Scottish pride, persuasion, and passion—this is Highland romance at its breathtaking best. From USA Today bestselling author May McGoldrick comes Highland Crown, the first book in the Royal Highlander series. Inverness, 1820Perched on the North Sea, this port town—by turns legendary and mythological—is a place where Highland rebels and English authorities clash in a mortal struggle for survival … authorities clash in a mortal struggle for survival and dominance. Among the fray is a lovely young widow who possesses rare and special gifts.
WANTED: Isabella Drummond
A true beauty and trained physician, Isabella has inspired longing and mystery—and fury—in a great many men. Hunted by both the British government and Scottish rebels, she came to the Highlands in search of survival. But a dying ship’s captain will steer her fate into even stormier waters. . .and her heart into flames.
FOUND: Cinaed Mackintosh
Cast from his home as a child, Cinaed is a fierce soul whose allegiance is only to himself. . . until Isabella saved his life—and added more risk to her own. Now, the only way Cinaed can keep her safe is to seek refuge at Dalmigavie Castle, the Mackintosh family seat. But when the scandalous truth of his past comes out, any chance of Cinaed having a bright future with Isabella is thrown into complete darkness. What will these two ill-fated lovers have to sacrifice to be together…for eternity?
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Highland Crown by May McGoldrick
Royal Highlander #1
In 1820 life in Scotland for the Scottish was one of oppression and being under the yoke of an occupying force. Having lived in such a situation I know that what the occupier and those being occupied experience is not the same. It is true of Scotland and many other countries that have been occupied in the past. There are atrocities perpetrated, freedom-fighters heroes of the country considered terrorists by the occupiers and…anyway…it has not changed in centuries and no doubt will remain the same for centuries. Anyway, this book is set in Scotland when England is occupying it. The English feel they have valid reasons for being there and doing what they are doing BUT that is definitely up for debate. The people that suffer most in situations like this are often the poor who are without means of any sort to deal with the political shenanigans and horrors they face but…they do often survive against the odds.
So…I digressed but in doing so perhaps set the stage.
There is a woman with a bounty on her head. She is wanted by the English and also by others. She believes she has found a place to hunker down and hide till she can move on to Halifax with her half-sister and step-daughter but while she waits to move on events are set in play that change her life entirely. A ship founders on the rocks of the bay near where she is hiding and when her skills as a physician are put into play saving the ship’s captain both her life and the captain’s are changed forever.
This book contains a fair bit of politics and history but not to the detriment of the romance and the wonderful introduction to the books that will follow. We meet Isabella: physician, widow, step-mother, guardian of her half-sister, forward thinking female who is being hunted for treason. We also meet Captain Cinead MacKintosh: orphan, man of the sea, ship’s captain, man of honor, charismatic leader, superb lover, and more. That Isabella saves Cinead’s life is not lost on him and when he is able to return the favor he manages to do so even when not at his physical best.
What I liked:
* Isabella’s strength, intelligence, skills, calm demeanor, passion and so much more.
* Cinead…I really liked him and how he managed to do what was needed even when he should have been laid flat on the floor PLUS he was a swoon-worthy book boyfriend – at least in my opinion.
* Searc (though I think his name is said Shark) – his cunning and ability to play both sides for the benefit of all…especially himself.
* Jean: for an older woman she is a great role model
* Carmichael: the physician didn’t get a lot of time in the book but his role really supported Isabella’s abilities and character
* The relationship between Isabella and Cinead and how the two grew together and as individuals.
What I didn’t like:
* Hudson the Hussar and his buddies – talk about people who deserve to be roasted on a spit over a fiery pit!
* Habbie – and his village companions out to glean what they could from the ship that crashed on the rocks…I mean…really? Sure…the sea takes and it gives but it also gives not only goods from shipwrecks but also human lives that should be saved and not squandered!
* The historical times – I hate reading about injustice…in the past or in the present and yet…sometimes the story has to have mention of these injustices to give them the setting and impact they need to solidify the story.
What am I looking forward to in this series? (yes, I do want to read more in this series)
* Finding out how Isabella and Cinead move forward now that they are a couple
* Finding out more about Cinead’s background
* Seeing who Maisie and Morrigan end up with
* Finding out whether or not John Gordon survived his time under torture and finds a HEA.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
Highland Crown by May McGoldrick is a fantastic historical romance. Ms. McGoldrick has provided readers with a well-written book and a stellar cast of characters. I got such a kick out of Jean, probably because I’m turning into her. Isabella was in hiding with a double bounty on her head. Cinaed’s ship sank and he was shot as his longboat was headed to shore. Isabella and Cinaed’s story is packed cover to cover with drama, action, humor, steamy sexy bits and suspense. I enjoyed reading Highland Crown and look forward to my next book by May McGoldrick. Highland Crown is book 1 of the Royal Highlander Series but can be read as a standalone. This is a complete book, not a cliff-hanger.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Dr. Isabella Drummond is on the run from just about everyone. Her husband was a revolutionary and since his death the authorities want to catch her to find out who his accomplices are, and the revolutionists want to kill her to make sure she never talks. She managed to send her younger sister and her stepdaughter to safety with a friend and is now hiding until she can safely get them all out of the country.
Captain Cinaed Mackintosh smuggles arms into Scotland from Canada several times a year, but this time a storm changes his plans.
This is a very exciting and dangerous journey through a Scotland that is suffering under tryanny. The people are broken and starving. Nobody can be trusted to look after anyone except themselves.
Our brave heroine will always put the safety and health of others over her own. Our hero is a born leader and incredibly strong.
An action packed story I couldn’t put down.
I loved it.
Riveting! From beginning to end. Wow! What a story! I am not sure how much of Sir Walter Scott`s prologue is fact based, though know I g how these authors do their research I am sure the majority is true. The excerpts from Sir Walter`s writings certainty are fact. I loved the way each excerpt set up the happenings that would take place in the chapter. This is one of the best books I have read, full of action, intrigue, romance, a little humor, and rich in history. Cinead and Isabella`s story is worthy reading. I couldn’t read it fast enough, it is so very good. However, it is a little unfinished in the end, to be continued in the next books in the series. I hope Nikoo and Jim write fast. I am very impatient to read the rest of their story. I received this e-book from Netgalley for an honest review.
This is a thrilling opener to a series — and as always, the husband-wife team known as May McGoldrick spins a taut, exciting story. Almost too exciting, in that the characters were rushing from one potential disaster to another. As is usually the case with a McGoldrick book there is plenty of atmosphere and history happening along with the love story. Set in 1820, Great Britain is awash in turmoil, leading to a crackdown on supposed ‘radicals’ — and that includes Scotland. There, Isabella Drummond, a rare female doctor, watches as her older husband is murdered. She is hunted by the English and escapes to the Highlands, where a shipwreck brings her to Cinaed Mackintosh, a mysterious sea captain. Their various adventures still leave them with enough time to fall in love — and boy, are the love scenes steamy in this one. The various scenes of surgery, digging out bullets, and otherwise showing the doctor’s skills add authenticity to the books, as does the background of the fierce oppression of the Scots. The book doesn’t end neatly — it’s the start of a series, after all, and we’ll just have to see how Cinaed’s heritage comes in to play as the story moves forward. Gripping. (I received an advance copy from NetGalley. Opinions are mine.)
Trained physician Isabella Murray Drummond is being hunted by both Scottish rebels and the British government. Recently widowed and hiding out in the Highlands, she encounters a wounded ship’s captain on the beach and is compelled to save him.
Cinaed Mackintosh is a sea captain operating on the fringes of the law and he’s just lost everything. After saving each other, Cinaed and Isabella are drawn to each other, for safety and for reasons of the heart as well. Both are living in a perilous time and place with a highly uncertain future, but they soon realize they can’t be without each other.
This is most definitely a deep and well-crafted literary work, not your typical light and fluffy romance. Steamy scenes occur mostly off page and the main focus is the adventures and trials of these two and the rich, violent, and tragic history of Scotland in a tumultuous time of what was essentially ethnic cleansing in the years after Culloden. Secrets are revealed about Cinaed’s past and some threads are left untied to be explored and fleshed out in later books that I look forward to reading. There’s sweet romance and character development here along with rich history and gripping storytelling. All in all, it’s an intense, but great read that shouldn’t be missed, especially if you’re a history fan and feel like reading something with some depth.
I received an ARC via NetGalley. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
“They’d known each other for only a short time, but life was short with no guarantees of tomorrow.”
Isabella Drummond is a trained physician in a man’s world. Fighting hard to garner the respect so rightly deserved, she treats those that come to her in need of her care. But unbeknown to her, some of her patients are part of the Scottish rebellion and her husband is one of them. After a skirmish between the British soldiers and the rebels, Isabella finds herself a widow on the run from both the British and Scotts for information. Hidden away in a small village along the shore, she meets Cinaed MacKintosh, a wounded sea captain with secrets of his own. Together Isabella and Cinaed fight for their lives while falling in love in the wilds of the Highlands.
While reading Highland Crown, I found the story more of a work of historical fiction rather than romance. The characters are well developed as well as the conflict that surrounds them, but I found the romance a little lacking until I changed my reading point-of-view and thought of this not as my typical historical romance and more of a telling of two characters fighting for what they believe in and finding solace in each other’s company. Highland Crown is the first installment in May McGoldrick’s Royal Highlander series. While there is an ending, there are questions still left unanswered. Overall, Highland Crown is an enjoyable well written historical that I would recommend.
*Received ARC via NetGalley for honest review*
As an avid and critical reader of historical romance, I have very few that qualify as my favorites but Highland Crown is now top of my favorite list. It is rare for a book that I’ve just finished to scream at me to read it again but this one does. Highland Crown has a fine and well detailed crafted storyline that is very well written. There was a tremendous amount of research and care put into the words, the characters, the settings and it shows. The weaving of fiction and history together was done effortlessly and beautifully. I could envision every scene as if watching a movie and indeed, this could end up being a great motion picture. For sure, it should win an award for great storytelling and very lovable characters. I cannot wait for the other books of the series to come out. Well done.
I was given an ARC to read in exchange for my unbiased review
This is an engrossing tale, as can be expected from May McGoldrick. The prologue, written from the viewpoint of Sir Walter Scott, provides some background information for those not familiar with Scottish history.
Innocently caught in the political and economic upheavals of the times, Isabella is hiding from bounty hunters until she saves the life of the shipwrecked Cinead. Together they are forced to flee, unsure of who they can trust.
Quite suspenseful with some unexpected twists and turns.
I received a free advance copy from netgalley and voluntarily post this review.
I confess this is the first May McGoldrick book i have read. I received it from the author in exchange for my opinion if i wished to give it and review. I am so glad i finally took the plunge and started reading this author’s books. I have long read descriptions of the other ones and was tempted but never read one. This book held my attention with the mixture of historical fact and fiction and the characters. It was a romance with action seamlessly woven in and i enjoyed it very much. I usually don’t care for cliffhangers but i had decided to read more from this author when i finished this, so i wasn’t too annoyed that the story is to be continued. This is well worth the time to read.
So many Highlander romances ignore the harsh realities of life in Scotland, the way those not in the top 1% in particular suffered under English rule, and the sheer callousness many had to adopt as their way of life just to try and survive.
Highland Crown is the rare novel which does none of these things. Beginning with the way the heroine, Isabella, is on the run after her husband was murdered just for trying to give medical aid to men injured in an Edinburgh riot. Isabella’s in hiding in a tiny fishing village on the coast, waiting for word she can get passage safely to Canada, when a ship wrecks on the shore. She’s horrified to realise the villagers have no intention of helping any surviving crew; they want anything they can salvage from the wreck without having to share.
A doctor trained on the Continent, Isabella’s oath won’t let her stand by. She goes out to help, exposing herself to danger in the process because there’s a price on her head, and meets our hero, Cinead. (Incidentally, I couldn’t figure out how to pronounce Cinead and had to Google it – KIN-ay seems to be the general consensus).
Although he lost his ship – and made the choice to burn it to prevent the gunpowder and weapons he was smuggling to rebels from falling into the wrong hands – Cinead Mackintosh is injured and alone among those who’d happily slit his throat. Save, that is, for Isabella, the woman like no other he’s ever met, who saved his life and is clearly on the run from the law, just as he is.
There’s some wonderful bits of historical fact woven seamlessly into the fictional romance here, and this writing duo really know how to build up great characters and narrative tension to keep a reader utterly enthralled. Though most of the action takes place in the city of Inverness rather than in some remote mountain castle, the character of the Highlands is deeply woven into the narrative, the indomitable Scots pride an integral part of the story.
I was wondering where the heck the narrative was going to lead to a happy ending for much of the book, until a sudden rather shocking twist (which made sense in the context of the story, but I really didn’t see coming) regarding Cinead’s heritage was revealed towards the end, and then I discovered that Highland Crown is actually the first part of a planned trilogy. I’m now absolutely fascinated to find out what happens next for Cinead and Isabella!
5 stars for a wonderfully written romance which will immerse you in the Highlands of the 1820s – the real Highlands, gritty and sometimes brutal, but as wild and free as the proud Scots who inhabited them.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for review through NetGalley.
This is an epic start to a new series. May McGoldrick is a master at seamlessly weaving fact and fiction together to present an awesome story. After England had defeated Napoleon there were many unfair laws and social injustice in England and Scotland. The social unrest of those times caused the English lawmakers to pass many more restrictive and unfair laws and take a very heavy-handed approach to deal with the situation. They outlawed public gatherings and made speaking out against the government a crime. England was terrified that there would be a revolution similar to the one in France, so they got more and more repressive to the common people. This, of course, just fomented the very rebellion they were trying to prevent. Some of the acts the English soldiers committed against the people of Scotland are so atrocious you’ll cringe.
From moment to moment, I was desperate to find out what would happen next. Every page is filled with excitement and adventure and the romance is fearsome! Both main characters are smart, brave, intelligent and committed to Scotland, though neither realizes it at first. Our heroine, Isabella Murray Drummond, is a university-trained physician who works alongside her husband in Edinburgh and Cinaed Mackintosh is a fearless sea captain (known as the son of Scotland) who risks life and limb to deliver supplies (of an illegal nature) to the various Scottish ports. NOTE: We first met Dr. Isabella Drummond in Dearest Millie, which was the final book in the Pennington series.
Isabella, her step-daughter, and her sister fled Edinburgh after the English soldiers broke into her home/surgery and killed her husband. The surgery was filled with patients who had been wounded by the soldiers during a demonstration that had turned bloody. Sir Walter Scott sent John Gordon to rescue them and get them to safety. Now, Isabella has a huge price on her head, she’s separated from her family, and she’s hiding in a small, dilapidated cottage in the forgotten village of Duff Head. The cottage owner, Jean, is a salty, surly old lady and the aunt of John Gordon. Isabella has to stay hidden, if she is seen and recognized, the villagers will turn her in for the reward.
The village of Duff Head is quite a piece of work. It seems that there isn’t a good person in the entire village, but there are plenty of really bad ones – as Cinaed will learn very quickly.
There is a fierce storm raging at sea and it has driven Cinead’s ship, the Highland Crown, into the rocks. The ship is rapidly sinking and he’s sent his men off in the longboats to try to reach the shore. When Cinead has done what he needs to do with the cargo, he dives into the water, swims to the longboat – and is shot – from the shore.
Thus, the heart-pounding, action-packed adventure begins – and it doesn’t even end with this book. You’ll learn some really interesting secrets about Cinead and his history that will affect future books. There are two more books in the series and I can hardly wait for the next one.
If you should happen to think that there can’t possibly be much romance in a book with so much action and adventure – just listen to this – “Isabella knew he was the light of her life, the air in her lungs, the blood in her veins. She could not do without him.” He is surely a sigh-worthy hero.
I can definitely recommend this read!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Highland Crown by May McGoldrick is the first book in this author’s Royal Highlanders series. I find this book to be an exceptional beginning to what I feel will be a very interesting historical romance series. This story takes place after the Napoleonic Wars and was a time of unrest in Scotland and England. The Scottish people were suffering from the displacement and unfair laws England placed upon them. The story of Dr. Isabella Murray Drummond and Cinaed Mackintosh exemplifies the trials and hardships of that time. Isabella is a wanted woman who saves Cinaed’s life when he is shot by villagers following the loss of his ship Highland Crown off the rocky shore near Inverness, Scotland.
There’s lots of action and excitement throughout this book. I loved the characters of Isabella and Cinaed. There are many intriguing secondary characters too. The romance that develops between Isabella and Cinaed is very sweet. I can’t wait for the next book in the series to continue the adventures begun in this story. A most entertaining book!
A fast action historical fiction with memorable characters. This was my first book read of May McGoldrick but will not be my last. Truly enjoyed this one.
Once you begin this story, I warn that you will not be able to stop until the end. The prologue set the stage for Scotland in 1820’s when there was the Radical Uprising and Scotland was in turmoil. The time is June 1820 on the Northeast highland coast and thus begins an adventure that will take you on a journey like never before! Brimming with history and such three dimensional characters you feel you are there with them. The emotions and intensity will leave you almost breathless as this fast paced story pulls you into a world and time in history full of danger and intrigue that starts with the heroine, Isabella Murray Drummond.
May McGoldrick have outdone themselves with the start of this new series. The heroine Isabella is on the run. A brilliant doctor whose deceased husband was deemed a rebal and traitor, so she was as well. The Crown wanted her and her husband’s rebellious allies, who were scared she knew information to inform on them, wanted her and there was a hugh price on her head. She had to protect her sister and stepdaughter that were in danger and she would do whatever it took!
Fate walks in by the name of Captain Cinaed Mackintosh and if you were not captured before, you will be now as the story continues.
I highly recommend this book and cannot wait until the next in this series!! Amazing and love the cover!
Excellent blend of history and fiction along with a fantastic romance. It is unusual to find a Regency-era novel that doesn’t deal mainly with the English nobility and their high society lives. In this book, we have a female Scottish physician and surgeon with a price on her head and the independent Scottish sea captain who came to her rescue. I was sucked into this book from the first pages and didn’t put it down until I read the last page.
It opened with some musings supposedly by Sir Walter Scott, who felt guilty over what he saw as his unintended influence on what has happened to the Scottish people. It was a time of social unrest throughout Great Britain. Life is especially hard in Scotland which still suffered from the consequences of the Jacobite Rebellion. In Edinburgh, Isabella Drummond is a trained doctor and surgeon who is called to treat everyone, no matter their status. Her husband, who is also a doctor, is an activist with those pushing for reform. When protests turned deadly, her husband was killed, her younger sister and stepdaughter were spirited to safety, while Isabella was taken to a small fishing village to hide. Both the British and the Scottish rebels have put a price on her head, the first wanting to find out what she knows and the second to prevent her from talking.
I liked Isabella from the beginning. She was smart, stubborn, and driven. She had no trouble speaking her mind and standing up for what she believed was right. Jean, her “hostess” is something of a curmudgeon. When they witness a shipwreck on the reef, Isabella was horrified to see the villagers shoot a man on one of the lifeboats, angry that the ship exploded before they could recover any of the cargo. The argument between Isabella and Jean over Isabella’s determination to save the man was intense, and I loved seeing Isabella out-stubborn Jean. The description of Isabella’s efforts was so vivid I felt as though I was there.
Cinead was a self-made man. He was cast from his family and sent to sea at the age of twelve, and has created a life where his only loyalty is to himself – or so he likes to believe. However, it was clear from his first appearance that he is protective of his crew, and of those he sees as needing help. Even as severely injured as he was, he found the strength to protect Isabella and Jean when they were threatened. He was drawn to Isabella, though he also sensed that she had secrets that were dangerous to her and any who tried to help her.
The intrigue and drama that followed Cinead, Isabella, and Jean from the seaside village to Inverness to his former home at Dalmigavie Castle had me glued to the pages from beginning to end. The price on Isabella’s head brought the attention of a British soldier that would give Outlander’s Black Jack Randall a run for his money. The only way that Cinead could think of to keep her safe was to take her to his Uncle Searc, a man of questionable values and morals. And the best way to protect her from Searc was to pretend that they were married. I loved seeing Cinead and Isabella grow closer. It was clear that Cinead was quite happy to have Isabella as his wife, and he would like nothing more than to make it real. Isabella was a bit warier. Because of the price on her head, she was determined to retrieve her sister and stepdaughter and emigrate to Canada, but she also could not deny her growing feelings for Cinead.
To complicate matters, the Scottish protests against British tyranny were spreading from Edinburgh and Glasgow to Inverness. Cinead found his love for his homeland growing and was caught up in the intensifying unrest. Meanwhile, Isabella’s concern for the people of the town had her taking risks in her efforts to treat their illnesses and injuries. When the peoples’ peaceful protests ran up against the British army’s determination to maintain their iron-fisted control, the results were predictably inflammatory. I was on the edge of my seat as Isabella came face-to-face with her nemesis. The encounter was a nail-biter, and I loved how it turned out.
Once peace was restored, it was time for Cinead and Isabella to go to Dalmigavie Castle. Cinead had to face his past, starting with a confrontation with the uncle who threw him out. There were some unexpected revelations that came out of this conversation. Cinead discovered that not everything was as black-and-white as he remembered it. He was shocked by the things he learned, which put a whole new spin on his plans. All he needed to do was convince Isabella of his love. Isabella had some eye-opening conversations herself. The sister and stepdaughter that she thought were anxious to leave Scotland had undergone some changes while they were apart. I loved seeing these two young women stand up for their futures, which in turn freed Isabella to go after what she wanted. I can’t wait to read the next book to see what is in store for Cinead and Isabella, as well as Maisie and Morrigan.
I received Highland Crown written by May McGoldrick from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. This is the first installment of their Highland trilogy. I have read many books written by this husband and wife team and have enjoyed most of them. Highland Crown was a wonderful beginning.
Set in Scotland in 1820, Isabella is a trained physician ahead of her time. When her husband is shot by the British government as a Scottish rebel, she must flee to save herself and her sister and step-daughter. While hiding to save her life, her doctor skills kick in when a ship’s captain is shot and needs surgery to survive.
Cinaed Macintosh is a secluded soul whose only allegiance is to himself. However, he feels for the Scottish people trying to improve their living conditions and does what he can to help them. But when he is shot and Isabella saves his life, his honor requires he do what he can to save Isabella. But to do that, he must travel home and face his past and maybe, his future.
Wonderful story that intertwined fact and fiction. I loved ready this book so much and I look forward to the other two books of the trilogy. #HighlandCrown #NetGalley
I will call this suspenseful romantic adventure, as it blended these elements wonderfully. The lead and secondary characters were all strong individuals who used their particular skill sets to accomplish great things. The political turmoil of the period and setting is explored and explained well, as it plays into the motivation for everyone’s actions. The end provides a satisfying HEA but makes it clear that the adventure continues. I look forward to the future installments.
I voluntarily read an advanced review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley and I offer my honest opinion in response.
If you are a true history buff, you will absolutely appreciate the depth of research the author has put into this book. She captures the fighting spirit of the people of Scotland admirably. This is the beginning of the love story of Cinaed and Isabella. It also tells the story of the path they take in their fight to see Scotland gain its freedom from British oppression. The plot and character development are well done. Readers will be impressed with Isabelle’s fierce willingness to fight for her beliefs. Cinaed is loyal and tenacious. The dialogue is witty and smart. I look forward to the continuation of the series to see how all the action plays out.
History class was never this engaging!
Opening with a prologue from Sir Walter Scott’s POV, this is a unique historical romance crafted from real-life people and events. Cinead and Isabella’s love story is amazing, captivating, and exciting throughout. The attention to historical detail is commendable as the author sets the stage for an expansive look at Scotland during a pivotal point in history.
It’s a wonderful story, beautifully told, with memorable characters who take the reader along on a captivating journey. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.