Bark at the Ghouls

Did you catch this when it was free a week or so ago? If not it's still a bargain at $1.99 on Kindle.

It’s been a good long while since I’ve read one of these vintage highland romances and even though this one does fall victim to several tropes of the sub-genre it was mostly a lot of fun to read.

Scotland 1818 When Iain married Mairi it was with the hope that their union would end the feud between their clans. Instead she loathed him and right after giving birth to their son she jumped to her death (dramatic much?). Naturally everyone blamed him. Fast forward few years and Iain’s been spending his time ruling his clan and raising his son and steering clear of the womanfolk. Can you blame him? But when his son is kidnapped he and his clan rescue him and a woman named Page who no one apparently wants.

This all happens in the first few chapter so no worries that I’ve gone and spoiled it all.

The rest of the book is a spirited romp (yep, I’m digging out the golden oldie review clichés for this one) that basically follows spitfire Page, Iain and his clan of rowdy Scotsman around as they face treachery and drop their pants because them Scots like being as naked as they day they were born. Just trust me, it is some silly fun. It’s a little frustrating too, I’m not gonna lie, because Iain has kept things from Page that she really should know about but he’s done it to spare her tender feelings. Sweet but not the smartest move. If there are any menfolk reading this you might want to listen up. This tactic, no matter how well intentioned your motives, will always come back to bite you in the naked behind. Just saying.

The cast is filled with larger than life types, the romance though a wee bit aggravating at times, is tender and lovely and the relationships develop believably. I can forgive all the rest of the nitpicky stuff because the book made me smile quite a few times and that’s enough for me.

Your enjoyment of this story will rest on your tolerance for this sort of plot, exclamation marks, an excess of verra, mayhaps and dinna’s in the dialogue and damaged but good natured characters. I liked it, found it romantic even, but as I said I haven’t read one of these in ages and it was a nice blast to past for me and though it was way too long, it mostly just made feel happy to be reading it. Here’s a little taste to see if the humor works for you.

“Page shuddered at the bold way he appraised her once more. No man had ever dared look at her so—with such undisguised lust. It sent a jolt of alarm racing through her. And to her dismay, the tiniest thrill.

Another quiver shook her.
Mayhap she’d lost her wits when she’d collided with his monolith of a friend?
She cast a glance at the others and found them all staring, mouths agape. Page hoped their idiocy wasn’t contagious. They were half-wits! Every last one of them!
“Catching glowworms perchance?” she asked.
A ridiculous sight, the lot of them; their brows drew together in unison and they cast surprised glances at each other, then snapped their mouths shut.
“Bones o’ the bluidy saints, wench! ‘Tis no wonder your da lets you aboot in the middle o’ the night,” the leader said. “He’s like to be hopin’ ye’ll lose your way home in the dark.”

PS All my book group friends loved this. It was so much fun to actually discuss books again!