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Where There's a Will
The terms of the will seem crazy-until she meets the man to fulfill them. When Chloe Sullivan's great uncle dies, leaving her his house and a not-quite castle in the Highlands of Scotland, Chloe's more than willing to take a vacation across the pond to check it all out. When she gets there, she finds out there's a catch-if she wants to keep her inheritance, she has to marry a Scot. And her great uncle even left her a suggestion as to who. Malcolm MacTavish is taken with the lovely, straightforward Chloe the moment he sees her at the airport. But they can't enjoy more than a brief fling, since she's planning to go back to the States. The more he gets to know her, though, the more he wants to try to change her mind. Until he finds out about the will. Warning: This title contains a Highland fling (a.k.a explicit sex), Scottish accents and gratuitous jokes about the Loch Ness Monster.
283 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
About the author
Katriena Knights
42 books27 followersKatriena Knights started writing before she learned to read. Some of her early efforts included poetry like "Ode to a Pancake" and an emotional epic (65 pages) novel about a blind horse who wins the Kentucky Derby.
She has since graduated to more realistic subjects like vampires and extraterrestrials, but somehow some kind of romance always sneaks in (even the blind horse had a sexy boyfriend). She has published a number of contemporary and paranormal romances, and continues to write regularly for a variety of venues.
Katriena currently lives in the mountains of Colorado with her kids, and a variety of pets.
She has since graduated to more realistic subjects like vampires and extraterrestrials, but somehow some kind of romance always sneaks in (even the blind horse had a sexy boyfriend). She has published a number of contemporary and paranormal romances, and continues to write regularly for a variety of venues.
Katriena currently lives in the mountains of Colorado with her kids, and a variety of pets.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
March 13, 2018
The sex scenes are juicy and satisfying; like finally getting to the toy prize in your Cracker Jack. Worth the wait! Add in some breathtaking descriptions of the Scottish landscape, foods and traditions, this book will have you longing for a Highland fling of your very own. Highly recommended!
FULL REVIEW - http://thetbrpile.weebly.com/reviews/...
FULL REVIEW - http://thetbrpile.weebly.com/reviews/...
January 2, 2011
First off, guys, I'm looking at that synopsis there and I wouldn't say this book is filled with overly explicit sex. Mildly explicit maybe. There are orgasms. Lots of them, really, but I've read books so, so much naughtier than this one and I don't think they included a warning about the type of sex I was about to read about. Which, let's be honest, tells me that I read waaaaay too many naughty books.
Huh. Once again, I'm sharing a little too much of myself when I review sexy books. Go figure. I'm going to a have to switch over to non-sexy books on travel or people are going to start thinking bad things about me. (Psst, it'll never happen. The travel book thing, that is. If you're want to think bad things about me, I won't stop you. *wink*)
Anyway. Now that this review is showing a disturbing bent toward taking on a life of its own, I should probably reel it back in before it starts setting up house on a tropical island and seducing the natives in the moonlight.
I liked this book. It was a contemporary romance without the paranormal slant that I usually go for (and everyone knows that I have a hard time with the contemporary romances!) but I enjoyed it. Malcolm was kinda yummy. Sometimes I wonder why more men don't wear kilts. But that's not really the point. Based on his past, Malcolm's feelings of betrayal over Chloe's actions felt real. I think Chloe should have bucked up and told him about the provisions of the will before he found out but where would the fun be in a story where everything went perfectly. Nowhere. That's where the fun'd be. Nowhere.
Overall, I enjoyed it. The descriptions of the scenery were fantastic. The gossipiness of the small town felt pretty darn accurate. The characters had chemistry.
Not bad for the first book of the new year.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
Huh. Once again, I'm sharing a little too much of myself when I review sexy books. Go figure. I'm going to a have to switch over to non-sexy books on travel or people are going to start thinking bad things about me. (Psst, it'll never happen. The travel book thing, that is. If you're want to think bad things about me, I won't stop you. *wink*)
Anyway. Now that this review is showing a disturbing bent toward taking on a life of its own, I should probably reel it back in before it starts setting up house on a tropical island and seducing the natives in the moonlight.
I liked this book. It was a contemporary romance without the paranormal slant that I usually go for (and everyone knows that I have a hard time with the contemporary romances!) but I enjoyed it. Malcolm was kinda yummy. Sometimes I wonder why more men don't wear kilts. But that's not really the point. Based on his past, Malcolm's feelings of betrayal over Chloe's actions felt real. I think Chloe should have bucked up and told him about the provisions of the will before he found out but where would the fun be in a story where everything went perfectly. Nowhere. That's where the fun'd be. Nowhere.
Overall, I enjoyed it. The descriptions of the scenery were fantastic. The gossipiness of the small town felt pretty darn accurate. The characters had chemistry.
Not bad for the first book of the new year.
-Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal
April 14, 2011
The Beauty of Scotland Abounds
Chloe Sullivan arrived in Scotland to see to the provisions of her great-uncle's will. When she finds out that Uncle Fergus had some very unique and ludicrous ideas on what she had to do to inherit the castle, land, and the home he left, Chloe is incredulous. She has to marry a Scot to take possession of the property or see the land go up for auction - to anyone willing to pay if she leaves before a month is out, but if she stays the month, the property will stay in local hands. As she had come to Scotland with the idea of getting rid of her inheritance and returning to the States as expediently as possible, the codicil and one month deadline doesn't make her happy.
The longer she stays, though, the stronger she feels a connection to the land. For the first time in memory, Chloe feels that she truly belongs somewhere. Even knowing she has to go back, has to return to her own country, she can't help but feel a part of something much bigger than she - the often brutal but always magical history of a land so full of unconquered people and places. She just never figured Scotland would so irrevocably sink into her soul. And she certainly didn't know what to do when the handsome local Malcom MacTavish, friend, guide, and co-conspirator, just as irrevocably sinks into her heart.
With such a sweeping and romantic backdrop, Katriena Knights had a great vehicle to showcase a genuine gift for some lyrical description in the narrative and an appreciation for the history and flavor of the country of Scotland. One of my favorite things about Where There's a Will is that it felt like a very genuine representation of the country and an accurate glimpse of some of the beauty and history imbued in every rolling hill and sprig of heather.
The romance itself was formulaic, but that's never particularly bothered me in contemporary romance. One of the draws of romance makes some formula almost a necessity. What did bother me is that within that formula was a conflict that was egregiously predictable and felt contrived when viewed against earlier character and plot development. Following the conflict was an equally predictable resolution that, for me, felt a little lacking. As a result, the romance didn't end on as high a note as I was hoping.
The characters were likable, if low on complexity. Chloe was pretty cut and dried as far as characters go. I think Knights did a particularly good job slowly imbuing her with an appreciation for Scotland as the story developed around her. It felt very organic, and really provided a nice vehicle for the reader to get a pleasant overview of the country and a glimpse into why it's such a magical place for so many. Her feelings for Malcom and their relationship also developed in a realistic and natural-feeling timeframe and didn't feel rushed or pushed. Malcom had some emotional baggage that added a bit more character depth than was given to Chloe, but it was a little underused in some parts, over extended in others, and neither character was really all that deep.
I have to admit, there was really only one thing that I found truly objectionable about the book. I got to the point where I hated the Scottish characters' dialogue, which was written as it would be spoken with an overwhelming burr, and all the Scottish colloquialisms and terminology. I don't know that I've ever read a contemporary romance so heavily laden with ayes, nays, dinnaes, wouldnaes, kens, ye'res, 'twoulds, and much, much, much more. The combination of the written accents and the terminology used kept giving the dialogue the feel of a historical romance and left me scrambling to interpret passages in the narrative - and not always feeling successful at it. It was distracting and, strictly in my opinion, a bit overdone.
Neither the plot nor any other aspect of the book had much in the way of depth. That's not really a complaint, though. There is definitely a place for simple, sweet, and relatively uncomplicated romance. And simple, sweet, and relatively uncomplicated sums up my feelings for Where There's a Will. It was well written, with passages of sweeping lyricism and a sense of cultural and historical authenticity. It had characters who were pleasant to spend time with, and while the romance stuck to a common formula, and the conflict of the romance left me feeling dissatisfied, it was a nice enough read and an easy way to spend some time.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
Chloe Sullivan arrived in Scotland to see to the provisions of her great-uncle's will. When she finds out that Uncle Fergus had some very unique and ludicrous ideas on what she had to do to inherit the castle, land, and the home he left, Chloe is incredulous. She has to marry a Scot to take possession of the property or see the land go up for auction - to anyone willing to pay if she leaves before a month is out, but if she stays the month, the property will stay in local hands. As she had come to Scotland with the idea of getting rid of her inheritance and returning to the States as expediently as possible, the codicil and one month deadline doesn't make her happy.
The longer she stays, though, the stronger she feels a connection to the land. For the first time in memory, Chloe feels that she truly belongs somewhere. Even knowing she has to go back, has to return to her own country, she can't help but feel a part of something much bigger than she - the often brutal but always magical history of a land so full of unconquered people and places. She just never figured Scotland would so irrevocably sink into her soul. And she certainly didn't know what to do when the handsome local Malcom MacTavish, friend, guide, and co-conspirator, just as irrevocably sinks into her heart.
With such a sweeping and romantic backdrop, Katriena Knights had a great vehicle to showcase a genuine gift for some lyrical description in the narrative and an appreciation for the history and flavor of the country of Scotland. One of my favorite things about Where There's a Will is that it felt like a very genuine representation of the country and an accurate glimpse of some of the beauty and history imbued in every rolling hill and sprig of heather.
The romance itself was formulaic, but that's never particularly bothered me in contemporary romance. One of the draws of romance makes some formula almost a necessity. What did bother me is that within that formula was a conflict that was egregiously predictable and felt contrived when viewed against earlier character and plot development. Following the conflict was an equally predictable resolution that, for me, felt a little lacking. As a result, the romance didn't end on as high a note as I was hoping.
The characters were likable, if low on complexity. Chloe was pretty cut and dried as far as characters go. I think Knights did a particularly good job slowly imbuing her with an appreciation for Scotland as the story developed around her. It felt very organic, and really provided a nice vehicle for the reader to get a pleasant overview of the country and a glimpse into why it's such a magical place for so many. Her feelings for Malcom and their relationship also developed in a realistic and natural-feeling timeframe and didn't feel rushed or pushed. Malcom had some emotional baggage that added a bit more character depth than was given to Chloe, but it was a little underused in some parts, over extended in others, and neither character was really all that deep.
I have to admit, there was really only one thing that I found truly objectionable about the book. I got to the point where I hated the Scottish characters' dialogue, which was written as it would be spoken with an overwhelming burr, and all the Scottish colloquialisms and terminology. I don't know that I've ever read a contemporary romance so heavily laden with ayes, nays, dinnaes, wouldnaes, kens, ye'res, 'twoulds, and much, much, much more. The combination of the written accents and the terminology used kept giving the dialogue the feel of a historical romance and left me scrambling to interpret passages in the narrative - and not always feeling successful at it. It was distracting and, strictly in my opinion, a bit overdone.
Neither the plot nor any other aspect of the book had much in the way of depth. That's not really a complaint, though. There is definitely a place for simple, sweet, and relatively uncomplicated romance. And simple, sweet, and relatively uncomplicated sums up my feelings for Where There's a Will. It was well written, with passages of sweeping lyricism and a sense of cultural and historical authenticity. It had characters who were pleasant to spend time with, and while the romance stuck to a common formula, and the conflict of the romance left me feeling dissatisfied, it was a nice enough read and an easy way to spend some time.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
January 22, 2011
This was one of those books I got for free on Kindle. I love a Scottish romance and this one may have been a little more... risque than I usually go for, but it had a really sweet love story and didn't seem crass. I thought the relationship between the characters did seem like it was growing and evolving. You could also tell that Chloe was falling in love with Scotland. I'm not sure I liked the ending as well as the rest of the book, but I argued back and forth with myself about whether it fit the circumstances and/or the characters.
I really liked the small town feel the author gave Glen Dun. It came across very well in how all the characters acted, talked and how the plot moved forward. It may have some disadvantages (privacy) but it seems like a wonderful place to belong - and to raise a family.
End result? If you have a soft spot for Scottish romances and don't mind reading (or skimming over a couple love scenes) this one may be a great choice for you. I'd probably rate it more like a 3 1/2 - but figured since I wasn't sure, I'd round up - specially since there was that whole Scottish accent thing... a kilt... and all those things that make my romantic heart happy.
I really liked the small town feel the author gave Glen Dun. It came across very well in how all the characters acted, talked and how the plot moved forward. It may have some disadvantages (privacy) but it seems like a wonderful place to belong - and to raise a family.
End result? If you have a soft spot for Scottish romances and don't mind reading (or skimming over a couple love scenes) this one may be a great choice for you. I'd probably rate it more like a 3 1/2 - but figured since I wasn't sure, I'd round up - specially since there was that whole Scottish accent thing... a kilt... and all those things that make my romantic heart happy.
May 17, 2011
This is actually the second time I've read this book. The first time was immediately after it was published, and I liked it then. (Except for the sex scenes. But then, the author is my daughter, so sex scenes are just TMI even tho I'm very happy she provided me with two beautiful and intelligent grandchildren. And no, I'm not at all prejudiced about my grandchildren. ( - : )
Anyway, I read it again because I've since taken a trip to Scotland, and I wanted to find out if she really did as good a job evoking the scenery and atmosphere as I thought she did. And she did. Even though most of my trip was spent north of the area she writes about, enough of it overlapped that I was able to recognize several of the areas she described (and to know exactly what she meant about the Glasgow accent) and get a little "homesick."
And it's a fun story with romance, ghosts, humor, and a well-written Scottish brogue--just enough to give you the idea without making it difficult to read. I actually stayed up past midnight to finish this book when I already knew how it ended. Yeah, I know....
Anyway, I read it again because I've since taken a trip to Scotland, and I wanted to find out if she really did as good a job evoking the scenery and atmosphere as I thought she did. And she did. Even though most of my trip was spent north of the area she writes about, enough of it overlapped that I was able to recognize several of the areas she described (and to know exactly what she meant about the Glasgow accent) and get a little "homesick."
And it's a fun story with romance, ghosts, humor, and a well-written Scottish brogue--just enough to give you the idea without making it difficult to read. I actually stayed up past midnight to finish this book when I already knew how it ended. Yeah, I know....
March 6, 2011
I bought WHERE THERE'S A WILL on the spur of the moment. I have to say that before reading this book I had not read anything for months not since Noveember of 2010. So this was the first thing I'd read that I actually finished and what a great read it was. The story is interesting, the characters are realistic and funny. This is a great read that's quick and fun. If you love Scotland and want a great read, I'd suggest you pick up WHERE THERE'S A WILL by Katriena Knights, you won't regret it.
Reviewed by Wendy Keel
Rating 4 1/2
review was posted on www.mybookaddictionandmore.wordpress.com
Reviewed by Wendy Keel
Rating 4 1/2
review was posted on www.mybookaddictionandmore.wordpress.com
January 5, 2011
This was a "real" book with a "real" story. Nothing like most of the books I've been reading lately, where the main theme is sex, sex, and more sex. This one has a good love story that makes you connect with the characters. They hook up a few times, which is a bonus - but overall this story is character driven and with a real plot. I fell in love with it and was sad when it ended. Giving it "only" 4/5 stars because of a number of annoying typos and grammar mistakes.
January 10, 2011
I always enjoy Ms. Knights books -- and at $0.95 for the Kindle edition, who could resist. While the ending was pretty obvious from the first chapter -- it didn't make the book any less enjoyable. We needed to see how they would end up in the obvious place. And sometimes it's nice to relax and know what will happen.
January 30, 2011
This was a fun book I found to read for Kindle . . . set in Scotland, one of my favorite locales . . . American heroine, sexy Scottish hero. A contemporary romance, which I usually don't read, but I did enjoy this.
February 2, 2011
Like most of the other readers I got this as a freebie. Chloe and Will (I love a Scotsman) were a cute couple and had some good chemistry. I like that small town feel with all the busy-body's. That being said, it was a light, sweet read and I was pleasantly surprised.
February 13, 2016
Cute, funny book that you can easily read in one afternoon (I did).
It most definitely exceeded my expectations - considering the terribly cheesy cover and the fact that it was only $0.95 on the Kindle eBook store!
It most definitely exceeded my expectations - considering the terribly cheesy cover and the fact that it was only $0.95 on the Kindle eBook store!
June 3, 2011
Meh. I'm not even sure why I bothered to finish it.
December 25, 2010
I actually liked this book a lot. Great story line. Lots of love/lust. And really great characters. Really fun read.
December 28, 2010
For a freebie it was a great book. He is just too sweet for words.... makes me want one of my own Scottish lads... LOL
won-t-finish
February 10, 2011Nook.
April 14, 2011
I got this book for free on Kindle and did I luck out!!!!
Check out my review on:
http://anotherlookbookreviews.blogspo...
Check out my review on:
http://anotherlookbookreviews.blogspo...
April 22, 2017
This was a free Kindle Book. It was an okay romance, with a bit of a predictable plot. Still, the characters were likable and the story flowed smoothly. I read the book in a day.
Read
November 14, 2018When her great uncle dies and leaves her a house and partial castle in Scotland, Chloe Sullivan thinks a short trip to the Glen Dunn is in order to sort things out, sell the land, and come back to America and her job as a financial consultant. What Chloe doesn’t count on is her uncle’s bizarre will. If Chloe wants the land to be sold to one of the townspersons, she has to stay in Scotland for a month. And if Chloe wants to actually keep her inheritance, she has to marry a Scot within a month. Her uncle is even so helpful as to provide a potential husband – Malcolm MacTavish.
Chloe may not want to marry someone to keep her inheritance, but she has no problem spending a month in the Highlands with the handsome Malcolm. He’s sexy, charming, and kind; what more could a woman want? Though she knows their relationship isn’t meant to last, Chloe can’t help but wonder what it would be like if she could stay. But when Malcolm finds out about the will, will their newfound love be crushed by broken trust?
Where There’s a Will took me on an enchanting journey to the Highlands of Scotland where humor, history, and romance were deftly spun together to create a story that is simply wonderful. Katriena Knights has created an entire cast of characters that I would love to know in real life and a town that completely endeared itself to me. As for the hero and heroine of the tale, Chloe is straightforward, intelligent, and keeps her cool even when she’s slightly out of her depths. She’s the kind of person that, were she real, I could see myself being friends with. Malcolm is a fantastic hero. He’s patient, thoughtful, and oh-so-deliciously attractive. Malcolm is just perfect enough to make him a sigh-worthy hero and just imperfect enough to make him feel like he could be real.
Ms. Knights weaves in a lot of Scottish history into the story, which I found to be delightful. Ms. Knights clearly loves the country she wrote about and it comes through in the writing, the excitement coming off the page so clearly that I could not help but be swept away by it. From beginning to end, Where There’s a Will is truly a pleasure to read.
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed.
Chloe may not want to marry someone to keep her inheritance, but she has no problem spending a month in the Highlands with the handsome Malcolm. He’s sexy, charming, and kind; what more could a woman want? Though she knows their relationship isn’t meant to last, Chloe can’t help but wonder what it would be like if she could stay. But when Malcolm finds out about the will, will their newfound love be crushed by broken trust?
Where There’s a Will took me on an enchanting journey to the Highlands of Scotland where humor, history, and romance were deftly spun together to create a story that is simply wonderful. Katriena Knights has created an entire cast of characters that I would love to know in real life and a town that completely endeared itself to me. As for the hero and heroine of the tale, Chloe is straightforward, intelligent, and keeps her cool even when she’s slightly out of her depths. She’s the kind of person that, were she real, I could see myself being friends with. Malcolm is a fantastic hero. He’s patient, thoughtful, and oh-so-deliciously attractive. Malcolm is just perfect enough to make him a sigh-worthy hero and just imperfect enough to make him feel like he could be real.
Ms. Knights weaves in a lot of Scottish history into the story, which I found to be delightful. Ms. Knights clearly loves the country she wrote about and it comes through in the writing, the excitement coming off the page so clearly that I could not help but be swept away by it. From beginning to end, Where There’s a Will is truly a pleasure to read.
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews