When You Love a Scotsman (Seven Brides for Seven Scotsmen #2) by Hannah Howell...What can I say...this is a great book by Hannah Howell...I was so lucky to get to preview it on #NetGalley... I love reading American History and Abigail and Mathew's story tells of the horror and heartaches of the Civil War... it also tells of the brave strong people who lived through that time. There are so many feels in this story ..some sad but a lot happy....I truly enjoyed this story...and just saying ...loved Noah...

Hannah Howell is one of my favorite authors with Seven Brides/Seven Brothers being another enjoyable series. When You Love a Scotsman is second in the series. Although a really good read, the beginning did not flow as smoothly as most Howell books. Please do not let that hold you back because it gets better quickly. The gunfire scene with a quick sewing of a gunshot wound seemed out of place. Seems like that should have waited until the ‘bad guys’ were gone. Then, the relationship between Matthew and Abigail seemed to just ‘happen.’ But again, keep going because they really have a sweet story with their orphans, impish Noah and newborn Jeremiah, to help them build their relationship and love.

As with most relationships, there is the does he, does he not on Abigail’s part. And, with Matthew, the should I, do I, do I not when it comes to marriage. All this is wrapped up in the history of the civil war and the difficulties faced by the people of the time. Even those who try to stay out of the war, could not. Everyone was affected in some way. Abigail and Matthew are not immune to the losses around them. The outlaws of the day directly affected everyone and everything around them.

Take the time to read this charming book – do not give up on it because it is a really sweet story on the way to Abigail and Matthew’s HEA. Matthew is only the second brother to marry. Iain and Emily, from The Scotsman Who Saved Me, as Matthew’s brother and his wife, are a good part of this book. It will be like visiting family as we get to watch each of the brothers meet their mates.

The idea of the plot was better than the execution of it.

Lieutenant Matthew MacEnroy is just trying to survive the war and make it back home when he and his men happen upon Abigail Jenson's home as she's fending off Rebels. Impressed with her bravery, Matthew helps her to the next town when she has nowhere else to go.

The pacing of this story was just bizarre to me. They literally knew each other for a day before he kissed her for the first time and it came out of NOWHERE. There was zero buildup to the attraction. I remember checking to see what percent of the story I was on and if I had missed something.

There also seemed to be very little of a plot here. The plot from the blurb happens in the first 5% of the book. It made for a tedious and boring read.

I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Abbie lives on a small farm with her parents and brother. It is during America's war for independence that their home is raided by the opposing forces, her father is injured and her brother has been drug off the serve as a soldier.

She meets Matthew when he and his soldier's are on patrol and he ends up trying to protect them when they are once again attacked by the enemy. Unfortunately, Abbie parents die in this attack and Matthew and his group will take her to somewhere she will be safe.

Matthew gets Abbie to town and she finds shelter with a woman who has taken in other women and children. She stays here and helps the Army's doctor with the injured. She and Matthew spend quite a bit of time together and their attraction grows.

Danger is closer to town and all are advised to leave if they can. Matthew is going home as his enlistment is up and he decides to bring Abbie, Noah and the baby with him. You have to read the book to find out about Noah and the baby!. Abbie is hoping she will be able to get a small house for her ready made family and start life again.

Will the war end? Will Matthew and Abbie be together?

Matthew is a really good man but he just doesn't realize he loves Abbie. He knows he doesn't want to be apart from her but can he make the commitment? What if it isn't love? Matthew just wanted everything in black and white but you can't do that with love.

Abbie loves him but she doesn't expect him to take on the responsibility of her and the children. I love that Matthew is appreciative of her strengths and trusts her. She is a strong woman as well as smart.

I have to admit that I am a fan of the author's and have read many of her books. She has written many a story about Scotland and their highlanders but in this series the brothers have come to America. I love the closeness of the brothers and even the arguments! I am ready for the next brother!! I liked seeing old customs brought from their native country to the new land of America.

This is a good read!

This read wasn't terrible but it was a miss for me. The chemistry was lacking between Matthew and Abbie. I didn't feel the connection between the characters like I do in a good romance read and I felt their story was more of lust than love. Although the book was well written, it was a little boring for me. I kept waiting for something to happen, especially towards the end where it seemed to drag on. This was a steamy read, so if you want a clean read, this is not for you.

The 2nd installment of the series takes place several years after the 1st and late during the civil war with most of the story occurring away from the family as Matt is nearing the end of his enlistment period. While there are only a few skirmishes in the book itself, the war & it's effects were not glossed over either. Matt is stationed not far from home, on the fringes (wilderness) area of the war rather than in the heart of it, but in an area still effected -- widows & orphans, homes lost, limited supplies, raiders and the uncertainty of what will happen when 2 opposing armies near each other may decide to test each other to gain an upper hand. While the story pace seemed a little sluggish and urgency you might anticipate from a war-time story missing, I still enjoyed the charm and sweetness. along with a touch of humor at the right times, that was included throughout. There was an honesty to the characters and romance that kept me reading and made the story feel real.

If you are already reading this series, you won't want to miss this one. I felt this one did not have the "umph" of the other book published in the series.

Picking up a Hannah Howell book is like coming home from your first time at University. No matter how stressed and out of place you might have been, it's a huge comfort to be back! Hannah Howell's books were a big reason to why I started reading as much as I do. I just loved her characters, her worlds and her writing. This book definitely brought me back! I loved Abigail's strong, loving character. Obviously, she doesn't NEED a man in her life. She can manage just fine on her own and has the biggest heart. Matthew has got to be the blindest, gentlest Scot ever. He was so sweet and I absolutely adored him, although I still think I prefer a rugged Highlander! I think my favorite character though had to be Noah! Just the cutest, most loveable, mischievous little boy ever. This was a win for me and I look forward to the rest of the series.

Abigail is a strong heroine and I liked how she is portrayed as standing on her own under her own terms. Matthew and Abigail’s love story was sweet and unfolds slowly over the course of the book. And Noah, what a cutie. Yeah, I would take him home also. What I missed from the previous book was the family since they were so prominent in the first book. The story moves along fairly quickly in terms of reading. A good read for a lazy weekend.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was my first book by the author and it won't be my last. I read most of it on a long flight and it held my interest perfectly. There was so much I enjoyed about this story but the main thing was the heroine Abigail. She was smart, strong and capable but without a temper. She was so much fun to read about. The hero and secondary characters were all well written and the romance was sweet although I will admit I did not feel their initial attraction. My main issue was with the Civil War setting. None of it felt particularly well drawn and there was no real discussion of the causes of the war or why people would choose sides or refuse to take sides although those choices were mentioned no reasons were ever given. It all felt simplistic to me, like the author chose the era without wanting to delve into it. Perhaps that is too nit picky in regards to book I was reading for some fun escapism.

This is the second book of a new series by Hannah Howell under the name “Seven Brides for Seven Scotsmen”. I had the opportunity to read the first book, “The Scotsman Who Saved Me” earlier this year and even though it wasn’t perfect, I enjoyed it very much and that encouraged me to try the second. I was not mistaken, this book was even better than the first.

Matthew’s and Abby’s story is set in the American Civil War, the few last months of it if I am not mistaken. The story begins when Matthew McEnroy, who is a lieutenant in the Union Army, find that some rebels (confederates) are attacking a cabin and that a girl is repelling the attack all by herself. This is the fierce Abigail defending herself and her parents from the same men who once took her brother away. Matthew and his men help Abby kill, wound or drive the rebels away but none of them can stop her parents from dying or the rebels from setting the house on fire. Poor Abby is left with next to nothing and alone in the world so Matthew takes her with them to the village where his company is settled and installs her in a house inhabited by women and children who’ve lost everything in the war. In that house Abby will find her purpose, looking after the wounded and the children… and Matthew fill find love. In Abby.

This is not just a love story, one of the sweetest I’ve read so far; it is also a war story and a story of survival. Matthew and Abby start a relationship in a violent world, one in which they must be vigilant at all times because there is more to lose than to win. Both of them have taken their world under their care, whether to actually protect their lives and keep them from harm or to nurture and give love where it’s needed. After reading this novel and giving it some after thought I found the contrast between the couple’s dynamics and the world around them. Matthew and Abby rarely fight each other, they almost never argue and they always talk when they find disagreements. They always listen to what the other might say and recognize each other’s skills. There is trusting between them, to a point that most of the times they don’t say a word and simply let the other take over the situation when needed. That doesn’t mean that they are not stubborn, which they are, especially Matthew, but that stubbornness is not unreasonable and never gets in the way.

Another good point about Hannah Howell how well she lets the reader into a world of suffering and loss and fear. Almost all of the characters have lost family members, a fact that is especially heartbreaking in the case of the children. The little ones are left to their own devices until Abbie comes in because the women are mourning or suffering too much to look after children that are not their own; I find that children are very important in this series. As I mentioned earlier, one in this beautiful couple of protagonists is the nurturer, and that is Abby. But please do not be mistaken, she has a way with a rifle too; you only need to ask Matthew. Lastly I should add to this point that Howell implies that some of the characters are broken on the inside. Mental issues, and post traumatic stress disorder come to mind when reading about them.

Finally the last third or so of the novel takes place at the McEnroys’ property. I had missed these lovely Scotsmen very much so when Abby takes Matthew home I was happy. Of course they receive them with open arms and the story flows as it should be, smoothly to its happy ending. I can’t wait to read the next book…

This is the 2nd book in the Seven Brides for Seven Scotsmen series. I thought it was an enjoyable read. Hannah Howell is definitely a must read.

I have yet to read a Hannah Howell book that I didn't love and this one was no different. This is book #2 in the Seven Brides For Seven Scotsmen series. It was a good story that I liked from the first page.

Set during the Civil War there was some sad things that happened in this story. It did get emotional at times, but it was also sweet and romantic and even funny too. I loved Matthew and Abbie. Matthew fell in love with Abbie early on in the story but he kept trying to fight against it for most of the story. Abbie was a straight shooter in more ways than one, but she took care of everyone. I would call her a Jill of all trades. My favorite part of this love story was Noah, the little boy who befriended Abbie. He was just too cute and stubborn.

So this book was another all around great read from Hannah Howell. I am really enjoying this new series and look forward to the next book.

When You Love a Scotsman by Hannah Howell is a great read. This story wasn't what I thought it would be. Meaning, it was exactly as the title stated...but it was different from similar titles. Here, a young woman loses her brother, pet, and both parents. The house also burnt down...leaving behind the barn if it didn't get caught with enemy fire. Abby had to learn how to survive. She takes after her dad on shooting. A sharp eye, she has. Making the soldiers who are good guys feel less sufficient at shooting. I thought that moment was funny and sweet. A strong female protagonist took form from there.
Matthew is a solider on his was out of the war. His last stop leads him to Abby. A beautiful young woman who can shoot better than most men in the war. Her skill of stitching people also comes in handy. Matthew feels sympathy for Abby. Hearing what she has endured and watching as her parents both died in the fire during an enemy attack. Matthew drags her with them to a town house for abandoned women. There their journey only grows tighter.

Abby finds a young boy to love. A promise to a dying woman leaves her with adopting a baby instead...leaving behind the young boy. A boy brighter than his age and one determined to live with her. Abby thinks about Matthew...

Matthew can't stop thinking about Abby. He brings her to his home along with the infant. Only time can tell where their hearts and lives will go...

Overall, When You Love a Scotsman by Hannah Howell was an interesting journey. One filled with action, adventure, and hope. Some humor humor and steam can be found within its pages. I enjoyed reading this entertaining title. This historical romance was steady paced with bits of heat, humor, and emotion.

Hannah Howell is the only reason that I finished this book! Plus, I have her on pre order, however, she makes the Southern Army look like rapist, murderers of little children! It was deserters who behaved like that, if they were caught, they were put in front of a tiring squad! Being from the South made me dislike this book. It is a great read, if you are a Yankee! I will now reconsider my opinion of just buying her books, without looking at them first. The love story could not overcome her obvious hatred of the South!

Matthew is quite funny. Everyone can see how much he loves Abigail, but he fights it. The excuses he used made me smile. Abigail is a no nonsense kind of woman. Very plain spoken to everyone. Matthew on his own might have been a little boring. Abigail brought out his fun side.

This novel was a good read. It brings together love in a time of civil war. There is also death in this novel, which impacts the characters and can cause some life changes and decisions. Abigail Jenson's family was attacked and her brother was taken to work for the army. She hid and her parents were harmed by the intruders. She protects her family and is an excellent shot and a talented healer. Matthew MacEnroy was working for the army and ended up at the Jenson's farm, where Abbie almost shot him. Matthew and his friends defended Abbie's home, but it still caught fire and burned. They traveled into the town where Matthew was meeting up with others to defend and brought Abbie to one of the homes. There, she met several women and children who lost their families. Matthew is a strong man and protects those under him. Matthew visits Abbie at the house she s staying at and over time, they grown closer and begin to fall in love. Still, Abbie plans on trying to find her brother and return to her home, but she loves Matthew. However, the town soon comes under attack. Peoples lives are affected and choices are made to help those in need. Abbie made a promise to a dying friend and will honor it, but how will it impact her blooming relationship with Matthew? How will Matthew feel about this new developments and will he get the courage to tell Abbie how he feels about her? Alls fair in love and war.