Highlander Laird Evan MacNeil cannot believe Mistress Katie Sterling just shows up at the MacDuff castle with this faded piece of parchment laying claim to the lands he just legally inherited. Not that he really wants to be here in the lowlands, but he has responsibilities to his clan and the exasperating Katie has uprooted the remnants of her father’s clan and moved them across the country to … live here. There’s no way he can leave to go back home now.
Katie has nowhere else to go and she refuses to bow down to the arrogant yet undeniably handsome Highlander. She’s had enough with men trying to control her and she is quite capable of handling herself.
Now that Evan must spar with a beautiful lass for the rights to the lands, he will fight to the end. This battle is nothing like the ones his ancestors fought with crossbows and boiling oil. They never wanted to bed the enemy.
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I am a fan of Scottish historicals as you all have probably noticed by now. I really like the ones that have very strong females who are pitted against equally as strong males. This one was so enjoyable I just kept reading it straight through.
There was a definitely good reason that Katie left her home and had her clan follow her–not giving up why–it took Lord MacNeil a very long time to find the answer to that as well.
They butted heads more often then not–luckily there was another charactor or two who was not afraid to tell the Lord off and make him see where he was making a big mistake.
This is a clean and very readable novel that will have you laughing and sometimes almost crying–but forever interested–and yes–there is a happy ending!!
Evan and Katie were truly awesome and this love story. I think that the writer did a wonderful job of telling a story that not only grab my attention with a romance so cute, but the humor in the book was delightful. Having the humor and the intrigue of the story had me fascinated with how the story would end.
With the family pile crumbling around her, Katie uproots her clan to lay claim to MacDuff castle, which should have passed to her through her maternal line. Instead, she finds Evan installed as the new laird and unconvinced by the faded parchment she presents as proof of her inheritance. Can these two proud, stubborn Scots come to an agreement before winter settles in?
I loved these characters and the way they interacted with each other. Their attraction is instantaneous but they try to maintain a businesslike rapport. Even though they’re continually at odds, they’re always kind and respectful to one another (though Evan can be quite blustery). The prose is vibrant and fun, making the story a pleasure to read.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
***Prizewinning Awesome Book***
This is an excellent story. I have not enjoyed reading a book as much as I have this one in a long while. I loved the banter between the main characters Katie and Evan. I really admire Katie. She is easy to relate to and to identify with. She is brave and risks the unknown for her clan and herself. She can run a keep; keep the books and she is a healer to her people. Most importantly she is a mother figure for her ten-year-old brother Gavin. Evan can be obtuse most of the time but not on purpose. He is the Laird of his clan and is used to the privilege of giving orders and expecting them to be obeyed. He is a good man, fair and just; good to his people and when it comes to children, he knows what to do. He got on extremely well with Gavin who really needed a man’s influence in his life. Katie was not use to sharing the burden of her responsibilities with another and she and Evan clashed quite a bit. Funny, but Evan could be a dunderhead sometimes. He had a problem emotionally relating to Katie and this frustrated her to no end. It seemed that Evan made decisions that affected Katie, Gavin and her people without asking for her input. Then there was a very dark reason that made the final decision to move her clan from one location to another and it involved her little brother Gavin. As she feared the specter haunting her came to visit her. She had already confessed all to Evan and he took measures to protect Katie and Gavin. An excellent book. A must read. Do not pass this up. You will not be disappointed.
This was a fast-paced, swoon-worthy read, that I found I did not want to put down! The story was fresh, original and exciting with characters that are realistic and likable. It is everything you could want in a rousing romp through the pages of a historical romance and more!
*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.
#AScottoWed #NetGalley
Rating: 3 – 3.5 stars
This book rather tested me, folks. Hence, my struggle for the right words to fairly review/rate it. You see, I was intrigued and enjoying this main couple’s rocky road to a relationship from the verra beginning. I am quite fond of a strong, sassy, spitfire leading lady, and Katie fit that bill. At times, however, she could throw an overly, unnecessary, toddler type tantrum like nobody’s business instead of talking things through like an adult. For the most part, she did always seem to be concerned about others. Coddling her ten year old brother to the point she babied him didn’t look good on her though. She definitely did have a lot to contribute to the castle and both clans with her unique skills.
Evan was pretty patient, decisive, experienced, and steadfast in his role as laird. Even when it meant he had to put up with conditions outside his normal preference and had to make a tough decision or two regarding Katie’s clan. He may have grumbled, but he rolled with a lot, as well. Kindness, necessity, and common sense ultimately ruled the day here and an acceptable alternative presented itself. He wasn’t so much so for awhile regarding his up and down feelings for Katie. It seemed briefly he was OK with getting smexy with her knowing he’d be sending her on her way. In fact, she had to put the breaks on their first handsy, going a bit to far, make-out session. So it kind of surprised me his conscience kicked in during a later scene.
The fly in the soup for me was the villainous backdrop set-up. It turned my stomach to see that scenario slipped in and used to prop up the dramatic wrap-up. Yeah..no, even the hint of that kind of depraved threat against a child is something I never ever want to pop up in my romantic reads. Call it personal preference, folks. The writing on and off wasn’t flowing so well after midway, too. I found myself skimming at times before it got back on track. I did enjoy seeing and knowing these two perfect for each other lovebirds would get their HEA. The sweet, brief epilogue did have Evan fixing a knucklehead mistake he had made previously. I’m assuming the next book will feature Evan’s right hand man, younger bro, Aldastair.
Title: A Scot to Wed, Series: Scottish Hearts (Book 2), Author: Callie Hutton, Pages: 187, stand-alone but part a series, adversaries turn to respect/love, disturbing villain aspect, very graphic smex late in book, child predator, no OW/OM drama, no cheating, brief mention of hero’s past attempts to marry, virgin heroine. Rating: 3.5 stars
Book 1 – His Rebellious Lass
Book 2 – A Scot to Wed
(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review. There is no affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author/publisher/NetGalley.)
A Scot to Wed is the second novel in the Scottish Hearts series. It was short and fun but full of witty banter and strong emotions. Katie Sterling needed a way to save her clan and get away from the horrible man who claims her father signed a betrothal contract with. Her father had pushed all clan responsibilities to her and upon his death, their home was collapsing. She remembered an old document her mother had shown her that proved their claim to the MacDuff castle. With no other options available she packs up her household and moves the clan to MacDuff. Laird Evan MacNeil had just discovered he had inherited the MacDuff lands and had come to settle everything. He needed to be back to his home, Argyll before winter set in. He needs an estate manager and decides Katie could have the position since her claim on the clan is not valid. As they work together to settle everything so he can leave MacDuff, Evan realizes he doesn’t want to leave Katie behind. Katie is a strong-willed woman and has had to manage her clan since the death of her mother. She is used to making clan decisions and solving problems by herself. Evan has always made decisions without someone questioning him, so Katie has made his life complicated. This was an enjoyable book to read.
When Katie leaves England for Scotland to claim MacDuff castle as her own, she never expected to encounter the handsome Highlander Evan who also claims ownership of the land. Conflict ensues as each feels they have a legitimate claim. However, as the days progress and more of Katie’s clan arrives, Evan knows he can’t turn them all away. Winter approaches and an even more threatening danger waits for Katie. Can Katie and Evan resolve their issues in a way that satisfies them both? Will they be able to resist the growing attraction and affection they feel for each other?
This is a fun and quick love story that I read in one sitting. Though it is under 200 pages, it is filled with rich development and complex characters. Hutton quickly immerses the reader into the story with witty dialogue and insta-attraction between the two main characters.
The author also uses references that might be familiar to readers including the MacDuff Castle and Fife. I remember these references from teaching William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and I believe that MacDuff’s character in the play is loosely based on history. I love that the Hutton used this setting and reference in her historical romance.
I also enjoyed the romance between Katie and Evan. She is a feisty, brave, and determined woman who attracts Evan from the start. He is intrigued by her strong will and gumption, and he falls for her even more when he sees how kind and fair she is. Katie drives him to distraction, which unnerves the cool and controlled Evan while it amuses his more easy-going brother.
Katie notices Even’s strength and take-charge attitude as well as his “willingness to care for those who were vulnerable.” She admires him and feels things for him that she’s never felt before. What I really like about their relationship is they respect and admire each other, flaws and all. Katie is stubborn, overprotective, and prideful, and Evan is arrogant and bossy. Though these traits cause conflict, the couple accepts each other and tries to understand the other’s point of view. Plus, their friction makes for some spicy romance!
A Scot to Wed is a well-paced and interesting historical romance that I enjoyed reading. With an abundance of interesting and likable characters, a quick-moving plot, great dialogue, a little bit of humor and action, and a lot of romance, A Scot to Wed is worth a read! Thanks so much to Netgalley and Entangled Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
I enjoyed Callie Hutton’s “A Scot to Wed” primarily because it was so different from a typical historical romance; there were no ballroom scenes to be found here! It was a relatively light, sweet, quick read featuring interesting characters and a unique plot, set in the beautiful Scottish lowlands which is always a lovely place to “visit.”
Female lead character Katie was quite bold and brave for a young woman of her time, but she had the intelligence and skills to back it up. She acted as the leader of her clan in her father’s stead while also managing his estate, raising her younger brother, and becoming a skilled healer. It was clear how much the welfare of her clan meant to Katie, and I loved that she never backed down when Evan, the male lead, tried to impose his will unilaterally. She always stood up to him and fought for what she believed in.
Evan was surprisingly forward-thinking for a man of his time, willing to offer Katie a job as his land steward even though many of his peers wouldn’t have believed that a woman could do the work. He seemed a bit arrogant and was used to getting his way as the leader of his clan, so dealing with Katie was sometimes a challenge for Evan. The chaos of Katie’s clan getting settled into their new homes was also somewhat overwhelming for him, but I had to laugh at some of his reactions. I particularly enjoyed his outrage when Myrtle the goat wandered through the castle!
My one big issue with this book was that while I liked Katie and Evan as a couple, I thought their romance could have been better developed. It was obvious that Evan was attracted to Katie, but there was nothing about his behavior or attitude that screamed “love” to me. He seemed more annoyed by her than anything for the vast majority of the book. As for Katie, she seemed to be grateful for Evan’s guidance in making decisions related to the estate, and she certainly worried about how she would do everything on her own after he left, but she never really thought about missing him for any romantic reasons. Their relationship seemed more like a practical arrangement with some mutual affection than love to me, which is completely fine, but I don’t think that was the point of the story.
At any rate, I did enjoy this book and would recommend it for all fans of Scottish historicals. I would read more of Ms. Hutton’s work in the future.
*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.
A feisty and desperate heroine, Katie, shows up with her family and part of her clan claiming to be the laird of the land, Evan has just inherited. Evan tries to appease her by making her the land steward. When danger follows Katie Evan protects her. They both realize they can’t be without each other. I liked that Katie did not let Evan get away with taking over and not including her on the important decisions! I received an ARC from NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for my honest review.
I really enjoyed Katie and Evan’s story–it made me laugh even more than it made me swoon. The way that Katie gave him grief from the very first time that they were on the page together was absolutely fabulous. (And then Evan thought once they were married that she’d suddenly start toeing the line? Ha!) Every new group of people from Katie’s clan who showed up at Evan’s–or is it Katie’s?–castle made me crack up for a new and novel reason, and only about half of them had to do with animals 😉 (The goat! The puppies!)
So much fun to read!
My only complaint? That once their relationship crisis is quickly overshadowed by an even bigger crisis–one which was definitely foreshadowed, and absolutely takes precedence over the problem that Evan’s entitlement caused–is resolved, somehow Evan magically realizes that he was wrong to treat Katie the way he did for the three days or so that they were married and fixes it himself. I mean really–he could have suffered a *teensy* bit there, don’t you think? 😉
The super cute epilogue almost makes you forget it, but not quite–still, I put the book down with a smile on my face, wondering when the next one in the series might come out.
No pressure, Ms Hutton!
Okay, maybe a little pressure 😉
Rating: 4 stars / B+
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
A Scot to Wed is a real treat. Laird Evan MacNeil is serious, demanding, duty-conscience, and a little grumpy. Mistress Katie Sterling is smart, feisty, caring, and determined. They have nothing in common except their claims to MacDuff Castle. From the moment they meet, Evan is completely confounded by this strong, independent woman. They agree on almost nothing. It’s going to take some effort for these two to work together. They certainly cannot fall in love, but how can they not?
Evan and Katie are so much fun, and not really total opposites. Alasdair, Evan’s brother, is a sweetheart. Katie’s little brother, Gavin, is quite shy but takes to the MacNeil brothers. There is a big surprise for him (and his sister) at the end of the story. Katie’s clan members, people and pets, bring life to the castle and the story. There is a villain, a nasty piece of work, but no match for our hero and heroine. A well-written story that engages the reader from the start, strong likeable characters, a little danger and a lot of fun make this a must read. Another winner for Callie Hutton. I enjoyed it and happily recommend it.
I received an ARC of this book from the author and publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.
A Scot to Wed by Callie Hutton is book Two in the Scottish Hearts Series. This the story of Evan MacNeil and Katie Sterling. I have read the previous book but feel this can be a standalone book if you wish to do so. Evan has just inherited the MacDuff castle in the lowlands which he has come to claim then put someone in charge to oversea it for him before returning to the Highlands. Things don’t go as plan when Katie comes forward with her clan laying claim to MacDuff. Katie is used to being in charge because she had to run her dads estate so she doesn’t bow to Evan like he is used to. So while their temper flare between ownership there desire for each other can’t be resisted between the two. Enjoyed their story.
Scottish Lowlands, 1818
A determined Mistress Katie Stirling is determined to claim her inheritance, the MacDuff castle in Fife. It was land stolen from her family that should have been passed down through her mother, Aileen MacDuff Stirling and she needed to bring her people there.
Of course they have a wheel break just as they are in sight of the castle but luckily two large men ride up and she hopes they can help. He was introduced to her as Laird Evan MacNeil of Argyll.
“He was ruggedly handsome. A strong chin, full lips, green eyes the color of the Scottish hills, and a well trimmed beard of dark red. His hair hung to his shoulders in waves, giving him a look of warriors past. Any moment, she expected him to bellow and brandish his broadsword around.”
But what she was to find out was Evan had just claimed the McDuff castle in an inheritance, and thus the adventure begins!
I loved these two strong characters and was so entertained until the end. I always enjoy this author’s stories and am looking forward to the next one. I have to add the cover is beautiful! I read this through NetGallery and the wonderful Publisher!
Who does not love a good Scottish story? I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story. Evan and Katie are great characters with lots of emotions and outbursts. I like how Callie presents the characters in that even though Evan is arrogant and demanding, he realizes that it is not “his way or the highway” and Katie had her own issues with arrogance even though she did not want to admit it. They were able to work out their issues. This story was a joy to read.
On another note, I loved Alasdair and hope he gets his own story at some point.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
A Scott to Wed by Callie Hutton
Highlander Laird Evan MacNeil inherited the MacNab lands, Mistress Katie Sterling believes this is her inheritance. Katie travels across Scotland to bring her ragtag family and clan to a new place and life. Chaos ensues as her clansmen start to trickle in. This was such a fun story to read. The characters were well written and I was rooting for them from the start.
This story has family loyalty, kidnapping, arrogant lairds, perseverance, castle chaos, puppies, and much more. A fun read if you have a few hours to indulge. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and the publisher. My review is my own opinion.
Wanted to get away to back in the day with a jaunt with a Scot and saw this one answered that call. Here Laird Evan and Katie have a dilemma with them both wanting the land. The spirit and spark in Katie is a joy to see and get to know as these two but heads. He feels more and more the connection that is building between them with us wanting to see that spark go off. Loving where this is and the characters that have captured me I have fallen deeper and deeper into this. This also gave the relief and enjoyment that was very much needed. This author has the magic to take us and give us the heart of the matter-love.
4.5 Stars
Highlander Laird Evan MacNeil cannot believe Mistress Katie Sterling just shows up at the MacDuff castle with this faded piece of parchment laying claim to the lands he just legally inherited. Not that he really wants to be here in the lowlands, but he has responsibilities to his clan and the exasperating Katie has uprooted the remnants of her father’s clan and moved them across the country to live here. Katie has nowhere else to go and she refuses to bow down to the arrogant yet undeniably handsome Highlander. She’s had enough with men trying to control her and she is quite capable of handling herself.
The second book in the series & it’s easily read on its own. What a fun entertaining read! I loved Katie who was strong, feisty & determined to do the best for her clan. Evan was lovely but definitely needed bringing down a peg or two, which Katie certainly did. A page turning engrossing read that I read in two sittings. Very well paced, characters of depth & a hero & heroine whose verbal spats often had me laughing out loud. Poor Evan didn’t know what had hit him when the Sterling clans folk arrived with all their possessions.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
I love reading Callie Hutton. Not because of the dashingly, virile, yet rough around the edges hero. My fascination lies in the heroines who refuse to be anyone’s damsel in distress. It’s that fighting spirit that left me in awe of Katie Sterling. She’s no wilting flower and her fierce determination is what shines through from start to finish. A Scot to Wed is a tale of passion that does not surrender until it lays claim to your heart.
I found it easy to get swept up into this highly enjoyable read. Evan and Katie share plenty of clever banter and there’s lots of tension as these two engage in an epic battle of wills. Overall, I thought that the story was fun, the book was well written and the characters very likable. This book offers readers a entertaining blend of drama, humor, emotion that quickly nabs your attention and has you rooting for this pair to overcome the obstacles that stand in their way and embrace the love they feel in their hearts. I am posting a volitional, forthright review.