The Making of a Highlander

Midnight in Scotland #1

by Elisa Braden

In Elisa Braden's enchanting new Midnight in Scotland series, the unlikeliest matches generate the greatest heat. All it takes is a spark of Highland magic.

"Make me a lady, and I'll make ye a Highlander." –Mad Annie Tulloch, Scottish lass

"Challenge accepted." –John Huxley, English gentleman

No lady can tempt him more than the next shore
Everyone wants handsome adventurer John Huxley to settle down—family, friends, London society. Everyone except John. He's evaded too many scheming title huntresses to trust in happily-ever-after. Now, a vow made to a dying friend has him locked in a land dispute with a stubborn Scot who offers one way out: Win the Highland Games. John likes a challenge, but this one's impossible. Still, with training from the Scot's stepdaughter, victory might be within reach. He only has to teach the fiery, foul-mouthed, breeches-wearing lass how to land a lord. It seems "impossible" is just getting started.

She's no lady—she's Mad Annie Tulloch
Everyone calls her Mad Annie. True, her best friend is a ghost. And yes, her greatest talents involve cooking for giants and taunting ridiculously handsome Englishmen. But she's not mad—she's desperate. To save her friend, Annie must marry a lord. The trouble is, no lord will look twice at a hoyden like her. This calls for "Lady Lessons," and she knows just the uptight Englishman to provide them.

When did a simple bargain become a battle of desire?
Amidst cursed castles, caber tossing, and questionable chaperones, John and Annie's wildfire attraction threatens to send their plans up in flames. And when Annie's family is targeted by a dangerous enemy, John is tempted to stay, to fight, and to win the greatest prize of all: A fiery lass's tender, loyal heart.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Audiobook, Paranormal, Regency

410 pages, Paperback

First published April 14, 2020

About the author

Reading romance novels came easily to Elisa Braden. Writing them? That took a little longer. After graduating with degrees in creative writing and history, Elisa spent too many years in “real” jobs writing T-shirt copy ... and other people’s resumes ... and articles about giftware displays. But that was before she woke up and started dreaming about the very unreal job of being a romance novelist. Better late than never.

Elisa lives in the Pacific Northwest, where you're constitutionally required to like the colors green and gray. Good thing she does. Other items on the "like" list include cute dogs, strong coffee, and epic movies. Of course, her favorite thing of all is hearing from readers who love her characters as much as she does.

If you're one of those, get in touch on Facebook (@authorelisabraden), visit her website (www.elisabraden.com), and - most importantly - be the first to hear about new releases, price specials, and awesome free bonuses by signing up for her email newsletter (bit.ly/ElisaNewsletter). It's easy, quick, and FREE.

Reviews

[Starr (AKA Starrfish) Rivers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a fan of the cover, esp. the woman. Here are my own inspirations:

Annie:





John:





All right. After this novel, Elisa Braden has officially become one of my fave HR authors! Right up there with Hoyt, Kleypas, Dare, Long and Balogh.

The sex scenes are best I think, so she has that edge.

Look, I might have scrunched my brow a little at one point (see notes below), but 90+% of this book was sheer humor and chuckles and pleasure. Loved reading it! Read it slowly so I can savor every word! Worth every penny! And y'all know how I hoard my pennies when I've already paid for KU!

Annie really took the cake. She's gotta be one of my fave HR heroines! Perhaps my VERY fave! I became very adept at understanding her accent after a while... some of my faves are:

*Dunae fash yerself
*Och, ye daft auld man
*Bluidy English!

And so on and so forth. I don't understand some of it, but still bust up laughing as I read :)

I can't wait for Broderick's book... PLEASE make it the next one!!! PLEASE! And please give him one of the Huxley sisters (I guess only one is left to take), please don't let it be that Lockhart sister! (I suspect it might be). God, that poor tortured man... I do love my tortured heroes!

But honestly, EB has outdone herself. Her best work yet. I don't know how she can beat this book! Very rarely does a heroine make me love a book even more than the hero tho John was lovely. I didn't quite love him as much in Robert's book, but he wasn't awful. I do hate man-whores, and he does seem like he was one of those. Even despite what happened when he was 16 (which came out of NOWHERE).

Small things... cover not great... small little nitpicks...

I still wholeheartedly give this 5 solid stars!

[EmBibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars

Despite the cover that looks like a fantasy online game poster, this was such a fun read.

And despite how hard it was for me to understand what the hell was Annie saying most of the time, she was such a delight and I enjoyed her character a lot. It was hard to follow what she’s saying with the way she speaks but then I, for some reason, started to like it and I found it so entertaining. She was the star of this book. She reminded me a lot of the red haired girl in Brave, the animated movie. Lol. Annie and John have that “opposite do attract” element and it was so enjoyable to read their interactions. The whole Macpherson family are super hilarious and I liked them a lot. The beginning was kinda slow for me and I felt like there were some lose ends or maybe that’s just me but other than that it was a decent read.

[Merry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend this book for its humor and characters. There is a slow burn romance that finds the H/h falling in love. I usually do not enjoy Scottish romances, but this was just so enjoyable. There is the crazy witch and the large lovable brothers. I found the mystery to be my only weak link, but others enjoyed it. 4.5*

[Lady Nilambari Reads HR · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars, yet again!

A Praise for Elisa Braden
Elisa Braden has risen quickly up the list of my favourite authors to read. Very rarely does it happen that an author can hold the reader's interest in multiple books spanning over multiple series, and Ms Braden managed to make 11 out of those 12 books, for me.

The Plot
John Huxley is in Scotland locked in a land dispute with the MacPhearson family, a craggy Scottish bunch, who are making his life as difficult as they possibly can. Here he meets, 'Mad Annie Tulloch' who is the step-daughter of Mr MacPhearson. The gauntlet is thrown by MacPhearson senior - Win one challenge of his choosing in the Highland Games and John can keep his land. Annie helps John with his games and he, in turn, offers 'Lady Lessons' as Annie wishes to marry a Lord, for reasons that may not make much sense in the beginning but fall into place if one willing to accept legends & beliefs of the Highlands.

"Make me a lady, and I'll make ye a Highlander." –Mad Annie Tulloch, a Scottish lass

"Challenge accepted." –John Huxley, English gentleman

What I Liked
- Multiple tropes are running in this book, John is running from his past trying to find himself, the MacPhearson family is trying to establish their business, ahem, legitimately, a murder subplot, revenge drama, a crazy Scottish old lady, familial ties, friendships & obviously, romance, but they all come together beautifully.
- There is a slight paranormal subplot, which I was a little sceptical about at the beginning but the more I thought about it I realised that it was the only way by which a character like Annie would ever consider wanting to marry a Lord and just like that, the imaginary friend/ spirit guide plot added up.
- The characters are delightfully fleshed out, the story holds its pace, conversations between everyone is witty, humorous and most importantly feels true to them. Mrs McBean was very fascinating for a batty old lady.
- The romance is wonderful. The sexual tension & chemistry is so pleasing. Overall the reader feels every emotion the characters feel. The storytelling felt honest.

The Hero
John was amazing, a complete sigh-worthy, swoon-worthy, awe-worthy, add any kind of worthy here kind of a hero. He loves his family, is polite, strong-willed, a good friend, wants to make something of himself, has travelled the world, had his rakish ways, has been hurt, works with his hands & is not a dandified Lord. He was a well-rounded hero. I would have liked some more details of his past though, about his upbringing & travels alike. Not complaining, just need more of John!

The Heroine
Annie was probably one of the best heroines I have read in a while. She was strength personified. Who doesn't love a sassy, sarcastic, foul-mouthed Scottish lass, who is honest to boot? She was loyal, empathetic & caring, even though the people called her mad. Her statements had me laughing out loud. She was rough around the edges but that's what made her so beautiful. She reminded me of Merida from the Disney movie - Brave.

Interesting Anecdote
- My husband lived in Scotland for quite some time and does an amazing Scottish accent, so I made him read out all the Scottish parts of the conversations, which made it so much more fun!

My Recommendation
A page-turner filled with beauty, romance, sexy times, angst and emotional overtones of every kind. Highly recommended, totally worth not sleeping to finish this book. I wait with bated breath for the next books in this series!

[Becky (romantic_pursuing_feels) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall: 4.5 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥
Humor: Yes!

(These are all personal preference on a scale of 1-5 (yours ratings may vary depending what gives you feels and how you prefer you sex scenes written, etc) except the Steam Scale which follows our chart from The Ton and Tartans Book Club )

Should I read in order?
Yes, and you should start with her Rescued From Ruin series. I picked this one up, and it was enjoyable, but there is character overlap from the previous series, and out hero in this book, John Huxley, has a number of sisters that are married in that series with their own stories. I found myself wishing I had started there.

Basic plot:
John is fixing up his Scottish estate and locked in a property dispute with a stubborn Scot that refuses to budge. He challenges him to win the Highland Games and he’ll get what he wants. Annie agrees to train him if he will teach her to be a lady – she’s desperate to save her friend and marrying a lord is a necessity for her.

Give this a try if you want:
- 1825 Scotland setting (Glenscannadoo)
- Hero/heroine bargain – John will teach Annie to be a lady if she helps train him for the Highland Games
- A very light touch of paranormal
- Medium steam – 3 full scenes but they are lengthy and developed, also some fade to black/remembered so it may feel hotter to you
- I felt like this was a slow burn, even though sex starts soon after 50% (could have just been my mood and interrupted reading of this book!)
- Hero loves first – he fights it a bit but once he decides it’s glorious
- Highlander heroine and English hero
- A bit of class difference feel
- Secret identity

Ages
- Hero is 34 and heroine is 24

My thoughts:
This book! I ended up LOVING it. I really struggled in the beginning. Life and just lots of interruptions I think really slowed the down the start for me. I kept putting it down and picking it up repeatedly. It felt a bit like the beginning was dragging for me and I kept moving on to other things instead. I started in January 29th and just finished so it took me over a month...

Well shame on me.

Because when I sat down and gave it an honest chance I just fell more and more in love with it. Few books really bring it the second half for me. If I am not sold on a book by 40% or so it usually doesn’t happen. But it did here.

I loved John as a hero. He was a bit standoffish at first – and you learn about why and his hurt later in the book. But I ended up enjoying how protective he was of Annie. He takes care of people – you can tell with his family and how much they love him and he shows it here – even before he has ties to Annie he repeatedly goes out of his way to do the right and good thing. I was worried at first we would have another hero that spent the book refusing to marry because of his past, but thankfully it took a complete 180 from that.

Annie was so unique. I really liked her spunk and her fearlessness. Despite being judged and bullied, she has such a big heart and cares for those around her. She still has her humor and her spark.

I just really loved them together! This was one of those romances that I felt the love – so many I don’t really feel that. I believed their love, I am convinced as I close the book they go vibrantly into their HEA. I love when a story paints a clear picture of that for me.

I love how much food and cooking was mentioned in this one. I loved that Annie showed her love through food and the men she cooked for mentioned it many times. Even if a fit of jealousy, John wonders who’s she’s going to make bread and gravy for.

As far as the paranormal aspect goes – well I’ll admit it was a little weird at first. But towards the ending (I’ll go into details below under spoiler warning) I actually quite loved this part of the book.



Here’s a few random parts that I wanted to note from the book


Paranormal thoughts -
Okay so she loses her ghost friend and must marry a lord and have a baby so her ghost friend can be born as her child. I was not feeling this at all lol. But wow, as it went on, especially that conversation with Mrs. MacBean when she explained that Annie had assumed those things and he actually wasn’t a ghost – I got goosebumps. I am getting them again just thinking about it. And the ending with the dreams and the white raven – absolute perfection. I ended up LOVING IT!

One of the big conflicts of the book between them was when she realized he omitted to tell her he was a lord. I would have been a lot more mad and unforgiving about him completely disregarding my feelings and reasonings for wanting to marry a lord than omitting that detail – but that’s just me.


The moment the book finally caught my attention and heart.

“Enough,” he uttered. Before she could smirk, he moved into her, forcing her to stumble backward. Then, he braced her lower back and turned their positions until he could bracket her against the table.
Her eyes flared as he loomed. Leaned in. Brought their mouths within inches and let her feel the difference in their sizes.
(some skipped)
He couldn’t help himself. Crowding her closer until the folds of her plaid pressed flat against his coat, he lowered his head and watched pink bloom bright in her cheeks. “I am a man,” he murmured in her ear.


Yes! I need more of this. The longing for each other in little ways that drives up the tension but they don’t even have to touch each other.

As he adjusted his coat’s buttons, he wondered what smelled so good. He’d noticed in before when she was near. Had she been cooking something because she came? She smelled….sweet. Clean. He frowned. Was it apples? Honey? He leaned closer, breathing deep. Sugar? No, richer than sugar. More floral and golden. Caramel, perhaps?
Whatever it was, it made him hungry. Ravenous, even. His hands tightened on the wool until they formed fists. He swallowed then saw she was staring at his mouth.


And this made my heart pitter patter

“Dinnae fash, English.” She flicked his coat’s lapel. “I’ll be gentle.”
With a swift motion, he trapped her wrist in his grip, dragging her close before encircling her waist and flattening her against him. “You think this is amusing.”
Amusing? Far from it. The sensation of being pulled tight against him shocked her sense. Stole her breath. Made her vision blur.
(some skipped)
The fingers of his free hand traced the top of her ear, sending shivers rippling across her skin. “You think you can ignore my warnings, laugh away the risk, and suffer no consequences.” He lowered his head until she felt hot, damp breath against her neck. “I understand why,” he whispered.
(some skipped)
“A gentleman seems so very harmless.”
(some skipped)
“When you’re alone with a man, nothing apart from his honor prevents him from taking what he desires.” His hand slip up from her waist to her breast. “Be it a touch.”
“Or a kiss.” He brushed his perfect lips across hers.
Suddenly, he grasped her thigh and raised it alongside his. Then, with a practiced motion, he ground his hips into hers, the hard ridge beneath his trousers taking the liberties he spoke of.


And Mrs. MacBean being hilarious

“Ah, he had a silver tongue, that John Brodie. Separated me from my virtue more than once, I can tell ye that.”
How a woman could surrender her virtue more than once, he didn’t know – and didn’t want to.
“’Twas when he brought out the butter and the honey jar, I said, ‘Och, no, ye scoundrel. The sixteenth time will be the last, by heaven.”


This made me sad. The gut clench at the thought of marriage – later I understood it better. His background and that he did want her, it was his hurt that makes him hesitate. But still I was like You butthole! lol

His ring? Cold flooded his body. No. He didn’t want a wife. He especially didn’t want one as frustrating and fiery and foul-mouthed as…
Annie. There she stood, chin tilted and cornflower eyes flashing.


Loved as he starts to fall for her wholeheartedly

At night, the craving had transformed into dreams so erotic, he’d become desperate to have them end – equally desperate to have them return. In the past, finding a willing woman to manage his needs had been simple. Women liked him. Always had. A playful grin, a bit of flattery. Easy.
Now, nothing made him grin but her.
Nothing made him hard but her.
Nothing made him want but her.


Ahhh jealousy – that toxic emotion that I adore

Would she accept a doddering, toothless man? A cruel, witless fool? He’d seen women marry worse to become a countess or baroness or marchioness. Who would Annie allow to touch her? Who would she let rut between her thighs, gurnting and huffing and sweating as he planted an heir in her belly? Who would she make fat on her bread and gravy? Who would she -
“Careful, Hux,” murmered Robert. “You’re going to shatter that glass.”



And here is when I really started falling for this book – yes! Yes! Stop the I can never marry again because someone hurt me. Go after her.

She mattered. He wanted her. Not for an hour. Not for a week.
Forever.
He wanted her in his kitchen. He wanted to watch those pretty hands making bread. He wanted her here in his study, teasing him about his fine manners and finer tea. He wanted to hear her pleasured cries echoing off the new paneling in his bedchamber. Feel her hair brushing his skin. Watch her cornflower blue eyes go soft then flow like blue fire.
He wanted his child in her belly.
His heart pounded, pulsing in his skin. Oh, God. Yes that was it.
Annie swollen with his child. His ring upon her pretty finger. His claim fully made.
She’d be his wife.
Bloody hell. She could be his.


Again, yes I eat this up in romance!

Nothing compared with those enchanting hazel eyes, the ones that now flared wide and raked her from head to two before settling on her bosom. Lingering. And lingering. And stroking. And lingering. His chest heaved on a breath. His cravat moved as he swallowed.


Mmmm yes

Suddenly, she was bent in half with her belly over his shoulder. He lifted and hauled her four paces to the bed, then tossed her like a bag of tatties onto the mattress. She bounced and oophed.
“Marry me,” he rasped.
(some skipped)
“I’m going to marry you. And you’re going to sleep here in my bed. You’re going to cook for me, woman.”



WHY DID SHE SKIP OVER THE BLOWJOB??? I wanted that to be a full scene, not a remembered paragraph.


Content Warnings:

Bullying
Judgments about mental health
Animal fur referenced with clothing
Violence, torture, death on page/remembered
Rape remembered – hero was raped when he was 16 by a governess in the house


Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:

27% - light kiss and fondling
55% 🔥 - kisses against a wall leading to a fingering orgasm for heroine
61% - kiss
64% 🔥 - kisses, breast play to orgasm, another with fingers and mouth, then full sex – missionary
76% 🔥 - fingering for her, against the door sex followed immediately by her on top, then missionary
79% - remembered sex – blow job, her on top and him on top in carriage – about 2 paragraphs
87% - alluded to sex

[MG *Bury Me with My Kindle.. & a REALLY Long Charger* · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 steamy opposites attract stars!

This series is a spin-off from the Married in Scandal series as the H (John Huxley) is the brother of three of the h's in the previous series and the best friend of one of the H's in that series as well.

While this story got off to a relatively slow start (it took a little more effort than usual for me to get into it), it kicked up and kept rolling soon thereafter and had me glued to the pages. A few things felt rushed and/or open-ended to me, so I am hoping that the author plans to resolve them in future installments in this series.

Full review to follow....

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very entertaining.

I love when the hero is down bad early and spends the entire book trying to lock down the heroine through any means necessary.
This was also a pretty slow burn but once the fire started it blazed. The last half of the book had some very low key breeding kink, which I didn’t mind because it’s what they both wanted.
I also loved the idea of the heroine teaching her Englishman how to be a proper Scotsman and how he didn’t quite get there but that made her happy because she loved his English ways.

I’ve read this author before but found her just ok, but I realize I’ve only read her novellas. That explains a lot as I don’t usually like novellas 😆. Now I’m excited to have a historical romance author that I can add to my roster as things have been dismal on that front lately.

Overall this was very sweet and I have already grabbed the next in the series from Libby.

[Crystal's Bookish Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was DELIGHTFUL! So unique, with a great fierce Scottish heroine and an English lord for a hero. Gave me strong Merida vibes from Brave. And talk about PINING, this hero was OUT of his mind for the heroine. I loved it.

[Ainhoa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one only took me thrice the usual time to finish.

You can picture the rest:

Me, bored waiting for them to get together.

Me, bored waiting for the ghost stuff to unravel.

Me, loving the couple when they finally get real and tell each other how they feel and she teases him yet again (that was cute and not boring)

Me, bored waiting for her to get a grip and believe in herself.

Me, bored.

The end.

[Keri · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those of you miss reading Elisa Braden, run, do not walk to you nearest digital outlet and let the spending begin. This is a new spin off series with John Huxley, the only brother of all the female Huxley's from Rescued from Ruin series. EB doesn't disappoint with this jewel of a book. I enjoyed it all in one sitting...couldn't put it down. Pay attention to the first part of the book as it is really important to the rest of the series. You don't have to read the other series to enjoy this book, but once you read this one, you are going to want to read the rest of her books. Well done!

[Mei · Rating 5 out of 5]

One word: FANTASTIC!!!

RTC...

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Huxley is surrounded by well-meaning family and friends encouraging him to give up his adventuring and settle down. But John has spent a good deal of time evading title-hunting harpies and doesn't have much faith that happily ever after is possible for him. When his dying friend leaves him land in the Scottish Highlands, John is happy to get away, but his intentions to sell the land are thwarted by a land dispute with a stubborn Scot. John loves a challenge so when the cantankerous Scot agrees to settle the land dispute if John wins an event at the annual Highland Games, he can't back down. This is an impossible task, but with the help of the Scot's stepdaughter, he just might stand a chance. The greater challenge will be teaching the fiery lass to be a lady, all the while not succumbing to her unlikely charms.

Annie Tulloch faces ridicule in their village for being a bit different and being raised by her stepfather, along with four stepbrothers, makes her a little rough around the edges. But to save a friend, she must marry a lord, which is problematic given her hoydenish ways. Fortunately she knows just the upright and proper Englishman to teach her.

Their lessons soon stoke a deeper bond and when Annie's family is threatened by a vicious enemy, John is shocked by his own need to step in to help and to win Annie's heart for himself.

I really wound up loving this book. It has everything: romance, steam, suspense, drama, humor. It was a real page turner once I got into it and was thankfully low on Angst. Annie was very outspoken and took some getting used to, but I wound up being charmed by her just like all the other characters were. I adored John's strength alongside his vulnerability and I think he's one of my favorite heroes I've read in some time. I was thoroughly charmed by the MacPherson men and I'm very much looking forward to the next book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Blog link: https://mustreadalltheromance.blogspo...

[Jultri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone called her Mad Annie. Until now, John Huxley hadn’t understood why. True, she occasionally talked to herself. But she’d always appeared sane enough to him—fiery and foul-mouthed, impertinent and utterly unconcerned with convention. But sane.

4.5/5. Oh my, this one is almost the perfect antidote to the heartbreaking despair we witness every day all over the world currently. It's been a long time since a book has made me laugh out loud so much. I highly enjoyed Braden's debut series, but this first book in her new series just raised the bar a notch. The star of the book is without a doubt Annie Tulloch, the hoydenish, straight-talking and fiery trews-wearing Highlander. Raised by her stepfather alongside her four brawny stepbrothers following her mother's death, what she lacks in size, she more than makes up for in attitude and spirit. If her sharp tongue doesn't keep the men in her household in line, her threat of refusing them a taste of her scrumptious home-cooking will do the trick.

When Englishman John Huxley intended to get away from London's frenetic marriage mart, he did not imagine himself still being chained to a cold, crumbling and haunted pile of bricks in the Scottish Highlands many months hence. As an adventurer who has been all over the world, he adapts relatively quickly to the harsh weather, language and even the unidentifiable food,

“What is it?” he inquired.
Marjorie MacDonnell, Dougal’s mother, grinned until her angular cheeks rounded. She used her apron to wipe her hands. “Skink, sir. Cooked as ye’d find it round Moray.”
Just how badly did these Scots hate him? Enough for poison?

but takes far longer to get used to the outlandish people, not least of all the outrageous daughter of the man responsible for him being stuck in the godforsaken place. She is nothing like the ladies of Paris or London, eschewing feminine stays and fashionable dresses and all sense of propriety.


She snorted. Shook her head. The Englishman was desperate to fit her into a frame he understood. Well, she didn’t fit. And he could stow his suppositions up his—

The insults flying out of her mouth are enough to make a seasoned man blush.

She eyed the calluses on his palms and fingertips before raising a brow. “Well, now, a man with only himself for company will test his grip a wee bit more than average. Careful ye dinnae go blind, English.”


“I want to marry ye—”
He smirked around a new mouthful. “I knew it.”
“—like I’d want a disease involvin’ pustules in unmentionable places.”
Swallowing nearly choked him.
“Given how many ‘better women’ have tossed their skirts to the skies for the honor of landin’ in yer bed, I’m guessin’ I cannae have one without the other.”

However, they soon work out that they need one another's assistance in order to reach their respective goals - he, to learn the ways of a Highlander to win a wager with her stepfather and she, to learn how to act more lady-like in order to marry a lord. Smoothing out Annie's rough edges turns out to be a far more demanding task than tossing large cabers around, especially when he becomes rather fond of said edges and her multitude of curves.

Annie was just the most lovable heroine. Tough and without any artifice, but with a hint of vulnerability and a genuine fondness for the males who took her in and raised her as one of their own. Her gruff but soft-hearted stepfather, in particular, was a dear.

“We’re like Highland thistles, you and I. Tough and stubborn. A mite hostile when we must be. Our nature doesnae suit everybody. But we grow where we’ve landed. We hold our ground. And we dinnae shrink from a fight, even when we’re trampled. Ye ken?”

John started off reserved and a bit surly, not because he's English but because he's dragged a bit of emotional baggage to the Highlands with him and was naturally distrustful of Annie's motives.

“First compromisin’ then seduction. Are ye still believin’ I’m here to trap ye into marriage?”
“In my experience, a woman only asks about a man’s wealth when she seeks to marry it. And a lady never asks.”
She held her arms out to her sides and looked down at herself. “Well, now, I havenae the sort of acquaintance with fine ladies and proper gentlemen as ye, English. And I must admit ye’re bonnie as a wee daisy clutched betwixt the teeth of a wee faery floatin’ over a wee waterfall made of sunbeams.” She grinned up at him. “But if this is seduction, I’m dyin’ a spinster.”


Despite his frequent exasperation with her unconventional behaviour, he nevertheless always treated her with respect and just a wee bit of protectiveness.

“We agreed you shouldn’t come here alone, Miss Tulloch.”
“Nah. You agreed. I let ye think ye were right. Sometimes a man needs a wee victory amidst all the losin’.”

Of course, it took him a while to concede that the human whirlwind that was Annie had well and truly knocked him off his feet.

“It’s damned disorienting, I know,” Robert said quietly. “The first time you realize what’s happened, it changes who you are.” He patted John’s shoulder, and even that small nudge set him off balance. Perhaps it was the whisky.

There's a bit of a paranormal subplot going on which is not usually my thing, but it worked well and helped to explain Annie as a person. Half a star was deducted for the ending which was slightly unsatisfying in terms of tying up loose ends regarding the villain's role. John Huxley is the brother of some of the heroines in the first series and quite a few of the characters from series one dropped in but this can definitely be read as a stand-alone. I'm looking forward to Broderick's book in the future (her affable and handsome brother who became a scarred and angry man after a prison ordeal during the course of the book).


“Good God, you are the most vexing—”
“Besides, ye havenae so much as kissed me, English. What sort of sullying can there be without kissin’? None at all, I’d say.”
He froze. Pinned her with a hazel gaze that burned gold. He mouthed a foul epithet then shook his head. “I won’t kiss you,” he breathed.
“I wasnae askin’.” Only a small lie, really.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

4½ stars.

Entertaining and charming read with interesting main characters.

The heroine (Annie) is strong/fierce and capable and caring …. but not a shrew.

The hero (English/John) is somewhat of a grump in the beginning ...but is also charming and sweet.

The couple had good chemistry.


The cover is a little bit mediocre…. And it is not very representative of how the heroine is described and portrayed in the book. (I pictured a shorter version of the actress Christina Hendricks.)

And what was mentioned about what happened to the hero when he was a teenager…. Seemed to come out of nowhere and added nothing to the story really …. but made that part of the story a little bit disjointed.

[Dagmar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing! I have become a dedicated Elisa Braden fan after reading and loving her Rescued From Ruin series.
The beginning of her Midnight in Scotland series proves, again, what an amazingly gifted writer she is.
The Making of a Highlander was completely captivating, unique, spicy, steamy and utterly brilliant. A story rich in Scottish lore and traditions. A love story for the ages alive with sizzling sexual tension, adventure and mystery, the most wickedly cheeky humour, all-consuming passion, and family bonds that will touch your heart. I adored every minute of it.

Historical romance perfection in every aspect.

[Lu Han · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my top reads of 2020 so freakin good!!
RTC

[Inna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars. Wow! I really liked this book. It’s so so good, and if the hero’s sex life wasn’t so thrown in my face constantly, I would have loved it.

This is the story of Annie and John… Annie is considered crazy by everyone around her because she had a ghost friend. Somewhat recently, the ghost vanished, and she is willing to do anything to get him back. A few people have also seen him, but most thinks she’s mad, hence her nickname “mad Annie”. John is an english lord, he inherited a property in Scotland and has been living there trying to restore it before selling. A lot happens in this story, but essentially, Annie asks John to help her become a lady because she believes her ghost will return to her, reincarnated as her first child. She must specifically find a lord to marry to achieve this goal, and doesn’t know that John is indeed a lord himself. They spend a lot of time together and start to grow feelings quickly, even though John is extremely weary of anyone wanting him for his title. Meanwhile, Annie’s brother (hero of book 2) is set up and thrown in jail and tortured while there. A large part of the storyline revolves around rescuing him and punishing those responsible for his injuries.

The hero and heroine do eventually get a really sweet HEA. I should also add, I loved both of them, but especially the heroine. She’s fantastic and so unique, I could read another book about her and still not get enough.


As far as safety, I would call this book SWE for me personally. The timeline is unclear, but the hero and heroine meet before the book begins. From what I can tell, he has lived in his broken down castle for at least a year prior to the story. For that time, he has been making trips to a woman in some nearby town. After the book starts, there’s a mention of how John must not be getting laid enough because he finds himself attracted to Annie (who at that time didn’t really do much to try to make herself attractive and was more wild than anything). There’s a very quick mention that even visiting the OW recently didn’t help abate his desire. At this point, their relationship hasn’t really progressed past antagonism, but was this really NECESSARY to add to the story? I don’t think so. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Then, the part that really irritated me was how often John’s past sex life was brought into the story. I felt like all his sexual escapades were just thrown in my face over and over again. I couldn’t even try to forget that he had been a huge manwhore. It really put a damper on my love for John. I did appreciate that the heroine specifically mentioned that she would likely get an STD from him since he’d been so free with his favors. Too bad that didn’t stop her. Also the heroine was a virgin, OFC. Anyways, that’s my rant about his manwhoreness, do with it what you will.

TW: Rape of male character(past memory), torture and disfigurement of side character (off page but we see the result), bullying (on page & memories)

[Missy · Rating 3 out of 5]

11-10-2022: It wasn’t what I expected but it wasn’t bad. I liked that the narrator spoke in a Scottish brogue for the heroine.

It’s kind of weird when books have time jumps but a welcome change of pace. I’m so used to the H/h falling in love and getting married within weeks of meeting each other.

It would appear that all of the hero’s sisters (except one) were heroines in Elisa Braden’s Ruined and Rescued series. I look forward to reading about the heroine’s brothers fall in love. Who doesn’t love big, strong Scottish men? 😏

4-5-2024: Upon relistening to the audiobook, I realized how much Elisa Braden likes to describe her characters’ eyes. Paraphrasing here:

-“Hazel eyes studied her from head to toe.” (The hero)
-“Corn flower eyes widened.” (The heroine)
And many, many more. It got annoying.

[T. Rosado · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 Stars!

Elisa Braden has slowly become a one-click author for me. Yet, I almost overlooked this book due to a paranormal element that was mentioned in some reviews. I want to thank Julia and Jessica for their encouragement to look past that element and read the book for its fabulous heroine and romance. In the end, the PNR aspect wasn't overly prominent and it actually endeared me to a small, but special character in the book, Reggie. While obviously not diagnosed in this historical, he quite possibly had Down’s syndrome. The author created this sweet and special boy, who along with Annie, were the only ones aware of Finley’s presence - an apparition borne of Scottish lore (possibly a selkie.) Beyond that small element, this was foremost, and specifically John Huxley and Annie Tulloch’s love story.

... and what a wonderful love story it was. The romance between John and Annie was perfectly plotted. It was lighter on the angst with no indecisive dithering from either party. The author also forgoes bleak backstories and horrible parentage and writes about two adults who are well-loved and supported by their families. At the same time, Annie is deemed "mad" by some in her village, but the support of her family is evident in her sass and tenaciousness. While John is reluctant to love after being hurt in the past, he's still optimistic that he can attain a marriage that mimics his happily married parents and siblings. Annie's family was most prominently featured throughout and I enjoyed the crazy interactions between them all, as well some of the more poignant moments.

In the end, I loved almost everything about this story. Annie was one of the most delightful heroines that I've read in a historical and John was a lovely hero all around. Their romance was beyond swoony and the tension was fantastic. The suspenseful moments were also very well done with a nice lead-in to the next book featuring Annie's brother, Broderick. Definitely, a top favorite.

[Morgan Many Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a glowing start to a new series from Elisa Braden that clearly shows this author is stretching her legs and testing her guns.

In a word, Annie Tulloch is magnificent. Braden deserves an award for creating such a character. Not to mention the creativity needed to craft someone of Annie’s wit. That is unmatched skill, I tell you.

Anyways, this is a such a lovely, and refreshing change to the Scottish/Highland historical romance trope. Braden weaves the Scottish myth and landscape with Highland “braw” to perfection. Often I find stories that take place in Scotland over emphasize certain things about the culture that makes it into a caricature that I find slightly offputing. Not this. Somehow, even with the ghost and spirit it is more true than most of what I’ve read.

Bringing us into this new series via John Huxley was a clever choice, as we FINALLY get his HEA after 11 books of one-word references to the elusive Huxley brother. Pairing him with the incredible Annie means we get a whole new family to fall in love with— The MacPherson men. It is skillfully written and a little longer than Braden’s usual length which I REALLY liked. It was nicely paced as a result, and I especially enjoyed that almost a year goes by in the story. John and Annie’s love is slow, and then all of a sudden but in the best way. And their banter is highly entertaining but so are their serious moments (a testament to Braden’s, frankly, unparalleled talent for dialogue—my biggest sticking point in any book). The secondary characters are equally fun and I am looking forward to Broderick’s story, which I understand is next. Either way, shifting the focus from London to Glenscannadoo was very welcome.

If you haven’t already read Braden’s stuff, I highly recommend reading her other series from start to finish. Then go straight from Book 10 to this. Totally worth every penny. Can’t wait for more.

[Mahima · Rating 4 out of 5]

**** 4.5 stars ****

Wow!!! I've seen highlanders in London but never seen any member of Ton to adapt to Scottish culture and livelihood.

Thankfully my year is ending with some of the really good books with strong storyline.
I loved :
⚫ ANNIE . I goddamn LOVED her character. She's probably become my favourite heroine by being so bold, caring and loving all at the same time.
God her accent!! The way she cuss around is EVERYTHING in the book.
Hero, John is a good character with strong traits as well.
⚫The supernatural part of Finlay and the white Raven was very perfectly written. The last dream part just shook me. I wasn't expecting it. Instead what I was expecting didn't happen 😂
⚫ Plotting and storyline both were amazing amazing amazing. Everything was so flawlessly carved. The way town people treat Annie. The way John handle things.... It didn't have any loopholes.
⚫One of my most favourite part was the relationship between Annie, Angus and all her brother. I couldn't believe she wasn't their real sister or the real daughter. The protectiveness they showed towards her and the care she showed was heart touching.

Okay the things that disturbed me were
⚫ Scottish accent made it difficult to complete it soon. It took way longer than normal.
⚫I wish I had started by reading the other series (rescued from ruins) first as I kinda got some spoilers on John's sister' life, nature, behaviour and some more minor details.
Ummm.... that's all. Rest was amazing.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great enemies to lovers story. It was incredibly well written with a fun heroine and a sweet hero (eventually). At first they don’t get along too well but the hero is attracted to the heroine anyway. As they spend time together they fall in love despite the heroine’s father trying to keep them apart. The secondary characters were great and I can’t wait to read their stories, especially Broderick’s story.

[Firstpella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Decades ago, I read McCullough's "Ladies of Missalonghi" and was entranced. I'm not one to purposefully buy a ghost story, but when it adds to the overall delight of a damn good romance, buying commence. Ashley has a terrific series featuring ghosts (though she stopped writing it a few years ago and only published a handful of stories) and McCullough had some scandal around "Ladies" due to some saying she plagiarized another writers genius but otherwise, there have not been many romance tales featuring ghosts I've read that hit the high marks for me.

Til Braden. Cause boy oh boy did I heart this story. Braden owned my ass after I read my first "Ruin" story (though it wasn't the 1st story in her Ruin series which I eventually read all of and through and through...more than 3 times and counting) - I wasn't excited about this story since Highlanders are not my vibe...and I at times feel I can barely read American English let alone trying to understand all the 'dinnea' and 'wee'. And there is a lot of wee in this Kindle...though nothing about the H is tiny.

The H and h were incredible - as people, as a couple. It took a year for them to happen and it's not until the book ends that you even realize all that time went by, you are so entrenched in their story. Her brothers...her Da and his potential new love interest...his wonderful sisters...and figuring out who purposefully and horribly hurt and imprisoned a family member who they all just save in the nick of time...oh yes, and the ghost...the spirit...the white winged...raven.

I sobbed like a wee baby. Braden is auto-buy.

[Grisette · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 stars

This is my 3rd Elisa Braden, and I have to say third time's the total charm! My previous reads of hers were middling reads, with good but also bad points. This one was quasi perfect! I loved the humour, the electric zing between Annie and John, their characters' layers, the sensual steam 😳🥵, the plot, the paranormal bits, the side characters, the world building - everything! Big kudos to Elisa Braden!

Isn't it pure genius to take the sole brother in the Huxley clan from the Rescued from Ruin series and make him kick off this new Midnight in Scotland series by pairing him with the sole sister of the MacPherson clan? And that surprising touch of pnr was just a perfect plot device, so smoothly done! I was a bit wary of the My-Fair-Lady trope because usually the teaching parts tend to make the plot lose its steam, but not here! In fact, in this book, the plot justification for Annie asking to be taught by John on how to be a lady and for him to accept worked so naturally.

This book was a real delight from start to finish, with these well executed tropes:

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Opposite attracts
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Enemies to lovers
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 He falls first (hard!)
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 My Fair Lady

As a bonus, John was real swoony, a totally sigh-worthy hero 🥰! But I also loved Annie's hoydenish character a lot - she was snarky and smart mouthed yes, but not grating at all. EB did wonders with the characterisation and banter between them ❤

What was needed for it to be epic perfect? Nothing much. Just maybe if the transition period (3 months!) where John realised he loved Annie (and Annie eventually had her own come-to-jesus moment soon after) had a little more internalisation prose to really powerfully explain how their feelings evolved.

All this gives me big hope for this new series. My heart broke for what happened to Broderick, so I will definitely read the next book. However, I do wonder whether I should still read the other 2 Huxley sisters books first or not.

[Lover of Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.

Introduction
The Making of a Highlander is the first book in the "Midnight in Scotland" series which follows the McPherson family. In this book we follow the sister of the clan. She is a bit of a outcast in their village and then we get her match, who is a Earl under disguise of just being a plain Englishman. This story implements a vast arrays of elements that seem to seamlessly blend so well together. This was also my first Elisa Braden and I was so impressed with it. It was just overall such a delightful story that was enticing and enjoyable. I had a blast with it, and I see now why so many love this author's work, she definitely has a writing style that is endearing and something that we need more in more recently publishing historical's.

The Main Protagonists
The Hero: John Huxley
-Earl
-Aristocrat
-In hiding from English Society
-Renovation

The Heroine: Annie McPherson
-Young sister of the McPherson family
-Caregiver
-See's Ghosts/Imaginary Friend
-Highland Lass
-Bullied
-Curvy and Plain
-Cook/Baker

Summary
John Huxley is just looking to escape the stresses of English society and find some peace after being hunted by scheming debutantes who just want his wealth and title. He wants to find something more in his life. He is now hiding out in the wilds of Scotland, and working on a land dispute and then meets the Scot's stepdaughter, Annie. Annie is known as "mad annie" because she has an imaginary friend who isn't so imaginary but everyone else believes that he isn't real but to her he has been her companion. When its revealed that its her destiny to marry a Lord, she seeks out John and they do a trade of sorts. She will give him Scottish lessons on being a Highlander, and in return he will train her in being a lady so that she can appeal to a titled lord. But soon the chemistry builds between them and they discover a match they least expected to find...

My Outlook
I really had such a fun time with this and the audiobook is really superb so I do recommend listening to this one if you can. I enjoyed seeing how this romance developed and there was so much to this story that was appealing. The set up of the story was very intriguing but we also have the mix of banter, sass and sensuality that blends so well within the storyline. I wasn't sure if this author would live up to the hype, but she does entertain. I am really intrigued to see where she plans on taking this series and exploring her backlist. There were many elements to this one that just worked out so well for me. The first one is that I loved the sexy bantering. These two have such a great attraction towards each other but they also have a strong passion and the way that this author writes steam, is just perfection. Her writing style was unique and refreshing. Its not something you see much anymore in historical romance, and it was so easy to just become so comfortable with this one and just indulge in the romance. It definitely won't be the last time that I choose to pick this book up. Definitely intrigued to see more of this family because they really captured my heart within this one!

Overall View
I found The Making of a Highlander to be a well done, perfectly portrayed, illustrious detailed romance that captured my heart and had me yearning for more!

Rating Evaluation:
Plot: 5/5
World Building: 4/5
Cover: 4/5
Hero: 5/5
Heroine: 4/5
Steam: 5/5
Heart & Feels: 4/5
Ending:5/5
Overall View: 4.5/5

[Christi (christireadsalot) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. The Making of a Highlander is the first book in Elisa Braden’s Midnight in Scotland series and one I couldn’t wait to get into! I read and loved the Rescued from Ruin series from this author and was excited to get to this series as it exists within the same universe of characters/has some overlaps.

This one has a fun start but it did start to lag in the middle for me. I thought it was okay but not a favorite from this author for me (I loved books in the Rescued from Ruin series more). I did love the ending bit though and how it picked up again! Annie is our sassy Scottish heroine and she wants John Huxley to teach her to be a lady as she intends to marry a lord one day. John does have a title and while he’s super interested in Annie, he wants to make sure she loves him and not his title. I liked how she calls John “English” all of the time and their banter was so much fun. I was smiling at a lot of their banter in the last 15% of the book. When these two finally get on the same page and she finally gives in and he finds her…🔥!

If you’ve read the Rescued from Ruin series, then you will have already met the Huxley family and John’s sisters. It was fun to see them make appearances at the end of this read. In the Rescued from Ruin series you get 4 of his 5 sisters books/romances already: Annabelle (Ever Yours, Annabelle), Jane (The Truth About Cads and Dukes), Maureen (Confessions of a Dangerous Lord), and Eugenia (A Marriage Made in Scandal).

[Lisa (Remarkablylisa) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was let down by this one!!! The romance felt forced and the writing was more telling than showing.

[Juliana Philippa · Rating 4 out of 5]

He wasn’t perfect, her Englishman, but the way he loved her was.

4.5 stars.
PROS: feisty and charming heroine; hero and heroine are honest about their feelings; hot chemistry and sweet love and affection; engaging and fun secondary characters
CONS: a bit slow to start; some murkiness and loose ends around the castle, terms of ownership, etc., which is an important plot driver (have reread it and increased rating from 4 to 4.5, but I’m not sure what I meant by this last point?)

Elisa Braden does it again! She is really such a talented author and one of the ones that doesn’t get as much attention as I think she should; she and Grace Callaway are similar in my mind in that sense—both so talented, write such great romances, quite prolific at this point, but not known as much as they should be, and so still not published in mass market paperback form.

This book was a bit slow-going at first for me, mainly because I was really not sure how I felt about the paranormal aspect. It’s not something Braden has incorporated before, so it caught me off guard. In instances like these, where the book is not a paranormal romance first and foremost, but rather a historical or contemporary one with minor paranormal elements, I never really know how to take it. (Amanda Quick’s Vanza series being the one exception!)

Annie Tulloch MacPherson, our heroine, has a small invisible ghost boy who has been with her 15-some-odd years, a friend who appeared to her shortly after her mother died. Others can’t see him (though there’s a neighborhood boy who could and another character who sees him, so ... I don’t know, I’m not really sure what the “rules” are). This boy, named Finlay, has been getting weaker and weaker recently until one day, not long after the book starts, he disappears, leaving Annie heartbroken. Finlay and related happenings later on are the paranormal aspect, and I didn’t really get it—or how I was supposed to feel about it, I guess—at the beginning, so I kept picking the book up and then putting it back down again.

It took awhile for me to warm up and really become invested or interested in both Annie and in John Huxley, our hero; Annie because of her Finlay-thing, and John because I didn’t get enough of his background or motivation initially and didn’t understand why he was there, what the whole issue with the house was or between him and Angus MacPherson, etc.

I’m glad I persisted though, because while it took me over a month to get past the 15% mark, I read the rest of the book within a 24-hour period.

I absolutely adored the dynamic between Annie and John. Annie is a friendly, smart-Alec, tomboy, who is very at ease with herself (generally-speaking); she freely teases and pokes at John, whom she somewhat affectionately calls “English.” She’s brash, straight-forward, blunt, honest, passionate, and caring—a Highland lass who is in stark contrast to John Huxley, son of an earl, who was raised in high London society and has traveled around the world.

He’s working hard to restore a castle that was left to him by a friend he met during his travels, and has living in the wilds of Scotland for the past 2 years with this goal in mind. There’s rules around who can live in it or sell it or something ... honestly, I don’t remember; it’s explained at the beginning, and I didn’t really understand the weird setup (which is a plot driver, so felt a bit contrived) and wasn’t trying too hard to, given I wasn’t much engaged.

Anyway, whatever the issue, it puts him in a kind of stalemate with Angus MacPherson, Annie’s stepfather. John has kind of exiled himself to this property and working day in and day out, by himself, roughing it, at this castle, far away from everyone he knows and loves. Annie knows him as a bit of a grump and stick in the mud, and she’s constantly wheedling him and he’s constantly annoyed by her ... though also intrigued, because she’s so unlike any other person—especially woman—he’s ever met. Very, very different than the society misses he grew up around.

Several plot contrivances force them to spend more time in each other’s company and they both become aware of the fascination and physical attraction they feel for the other person (both of them unaware that it’s reciprocated).

Once they start to interact more and the dynamic between them starts to change, I was quickly intrigued and couldn’t put the book down. I loved the teasing that goes on between them, and the chemistry builds between them very well—Braden writes sexy HR very, very well, and this was one of her best. They’re very much an opposites-attract type couple, but it 100% works and each is what the other needs.

What was also lovely was that neither is in denial about how they feel about the other person, nor tries to battle it ... okay, well there’s a little bit of battling that goes on, but it’s short (page-wise) and quite, quite entertaining. They come together relatively quickly, and are pretty open and honest with one another, so we get to enjoy them together more than we sometimes do in other romance books.

The “obstacle” or plot driver that requires the story to continue is a good one, but isn’t about them, meaning we get to enjoy their relationship as it develops, without those developments being the obstacles. There are definitely bumps along the way though, don’t worry—it’s in no way boring.

I am very intrigued to read Broderick’s story. He is one of Annie’s four brothers and the subplot heavily involves him, his frame-up for murder, and the months of abuse and torture he endures while in prison awaiting his trial. Very curious to see if he ends up being paired with a side female character, because given how they’re connected, that could be ... interesting, to say the least. Wouldn’t be surprised if Braden pairs them together, through either a revenge or a penance plot.

Nothing had prepared him for how he felt now, knowing she was his. The pressure expanded against his bones, demanding he take her over and over. Demanding he shout his claim to everyone in the glen. Everyone in the bloody world.

She was his. His.

This fiery, foul-mouthed, uncouth, unacceptable woman was his.

This doggedly loyal, tenderly sweet, fiercely passionate woman was his.

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 "Highland Lass" Stars!

Be still my Highlander loving heart! Once again, I have fallen for a Highlander. Only this time, it was a lass!! Annie was all the things! Brave, beautiful, hilarious, cleaver, loyal, fierce, with a tender heart and a sharp tongue. I adored her!!! I want to be her friend. Her wit and banter with John was golden! Top notch teasing aggravation. John didn't know what hit him and he never stood a chance. I really liked him too. He was jaded for just reasons but he was also a fierce protector and an obsessed (in the best way) man in love. Just took a minute to realize it. One of my favorite things about John was that he very much appreciated Annie's cooking skills. I do love when a way to a man's heart is through his stomach. At least in part. He also liked her other ample assets. 😉

There was a touch of paranormal that made me want to to do a little happy dance. I do love that unexpected touch of paranormal.

I want to see the whole family of gentle giant MacPherson men find there HEAs. Including Angus and possibly a certain dress maker... I am here for all the HEAs. Also the mystery here was very intriguing. The results of which have me itching to start book 2. I will be doing that right away! Happy reading!!

[daemyra, the realm's delight · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven’t finished the last 30% of the book but want to share my most important thought which is, John Huxley and Annie Tulloch are cute together. Annie is hilarious and her banter is some of the best I’ve read from a romance heroine. I thought this might be a stuffy Englishman with a “spicy” heroine pairing, but I like that John isn’t necessarily stuffy, as he appreciates Annie’s sense of humour, but just a little subdued.

John Huxley has been a character talked about since Elisa Braden’s Rescued From Ruin series, as a big-time traveller. To see him in the “arse crease of Scotland” in a castle bestowed on him upon his friend’s death is an interesting choice.

The lass that he has meant to be with? The fiery haired, sharp-tongued, and well-meaning Annie Tulloch.

The blurb is SO confusing for this book that it really put me off from starting this series. It’s this Highlander game? But also she wants him to teach him how to be a lady?

Because I started with the second book of this series first, I feel like this story is all over the place in terms of its plot. And honestly? I’m ok with that.

It’s a slow burn. No kisses until maybe the 50% mark? I’d say the most erotically charged scene is when he takes her to buy 35 dresses at Inverness.

In a bit of a Elisa Braden moment right now 💗