Shipboard romance, 05 Sep 2007
This book is the last in the series following a family of young women in Scotland. Sidony is the youngest of the sisters and somewhat overlooked by both her sisters and their husbands, so much so that she has discovered part of the secret of the Templar treasure which is hidden in a valley on the estate of her brother in law Rob. Our story starts when Sidony bumps into Sir Giffard MacLennan, a rather adventurous man who has been summoned, as one of the Templars, to help move the treasure (the Stone of Scone) from its hiding place by using his ships.

The first half of this book, unfortunately, really drags. We learn very little about Sidony and Giff, we just listen in on various conversations and discussions about the treasure and about Sidony's youthful inability to make decisions. It was quite difficult to keep reading the book as there was so little action and very little of interest to hold the reader's attention. However, halfway through the book picked up when Sidony found herself kidnapped and stashed in a hold on a ship belonging to the Earl of Fife whose designs on becoming king of Scotland have been a constant throughout this series of books. Unfortunately for Fife and his assistant, the Chevalier de Gredin, the ship that Sidony is hidden on is almost immediately stolen by Giff who eventually discovers Sidony. She's now compromised, of course, by having spent time on the boat with him and so Giff has to kidnap a priest to smooth things over in the only way possible. The description of the sailing vessel sneaking around Scotland's harbours and coves in the dark is enjoyable and Sidony is definitely coming into her own now there's some action in her life. Rather like the overall story which definitely picked up at this point.

The second half of the book is largely based on the ship Giff has stolen and we learn more about young Jake, son of the ship captain, and his curiosity - he seems rather like a young Giff. The boats are in a kind of race and Sidony is doing all she can to stay with Giff and not be left ashore. The ending came fairly quickly at which point the 'real' baddie is unmasked although this didn't work entirely well to me.

All in all the book was rather disappointing because it was so hard to plough through the first half and the second half, although interesting in its own way, didn't have enough characterisation to make the reader really engage with the story.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2007

Shipboard romance, 05 Sep 2007
This book is the last in the series following a family of young women in Scotland. Sidony is the youngest of the sisters and somewhat overlooked by both her sisters and their husbands, so much so that she has discovered part of the secret of the Templar treasure which is hidden in a valley on the estate of her brother in law Rob. Our story starts when Sidony bumps into Sir Giffard MacLennan, a rather adventurous man who has been summoned, as one of the Templars, to help move the treasure (the Stone of Scone) from its hiding place by using his ships.

The first half of this book, unfortunately, really drags. We learn very little about Sidony and Giff, we just listen in on various conversations and discussions about the treasure and about Sidony's youthful inability to make decisions. It was quite difficult to keep reading the book as there was so little action and very little of interest to hold the reader's attention. However, halfway through the book picked up when Sidony found herself kidnapped and stashed in a hold on a ship belonging to the Earl of Fife whose designs on becoming king of Scotland have been a constant throughout this series of books. Unfortunately for Fife and his assistant, the Chevalier de Gredin, the ship that Sidony is hidden on is almost immediately stolen by Giff who eventually discovers Sidony. She's now compromised, of course, by having spent time on the boat with him and so Giff has to kidnap a priest to smooth things over in the only way possible. The description of the sailing vessel sneaking around Scotland's harbours and coves in the dark is enjoyable and Sidony is definitely coming into her own now there's some action in her life. Rather like the overall story which definitely picked up at this point.

The second half of the book is largely based on the ship Giff has stolen and we learn more about young Jake, son of the ship captain, and his curiosity - he seems rather like a young Giff. The boats are in a kind of race and Sidony is doing all she can to stay with Giff and not be left ashore. The ending came fairly quickly at which point the 'real' baddie is unmasked although this didn't work entirely well to me.

All in all the book was rather disappointing because it was so hard to plough through the first half and the second half, although interesting in its own way, didn't have enough characterisation to make the reader really engage with the story.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2007

good historical detail, 11 Jul 2007
really enjoyed this one, i live and work in the areas where this story is set so really liked seeing them through different eyes!!! did have to keep looking back to see who some characters were and who they were married/related to. fast paced, easy to read and held your attention to the end, great view of what life was like from both a male and female perspective

A treasure hunt in Scotland in the 14th Century, 17 May 2007
Knight's Treasure follows Lady Adela Macleod, surely not a great choice for marriage. She was abducted on the steps of the church before her wedding then after the ceremony was rearranged two weeks later (once she'd been rescued by her abductor) things seemed to go OK... except that her husband keeled over and died at the wedding feast celebration a couple of hours later. Adela is normally a quiet and biddable girl, having kept house for her father and been rather a shadow to her louder and livelier sisters but the disasters of her marriages start her on a new path.

After the unexpected death of her husband, Ardelve, Adela is left in a very unfortunate position. She should probably go with Ardelve's body back to the Highlands but she barely knew him, was younger than Ardelve's own son who would have to take her in, and would probably not get on with her step-son's wife as the two would be occupying the same position, mistress of the house. Adela finds that her friends and relatives all seem to know what's best for her but she wants to make her own decisions now, rather than returning to being under her father's thumb.

It's when she's considering her options whilst having a good cry in the dark that she first talks to a mystery man who listens to her and helps her to make up her own mind. He arranges to meet her a second time in the dark where they talk again - he is a friend she can trust, she believes. She also has a pretty good idea of who he is, a Frenchman cousin to her father's fiancée. However she oversees someone plotting the death of a man who helped rescue her from her abduction and tries to intervene and it's at that point that she realises she has stumbled into a big secret and that her mystery helper might end up meaning more to her.

Sir Robert Logan is a Knight Templar entrusted with two secrets when he was young. He doesn't know exactly what these mean but he has a strong suspicion that it may lead him to very important treasure in Scotland, or perhaps something more important. Unfortunately there are other people who want this mystery treasure, including the very powerful Earl of Fife, and even more troublingly these people believe that Adela may know something about it following her abduction. Sir Robert and Adela find themselves having to work together to secure the treasure and to keep safe from the political machinations of the powers in Scotland.

Although billed as a romance this book wasn't particularly romantic. Perhaps this is a more accurate depiction of life in Scotland in the 1790s... pragmatism was far more important than emotion. Our hero and heroine evidently like each other and have some reasonable verbal sparring but this book lacked that certain something which made the romance come out from the printed page. It seemed as if the book focused more on the treasure hunt and although that was interesting it was also rather a foregone conclusion.

The writing style of this book is good with some excellent period detail, much of which showed the difficulties of life in those times. There were some stray Americanisms in speech but generally I felt that the setting was convincing and that the history was accurate. The book is let down a little on characterisation - I didn't feel that I got to know either hero or heroine particularly well and I did feel their love story was rather disappointing. This book would probably appeal more to those who are interested in the history of these times rather than who want to read a straight romance but it's still a worthwhile read.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2007

Shipboard romance, 05 Sep 2007
This book is the last in the series following a family of young women in Scotland. Sidony is the youngest of the sisters and somewhat overlooked by both her sisters and their husbands, so much so that she has discovered part of the secret of the Templar treasure which is hidden in a valley on the estate of her brother in law Rob. Our story starts when Sidony bumps into Sir Giffard MacLennan, a rather adventurous man who has been summoned, as one of the Templars, to help move the treasure (the Stone of Scone) from its hiding place by using his ships.

The first half of this book, unfortunately, really drags. We learn very little about Sidony and Giff, we just listen in on various conversations and discussions about the treasure and about Sidony's youthful inability to make decisions. It was quite difficult to keep reading the book as there was so little action and very little of interest to hold the reader's attention. However, halfway through the book picked up when Sidony found herself kidnapped and stashed in a hold on a ship belonging to the Earl of Fife whose designs on becoming king of Scotland have been a constant throughout this series of books. Unfortunately for Fife and his assistant, the Chevalier de Gredin, the ship that Sidony is hidden on is almost immediately stolen by Giff who eventually discovers Sidony. She's now compromised, of course, by having spent time on the boat with him and so Giff has to kidnap a priest to smooth things over in the only way possible. The description of the sailing vessel sneaking around Scotland's harbours and coves in the dark is enjoyable and Sidony is definitely coming into her own now there's some action in her life. Rather like the overall story which definitely picked up at this point.

The second half of the book is largely based on the ship Giff has stolen and we learn more about young Jake, son of the ship captain, and his curiosity - he seems rather like a young Giff. The boats are in a kind of race and Sidony is doing all she can to stay with Giff and not be left ashore. The ending came fairly quickly at which point the 'real' baddie is unmasked although this didn't work entirely well to me.

All in all the book was rather disappointing because it was so hard to plough through the first half and the second half, although interesting in its own way, didn't have enough characterisation to make the reader really engage with the story.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2007

good historical detail, 11 Jul 2007
really enjoyed this one, i live and work in the areas where this story is set so really liked seeing them through different eyes!!! did have to keep looking back to see who some characters were and who they were married/related to. fast paced, easy to read and held your attention to the end, great view of what life was like from both a male and female perspective

A treasure hunt in Scotland in the 14th Century, 17 May 2007
Knight's Treasure follows Lady Adela Macleod, surely not a great choice for marriage. She was abducted on the steps of the church before her wedding then after the ceremony was rearranged two weeks later (once she'd been rescued by her abductor) things seemed to go OK... except that her husband keeled over and died at the wedding feast celebration a couple of hours later. Adela is normally a quiet and biddable girl, having kept house for her father and been rather a shadow to her louder and livelier sisters but the disasters of her marriages start her on a new path.

After the unexpected death of her husband, Ardelve, Adela is left in a very unfortunate position. She should probably go with Ardelve's body back to the Highlands but she barely knew him, was younger than Ardelve's own son who would have to take her in, and would probably not get on with her step-son's wife as the two would be occupying the same position, mistress of the house. Adela finds that her friends and relatives all seem to know what's best for her but she wants to make her own decisions now, rather than returning to being under her father's thumb.

It's when she's considering her options whilst having a good cry in the dark that she first talks to a mystery man who listens to her and helps her to make up her own mind. He arranges to meet her a second time in the dark where they talk again - he is a friend she can trust, she believes. She also has a pretty good idea of who he is, a Frenchman cousin to her father's fiancée. However she oversees someone plotting the death of a man who helped rescue her from her abduction and tries to intervene and it's at that point that she realises she has stumbled into a big secret and that her mystery helper might end up meaning more to her.

Sir Robert Logan is a Knight Templar entrusted with two secrets when he was young. He doesn't know exactly what these mean but he has a strong suspicion that it may lead him to very important treasure in Scotland, or perhaps something more important. Unfortunately there are other people who want this mystery treasure, including the very powerful Earl of Fife, and even more troublingly these people believe that Adela may know something about it following her abduction. Sir Robert and Adela find themselves having to work together to secure the treasure and to keep safe from the political machinations of the powers in Scotland.

Although billed as a romance this book wasn't particularly romantic. Perhaps this is a more accurate depiction of life in Scotland in the 1790s... pragmatism was far more important than emotion. Our hero and heroine evidently like each other and have some reasonable verbal sparring but this book lacked that certain something which made the romance come out from the printed page. It seemed as if the book focused more on the treasure hunt and although that was interesting it was also rather a foregone conclusion.

The writing style of this book is good with some excellent period detail, much of which showed the difficulties of life in those times. There were some stray Americanisms in speech but generally I felt that the setting was convincing and that the history was accurate. The book is let down a little on characterisation - I didn't feel that I got to know either hero or heroine particularly well and I did feel their love story was rather disappointing. This book would probably appeal more to those who are interested in the history of these times rather than who want to read a straight romance but it's still a worthwhile read.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2007

feisty historical drama, 23 Oct 2007
this is the story of isobel macleod (sister to adela macleod from knight's treasure) and her beloved michael st clair. they met and rescue each other from a dnagerous situation but due to the rules of etiquette of the times they are forced to marry. learning to trust each other is a tough thing for them but through the evil doings of a family member they realise that they cant live without each other!!!

Shipboard romance, 05 Sep 2007
This book is the last in the series following a family of young women in Scotland. Sidony is the youngest of the sisters and somewhat overlooked by both her sisters and their husbands, so much so that she has discovered part of the secret of the Templar treasure which is hidden in a valley on the estate of her brother in law Rob. Our story starts when Sidony bumps into Sir Giffard MacLennan, a rather adventurous man who has been summoned, as one of the Templars, to help move the treasure (the Stone of Scone) from its hiding place by using his ships.

The first half of this book, unfortunately, really drags. We learn very little about Sidony and Giff, we just listen in on various conversations and discussions about the treasure and about Sidony's youthful inability to make decisions. It was quite difficult to keep reading the book as there was so little action and very little of interest to hold the reader's attention. However, halfway through the book picked up when Sidony found herself kidnapped and stashed in a hold on a ship belonging to the Earl of Fife whose designs on becoming king of Scotland have been a constant throughout this series of books. Unfortunately for Fife and his assistant, the Chevalier de Gredin, the ship that Sidony is hidden on is almost immediately stolen by Giff who eventually discovers Sidony. She's now compromised, of course, by having spent time on the boat with him and so Giff has to kidnap a priest to smooth things over in the only way possible. The description of the sailing vessel sneaking around Scotland's harbours and coves in the dark is enjoyable and Sidony is definitely coming into her own now there's some action in her life. Rather like the overall story which definitely picked up at this point.

The second half of the book is largely based on the ship Giff has stolen and we learn more about young Jake, son of the ship captain, and his curiosity - he seems rather like a young Giff. The boats are in a kind of race and Sidony is doing all she can to stay with Giff and not be left ashore. The ending came fairly quickly at which point the 'real' baddie is unmasked although this didn't work entirely well to me.

All in all the book was rather disappointing because it was so hard to plough through the first half and the second half, although interesting in its own way, didn't have enough characterisation to make the reader really engage with the story.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2007

good historical detail, 11 Jul 2007
really enjoyed this one, i live and work in the areas where this story is set so really liked seeing them through different eyes!!! did have to keep looking back to see who some characters were and who they were married/related to. fast paced, easy to read and held your attention to the end, great view of what life was like from both a male and female perspective

A treasure hunt in Scotland in the 14th Century, 17 May 2007
Knight's Treasure follows Lady Adela Macleod, surely not a great choice for marriage. She was abducted on the steps of the church before her wedding then after the ceremony was rearranged two weeks later (once she'd been rescued by her abductor) things seemed to go OK... except that her husband keeled over and died at the wedding feast celebration a couple of hours later. Adela is normally a quiet and biddable girl, having kept house for her father and been rather a shadow to her louder and livelier sisters but the disasters of her marriages start her on a new path.

After the unexpected death of her husband, Ardelve, Adela is left in a very unfortunate position. She should probably go with Ardelve's body back to the Highlands but she barely knew him, was younger than Ardelve's own son who would have to take her in, and would probably not get on with her step-son's wife as the two would be occupying the same position, mistress of the house. Adela finds that her friends and relatives all seem to know what's best for her but she wants to make her own decisions now, rather than returning to being under her father's thumb.

It's when she's considering her options whilst having a good cry in the dark that she first talks to a mystery man who listens to her and helps her to make up her own mind. He arranges to meet her a second time in the dark where they talk again - he is a friend she can trust, she believes. She also has a pretty good idea of who he is, a Frenchman cousin to her father's fiancée. However she oversees someone plotting the death of a man who helped rescue her from her abduction and tries to intervene and it's at that point that she realises she has stumbled into a big secret and that her mystery helper might end up meaning more to her.

Sir Robert Logan is a Knight Templar entrusted with two secrets when he was young. He doesn't know exactly what these mean but he has a strong suspicion that it may lead him to very important treasure in Scotland, or perhaps something more important. Unfortunately there are other people who want this mystery treasure, including the very powerful Earl of Fife, and even more troublingly these people believe that Adela may know something about it following her abduction. Sir Robert and Adela find themselves having to work together to secure the treasure and to keep safe from the political machinations of the powers in Scotland.

Although billed as a romance this book wasn't particularly romantic. Perhaps this is a more accurate depiction of life in Scotland in the 1790s... pragmatism was far more important than emotion. Our hero and heroine evidently like each other and have some reasonable verbal sparring but this book lacked that certain something which made the romance come out from the printed page. It seemed as if the book focused more on the treasure hunt and although that was interesting it was also rather a foregone conclusion.

The writing style of this book is good with some excellent period detail, much of which showed the difficulties of life in those times. There were some stray Americanisms in speech but generally I felt that the setting was convincing and that the history was accurate. The book is let down a little on characterisation - I didn't feel that I got to know either hero or heroine particularly well and I did feel their love story was rather disappointing. This book would probably appeal more to those who are interested in the history of these times rather than who want to read a straight romance but it's still a worthwhile read.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2007

feisty historical drama, 23 Oct 2007
this is the story of isobel macleod (sister to adela macleod from knight's treasure) and her beloved michael st clair. they met and rescue each other from a dnagerous situation but due to the rules of etiquette of the times they are forced to marry. learning to trust each other is a tough thing for them but through the evil doings of a family member they realise that they cant live without each other!!!

lacking in romance, 13 Nov 2008
have read a few of amanda scott's books before and always enjoyed them, this one just didnt do it for me. lacked a lot in the way of a juicy love story although it starts well with meg and wat forced to marry and the interesting story that follows. but then it just turns into a boring story about politics, war and spying, it just made me wanna get to the end so i didnt have to read anymore. not a lot of juicy moments between meg and wat, not really what you want from a book like this!!!!

Shipboard romance, 05 Sep 2007
This book is the last in the series following a family of young women in Scotland. Sidony is the youngest of the sisters and somewhat overlooked by both her sisters and their husbands, so much so that she has discovered part of the secret of the Templar treasure which is hidden in a valley on the estate of her brother in law Rob. Our story starts when Sidony bumps into Sir Giffard MacLennan, a rather adventurous man who has been summoned, as one of the Templars, to help move the treasure (the Stone of Scone) from its hiding place by using his ships.

The first half of this book, unfortunately, really drags. We learn very little about Sidony and Giff, we just listen in on various conversations and discussions about the treasure and about Sidony's youthful inability to make decisions. It was quite difficult to keep reading the book as there was so little action and very little of interest to hold the reader's attention. However, halfway through the book picked up when Sidony found herself kidnapped and stashed in a hold on a ship belonging to the Earl of Fife whose designs on becoming king of Scotland have been a constant throughout this series of books. Unfortunately for Fife and his assistant, the Chevalier de Gredin, the ship that Sidony is hidden on is almost immediately stolen by Giff who eventually discovers Sidony. She's now compromised, of course, by having spent time on the boat with him and so Giff has to kidnap a priest to smooth things over in the only way possible. The description of the sailing vessel sneaking around Scotland's harbours and coves in the dark is enjoyable and Sidony is definitely coming into her own now there's some action in her life. Rather like the overall story which definitely picked up at this point.

The second half of the book is largely based on the ship Giff has stolen and we learn more about young Jake, son of the ship captain, and his curiosity - he seems rather like a young Giff. The boats are in a kind of race and Sidony is doing all she can to stay with Giff and not be left ashore. The ending came fairly quickly at which point the 'real' baddie is unmasked although this didn't work entirely well to me.

All in all the book was rather disappointing because it was so hard to plough through the first half and the second half, although interesting in its own way, didn't have enough characterisation to make the reader really engage with the story.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2007

good historical detail, 11 Jul 2007
really enjoyed this one, i live and work in the areas where this story is set so really liked seeing them through different eyes!!! did have to keep looking back to see who some characters were and who they were married/related to. fast paced, easy to read and held your attention to the end, great view of what life was like from both a male and female perspective

A treasure hunt in Scotland in the 14th Century, 17 May 2007
Knight's Treasure follows Lady Adela Macleod, surely not a great choice for marriage. She was abducted on the steps of the church before her wedding then after the ceremony was rearranged two weeks later (once she'd been rescued by her abductor) things seemed to go OK... except that her husband keeled over and died at the wedding feast celebration a couple of hours later. Adela is normally a quiet and biddable girl, having kept house for her father and been rather a shadow to her louder and livelier sisters but the disasters of her marriages start her on a new path.

After the unexpected death of her husband, Ardelve, Adela is left in a very unfortunate position. She should probably go with Ardelve's body back to the Highlands but she barely knew him, was younger than Ardelve's own son who would have to take her in, and would probably not get on with her step-son's wife as the two would be occupying the same position, mistress of the house. Adela finds that her friends and relatives all seem to know what's best for her but she wants to make her own decisions now, rather than returning to being under her father's thumb.

It's when she's considering her options whilst having a good cry in the dark that she first talks to a mystery man who listens to her and helps her to make up her own mind. He arranges to meet her a second time in the dark where they talk again - he is a friend she can trust, she believes. She also has a pretty good idea of who he is, a Frenchman cousin to her father's fiancée. However she oversees someone plotting the death of a man who helped rescue her from her abduction and tries to intervene and it's at that point that she realises she has stumbled into a big secret and that her mystery helper might end up meaning more to her.

Sir Robert Logan is a Knight Templar entrusted with two secrets when he was young. He doesn't know exactly what these mean but he has a strong suspicion that it may lead him to very important treasure in Scotland, or perhaps something more important. Unfortunately there are other people who want this mystery treasure, including the very powerful Earl of Fife, and even more troublingly these people believe that Adela may know something about it following her abduction. Sir Robert and Adela find themselves having to work together to secure the treasure and to keep safe from the political machinations of the powers in Scotland.

Although billed as a romance this book wasn't particularly romantic. Perhaps this is a more accurate depiction of life in Scotland in the 1790s... pragmatism was far more important than emotion. Our hero and heroine evidently like each other and have some reasonable verbal sparring but this book lacked that certain something which made the romance come out from the printed page. It seemed as if the book focused more on the treasure hunt and although that was interesting it was also rather a foregone conclusion.

The writing style of this book is good with some excellent period detail, much of which showed the difficulties of life in those times. There were some stray Americanisms in speech but generally I felt that the setting was convincing and that the history was accurate. The book is let down a little on characterisation - I didn't feel that I got to know either hero or heroine particularly well and I did feel their love story was rather disappointing. This book would probably appeal more to those who are interested in the history of these times rather than who want to read a straight romance but it's still a worthwhile read.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2007

feisty historical drama, 23 Oct 2007
this is the story of isobel macleod (sister to adela macleod from knight's treasure) and her beloved michael st clair. they met and rescue each other from a dnagerous situation but due to the rules of etiquette of the times they are forced to marry. learning to trust each other is a tough thing for them but through the evil doings of a family member they realise that they cant live without each other!!!

lacking in romance, 13 Nov 2008
have read a few of amanda scott's books before and always enjoyed them, this one just didnt do it for me. lacked a lot in the way of a juicy love story although it starts well with meg and wat forced to marry and the interesting story that follows. but then it just turns into a boring story about politics, war and spying, it just made me wanna get to the end so i didnt have to read anymore. not a lot of juicy moments between meg and wat, not really what you want from a book like this!!!!

interesting enough, 26 Jan 2008
read this when i was in australia so i didnt really get into it unfortunately which has no reflection on the book itself. interesting plot and likeable characters, with nigel being every girls dream or at least mine, he saves the damsel in distress!!!! this book sets the scene for the next story hidden heiress.

Shipboard romance, 05 Sep 2007
This book is the last in the series following a family of young women in Scotland. Sidony is the youngest of the sisters and somewhat overlooked by both her sisters and their husbands, so much so that she has discovered part of the secret of the Templar treasure which is hidden in a valley on the estate of her brother in law Rob. Our story starts when Sidony bumps into Sir Giffard MacLennan, a rather adventurous man who has been summoned, as one of the Templars, to help move the treasure (the Stone of Scone) from its hiding place by using his ships.

The first half of this book, unfortunately, really drags. We learn very little about Sidony and Giff, we just listen in on various conversations and discussions about the treasure and about Sidony's youthful inability to make decisions. It was quite difficult to keep reading the book as there was so little action and very little of interest to hold the reader's attention. However, halfway through the book picked up when Sidony found herself kidnapped and stashed in a hold on a ship belonging to the Earl of Fife whose designs on becoming king of Scotland have been a constant throughout this series of books. Unfortunately for Fife and his assistant, the Chevalier de Gredin, the ship that Sidony is hidden on is almost immediately stolen by Giff who eventually discovers Sidony. She's now compromised, of course, by having spent time on the boat with him and so Giff has to kidnap a priest to smooth things over in the only way possible. The description of the sailing vessel sneaking around Scotland's harbours and coves in the dark is enjoyable and Sidony is definitely coming into her own now there's some action in her life. Rather like the overall story which definitely picked up at this point.

The second half of the book is largely based on the ship Giff has stolen and we learn more about young Jake, son of the ship captain, and his curiosity - he seems rather like a young Giff. The boats are in a kind of race and Sidony is doing all she can to stay with Giff and not be left ashore. The ending came fairly quickly at which point the 'real' baddie is unmasked although this didn't work entirely well to me.

All in all the book was rather disappointing because it was so hard to plough through the first half and the second half, although interesting in its own way, didn't have enough characterisation to make the reader really engage with the story.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2007

good historical detail, 11 Jul 2007
really enjoyed this one, i live and work in the areas where this story is set so really liked seeing them through different eyes!!! did have to keep looking back to see who some characters were and who they were married/related to. fast paced, easy to read and held your attention to the end, great view of what life was like from both a male and female perspective

A treasure hunt in Scotland in the 14th Century, 17 May 2007
Knight's Treasure follows Lady Adela Macleod, surely not a great choice for marriage. She was abducted on the steps of the church before her wedding then after the ceremony was rearranged two weeks later (once she'd been rescued by her abductor) things seemed to go OK... except that her husband keeled over and died at the wedding feast celebration a couple of hours later. Adela is normally a quiet and biddable girl, having kept house for her father and been rather a shadow to her louder and livelier sisters but the disasters of her marriages start her on a new path.

After the unexpected death of her husband, Ardelve, Adela is left in a very unfortunate position. She should probably go with Ardelve's body back to the Highlands but she barely knew him, was younger than Ardelve's own son who would have to take her in, and would probably not get on with her step-son's wife as the two would be occupying the same position, mistress of the house. Adela finds that her friends and relatives all seem to know what's best for her but she wants to make her own decisions now, rather than returning to being under her father's thumb.

It's when she's considering her options whilst having a good cry in the dark that she first talks to a mystery man who listens to her and helps her to make up her own mind. He arranges to meet her a second time in the dark where they talk again - he is a friend she can trust, she believes. She also has a pretty good idea of who he is, a Frenchman cousin to her father's fiancée. However she oversees someone plotting the death of a man who helped rescue her from her abduction and tries to intervene and it's at that point that she realises she has stumbled into a big secret and that her mystery helper might end up meaning more to her.

Sir Robert Logan is a Knight Templar entrusted with two secrets when he was young. He doesn't know exactly what these mean but he has a strong suspicion that it may lead him to very important treasure in Scotland, or perhaps something more important. Unfortunately there are other people who want this mystery treasure, including the very powerful Earl of Fife, and even more troublingly these people believe that Adela may know something about it following her abduction. Sir Robert and Adela find themselves having to work together to secure the treasure and to keep safe from the political machinations of the powers in Scotland.

Although billed as a romance this book wasn't particularly romantic. Perhaps this is a more accurate depiction of life in Scotland in the 1790s... pragmatism was far more important than emotion. Our hero and heroine evidently like each other and have some reasonable verbal sparring but this book lacked that certain something which made the romance come out from the printed page. It seemed as if the book focused more on the treasure hunt and although that was interesting it was also rather a foregone conclusion.

The writing style of this book is good with some excellent period detail, much of which showed the difficulties of life in those times. There were some stray Americanisms in speech but generally I felt that the setting was convincing and that the history was accurate. The book is let down a little on characterisation - I didn't feel that I got to know either hero or heroine particularly well and I did feel their love story was rather disappointing. This book would probably appeal more to those who are interested in the history of these times rather than who want to read a straight romance but it's still a worthwhile read.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2007

feisty historical drama, 23 Oct 2007
this is the story of isobel macleod (sister to adela macleod from knight's treasure) and her beloved michael st clair. they met and rescue each other from a dnagerous situation but due to the rules of etiquette of the times they are forced to marry. learning to trust each other is a tough thing for them but through the evil doings of a family member they realise that they cant live without each other!!!

lacking in romance, 13 Nov 2008
have read a few of amanda scott's books before and always enjoyed them, this one just didnt do it for me. lacked a lot in the way of a juicy love story although it starts well with meg and wat forced to marry and the interesting story that follows. but then it just turns into a boring story about politics, war and spying, it just made me wanna get to the end so i didnt have to read anymore. not a lot of juicy moments between meg and wat, not really what you want from a book like this!!!!

interesting enough, 26 Jan 2008
read this when i was in australia so i didnt really get into it unfortunately which has no reflection on the book itself. interesting plot and likeable characters, with nigel being every girls dream or at least mine, he saves the damsel in distress!!!! this book sets the scene for the next story hidden heiress.



disappointing, 31 Oct 2008
for a novel that is titled highland spirits, slightly deceiving as the large portion of then action happens in london. the relationship between pinkie (what a silly name) and michael doesnt really get interesting, they just dont have much chemistry and becomes second to the antics of bridget. and i couldnt really keep everybody straight at the beginning so would recommend reading this in the order of the series. could have been so much better

peekaboo pinkie, 02 Feb 2000
Calling her hero PINKIE (vulgo Penelope)just put me off. Amanda Scott is very proud of her inspirations ( see the last page) but good as they may be, they could be better developed, interlinked and integrated. Some of the sideplots, once meaningful,are left forgotten and unfinished. The castle Shian Towers, being of mayor importance in dreams, plays an unimportant role in the final showdown. Couldn't this secret knowledge of the castle help Michael to find Penelope on his own. Well all in all inspiring but it could be much better!

Scott writes great Scottish romances, 22 Jul 1999
In 1765 Scotland, Lady Penelope "Pinkie" MacCrichton and her brother head to London to learn more about the English. At the same time, Michael, the Earl of Kintyre worries about his estate. His deceased father left Michael a large debt that Lord Renfrew Campbell plans to collect very soon. However, Renfrew offers a discount to Michael if he accepts the older man's request to marry his sixteen-year old sister Bridgit. Michael's spoiled sibling wants nothing to do with the man. Michael agrees to sell his beloved canine Cailean in order to sponsor Bridgit in London where he hopes to make a match with Lord Charles MacCrichton.

Renfrew threatens to destroy Michael if he fails to accede to the lord's demands. Still, Michael refuses and he escorts his sister to London. While in London, Michael meets and falls in love with Pinkie. She reciprocates. Meanwhile no one thwarts the treacherous Renfrew and lives very long. He sets in motion a plan to attain all he wants even if his future brother-in-law is buried in the process.

Amanda Scott lives up to her last name as she scribes another wonderful Scottish historical romance. The story line is filled with action as the late eighteenth century is brought alive in The Highlands and London. The lead characters are a warm duo and the support cast enhances the tale with a feel for the era. As with superb novels like HIGHLAND TREASURES, HIGHLAND SECRETS, and HIGHLAND FLING, fans of the sub-genre will take much delectation from HIGHLAND SPIRITS.

Harriet Klausner

Shipboard romance, 05 Sep 2007
This book is the last in the series following a family of young women in Scotland. Sidony is the youngest of the sisters and somewhat overlooked by both her sisters and their husbands, so much so that she has discovered part of the secret of the Templar treasure which is hidden in a valley on the estate of her brother in law Rob. Our story starts when Sidony bumps into Sir Giffard MacLennan, a rather adventurous man who has been summoned, as one of the Templars, to help move the treasure (the Stone of Scone) from its hiding place by using his ships.

The first half of this book, unfortunately, really drags. We learn very little about Sidony and Giff, we just listen in on various conversations and discussions about the treasure and about Sidony's youthful inability to make decisions. It was quite difficult to keep reading the book as there was so little action and very little of interest to hold the reader's attention. However, halfway through the book picked up when Sidony found herself kidnapped and stashed in a hold on a ship belonging to the Earl of Fife whose designs on becoming king of Scotland have been a constant throughout this series of books. Unfortunately for Fife and his assistant, the Chevalier de Gredin, the ship that Sidony is hidden on is almost immediately stolen by Giff who eventually discovers Sidony. She's now compromised, of course, by having spent time on the boat with him and so Giff has to kidnap a priest to smooth things over in the only way possible. The description of the sailing vessel sneaking around Scotland's harbours and coves in the dark is enjoyable and Sidony is definitely coming into her own now there's some action in her life. Rather like the overall story which definitely picked up at this point.

The second half of the book is largely based on the ship Giff has stolen and we learn more about young Jake, son of the ship captain, and his curiosity - he seems rather like a young Giff. The boats are in a kind of race and Sidony is doing all she can to stay with Giff and not be left ashore. The ending came fairly quickly at which point the 'real' baddie is unmasked although this didn't work entirely well to me.

All in all the book was rather disappointing because it was so hard to plough through the first half and the second half, although interesting in its own way, didn't have enough characterisation to make the reader really engage with the story.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2007

good historical detail, 11 Jul 2007
really enjoyed this one, i live and work in the areas where this story is set so really liked seeing them through different eyes!!! did have to keep looking back to see who some characters were and who they were married/related to. fast paced, easy to read and held your attention to the end, great view of what life was like from both a male and female perspective

A treasure hunt in Scotland in the 14th Century, 17 May 2007
Knight's Treasure follows Lady Adela Macleod, surely not a great choice for marriage. She was abducted on the steps of the church before her wedding then after the ceremony was rearranged two weeks later (once she'd been rescued by her abductor) things seemed to go OK... except that her husband keeled over and died at the wedding feast celebration a couple of hours later. Adela is normally a quiet and biddable girl, having kept house for her father and been rather a shadow to her louder and livelier sisters but the disasters of her marriages start her on a new path.

After the unexpected death of her husband, Ardelve, Adela is left in a very unfortunate position. She should probably go with Ardelve's body back to the Highlands but she barely knew him, was younger than Ardelve's own son who would have to take her in, and would probably not get on with her step-son's wife as the two would be occupying the same position, mistress of the house. Adela finds that her friends and relatives all seem to know what's best for her but she wants to make her own decisions now, rather than returning to being under her father's thumb.

It's when she's considering her options whilst having a good cry in the dark that she first talks to a mystery man who listens to her and helps her to make up her own mind. He arranges to meet her a second time in the dark where they talk again - he is a friend she can trust, she believes. She also has a pretty good idea of who he is, a Frenchman cousin to her father's fiancée. However she oversees someone plotting the death of a man who helped rescue her from her abduction and tries to intervene and it's at that point that she realises she has stumbled into a big secret and that her mystery helper might end up meaning more to her.

Sir Robert Logan is a Knight Templar entrusted with two secrets when he was young. He doesn't know exactly what these mean but he has a strong suspicion that it may lead him to very important treasure in Scotland, or perhaps something more important. Unfortunately there are other people who want this mystery treasure, including the very powerful Earl of Fife, and even more troublingly these people believe that Adela may know something about it following her abduction. Sir Robert and Adela find themselves having to work together to secure the treasure and to keep safe from the political machinations of the powers in Scotland.

Although billed as a romance this book wasn't particularly romantic. Perhaps this is a more accurate depiction of life in Scotland in the 1790s... pragmatism was far more important than emotion. Our hero and heroine evidently like each other and have some reasonable verbal sparring but this book lacked that certain something which made the romance come out from the printed page. It seemed as if the book focused more on the treasure hunt and although that was interesting it was also rather a foregone conclusion.

The writing style of this book is good with some excellent period detail, much of which showed the difficulties of life in those times. There were some stray Americanisms in speech but generally I felt that the setting was convincing and that the history was accurate. The book is let down a little on characterisation - I didn't feel that I got to know either hero or heroine particularly well and I did feel their love story was rather disappointing. This book would probably appeal more to those who are interested in the history of these times rather than who want to read a straight romance but it's still a worthwhile read.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2007

feisty historical drama, 23 Oct 2007
this is the story of isobel macleod (sister to adela macleod from knight's treasure) and her beloved michael st clair. they met and rescue each other from a dnagerous situation but due to the rules of etiquette of the times they are forced to marry. learning to trust each other is a tough thing for them but through the evil doings of a family member they realise that they cant live without each other!!!

lacking in romance, 13 Nov 2008
have read a few of amanda scott's books before and always enjoyed them, this one just didnt do it for me. lacked a lot in the way of a juicy love story although it starts well with meg and wat forced to marry and the interesting story that follows. but then it just turns into a boring story about politics, war and spying, it just made me wanna get to the end so i didnt have to read anymore. not a lot of juicy moments between meg and wat, not really what you want from a book like this!!!!

interesting enough, 26 Jan 2008
read this when i was in australia so i didnt really get into it unfortunately which has no reflection on the book itself. interesting plot and likeable characters, with nigel being every girls dream or at least mine, he saves the damsel in distress!!!! this book sets the scene for the next story hidden heiress.



disappointing, 31 Oct 2008
for a novel that is titled highland spirits, slightly deceiving as the large portion of then action happens in london. the relationship between pinkie (what a silly name) and michael doesnt really get interesting, they just dont have much chemistry and becomes second to the antics of bridget. and i couldnt really keep everybody straight at the beginning so would recommend reading this in the order of the series. could have been so much better

peekaboo pinkie, 02 Feb 2000
Calling her hero PINKIE (vulgo Penelope)just put me off. Amanda Scott is very proud of her inspirations ( see the last page) but good as they may be, they could be better developed, interlinked and integrated. Some of the sideplots, once meaningful,are left forgotten and unfinished. The castle Shian Towers, being of mayor importance in dreams, plays an unimportant role in the final showdown. Couldn't this secret knowledge of the castle help Michael to find Penelope on his own. Well all in all inspiring but it could be much better!

Scott writes great Scottish romances, 22 Jul 1999
In 1765 Scotland, Lady Penelope "Pinkie" MacCrichton and her brother head to London to learn more about the English. At the same time, Michael, the Earl of Kintyre worries about his estate. His deceased father left Michael a large debt that Lord Renfrew Campbell plans to collect very soon. However, Renfrew offers a discount to Michael if he accepts the older man's request to marry his sixteen-year old sister Bridgit. Michael's spoiled sibling wants nothing to do with the man. Michael agrees to sell his beloved canine Cailean in order to sponsor Bridgit in London where he hopes to make a match with Lord Charles MacCrichton.

Renfrew threatens to destroy Michael if he fails to accede to the lord's demands. Still, Michael refuses and he escorts his sister to London. While in London, Michael meets and falls in love with Pinkie. She reciprocates. Meanwhile no one thwarts the treacherous Renfrew and lives very long. He sets in motion a plan to attain all he wants even if his future brother-in-law is buried in the process.

Amanda Scott lives up to her last name as she scribes another wonderful Scottish historical romance. The story line is filled with action as the late eighteenth century is brought alive in The Highlands and London. The lead characters are a warm duo and the support cast enhances the tale with a feel for the era. As with superb novels like HIGHLAND TREASURES, HIGHLAND SECRETS, and HIGHLAND FLING, fans of the sub-genre will take much delectation from HIGHLAND SPIRITS.

Harriet Klausner

Shipboard romance, 05 Sep 2007
This book is the last in the series following a family of young women in Scotland. Sidony is the youngest of the sisters and somewhat overlooked by both her sisters and their husbands, so much so that she has discovered part of the secret of the Templar treasure which is hidden in a valley on the estate of her brother in law Rob. Our story starts when Sidony bumps into Sir Giffard MacLennan, a rather adventurous man who has been summoned, as one of the Templars, to help move the treasure (the Stone of Scone) from its hiding place by using his ships.

The first half of this book, unfortunately, really drags. We learn very little about Sidony and Giff, we just listen in on various conversations and discussions about the treasure and about Sidony's youthful inability to make decisions. It was quite difficult to keep reading the book as there was so little action and very little of interest to hold the reader's attention. However, halfway through the book picked up when Sidony found herself kidnapped and stashed in a hold on a ship belonging to the Earl of Fife whose designs on becoming king of Scotland have been a constant throughout this series of books. Unfortunately for Fife and his assistant, the Chevalier de Gredin, the ship that Sidony is hidden on is almost immediately stolen by Giff who eventually discovers Sidony. She's now compromised, of course, by having spent time on the boat with him and so Giff has to kidnap a priest to smooth things over in the only way possible. The description of the sailing vessel sneaking around Scotland's harbours and coves in the dark is enjoyable and Sidony is definitely coming into her own now there's some action in her life. Rather like the overall story which definitely picked up at this point.

The second half of the book is largely based on the ship Giff has stolen and we learn more about young Jake, son of the ship captain, and his curiosity - he seems rather like a young Giff. The boats are in a kind of race and Sidony is doing all she can to stay with Giff and not be left ashore. The ending came fairly quickly at which point the 'real' baddie is unmasked although this didn't work entirely well to me.

All in all the book was rather disappointing because it was so hard to plough through the first half and the second half, although interesting in its own way, didn't have enough characterisation to make the reader really engage with the story.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2007