Customer Reviews

Highland Rogue (Berkley Sensation)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have read several of Tess Mallory's earlier books, so I had high expectations when beginning "Highland Rogue," and I wasn't disappointed. This book has everything: romance, adventure, humor, magic, suspense, time travel, and did I say ROMANCE? The love scenes are beautiful - hot, hot, HOT, and yet always in graceful good taste, never sleazy or trashy. There is a very strong story apart from the romance and the story gets well established long before the romance. The hot and sexy scenes don't begin until about halfway into the book, which is a very refreshing change from the often "lust for the first five chapters, and then make love for the rest of the book" romance novels I`ve read.

Most of the book takes place in Scotland in the 18th century, and, as usual, the author has done her research, and paints a beautiful picture of Scotland at that time. The two main characters, Maggie Graham of the 21st century, and the "Rogue" Quinn MacIntyre are beautifully drawn, distinctive, fully developed characters. The night I finished the book, I was a few chapters from the end. I decided to read "just one chapter" before going to bed. The excitement cranked up to high gear, and I literally could not put the book down, so I was up until the wee hours finishing it, and it was well worth it. I heartily recommend this book to anyone who likes romance novels, historical novels, suspense and adventure, or novels of any sort. This book has it all!

In Austin, Texas, Maggie Graham loves everything about historical Scotland; Liam Neeson of Rob Roy fame is her hero. Thus she is euphoric when she receives the letter from Dr. Alexander that she has been accepted to join an archaeological dig near Drymen in the Scottish Highlands.

At the site, Maggie finds a a huge, tri-spiral carving in the floor of the cairn that sends her back in time to 1711 at an importune moment. She drops into the midst of a battle between the forces of Quinn McIntyre and those of the Duke of Montrose. Quinn saves her life taking her to his friend, Ian McGregor for safekeeping. However, when Montrose captures McGregor, Quinn vows to free his friend; Maggie wants to help. Their efforts fail leaving Quinn mortally wounded and McGregor slated for execution. Maggie takes her beloved back to the future where he can get medical treatment that will save his life; she knows they will go back because McGregor still needs rescuing.

This back and forth entertaining time travel romance is a fun tale starring a courageous heroine who has romanticized the Scottish legendary heroes so much so that Quinn wonders if he can measure up to her ideal. Fast-paced fans will enjoy the romance between the modern day starry eyed Texan and her HIGHLAND ROGUE.

Harriet Klausner

When I realized I had another time-travel Scottish romance in my hands, I thought, 'you've got to be kidding me.' I've read Kurland's With Every Breath and Wolff's Sword of the Highlands, and I couldn't help wondering just how much you could do with such a narrow niche. Well, Tess Mallory's Highland Rogue is one of those books that proves you can't judge a book by its concept---or its peers.

Maggie has always wanted to be an archaeologist, and she's always wanted to visit Scotland. She put both dreams on hold when her parents died and she was forced to raise her twin sisters. Now they're grown, and they and Maggie's best friend have a birthday present for Maggie---a trip to an archaeological dig at a cairn in Scotland.

The trip is little more than a con designed to make tourists feel like they're getting a 'real' archaeological experience. But for once Maggie's doing something for herself, and she's determined to enjoy it. Then she and Alex, the 'archaeologist' running the dig, uncover a mysterious tri-spiral carving inside the cairn. When Maggie accidentally activates the power inside the carving, she's sent back in time to 1711, where she runs right into the path of a highwayman's horse.

There are only a couple of tiny smudges on what is otherwise a gorgeous book, so naturally I'll get them out of the way quickly. There are some moments toward the beginning of Maggie's stay in the past when you do notice dribs of 'formula' as such, but the author breaks free of them quickly. (To be fair to Ms. Mallory, she's at a disadvantage. You can't have the character adjust to such a thing in a paragraph, yet since this seems to be its own mini-genre readers may get tired of reading that inevitable adjustment over and over again.)

Quinn and Maggie have fantastic chemistry. They drive each other nuts in ways that are great fun, and they have utterly smokin' sex scenes. The plot is wonderful. There's plenty of tension as Maggie tries to keep Quinn's friend Ian alive, elude the all-too-dangerous roaming eyes and hands of the captain of the guard, protect her new friend Jenny from the same, help Quinn rescue Ian, and somehow keep Quinn from getting himself killed.

Finally, Mallory's writing sings with good humor. Maggie is snarky; Maggie's sisters and friend are the worst kind of practical jokers (the Hello Kitty pajamas are their fault); and there's some great fun made of the stereotypical narcissistic hunk in some hilarious early scenes.

So if you enjoy this weird sub-sub-genre that is Scottish Highland time-travel romance, I can definitely recommend Tess Mallory's Highland Rogue. For a book with such a generic title, its contents are anything but.

this one has to be one of my new favorites. its just increadable. if you like the timetravel kind of books you will just love it. you cant help but fall in love with the characters.

Highland Rogue by Tess Mallory
Paranormal Romance Paperback - May 6, 2008
4 Stars

Maggie Graham has placed her life on hold to care for her twin sisters after the death of her parents. Now that the girls are adults and on their own, she is ready to pick-up her life where she left off, traveling the world and making fantastic discoveries as an archeologist.

Wanting to encourage her dream, her sisters and best friend purchase a trip to Scotland to assist with the excavation of a newly discovered cairn. Loving all things Scottish, they also hope she finds the man of her dreams. Maggie can't be happier about the trip, until she arrives and finds that the trip is nothing more than a fantasy excavation for tourists and not the serious work she had envisioned.

Quinn MacIntyre is known as the Piper, a Scottish Robin Hood that, with the help of his best-friend Ian, takes from the rich to give to the poor. The motive for his outlaw life stems from the desire to avenge the death of his family.

Maggie accidentally discovers that the cairn is a time-travel point when she is thrown from 2008 to Scotland 1711. Disoriented and not understanding what has happened to her, she stumbles onto Quinn and Ian's path while in the middle of a high pursuit. Her sudden appearance sets into motion a series of events that end with Ian being shot.

Maggie and Quinn reluctantly join forces to learn what has happened to Ian. In the course of their team-work, they uncover feelings for each other. They each struggle with yielding to their desire and passion, while remaining loyal to family and friends.

Highland Rouge by Tess Mallory is a solid time travel romance fantasy. The characters are likeable as we follow their journey to find love and acceptance. This story touches the fantasy of time-travel not just from the point of being swept into the past, but also of being brought to the future.

Tess Mallory will continue with Ian's story in Highland Rebel due out in March 3, 2009.

Reviewed by Cez from Bookaholics Romance Book Club

I have read all of Tess Mallory's Time Travel Romances, and while this isn't my favorite, it is well worth the time. Maggie is adorable and full of spit and fire and Quinn is flawed, but what a man!! I just wish Tess had spent more time about Quinn's reactions to 2008! Would have made for a better story. And hopefully, Ian will be her next adventure!!!

This book was not the best time travel or historical novel I have read but it was fun, light and I enjoyed it.

So, that's my best analogy. Obviously, I suck at them. But it's like this--- chocolate cake, when you want it sounds perfect. When you want it thick, rich, densely satisfying and you get it--- it hits the spot.

Then you take a cake that's been sitting out for about 5 days. It's drying out. It's not as rich as it first tasted and it hits the spot about 70%. It's like you got it, but it wasn't living up to its potential. That was this book.

It had some good moments, but I think it was just barely above average. It wasn't a page-turner for me. There were times that I thought that our female protagonist, Maggie, was annoying. Like when she stood in the middle of a lane when masked horsemen were running towards her. That whole deer in the headlights thing made me automatically think of those dumb broads in B-Movie Horror flicks who scream their heads off as some monster that takes 1 hour to walk 15 steps walks towards them. I hate those chicks. They suck.

I won't go into a full synopsis (because I'm sure other people already have), so I will just note the things that stuck out for me. Maggie's last name is Graham. It also happens to be the last name of Quinn's Nemesis. And there is never any explanation or detail of the coincidence. It's like a loose end. Argh! Why bother? Just make her last name Smith then. I was waiting for some sort of twist later on and nothing! I was jipped!

Other things that bugged me were the use of exclamations and euphemisms. They were lame. Like Maggie using "Mondo-Gizmo" or "Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs."

No exploding gnomes or talking animals in this one. Boo.

When Maggie Graham finds herself, during a dream holiday to Scotland, transported back in time to 1711 she understandably finds it difficult to adjust. As she takes her first steps into history she stumbles into the middle of a battle between two highwaymen and the authorities. She's rescued by one of the highwaymen but the other is shot; Maggie soon finds herself helping her rescuer, Quinn MacIntyre, to find out whether his companion Ian MacGregor is dead or seriously injured.

Maggie doesn't initially tell Quinn that she's from the future. She's not sure about him, for a start, and she is trying to come to terms with her jump through time. However she soon finds herself attracted to Quinn. But can they rescue Ian? Can she keep herself safe in a rough and basic world; and is there any future with Quinn when they are from different times?

This was a reasonable light read with good pacing and some interesting characters. The historical detail in terms of dialogue sometimes let the book down and many of the events were rather difficult to believe in - for example, Maggie's midnight walk in her pyjamas to an ancient cairn. However those who like Scottish romances with alpha males and a time-travel twist should enjoy this story as long as not too much is expected of it.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2008

All I can say is this is one of the best romance time travel books I have ever read. You fall in love with all the characters. There is so much to make you laugh and cry. You will fall in love with Quinn and as for Maggie she is srong and has a heart of gold. Give it a try for some summer reading. Very enjoyable.