My Scottish Summer [Hardcover]

Connie; Berg, Patti; Dier, Debra & Givens, Kathleen Brockway (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 2001

Hard Cover by Warner Books, 2001, Book Club Format. Sparkling selection of four tales of romance in a Scottish Summer: Lassie, Go Home; Sinfully Scottish; The Maddening Highlander; Castle in the Skye. 487 pp

Product Details

• Hardcover: 487 pages
• Publisher: Warner Books (2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0739418610
• ISBN-13: 978-0739418611
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,358,360 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Funny, wonderful, sexy!, June 28, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: My Scottish Summer (Mass Market Paperback)

I picked My Scottish Summer up because I'm a push-over for anything Scottish, but I didn't expect it to be so much fun. I always thought Connie Brockway did pretty serious stuff, but her story is hysterical (wait until you read the tee-shirt slogans, and when the heroine tries to look up his kilt...!) Patti Berg is always funny, and she didn't disappoint. I hadn't read the other two authors, but I'll try them now. So few anthologies have all four stories that are good -- this one succeeds.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Decent compilation, July 11, 2001

By 

Tanya V. "Bookwyrm" (Pittsburgh, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: My Scottish Summer (Mass Market Paperback)

Novellas, or short novels, written for compilations are always a challenge for an author, since character and romantic development have to happen so much more quickly than in a novel.

This particular compilation is above average, with no bad stories pulling down the quality of generally average or above-average stories. All the writing was good, with appealing characters and, of course, the appeal of the Scottish personality and landscape.

"Lassie Go Home" by Connie Brockway is charming, with very charismatic characters and decent romantic development. There are some laugh-out-loud moments as well!

"Sinfully Scottish" by Patti Berg is good, as well. The erotic undertones are strong, with well-developed, charming characters. The romantic development wasn't as strong, though - a common characteristic of a novella. It was still better than most novellas, just due to atmosphere and good writing.

"The Maddening Highlander" by Debra Dier is another decent story. The writing is good, and the mystery a nice touch, but the characters seemed a little flat and stereotyped.

"Castle in the Skye" by Kathleen Givens is a nice story, with an especially good heroine and some strong supporting characters. The hero seems a bit too good to be true, but the relationship is well-developed.

All in all, this is an above-average compilation of stories with good Scottish atmosphere. While none of the stories stand out as especially good, it's consistent throughout, and an easy, enjoyable read.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great Scottish collection of contemporary tales, October 10, 2002

By 

Kelley Hartsell "Kelley" (Irving, TX) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: My Scottish Summer (Mass Market Paperback)

Courtesy of The Best Reviews

Lassie, Go Home by Connie Brockway
Toni Olson is an American woman in Scotland to bring home a Beautiful Border collie she bought in hopes to advance her own breeding program in the States. Devlin Montgomery is the owner, reluctant to sell his beloved dog. When Dev's overseer, Mr. MacGill, takes off with the dog, Toni and Dev must track him down. Along the way they find a lot more than and old man and a dog.... They find a love that just possibly may last a lifetime.

This was a cute story full of laughs and more than a little sexual tension between the primary characters. Ms. Brockway has drawn a fun tale, just the right length for a relaxing summer evening (or a cold winter night!) The end of the story was a bit different and fits the story's theme perfectly.

Sinfully Scottish by Patti Berg
Emily Sinclair is a national bestseller of cookbooks full of her own decadent desserts, set against stunning backdrops and passionate tales. Colin Dunbar is a reclusive Scot, famous for his family's unique recipes for whiskey. Emily and Colin make an intriguing wager, allowing her to photograph his castle for her next book and search for a secret, forcing them into living arrangements which generate far more heat than his strongest blend of whiskey.

This was quite a steamy story, the passion between the characters exploding off the pages. The heat radiating from this one is enough to burn the reader's fingers while turning the pages. A unique premise here, Ms. Berg has penned a delightful story.

The Maddening Highlander by Debra Dier
Ann Fitzpatrick is an archeology professor come to Scotland on a quest for treasure and a legend. Iain Matheson is something of a playboy, known as much for his adventures with the ladies as his advances in his film production company. The two team up to solve the mystery of some hidden family treasures. But they uncover a lot more than that... they find a hidden passion as well.

This was a classic theme, revolving around a common legend of the Highlands, but it still works. Nothing new in this one, but it was fun anyway. It is a lively tale just right for some light reading.

Castle in the Skye by Kathleen Givens
Maddie Breen is a New Yorker, working in a high profile career, who is desperate for some time off. She heads to Scotland for the birthday party of an old family friend. Here she meets Iain MacDonald who is restoring an old castle for her friends. The sparks are immediate and electric between them, igniting a passionate blaze. But will they overcome the hurdles to their once in a lifetime love?

This was probably the favorite story in this collection for this reviewer. Plenty of tension from the moment Iain and Maddie meet. There was even a good dose of intrigue, with a subplot involving the castle renovations.

All in all, a very fun book to read. The common theme of American women going to Scotland for some summer fun and finding true love in the process. There was plenty of passion in each story and a good dose of comedy as well. This is definitely a perfect book for a hot summer night...or a cold winter one that needs warming up.