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Castle Blackstone #1
A Man In A Kilt
A LONELY LAIRD
Duncan MacDougal, the laird of Blackstone, was cursed centuries ago to wander as a ghost within the echoing walls of his island castle --- and only one woman can free him. Can it be the new mistress of Blackstone, just arrived from over the sea? Duncan has heard that pretty Miss Elizabeth Pudding is no more than a cook --- and she hails from a barbarous land called the Bronx. But she must learn the ways of a lady all the same --- and she must stay at Blackstone for six long months to inherit. 'Tis time enough to teach her --- and time enough to woo her ...
AN ENCHANTING LADY
Beth has seen the handsome specter from the day she crossed the threshold of Blackstone. Duncan MacDougal is a tall, translucent figure with black hair and piercing blue eyes. Yet a mist separates him from the land of the living ... a mist as strong as cold steel. It is said that only love can dissolve it --- and bring the man of her dreams to warm, breathing life.
Duncan MacDougal, the laird of Blackstone, was cursed centuries ago to wander as a ghost within the echoing walls of his island castle --- and only one woman can free him. Can it be the new mistress of Blackstone, just arrived from over the sea? Duncan has heard that pretty Miss Elizabeth Pudding is no more than a cook --- and she hails from a barbarous land called the Bronx. But she must learn the ways of a lady all the same --- and she must stay at Blackstone for six long months to inherit. 'Tis time enough to teach her --- and time enough to woo her ...
AN ENCHANTING LADY
Beth has seen the handsome specter from the day she crossed the threshold of Blackstone. Duncan MacDougal is a tall, translucent figure with black hair and piercing blue eyes. Yet a mist separates him from the land of the living ... a mist as strong as cold steel. It is said that only love can dissolve it --- and bring the man of her dreams to warm, breathing life.
315 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
81 people are currently reading
1266 people want to read
About the author
Sandy Blair
13 books83 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Award winning author Sandy Blair has slept in castles, knelt in cathedrals where kings and queens have been crowned, dined with peerage, floated along Venetian canals, explored the great pyramids, misplaced her husband in an Egyptian ruin (she continues to deny being the one lost,) and fallen (gracefully) off a cruise ship.
Winner of Romance Writers of America© Golden Heart for Best Paranormal Romance, Sandy’s debut release A MAN IN A KILT also won the 2004 National Readers Choice Award for Best Paranormal Romance and was a 2005 RITA finalist.
Sandy loves writing about the past. "I find it easier to suspend my own disbelief when thoroughly immersed in a time when nobody worried about political correctness; when men were wonderfully alpha and had no idea they even had a feminine side, much less worried about getting in touch with it." She often adds a touch of the paranormal to her tales believing the very possibility expands the imagination, which in turn gives her latitude with humor.
Her second release, A ROGUE IN A KILT, received Romantic Times Magazine’s 4 ½ star Top Pick rating and was a National Readers Choice Awards finalist. Her third, The Accidental Duchess in the anthology HOW TO MARRY A DUKE, won the 2006 Golden Quill Award for Best Novella. Her books are now available in four languages and can be found in a dozen countries.
When not writing, Sandy dabbles with watercolors, is a charity fundraiser, and loves to entertain family and friends at home. She claims the secret to hosting a successful dinner party is setting a pretty table and serving lots of wine before the meal.
She currently resides in Texas with her husband.
Award winning author Sandy Blair has slept in castles, knelt in cathedrals where kings and queens have been crowned, dined with peerage, floated along Venetian canals, explored the great pyramids, misplaced her husband in an Egyptian ruin (she continues to deny being the one lost,) and fallen (gracefully) off a cruise ship.
Winner of Romance Writers of America© Golden Heart for Best Paranormal Romance, Sandy’s debut release A MAN IN A KILT also won the 2004 National Readers Choice Award for Best Paranormal Romance and was a 2005 RITA finalist.
Sandy loves writing about the past. "I find it easier to suspend my own disbelief when thoroughly immersed in a time when nobody worried about political correctness; when men were wonderfully alpha and had no idea they even had a feminine side, much less worried about getting in touch with it." She often adds a touch of the paranormal to her tales believing the very possibility expands the imagination, which in turn gives her latitude with humor.
Her second release, A ROGUE IN A KILT, received Romantic Times Magazine’s 4 ½ star Top Pick rating and was a National Readers Choice Awards finalist. Her third, The Accidental Duchess in the anthology HOW TO MARRY A DUKE, won the 2006 Golden Quill Award for Best Novella. Her books are now available in four languages and can be found in a dozen countries.
When not writing, Sandy dabbles with watercolors, is a charity fundraiser, and loves to entertain family and friends at home. She claims the secret to hosting a successful dinner party is setting a pretty table and serving lots of wine before the meal.
She currently resides in Texas with her husband.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
October 5, 2018
While I did enjoy some aspects of this story, some also left me just wanting more. I’m always a sucker for time travel romances involving ghosts and curses but I also enjoy getting the back story about why and how the curse was set, not just seeing it broken and everyone living happily ever after. So that did affect my enjoyment of the story a bit, I wanted to know the how and why! Other than that, it was quite an enjoyable story.
December 8, 2013
The Laird is a reprint of A Man in A Kilt which is out of print now. If you have read or have a copy of the original book, there is no need to get The Laird. Nevertheless, The Laird is a page turner. The story is amazing, fully of twists and turns. The book is well written and well edited. I have really enjoyed this book.
May 15, 2013
4.5 Stars - The Laird is a wonderful romance set in both modern times and in the historic highlands of Scotland. It tells the story of Beth, a young woman with a heart-breaking background whose spirit and inner beauty captured my heart right from the very beginning.
Beth is the antithesis of most heroines in romance novels in the sense that she is described as 'plain' in appearance. She desperately longs to love and be loved but has resigned herself to a life without this heart's desire.
She unexpectedly inherits a castle in Scotland which is haunted by a ghost who has been trapped by a curse. She could be the chosen one who can break this curse but he won't know unless he takes her back in time with him.
Sandy Blair has woven a wonderful tale of love, honour, clan loyalty, betrayal and adventure. I found myself fascinated by Beth's experiences in her time travel to the past and Blair writes with a humour I really enjoyed and I found myself chuckling aloud on many occasions.
Duncan, the hero is a sexy, hunk of a man with a strong sense of honour and bravery.
This book was a delight from beginning to end and I would recommend it to romance lovers of all kinds!
Beth is the antithesis of most heroines in romance novels in the sense that she is described as 'plain' in appearance. She desperately longs to love and be loved but has resigned herself to a life without this heart's desire.
She unexpectedly inherits a castle in Scotland which is haunted by a ghost who has been trapped by a curse. She could be the chosen one who can break this curse but he won't know unless he takes her back in time with him.
Sandy Blair has woven a wonderful tale of love, honour, clan loyalty, betrayal and adventure. I found myself fascinated by Beth's experiences in her time travel to the past and Blair writes with a humour I really enjoyed and I found myself chuckling aloud on many occasions.
Duncan, the hero is a sexy, hunk of a man with a strong sense of honour and bravery.
This book was a delight from beginning to end and I would recommend it to romance lovers of all kinds!
May 13, 2015
Thoroughly enjoyable, light romance with time travel and ghosts!
November 16, 2015
Well, I can't compare this to Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon....because I haven't read any in that series (they look incredibly long, which is ironic when I consider The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett to be one of my all-time favorite books. And perhaps that is the point of this review.....I read Follett when I had only one child. Now I have four, ages 18-9, so the luxury of such reading has not yet come back to me)....this book was quite exquisite for its purpose. Light and enjoyable, it was also surprisingly romantic and insightful. And quick. Now, there is a drawback to quick....some readers will take issue with the ambivalence of the heroine Beth. I expect to read negative comments on the romantic portrayal of "not-entirely consensual" sex as degrading to women, etc. Perhaps. I choose (which seems unfortunately rarer and rarer these days) to NOT be offended, hurt, protective, indignant, et al....after all, this is fiction. And historically speaking, the laird is, in fact, ahead of his time.
Having spent a semester at the University of Edinburgh during graduate school, I found this book touching my own memories of exploring the culture and people, castles and lochs of Scotland. I applaud the author for capturing the ambiance and feel of, at least in my imagination, the highlands of Scotland roughly 600 years ago. The story was engaging. It was unpredictable at times, but true to the characters. If you are looking for a thoroughly fun, romantic story....start here.
Having spent a semester at the University of Edinburgh during graduate school, I found this book touching my own memories of exploring the culture and people, castles and lochs of Scotland. I applaud the author for capturing the ambiance and feel of, at least in my imagination, the highlands of Scotland roughly 600 years ago. The story was engaging. It was unpredictable at times, but true to the characters. If you are looking for a thoroughly fun, romantic story....start here.
September 8, 2013
Read this as part of The Perfect Ten collection ebook.
This was a combination of both a paranormal, time travel and Scottish historical book. It starts off in present day where Beth inherits a Scottish castle not knowing the history behind it. When she gets there she finds its not quite up to 20th Century living and goes about trying to restore it. She also know there is a sexy ghost haunting the castle and after its explained who he is she just accepts it.
Duncan MacDougal was cursed to live this life centuries ago. The first couple of chapters before he presents himself to Beth are quite humorous with his trying to understand a modern woman and her ways. Even though she is plain in looks and not his typical type of woman he realizes that she is the woman that can finally break the curse and while she is sleeping puts on his family ring which transports them back to 1409 Scotland.
Once they are in 1409 only Elizabeth remembers where she came from. So from this point its really a historical book. Of the two periods in the books I did prefer the current day ghost story over the Highland historical but love did conquer all in the end.
This was a combination of both a paranormal, time travel and Scottish historical book. It starts off in present day where Beth inherits a Scottish castle not knowing the history behind it. When she gets there she finds its not quite up to 20th Century living and goes about trying to restore it. She also know there is a sexy ghost haunting the castle and after its explained who he is she just accepts it.
Duncan MacDougal was cursed to live this life centuries ago. The first couple of chapters before he presents himself to Beth are quite humorous with his trying to understand a modern woman and her ways. Even though she is plain in looks and not his typical type of woman he realizes that she is the woman that can finally break the curse and while she is sleeping puts on his family ring which transports them back to 1409 Scotland.
Once they are in 1409 only Elizabeth remembers where she came from. So from this point its really a historical book. Of the two periods in the books I did prefer the current day ghost story over the Highland historical but love did conquer all in the end.
April 28, 2014
I read this book as part of a set of ten books. The Perfect Ten. I had no idea what to expect and was pleasantly surprised to really like it!
July 3, 2024
DNF... I hated the fact that everyone repeatedly said how ungly or ordinary the FMC is. We get it—she is not pretty.
November 5, 2009
wow... this one was BAD... sorry, lynn... BAD!
June 5, 2021
This book also can be found under the title The Laird, which is the version I read. Seems to be the same story except different title and cover.
This is my review:
I had a real hard time with this book (which was re-named "A Man in a Kilt"). For starters, I thought this was going to be a ghost romance with a gothic feel. Instead it really is a time-travel romance, which is not my among my favorite genres so once things started to unfold that way I had to make some adjustments to my expectations. And that would have been fine, except for other things. The author clearly spent a lot of time researching the history and being true to the time, which is great, but I feel like she spent so much focus on historical accuracy (with some creative license) that the general plot and romance suffered. I had a hard time initially liking Duncan who was basically a man of his time in the 15th century - not a romantic hero at all and nothing like the Duncan "ghost" we meet initially in the book.
Beth I really didn't like for the most part because of two things:
- We're told how strong she is and yet she is ALWAYS crying. I get it, I'd be crying too if the romanticized man turned out to be a big brute and I was suddenly thrust into the 15th Century. However, she cries all the time and again her strength is continuously emphasized (she ultimately is shown to be strong and resourceful for the most part but it was just so repetitive)
- And speaking of repetitive we are hit over the head with how plain Beth is. So she's not beautiful, fine, that makes her more relatable but again it's annoying how many times we're told by Duncan, Beth herself and others how she is a Plain Jane. It just irritated me.
The overall plot itself had issues, especially with Flora and the complicated and drawn out revenge plans. Oh and how Duncan becomes a "ghost" in the first place - it's kind of forgotten later in the story. I have a really big issue with the plot (see past SPOILER below if you want to know). And frankly, when Duncan and Beth started to finally understand and even like each other I still couldn't get into it because it wasn't romance and it wasn't love. Duncan likes her because she enjoys sex, unlike his other 3 wives (and yet he's supposed to be this amazing guy in bed) but he thinks she's crazy. She likes him because he's good in bed and handsome and he's hers even though she's plain (yep mentioned a few times). So basically they lust after each other. Fine. But not romantic.
The book kind of stalled for me around that point, about 1/2-2/3 and I actually stopped reading and took a few weeks off. I finally went back to it and then the book felt rushed to the end. It's a shame because it started out interesting and has great historic details but then seemed to get bogged down and then I just started to not care about either character - except wondering how Beth's situation was going to resolve.
--- SPOILER BELOW --
---LAST CHANCE, DON'T READ BELOW ---
This was a big question for me which in a way doesn't impact the overall enjoyment of the story but I was already irritated about other things and frankly, it is a big deal if you cared at all about Duncan and Beth. There's a huge deal made about Duncan's diary and if Beth is "the one" to cure the curse of him being a ghost. And it ends with a reference that Duncan and Beth had a son and a note from Beth to the caretaker and his wife - to prove that it's Beth. So they know all went well -- except, what happened to Beth and Duncan's son? If Beth and Duncan had a son and he had children and so forth wouldn't the descendants still own Castle Black? And wouldn't one of them be living there? But no, it's specifically stated that Duncan and Beth both disappeared as did Duncan's ring and the castle has been empty. So then Duncan and Beth's line died out? Or just are somewhere else? To include an epilogue and not include information like this just sealed it for me ultimately not liking it. The author didn't have to go into a complicated explanation but it just seemed lazy to kind of forget that someone traveling back in time would change more in the present than just having an empty castle (by the way it would have likely changed these caretakers being there at all - there was no ghost so no forced service to the laird; but that was conveniently forgotten too)
This is my review:
I had a real hard time with this book (which was re-named "A Man in a Kilt"). For starters, I thought this was going to be a ghost romance with a gothic feel. Instead it really is a time-travel romance, which is not my among my favorite genres so once things started to unfold that way I had to make some adjustments to my expectations. And that would have been fine, except for other things. The author clearly spent a lot of time researching the history and being true to the time, which is great, but I feel like she spent so much focus on historical accuracy (with some creative license) that the general plot and romance suffered. I had a hard time initially liking Duncan who was basically a man of his time in the 15th century - not a romantic hero at all and nothing like the Duncan "ghost" we meet initially in the book.
Beth I really didn't like for the most part because of two things:
- We're told how strong she is and yet she is ALWAYS crying. I get it, I'd be crying too if the romanticized man turned out to be a big brute and I was suddenly thrust into the 15th Century. However, she cries all the time and again her strength is continuously emphasized (she ultimately is shown to be strong and resourceful for the most part but it was just so repetitive)
- And speaking of repetitive we are hit over the head with how plain Beth is. So she's not beautiful, fine, that makes her more relatable but again it's annoying how many times we're told by Duncan, Beth herself and others how she is a Plain Jane. It just irritated me.
The overall plot itself had issues, especially with Flora and the complicated and drawn out revenge plans. Oh and how Duncan becomes a "ghost" in the first place - it's kind of forgotten later in the story. I have a really big issue with the plot (see past SPOILER below if you want to know). And frankly, when Duncan and Beth started to finally understand and even like each other I still couldn't get into it because it wasn't romance and it wasn't love. Duncan likes her because she enjoys sex, unlike his other 3 wives (and yet he's supposed to be this amazing guy in bed) but he thinks she's crazy. She likes him because he's good in bed and handsome and he's hers even though she's plain (yep mentioned a few times). So basically they lust after each other. Fine. But not romantic.
The book kind of stalled for me around that point, about 1/2-2/3 and I actually stopped reading and took a few weeks off. I finally went back to it and then the book felt rushed to the end. It's a shame because it started out interesting and has great historic details but then seemed to get bogged down and then I just started to not care about either character - except wondering how Beth's situation was going to resolve.
--- SPOILER BELOW --
---LAST CHANCE, DON'T READ BELOW ---
This was a big question for me which in a way doesn't impact the overall enjoyment of the story but I was already irritated about other things and frankly, it is a big deal if you cared at all about Duncan and Beth. There's a huge deal made about Duncan's diary and if Beth is "the one" to cure the curse of him being a ghost. And it ends with a reference that Duncan and Beth had a son and a note from Beth to the caretaker and his wife - to prove that it's Beth. So they know all went well -- except, what happened to Beth and Duncan's son? If Beth and Duncan had a son and he had children and so forth wouldn't the descendants still own Castle Black? And wouldn't one of them be living there? But no, it's specifically stated that Duncan and Beth both disappeared as did Duncan's ring and the castle has been empty. So then Duncan and Beth's line died out? Or just are somewhere else? To include an epilogue and not include information like this just sealed it for me ultimately not liking it. The author didn't have to go into a complicated explanation but it just seemed lazy to kind of forget that someone traveling back in time would change more in the present than just having an empty castle (by the way it would have likely changed these caretakers being there at all - there was no ghost so no forced service to the laird; but that was conveniently forgotten too)
May 23, 2013
I thought this was a great book. The first few chapters were a little slow to me , but give it time it gets so much better. By the middle of the book I did not want to put it down.
Historical fiction, with time travel , highlander, romance and scottish setting.
Beth inherits a scottish castle. She departs from New York to see her new home , and start the process of upkeep and cleaning. Her castle is haunted by the original laird Duncan. A beautiful highlander with baby blue eyes and muscle galore. Beth must take a small boat to go anywhere . Her boat sinks and somehow the ghost laird become ones with the elements to save her. By a curse , she is taken back in time ..... this is where the great story begins. Love , plots to kill and kidnap , learning one's true nature.
Wonderful ! I plan to read the next book in the series.
Historical fiction, with time travel , highlander, romance and scottish setting.
Beth inherits a scottish castle. She departs from New York to see her new home , and start the process of upkeep and cleaning. Her castle is haunted by the original laird Duncan. A beautiful highlander with baby blue eyes and muscle galore. Beth must take a small boat to go anywhere . Her boat sinks and somehow the ghost laird become ones with the elements to save her. By a curse , she is taken back in time ..... this is where the great story begins. Love , plots to kill and kidnap , learning one's true nature.
Wonderful ! I plan to read the next book in the series.
May 17, 2018
Um Castelo, Um fantasma e Um anel.
Beth vivia sua vidinha normalmente, até saber que herdou um castelo.
Chegando lá, descobre que o castelo não vem sozinho, e um lindo "fantasma" vaga por lá.
Em uma noite, o "fantasma" de Lorde Duncan MacDougall tem que tomar uma decisão, e só pode imaginar que Beth, a mulher sem graça, é a escolhida!
Não sei dizer se é um grande spoiler, mas ela volta ao tempo, e "cai de paraquedas" nos braços de Duncan!
Até ela se adaptar e entender que está no século XV, o bicho pega! É hilário!
Também é fofo demais!
Comecei a ler sem nenhuma expectativa e me surpreendi! Adorei a história!
É cinco estrelas, mas se trata de um livro de banca, por isso a história não é tão desenvolvida em detalhes, porém a diversão é garantida!
Primeira leitura em 21/07/2015
Segunda leitura em 28/02/2018
Beth vivia sua vidinha normalmente, até saber que herdou um castelo.
Chegando lá, descobre que o castelo não vem sozinho, e um lindo "fantasma" vaga por lá.
Em uma noite, o "fantasma" de Lorde Duncan MacDougall tem que tomar uma decisão, e só pode imaginar que Beth, a mulher sem graça, é a escolhida!
Não sei dizer se é um grande spoiler, mas ela volta ao tempo, e "cai de paraquedas" nos braços de Duncan!
Até ela se adaptar e entender que está no século XV, o bicho pega! É hilário!
Também é fofo demais!
Comecei a ler sem nenhuma expectativa e me surpreendi! Adorei a história!
É cinco estrelas, mas se trata de um livro de banca, por isso a história não é tão desenvolvida em detalhes, porém a diversão é garantida!
Primeira leitura em 21/07/2015
Segunda leitura em 28/02/2018
April 13, 2014
An ever so enjoyable book, exactly what it is proclaimed to be....a true 'romance' novel. Absolutely worked for what I was looking for after slogging through 3 non-fiction, serious tomes in a row. I needed a fun read and this more than filled that slot. Scotland, Highlanders, time travel, a bit of sex, decent dialog, good secondary characters to support it.....I spent a wonderful Sunday afternoon lazily sitting and reading the day away.....aaahhhh. Now, I really should get busy, there are things need done but I've so enjoyed this day.
February 18, 2014
Great book. Beth travels back in time a marries a man she falls in love with after reading his journal. However it's another world back in the early years of Scotland and she quickly has to learn where she stands as her and her new husband try to figure each other out. By going back in time she not only saves his life but in the end might just save his descendants.
May 20, 2014
The Laird
The Laird
I really enjoyed the book, could not put it down. I enjoy stories that go from present time to the early centuries. This author will probably be listed along with my favorites. It is a fast reading book. I am sure you will love it.
The Laird
I really enjoyed the book, could not put it down. I enjoy stories that go from present time to the early centuries. This author will probably be listed along with my favorites. It is a fast reading book. I am sure you will love it.
Read
November 25, 2014Retitled "the Laird" in The Perfect 10 Box Set.
Started but didn't finish. Just not the kind of book I enjoy.
Started but didn't finish. Just not the kind of book I enjoy.
June 5, 2021
I had a real hard time with this book (which also goes by the name "A Man in a Kilt"). For starters, I thought this was going to be a ghost romance with a gothic feel. Instead it really is a time-travel romance, which is not my among my favorite genres so once things started to unfold that way I had to make some adjustments to my expectations. And that would have been fine, except for other things. The author clearly spent a lot of time researching the history and being true to the time, which is great, but I feel like she spent so much focus on historical accuracy (with some creative license) that the general plot and romance suffered. I had a hard time initially liking Duncan who was basically a man of his time in the 15th century - not a romantic hero at all and nothing like the Duncan "ghost" we meet initially in the book.
Beth I really didn't like for the most part because of two things:
- We're told how strong she is and yet she is ALWAYS crying. I get it, I'd be crying too if the romanticized man turned out to be a big brute and I was suddenly thrust into the 15th Century. However, she cries all the time and again her strength is continuously emphasized (she ultimately is shown to be strong and resourceful for the most part but it was just so repetitive)
- And speaking of repetitive we are hit over the head with how plain Beth is. So she's not beautiful, fine, that makes her more relatable but again it's annoying how many times we're told by Duncan, Beth herself and others how she is a Plain Jane. It just irritated me.
The overall plot itself had issues, especially with Flora and the complicated and drawn out revenge plans. Oh and how Duncan becomes a "ghost" in the first place - it's kind of forgotten later in the story. I have a really big issue with the plot (see past SPOILER below if you want to know). And frankly, when Duncan and Beth started to finally understand and even like each other I still couldn't get into it because it wasn't romance and it wasn't love. Duncan likes her because she enjoys sex, unlike his other 3 wives (and yet he's supposed to be this amazing guy in bed) but he thinks she's crazy. She likes him because he's good in bed and handsome and he's hers even though she's plain (yep mentioned a few times). So basically they lust after each other. Fine. But not romantic.
The book kind of stalled for me around that point, about 1/2-2/3 and I actually stopped reading and took a few weeks off. I finally went back to it and then the book felt rushed to the end. It's a shame because it started out interesting and has great historic details but then seemed to get bogged down and then I just started to not care about either character - except wondering how Beth's situation was going to resolve.
--- SPOILER BELOW --
---LAST CHANCE, DON'T READ BELOW ---
This was a big question for me which in a way doesn't impact the overall enjoyment of the story but I was already irritated about other things and frankly, it is a big deal if you cared at all about Duncan and Beth. There's a huge deal made about Duncan's diary and if Beth is "the one" to cure the curse of him being a ghost. And it ends with a reference that Duncan and Beth had a son and a note from Beth to the caretaker and his wife - to prove that it's Beth. So they know all went well -- except, what happened to Beth and Duncan's son? If Beth and Duncan had a son and he had children and so forth wouldn't the descendants still own Castle Black? And wouldn't one of them be living there? But no, it's specifically stated that Duncan and Beth both disappeared as did Duncan's ring and the castle has been empty. So then Duncan and Beth's line died out? Or just are somewhere else? To include an epilogue and not include information like this just sealed it for me ultimately not liking it. The author didn't have to go into a complicated explanation but it just seemed lazy to kind of forget that someone traveling back in time would change more in the present than just having an empty castle (by the way it would have likely changed these caretakers being there at all - there was no ghost so no forced service to the laird; but that was conveniently forgotten too).
Beth I really didn't like for the most part because of two things:
- We're told how strong she is and yet she is ALWAYS crying. I get it, I'd be crying too if the romanticized man turned out to be a big brute and I was suddenly thrust into the 15th Century. However, she cries all the time and again her strength is continuously emphasized (she ultimately is shown to be strong and resourceful for the most part but it was just so repetitive)
- And speaking of repetitive we are hit over the head with how plain Beth is. So she's not beautiful, fine, that makes her more relatable but again it's annoying how many times we're told by Duncan, Beth herself and others how she is a Plain Jane. It just irritated me.
The overall plot itself had issues, especially with Flora and the complicated and drawn out revenge plans. Oh and how Duncan becomes a "ghost" in the first place - it's kind of forgotten later in the story. I have a really big issue with the plot (see past SPOILER below if you want to know). And frankly, when Duncan and Beth started to finally understand and even like each other I still couldn't get into it because it wasn't romance and it wasn't love. Duncan likes her because she enjoys sex, unlike his other 3 wives (and yet he's supposed to be this amazing guy in bed) but he thinks she's crazy. She likes him because he's good in bed and handsome and he's hers even though she's plain (yep mentioned a few times). So basically they lust after each other. Fine. But not romantic.
The book kind of stalled for me around that point, about 1/2-2/3 and I actually stopped reading and took a few weeks off. I finally went back to it and then the book felt rushed to the end. It's a shame because it started out interesting and has great historic details but then seemed to get bogged down and then I just started to not care about either character - except wondering how Beth's situation was going to resolve.
--- SPOILER BELOW --
---LAST CHANCE, DON'T READ BELOW ---
This was a big question for me which in a way doesn't impact the overall enjoyment of the story but I was already irritated about other things and frankly, it is a big deal if you cared at all about Duncan and Beth. There's a huge deal made about Duncan's diary and if Beth is "the one" to cure the curse of him being a ghost. And it ends with a reference that Duncan and Beth had a son and a note from Beth to the caretaker and his wife - to prove that it's Beth. So they know all went well -- except, what happened to Beth and Duncan's son? If Beth and Duncan had a son and he had children and so forth wouldn't the descendants still own Castle Black? And wouldn't one of them be living there? But no, it's specifically stated that Duncan and Beth both disappeared as did Duncan's ring and the castle has been empty. So then Duncan and Beth's line died out? Or just are somewhere else? To include an epilogue and not include information like this just sealed it for me ultimately not liking it. The author didn't have to go into a complicated explanation but it just seemed lazy to kind of forget that someone traveling back in time would change more in the present than just having an empty castle (by the way it would have likely changed these caretakers being there at all - there was no ghost so no forced service to the laird; but that was conveniently forgotten too).
May 22, 2021
The blurb of this book made me have certain.. expectations. And what I ended up getting was wholly unexpected. And seriously fun and enjoyable. Every twist and turn in this was a surprise and left me feeling very happy.
I thought there would be a bit more intensity in the time travelling aspect of this story. I mean, it's been sitting on my shelves for this exact reason. It probably belongs I'm the historical romance shelf though. I mean, the ghost and time travel are both paranormal. But all of the setting and storyline... purely Scottish, historical fiction.
Almost all of the romances I read feature a strong woman who is also beautiful. I love that Beth is considered plain throughout and there are no hints of her being a particularly good looking woman. That, and the fact that one of the vipers in this story is the ridiculously good looking woman. There's also the fact that although she is a virgin, there's pretty much no fuss made about it. Rather, it's a plot line to indicate her trust issues.
Duncan is dense. The combination of Beth and Rachael constantly bringing him to task honestly had me laughing loudly and for a long time. I mean... we women do have a tendency to run our men ragged at times, and I love the loving fear that they instill I their men. That, and the great combination of past and present in this incredibly cute romance.
I thought there would be a bit more intensity in the time travelling aspect of this story. I mean, it's been sitting on my shelves for this exact reason. It probably belongs I'm the historical romance shelf though. I mean, the ghost and time travel are both paranormal. But all of the setting and storyline... purely Scottish, historical fiction.
Almost all of the romances I read feature a strong woman who is also beautiful. I love that Beth is considered plain throughout and there are no hints of her being a particularly good looking woman. That, and the fact that one of the vipers in this story is the ridiculously good looking woman. There's also the fact that although she is a virgin, there's pretty much no fuss made about it. Rather, it's a plot line to indicate her trust issues.
Duncan is dense. The combination of Beth and Rachael constantly bringing him to task honestly had me laughing loudly and for a long time. I mean... we women do have a tendency to run our men ragged at times, and I love the loving fear that they instill I their men. That, and the great combination of past and present in this incredibly cute romance.
December 10, 2021
This book was alright, but not the best romance I've read. I think part of that is because I went in with different expectations of what the story was going to be, compared to what it actually was. I really REALLY liked the beginning, with her fixing up the castle and slowly starting to make contact with the ghost of Duncan. I was hoping that it would continue from there with them falling in love, and figuring out how to bring the ghost back to life. Unfortunately, very early on in the book Beth goes back in time via Duncan's ring when he saves her life. This would be fine by me, except that when she goes back Duncan DOES NOT REMEMBER HER. He's accurate to his own time, and thinks she is the woman that he has been ordered to marry. Beth spends a good while being traumatized and not knowing what's going on. In fact, by the end of the book, she still doesn't really know all of what happened, she just knows that if she takes off the ring she'll return to the future. This means they have to get to know each other all over again. The plot from there is kind of shaky, but at least it had a happy ending. Probably wouldn't read it again, but it was fun at many parts, and had some good steamy scenes.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 9, 2018
A keeper!!
Being that I bought this book months ago and set it aside, I was in for a pleasant surprise reading it this week, forgetting what it was about.
I had forgotten it was a time travel, so I wondered how this would work out-his being a ghost and all. I love that Beth was not a squeamish, weak spoiled brat but a strong, level headed funny heroine.
The hero was loyal, strong and honorable to the core. l also liked Angus, his leading man.
I really appreciated that this book wasn't full of trite misunderstandings that are so common in romance books, and the things Beth did to her husband at times in the story had me laughing out loud. She is from the modern world, so he found her a bit confusing at times.
I love a romance book that is all of the above, and that it's so entertaining that I just don't want to set it down at all. I found myself saying "Just one more chapter. Ok, just one more..."
Being that I bought this book months ago and set it aside, I was in for a pleasant surprise reading it this week, forgetting what it was about.
I had forgotten it was a time travel, so I wondered how this would work out-his being a ghost and all. I love that Beth was not a squeamish, weak spoiled brat but a strong, level headed funny heroine.
The hero was loyal, strong and honorable to the core. l also liked Angus, his leading man.
I really appreciated that this book wasn't full of trite misunderstandings that are so common in romance books, and the things Beth did to her husband at times in the story had me laughing out loud. She is from the modern world, so he found her a bit confusing at times.
I love a romance book that is all of the above, and that it's so entertaining that I just don't want to set it down at all. I found myself saying "Just one more chapter. Ok, just one more..."
January 18, 2021
The beginning was so enjoyable. I
LOVED
ghost Duncan following Beth like a cute dork. The story was set up so nicely that I was kinda disappointed in how it develops once Beth goes back in time. The original Duncan is not as likable or cute as ghost Duncan.
The story's ok, but there are quite a lot of plotholes that could use some filling in.
Sometimes the writing is a bit confusing; for instance, it can be hard to tell who is being referred to in a given sentence/description. There's also some homophone mix-ups and typos.
Overall, I really love the beginning, but I wish the book finished as strong as it started.
The story's ok, but there are quite a lot of plotholes that could use some filling in.
Sometimes the writing is a bit confusing; for instance, it can be hard to tell who is being referred to in a given sentence/description. There's also some homophone mix-ups and typos.
Overall, I really love the beginning, but I wish the book finished as strong as it started.
December 27, 2018
I really enjoyed this book. I couldn't hardly put it down, I just had to find out what was going to happen.
Beth Pudding who lives in New York just found out she has inherited a castle in Scotland. What Beth soon finds out is that it is haunted by the ghost of Duncan MacDougall. Duncan is the Laird of the Castle and his spirit is not at rest as his life was not fulfilled the way he hoped. Will Beth be able to help him? She will have to take a journey that could fulfill both of their hopes and dreams or leave them both unsettled for the rest of their lives.
Beth Pudding who lives in New York just found out she has inherited a castle in Scotland. What Beth soon finds out is that it is haunted by the ghost of Duncan MacDougall. Duncan is the Laird of the Castle and his spirit is not at rest as his life was not fulfilled the way he hoped. Will Beth be able to help him? She will have to take a journey that could fulfill both of their hopes and dreams or leave them both unsettled for the rest of their lives.
January 1, 2018
I DEVOURED THIS BOOK!!! I finished it in two days! I was instantly sucked into the sorry and found it impossible to put it down. The romance between Duncan and Beth kept me turning the pages. There's so much to this book, romance, danger, and hysterical bits slipped in. I'm a huge fan of Outlander and while this book isn't quite on that level, it's still a wonderful read. There's even a bit where the main character mentions Outlander and the infamous Jamie Frasier and it's a paragraph that will make you chuckle. I'm very much looki g foward to reading the other two in the Blackstone series!!
March 1, 2020
Good
Beth inherits a castle in Scotland and a ghost. While finally he makes his presence fully known to her an accident sends her back in time since she is the chosen one. His ring send her back and she must break the curse . Only problem is once he send her back he don't remember it now she has to adapt to her new time and convince him she isn't mad. Good book
Beth inherits a castle in Scotland and a ghost. While finally he makes his presence fully known to her an accident sends her back in time since she is the chosen one. His ring send her back and she must break the curse . Only problem is once he send her back he don't remember it now she has to adapt to her new time and convince him she isn't mad. Good book
March 1, 2019
Wonderful!
I loved this story! The characters, the time period, the humor, and the passion foiled into one made this read hard to put down... I look forward to the next chapter in this series!
I loved this story! The characters, the time period, the humor, and the passion foiled into one made this read hard to put down... I look forward to the next chapter in this series!
March 31, 2019
I liked how they went back in time because it got far more interesting. Though I didn't understand exactly why Duncan put the ring on her. I don't think she was dying from her boat accident...
Also, I didn't understand why Duncan was cursed in the first place.
Also, I didn't understand why Duncan was cursed in the first place.
July 15, 2021
Wonderful story gives hope to us “plain women”
It is refreshing to read a time travel story which includes a plain female as the lead character. Thank you. This story allows all of us women who were not born beautiful to dream of a Highlander of our own!
It is refreshing to read a time travel story which includes a plain female as the lead character. Thank you. This story allows all of us women who were not born beautiful to dream of a Highlander of our own!
July 6, 2022
Fun concept and since I'm not a historian, I have no idea if any of the historical aspects were off. Though, I do always question how that affects the future. Like any time travel movie, do these people somehow end up related?!
January 22, 2019
Fabulous!!
The best story I have read in years!!! Compelling, moving and thoroughly captivating!!! I adored this story and cannot wait to read another by this author!!
The best story I have read in years!!! Compelling, moving and thoroughly captivating!!! I adored this story and cannot wait to read another by this author!!
February 6, 2019
I bought this on a whim & was surprised at how much I enjoyed this one.
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