Title: Playboy in a Kilt
Author: Kait Nolan
Series: Kilted Hearts #3
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Scottish romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2023

I like how in the Kilted Hearts series, the epilogue in every story leads into the next couple. It doesn’t give much away, but rather just a little teaser of what is to come. The ending of Grump in a Kilt perfectly sets up Connor and Sophie’s storyline. It also is the beginning of Hamish and Afton’s… but I’m sure that will come up much later in the series. The Cinderella-vibe of this story was a really enjoyable way to tell the tale of a boy who has always been in love with his sister’s best friend. And it was most definitely a melt your heart kind of tale.

Connor’s growth throughout this series has been pretty drastic and kind of intense. I mean, he starts out as a boy who is going to be forced into a marriage he doesn’t want. And thinking that that is his one and only responsibility. Then, it segues into him finally trying to actually help out with the rest of the family estate. He is also finally free to pursue the relationship that he’s also wanted. His unrequited love comes to the forefront, as does his motivations to take up blacksmithing. Again, way too damn cute.

Although I really liked Connor, I did find his trickery to start the relationship with Sophie to be a little bit underhanded. It was somehow not creepy and too uncomfortable. But it was still not overly great… I mean, anytime you have to trick someone into a relationship it becomes at the very least a grey area. And, as you get to know Swayze, you realise how disingenuous he is to her. I actually loved her as a secondary character, and I’m really hoping that she too gets a romance in the future. She’s such a fun livewire. Someone who is willing to give and love others on their own terms.

Sophie’s abusive stepmother is truly horrible. The fact that a strong woman puts up with her nonsense is a great reminder of how easy it can be to fall into unhealthy patterns. The moment when Sophie is finally able to acknowledge that abuse and take a step forward in her own life is incredibly gratifying. It’s also nice when she realises that she finally needs to start asking others for help! Definitely a common (and way too familiar) trauma response – being unwilling to ask for help due to abuse.

Now I just need to wait until the next Kilted Hearts book comes out – Protector in a Kilt. I just want to find out more about Ewan. And, more than that, just who his mystery woman is…

Image source: Kobo

Title: Grump in a Kilt
Author: Kait Nolan
Series: Kilted Hearts #2
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Scottish romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2023

Charlotte is such a loving and giving character in Cowboy in a Kilt. I mean, the woman literally gave up a large portion of her life to raise Raileigh. It was such a pleasure that the second book in this series focuses on her own happily ever after. I mean, she obviously doesn’t regret her choices, but, there is also that lack of companionship that I’m sure she feels as she gets older. Creating a Found Family is just the perfect ending I imagine for her.

The cliff-hanger at the end of Cowboy in a Kilt is seriously heavy with implications, and innuendoes. I love that, although some of it is exactly what you think, it also is 100% not what you expect. It definitely starts off the relationship between Malcolm and Charlotte and makes them question the sparks that are flying between them. But, it also isn’t quite what you expect when you get ready to dive into this story. Without giving away any spoilers, I’ll just leave it at that.

The grump and the sunshine trope is one of my favourite romantic tropes. I mean, it’s always fun and very, very cute. Also, it tends to remind me a little of my relationship at times… the fact that this story features a grump with a Scottish accent. In a kilt. With salt and pepper hair. And muscles… yeah, it was definitely a delicious way to set up this storyline. Then there’s the fact that Charlotte isn’t only sunshine, but she is also a total homemaker and loves to cook? I could honestly smell the food coming off of the pages… and it made me drool.

There is plenty of drama and challenge throughout this book, more so than Cowboy in a Kilt, but not enough that you actually worried too much in any given moment. There were the challenges of two older people actually opening up to one another (Malcolm more so than Charlotte). But also the complications of Gavin, the boy they decide to call their own. It was pretty high stakes, but also over incredibly quickly, the perfect level of intensity for a contemporary romance.

Just as with Cowboy in a Kilt, Grump in a Kilt wraps up with a great epilogue. I love that so far in this series, the epilogues tie up the couple beautifully. But they also give you a fantastic hint and tease for the next couple. In this case, it’ll be Connor and Sophie. And, I for one can’t wait for the release date!

Image source: Goodreads

Title: Cowboy in a Kilt
Author: Kait Nolan
Series: Kilted Hearts #1
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Scottish romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2023

I knew that this was a marriage of convenience story, because, well, that’s what is written in the short description on my kobo. But it really wasn’t quite the marriage of convenience that I was expecting. It takes a 300-year-old pact (so a more historical romance-esque driver) and applies it to a contemporary, modern-day couple. It was fun to have this kind of historical romance spin on a romance that is set in contemporary times.

At the very beginning of this story, I kind of thought that Raleigh was going to have a fighting chance to keep his ancestral home – I mean, I’m so used to romances where the hero (or heroine) are able to triumph over all of the bad and get their sweet revenge. Or at least some form of poetic justice. But, instead of being a moment to rail and fight against, it was just the driver that gets Raleigh to where he needs to be. I was seriously hoping that the evil stepmother, Twilla, would have some kind of moment that made her realise that she was evil, but it really wasn’t meant to be.

Kyla is a really fun and sassy little heroine. She is so driven to save her family home that everything kind of pales in comparison. And it does take her a little while (almost too long) to actually realise what she wants out of life. I love that she is so damn committed to her family and her people. To keeping her word and just generally one of those people who is going to fight for what is right in the world, right up until that moment when she collapses in on herself and completely burns herself out.

Most of my romances set in Scotland are more o the historical romance bent. And, as mentioned, I liked the fact that it actually uses a bit of a historical romance-esque plot driver to create the circumstances for this modern romance. It’s also fun having a cowboy from Tennessee in Scotland. There is something dreamy and stunning about this setting, one that makes me want to dive straight back into this world.

This romance might have been completely expected and have very few twists and turns. But it was still fun and gorgeous and lovely. The perfect short novel to take you away and let you have a few blissful hours in a world where everything ends with a happily ever after.

Image source: Goodreads

Title: Jilting the Kilt
Author: Kait Nolan
Series: Kilted Hearts #0.5
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Scottish romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novella
Year: 2023

This short novella was one that I actually read after finishing Cowboy in a Kilt. It certainly helped to give context to the headspace that Afton was in when she decided to runaway and start the events of this series. I mean, I completely understood her reasoning before actually reading about it from her point of view. But then, I had even more sympathy.

This novella also gives a whole lot more insight into just how the pact works and it came into being. Plus, the amount of work that Hamish went through to find that tiny little loophole that lead to Raleigh and Kyla’s happily ever after. I loved that this novella just gave you answers to questions you weren’t quite sure to ask. And, also acted as a great prologue for Cowboy in a Kilt.

Lastly, this novella was a great teaser for Hamish and Afton as a couple. Even though their book hasn’t been published yet. And it’s going to be like… the fifth book in the series. I have a whole lot of time to wait until I get to dive into this one!

Image source: Amazon