgh until a handsome stranger suddenly appears. Highlander Rory Mackenzie claims he and Sybil are bound by a marriage contract and he is compelled to protect her. After spending several nights in each other's company, and after escaping several terrifying adventures, Rory begins to see Sybil as not so much lowland baggage, but as a potential life partner IF she can learn to live in the Highlands.
And, of course she can learn to live in the Highlands! Sybil is one of the smartest, politically savvy, badass characters I've read in years. She makes her husband and his clan much stronger because she can diffuse a clash between clans simply by inviting the opposing side to dinner. It's not quite that simple, but I enjoyed reading about all of Sybil's antics and how they turn out. Thank you, Margaret, for writing such a wonderfully complex female character!
I listened to the Audible version of this book narrated by Derek Perkins. He did an outstanding job. He clearly differentiated between male and female voices and changed the tempo in the performance when warranted. His smooth undertones and character nuances made for an extremely enjoyable experience. I highly recommend this audiobook!
January 15, 2017
This Sybil Douglas and Rory Mackenzie's story. Unfortunately, I really didn't like Sybil. She basically deceived Rory at every turn. At first it actually made sense because she was afraid for her life and didn't want him deserting her in the middle of the Highlands. But then it got ridiculous - why would she lie to him during their wedding night? There was no reason for it. And Hector, the villain was like a horror movie villain. Every time you thought he was gone, he would pop back up again.
But there were very good scenes between Sybil and Rory as well and the parts with Rory's family were very touching. I think if Sybil didn't annoy me too much and Rory wasn't so very stubborn that I would have liked this story better.
But there were very good scenes between Sybil and Rory as well and the parts with Rory's family were very touching. I think if Sybil didn't annoy me too much and Rory wasn't so very stubborn that I would have liked this story better.
August 1, 2017
A treasure trove of every historial romance cliché ever - I am not ashamed to say, I did not finish this book. Because I had already read it. Multiple times. Written by other writers.
August 30, 2018
Loved this book!
May 9, 2017
An exciting, action-packed Scottish historical romance teeming with emotion, danger and intrigue
“I’ve been wanting to kiss ye since the first moment I saw ye,” he said. “I’m going to do it now.”
Sybil could not breathe, let alone form the words to object. When she moistened her lips with her tongue, she felt his heartbeat leap beneath her palm. Her gaze fixed on his mouth as he drew her to him ever so slowly.
She had expected a sweet, teasing kiss, not this explosion of passion that seared through her body at the first touch of their lips. No one had ever kissed her like this before, as if he would die if he could not have his mouth on hers. With a will of their own, her arms wound around his neck and her fingers tangled in his long, thick hair as she pulled him closer.
She was lost in the sensations and long past thought. As his kisses slowly changed from feverish to tender, she felt as if she were floating. She wanted this to go on forever.
When Rory pulled away, she stared up at him, stunned.
“That was promising,” he said with a wide grin.
Claimed by a Highlander by Margaret Mallory is an exciting, action-packed Scottish historical romance teeming with emotion, danger and intrigue. It is set in early 1500's Scotland and, even though, it is the second installment in the author’s exceptional Douglas Legacy series, it can easily be read as a standalone, if that is your preference. As an added plus in this series, the author has mingled actual figures from history in with the fictional characters. There is nothing that falls short in this book. It is well-orchestrated to keep readers on the edge of their seats from the beginning all the way through to the very end.
As the story opens, readers meet Lady Sybil Douglas, once a favorite in the Queen’s court, but who is now dreading a hangman’s noose thanks to her brothers leaving her behind to fend for herself after they committed treason and fled to France. Sybil is in her family home in Edinburgh when a handsome stranger appears to save her all by his lonesome. He claims to be bound to her by a marriage contract. They flee barely making it away with their lives.
He’s a rugged Highlander; she’s a highborn lowlander. Is there any hope for this couple? They are both great characters. Rory is handsome, loyal, honorable, strong, smart and sexy! Sybil, on the other hand, is politically savvy and able to read people accurately. She’s a complex character who did not think she wanted a husband, until she met and came to know Rory. I was in awe of her as she adapted to camping. I laughed and swooned at the couple’s interactions. Their passion, charisma, and hot and steamy chemistry made for a fabulous read!
Following please find a few of my favorite quotes from Claimed by a Highlander:
“Hmm?” She raised her eyebrows and looked up at him, then her cheerful expression faded. “Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?” he asked, though he knew damned well what she meant.
“Like ye think I’d be willing to have my wedding night lying in the dirt,” she said, narrowing her eyes at him. “If ye believe that, you’re quite mistaken.”
“So we’re only debating where, and not whether, to have a wedding night?” he asked.
---
“If he is strong, then we’ll have to be quick and clever,” she said in a cheerful tone.”A bit of trickery may be needed as well.”
“Ach, ye sound like a Highlander,” he said. “In Gaelic we say, an ten ach mbionn laidir ni follair do bheith glic.” He who is not strong must be cunning.
---
“Let’s get your face washed and fix your hair,” Catriona said. “My mother used to say that will make ye begin to feel better.”
“Mine said that too, but it won’t help this time.”
“Well, my mother also said that wallowing in misery never fixed a thing.”
Derek Perkins delivers a remarkable performance. He is one of my favorite narrators of Scottish historicals. He has a clear voice with perfect elocution. He distinctly differentiates between male and female voices with a delivery that perfectly complements the story. The audio book production is polished and well done and adds value to the story.
Margaret Mallory has quickly become one of my go-to authors and this book is a perfect example of why. Well researched, craftily woven, then narrated by a master, makes this audio an outstanding experience for fans of Scottish historical romances.
My full review is posted at Reading Between The Wines Book Club. Please check it out there: http://www.readingbetweenthewinesbook...
Suggested Reading Order:
The Douglas Legacy series
Captured by a Laird (Book #1)
Claimed by a Highlander (Book #2)
“I’ve been wanting to kiss ye since the first moment I saw ye,” he said. “I’m going to do it now.”
Sybil could not breathe, let alone form the words to object. When she moistened her lips with her tongue, she felt his heartbeat leap beneath her palm. Her gaze fixed on his mouth as he drew her to him ever so slowly.
She had expected a sweet, teasing kiss, not this explosion of passion that seared through her body at the first touch of their lips. No one had ever kissed her like this before, as if he would die if he could not have his mouth on hers. With a will of their own, her arms wound around his neck and her fingers tangled in his long, thick hair as she pulled him closer.
She was lost in the sensations and long past thought. As his kisses slowly changed from feverish to tender, she felt as if she were floating. She wanted this to go on forever.
When Rory pulled away, she stared up at him, stunned.
“That was promising,” he said with a wide grin.
Claimed by a Highlander by Margaret Mallory is an exciting, action-packed Scottish historical romance teeming with emotion, danger and intrigue. It is set in early 1500's Scotland and, even though, it is the second installment in the author’s exceptional Douglas Legacy series, it can easily be read as a standalone, if that is your preference. As an added plus in this series, the author has mingled actual figures from history in with the fictional characters. There is nothing that falls short in this book. It is well-orchestrated to keep readers on the edge of their seats from the beginning all the way through to the very end.
As the story opens, readers meet Lady Sybil Douglas, once a favorite in the Queen’s court, but who is now dreading a hangman’s noose thanks to her brothers leaving her behind to fend for herself after they committed treason and fled to France. Sybil is in her family home in Edinburgh when a handsome stranger appears to save her all by his lonesome. He claims to be bound to her by a marriage contract. They flee barely making it away with their lives.
He’s a rugged Highlander; she’s a highborn lowlander. Is there any hope for this couple? They are both great characters. Rory is handsome, loyal, honorable, strong, smart and sexy! Sybil, on the other hand, is politically savvy and able to read people accurately. She’s a complex character who did not think she wanted a husband, until she met and came to know Rory. I was in awe of her as she adapted to camping. I laughed and swooned at the couple’s interactions. Their passion, charisma, and hot and steamy chemistry made for a fabulous read!
Following please find a few of my favorite quotes from Claimed by a Highlander:
“Hmm?” She raised her eyebrows and looked up at him, then her cheerful expression faded. “Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?” he asked, though he knew damned well what she meant.
“Like ye think I’d be willing to have my wedding night lying in the dirt,” she said, narrowing her eyes at him. “If ye believe that, you’re quite mistaken.”
“So we’re only debating where, and not whether, to have a wedding night?” he asked.
---
“If he is strong, then we’ll have to be quick and clever,” she said in a cheerful tone.”A bit of trickery may be needed as well.”
“Ach, ye sound like a Highlander,” he said. “In Gaelic we say, an ten ach mbionn laidir ni follair do bheith glic.” He who is not strong must be cunning.
---
“Let’s get your face washed and fix your hair,” Catriona said. “My mother used to say that will make ye begin to feel better.”
“Mine said that too, but it won’t help this time.”
“Well, my mother also said that wallowing in misery never fixed a thing.”
Derek Perkins delivers a remarkable performance. He is one of my favorite narrators of Scottish historicals. He has a clear voice with perfect elocution. He distinctly differentiates between male and female voices with a delivery that perfectly complements the story. The audio book production is polished and well done and adds value to the story.
Margaret Mallory has quickly become one of my go-to authors and this book is a perfect example of why. Well researched, craftily woven, then narrated by a master, makes this audio an outstanding experience for fans of Scottish historical romances.
My full review is posted at Reading Between The Wines Book Club. Please check it out there: http://www.readingbetweenthewinesbook...
Suggested Reading Order:
The Douglas Legacy series
Captured by a Laird (Book #1)
Claimed by a Highlander (Book #2)
October 18, 2023
The author really loves the history of Scotland and this is noticeable, but as an original author she writes extremely poorly. In the first part, the entire plot was stolen from historical records, and the author’s imagination was only enough for the hero to be exhausted from lust from the first lines. In the same book, the plot was stolen not from the life of a real sister, but the author was “inspired” by the real life story of John Mackenzie, but it was somehow necessary to stick the Douglas sister to her, so we see the most idiotic and inappropriate plot in the book: the main character wins Douglas's sister played cards (seriously!), and this is when the powerful clan used all the sisters as pawns in its political games, and you see, she was allowed to be unmarried until she was 21 and ride at court (another illogical nonsense!), and then the main a hero who has his own problems above the roof of the house and a hundred times more debts in his homeland to someone else’s clan (I don’t want to spoil it, but the debt is such that he had to get married at gunpoint a long time ago), but he travels across all of Scotland to pay his debt to an unfamiliar girl in a fake contract that no one knows about at all. In a word, it’s so disgusting to put together a plot, in order to preserve the facts from the story and weave in a love line with your sister, you still have to try. Everything is delusional, illogical and, as always, based on the hero’s constant excitement.
Why do you ask me, did I continue reading? Because from the first line I fell in love with the main character, and who doesn’t - he’s handsome, a valiant defender, a man of honor and with a wonderful sense of humor. And the heroine was good - cheerful, enterprising. And their journey together was magical. But all the magic ended when the heroes arrived in Rory’s homeland and the author began to weave in real historical events that contradict the bride Douglas. And there the hero showed himself to be an immature leader, insecure, a bad leader, and also uneducated (how could this be if all the brothers were smart, but what was he being prepared for?), and the heroine began vigorous activity to save the clan and her children's ideas led to the same problems. And where is the logic then: if his brother was a bad leader and Rory gave him advice, why did he follow his wife’s stupid advice and could not do anything himself. So the first half is good, but in the second half everything is very sad. Well, it’s not possible for the author to preserve the real story and weave it in so that the plot is original. It turned out that by interweaving real facts, she made the hero look like a brute and an indecisive weakling.
Why do you ask me, did I continue reading? Because from the first line I fell in love with the main character, and who doesn’t - he’s handsome, a valiant defender, a man of honor and with a wonderful sense of humor. And the heroine was good - cheerful, enterprising. And their journey together was magical. But all the magic ended when the heroes arrived in Rory’s homeland and the author began to weave in real historical events that contradict the bride Douglas. And there the hero showed himself to be an immature leader, insecure, a bad leader, and also uneducated (how could this be if all the brothers were smart, but what was he being prepared for?), and the heroine began vigorous activity to save the clan and her children's ideas led to the same problems. And where is the logic then: if his brother was a bad leader and Rory gave him advice, why did he follow his wife’s stupid advice and could not do anything himself. So the first half is good, but in the second half everything is very sad. Well, it’s not possible for the author to preserve the real story and weave it in so that the plot is original. It turned out that by interweaving real facts, she made the hero look like a brute and an indecisive weakling.
May 15, 2018
3 von 5 Sternen
Vor lesen dieses Buches, dachte ich es wird doch sicherlich ein Buch sein was schrecklich ist aber gleichzeitig auch lustig und unterhaltsam - eben weil es so schrecklich ist.
Und nun kann ich sagen:
Ja! Die Charaktere sind in der Tat schrecklich: Schrecklich stereotyp, teilweise sogar wirklich dumm und anscheinen schaffen Sie es nicht auch nur einmal kurz sich zusammen zu reißen wenn sie emotional auch nur ein bisschen aufgewühlt sind. Sie überdenken alles und jeden, haben schrecklich dumme monologe über die falschehit der anderen und sehen nicht das sie einfach mal den Mund auf machen müssten und sagen müssten was sache ist, denn dann würden sie SEHR SEHR schnell feststellen, dass das ganze drama nur halb oder ein virtel so schlimm ist wie gedacht.
Aber ok, ich glaube das SOLL so ??Muss so??
Ist ja bei Liebesgeshcichten oder auch YA und NA anscheinen das was den Reitz an dem ganzen ausmacht. Den beiden zuzusehen wie sie zueinander finden, denn ein großes hindernis was nicht überwindbar ist und das ende allen bedeutet zu überwinden um am ende happy ever after zu sein.
Zur Handlung hingegen muss ich sagen, das auch wenn sie nach einer absurden sonder episode von GZSZ im historischen Schottland klingt, sie doch gar nicht sooo schlecht ist - halt innerhalb ihres Rahmens.
Sicherlich ist vieles vorhersehbar oder zumindest teilweise vorhersehbar aber spätestens ab der hälfte des Buches entwickelte sich da für mich dann doch so ein Sog bzw. Suchtpotenzial.
Ich glaube tatsächlich, dass diese Art von Büchern unglaublich unterhaltsam ist.
Es ist halt nichts bei dem man viel mitdenken muss, und das auch nicht wirklich anspruchsvoll geschrieben ist, es ist sexistisch in vielerlei Hinsicht aber wenn man den historischen Hintergrund betrachtet war das eben nun mal das damalige Frauenbild. (zumindest macht es den sexismus erträglicher als bei heute spielenden Geschichten)
Mir hat es wirklich ausgesprochen Spaß gemacht . trotz oder auch gerade wegen diese Übertriebenheit und den nervigen Charakteren, dem unrealismus und und und.
Und durch diesen historischen Charakter fand ich es nicht ganz so schlimm wie diese ganzen Na und YA Geschichten - auch wenn hier im Grunde genommen auch nicht mehr passiert.
Fakt ist aber auch:
Wenn ich das nächste mal lust auf was leichtes schmonzettenhaftes habe greife ich lieber zu einem anderen Buch der Autorin, als zu noch einem dieser YA und NA Bücher.
Vor lesen dieses Buches, dachte ich es wird doch sicherlich ein Buch sein was schrecklich ist aber gleichzeitig auch lustig und unterhaltsam - eben weil es so schrecklich ist.
Und nun kann ich sagen:
Ja! Die Charaktere sind in der Tat schrecklich: Schrecklich stereotyp, teilweise sogar wirklich dumm und anscheinen schaffen Sie es nicht auch nur einmal kurz sich zusammen zu reißen wenn sie emotional auch nur ein bisschen aufgewühlt sind. Sie überdenken alles und jeden, haben schrecklich dumme monologe über die falschehit der anderen und sehen nicht das sie einfach mal den Mund auf machen müssten und sagen müssten was sache ist, denn dann würden sie SEHR SEHR schnell feststellen, dass das ganze drama nur halb oder ein virtel so schlimm ist wie gedacht.
Aber ok, ich glaube das SOLL so ??Muss so??
Ist ja bei Liebesgeshcichten oder auch YA und NA anscheinen das was den Reitz an dem ganzen ausmacht. Den beiden zuzusehen wie sie zueinander finden, denn ein großes hindernis was nicht überwindbar ist und das ende allen bedeutet zu überwinden um am ende happy ever after zu sein.
Zur Handlung hingegen muss ich sagen, das auch wenn sie nach einer absurden sonder episode von GZSZ im historischen Schottland klingt, sie doch gar nicht sooo schlecht ist - halt innerhalb ihres Rahmens.
Sicherlich ist vieles vorhersehbar oder zumindest teilweise vorhersehbar aber spätestens ab der hälfte des Buches entwickelte sich da für mich dann doch so ein Sog bzw. Suchtpotenzial.
Ich glaube tatsächlich, dass diese Art von Büchern unglaublich unterhaltsam ist.
Es ist halt nichts bei dem man viel mitdenken muss, und das auch nicht wirklich anspruchsvoll geschrieben ist, es ist sexistisch in vielerlei Hinsicht aber wenn man den historischen Hintergrund betrachtet war das eben nun mal das damalige Frauenbild. (zumindest macht es den sexismus erträglicher als bei heute spielenden Geschichten)
Mir hat es wirklich ausgesprochen Spaß gemacht . trotz oder auch gerade wegen diese Übertriebenheit und den nervigen Charakteren, dem unrealismus und und und.
Und durch diesen historischen Charakter fand ich es nicht ganz so schlimm wie diese ganzen Na und YA Geschichten - auch wenn hier im Grunde genommen auch nicht mehr passiert.
Fakt ist aber auch:
Wenn ich das nächste mal lust auf was leichtes schmonzettenhaftes habe greife ich lieber zu einem anderen Buch der Autorin, als zu noch einem dieser YA und NA Bücher.
January 14, 2018
Bei diesem Buch fand ich den Titel recht unterhaltsam und dachte, dass der Inhalt der Geschichte auch recht interessant sein könnte und da ich die Bücher der Autorin eigentlich recht gerne mag, habe ich mich entschlossen auch dieses hier zu lesen.
Schon der Einstieg fand ich recht gelungen, denn wir erfahren was es mit dem Titel auf sich hat und wir sind sogleich mitten im Geschehen, allerdings wird das erste Kapitel als eine Art Rückblick erzählt. Ab dann geht es denn recht rasant los und die beiden Hauptcharaktere treffen aufeinander. Sybil ist da natürlich etwas überrascht, denn sie kann gar nicht verstehen, was ihr Bruder da gemacht hat.
Ich fand die Handlung auch im weiteren Verlauf recht interessant, obwohl man ja schon erahnen kann in welche Richtung es gehen wird. Die Autorin hat es dem Leser aber nicht zu leicht gemacht und so passieren viele überraschende Dinge, die zum Teil recht spannend sind. Ich fand es auch toll, dass die Autorin wirklich eine riesige Fülle an Informationen für den Leser hat und so erfährt man sehr viel Hintergrundinformationen über die beiden Charaktere, aber auch einiges an historischen Informationen und was es mit dem König auf sich hat.
Sybil und Rory fand ich sehr sympathisch beschrieben. Beide wirkten im Laufe der Geschichte sehr stark und tapfer auf mich. Ich empfand auch beide als sehr authentisch. Gerade das Zwischenspiel zwischen den beiden fand ich abschnittsweise sehr humorvoll.
Die Nebencharaktere empfand ich auch als recht interessant. Natürlich gibt es auch ein paar „Bösewichte“ in der Geschichte, die ich gut beschrieben fand.
Die Schreibweise fand ich wieder sehr gelungen. Das Buch lässt sich sehr flüssig und locker lesen. Die Geschichte wird aus wechselnder Perspektive der beiden Charaktere beschrieben.
Die Darstellung der Locations und der Natur hat mir gut gefallen und ich konnte mir die Dinge sehr gut vorstellen.
Das Cover finde ich jetzt nicht so wirklich ansprechend, denn die Personen werden ganz anders beschrieben und ich muss ehrlich sagen, dass ich es nicht so schön finde, wenn reale Personen auf einem Cover sind. Keine Ahnung an was das liegt.
Fazit:
4 von 5 Sterne. Schöne, unterhaltsame Liebesgeschichte.
Schon der Einstieg fand ich recht gelungen, denn wir erfahren was es mit dem Titel auf sich hat und wir sind sogleich mitten im Geschehen, allerdings wird das erste Kapitel als eine Art Rückblick erzählt. Ab dann geht es denn recht rasant los und die beiden Hauptcharaktere treffen aufeinander. Sybil ist da natürlich etwas überrascht, denn sie kann gar nicht verstehen, was ihr Bruder da gemacht hat.
Ich fand die Handlung auch im weiteren Verlauf recht interessant, obwohl man ja schon erahnen kann in welche Richtung es gehen wird. Die Autorin hat es dem Leser aber nicht zu leicht gemacht und so passieren viele überraschende Dinge, die zum Teil recht spannend sind. Ich fand es auch toll, dass die Autorin wirklich eine riesige Fülle an Informationen für den Leser hat und so erfährt man sehr viel Hintergrundinformationen über die beiden Charaktere, aber auch einiges an historischen Informationen und was es mit dem König auf sich hat.
Sybil und Rory fand ich sehr sympathisch beschrieben. Beide wirkten im Laufe der Geschichte sehr stark und tapfer auf mich. Ich empfand auch beide als sehr authentisch. Gerade das Zwischenspiel zwischen den beiden fand ich abschnittsweise sehr humorvoll.
Die Nebencharaktere empfand ich auch als recht interessant. Natürlich gibt es auch ein paar „Bösewichte“ in der Geschichte, die ich gut beschrieben fand.
Die Schreibweise fand ich wieder sehr gelungen. Das Buch lässt sich sehr flüssig und locker lesen. Die Geschichte wird aus wechselnder Perspektive der beiden Charaktere beschrieben.
Die Darstellung der Locations und der Natur hat mir gut gefallen und ich konnte mir die Dinge sehr gut vorstellen.
Das Cover finde ich jetzt nicht so wirklich ansprechend, denn die Personen werden ganz anders beschrieben und ich muss ehrlich sagen, dass ich es nicht so schön finde, wenn reale Personen auf einem Cover sind. Keine Ahnung an was das liegt.
Fazit:
4 von 5 Sterne. Schöne, unterhaltsame Liebesgeschichte.
October 17, 2018
I really liked Lady Sybil Douglas when I first read about her in the first book of this series and she did not disappoint in her own love story with Rory MacKenzie the very dashing, stubborn and handsome hero of this tale. This a fabulously romantic and passionate tale takes you on a fast adventure with twists and turns in every chapter. Sybil is a complete contrast to Rory, which adds humour to this wonderful adventure. Beautiful, optimistic, intelligent and wise to the ways of how to get the best from people and how the game is played, the contrast between these two is enchanting. There is a lot of humour in this story with witty dialogue, which Margaret seems to specialise in. Margaret has a wonderful gift for making you wonder what will happen next and her historical research is fascinating, especially when you realise that some of these people, families and stories are based on true fact. Thoroughly enjoyed it!
September 9, 2019
This book started with so much promise but it fell terribly short. I’m so disappointed! The first chapter grabbed my attention and from there I was so excited to keep reading and see the turn it would take.
I think it started going downhill from the moment Rory and Sybil arrived at his castle. I understood the fight over Sybil keeping information of the fake marriage contract from Rory but afterwards the conflicts became too much. With all the fights they had I truly do not think they should’ve remained together. They said really terrible things to each other that will NEVER be erased. Like a day after getting married they were already having horrible fights and slamming doors in each other’s faces. And suddenly there was a hidden kid? Ew
Trying to paint Sybil as the perfect smart, cunning wife only managed to make Rory look dumb and incapable. The whole thing was a 3/10. The writer was a wee bit too ambitious with the plot
I think it started going downhill from the moment Rory and Sybil arrived at his castle. I understood the fight over Sybil keeping information of the fake marriage contract from Rory but afterwards the conflicts became too much. With all the fights they had I truly do not think they should’ve remained together. They said really terrible things to each other that will NEVER be erased. Like a day after getting married they were already having horrible fights and slamming doors in each other’s faces. And suddenly there was a hidden kid? Ew
Trying to paint Sybil as the perfect smart, cunning wife only managed to make Rory look dumb and incapable. The whole thing was a 3/10. The writer was a wee bit too ambitious with the plot
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