Member Reviews
This was a very enjoyable read. The story had drama, suspense, romance and a hot highlander. At times it was a bit wordy, but overall it was a very good story. The hero was strong, smart and sexy. The heroine was headstrong and stubborn which I found annoying, but that was the way her character was and that was fine. It was a very good story that held my interest right up until the end.
Fast-paced and funny, although lacking in anything unique. The writing style is easy to read and well-executed. The storyline is pretty basic, but I liked the main characters. I think it was rushed in the end, and I wished for more world-building and description of the places they travel.
I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this a great deal. It was a pretty funny story at times and I enjoyed the read. Looking forward to more in the series.
I really enjoyed Alice and Philip's story. The story line was good as was the character development. The lengths Alice went to in order to avoid a marriage she was terrified she wouldn't survive was very exciting.
Lady Alice Chivers is done being controlled by her family. On the run from an arranged and unwanted marriage, what she really needs in order to escape is a strong Highlander. And she’s pretty sure she’s found him. Only Philip MacGregor insists on sending her back to her pampered life… so she’ll just have to blackmail him instead. Seems simple enough, until they accidentally get married. Philip is cautious, in control, and in way over his head with his unexpected wife. She’s intense, spontaneous, and can’t follow an order to save her life. Oh, and he might be falling for her. However, her distractions are putting everyone in danger. Now he must somehow undo the damage before his friends pay with their lives.
The book sounded good enough. I’ve read this author before and liked her. I liked Alice as it started off. My problem was with Philip. I know the author was going for an opposites attract-type scenario, but I just didn’t like him at all. I didn’t like any of their interactions from the beginning and I eventually had to stop reading. DNF.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book
I was sucked into this book immediately, but I think the main culprit was the heroine not the guy right off. I think it's because she was such a strong character, but admittedly spoiled. I love how she owned up to her up bringing, didn't justify just accepted the fact that she was raised differently and I found it refreshing, Lady Alice also toed the line between being almost unlikeable too wanting to root for her even though you weren't really sure why. In theory Phillp points out several times that she has everything she could want, except for a love match and that women were lucky to have half of that.
The push pull between our two characters is like a volleyball match, lots of bickering and fantastic dialogue. Over all the arc of the story was extremely compelling with a story line that made me want to know more, mainly how she was going to end this book differently than others of the trope. I'm happy to say the entire book was a lovely surprise. I give it five roses that rule.
I loved this book. The author is descriptive without boring the reader with too many details. I !over the plot and the heroine. She had a lot of spunk and kept the hero on his toes.
Wow this book was just so good and so easy to get lost in. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I just didn't want it to end. I just couldn't get enough of these wonderful characters and I just loved getting to see their journey. I will most definitely be reading more stories from this wonderful author.
This is the third book in The MacGregor Lairds series. I have not read the first two books but I was able to follow this book easily so this can be read as a standalone.
The story features Lady Alice Chivers who finds herself betrothed to a man who is old enough to be her grandfather, who has been widowed three times and each death is not by natural circumstances. There is sinister gossip that he murdered them for not providing an heir . Her parents dismiss the gossip and continue with the arrangements. He is titled, wealthy and will be able to take care of her in the lifestyle that she is accustomed to. Alice is determined to get away from the marriage , she wants to go to her best friend in Scotland , Elisabet who ran away last year with a Highlander. The night of her engagement Phillip comes to deliver a letter from Elisabet and Alice comes up with an idea to have him take her to Scotland when he goes home and reunite her with her friend.
This a nice romance and there is a lot of funny and angsty moments between the two. Would recommend the book for highland romance lovers .
****This eBook was supplied for free for an honest review by Netgalley. ****
This is a really enjoyable romp of a romance, and I'll definitely be looking out for more by this author! I thought that the chemistry between Alice and Philip, the two main characters, was really good, and I very much enjoyed seeing how they clashed, given that they're both so stubborn! I love the trope of two people having to travel together and then realising their feelings when they get to the end and have no more excuses to spend time together, and this is such a fun example of that - they both miss winding each other up more than being romantic! Unlike some romance series, this definitely worked as a standalone. There are a lot of references to couples from earlier books, but everything was well-explained and made sense, and I never felt like I was missing anything. Definitely one I recommend to fans of the genre looking for a fun read!
A big thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This is my first time reading this author. I have not read any of the others in this series. I know this is the third book in a series. It reads well as a stand alone. It was ok. I really want to like this type of book, yet I can never seem to! I love the title, the book for me was ehh. I am not sure if it's the way women are treated or the fact that Lady Alice appears to be a pain in the rumpus. She doesn't listen and yet I know she's not spoiled. Regardless I skimmed a lot so I could finish. Just not my cup of tea. I rate it a 3.
Alice lives the life of a spoiled debutante. Her parents have promised her hand in marriage to an older gentleman who is definitely not who Alice would have picked. Making it worse than the fact that he is not physically appealing is that the gentleman has been widowed 3 times under suspicious circumstances. Alice is desperate to make an escape when Philip enters like an answer to prayer.
Philip sneaks into the party that Alice is attending to deliver a message from Alice's friend, Elizabet. Instead of writing a letter for Philip to return, Alice decides that she will try to make her escape from her circumstances with Philip's assistance. She decides to blackmail Philip with the main objective in getting to Scotland and Elizabet.
The story was very interesting and adventuresome. Alice and Philip were both stubborn so a definite good fit. I did feel a little disconnected due to the fact that I have not read other books in this series. Other characters from at least 2 other books are introduced. I appreciate series that continue and catch you up on the lives of other beloved characters. I wish I had had a connection to the couples in this story. I had read other books by this author but not this particular series.
Author Michelle McLean’s series The McGregor Laird’s has been diverting and entertaining reading in each instalments in their own ways. How To Blackmail a Highlander adds to this entertainment factor. Another good read in the series.
Review copy received from Entangled Publishing via Netgalley
How to Blackmail a Highlander
by Michelle McLean
I am going to try and be fair. The author is a very good author, HOWEVER, this is not up to her standard. I felt like it was rushed at times, to light at times and the heroine was a spoiled brat that I just could not connect with. The title was a catcher for me. After I have now read the book, the title is misnamed in my opinion. While I would say this is a light no depth read that you can enjoy, I had to downgrade it for the superficial characters. That is not to say you should not buy it or enjoy it. It just means it was not as layered and captivating as her other works are. So for a light read buy the book and just enjoy. I was given this ARC via NetGalley, all opinions expressed here are my own. Regards, Anna
Very enjoyable, light romantic read.
Lady Alice Chivers will do whatever is needed to get out of an arranged marriage to a much older man including blackmail a Highlander. The story follows the romance between this couple who are both headstrong and arguments abound.
Fast and steady pace with a little steam. Can be read as a stand-alone.
Lady Alice Chivers is on the run from an arranged marriage to a lecherous Earl who makes her skin crawl. When she receive word from her friend Lady Elizabeth aka Bess she decides it’s time to go to her friend and she blackmails Phillip MacGregor to take her to Scotland. Philip’s an honorable man tries insisting Alice to go home to her pampered life, but in the end he feels he has no choice but to take her to Scotland. Alice’s impulsive and headstrong nature finds trouble her on his ship headed to Scotland and they soon find themselves in an arranged marriage, one they soon has them rethinking as their attraction grows and passions are flamed. A captivating book of two head strong people one impulse and the other honorable find themselves thrown together and the romance and the great adventure begins. This my honest opinions after I voluntarily read a copy of this book that was provided to me with no requirements for a review.
Lady Alice Chivers is none to happy her parents accepted a proposal from a man old enough to be her grandfather and with three dead wives, she is not looking to becoming the fourth. Although, Alice’s parents want the best for her, she is done with them meddling in her life. When a handsome highlander, Philip MacGregor brings her a letter from her friend Elizabet who ran away with a highlander a year ago, Alice will do everything she can to be reunited with her friend even if it means she has to blackmail Philip to help her.
Philip MacGregor is an honorable man, but when he is blackmailed by Alice to take her to Scotland, he has no choice but to do what she wants. Alice’s impulsive and headstrong nature means trouble finds them everywhere and leads them right into an accidental marriage. But, with someone evil hot on their tale, their newly found marriage might be over way before it even started. Will Philip be able to keep Alice safe while he comes to terms with the feelings he is starting to have for her?
I found How to Blackmail a Highlander and quick, short and easy read. Alice and Philip were really great characters, although I never really felt like I got to know either one of them that well. Perhaps it may be because I came into the series without reading the previous two books. Although this can be read as a standalone, I think I probably should have started from the beginning and maybe then I would have warmed up to Alice and Philip a lot sooner. I do have to say that the best redeeming quality of this book is the witty banter between Alice and Philip. Alice is no simpering miss and she lets Philip know just what she thinks of his controlling ways.
The one part I really felt could have been elaborated a bit more was in regards to Ramsey, an evil man who is after Elizabet, Alice’s friend. I just felt the scenes involving him were rather short and ended way too quickly without the dramatic closure I would have loved to see in the story.
All in all, How to Blackmail a Highlander is a fun story filled with witty banter that really makes this story shine. I definitely know I will be purchasing the previous two books to find out more about our characters and more on the backstory on all of the couples.
Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com
What I enjoy most about the MacLean stories is her humor as well as the romance. And the sexy highlanders is not exactly a problem to read either.
Lady Alice is strong and independent or as independent as she can be in that era. But I love that she stands her ground and doesn’t bow to her new husband. I mean come on she blackmailed the man to marry her so she could get from under her controlling family.
This series is a winner for any fan of Romance in the Highlands.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
The MacGregor Lairds #3, This was a fun read and although I missed the first two books I was able to jump into this one no problem. Lady Alice is ready to fulfill her duty and get married and have babies what Alice doesn't want is to marry the discusting old geezer who, if the rumor is believed, murdered his last three wives for not producing an heir. Alice's best friend, Elizabet was in a similar situation and managed to avoid it by running away with a Scottish highwayman, Laird John MacGregor, who was banished from England. When Alice finally gets word that her friend is safe she does the only thing she can think of to get out of her situation, she blackmails the messenger.
Philip MacGregor isn't any ordinary messenger he's a cousin, best friend, and the right hand man to the notorious Highland Highwayman. With their robbing days behind them mainly because the banishment and John's marriage to Elizabet, they have set up in Scotland. Phillip can still travel from England to Scotland no problem so when asked to deliver a message to Alice he has no problem doing so until she blackmails him into taking her with him, try as he may he can't get rid of her. Cue the travel hijinx.
The attraction is there from the beginning but the connection between the two of them grows stronger the more time they spend together and the more they argue. Philip loves to argue with Alice and loves that she's a challenge and no push over he just wishes she would stop and think about what's she doing first, she has the tendency to act first, think later. Alice is so use to getting her own way that when the consequences of her action finally catch up she realizes it's exactly what Philip warned her would happen but Philip doesn't say I told you so, no, at that point he loves her too much to do that. Alice and Philip don't seem like a match made in heaven but in this case it's opposites attract.
Overall, I really enjoyed it. Some of the stuff they argue over is so funny. The writing was great the narrative swept me away to Scotland, it has a good story and wonderful characters you really sympathize with. It was a first time reading this author and I look forward to reading more.
What's not to love about a highlander and this is an absolutely wonderful story to get your fingers turning page after page, I loved it from start to finish.
I received a copy from Netgalley and I am voluntarily leaving my own honest opinion