My Scottish Summer

I rarely am disappointed in Connie Brockway but here I am, totally disappointed! Each one of these stories lacked substance, characters I cared about, humor or a decent story. In the case of Dier and Givens I thought the prose embodied all the negatives attributed to this genre by critics - trite, cliched melodramatic drivel. In every story the characters were unsympathetic at best (do well adjusted women really play strip poker with perfect strangers?) and repellent at worst. Very poor. Don’t seem to be able to award no stars or I would.

I found this book by pure coincidence, looking for more highland romance. This is a cute and actually pretty well written compilation of stories. As usual, since it is a novella, it comes relatively quick to the point. I did like the most Castle in the Skye and the least Lassie go home. Lassie go home was too much stereotyping for me: blonde Californian whooping after brawny Scot. But still I enjoyed it. Castle in the Skye actually had some layers that made it a more interesting read. The other two stories had some funny undertones and were just enough to wet my appetite too try more of the author's full length stories. If you want to daydream what a good summer romance that lasts forever should be like - pick up this book.

After reading this set of stories, my mind drifted away to the rolling hills, and mysterious and seductive atmosphere of Scotland. These works are rich in detail, and the story lines are adorable romance. Now I hope that someday I get to visit Scotland, and experience everything that the women in the book got to see, hear, and feel. Only in my dreams until one day in the future. Very good storylines, even better daydreams. ;-)

Courtesy of The Best ReviewsLassie, Go Home by Connie BrockwayToni 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 BergEmily 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 DierAnn 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 GivensMaddie 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 go

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.

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.