Gallowglass

Gallowglass #1

by Jennifer Allis Provost

Karina didn’t set out to free the Seelie Queen’s gallowglass. Now she’ll do anything to keep him.

After Karina and her brother, Chris’s, lives fall apart in separate yet equally spectacular ways, they leave New York behind and head to the UK. Karina buries herself in research for her doctoral thesis, all the while studiously not thinking about the man who broke her heart, while Chris—who’d been a best-selling author before his ex-fiancée sued him for plagiarism—drinks his way across the British Isles.

In Scotland, they visit the grave of Robert Kirk, a seventeenth- century minister who was kidnapped by fairies. No one is more shocked than Karina when a handsome man with a Scottish brogue appears, claiming to be the Robert Kirk of legend. What’s more, he says he spent the last few hundred years as the Gallowglass, the Seelie Queen’s personal assassin. When they’re attacked by demons, Karina understands how dearly the queen wants him back.

As Karina and Robert grow closer, Chris’s attempts to drown his sorrows lead him to a pub, and a woman called Sorcha. Chris is instantly smitten with her, so much so he spends days with Sorcha and lies to his sister about his whereabouts. When Chris comes home covered in fey kisses, Karina realizes that the Seelie Queen isn’t just after Robert.

Can Karina outsmart the Seelie Queen, or is Robert doomed to forever be the Gallowglass?

Genres: Fantasy, Paranormal, Fae, Urban Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Romance

273 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 6, 2017

About the author

Be sure to follow Jenn on BookBub for the latest on sales and new releases: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/jenni...

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Jennifer Allis Provost is a native New Englander who lives in a sprawling colonial along with her beautiful and precocious twins, a dog, two birds, three cats, and a wonderful husband who never forgets to buy ice cream. As a child, she read anything and everything she could get her hands on, including a set of encyclopedias, but fantasy was always her favorite. She spends her days drinking vast amounts of coffee, arguing with her computer, and avoiding any and all domestic behavior.

Reviews

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (4/4/2020)! 🎁

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**

Gallowglass is the first book in the adult paranormal romance series of the same name by author Jennifer Allis Provost. I enjoyed Gallowglass and I am excited to continue on with the series. I found this one to be a bit slow in parts, but the characters and the story line, along with the promise of where the series can go was enough to keep me interested in the story the whole time. This book felt more like a foundational book for the series. I think with the foundation to the story laid out, the rest of the books will be even better for me.

There were so many elements that I really enjoyed in Gallowglass so I am going to quickly list the things I loved, and then I would encourage you to check out the excerpt above if you think this is the type of book that would interest you.

I loved the setting. I have always wanted to visit Scotland, and I adore books that take place there.
I loved all of the creatures in the book. Fae are always a welcome addition to a book, but there were also lots of other creatures in Gallowglass, and I really hope that is a trend that continues in the next book.
I loved loved loved that the main character was a graduate student working on her doctorate. I love seeing mid and upper 20 something characters because it is easier for me to relate to them sometimes. plus it is fun to imagine all of this happening to me.
Bottom line: Gallowglass was a fun whirlwind read. I liked getting to know the characters and the world and I can't wait to continue the story.

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

[Jennifer Provost]

1st Place Winner of the 2017 Paranormal Romance Guild's Reviewer's Choice Award in Paranormal & Urban Fantasy paranormalromanceguild.com/2017-paran...
Winner of 2018 Paranormal Romance Guild's Reviewer's Choice Awards - #1 Paranormal & Urban Fantasy Series paranormalromanceguild.com/2018-paran...
"I loved this book and Robert and Karina. There are secrets and surprises and an ending that did not leave me wondering "what happened". Can't wait for more in this series." paranormalromanceguild.com/review-gal...

"Gallowglass was a fun whirlwind read. I liked getting to know the characters and the world and I can't wait to continue the story." bookbriefs.net/2017/06/12/mini-review...

"Love will be tested and I mean TESTED. After all is said and done, neither Robert nor Karina will question their love for each other....EVER!
As for Chris, well his story took quite a surprising turn. A twist I didn't see coming. BRAVO, Jennifer! At the end of the day...err book... it is apparent his binge drinking days are over and his life is forever changed. FOR THE BETTER!" superkambrook.com/2017/06/review-of-g...

"I loved the sibling dynamic between Karina and Chris, the mythology of Robert Kirk and the faeries, the sweet and sexy romance between Karina and Robert, and the rich, detailed setting of Scotland. It's a beautiful story and I highly recommend it."awellreadwomanblog.wordpress.com/2017...

[Kameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars: (review request submitted by the author for an honest critique)

I've always longed to visit Scotland. It appears to be a magical place where all your worries are washed away once you get a glimpse of it and all its splendor. I know Karina was thinking the same thing until the unthinkable became real. When the idea of magic and magical creatures wasn't so far-fetched after all.

While attempting to work on her thesis, Karina and Chris's lives took an unexpected turn. What was supposed to be a quiet, explorative trip for Karina's  doctorate became so much more. Instead of unearthing rocks, they unearthed things of legend: fuath (water demons), fey, wights (pixies) and much more. Some beings were grotesques monsters and some otherworldly beings were sweet and friendly. Unfortunately, Karina and Christ had run-ins with rather unsavory beasts.

Jennifer was very descriptive in the construction of the various creatures and the battles Robert faced during their meet ups. For instance, imagine running into this: 7 to 8 ft. tall being with thick gray hide and covered in lesions. Would you run away or scream like your hair is on fire? Me.... I'd probably faint on the spot. And that is only one beastie Karina saw after Robert applied the fairy ointment to her face. BTW: the fairy ointment allows normal people to see beyond glamour and spells. In one hand, wicked cool. On the other hand, the ointment is more of a curse than a blessing.

Speaking of curses: The Seelie Queen cursed Robert but, in true romantic fashion, the curse will be lifted by the time Jennifer ended this magically marvelous book. Love will be tested and I mean TESTED. After all is said and done, neither Robert nor Karina will question their love for each other....EVER!

As for Chris, well his story took quite a surprising turn. A twist I didn't see coming. BRAVO, Jennifer! At the end of the day...err book... it is apparent his binge drinking days are over and his life is forever changed. FOR THE BETTER! 

(Find more reviews/ratings at www.superkambrook.com)

[Christine Kempton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from Voracious Readers for an honest review. This is the first book in a series. Karina has had a rough time over the last little while and gets lucky with a grant to go to Scotland to research her PHd thesis. She decides to head to Scotland with her brother, who has also had a rough go over the last little while. Once there Karina - Rina to her friends and family, climbs Doon Hill to observe the Minister's Pine on the top. She learns about the local legend and states she wishes she could help him. When she returns to the cottage she has rented with her brother and discovers she has lost a few of her personal items so she heads back to Doon Hill and discovers a man waiting there for her. He claims to be the minister that was stuck on the tree. Karina then proceeds to have numerous adventures with Robert. Karina finds she is starting to develop feelings for the mysterious stranger. Until her brother gets in trouble. Karina than races to help her brother with Robert at her side. This was a fun read. I enjoyed this book very much. It was well paced and the characters were well developed and well rounded. I look forward to finding the next books and continuing on with this series.

[K. Lincoln · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never read a PRN romance like this with such a gleeful appreciation of geology before. The main character, Karina, is in Scotland on a research grant with her lovelorn brother looking at the kinds of rock that ley lines run through.

Which was all kinds of nerdy-scientist cool. Also cool were the gruesome different kinds of gaelic fae Rina ends up seeing after she inadvertently rescues hunky Reverend Robert Kirk from his fairy prison.

Most of the book Rina and Robert end up touring around local historical sites, dodging yucky fae, and almost-kissing a bunch of times. I thought this was a sweet romance up until they actually do start kissing.

Karina's brother also gets mixed up in the plot as the Seelie Queen, Nicneven, reacts to Robert getting free. There is an iconic scene, which I thought well done, of Karina having to save Robert a la Tam Lin/Thomas the Rhymer by holding on to him through various transformations forced on him by Nicneven.

This was fun, but not quite the steam level that is my personal taste. They also spend a little too much time just touring. Once they start to engage with the fae creatures, it was much more fun.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

* I have volunteered to share my review and all the opinions are 100% my own *

This is the story of Karina and her brother Chris who decide to leave New York for the UK to start fresh lives. Karina has been given a grant to work in Scotland so they both decide to make the move to get away from the lives that are falling apart.
In Scotland Karina and Chris visit the grave of Rober Kirk a seventeenth century minister who had been abducted by fairies. But when an attractive man with a Scottish brogue appears before them declaring that he is The Robert Kirk of legend, Karina is quite sceptical.
Robert had been taken and had to become the Seelie Queens own personal assassin for the past 300 years and finds himself appearing before Karina, but when they are attacked by demons it starts to become very real for Karina.
This was a great start to a new series in the “Gallowglass series” and look forward to the next instalment.

[Denise Belt · Rating 5 out of 5]

After Karina and her brother’s life fall apart due to broken hearts they decide to leave New York and head to Scotland where Karina has received a grant to work on her doctoral thesis. Rina buries herself in her work while Chris drinks everything he comes across. Chris has never believed in Rina’s work, so when she inadvertently frees Robert Kirk, a seventeenth-century minister who was imprisoned by the Seelie Queen, Chris thinks he’s a con artist and Rina doesn’t know what to believe.

I read a lot of books that take place in Scotland, and that deal with the Fae, Provost provided an imaginative story that had some magic and romance as well. Something I enjoyed about the book, was the fact that I didn’t know how the story would end. Provost did a superb job of keeping the mystery and holding the reader’s attention until the very end. Look for Book 2 Walker in December.

[anie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received from Bewitching Book Tours

Karina is a geologist and receives amazing grant out of the blue, to go research rocks in the Scotland. She just got her hearth broken, so it’s a perfect time to go away. Her brother’s life get really messes up, so she invites to go with her.

In one of her stops in Scotland she accidentally rescues Robert from the tree. He is was trapped in there for over 300 years and was forced to work as Seelies’s queen Gallowglass-her assassin. Robert stick around, helps her with research and they slowly grow closer and closer. Meanwhile her brother is drinking his troubles away, until he meets amazing woman. Chris’s and Karina’s problem are not so different after all and there might be a common link to it.

Whilst the story line is very interesting and romantic AF :), I was not the biggest fan of pacing. It was a bit off and was loosing interest though the book.

[Fawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun read. I was left with a bit of a feeling that there was another shoe waiting to drop that never did. Karina, Chris, and Robert are easy to read about characters. The story is not to complicated so the story line is easy to follow. I was a little annoyed with Karina when she was trying to hide out in the cottage so she wouldn't see any more of the Good People. It wasn't like she had been attacked or anything. I understood that some of them were terrifying to see, but that just seemed a bit too drastic of behavior for her to be displaying. Everything comes together and you see how and why some of the things played out the way they did. I was happy to see Karina become strong in the end.

[Kendall Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

An adult fantasy - paranormal romance- action adventure story set in Scotland. The book sets a wonderful foundation for a series with all the right ingredients. The Seelie Queen and all her machinations that the protagonist is forced to contend with provides lots of action, twists and turns and surprises!
The author is adept at characterization and the result is that the reader develops an affinity for the characters and their lives - we become invested in the story. A well balanced story, sometimes a bit slow, unfolds to provide an engaging, satisfying read! This book will win the author many fans!!

[a collective of books · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an overall ok read with fantasy elements taking place in Scotland. I didn't care for the characters too much, I had a hard time connecting with them. Chris is stubborn and selfish and for a grown man he acts pretty childish. Rina is dull as ever. That chick has zero personality. The story was on the slow side, mostly of Rina visiting locations to survey and research for her grant while Chris wallows in misery drinking all the time. All of the action happened the last 20 pages of the book and was kind of disappointing.

[Vicky Quenault · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written in most respects but was a little let down by the rushed ending. The action scenes were lacklustre and didn’t really deliver the suspense and sense of danger one would expect. The main characters were likeable but there didnt seem to be much substance to their relationship. It kind of felt immature and unformed. The story could use a bit more depth.
The book felt very light, perhaps suited for a holiday read as it was enjoyable but not riveting.
I received a complimentary copy from VRO in return for an honest review.

[Norman Hirschman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good read. Karina gets a grant to go to Scotland. There she inadvertently ends up freeing Robert an age old reverend who was imprisoned by the fairy queen . The adventures start beginning as Karina has to cope with a scholar who is hundreds of years old but still has the looks of a much younger man with the build of a muscle builder.Of course her brother Chris is very jealous and thinks it as all a farce. The longer they are together the together the tighter the relationship becomes. But is it real. Only time will tell.

[C. Mercie M Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

A chance at freedom, and possibly a dream

When Karina, and her Brother Chris's, lives go down a path neither expected, a chance to go abroad seems like the perfect thing to do. While exploring the ruins of days gone by, for its connection to fairy, in Scotland seems great, the reality is just like "magic." The characters are fun, likeable, sarcastic, and the romance adds a zing to the story. A tale as old as the Fae, of romance, escape, trickery, and sacrifice. It's a fun quick read.

[Cheryl Kulas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magic, fae, geology, jerks

Karina is a college student working on her master's degree. Her brother, Christopher, is a professor of Shakespeare & other literature. Both are having a difficult time in life. Rina as Karina is nicknamed receives a scholarship to prove her thesis for her master's degree. Their adventures begin in Scotland. You'll have to read the book to get in on the fun & excitement. Awesome read with a few proof reading errors. Yet, it's totally understandable especially if you have add/adhd!

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good story, definitely a love story with a fantasy element. I especially liked the descriptions of the creatures that could not be seen by most people. I enjoyed the interplay between the characters, too. This is an adults only read as sex is definitely detailed in parts. It's a quick read, so if you like fantasies or love stories, just read it and decide for yourself.

(I received this in a goodreads giveaway.)

[Roger]

Gallowglass (Gallowglass #1), my first enjoyable read from author Jennifer Allis Provost . December seemed to be my month for new authors, January continued the trend, and now February. A well written, entertaining read, with intriguing, well-developed characters that I read in a single setting. “I received a free review copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." I look forward to reading more from this author & in this series. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).

[Jean Holtof · Rating 5 out of 5]

A time travel in disguise, Robert freed from his tree!! Karina unwittingly freeing Robert doesn't quite know what to believe even though she is doing her studies in everything Fae. A fabulous story that I enjoyed immensely. Loved the characters and the plot which unfolded in most unexpected ways. A first time reading this author and I look forward to reading more of her stories. Well done Jennifer and thanks for a very pleasurable read.

[Tahnia Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karina and her older brother Chris travel to Scotland after major dustups in their lives. Chris is suffering a breakup with the woman he loves and Karina gets a grant to do research for her MGeol. When they stop to see Ministers Pine on top of Doon Hill, Karina places her hand on the tree and makes a statement that will change her life. This story is scary at times, has action, romance, and a HEA. Highly recommended.

[Jeanéva Christie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A man out of time. A woman looking for answers.
This one was a bit of a slow burn, but what can you expect when the MMC, Robert is a centuries-old scholarly minister? But as he will be quick to remind you, he wasn't a priest. On the other hand, Karina is a doctorate student researching her thesis. What do these two have in common other than their scholarly natures? Nothing short of magic, of course.

[Jan Hawkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. I like paranormal novels and this is a good one. The characters were believable and interesting. It was written from the perspective of both Karina and her brother Chris. The premise of investigating the connection between paranormal activity and geological structures was a different take on the usual paranormal romance. Sexual content was there, but wasn't the focus of the story. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series "Walker".

JBH

[fred jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent paranormal romance with great characters, a three hundred year old Scottish warrior and an American scholar meet the World of the fae. Writing is excellent and the story flows well. Some interesting far creatures and well described locations . Overall a fun exciting read. I was given a complimentary copy of the book from Storyorigin and have left a voluntary honest review

[Elvira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Karina rescues Reverend Robert Kirk from his fairy prison. Than the real danger and action begins to throw obstacles throughout the storyline. The characters are engaging and well developed with plenty of chemistry throughout the pages and had me hooked from the star to the end.

I received a copy and am voluntary leaving my honest review.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fantasy for the ages, “Gallowglass” takes the reader into the realm of the Seelie Fae.

Read full review in the 2017 July/August issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gallowglass by Jennifer Allis Provost is a 4 star read.
Well this book got me right from the start, I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough just needing to finish it so I could find out what happened.
I voluntarily reviewed a gifted copy of this book.

[Kerry Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

The power of love

In a fey world where everything is turned upside down love alone remains a force to save.
The characters are deep and where the plot jumps blame it on the faireys.
A good read.

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gallow Glass is a very unusual Fae fantasy and I enjoyed it very much. The main characters are great and the storyline grabbed my attention and held it to the end. I look forward to reading book two.

[Trina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very different book from previous ones I have read. A quick read which had a few editing mistakes. Loved the Scottish speech of Robert, and the romantic relationship between he and Rina. Enjoyed all the Scottish folklore. The ending was not what I expected.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick template read

This happens and that happens and treats like a template. Not bad, Harlequin had been doing it for decades.
I like that there is little sex. I like the mentions of geology but for this book, it should be used more, teach us more about the subject.