Dr. Ainsley Graham is brilliant. Doctorate by 24, several published authoritative books on folklore. Then he loses his position at the University and his way a bit. Joachim Cockburn is finishing his doctorate in psychology and he needs a subject for his final research. Ainsley’s brother is his mentor and he suggests he visit him in Scotland to finalize his research on the phenomena of an otherwise sound mind believing in “ghosts.”

But Ainsley is NOTHING like Joachim expects. Their initial meeting is a hilarious case of mistaken identity. Ainsley is quite the character, and it’s not long before Joachim is enchanted. Good for his libido, not so good for his research. But as the week goes on and Ainsley introduces him to more ghosts and more sex, Joachim is reluctant to move on. He also can’t figure out what to do about the whole ghost business. I don’t want to spoil the plot from here because it’s so fun to be continually surprised.

Well this was just delightful! I have been so lucky with the latest bunch of historicals I’ve read 😀 So well done. Ainsley and Joachim could not be more different characters 🙂 Ainsley is brilliant, but his attention span is fleeting. Joachim’s desire to disprove Ainsley’s notions about ghost are challenged at every turn of the story. While Joachim tries keep his distance initially he fails miserably after one day. And then they are having so much fun. And there are the ghosts and past tragedies that need to be put to rights. And Ainsley’s family and friends. Everyone is so entertaining even when things go a bit south! There are some mysteries and some decisions that will have to be made, but boy this was a lark! So much fun to read – entertaining in the best best ways. Even the harder bits of their story while trying to figure out a path forward were so well written. This is the start to what is a very promising historical with tramps about Scotland and a bunch of fun compatriots. I cannot wait to see what happens next and who will be in the next book! Highly recommended.

This one, my friends, is a cheeky read. Let me tell you. It’s delightful, it’s fun and it’s sometimes downright filthy in the best possible way of course.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read but had to remind myself that context and time matter when reading it. This is not your slow burn, your slow build, this is your raucous quickly torched fireworks display that might end in a possible accident. While I am more of a slow-burn person I can’t deny that the quick love within this novel warmed my heart a little bit.

Ainsley is quite the character. From lucidity to moments of forgetfulness there was something about him that both annoyed me and delighted me all at the same time. He is a force to be reckoned with, in a cast of already colourful characters.

And Joachim. Long-suffering Joachim. Poor man, to be mocked and afraid, but it all came out well in the end. He is as steadfast as any real person I love, and not without his own warmth and charisma.

This is an excellent quick read. But be prepared for a bit of spice. It might just burn your palette.

Best Laid Plaids was something I anticipated so much, because it's set in 1920s Scotland and features academics. I loved the historical period, the atmosphere and small road trip, which toured some parts of the Scotland. I lived there for years and studied Scottish history so I was on my element. Ainsley's a disgraced academic and Joachim a PHD student and I enjoyed that aspect, along with the paranormal aspects of Ainsley being able to hear ghosts.

However, I had some issues with the romance. There was a lot of sex in the story, which is not inherently a bad thing. But here it hindered the relationship development and did not allow for open communication. Ainsley and Joachim dance around their feelings, which they do not discuss with each other. Instead they have sex again and again, and honestly, I became bored of the sex and skimmed some of it. It started to feel like there was not enough plot and character/relationship development to fill the page count so sex scenes were thrown there. It's a shame, because the setting, the ghosts and the conflict between Ainsley and Joachim's academic lives had plenty to offer. They also had chemistry and complemented each other. I wished they'd have a substantial conversation about their feelings and intentions, which would have developed and deepened the relationship, but it all came too late.

Best Laid Plaids had plenty of great potential and I really liked some aspects of it, but I feel it did not fulfill its potential.

This was fun, sexy romance that kept my interest throughout. I liked the banter between Ainsley and Joachim and found them to be enjoyable romantic leads. I didn't know if I would like the paranormal aspect of the story but it didn't take away from the romance for me. I did find the changing points of view to be confusing at times and wish the author had made that more clear but I would read another book by her.

Best Laid Plaids was a quick read and one in which I really enjoyed the setting. I loved the 1920s era and traveling around Scotland and getting to know the two main characters. I also felt that the supernatural aspect was woven in really well and it felt real and plausible. And while Ainsley was a bit much at first there was reason for it and in the end I really enjoyed watching him and Joachim fall in love. Where this one bothered me a bit was how they kept calling the other person the older/younger man when there was only about 4 or 5 years between them and they were in their late 20s/early 30s. I just felt that was a bit much considering that they weren't all that fare apart in age. Overall, though I enjoyed Best Laid Plaids and am looking forward to the follow up.

Historical Romances have become one of my favorite genres to read and when I read this blurb, I couldn't resist. Best Laid Plaids is a story about two characters with opposite extreme view of life, and how they find a middle ground and find the love and support they need with each other makes the story.
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My Rating [🌟🌟🌟🌟]
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First, I really loved the characters and the setting we have for their meeting. Ainsley was an academic until he publicly claimed that he could talk to ghosts, and Joachim is a veteran studying the power of delusional thinking. Can you already guess how this might be intruiging? Their thought process throughout the story was so contrasting, and that made the emotions between them complicated as well.
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Second, I really liked the pacing and the conversations they both had. The characters were made to talk about how they felt and their differences of opinion instead of just fighting, which was a breather to be honest. Although I felt that some scenes could have been done without, it was still a good development plot wise and character wise.
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I think my favorite character has to be Ainsley. He was so unapologetically charming and forward even for the time period it's set in. And the first meeting of them was hilarious to be honest. I grew to like Joachim as well, but Ainsley has more personality and charming. Sometimes I felt like the emotions were bordering desperation between the two characters, and I didn't quite like that. Especially when Ainsley kept his hopes up for Joa. I mean, I didn't love the story, but I ended up really liking it.
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Thank you @netgalley for the review copy, which let's me give you my unbiased opinion.
Kindle/Arc/December 2020

This book starts out a hoot, with Dr. Ainsley Graham mistaking Joachim Cockburn for someone else and attempting to seduce him. Joachim is, of course, a very self-possessed man with a certain gravitas that he manages to maintain despite Ainsley’s shenanigans. It sets off a dynamic that persists throughout the entire novel.

The fulcrum of the story is Ainsley believes that ghosts are real and Joachim travels to Scotland to prove that he is wrong. So imagine his reaction when they take a kind of road trip through the countryside to visit haunted places and he experiences things both supernatural and very, very emotional. Because not only does Ainsley’s exuberant personality convince him that he might be a few marbles short of a set, but it is that very same glee that makes him irresistible to Joachim.

Our two MCs have excellent chemistry, with Ainley providing the sunshine and Joachim all grump and seriousness. It’s an excellent dynamic, one of my favorites in romance, and this story excels in depicting that. As a historical romance, it feels authentic to me. I was never once pulled out of the story. A sort of odd couple in plaid. A second book is underway (or may already be out), so I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out on that one. An impressive debut!

I received a copy of this book from Carina Press/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Best Laid Plaids was so good! I loved the writing and the story, The characters were extremely well done. Their relationship was so cute and sweet, but also hot! This book left me completely satisfied. I can't wait to read more from this author!

This book - well, I don't know if I'd really like this one or not. At first I thought maybe I'd just read too many historical romances set in Scotland and needed to take a break from them. But the more I read, the more I decided, that wasn't it. To be honest, there really isn't that much story here. This isn't a relationship or a romance. It's a ton of steamy time with the odd thing going on here and there. Seriously, if you take all that out, there isn't much book left. I don't mind a good steamy scene, or a few good steamy scenes, but after so many, it's just repetitive and feels like it takes the place of actual relationship building and plot. I reached a point when I finally started skimming those parts in search of something, anything else. I was hoping for a good story to start a new series, but this was just disappointing and doesn't bode well for what's to come in my opinion.

Holy moly, what a treat this MM romance was. Not only was there so much heat on the page but I really enjoyed the characters themselves as well. The fact that this book adds 20s era Edinburgh and paranormal intrigue to the mix makes it one bizarrely delicious mix. Ainsley just bounced off the page for me. What a delightful read. I can't wait to check out the second instalment of this series.

Dr. Ainsley Graham set his career on fire when he went public with the claim that ghosts are real and that he has been communicating with them. Since then, he’s spent his time drinking and floating around as he desires since the world thinks he’s odd. When Joachim Cockburn is sent his way to check out known hauntings in Scotland, Ainsley thinks he’s just another person coming to poke fun at him for his beliefs. What he did not expect was an extremely sexy man to come knocking at the door. Even more shocking, he wasn’t even expecting Joachim when he arrives, so Ainsley puts the moves on him in a case of mistaken identity. What else could possibly go wrong?

This book had me at spooky romance set in 1920s Scotland. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t care for the story. The book told through the rotating perspectives of Ainsley and Joachim. Despite seeing things through their perspectives, I quickly discovered that I didn’t particularly care for either character. Ainsley is arrogant, both flighty and clingy, and doesn’t know what he wants on top of shutting down when he does get what he was hoping for. Meanwhile, Joachim is arrogant in a different sense while closed off and stiff. I couldn’t connect with either of them in addition to not being interested in following them as I continued to read. The romance couldn’t been on fire if the two didn’t keep waffling about each other to the very end.

Honestly, I found myself more interested in the hauntings, which were sadly lackluster. I would say this is a romance with a touch of paranormal. I was really interested in the ghosts along with the other characters, including Ainsley’s sister. I think I was happiest whenever a chapter came along that included a gathering of characters because I didn’t care for the leads.

I wouldn’t say that this is a bad book. I do think that Ella Stainton had something going here, but I just didn’t care for Ainsley and Joachim as characters and the romance didn’t seem all that romantic to me. If you like romance novels that are sex without the romancing, this might be something you’ll like.

Unfortunately I could never seem to get into this book. I loved the premise and there was initially a spookiness to it but it just couldn’t hold my attention. I was a bit thrown off by Ainsley’s character. He’s can’t exactly put my finger on it but I just could not warm up to him. DNF

Give me the paranormal, set in Scotland, with two gorgeous men falling for each other while reckoning with the existence of ghosts, plus a super cute dog, and you know I'm in.

Set in the 1920s, readers meet Ainsley and Joachim, both academics. But while Joachim is writing on people with powerful delusions, Ainsley has been completely discredited because of his belief that he can talk to ghosts. In an attempt to make Joachim believe him (and thus get back his scholarly reputation), Ainsley takes Joachim to haunted spots all over Scotland. As Joachim begins to see what Ainsley is talking about, and the two men begin to have strong feelings for each other, Joachim must decide what he is willing to risk-his scholarly reputation surrounding his previously deeply held beliefs, or his relationship with Ainsley.

The setting is fantastic. Scotland is one of my favorite places in the world to visit, and it lends itself so well to stories needing a spooky setting. The ghosts are an excellent mix of creepy and heartbreaking, with some of them being deeply connected to Ainsley and Joachim's respective pasts. Joachim and Ainsley are so great together as well. While it may not initially seem like a slow burn romance with how quickly Joachim and Ainsley jump into bed together, it takes them a long time to be able to even accept they have deeper feelings for each other, let alone admit those feelings out loud, readers rooting for them the whole way.

An excerpt from the next book was included with this one, and I really want to read it!

3.5 stars

There's nothing spooky about this one, but if you're looking for a sexyfuntimes ghost story for Halloween, this makes a pretty good choice.

I was getting nervous that it wasn't going to work for me after the first couple of chapters, but about halfway through Chapter 3 the MC literally says, "Stop. Redo. This isn't working," and not only is he successful, but the way he says it instantly got me invested. I have a weakness for MCs who know how to use their words :)

The romance is definitely the focus here. There's plenty of detail to these guys' worlds/backgrounds/characters, but it's only their dynamic that gets fully developed.

The 3.5 stars reflects how often and deeply I was thoroughly engrossed in their romance --  and also: hot sex :) The balance worked for me, but I like a high heat rating when it's done well (This one wasn't due so much to the number of sex scenes as to the fact that there are several very long ones) -- and the rounding down reflects the fact that I was jarred out of that fully invested state of mind every single time by some aspect that didn't quite ring true to me. Usually by something outside the romance plot, but there was also something about Ainsley's personality that I couldn't quite wrap my head around. I don't think I ever fully grasped what the author was trying to express there.

I also hesitated with the historical setting. It definitely has the flavor of the time period, but if historical realism is necessary for you, you should probably skip this one. On the other hand, if you need to remove the risky realities of two men in love in the 1920s to be able to enjoy the romance, this will be perfect. I can handle that rose-colored lens to an extent, but it crossed the lines of reality a bit too far several times.

When I saw the excerpt for a Book Two in this series, I assumed it was going to be about Ainsley's psychic friend, and I was on board for that. But apparently it's a second book with these two MC's, and .... I don't think there's any way that will work for me. Whatever the UST would be called if we're talking about the feels part of a relationship -- UFT?? -- is the thing that makes this work. The whole casual sex to something serious trope. Remove that and I'm not sure there's enough substance left to satisfy me.

This was a fun and very sexy read. I enjoyed the whole ghost hunting aspect and the relationship that developed between the two main characters. There is a lot of sex (not a bad thing at all), sometimes I thought there was more sex than the rest of the story which might put some people off, but if know this heading in, you won't be disappointed.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin - Carina Press for a digital copy in return for an honest review.

Best Laid Plaids had so much potential but for me it fell short a bit. Don't get me wrong, for the most part I enjoyed it, and I did like these two as a couple. There were some really hot scenes, too.

But I really had to struggle through a lot of the book because the pacing was so uneven and there were large portions of the book that would get bogged down, leading to me flipping through until I reached a fun scene (or sex scene, tbh) again. This spans a week and yet felt like months, and that's not really a great thing..

Also, I was annoyed by the way the character names would change so much, even in a given scene. And by that I mean how the men would refer to each other by either their first name, their last name, or some combo nickname. Back and forth, sometimes changing within the span of a single paragraph, both in internal dialogue and actual spoken dialogue. It actually confused me for a bit because I am horrible at keeping multiple characters' full names straight in the first place, but then when you start tossing them around like this? I seriously wondered if there was 4 guys in the room instead of 2. Just pick a damn name, like, say, the last name! And then save the first name for more intimate or serious moments (love when that happens!) but this scrabble toss of names really did not help with the whole unevenness of this book.

I believe this is the author's debut? If so, perhaps things will get better in future books. And I am still curious enough to try the next in the series when it comes out. But this one was mediocre at best.

Best Laid Plaids is a pretty solid 3-star read for me. I didn’t love it, but it wasn’t bad. It’s actually the first in a new series called Kilty Pleasures, and I definitely want to read the second book. I think now that things have been established between Ainsley and Joachim, the second book will be even more intriguing. One of the complaints I had for Best Laid Plaids is that I wanted more of the ghosts and the supernatural, and the book kept wanting to give me sex scenes instead. I think it needed a better balance of the two.

However, I did enjoy both main characters – as well as some of the secondary characters! I can’t wait to get to know Joachim’s sister better – I hope we do in the second book. I love that the book is set in 1920’s Scotland, and the cover actually matches the character of Ainsley, so that’s wonderful! The ghosts and supernatural elements that were included were really interesting and I loved getting both POV’s on this “new world” if you will.

ARC given by NetGalley for Honest Review

This book was a very interesting and fun read. The best part about historical fiction books is the opportunity to have fun with the language of the era to get a story across in modern day, and it feels like the Stainton had a clear grasp on doing just that. It made Best Laid Plaids a very enjoyable book.

DNF after 50+ pages

Though I love the title and series title, the characterization really did not work for me here. It felt like a case where the hook (the mistaken identity) really doesn't fit the book. The hero planning to seduce his friend's guy to check if he's into men really doesn't make sense. Supposedly it's safer for him, but I didn't find that convincing, and there's no way this wouldn't blow up. And it's glossed over that his method is to be so forward it verges on sexual abuse if no consent is given. So the meet cute was a meet uncomfortable. Aside from that, I didn't feel interest in the paranormal plot.

So there's a lot of good stuff here: the characters are well-written and compelling, the roadblocks to their relationship aren't terribly egregiously self-made, and there are a few fun period mentions re: music, books, and clothing. However, there are, unfortunately, a few things that prevented all this good stuff into culminating into something great for me. The first two issues are fairly small and I could probably hand-wave them no matter that they annoyed me. The first thing is how the author kept switching between using the last and first name of each character - sometimes within the same paragraph - which made the story a bit difficult to follow, especially in the beginning, and especially because one character's last name. Some consistency really, really would've been nice there. There were also a few minor pacing hiccups, where sometimes Stainton would skip over a (usually minor) bit of a transition (say, jumping from the characters being in a car to them already being dressed for dinner without mentioning what happened in between or putting in white space to acknowledge the jump) that would sometimes make me feel like I missed something. But then again, these are pretty negligible things: the real issue here is the ghosts.

For a book whose plot rests so firmly on the idea of hauntings there are quite few hauntings. We actually don't ever get any backstory, really, for any of the places Joachim and Ainsley go to see ghosts; at most we get a "people have seen stuff here" line or too, but on one occasion (the last one) we don't even get that. Ainsley's relationship with the ghosts of his family is pretty well-fleshed out, but the whole plot was based on him showing off haunting sites and yeah, again, that was never really given more than a cursory glance. It felt like this element either needed to be dropped or enhanced because the half-baked way it was addressed diminished the book for me.

Overall, I do think this is a worthwhile read, and I have no doubt many romance readers will enjoy it. But yeah, for me, it needed to buff up its plot a little more.