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Hot Scot Trilogy #1
Some Like It Scot
As McLeod clan leader, Graham has always placed duty to his heritage and people before everything else. Even when it means honouring a ridiculously outdated pact to become betrothed to a McAuley descendant. His business arrangement with American Katie McAuley suits them both - she spends a month at his Scottish castle, where she can take refuge from her overbearing family and figure out her future - if he could just keep Katie's courage and honesty at arm's length, not to mention their all-too-sizzling attraction.
327 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2010
39 people are currently reading
607 people want to read
About the author
Donna Kauffman
146 books1,790 followersUSA Today bestseller and award winning author of the Cupcake Club series and the Blueberry Cove series, DONNA KAUFFMAN has been gratified to see her books get rave reviews in venues ranging from Kirkus Reviews and Library Journal to Entertainment Weekly and Cosmopolitan. She lives in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in southwestern Virginia, where she is happily working on the next book in her brand new Blue Hollow Falls series, set right in her mountain home area. When she's not writing, she can be found recapping the popular tv show NCIS for USA Today, or escaping into her garden to play in the dirt. Donna also works as a volunteer wildlife transporter for two local sanctuaries, giving orphaned and injured wildlife a second chance at survival. You can catch up on all of her adventures via her author page on Facebook, or on Twitter, or Instagram @writerchick. Donna loves to hear from readers! You can contact her through her website at www.donnakauffman.com.
Donna Kauffman passed away on April 9, 2020 of pancreatic cancer.
Donna Kauffman passed away on April 9, 2020 of pancreatic cancer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
September 27, 2011
If you're thinking of reading this book, don't bother. Pretty much one of the most slow paced and boring books I have ever read. I really struggled to finish it, hoping there'd be some amazing twist or redeeming factor at the end. NOPE. It started out interesting, but quickly turned into longing looks and inner dialogue of PARAGRAPHS of what beautiful blonde hair Katie has. How perfect Graham is. How perfect Katie is. It's just all lovely between them. No tension whatsoever. Just when you think something interesting might happen right at the very end to make slogging through this tripe, nope! The author won't even finish her set up for that. Too bad, that might have made it a decent read instead of a colossal waste of time.
May 12, 2014
Contemporary Romance -- A good story. What made it even better was Kauffman's use of the scottish brogue -- major turn on and it made this book a better read.
April 22, 2019
I am so glad I bought this book. The chemistry between the two main characters, Graham McLeod and Katie McAuley, was amazing. The whole time I was reading this book all I could think about was I want what they have and laughed at myself for being jealous of a fictional relationship. This book is a modern day romance with a little "supernatural" thrown in with visions of the past when they are together as well as them feeling like they are doing things that their "past selves" did in the past. All of the characters are funny, intelligent, and a host of other traits. I loved this book so much that I bought the next book, "Off Kilter", that features Graham's friend, Roan, and my next purchase will by an anthology called, "Unwrapped" featuring Graham's other friend, Shay.
Read
January 7, 2019DNF'D at 44 pages. Too much inner dialogue and mindless unrealistic chatter. Couldnt get into it.
August 9, 2014
"You can't just a book by its cover!". How about its title? I admit I grabbed this from the library purely because I liked the title and found it cheesy, cliche, and I'm a sucker for bad puns... well sometimes, when the mood strikes.
This book has an interesting twist on a romance novel. Graham MacLeod needs to find a wife who matches a specific set of criteria in order to uphold his Clan's tradition and maintain his title to rule his tiny Scottish Island. The only female who has everything he needs is in America, and the only daughter of a powerful family intent on forging stronger ties with their business partners.
Katie finds herself drawn to the highlander who is promising her an escape from one arranged marriage straight into another. Should she marry her gay best friend to strengthen their families company, or disappear with the mysterious Scot.
The story was teasing, sexy, predictable, just what you want from a romance novel.
This book has an interesting twist on a romance novel. Graham MacLeod needs to find a wife who matches a specific set of criteria in order to uphold his Clan's tradition and maintain his title to rule his tiny Scottish Island. The only female who has everything he needs is in America, and the only daughter of a powerful family intent on forging stronger ties with their business partners.
Katie finds herself drawn to the highlander who is promising her an escape from one arranged marriage straight into another. Should she marry her gay best friend to strengthen their families company, or disappear with the mysterious Scot.
The story was teasing, sexy, predictable, just what you want from a romance novel.
January 16, 2011
I have really liked this author's books in the past, but this one fell a little flat for me. For one thing, the story moved SO.FRICKING.SLOW! It took the entire first half of the book just for them to get to the airport! I get that some buildup was required to create some sexual tension, but this was overkill IMO. Would much rather have seen more of the story take place in Scotland than the trip getting there.
May 26, 2011
I love Donna Kauffman so I had a feeling I would love this book and I did. There were some slow parts and the first chapter felt like it went on for 100 pages! But I knew the story would get better and it totally did.
I loved the characters and while it got a little fantastical in some parts which freaked me out, for the most part, it was a good, easy read. Just a great romance read!
I loved the characters and while it got a little fantastical in some parts which freaked me out, for the most part, it was a good, easy read. Just a great romance read!
June 3, 2010
Fun, interesting love story. The supernatural aspect was briefly touched on, but not really developed. I had a little trouble with the whole concept of the "marriage pact" being a good thing and that Graham was wrong in trying to end it.
July 6, 2011
I liked the story and the characters, and most especially, their romance. It was quite slow-moving at times, which detracted from the story a bit. I think my favorite part was their "visions". I still think I will continue to read more of the series.
March 15, 2012
Fantastic book. Could not set this one down. This is your single sitting romance. Our main highlander is a little rough around the edges, but a true softy at heart.
I like the characters in this story and can't wait to read about the next 2 Scots!
I like the characters in this story and can't wait to read about the next 2 Scots!
June 30, 2014
3.75 stars. Good character development, though at times a little confusing. Entire plot takes place over three days, so more focused on characters than setting.
June 30, 2025
It wasn’t so bad that I had to give up on it. It had several cute moments that helped carry me through to the end.
But here’s a note I made while reading:
I am on page 234 out of 310 and they just got back to Scotland. 😑 The majority of this book has been them traveling. A scene will happen. Then he processes it. Then she process it. Then they discuss it together. So 1/4 of the book is the plot moving forward. And 3/4 is them analyzing what they experienced. It’s moving very slowly. I don’t think this is a series but the author is going to have to rush the ending to wrap this up with less than 100 pages to do so.
I ended up being correct. It is a standalone book and the ending was extremely rushed and glazed over. They didn’t even bother addressing the true motives Iian had for being on the island. They never told us a conclusion about her friendship with Blaine either- did he forgive her? Did their friendship end? Did he end up with Tag? No answers. And did Graham ever find a solution for his crops? Did the business succeed with them working as a power couple team? No answers. Did she get her funds back from her family? I mean she did make her own money from working for the family business so she should have received access to that. Did she make peace with her family? What all did Blaine have to deal with when she ditched the wedding? No answers.
I wish they would have developed the relationship in Scotland so the readers could have enjoyed that scenery during the more of the book rather than the setting being a plane/train/taxi/ferry.
But here’s a note I made while reading:
I am on page 234 out of 310 and they just got back to Scotland. 😑 The majority of this book has been them traveling. A scene will happen. Then he processes it. Then she process it. Then they discuss it together. So 1/4 of the book is the plot moving forward. And 3/4 is them analyzing what they experienced. It’s moving very slowly. I don’t think this is a series but the author is going to have to rush the ending to wrap this up with less than 100 pages to do so.
I ended up being correct. It is a standalone book and the ending was extremely rushed and glazed over. They didn’t even bother addressing the true motives Iian had for being on the island. They never told us a conclusion about her friendship with Blaine either- did he forgive her? Did their friendship end? Did he end up with Tag? No answers. And did Graham ever find a solution for his crops? Did the business succeed with them working as a power couple team? No answers. Did she get her funds back from her family? I mean she did make her own money from working for the family business so she should have received access to that. Did she make peace with her family? What all did Blaine have to deal with when she ditched the wedding? No answers.
I wish they would have developed the relationship in Scotland so the readers could have enjoyed that scenery during the more of the book rather than the setting being a plane/train/taxi/ferry.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2019
5 stars Hot Scot Trilogy - Book 1
Graham MacLeod is a scientist on a small island in Scotland. Always knowing he would one day become laird of his beloved Kinloch, having the title bestowed to him upon his grandfather's recent passing still has the mantle of responsibility weighing on him. Graham's main focus these past few years has been to find a way to strengthen their economic mainstay, their flax crop, which the village uses as a staple supply for their artisan basketry. But now Graham's focus has been forced away from his scientific musings and formulas to an ancient clan rule that must be adhered to in order for his full title of clan leader to be complete. Marriage! And not just any marriage, his bride must be a descendant of the McAuley clan which also lives within Kinloch's shores. And Graham just isn't having it! Beseeching his two best friends to find a way around the archaic custom (especially since such an eligible lass is nowhere to be found), Shay a lawyer by trade sees no way out. Bur Roan the other third of their team and marketing wizard, just may have found his bride! A small trip across the pond may just be what's needed to satisfy the fates! One Katie McAuley is in for a surprise visit, but is she willing, that's the question.
Graham MacLeod is a scientist on a small island in Scotland. Always knowing he would one day become laird of his beloved Kinloch, having the title bestowed to him upon his grandfather's recent passing still has the mantle of responsibility weighing on him. Graham's main focus these past few years has been to find a way to strengthen their economic mainstay, their flax crop, which the village uses as a staple supply for their artisan basketry. But now Graham's focus has been forced away from his scientific musings and formulas to an ancient clan rule that must be adhered to in order for his full title of clan leader to be complete. Marriage! And not just any marriage, his bride must be a descendant of the McAuley clan which also lives within Kinloch's shores. And Graham just isn't having it! Beseeching his two best friends to find a way around the archaic custom (especially since such an eligible lass is nowhere to be found), Shay a lawyer by trade sees no way out. Bur Roan the other third of their team and marketing wizard, just may have found his bride! A small trip across the pond may just be what's needed to satisfy the fates! One Katie McAuley is in for a surprise visit, but is she willing, that's the question.
September 3, 2021
Graham Macleod, Laird of Kinloch, a tiny island in the outer He rides off Scotland, is required by a centuries old Marriage Pact, to find and marry a McAuley bride by the autumnal equinox, or the lair ship goes to a McAuley heir who must Mary a MacLeod bride by the same date.
roan, his Internet savvy cousin discovers such a bride, and Graham is off in his kilted regalia to propose to the girl, who just happens to be the runaway bride of her own wedding in Annapolis Maryland.
A most unlikely escape from the church, and two days spent crossing the Atlantic and wending their increasingly less civilized way via several planes, a train and two ferries and several strange and very romantic visions later they arrive at his centuries old stone fortress and castle to face their futures together, or not.
Got tired of his being described as “hot.” Poor editing, spelling mistakes. Slightly reminiscent of other Scottish highland adventures with much better plots and writing.
roan, his Internet savvy cousin discovers such a bride, and Graham is off in his kilted regalia to propose to the girl, who just happens to be the runaway bride of her own wedding in Annapolis Maryland.
A most unlikely escape from the church, and two days spent crossing the Atlantic and wending their increasingly less civilized way via several planes, a train and two ferries and several strange and very romantic visions later they arrive at his centuries old stone fortress and castle to face their futures together, or not.
Got tired of his being described as “hot.” Poor editing, spelling mistakes. Slightly reminiscent of other Scottish highland adventures with much better plots and writing.
January 3, 2023
As McLeod clan leader, Graham has always placed duty to his heritage and people before everything else. Even when it means honouring a ridiculously outdated pact to become betrothed to a McAuley descendant. His business arrangement with American Katie McAuley suits them both - she spends a month at his Scottish castle, where she can take refuge from her overbearing family and figure out her future - if he could just keep Katie's courage and honesty at arm's length, not to mention their all-too-sizzling attraction.
Heather's Notes
This was not a bad story but it had a lot of plot holes and unanswered questions. As the next book is about a new couple I am not sure the questions will be answered but we will see. Hopefully the author will type all those loss threads she left dangling. Still overall an enjoyable read.
Heather's Notes
This was not a bad story but it had a lot of plot holes and unanswered questions. As the next book is about a new couple I am not sure the questions will be answered but we will see. Hopefully the author will type all those loss threads she left dangling. Still overall an enjoyable read.
January 16, 2018
I liked Donna Kauffman's Bride and Bachelors of Blueberry Cove so much I decided to start another of her series. It took me a little longer than I thought to get into this series. I always stories set in Scotland and enjoyed that but the story at some points just seemed a little to unbelievable although I liked the characters and how they all interacted together.
February 5, 2018
Leper-corn?!?
I mispronounce a great many words therefore I am not considering a career as an audiobook narrator. This narrator mispronounced words often. Not Gaelic words, but regular everyday English words.
Was there no editor or producer? No quality control?
The story is fun, but I recommend reading it in print.
I mispronounce a great many words therefore I am not considering a career as an audiobook narrator. This narrator mispronounced words often. Not Gaelic words, but regular everyday English words.
Was there no editor or producer? No quality control?
The story is fun, but I recommend reading it in print.
October 18, 2020
Such a fun sweet book. Don't know why I never read the other two. Need to get them. Wish whoever wrote the info on the back of the book spelled the surname correctly. That was annoying. In the entire book, Graham's surname is spelled MacLeod. On the back of the book they spelled it McLeod. As a MacLeod myself, I prefer the spelling the clan uses, MacLeod.
February 25, 2018
Slow to develop
I can't say I disliked this story but it felt so slow from the moment they left the church. It was hard to finish.
I can't say I disliked this story but it felt so slow from the moment they left the church. It was hard to finish.
January 9, 2019
I truly enjoy Ms. Kauffman 's books. She has a sense of humor with her portrayal of the storylines and her wonderful characters.
March 19, 2019
It was ok
September 20, 2019
It was a bit slow and redundant. But about 3/4 into the book it got a bit better.
October 17, 2019
I love this book and the audiobook.
September 11, 2020
Good Get-Away Story
Neat premise about the flashbacks I just wish they were delved I to further. Overall, a good story with good plot and likeable characters.
Neat premise about the flashbacks I just wish they were delved I to further. Overall, a good story with good plot and likeable characters.
June 21, 2021
ig the first donna book I read was my fave bc she has yet to beat herself. this one was cute but somehow unsatisfying
July 16, 2021
This was a fun read. I love books that take place in Scotland and/or about the Scottish people. The have a wicked sense of humor. This book had a great story line and was very entertaining.
December 3, 2016
The couinage is strong with this one ^^
C'es tout choupi chou, pas de prise de tête, tout-à-fait le genre de romance à lire au moment de Noël (même si ya rien de Noël dedans) car il y a une pincée de "magie" dans l'histoire, j'avoue que j'ai eu peur au début mais au final c'est assez bien amené et ça ne prend pas trop de place.
Katie et Graham sont bien ensemble, il y a une attirance imédiate entre eux (forcément un beau mec en kilt qui viendrait me sauver alors que je viens de planter le fiancé dans l'église je dirais pas non xD). Les sentiments évoluent certes très rapidement, mais ils sont tous les deux sur la même longueur d'onde et surtout ils sont honnêtes l'un envers l'autre. Ils sont tous deux à un moment de leur vie où un changement drastique est nécessaire mais pas facile, ils en parlent et ils se soutiennent.
Ya quelques passages où on est dans leurs têtes alors qu'on aimerait plus suivre l'action et leur dialogue que de savoir ce qu'ils pensent. Au final c'est une romance simple mais qui fait honneur au *Highlander* (d'autant plus que Graham reste en kilt sur les 3/4 du livre que demander de plus ?). Je suis contente parce que je l'avais mis dans ma liste rien que pour le titre xD et elle va être une de mes romances doudou.
Je me jeterais sans problème sur les tomes qui concernent les deux potes de Graham : Roan et Shay, encore du couinage en perspective avec ceux-là ^^
C'es tout choupi chou, pas de prise de tête, tout-à-fait le genre de romance à lire au moment de Noël (même si ya rien de Noël dedans) car il y a une pincée de "magie" dans l'histoire, j'avoue que j'ai eu peur au début mais au final c'est assez bien amené et ça ne prend pas trop de place.
Katie et Graham sont bien ensemble, il y a une attirance imédiate entre eux (forcément un beau mec en kilt qui viendrait me sauver alors que je viens de planter le fiancé dans l'église je dirais pas non xD). Les sentiments évoluent certes très rapidement, mais ils sont tous les deux sur la même longueur d'onde et surtout ils sont honnêtes l'un envers l'autre. Ils sont tous deux à un moment de leur vie où un changement drastique est nécessaire mais pas facile, ils en parlent et ils se soutiennent.
Ya quelques passages où on est dans leurs têtes alors qu'on aimerait plus suivre l'action et leur dialogue que de savoir ce qu'ils pensent. Au final c'est une romance simple mais qui fait honneur au *Highlander* (d'autant plus que Graham reste en kilt sur les 3/4 du livre que demander de plus ?). Je suis contente parce que je l'avais mis dans ma liste rien que pour le titre xD et elle va être une de mes romances doudou.
Je me jeterais sans problème sur les tomes qui concernent les deux potes de Graham : Roan et Shay, encore du couinage en perspective avec ceux-là ^^
March 8, 2012
well....i was disappointed. The story sounded funny, but ended up being really boring. The two characters thought and thought and thought...and thought...EVERYTHING out. Then to make things worse, they tended to think the same things. There were moments of "funny" like when the "bride"
mocked the "groom"'s accent, or when he went into a trance and no really knew what was happening, or when he carried her out of her own wedding. The story could have been better, but both of them were kind of whiney. I'm not usually so harsh, I tend to find the good in almost every story, but this was b-o-r-i-n-g. It took me 4 days to finish and I only did because I truly thought it would get better. I have read other books by Miss Kauffman but this one I can't say I recommend. I'm debating whether or not to read the next book in the series (once I start a series, I like to finish it) because maybe Roan's story will be better. He was at least entertaining in the first book. We'll see.
mocked the "groom"'s accent, or when he went into a trance and no really knew what was happening, or when he carried her out of her own wedding. The story could have been better, but both of them were kind of whiney. I'm not usually so harsh, I tend to find the good in almost every story, but this was b-o-r-i-n-g. It took me 4 days to finish and I only did because I truly thought it would get better. I have read other books by Miss Kauffman but this one I can't say I recommend. I'm debating whether or not to read the next book in the series (once I start a series, I like to finish it) because maybe Roan's story will be better. He was at least entertaining in the first book. We'll see.
December 25, 2015
I really like Donna Kauffman, but this was not one of my favorites. One of the things I like about her books (and loved in the sequel Off Kilter, a definate 5 stars) is that the hero is usually committed to the relationship and pushes the heroine to work through their issues with him. In this book it didn't really work. The hero wants to get out of his need to marry (due to an ancient law), the heroine has issues that go way beyond their relationship, and it takes a bit of supernatural past life visions to get them together. I don't mind magic in my romance, but since the rest of this book (and the rest of the series) doesn't include any magic it just seemed out of place. Also the constant sleeping during their planes, trains, and ferryboat transcontinental jaunt is a very weird way to get to know someone.
August 5, 2010
I love Donna Kauffman's characters and perhaps I am accustomed to the tempo of her books. I read reviews that criticized the characters inner dialogues as well as the tempo of the relationship, wishing that the trip home was shorter and the time on the island was longer, but I didn't mind it, any of it. It was a quick read with likable characters. If I had a critique it would be that the proof-reading left something to be desired. Not sure I need to own this one, but I'm glad I didn't let the negative reviews put me off.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews