Customer Reviews

Kilgannon

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I came across this book in a search for something like Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander" series or Sara Donati's "Into the Wilderness". While not quite the same standard of the other two authors, Kathleen Givens does not disappoint. English lady Mary Lowell is stuck in something of a mundane existence. She is being courted by a man whose intentions are unclear. Her friends are getting married, while she is being passed back and forth between relatives. One night, at one ball, she meets Alex MacGannon, Earl and laird of Kilgannon. In a time when feelings between Scotland and England are unsettled, at best, these two people ignore their heritages and fall in love. Questions of mysterious attacks, sinking ships, and jealous family members threaten the new found relationship. But through it all, love will triumph.

Givens has done a good job with "Kilgannon". I found a lighter version of Gabaldon's "Outlander", but a little more strictly romance. The characters are a little weaker, but all in all, this is a good story. So, if you are an "Outlander" fan like myself, waiting impatiently for the next installment, give this on a try.

After I read the online reviews of this book "KilGannon" I ordered the books here on Amazon...It was a pleasent surprise for my part after I finshed reading these two books (KilGannon, and the wild rose of Kilgannon) The books are wonderful.. yes, some reviewers think these two books reminded them of the OUTLANDER series...I personally own these books, so I agree with them. The KilGannon's story line is like this: Everyone expects Mary Lowell to marry the handsome Scotsman, Robert Campbell, whom she has known for years. Except there is a small problem: He hasn't proposed yet! Everyone else in the ton seems to be so sure that Mary is Robert's fiancee. In the meantime, Mary becomes fascinated with and falls in love with another handsome Scotsman, Alex MacGannon-Laird of KilGannon. Mary is an Englishwoman who is expected to marry well and Alex is considered a 'barbarian' by members of the ton. And then there are the mysterious accidents that befall Alex that point to a relentless enemy. But then they got married and Mary is welcomed into the hearts of Alex's clan. But marriage doesn't mean living happily ever after for this couple because of the highland politics via love as Alex finds himself [drawn] into the plot to restore the Stuart throne.(the Jacobite uprisings) It is refershing to see that not only Kathleen Givens manages to make her main characters lively, interesting and 3 dimensional, but that she also does this with the secondary characters as well. All in all, this is an excellent read. If you are facinated by Scottish Romance novels, I high suggest you read The KilGannon and its' sequel. :)

While patiently waiting for the next installment of the Outlander series I decided to give this book a try since the reviews seemed to be favorable. After reading this book I cannot understand how anyone who has read the novels of Diana Gabaldon could ever compare the story of Alex and Mary to that of Claire and Jamie. Disappointment is an understatement. There is no substance, the plot lines are weak, and the chemistry between the main characters is questionable. Not at all like Galbaldon. I gave the book 2 stars because it is readable even if it is complete fluff, and to also give credit to Kathleen Givens for having the talent to just write the book. If you are looking for a very easy read and a simple story this will do the job. I really don't like to have to write a negative review, however, I wanted to warn fans that if you are looking to fill the gap while waiting for the release of the next Gabaldon novel it does not do its job. It will leave you highly unsatisfied. I would recommend the Into the Wilderness series by Sara Donati. The books are well written and absorbing.

I picked this book up on a whim and am so glad I did. The characters are real and I never found myself questioning their thoughts or actions. You appreciate Mary's struggle to come to terms with life in the Highlands which is so different from her easy & boring life in London (before Alex came along). Alex is charming, funny and romantic. It's easy to see why Mary fell for him, he respects her mind and heart and never treats her terribly, as I've seen a lot in romance novels, man treats the woman horribly yet because he's attractive she puts up with it and falls in love. Mary is an intelligent woman with a good heart, she is very likable. It's a good book to curl up with on a rainy day.

Do not hesitate to buy this wonderful novel. If you love historical romance and you love Scottish history this is the book for you! This is a page turner you will not be able to put down. The main characters Mary Lowell and Alex MacGannon of Kilgannon have a chemistry that can not be topped. I have never loved a hero as much as I did Alex. Alex will steal your heart just as he did Mary's. Just when I finished this book I went ahead and looked for the sequel The Rose of Kilgannon which is being released in November. I hope to see more books by this wonderfully talented rising star! Thank you Kathleen Given's for such a beautiful tale!

For those of us who have read, lived and loved Gabaldon's Outlander series, it is hard for other authors to live up to these works. Givens' Kilgannon books are an excellent choice. The book is written in from the first person character of Mary Lowell, an unwed English woman whose relatives are determined to see her married off. Mary unexpectedly meets a dashing Scot, Alex MacGannon during the height of the English Season, 1712. Alex, a widowed father of two young boys, is immediately intrigued by Mary. Mary, likewise, is quite interested in Alex. Mary gives little thought to the relationship she had with Robert Campbell, thinking it nothing more than a friendship. As it turns out, the Campbells and MacGannons have been long time enemies in the homeland Scotland. Unable to deny her love for Alex, Mary marries him and leaves her home in England to become the Laird's wife of Kilgannon, and stepmother to his two boys.
Filled with adventure, action, betrayal and romance, readers will not be disappointed in this tale. The story is set a few years before the first Jacobite uprising, neatly paving the way for the second book, The Wild Rose of Kilgannon.
If you like Scottish Highland stories, this is an excellent selction.

Kathleen Givens's Kilgannon is set in the early 1700s at the time when Queen Anne is dying and her successor is being named--not the Scottish James Stuart, her half-brother and a Catholic, but the foreign German George, a Protestant. This historial backdrop is the basis behind much of the tension carried throughout this romance between Mary Lowell, an Englishwoman, and Alexander MacGannon, a Scottish earl who wins her heart.

The romance between Mary and Alex is very well-played; we see her leave her safe future in London with Robert Campbell to follow her man and her heart into the Scottish Highlands. Givens captures the Scottish speech patterns very well, though it does seem as though Alex's personality changes subtly when he leaves London society and moves into his own clan. Mary is in love with her husband but not his manipulative brother Malcolm; she must become a mother to Alex's two young sons by his deceased wife; she must learn how to run an isolated castle; and she must deal with the heartache of repeated miscarriages. Givens does not make Mary's life a fairy tale, nor does she make Mary a totally understanding wife; we're told more than once of the fiery clashes between the two, and Mary is not one to let go of an idea once it takes hold. The crisis between the two reaches its head when Alex must choose whether or not to join his fellow Scots in an uprising against the new King George and Mary, as an Englishwoman, must do what she can to make sure he doesn't. The book ends on a cliff-hanger that naturally makes me want to search out its sequel immediately.

Givens has constructed a well-written historical romance, and her two main characters are certainly flawed, identifiable individuals. If you are looking for hot, steamy sex, you won't find it here; Givens's intimate scenes are glossed over without details, though the emotional bonding is definitely there. There were times when I wanted to strangle Mary, or Alex, or both, and times when I wanted the story to move faster than it did. But overall this book kept me engaged and made me want to continue to follow the adventures of this intriguing couple. Recommended for those who enjoy historical romance, and particularly those who like the time period.

For summertime reading, I searched for any Scottish historical romance to tide me over while I wait for the fifth installment of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. This seemed like one of the better ones. (I don't like your normal "romance" novels.) While this book was good, all along I felt it was a poor imitation of Diana's books. Although I liked the characters, I did not fall in love with them. I do suggest that you read this book, if only to be able to compare Kathleen's hamburger to Diana's filet mignon. (And we all have a taste for hamburger now and then, don't we?)

Everyone expects Mary Lowell to marry the handsome Scotsman, Robert Campbell. Except there is a small problem: He hasn't proposed yet. And in the meantime, Mary becomes fascinated with and falls in love with another handsome Scotsman, Alec MacGannon. It is a romance that does not go smoothly. Mary is an Englishwoman who is expected to marry well. Alec is considered a 'barbarian' by members of the ton. And then there are the mysterious accidents that befall Alec that point to a relentless enemy. But marry they do and Mary is welcomed into the hearts of Alec's higland clan. But marriage doesn't mean happily ever after for this couple because higland politics vie with love as Alec finds himself sucked into the plot to restore the Stuart throne.

I LOVED this book! and I plan to go right out and read the sequel. Yes, there are the inevitable comparisons to Gabaldon's OUTLANDER series. I confess, I am even guilty of thinking "hey this book reminds me of Gabaldon's" but I think in doing so I do Ms. Givens a huge disservice. There are pracically hundreds of books out there written about handsome higlanders, pretty englishwomen and the jacobite uprisings. What makes this book seem like it is so similar to Gabaldon's is because Ms. Givens 1) writes very well and 2) there is a bit more complexity in her characters than one usually finds in most historical romances. I like how Robert Campbel, Mary's other suitor isn't made to seem all evil or bufoonish or boring. Instead he is handsome, accomplished and all too humanly flawed. I think it is great that Ms. Givens not only manages to make her main characters lively, interesting and 3 dimensional, but that she also can do this with secondary characters as well. I look forward to the sequel to this story (it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger) and I definitely plan to keep my open for other books by this author.

I loved Kathleen Givens' new book Kilgannon, apparently the first in a series. The sequel, The Wild Rose of Kilgannon will be out in November (1999) and I'm looking forward to reading that one too. Alex was the perfect hero - a tall gorgeous man with integrity and a sense of honor. And he's in love with his wife. Who could ask for more? Well, it would be nice if he stayed home. Watching Mary grow up was great - she was bored with London and her life at the beginning of the book, but she certainly knew enough to grab this man before someone else did! She had to grow up in a hurry, but this gal was up to the challenge and I liked her a lot. Whenever she and Alex were together the dialogue was fantastic. I laughed and I cried and I stayed up almost all night. This book should come with a pack of tissues - but be warned - you'll have to read the sequel to find out how it all ends. I've got my calendar marked already! I just can't forget these characters. It would make a great movie.