It's Getting Scot in Here

Wild Wicked Highlanders #1

by Suzanne Enoch

Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9781250296375


HAPPILY-EVER-AFTER
London socialite Amelia-Rose Baxter is nobody’s fool. Her parents may want her to catch a title, but she will never change who she is for the promise of marriage. Her husband will be a man who can appreciate her sharp mind as well as her body. A sophisticated man who loves life in London. A man who considers her his equal―and won’t try to tame her wild heart...

IN THE HIGHLANDS
Rough, rugged Highlander Niall MacTaggert and his brothers know the rules: the eldest must marry or lose the ancestral estate, period. But Niall’s eldest brother just isn’t interested in the lady his mother selected. Is it because Amelia-Rose is just too. . . Free-spirited? Yes. Brazen? Aye. Surely Niall can find a way to soften up the whip-smart lass and make her the perfect match for his brother for the sake of the family.

JUST GOT A WHOLE LOT HOTTER.
Instead it’s Niall who tempts Amelia-Rose, despite her reservations about barbarian Highlanders. Niall finds the lass nigh irresistible as well, but he won’t make the mistake his father did in marrying an Englishwoman who doesn’t like the Highlands. Does he have what it takes to win her heart? There is only one way to find out...

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Adult, Fiction, Scotland

342 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 26, 2019

About the author

Suzanne was born in Southern California sometime in the latter half of the 20th century. In the way that some people are born knowing they want to be astronauts or cellists, Suzanne always knew she wanted to be a writer. Early dreams of becoming a zoologist and writing true stories about her adventures in Africa were crushed, however, after she viewed a television special about the world’s most poisonous snakes; she did NOT want to write about how she’d been bitten and lost a limb to a cobra. Thankfully at the same time the movie “Star Wars” premiered, and she realized that she could make up adventures and write about them, and not be eaten by deadly predators while doing research.

She dabbled in romantic fantasy writing for a year or two after graduating with a degree in English from the University of California, Irvine, until her affection for traditional Regency romances led her to write one for fun. After several encouraging rejections from publishers, she snared the interest of the world’s best and most patient literary agent, who advised her to revise the manuscript. This ultimately led to the publication of her first book, The Black Duke’s Prize, from Avon Books in the Spring of 1995. A second Regency, Angel’s Devil, followed that Fall.

When Avon folded its traditional Regency line, Suzanne was encouraged to try her hand at historical romance. As she remained keenly interested in England’s Regency period, she decided to attempt another manuscript set in that time. Lady Rogue hit the shelves in March of 1997. She wrote a total of 29 books for Avon, including two anthologies and a five-part contemporary series which received a pair of starred reviews from Publishers Weekly. One of those books, Twice the Temptation, was named one of the five best romances of the year by PW in 2007.

In 2002 her well-known love of all things “Star Wars” led to an invitation to appear on the E! channel in the television special “Star Wars: The Force Is Back”, where she discussed the romance in the movie series and ended up with more air time than George Lucas.

In 2010 Suzanne left Avon Books for St. Martin’s Press, where she continues to pen historical romance novels. Her 31st book, Taming an Impossible Rogue, is set to arrive in March 2012.

Suzanne is known for her humorous characters, sexy bad boys, and whip-sharp, witty dialogue. She currently resides in Placentia, California with several hundred guppies and various other tropical fish, and handful of very loud, spinach-loving finches. And her collection of action figures and statues from “Star Wars”, “Lord of the Rings”, “X-Men”, and “Pirates of the Caribbean”. Everybody needs some inspiration, after all.

www.facebook.com/SuzanneEnoch

Reviews

[WhiskeyintheJar · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7 stars

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Before she could face forward again, he caught her gaze with those impossibly light-green eyes of his. “Too late. I’m already charmed, adae. Whether ye dunnae wish me to tell ye so or not.” And she was charmed, as well. If only he’d been the oldest MacTaggert. If only her mother wasn’t mad for a title in the family. If only, if only, if only.

Wild Wicked Highlanders is a new series by Enoch involving an English woman who married a Highlander, found she missed London and when the shine comes off their whirlwind romance, their combined stubbornness had her taking her baby daughter to live in London and leaving behind her three boys. Seventeen years later, with only a handful of letters exchanged, the sons learn that their father signed an agreement stating that his sons have to marry, Englishwomen at that, before the daughter, with their mother directly picking at least one woman for one son or their mother can cut off funding for their home. The three sons angrily travel to London after learning their sister is engaged, thinking they'll be able to intimidate anything English to get out of the mess. Once arrived, they learn there is already a contract drawn up for Coll, the eldest, to marry an Englishwoman named Amelia-Rose. Coll, not used to being in control or getting his way, turns into a beastly Highlander and leaves his youngest brother Niall, the peacemaker, to smooth things over with Ameila-Rose. What follows is an insanely romantic at times, complete journey between two people just wanting to love one another.

And then he’d said that he found her charming, which had kept her awake all night.

At well over 300pgs, this was a little longer than romances have been clocking in lately and it showed, for the better. I was a little nervous about the engaged to one brother but falling in love with another but even though it was a little awkward in the beginning with how the author kept Coll out of the picture, and he'll have to work extra hard in his own book to make me forget how immature and rude he was in the beginning, I was all-in for Niall and Amelia-Rose's romance. With a higher page count, the author had the time to bring the reader in, this means I felt introduced and had a stable footing to grow to know the characters and immerse myself in their thoughts and feelings. There is a quick spark between Niall and Amelia-Rose but they obviously can't act on it right away, there was an actual getting to know, gradually appreciate, and bonding between the two. This made the second part of the book and ending so much more emotional for me, I believed in them.

Time to begin again. And this time, he’d be wooing the lass for himself.

Niall was a sexy sweet hero, he really shined because of the contrast with his older brother and his antics but the way he listens to the heroine and his self-assured “I am what I am” in the face of London superiority complexes was greatly attractive. I really liked how the author handled the tangled weave of him falling in love with what is supposed to be his brother's betrothed. There's no emotional connection between Coll and Amelia-Rose but Niall stills try to respect it, which gave us some great barely leashed restraint. The first half is spark and getting to know while the second half is desire, longing, and learning. Niall turned out to be a ridiculously lovely hero, you're going to swoon over him.

No one had ever called her stubborn before, except for her mother, and Victoria had meant it as an insult. Stubborn meant she had a backbone, and a lady wasn’t supposed to have one of those.

Amelia-Rose was a heroine who I grew to really like over the course of the story. It was refreshing to have a heroine who unapologetically enjoyed London society, the parties, friendships, and culture. She had some preconceived notions about the Highlands and Highlanders but she was willing to listen and get to know. She felt real to me, from her trying to constrain herself so she didn't feel society's backlash, looking to marriage as an escape from her parent's home, and to her being so scared to fall and give into her love for Niall. She's young, nineteen, and I know women will have their heart break a little bit for the woman she is told she must be and the woman she wants to be. Consequences, losses, and gains were beautifully articulated through her character.

She followed the rules of propriety as best as she could, but his lass did have a wicked streak.

This story could have been 500 pages and I don't think I would have complained. I would have liked to have seen Amelia-Rose interact more with people she considered friends, a little more time, depth, exploration into the three sons becoming more open to their mother, and the four siblings having more interactions. This is a series though and I imagine the author is saving some of those emotional moments for future books, I just enjoyed this world so much. I can see some maybe thinking the story gets a little slow in the middle but if you lean into, the emotional payback will be greater at the end, and this was a little bit less sexual than has been coming out in historical romance lately. I, personally, enjoyed the focus more on the emotional personality bonding, longing, and working/fighting for a relationship but I can see some wanting a few more sexually hot scenes. The author took the time to craft a relationship between her leads and I greatly enjoyed losing myself into Niall and Amelia-Rose's romance for a while. I can't wait future books in this series.

“Because of you, I am me.”

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.5 stars*

I really, really enjoyed It's Getting Scot in Here, my first book (ever!) by the talented Suzanne Enoch.

From that title, I was expecting something fun and funny and full of romance, and that's exactly what I got.

I loved how both MCs were instantly likable. Of course I adore an outspoken female MC, but we also get a hulking, masculine male MC who loves strong women (hallelujah) and isn't afraid to be himself. In fact, both MCs were truly their own people, and it made the story a joy to read.

I enjoyed the family dynamics, I enjoyed the trajectory of the relationship, and I liked how the author didn't rely on silly misunderstandings or other plot devices to give tension to the story. Though the story edged on too long and drawn-out (it's over 350 pages), the pacing kept me glued to the story and I finished the book in under 24 hours. That's a big deal!

Though the characters and the romance really sang, what really won me over was the subtle wit and humor. The author kept the story light and fun, and I had a smile on my face the whole time I was reading. It was just so, so delightful.

If you are looking for a well done, light romance between a highlander who isn't supposed to fall in love with an English woman who is his brother's betrothed (but does), look no further than It's Getting Scot in Here.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

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[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sale Alert: 9/15/19 on Amazon for $2.99

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart

This was pretty freaking adorable.  Suzanne Enoch is an author I’ve seen round about in my book musings but have never read.  It’s Getting Scot in Here is the first book in a new Wild Wicked Highlander series focused on three brothers from the Highlands, raised solely by their father, after their mother returned to London with their baby sister.  Her absence came with a price; each son would have to marry a woman from London and one of them must be of their mother's choosing. They would also all have to be married before their sister or they will lose their estate and holding in Scotland.  Lady MacTaggert is about to find out that trying forcing a Highlander into something they don’t want is a lot like herding cats.

Lady Amelia-Rose’s family wants her to marry into a title and since one of the MacTaggerts will inherit a Viscount title, she has been chosen for the oldest brother, Coll.  It’s not her fault Coll and his mother are in a slight battle of wills and she is in the crossfire. Amelia-Rose and Coll’s first meeting blows up spectacularly and Naill jumps in to save the lady from some embarrassment.  He is the family diplomat and so this isn’t a new role for him. His plan is just to keep the lady affable until Coll comes around, it never occurred to him in the beginning that might lead to his own feelings for the woman slated to marry his brother.

“I didn’t have much notice, either, and you don’t see me stomping about or trying to encourage people to faint or cry.” Oh, she likely shouldn’t have said that, either.
“Ye’ve a slightly better hold of yer temper than Coll does.”
“A dragon would seem to have an easier temper than your brother,” she blurted, then put a hand over her mouth. What was wrong with her tonight?
He snorted. “I cannae argue with that.”

Both Amelia-Rose and Naill were completely likable from the get go.  You could see how each were just trying to do the best for their families and thrown together.  I’m always worried in instances when a sibling is involved because that can get awkward fast but this is done in a way that it really worked for the story without any true ewe moments involved.  It probably helped that Coll came off as a complete jerkface from the get go. I warmed up to him by the end, and after a few punches were thrown, but for the majority of the story, he just made my teeth grind.

Naill is fantastic in that when it gets to be his time to court Amelia-Rose against her family’s wishes, he determines  he wants to woo her and get the real woman she is.  I love that he never really forced her hand but told her she would need to chose which woman she wanted to be. Naill sees Amelia-Rose for the woman she truly is, not the one she shows society and with him she really blooms.  I love seeing how each person made the other better.

The other great thing about this book was the family dynamics.  Lady MacTaggert is trying to rebuild something with her sons. I’m thinking that over the course of the series, some more light will come to her absence from their lives above and beyond leaving for London with their sister.  It did add for some great family drama. I did love how protective the brothers felt for their sister right from the start; her fiancé is in for a ride there I’m sure.

Overall, this was a fun book with strong characters and I really enjoyed my time with this new to me author.  I’ll definitely be checking out the other books from this series and some of Suzanne Enoch’s other works.

 
Excerpt:

 Prologue

Once upon a time—in May 1785, to be exact— Angus MacTaggert, Earl Aldriss, traveled from the middle of the Scottish Highlands to London in search of a wealthy bride to save his well- loved but crumbling estate. Aldriss Park had been in the MacTaggert f amily since the time of Henry VIII, when Domhnall MacTaggert, despite being Catholic and married, declared publicly that Henry should be able to wed as many lasses as he wanted until one of them got him a son. Aldriss Park was the newly minted earl’s reward for his support and understanding.

For the next two hundred years Aldriss thrived, u ntil the weight of poor harvests, the ever- intruding, rule- making Sassenach, and the MacTaggerts’ own fondness for drinking, gambling, and wild investments (including an early bicycle design wherein the driver sat between two wheels; sadly, it had no braking mechanism and after a series of accidents nearly began a war within the MacTaggerts’ clan Ross) began to sink it into disrepair.

When Angus inherited the title in 1783, he realized the old castle needed far more than a fresh coat of paint to keep it from both physical collapse and bankruptcy. And so he determined to go down among the enemy Sassenach and win himself a wealthy bride. The English had made enough trou ble for him and his over the centuries, so they could bloody well help him set things right.

On his second day in London, he met the stunning Francesca Oswell, the only offspring of James and Mary Oswell, Viscount and Viscountess of Hornford— who had more money than Midas and a bevy of very fine solicitors—at a masked ball where he dressed as a bull, and she as a swan. Despite the misgivings of nearly everyone in Mayfair, Angus and Francesca immediately fell madly in love, and married with a special license ten days later.

A week after that, Angus took Francesca back to Aldriss Park and the Highlands, where she found very l ittle civilization, a great many sheep, and a husband who preferred brawling to dancing, and he discovered that her father’s solicitors had arranged to keep the Oswell family money in Francesca’s hands. This made for some very spectacular arguments, because there is nothing more combustible in the world than an impoverished Highlands laird in disagreement with an independently wealthy English lady about his own ancestral lands.

Over the next thirteen turbulent years the estate prospered, and Francesca gave Angus three sons— Coll, Aden, and Niall— and with each one became more concerned that this was not a life for any civilized person. She wanted to bring the boys back to London for proper educations and to live proper lives, but Angus refused, stating that what had been good enough for him would be good enough for his lads.

When a fourth child, a daughter, arrived in 1798, Francesca reached her breaking point. No daughter of hers was going to be raised with an uncivilized accent in a rough country where she would be ridiculed by proper Society It’s Getting Scot in Here and unfit to marry anyone but a shepherd or a peat cutter. Angus refused to let his lads go, but he allowed Francesca to take young Eloise and return to London—on the condition that she continue providing for the maintenance of the estate.

Francesca reluctantly agreed, but given that she controlled the purse strings, she had her own conditions to try to keep some influence with her wild sons: All three boys must marry before their sister, they must wed proper Englishwomen, and at least one of them must marry someone of her choosing.

She knew Angus would raise them as he pleased, but they w ere her children, too, by God, and she meant to see to it that they had some semblance of propriety in their lives— she was a viscount’s daughter, after all, and certain things would be expected of her offspring. She refused to allow them to be viewed as unsophisticated wild men by her London neighbors, and she remained determined to have a presence in their lives.

To enforce her will, she convinced (or rather, coerced) Angus to put his signature to the agreement, which contained this provision: If young Eloise MacTaggert did marry before any of the boys, Francesca would cut off all funds to the estate. If they were to insist on defiance, they would have a heavy price to pay for it— one they and their tenants could not afford.

Angus had no choice but to agree, and considering that Coll, the oldest, was only twelve at the time of Francesca’s departure and Eloise was but a wee bairn, he was willing to wager that he would have time to renegotiate. Angus and Francesca remained married, but neither would bend enough to visit the other ever again. As far as the lads were concerned, their mother had abandoned them.

In the spring of 1816 Angus received a letter from Francesca announcing their daughter’s engagement, and he promptly collapsed. He’d hoped his sons would have found themselves Scottish lasses by now and shown their mother she couldn’t control their lives after all, but the lads were defiant and wouldn’t be rushed. Now it appeared to be too late.

He summoned his sons to his apparent deathbed and confessed all— Francesca funding the estate, the pernicious agreement, and their mother’s grasping claws, which he explained was a symptom of all Englishwomen and their weak, clinging, cloying ways. For the sake of the property and their tenants the young men must go to London. At once. No sense even taking time to put him in the ground, much less mourn him, because Francesca wouldn’t excuse the loss of time, and they needed to marry before their sister.

The lads— grown men, now— were not at all happy suddenly to learn about the responsibilities and rules foisted upon them by a woman they barely remembered. Being wily, freehearted, and exceptionally handsome men accustomed to doing things their way and certainly not bowing to the demands of a demented Englishwoman, they determined to go down to London not to comply, but to outwit their m other and upend any plans she had for them. And thus, dear reader, begins our story.

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Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

[Desi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Page 1, Chapter 1: Hmm, the opening line “Angus MacTaggert, Earl Aldriss, traveled from the middle of the Scottish Highlands to London” already has me feeling a bit dubious. Shouldn't that be "The Earl of" or "Lord Whatnot"... seriously copy editors where y'all at? It's the first line, you literally cannot miss it.

Also Enoch has been at this too long to still be doing that. Are Scottish titles less formal or some such ridiculousness?* Do I not even get the chance to enter an era before I am abruptly kicked out by glaring inaccuracies? Such a pass we've come to.

———
*I’m told in the comments by the author that Scottish tradition is to not use the "of" and that it was left out intentionally, I bow to more knowledgeable minds. Rant cancelled?

———
While I'm being nitpicky, seeing as I haven't gotten to the reading part enough to comment on the actual book, I'm going to add that I strongly dislike (I'm trying to stay away from the word hate) this new trend of naming books for popular culture or songs.

I suffer from Looped Song Syndrome*, and it is incredibly distracting to have Nelly's "Hot in Here" playing in my head while I try to read. I'll get it to shut down eventually but why should I have to?

Also, with regard to the book blurb, when did the word socialite come into common use? "London socialite Amelia" sounds very off in my head when I read that. Like a modern tabloid article.

There's always something denigrating about the word Socialite. As if it's meant to imply good for nothing layabout, monied, spoiled, flighty female.

But that was pretty much the ideal back then, no? You weren't actually meant to do anything as a rich female. I would quicker expect the term heiress or debutante, not socialite.

Anddd in the interest of thoroughness, I aske ye faire folk, what is going on with this odd cover with its poor disproportionate, small headed, dainty waisted, short-haired Scotsman?

———
* Hehe, I thought I made Looped Song Syndrome up but apparently it's a real condition called SSS, ah, the magic of google and the internet "Earworms or musical obsessions (also known as stuck song syndrome [SSS]) ... a 'cognitive itch': the brain automatically itches back, resulting in a vicious loop".

P.S. I just realized that I've rambled for paragraphs about absolutely nothing, and in thinking about the stupid word "nothing", I have officially triggered a new song in my head-

War, huh, good god
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing

Better than the first song I guess, I prefer the anti-war messaging to the anti-clothes one, although I am sure the concepts intersect somewhere.

At any rate, clearly I need saving.

To be continued... you know, with an actual book review sometime.

———
Update, Chapter 2:

So far it seems like this book does not resonate with me. I dislike the set up, the lead male is too young at 24, and the arrival in London and intro to the brothers felt like a caricature.

I also can’t fathom why their mother hasn’t seen her sons since the youngest was 7.

Leave your asshole husband, fine, I don’t see why that would preclude visits to your kids or them coming to you for holidays.

Update, Chapter 3:

I am really tiring of the Scottish vernacular overused in the dialogue. We get it, they're the uncivilized barbarian trope. It is, however, not conducive to a pleasant reading experience to have that many Aye's Ye's Yer's Nae's Wasnae's and Lasses dropped into almost every sentence of dialogue to 'prove' how very 'Scottish' they are.

I would also like to submit another demerit for florid lines like this- “Beneath his proper trousers, his cock jumped again.”

Dude, this is your second meeting, you've said what amounts to two lines to each other in a dark theater, can we save that nonsense until y'all have had a couple conversations?

Your penile acrobatics are premature, especially as all that's happening is a glimpse of her riding attire.

And I know when he says “proper trousers” he means proper English attire vs highland plaid but this wording sets me off tangentially, and now I’m wondering what improper trousers look like. Do they have vastly entertaining openings in strategic locations? Do they come equipped with trampolines for all that behind the scenes jumping?

Sigh, at the rate this is going I feel like I am going to have to end this review with the words Evisceration Complete.

Update, Chapter 5:

Pages upon pages of wondering where one brother had got to, eating, talking about a picnic, lamenting the family disconnect, dressing, banal conversations... I. Am. Boreddddd.

Also Niall, say it! Say Lasses. One. More. Time (shakes fist).

And really, what sort of weird parallel universe societal norms are we engaging in in this book where you re-invite yourself to a party, notify your hostess of an extra guest and proceed to insult her table by implying that she will not have sufficiently catered to feed her guests by saying your tag along will be starving and she should put out something more substantial? Tacky much?

Update, Chapter who gives an f anymore:

As the Cinema Sins Youtube channel likes to do when reviewing boring or angsty movie scenes, I think from here on I shall just start to SKIP.

Mains talk about what they wanted before life got in the way. SKIP

Lead female romanticizes Scotland and kilts. SKIP

Hero obsesses about food because you know he's suchhhh a big dude and they're always hungry. SKIP

Amelia bullied by peers. SKIP

Repetition of Lasses Lasses Lasses. SKIP SKIP SKIP

I will say on the plus side, I enjoyed the couple's interaction at the musical and a few additional scenes when they finally got to talk with no interruptions. I guess they just needed more screentime.

Update, Chapter 10:

TEN. This book took ten chapters to start getting good. To find some chemistry between the leads. Ten. I don't know if I can forgive this.

I’m calling it. Part One. 2 Stars. Let’s see if she can pull this out of Schitt’s Creek in the second half. Whereupon I shall graciously up the star wattage to 3 if I can begin (continue?) to give a crap about these two.

Update, Chapter 12:

What the ever loving @&%! is happening here? A basically rule following girl, in her parents’ house, with them asleep on the same floor, allowing these ridiculous liberties, with nothing in regard to their future together as a couple remotely settled yet. And these two donkeys had furniture dragging and were making ‘mewling noises’.

In. Her. Parents’. House.

Publishing folks, authors, yo, any other relevant parties, please note you are taking this “we demand a sex scene” thing wayy too far.

This is so out of character for her, so blatantly disrespectful on his part, so unlikely as part of the plot that they’d even be together in this location, so jarring.

Is it really that hard to incorporate intimacy in a story? Because aside from all this their ‘relationship’ had reached nowhere near ‘let’s break all the norms’ level of progression. They’ve had one proper no-agenda outing together. C’mon, you just ain’t that close yet.

Why are you Nellying already?

I honestly can’t with this. Put your darn clothes back on.

Update, Chapter 15:

We have now devolved into the heights of melodrama... wait, can you devolve into heights? Never mind so.

We have now devolved into the depths of melodrama as our dear lovers are kept apart by forces beyond their control.

The plot went from normal ‘how can we ever be together’ to farcical levels of let’s smash these two apart so we can sink this ship on the high seas.

Such contrived conflict. Necessitating an even bigger dramatic gesture of a plan as a solution. None of this drama was actually called for, the plot was chugging along quite industriously before tripping over itself. Sigh.

Update, Chapter “It’s the Final Countdown”:

“Despite dubious beginnings, they seemed to be showing quite well. All of the MacTaggerts. Herself included.”

Sooo let’s touch on Mrs. Mother of the Year here. She thinks this as she cleans up behind the scandal her boy has created. All I have to say about this is No, woman.

You abandoned your children for 17 years because you were bored of the country. There’s no point a which you “show quite well”. I’m not saying you had to stay. But you darn well could have kept in contact with and visited your boys.

You don’t get to just throw kids away because they’re too wild. How the heck is removing your supposed ‘civilizing influence’ going to improve matters. If you’d had some hand in raising them maybe they would have learned how to behave as you so mightily wished them to. You literally cut them off from half their heritage. Excised them like a cancer. A pox on you.

And you kept your daughter from experiencing having big brothers. Low blow Lady. Low blow.

Update, In Closing:

Not much left to say here. Ending was satisfactory. The book was not redeemed. 2.5 stars. Mostly because I was able to self-soothe, as Ive been told sarcastically, “I’m so glad you entertain yourself”.

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have no idea what brought this to my attention. But my library had the audio version (through Overdrive) so I put a hold on it. And it arrived at a fortuitous time when I had nothing better going for my commute. All of which is to say that I had as close to no expectations as I ever have and maybe that's why I found it so enjoyable.

Well, plus Niall is just exactly my jam. He's that big, competent guy who knows his place in the world and does his best to take care of those he loves. Even better, he has a fundamental kindness to him that brings him to do his best to help those in trouble. And Amelia-Rose had lots of trouble.

The plot revolves around two selfish people using Amy for their own purposes and trampling over her wishes and happiness in the process. I hated them both. Which is problematic because one is Niall's brother, Coll, and I suspect we'll be asked to find him sympathetic at some point in this series and I'm going to need some time to get over that jerk. Some of what he does to Amelia is casually evil and I kind of hope he ends up in some dung heap somewhere away from nice people. The other, her mother, is just a monster using Amy for social standing and she doesn't care about Amy even a little bit while she's at it. I mean, after what Coll did (it isn't what you're thinking, but he just made it explicit, in so many words that he expected to leave her in London, in her parent's home, where he'd visit for conjugal rights and come back to take any babies born back to Scotland, leaving her behind in London. So he expects to separate her from her babies while leaving her with the monster mother and making their marriage an open laughing-stock. Given that he resents having been raised that way himself, this is an active evil that he knows destroys both child and mother from personal experience), her mom actually blames Amy for turning him down because she "didn't like the details".

Amy is kind of awesome in her own right, too. She's in a tough position and that she can learn to trust Niall at all is a miracle. Plus, I love her wit and spunk. She was perfect for him and he for her and I had lots of feels for them both.

Sadly, there were some really weird period errors in this. I mean, Enoch gets lots right so it was really weird when she has Amy receive a personal letter from a bachelor, for example, and nobody says boo about it (delivered into her hands by the butler, in the open, and still sealed). I didn't catalogue them, or anything. But I got thrown out of the story now and then when a weird thing would happen and I'd be all, "um, I don't think so..."

Anyway, this is a solid four stars and I really liked the characters. And the plot didn't suck, even when I feared it might. Dragging it down was mostly hating Coll, the period errors, and the weird sex.

A note about Steamy: There are two explicit sex scenes, though the second is kind of short. So this is on the low side of my steam tolerance. The rest of the sex happens off page. The first, though, happened when the two still don't know how they can ever be together and I'm all, "uh, an unplanned pregnancy would be a disaster of epic proportions and you both know it. Why is that not coming up, like, at all?!?" So that was weird.

[Mei · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was it nice? Yes it was.

Was it wonderful? Mmmmm... no.

I liked Niall. He was the man who did everything to smooth things out: with his brothers, expecially Coll and everybody else who had a conflict with somebody.

Amelia-Rose not so much... She was a victim of her mother and didn't so anything to rebel, but just accepted what was told her. The height of her rebellion is to express her thoughts to other people. Meh...

The only really interesting character was Francesca who had backbone and knew what he wanted and was ready and willing to act accordingly!

Coll, the brother intended for Amelia-Rose is a boar, not a man. He is so stubborn that he's ready to make others misrable to obtain what he wants. Since this is the first in the series, I'm really curious to see how SE will manage his book and his redemption!

The most inetersting thing here was the actual abduction! It was brilliantly made and chapeau to Niall for the oragnization and inventive!

[Cherry's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

En It’s getting Scot in Here, Suzanne Enoch da comienzo a esta nueva serie protagonizada por los hermanos MacTaggert y he de decir que es un muy buen comienzo.

La vida de Niall y sus dos hermanos da un vuelco cuando reciben una carta de su madre en la cual les informa que su hermana pequeña, Eloise, se ha prometido y por lo tanto los tres tienen de plazo límite hasta la boda para casarse con una novia inglesa. De no hacerlo se les retirará su asignación mensual y por lo tanto acabaran arruinados, ellos y todos los arrendatarios del clan Ross. Todo esto se debe a un acuerdo firmado entre ambos progenitores antes de que la madre abandonase las Highlands con su hija pequeña para instalarse permanentemente en Londres. Los hermanos viajan a la ciudad inglesa con el claro propósito de “escaquearse” del compromiso y convencer a su madre de que desista en su alocado plan. Pero Francesca es una mujer de armas tomar y ya lo ha organizado todo. El mayor de los hermanos, Coll deberá casarse con una mujer elegida por ella, así lo estipula el acuerdo, y Niall y Aden con cualquier inglesa que ellos elijan. Aquí entra en escena Amelia-Rose, nuestra protagonista, cuyos padres han acordado con Francesca el matrimonio entre ella y Coll. Pero el primer encuentro dejará bien claro que el mayor de los MacTaggert no está por la labor, es un bruto maleducado que desprecia a Amy nada más conocerla. En cambio su hermano menor, Niall, es todo lo que Amelia-Rose busca en un marido...todo menos el pequeño problema de que Niall carece de título y los Baxter no van a consentir que su hija se case con un don nadie. Y aquí empiezan los problemas…

Hace bastante tiempo que no leía a Enoch, al leer la sinopsis de este libro me picó la curiosidad y no pude evitar darle una oportunidad. La novela es muy tierna, como decía al principio es un muy buen comienzo de serie, nos presenta la situación en la que se han visto envueltos los hermanos MacTaggert a la vez que nos cuenta la historia de amor de Niall y Amelia-Rose. Los dos protas me han gustado muchísimo. De ella me ha encantado ver ese cambio, esa progresión de madurez, de ser una jovencita que no consigue ver del todo más allá de los designios de sus padres a ser una mujer de ideas propias, que elige su destino pensando en sí misma por encima de todo. Él es muy dulce, supongo que también porque se supone que al ser ambos más jóvenes que el resto de personajes la autora ha querido marcar bastante la diferencia, es refrescante dar con protagonistas así tan alejados de los cánones que suelen predominar en los personajes escoceses de histórica. It’s getting Scot in here se divide en 18 capítulos, cada uno de ellos bastante extenso, ya sabéis que me suelen gustar más las novelas con muchos capítulos cortos, pero no ha sido hasta los dos últimos capítulos que no se me ha hecho pesado, creo que porque sobretodo el último capítulo me ha resultado más un epílogo que otra cosa y ya había poco que aportar a la historia.

En definitiva, una nueva serie a la que me he enganchado y de la que estoy deseando recibir nuevas noticias, porque algo curioso de este libro es que al ser el primero y ser tan introductorio no ha habido lugar a dejar entrever nada de la siguiente historia ¿Será de Coll? ¿Será de Aden? Ains, la espera se hará larga.

[Christie«SHBBblogger» · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title: It's Getting Scot in Here
Series: Wild Wicked Highlanders
Author: Suzanne Enoch
Release date: February 26, 2019
Cliffhanger: no
Genre: historical romance

This series is about three Scottish brothers who were raised in the Highlands by their father after their English mother left them at an early age. Their parents' marriage was a hasty love match that resulted in a rocky marriage with two very hardheaded people. After years of being unable to compromise, they decided to live apart and split up their children. He would raise their sons, and she would raise their daughter in England. In an unusual twist for that time period, the wife was the one holding the purse strings, so she used that power to force his agreement in making their sons marry English brides. Which leads us to now, because the time has come for the oldest, Coll to meet the woman she has chosen for him. Set to inherit the McTaggert earldom, this arranged marriage is satisfactory to Amelia-Rose's parents despite their snobbish opinion of his "barbaric country."

I've got to say, I despised the heroine's parents immediately, and loathed the brothers' mother as well. Amelia-Rose's parents were looking for an advantageous marriage, and their daughter's happiness never once factored into their thoughts. Her mother especially was a hateful harpy who tried to suppress her daughter's personality in order to make her more compliant and biddable to potential titled suitors. She didn't show an ounce of worry for her daughter when she was distraught over what Coll was proposing-marring her, abandoning her to her parents' household, and keeping children she would bear him in Scotland. Her mother didn't bat an eye, and chastised her for standing up for herself to such an unacceptable life. As for the hero's mother, I had no sympathy for her. There's no excuse for leaving your sons and having pretty much no contact with them their whole lives. Even at the end, I feel as if they forgave her too easily.

After two seasons, Amelia-Rose has had several marriage proposals, but struggled to keep herself free of scandal. Her mother has drilled etiquette and propriety into her head because she has an inconvenient tendency to be too "impertinent." To give inappropriate set downs and let her emotions run away with her. God forbid, women speak their minds! In other words, she's not the mild and meek bride that Coll is hoping for that he would be able to control. So after a disastrous first meeting, it falls on the youngest brother Niall to smooth things over.

For the first time it occurred to Niall that perhaps the MacTaggert brothers had spent too long out in the wilds. They saw every meeting as a battle, every negotiation as a surrender, and every new thing as a threat to the old ones.

Our hero, Niall, is definitely the sweetest of the three brothers. Don't get me wrong, they're all wild and very much rough around the edges without having a woman's influence in their childhood. They brawl, speak bluntly, and aren't concerned with so-called proper manners. However, Niall is a little different, in that he is the peacekeeper of the group. He's a people pleaser who uses his charm to make others around him happy. He's also extremely self-confident, and unaffected by the opinion of the English who look down their noses at him. From the very beginning, Niall saw through Amelia-Rose's veneer of agreeableness and respected her quick wit and snark. For the first time, someone was appreciating her for who she truly was instead of trying to mold her into the image of what was convenient for others. An Englishman has always been her ideal match for the future, so she could remain in the lifestyle she had become accustomed to. Suddenly Niall is making her feel and wish for things she shouldn't be.

The meek side of her, the one Coll wanted, didn’t much interest him at all. The other side, the one she’d been trying so hard to stifle, near drove him mad.

Niall and Amelia-Rose had a sweet, forbidden romance. There was no cheating involved, which I was a little concerned about going in because of her arranged marriage to a different brother. Due to the fact that he was an intolerable, hateful jerk for the entire time who could barely be forced to spend time in her presence, my sympathies did not lie with him. But besides that fact, neither Niall or Amelia-Rose crossed any lines before the engagement was broken. After that, all bets were off, and she was pursued by the very hot blooded, enamored Scot.

I enjoyed these two together a lot. He accepted her just as she was, and valued her opinions and needs like no one ever had before. He was very sweet, funny, and most of all, willing to make compromises for her happiness. I liked the heroine's spirit when she lost control and spoke her mind to those who mistreated her. As much as she tried to fit in and make her parents happy, she wasn't willing to sacrifice herself to the highest titled bidder to achieve it. At nineteen, I would imagine that a young woman in her place would find it nearly impossible to rebel against what was chosen for her life. She may have taken a while to put her foot down with them, but once she did, there was no going back.

There were a lot of frustrating characters in the book, and I found it really hard to get into in the beginning of the story. I felt like there needed to be more character development earlier on, because it took a while for the brothers' distinct personalities to surface. After about 1/3 of the way through I finally got hooked, but it took me two days of struggling to get past it. This was an issue for me personally, and may not be the case for others. I am curious about who the other brothers will end up with, but Coll didn't win any favor from me with his brutish behavior. He was unspeakably rude and insulting, which I understood to a point, but he potentially ruined the heroine at one point because of it without a second thought. I'm not sure I could be convinced to read his book. The third brother however, is a possibility!

If you like historical romance with Scottish Highlanders, arranged marriages, and a heavy dose of humor, this could be the right fit for you.

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[Barbara Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Series: Wild Wicked Highlanders #1
Publication Date: 2/26/19
Number of Pages: 352

This was a wonderful introduction to a new series. The writing was excellent and the main characters were very likable. While I love the title of the book, I think a more appropriate title would have been ‘The Mothers From Hell’. I’m sure I was supposed to start out disliking Francesca and then soften toward her as the book moves on. That didn’t happen, because, bottom line, she abandoned three little boys and never contacted them again until she wanted to demand that they meet her demands or lose the support for their estate. In seventeen years, she didn’t write to them, she didn’t go visit them, nothing – nada, zip. Then, she demands – yes demands – that they do her bidding. Yes, she did help our hero out, but – well – as far as I was concerned, it was too little too late and not enough to make up for what she’d done.

Amelia-Rose Hyacinth Baxter was raised to know that she had one purpose and one purpose only. She was to marry a title. It didn’t matter which title, but her mother wanted a title and would accept absolutely nothing else. Amelia-Rose tried to be the dutiful, meek, mild, docile, opinionless young woman her mother wanted her to be, but it was hard – so very hard because she was none of those things. She found out in her first season that if she wanted any marriage proposals, she really was going to have to ratchet down her true self because nobody wanted that. This season, she’s received proposals, but none of them had a title, so her mother has declined all of them (yes, evidently the father agrees). Now, her parents have signed a betrothal agreement between her and a wild, uncouth, uncivilized Highlander who is the heir to an earldom. She’ll try to be what she’s supposed to be, but she’s really unsure about this whole thing.

The MacTaggert brothers, Coll, Aden, and Niall, have lived the last seventeen years without their mother - Niall was only seven when she left. She got tired of the Highlands lack of social life and left with their newborn sister, Emily. They haven’t heard a word from her in all that time and now, she’s demanding that they travel to London and marry English brides. Yes, she can enforce that because she holds the purse strings that provide support to their estate, Aldriss Park. They have to think of the estate and their crofters and villagers. Plus, she also holds a paper signed by their father stating that in return for her support of Aldriss, each son must marry an English bride AND that their mother gets to choose the bride for one of them. To say that the three brothers aren’t happy would be a gross understatement.

Upon arrival in London, they learn that their mother has already arranged a betrothal for Coll who is heir to his father’s earldom. Coll is the most belligerent and argumentative of the lot and he has absolutely no intention of marrying anyone his mother has chosen. He’ll just annoy and outrage the prospective bride until she calls it off.

Coll is as good as his word and does whatever he can to enrage Amelia-Rose. Niall, the peacemaker of the brothers, steps in and smooths things over as much as he can to save the betrothal. Except, as he interacts with Amelia-Rose, he comes to like her better and better and comes to care for her. So, what will he do about that? Maybe nothing because his mother has said it has to be Coll who marries her.

I really, really, really disliked Amelia-Rose’s mother. She cared absolutely nothing about her daughter and basically told her as much. She was bound and determined that Amelia-rose would marry a title – and she even locked her in her room to assure that happened.

I loved seeing Niall and Amber-Rose learn to love each other. They are both loving, caring and funny. Niall gives her a nickname and tells her that it means Rose in Gaelic. Well, it doesn’t. I also loved the boy’s arrival at their mother’s home. It was priceless and you’ll love reading it.

What I didn’t love was how quickly the boys came to sort of have a peace treaty with Francesca. They had a legitimate, well-earned grievance with her and she never asks for forgiveness. Just expects that they should understand and capitulate. I’m guessing that we’ll learn more about her in future books, but still, the bottom line will always be – SHE left, SHE didn’t write, SHE didn’t visit – not once in seventeen years. For me, no forgiveness there. I am betting that there will be a book for the father and mother to reunite. I hope they get a HEA, but – it will still be too little, too late in my mind.

Great read! I absolutely love Niall and Amelia-Rose. I wonder who will be featured in the next book. Can’t wait to find out.

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

[Chris C - A Midlife Wife · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story. Witty and entertaining.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is hard not to love all of these Highlander brothers. They each have great personalities that just stand out and suck you right in. Rough and tough with the wildness of the country they come from, London will never be the same! And Niall is a sweetheart! I just love him.

The plot is unique and I have to confess, I hated the brother’s mother for most of the story. It was only in the end that I learned to like her, but only for her actions. She stood by her son’s and brought everything full circle.

The author crafted a story full of the trials and tribulations of the rules of Old England along with the wild freshness of country boys. Who can resist a strong, rugged, kilt-wearing Highlander?

She spent a lot of time developing the characters and the relationships so you were really all in with the story. Plus, the humor and wit between the characters really made a huge difference in this book. They were so likable… (except mom for me)

Enoch wrote a book full of the wildness of boys and men, sweetness and love, and happy ever afters. Personally, I would love to see more heat and passion, but this is a beautiful story that you will find yourself yearning for the next installation. Can’t wait to see who she writes about next!

* copy received for review consideration
full review - https://amidlifewife.com/its-getting-...

[Debby *BabyDee* · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fan of Suzanne Enoch, I thought the story was delightful and entertaining..

Amelia-Rose Baxter's parents want nothing more from their daughter in that she makes a match that comes with a tilte to elevate them in society. Very outspoken, she's determined to stay true to herself and marry someone who will accept her for with all her shortcomings. Unfortunately they would need to reside in and love all of London.

In strolls rugged Highlander Niall MacTaggert and his brothers...One betrothed to Ameila-Rose. Coll, the eldest must marry or lose the ancestral estate but Niall becomes infatuated with Ameila-Rose and eventually takes her as his own when she is released from her marriage agreement with Coll.

Niall tempts to court Amelia-Rose, despite her reservations but succumbs to his charm. Her family opposes Niall, and tries to pawn her off to someone with a title and no money. Determine to keep her for himself, Niall plans an elopement and Ameila-Rose agrees although the results would cause a scandal for her and her family.

Again, this was a nice story that I truly enjoyed reading. Although there were some parts that dragged a little, it had it's share of conflicts. Some parts were very predictable but the story was still good. I also did not care much for the over use of the Scottish brogue at times. It became a bit overboard. Regardless of those drawbacks, it was still a delightful and entertaining story.

This ARC was provided by NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in return for a fair and honest review. All opinions in this review are my own.

4-Stars

[Mariana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finally finished listening! Took me about three times as long as most books. I have enjoyed many Suzanne Enoch books, but this one was not for me. Pretty boring. Didn't like any of the characters. Not the mother or father, any of three Highlander brothers, or Amelia Rose. I won't be continuing this series.

[Marina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Challenge: Read a book that shares a title with a song

4.5*

My first Suzanne Enoch, but not my last! This was so great! I LOVED the hero!

[Lisazj1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars, I loved it! This story was an absolute delight! Except for Mrs. Baxter. *flicks her out of my way. “Feck off ye old bat!”*

[Jewlsbookblog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Niall and Amelia-Rose were a perfect match. I loved their banter and watching Amelia-Rose come out of her shell. She blossomed under Niall’s protectively nurturing personality. He was a fixer and it was rather cute how much he tried to help her, and his family, while ignoring his own needs and wants, but where there’s a will...there’s always a way!

This is the first book to a new series and I think it’s off to a good start! Of course, a sexy Scot is always a good thing and we are introduced to three brawny ones, so there’s plenty of potential stories! ;p Niall and Amelia’s romance was quick, cute, and had some heat, and I liked how they connected. Overall, the plot had a few predictable moments and I thought the characters were great! The story was funny enough to keep me entertained and had just enough drama to keep the momentum rolling.

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

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I inhaled this. I haven't been following Enoch's Scottish series because I really was turned off by the brogue Enoch uses when I try excerpts, but this one had a lot of English people in it so I thought it wouldn't be quite as distracting...and well, I've MISSED Enoch books so much. I love the fun, humor, sharp-tongued heroines, family ties, and manly but hilarious men that Enoch always includes in her stories...so I went for it. And thus starts a binge-fest on this entire series. The brogue is still in there, but I can tolerate it for what was a rollicking good time.

In an unusual twist, the youngest brother is the first to find love in this series. Three brothers are being forced into marriage to retain their inheritance, and after a brief fight, the youngest, Niall, willingly walked through fire to get married.

This was a sweet book. The heroine, Amelia-Rose, had a lot of wit and an eye for fun, but was constantly stifled by her grasping mother. It is amazing she retained her spirit in the face of the abuse she received. As for Niall, he was always the peace maker in the family and his relationship with Amelia-Rose started as a way to patch things together when his hot-headed older brother blew everything to bits. However, the chemistry between the two was so potent and organic, growing slowly but undeniably over time, that Niall was soon pursuing her all for himself.

While I thought the sex scene was not necessary and felt out of place in the timeline, I know I'm in the minority here and many like to have at least one scene. This book had so much fun and chemistry that it was unnecessary for the story, but everything else fit perfectly. I found the mother to be a complicated woman and I am interested to read more, I adored the sister Eloise, I found all three brothers amusing (though Coll will have to win me over because WOW he could be a colossal jerk), and I loved the gentle flow of the story.

Niall won my heart with his ways of holding the family together and gently teasing everyone. He may have been labeled as a wild Highlander, but he had more diplomacy than many men I've seen. I loved his charm and his humor and was swooning over him as much as Amelia-Rose. Such a fun read.

I've been reading Enoch books forever and so much of her style just clicks with me. She hits all the right notes and manages to infuse so much humor into her books. I was giggling every few pages. Highly recommended. I've already got the next book in the series waiting for me on my kindle.

[Mamacita aka MawMaw · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's Getting Scot in Here...
So take off all your clothes!!!

[Sara Reads (mostly) Romance]

Aaaghhh I love Suzanne Enoch!! Her books are so fun!! Excited to read this one

[Lu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very sweet story of three Highlander brothers that are summoned to London by the mother they did not see for 17 years.
Holding the purse strings that can save their home, their estranged mother demands all of them marry proper English ladies before their sister’s wedding takes place.
She also demands that their older brother, a viscount heir to an earldom, marries the lady of her choice: Lady Amelia Rose.
None of them are pleased to be forced to marry, most of all to English ladies not of their choice. To make matters worse, Niall, while trying to help out his older brother, ends up falling for Lady Amelia.
Her family wants a title (that he does not have), she wants to stay in London (while he can’t wait to go back to his beloved Scotland), so it all seems quite impossible.
I loved the story and can’t wait to know what will happen to the other brothers. I’m hoping the older brother Coll will fall for Jane, Amelia’s cousin and companion.

[Sam (AMNReader) · Rating 2 out of 5]

*clears throat*

Eh. That's almost all I've got.

The tension was so good in the beginning and unbundled by the end. A brush of the hand had me on the edge of my seat but love declarations left me cold.

Shallow secondary characters just didn't add up too much for me.

So. Eh.2.5 I liked the beginning, but it fizzled out

[Susan (susayq ~) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oooohhh, I really liked this one! Niall MacTaggert was super swoony and yet still alpha. Watching him fall in love with Amelia Rose was sweet and at times funny. I had a smile on my face through this whole book!

[Amarilli 73 · Rating 4 out of 5]

«Una montagna deve sempre ascoltare la neve.»

Per una volta sono partita dall'edizione inglese e ci sono rimasta.
Qualche tempo fa avevo sentito parlare di questa serie di Suzanne Enoch in una lista di Best Historical Romance americani e mi ero talmente incuriosita da ordinarmi i primi due volumi.

Il primo mi ha preso da subito e, grazie al fatto che riuscivo a capire bene, sono arrivata in fondo, solo per scoprire poi che la serie è già edita da noi, anzi si è appena conclusa.
Quindi ho deciso di recensire tutta la serie " Wild Wicked Highlanders", partendo da "It's getting scot in here" e dando conto anche di "L'Amante dello scozzese".

Una giovane lady inglese sposa, molto innamorata, un rude conte delle Highlands e si trasferisce in Scozia, procreando tre maschi e una bimba. Ma l'insofferenza per un mondo isolato e diverso hanno la meglio sulla contessa, che se ne ritorna a Londra con la figlia, abbandonando marito e figli.
Siccome i cordoni della borsa li ha lei, però, stipula un patto: se vogliono i soldi, i tre ragazzi, da grandi, raggiungeranno la madre a Londra e sposeranno tre fanciulle di sua scelta.

Sono passati diciassette anni e ora è arrivato il momento della resa dei conti: i tre giganti selvaggi raggiungono la mamma eccentrica pensando di stracciare l'accordo, ma lady Francesca li batte in ricchezza e astuzia.

Protagonista del primo libro è proprio il terzogenito, Niall, il più pacifico (parlando in termini relativi), abituato a riparare ai danni creati dagli altri.
La sua controparte femminile è Amelia, debuttante con genitori appartenenti alla nobiltà minore e pronti a svenderla al miglior offerente, che però ha un caratterino tosto niente male. Non è un caso se lui la considera "dolce e aspra" sin dal primo incontro ed è colpito dalla sua impulsività.

Bisticci familiari, figli orgogliosi, mamme testarde, e un gruppo di fratelli uniti e decisi a dimostrare che gli highlander non si fanno schiacciare dai dandy.
Molto vivace. Se non conoscete la serie, fateci un pensiero.

[Keri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Won this sweet ARC. New start of a new series. I really liked it and on pins and needles on who's book is next and might Jane get a story? She turned out to be a strong character that I would love to know more about.

[Beanbag Love · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. Kind of by-the-numbers. I skimmed a lot.

I really like Suzanne Enoch, but I didn't fall in love with these characters the way I've done with a few of her past books. I might read the next one, because I'm interested in seeing what happens with the next couple (or even who the next couple will be), but I'm seriously not invested so it'll have to be on sale like this one was.

First of all, the entire premise is preposterous. And I find the mother completely annoying. What she did was unforgivable, and what she continues to do is nasty as well. It's all presented as this thing that the reader should somehow understand. Sorry, as a mom, I just can't.

And the eldest brother of our hero. Ugh. Viscount Crankypants. What an ass. I disliked him intensely.

The hero. Kind of a goofball. Hard to take seriously or to trust not to take a normal situation and make it into a buffoonapalooza. The heroine was okay, but her inability to find a hubster was not believable in the least.

So, in the end I couldn't commit. Better luck next time. :(

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a romance novel, instalove is always a hard trope to handle. And while our hero and heroine don't fall in love instantly, the whole book takes place in a span of less than a month. So they meet, fall in love, and then marry in the span of about 3 weeks. Not very believable sadly and that took at least a star off of my rating. But on the other hand I really liked the premise of this story. It's different and interesting and I enjoyed reading about the 3 MacTaggert brothers (although I liked Aden and Coll more than I liked the hero Niall, and I'm greatly looking forward to reading their books). But Niall was also quite delicious- a proud man, smart, devious, determined, and so considerate. This book was also a cut above most Historical Romance novels in having a down to earth, smart female protagonist who didn't jump to weird conclusions or mope around (Amelia-Rose really was a delight. It doesn't happen often that I like the heroine better than the hero in a romance book but Amelia-Rose was wonderful and I couldn't help but root for her). And as I already said, the story is unique for historical romance, falling outside the typical setup which is a plus.
So, while It's Getting Scot in Here is not one of Ms. Enoch's best books, it's still very much enjoyable (at least in my opinion). I was all-in with these wacky people and their shenanigans. If I had to complain about something it's that development of emotions progressed too quickly for my taste. But overall it's a sweet story, with the likeable characters (main and secondary) and it makes for a cute and quick read. Recommended.

***I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

[Stacee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had seen this one around and knew a few friends who loved it, so I couldn’t resist requesting it.

I loved Amelia-Rose and Niall. She’s a little prickly and he’s a little pushy and they’re both really good and loyal people. It was amusing reading their banter and fascination with each other. I especially loved the steadfastness of Francesca and I hope we get to see her in other books.

Plot wise, it was mostly good. I enjoyed reading the shift from Niall making excuses for his brother to wanting to court Amelia-Rose. There were a couple of scenes that were a slight bit repetitive and there wasn’t nearly as much conversation as I would have liked. And while the last chapter was satisfying, I definitely wanted an epilogue.

Overall, it was the characters who kept me reading. I’m quite invested in this group and I’m eager to see the next story.

**Huge thanks St. Martin’s Paperbacks for providing the arc free of charge**

[Beneath The Covers Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review can be found HERE --> https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

*ARC provided for a voluntary honest review.* ~Sonal

[eyes.2c · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scottish hijinks!

I must say, I enjoyed this immensely. Nothing like the brawny alpha males being dragged into doing something against their will. Backstory--the Sassenach mother of three young sons, Coll, Aden, and Niall fled to London from the wilds of the Highlands for her own good reasons, taking their young sister Eloise. Now comes the tricky part. Upon her marriage Francesca controlled the purse strings (highly unusual). But then her father, the Viscount of Hornford "had more money than Midas and a bevy of very fine solicitors." Part of the agreement when Francesca fled Aldriss Park was that come marriageable age, the boys must marry English women before their sister married else the funds supporting Aldriss Park and Clan Ross would be forfeited.
Francesca has selected a bride for the eldest, Coll MacTaggert, Viscount Glendarril, the epitome of barbarian Scotsman who won't be told. However, when his mother's choice of bride, Amelia-Rose Hyacinth Baxter answers Coll somewhat tartly he storms out--of their very public theater box no less! It appears Coll is looking for an insipid bride whom he can leave to fade into obscurity in London, whilst he stays in the Highlands master of his own life, apart from the obligatory getting an heir visit. Even that had more strings attached!
And this is where things become interesting as the younger MacTaggert brother Niall keeps trying to rescue the situation. Of course he becomes madly attracted to the proposed bride. But what can he do? There's the legal agreement and the tenants and retainers of Aldriss Park all depending on them to 'bring home the bacon', as it t'were.
Couple all this with Amelia-Rose's situation. She has the prune faced mother who bemoans missing out on marrying a title and who sees her daughter as fulfilling these ambitions. Never mind the cost. (Mind you I just finished watching a movie about the Duchess if Devonshire so I was well and truly upset with the double standards for men, and the various ambitions of the ton.) Amelia's dilemma played into my already jaundiced view.
A witty tale with amusing interludes and selected moments of heavy breathing. I so disliked Francesca, but came to quite enjoy her towards the end. She's still a bit of a mystery. And just exactly why does she have so much social power in the drawing rooms of London?
A stand out, stimulating read especially when viewed against so many other Highlander romantic efforts set in this era.
I am oh so looking forward to the future novels in this series!

A NetGalley ARC

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall this was a very fun book to read. There were a few spots where it dragged a little, but the rest more than made up for it. The three MacTaggert brothers have grown up in Scotland without the benefit of their mother's presence. Seventeen years earlier, Francesca had had enough of the isolation and left her husband and three sons behind, taking only her infant daughter with her to London. There had been no contact in all that time, until a letter arrived, informing them of their sister's upcoming wedding. At that point, an agreement made between their parents came to light. The three sons must marry before their sister, and they must marry English brides, or lose the funds that Francesca provides to keep the estate running.

I enjoyed the introduction to the boys. Coll is the oldest, heir to the earldom, and the most taciturn of the trio. Aden is the one in the middle, the free-spirited one. Niall is the youngest and the family peacemaker. He is the one who watches out for everyone and tries to find a solution for any problems. To say that they are not happy about the agreement would be putting it mildly, but they know that they have no choice if they want to protect their people. They decided that they would find their meek, empty-headed English brides, marry them, and leave them in England while they returned to their lives in Scotland. After all, it had worked for their parents, hadn't it? Their arrival in London was pretty amusing, especially the inclusion of their "friend" Rory. Their meeting with Francesca made it clear that they were there under protest.

Amelia-Rose is the girl that their mother has picked for Coll. She is smart and sassy and knows what she wants. Unfortunately for her, her mother is fixated on Amelia-Rose marrying a title, and nothing else matters. Victoria made it clear that Amelia-Rose was to tone down her attitude and not create trouble. Amelia-Rose wants to marry and get away from her overbearing mother, but she also wants a husband that will appreciate who she is and give her the life she wants in London.

The first meeting between Coll and Amelia-Rose did not go well. He was surly and resentful and managed to tick off Amelia-Rose in the first five minutes he was there. Then he got offended by her response and walked out of the theater, leaving her there to face Society gossips on her own. I liked how Niall stepped in to try to smooth things over. He is determined to show Coll in the best light possible and keep the agreement viable. What he didn't expect was to be drawn to her himself.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Niall and Amelia-Rose. It started as more of a friendship, as Niall attempted to cover for his brother, and Amelia-Rose just wanted away from her mother. Because Niall wasn't the one that she needed to impress, Amelia- Rose found it easy to be herself when she was with him. It didn't take long for Niall to discover that he wanted her for himself, and picturing her with Coll was painful. Meanwhile, Amelia-Rose began to realize that bowing to her mother's wishes was becoming more difficult. I loved the interactions between Niall and Amelia-Rose. They were fun and honest. When Coll made a particularly obnoxious scene at a ball, it was Niall who stepped in to prevent a scandal. I loved watching him stand up to both mothers and insist that Amelia-Rose is given a choice and that he would win her on his own actions. Things got a bit complicated when her mother made her own plans for Amelia-Rose's future. Amelia-Rose had to take a good look at what she really wanted and make some decisions. I loved Niall's solution to the whole issue and laughed and cheered as he and his brothers put it in motion. I was on the edge of my seat until Niall and Amelia-Rose were successful in their endeavor. There was an unexpected twist at the end that made for an even happier ending.

There were plenty of secondary characters to liven up the action. Niall's brother Coll, as Amelia-Rose's supposed intended, was a royal pain. He was surly to the point of rudeness and treated Amelia-Rose very badly. His motivation was made clear later in the book, but he could have handled things much better. He is also a bit on the arrogant side, and I am looking forward to seeing him meet his match. He did redeem himself somewhat at the end of the book. I didn't get much of an impression of Aden, other than his willingness to support his brothers. Their mother Francesca was something of a force of nature. I didn't like her much at the beginning, because of the way she abandoned her sons, with no contact in the intervening years. Her method of getting them to London was manipulative and seemed to show a lack of caring about their happiness. However, she grew on me a little bit as the book progressed. While I don't consider her redeemed, she did make progress toward it with her actions at the end of the book. Amelia-Rose's mother was a straight-out stinker. I hated the way she treated Amelia-Rose, never satisfied with her no matter what she did. Her fixation on gaining a titled husband for her daughter had nothing to do with Amelia-Rose's happiness, only with her own ambitions. I did like Amelia-Rose's cousin/chaperone, Jane. She was uptight and critical at the beginning, but she really did look out for Amelia-Rose's best interests. She was plain-spoken and gave Amelia-Rose some good points to think about. I loved her part at the end and suspect that we haven't seen the last of her.

[Rachel - raguelunicorn · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 rounded down. I'm torn on this. For the first half of the book I really didn't enjoy any of the side characters, and the book spends enough time with said side characters that it was frustrating. Coll was a jackass with no personality, and Francesca was, honestly, not a good mother until the very end. The whole premise of the series - that Francesca and their father were so immature that they can't manage to coparent, even from a distance, was dumb. How is it that Francesca thinks that the only way she can see her sons and have them back in her life is to hold their ancestral home hostage and force them into loveless marriages? Has she ever heard of, I don't know, TRAVELING? She abandoned her children for 17 years because she hated living in Scotland, but how does that equal never once visiting Scotland ever again? It's not like London and the Highlands are across an ocean from each other. But I'm ranting.

I did like both Niall and Amelia-Rose, although Amelia-Rose grew frustrating with her agonizing over how it could never work between her and Niall without actually having a conversation with him about it, or brainstorming how it could work. Her assumption that Niall wouldn't want to compromise over living in the Highlands versus living in London wasn't based on anything concrete in Niall's character, seeing as he was generous, thoughtful, and easygoing throughout the entire book.

I also got the feeling that perhaps Amelia-Rose didn't care for Niall as much as Niall cared for her, because Niall was the only one working towards making their relationship a reality. He fought for her, and she didn't fight for him. She didn't even stand up to her ridiculous, cruel mother. I understand the pressure Amelia-Rose was under to maintain her societal standing, but come ON. It was clear that she wasn't willing to risk anything significant for Niall until the very end of the book, whereas he made it clear from the moment her arrangement with Coll broke off that he was going to do everything in his power to be with her.

If you enjoy a book where the man solely does all the wooing and the woman is the recipient, this will definitely still work for you. I just wanted them to be more equally pursuing each other.

I say I'm torn on this because while the beginning of the book was frustrating and the middle dragged, it did grow on me by the end. I think that's because the brothers rally to help Niall, there's actual scheming to make the relationship work, and the mother even breaks the rules of her precious society to help her son. I did also enjoy how everything was wrapped up in the end, with the families agreeing to say that the engagement announcement between Amelia-Rose and the snooty noble guy was a badly done joke by another mysterious, jilted suitor. It was extremely convenient, but after so many obstacles, both real and imagined by the characters, I was just relieved to have a solid ending, because I had a hard time seeing how it would all work out.