How to Abduct a Highland Lord Reviews

• Flirtatious, Witty, and Passionate Scottish Romance

  
  By A1EJKQD72ZO2AP on 2007-02-06
  Karen Hawkins delights fans of Scottish Romance once again in this first of a new series about the highland MacLean Family. Black Jack Kincaid had his roguish heart broken years ago when the beautiful green-eyed Fiona MacLean refused his offer of marriage. After years of drinking and wenching he wakes up from being drunk and unconscious on a road to London to discover he is now wed to Fiona. When her brother Callum is murdered and a Kincaid is blamed, Fiona has no choice but to abduct and marry this handsome auburn-haired, blue-eyed rogue in order to halt the MacLean-Kincaid life-long feud. After all, the MacLean's only power, other than their good looks, is the ability to make it rain and thunderstorm! When Jack is determined that his marriage will not affect his rogue lifestyle, he flees with Fiona to his London home in order to be in control of the relationship. Once there Fiona's beauty, passion, and kindness begins to warm Jack's cold heart. London experiences a stormy season as the MacLean brothers follow to make sure their little sister is happy in her new marriage. An ex-lover of Jack's who wants him back in her bed and a member of the Campbell family who wants revenge, get in the act to make trouble. When attempts on Fiona's life are made, Jack and Fiona return to Scotland, where the mystery of Callum's death and attempts on Fiona's life are unveiled. The story is sexy, witty, fast paced and pure regency highland fun!
  
  

• Wish I didn't buy it

  
  By A1GEYB9OAOL35P on 2007-03-19
  This is the first book I've read by Karen Hawkins.
  I just did not like this book. Fiona seemed too selfish, I really tried to like her, but she just annoyed me (the way she was mad at Jack for not changing for her after shes forced him to marry her). The family curse seemed interesting but it got tiresome and Fiona's brothers just seemed to get in the way too much. I thought maybe the curse would play a bigger role towards the end of the book and it started to, but it all just died out. I didn't buy Fiona and Jack's love for each other either. I was more interested in Lucinda than any of the other characters. The end of the book is the worst, there was hardly any resolve, it all seemed rushed and ended too abruptly. Some people really liked this book, I just expect more from a historic romance.
  
  

• One Star

  
  By A20F0VHBQ48NFF on 2007-04-28
  I've liked all Karen Hawkins' stories but this one was difficult to get through. Fiona MacLean wants to prevent a war between her family and the Kincaids following the death of her brother Cullom. This might have been better suited placed in a Medievil England setting instead Regency England it was hard to understand imagine a Scottish clan war a mist the gaming rooms of London High Society. Fiona thinks by marrying Jack Kincaid known as Black Jack, once they have a baby Fiona thinks it will prevent the MacLeans from taking revenge on the Kincaids. Fiona does this by kidnapping Jack and marry him without his consent while the "kidnapping" was amusing but there's also a thin line Karen Hawkins is walking having her hero kidnapped and married without his consent. I was curious to see how she got passed it. Unfortunately she doesn't. When Jack finds out he is understandable outraged and intents to find away out of the marriage in London. Fiona is outrage to learn Jack intends to contiune life the same as always going out gambling and carousing while I understand Fiona doesn't want an unfaithful husband what I don't understand is how she feels she should expect and demand a faithful husband from Jack considering she kidnapped him and married him without his consent. If you can get passed that part you'll probably enjoy the book but unfortunately for me I wasn't able to.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Not a Keeper

  
  By A2HKKEVD4PH1LU on 2007-02-18
  Fiona MacLean kidnaps her ex-lover and forces him to marry her in order to prevent a blood feud between their families that would end up killing her beloved brothers. Black Jack Kincaid is a reluctant bridge groom prefering his drinking, debauchery, and womanizing ways to marriage. Fiona however is determined to change her husbands wastrel tendencies and make him a reformed man content with marriage. She is also sure that she can get him to fall in love with her, as she's secretly loved him all these years since their disasterous love affair. But unbeknownst to them a former lover will do anything to make sure that doesn't happen, and that Black Jack Kincaid will remain hers forever.
  
  To be fair this book is a good read if you're bored and want to pass the time. But despite a few individual touches such as the heroine Fiona causes it to rain when her emotions get out of control. This is a so-so story that lacks any real depth and emotional angst. I found it hard to get into the characters who were two-dimensional at best. There is never really any doubt as to how the story will end, a typically pedestrian happily ever after. I found this book didn't live up to my expectations, but it was a pleasant read nonetheless. This book is definitely not a keeper, but it will help pass the time if you're bored.
  
  

• Great Characters in a Reasonable Pickle!

  
  By A2OIX4KBD3FVC5 on 2007-03-12
  Reading through the other reviews I almost let this little gem slip away. So jump back in and grab this charmer for some smart, fairly reasonable, silly fun. Knowing the history of feuding families, I can understand why a lady would make such a desparate attempt at a solution by kidnapping and marrying the male of the opposing family. What makes the story enjoyable is the couple have a pleasant past and so their marriage is really not so--tedious! Finally, a touch of paranormal creates images you can just imagine explaining to the rest of the neighbors and servants--like why is it raining--err, hailing--in just one spot?! Relax and enjoy with some lemon tea and a chocolate chip scone and dream of kidnapping your own rich, handsome, skilled English lord.....ahhh Spring!
  
  
  
• Do not abduct this book
  By A2Z99OBIXJNB0V on 2007-02-17
  This book did not live upto my expectations. It started out interesting enough, however it did not maintain the stamina of the book. The story could have been more fun and interesting with the two main characters, but it fell flat. I was quite dissappointed
  
  
• A book to skip
  By ATROG5TK400S2 on 2007-02-22
  I forced myself to read the first 100 pages of this book before I threw it down. A woman that can control the weather and have a storm cloud over one man--PLEASE!!! Even though the story could have been good, the book was poorly researched and put together. There were many historical inaccuracies and the characters were not very believable. Hate to say it, but it was probably one of the worst books I have ever tried to read.
  
  
• Let it rain.
  By A2EXKT3W540VD9 on 2007-02-23
  I found this book engaging. Fiona is a true gem and I would enjoy reading more about the MacLean Family. I couldn't put it down. Karen Hawkins has a wonderful talent of mating strong willed women with just the right type of men. The weather touch was a wonderful add on. By the end of the book I was wondering what kind of weather I should expect next. Good job Karen!! Keep up the great work.
  
  
• A sexy and fun romance!
  By A2F5UR75EDVD9X on 2007-02-24
  I loved this book. It is fast and fun and Fiona is a great heroine. The sexual tension was thick and the intiguing element of the curse added some great fun to the story.
  
  Fiona MacLean is a member of the cursed MacLean family. Long ago, she had a lost love relationship with notorious Black Jack Kincaid. Now, she needs his help to avoid a family fued. That's when the fun begins -- can Jack help Fiona without falling back in love with her? Can she resist him?
  
  If you haven't read this book, you'll want to! It's a terrific story with laugh out loud funny moments and a very tender love story.
  
  
• A family that control the weather .... A fantastic book !
  By A18FUHNBP90IB4 on 2007-03-14
  Great story hooks you from the first page. Jack and Fiona had a great spark and her family is so over the top - you just love them. A nice mix of romance, protective brothers, mystery with dash of pure evil - a great novel. Off to read more by this author. Can't wait for 'To Scotland, with love' coming out September 2007.
  
  
• Worth a Read
  By A2KGJ9GGZ23H91 on 2007-04-26
  This book begins well - it has an interesting premise (a woman kidnaps a man and forces him to marry her), excellent humour, and interesting details and history surrounding the main plotline (like the MacLean curse of triggering storms with their temper and the hero and heroine's past relationship). The male lead, Jack Kincaid, is fairly typical but nonetheless likeable, as is the female lead, Fiona MacLean. Ms Hawkin's writing style throughout is very readable and engaging, and she writes great humour as well as really hot scenes, which I greatly enjoy in a romance novel.
  
  These strengths alone carry the reader smoothly to the end of the story, which, even if it is a teensy bit anticlimactic (there is little drama despite Jack's bold declaration of "unleashing the full MacLean powers", we are never told much about Fiona's injury, and the capture of the villains seems a little too pat), is suitably heartwarming.
  
  However, the novel has its shortcomings too, and they left me rather unsatisfied at the end of it. My chief grouse is that Fiona and Jack never really seem to interact as personalities (as opposed to objects of lust) or get to know each other - and because of this, I'm convinced they have a white-hot passion going between them, but unconvinced that they know each other well enough to actually be in love. Much of the novel also revolves around a singular point - that she doesn't want him to go out "carousing" like he used to as a bachelor. While this provides very interesting scenes where she goes out carousing as well, after a while it gets a bit tiring, especially since we're given very little grounds for this battle except that she doesn't like it and that he wants to prove a point.
  
  All in all, though, the book is worth at least one read (or maybe two), although I'd advise against buying it to add to your collection because it doesn't have the emotional depth to hold up well to repeated readings.
  
  
• Silly, but still sexy
  By A2G836TPI9J2IN on 2007-07-16
  One thing about this book is that if you don't take it too seriously you will enjoy it just fine. Jack Kincaid, Black Jack, is a womanizing wastrel who is enjoying going through his late grandfather's money by gambling, drinking and carousing. Leaving the bed of one of his married conquests, a drunken Jack is thrown from his horse and thinks he is dreaming when he finds himself in front of a priest getting married to his childhood sweetheart Fiona MacLean. He still carries the wounds of a heart broken when Fiona refused to marry him after he took her virginity when they were teenagers.
  
  Fiona is heartbroken over the death of her youngest brother Callum as the result of the centuries long feud between the Kincaids and MacLean's and knows the only way to stop the feuding is a marriage and child between her and Jack. She takes the oppurtunity when a drunken Jack thinks he is dreaming of her and gets him to the altar, to seal the deal she tells everyone she is already with child. When Jack regains consciousness he is understandably angry but when he finds out the marriage cannot be annuled decides to make the best of the situation and agrees to Fiona's suggestion that he get her pregnant and then she will leave and let him resume his life. The problem is that Fiona and Jack start developing feelings for one another but Jack is determined that this marriage will not alter his lifestyle. Fiona knows she will not accept an unequal marriage and so she starts going out on the town to gambling halls as well much to Jack's horror. Adding to their problems is one of Jack's jealeous ex-mistresses and a family enemy of the MacLean's. Just to keep things interesting Fiona's brothers arrive on scene to make sure Jack treats her right and the entire family seems to have a magical talent, controlling the weather by their emotions.
  
  This was a light, fun book but if you want something with more emotional depth, look elsewhere.
  
  
• Great Start To New Series!
  By A1MNZFWB79MYX0 on 2007-07-01
  I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would. I usually do not like elements in romance novels such as Fiona being able to alter the weather based on her moods, but that aspect of the book did not take away from my enjoyment of Fiona and Jack's story. I understand the complaint others have of Fiona being too judgmental of Jack considering she forced him into the marraige. I was able to tolerate this aspect of Fiona's character because she wanted him to take their marriage seriously because she loved him. Once I learned of the "powers" Fiona and her brothers had concerning the weather, I immediately dismissed the future books in this series. However, by the end of this book, I wanted to know more about her brothers and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series. Karen Hawkins' humorous and engaging writing style is a talent not to be missed.
  
  
• truly unbelievable...and not in a good way!
  By APFSE09F9203I on 2008-02-06
  First of all, despite the fact that I am a rational middle aged adult, with a prospering career, I admit to being an historical romantic novel junkie....I love them, I will read anything set in any century prior to the 20th, that occurs in, what is now, the United Kingdom...even though the plots are always predictable, as are the hero and heroine. Low as my standards are however, I just found out that I do have my limits, and this book is it.
  
  Other than the fact that the plot was very tenuous, at best, the thing that really got me going was when the hero said that his grandfather left HER fortune to him...HUH????? Okay, so maybe there aren't any proofreaders of ditzy historic romance novels.....I can accept that. But then, the picnic included, and I quote, "tarts and crumpets and SWEETBREADS (capitalization mine), accompanied by jellies, jams and marmalade." Either Ms. Hawkins has an odd culinary palate, or she has no earthly idea that sweetbreads are thymus glands, BRAINS, Ms. Hawkins! You have your hero and heroine dining on marmalade and BRAINS! It can only mean one thing, that I have lost my mind completely to be reading such drivel.
  
  I will not swear off historic romance novels, that would require too much time and therapy, but I will swear off novels by this author, sorry Ms. Hawkins, but even this incredibly deluded romantic mind has its limits. Sweetbreads and marmalade indeed! The Ton would be shocked! Its unfortunate that Gaelen Foley and Loretta Chase can't put out a novel a month, what a wonderful world it would be!
  
  
• fine Scottish regency romance
  By AFVQZQ8PW0L on 2007-02-10
  In 1807 Scotland, Fiona MacLean fears the feud between her clan and that of wastrel Black Jack Kincaid will soon turn murderously hot as both sides claim righteous grudges. To avoid bloodshed, Fiona asks Jack to come home. Though she exiled him in the first place due to his rakish behavior, since he loves her, Jack leaves his latest London female to rush back to Scotland. However, he awakens to learn he is married to Fiona who claims she is pregnant with his child.
  
  Jack is unhappy with the pregnancy ploy to force a peace between the clans, but is euphoric with a second chance to prove he is worthy of his beloved. He plans to go along with her scheme including turning her fabrication into the truth. However, Jack may succeed in bed, but fails to earn Fiona's trust as she always believes the worst of him. Even more difficult is keeping the clans from killing one another. However Jack is willing to risk his life to achieve everlasting love in peaceful environs.
  
  Though the theme of a rake and a passionate female struggling with a relationship between themselves and their clans has been used quite often in Scottish regency romances, Karen Hawkins refreshes her story line due mostly to Black Jack who hides how much he cares behind his womanizing. The story line is fast-paced as Fiona rips into Jack while needing him to foster her lie. Readers will enjoy this fine historical as love is the only means of preventing a feud turning deadly.
  
  Harriet Klausner
  
  
  
  

• To Scotland, With Love
• To Catch a Highlander
• What a Lady Wants (Last Man Standing, Book 2)
• Beware a Scot's Revenge (School for Heiresses, Book 3)
• And Then He Kissed Her