What a great story. This is my first book by this author and I was not disappointed. It has everything. Intrigue, action, romance. Loved it

Intrigue and Romance

Romancing The Scot is a story with elements of intrigue, murder, suspense, and justice all wrapped in a beautiful romance that takes place in Scotland, after the Napoleonic war. It’s a captivating story rich in characterization and historical detail.

Hugh Pennington, Viscount Greysteil, is filled with guilt, heartbroken over the loss of his wife and young son. Now eight years later after the war, he is known as hero and judge of the Edinburgh court. Hugh is an honorable man who advocates for those less privileged and unfortunate who are unfairly caught in an imperfect system.

Grace Ware is the daughter of an Irish commander who fought for the French. As Grace and her father make their way from America enroute to Brussels, their party is attacked, and Grace escapes with her life. She’s hidden in a crate, but doesn’t realize the crate is bound for Scotland. Found after five days and barely hanging on, Grace is nursed back to health by Hugh and his sister, Jo. But Grace is at first wary to divulge her true identity to her newly found friends, and confused over her attraction to Hugh. Hugh discovers Grace is highly intelligent and fascinating, unlike any woman he has ever met. Her formidable gift for memory and recall is the genius he needs in aiding him with some difficult cases in court.

But danger has followed Grace onto the Pennington estate. Hugh is determined to protect Grace at any cost, and uncover the threat surrounding her. But will Hugh still love her after he finds out the truth about her father? Great plot and admirable characters, mild heat level. I highly recommend this book for all fans of historical romance, and I am looking forward to the next book in the series. I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley, and voluntarily reviewed it.

the first book in mcgoldrick's pennington series, romancing the scot, finds hugh, viscount greysteil opening a box he expects to contain a new basket for his hot air balloon only to discover a young woman trapped and nearly dead at the bottom of it.

he takes her in and with the help of his sister and his staff nurses her back to health. when grace awakens and realizes where she is, she is afraid to reveal herself fully. her father was a supporter of napoleon. by all rights and purposes she is considered a traitor to the english crown, and as a high justice of the court, hugh would have no choice but to sentence her. so she feigns amnesia.

but as she learns more about him, and as the intrigue surrounding her draws near, she finds it more and more difficult to hide from hugh. she is drawn to him. his compassion, his kindness, and his fair-mindedness are an incredible draw. and then there is the pull of his physical presence. a flame of attraction she's never felt for any other man before this one.

she's afraid of how her past will affect him. afraid that because she was a good and loyal daughter she'll never have the chance to live with love. because that is what hugh offers her. his love, his heart, and he does this wholly, with no reservations. and it's super dreamy. i loved this story.

i can't wait to see where the other penningtons will find true love.

**romancing the scot published on november 14, 2017. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/st. martin's press (swerve) in exchange for my honest review.

Good characters,exciting story. An unusual look at the period just after the Napoleonic wars.

This story shines with fantastic heroes and a plot that was well thought-out and smart. I was genuinely caught up in the intricacies and details of the story and I could not put this book down!

Grace Ware’s father was an Irish colonel who fought on the side of the French during the Napoleonic wars. Her father is killed by strangers and Grace escapes sure death, trapped in a crate shipped from Antwerp to Scotland, barely surviving the crossing. The crate was sent to Hugh Pennington, Viscount Greysteil, who also happens to be the Lord Justice in Edinburgh and was a high-ranking cavalry officer during the Napoleonic Wars. Obviously, Grace can’t tell him her true identity.

Hugh is a widow who has spent years grieving the loss of his wife and his young son. He is irresistibly drawn to Grace and is fascinated by her wit. He is a delicious hero, confident in his abilities, loyal and honorable. And yet Grace confronts him with his Court’s anti-Irish bias, prosecuting defendants for petty offences, simply because they are Irish. He accepts her findings, although it cuts him deeply that his sense of justice and fairness has failed.

The romance between Hugh and Grace is simply beautiful, I found that the attraction between them was wonderfully rendered. The authors did a great job of building up the tension. Hugh and Grace are not enemies but soulmates. Hugh fears for Grace’s safety and his love is demonstrated in actions and words.

Riveting storytelling, elegant writing style and wonderful characters, this book had it all! It was my first read by authors May McGoldrick, but it won’t be my last! “Romancing The Scot” is the first in a new series about the Pennington siblings and I can’t wait for more!

Romancing the Scot (The Pennington Family, #1)
by May McGoldrick
Anna Swedenmom's review Nov 14, 2017 · edit
it was amazing

If we had ten stars to give this book deserves them!
So buy buy buy buy buy!

From the start you will be engaged for every layer of this book and its offerings. If you love romance, mystery, strong characters, and a wonderful plot line you will love this story. This authors writing created a picture in my mind and that is not an easy thing to do. From start until finish, I was totally a part of the story and not willing to lay it down until I was done reading it. Then I just wanted more!
The plot is one I did not expect, her characters were wonderful, the way the story unfolds was perfect, each element made this a fantastic read! So buy and sit and enjoy! I was given this book in return for an honest review. Anna

I loved the opening scene of this book. The hero’s character is amazing and made me fall in love with him before I even finished reading the first chapter. A lovely romance that develops gradually and made me fall in love with both Hugh and Grace. I also adored Jo’s character and cannot wait for her to get her own story. Such a brave, kind and loving character definitely deserves a happy ending.

* I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review*

Romancing the Scot by May McGoldrick is the First book in the New Series called "The Pennington Family". This is the story of Hugh Pennington and Grace Ware.
Grace's father was once a high ranking military commander but in the Napoleonic wars left badly injured and Grace took on the job to take care of him. One of the jobs she has taken to help him was to be his secretary of sorts and help him continue his work. But on one of these meetings her father is killed and she runs to hide inside a shipping box. These leads her to be shipped to Hugh's house. Hugh has his own issue that he is fight. The lost of his wife and young son. Hugh feels the guilt of not being there for them. Hugh is careless now with his life and has taken to do daring things that worry his family and friends. When he gets a shipping box he thinks it is his latest hobby but find a half dead women. Grace pretends to not know who she because she is not sure who she can trust. Grace thinks her lost of memory can buy her time.
I not sure I can say enough about this book. I have loved the books by this author before but this just shows me how right I am to put them so highly on my list.

I received an arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Grace Ware has spent her life supporting her father. An Irish military commander who supported Napoleon, her father now helps deliver messages from Napolean’s brother in America to his wife in Belgium. While on one such mission, Grace and her group are targeted by assassins. Grace, the only survivor hides inside a crate, only to find herself nailed in and transported by ship.

Hugh Pennington, Viscount Greysteil, Lord Justice of the Scottish Courts is shocked when the ballooning basket he has been waiting for is uncrated. Discovering a delirious woman inside he is compelledto offer her aid.

Grace, upon awakening, must fake amnesia or risk being labelled a traitor. While Grace recuperates she cannot help her growing attraction for Hugh. Grace challenges Hugh and helps him to discover new ways of thinking.

Can two opposing sides find love all the while a hidden enemy lies close to home.

I found this an intriguing read. It is unusual in Regency novels for a main character to have served at Napoleon’s side. There is a delightful mix of intrigue, action, drama and above all else romance.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has a few hours to spare because once you start it, you can’t help but finish it.

This is a terrific book which starts off with a bang! I just love this new series by one of my favorite authors. The story is believable and full of action. It had me at first page and never let go. The characters are real with thoughts and feelings of their own. You won't be disappointed by reading this very realistic romance.
Grace Ware is on the run from men who murdered her father. Even though her father was once the Irish commander of the Napoleon's defeated Army, she is now alone. She is hunted down and flees into a warehouse where she is nailed into a crate by person unknown to her.
When Grace arrives at a warehouse, she is found by a man who could be her hero or enemy. Hugh Pennington, Lord Justice of the Scottish courts finds the lady who may not live but he's determined to help her anyway.
When Grace awakens, she finds herself feigning amnesia to the man who saved her life. She is considered a traitor and must be very careful around this powerful man. She is attracted to Hugh and she to him. There is a lot of mystery going on here, and people who would do anything to get to Grace even if means her life is forfeit.
I really loved the interaction between Grace and Hugh who slowly fall in love.
So please pick up this book and find out if they have a happy ever after.
I appreciate Net Galley for this ARC title in which I gave an honest review.

What an exhilarating start to a new series!

This had everything you could possibly want in a book drama, deceit mystery spies action and a swoon worthy hero! A resilient and smart heroine who doesn’t back down from any situation.
The suspense will grab you from the first page and won’t let you go till you’ve read through to the last page ( make sure you start early otherwise you could be reading way into the morning ) Evil forces are at work that ultimately throw a wrench in the relationship, once everything is resolved the HEA is the reward!

I highly recommend this new series by May McGoldrick. It’s well written and rich in detail. You’ll fall in love with Hugh and Grace.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley for my honest opinion.

This story kept you on your toes, it captures your interest from the very beginning, we had history, murder and mystery oh my and under cover lies. Grace's father worked to Napoleon and she had to keep her identity a secret. It is a romance you should read.

Generally this isn’t normally my sort of book but I found myself enjoying it as light escapism. A guilty pleasure during a time period where work was especially fraught. It’s certainly among the finer kinds of Outlander-lite imitators out there. I found Grace to be a refreshingly multi dimensioned heroine in a genre that often only gives you the barest outline. An enjoyable popcorn book.

The husband-and-wife team who become May McGoldrick are simply great story-tellers. They present romance, mystery, suspense and helpings of history for a rich, complex tale. In Romancing the Scot, you have seemingly star-crossed lovers -- her family supported the French while he is a veteran of the English army whose wife and son died trying to reach him during battle. How could he ever love her, especially when it appears Grace Ware might even be a spy? But Hugh Pennington--Viscount Greysteil -- hero of the Napoleonic wars, is a man capable of great love and passion. Despite his grief over losing his wife and son (and boy is that a complicated set of circumstances) he begins to come alive again when presented with the mystery of the woman, barely alive, who is delivered to him from Brussels inside a chest. What I especially love about this book is how the authors don't allow silly misunderstandings. Grace is not forthcoming in the beginning, but the minute she needs to tell all, there is no backing down. Hugh understands who she is and doesn't "hate" her because she was on the side of the French. For those of us who have read McGoldrick books before, there is a sense of familiarity with the settings, characters and events of the past -- I'm slow on the uptake, but even I figured out that Hugh is the son of Lyon and Millicent. What a treat to catch up on the family and personally, I cannot wait to find out what happens next. This was just a great read. The title is somewhat bland, and could be about almost anything, however. A story this textured and compelling deserves a bit more dash -- so maybe next time. (I received an ARC from NetGelley in return for my honest review.)

Publisher's Description:

In this stunning series starter by USA Today bestselling author May McGoldrick, meet the new generation of Penningtons...five brothers and sisters of passion and privilege. Enter their aristocratic world…where each will fight injustice and find love.

Hugh Pennington—Viscount Greysteil, Lord Justice of the Scottish Courts, hero of the Napoleonic wars—is a grieving widower with a death wish. When he receives an expected crate from the continent, he is shocked to find a nearly dead woman inside. Her identity is unknown, and the handful of American coins and the precious diamond sown into her dress only deepen the mystery.

Grace Ware is an enemy to the English crown. Her father, an Irish military commander of Napoleon’s defeated army. Her mother, an exiled Scottish Jacobite. When Grace took shelter in a warehouse, running from her father’s murderers through the harbor alleyways of Antwerp, she never anticipated bad luck to deposit her at the home of an aristocrat in the Scottish Borders. Baronsford is the last place she could expect to find safety, and Grace feigns a loss of memory to buy herself time while she recovers.

Hugh is taken by her beauty, passion, and courage to challenge his beliefs and open his mind. Grace finds in him a wounded man of honor, proud but compassionate. When their duel of wits quickly turns to passion and romance, Grace’s fears begin to dissolve…until danger follows her to the very doors of Baronsford. For, unknown to either of them, Grace has in her possession a secret that will wreak havoc within the British government. Friend and foe are indistinguishable as lethal forces converge to tear the two lovers apart or destroy them both.

My Thoughts:

Spies, intrigue and romance... This well written and stunning beginning of this new series by this husband and wife author team is not to be missed.

Grace Ware is an enemy to the English crown. She unknowingly holds a secret that could have changed the course of the war at the very least and her life without a doubt.
Her talent for absorbing all that she reads or hears makes her a threat to a traitorous group of spies.

Hugh Pennington, Viscount Greysteil, and Lord Justice of the Scottish Courts is a hero of the Napoleonic wars and a grieving widower with a death wish. When his precious new toy, a hot air balloon arrives with a woman, near death nailed into the crate he suddenly has feelings he has no wish for.

After Grace survives it is the Pennington family's wish for her to reveal herself to them. She decides it is best to pretend amnesia instead since she feels certain her truth could mean her imprisonment or death.

I could not put this book down. Although it is the first in this new series it can very well stand on it's own.
I gave this book 4.75 of 5.0 stars for storyline and characterization and a sensual rating of 3.75 of 5.0 flames. The heat between our hero and heroine is a palpable thing.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley to read.
This in no way affected my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

Grace Ware is an enemy to the English crown. Her father an Irish military commander of Napoleon’s defeated army dies right before her vary eyes and she runs for her life. She’s trapped in a hot air balloon basket where she is unknowingly crated and shipped overseas to Scotland where she’s deposit her at the home of an aristocrat in the Scottish Borders.
Hugh Pennington—Viscount Greysteil, Lord Justice of the Scottish Courts, hero of the Napoleonic war. His crate arrives as expected with his new hot air balloon basket, but he’s shocked to find a nearly dead woman inside. A beautiful woman with no memory and her identity is unknown with secrets of her own she arrives with a handful of American coins and the precious diamond sown into her dress only deepen the mystery.
Hugh and Grace are instantly attracted to each other their duel of wits quickly turns to passion and romance. Hugh becomes very protective his mystery woman. There’s an unknown assailant is out to kill Grace, can she trust the Lord Justice with her secrets or run away to keep Hugh and his family safe. Unbeknownst to Grace her secret could wreak havoc within the British government. A great book filled with adventure, suspense, mystery and romance!!!
This is my honest opinions after I voluntarily read a copy of this book that was provided to me with no requirements for a review.

Another fabulous can't put down read, this is the first in a new series about the Pennington Family.

It is set before the Napoleonic wars in Scotland and has intrigue, treason, mystery and love with a bit of humour thrown in.

Loved this

I received an advanced copy from Netgalley and voluntarily leave my own opinion

In this stunning series starter by USA Today bestselling author May McGoldrick, meet the new generation of Penningtons...five brothers and sisters of passion and privilege. Enter their aristocratic world…where each will fight injustice and find love.

Hugh Pennington—Viscount Greysteil, Lord Justice of the Scottish Courts, hero of the Napoleonic wars—is a grieving widower with a death wish. When he receives an expected crate from the continent, he is shocked to find a nearly dead woman inside. Her identity is unknown, and the handful of American coins and the precious diamond sown into her dress only deepen the mystery.

Grace Ware is an enemy to the English crown. Her father, an Irish military commander of Napoleon’s defeated army. Her mother, an exiled Scottish Jacobite. When Grace took shelter in a warehouse, running from her father’s murderers through the harbor alleyways of Antwerp, she never anticipated bad luck to deposit her at the home of an aristocrat in the Scottish Borders. Baronsford is the last place she could expect to find safety, and Grace feigns a loss of memory to buy herself time while she recovers.

Hugh is taken by her beauty, passion, and courage to challenge his beliefs and open his mind. Grace finds in him a wounded man of honor, proud but compassionate. When their duel of wits quickly turns to passion and romance, Grace’s fears begin to dissolve…until danger follows her to the very doors of Baronsford. For, unknown to either of them, Grace has in her possession a secret that will wreak havoc within the British government. Friend and foe are indistinguishable as lethal forces converge to tear the two lovers apart or destroy them both.




Review:




Very good start to this new series!




I had not read this Author before and found I really enjoyed their writing. This Author is actually a writing duo and I could say that the work was seamless in its voice and style. I liked that this was full of action and intrigue that really started from page number one. Hugh and Grace were wonderful, they are caring, daring, smart, fun and sexy. Even though Grace is keeping a huge secret from Hugh it makes total sense for the story. That Hugh can understand and try to help Grace shows what a stand-up character he is. Also, I thought the ending to the story was good for the couple and the story.




Like I said this is the first time I had read this Author, but I find myself wanting to read more from them. I am not sure who is next in this series, but cannot wait to find out.




4Stars

*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book provided by the publisher.*

One of the reasons I read Regency or Historical Romance, aside from my enjoyment of a good love story, is a personal fascination with the general time period. While I might not want to give up my current necessities of life it certainly is an incredible journey to be able to step back in time. Usually history is simply a backdrop in these stories, with a few major historical events as the exception to that rule. In Romancing the Scothistory is very much alive, a character if you will, of this romance, and that captured my attention and kept it.

There are several levels to Hugh and Grace’s story, each more engaging than the last. Hugh is somewhat of a daredevil these days. The death of his wife and son still tears at his heart and soul, one might think he has a death wish to join them with the risks he takes with his life. Although a man of power, he is also a fair and honorable man. Much of what he feels and believes will be put to the test when a shipment is made to his home — with an unexpected surprise inside.

Grace may have arrived at Hugh’s doorstep barely alive, yet she has the presence of mind to realize that she is in as much, if not more danger now. Grace would be considered an enemy of the Crown here is Scotland, and it seems she has escaped her father’s murderers only to find herself in dire straits once again. Her solution is to pretend to have lost her memory of what happened to her, recover quickly and make her way back to discover the men responsible for her father’s death and have them pay. None of that will be easy, especially the longer she remains with Hugh the less she wants to leave. Nothing can ever come of the passion and emotions they are feeling for they are enemies, but tell that to her heart. Soon that decision will be taken from her hands as Grace unwittingly holds a secret that others are willing to kill to prevent it being told.

Romancing the Scot is a fascinating journey through the history of their time as Hugh and Grace find their way to a happy ending. I was captured from the opening scenes right through to the final page – with a need to continue this series to see what the other siblings will get themselves into next. The history part of this romance is expertly woven throughout the story and easily becomes almost a character to watch as well. I will skim through a huge information dump in any story. I don’t like them, they take me out of the story – I did not feel that in this story at all, and that played a huge part in my enjoyment of Hugh and Grace’s journey.

If you love Historical Romance, a mystery to solve, a bit of a puzzle to put together, interesting secondary characters and a couple well worth cheering for – then Romancing the Scot is a book you should be picking up. It’s an amazing romance, a bit steamy at times, a love story in every sense – and a journey through life changing events. Remember they are considered enemies, so there are some adjustments and issues to be dealt with as well. Discovering how they overcome that small detail is an adventure you will not want to miss. I’d recommend this story, and I’m already looking forward to continuing the series.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*