I have been provided with a review copy of Hit Me With Your Best Scot from NetGalley for an impartial review. This is the third book in The Wild Wicked Highlanders series and I just loved getting to reenter this amazing world. Oh my gosh this story was just epic. I just couldn’t put this story down and I was just captivated by everything that was taking place. The author truly outdid herself with this story. This story just had my emotions all over the place and I am so sad to see this series end. I just can’t wait to see what’s next from this author.

Perfectly charming closing to this trilogy, but the mystery that slowly took over the story bogged it down AND had an unsatisfying ending that was not seeded at all through the rest of the book. I still have logistical questions about the perpetrator that the book was utterly unconcerned with? Coll was charming enough but obviously Persephone is the much more interesting character. The resolution of the broader storyline of the trilogy was also unsatisfying to someone who read all of these books. Just underwhelming overall despite being a relatively enjoyable read.

4.5*

Calling all Highlander fans! Do not miss this delicious story about a hulking viscount, Coll MacTaggert and the famous starlet, Persephone Jones.

Coll is on a mission, his estranged English mother's mission to find a bride before his sister weds or else the MacTaggert's clan will suffer a fate Coll cannot afford to allow. Having met a number of possible women who simply did not turn his head until he rescued Persephone time and time again. Head over heels for a woman, who isn't interested in marriage he asks for her help in securing a bride. With each passing encounter, Persephone falls harder for the mountain of a man she's determined to find a suitable bride for.

This is a fun read akin to a well played game of cat and mouse and who done it. Why is someone is trying to kill Persephone?

Hit Me With Your Best Scot by Suzanne Enoch is the third and final of the Wild Wicked Highlanders series. It centers around the oldest Taggert brother that is in search of a bride in order to keep the family land. Crazy thing is that he has less than a month to do this. I did not read the first book in the series, but did read the second and never felt like I was lost. I think that this could be a standalone book, but a deeper understanding of the backstory would be obtained by reading the first two prior to this one. Coll, the main character in this story, is kind of a brute, but with a hidden soft heart. The writing in this book uses Scottish words/phrasing, but it is quite easy to read along and after a very short time, I was reading just as if everything was written in the English I am accustomed to.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It wasn't even remotely realistic, but I don't read romances for realism. I read them for the romance and the fun. This story was full of both - from the whole family. It had mystery and sweetness; just a wonderful story that kept my attention. Loved all the Gaelic-Scottish phrases and really loved how they were subtly translated. Will read the others in the series for sure.

Hit Me With Your Best Scot by Suzanne Enoch
Wild Wicked Highlanders #3

The last brother finds his English bride and in so doing finds happiness in spite of upsetting his mother and a few others. That said, this was not my favorite of the trilogy and I did have trouble relating to Coll, Persephone and the plot. I didn’t feel I knew Coll or Persephone well, had trouble understanding them and their backstories, and felt that the sizzle that I would have liked between them seemed to be missing in their relationship.

The story did wrap up some of the loose ends about the parents and we did see the brothers with their partners but…all in all…it seemed a bit flat. There was a bit of a mystery about who was after Persephone and who she really was but, again, I didn’t buy into it as much as I would have liked to. I did enjoy the way Persephone’s parents were handled at the end. I guess is was just underwhelmed after hoping that Coll, who is bigger than life, would end up with a different happily ever after.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3 Stars

The setup is a good one - the 19th century actors and theater types and a Scott for one of the novel's romantic leads allows for lots of fun Macbeth quips. The banter is great, especially at the beginning and both leads have more than a fair share of charm. I did find it a little challenging to read the way Enoch writes the Scottish dialects, so some might prefer an audio version. The ending drags a bit and the resolution is basically, "let's simply agree that the problem that serves as the foundation of the plot just isn't a problem anymore," but overall it is still a worthwhile ride.

I liked this story but I didn't love it. I can't quite put my finger on why, but it is what it is. I do love historical romances and I do like this series, so I'll definitely continue on with the next books.

I had a hard time getting going with this book as it felt a bit slow to take off initially but I am glad I held on because it picked up. I liked this one. Overall this series isn't my favorite SE series but I've enjoyed all three books so far.

Honestly though it may have been that I just wasn't in the mood for this book. Which seems to be happening more and more to me lately and it is no fault of any particular book. A gruff and mannerless Scot in London forced to marry (or else) falling in love with a not-innocent actress whose life is threatened...I mean, ordinarily, that would scream my name. So don't let this blah review make you think it's not a worthwhile read! Most people following me here will likely enjoy this one a lot!

I want something and I don't know what it is right now. Don't mind me...

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Hit Me with Your Best Scot brings The Wild Wicked Highlanders series to a close, and for me, the best was saved for the last – Coll. Brash, Huge, No-Nonsense, Coll. While he certainly isn’t the easiest of the brothers to love, this particular Scot grabbed my attention early on in the series for I wanted to get through the layers to the man behind the brashness. Persephone and Coll caught the pages on fire with not only their sizzling chemistry but with their banter, almost as equals that for the time period is not the norm, which couldn’t hide the attraction between them.

Persephone is the type of historical romance heroine I enjoy the most. She’s used her talents to make the most of her situation, she’s basically hiding in plain sight. While she may be independent, stubborn, and convinced that marriage is something she will never willingly enter into, especially when there is danger around her – she’s going to discover that coming up against an equally stubborn Scot is a challenge she is ready for. For me, Coll and Persephone complemented each other in their personalities, their outlook on life, and family. Coll may have been annoyed at his mother’s actions, her demands that her sons marry under unique circumstances, but his brothers have found good women to love and find happiness with. He was still floundering in the find a titled lady to marry part of this trip to London for none interested him beyond the need for a wife, most were afraid of his size and manner, and in the end Persephone not only would be able to find him the perfect match – she was, in fact, the perfect wife for him. Now to get past that pesty danger part, and convince his lady that at his side (not the stage) was where her happiness lies.

Hit Me with Your Best Scot is full of family interactions, odd at times, caring, loving at others. There is definitely danger here, secrets to be brought into the light, and two people who need to give up their stubborn ways and find the happiness they both deserve. I hope to run into all of these characters again at some point, perhaps as secondary characters in a future series for I don’t really want to let them go. I had fun with this series, and if you enjoy a steamy romance full of action, danger, and finding that one right person to love for a lifetime then you’d feel right at home with any or all of the stories in The Wild Wicked Highlanders.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher, St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

I'm not a huge fan of the highlander regency era romance but I'll make an exception for Suzanne Enoch. This was a great one, I really enjoyed Coll and Persephone's dynamic. I also liked how there was a bit of mystery and a deadline at play to add just a bit more to the story.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!

I've been really enjoying the Wild Wicked Highlanders series by Suzanne Enoch (and those book titles always make me smile), but while I liked Hit Me With Your Best Scot, it wasn't my favorite in the series.

I think my biggest issue with this book was the pacing. It took me a little over a week to read, which is unusual for me, and I think the problem was that the plot seemed to drag on. I feel like the author had to draw things out as much as possible and didn't have quite enough material to do so. There were some manufactured-feeling twists and turns that didn't feel organic that turned me off slightly as well.

I also had a harder time getting to know Coll. I think he was the most difficult of the brothers for me to relate to, and I found his romance with the heroine to be the most underwhelming. I liked the fact that Coll is big and burly (natch), but his personality wasn't my thing.

Despite my issues, I still enjoyed Suzanne Enoch's writing a great deal, and I liked getting to visit with the MacTaggert family. The plot had some bright spots and some energy sprinkled about, but I don't think it quite lived up to its potential.

I always find this author's book to be engaging and fun. I know some of the trope has been seen before, but I really found I connected with the characters. T

4.75 stars

There really is no greater feeling than finding a new author to binge read. After going back to the first book in this series I knew that I was about to embark on a reading spree of all her books.

I loved Coll and Persephone so much, such great characters. Their story was so well written, action packed and enthralling from the get go. My only wish is that there was at least an epilogue so we can see how all the brothers and their heroines are living out their HEA. I felt like I was left hanging a little without it.

But nevertheless, this book and the whole series were such incredible reads, Highly Highly recommend for all historical romance lovers out there.

I think the main issue for me was that I did not feel the sparks between hero and heroine.
I was DEFINITELY looking forward to Coll's story, from the start of the series. So my expectations were high, to say the least.

The attempts against the heroine's life were a bit much, numerically I mean and they slowly took my attention away from the romance. Which on the other hand happened a bit too fast for me to empathise with it.

But overall is a nice reading, especially if you like "atypical" (although not unseen) heroines, I like that she is an actress, that she works and that she independent.

This actually redeemed Coll from his horrid behavior in Book 1 & Book 2. It was nice to see the other couples from the past books in Book 3.

Tropes:
•fake engagement-turn-marriage of convenience-turn-REAL
•Grumpy, Grunty, & Groveling Scottish Hero
•Kilts
•Not what the Heroine seems (Disguised)
•Heroine in Danger from her Past
•Fighting & Action

It was a nice conclusion for the series.

Thanks to St. Martin's and Netgalley for an ARC.

I was completely charmed by the MacTaggert brothers in Scot Under the Covers, the second book in Suzanne Enoch’s Wild Wicked Highlanders series, and even more so in Coll and Persephone’s story, Hit Me With Your Best Scot. Forced to find an English bride or lose the financial backing of his wealthy mother, Coll is the last of the single MacTaggert brothers, and time is running out. As the eldest son and heir, he feels a responsibility, to the people who work the MacTaggert land in Scotland, so he can’t go with his preferred option, which is to refuse his mother’s directive. By chance he meets Mrs. Persephone Jones, an actress, and therefore completely unmarriageable for a Viscount and future Earl. However, Persephone is the first woman he’s met in London who holds his attention with her intelligence, humor, and beauty. Both Coll and Persephone are witty, charming, self-confident, and know what they want, as well as what they don’t from life. Their interactions were highly entertaining, and I enjoyed these two characters and their story immensely. Persephone is a bit of a mystery, a fiercely independent, private woman who makes her own way in the world while hiding her identity. I knew there was a backstory there, and although I guessed at it, it wasn’t any less enjoyable. I loved the entire family dynamic in this series—the MacTaggerts are a close, affectionate family. Francesca, the mother of the wild MacTaggert’s , is a fearsome figure who isn’t used to her orders being ignored, but I still found her to be a sympathetic character. Admittedly, it took a while. As much as I enjoyed the characters and the story, the twists and turns, and unexpected direction the story went in was what I loved most. Just when you think you know exactly what will happen next…it doesn’t. And I loved it!

Throughly enjoyable. The last of the MacTaggerts brothers needs to find a wife before his sister marries or he will lose the rights to the family fortune. But Coll MacTaggert, Viscount Glendarril isn’t enthusiastic about the Sasanach his mother added as guest in Oswell-MacTaggert box at the Saint Genesius Theatre. Seeking to avoid them all, he ends up backstage where he is charged money to watch the play. “As he watched her emerge from behind the curtains and onto the middle of the stage, he stopped breathing. Before his eyes, her stride lengthened and loosened, her hips halted their sway, and her shoulders lifted. Her voice when she spoke as Rosalind in the guise of male courtier Ganymede lowered and slowed a touch, in as fair a representation of a young man as he’d ever seen from a woman. “That is Persephone Jones,” the tailor from earlier said as he hurried by. He hadn’t needed that information. If any lass could have eleven men panting after her all in one night, it was this one. And for God’s sake—no, for his sake—he hoped she was a widow.” Coll didn’t know it, but in that moment the course of his life had changed.

Coll is the last of his brothers not married and if he wants to save his ancestral home, he needs to get married soon. When he mets Persephone, he notifies his mother that he has found the woman he will be marrying. There are only a couple of issues...Persephone is an actress (whom his mother doesn't approve of) and she has no desire to ever marry.

Persie has made a life for herself in the theatre. When Coll first starts coming around she is intrigued, but when it appears that her life is in jeopardy she asks him to become her protector. It seems that someone from her past is willing to kill her so that she doesn't claim an inheritance that is hers.

Can Coll protect Persie from her past and will thier attraction for each other turn into something more?

I really enjoyed Persie and Coll's story. We've seen Coll through the other stories in the series and I wondered how Enoch would make him into a likable hero, being the moody guy that we see previously. I really enjoyed watching these two become friends and lovers.

4 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

This is a fun and flirty historical romance set in Victorian London. This is the third book in the series. I haven't read the first two, but it didn't affect my enjoyment of this book.

Viscount Glendarril Coll MacTaggert is a Scottish Highlander whose estranged English mother is requiring her three sons to marry an English woman before their youngest sister weds, or she will cut off funds to run their Scottish manor. With his two youngest brothers wed and/or betrothed to English ladies, and his sister's wedding only 4 weeks away, Coll has run out of options in stalling his mother's demands. But he's determined that he will find his own wife, thank you very much.

Enter Persephone Jones, a smart, beautiful, independent and mysterious actress that catches Coll's attention. Even if her occupation wasn't a big enough hindrance to their courtship, the fact that she has no interest in marrying Coll, or anyone, is a huge obstacle he must overcome. When someone tries to kill Persephone, Coll appoints himself her protector and vows to save her from harm, and discover who is trying to kill her. Of course, with all this time spent together, sparks are going to fly.

This is a quick read that provides plenty of escapism. I like that Persephone is smart and independent, not a weak and wishy-washy woman. There are far too many of those tropes in books as it is, so it's refreshing to see a character that isn't. Coll is also much more enlightened and non-judgmental than most leading men in romance novels. He actually listens to Persephone and is a partner to her, rather than domineering and overbearing.

Overall, this is a great Victorian romance with contemporary themes. It's a fun bit of escapism, and we can all use that these days.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the complimentary copy of the book. All opinions in this review are my own.