Customer Reviews

Autumn in Scotland

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When her new husband, George, disappears along with her dowry after only a week of marriage, Charlotte makes the decision to travel to Scotland to take up residence in her husband's castle, Balfurin. She hadn't anticipated finding it in ruins and a few elderly servants left to care for the crumbling estate. Her parents insistthat she return with them to England but Charlotte has other plans and uses her inheritance to transform Balfurin into a school for the advancement of females.

Dixon MacKinnon has returned to Balfurin after more than a decade abroad. He'd been raised by his uncle George there after the untimely deaths of his parents. He fully expects to find the crumbling castle that he remembers from his youth. Instead he finds a completely transformed castle missing some sections and a new building nearby.

Dixon arrives at Bulfurin in time to witness the first graduation ceremony of Caledonia School for the Advancement of Females. He's stunned by all the changes that have been made to his former home, but more importantly where is his uncle and why would he allow his home to be made into a school for a bunch of girls. Imagine his surprise when upon being introduced to the gathering as the Laird of Bulfurin he's approached by the proprietor of the school and informed that she hasn't been able to divorce him, and maybe she should kill him instead. Dixon quickly realizes that she's mistaken him for her missing husband, but how is it she doesn't recognize the differences between him and his uncle? Where did George disappear to after abandoning Charlotte?

Karen Ranney's AUTUMN IN SCOTLAND is a delightful read about a young woman who opts to make her own way in life instead of continuing to live with her parents after her husband's abandonment. I found that I had a lot of respect for her and her determination to make something out of the pile of rocks that belongs to her husband. I had to laugh at Dixon's reaction to Charlotte's hostility and could fully understand why he chooses not to divulge his true identity after her initial tongue-lashing. It's a battle of wills fraught with sexual tension between the two of them that will entice readers to delve further into this storyline. There are several secondary characters whom I was delighted to read about and eagerly anticipated every scene where any of them might appear. Dixon's friend, Matthew, and the ladies of the Edification Society are especially delightful and add a humorous edge to the storyline. AUTUMN IN SCOTLAND is a fun-filled book which I'm sure many readers of Scottish romances will thoroughly enjoy!

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)

This title is very deceptive because Karen Ranny has written another tender, passionate, heart-felt romance novel and the title says nothing about what this book is all about!
When Charlotte is abandoned by her handsome husband after their wedding night... she is totally devastated! Her parents demand she return to London with them but she refuses and proceeds to restore her husband's family castle... which is in ruins... using her own inheritance to do so. She opens a school for young ladies and is very successful. After 5 years her long-lost husband, the Earle of Marne returns. Charlotte does not recognize that it is really her husband's cousin who has come to Balfurin. Dixon is immediately smitten with Charlotte's vibrancy, beauty and fiery independence and cannot resist deceiving her. He pretends to be her husband, woos her into believing he's repented and beds her passionately. There is a good love scene here and also great emotional love expressed by this author. The rest of the story deals with a lost treasure and the treachery of deception and the triumph of true love!

Abandoned by her husband after only a week of marriage, Charlotte, Countess Marne goes to Scotland to find him. Arriving with her parents, Charlotte does not find her husband, George, instead she finds the ruins of a castle and a few starving servants. Determined to stay in Scotland, Charlotte stays behind despite the fact that her parents refuse to give her funds and return to England. To survive, Charlotte fights for her inheritance and uses it to restore the castle and open a school for girls.

Returning home to find peace within himself, Dixon MacKinnon arrives at the castle during graduation ceremonies. Mistaken for his cousin, the Earl of Marne, Dixon doesn't correct the mistake. Intrigued by Charlotte, Dixon wants to get to know her better while trying to find out what has become of his cousin, George. With Charlotte hesitant to give the man she considers her husband a second chance, Dixon must carefully woo the reluctant Countess, avoid being discovered an imposter and discover the whereabouts of the real Earl of Marne.

I found Autumn in Scotland delightfully engaging. I understood Charlotte's pride hampered longing for Dixon and Dixon's over long guilt. I wanted very much for the pair to have a second chance at love. I found their tale very romantic and sigh worthy.

If you enjoy historical romances with a hint of mystery, you'll want to read Karen Ranney's Autumn in Scotland.

Annmarie
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

In 1833, wealthy Charlotte Haversham in an attempt to please her title hungry parents agreed to marry the Scottish Earl George MacKinnon. Not a love match the Earl came to her bed the first night and later discovering he'd rather tumble the maids, Charlotte didn't care that he didn't return. In fact, after a week or so of marriage, George collected her dowry and abandoned Charlotte altogether. After Charlotte traveled to Scotland to Castle Balfurin, her husband's ancestral home, the once amenable Charlotte defied her parents in determining she would live there, amongst the rack and ruin. She saw the structure as a culmination of a dream of turning it into a respectable School for Young Women. Five years later with the first graduating class Charlotte's dream is about to be realized until the latest guest is announced - none other than George MacKinnon, her long missing husband, the Laird MacKinnon.

Dixon MacKinnon has arrived to find the once cold and ruined castle he grew up in warm and inviting, a beautiful woman in charge who takes his breath away who obviously abhors his very presence, and thinks he is her husband - his cousin George. Not quite sure why he doesn't `fess' up to the mistaken identity, Dixon stays on trying to discover what happened to his cousin and to lay to rest rumors of a hidden treasure supposedly hidden away on the estate. During that time, Dixon finds himself falling deeply in love with Charlotte, torn between telling her the truth of his identity and risk losing the real treasure not even all of his immense wealth could buy - Charlotte's love.

Some authors have the ability to entertain, some to amuse, some to enthrall - for me, Karen Ranney has the ability to take my breath away! AUTUMN IN SCOTLAND is everything and more that I expect from a story by this amazingly talented author. The lead couple are a vibrant pairing with Charlotte showing a strength of character in her determination to succeed that makes you want to stand up and cheer. Dixon was a perfect foil for her and his witty innuendoes and his passionate pronouncements made for some delightful dialogs. Add to this mix one of the schools benefactors, Lady Eleanor and her `Ladies Edification Society' and you will find yourself rolling on the floor as this group of `ladies' take it upon themselves to begin the school mistress Charlotte's `real' education. There is mystery, and a lovely secondary love story between Charlotte's lame maid and Dixon's oriental servant that will warm your heart. In short, Ranney pulls out all the stops in offering once more a completely compelling and highly entertaining story I can highly recommend. Brava!

[...]

This book was interesting from page one. It was nice to see a heroine able to survive against all odds with strength and character not often found in women who'd lived a pampered, albeit lonely, life.

Couldn't ask for a better hero than Dixon, either. He was fabulous; handsome, wealthy, and very kind.

Matthew, however, confused me. I never knew if this guy was normal or homicidal. He seemed weird.

And as for Lady Eleanor and her crew, this storyline was too brief to really matter to me. This side story didn't even blend in, let alone fit in with the overall story. It was unnecessary.

Ranney is a good writer. And this is an above average effort. It could have been outstanding, however, had Ranney made her heroine more likeable, in my opinion. After having read romances for 35 years, I have gotten so tired of the beautiful, poised, thin, accomplished heroines. Charlotte's only vulnerabilites and interesting character traits are minor internal ones. And they're just not interesting enough to make her seem approachable. Give me a heroine who is plain in appearance and strong in character and I will gladly spend every waking moment devouring that novel. I kept putting this one down and forgetting to pick it up again. Yes, there are some wonderful secondary characters, and the hero is well-drawn, but it's that perfect, ice-berg of a heroine that turned me off. She hates the hero. And it's not a sexual-tension type hatred. It's literal hatred. She believes him to be her absent husband. Her pure hatred of him is oft-putting. She's not only beautiful, but mean. I was instantly thrown back to the mean girls in high school. That's how she came across. It was hard to forgive her and sympathize as she gets to know him. We, as readers, know he's a lovely man right from the start. So, Charlotte's hatred and judgemental attitude is difficult to take. That combined with her perfect outward beauty tainted my enjoyment of this novel.

In 1833 London Charlotte Haversham married Scottish Earl George MacKinnon, but except for that first night he never came to her bed. Soon afterward he abandoned his wife all together, but not before he collected her dowry. So being a paragon of behavior, Charlotte travels to her husband's home Castle Balfurin to live amidst the falling apart edifice and ruined land though he is not there. She finds the cold dark and damp abode inviting and plans to renovate the castle and invigorate the estate.

Five years later, Dixon MacKinnon arrives at the family home Balfurin expecting ruins, but finding a warm home instead. The woman running the castle, Charlotte insists she is his wife, but he realizes she has confused him with his cousin George who has vanished without a trace; he fails to correct Charlotte's error though he is not sure why except that he wants her. As he investigates what happened to that wastrel George and searches for rumored treasure hidden on the estate, he falls in love. However Dixon knows he owes his beloved the truth, but fears he will lose the treasure he has found, Charlotte.

AUTUMN IN SCOTLAND is a charming historical romance with a touch of the gothic and a bit of a mystery to enhance the prime plot of the growing attraction between the lead couple. Charlotte is a delightful person who keeps her head high though George took her dowry, her virginity, and her dignity when he left her. Dixon is caught in the classic web of deceit as he knows the truth must be told, but the cost could destroy him as he knows his beloved does not trust men especially MacKinnon males. Karen Ranney provides a heated nineteenth century Scottish romance that her fans will treasure.

Harriet Klausner

Other reviewers have related the story highlights, so I would like to address the style of this book. As a long-time Ranney fan who has read all her books, I want potential readers to know the quality of the great author they have chosen to read.

This book is a little different for Ranney. She includes a broader cast of characters, a comedic factor, a more outspoken female main character, and a few more "graphic" words than usual. Although the story does not possess Ranney's signature darkness, Ranney's powerful narrative style creates a compelling tale.

Balfurin became so real through Ranney's description. One can picture the construction, the nooks and crannies, the elegance. Descriptions of the countryside make the reader want to reach out and touch it or take a deep breath of the country air.

A different "touch" from Ranney is the comedic factor. Although Lady Eleanor serves as the devilish-angel on Charlotte's shoulder which motivates Charlotte to move foward in her exploration of her own sensuality, I found the comedic factor distracting from an otherwise sensitive story, perhaps because the comedy seemed to come at an inappropriate time and seemed to stop the story in its natural progression.

That said, anything by Karen Ranney is always on my reading list. I liked this story. I loved Dixon. Ranney always provides chracters with sincerity, depth, and sensitivity.

This was just an ok story for me. I found myself struggling to get through it some...thought it was a little slow going. I also struggled with the whole idea of the reason for Dixon's deception. Just couldn't get it..wants to apologize for cousin, right wrongs... by lying and eventually causing more pain?? Premise just wasn't sound. Believable romance between characters gets points though. Many subplots a little odd because really didn't seem to fit.

Autumn in Scotland by Karen Ranney was interesting story based in Scotland in 1833. Charlotte travels to Scotland searching for her missing husband. She decided to start a school for young ladies as her husband home 'Balfurin Castel' and plans to file for divorce. After five years her husband returns or is it her husband. A nice mix of mystery and romance. If you enjoy this genre I would also suggest How to Abduct a Highland Lord by Karen Hawkins and Secrets of a Duchess by Kaitlin O'Riley.