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Fiercely independent, Elizabeth Bowcock - 'Doc Liz' - as she's known by all - vows to raise her orphaned niece as her own. Unfortunately, the child's grandfather has declared the unwed doctor to be an unfit guardian and refuses to deliver her to Liz's care until she finds herself a man... Enter dark-haired, devil-eyed Cutter McKenzie. Outcast for his Cheyenne blood, the handsome half breed volunteers to pose as Elizabeth's husband.
Raised by a tyrannical father, Marion de Lacy yearns for the comfort of belonging to a loving family. So when her father announces her betrothal to an evil knight in exchange for his help to overthrow the king, she concocts a desperate scheme to avoid the marriage: feigning her own death and then fleeing England. But when her plan goes terribly awry and she's captured by the knight, not even her careful preparations could ready her for the Scottish barbarian who rescues her and then informs her that he's to marry her.
Annabel was about to take the veil to become a nun, when her mother suddenly arrived at the abbey to take her home...so that she can marry the Scottish laird who is betrothed to her runaway sister! She knows nothing about being a wife, nothing about how to run a household, and definitely nothing about the marriage bed. From the moment Ross MacKay sets eyes on Annabel, he is taken with his shy, sweet bride...and the fact that she's blessed with lush curves only makes him utter his own prayers of thanks. But when an enemy endangers her life, he'll move the Highlands themselves to save her.
He rode into Chirk Castle on his pure black destrier. Clad in black from his gleaming helm to the tips of his toes, he was all battle-honed muscles and rippling tendons. In his stark black armor he looked lethal and sinister, every bit as dangerous as his name implied. He was a man renowned for his courage and strength, for his prowess with women, for his ruthless skill in combat.
The flame-haired virago bearing down on Ross MacKenna was far too shapely to be a seasoned warrior, but she was just as deadly. As she engaged him on the battlefield, Ross knew her for a MacKay, long-time enemies of his clan. What he didn’t know was that she would soon be his wife, given to him by her father in a desperate effort to end generations of feuding.
For two centuries, Aidan dún Scoti's kinsmen have guarded Scotland's greatest secret, the real Stone of Destiny. Now King David seeks an alliance with the mountain Scot. But only one woman will tempt him--the accursed beauty whose father once betrayed his clan... Cursed by Aidan's people for the sins of her father, Lleas MacLaren is the one woman Aidan believes he is immune to... she is also the one woman who may bring the fierce chieftain to his knees.
Fiercely independent, Elizabeth Bowcock - 'Doc Liz' - as she's known by all - vows to raise her orphaned niece as her own. Unfortunately, the child's grandfather has declared the unwed doctor to be an unfit guardian and refuses to deliver her to Liz's care until she finds herself a man... Enter dark-haired, devil-eyed Cutter McKenzie. Outcast for his Cheyenne blood, the handsome half breed volunteers to pose as Elizabeth's husband.
Raised by a tyrannical father, Marion de Lacy yearns for the comfort of belonging to a loving family. So when her father announces her betrothal to an evil knight in exchange for his help to overthrow the king, she concocts a desperate scheme to avoid the marriage: feigning her own death and then fleeing England. But when her plan goes terribly awry and she's captured by the knight, not even her careful preparations could ready her for the Scottish barbarian who rescues her and then informs her that he's to marry her.
Annabel was about to take the veil to become a nun, when her mother suddenly arrived at the abbey to take her home...so that she can marry the Scottish laird who is betrothed to her runaway sister! She knows nothing about being a wife, nothing about how to run a household, and definitely nothing about the marriage bed. From the moment Ross MacKay sets eyes on Annabel, he is taken with his shy, sweet bride...and the fact that she's blessed with lush curves only makes him utter his own prayers of thanks. But when an enemy endangers her life, he'll move the Highlands themselves to save her.
He rode into Chirk Castle on his pure black destrier. Clad in black from his gleaming helm to the tips of his toes, he was all battle-honed muscles and rippling tendons. In his stark black armor he looked lethal and sinister, every bit as dangerous as his name implied. He was a man renowned for his courage and strength, for his prowess with women, for his ruthless skill in combat.
The flame-haired virago bearing down on Ross MacKenna was far too shapely to be a seasoned warrior, but she was just as deadly. As she engaged him on the battlefield, Ross knew her for a MacKay, long-time enemies of his clan. What he didn’t know was that she would soon be his wife, given to him by her father in a desperate effort to end generations of feuding.
For two centuries, Aidan dún Scoti's kinsmen have guarded Scotland's greatest secret, the real Stone of Destiny. Now King David seeks an alliance with the mountain Scot. But only one woman will tempt him--the accursed beauty whose father once betrayed his clan... Cursed by Aidan's people for the sins of her father, Lleas MacLaren is the one woman Aidan believes he is immune to... she is also the one woman who may bring the fierce chieftain to his knees.
Ian Mackintosh and his bride, Rose, return to McLaren Lands to rebuild all that was destroyed by the previous laird. Believing bad times and evil men are behind them, they've let their guard down. Ian's world is turned upside down one cold winter's night when Rose is kidnapped.
A brutal attack on Emily Stanton's family has left her for dead...until she is found in the woods by a handsome stranger with a thick brogue who vows to protect her. There's only one problem: As a woman with a noble English background, she has no business keeping company with such a man. For Scotsman Iain MacEnroy, Emily's high-tone accent is a bitter reminder of the oppressive regime he left behind. The last thing he needs is to be burdened by the needs of a beautiful, blue-eyed Englishwoman.
When Akira Ayres finds the brawny Scot with a musket ball in his thigh, the healer has no qualms about doing whatever it takes to save his life. Even if it means fleeing with him across the Highlands to tend to his wounds while English redcoats are closing in. Though Akira is as fierce and brave as any of her clansmen, even she's intimidated by the fearsome, brutally handsome Highlander who refuses to reveal his name.
Descended of the legendary sons of MacAlpin, Iain MacKinnon refuses to bow to the English. When his young son is captured by a minion of the English king, the fierce Scottish chieftain vows to stop at nothing to secure the lad's return. Retaliating in kind, he captures the daughter of his enemy, planning to bargain with the devil. FitzSimon's daughter has lived her entire life in the shadow of the man she called father--yet never would she have imagined he would forsake his only daughter.
Devastated by the death of her father, Norman noblewoman Chrestien de Lontaine vows to see her twin sister wed and then take refuge in a nunnery...but the Silver Wolf has come knocking on their door and treachery is at hand. King Henry's blue-eyed champion has been sent to quell a nation's rebellion. He plans to seal their peace by wedding Gilbert de Lontaine's beautiful daughter, but though the girl with smoky eyes holds his heart in peril, the real danger lurks in unexpected quarters.
Revenge brought Alarik Trygvason to the shores of the River Seine. Destiny gave him a dark-haired beauty with violet eyes. Beguiled by Elienor's strange dreams and her fiery spirit he can barely control the passions she arouses, body and soul...but in a land full of strife, he risks everything to love the woman whose dreams hold their future in thrall.
Loki Grant's first memories are of living in a crate behind an inn in Ayr, struggling to survive. Clan Grant saved him from his lonely existence and took him in as one of their own. But though the Highlands have become his home and he loves his adopted parents, Brodie and Celestina, Loki feels lost. Part of him is still that scrappy wee lad who relied on his wits to survive the streets, and he is not sure he belongs.
Bethia may be the former Ramsay laird's daughter, but she fears she'll never marry. She loves her cousins, but their beauty makes her feel plump and plain in comparison. The lads never notice her like they do the others. She's most confident when she's nursing the clan's animals back to health, yet her heart desires a family of her own. Then a man rushes to the castle gates, desperate for someone to save his dog, and Bethia's simple life changes forever.
Lord Robert Dennington, the Marquess of Westfield, has long reveled in the freedom afforded him as the ducal heir. He knows he must someday do right by the Somerset line, but he's in no hurry to give up his carefree existence.Helena Banbury is a bookkeeper in a gentleman's gambling club, adept at analyzing numbers and accounts but helpless for lack of influence.
Dashing French pirate Jean-Philippe Beauvisage revels in a life of complete freedom...until the night at a ball in Georgian London, when a Russian beauty quietly steals his heart. Heartbroken Antonia Varyshkova, who has lost her parents and her home in a St. Petersburg fire, stops in London en route to a new life with her brother in America. When her arrogant ship's captain, Tobias Ormond, insists that she attend a ball with him, Antonia reluctantly agrees.
Gwyneth Carswell, an English lady banished by her father to the harsh Scottish Highlands, wants nothing more than to take her young son away from the violence of two fighting clans - her own distant kin, the MacIrwins, and their enemies, the MacGraths. She risks everything to rescue the fierce MacGrath warrior from the battlefield where he's left for dead by her clan. She only knows she is inexplicably drawn to him and he wants peace as she does. When her clan learns of her betrayal, they seek vengeance. Dare she trust the enemy more than her own family? Laird Alasdair MacGrath is driven to end two-hundred years of feuding with the MacIrwins. But by taking in and protecting Lady Gwyneth and her son, he provokes more attacks from his mortal enemy. As the danger and conflict surrounding them escalate, Alasdair and Gwyneth discover an explosive passion neither of them expected. With the arrival of a powerful man from her past, a horrible decision confronts her - give up her son or the man she loves.
To settle a feud, Dominique Beauchamp was resigned to wed in order to heal their injured lands. Offered in marriage by her brother to the lord of Drakewich, she came to take the d'Lucy name... but never counted on losing her heart to the brother of her betrothed - the Black Dragon. Blaec d'Lucy mistrusted her from the beginning, believing her to be part of her brother's endless perfidy, but he was powerless to resist the fiery-haired vixen that rode so proudly into their midst. Their love was sealed... once upon a kiss.
Swept from the aristocracy of England to the Colonies on the eve of war, Jessamine Stone vows to wed no man but her one time fiance Christian Haukinge. She sets out to win back Christian's affections, unaware that her brother has already offered him a bribe to break her heart.
Driven by something dark, Christian agrees to the devil's bargain, but soon finds Jessie's innocent passion, trust, and faith undermine his resolve for vengeance. Now only the woman he has betrayed can heal his deep and scarring wounds. But these are dangerous times and love alone cannot mend all wounds.
AudioBook Review:
Stars: Overall 4 Narration 5 Story 3
A Georgian era romance that starts in England and ends up in Charleston that focuses on the on again—off again betrothal between third son Christian and Jessamyn Stone pawn of the brother who holds the title and determines her future. Christian is the third son and far out of the succession. Not independently wealthy, his future fortunes laid in his mother’s bequest, and when that didn’t happen, Jessamyn’s brother, who has arranged a more fortuitous match.
These two are bound to cross purposes almost from the start, and their lack of communication or basic honesty and the anger Christian holds for Jessamyn, even KNOWING that her life and choices are not her own were just over the top. Too often his anger or their inability to pass two honest sentences between them was an oft repeated and far too overplayed element of the story. BOTH of them need to be blind and stupid to not see the attraction between them, or to realize that they are in love. And unfortunately, while Christian does NOT have to make any more statements than I love you for Jessamyn to disregard all of his nasty, demeaning and often duplicitous behavior to come running. But, it was entertaining and enjoyable, with a nice sense of time, place and political agendas of the age.
Narration by Laurel Schroeder made this AudioBook work for me and enhanced the enjoyment of a fairly predictable story. She manages to distinguish different characters with small changes in her delivery and pitch, and she doesn’t seem to strain over the more masculine voices. While there were some odd repeats in the story that were entirely production related: Schroeder’s delivery and performance would encourage me to seek out more of her work.
I received an AudioBook copy of the title via AudioBook Jukebox for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Where does Kissed rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Overall, probably in the lower third. Story was so-so.
What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)
Ending was satisfying.
Have you listened to any of Laurel Schroeder’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
No.
Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
No.
Any additional comments?
Kissed is one of those books that I find annoying and enjoyable at the same time. The annoying part is that the hero and heroine are really bad at communication. So there is constant misunderstanding that leads to hurt feelings and broken hearts for the characters and frustration for the reader. You've all read those kind of books. If that was all that was going on, I would have given this book 2 stars.
However, throwing in a bit more conflict aside outside of the love/hate story as well as the historical setting of the American colonies on the eve of the Revolution, well, that is what makes the story enjoyable. Now we have a real story going and I am at 3 stars.
4 stars - well it is an audiobook! That puts a smile on the whole 'reading' experience. There were a few problems in the audio editing - sentences were repeated in several places. But the narration was enjoyable. If, like I, you enjoy the historical romance/audiobook combination, I can recommend Kissed to you.
Narrator Laurel Schroeder offered a complimentary copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
Would you try another book from Tanya Anne Crosby and/or Laurel Schroeder?
Absolutely. I have always enjoyed Tanya Anne Crosby books, and have found a new favorite in Laurel Schroeder
What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?
I have to say the most and least interesting aspects of this story are both the Revolutionary War connection. It could have been much more interesting, but was not as well developed as I would have liked
Have you listened to any of Laurel Schroeder’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
This is my first Laurel Schroeder narration, but it is not my last. I truly enjoyed her tone and character differentiation.
Do you think Kissed needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?
No. Ms Crosby finished this story.
Any additional comments?
This audiobook has some editing issues. There are several points were there are sentence/phrase repeats, but this did not detract too much from the story.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful
If you could sum up Kissed in three words, what would they be?
What a man.
What did you like best about this story?
The hero. He is dangerous, dastardly, and downright delicious.....but not beyond redemption through true love. He fights love every step of the way, unwilling to trust others and simply let himself feel emotion. I loved his tortured transformation. And of course, the love scenes were breathtaking as well.
Have you listened to any of Laurel Schroeder’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
This is the first of hers that I have listened to. I thought her narration was excellent. She was easy to understand and read at a comfortable pace---not too fast, not too slow. Her male voices didn't sound forced or contrived like some other female narrators. In fact, she produced a rather convincing voice for the dashing Lord Christian.
If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
In a world of changing loyalties, in a wild new land full of danger and intrigue, hearts come together in this explosive romance that will leave you wanting more.
Any additional comments?
I had already read the book and have left an 5-star Amazon review. I loved it so much that I also purchased the Audiobook. That should tell you how much I enjoy it. Even though I had read the story twice, listening to it brought a whole new level of enjoyment. Excellent book made even better by an outstanding narrator.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
Any additional comments?
Kissed, written by Tanya Anne Crosby, is an enjoyable historical romance primarily set in the American colonies before the American Revolution. The story centers around Jessamine Stone who has never gotten over her onetime fiance Christian Haukinge. She wants to win back Christian, but her efforts are undermined by her devious brother who only views her as property to be sold to the highest bidder. After an ugly showdown with her brother, Jesse goes to live with a cousin in the colonies to mend her broken heart. The rest of the story is about Jesse and Christian slowly coming to realize they are soulmates and can't live without the other.
The story is well written and better than most Regency romances. However, the love scenes were just too graphic for me (it seems to be a trend these days). I also found myself fast forwarding through the bedroom scenes because they were too long and involved. But the story itself was refreshing and unlike other Regency books out there. It was nice not having to suffer through one more ball of the ton!
Laurel Schroeder's narration was enjoyable. She had good inflections and tone, giving distinguishable voices for all the characters. Simply put, I'd listen to another one of her narrations any time.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful
This is a well written novel about a young girl who fell in love with her betrothed and would never accept another no matter how advantageous the marriage would be. It did not hurt that the man her brother chose was not a very good man to begin with add to that the fact that he was old enough to be her father only made him more an appealing.
Jessie had to fight until the end to get what she wanted. At times I thought surely there is someone more worthy but Jessie stayed true to herself even when Christian made things very difficult. I also thought Jessie was a bit whinny but I suppose it was a part of her character.
Christian was an emotionally damaged young man. He did not trust easily and revenge was his primary goal throughout most of this story. He found it difficult to trust in Jessie's feelings and was to easily swayed against what he knew deep down to be true.
I did not much care for Christian throughout this book and in the end I thought it was to late for redemption. However, this is an historical romance and nothing ever came easy for women back then so it was not so far fetched.
Laurel did a good job of Narrating this book. Her accents were done quite well. The authors voice came through her narration rather smoothly. She switched back and forth between character smoothly.
I recommend this book to Historical romance lovers who can't get enough of damaged heroes and stubborn heroines. If you like Audible books and want to listen then you might consider the Audible version.
I received this Audible book in exchange for an hones review.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful
Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?
Not sure, I only had time to listen to it when I'm at work so i suppose it was time worth spent.
If you’ve listened to books by Tanya Anne Crosby before, how does this one compare?
this was the first but I wouldn't mind trying other from her.
What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?
I liked the narrator. She did really great job at showing the emotions of the characters through her voice.
Was Kissed worth the listening time?
I super loved the first one third of the story before they moved to Charleston so, not sure
0 of 1 people found this review helpful
I received a free copy of the Audible audio edition in exchange for an honest review.
Again, wishing for half stars. I'd like to give this one 3.5, but enjoyed it enough to round up. I enjoyed the narrator's performance which I'm convinced made this a 4 star rather than a 3. I will definitely be willing to listen to others by her. She did a great job with making the male lead sound believably masculine, which IMHO is the most important and probably the hardest thing to do for a female narrator. I am not sure if the accents were correct for the area of England the H/h were from, but that didn't bother me. It sounded right and that's enough for me. However as an American and a southerner, I did catch that the accent spoken by the h's servant in Charleston was all wrong. But, it was maybe all of 5 lines in the entire book.
I love Charleston or Charlestown as it was known at the time. I could definitely get a feel for where things were taking place. It's one of my favorite vacation spots and favorite romance settings. So, that's always good and the story itself was very intriguing. I also loved the heroine.
What lost the book the 1 1/2 star was the hero. I LOVE a good vengeful hero story and was very excited to listen to this. However, the hero has to have a good reason to feel vengeful toward the heroine (even if it's all a pack of lies). I'm still not quite sure what Christian's reason was. He had taken the bribe to break the heroine's heart and he had financially ruined her father. Sounds like Jessamine had all the reasons to be vengeful.
Christian was mad at her because.... Um, I'm not really sure. He thought she may have revealed an embarrassing family secret and she couldn't deny that her brother wanted to marry her off to a man old enough to be her father. He already knew about that! The brother told him he wanted her heart broken so she'd quit being romantic and accept the match he wanted for her. The only explanation for Christian's OTT anger was insecurity, I think. He felt like he wasn't good enough for the h, so when things fell apart, he found it easier to blame her because he fell back into his pity-party 'she thinks she's better than me' attitude. Which was ridiculous, given the heroine's personality. He reminded me of a child who - when faced with an adult who is justifiably angry about his behavior - decides he'll show them and be angry right back, just because.
I also wish Christian had had to do something more to make up for being such a jerk - some groveling or making a sacrifice or something to win back the heroine's trust. The whole being paid to break her heart plotline was kind of glossed over.
0 of 1 people found this review helpful