Series: Highland, Georgia (Book 2)
When a gorgeous new man - in a kilt - comes to town, life
in Highland, Georgia will never be the same...
Iain Connors is the poster boy for the strong and silent
type. Growing up a loner at Cairndow Castle in Scotland with only the cliffs
and moors for company, it's understood Iain will assume the mantle of Cairndow
groundskeeper when his father is ready to relinquish it. But his stint in Her
Majesty's Armed Forces has opened up a whole new world - and now, rather than
settle down, he accepts an invitation to travel to the States to take charge of
the Highland Games. After all, he's led men into battle, how hard can planning
a party be?
Anna Maitland is ready to step up for her best friend
Isabel Blackmoor, who can't run the Games in their hometown this year. Surely
Anna, a dance instructor with boundless energy, spirit, and charm, is up for
the challenge? What she doesn't anticipate is a man in a kilt who turns up
claiming he's the one in charge. What's worse about this Iain? He's so
infuriatingly handsome that she can't help but fantasize about him whispering
sweet-nothings in her ear in his rumbly, sexy brogue. . .
Another fun visit to Highland, Georgia. This one takes
place a year after A Highlander Walks Into a Bar. At the end of that book, we
find out that Izzy is pregnant and due at the same time as the yearly Highland
Games. That means she won't be able to return to Georgia to help plan them, and
that her mother will want to be in Scotland with her. Izzy asks her best friend
Anna to fill in for her and later asks Iain to fly over and give her a hand.
Fast forward to the week before the games. Anna is a
little stressed out, trying to run her dance studio and prepare for the games
at the same time. She is determined to carry it off, thus showing the town that
she also has what it takes to be the next mayor. She neither needs nor wants
anyone else's help.
I loved the first meeting between Anna and Iain. She is
dealing with the unexpected delivery of a highland cow and a sheep, arranged
for by Alasdair. She is in a standoff with the sheep, which wakes up Iain, who arrived
late the previous night. He expects to take over whatever needs to be done and
is surprised to discover that Anna has no intention of relinquishing control.
Instead, he finds himself relegated to animal wrangler.
I liked both Anna and Iain. Anna is feisty, fun, and full
of energy. She has a big heart and loves her hometown. She has some emotional
baggage, stemming from her father's abandonment and her struggles to please her
mother. Iain is the strong, silent type, thanks to his upbringing at Cairndow.
It's always been the plan for him to take over as castle groundskeeper, but
he's no longer sure that's what he wants to do. Iain looks at this time in
Georgia as a chance to consider all of his options. Iain also has some baggage
resulting from his mother's departure from his life when he was a child.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between
Anna and Iain. It starts antagonistic as they butt heads over who is in charge
of the games. Iain backs off but is prepared to step in if he's needed. I got a
little frustrated with Anna and her refusal to accept any help from Iain,
especially when she was clearly overwhelmed. Underneath the antagonism, sparks
flew fast and furious between them. They tried to resist, of course. Iain Isn't
going to be there long, and neither is looking for a relationship. I liked that
Anna couldn't add to Izzy's stress by complaining about Iain, and instead began
to include him. It didn't take too long for them to become friends and find
ways to work together.
I loved watching Iain with Anna. He's never really been
comfortable around women and tends to say the wrong things around them. That
problem continues at the beginning, as he fumbles his words, making it easy for
Anna to misunderstand him. But the more time they spend together, the more he
relaxes in her company and the easier he can talk to her.
As the days passed, Anna and Iain grew closer, and the
feelings between them stronger. Anna doesn't want to think about the end of the
games and Iain leaving, but she's too afraid of his rejection to ask him to
stay. Iain feels like he has finally found a place he can belong, but won't renege
on his promise to his father. I ached for both of them as they faced a future without
each other. I liked the lecture Anna got from Holt, though it took a while for
it to sink in. Then a heartfelt talk between Iain and his father opened up a
whole new life for Iain. I loved the ending and seeing how the problem was resolved.
I enjoyed the epilogue and its lead-in to the next book. I can't wait to read
it.
I loved spending more time in the small town of Highland.
Small town stories are always fun with their closeness and quirky characters. I
liked getting to know Loretta a little better. In the first book and the
beginning of this one, she came across as something of a general pain in the
butt. Her plans to run against Anna for mayor added to that impression. But a
crisis involving her and her shop provided a more in-depth look at her and changed
my opinion. I also enjoyed seeing more of Mr. Timmerman, the kiltmaker. He's
such a dapper man that it was a bit of surprise to see him otherwise when he
helped Anna, Iain, and Loretta with their problem. I also enjoyed the collaboration
between him and Iain. One of the greatest things about Highland was the way
they welcomed Iain. I loved their friendliness and how they included him and
made him feel welcome.
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