I may be biased because I do love a Scottish hero, but I did enjoy the spoke tremendously. I found the love story to be delightful and really love the way the hero fell for the heroin. It’s a soothing book for me, which is what a historical romance should be in my eyes.

A Scot Is Not Enough is the second book in the series A Scottish Treasures, about a group of Scottish women (mostly) trying to regain relics that the English have taken back to Scotland. The series has both romances and mysteries, which is always an extra step I like in a series. Not all authors can pull it off, but Gina Conkle does.

Cecelia MacDonald is trying to find and steal the sgian duhb, the ceremonial dagger taken from her clan by British soldiers during the Uprising of 1745. Alexander Sloane is very close to achieving the government post he has been working hard to get but has to find this Scottish group causing problems in London. Both meet, spar, cat and mouse games until they need to work together against a common enemy.

It was a quick read. I enjoyed it.

I received an ARC from Avon & NetGalley for my honest review.

I really liked the growth of the romance between the two of the characters, but the ending kind of came up out of nowhere. The ending to epilogue was extremely quick and didn't feel deserved, to jump a few months ahead in the timeline instead of actually writing it felt like a cop-out

A new author to me, I found that Gina Conkle writes a good tale with intriguing characters. While I enjoyed reading this book, I didn't love it and probably wouldn't read it again, although I would recommend it.

As the synopsis states, we have Alex Sloane, working his way up to the top as an investigator and now his assignment is to spy on her. She is Cecelia MacDonald a captivating woman whose only goal is to retrieve a dagger and return it to her clan. She is used to doing what she must to get what she wants but Alex proves to be a new intrigue for her. So a cat-and-mouse game ensues full of witty banter.

The main premise is Cecelia doing what she must, even flirting, to get this dagger and Alex doing what he must to stop her. There is plenty of funny banter because he is straight and by the books and she is a bit more unconventional. This is a continuation story from the first book of the series and does end on a cliffhanger of sorts which will lead to the third book. I didn't read the first and I wasn't lost, the author gives you plenty of backstory but readers may feel that there are some elements missing from Cecelia's past. Both characters do have development and are well-rounded (Cecelia more so than Alex).
This isn't a bad story but the execution of it fell a bit flat for me. I felt that it needed more in-depthness all around, some things are mentioned but glossed over rather than explored. There is instalove -more from Alex rather than Cecelia, whom I felt really didn't fall for him as much as he did for her. Low steam level but lots of tension between the two. Overall not bad but not outstanding.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
I received an advanced copy, my review is voluntary.

There were definitely aspects of this book that I enjoyed. Both main characters were fully formed, mostly rational adults, making smart choices; the heat between the two was intense; the "mystery" angle was interesting. However, I had not read the first book and at times felt very lost not having that foundation. A lot appeared to have happened in that first book that led us to the second book, the "mystery" plot is TBD in Book 2 so anything from book 1 was lost and never fully explained again. HOWEVER, that being said, this was a solid 3.5 star read AND I bought the first book to read (eventually) and I am VERY intrigued by a few other characters in this book that I am (fingers crossed) hoping to see in future books.

This was a new to me author & I enjoyed this book! It has not only romance but mystery and surprises! This book really had a lot goin on in it! It had really good banter with lots of tension between our MC. Alexander is our hero who is trying to decipher a ledger. He is than tasked to follow and report daily activities of a sympathizer….but when he meets Cecilia it changes. Cecilia is our heroine on a mission to find and return a dagger to the clan chief. Once these two meet, they decided to work together! It was a good read with low steam. The story line was interesting as well!

A Scot is Not Enough is the first book i've read by Ms. Conkle and I did find that this book had a slow start but the more I read the more interesting the plot got. Cecelia is the heroine of this story and I admired her as a character she is fiercely independent and is unapologetically herself. Alexander the hero becomes infatuated early on. Overall I enjoyed the story it was fun read. I received an ARC from Netgalley.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Gina Conkle continues her Scottish Treasures series with a A Scot Is Not Enough, a seductive and scintillating historical romance that will sweep readers away.

Alexander Sloane is so close to achieving his goal of securing the government post he has been working towards for years. At long last, all of his hard work will have finally paid off and all the sacrifices he had made will have been worth it. However, there is one last job he must complete before the position he has coveted for so long will be his: an assignment that will end up leading him straight to one of London’s most notorious women and the most captivating female he has ever come across: Cecelia MacDonald.

Cecelia is a woman on a mission. She needs to get her hands on a ceremonial dagger British soldiers had taken from her clan in the Uprising of 1745 and Cecelia will use any means necessary to take back what is rightfully hers. Beautiful, intelligent and resourceful, Cecelia is not averse to using her wiles on men to get what she wants and when her quest pits her against Alexander Sloane, the fiery Scotswoman is sure that she will soon have him wrapped round her little finger. But when a dangerous enemy gets far too close for comfort, Cecelia finds herself in desperate need of help and the only person who can help her is Alexander Sloane himself!

Alexander and Cecelia never imagined that they would become allies, but in order to defeat their mutual adversary, they must work closely together. So close that when attraction flares between the two of them, they are left with no other choice but to give into their feelings for one another. With so much at stake and far too much to lose, does Alexander and Cecelia’s love stand any chance of surviving? Or is a future for the two of them simply impossible?

Gina Conkle’s A Scot Is Not Enough is a delectable rip-roaring romantic adventure rich in intensity, emotion, danger and sensuality. Gina Conkle has once again delivered a Scottish historical romance that takes readers back in time and into a vividly evoked world where her heroine is enterprising, smart and fearless and her hero is brooding, charismatic and irresistible.

Alexander and Cecelia are two wonderful characters I immediately fell in love with and their red-hot chemistry, clever banter and exquisite romantic story kept me on the edge of my seat and engrossed from start to finish.

As fabulous as ever, A Scot Is Not Enough is another first-rate historical romance from Gina Conkle’s very talented pen.

Alexander, a very proper barrister is tasked with following a crafty Scotswoman named Cecilia. Mayhem ensues involving cricket, rowing, hired killers, a devious countess, and a stolen highland knife. I have never read any Gina Conkle before, and this must be rectified! The banter between Cecilia and Alexander was just delicious.

💫 Book Review💫
A Scot is Not Enough by Gina Conkle

“Their mouths met in a cataclysmic kiss, scorching and testy.”

Alexander Sloane’s dream job was so close, all he had to do was report on a Scottish woman’s whereabouts and daily activities to his superior. This seemed easy enough, or so he thought. What he wasn’t expecting was for this Jacobite sympathizer to occupy his every thought.

Cecelia MacDonald is not dumb and notices the suspicious, yet handsome man, following her. Upon his capture, she brings him to her room for questioning. The chemistry between Cecelia and Alexander was electric, they both struggled to ignore their obvious attraction.

Cecelia does not have time for this distraction, she needs to steal back her clan’s sign duhb, a ceremonial dagger. Once she completes this mission, she is finally free. Alexander bargains with Cecelia, he will help her if she gives him information to pass to his superior. Together, they have to earn each other’s trust without losing their hearts.

I wanted a slow burn and Cockle delivered. I could feel the heat between the Cecelia and Alexander coming off the pages - always so close to what we readers want, but never quite there. I was rooting for them to finally concede and admit their true feelings. I loved how each acknowledged how they felt the pull towards one another, and I absolutely adored how Alexander fully supported and sympathized with Cecelia. He was very respectful and honest with her, the cinnamon roll we all love!

Gina Conkle scores a big hit with A Scot is Not Enough. The chemistry between Alexander and Cecelia sizzles through the pages. Both are witty and intelligent and find they have met their match in each other. The story flows throughout the pages, making this a page turner.

I swear the romance world is LACKING in Scottish romances. I've never read a Gina Conkle novel before but it was a delightfully quick read. While this time period is slightly before what I'm used to reading in historical romance (Regency or even New York Gilded Age), I never struggled to imagine the world Alexander and Cecilia exist in. I definitely want to go back and read the first in the series!

I had felt neutral after reading the first book and wanted to continue And to see Cecelia’s story. That character really stood out in the first book.

Interestingly enough, Cecelia story was very centred on herself. Previously there was a group of women working on a singular mission this time around we have Cecelia working on a personal mission also for the Jacobite cause.

I found I missed the group dynamic captured in the first book which was one of my favourite parts of the story. The story about Cecelia‘s hunt for a missing dagger was very individualized for her and lacked the group focus.

As for our MMC, Alec he’s been tasked to spy on Cecilia, not the best way to start a relationship. I found it tedious that as a reader you could tell he quickly switch sides and joined Cecelia‘s team, but never blatantly spoke that to her to let her know he wouldn’t bring information against her to his boss.

I did find it interesting that we had the same villain in the story and then it looks like she will continue to be a thorn in the women’s league’s side for the next book as well. I would like to see Lady Denton get her comeuppance by the end of the series! She’s just terrible!

Overall the story was somewhat interesting and the characters were good, but I just didn’t love them. I feel similarly neutral on this book as I did for the last one.

A Scot is Not Enough by Gina Conkle was published April 26th, 2022.


#AScotIsNotEnough #GinaConkle #Netgalley #pinkcowlandreads

I recently read The Scot Who Loved Me, the first book in the Scottish Treasures series by Gina Conkle and was drawn into the series plot of the English having stolen some items of importance following the Jacobite rising of 1745. Now about eight years later, a group of women have formed a league to recover these items.

Cecelia MacDonald played a pretty significant secondary role in the first book, and in A Scot is Not Enough, it’s time for her to take the lead. She’s now the head of their league of women and is determined to retrieve a dagger stolen from her clan. But Bow Street has taken notice of her and has tasked Alexander Sloane with following her and uncovering her secrets. Alexander sucks in his role of covertly following her, but he’s captivated by her, and he works at earning her trust and love.

The sparks between Cecelia and Alexander jumped off the page. Ms. Conkle did a wonderful job developing the romance between the two, and goodness, was the slow burn between them so good. I enjoyed the play between the characters from their first flirting until the story’s last page. There was plenty of heat in their relationship.

On the other hand, I felt the character development was a little lacking. I mean, there was growth in both characters. But the growth was definitely stronger in Cecelia than in Alexander. Alexander was just too much of a two-dimensional character—no real flaws other than possibly being a little too work-driven. He was just window dressing for Cecelia’s story. Cecelia was interesting, and I liked how bits of her were revealed as the story unfolded. It just made her more real and made her actions make more sense.

I liked A Scot is Not Enough. It’s well written, and I was completely drawn into the story. It was action-packed, but I just wish that Alexander could have been explored a bit more and perhaps given some sort of weakness. But I did enjoy the series, and I can’t wait to see where this series goes from here.

I love Scottish romances, and Gina Conkle's latest, A Scot is Not Enough is an instant favorite. Set in the years following the Jacobite uprising of 1745, our heroine is living in London, trying to reclaim a stolen dagger for her clan chief. She falls in with a straight-laced government agent who was sent to investigate her and her connection to a group of Scottish rebels. Can Arthur set aside the law for the woman he loves?

This is the second in the Scottish Treasures series, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love the fact that the heroine is experienced and not a blushing virgin. She isn't ashamed of her experience, nor does our hero shame her for it.

This was a quick read, full of twists and turns, suspenseful and sensual in turns. If you are new to Scottish romance, or if you've read widely, A Scot is Not Enough has something that will appeal to all readers.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my e-ARC.

Alexander is finally close to achieving his goal of working for the government at a coveted post. He is tasked with monitoring Bow Street funds for the crown. He ends up meeting Cecelia, a woman determined to get the dagger that was stolen from her family. Cecelia is a firecracker that takes Alexander on a wild ride. The two end up teaming up against a common enemy to protect each other. A good read.

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley and am leaving a review.

I didn't realize that this book was part of series but it can absolutely be read as a standalone and understand everything that is discussed! Ok, so this was the first book I have read by this author. And I am not sure if I liked it or not, to be honest. I had a really hard time getting into the story. There was a lot of insta-lust when I didn't even feel like they had a true connection. It was almost like they were thinking "Oh, you're gorgeous, let's go at it"-and that just didn't ring true to me not only for the time that it was supposed to be based in but just the characters themselves. It was slightly disappointing because I was really intrigued by the blurb. I always love a good heroine, and one that can give as good as she gets? I normally am completely in for that! But I had a hard time even finishing this book, which is really not like me when reading at all. I don't know that I will read another book by this author. That's not to say some people won't love it, but it definitely wasn't for me.

Gina Conkle's second installment in the Scottish Treasures series was a really enjoyable read. This is the second novel by Gina Conkle that I have read, I read the first in the series, and I think this is a really solid addition. Overall I enjoyed this one a bit more than the first, I loved the dynamics between the hero and heroine and they were really a wonderful driving force to this novel. Conkle's writing is well paced, the balance between plot and the development of the romance relationship was much more balanced in this novel, and I really enjoyed the character development through out.

Alexander, is a barrister and man of virtue, who is right on the cusp of gaining the government post he was been working towards. Cecilia, a bold scotswoman of questionable repute, and she has one mission to steal back a ceremonial dagger taken from her clan during the Uprising of 1745. Cecilia has been enjoying the tantalizing game that she has been playing with Alexander, but they soon find themselves unlikely allies.

I absolutely love the straight laced gentleman and the woman who challenges his views on the world every step of the way. Conkle does a really love job of keeping building Cecilia and Alexander's relationship of one of flirtatious teasing, to a soft boil that grows into explosive chemistry. I really felt the build of their relationship in a much stronger way than the first novel in the series which was wonderful. I think Conkle also does a great job balancing the building of a relationship and the driving mystery of the plot. I loved watching Cecilia and Alexander's banter and fun grow into a strong relationship in which they both learn to help each other and teach the other different views and understanding of their respective worlds and society.

I think this is definitely a solid read and if the premise and characters seem interesting to you that you should definitely pick this novel up. I think this series is now really starting to find its stride and I am looking forward to seeing where Conkle takes the rest of the novels.

This is one of the BEST books I've read this year! It was full of supplicated, witty banter, intrigue, and sensual chemistry!! I couldn't tear myself away from reading it! It's the story of an ambitious second son, an English barrister working toward a judgeship, and a Scottish daughter trying to retrieve her clan's treasure raided from her destroyed home in the rebellion. These two smolder off the page! She has such a big heart and intelligence in spades. He's drawn to her like a moth to a flame. Gina Conkle has outdone herself with this book.

Alexander Sloane is the undersecretary to the undersecretary, of the Duke of Newcastle. He's a barrister with a talent for numbers. His job is to track Bow Street's sudden influx of money. As well as decipher a Jacobite ledger and figure out the codes & meaning. Magistrate Fielding stepped in and tasked him with investigating a Jacobite sympathizer who's appeared on his radar, Miss Cecelia MacDonald, a demimonde from all appearances. In exchange he'll get his appointment to the Court of Exchequer and title of Baron. He's noticed Cecelia observing the court proceedings already.

Cecelia MacDonald is part of a league now consisting of six women, dedicated to recovering certain treasures stolen from the Scots in the rebellion. Cecelia helped her best friend Anne, and Will escape Countess Denton in the first book. This time she's after Cianranald MacDonald's ancient ceremonial dagger, that's been missing since Cumberland ransacked the Chief's home in '46. It will be shown in the British Museum's collection exhibit during the Marquess of Swynford's masquerade ball, Countess Denton's brother. Cecelia observes Alexander's tailing her immediately. When she discovers him in her mews late that night the dance between them begins. Oh this was such a delicious journey!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I didn’t read the first book in this series, but that didn’t detract from my reading of this one. This was a very well-written and well-plotted story, but, for some reason, it just didn’t reach out and pull me into the story. I am sure that is purely a flaw in me and not the book. I found I couldn’t like the heroine at all – I kept trying, I just couldn’t get there. Again – I am sure it is me and not the book.

Alexander Sloane, a former Barrister for the defense, is a by-the-book, to-the-letter-of-the-law man who now works for the undersecretary to the undersecretary to the Duke of Newcastle. Alexander has been promised a promotion as Baron of the Exchequer if he successfully completes his current task of tracing the money assigned to Bow Street and deciphering a Jacobite manual they’ve found. Alexander has worked long and hard for that promotion and he is so very, very close – but then – Mr. Fielding of Bow Street blackmails him into an additional assignment. Following and reporting on a young Jacobite sympathizer.

Cecelia MacDonald is a bit dismayed to find herself as the unofficial leader of a group of Scottish women who are in England to reclaim some property that was ‘stolen’ from their clan by the English. The first book saw the ladies reclaiming some of the gold that was taken from the clan. Now, Cecelia is determined to find and recover the ceremonial sgian dubh belonging to their clan chief. She knows where it will be displayed – now she just has to manage to gain entry. Well, gain entry and then gain exit once she acquires the item.

I liked Alexander, but I thought he didn’t fight to keep the dream he’d had for years. I would have thought a little more effort on his part to gain his dreams would have been good. I’m not sure I would have given up on a dream that quickly or easily. Then, Maura just didn’t grab me at all. For me, she was a bit too loose with her favors and I felt as if I were reading a contemporary character rather than a Georgian character. I just couldn’t warm up to her for several reasons.

While the writing was good, I wouldn’t read this book a second time and I’m not currently contemplating reading the third book in the series. I would like to see The Countess get her comeuppance, but I still probably won’t read the next book to see it.

Should you choose to read this book, I hope you will enjoy it

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.