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Celtic Nights #3
Mad About Maddie
Everybody of picturesque Hanscomb Harbor knows about pretty shop owner Maddie Copeland's bad luck. Getting bitten by a dog has made her absolutely phobic about the critters. getting left at the altar has made her just as scared of romance. But when a summer resident, a dear, yet quirky, old man named James dies and leaves a will behind naming Maddie as his heir, her luck starts to look up--that is, until she meets James's handsome, bachelor grandson...
When Henry "Hank" Madison III hears the terms of his wealthy grandfather's will, he is outrage. If he wants to remain acting CEO of James's corporation, Hank must live in Hanscomb Harbor for six weeks, with not a laptop in sight. And if that isn't bad enough, he has to share his inheritance with some blond bombshell! But Hank isn't about to let some gold-digger rob him of what's rightfully his--even if she does take his breath away every time she is near...and even if he is hopelessly losing his heart to her.
When Henry "Hank" Madison III hears the terms of his wealthy grandfather's will, he is outrage. If he wants to remain acting CEO of James's corporation, Hank must live in Hanscomb Harbor for six weeks, with not a laptop in sight. And if that isn't bad enough, he has to share his inheritance with some blond bombshell! But Hank isn't about to let some gold-digger rob him of what's rightfully his--even if she does take his breath away every time she is near...and even if he is hopelessly losing his heart to her.
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
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281 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
June 1, 2021
This is the third book in the Celtic Nights Series, I find the author's ability to weave a plot into myth and legend very intriguing. Eva MacArthur knows she has a purpose in life but all seems lost when she is betrothed to the dreadful Cambell, especially as her heart lies with Lachlann MacKerron, her childhood friend and companion. The background to the story is interesting, especially as Lachlann is the champion of not one but two strong women who will stand for what they believe. Parts of the book were very slow-moving and there was more technical detail on sword making than I found necessary, but ultimately the sword wins the day. I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily post this review. This is my honest review.
June 1, 2011
I have to admit that I didn't have high hopes for this book. I have had it on my TBR list for 3-4 years, maybe longer. When looking over some books I was trying to swap, the description for Mad about Maddie caught my eye and it again sounded promising. I broke down and tried it. It wasn't pleasant but I'm pleased that I didn't waste a load of time on it. I was able to skim through it to get the highlights. Not that there were any to be found.
I dislike giving really bad reviews but this is an exception. The writing is amateurish with much repetition and no plot. The description of the book is basically all that goes on. The old fellow dies and leaves his worldly goods to the girl he met while vacationing leaving out his grandson who is required to live without any work for 6 weeks in the same town as the girl. Big surprise that the 2 get together and all is well, since it is a romance. I thought that the heroine was too squishy and chicken. Who's afraid of dogs? But, oh yes, she gets over her overwhelming fear of dogs real quick when she is forced to take care of the old guy's dog. And the hero doesn't seem to be a real prize either. He does have a great affection for his dear old, of course quirky, too, and the deceased grand dad. He has had no success with the female population and had no thoughts of settling down until he is forced to and suddenly becomes smitten with the heroine. All very unlikely and that's about all that happens. The secondary characters are minimal and not realistic. A big disappointment. Sometimes your gut tells you when to leave a book on the shelf. We should listen!
I dislike giving really bad reviews but this is an exception. The writing is amateurish with much repetition and no plot. The description of the book is basically all that goes on. The old fellow dies and leaves his worldly goods to the girl he met while vacationing leaving out his grandson who is required to live without any work for 6 weeks in the same town as the girl. Big surprise that the 2 get together and all is well, since it is a romance. I thought that the heroine was too squishy and chicken. Who's afraid of dogs? But, oh yes, she gets over her overwhelming fear of dogs real quick when she is forced to take care of the old guy's dog. And the hero doesn't seem to be a real prize either. He does have a great affection for his dear old, of course quirky, too, and the deceased grand dad. He has had no success with the female population and had no thoughts of settling down until he is forced to and suddenly becomes smitten with the heroine. All very unlikely and that's about all that happens. The secondary characters are minimal and not realistic. A big disappointment. Sometimes your gut tells you when to leave a book on the shelf. We should listen!
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June 20, 2016Couldn't finish.. Taking a break from chick lit, I have no intention of coming back to this book though. It's not worth it..
May 25, 2021
A Light and Dark Middle Ages Tale
As she sees it, the fate of Eva's clan is on her shoulders. However, her heart belongs to the one man who can never be hers.
As he sees it, the woman he loves is out of his reach, which is why he must leave.
The Sword Maiden is an intense and somewhat dark read that relies heavily on the beliefs and legends of fairy magic in fifteenth century Scotland. Although descriptive and well constructed, the story pace is bogged down a bit by too much thought-dialogue and internal angst. Also, Susan King liberally uses the barbaric practices of that period to keep the fear factor high and the reader on edge. The passion between Eva and Lachlann is born of friendship that has matured into a deep love. The fruition of their love comes full circle in the sweet and happy epilogue.
Content 411: This books contains very little swearing, however it does have a couple of moderately described sexually intimate scene.
Disclosure: I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
As she sees it, the fate of Eva's clan is on her shoulders. However, her heart belongs to the one man who can never be hers.
As he sees it, the woman he loves is out of his reach, which is why he must leave.
The Sword Maiden is an intense and somewhat dark read that relies heavily on the beliefs and legends of fairy magic in fifteenth century Scotland. Although descriptive and well constructed, the story pace is bogged down a bit by too much thought-dialogue and internal angst. Also, Susan King liberally uses the barbaric practices of that period to keep the fear factor high and the reader on edge. The passion between Eva and Lachlann is born of friendship that has matured into a deep love. The fruition of their love comes full circle in the sweet and happy epilogue.
Content 411: This books contains very little swearing, however it does have a couple of moderately described sexually intimate scene.
Disclosure: I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
September 26, 2019
Another beautiful legend within a legend and also involves The Maid of Orleans' broken sword. It also tells of the madness in some delusional men who do not know how to separate reality and legend and who thought that the owning the legendary Sword of Light and everything else connected to said Sword would give them dominion over all despite their black hearts and black deeds. Though I was a bit annoyed by Eva for allowing Colin to bully her into a betrothal... but I could also relate to her panic and indecision given Colin's intimidation tactics, but then when a person of honor deals with someone without honor... the dishonorable one almost always gets the upper hand... though Colin got his just desserts in the end.
May 18, 2021
I was hooked from the start and drawn into the lives of Eva and Lachlann and how they were destined for each other from the start. The lives of these two are deeply intertwined with their local legends and a healthy amount of skepticism that makes the story more realistic. The recurring theme in Lachlann's life is 'maidens with swords' since he was also a protector to Joan of Arc while serving his required 3 years military service for Scotland. The story pacing gives you just enough information to understand each scene and then pulls you into the next piece of the journey. There are also a few unexpected twists that keep the plot from being too predictable.
I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
January 27, 2024
Decepción es la palabra que describe lo que he sentido al leer esta novela. Ya había leído antes a Susan King, y me habían gustado sus libros. Incluso tengo uno de ellos, El señor del viento, en mi lista de favoritos. Así que no dudé en leer este. Y no reconozco en él a su autora.
En esta novela abusa de la narrativa, deleitándose en explicar el funcionamiento de una fragua, los sentimientos de sus dos protagonistas y demasiadas escenas eróticas. Hay muy poco diálogo, lo que hace que te aburras y te cueste centrarte. Reconozco que me he saltado páginas, y no solo las eróticas, para poder avanzar. Tiene 286 páginas. Para mí sobran 200. Pero es solo mi opinión.
En esta novela abusa de la narrativa, deleitándose en explicar el funcionamiento de una fragua, los sentimientos de sus dos protagonistas y demasiadas escenas eróticas. Hay muy poco diálogo, lo que hace que te aburras y te cueste centrarte. Reconozco que me he saltado páginas, y no solo las eróticas, para poder avanzar. Tiene 286 páginas. Para mí sobran 200. Pero es solo mi opinión.
June 2, 2021
The Sword Maiden is an exciting period romance about a blacksmith, a legend, and two powerful women. This is an entertaining read with history included in the story.
Contains graphic sex scenes.
"I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review."
Contains graphic sex scenes.
"I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review."
May 31, 2018
3 stars
The female lead is strong, but the overall relationships between the main characters were bland and the events were predictable.
The female lead is strong, but the overall relationships between the main characters were bland and the events were predictable.
August 24, 2018
Wonderful story
Loved this book! Wonderful characters and an exciting plot made it impossible to put it down! Sure kept my interest! Great read!!
Loved this book! Wonderful characters and an exciting plot made it impossible to put it down! Sure kept my interest! Great read!!
July 20, 2025
I could not get past the prologue of this book. Does the writer not own a thesaurus?
February 17, 2011
I've read other people's reviews and have to say that while I haven't read any of the other two books in the Maiden Trilogy, I absolutely LOVED this one. This is the first Susan King book I read, but I read the Spanish version since I came across that one first, so I cannot answer for differences with the original one.
Still, I found "The Sword Maiden" an entertaining read if you don't take it too seriously. If you're bored at home and want to read a quick but still somewhat exciting book, this is for you.
POSITIVE POINTS:
· BEGINNING. I often have to force myself to read the first chapters of books, since I get bored (yes, THAT quickly!) and abandon a book before even giving it a shot. Well, there's no chance of that happening with this one. The novel goes straight to the point and avoid unnecessary descriptions, its quite quick paced.
· PERSPECTIVES. The novel fluctuates between Eva and Lachlann's (the main characters) POV, so it's a nice way to see where they both stand and how they feel about situations.
· DIALOGS. There are A LOT of them, as well as a lot of of romantic scenes and tension, for those too anxious (Note: If you are among those -as I am- who can't help but sometimes turn someor lots of pages to see if there's any exciting romantic scene between characters, this is also your book cause that's almost never gonna happen to you).
· CHARACTERS & LOVE STORY. Eva and Lachlann are likeable, and deep for the novel. I've seen longer and much more complex novels which you finish and realize you didn't really get to know the characters. The love story is also deep, funny, sweet, and quite realistic (Well, if we consider is a fantasy book with myths, legends, fairy lore and magic swords)
NEGATIVE POINTS:
· ENDING. It is very predictable and sort of lame, as if they ran out of paper and decided to wrap things up quickly. But as I said, if you don't take it too seriously then you'll still finish the book feeling good about it nonetheless. That's the only reason I didn't choose 5 stars instead.
· ACTION. If you are looking for an action-packed novel. This is not for you, either. There are not many thrilling scenes, and the ones that do exist often digress into another romantic one. That's for you to evaluate according to what you like. I didn't mind that.
· BLACKSMITH STUFF. Whatever description I was glad not having at the beginning, well, it's here. There are a lot of details about sword-making and Lachlann working. That was not a major issue for me, but still, since I noticed that many people didn't like this, I have to admit that these descriptions do exist and get a bit boring sometimes.
All in all, I loved it. But again, bear in mind is a short book intended to make you have a good time.
Still, I found "The Sword Maiden" an entertaining read if you don't take it too seriously. If you're bored at home and want to read a quick but still somewhat exciting book, this is for you.
POSITIVE POINTS:
· BEGINNING. I often have to force myself to read the first chapters of books, since I get bored (yes, THAT quickly!) and abandon a book before even giving it a shot. Well, there's no chance of that happening with this one. The novel goes straight to the point and avoid unnecessary descriptions, its quite quick paced.
· PERSPECTIVES. The novel fluctuates between Eva and Lachlann's (the main characters) POV, so it's a nice way to see where they both stand and how they feel about situations.
· DIALOGS. There are A LOT of them, as well as a lot of of romantic scenes and tension, for those too anxious (Note: If you are among those -as I am- who can't help but sometimes turn some
· CHARACTERS & LOVE STORY. Eva and Lachlann are likeable, and deep for the novel. I've seen longer and much more complex novels which you finish and realize you didn't really get to know the characters. The love story is also deep, funny, sweet, and quite realistic (Well, if we consider is a fantasy book with myths, legends, fairy lore and magic swords)
NEGATIVE POINTS:
· ENDING. It is very predictable and sort of lame, as if they ran out of paper and decided to wrap things up quickly. But as I said, if you don't take it too seriously then you'll still finish the book feeling good about it nonetheless. That's the only reason I didn't choose 5 stars instead.
· ACTION. If you are looking for an action-packed novel. This is not for you, either. There are not many thrilling scenes, and the ones that do exist often digress into another romantic one. That's for you to evaluate according to what you like. I didn't mind that.
· BLACKSMITH STUFF. Whatever description I was glad not having at the beginning, well, it's here. There are a lot of details about sword-making and Lachlann working. That was not a major issue for me, but still, since I noticed that many people didn't like this, I have to admit that these descriptions do exist and get a bit boring sometimes.
All in all, I loved it. But again, bear in mind is a short book intended to make you have a good time.
November 27, 2010
This book dragged on and on. It needed serious thinning. The heroine kept going into these long drawn-out internal rambles that drove me insane. I wanted to tell her to stop babbling, even if it was just mentally. I think this book would have made a good catagory romance if all the extra padding had been removed. I just wanted the author to get to the point.
What bothered me the most was the hero. Why do so many romance authors think that sleazy innuendoes = sexy hero? It doesn't. It just makes the hero sound lame. For instance, the hero and heroine have barely met, next thing you know they are kissing like there's no tomorrow, and the hero is saying, "I want to lay you down right here and take you." And instead of acting like a normal woman and slapping his face, she's instead melting and gasping, "Oh Hank, we can't." Huh?
It gets worse. Just before all the kissing, the heroine had been startled and spilled her wine on the hero's shirt. After all the desperate kissing, her clothes are also wet. And she says, "I'm all wet." To which the hero replies, "If you weren't, I'd think I was slipping." Am I supposed to swoon now? Was that supposed to be sexy? That sounded like the lamest bar line, and if any man used it in real life, a woman would probably laugh in his face, not melt all over him. And this exchange takes place less than 40 pages in! It was just not believeable.
It's not that I have a problem with sexual tension. In fact, I've been annoyed at many a book for having no spark between hero and heroine. Chemistry is important in a romance novel. But it can't be forced or rushed, but that's what happened here. A romance novel should make you sigh with happiness, not snort in disbelief.
What bothered me the most was the hero. Why do so many romance authors think that sleazy innuendoes = sexy hero? It doesn't. It just makes the hero sound lame. For instance, the hero and heroine have barely met, next thing you know they are kissing like there's no tomorrow, and the hero is saying, "I want to lay you down right here and take you." And instead of acting like a normal woman and slapping his face, she's instead melting and gasping, "Oh Hank, we can't." Huh?
It gets worse. Just before all the kissing, the heroine had been startled and spilled her wine on the hero's shirt. After all the desperate kissing, her clothes are also wet. And she says, "I'm all wet." To which the hero replies, "If you weren't, I'd think I was slipping." Am I supposed to swoon now? Was that supposed to be sexy? That sounded like the lamest bar line, and if any man used it in real life, a woman would probably laugh in his face, not melt all over him. And this exchange takes place less than 40 pages in! It was just not believeable.
It's not that I have a problem with sexual tension. In fact, I've been annoyed at many a book for having no spark between hero and heroine. Chemistry is important in a romance novel. But it can't be forced or rushed, but that's what happened here. A romance novel should make you sigh with happiness, not snort in disbelief.
November 12, 2015
When I received this book I was so excited to read it. Unfortunately the book was so slow and long winded in many areas that I found it hard to finish the book. I'm ashamed to say that I put this book down and read a different book until I could muster up the strength to continue reading it and finally finish it. I did however eventually finish reading the book and I wish I could rewind time and save myself the time.
The book started out outstanding when it opened with Maddie attending the funeral of her friend, an older gentleman who befriended her every summer for the last few years while she lived in a small town. After his death she finds out that he leaves much of his wealth to her with stipulations that make her have to spend time with his nephew.
The rest of the story is about their mutual attraction, miscommunication, ill timing and a crazy man's "Last Will and Testament".
The book started out outstanding when it opened with Maddie attending the funeral of her friend, an older gentleman who befriended her every summer for the last few years while she lived in a small town. After his death she finds out that he leaves much of his wealth to her with stipulations that make her have to spend time with his nephew.
The rest of the story is about their mutual attraction, miscommunication, ill timing and a crazy man's "Last Will and Testament".
September 29, 2019
Maddie Copeland has bad luck and everyone in her town of Hanscomb Harbor knows it. Her parents were killed in a crash on their way to see her and her fiance left her standing at the altar. Now back and a gift shop owner, an elderly man she has become friends with over 3 summers has died and she's now responsible for his funeral and cremation. A week later, his grandson shows up and Maddie discovers at the reading of the will the old man was filthy rich - Fortune 500 - and he's left it to her and his most eligible bachelor grandson if Hank stays in Hanscomb Harbor for six weeks. Maddie and Hank are instantly attracted, but he thinks she's a gold digger at first and she's the "no happy endings princess". The story turns out to be mediocre - too much agonizing about the attraction - not enough action for the length of the book. Relatively clean, but not a huge success.
January 18, 2015
Simple modern phrasing, x-rating. Too much faery. Eva believes legends of faery sword "someday she might have to fulfill a legend" p 69. Lachlann uses old "faery" methods to rework Jehanne's (Joan of Arc) sword. The lovers share the same bed "the burn ran all through her" p 197.
January 11, 2020
There were moments when I loved this book and moments when I felt like I was dragging through it, almost as if two different authors were taking turns writing pieces of the same story. This was especially true with the characters of Hank and Maddie and their inconsistencies. I’m appreciative of the happy ending, but also felt like it was a little hokey, the letter from James in particular.
January 2, 2010
This was so funny! She inherits all of his grandfathers estate, unless he takes a vacation, and it is clear that the deceased grandfather hoped that they would fall in love. Except... the grandson thinks she is a gold digger and had a fling with his grandpa!
January 2, 2015
Great read
I enjoy these books that have confirmed history embedded in them it makes it much easier to place yourself in the story with the characters. This is a wonderful book and I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
I enjoy these books that have confirmed history embedded in them it makes it much easier to place yourself in the story with the characters. This is a wonderful book and I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
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March 8, 2008just a light fun read
June 2, 2009
The Sword Maiden was the least favorite in the series. It was very repetitive.
April 15, 2013
Have read her books many times over a nice read
Read
October 14, 2013Hermoso, que lindo conocer a través de un libro el arte de la herrería :)
December 3, 2014
Loved this book
Susan King is one of my favorite authors. If you like highlander romances these 3 books are very good reads.
Susan King is one of my favorite authors. If you like highlander romances these 3 books are very good reads.
January 8, 2024
At times I enjoyed it and some times I felt the storyline was dragging. It was good enough for me to finish it though!
November 12, 2017
Celtic
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews