Cover Image: Christmas in Kilts

Christmas in Kilts

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

A Highlander’s Hope by Terri Brisbin

Iain McKillop is a widower who, by my calculations, is in his mid-40’s. He’s ready to marry again and his nephew thinks he can use him for some sort of clan alliance. Iain knows that there’s really only one woman for him, and that’s Robena of the MacKendimen clan.

Robena is the village harlot. While she doesn’t love what she does she has protection from people in the clan and they care about her. The only person who ostracizes her is the Laird of the Clan – who’s not a nice man anyway. Robena is excited when she hears that Iain is coming to visit for Christmas because she loves spending time with him. He puts a genuine smile on her face and of course she loves that he pays for her exclusive services while he’s there.

Robena can tell right away that there’s something different with Iain but is shocked when he asks for her hand in marriage. He wants a wife and a mother to his children. She doesn’t think she’s good enough for him and besides, she can’t have children – how can she be the person that Iain needs in his life?

I have to say that I wasn’t a huge fan of this story when it started but Iain and Robena soon won me over. Iain was such a giving man and he truly loved Robena – despite her profession. He dealt with her past men in his own way but certainly wasn’t willing for her to be with anyone else ever again. It was a sweet story in the end and I liked how Brisbin worked out the details of their future life together.


A Highland Christmas Wager by Lecia Cornwall

Meggie MacLeod is traveling home with her grandmother. She is excited to be going home for Christmas after being gone for three months taking care of her grandmother after she’d broken her leg. Unfortunately the weather is against them and they can’t make their halfway point before the blizzard begins. Their travelling group takes refuge at the closest keep and that happens to be the home of the man who’d taken Meggie’s virginity eight years earlier. She’s definitely not happy about being there.

Magnus McVane is the Laird that had seduced and left Meggie all those years ago. She’d thought herself in love with him after only 3 days but after he finally had sex with her, he left to go get married. She was devastated. Magnus isn’t home alone, however. He has his dead wife’s brother, Charlie McKay – yet another Laird – there with him. Magnus is hoping to get Charlie to marry his sister, Catriona, who they all think is a shrew. Also visiting is Laird Hugh MacAuley who is there under unknown circumstances. When Magnus sees Meggie he’s positive he can seduce her again and then he could probably marry her as she’s an heiress. Charlie’s got his eye on her as well though, and they end up making a wager, dragging Hugh into their game. Whoever gets Meggie to willingly kiss them first – a long kiss, not just a peck – gets a few prized possessions from each man, but also the right to talk to her father about her hand in marriage.

Hugh is at the keep as he’s been instructed by the elders of his clan to ask for Catriona’s hand in marriage – something he really doesn’t want to do. The elders don’t think the man has a brain and though he is laird he truly has no power. When he sees Meggie he is attracted to her immediately and rethinks his possible proposal to Catriona. He’s a shy man, however, and bumbles along with Meggie despite her attention to him.

This was a lovely, romantic story. I loved Hugh and his quiet, calm personality. He was a breath of fresh air compared to the obnoxious Magnus and the over-excitable Charlie. Hugh and Meggie were perfect for each other and the ending of the story put a smile on my face.


A Scot for Christmas by Bronwen Evans

Dougray is thinking about getting married to beget an heir but he plans on a marriage of convenience so that he won’t get attached to a wife. His first wife died and he doesn’t want to have to live through that once again. His plan is to marry a neighbor’s daughter, Fiona Mackenzie, so that he can help her father financially. He made a promise to his dying father that he would help the Mackenzie, but the man would not accept his funds – even as a loan. Marrying Fiona is the only way he can get the funds to him.

Dougray and his cousin, Angus, are having a hunting party around Christmas time. A party that includes his friends and their paramours, with a couple other women of questionable virtue coming along as well. When Dougray’s best friend’s younger sister arrives he’s horrified and tries to get her to leave at once. She refuses, of course, and instead asks him something. She is in her late 20’s and has come to terms with her spinsterhood. She asks Dougray to sleep with her. She’s been in love with him for years and plans on having the memory of their lovemaking to last the rest of her life. Dougray refuses at first but then finally agrees as he can’t resister her. He doesn’t realize until later that Emma is in love with him. Despite his growing feelings for Emma he’s determined to marry Fiona Mackenzie. He refuses to have a wife he cares about.

This was a good story, not one of my least favorites. I guess it was just too predictable in my opinion. I knew that Dougray would sleep with Emma, of course, and he would fall in love with her and live happily ever after. It was written in an entertaining way, and I liked the characters, but I just wasn’t a huge fan of A Scot for Christmas.


Leftover Mistletoe by Lavinia Kent

Emma Spencer is having a bad day – really, a bad life. Her dear father had passed on and her cousin had taken the Earl’s title. Unfortunately her cousin wasn’t a kind man and she was being sent to Scotland to live with her uncle who she didn’t even know. Emma had marriage prospects as she was quite pretty. She believes her cousin is sending her away so she won’t ever marry. Her financial portion would then stay in his hands forever.

She was travelling when her maid disappeared with her bag. Her trunks were coming later and with the maid gone she was left with the clothes on her back, her reticule, and very little money. She buys passage on a coach and the only other passenger is a snoring man who takes up way too much room. At one point during their travels they stop. Emma doesn’t know why and soon all is quiet. When the man finally wakes up and goes to investigate he finds that there’s no coachman and the team of horses have been driven off as well. He’s familiar with the land so he takes Emma to a cabin where they try to brave the storm that has begun.

Emma finds out he’s James Barran and he’s on his way to Edinburgh so that he can stop his sister from marrying his best friend. He loves his best friend, but doesn’t want his sister marrying him. He’s bound and determined to stop the wedding but his friend Robbie kept throwing up roadblocks to stop him. One being the fact that Robbie paid the coachman to take the horses and now he and Emma are stranded. They head to the cabin and while they’re there their attraction to each other grows and they start to fall in love.

Kent always writes such charming romances. This was no different. Yes, the couple fell in love quickly but it fit with their lives and circumstances of their confinement. I thought James and Emma were perfect for each other and complimented each other well. The humor in the story is another thing I liked about this story. The banter between Emma and James was engaging and I found myself smiling a lot while reading.


Sweet Home Highlands by May McGoldrick

Captain Gregory Pennington is on his way home to his family for Christmas but is tasked by his brother with escorting four adults and a child to a neighboring estate near his home. He’s in a pub and is anxious to be on his way when a small child starts up a conversation. She’s a funny little imp and mature beyond her 5 or 6 years. It turns out that this is the child that he is to escort along with her aunt, Freya, and couple of servants. The fourth person was to be Freya’s almost-fiancé but he doesn’t ever show up.

Freya is a young woman who has raised her niece almost from birth. She was only 17 when her sister died a week after giving birth and she loves little Ella like her own. Ella’s father was killed in the war and his family never wanted anything to do with Ella until recently. Now Ella’s grandmother is demanding their appearance at her home so that she can make sure that Ella is financially well taken care of. She also intimated that Freya wasn’t a proper guardian because she wasn’t married. Because of this Freya had an understanding with the cousin that would inherit Freya’s father’s title and lands when he eventually passed. Freya wasn’t looking forward to the marriage but was resigned to her fate in order to keep Ella with her.

Gregory is smitten with Freya the minute he sees her. The minutes they spend together on the journey just make him like her more and more. Freya starts to fall for Gregory as well but she knows that she must marry her cousin in order to appease Ella’s grandmother.

As I read more of McGoldrick’s books the more I become a fan. This story was simply romantic on all levels. It was the kind of story that will make you sigh with wonder at how sweet it is – but not sugary at all. Just downright a lovely story. This is kind of a prequel to a new series that McGoldrick is putting out and I personally can’t wait for it to release.

Gregory and Freya were wonderful in the story and little Ella – that child with a personality beyond her years – was enchanting. I liked everything about this story and highly recommend it.


In the end I thought this was a very good historical anthology. A lovely compliment of authors that brought a little Christmas cheer and romance to my life.

Rating: 4 out of 5

This will post as a guest review on Book Binge.
http://bookbinge.com/

Was this review helpful?

A HIGHLANDER'S HOPE by Terri Brisbin - NEVER tell a Highlander he can’t follow his heart while following his leader’s orders because the heart knows what it wants and sees the beauty in a tarnished rose. A happily ever after romance that proves that labels do not define a person and some things are just meant to be!

A HIGHLAND CHRISTMAS WAGER by Lecia Cornwall - Be careful what you wager, you may end up losing your heart, even as you win the greatest gift of all, in spite of yourself!

A SCOT FOR CHRISTMAS by Bronwen Evans - You have to love a woman who knows what she wants and manages to get more than she ever dreamed of! Sassy, sexy and filled with touches of humor!

LEFTOVER MISTLETOE by Lavinia Kent - Love shows up when you least expect it, especially when circumstances are either the most inopportune. Were those moments happenstance or contrived? Definitely a fun read where everything that goes wrong ends up being so right!

SWEET HOME HIGHLAND CHRISTMAS by May McGoldrick - The wisdom of a child whose precocious antics never let up finds a way to create the family she wants and needs! Sweet, humorous and definitely a feel good story for the Holidays!

If the title didn't grab you, these short, sweet and romantic tales will! A wonderful way to warm up to the magic of the Holidays with just the right amount of spice!

I received an ARC edition from Swerve in exchange for my honest review.

Publisher: Swerve (October 31, 2017)
Publication Date: October 31, 2017
Genre: Holiday Historical Romance
Page Count: 300
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

Was this review helpful?

a simply awesome box set of stories. Loved them all.

Was this review helpful?

4.5 Stars! These were all really good stories! I enjoyed reading each and every one of them! The downside to them being novellas is that they feel somewhat unfinished or they aren’t as specific at times & than the story doesn’t live up to it’s potential. They were really good reads but I wish they were longer, with more information & answered all the questions I had. Still, they were definitely worth reading! You get 5 stories in 1 book! I 100% recommend this book!
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!*

Was this review helpful?

Christmas has never been more enjoyable than when combined with all these seriously hot men in their fabulous sexy kilts!

Every story was jam-packed with fiery, intense Highlanders, determined to get the woman they want by any means necessary. Fast, action-packed and edge of your seat thrilling; each story will set your heart racing and make you wish for a Scotsman of your very own.

Was this review helpful?

Christmas In Kilts is a collection of 5 highlander Christmas stories by different authors. This is a fabulous collection!!

A Highlander's Hope by Terri Brisbin is first up. This is Iain and Robena's story. Iain is the uncle of the MacKillop clan and Robena MacKendimen is basically the prostitute of her clan and is visited by Iain whenever he visits the MacKendimen clan. This story is loaded with drama, sizzle, sadness and suspense. The characters are amazing and perfect for this story.

The next book, A Highland Christmas Wager by Lecia Cornwall is another fantastic read. Meggie and her grandmother are forced to take shelter at Gleanngalla. There she unknowingly becomes the prize of a bet between three lairds. I love the humor in this story. There is also plenty of drama, spice and fantastic characters.

Book three of this collection is A Scot For Christmas by Bronwen Evans. Emma has been in love with her brother's best friend, Dougray, for years. Their story is full of humor, sexy bits and drama.

The fourth book of this collection is Leftover Mistletoe by Lavinia Kent. I confess, the first page of this book had me laughing out loud. James and Emma were stranded when the coach they were traveling in was left on the side of the road. There is plenty of humor, drama and heat in this story to keep readers turning the pages.

The last book of the set is Sweet Home Highlands by May McGoldrick. Gregory was tasked with escorting a group of people to Baronsford. Included in the group are Freya and her niece Ella. I have to say, Ella stole the show in this book, everyone needs a little Ella in their life. The drama, sizzle and antics of Ella will keep readers glued to their ereaders. I love the humor. Kudos to Ms McGoldrick on the characters and dialog.

All of these books were fun, fast holiday reads. They were well-written and perfect for the Christmas season. Of course, if you're like me, you'll enjoy them no matter what time of year it is.

I voluntarily read an Advance Reader Copy of this book that I received from NetGalley.

Was this review helpful?

Christmas in Kilts is a wonderful way to get right into the holiday spirit—even, if like in my case, the holiday is still months away. The books inspire love and faith in love so fitting in this holiday season. These five books are really novellas, but together they flow into a solid book, filled with hunky men, who bring out romance, with a good mixture of love and lust, overcoming external and internal battles to reach the love they aspire to amid a myriad of difficulties. The language, settings and descriptions helped to sweep me away to the far, distant land where kilts and brogues are the norm. I have not read other books by these authors, but, after this one, I will add them to my list of must authors to look for in my search for good books. I recommend this book to those readers who enjoy good, lusty romances, who enjoy the thought of a lusty highlander who dotes on them, or who are looking for a delightful book to read this holiday season. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

Was this review helpful?

Nancy Naigle is an author that makes her point known while laying the groundwork for captivating stories. Hope at Christmas gives voice to a woman finding her wings and rediscovering her heart. Adulthood has not been easy for Sydney. An unhappy marriage, a controlling ex - husband and a divorce that's left her twisting in the wind. A fresh start is just what she needs to feel like herself again. Returning home with a daughter and not much else is hard, risking her heart while rebuilding her life is not what she envisioned, but could end up being the most rewarding experience of her life. New beginnings are hard to come by, but worth the effort.

Was this review helpful?

While each tale in the Christmas in Kilts, A Highland Holiday Boxed Set, is a novella, they felt like four full-length stories. Each tale had well-developed, flowing plots and characters that were easy to love. I enjoyed the adventures, the romances, and all four were wrapped up in a holiday Christmas bow. What a fun and fulfilling way to get into the Holiday spirit!

Was this review helpful?

Although the storylines were engaging the book was overbilled as a Christmas book. The time of year was seemingly an afterthought to the overtly sexual themes of the stories. I guess I expected a heartwarming collection of seasonal tales about Scotland and I was delivered something else entirely.

Was this review helpful?

10-31 Christmas in Kilts Anthology
Five incredible and wonderfully told historical romances with Scottish lovers.
A Highlander's Hope
Teri Brisbin's tale of Iaian McKillop and Robena MacKendimen is about a widower and a 'fallen' woman, fallen because she was a victim of the laird of the clan's son.
Despite others opinions Iain has decided Robena needs to be his and he battles for all to accept that she will be his wife...including her.
A sweet and sensual holiday tale with a touch of angst.

A Highland Christmas Wager
Lecia Cornwall story of Meggie MacLeod's interupted journey home to her clan with her elderly grandmother had me irate with their host.
Magnus MacVane had taken advantage of her as a teenager, and hopes to do so again...going to far as wagering to his two male guests he could bed her again.
Meggie avoided him, but was attracted to one of the guests..Laird Hugh MacAuley as strongly as he was attracted to her.
All the gents had financial difficulties. Hugh, however had principals and was honest with her. They were thrown together often and they bonded, as did Catriona, Magnus's sister to Charlie MacKay...both previously avoided each other because they each had bad impressions.
Sweet and sensual holiday tale.

A Scot For Christmas
Bronwen Evans' tale of Dougray, the Duke of Lorne, a widower that must marry for an heir, and his plan for a contracted marriage is the story of a determined lass who grabs a chance to get the man she has always loved, despite the fact he wants to keep his heart hardened.
Lady Emma Thorton was determined and by the end of the house party, she had her man.
Sweet and sensual holiday tale.

Leftover Mistletoe by Lavinia Kent
Emma Spencer, left alone after her father's death has been sent to Scotland by the new heir.
Her carriage broke down, her maid disappeared and she ended up on a coach with a big, dirty man who hadn't grasped the concept of shared space.
James Barran was in a hurry to get home to stop his sister's wedding..too bad the groom had been his best friend, and knew him well enough to waylay him to a cabin...until after the ceremony.
Stuck in close quarters, and learning the character of each other, they fell for each other....hard.
Sweet and sexy tale.

Sweet Home Highlands by May McGoldrick
Capt. Gregory Pennington is doing his family a favor on his way home. He has been asked to escort four adults and a child with him.
He finds three adults, the nursemaid, her husband, Ella, the child and Fiona, her aunt answering the summons of Ella's grandmother.
As he gets to know them, he fall deeply for Fie and Ella and makes plans to make them his own.
Sweet holiday historical.

Was this review helpful?

Absolutely fantastic story written about love, snow and Christmas. Makes you feel that love is here to stay and can happen to all of us.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to St Martins Press and Netgalley for supplying this book for review. Even though I was gifted this book all my opinions are my own. I loved these novellas. Highlanders Hope by Terri Brisbin was my favourite but that's not a surprise as i adore all her books. If you love hunky men in kilts all sprinkled with Christmas charm then give these stories a read.

Was this review helpful?

I tried but these are not the books for me. I just can't get into these historical romance books. To confusing with the old school vocabulary and terms.

Was this review helpful?