Reviews By Martha's Bookshelf: Sue-Ellen Welfonder

Showing posts with label Sue-Ellen Welfonder. Show all posts

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Book Review: Temptation of a Highland Scoundrel by Sue-Ellen Welfonder

This is a good tale with a heroine determined to win her highlander mate.

Temptation of a Highland Scoundrel (Highland Warriors 2) by Sue-Ellen Welfonder.

Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Forever; Original edition (July 26, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446561770
ISBN-13: 978-0446561778

Genre: Historical Romance
My Rating: 4.0 of 5.0

Product Description
The second book in the Highland Warriors trilogy, in which three heroes make a pact to insure that a rival clan doesn't take over their glen and cause destruction. At the same time, three women will plot to marry these heroes to help insure peace.

In TEMPTATION OF A HIGHLAND SCOUNDREL, Kendrew Macintosh's reputation precedes him: he wields an ax with deathly precision, strikes fear into his enemies, and lusts after beautiful women. But Kendrew has never met someone whose passion rivals his own-until an unexpected encounter with a mysterious woman. Unfortunately, he soon discovers that the vixen is Isobel Cameron, daughter of an enemy clansman. Their relationship is forbidden and Kendrew breaks away immediately. Isobel has her own scheme. She has lusted after Kendrew for some time and plans to draw the fierce warrior back into her arms. But in the darkness, villainous forces are at play--an enemy is determined to keep the two lovers apart, even if it means death.

Review: I enjoyed the characters, the ghostly assistance and the fast paced action of this book.

Isobel Cameron is the sister of the Cameron Chief and is a fiercely passionate highlander. She has made a pact with the sisters of the other two clan chiefs. It isn’t easy for the three rival clans to share the glen where they live. But the option to truce is to have the King banish them all from the land. Although the men are particularly hard to coax into friendship, the sisters of the three leaders have agreed to seek peace through marriage to the other clan leaders. Catriona MacDonald has already married James Cameron in Sins of a Highland Devil. Now Isobel has her sights, and her heart, set on Kendrew Macintosh the brawny leader of the Macintosh clan.

Kendrew is a vibrant, fierce warrior who would much prefer battling with his ax than seeking making friends with his neighbors. Kendrew is known to favor the women too but he particularly avoids any Lady and he isn’t interested in settling down. On a night of rivalry, Kendrew is attracted in the dark to a seductress; their passion is intense until he discovers that the woman is Isobel Cameron, not only a Lady but the sister of one of his rivals.

Isobel has her task set out for her to convince Kendrew to fall in love with her. She has to show Kendrew her Highlander strength and her love for the wild country. I appreciated Isobel’s unflagging determination.

As Isobel tries to capture Kendrew’s affections there is a sinister force stalking Kendrew and others in the glen that lends mystery and suspense to the story. The chase and tug between Isobel and Kendrew is enjoyable. The passion between the couple is warm and rich. I liked the interventions from the glen’s legendary ghosts as well as the ghostly draegan master who tries to help protect Kendrew and his clan.

This story is a good blend of conflict, mystery, romance and a bit of magic. It read quickly and easily for a satisfying read.

xxx

Thank you to Hachette for this book to read and review. Check the triple book Giveaway in Forever's Hot Historical Romance blog tour.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Book Review and Giveaway, Three Copies: Sins of a Highland Devil by Sue-Ellen Welfonder

I loved the characters with this interesting plot.
Sins of a Highland Devil (Highland Warriors) by Sue-Ellen Welfonder

Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Forever; Original edition (January 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446561789
ISBN-13: 978-0446561785

   Price: Print $7.99; Kindle $7.99
     Genre: Historical Romance
     My Rating: 3.75 of 5.0

Product Description
The first book in the Highland Warriors trilogy, in which three heroes make a pact to insure that a rival clan does not take over their Glen of Many Legends. At the same time, three women plot to marry these heroes to insure peace.

In SINS OF A HIGHLAND DEVIL, James Cameron is concerned when the King's decree states all three neighboring clans must have a battle to the death in order to lay official claim to the scared Glen of Many Legends. James attempts to make a pact with the heads of the other clans to fight this decree. But he ends up fighting his own fierce desire when coming head-to-head with Lady Catriona of the opposing MacDonald clan, who has her own plan for peace.

Review: Since I particularly liked many of the characters in this book I thought it was a shame that two thirds of the book was sensual play instead of focusing on the interesting plot.

James Cameron is a sinfully sexy highlander chieftain, known as “The Devil”. Too bad for Catriona MacDonald that bonnie James is in the wrong highlander clan.

There is a long history of disagreements, often murderous, of the three clans who occupy the Glen of Many Legends. The King has ordered the clans to submit 30 of their best warriors to battle to the death. The clan with the most men standing after the battle will win the authority to reign the Glen.

Catriona is a flame haired beauty who is feisty, proud and bit reckless. She met James Cameron when she was young and their encounters have gendered sparks ever since. No other man interests or excites her although she knows she shouldn’t have anything to do with a man from another clan.

James knows that he shouldn’t lust after the sister of an enemy chieftain. But he can’t help the consistent sizzling pull towards Catriona and what mere mortal man could resist her seductive provocations?

These characters are really wonderful as are their siblings who, I am sure, will offer their own headstrong battles in other books in the series. I also thought the challenge to find peace instead of slaughtering each other presented an interesting plot although it didn’t work out as I had hoped. I do not mind battle, blood and gore but this type of forced battle for spectacle wasn’t to my liking. Although I prefer the battle results to the alternative they were not consistent with the King’s decree of “to the death.”

I did like the mystical aspects with ghosts, a great spirit stag and an ancient couple who add their riddled fortune telling wisdom and meddling spells to the story. I also liked "the fate thread" pulling characters together. What annoyed me, although I am sure many romance readers would not be bothered by it, were the pages and pages of sensual imaginings with James fantasizing about Catriona and Catriona, not so innocently, imagining the things James might show or teach her. A little sensual tension goes a long way for me and I thought that two thirds of the story devoted to that lustful chase was a bit much. I was ready to get on with the mystery of the cloaked trouble maker stirring up each of the three clans and what tragedy or sacrifices would have to occur to achieve peace.

This is the first book I have read by this popular author and I have to wonder if other stories have the same ratio of sensual chase to interesting plot. Yes the characters are grand and the plot is interesting but the book could easily have been seventy five pages shorter by cutting out the repetitive lustings. That would have made it more enjoyable for me.

THANK YOU TO HACHETTE FOR PROVIDING THE BOOK FOR MY REVIEW AND FOR PROVIDING THREE BOOKS FOR GIVEAWAY.

TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY:

1. Visit the Author's website or check out Five Fun Facts and tell me something you found interesting;
One of these is required for entry. If you do both it will count as two entries.

Make sure you leave your e-mail address!

2. For an extra entry, become a follower or tell me if you are already a follower.

3. For three entries, blog, facebook, tweet (any of those networks!) about this giveaway and tell me where you did.

It isn't necessary to use separate entries unless you want them in different chronological order.
(Six total entries possible.) MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE YOUR E-MAIL!

THERE WILL BE THREE WINNERS!

* This contest is only open to residents of US and Canada.

* No P.O. Boxes Please - for shipping reasons.

* Limit one win per household.

* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on February 2, 2011.
The winners will be randomly selected from all entries.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Blog Tour: Sins of a Highland Devil by Sue-Ellen Welfonder - January 10 to 21

Here is another sexy romance on blog tour with Hachette Forever Romance.
Check back for my review and giveaway next Wednesday, January 19th and meanwhile you can follow the tour as set out below.

The first book in the Highland Warriors trilogy, in which three heroes make a pact to insure that a rival clan does not take over their Glen of Many Legends. At the same time, three women plot to marry these heroes to insure peace.

In SINS OF A HIGHLAND DEVIL, James Cameron is concerned when the King's decree states all three neighboring clans must have a battle to the death in order to lay official claim to the scared Glen of Many Legends. James attempts to make a pact with the heads of the other clans to fight this decree. But he ends up fighting his own fierce desire when coming head-to-head with Lady Catriona of the opposing MacDonald clan, who has her own plan for peace.

Author Photo and Bio

Five Fun Facts

Prequel to SINS OF A HIGHLAND DEVIL

Visit Welfonder.com

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