It’s been a long while since I’ve been swept away into a world where handsome Scottish Lairds wed and protect their damsel in distress heroines from the harsh winters of the Highlands and the danger that awaits them around every corner, because you just know that in these novels, the heroine or the hero have to fight to protect each other from their enemy clans to the south who want to kill the Laird so that they can have his land and rule over all of the clans in the Highlands.
It’s funny how some of my favorite books are set in the Highlands and last night as I was browsing through my bookshelves, I came across a lot of books that I have read and loved over the years. Most of them are about macho lairds who’s wives are starting wars with all of the nearby clans, while others are running off with men that they’ve foolishly asked to marry them when they were too young to know any better which sets off other wars with the jilted fiance’s clan. So many of these books were funny, filled with great characters, a great sense of family and loyalty and I really miss reading those kinds of books, I want to read another one of these kinds of books…these kinds of storylines seem to be missing from my life right now and I want those storylines back dammit!
I’m almost done with my TBR Challenge with Ames over at Thrifty Reader and I’m in the mood to read about some horse hung, kilt clad hunks from the cold Scottish Highlands with their overbearing attitudes and thick scottish brogues.
Bring on the Scotsman, ladies (and gents if you’re out there and know of any good ones! =P) …I’m looking for some great romance novels that take place in the Highlands, way before my great, great great grand daddy was even thought of.
I enjoy the likes of Karen Marie Moning, Julie Garwood and I’m sure there are others but my silly mind is drawing a blank here, so please…step up and pimp some great highland romances!!!
And while we’re talking about this, I’d like to pose a question to you lovely readers. Who in your opinion writes the best Highlander stories? Are you a straight up KMM fan who loves the virginal and too smart for their own good heroines and the horse hung, dead sexy heroes that are over the top yummalicious? Or are you more of a Julie Garwood type, the alpha males that are sexy and funny and everything ooey gooey delicioso?
How is Janet Chapman’s Highland series? I’ve heard conflicting reviews on this series, some love it to pieces while others don’t care for it at all? What do you think? There’s also the Hannah Howell books, would anyone recommend those and if you do, please leave the titles in order to be read when you comment so that I can put it on my list of books to search for.
Are there any authors that I’m missing that you’d like to pimp to me? Please, help a sister out! I’m imaging sexy Gerard Butler in a kilt and well, it’s what triggered all of this must find new highlander books to read mindset.
Not a highlander, but hung like a horse-I’m all about Mark from Passion by Lisa Valdez. (Yes, this is the one I mentioned today-LOL.)
I like KMM and Julie Garwood. I haven’t really read too many other authors who have scottish books. Umm…Hannah Howell? I think I read one of hers, and it was good. The heroine was a gutsy girl who liked sex. Who can’t like a heroine like that? And the hero liked her too. hubba hubba. LOL
But feck, I can’t remember the title.
Shoot, all HH books are like that, Ames. I Lurrrve her!
I love MIKs! All started with my love of Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, but I do like KMM as well – she writes amazing heroes, although sometimes I do want to bitch slap her heroines! As for other authors, well, I am a bit stuck because I can’t think of any others, even though I know I have read some…oh, oh…Kinley McGregor – most of her Scottish historicals are good, especially Born in Sin!
I just finished “If You Desire” by Kresley Cole. I really enjoyed it. It features a highlander who has loved the heroine all his life. He’s engaged as an assassin and of course thinks his job makes him unworthy of the heroine. I found the book refreshing and fun. I seriously love the premise though, where the hero has loved the heroine all her life.
This was my first Cole book but it won’t be my last!
Ames,
You big horndog, if anyone likes sex, they’re like your best friend! I’M THE SAME WAY!!! haha…we can be horndogs together~!!! haha.
I’m gonna try Hannah Howell, Holly has been telling me for years to read her and I never know which book to buy so I don’t buy any…give me some titles and I’ll start putting a list together.
Hey Marg,
YES! I really enjoyed the Kinley books, I’m waiting anxiously for Lochlan’s book, do you know when that’s coming out?
Hey Mary Kate,
Welcome to Book Binge! =) And I’m totally going to check out that Kresley Cole book out, If You Desire, huh? Alright, it’s on my list!
If you’re willing to go back a few years – I have some excellent Gerrar Butler type books to recommend *g*
Gather the Stars by Kimberly Cates
A Promise of Love by Karen Ranney
And although it takes place in England, My False Heart by Liz Carlyle has a delicious Scottish hero
Oh lordy – give me a horse hung/kilt wearing man – please!
KMM, Garwood, Kurland – they are the masters at weaving a good tale of Highlander lairds.
Lori,
Rowena has this horrible issue with large fonts. For some reason, anything over a size 10 freaks her out and causes her to lose hair.
It’s terribly unfortunate, and Isabel and myself are preparing to stage an intervention.
In the meantime, I hope you (and everyone else) will bare with us as we struggle through these hard times.
😛
Normally I’m not a Highland laird girl. I did read the Highland Lord series by Karen Ranney and loved it… http://donttalkjustread.blogspot.com/2006/01/highland-lords-series-by-karen-ranney.html
Oh, and if I might… it’s kind of hard for my old eyes to read the yellow text on the orange background… especially now that you have the text so small. I’m squinty…
LOL – it’s not so much the small font that’s the issue, but the yellow on orange. It’s pretty, but I just can’t see it. Damn it. *g*
LOL Ames. You are a treasure, I swear. It was a hot book, I’ll give you that, but I wavered between hating Mark and wanting to be Passion just a bit. But he did redeem himself quite nicely, didn’t he?
Okay, I can attest that MaryKate is a world-class book pimp. I am like Pavloc’s dog when she mentions books. (Don’t get her started on The Windflower). Today I went and got that Cole book, plus the one before it – “If You Dare”, thanx to MK. The 3rd book will be out next month, I believe. It’s about Scottish brothers.
Kristie, I loved “Gather The Stars”. Made a total fangirl fool outta myself last year at RWA gushing to Kimberly Cates about it. Not one of my prouder moments, but I adored that book.
Thanks so much Kristie J! =) I’ll definitely give those books a go. I’m adding those books to my list right now!! =)
Rene,
Is that Lynn Kurland? I have never read anything by her, what titles do you recommend by her?
Lori,
Thanks, I changed the font to white so I hope that works out for you, this is a temporary template so bear with us sweetie!
And Holly sweets, there is nothing wrong with liking neat fonts that aren’t ginormous! I don’t need an intervention sweetie…LOL!
hey Stacy,
I’m going tomorrow to pick up those books, I didn’t get a chance to this weekend but tomorrow, I’ll be much better!
Thanks for all the great suggestions guys, I look forward to read all of those books and more!
I love Kilgannon and The Wild Rose of Kilgannon by Kathleen Givens.
Thanks Tate and welcome to our blog, I’m taking down notes of all the titles and authors, so thanks!! =)