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Rory in a Kilt
Rory MacTaggart—uptight lawyer by day, steamy seducer by night.
One night in New Orleans changed my life. But is it for better or worse? The instant I see Emery Granger, I need to possess her. A one-night stand should've been the end of it. Except I can't quite let her go yet.
A marriage of convenience is the best I can offer.
For reasons I can't fathom, Emery agrees to marry me for money, knowing it will last only one year. She is the opposite of every woman I've ever known, and the opposite of me—cheerful, free-spirited, and compassionate. Maybe that's why I need to have her, though I will never love her.
All I know for certain is that living by my rules might destroy us both.
Rory in a Kilt is the third and final book in The Ballachulish Trilogy, a brand-new series based on the first three books in the bestselling Hot Scots series, reborn and retold from the heroes' perspectives.
One night in New Orleans changed my life. But is it for better or worse? The instant I see Emery Granger, I need to possess her. A one-night stand should've been the end of it. Except I can't quite let her go yet.
A marriage of convenience is the best I can offer.
For reasons I can't fathom, Emery agrees to marry me for money, knowing it will last only one year. She is the opposite of every woman I've ever known, and the opposite of me—cheerful, free-spirited, and compassionate. Maybe that's why I need to have her, though I will never love her.
All I know for certain is that living by my rules might destroy us both.
Rory in a Kilt is the third and final book in The Ballachulish Trilogy, a brand-new series based on the first three books in the bestselling Hot Scots series, reborn and retold from the heroes' perspectives.
- GenresContemporary Romance
373 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 31, 2021
18 people are currently reading
63 people want to read
About the author
Anna Durand
94 books474 followersAnna Durand is a bestselling, multi-award-winning author of contemporary and paranormal romance. Her books have earned bestseller status on every major retailer and wonderful reviews from readers around the world. But that’s the boring spiel. Here are some really cool things you want to know about Anna!
Born on Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, Anna grew up moving here, there, and everywhere thanks to her dad’s job as an instructor pilot. She’s lived in Texas (twice), Mississippi, California (twice), Michigan (twice), and Alaska—and now Ohio.
As for her writing, Anna has always invented stories in her head, but she didn’t write them down until her teen years. Those first awful books went into the trash can a few years later, though she learned a lot from those stories. Eventually, she would pen her first romance novel, the paranormal romance Willpower, and she’s never looked back since.
To get exclusive content, join Anna’s Facebook group, Anna’s Romance Addicts, or sign up for her newsletter at AnnaDurand.com/newsletter.
Born on Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, Anna grew up moving here, there, and everywhere thanks to her dad’s job as an instructor pilot. She’s lived in Texas (twice), Mississippi, California (twice), Michigan (twice), and Alaska—and now Ohio.
As for her writing, Anna has always invented stories in her head, but she didn’t write them down until her teen years. Those first awful books went into the trash can a few years later, though she learned a lot from those stories. Eventually, she would pen her first romance novel, the paranormal romance Willpower, and she’s never looked back since.
To get exclusive content, join Anna’s Facebook group, Anna’s Romance Addicts, or sign up for her newsletter at AnnaDurand.com/newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
November 6, 2021
I liked it. Maybe I was expecting to delve deeper into Rory’s mind–since I had read the story from Emery’s point of view before–but I still liked it well enough. Maybe because the character itself is interesting: the thrice-divorced recluse who wants a fake wedding to stave off his family.
It was sometimes difficult to follow Rory’s way of thinking. Some of his actions and thoughts, especially his constant denial of his love for Emery, made little sense. It felt like he had been hurt so much before that he was disconnected with his feelings. It was actually cute and heartwarming to watch him open himself to love again, thanks to Emery’s determination.
Without being in her head this time, it was hard to understand Emery’s motives, and emotionally stunned Rory couldn’t possibly give us a clue. I felt mostly detached from her, though she was funny. Their attraction for each other was still amazing, and resulted in many–and well detailed–intimate encounters. Melting hot.
There wasn’t much else besides the romance in this book, and the little drama that happens barely makes a glitch. The real threat to the relationship was clearly Rory himself. The MacTaggart clan makes an appearance, but they have almost no influence on Rory and Emery’s story.
A sexy Rory & Emery show, don’t deny yourself the pleasure.
Quickie
- Series: The Ballachulish trilogy #3 (can be read as a standalone)
- Hashtags: #billionaire romance #fake relationship #marriage of convenience #opposites attract
- Triggers: past cheating and various relationship troubles
- Main couple: Emery Granger & Rory MacTaggart
- Hotness: 5/5
- Romance: 5/5
- + how Rory learns to enjoy life through Emery’s eyes
- – Rory’s denial started getting on my nerves
EDIT: the audiobook was absolutely delicious. Sexy, funny, and the accent... mega swoon! The narrator is a professional knowing what he's doing
It was sometimes difficult to follow Rory’s way of thinking. Some of his actions and thoughts, especially his constant denial of his love for Emery, made little sense. It felt like he had been hurt so much before that he was disconnected with his feelings. It was actually cute and heartwarming to watch him open himself to love again, thanks to Emery’s determination.
Without being in her head this time, it was hard to understand Emery’s motives, and emotionally stunned Rory couldn’t possibly give us a clue. I felt mostly detached from her, though she was funny. Their attraction for each other was still amazing, and resulted in many–and well detailed–intimate encounters. Melting hot.
There wasn’t much else besides the romance in this book, and the little drama that happens barely makes a glitch. The real threat to the relationship was clearly Rory himself. The MacTaggart clan makes an appearance, but they have almost no influence on Rory and Emery’s story.
A sexy Rory & Emery show, don’t deny yourself the pleasure.
Quickie
- Series: The Ballachulish trilogy #3 (can be read as a standalone)
- Hashtags: #billionaire romance #fake relationship #marriage of convenience #opposites attract
- Triggers: past cheating and various relationship troubles
- Main couple: Emery Granger & Rory MacTaggart
- Hotness: 5/5
- Romance: 5/5
- + how Rory learns to enjoy life through Emery’s eyes
- – Rory’s denial started getting on my nerves
EDIT: the audiobook was absolutely delicious. Sexy, funny, and the accent... mega swoon! The narrator is a professional knowing what he's doing
August 31, 2021
5. ⭐
4. 🌶
❝︎𝙈𝙮 𝙀𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙮, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚.❞
❝︎𝙄 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙍𝙤𝙧𝙮. 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙞𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙧𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙞𝙙𝙚.❞
let's get straight into it—i absolutely loved this one. how could i not? i was hooked in by rory from his cameos in aidan's book and i knew i had to read his, there was no hesitancy about it.
this story follows emery granger and rory mactaggart, polar opposites in every way possible. emery has just been laid-off and rory is looking for one night of fun when he meets the fiery woman and without giving everything away, he proposes a marriage of convience to her and after a little apprehension on her part, she agrees.
emery is an absolute firecracker. she completely contradicts rory and challenges him in everything. where he says no, she's bulldozing her way through and then after she's achieved her goal, then she says yes with an innocent smile. it was hilarious and quite entertaining to read about her character. there's never a dull moment with her—not when she's wanting to break the speed limits and not when she's spinning around like she's on crack. she wears her heart on her sleeves and appreciates honesty, which i loved reading about. it's difficult to find female leads who actually want the truth and don't beat around the bush. she wears her heart on her sleeves and lays her cards out on the table. she's an invigorating character with lots of heart and is a very understanding person. i adore her character.
rory, oh rory, where do i even start with him? the man is straighter than straight and a stick in the mud, if you will. he does everything with precision, from the way he cuts his pancakes to the way he sits—he never loses control, except with emery. rory is as complicated as they come. married three times for love and had his heart broken three times, it's hard for him to trust and love again. i loved reading in his pov, he's very amusing to read. he has a dry and sarcastic humour which i couldn't help grinning at as i read along. he's extremely romantic and scared to lay out his cards so he puts on the front of a grizzly bear when he actually has the heart of a teddy bear—emery's words, not mine. the man was in denial for so long, i just wanted to smack him half the damn time. but thankfully, he came to his senses and swoon. urgh, he is perfect. i want a growly man like him.
rory and emery are complete opposites like i've said before. where emery is the light, he's the darkness. where she's all smiles, he's all glares. where she's soft, he's hard—lmfao, but seriously though. they couldn't be more different and i loved reading that. she coaxed him out of his shell, helped him discover who he really was. it was so fun to read about them. their banter is so amusing and their chemistry, sheesh. and the smut? TOP TIER STUFF. the first two chapters were something else entirely, jeez. you want a good marriage-of-convience, opposites attract, grumpy/sun-shine book with a sexy hero and an even sexier accent, then this book is definitely for you.
*𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸*
4. 🌶
❝︎𝙈𝙮 𝙀𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙮, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙧𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚.❞
❝︎𝙄 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙍𝙤𝙧𝙮. 𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙞𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙧𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙞𝙙𝙚.❞
let's get straight into it—i absolutely loved this one. how could i not? i was hooked in by rory from his cameos in aidan's book and i knew i had to read his, there was no hesitancy about it.
this story follows emery granger and rory mactaggart, polar opposites in every way possible. emery has just been laid-off and rory is looking for one night of fun when he meets the fiery woman and without giving everything away, he proposes a marriage of convience to her and after a little apprehension on her part, she agrees.
emery is an absolute firecracker. she completely contradicts rory and challenges him in everything. where he says no, she's bulldozing her way through and then after she's achieved her goal, then she says yes with an innocent smile. it was hilarious and quite entertaining to read about her character. there's never a dull moment with her—not when she's wanting to break the speed limits and not when she's spinning around like she's on crack. she wears her heart on her sleeves and appreciates honesty, which i loved reading about. it's difficult to find female leads who actually want the truth and don't beat around the bush. she wears her heart on her sleeves and lays her cards out on the table. she's an invigorating character with lots of heart and is a very understanding person. i adore her character.
rory, oh rory, where do i even start with him? the man is straighter than straight and a stick in the mud, if you will. he does everything with precision, from the way he cuts his pancakes to the way he sits—he never loses control, except with emery. rory is as complicated as they come. married three times for love and had his heart broken three times, it's hard for him to trust and love again. i loved reading in his pov, he's very amusing to read. he has a dry and sarcastic humour which i couldn't help grinning at as i read along. he's extremely romantic and scared to lay out his cards so he puts on the front of a grizzly bear when he actually has the heart of a teddy bear—emery's words, not mine. the man was in denial for so long, i just wanted to smack him half the damn time. but thankfully, he came to his senses and swoon. urgh, he is perfect. i want a growly man like him.
rory and emery are complete opposites like i've said before. where emery is the light, he's the darkness. where she's all smiles, he's all glares. where she's soft, he's hard—lmfao, but seriously though. they couldn't be more different and i loved reading that. she coaxed him out of his shell, helped him discover who he really was. it was so fun to read about them. their banter is so amusing and their chemistry, sheesh. and the smut? TOP TIER STUFF. the first two chapters were something else entirely, jeez. you want a good marriage-of-convience, opposites attract, grumpy/sun-shine book with a sexy hero and an even sexier accent, then this book is definitely for you.
*𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸*
September 1, 2021
Some New Orleans voodoo works its magic on the big sexy Scot
Rory in a Kilt is the third and final book in the Ballachulish Trilogy. This story is about Emery Granger and Rory McTaggart from his POV. Rory is a grumpy Scottish lawyer who takes a vacation to New Orleans to relax and get out of a funk, and maybe let some joy in his life. Emery is a young computer programmer who has just been downsized out of her job. So the only thing to do is hit a bar and drink forget about everything for a while. At the bar Rory sees Emery and there is just something about her. He may be tall, dark, handsome and sexy but he is also grumpy and uptight. But he has something deeper that when it comes out is a whole lot of smokin' sizzling hot smexy fun. And that is what he does with Emery for the weekend. The only potential problem now is that those funny things called feelings as Rory is jaded about women, relationships and marriage. After being married and divorced three times you can see why. But Rory's family is on him to find a wife again and so he proposes......not that way. It is a proposal for a marriage of convenience. What does Emery have to lose at this point so she takes the deal and moves to Scotland. Now the real fun begins as this free spirit and fun loving woman starts to work some fairy magic on the big and tough man.
This is a well written and entertaining book. The story-line is already known but it is wonderful to have it told from Rory's POV and find out just what he is thinking and what is happening deep inside as that steel door starts to crack open.
I received a copy of this book and am leaving my honest review. My opinions are all my own.
Rory in a Kilt is the third and final book in the Ballachulish Trilogy. This story is about Emery Granger and Rory McTaggart from his POV. Rory is a grumpy Scottish lawyer who takes a vacation to New Orleans to relax and get out of a funk, and maybe let some joy in his life. Emery is a young computer programmer who has just been downsized out of her job. So the only thing to do is hit a bar and drink forget about everything for a while. At the bar Rory sees Emery and there is just something about her. He may be tall, dark, handsome and sexy but he is also grumpy and uptight. But he has something deeper that when it comes out is a whole lot of smokin' sizzling hot smexy fun. And that is what he does with Emery for the weekend. The only potential problem now is that those funny things called feelings as Rory is jaded about women, relationships and marriage. After being married and divorced three times you can see why. But Rory's family is on him to find a wife again and so he proposes......not that way. It is a proposal for a marriage of convenience. What does Emery have to lose at this point so she takes the deal and moves to Scotland. Now the real fun begins as this free spirit and fun loving woman starts to work some fairy magic on the big and tough man.
This is a well written and entertaining book. The story-line is already known but it is wonderful to have it told from Rory's POV and find out just what he is thinking and what is happening deep inside as that steel door starts to crack open.
I received a copy of this book and am leaving my honest review. My opinions are all my own.
September 3, 2021
I very much enjoyed this one. I think this is my favourite among the three books. I couldn’t stop reading Rory & Emery’s story and was totally captivated by these two. They have great chemistry and banter that wouldn't bore you. Their story has lots of humor, emotions, drama, and, enough steam. And I really liked the ending and epilogue of their story.
August 30, 2021
Considering the fact that I'm a big fan of Anna Durand, that the Scottish Highlands are on my bucket list, and that hot Scottish romances are my weakness, I devoured this intriguing love story told in Rory MacTaggart's voice.
What am I doing?
Rory is an enigma. He is so stuffy and straight-laced one minute, and then he unleashes his sexy naughty side that takes my breath away. He's a recluse solicitor who has been married three times and uncharacteristically arranges a spur-of-the-moment one-year fake marriage with a beautiful and unconventional stranger to keep his family off his back to settle down. Being inside Rory's head is a trip from his outrageous rules about sex to his weak reasoning for giving in to his new wife's ridiculous requests. It is not stated in the book, but his behavior made me wonder if he is possibly on the autism spectrum. Needless to say, Rory messes up quite a lot and is resigned to the fact that she will not stay. Will she leave him like the rest?
Emery is a strong, charming, independent woman who is comfortable with herself and continually challenges Rory's uptight ways. Her love of life and her patient understanding of Rory are a treat to watch as she convinces him to get out of his comfort zone and break his rigid rules. Though Rory tries to push her away, she takes it one day at a time to break down his defenses and makes the most of her time in Scotland. I admire her natural charm and no-nonsense attitude towards life. She is by no means a gold digger as seen by her refusing to use the bank account Rory gave her and she sticks to her end of the bargain. All she wanted was complete honesty, but will Rory divulge his secrets?
Rory and Emery are complete opposites who balance each other out. She is light. He is darkness. She is all smiles. He is all scowls. I like the fact that Emery can see Rory's vulnerable side and she is sensitive to his feelings. She brings him out of his shell and helps him reclaim his former happy self. I also love how Rory slowly loses his battle with a woman who set out to playfully seduce him physically and emotionally. In addition, I liked the fact that the book was written in Rory's POV which is very intriguing. You don't find many romances told solely by the hero's POV.
My first "kilt" book by Anna Durand was Lethal in a Kilt from the Hot Scots series and I was hooked from then on. Though her books are in a series, they can easily be read as standalones. I have also read two of her delightful books in the Au Naturel trilogy which are unique and entertaining. Please go to my Review Directory by Author to see all my reviews for Anna Durand.
I highly recommend this lovely romantic retreat to a castle in Scotland filled with a slow burn love story told by a highlander about to be blown away by the angel of his dreams. Now I need to add books 1 and 2 to my TBR pile.
Thank you to Ms. Durand for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
What am I doing?
Rory is an enigma. He is so stuffy and straight-laced one minute, and then he unleashes his sexy naughty side that takes my breath away. He's a recluse solicitor who has been married three times and uncharacteristically arranges a spur-of-the-moment one-year fake marriage with a beautiful and unconventional stranger to keep his family off his back to settle down. Being inside Rory's head is a trip from his outrageous rules about sex to his weak reasoning for giving in to his new wife's ridiculous requests. It is not stated in the book, but his behavior made me wonder if he is possibly on the autism spectrum. Needless to say, Rory messes up quite a lot and is resigned to the fact that she will not stay. Will she leave him like the rest?
Emery is a strong, charming, independent woman who is comfortable with herself and continually challenges Rory's uptight ways. Her love of life and her patient understanding of Rory are a treat to watch as she convinces him to get out of his comfort zone and break his rigid rules. Though Rory tries to push her away, she takes it one day at a time to break down his defenses and makes the most of her time in Scotland. I admire her natural charm and no-nonsense attitude towards life. She is by no means a gold digger as seen by her refusing to use the bank account Rory gave her and she sticks to her end of the bargain. All she wanted was complete honesty, but will Rory divulge his secrets?
Rory and Emery are complete opposites who balance each other out. She is light. He is darkness. She is all smiles. He is all scowls. I like the fact that Emery can see Rory's vulnerable side and she is sensitive to his feelings. She brings him out of his shell and helps him reclaim his former happy self. I also love how Rory slowly loses his battle with a woman who set out to playfully seduce him physically and emotionally. In addition, I liked the fact that the book was written in Rory's POV which is very intriguing. You don't find many romances told solely by the hero's POV.
My first "kilt" book by Anna Durand was Lethal in a Kilt from the Hot Scots series and I was hooked from then on. Though her books are in a series, they can easily be read as standalones. I have also read two of her delightful books in the Au Naturel trilogy which are unique and entertaining. Please go to my Review Directory by Author to see all my reviews for Anna Durand.
I highly recommend this lovely romantic retreat to a castle in Scotland filled with a slow burn love story told by a highlander about to be blown away by the angel of his dreams. Now I need to add books 1 and 2 to my TBR pile.
Thank you to Ms. Durand for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
August 31, 2021
Amazon / Apple Books / Nook / Kobo / Google Play
Rory takes one look at the luminous woman at the bar taking a selfie and wants her. But will a one night stand really be enough of the woman he finds to be even more sensual, even more alluring than he had first thought? A marriage of convenience, then. One that will rid him of his family meddling in his love life. One that will keep his heart intact, because, as he told Emery, he doesn't do love, not after having done it with his 3 ex wives and having gotten severely burned for his efforts... But as the uptight, stubborn af Scot will soon find, the heart doesn't always go along with what the head wants, and he may find himself fighting feelings he never wanted, is determined not to admit to.
There was a lot to Rory to unpack, I gotta say. But it was worth it, because though he was rife with demons, he was also a good person with a big heart that deserved love. He just needed the perfect free-spirited American to quell his most grumpy, stubborn tendencies. Emery was definitely the light of this story and though this was from Rory's POV, I found myself more drawn to her than to Rory, I can fully understand why he fell so hard for her. Unfortunately for her, his determination not to have feelings, then not to admit them even when he found those feelings growing, hurt her, but luckily for Rory, Emery was steadfast as well as spontaneous and free-spirited. She stood by him even when he continually hurt her with his adamance at keeping her at a distance from his heart. I loved Anna Durand's Scots when their stories were told in the heroines' POVs, so to get the men's POVs this time around is a treat. Can't wait for more hottie Scots now.
ARC via Grey's Promotions for an honest review.
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August 19, 2021
Rory in a Kilt is Book 3 in Anna Durand's 'The Ballachulish Trilogy', this time taking focus on Rory MacTaggart. Thank you to Grey's Promo for my ARC copy to read and review.
Having only read 'Devastating in a Kilt', book nine in Anna's 'Hot Scots' series, I was greatly looking forward to diving into a new series--even if I'm diving in out of publishing order--, and what the characters in this book would bring in comparison to those I have read about previously.
My only previous criticism of that read, was pacing. This was something I was looking to see if it was a similar pattern with this read but I am pleased and personally overjoyed to say that this read right from the outset, avoided what bothered me the most and from the very first page I had a much more pleasant reading experience, and was keen to turn the rest of the pages to see where this story would take our two main characters.
By far and large my favourite character has to be our leading man, Rory MacTaggart. Often are men written to be the typical 'alpha male', big and brutish. Rory is admittedly that, at times, but has been written by Anna to be so much more. We see so many sides to Rory throughout the story as it journeys from one country to the next, as situations change and indeed himself, changes as well. From the very first time we get to meet Rory, we're taken on a journey as he fights with his conflicting emotions and thoughts--despite audibly protesting otherwise--, acting on impulse and doing the impossible. There's no way of knowing what he will say or do next, or how his mood will be in the next coming minutes, not hours or days, which is a welcome change from the usual moment in a book which a character shifts his/her mindset or perspective.
Truly, I could not get enough of this kilted highlander!
What truly has blown me away, is just how engaged I was with this read compared to my previous Anna Durand read. I have a weakness for Scottish highlander romances--modern and historical--, but it takes a special book to really engage me enough to want to never put it down and this read is it! There's instant attraction which of course is fought at first, humour to have you both sniggering and belly laughing at the right times, the delicious oh-so-swoon-worthy moments that would be knocking socks off more than once, and just the right amount of angst to make the story radiate brilliance.
If yin and yang were book characters, they would be Emery and Rory. From the outset, it is clear that Emery possesses some of the stereotypes of an American woman out for a good time, showing her character loud and proud and with fire. Contrary to Rory's alpha male, brusque, set-in-his-way nature, it was thrilling to see how the two unwound those characteristics of one another as they both changed to adapt to a new life together in close proximity. That said, the fact that they were able to remain themselves while on the outside were changing--even if they didn't know it themselves--was a nicely crafted oxymoron touch.
Truly and honestly I couldn't fault a single thing about this read, except for the fact that I would L.O.V.E even more Rory and Emery. It ticked all my boxes from an irritable kilted Scottish 'hero', to the Scottish landscape and heritage brought to life by the written word, steam, laughs aplenty, angst and from a male POV I truly do prefer to a woman's, I think it's safe to say that I've found another top read of 2021.
Anna, you've officially won me over and I cannot wait to read your future works and dive into the other two books already in this series :)
Having only read 'Devastating in a Kilt', book nine in Anna's 'Hot Scots' series, I was greatly looking forward to diving into a new series--even if I'm diving in out of publishing order--, and what the characters in this book would bring in comparison to those I have read about previously.
My only previous criticism of that read, was pacing. This was something I was looking to see if it was a similar pattern with this read but I am pleased and personally overjoyed to say that this read right from the outset, avoided what bothered me the most and from the very first page I had a much more pleasant reading experience, and was keen to turn the rest of the pages to see where this story would take our two main characters.
By far and large my favourite character has to be our leading man, Rory MacTaggart. Often are men written to be the typical 'alpha male', big and brutish. Rory is admittedly that, at times, but has been written by Anna to be so much more. We see so many sides to Rory throughout the story as it journeys from one country to the next, as situations change and indeed himself, changes as well. From the very first time we get to meet Rory, we're taken on a journey as he fights with his conflicting emotions and thoughts--despite audibly protesting otherwise--, acting on impulse and doing the impossible. There's no way of knowing what he will say or do next, or how his mood will be in the next coming minutes, not hours or days, which is a welcome change from the usual moment in a book which a character shifts his/her mindset or perspective.
Truly, I could not get enough of this kilted highlander!
What truly has blown me away, is just how engaged I was with this read compared to my previous Anna Durand read. I have a weakness for Scottish highlander romances--modern and historical--, but it takes a special book to really engage me enough to want to never put it down and this read is it! There's instant attraction which of course is fought at first, humour to have you both sniggering and belly laughing at the right times, the delicious oh-so-swoon-worthy moments that would be knocking socks off more than once, and just the right amount of angst to make the story radiate brilliance.
If yin and yang were book characters, they would be Emery and Rory. From the outset, it is clear that Emery possesses some of the stereotypes of an American woman out for a good time, showing her character loud and proud and with fire. Contrary to Rory's alpha male, brusque, set-in-his-way nature, it was thrilling to see how the two unwound those characteristics of one another as they both changed to adapt to a new life together in close proximity. That said, the fact that they were able to remain themselves while on the outside were changing--even if they didn't know it themselves--was a nicely crafted oxymoron touch.
Truly and honestly I couldn't fault a single thing about this read, except for the fact that I would L.O.V.E even more Rory and Emery. It ticked all my boxes from an irritable kilted Scottish 'hero', to the Scottish landscape and heritage brought to life by the written word, steam, laughs aplenty, angst and from a male POV I truly do prefer to a woman's, I think it's safe to say that I've found another top read of 2021.
Anna, you've officially won me over and I cannot wait to read your future works and dive into the other two books already in this series :)
September 30, 2021
Another SwoonWorthy🔥Scot! Fantastic Story & Narration 🎧📚🎧
Rory in a Kilt
The Ballachulish Trilogy, Book 3
By: Anna Durand
Narrated by: Shane East
I loved everything about this book, from Anna Durand’s wonderful writing style to the characters and storylines she created to the perfectly cast narration. This story is the companion novel to “Scandalous in a Kilt” entirely retold in Rory MacTaggart’s point of view, he is such a character, uptight and set in his ways and the things that come out of his mouth will have you shaking your head and rolling your eyes at times. But the more I learned of him and why he was the way he was, the more I fell in love with him. The man literally hid behind a facade he built to protect his not so hardened heart. Emery Granger was happy go lucky and carefree, the complete opposite of him but that did not stop him from asking for her hand in marriage, a marriage of convenience, to keep his family off of his back about remarrying again. Rory has not had the best history with woman and marriages, so he figures he’d put a time limit on this one. That was the plan and the agreement, a well thought out plan, but he failed to take one thing into consideration, their hearts. Emery saw Rory, really saw him, and she had a plan of her own to help him learn to live, love and laugh again, to live. There is never a dull moment in this fabulous romantic comedy, the story is beautifully plotted with plenty of drama, a touch of angst, some great humor and witty dialogue, heartfelt emotions and some steamy romance. Anna Durand thank you for another fabulously entertaining novel and emotional rollercoaster ride.
🎧📚🎧 And for the amazing narration, Shane East, need I say more? He is a mega talented narrator and a versatile voice artist. He has a complete understanding of the characters he portrays, giving each a voice that fits that character’s persona to a tee, sounding believable and just as I picture the character to sound. You could hear how much heart he put into his work as he captures the characters’ emotions and projects them into his performance. He sets the perfect tone for the story, handles the witty dialogue with ease and lands the humor flawlessly. He is an entertaining storyteller and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for another fabulous listen.
Rory in a Kilt
The Ballachulish Trilogy, Book 3
By: Anna Durand
Narrated by: Shane East
I loved everything about this book, from Anna Durand’s wonderful writing style to the characters and storylines she created to the perfectly cast narration. This story is the companion novel to “Scandalous in a Kilt” entirely retold in Rory MacTaggart’s point of view, he is such a character, uptight and set in his ways and the things that come out of his mouth will have you shaking your head and rolling your eyes at times. But the more I learned of him and why he was the way he was, the more I fell in love with him. The man literally hid behind a facade he built to protect his not so hardened heart. Emery Granger was happy go lucky and carefree, the complete opposite of him but that did not stop him from asking for her hand in marriage, a marriage of convenience, to keep his family off of his back about remarrying again. Rory has not had the best history with woman and marriages, so he figures he’d put a time limit on this one. That was the plan and the agreement, a well thought out plan, but he failed to take one thing into consideration, their hearts. Emery saw Rory, really saw him, and she had a plan of her own to help him learn to live, love and laugh again, to live. There is never a dull moment in this fabulous romantic comedy, the story is beautifully plotted with plenty of drama, a touch of angst, some great humor and witty dialogue, heartfelt emotions and some steamy romance. Anna Durand thank you for another fabulously entertaining novel and emotional rollercoaster ride.
🎧📚🎧 And for the amazing narration, Shane East, need I say more? He is a mega talented narrator and a versatile voice artist. He has a complete understanding of the characters he portrays, giving each a voice that fits that character’s persona to a tee, sounding believable and just as I picture the character to sound. You could hear how much heart he put into his work as he captures the characters’ emotions and projects them into his performance. He sets the perfect tone for the story, handles the witty dialogue with ease and lands the humor flawlessly. He is an entertaining storyteller and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for another fabulous listen.
September 1, 2021
All reviews posted at Tales of Love, Life, and Murder
Rory MacTaggart is the most uptight character I’ve read in a long time. He’s stuffy and inflexible and set in his ways and full of maddening idiosyncrasies but despite all of that, I liked him immediately. He is a man trapped inside of himself, always stuck in his own head. Every obstacle and trial in his life seems to come from his own neuroses so he’s a very sympathetic character. He’s so caught up in this emotional bubble he’s created that he either doesn’t realize or can’t admit to himself that he likes this woman, so he devises a mutually beneficial marriage of convenience arrangement in order to keep Emery in his life while preventing emotional intimacy.
The story is told completely from Rory’s POV and I struggled a bit with that, wishing for more insight from Emery. I didn’t realize it when I began reading Rory In A Kilt, but her side of the story is told in Scandalous In A Kilt, book 3 of the Hot Scots series. The Ballachulish Trilogy retells the tales of the three brothers MacTaggart from the men’s POV for an alternative take. That’s a fun concept and now I want to read the other so I can compare her POV to his. Emery is a sunny, outgoing free-spirit so the exact opposite of Rory. She’s committed to breaking him out of his self-imposed rut and helping him embrace life, but he’s resisting every step of the way.
Each time they find a good balance in the relationship, he seems to panic and pull away, doing his best to distance himself from her. There’s a bit of outside interference in their affair but every major obstacle in their way comes from Rory. I enjoyed watching him evolve, even if he frustrated me at times and his struggle was a bit painful to behold. This story is steamy and funny and it warmed my heart.
September 12, 2021
**Audiobook Review** - Advance Listener Copy
This is the 3rd book in The Ballachulish Trilogy and Rory & Emery captured my heart with their bonny love story! Cannea tell ya how much I loved it. Anna Durand´s story of this Hot Scot must be my favourite yet. Full steam ahead in this one (Pun intended)
Rory McTaggart went to the states to escape his life in Ballachulish for a while. Due to past experiences, he is wary of women and does not want to get emotionally attached but still craves passion. Captivated by a blonde beauty, he gives in to one night of steamy bliss to feed that itch. Only, what was meant to be a one-night arrangement ends up being an unexpected proposal.
Although I love Rory with his conflicted, uptight, tortured alpha layered personality, I really adore Emery, and she is probably my favourite character of this series. She is a sassy, free-spirited, fun-loving geek, and I really enjoyed the opposite attracts dynamic, which made their story so entertaining. Especially Emery´s saucy, temptatious and challenging approaches through the story, trying to break through Rory´s structured organized “follow the rules” ways and emotional walls, was a lot of fun to follow.
This story grabbed my attention from start to finish, and I was really drawn to how Anna Durand visualised the words and described the scenes, some of them very steamy indeed. It is a wonderfully written romance which Shane East brought to life with another flawless "Chef´s Kiss" performance. There is so much passion and emotion in his acting where he made every character stand out individually and I believed every word. Oh, and this hot Scottish accent of his, will seriously melt earbuds. The audiobook is 12 plus hours of Shane East swoony deliciousness!
This is the 3rd book in The Ballachulish Trilogy and Rory & Emery captured my heart with their bonny love story! Cannea tell ya how much I loved it. Anna Durand´s story of this Hot Scot must be my favourite yet. Full steam ahead in this one (Pun intended)
Rory McTaggart went to the states to escape his life in Ballachulish for a while. Due to past experiences, he is wary of women and does not want to get emotionally attached but still craves passion. Captivated by a blonde beauty, he gives in to one night of steamy bliss to feed that itch. Only, what was meant to be a one-night arrangement ends up being an unexpected proposal.
Although I love Rory with his conflicted, uptight, tortured alpha layered personality, I really adore Emery, and she is probably my favourite character of this series. She is a sassy, free-spirited, fun-loving geek, and I really enjoyed the opposite attracts dynamic, which made their story so entertaining. Especially Emery´s saucy, temptatious and challenging approaches through the story, trying to break through Rory´s structured organized “follow the rules” ways and emotional walls, was a lot of fun to follow.
This story grabbed my attention from start to finish, and I was really drawn to how Anna Durand visualised the words and described the scenes, some of them very steamy indeed. It is a wonderfully written romance which Shane East brought to life with another flawless "Chef´s Kiss" performance. There is so much passion and emotion in his acting where he made every character stand out individually and I believed every word. Oh, and this hot Scottish accent of his, will seriously melt earbuds. The audiobook is 12 plus hours of Shane East swoony deliciousness!
September 20, 2021
The 3rd book in the trilogy it does stand alone. There are appearances from characters in the first 2 books but if you have no knowledge before this book you are going to be fine.
This time we get to see Rory in his buttoned up, rule driven, super scheduled world and how it will be turned upside down after meeting Emery. And even though this is a retelling of Scandalous in a Kilt (told entirely from Emery's POV) I don't feel like I'm missing anything in this one. It would be great to get into Emery's head (and I'll probably go back and read her book) but she's honest and vocal enough of a heroine that we know what she's thinking just by riding along inside Rory's head.
Rory is grumpy and Emery is Sunshine. Rory is structured and Emery is free spirited. Rory is all about the rules he's set to protect himself from his emotional baggage from 3 failed marriages. Emery goes along with his rules determined to help him heal from his past as much as she's trying to heal from her own.
They are both damaged in a way that makes this marriage of convenience harder to handle with all the ridiculous chemistry they have burning between them. And I am here for it!!!! Once Rory starts opening up about each of his ex wives you completely understand why he is the way he is, but you also want to wrap him up in your arms, tell him it's not his fault and that he's worthy of love.
Rory is my favourite of the 3 brothers and I'm completely entranced by Emery's joy and desire to live life to the fullest.
The audiobook was performed entirely by the ever talented Shane East. He brought all the gruff and grump needed to growl his way through Rory's development. Barking orders, groaning in frustration and whispering dirty Gaelic under his breath. He also brought all the other characters to life in wonderful way. When everyone is in a room together you can tell the brothers apart and the wives each have their own vocal personalities. It's a treat for the ears.
I received an advance copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
This time we get to see Rory in his buttoned up, rule driven, super scheduled world and how it will be turned upside down after meeting Emery. And even though this is a retelling of Scandalous in a Kilt (told entirely from Emery's POV) I don't feel like I'm missing anything in this one. It would be great to get into Emery's head (and I'll probably go back and read her book) but she's honest and vocal enough of a heroine that we know what she's thinking just by riding along inside Rory's head.
Rory is grumpy and Emery is Sunshine. Rory is structured and Emery is free spirited. Rory is all about the rules he's set to protect himself from his emotional baggage from 3 failed marriages. Emery goes along with his rules determined to help him heal from his past as much as she's trying to heal from her own.
They are both damaged in a way that makes this marriage of convenience harder to handle with all the ridiculous chemistry they have burning between them. And I am here for it!!!! Once Rory starts opening up about each of his ex wives you completely understand why he is the way he is, but you also want to wrap him up in your arms, tell him it's not his fault and that he's worthy of love.
Rory is my favourite of the 3 brothers and I'm completely entranced by Emery's joy and desire to live life to the fullest.
The audiobook was performed entirely by the ever talented Shane East. He brought all the gruff and grump needed to growl his way through Rory's development. Barking orders, groaning in frustration and whispering dirty Gaelic under his breath. He also brought all the other characters to life in wonderful way. When everyone is in a room together you can tell the brothers apart and the wives each have their own vocal personalities. It's a treat for the ears.
I received an advance copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
August 30, 2021
This is a really intriguing and, dare I say, fun read!
Rory McTaggart is fed up of his family's attempts to marry him off since his two older brothers have each found wedded bliss. Thrice divorced, he's not looking to shackle himself to another woman anytime soon, but he has "needs". Before he can talk himself out of it, his quest for a one night stand while on a working vacation in New Orleans has ended with him getting married. He reasons that it should only be for a while - a year - and since his new wife is his opposite, there should be no reason why this fake marriage should develop any major complications. But as his fascination with his wife's carefree, sunny personality grows, so do other feelings. And for a man who is desperate to control his every thought and feeling, this is a scary thing. But, he cannot give her up.
"My Emery, you are irreplaceable."
This book only had one drawback - we didn't get Emery's side of the story. We were told everything through Rory's eyes, with the occasional dialogue featuring Emery, and his family. I still enjoyed the read. Watching Rory grow into a relaxed version of himself was enchanting (really!). He was against love as he viewed it as a pathway of pain. I found Emery's banter and comebacks to be entertaining, witty and funny. She also had a way of drawing Rory out of his stuffy shell.
"I see you, Rory. Not just the parts you show everyone, but the pieces you try to hide."
I recommend the read. Though it's part of a series, it stands well on its own. I do plan to read more in the series, and probably even those from the women's POV.
I voluntarily read & reviewed an ARC of this book.
Rory McTaggart is fed up of his family's attempts to marry him off since his two older brothers have each found wedded bliss. Thrice divorced, he's not looking to shackle himself to another woman anytime soon, but he has "needs". Before he can talk himself out of it, his quest for a one night stand while on a working vacation in New Orleans has ended with him getting married. He reasons that it should only be for a while - a year - and since his new wife is his opposite, there should be no reason why this fake marriage should develop any major complications. But as his fascination with his wife's carefree, sunny personality grows, so do other feelings. And for a man who is desperate to control his every thought and feeling, this is a scary thing. But, he cannot give her up.
"My Emery, you are irreplaceable."
This book only had one drawback - we didn't get Emery's side of the story. We were told everything through Rory's eyes, with the occasional dialogue featuring Emery, and his family. I still enjoyed the read. Watching Rory grow into a relaxed version of himself was enchanting (really!). He was against love as he viewed it as a pathway of pain. I found Emery's banter and comebacks to be entertaining, witty and funny. She also had a way of drawing Rory out of his stuffy shell.
"I see you, Rory. Not just the parts you show everyone, but the pieces you try to hide."
I recommend the read. Though it's part of a series, it stands well on its own. I do plan to read more in the series, and probably even those from the women's POV.
I voluntarily read & reviewed an ARC of this book.
August 29, 2021
4.5
“Rory in a Kilt” is the third book in ‘The Ballachulish Trilogy’ by Anna Brooks. Her excellent ‘Hot Scots’ series was told from the perspective of the women involved. In this trilogy, the author tells each of those same stories from the leading man’s point of view. This then is story of Rory and Emery.
Rory is a man full of conflicting emotions from the time he first sees Emery in a bar in New Orleans. His life experiences have led him to be extraordinarily obsessed with control over his actions and his emotions. The feelings that extraordinary Emery stirs in him are so unfamiliar to him that in desperation he tries to reframe their connection into a form he, as a lawyer, understands perfectly – a contractual legal agreement. As the story progresses, it’s simultaneously amusing and heartbreaking to experience Rory’s emotional struggles right along with him. Will Emery get tired of his endless rules and idiosyncrasies, as Rory expects? Or will she be able to turn the Steely Solicitor into her personal sweetie pie?
At times Rory’s struggle with recognizing, accepting and sharing his feelings is entertaining and even laughable. At other times you may want to shake him or even throttle him. There are a couple of times when it's a bit repetitive but overall, the pacing of the story is good. The secondary characters, particularly Rory’s brothers, are great. I really liked the epilogue and the conclusion that Rory and Emery fought so hard to achieve.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
“Rory in a Kilt” is the third book in ‘The Ballachulish Trilogy’ by Anna Brooks. Her excellent ‘Hot Scots’ series was told from the perspective of the women involved. In this trilogy, the author tells each of those same stories from the leading man’s point of view. This then is story of Rory and Emery.
Rory is a man full of conflicting emotions from the time he first sees Emery in a bar in New Orleans. His life experiences have led him to be extraordinarily obsessed with control over his actions and his emotions. The feelings that extraordinary Emery stirs in him are so unfamiliar to him that in desperation he tries to reframe their connection into a form he, as a lawyer, understands perfectly – a contractual legal agreement. As the story progresses, it’s simultaneously amusing and heartbreaking to experience Rory’s emotional struggles right along with him. Will Emery get tired of his endless rules and idiosyncrasies, as Rory expects? Or will she be able to turn the Steely Solicitor into her personal sweetie pie?
At times Rory’s struggle with recognizing, accepting and sharing his feelings is entertaining and even laughable. At other times you may want to shake him or even throttle him. There are a couple of times when it's a bit repetitive but overall, the pacing of the story is good. The secondary characters, particularly Rory’s brothers, are great. I really liked the epilogue and the conclusion that Rory and Emery fought so hard to achieve.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 19, 2021
💦💦Steam, steam, steam, but plot did not wow me😕
3-3.5🌟stars
If you are looking for a romance focusing on heat, you found one here. Emery, the female lead, gets caught up in Rory's temporary marriage scheme and ends up caving to her new husband's demands, mostly revolving around the bedroom. She also gets busy creating provocative situations to tempt Rory every chance she gets. The steamy scenes are long and account for a good portion of the book, beginning to end.
But I could not get excited about the main characters. Rory, the wealthy Scottish hero from whose perspective the novel is written, seems so straight-laced that he belongs in Victorian times. His rigid need for control and certainty that he knows what's best are too much! He acts like a huge jerk time and again and Emery not only forgives him, she frequently blames herself! Emery is a paragon: open, vulnerable, sexy, forgiving, friendly to a fault and totally uninterested in any financial gain she accrues from their marriage. A bit too perfect?! For the most part I did not find their rocky relationship romantic though there were some sweet moments as Emery persists in her campaign to bring joy to lighten Rory's somber outlook. I look for leads I can sympathize with in the novels I most enjoy and neither lead here did that for me.
I also believe the story could have been shorter. The hand-wringing doubt and regrets that plague Rory are rehashed too often for my liking.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
3-3.5🌟stars
If you are looking for a romance focusing on heat, you found one here. Emery, the female lead, gets caught up in Rory's temporary marriage scheme and ends up caving to her new husband's demands, mostly revolving around the bedroom. She also gets busy creating provocative situations to tempt Rory every chance she gets. The steamy scenes are long and account for a good portion of the book, beginning to end.
But I could not get excited about the main characters. Rory, the wealthy Scottish hero from whose perspective the novel is written, seems so straight-laced that he belongs in Victorian times. His rigid need for control and certainty that he knows what's best are too much! He acts like a huge jerk time and again and Emery not only forgives him, she frequently blames herself! Emery is a paragon: open, vulnerable, sexy, forgiving, friendly to a fault and totally uninterested in any financial gain she accrues from their marriage. A bit too perfect?! For the most part I did not find their rocky relationship romantic though there were some sweet moments as Emery persists in her campaign to bring joy to lighten Rory's somber outlook. I look for leads I can sympathize with in the novels I most enjoy and neither lead here did that for me.
I also believe the story could have been shorter. The hand-wringing doubt and regrets that plague Rory are rehashed too often for my liking.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
September 6, 2021
This is a steamy, romantic, funny and sweet story. When Rory sees Emery sitting at a bar taking a selfie, he's so drawn to her, he walks up to her and propositions her. She goes back to his hotel with him, and after they have sex, he surprises himself by falling asleep with her. Rory is a hookup only guy, so when he wakes up at dawn, he leaves. But he can't get Emery off his mind, so he goes back after a couple of hours. She's still there, waiting for him, and she gives him a tongue lashing about his behavior. Rory isn't fazed at all, he actually likes her spunk. Emery talks Rory into spending a day sight seeing, then they go back to his hotel. To sleep. Rory wants to go home, but for some reason, he finds himself unwilling to go alone. He comes up with a hairbrained scheme. He'll offer Emery $500,00 to be his wife for one year. No feelings allowed, he just wants to be able to have sex with her, and get his family off his back. He soon realizes that Emery is more than he bargained for. She tempts his to forget his rigid control. And it gets him discombobulated, every time. Emery is full of life and she enjoys the simple things in life. Rory is uptight and stubborn. They are so entertaining together, it's very hard to put the book down, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. This is my honest and voluntary opinion of it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. This is my honest and voluntary opinion of it.
January 4, 2022
I really enjoyed this perspective of Rory and Emery's complicated relationship and marriage. It clarifies a lot of the questions regarding Rory's personality and demeanor that were unresolved in Scandalous in a Kilt. Kudos to Ms. Durand for giving us an H who is flawed yet also endearing and how she didn't have him do a complete about-face with a miraculous change to become a man with an exemplary character. No, she shows us a man who really struggles to become better but has setbacks and failures in doing so, often behaving like an insensitive, selfish a-hole in the process. He is also aware of how his actions hurt Emery but feels powerless to change no matter how much he wants to. Rory shows the most growth in the book but Emery has to learn to adapt and grow within her character also and she does this very well, becoming an even stronger, loving, and tolerant individual who recognizes how difficult it is for Rory to shed his rigid demeanor and still loves him despite the many times he fails when the majority of women would have thrown in the towel and just walked away. I think this has become my favorite of all the books in this series simply because of how much the struggles for both Rory and Emery are depicted throughout the entire book and how the characters represent real-life so well and become so easily relatable.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 29, 2021
Inescapable, enthralling, enchanting; the beast falls under the geek’s spell
Rory In A Kilt (The Ballachulish Trilogy Book 3) by Anna Durand is a wonderfully well written and entertaining romance from Rory’s POV. Poor Rory. He’s been through the wringer and those experiences have turned him stiff, regimented, broody, grumpy - in other words a modern day ogre Beast. Enchanted by the vision of his ‘wicked angel’, Emery gets under his skin with her sweetness, humor and love turning Robot Rory in to Carefree Rory. I adored these characters from the beginning and devoured every word as hearts and minds battled.
As for the plot in this book, Emery has her work cut out for her. Even through Rory’s POV, one can tell she is determined to win his heart, help him heal and live again with happiness and joy. These two generate a lot of heat with steamy scenes that are sure to set you kindle on fire. Then at times, there’s sweet moments that often trips Rory up sending him running and hiding which causes heartbreak for Emery.
Overall, this geek and the beast story does have a happy ending for Rory and Emery. Romantic Rory is born and Emery is as all in as she ever was with so much love for their very exciting and promising future.
I read an ARC of this book via Grey’s Promotions and voluntarily share my review.
Rory In A Kilt (The Ballachulish Trilogy Book 3) by Anna Durand is a wonderfully well written and entertaining romance from Rory’s POV. Poor Rory. He’s been through the wringer and those experiences have turned him stiff, regimented, broody, grumpy - in other words a modern day ogre Beast. Enchanted by the vision of his ‘wicked angel’, Emery gets under his skin with her sweetness, humor and love turning Robot Rory in to Carefree Rory. I adored these characters from the beginning and devoured every word as hearts and minds battled.
As for the plot in this book, Emery has her work cut out for her. Even through Rory’s POV, one can tell she is determined to win his heart, help him heal and live again with happiness and joy. These two generate a lot of heat with steamy scenes that are sure to set you kindle on fire. Then at times, there’s sweet moments that often trips Rory up sending him running and hiding which causes heartbreak for Emery.
Overall, this geek and the beast story does have a happy ending for Rory and Emery. Romantic Rory is born and Emery is as all in as she ever was with so much love for their very exciting and promising future.
I read an ARC of this book via Grey’s Promotions and voluntarily share my review.
August 30, 2021
[Received an ARC]
Rating 5/5
Plot 5/5
Spice 3.5-4/5
Character Development 5/5
"Rory in a Kilt" is the third book in The Ballachulish Trilogy by Anna Durand. I received an ARC for the second book, "Aidan in a Kilt" and needed to read the others because I loved Aidan and Calli's story. Rory's story was just as amazing and I loved jumping back into the MacTaggart family.
Rory MacTaggart is a grumpy, Scottish lawyer who has gone on holiday in New Orleans and Emery is a computer programmer who has just been let go. He walks into a bar, sees Emery Granger, and they immediately feel a connection. They decide to spend one night together. After spending the night with one another, they extend their time and explore New Orleans together. Once the weekend is over, Rory creates a contract and proposes that she marries him because his family constantly nags him about his personal life. She agrees and moves to Scotland with him.
This book had a marriage of convenience and grumpy-sunshine trope which I love especially because it was told from Rory's perspective. I love how the book is told from the male perspective because we get to hear his thoughts on Emery and watch, through his eyes, how he falls in love with her.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Rory and Emery because she brings out the best in him and pushes him out of his grumpy comfort zone.
Rating 5/5
Plot 5/5
Spice 3.5-4/5
Character Development 5/5
"Rory in a Kilt" is the third book in The Ballachulish Trilogy by Anna Durand. I received an ARC for the second book, "Aidan in a Kilt" and needed to read the others because I loved Aidan and Calli's story. Rory's story was just as amazing and I loved jumping back into the MacTaggart family.
Rory MacTaggart is a grumpy, Scottish lawyer who has gone on holiday in New Orleans and Emery is a computer programmer who has just been let go. He walks into a bar, sees Emery Granger, and they immediately feel a connection. They decide to spend one night together. After spending the night with one another, they extend their time and explore New Orleans together. Once the weekend is over, Rory creates a contract and proposes that she marries him because his family constantly nags him about his personal life. She agrees and moves to Scotland with him.
This book had a marriage of convenience and grumpy-sunshine trope which I love especially because it was told from Rory's perspective. I love how the book is told from the male perspective because we get to hear his thoughts on Emery and watch, through his eyes, how he falls in love with her.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Rory and Emery because she brings out the best in him and pushes him out of his grumpy comfort zone.
August 31, 2021
Rory in a Kilt is the first book in this trilogy I have read, I somehow missed the first two but that's a mistake I intend to rectify. I enjoyed Rory's story immensely, although having the story told strictly from the man’s perspective was unusual and not something we see often, maybe the author did that for when/if the book goes to audio?
Rory and Emery are so very different, him so serious whilst she's a free spirit, they met at a bar in New Orleans, he felt an instant ad strong attraction to her and so made his move which resulted in them spending the weekend together. I loved that Emery got under his skin and forced him out of this comfort zone. At the end of their time together he's not prepared to let her go and so proposes a marriage of convenience. This would not only mean he got more time with this woman who intrigues him so much but it would also keep his family off his back. She unexpected agrees and they move to Scotland, where Emery commences bringing her grumpy Scot out of his self-imposed darkness.
I loved the characters, I loved the difference between them and how she helped him find happiness, their story had me laughing and sighing it even brought tears to my eyes at times. These two were meant for each other.
Rory and Emery are so very different, him so serious whilst she's a free spirit, they met at a bar in New Orleans, he felt an instant ad strong attraction to her and so made his move which resulted in them spending the weekend together. I loved that Emery got under his skin and forced him out of this comfort zone. At the end of their time together he's not prepared to let her go and so proposes a marriage of convenience. This would not only mean he got more time with this woman who intrigues him so much but it would also keep his family off his back. She unexpected agrees and they move to Scotland, where Emery commences bringing her grumpy Scot out of his self-imposed darkness.
I loved the characters, I loved the difference between them and how she helped him find happiness, their story had me laughing and sighing it even brought tears to my eyes at times. These two were meant for each other.
September 18, 2021
Rory in a Kilt
The Ballachulish Trilogy #3
by Anna Durand
Narrated by Shane East
Anna Durand once again takes my heart! The MacTaggart men are swoon worthy and impossible not to love. I am truly enjoying the male POV of this series and was looking forward to hearing Rory's side of the story! Rory and Emery enjoy a one night stand in New Orleans. Perfectly compatible, Rory decides she is the one that could stop his family from badgering him to find a wife. After 3 failed marriages, he is not looking for love. Emery sees something in Rory, past his hurt and knows he is trying to find his way out. She agrees to his terms, and off they move to Scotland. And this becomes a push pull of feelings and the Rory's struggle to learn to love and trust. Rory is pretty complex. Sheltering his own heart is his preservation. I love Emery's feistiness and how she pulls Rory out. Who would have thought their one night would be their forever love? It's funny, romantic, frustrating and an all around fantastic listen.
To make it even more enjoyable, Shane East uses his incredible Scottish accent and brings this gem to life. He is so good at his craft, finding each nuance of the characters and adding it to his performance. I loved his narration and as always look forward to more.
The Ballachulish Trilogy #3
by Anna Durand
Narrated by Shane East
Anna Durand once again takes my heart! The MacTaggart men are swoon worthy and impossible not to love. I am truly enjoying the male POV of this series and was looking forward to hearing Rory's side of the story! Rory and Emery enjoy a one night stand in New Orleans. Perfectly compatible, Rory decides she is the one that could stop his family from badgering him to find a wife. After 3 failed marriages, he is not looking for love. Emery sees something in Rory, past his hurt and knows he is trying to find his way out. She agrees to his terms, and off they move to Scotland. And this becomes a push pull of feelings and the Rory's struggle to learn to love and trust. Rory is pretty complex. Sheltering his own heart is his preservation. I love Emery's feistiness and how she pulls Rory out. Who would have thought their one night would be their forever love? It's funny, romantic, frustrating and an all around fantastic listen.
To make it even more enjoyable, Shane East uses his incredible Scottish accent and brings this gem to life. He is so good at his craft, finding each nuance of the characters and adding it to his performance. I loved his narration and as always look forward to more.
July 30, 2021
Rory in a Kilt was so much fun to read. It had me laughing and swooning throughout the whole book. Emery was pushing Rory’s buttons from the beginning to get him out of his comfort zone.
Rory and Emery meet at a bar in New Orleans. Rory has an instant attraction to her and they spend the weekend together. What he wasn’t expecting was to find an American who would bring him out of this comfort zone. Rory proposes a marriage of convenience to keep his family off his back. After marrying and moving to Scotland, Emery starts her task of bringing the grumpy Scot out of his funk.
I loved, loved these two. Emery is a firecracker and knows exactly who she is. She’s the sunshine to his darkness. I loved how free she was with herself and accepted Rory for who he is. He’s a grumpy one for sure, even more than Lachlan. But he has his reasons so I get it. Rory is a protector and I loved that about him.
I have enjoyed this trilogy so much. Having all three of these stories told strictly from the man’s perspective has been so refreshing. We don’t see a lot of that happening and I want more of that. I can’t wait to listen to this in audiobook when it’s released.
Rory and Emery meet at a bar in New Orleans. Rory has an instant attraction to her and they spend the weekend together. What he wasn’t expecting was to find an American who would bring him out of this comfort zone. Rory proposes a marriage of convenience to keep his family off his back. After marrying and moving to Scotland, Emery starts her task of bringing the grumpy Scot out of his funk.
I loved, loved these two. Emery is a firecracker and knows exactly who she is. She’s the sunshine to his darkness. I loved how free she was with herself and accepted Rory for who he is. He’s a grumpy one for sure, even more than Lachlan. But he has his reasons so I get it. Rory is a protector and I loved that about him.
I have enjoyed this trilogy so much. Having all three of these stories told strictly from the man’s perspective has been so refreshing. We don’t see a lot of that happening and I want more of that. I can’t wait to listen to this in audiobook when it’s released.
August 30, 2021
One unbelievable story with Rory and Emery trying to negotiate a life together under contract. Rory may have had some bad things happen to him in past marriages, but he sure was not doing himself any favors with his actions in his current marriage with Emery. Every time he turned around, he seemed to be doing something to hurt Emery in some way. He spent most of his time hiding out in his office as he did not want her to know he desired her. After loving three wives and them leaving him, he did not feel like he could ever take another woman leaving him. When he saw Emery all he could think was that he had to have her. She was everything he was not so a live and always thinking outside the box, where he was organized with everything just so by the rules. She saw and believed things in him, that no one else did. You will experience every level of emotion during this story, but it was not as humorous as the other MacTaggart books this being of a more serious nature. In the end another MacTaggart found himself an American wife to add to the American Wives Club that just keeps growing.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 10, 2021
Rory has had a bad time with love and he’s done. Sex however is another thing entirely and when he sees Emery, he’s all in. A one night stand is the best he can do but he’s not done with her and he finds a way to keep her around with a marriage of convenience. He’s surprised that she marries him for money but there are more surprises coming.
This is Rory’s story (Emery already had her story so this is from his POV). He’s so determined to NOT love Emery he doesn’t realize how hard he’s falling. I was about a quarter of the way through the book when I realized that I had to go and read Emery’s book. I’m glad I did because that story made this one way more understandable. I’m not sure you’ll get the “best” version if you read this as a stand alone. After going back and reading her POV and returning to this, I “got” it a lot more. They are an unlikely couple but the chemistry is great and they are really what each other needs. I highly recommend going back and reading Emery’s story first, I think you’ll get a lot more out of it. This is the third book in the series. I didn’t read the other two but I will go back and read them.
This is Rory’s story (Emery already had her story so this is from his POV). He’s so determined to NOT love Emery he doesn’t realize how hard he’s falling. I was about a quarter of the way through the book when I realized that I had to go and read Emery’s book. I’m glad I did because that story made this one way more understandable. I’m not sure you’ll get the “best” version if you read this as a stand alone. After going back and reading her POV and returning to this, I “got” it a lot more. They are an unlikely couple but the chemistry is great and they are really what each other needs. I highly recommend going back and reading Emery’s story first, I think you’ll get a lot more out of it. This is the third book in the series. I didn’t read the other two but I will go back and read them.
September 19, 2021
Rory in a Kilt by Anna Durand is book three in The Ballachulish Trilogy. This is the story of Emery and Rory MacTaggart from Rory’s point of view. This is my favorite in the trilogy so far. Of course, it starts with a sexy Scot in a kilt who encounters a woman he can’t get off his mind. After failed relationships Rory has resolved that true love is not for him and decides a marriage of convenience will let him set the rules to protect his heart. In spite of his intent for their encounter to be a 1-night stand everything is different with Emery. This book hits the ground running, practically setting the sheets on fire from the start. She is a free spirit devoted to helping him find joy. So, we have sexy Scots in kilts, fake marriage, and over 12 hours of Shane East narrating this super sexy yet repressed lawyer who will find his bliss and let go of his inhibitions...eventually...when he gets out of his own way and admits he has fallen hopelessly in love with Emery.
I received an #AdvancedListenerCopy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I received an #AdvancedListenerCopy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
August 31, 2021
This is the 3rd book in this awesome trilogy, and this is Rory and Emery’s story. Rory is a recluse, who is an uptight lawyer who has been married 3-times before, which has left him jaded by the experience. Emery is a free spirit computer geek, and she has just moved to Scotland. Rory is a total enigma as he is so uptight and grumpy, but when he lets his naughty side out to play, then oh boy, he is hot. These two are complete opposites in every way, yet Emery agrees to a marriage of convenience with Rory to keep his family off his back, and they compliment each other perfectly. Rory is his own worst enemy, but with Emery he comes into his own. This is a well written story which is filled with emotions, humor, witty banter, and love, which leads to a heartwarming and steamy all-consuming riveting page turner. I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.
August 31, 2021
Rory & Emery met and had a hot one night stand, and he thought that was the end of it. (Best laid plans amirite lol?!) Unfortunately for him, he couldn't get her out of his head, and somehow this became a marriage of convenience to get his family off of his back but has an expiration date of a year's time. These two can definitely throw off some serious sparks so you already know this isn't going to be just a contract. He's determined to never love her, but the matters of the heart are complicated since the heart can go rogue LOL! I did have a few issues with Rory since I didn't always understand his thinking but that's just me. I LOVE Anaa Durand's sexy Scots so I'll always want to read anything she releases! To see how it all pans out, you know what to do, and I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
September 16, 2021
This is the last book in ‘The Ballachulish Trilogy about Rory and Emery. His life experiences have led him to be extraordinarily obsessed with control over his actions and his emotions. The feelings that extraordinary Emery stirs in him are so unfamiliar to him that he tries to reframe their connection as a lawyer. Emery is a strong, charming, independent woman who is comfortable with herself and continually challenges Rory’s uptight ways. Her love of life and her patient understanding of Rory is a treat to watch as she convinces him to get out of his comfort zone and break his rigid rules. Though Rory tries to push her away, she takes it one day at a time to break down his defenses and makes the most of her time in Scotland.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 26, 2021
Rory and Emery’s chemistry is instant and they jumped right into lust. My first impression of Rory was that he was some alpha male playboy but soon becomes apparent that he is very uptight almost OCD in his ways and not at all like I first thought.
Emery is his complete contrast and is spontaneous fun loving, she is just what he needed.
Rory sees himself as unloveable, mainly due to having 3 failed marriages under his belt so Emery is just what he needs to show him otherwise.
This story is intense as Emery slowly chips away at him until he realises he isn’t the Ogre he thought he was and comes to some realisations that thoroughly surprise him.
A great story of discovery. It’s the first I have read in this series but that didn’t matter as can be read as a stand-alone.
I received a free copy from Booksirens and leave my review voluntarily.
Emery is his complete contrast and is spontaneous fun loving, she is just what he needed.
Rory sees himself as unloveable, mainly due to having 3 failed marriages under his belt so Emery is just what he needs to show him otherwise.
This story is intense as Emery slowly chips away at him until he realises he isn’t the Ogre he thought he was and comes to some realisations that thoroughly surprise him.
A great story of discovery. It’s the first I have read in this series but that didn’t matter as can be read as a stand-alone.
I received a free copy from Booksirens and leave my review voluntarily.
August 12, 2021
RORY IN A KILT is told from Rory’s POV. He is one of the more unique romance novels I have read about in awhile. He meets Emery in a bar in New Orleans while wearing his kilt and does everything he normally wouldn’t do from that point on.
Rory is grumpy, emotionally inept, and determined to never fall in love again. What better formula for a marriage of convenience with a hot, sensual, playful and intelligent woman?
It’s a great story with the right amount of Scottish dialect, foreign endearments and curses and a type of formal language for Rory that make him seem untouchable. I enjoyed reading about Emery exasperating, teasing and frustrating him back to life.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Rory is grumpy, emotionally inept, and determined to never fall in love again. What better formula for a marriage of convenience with a hot, sensual, playful and intelligent woman?
It’s a great story with the right amount of Scottish dialect, foreign endearments and curses and a type of formal language for Rory that make him seem untouchable. I enjoyed reading about Emery exasperating, teasing and frustrating him back to life.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 27, 2021
Rory MacTaggart is a Scottish lawyer in New Orleans on holiday. He is very uptight and a control freak. He walks into a piano bar and sees Emery Granger and decides to have a one night stand with her.
Emery is a computer programmer who has just be downsized. She loves fun, spontaneity and comic con. After spending the night with Rory she takes him sightseeing. Rory writes up a contract and asks her to marry him to get his family off his back. She agrees to a marriage of convenience and moves to Scotland with him.
Rory has married for love three times and is determined to keep Emery at arm's length. They eventually fall in love though he fights admitting it and get their HEA.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Emery is a computer programmer who has just be downsized. She loves fun, spontaneity and comic con. After spending the night with Rory she takes him sightseeing. Rory writes up a contract and asks her to marry him to get his family off his back. She agrees to a marriage of convenience and moves to Scotland with him.
Rory has married for love three times and is determined to keep Emery at arm's length. They eventually fall in love though he fights admitting it and get their HEA.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
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