Review - - Scandalous Scot

Scandalous Scot
by Cecilia Mecca and Julie Johnstone
Highlanders Through Time - Book 4
Publisher: Altiora Press
Release Date: May 19, 2020
Reviewed by PJ
  

Ian McCaim is used to following in his brother’s footsteps—even if it takes him to medieval Scotland. When he finally completes the time travel ritual, the magic lands him next to Hightower Castle and his big brother, Greyson, is there to greet him. As soon as the rest of the family returns to Hightower, the McCaims can finally go home, but in the meantime, Greyson has a task for Ian: charm the man whose son is fated to play a pivotal role in the Scottish War of Independence. An easy task—or at least it would be if Ian were capable of behaving himself.

After a lifetime of having endured stares, Màiri Kelbrue is used to being looked at—the strange mark on her cheek ensures it. So when the handsome man she encounters near her father’s loch gawks at her, she assumes the worst. Until he kisses her. The passion she feels for the stranger stuns her—she’d thought to marry her childhood friend, but never once did he make her feel like this. And then the unimaginable happens—when the stranger escorts her home, he tells her very religious father exactly what happened between them.

Within a sennight, Ian and Màiri are rushed to the altar. Ian plans to return to the future sooner rather than later, but the bride he didn’t ask for soon becomes the only thing he wants. What will he do when it’s time to go home?

PJ's Thoughts:

I have thoroughly enjoyed this four-book journey through time brought to readers by authors Cecilia Mecca and Julie Johnstone. Both Mecca and Johnstone have a gift for immersing readers into medieval Scotland with a seamless blend of fact and fiction, intermingling real people with characters of their own creation, and giving readers a breath-stealing and realistic reading experience.

Book four, Scandalous Scot, brings us the story of youngest McCaim brother, Ian, as well as the conclusion of the series. Like his older brothers before him, Ian has time traveled back to medieval Scotland in an attempt to locate his missing mother, reunite with his brothers, and bring his family back to present-day New Orleans. And, also like his brothers before him, a medieval woman has added a detour to his journey.

This book was a bit different from the others in that it not only tells Ian's individual story but also wraps up the series. I enjoyed Ian's growth throughout his journey. He's probably the most emotionally transparent of the brothers, struggling to find his place without disappointing his parents or siblings. I enjoyed his interactions with his brothers and watching him come into his own, though he sure took his good sweet time to do it. And, I really enjoyed the culmination of the brothers' journey and the resolution of their mother's disappearance, along with the final outcome of their father's health crisis. The ending had tears of happiness flowing and me reaching for tissues. Many tissues.

What I wanted more of in this book was Ian's and Mairi's romantic journey. I liked Mairi a lot. She's a sympathetic character with difficult decisions to make and my heart ached for her. I enjoyed how her relationship with her new sister-in-law helps her gain confidence in herself and I cheered for her to find her happy ending. What I had a bit of difficulty with was her relationship with Ian. These two find themselves married at lightning speed, within a few days of first meeting, in a marriage neither wants. They are literal strangers, and not only because they're from different centuries. They need time together to learn about one another, for feelings to develop. And I needed that time to believe in them. There's so much going on within this book in regards to family matters (which I loved) that at times it feels like their romance gets pushed to the back burner. I needed more attention given to these two, more of them together on the page, more development of their relationship, and more depth of emotion. Because of that, while I enjoyed their happily ever after I wasn't as fully invested in them as I was in the other three couples in the series. Others may feel differently.

While I may have wanted more in regards to the romantic relationship in this final book, the overall journey and conclusion to the McCaim family saga checked my happy boxes and left me a very satisfied reader. I enthusiastically recommend Cecilia Mecca's and Julie Johnstone's time-traveling McCaim brothers - Highlanders Through Time. 

Review & Giveaway - - Seductive Scot

Seductive Scot
by Julie Johnstone and Cecilia Mecca
Highlanders Through Time - Book 3
Publisher: Darbyshire Publishing
Release Date: April 23, 2020
Reviewed by PJ
 

He crossed time on a mission to rescue his family but discovered the one woman with the power to save him.

Reikart McCaim doesn’t want to be saved—despite the fact that he’s a time traveler from 2020 New Orleans stuck in medieval Scotland. He holds his jagged secrets close to his chest and wants to keep them that way. Even if he could open up to the incredible woman fate has tossed in his path, they’d both be shredded by the things he can’t let go of. Still, he needs her help. In his time, his father lies in a coma with only one wish: to see Reikart’s mother again, whom he’s always claimed was a time traveler pulled back to her true time. Two of Reikart’s brothers already traveled back to search for her, but they are missing, too. Now, Reikart must find his family and secure the magic cross they need to return to their time. And the lass who is everything he wants but cannot allow himself to have is the only one who can recover it.

Deirdre Irvine’s life is a disaster, and it’s about to get a whole lot messier. She’s been betrayed by her brother, and she finds herself unwittingly embroiled in a plot to gain control of the Scottish throne. Not to mention she’s harboring enormous guilt over failing the sister she adores. So when the unexpected chance to prove herself to her sister arises, Deirdre will do anything to use the opportunity to her advantage. It doesn’t matter that it means putting herself in danger and joining forces with a man who claims he’s from the future. But she is woefully unprepared for the jeopardy he puts her heart in.

For a scarred man and wounded lass, their greatest obstacle may not be the centuries that divide them, but the walls they’ve erected themselves. As Deirdre’s and Reikart’s lives intertwine and they’re confronted with dangerous enemies, she’s about to discover a strength she never knew she had, and he’s about to learn that facing his ghosts may be the only way to save not only himself but the woman he now loves.

PJ's Thoughts:

After reading Sinful Scot, book one in the Highlanders Through Time series, I was convinced Deirdre Irvine was a scheming traitor who had betrayed both her country and her sister. Imagine my surprise when I discovered she was the heroine of book three! Clearly, matters were not as they appeared in regards to her culpability. Or, so I hoped. As for Reikart, he is certainly more than he appears at first glance. Even his family is unaware of the magnitude of the immense burden of guilt he carries and how it continues to impact his life. Only a woman with Deirdre's strength and determination could have any chance of breaking through his barriers to release his guilt and bring hope - and love - to his future. But even that may not be enough to see these two through to a happily ever after.

I loved this book. It's my favorite of the series so far. The first two books of the series were filled with a lot of danger and action (which I enjoy) but, while this one has its share of that, the primary focus is on the characters, their individual growth, and the evolution of their relationships. Both of them have heartbreaking, emotional wounds that have not healed. Deirdre is determined to earn back her sister's love and trust while Reikart is determined to never open his heart to love again. Both also have a burning desire for the other that cannot be quenched. And, both will do whatever is necessary to keep the other safe. They broke my heart, then filled that same heart with joy. I couldn't get enough of them. 

While there's an abundance of deep emotion in this story (parts were heartbreaking and, yes, there were tears), Johnstone maintains that emotional depth without allowing it to become too dark by lightening the story with well-placed humor and some delicious sizzle. I especially enjoyed the snappy banter between Deirdre and Reikart, and the unabashed matchmaking going on at the hands of Reikart's mother and aunt, and Deirdre's sister (now also Reikart's sister-in-law). And, as always, the historical facts and figures interwoven throughout add an enjoyable realism to the tale. 

I've loved getting to know these brothers, each so different from the others yet all undeniably bound to one another by the love and loyalty of family. I'm already sad about the prospect of saying goodbye to them and yet also eagerly anticipating the fourth, and final, chapter of their journey, youngest brother Ian's story, in book four: Scandalous Scot. 

If you enjoy time-travel romances, you'll want to be sure this series is on your must-read list. If you haven't discovered time-travel yet, the Highlanders Through Time series is a great place to begin. I recommend reading the books in order: Sinful Scot, Sexy Scot, Seductive Scot, and (coming May 19) Scandalous Scot. 

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Have you read any of the books in this series yet?

If you could time travel, where would you go?

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, April 24, will receive an e-book copy of Seductive Scot.

*Must be 18 or older

Review - - Sexy Scot

Sexy Scot
by Cecilia Mecca and Julie Johnstone
Highlanders Through Time - Book 2
Publisher: Altiora Press
Release Date: March 31, 2020
Reviewed by PJ
  

When his older brother disappears before his eyes, Greyson McCaim is determined to find him—even if he has to travel back in time. Because it turns out their “crazy” father was right: their mother didn’t leave them willingly. She’s a time traveler, and someone pulled her back to her original home in medieval Scotland. Now Rhys is there too while the other McCaim brothers are stuck in modern-day New Orleans. They keep reciting the chant that sent Rhys back, and it finally works—but only for Greyson. Miserably unprepared for medieval life, he is saved by fate’s choice to dump him at the feet of the uncle he never knew he had. The two set off to learn what happened to Greyson’s mother and brother, but their mission is derailed when they encounter an earl’s daughter in need of help.

Marian is sent from the only home she’s ever known to marry a stranger—a Scottish noble with a poor reputation. But her fear of the unknown is soon replaced by a completely different terror when her traveling party is viciously attacked by reivers. The Scot who saves her is unlike anyone she’s ever met—his accent is strange, his words stranger, and he’s completely oblivious to etiquette. And yet this man awakens something in her, as does her newfound freedom from her father. 

Greyson’s secret opens a whole new world for Marian, and her love makes him a stronger man. But Greyson’s family is at the center of a conspiracy that promises to change Scotland forever, and from the perspective of history, he knows it doesn’t turn out well. Can Greyson and Marian possibly find a happy ending?

PJ's Thoughts:

Between my love of time travel romance and my fascination with Medieval Scotland, I could not be more excited about this new collaboration between Cecilia Mecca and Julie Johnstone. Book two, Sexy Scot, follows second brother, Greyson McCaim's journey into the past as he attempts to find both his missing mother as well as older brother, Rhys. 

I love a fish out of water story. In most of the books I read, it's the heroine who finds herself out of her comfort zone but, in this book, it's our 21st century hero who is hurtled back in time and I couldn't be happier. Between his clothes, speech, and strange views, especially in regards to women, fitting in is a constant struggle. Navigating the slippery slopes of Medieval Scotland is no easy task but Grey is up for the challenge. Watching him slowly claim his heritage, the respect of his clan, and the Medieval woman at his side was thoroughly enjoyable. 

Marian may start out as an innocent, sheltered Medieval lady, little more than a bargaining chip in the political maneuverings of men, but she becomes much more. It was immensely satisfying to watch her grow into a woman unafraid to make difficult decisions and go after what she wants. I have no doubt she will be able to hold her own in modern-day New Orleans...if she and Grey ever make it there.

There are two more McCaim brothers waiting for their stories and I cannot wait to find out what happens. Will Ian and Reikart travel 700 years into the past to join their mother and brothers? Will their father recover? Will any of them make it back to present-day New Orleans? Will they want to?  This series has me hooked and I can't wait to discover all of the answers.

I definitely recommend reading these books in order. Books  one and two, Sinful Scot and Sexy Scot are now available. Book three, Seductive Scot will be released April 23. I already have it pre-ordered. 

Review - - Sinful Scot

Sinful Scot
by Julie Johnstone and Cecilia Mecca
Highlanders Through Time - Book 1
Publisher: Darbyshire Publishing, LLC
Release Date: February 28, 2020
Reviewed by PJ
 

In a time he doesn’t belong, in an alliance she shouldn’t have made, they’ll fall dangerously, hopelessly in love.

New Orleans, 2020. Billionaire Rhys McCaim doesn’t believe for one second that his missing mother is a time traveler. Still, his father insists that she didn’t leave them willingly but was pulled through time to her true home in medieval Scotland. But when he and his three brothers test out an ancient time-traveling spell to appease their dying father and Rhys is catapulted to thirteenth-century Scotland, he can’t exactly deny it anymore. Suddenly he’s a Highlander in a land on the verge of war. He needs to get back to his time before all hell breaks loose, but first he must find his mother. Luckily, fate drops the perfect guide in his path. She’s brilliant, beautiful and bold, and he’s drawn to her in a way he’s never been drawn to anyone or anything before. But he can’t afford to be distracted from his mission or lower his carefully constructed guard.

Scotland, 1286. Maggie Irvine is betrothed to a vicious man who cares only of wealth and power. Marrying him will restore her family’s reputation, however, saving her siblings from lives of misery. She has resigned herself to her fate, but when a mysterious, handsome stranger magically appears before her out of thin air, her plan—and the stranger’s life—are in jeopardy. And the only way to save him is to risk everything. As she comes to learn the shocking truth of what he hides, Maggie discovers what happens when duty collides with desire and long-abandoned dreams rise to the surface.

Bound by secrets and lies, Maggie and Rhys are entangled in the brewing battle for the Scottish throne. With his knowledge of the future, Rhys possesses the powerful ability to alter history. Yet, to do so successfully, he must let Maggie past the defenses he’s spent a lifetime building. Now, an alliance that began in desperation becomes a need that will leave them both torn between what they should do and what love demands.

PJ's Thoughts:

I love this book! Julie Johnstone is one of my favorite authors writing in the Medieval period so I was excited when I heard she planned to join forces with fellow author Cecilia Mecca to create a new time travel series. The end result of their efforts is a first book that I simply could not put down. From the very beginning, I was thrust into the lives of McCaim brothers of New Orleans and fascinated by the events surrounding their ailing father, his outlandish assertions, and the mystery of their mother's five-year disappearance. Then, when Rhys finds himself hurtled back in time to 13th century Scotland, things really get interesting.

Sinful Scot is fast-paced and action-packed, with snappy dialog, sizzling chemistry, intrigue, suspense, high stakes, and heart-tugging romance. The sense of time and place is so accurately described that I could visualize it in my mind. The characters, and their emotions, so vividly depicted that while reading their story, it felt as though I was with them each step of their journey, sharing their hopes, their fears, their love. 

The second book in the series, Sexy Scot, sends McCaim brother Greyson back in time. Will he and Rhys find one another? Will they both reunite with their mother? Will they ever find their way back to 2020 New Orleans? Will they want to? I don't know the answers but you can bet I'll be eager to find out when Greyson's book, as well as those of the other two brothers, are released. Johnstone and Mecca have snagged me, hook, line, and sinker. 

Sexy Scot will be released March 31, 2020. 



Do you enjoy time travel romance?

Have you read either Julie Johnstone or Cecilia Mecca?

If you had the ability to time travel, where would you want to go?

One person who comments before 11:00 PM, March 1, 2020 will receive an e-book copy of Sinful Scot.