Wild Scottish Knight

The Enchanted Highlands #1

by Tricia O'Malley

Opposites attract in this modern-day fairytale when American, Sophie MacKnight, inherits a Scottish castle along with a hot grumpy Scotsman who is tasked with training her to be a magickal knight before the Kelpies wreak havoc on the people of Loren Brae.

The knight was supposed to be a man.

Not me, Sophie MacKnight, a marketing associate from California.

This must be a practical joke that the Scots play on visiting Americans. Because otherwise I’ve inherited a haunted castle in Scotland, along with one irritatingly sexy Scotsman, who would be delighted if I turned tail and ran.

Frankly, I thought I would fly here, sell the heap of bricks, and head back home to a life that I…well, I was comfortable with at the very least. Instead, the people of Loren Brae are in trouble, and it appears that as the new owner of the castle, I’m next in line to reinstate the magickal Order of Caledonia. Which means, first, I have to learn to believe in magick. And secondly, I have to train to become a knight.

And my trainer? None other than Lachlan Campbell, the grumpiest man I’ve ever had the annoyance of meeting. It’s a toss-up who is pricklier, Lachlan, or his kilted Chihuahua, Sir Buster. Not only does Lachlan think that I can’t hack it, but he also resents my claim on his castle.

If only he didn’t look so devastatingly hot in his kilt.

Now, I’m stuck proving myself to him, all while trying to figure out how to help my new friends in Loren Brae.

Sparks fly as our swords meet, and we battle our rising attraction for each other.

Who will win in this (Highland) game of love?

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, Audiobook, Scotland, Magic, Fiction

316 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 4, 2023

About the author

As an award winning NY Times, USA Today, and WSJ bestselling author, Tricia O’Malley’s infectious joy in writing romance with an added dash of the magical has touched hearts around the world. With over three million books read, O’Malley’s stories have been translated into several languages and enjoy a devoted following. Tricia O’Malley is a native of Wisconsin, and departed the wintry tundra for warmer locales five years ago. She now lives in the Caribbean with her handsome Scotsman.

An avid scuba diver, Tricia spends much of her time underwater dreaming up new stories while photographing the beautiful sea life. Tricia loves fun vacation reads, believes in mermaids, and has a serious travel addiction. She discovers her inspiration on the go – and you’ll find her books set in beautiful settings with characters who deserve a happily-ever-after.

To see some of her underwater or island life photos visit her on Facebook, Instagram, or join her mailing list at www.triciaomalley.com

Reviews

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This gets 4 ⭐️’s mainly for pulling me out of my reading slump haha. I am fighting for my life out here after finishing Fourth Wing. I decided to try this because it’s a light fantasy, Insta-love, situation with a dash of spice. I’m not a fan of Insta love usually, but because of my current headspace, I think it was exactly what I needed!

Overall, this is a very low stakes, kind of cheesy, romantic fantasy set in Scotland. Was it super predictable? Yeah. Did I eat it up anyway? YUP.

Definitely try this for a refresher in between your heavier books. It’s a quick, fun, lighthearted book!

Spice: 2

[Jennifer 💖 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I want to say thank you to @thenerdfam for sending me an ARC and I was so excited to get it! I was looking forward to a cozy fantasy romcom but…it was a DNF for me once I hit page 100 and couldn’t take it anymore.

There were a handful of things about this book that made me cringe. First, the MMC made a wild assumption about the FMC within 1 page of meeting her that would set up an enemies to lovers trope. But then within LESS THAN A PAGE he is over the issue and just wants to sleep with her? Second, the FMC and MMC seem to know each other for less than a few days when all this happens. Third, I wasn’t a fan of the gay best friend mainly bc the he is set up to be…stereotypical/token-ish? All the characters fell flat for me other than the FMC’s uncle. Who is dead before the story starts.

I think the book has a great premise, but the characters and tension fell flat. I’m not a fan of insta-love and insta-lust in books where there is no world building reason to support it (ie - fated mates, love potions & spells, etc). From what I read, there was nothing to suggest the FMC & MMC were anything other than plain old humans.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh I LOVED THIS.

Contemporary cozy fantasy romance, hot Scottish fictional man, incredible tension and curvy FMC rep!!!!!!

def recommend reading this one to read in between your dark and heavier fantasy romances!!

[Madison Warner Fairbanks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wild Scottish Knignt by Tricia Knignt
The Enchanted Highlands series #1.
Sophie MacKnignt inherits a Scottish castle and soon learns it’s not as empty as she thought, but in fact comes with a hot grumpy Scotman and Kelpies that terrorize the tourists. Sophie uses her marketing expertise to bring the castle and town shops into the current times while also figuring out how she can possibly be the magickal knight the town needs. Fortunately Clyde, the ghost coo (cow) is friendly with a sense of humor. Now she just needs to convince Lachlan Campbell not to be so grumpy!

A romantic comedy with a light touch of magick and a sexy Scotman for the California transplant. I enjoyed Sophie’s love of spreadsheets and her need of being organized. She is so generous in helping the town. Her unsettled feeling when Lachlan is able to easily lift her up is adorable.
Delightful and enchanting.

[book bruin · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I picked this one up on a whim and some parts were really entertaining, but others were pretty boring. The beginning started off really promising and made me laugh, but then the pacing slowed and the book overall felt too long. The instalust/love between Sophie and Lachlan was strong and I wish more time had been spent developing their relationship. I enjoyed the idea behind the Order and also appreciated the fat rep. Sophie was a very likable heroine. The mix of magic with the every day was fun, but I just don’t think this is the series for me.

CW: parental abandonment (past), death of loved ones (past), grief

[Noi (in & out) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The graphic audio really elevated the story.
Cute, cozy, complete (can be read as a standalone).

[T · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only reason why I read this disaster was because of the 2023 Kindle Spring Challenge. I’ll be damned if my inner child who grew up on Book It! doesn’t check off every category on whatever reading challenge I’m doing. This book was eligible for the “escapist” achievement badge, so I yeeted my brain outta my head and took one for the team of me and my inner child.

This is an Insta love but also somehow enemies to lovers hot mess and I canNOT stand insta love. But hey, don’t let my ick yuck your yum. Sadly, no free personal pan pizza was provided either.

[Ewa (Fedra) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,75

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hated the narrators and the story felt more YA/Middle Grade than adult romance. There were a couple cute/funny moments (‘haunted’, Highland “coos”) but overall this was a big miss for me. :(

[BrandyD · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 Fun and easy chick lit. Audiobook narration was super.

[Lexi Montes · Rating 1 out of 5]

so bad

[Giarra · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 29%

Ich wollte es mögen. Aber ich kann kaum in Worte fassen mit was für Klischees um sich geworfen wird. Allein der "gay best friend" hatte als erstes Amtshandlung seine Fingernägel kontrolliert und sagt als einziger gerne "Oh honey"... Die LI hatte den kürzesten enemy-to-lovers-trope aller Zeiten (2 Seiten ca) und sie ist ja SO ANDERS. Sie hat in einer Woche 3 Sonnenbrillen kaputt gemacht, so clumsyyyyy. Ugh.

[Tara Kat (MagnoliaPigeonBookBlurbs) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Magical Rom-Com full of mythical creatures, medieval lore, family secrets, spice, a ghost coo, banter and found family? Yes please!
We follow Sophie as she inherits a mysterious Scottish castle and gets a whole lot more than she bargained for when she finds out she must train to be a magickal knight, restore order and save the people of Loren Brae! Super cute, fun & quick read that will have you in swooning!

Pick up Wild Scottish Knight May 2, 2023!

Thank you @thenerdfam for the gifted Advance Review Copy.

[gab ☽ ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

i really enjoyed the idea and beginning of this book, but once i hit around 40% i just kept cringing and was bored. i was hoping for this to be a quick read considering how short it is but it took me days to finish. a bit of a let down as this has been on my tbr for a long time.

[Kate McMurry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is a miss for me

I obtained this novel through Hoopla for two reasons: It is a performance by GraphicAudio, whose "movies in your mind" I absolutely adore, and I've been hoping that they would start producing romance novels. The GA voice actors are, as always, fabulous, but I just couldn't get into this story. It takes too long to get to the Meet Cute, and once it does, the romance is instalove/lust, which is not a favorite trope of mine. On top of that, I'm not particularly attracted to men in kilts. As to the paranormal action-adventure portion, unfortunately, I didn't find the magical world building compelling.

[Pam Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐.5🎧

Sophie is grieving her uncle, who was more like a father to her. He leaves her a castle, and it's kind of magical. I know it seems far-fetched, but the story was a sweet one. I got sucked in, and I liked it.
Who doesn't like grumpy sunshine? That is just what we get. I like that they couldn't stay away from each other. The spark was there.
I also didn't mind the magic; sometimes, your love stories need a little bit of magic.

Loved the narration!! Amy Landon and Will Watt are just lovely together.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the world Tricia has created in this series! Her characters are so lovely and funny. They're short, fast paced, and magical. They create such a cozy atmosphere and who can't say to burly men in kilts?

[Katyana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute, quick, pretty straightforward fantasy romance. The series seems to feature a new couple with each book, which is a little bit of a bummer because I'd like more depth on Sophie and Lachlan. But it's a fun light read, so I'm continuing onward.

[Courtney ✩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up! A very quick, low stakes modern day romance with fantasy aspects and a lil spice.

Here I thought Jamie Fraser was the only Scot of my heart....Ooh enter Mr. Grumpypants Lachlan. I do appreciate me a male lead who isn't all caveman and one-dimensional. Someone who acknowledges their faults, and that the author articulates them well in their writing style. Sophie and Lachlan's story definitely kept me entertained, especially when I needed something interesting and lighthearted.

Was everything in this book fairly formulaic? Of course. Had this been set in the States, it definitely wouldn't have hit as hard. But a Scot in a kilt? Yes please. The smut was a bit of a let down–there's a lot of great build up and then it just falls flat. It was more than I was expecting, as other reviewers have rated it low, I wasn't expecting much at all. So when I started getting to those parts, ya girl was surprised....and then disappointed. This is my first Tricia O'Malley book so I'm wondering if the rest of her books are similar. Will be interested to see how the rest of the books in the series pan out!

[Lacey Stephens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/🫑-🌶️(.75)
This was a fun, quick modern fantasy set in Scotland with a little folklore mixed in.

Sophie’s millionaire Uncle passes and leaves Sophie a castle in Scotland…if she is able to restore the order.

Tired of people using her for her money, she heads to Scotland to help restore order at the castle when she bumps into the broody, hunky keeper of the castle, who is not happy she is there. But they need to work together to step into their roles and accept the magical order surrounding the village.

Plus size FMC, broody MMC who is afraid to let anyone into his life, magical relic, historical order, reverse chivalrous Kight, small town romance, and feisty little chihuahua.

There are a few on-page spicy scenes, but not over the top.
💖
Book 2 in the series: Wild Scottish Love is scheduled to be released on August 1st.

[TrixieB · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why is she the protagonist of the story and yet no one will allow her to be the protagonist of her own life? Everyone tells her what to do. And she just lets them.

She’s clearly a strong, confident woman and yet she just plays the oh who me gosh OK, damsel role and it’s so irritating.

Masses of toxic masculinity, talk of “claiming” her, one friend punching another because he was being teased about our protagonist and felt jealous? It’s just creepy.

Also I could do without the detail of what they think looking at each other‘s bodies the second they see each other. It is creepy and demeaning and objectifying. I made it 50% and probably deserve a medal.

[Julia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 ⭐️ I’m just a sucker for Scottish men and their accents.

[Jennifer Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, lusty, romantic with a touch of magic?! This was a fun audio book. Maybe it was the Scottish accent?! 🫣🤗
🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the Scottish mythology and setting featured in the book and thought the idea of an 'Order' seemed really cool and worth reading. While I normally love a good romance, I was not a fan of the insta-love, and how their relationship seemed so focused on shallow, physical features for so much of the book. However, it was a light, easy read, with very little real conflict or suspense. Perfect if that is your cup of tea. It looks to be a huge series, so I would be interested to know if the fantasy elements are explored in more depth in future books.

[Tesla Ember · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the nerd fam for giving me an ARC of this book for an honest review.

I've gotta say these types of RomComs are my jam. But if you don't like movies like The Leap Year and My Best Friends wedding, this book might not be for you.

Getting an inheritance of a Scottish castle and the duties that come along with it seems more like a headache than a hilarious book but Tricia OMalley has made it just that. I laughed out loud and all around loved the ability to binge it in a single setting.

Any book that makes me smile, cringe, cheer and fall in love is 5 stars in my opinion.

[Alyssa (bookish_and_baking) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you @thenerdfam for the gifted Advance Review Copy. I quickly became hooked with this story! The setting, the history, the magick it has it all! I loved Sophie’s character development and her relationship with Lachlan. If you’re a fan of the highlands definitely read this!#thenerdfam #wildscottishknight

[Melissa Thom · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not great, Dan.

[ashlyn (gansey’s version) · Rating 1 out of 5]

dnf @60% I wanted to like this so bad but it was SO boring

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very sweet and charming. On to book 2. Happy reading!

[Kelsey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Strong, strong not like other girls energy. It was too much for me. DNF