I loved Hugh and Grace and couldn't wait for Jo's story. You really can't help but just love her and really feel the pain of not knowing where she truly came from. The story that unfolds was so vivid and beautiful, filled with romance and suspense that kept me turning the pages. Wynne is such an honorable man and I loved what Cuffe brought to the story. Jo's journey to finding out her heritage and getting her second chance at love gave me all the feels. I love how strong she became throughout her journey and how Wynne complimented that strength. Can't wait for more Penningtons!

This is a dramatic, engrossing storyline of love, betrayal, heartache and healing. Wynne is an honorable, caring man who isn't great at relationships. Jo is sweet, caring woman who was left brokenhearted when Wynne decided to end their engagement without an explanation. Sixteen years later fate steps in and brings them together again and they struggle with the feelings they still have for each other. There are some interesting twists, secrets and shocks in the storyline, as well as romantic and heartwarming moments. This book should be added to your TBR list.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntary opinion of it.

This exciting and interesting tale is the second installment in May McGoldrick’s Pennington Family series. It is well paced, well written, and well plotted. Don’t let the book blurb fool you, he didn’t exactly walk away from the betrothal because of the gossip. So, if that description puts you off – as it did me – I’d say give it a chance – because it isn’t exactly accurate. I won’t give you his reasons because you need to read the book to find out. Now, I WILL say that I understand his reasoning, but NOT his timing. He was a very smart and capable man and should have recognized his dilemma long before he did. So, as I said – if that trope bothers you and you are thinking of not reading it because of it – give it a chance, I think you’ll like it.

We met Josephine Pennington (Jo) in the first book of the series – Romancing the Scot. You couldn’t help but like her in that one. She’s no less likable in this one, but I did feel she was a bit of a doormat. I really did enjoy watching her grow a spine. It wasn’t that she wasn’t smart and decisive, she just couldn’t stand conflict – especially when that conflict involved her. She allowed others to gossip viciously about her without any confrontation at all – she’d just run away. That forced everyone who loved her, especially the males, to be more and more protective of her. I was so very happy to see her grow a spine – and use it toward the end of the book. There is a scene with Lady Nithsdale at around the 95-96% mark that you will absolutely LOVE!

Captain Wynne Melfort is the younger son of a hateful, vindictive, spiteful, bigoted Baron – and his mother is as bad as his father. It would take a lot for a very young man to go against them and society. I was glad to learn that he found his bravery and was an accomplished leader in the Royal Navy. I think it took him a while, but he did get there. I believe my main reservation about him is his timing. I do sort of understand his reasoning for jilting Jo, what I question is his timing. Early on in the relationship, he knew ALL of the things he used as an excuse – he could have just skipped the proposal altogether or given her a choice to jilt him earlier. Instead, he made the decision for both of them. Then, he tells her in a letter! Granted, he called on her, but when she was out he left a letter breaking their engagement – say what! Talk about cowardice.

Sixteen years after the broken betrothal, Wynne is retired from the navy and has gone into partnership with his ship’s surgeon. They have opened an innovative hospital for people with mental illness. Wynne is the director of the hospital and the surgeon, of course, is the doctor. (BTW – you’ll love the doctor and I’m sure we will see him in his own story later). Wynne is also a widower with a son, Cuffe (wish I knew how to pronounce that). They are in the Highlands and Cuffe is having a hard time adjusting to the changes in his life.

They have a patient in their hospital who is uncommunicative – but he keeps sketching pictures of the same woman. Once Wynne sees the sketches, he recognizes the woman immediately – it is Jo. Wynne knows how important it is to Jo that she find her origins and Wynne thinks maybe this patient might hold a clue to those origins. So, he has Dr. McKendry write to Jo and include a copy of the sketch. Wynne knows that Jo will come to the hospital to see the patient, and he plans to be away while she is there – except she shows up earlier than expected.

The story leads the two of them into discoveries of many kinds. Discoveries about themselves, discoveries about their feelings for each other, discoveries about how strong they really are – so many things. As they search for Jo’s origins, they have to deal with villains, love and a lonely, unhappy little boy.

While I liked the first book better, this one is still a great read and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”

Lady Jo Pennington was adopted, but her family was great, supportive and so loving. She became engaged to Captain Wynne Melfort, but he broke it off when he got his orders to go to war. He felt he could not protect her.
She had been slander by the ton, all of her life and they didn't even know what happened.
The characters had depth and a great love of life. The descriptions of some of the beautiful scenery, they saw were amazing.. I loved it where Jo got Kissed after sixteen years of waiting for Wynne. There is a lot of heart to this tale and I enjoyed every moment. But boy, was I tired in the A.M, had to finish it.
I received this ARC free and voluntarily reviewed, it.

Well, it's one of those books, where is not much that I can say. For me it was just good, nothing special about it.
It seems like I read about such characters many times before, they weren't unique and to be honest, they seemed to be a little bit bland.
The mystery part I enjoyed a lot more, than a romance. And I can tell you why - romance was rushed. I know that Jo and Wyyne knew each other before, but come on after what happened, and how "hurt" (at least it's what she says) Jo was, she forgave him very quickly.
So I gave 2.5 stars just for the mystery part, because until the end I have no idea, who the villain was.

Jo Pennington was planning her London wedding to Wynne Melfort, a navy lieutenant about to ship off for an unknown amount of time. She comes home from a fitting for her wedding dress to a letter jilting her. Her brother Hugh dueled with Wynne, shooting, but not killing him.

Sixteen years later, Wynne is retired and helping his friend Dermont McKendry, who was the ship’s doctor, start a private asylum to help people with mental disorders, not just lock them away. Wynne has bought some land nearby and is rebuilding a tower house for his son, Cuffe (10), and him to live in. After his wife died, Cuffe spent most of his life with his grandmother in Jamaica as Wynne was at sea.

Jo was adopted by the Penningtons as a babe and has wondered about her real parents. She received a package from Dr. McKendry with drawings that look like her. As she is planning to travel to northern Scotland to help her brother and sister-in-law, who are expecting their first child, she can easily stop at the asylum and speak to the doctor. Not only does she meet the silent man who draws her picture, but Wynne and Cuffe also.

There is a lot more going on in this book, but no spoilers from me! I enjoyed this book very much and can easily recommend it.

I loved this second addition to the Pennington Family series! Jo was a beloved character in the first book, so I was really looking forward to reading her story next. Hers is a bit different from your typical romance, in that she is in her late 30s and lives a fairly independent life. This made the story very interesting to me, as I got to see another side to life in the early 19th century that you don't typically get insight into. It was definitely a magical story, filled with tragedy and lost love and fated reunions, but it was also an educational story of how life was far from a fairy tale and that the wealthy had many dark secrets to hide.

Jo Pennington was an orphan, born from a mother assumed to be a prostitute, and saved by a kindly family with influence enough to give her a good life, if not a life free from gossip. Many believe the worst of her though, and her peers regularly ridicule her. Ten days before her wedding to Lieutenant Wynne Melfort, she receives a letter from him breaking off their engagement, and her life is forever changed. Sixteen years go by, and she has made a life for herself helping destitute women and their children. She still wonders who her parents were though, and she still thinks of her long-lost love. One day she receives yet another letter - this time from a doctor claiming that one of his patients has been drawing sketch after sketch of a woman who looks eerily similar to herself. Thus she is drawn towards the answer to a painful mystery in her life, and with it comes a reunion with the man who broke her heart so many years ago.

Jo was by far the winning character in this dramatic story! She was such a strong character and a heroine that any woman of today could look up to for inspiration when everything in your life seems to go wrong. She had to overcome so many things - finding out she was adopted, having no birth parents to speak of, enduring the vicious tongues of those around her, being abandoned by her fiance - that it's amazing she was so stable when she came back in contact with Wynne Melfort. Personally, I would not have been so calm, and he would have gotten much more of a tongue-lashing from me than he received from Jo. Wynne is a hero that I both loved and hated at the same time. While I liked the person he had become by the end of the book, I was really irritated with how he treated Jo when they were engaged. He literally left her to fend for herself, and it was infuriating for me as a reader. When the dueling scene between him and her brother arrives early on, I was quite satisfied with the outcome. He witnessed how the ton treated Jo, tried to protect her, and when he couldn't protect her to his satisfaction, he decided she would be better off humiliated and abandoned. Makes total sense. The fact that he mans up towards the end of the book with regards to Jo and his son was a testament to his character growth. Unfortunately, not enough time had passed between the time I read the first chapter and the last for me to completely get over my anger. Oh well.

I love this author's writing and highly recommend it to readers of historical romance! The stories are always multi-dimensional, with thrilling mysteries and fascinating insights into history, and I am never, ever bored. I can't wait to read her next book.

Publisher's Description:
It Happened in the Highlands is the next book in the new historical highland series, The Penningtons, from USA Today bestseller May McGoldrick...

Lady Josephine Pennington was jilted by her fiancé once rumors spread about her questionable origins. Her adoptive parents have always provided her with the love and protection she’s needed to feel secure, and over the last sixteen years she’s molded herself to meet the expectations of others. When she receives a package containing sketches where the subject is eerily familiar, Jo believes she might have found a clue to the identity of her birth mother.

When Captain Wynne Melfort ended his engagement to Jo Pennington sixteen years ago, he never imagined he would see her again. But after he uncovers information that could reveal the truth about Jo’s parentage, Wynne feels bound by duty to right an old wrong and inform her of his find. He didn’t expect for feelings long thought dead to resurface, for in his mind a love departed was gone forever.

As they strive to unravel the mystery of her birth, Jo must learn how to trust the man who’d once rejected her and Wynne must reconcile his head with his heart. But as secrets of the past begin to surface, evil forces will stop at nothing to keep Jo from uncovering the truth and reclaiming her legacy. Together, Jo and Wynne must fight the deadly menace lurking deep in the Highland mists.

My Thoughts:

This well written book is the newest edition in the Pennington series.
A story of second chances and answers to mysteries discovered the characters are well developed and the storyline is an engrossing one.
I couldn't put it down and finished it in two sittings.
This engrossing book has it all, young love, heartbreak, honor and a more mature second chance romance.
Can Jo Pennington and Wynne Melfort make the most of their rediscovered love or will the mystery of Jo's origins lead to their demise?
I gave this sometimes delightful and other times exasperating tale 4.75 of 5.0 stars for storyline and characterization. These characters are not new to the readers of this husband and wife author duo. They were previously introduced to us as children so their characters were subject to additional development to give us the scope of an adult.
This book gets a sensual rating of 4 of 5 flames.
Wynne has been married before but Jo has spent the past sixteen years chastely looking on and dreaming of her first and only love.
Although part of a series this book can easily be read as a standalone title.
There is no need to read this series in any particular order.
I received a complimentary digital ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley to read and review.
This in no way affected my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

I loved this story once I started reading I couldn’t put it down and the plot was very gripping loved I rarely talk about the characters because you tend to give things away all I can say is that it is well worth a read.

I loved seeing how Jo had matured and found a peace for herself and her situation. Wynne was racked with guilt for most of the story, but how they resolved their problems with the past was perfect. Cuffe was a great addition to family and setting as well. The updates on Grace and Hugh was wonderful to see. The antagonist threw me off a little, it wasn't the person who I exactly thought it was, but I'm glad the ending turned out as it did. Pretty much perfect justice in the end! Thank you NetGally for the ARC!

Really enjoyed this one! Focuses on a woman who is adopted and shunned by society because of her mysterious past. However, her adoptive family is extremely supportive. It's a story about second chances at love, about identity, about exploring her biological roots, about the demonstrative love of her adoptive family, showing family is about love and support, not blood. Though blood can also be a strong tie. It also explores the importance of finding out information about one's family and oneself, and how it doesn't deter from the love of those around her.

Wynne Melfort is a captain and second son, but from a respected family that cannot abide the fact their son is in love with a woman who has no history. In an attempt to shield her from his family's vitriol, he ends their engagement. Only to come face to face sixteen years later.

Lady Josephine Pennington is a woman with a mysterious past. All she knows is she was adopted by the Penningtons and they have shown her nothing but love. But she still years for the truth about who her biological family was and why her birth mother was running away. Her brother, now an earl, and her parents and sisters, have been nothing but supportive. But she never got over her one true love.

The mystery of Lady Jospehine unfolds beautifully and yes, I cried. Maybe because I'm an adoptee myself. Great read.

I really liked the first half of this book a lot more than the second half. Jo and Wynne were such great characters and I was totally invested in their second chance love story. I loved the secondary characters and all of the interesting issues that were touched on. The second half of the book really focused more on the mystery part of the story and I felt that was drawn out too long and there were a couple of moments that me roll my eyes. Still I will be going back to read book one in the series.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 Stars
A warm historical romance that smartly incorporates a couple of social issues. It's well-written, thought-provoking, and has a happier ending than most. The lighthearted romance is of the second-chance variety that includes the families, not just the MCs, and it complements the serious themes quite well. This book is the second novel in a series, but can be read as a stand-alone. The female lead is a passionate and caring woman searching for her past and the leading man is a protective and intelligent gentleman who helps her find her future. The scenery is beautifully described and historical facts are interwoven into the story. A good book for a rainy day. I look forward to the next installment. For historical romance fans.

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Lady Josephine Pennington was jilted by her fiancé once rumors spread about her questionable origins. Her adoptive parents have always provided her with the love and protection she’s needed to feel secure, and over the last sixteen years she’s molded herself to meet the expectations of others. When she receives a package containing sketches where the subject is eerily familiar, Jo believes she might have found a clue to the identity of her birth mother.

When Captain Wynne Melfort ended his engagement to Jo Pennington sixteen years ago, he never imagined he would see her again. But after he uncovers information that could reveal the truth about Jo’s parentage, Wynne feels bound by duty to right an old wrong and inform her of his find. He didn’t expect for feelings long thought dead to resurface, for in his mind a love departed was gone forever.

As they strive to unravel the mystery of her birth, Jo must learn how to trust the man who’d once rejected her, and Wynne must reconcile his head with his heart. But as secrets of the past begin to surface, evil forces will stop at nothing to keep Jo from uncovering the truth and reclaiming her legacy. Together, Jo and Wynne must fight the deadly menace lurking deep in the Highland mists.

Josephine was raised by the Pennington’s, a prominent family in Scotland, but her mother was unknown. Just a woman who Lady Pennington had helped give birth on the side of the road named Jo. Raised as one of the Pennington children, Josephine never felt any different until she went to London for a season. There she met the love of her life, Captain Wynne Melfort, but everyone else whispered and publicly ridiculed her. She figured she could endure it because of Wynne, but when he breaks their engagement, Jo is devastated.

Now it’s sixteen years later and Josephine is quite happy with her life. She takes take of her family and loves her nieces and nephews. When she gets a note from a mental institution she’s intrigued enough to stop by on her way to her brother’s house.

Wynne didn’t want to break off his engagement to Josephine but he was shipping out and he felt since he couldn’t be there to protect her it was better for everyone. He never stopped loving Jo, however. He is now back in Scotland helping to run a mental institution with her best friend and he has taken custody of his 10 year old son who had previously been living in Jamaica. When one of the non-verbal patients sketches out picture after picture of a woman that looks like Josephine he’s not sure what to make of it.
When she arrives neither are ready for their feelings to bubble back to the surface but they are ready to find out if the non-verbal man has a connection to Josephine and if so, what it is.

McGoldrick has once again written a lovely romance that had me completely invested. In book one I was curious about Josephine and what exactly her story was so I was quite happy when I found out that I wasn’t going to have to wait to find out.

Josephine was a wonderful person inside and out. She was just a gem and while she had her faults, there weren’t many. I was intrigued by the hunt for her true history and to find out where she came from, although I knew no matter what the Pennington’s wouldn’t let her feel like she wasn’t always part of the family. That family was perfect for Jo to grow up in and I loved them to death.

Wynne was a little harder for me to get to like. He had been on the high seas and though he had a son in Jamaica he left the child’s grandmother to raise him until she feared for his life because of the country’s upset. I hated that he had left his son, Cuffe, for so long and this was also a point of contention with Cuffe and Wynne. Cuffe wanted to be back taking care of his grandmother and resented his father for taking him away. It was a great part of the book, Cuffe and Wynne coming together. I was happy that McGoldrick decided to add this element to the story.

I was a little disappointed that there wasn’t more romance between Wynne and Josephine. Since neither had ever stopped loving the other, once they confessed their continued feelings…they were kind of together. I liked that they got their HEA but A) I wanted a little bit more romance and B) I wanted Wynne to have to work for it a little harder. Lol

In the end it was a good story and I really enjoyed reading it.

Rating: 3.5/4 out of 5

This will post as a guest review on Book Binge.
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I’ve enjoyed this series and looked forward to Lady Jo’s story. As a baby she had been adopted by her parents, her mother and father unknown, as her mother died in childbirth fleeing floods . As a debutante she had been shunned by some members of the Ton because of her unknown origins, and an engagement broken by the love of her life. Now a mid 30s spinster, she has no aspirations of finding love or having a family. Her former betrothed was a naval officer and has now retired to the highlands, running an asylum with a physician friend. A recent admission, with a traumatic brain injury sketches picture after picture of Jo, which leads to the physician contacting Jo. This leads to their reunion, and some revelations about their relationship and the lives they’ve lived since. This was a lovely story about Love lost and rediscovered. And Jo does find out the truth of her origins. Bittersweet but rewarding story.

I haven't read the previous book in the series or anything else by the authors but I definitely didn't feel lost while reading this book. The main characters Jo and Wynn were likeable and interesting to follow. The first half of this was really interesting to me and I feel like I read it really fast. After the secrets behind Jo's real parents were revealed I felt like the book kind of dragged on. I would definitely be interested in reading more of this series.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the galley.

I am very privileged to have been given this ARC, at my request, to read. I am giving a fair and honest review in return in my own words. OH MY, what a tear jerking tale! History comes and goes but sometime, just sometimes, love can turn history on it's head and make all the sadness prior fall away. This is such a story. Well written with memorable characters.

It Happened In The Highlands by May McGoldrick is an amazing historical romance. Ms. McGoldrick has delivered a book that is well-written and loaded with fantastic, lovable characters. Jo is an orphan raised and loved in the Pennington household as a daughter and was jilted days before their wedding by Hugh. Their story will take you on an emotional roller coaster. There is plenty of drama, humor, action, suspense and spice to keep readers glued to this book. I enjoyed every page of this book and look forward to reading more from May McGoldrick in the future. It Happened In The Highlands is book 2 of The Pennington Family 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.

Josephine Pennington was engaged to Wynne Melfort. But the fact that she is a foundling whose background is unknown causes problems in their relationship. The ton gossips have created stories where there were none. And those stories are as vicious and ugly as can be imagined.

Wynne breaks the engagement with a note. Jo's brother duels with Wynne.

Now, 16 years later, Jo is going to be traveling north to see one of her brothers. She receives some drawings which look like her. The drawings come from an asylum on the route to her destination.

When she stops at the asylum, she finds that Wynne is the governor of the asylum and he is there with his son. Cuffe is a mixed race little boy who has been taken from his Grandmother in Jamaica. He is in an unfamiliar place with a father he does not know and they are living in an asylum.

This book is part of a series, but it is easy to read as a stand alone. The relationships and previous events are explained fully. This is a terrific series and this book is one of the reasons for the terrificness.

The plot is filled with historical facts which add interest to the story. And the story is definitely one which held this reader's interest.

Jo finds some hints which lead her to start a journey to discover her family. That is one of the themes of the story. Wynne and Cuffe developing a relationship is another part. The treatment of patients who have mental illness is an ongoing focus.

Although these are serious topics, this is an uplifting story. Jo's ability to regain her personal power is very moving. The unconditional love Jo received from her adoptive family is a gift she has always had. But, for a long time she allowed the gossips and ugliness to defeat her.

Wynne has never forgiven himself for abandoning Jo. He also has no idea how to relate to his son. He is trying to build a completely new life for the two of them.

There are hurdles to overcome, but those hurdles disappear along the way. There is one of the most villainous people ever, but the villain is defeated.

And there are reminders of all the reasons Jo and Wynne loved one another long ago.

This is a wonderful book which held my interest from beginning to end. I have been a fan of the authors for quite some time and this is books is a strong example of their skill.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are completely my own.

Jo Pennington dealt with snide remarks as long as she could remember. Adopted by the Penningtons as a newborn, there were nasty insinuations about her parentage as long as she could remember, eased by her loving adoptive parents, but they hurt all the same.
Enter Lt. Wynne Melfort and their engagement in her first season, and his subsequent crying off and it just gets worse for her.
Jo dedicates her life to her family and her aid to women and orphans, and searching for more information on her birth mother, until she get sketch of herself along with a letter requesting her help with a patient.
Things get strange and she perseveres with the aid of Wynne and the doctor to achieve both goals, only to find they are still in love, and the reasons for their failed relationship are discussed and laid to rest for their own HEA.
Woven with hope, despair, love, envy jealously and cruelty, Ms.Goldrick covers a range of human emotions and gives the couple the strength to rise above them. It is a wonderful read evoking hope despite obstacles.
I requested and received an ARC from Netgalley to peruse.