Stewart Sisters Trilogy

OKAY I loved this book! I could not put it down. The love story was sensual and sweet...the characters and setting were wonderful!

Well, no! Especially Ian MacKenzie who's been sent to retrieve a family heirloom. He expects a few obstacles, but he doesn't expect a woman like Lily Stewart and the sparks that fly between them. Their respective families make any sparking difficult, especially considering their feud over the Brooch of Lorn. But sometimes a heat like Lily and Ian's just can't be denied. A sparkling story that showcases Ross's storytelling mastery, her great dialogue and her wonderful sense of humor!

JoAnn Ross's first book of her Stewart sister trilogy is a unique blend of Scottish-American culture with historical facts and fantasy centered on the Brooch of Lorn, a historic jewel which has gone back and forth between the feuding Stewarts and the MacDougalls ever since it was ripped from Robert the Bruce's tartan in 1306. The main characters, Lily Stewart and Ian MacDougall MacKenzie, aren't looking for romance or commitment, but the attraction that sparks when Ian appears at the Stewart castle resort in the midst of a terrible storm will not be ignored. The castle, affectionately called Stewart's Folly, straddles the North Carolina-Tennessee border of the Smoky Mountains and is home for the eclectic Stewart clan. In order to maintain the sprawling manor, the family sponsors the Highland Games on the castle grounds. Ian, under the guise of filming a documentary about the games, has really come to steal the brooch for the MacKenzie clan. Lily is the coordinator of the games. Lively sensual dialogue snaps back and forth between the two as each attends to his/her personal agenda. The twists and turns in their romance provide a fun read.The transitions between character history, brooch history, and storyline are a little awkward at times, but Ms Ross's superb and evocative word pictures paint the Scottish Highland games firmly in the reader's mind. The engaging personalities of her secondary characters add yet another level of charm to the book. Duncan MacDougall, the ornery Scotsman who sent his grandson to America to reclaim the brooch; Lily's father John Angus Stewart and his very young fiancée Jenny; zany, mystic Aunt Zelda; divorced Aunt Melanie and her bag piping daughter, Missy, and Lily's grandmother Annie are all quirky, captivating characters who draw you into the story. OUT OF THE MIST is a terrific combination of Ms Ross's distinct contemporary writing style and her story weaving gift. Her subtle, witty humor interspersed with all that Scottish history, firefly science and even the geological review of plate tectonics keeps you turning the pages. The snippets and hints of the coming stories of Lily's two sisters, Lark and Laurel, will have you eagerly awaiting the sister's stories.

Author Ross does a fine job of introducing the Stewart sisters and extended family in the first book of her newest trilogy. The wedding scene is pure farce and so wonderfully written you can see it as it's happening. Not only does she give us a very entertaining story, Ross adds in Scottish history, firefly science and even plate tectonics (!) so painlessly that you won't realize you're smarter until you finish the last page. Also included is a snippet from the next book in the trilogy, OUT OF THE BLUE, that looks to be even better. Something to look forward to.

Lily "no talent" Stewart no longer looks forward to the upcoming Highland Games at her family's Great Smoky Mountain resort as she has in the past. She is concerned because Oscar winning documentary filmmaker Ian MacDougall MacKenzie is thinking of filming the event. His work is critically acclaimed, but extremely cynical, negative, and dark.A rain soaked Ian arrives at "Stewart's Folly" after walking a mile in a storm when his car rental failed. He and hotel hostess Lily are attracted from the first moment they see each other; shaking hands they emit enough electricity to light a city. Lily worries about the film that she believes will accentuate the negative. The truth is Ian is here to take back a seven-century-old broach his grandfather insists was stolen by the Stewarts decades ago. Although Ian and Lily act wary towards one another, they fall in love, but neither wants that at this time.OUT OF THE MIST is a fine contemporary romance that highlights the Scottish-American culture. The entire clan is fun to observe, but especially delightful is the lead couple and a geriatric duo. Fans of JoAnn Ross will enjoy this tale and take pleasure with the thought that two sisters remain for their tales to be told.Harriet Klausner