I was really surprised by this book. The beginning was sort of slow for my tastes and i never really understood all the dynamics at work here. I suspect it has something to do with the fact that this is a sequal. Some character motivation was unclear but otherwise i loved these characters. Isobel and Gilmour really belong together. I loved his secret. You will too. This is not your typical formula romance. It jumps out of the box.
But I must say the ending left something to be desired and that's all i'm gonna say!! Buy this and see for yourself!!

Isobel Fraser saw her sister wed to Ramsay MacGowan. After that though, she felt as if she did not belong. She left to make her own way in the world.

Isobel ended up as a cook and waitress at an out-of-the-way inn, the Red Lion. She was fine until Laird MacGowan walked through the door. She wanted nothing to do with Gilmour of the MacGowans! There was no room in her life for marriage or love. She had other matters that needed tending.

Gilmour was surprised to find headstrong Isobel working at the Red Lion. All maids swooned over him, except her. In fact, she had already spurned his attention. But Gilmour was determined to wed her and was prepared to go toe-to-toe with the spirited lass!

***** No swooning heroine here! Isobel is a take charge woman with intelligence, common sense, and street savvy! Watching these two lock horns was an absolute pleasure! Extremely recommended! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch.

In 1535 Scotland, every lass desires Gilmour MacGowan except apparently, Isobel Frasier, twin sister of his brother's wife. Though he can have just about everyone, Gilmour wants the one he cannot have as he admires Isobel's independence and fire. She rejects his advances though secretly inside her heart and soul she covets Gilmour, but believes that she must forgo love and relationships because her clan needs her now. Additionally, he may be the enemy.

Gilmour begins his quest to win Isobel's heart, but soon concludes he already has that just like she has his. Instead, he realizes he must overcome her obstinate beliefs that personal relationships will interfere with her helping her clan. He knows he must prove he cares for her clan as much as she does and that together they can defeat any foe. However, Gilmour will soon learn how much he underestimated the strength and determination of his beloved.

Though characteristic of a sixteenth century Scottish romance, MACGOWAN BETROTHAL is a strong tale because the key two players provide readers with a humane look at the era. The story line is fast-paced and Gilmour is a mighty male star that female readers will happily adore. However the stalwart lead female protagonist owns the plot as her actions, compassion, and inner strength moves the audience as easily as she moves the tale forward. Lois Greiman has written a wonderful Highland Rogues novel that entertains her fans just as her previous stories have done too.

...

In 1885, New York based businessman Duncan Campbell travels to remote Glencoly in the Scottish Highlands to evaluate his inheritance of Castle Glen and its estate as the new Laird. Duncan does not need or desire this property except to gloat in front of his deceased father, who thought he was a worthless American. When he meets the young widow of the nearly septuagenarian previous Laird, Fiona "Fee" MacLennan, he is shocked by her youth and beauty. He also likes her stepson Robby, who should have inherited the estate.

Duncan finds he enjoys his stay and obsesses over turning around the near bankrupt properties almost as much as he wants Fee. As the two fall in love, they must learn to trust one another even while she makes a legal attempt to prove Robby is the rightful Laird and he brings in modern business techniques that shake up the complacency of everyone. The duo must also contend with a neighbor who has bought up all the IOUs of the previous owner and plans to marry Fee in Castle Glen.

This late Victorian "Highland Fling" romance provides a fresh gender bending twist to the recent flood of wealthy nineteenth century Americans finding love in the British Isles. The exciting story line picturesquely yet briskly moves forward as Duncan tries to Americanize the estates while his tenants, employees, and his beloved Fee and Robby try to assimilate him into Scottish customs. The hostile takeover by the neighbors adds tension but also takes away from the wonderful basic theme of technology warring with tradition wrapped inside a captivating romance.

Harriet Klausner

i loved this book so much as soon as i finished reading it i called my sister to tell her she just had to read it...wonderful wonderful wonderful

Ana Seymour has left behind Elizabethan Ireland and the Riordan clan of her last four books and moved to 1885 Scotland. Fiona MacLennan, widowed four months, is dreading the arrival of the new laird of Castle Glen. The new laird should be her stepson, 14 year old Robby, but a 150 year old will has stipulated that after 5 generations the title will go to the next direct heir of Fergus Campbell. Duncan Campbell has never set foot in Scotland. He's a wealthy and successful New York businessman whose estranged, now dead father never got the auld sod out of his blood. He's not sure what to expect or even why he's come but he suspects it has something to do with the fact that nothing Duncan achieved was ever good enough in his father's eyes. Now the son is making the triumphant return the father never did.

Fiona expects a loud, obnoxious, poorly dressed and ill-mannered clod to step off the train but to her surprise, he's tall, dark and handsome, well dressed and polite. Robby takes an instant liking to the observant, confident newcomer, but Fiona is determined to dislike him. She's found what she thinks is a way to overturn the courts' decision and return Castle Glen to it's rightful heir, Robby, but until she hears from the lawyers she just has to make the best of things.

As the two take each other's measure, each begins to grudgingly like the other. Duncan is impressed with Fiona's loyalty to Robby and her handling of the estate in Alasdair's declining year. Fiona sees immediately that this man is very, very smart, enjoys a challenge and makes every effort to fit into this new world so different from the drawing rooms of New York Society (his determination to learn to ride a horse is adorable and funny). Eventually, he wins over Robby, the household staff and even the reluctant Fiona. But when he starts to modernize and look for ways to make the estate profitable again, he runs afoul of many in Glencolly, not least Fiona. Can he make them see that the only way to save Castle Glen is to bring it (albeit slowly) into the Industrial Age? And what if the courts determine that Robby is, in fact the rightful laird, can Duncan just walk away - and does Fiona really want him to?

I loved this story. The romance between Duncan and Fiona was sweet and believable. The relationship between Duncan and Robby was everything Duncan had wished he'd had with his own father. And Fiona's realization that her beloved late husband was really more father figure and a bit of a coward when it came to facing unpleasant problems (the opposite of the bold, take-charge Duncan) was bittersweet. Then there's the ghost of Jaime MacLennan lurking about causing mischief - or is he making things right? And is he real or some Highland madness?

A highly recommended read!

In 1351 Dunnedin, Scotland, Lady Anice MacNab, after a long wait for the return of her betrothed from his exile in England, marries Alesandra "Sandy" McKendimen. On their wedding night her dream turns into a nightmare when her spouse badly beats her. Fearing retaliation from her father and his clan, and appalled by his son's dastardly deed, Laird Straun McKendimen beats his son, disinherits him, and sends him to live with his English friends.

Straun chooses his illegitimate son Robert Mathieson as the new heir in spite of their spat eight years ago over the sire not acknowledging the lad as his. A reluctant Robert returns to Dunnedin only to find most of the keep opposes him as the heir. Worse yet, he finds himself attracted to Anice, who avoids him like the plague until she accepts him as her friend. However, to Robert that is not enough, as he loves the keep's lady even if she is married to and carrying the child of his half-brother.

Though not for everyone due to the thick Scottish brogue, historical romance fans will fully enjoy ONCE FORBIDDEN. The lead couple is a delightful pair as both warily step towards one another, but the barriers of the past keeps them tentatively walking quite slowly. Though Sandy is depicted as a totally evil wastrel (as are most of the English), the secondary characters especially the occupants of Dunnedin provide insight to the two stars. Scottish historical romance readers wanting a strong tale with authentic sounding dialogue will enjoy Terri Brisbin's powerful relationship drama.

Harriet Klausner

I can not believe only two people have reviewed this book. This book is the sequel to (A Love Through Time)and (A Matter of Time) I was so happy to find out what happened to Anice MacNab after Maggie and Alex returned to the future. I could not put this book down.

Pain, angst, hidden secrets and a plot that kept me going right up until the last page, you couldn't ask for a better or more satisfying read. Terri Brisbin's ONCE FORBIDDEN delivers everything I hoped for and a bit more. Robert is a wonderful hero. And Anice is beautifully developed. Definitely a book of the heart.

The ending left me in tears, despite the fact that there were other people in the room. Well Done, Miss Terri!

The word "essay" envokes thoughts of the dry historical documents that were required reading in school. That is not what Donald McCaig has written here. This book is an interesting collection of true short stories. The first chapter follows the history of the Virginia farm that McCaig and his wife purchased in 1971 and the beginning of their life there. The subsequent chapters describe the rural lifestyle of the McCaigs and their neighbors. There are stories of pleasure and of pain; stories of the hard labor and the simple rewards of farming. There are stories of humans and of animals. The chapter "The Best Four Days in Highland County", a narrative of a Virginia county fair, is the essence of the book, combining all of the elements that make the book, and the lifestyle, so appealing. Because each chapter can stand on its own, the reader can read or re-read each of them individually, and these are tales that deserve to be re-read and savored.

A primer on the very best of America. Touching and trenchant, McCaig's tales of rural life offer a richer, deeper glimpse of the American spirit than the dross produced by Hollywood. City dwellers everywhere should read this book to refresh the soul.

THE CREAKY TRAVELER provides an amazing amount of detail (including maps) about a small part of the northwest highlands of Scotland. Mr Rovetch has a friendly and somewhat avuncular writing style which verges on the pedantic at times. He obviously kept a diary of his travels from which this text has been extracted (the minutia could only be recorded not remembered). I found some of the detail annoying for "armchair travel" but useful for objectively planning road travel in remote Scotland. After using it to plan a trip,THE CREAKY TRAVELER is the sort of book one reads a chapter a night on the road to scope out the next day's adventures.

Rovetch and his wife Gerda who prefers the sobriquet "G" are in their late sixties-early seventies and still mobile, though as he says "not agile." Although Rovetch provides helpful hints for "older" folks, younger adventurers may find many of the suggestions useful. I bought the book because I have been seriously contemplating visiting the highlands when I travel to the UK this summer. Rovetch has convinced me road travel is the only way to go, and road travel in northwest Scotland cannot be knocked out in a few days. Also, if you truly hope to "see" anything, high summer is probably not the very best time to go.

Rovetch suggests limiting the miles covered to under 20 per day given the condition of the roads (the path is narrow and the way is hard) and the joy of slowly savoring one of the world's most beautiful rural areas. Rovetch and G made their several week journey in May when the countryside was filled with new lambs and few tourists. The places they stayed were picturesque and relatively pricey. This is a good guide for the practical traveler.

Yes this is a travel book with advice on how to get there and what to see, but really it is a book about our nature in seeking the unusual by seeing the common in a new way. It also happens to be just plain good writing-- a joy to read and to savor, like the travels in the wilds of Scotland that the book describes.

I have been a historic re-enactor for over two years now, Studying Scottish history. I first picked this book up in a comic shop of al places. Since no one else has chosen to do so I will review this book. Peter Harington has written definitive guide to the battle of Culloden. he delivers an unbiased review of the history that leads to and the battle that wasthe last charge of the Highlanders. Perfect for the re-enactor, war gammer,or casual historian. A complete description of the field maneuverings gives the reader a good understanding of how the battle was won and lost. As well the insertion of unproven myths as well as what myths are pure fiction add dynamic flare to the book making it a bit more than your humdrum battle review. If you've ever wanted to know why Scotland is no longer free pick it up ye might learn something me boy.

Peter Harrington provides a balanced summary of the famous Jacobin rising in the '45 in Scotland, which culminated in their defeat at Culloden in 1746. The account of the Culloden campaign and the events leading up to it are depicted in solid prose, which is supported by excellent illustrations and maps. The campaign maps alone are well-worth purchasing this volume, surpassing those in other more detailed accounts.

Like many of the Osprey titles, the section on opposing leaders is inadequate, focusing only on Prince Charles and the Duke of Cumberland. The subordinate commanders such as Murray and Hawley who actually fought the battle are given much shorter shrift. Jacobin reasons for fighting at Culloden are murky in this account. The author also gives too much stress to British modified bayonet tactics to deal with the Highland charge, but this exaggerates the effect of cold steel; the Jacobins were defeated by artillery and massed musketry. The order of battle on both sides is vague, with no strengths provided, which is odd considering that this information is readily available in secondary sources.

The illustrations are excellent but they tend to perpetuate the myth of the Highlander armed with broadsword and target. Information on Jacobin weapons captured at Culloden indicate that only one in five had a sword and that the Jacobins relied on muskets, not swords.

The author's conclusions are solid, with much good information on the aftermath of Culloden. There is no attempt to whitewash the truth here, that the British army which had won a great victory on the field at Culloden, then proceeded to tarnish its reputation with brutal retributions upon Scottish civilians. The author also takes a brief look at alternative options available to Charles. I used this volume as a handy reference when I visited the Culloden battlefield and found the photographs very useful for identifying key features in the engagement. This volume is one of the better early books in the Osprey Campaign series.

This is an excellent book for first-time climbers of Mt. Whitney. The author explains the perils, pitfalls and also the exhilaration of climbing the highest peak in the lower 48 states. The book is especially strong on maps, even though finding Mt. Whitney is not at all difficult; there is only one stop light in Lone Pine, turn there and head up the 14 miles to the portal.

A word of caution though, for a first-time climber reading this review. Please do not attempt this hike unless you are supremely physically fit. I have seen many sobering cases of hikers on Whitney who were simply not prepared for the rigors of this climb. Most physically fit people should be able to do the 21 miles in 12-13 hours. If it takes you 24 hours you will suffer and it will be a miserable experience. Train for at least six months before attempting to summit. Be sure and run 25-40 miles a week, hike every weekend at altitude (if practicable)and invest in a good stairclimber. You must have strong quads and calves in order to enjoy the hike and the descent will be brutal on your knees, no matter how fit you are. Also go out for several 10 hour hikes in order to prepare yourself mentally for this challenge. The mental part of Whitney is as difficult as the physical, particularly on the descent when you've been on the trail for a long time already.

In addition, plan to spend at least two nights sleeping at altitude prior to the ascent. Many people simply sleep in their car at Whitney Portal, but if this is an uncomfortable thought, stay at gorgeous Mammoth Lakes, about 150 miles North of Whitney. Mammoth is at 8,500 feet and there are several perfect hikes of 10-12 miles there to prepare for for altitude (Duck Pass is my favorite).

Climbing Whitney can be a defining moment in your life. I return every year and look forward to it with relish. If you are fit, properly acclimated and mentally ready, you will find Whitney to be one of the best and most fulfilling things you've ever done in your life. Good luck!

If you want to hike Mt Whitney or the area you don't have a choice-you must buy this book. It comes with a topo map and the book descibes every trail on the quadrangle, along with historical and natural information. Don't bother going to Mt Whitney without this book.

...but it took a long time to reach the plot (page 260, chapter 19, to be exact). The characters were interesting - at times, humorous - but the heart of the story lies within the last few chapters. I would have liked to have seen the suspense and action carried throughout the tale, not just the conclusion. Too much time is spent on the heroine's journey from Point A to Point B.

In 1535 during a battle between Scottish clans, the mysterious warrior Hunter saves the life of an unconscious Lachlan "Rouge Fox" MacGowan. Lachlan's brothers tease him as how tenderly Hunter carried him from the battlefield to the safety of Evermyst as if they were lovers. Even though he resents owing anyone anything, Lachlan, vowing to pay his debt, wants to thank the warrior who probably saved his life.

In 1536 Lachlan still owes the Hunter, who rejects everything the Rogue Fox offers. Lachlan has become intrigued with the warrior and swears he will learn the secret of this great fighter. When he does uncover the secret he is shocked beyond belief, but beginning to understand his fascination with the Hunter while he observes the warrior talking with an enemy while evil stalks Evermyst.

THE WARRIOR BRIDE may be the strongest of Lois Greiman's Scottish romances as the cast makes for quite an exciting tale. The Hunter is a wonderful warrior with secrets that will surprise the audience. Lachlan is obsessive to make remittance to his savior until he uncovers the secret and changes his obsession. The secondary characters add depth to a tale that will provide much satisfaction to readers of sixteenth century romances.

Harriet Klausner

This is an excellent book for Tennessee waterfall enthusiasts. Mr. Plumb must have done a lot of in-depth research as his detailed directions to the trailheads and waterfalls are quite accurate, and his descriptions of the waterfalls themselves are vividly fitting. Amy and I have been to over 100 waterfalls in Tennessee and this book pointed out several waterfalls that we had never heard of. This book is a great tool to have while exploring the splendors of Tennessee!

This book was very helpful in giving me hiking directions to various waterfalls listed in the book. He also has pictures and ratings of most of the falls in his guide.
I must have seen about 19 different waterfalls when I visited Tennessee last June and it was one of the best vacations I ever had!

This book, in itself, is a study in the origin of the clan system in Scotland and a general history of how the Highlanders came to be in the land of Scotland as it is known today. Highlanders: A History of Scottish Clans is a book anyone interested in the Clans of Scotland would find quite informative. Seasoned historians alike could learn much from Fitzroy McLeans' book about the Highlanders. His approach is fresh, his timing is superb, his views keenly discriminating. To the origins of the Scottish Highlanders his facts are unequalled. A must for any historian or genealogist studing the names of Scotland

A wee bit more of a coffee table book than a really history book, it gives those interested in Scotland an arm chair view of Scotland from its Origins to Culloden. The history is very good, more than a Wee Guide to...and is loaded with 100s of gorgeous colour photos of every aspects of the wonderful and beauty of Scotland, from its stone circles to jewellery, portraits and naturally, the castles.

After the Epilogue, it has a quickie Clan and Tartan section, so the book is everything for the person wishes to learn a little more than 'Braveheart' about Scotland. Likely one of the best in this range of lots of photos and a good start on its history.