Findley's Lass

The Clan MacDougall Series

By: Suzan Tisdale

Narrated by: Brad Wills

Length: 13 hrs

Publisher's summary

The Highlands of Scotland, Autumn 1344..... She had won his heart without trying... and he can only pray for the chance to give her his. When Findley McKenna returns after his battle with the English to offer Maggy Boyle a home amongst his clan, he finds only death and destruction instead of the young widow who has stolen his heart. The only things left of her home is the burned out hut and decaying bodies of the auld people Maggy has taken care of for the past three years. With only a prayer, his Highlander heart, and a bit of bloodied plaid to cling to, Findley will crawl through hell if he must, in order to find Maggy and her sons and avenge the massacre before him.

She had won his heart without trying, and he can only pray for the chance to give her his. How can she place her trust or her heart in the hands of a man she barely knows and maintain her freedom and keep her secrets hidden? Maggy has secrets, and her own hell to crawl through, before she can give her trust or heart to any man. Fearful that the uncle of her late husband will force her into a marriage with another cold and vindictive man, she goes into hiding to keep her true identity secret and her adopted sons together. After her home is destroyed and her young son kidnapped, those secrets begin to unravel, one agonizing thread at a time. How can she place her trust or her heart in the hands of a man she barely knows and still maintain her freedom and keep her secrets hidden? Findley McKenna is her last vestige of hope at keeping both.

©2012 Suzan Tisdale (P)2014 Suzan Tisdale

Enjoyable and Entertaining Listen

What did you love best about Findley's Lass?
I loved Maggie's strength, sensitivity, and love for her boys, and Findley, what a strong, loving and understandable man..

Who was your favorite character and why?
Wee William and Maggie's boys. Wee William for being so sensitive, it didn't match his size and Maggie's boys were very brave and stood up for each other and their mother.

Any additional comments?
I didn't want to stop listening to this book. I usually listen while I am doing other things, however, there were times I just had to stop and just listen to the story. There was action, suspense, love and friendship all rolled up into one story. There were scenes that made me laugh out loud and scenes where I was on the edge of my seat. I will listen to this again..

Lightly entertaining

It was a chance meeting that brought Findley McKenna and Maggy Boyle together, but from the first moment, the independent widow had stolen Findley’s heart. Unable to think of anything but the fiery-haired lass, Findley returns to offer her a home in which to raise her five foster boys. But when he arrives in the little valley Maggy calls home, he finds only destruction and death. Fearing the worst, Findley searches the ruins and is relieved to find that Maggy and four of her boys have escaped the massacre, but her fifth son has been taken as hostage by an evil Laird hell-bent on forcing Maggy to marry him.

Can Findley win Maggy’s trust? Can they rescue Ian? Can Findley get Maggy to spill her secrets and ultimately, can they overcome the many challenges that threaten to keep them apart?

I have a certain fondness - perhaps even an obsession for all things Scottish, most especially Scots fiction heroes. Scottish men are stereotypically brave, handsome warriors - and I quite like that stereotype. Novels set in the highlands often also include sweeping descriptions of the foggy lochs and heather-strewn hills - another huge plus in my opinion.

Sadly, ‘Findley’s lass’ was lacking in both these areas. While it was a pleasant story, I felt the characters of Findley and Maggie were not strong enough for my liking. The antagonists were overly-evil and stereo-typical, and I would have preferred to see some kind of redeeming quality in both of them for more reader conflict. There was very little descriptive writing, which is such a shame in this amazing setting. The story, I felt was too long with too many crests and falls and could have been simplified. The metaphors were cliche, and the excessive use of the words ‘braw’ and ‘tetched’ became positively irritating in the second half of the book.

Overall, it was a lightly entertaining novel and I still enjoyed parts of it, like the character of William, who was stronger in personality that Findley in my opinion. The little bits of humor also kept me going.

Audible narrator: I felt that the narrator was overly-dramatic in this performance.

Beautiful story, narrated amazingly

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

100% it's a great book

What other book might you compare Findley's Lass to and why?

Laidens daughter

Which scene was your favorite?

Couldn't say, really the entire book was great

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Five boys and one lass, one hero to save them all

Any additional comments?

Loved the narrator
As an addict to audible I listened, might have to do with being able not having to exit the world of books while I have to attend my chores. Anyhow, I loved the story, a few times Miss Tisdale caught me of guard thinking, ok, that must be the end, nooooooooo,it kept going. Now don't you go and think ,dang it, must be boringly dragged on and on. Quiet the opposite. The entire time I was spell bound, couldn't stop listening till I knew for sure Findley's had his lass safe and for good. Love,love,love it. I can recommend this book in any of the availability with good conscience.

Highland story that glows from author's pen

Any additional comments?

In general, Suzan Tisdale’s writing style moves you right into the story. Her stories cater to my heart and the goodness of men—well some men, that is, who can be called heroes. There are moments to her bard which I liken to chocolate chip cookies straight from the oven. They melt on the palette where one is not enough. I’ve been thoroughly delighted with this series. I thrill to know I’ve still one more to read. On the whole her stories, even though there is plenty of internal and external conflict, emphasize the appeal of her hero and heroine which have sterling characters. Consequently, the reader is uplifted throughout the read rather than disgusted with the lot of man. This here is one lass who will pick up any story Suzan Tisdale puts her pen to.

Findley belongs to the McKenna clan where many a good man protects his own. It’s a clan any warrior would be proud to protect for their laird is fair. From the moment he met Maggy, he knew her to be special, special to him. His challenge was for her to see he could be the same to her. A man of patience and tenderness along with a huge heart, let alone his handsome features would make him a catch for any woman. But beauty and love are not so easy for the plucking. Maggy truly tries his patience and is someone to contend with when angered. She hides her past, making it even harder for him to protect her. So more times than not, they are at odds further frustrating our hero. He needs for her to swoon with admiration at his feet, not the bantering and bickering they so much engage. But all made this a glorious, entertaining story.

This is a story where a woman learns to accept adversity, to live alone because it’s safer, to be thought dead by her family. Her past continues to haunt her, always looking behind her back. She’s strong, intelligent and lives through physical hardship; out in harsh weather, little food, tortuous days on horseback, poisoned twice, and maltreated by men out to do her harm. But through it all she holds to her dignity and like a lioness, fights for her children.

Because of her past, Maggy didn’t trust men for they all had some kind of string attached to what they offered. She certainly couldn’t give in to Findley’s charm and had a very hard time trusting him. But she needed help and he offered. What did he want in return? She had secrets to keep, MUST keep and getting close to anyone may put them in danger and expose her.

We don’t pick whom we fall in love with and Maggy realizes she’s in love with Findley, but knows they can never be together. The reader doesn’t even know why, so as Findley learns of it, we do too. There are words of hurt, though they come not with hatred. Some lovely scenes very well written. Keep your tissue close.

It takes faith, trust and love to unravel the noose tightening around Maggy’s neck. Luckily Ms. Tisdale supplies them all. We get our happy ever after, whereby one more of the MacDougall clan is happily partnered with the love of his life.

I enjoyed many of the characters who I had learned to love in the other two books of the series I’ve read. They are all so brawn and kind. Wee William played a large part in this story, although this wasn’t ‘his’ story for that comes in book 3. He has some very good advice for Maggy. He told her not to let her adversary have power over her, for at that moment he wins.

The man behind Maggie’s fear was Laird Brockton, her guardian. He was a cruel man who enjoyed manipulating her. Narrator Brad Wills’ depicted this scum of a man with perfection. He uses wonderful voices for the children, very authentic, tugging the reader’s heartstrings to witness the purity of a child’s heart and how they can be pawns of a larger game. He does such a convincing rendering of Maggy, her emotions become mine. Lovely, lovely job, as usual.

Sweet not O-o-omg

Sweet not O-o-omg in the romance category as it only hints to love scenes and is mostly action packed.

Performance brought the characters alive

Story was good ..kept me wanting to listen for more of the story to unfold. Will try another book in the series!

Great book.

I liked the narrator of the first book better but still enjoyed it very much.

What a difference a good narrator makes

I'm glad I continued with this series. I was ready to stop after the first book because of the distracting narration but this book was read by Brad Wills and he did a marvelous job. The story was good and held my interest. Maggie was a strong character and her care for her boys was evident. Her actions made me laugh at times. I liked Findley and, of course, Wee William. Overall, this was a good book.

Strong woman and a very honorable man!

Great book... Made my long drive most enjoyable. Just when you think things are going to get better, the story goes in a different direction.

Great Read

This story kept me on edge the whole time. It was glorious and I cried a few times as well.