I received an eARC at no cost from the author, in exchange for an honest and voluntary review. Thank you.

Review will be posted at Romancing Romances on the publication day.

2.25*


This was the first book I’ve read of May McGoldrick (whom is actually two people) and, sadly, it just wasn’t it for me.

I really wanted to like the characters, but I found myself annoyed by Isabella, and a bit confused by Cinaed.

The book has a great premise, and the story is interesting – I love stories that have not only the romance, but something that ties everything together, and this book had that, even if it is sometimes confusing.

I really wanted to like Isabella, but she just didn’t rise to the expectations. She was a physician, and that was the most interesting part about her.

I liked Cinaed, but sometimes he was a bit confusing – completely trusting, and then suspicious, but always ready to protect Isabella… It seemed a bit forced.

Also, I’m not a fan of insta-love. And even though this was more of an insta-attraction for Isabella, it felt like insta-love to Cinaed.

There was a lot going around and sometimes it became confusing and the actions of the characters didn’t seem completely faithful to whom they were.

Sadly, I just didn’t connect with the book. It was the first book I read in 2019, and it took me a whole month to read it. Not the best introduction to this author.

Highland Crown by May McGoldrick is filled with intrigue, adventure, and romance.

When I read the synopsis for Highland Crown, I was fascinated by the heroine, Isabella. I wanted to know more about who she was and the reason why she was hiding.

McGoldrick knows how to build a world that is filled with historical elements paired with adventure. I can’t help but appreciate the world building and research to make this setting as realistic as possible.

I adored Isabella! She is a strong woman who isn’t afraid of what’s to come. It is evident that she has experienced so much, and it added to my sympathy towards her misfortune. It took a while for Cinaed and I to connect. But, I was also caught up in understanding this world that it could have caused me to focus primarily on the world and less about the characters.

Near the end of the book, I became invested in their outcome. My emotions were all over the place, and I was anticipating every word on the page.

Overall, I enjoyed this story and these characters!

*Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.*

Available now: Highland Crown by May McGoldrick
****4/5 stars: Loved it. From political and war drama to personal challenges, there is so much to love about the Highland heroes and their heroic women in Highland Crown.

Recommended readers:
If you’re a fan of Scottish Romance
If you like Monica McCarthy, Kat Martin and others
And if you like a fast-reading romance
Here's my Rankings:
4/5 for characters
4/5 for plot
4/5 overall
Note: Steamy factor (3 of 5 ... little steaminess)
REVIEW FROM BOOKS FOR HER:
Set in the rugged, survivalist Scottish Highlands still in the middle of English-Scottish drama, Isabella Drummond is hiding from both English and Scottish in the Highlands after her husband, a known rebel, is killed in their home. At the same time, independent and exiled captain Cinead Mackintosh's ship crashes near the small town. After he is shot coming to shore, Isabella finds him and saves him.
From political and war drama to personal challenges, there is so much to love about the Highland heroes and their heroic women in Highland Crown– and May McGoldrick captures it all.
By now I've figured out that the latest May McGoldrick is a definite must-read so check out their full list on Amazon.
Available now: Highland Crown by May McGoldrick

Great history and interesting background yet totally boring. Darn just could not get into this at all. It became a skim fest. It just seemed to drag and I just wasn’t feeling the characters either. Great details and attention to the historical period.

Received a copy from the publisher for a honest review.

Isabella is brave, skilled, and reviled at the same time for the very same skills that save people.
She helps save a mysterious captain.
To her detriment.

Cinaed is a sea captain, who was rescued by Isabella.
But are these two doomed because of his true identity?

Set in Scotland and captures the turmoil of the time.

Highland Crown by Mary McGoldrick is similar to Outlander, a Highlander romance. But unlike Outlander this one is better. It takes me back to just when the war and betrayal between Scots and Englishmen broke out. It was a time of death, destruction, and fear. Isabella is a strong female lead. She is intelligent and worried about getting her family to safety. Waiting for their time to travel out of the war country is suspenseful. The intrigue builds and so does the action. Then, enters another fabulous character. Cinead is a ship captain. He reminded me of a fish out of water. He has been on a ship so long that being stuck on dangerous land is a foreign and deadly thing. Both he and Isabella have a lot at risk and in common. 

These pages flew by fast. I was quickly taken with the story. The characters set the tone and mood. It was like traveling back in time. Mary McGoldrick writes well. Her novel is visually enhancing and entertaining. So many twists and turns, to keep readers, like me, engaged. Overall, I recommend this novel to all readers.

3.5 stars. This is a very good and complex 1700’s Highlands romance. The author did an excellent job with the history of the period. Isabella was a complex character who was a doctor which was unheard of for the time. Cinaed was a Captain of a ship that went down. His character was also unique as well as strong. The book contained suspense, intrigue, violence as was common for the era. I received a complementary copy of this book via Net Galley and chose to write a review.

Cast from his home as a child, Cinaed Mackintosh is a fierce soul whose allegiance is only to himself, he's made a life for himself after being sent to sea aged nine, now the proud owner of the Highland Crown a ship that travels across the Atlantic bringing amongst other things arms to the Highlanders. Then a storm hits & his ship flounders on a reef, whilst in the long boat Cinaed is shot & tumbles nto the sea only to be saved by Isabella.
Isabella Drummond is thirty four & a widow running with a price on her head. A true beauty and trained physician who’s now hunted by both the British government and Scottish rebels, she came to the Highlands in search of survival. Now, the only way Cinaed can keep her safe is to seek refuge at Dalmigavie Castle, the Mackintosh family seat.
This book is the start of a new series & what a start, another book to avoid starting late at night if you're planning to get any sleep. Enthralling & engrossing it grabbed me from the start & didn’t let go until the end. It had everything smuggling, fugitives, intrigue & of course romance. There are strong characters & the attraction between a slightly younger man & older woman sizzles. The revelation near the end was unexpected & surprising & made me want to read the next book immediately
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

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.

📚⚔️📚BOOK🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿REVIEW📚⚔️📚

Book: Highland Crown
by May McGoldrick

Series: (Royal Highlander, Book #1)

Release Date: April 30th

Reviewed by: Barb Massabrook of
Tartan Book Reviews
Celtic World of Historical Book Reviews, Purple Tulip Book Reviews
Celtic Barb's Tartan Book Review Blog

Heat Rating: Sizzling hot🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Overall Rating: 5/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Abbotsford, the Scottish Borders
September 1832

This book begins with a magnificent prologue, centering around the famous historical novelist-poet-playwright and historian, Sir Walter Scott. As he is near his death it shows how reflects about himself as his sees himself, and as others see him to his eyes only. It shows how the heroine of this novel did the biggest favor of his life and he wants to repay it. As he had only admiration and respect for Isabella Murray Drummond. Many men were jealous of Mrs. Drummond’s abilities. This would actually change history except she was now missing! As she disappeared in the Highlands, but was about to have the biggest adventure of a lifetime. Definitely more exciting than any story he has written with his pen.

He was born August 15, 1717 and died September 21, 1832. In each chapter there is a beautiful poem from the brilliant work of Sir Walter Scott.

My personal favorite in the book:
So Wondrous wild,
the whole might seem,
the scenery of a fairy dream.
— Sir Walter Scott
“Lady of the Lake”

This is a favorite poem of mine not in the book:
“ Up with the Bonnie Blue Bonnet,
The dirk, and the feather and a’ ! ”

— Sir Walter Scott
“ Lady of the Lake”

This is the book of two lost souls who meet but there are many rough seas and rip tides they have to get over. If they even have a chance at survival to reaching calm seas!

Duff Head, Northeast
Highland Coast
June 1820

The city of Inverness is on the North Sea in Scotland. It is a port town where Highland rebels and Sassenach forces clash for mortal survival for endurance and sovereignty. Among the struggle is Isabella Drummond, a woman who has unique and extraordinary talents. In addition she is being tracked by Scottish Rebels and the English Government. So she goes into hiding in the highlands an area she was born in, but has no memory of.

With the advice of a lawyer friend John Gordon he tells her to hide with his elderly Aunt Jean in this secluded fishing village in Duffhead, Northeast Qi! Highland Coast. As John is booking her passage on a ship to Canada. In Duffhead, the villagers pretty much live off the sea and others misfortunes . It can be shipwrecks, dead corpses or strangers they rob. They take from the sea and give to the seas as they say. They split the newly discovered treasures between all the villagers. These villagers owe loyalty to no one, yet trust no one outside of their village. They will rob, murder and cut the throat of any stranger on their lands, than they throw the dead body into the sea. This is also the best place for Isabella to hide as it is pretty much unknown and secluded as not many know of its existence.

Unfortunately this is where Cinaed Macintosh ends up after a monster storm shipwrecked his ship and livelihood. They had no choice but to destroy all the illegal cargo too, which infuriated this gang of thieves that live in Duff Head! Cinaed’s life has not been easy, he was thrown out of his clan at age nine to become a Captains boy. He has been on ships his entire life, even a woman’s touch was never free, he always had to pay for it. He never owned anyone’s heart nor had anyone owned his. He also feels like a loner and doesn’t belong to any clan, King or cou His ship the Highland Crown explodes as he tries to save all his men on long boats, but becomes separated. He ends up in this deadly, twisted, evil , fishing village and gets shot in the chest. This was done just so they can steal from him! Isabella Drummond becomes his savior and as cannot stay hidden as she had previously promised John Aunt Jean as she wasn’t even to speak with her low lander accent! Plus the villagers are furious there is no ships booty or fortune to steal and someone has to pay for their loss.

Isabella sees a man's life is in jeopardy, she was a healer and had to help heal him no matter what the consequences were. Although he does nearly choke the life out of her in the process, but the Doctor in her understands as he was confused and guarding his own life. Of course John’s Aunt is furious and would rather the assume let this sea dog die as she knew the people in her village would end up asking her questions or worse. These were definitely not kind, caring, trustworthy, charity driven souls in Duff Head! Than the worst happened as Cinaed killed a villager for the right reasons and they had to leave. Plus Cinaed who needed rest and healing was shot again by the English. This time it was an officer in protecting Isabella but now the English Lieutenant was obsessed in finding Isabella dead or alive!

Isabella Drummond becomes his savior, as Cinaed Macintosh becomes her savior as well. As these black hearted Dragoon Hussars of the English Calvary just tracked and stalked her, offering an outrageous amount for the reward if anyone turns her in! Asking the rebellious starving Scottish who don’t trust her to turn her in as they are desperate people yet their position and standing in life is caused by these English Dragoon Hussars. Yet the Scottish rebels want to kill her due to fearing she has to much information about their illegal activities. Isabella murdered husband husband was heavily involved as it has been for over 70 years since the battle of of Culloden in ‘45!

Now they all have to leave Duffhead due to a villain that has to be killed or the man would of killed them not to mention turn Isabella in or worse. Isabella feels so guilty forcing Johns elderly Aunt Jean leave the only place she has ever called home and Cinaed who still needs to rest and tending to his gunshot wounds to avoid a fever that could be fatal. Yet during these desperate hard time these two end up falling in love. A feeling Isabella has never felt as her marriage before had been to a man 28 years her senior. It was an arranged marriage to help her in her medicine education and so she keep practicing and helping people. Unfortunately he was killed because of his rebellious activities by the English and her knowing too much everyone wants Isabella dead.
Will these two triumph or will they be hung by the hangman’s noose or worse?

This book was a definite nail biter that I could not put down. Only this first book in this brand new Royal Highlander series and I am totally hooked! It was absolutely another fast moving, action packed , page turning, riveting romantic adventure that had me gasping with delight! It is filed with my absolute favorite best loved book combination which is true history blended with a beautiful fictional romance. So much has true events and even having iconic figures like Sir Walter Scott and mentions of other true Scottish figures in this novel. Plus the dialogue was incredible, the settings were amazing, the plotting will have readers gasping for air, wondering with high anticipation what could possibly happen next, how will they ever be able to get ahead? Plus the awe inspiring chararacters that are absolutely exhilarating and unforgettable!

I have been a huge fan of May McGoldrick close to twenty years and have loved each and everyone and this new book was no different!

I received this book from St. Martin’s Paperback publishers for a fair and honest review. I voluntarily agreed to read, review, blog and promote through netgalley. All words, ideas and thoughts are my own.

Buy Links

https://www.amazon.com/Highland-Crown-Royal-Highlander-McGoldrick/dp/1250314976

https://m.barnesandnoble.com/w/highland-crown-may-mcgoldrick/1128526361?

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Highland_Crown?id=ceRhDwAAQBAJ&hl=en_US

https://www.kobo.com/ww/en/ebook/highland-crown

I enjoyed this book. It did take me a little while to really get into the book though. There is definitely a surprise ending.

DNF at 56%

I'm rating this because a) I made it to the halfway mark so I've earned the right and b) I'm fairly certain this would've been the highest end result of this reading experience so I don't feel too guilty.

I dragged my feet through this one to the point where I just (obviously, as you can tell) gave up. I was so bored. Nothing felt particularly unique and I know that's the case for a lot of HRs but honestly there's rehashing similar plots and also just bringing nothing new to a concept. Also, like, the forced proximity insta-lust was heavily used and I was just not yet invested enough in either character to ship it or care.

Isabella is a doctor who was once allowed to practice medicine under her husband. Now a widow and on the run from the British government, she finds herself hiding in a fellow widow’s home waiting to be taken to her next destination before she’s discovered. Instead of laying low, Isabella saves a man on the beach, Cinaed, revealing her true nature as well as her location. Hanging on by a thread, Cinaed quickly becomes her savior and lover as the stakes rise and the price on her head and his true family lineage leads them on a journey Isabella never could’ve imagined.

Told in rotating narrators, we follow Isabella and Cinaed. In the beginning, she hides out with a stranger and fellow widow and he gets shot right as he loses his prized ship. Isabella is a strong woman who is aware that she might never practice medicine again if she manages to escape danger with her life. When confronted with an injured man, Cinaed, she can’t sit back and stay quiet. It goes against her code as a practicing physician even though treating the injured could expose her as the rare female physician. Meanwhile, Cinaed is a gruff pirate of sorts with a heart of gold. While he initially wants to help Isabella out because he has romantic interests, he’s really helping because she saved his life and he’s aware that she may need more help than she thinks.

I like Isabella even though she’s stubborn enough to put herself at risk to save a stranger’s life. She’s aware of where her choices can take her and she finds comfort in knowing that her sister and step daughter are safe as long as she doesn’t know where they are, so it’s okay if she gets caught. I loved reading her narration and enjoyed watching her grow throughout the book. I also loved the banter between her and Jean, her fellow widow. I would honestly read a historical fiction novel just following the two if them.

Cinaed is an interesting character but I feel neutral about him. He’s not a good or a bad character, he’s just… there. Because I didn’t really feel him as a character, the romance felt kind of off to me. That said, I thought his family dynamics were interesting, especially when we find out his true lineage. I’d love to see more of him with the family he always thought was his as well as seeing where his journey takes him, Isabella, and possibly Jean. Maybe he’ll grow on me as his story progresses in future books.

An intriguing and enjoyable tale. Some great characters, adventure and romance made for a highly entertaining read.

**Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley in exchange of an honest review.**

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.

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 good historical romance set in Scotland the characters were interesting but I found the plot a little hard to follow and trouble keeping interested

I read this book some time ago and do not remember exactly what happened while reading it. I would not be able to give it, its just review but did give it a 5 star rating on GoodReads.

The start of a new series set in the Highlands and follows the struggles as a female English physician is hiding from the soldiers who seek her. Isabella isn’t one to hold her tongue before sharing her thoughts, and while she isn’t strictly wrong in her proclamations, it also has brought her no friends and many searching for her, on both sides of the conflict. Inverness in the early 19th century is a hotbed of conspiracies, suspicions and survivors, and she is just one more evading both the crown and the home-grown rebels. Intelligent, fierce and wholly determined to be her own woman, she’s not going to go easily or temper her tongue.

Cinead is a MacIntosh, although never actually living in the family home lands. Fierce, determined and wholly self-serving, he’s learned the hard way that he can rely on no one, and to that end, he’s unwilling to try. But, quickly he’s finding that there are some things he can’t do by himself, and Isabella may hold the key to his life, if only for the moment. She’s saved it, and her care is all that stands between him and no more, but he’ knows that neither of them is safe in the city. Heading to his clan at Dalmigavie castle, he can rest easier knowing that a measure of safety is there. Of course, the clan and castle also know his deepest secrets; secrets that could scuttle the budding relationship he and Isabella are building.

McGoldrick cleverly mixes the historical fact and fiction here, adding bits of intrigue and danger surrounding the reasons Isabela is wanted by BOTH the Crown and the Rebels, as well as the overriding struggles between the Highlanders and the English becomes an intriguing and easily readable story. Detailed descriptions of the highlands raw beauty, a clever relationship developing between Isabella and Cinead with plenty of moments to enjoy. An interesting and intriguing start to a series.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-ann/” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

*I read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

This is one of those books that I'm not sure if my thoughts on it would different had I read it at another time. I usually complain about romances not having enough story to them and this is one that definitely had enough story to it. Isabella is on the run from both sides of a conflict and faces danger everywhere. She's trying to keep her sister and step-daughter alive and make it to another country, but gets caught up in another plot while in hiding. There is rebellion, war, sneaking around, deception and yet, I wasn't always interested in the story. This might be my current mood though.
There is a ton of history here and it feels like the author did a lot of research to make it sound authentic.

I wasn't invested in the romance. I like the characters separately-- Isabella is smart, determined, and generous, while Cinaed is protective, a leader, and caring-- but together their chemistry felt a bit forced, or too quick for me. I anticipated more suspicion and reserved behavior between them, but they seemed to trust each other very quickly. I also want to mention that Isabella's position on the rebellion seems to do a 180, which is fine, except that the way its written makes it seem like it was her position the entire time, and that just didn't work for me.

There are also events that seem anti-climatic or just didn't make sense to me. On the other hand, there are some great scenes, dialogue, and budding relationships between characters. Which leads me to putting this book at a 3 star rating. I really enjoyed some of this book, but some of it dragged or didn't quite make sense, so I can't lean one way or the other.

I probably won't read the next one unless I'm really looking for something historical. This book is great for people looking for more history and story in their historical romances. The backdrop of the Scottish Rebellion isn't one I have read about before, which made the setting and events fresh and unique to me.