Jamie and Gracie

The Highland Clan #7

by Keira Montclair

Will he fight for the hand of the most beautiful lass in The Highlands? Life can be short and brutal in the Highlands, and Jamie Grant is determined to make the most of it. Filled with a longing he cannot put into words, he leaves his clan to help his cousins, who are on a mission for the Scottish Crown. Though he has not yet told his sire, the great Alexander Grant, he plans to become a spy for the Crown if all goes well. A life of action and adventure is exactly what he wants—or so he thinks. His thoughts keep turning toward home, and his uncle’s beautiful adopted daughter, Gracie. Gracie is reputed to be the most comely lass in the Highlands, but she shuns the attention. Being useful to her adopted clan matters more to her than being beautiful. Her dream is to have a family of her own, but the only man her heart yearns for is Jamie Grant, who seems as desperate to leave the Grants as she is to stay. When a mysterious, commanding baron courts her, she’s wrought with confusion—she doesn’t wish to leave home, but to refuse him offhand would be a dangerous insult that could endanger the clan she loves. Jamie realizes that the life he wants has been in front of him all along, but has he waited too long?

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Medieval, Historical, Scotland

203 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 3, 2017

About the author

Keira Montclair is the pen name of an author who lives in South Carolina with her husband. She writes fast-paced historical romance, often with children as secondary characters.

If she’s not writing, she prefers to spend time with her grandchildren. She’s worked as a high school math teacher, a registered nurse, and an office manager. She loves ballet, mathematics, puzzles, learning anything new, and creating new characters for her readers to fall in love with.

She considers her work done well when her readers shed tears over her stories, but there’s always a happy ending! Her bestselling series is a family saga that follows two medieval Scottish clans through three generations and now numbers over fifty books.

Contact her through her website, www.keiramontclair.com.

Reviews

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (12/2/2019)! 🎁

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I struggled writing this review. To be fair, every hero can't be perfectly awesome, and every heroine isn't going to be smart and confident. If the main characters in every book I read were flawless, I would have gotten bored with reading years ago.

Grace Grant is a bit "confused." She's described as the most beautiful young lady in Scotland. She laments about how she wishes men would see more than just her outer beauty. Oh, cry me a river, Gracie! When she tells her parents and laird she wants to be married, she has no idea the chaos that decision will create. Men within her clan and lords from outside her clan come forth to make their intentions known. Gracie has loved Jamie Grant, her cousin by marriage, for years, but he declines to become one of her suitors. He's experiencing inner conflict as he struggles to find his place in the world. He thinks being a spy for the king might suit him and isn't ready to settle down with a wife. However, when Gracie's suitors take her for walks in the garden, he pounces on two of them for kissing Gracie. Gracie, on the other hand, can't seem to understand that she's not obligated to allow her suitors to kiss her at will. A kiss doesn't necessarily tell you that a man will suit you. Even after Jamie tells her the men don't have the right to touch her, she still goes into a dark hallway with a third suitor who kisses her, and Jamie nearly starts a clan war in his father's castle trying to protect her virtue.

It was not easy being a woman in 13th-century Scotland. One of Gracie's suitors, the arrogant Lord Crichton, puts in a bid to the king for her hand before he even meets her. How awful it must have been to know that one letter of approval from the king could determine your future happiness or despair. With no consideration given to the woman's desires, men made decisions that would affect a woman's comfort and sense of well-being. Lord Crichton announces he has asked the king for Gracie's hand in marriage and demands she be brought to his home, so they might become better acquainted. At this point, no one in Gracie's clan is going to force her to go. The king hasn't approved the match yet, so it's still her choice. Jamie is continuing to deny what what he feels for her, so she feels he doesn't care and considers becoming a nun. When she admits how much she wants children, she decides to go visit Lord Crichton and see if they will suit. Not a smart move! While she's in his home, she realizes he isn't a suitable husband, Duh!,but Crichton is not about to let Gracie just walk away from his grasp. He ties up her parents and friend, threatening to rape Gracie if she won't willingly become his wife. She somehow manages to run away from him and meets Jamie near the woods. When Jamie takes her back home, they discover her parents and friend also escaped and are already there. Cause as long as I can get away, I won't risk trying to find you before I go home. You're in my prayers. You know the way home. The laird orders the priest to marry Jamie and Gracie quickly, and it isn't long before the face that launched a thousand ships watches an all-out clan battle being waged over her. When the laird is gravely injured in the battle, Gracie is devastated. Miss I-need-to-get-a-backbone decides she must annul her marriage to Jamie and join a convent. That's a completely logical conclusion. They work it out, and all's well and that ends well.

[Julie Morrisson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know this author can be hit or miss, but this was really a waste of time. Both H and h TSTL, immature.....
I didn't care if the main characters died or ended up together or not. They were both sooooo dumb!
I don't want to even waste anymore time on it writing a review.

[Jas · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I just couldn't get behind the two MCs having grown up as cousins. I know technically Grace is Jamie's uncle's adopted daughter, but it just seemed weird to me. Especially that he didn't seem to realize that he wants to be with her until she decides she wants to get married and starts getting proposals. Overall not one of my favorites in this series, and it felt kind of like the author combined one of the Grant kids with one of the adopted Grant kids in order to save time or write one less book.

['jeri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. Keira Montclair is a delightful writer. The plots in her stories always provide numerous twists that are generally unexpected, humorous and at times have left me sitting on the edge of my chair.

Although Jamie and Gracie is a stand alone novel, it honors its predessors in the series with a well thought out and continuing story line.

Well done Keira Montclair!

[Sandra Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good Highlander romance, and a good addition to the Highland Clan series. This one gets 3.5 stars from me, rounded up to 4 stars.

I mostly liked Gracie, but it bothered me that she still didn't believe she deserved to be a Grant. I get that she didn't know who her father was (and thought he might be a bad guy), but the Grants had fully accepted and loved her for years -- so I didn't buy that she would think she wasn't good enough to be a Grant. She also made some really dumb decisions, all because she thought Jamie didn't love her. It also seemed that she was kind of a weak character, and not a strong woman like many of the women in this series.

I liked Jamie OK, but it got annoying that he was so wishy-washy about Gracie. He kept making excuses for why he couldn't marry her, but none of them were very believable. It was like he didn't know what he wanted, but he definitely didn't want her to be happy with someone else. It wasn't fair to Gracie, and his attitude hurt her badly.

I was glad that Jamie and Gracie found their HEA, even though it took them a while -- they ended up being good together.

I liked most of the other characters, especially the children, who were just adorable. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

My rating system is below.
1 star -- Hated it, or did not finish. I usually only give this rating if some of the content is truly objectionable to me, like if one of the main characters does something really awful, and gets away with it.
2 stars -- Didn't like it. This rating usually means that I thought the writing wasn't very good, the editing was terrible, I didn't like the characters, or it had other major flaws.
3 stars -- I liked it, but had some minor issues with it. This rating means that there were minor editing issues, the story needed more character development, it was just too unrealistic, or had some other fairly minor issue. The majority of books I read get this rating – I do not consider it a bad rating.
4 stars -- I liked it a lot. This is a high rating for me, and I rarely give a higher one.
5 stars -- I loved it, and will probably read it again. Very few books are good enough to get this rating from me. The ones that do are usually classics.

[Janine - The World Was Hers for the Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keira Montclair has created yet another beautiful tale of Highland romance in her newest romance Jamie and Grace. While Jamie and Grace can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the other books in both the Clan Grant series as well as the Highland Clan series, as the main and supporting characters were first introduced in them.

Jamie is the second son, if only by a few minutes, of the great Laird Alexander Grant. Knowing his brother will be laird someday, Jamie longs to place his own mark on the world and struggles with how he can do that, yet keeps coming back to thoughts of home . . .and Grace. Grace is the adopted daughter of Robbie Grant, and said to be the most beautiful lass in all the Highlands, but hates the attention that brings. She has a big heart, and while she loves helping take care of the children in the clan, longs for a family of her very own now that she is of marriageable age. While Jamie yearns for adventure, Grace yearns for Jamie and a quiet life at Clan Grant. Will the two find their way to one another before it is too late and Grace is betrothed to another?

As a fan of both the Clan Grant and Highland Clan series, Keira’s characters feel like family when stepping in to one of her books. It amazes me that even though the same characters appear throughout her books, the story is always fresh and unexpected. It was a joy to see Jamie come into his own as a warrior of Clan Grant and find his way. I also loved watching Grace finally feel like she was deserving of her family and get her happy ever after. This story has all the great makings of a Highland Romance . . . one I am sure readers of historical romance are sure to enjoy!

5 stars!

[Barbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book: Jamie and Gracie by Keira Montclair
Reviewed by: Barb Massabrook, Tartan Book Reviews and Celtic Barb’s Tartan Book Review Blog
Series: The Highland Clan Series Book #7
Heat Rating: Mild
Overall Rating 5/5 stars




The Highlands of Scotland, 1200s
One of the best books I ever read about star crossed lovers Jamie Grant son of the Clan’s Laird Alexander and Gracie Grant. Stepdaughter of his Uncle Robbie Grant. Both are in love with each other, yet won't admit it due to tragedies of the past. Which in fact they both have a hard time dealing with.

Jamie leaves his clan to go on a mission with his cousins and become a spy and work for the crown. He has not informed his da yet, the great Laird Alexander Grant.Yet Jamie still thinks of home and his Uncle Robbie’s stepdaughter Gracie that he's protected since they were children. He does not think of her as a cousin or a child anymore. As neither of them has ever thought themselves as cousins as they were not blood related.

Both Jamie and Gracie have feelings of insecurities and that they are not good enough for the other. Of course they don't admit their true feelings and when Gracie tries to it’s a total disaster! Now Gracie decides she wants a husband and bairns, the problem is every lad wants her as she is the most beautiful women on Grant lands. Gracie feels they want her for the wrong reasons. It not what is on the outside that counts, but what is on the inside as what she is thinking and feeling is what really matters!

This also brings a lot of jealousy out of Jamie, who claims he is just protecting Gracie. Then the titled gentlemen arrive and one evil Baron with an evil dark heart. Using Gracie as a pawn, unknown to her and nearly forces himself on her! Once she refuses his marriage proposal he becomes very vicious and unkind. Figuring breaking her maidenhead will force Gracie’s hand, but she had been taught self defense by Jamie. She runs away in a horrible thunder storm the one thing Jamie fears.

Jamie leaving the Barons lands, sensing something is wrong and Gracie could be in danger. Plus he faces his biggest fears for the woman he loves, climbs the stormy thunder and lightning hill to save his flower Gracie. Due to a letter from his old stable master Mac where he explains what really matters, but asks Jamie’s mum to show it when he is older and can understand. They both finally admit their true feelings and also misunderstandings and fears and decide to marry immediately. Then the Baron is found out his true motives so Jamie and Gracie have to marry right away.

Then a Clan war erupts which Gracie misunderstands thinking it is her fault and must annul her marriage and take her vows and become a nun. As it must be evilness from her biological father who was horrible except Gracie had been given incorrect information.

So how can this star crossed couple ever find a way to each other and mend each other's hearts. You will have to read this fantastic book and find out. It is my favorite book of The Highland Clan series and had me in tears which is rare. For me to get that emotional I am reading a truly rare, magnificent and fabulous book! Jamie and Gracie is precisely that rare and wonderful! Scottish historical fans will absolutely fall in love with this book, actually this entire The Highland Clan series. It is totally brilliant and I highly recommend!

Keira Montclair does it again with another fabulous story readers won't be able to put down! I absolutely loved loved this book from start to finish! I absolutely know you will too! The setting is breathtaking with an amazing fast paced plot and brilliant dialogue!



*I was given this arc from the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts, ideas and words are my own.

[Maria]

This family saga has some great characters and I love how they all support one another and allow them to follow their heart rather than force them into situations. In Jamie and Gracie, you have a hero who "thinks" he has to seek adventure before settling down and doesn't realize that all he needs is right in front of him. Gracie is in love with Jamie, but is waiting for him to take the first step. When it looks like he is bound for his adventure, and Gracie, not knowing when he will return, starts the ball rolling by saying she is ready to marry because she wants to have a family. Big mistake! Because of this, her suitors start lining up for her hand and one of them, Baron Crichton, has petitioned the king for Gracie's hand and believes he will marry her. After a misunderstanding on Gracie's part, things get pretty bad, but Jamie races home to be Gracie's hero. This is a lovely story of a caring extended family and friends. A wonderful series that should be read if you are a fan of Scottish romantic novels.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the hero and heroine. Sometimes they feel overlooked. Jamie, because he was always smaller than Jake when they were little and it was his twin brother who was thought to be the future laird. Gracie, because she felt that her lack of "useful" skills such as fighting made her weak. She felt there was something wrong with her because her real father never visited her after only one time. In fact, these characteristics made them who they were. I like Gracie as she is. She is patient and compassionate thus drawing the children towards her. I mean just think about it, she had these feelings of not belonging and wanting to know her true father, but she did not want to upset her mother and step-sire, so she kept quiet all her life. She's always putting others first.
It's so cute how Jamie was always protecting Gracie, even when they were little babies! They were meant to be. I love the epilogue.

[Jeanne Johnston · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my favourite in the series. Gracie annoyed the hell out of me, especially when she kept running off. It's always bothered me that these people are so... painfully virtuous, and her meek obedience and determined goodness was more irritating than most. It never has a feel of real people, I guess--especially for the era.

But hey, it counts for a lot that the editing misses are few and the books stand alone rather than tease you into buying the next one because important parts of the story were deliberately omitted as a cliffhanger. Here, the teaser is just a reminder of Sorcha and mention of her being difficult to control.

[Amparo TD · Rating 5 out of 5]

Séptimo libro de la saga, y en este nos encontramos con los de los niños de los Grant, ya mayores. Por una parte tenemos a Jamie que es uno de los hijos gemelos del gran Alex Grant, y por otra a Gracie, hija adoptiva de uno de sus tíos.
Gracie esta enamorada de Jamie, y como ve a todo el mundo feliz, ella le pide a su padre que le busque un marido, por lo que hacen una fiesta para buscar marido. Jamie es su protector y no le gusta que nadie este detrás de ella, pero por lo que le paso a Mac, que lo vio morir atravesado por un rayo, no quiere tener a nadie en su vida para no perderlo.
Es una historia intensa, bonita, y te hace descubrir mas de estos niños que ya se han hecho mayores.

[Kat Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, as always! Keira Montclair and Paul Woodson never disappoint! I had put off reading this book because I knew the characters were growing older and I wasn't ready to let go of any of the elders yet. I realize now that that was not necessarily a certainty. Paul Woodson always gives us a five star performance to go with a five star book. This is a fabulous series so I'd easily recommend the entire series to everyone. Don't put off reading or listening to this wonderful book. The series continues in fine form! Excellent experience! 😀

[Helen White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jamie and Gracie

This rating was chosen because this book as with all Keira Montclair's novels deserves the high rating I have given it. Jamie and Gracie have always loved each other. Jamie named himself her protector from the moment he met her when she was brought to Clan Grant by her stepfather, Robbie Grant, brother to Laird Alex Grant. As with all her Grant series it is a book to read. The 7th in the series. I have read them all in the order written and will certainly look forward to the next 8th in the series SORCHA. I have read some of them twice.

[Joetta Spurling · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a ride!

Kindle Unlimited Purchase

There is a small trigger in chapter 16... But Gracie is able to stop it BEFORE it happens... So I will give it a 1 out of 10 on the trigger scale... ( If you think my trigger scale is incorrect let me know how you feel) Gracie and Jamie are cute together... Gracie is ready to get married, she informed​ her parents and after that s@@t hits the fan.. I have enjoyed both the Clan Grant Series and The Highland Clan series, so far the Ashlyn book 5 is still my favorite.. on to book 8... I can't stop..

[Jacquelin S. Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional Book

Each Highland Clan is better than the one before. Ms Montclair brings each character to life so that by the end of each book I felt like I knew each member of Clan Grant intimately. I am a serial junkie and cannot wait for each new book in the series. I go back and re-read them from the first book each time a new one is written. If you are at all interested in Scottish history and enjoy action, adventure and romance this is the series for you! Can't wait to read the next one.

[Marjorie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great love story

I have had this book for a long time, but as a widow on fixed income I was in the process of letting my daughter put me on her prime as a guest and I let my Unlimited drop for a month or so. Anyway I spent $40.00 from gift cards on books. I got my daughter get me resubscribed to Unlimited. I had this book free someway. I loved it and wished I had read it earlier.

[Carolann Amer · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my Favorites!

Every book in this series has taken me on an adrenaline pumping, can't put it down adventure and heart throbbing love story! I fall in love with heroes, I can't wait to see the demise of the villains, and I absolutely love how you've created so many strong female characters and seamlessly woven them into a time when women were considered property! I can't wait for the next one!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love for the win

Jamie and Gracie have a difficult journey full of danger, violence, confused hearts that take a while to figure things out, and misunderstandings to traverse before they allow themselves to accept the love that has been there all along.
This is a fast paced story with lots of action and a clan full of wonderfully loving people with few exceptions (Peigi)

[Joan Osborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyable!

This was a really enjoyable Highland romance with a very stubborn hero and a beautiful and sweet heroine. Jamie almost lost his true love because of his stubborness but as with all romances, Gracie and Jamie found their happily ever after in the end. Highly recommend it.

[Linda Deutmeyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Protecting the other first

I loved the book from the middle till the end . I did think the first part of the book was too predictable, but from the middle to the end was both complex and full of special characters. I loved best the strong family ties and strong marriages within the family.

[wilma may · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant read

The author keira has done it again knocked the ball out of the park. Brilliant read. The characters were so strong and intriguing. I read it in one go couldn't put it down. I was going to go to sleep then found out there was only 2 more chapters so i kept reading it . Absolutely loved this book and am downloading next in series.

[Cecilia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the whole series!

Jamie and Gracie were a lovely couple! But more than them, I always love when Alex Grant takes part in the saga, I really like his character, even if he is now older, but his strong personality and his wife will always be one of the best part of the Clan Grant Series!

[Audrey Starkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

many unexpected items in this one

Really enjoyed the twist and turns I this one - especially the epilogue. The clan is growing by leaps and bounds and it’s getting more difficult to remember who belongs to whom. For that reason, I thank the author for the family tree in the beginning.

[Kasie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

I loved this book! From beginning to the end. There were many scares though and I'm very glad things went the way the did, another Edge of my seat book. Jamie & Gracie we made for each other.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alex is still my favorite!

This story is about one of the Alex and Maddie's sons, Jamie. I love the funny parts in this book. I didn't love Gracie but that's OK. Good story. Love the end!

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very much enjoy the characters and how they are developing from previous book into current story. Still bit of conflict/mystery and romance but not overwhelming. Looking forward to next book in this series.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice read

Overall I enjoyed this book. At times Gracie and her decisions were not smart but that made for a bit more action I guess. I especially liked the way Alexander handled things in the epilogue. I won’t give a away anymore on that so you can read it yourself

[Anna Wion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catch up

Sweetie two blinds over each other and giggles love and strong feelings for two people and giggles ... I loved reading this book because it's great advice and love and hope

[Sen]

Jamie and Gracie

These grant series and all their connections are wonderful and adventurous stories. All the inter connection of the kins makes it an interesting stoey to keep occupied for a long time. I like the camaredere of the family.