Loved it, loved it, loved it! I have read all of their historical romances and have loved all of them. This book is no exception. The heroine is super intelligent, and spunky, while the hero is strong, fair and caring. Hated to see it end; am looking forward to the next book in this series.

I loved "Borrowed Dreams" by May McGoldrick, which is one of my All-time-favorites and I seriously can't tell you how often I've read and re-read that book. "Romancing the Scot" is the first book in the series about the Pennington Family, the book about the next generation.
Everything that I loved about "Borrowed Dreams" and its wonderful characters, can be found in this book again. You can feel Lyon and Millicent in their children and their children's actions and values. Their pursuit of justice and of what is right, their compassion and their love for those around them, are the perfect mixture of their parents' qualitites that I loved so much. And of course, we get to meet Lyon and Millicent as well.

If you read "Borrowed Dreams", you might remember Jo, sweet little Jo, whose birth we witnessed and well, there's also Hugh, Lyon's and Millicent's son. We meet those two in "Romancing the Scot" at a time, when Hugh slowly starts to open up to the possibility of loving again after having suffered a terrible loss during the war. Enters Grace, a young woman who is saved by Hugh and nursed back to health by Hugh and Jo. Grace has lost everything but she might just have found the one place where she finds a purpose and maybe even a place for her to stay. If she can avoid being killed or being convicted as a traitor, of course.

Right from the start this book felt so right that I already knew that this would become another favorite of mine. This is a book that I'll definitely read again and again and again and that I'll simply have to buy in print as well.

I loved this. This is the story of Hugh and Grace. Grace is on the run and hiding from the English. Her father was part of Napoleon's army who had just lost the war. Her mother a Scottish Jacobite. She meets Hugh in time of need. If you love historical romance then give this ago. Really enjoyed the writing style of this author duo.

This story hooked me from the beginning and was fast paced all the way through. Loved the romance and suspense intertwined throughout the book. Hugh and Grace were perfect for each other and I loved that they healed one another. They had wonderful chemistry and this story had the perfect amount of steam. Great start to this series and I can't wait to read Jo's story.

ARC provided by NetGalley.

If you like regency romances with a bit of danger, intrigue and suspense then this book fits the bill nicely. I found it exciting and romantic. The characters were well written and the spy business plausible.
The cover of the book isn't my cup of tea and normally would be enough for me to pass it by if I saw in a shop. However, the blurb drew me in and I couldn't put the book down once I'd started it. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series when it is published.

Romancing the Scot wasn't the first book by May McGoldrick I'd read and reviewed. I was previously asked by St Martin's Press to review Christmas in Kilts, a short story anthology which had a story by May McGoldrick. Christmas in Kilts is part of my SMP Christmas Blog Blitz post as part of a blogging event that the publisher was running on October 17 2017.

Romancing the Scot was a very interesting historical romance which pulled me right into the story as its so atmospheric. It's full of tension, suspense and romance. I'm glad it's part of a series and want to read more.

Thank you to St Martin's Press and May McGoldrick for an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

One hallmark of a superior author is the ability to write interesting storylines that occur in different eras. The author duo, May McGoldrick is this type of author. Most of their previous offerings take place in medieval Highlands, however their newest book is set in the post Napoleonic era. Like their previous books, it is full of danger, intrigue, great characters, and a fast paced storyline. Grace Ware's father was a Napoleon supporter, having served in his army. Hugh Pennington, Viscount Greysteil is a Lord Justice in Edinburgh, having served in the British army. They are a very unlikely couple, but do find each other and love. Since I do not like to give spoilers, you must read this book to find out how it happens. It will be well worth your time. I have ever read a May McGoldrick book I have not liked. It is so easy to get lost in the pages of their stories. The best part is this book is the beginning of a new series about the Penningtons. Since there are quite a few of them, it bodes well for a lot of good reading in the future.

I found this book to be intriguing and it kept me spellbound. It seems Grace literally landed in Hugh's life. But with the mystery surrounding Grace. I wasn't sure they were going to make it. But it seems true love won out in the end. I love happily ever afters and this book surely doesn't disappoint. Great plot, full of love, mystery and of course history. I voluntarily read this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved the originality of this story. Imagine opening a shipping crate and finding a woman inside... and a half-dead one, at that! This unique tale and its cast of wonderful and heartwarming characters was thoroughly satisfying and enjoyable. I am looking forward to the next installment in the Pennington series.

*I received a complimentary ARC of this story from NetGalley & St. Martin's Press in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

This is the story of people who are on opposites side of the law.
Grace and her father are couriers except she doesn't know what she is really carrying. When trouble hits she escapes.
Hugh is waiting on a delivery but when he opens it he gets the shock of his life. It is a women not what he is waiting for.
Grace is lucky she ended up where she did and is cared for until she is well. She just has to hope her secret doesn't come out when she realizes who saved her.

Hugh and his sister help to heal Grace and she finds a place in their hearts. When trouble comes her way while under their care she has to decide if she should come clean or not.
In the end it all works out for the best.

** I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

This is the first story in a new series focussing on the Pennington family and, in this book, the hero is Hugh Pennington, who is Viscount Greysteil and Lord Justice of the Scottish Courts. He lives on the family estate at Baronsford in Scotland after serving the Crown in the Napoleonic Wars during which his wife and son tragically died.

Grace Ware travelled incognito from America to Antwerp with her very ill father, an Irish military commander of some renown in the defeated army of Napoleon, at the behest of Napoleon’s brother. On their arrival she endeavours to get her father to safety but they are attacked. She escapes and hides in a crate in a warehouse, only to be sealed into it, unable to escape and transported, without food or drink, across the sea.

When Hugh opens the crate, he discovers Grace near to death. With no idea who she is or how she got into the crate, Hugh and his sister are determined to do all in their power to save her. Grace is unsure where she is or who she is staying with and, when she realises she is in Scotland she is reticent to confess her own identity and past for fear of being charged with treason. She has a eidetic memory but pretends she doesn’t know who she is or what has happened to her. However, as the attraction between Grace and Hugh grows, her dilemmas grow - should she confess and risk being charged with treason or escape to remove any blame being placed on Hugh and his family? When someone who knows her from Napoleon’s court visits, dangers mount and pressures increase, how can she resolve everything? Will love find a way?

Wow, from the very beginning of this story it is an action packed start to this new series. The intrigue, secrets and mystery are paramount throughout the story which has well developed characters with whom it is easy to empathise. Hugh has a tragic past and Grace has a markedly positive impact on him. She is feisty, knowledgeable and speaks her mind, sometimes revealing more than she meant to! I liked how she gets Hugh to reevaluate his attitudes to the Irish and helps him investigate matters to help a case involving a lady who is both deaf and mute. The relationships are realistically portrayed and it is a very enjoyable read. I look forward to reading more about the Penningtons in future books in this series.

I requested and received a copy of this novel, via NetGalley. This is my honest review after choosing to read it.

The story begins at top speed when Grace, the heroine, discovers some men as they’ve just killed her father and they chase her through Antwerp’s streets. She hides in a crate in a ware-house and finds herself shut away. The crate is delivered five days later in Scotland to Hugh, who’s stunned to find a half-dead young woman in it.

After recovery, Grace is doubly frightened: she doesn’t know who killed her father and why, and she’s hosted by a man who fought in the opposite camp during the Napoleonic wars. She feigns being amnesic to avoid questions, but the fact she’s very intelligent with an exceptional memory plays tricks on her once or two times. She also tends to judge without knowing all the info and on two occasions she throws her truth in the hero’s head who didn’t deserve that.

Hugh is a man marked by the war and who reproaches himself for his wife and his son’s deaths when he has nothing to do with it. His family worries because he’s a bit reckless and has risked his life several times. Besides he’s straight, honest, and tries to be just for the oppressed minorities. He’s annoyed to be attracted to the heroine when she’s in a weakened position, but soon he decides he wants to keep her no matter what.

The rhythm that began so well slows quite fast and never starts again, and we’re left waiting for something to happen. The plot about Grace’s father’s murder is solved quite quickly in the end. There’s a little subplot about a justice decision Hugh must takes for a deaf and mute woman where he puts to good use Grace’s talents, and I almost preferred this story to the rest of the novel.

The whole novel is easily read but I was never really grabbed by it. I even had trouble writing this review! However I’m intrigued by Hugh’s sister, a very interesting character in this volume, who will be the heroine of the second one.

The Napoleonic Wars are over but the political maneuverings are far from, Grace and her father are traveling with messages from Joseph Bonaparte to his wife Julie. They are attacked and Grace ends up hiding in a crate that gets shipped off to Scotland. As the daughter of a French cavalry officer with Jacobite ancestors, Grace finds herself in a perilous position when she awakens in the home of a former English cavalry officer and current judge.
Hugh still blames himself for not being able to rescue his wife and son during the war; he therefore likes dangerous hobbies such as ballooning. When an unconscious woman is found in the new basket he had delivered, he can't help but be drawn to her.
Grace and Hugh may have been on opposite sides of the war but their serendipitous meeting will have them joining together.
 
"I shouldn't have kissed you," she finally managed to whisper.
"No, it was I," he said, his gaze still setting her body aflame even from two steps away. "But I don't regret it, and I don't think you do, either."
 
First in the new Pennington Family series, Romancing the Scot is a rich and intriguing tale. Hugh is our viscount, former cavalry officer, and current judge hero, whose parents you might remember from the authors' Scottish Dream Trilogy. I greatly appreciated the authors' attention to Hugh as a judge. We don't get a courtroom scene but instead an engaging look at how he approaches his cases, specifically through a case involving a deaf and mute woman accused of murdering her child (in the author's note, the case is said to be based on a real one). This approach not only allowed Hugh and Grace to bond through solving how to work the case, showing how Hugh appreciated Grace's mind and abilities, it also added unique details to an often written about time period.
 
While Hugh provided the calm and commanding demeanor, Grace gave us the action and compelling components. She at first claims amnesia because she fears that her father fighting for Napoleon and her Jacobite ancestors might land her in trouble but can't keep lying as she grows closer with Hugh. Grace was a wonderful heroine who didn't need to be dramatically overwritten to show her brilliance in strength living the everyday life she was placed in. She traveled with her French cavalry father, fighting sicknesses, helping wounded, and marching in the muck like many of the women in her time did; she's utterly capable but also so human in her vulnerability. The story's drama comes from Grace running from men who killed her father and her thinking they're after a huge diamond she didn't know until later she was transporting. There are English and French spies and some machinations.
 
The story started off right away at a bit of run and it did jolt me a bit as I had to attempt to place the characters and what exactly was going on but it does level off fairly quickly. The middle slowed a bit as I thought more of a focus on the romance between Grace and Hugh could have sparked vivacity but I also greatly enjoyed the feel of history in this historical romance. There's a mention of the Spa Fields riots, the workings of the law I mentioned, and a focus on the Scottish Clearances. If you read a fair amount of Scottish historicals from the 1800s, you've probably run across this historical event, what made this feel different was instead of just reciting what the Clearances were or did, the authors' focused on the actual people and effects, it felt more intimate. The historical components in this story felt true and woven in a way that immensely added to the feel and created a richer story tapestry.
 
I thought the middle could have used more romance between our couple but I also believed in them when they made love, the writing sometimes veered toward flowery/purple, the plot was weaving and intriguing, and the historical components highly enriched the story. Hugh's sister Jo was a touching character in her own right and with the set-up (adopted, broken engagement) the authors' have alluded to, I can't wait to read her book. Romancing the Scot was just an all around interesting read and a strong beginning to the Pennington Family series.

I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. This book tells the story of Grace Ware, the daughter of one of Napoleon's most trusted military men. Grace's only family is her father and she has traveled with him throughout her life, even as far as the battlefields. Grace's amazingly perfect memory has made her a valuable asset to her father as well, she can remember literally everything - everything she reads, sees, and hears and exactly where it originated and can even sort these items chronologically. Its quite amazing. Anyways after her father is murdered, Grace ends up hiding in a crate and ends up being shipped to Scotland, where she arrives 5 days later almost dead. She's been shipped to Hugh Pennington, a decorated war veteran himself only on the British side. After nursing Grace back to health, Hugh begins to have feelings for her without knowing who she is. But can they overcome their differences and find happiness together?
Overall I thought this was an ok book. The plot like was fairly interesting and I liked both the main characters. There was a little bit too much mush-y stuff for me, the hero and heroine profess their undying love, multiple times. Which is fine but just not something I usually go for. Other than that though it was a sweet story and I found it interesting. It was a fairly quick read and I would recommend giving it a try!

Thoroughly enjoyed this story. Lots of suspense and intrigue. Hugh is wonderfully compassionate and Grace is fierce and independent. I felt their chemistry from the start.

This is my first read by this author and it didn't disappoint. I'm eager to read Hugh's parents story as well as Jo's in the next installment.

I’m still relatively new to the world of historical romances but I really enjoyed this one - I loved the whole story, the element of danger, the chemistry between The main characters and the plot development all worked together to make it one of the most enjoyable historicals I’ve read so far. Looking forward to more in the series!

As a history but I loved this read, as a romance fan it was ok. Grace witnesses the murder of her father and ends up running for her life. She ends up trapped in a crate and shipped to Scotland. Hugh is the Lord Justice and after saving Grace their attractions grows. But what will happen with the truth comes out. This is an entertaining read with loads of drama and suspense. The characters were good and the story held my interest throughout. Be advise most of the romance is in the later part of the book. A good read.

Hugh Pennington, Viscount Greysteil, High Court Judge, was a Calvary Officer in the English army, he is a landowner and he rescues Grace from a crate. She is almost dead.
Grace Ware is the daughter of Colonel Ware, who lead the armies for Napolean against the English and allies.
This story has it all, kidnapping, danger, intrigue, spies and treason. The descriptions and dialogue are amazing and help you to maintain interest in the story. The characters seem realistic, warm and welcoming. Of course there are bad apples in every barrel. The plot is complex but it grabs you from the start and you are unable to put it down. It is a wonderful tale and unusual, her dad worked for the bad guys. I loved her rescue from the crate and how Jo, Hugh's sister, accepted her so quickly and was so kind to Grace.
I received this ARC free and voluntarily reviewed it.

Star crossed Regency with a sprinkling of intrigue

Judge Hugh Pennington, Viscount Greyneil, pries open the crate of his new hot air balloon to find a crumpled figure inside. Grace Ware, daughter of a Napoleonic general, feigns amnesia when she realises where she is. I’ve never read a Regency with a French-aligned heroine, so this is a nice change. Of course, the two of them fall in love, but Grace’s secret and shadows from her past threaten to drive them apart. The intrigue adds a nice layer to the novel without feeling forced.

Despite seeing through Grace’s eyes, I don’t feel like I really got to know her over the book – we see people react to her and grow to love her, but we don’t really see why. Hugh, meanwhile, I found a lot more fleshed out and proactive.

All in all, it’s a good Regency romance and I am keen to see Hugh’s sister Jo find her own happy ending.

I received a copy of this story from the author through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.