Highlander in Her Bed (Signet Eclipse) [Mass Market Paperback]

So you think, "Ghosts! Fun!", and you really dig the idea of a ghost being attached to an antique bed and coming and wreaking havoc on a Modern heroine that adores said bed and buys it. I'll be honest, I'm a sucker for a good ghostly romance, and this one really seemed to have a cute and fun premise.

Then I tried to read it. As I read the first few chapters, I thought "Hmm...I liked this more when it was 'Stardust of Yesterday'...." because the two books start in a very similar way, i.e. Spunky heroine inherits castle with a ghost that doesn't like her, in Stardust, the ghost comes with the castle, in Highlander, he comes with the bed. However, in Stardust, I actually LIKED the hero and heroine.

As I continued reading, I had to suffer through awkward phrases like "....beautiful painted beamed ceiling" (which has three adjectives and says nothing at all. What color was the paint? What did the beams look like? It's a clunky and uncomfortable read because you have to slog through all of the adjectives that never actually DESCRIBE anything.) And then there's the ever present "Hottie Scottie", a phrase the Heroine uses to describe the Hero AD INFINITUM. To be honest, after about the fiftieth time I saw "Hottie Scottie", I threw the book down in disgust and didn't pick it back up. I couldn't take it. Once would have been cute. However, it was not cute over and over and over again. I didn't care about the hero, I didn't care why he was ghostly or how he could reverse it, and the Heroine thinking about her "Hottie Scottie" made me want to grind my teeth into powder at all of the twee. Also, there were veritable mountains of purple prose. (Love Juice? *gag*)

If you want a good ghostly romance, Read Stardust of Yesterday by Lynn Kurland. The author really did try, and it truly was a cute idea, I just wish it had been executed better.

I would love to have guy like the hero attached to me!! I loved this book! It is about a burned out tour guide, Mara McDougall and a ghostly medieval knight, Sir Alexander Douglas. The relationship between the two main characters starts out rocky. She first sees him in an antique shop while mooning over "his" bed! Sir Alexander before he was murdered cursed him self to remain with the bed that was to be given to his bride a MacDougall! He remains with the bed making sure no Mac or McDougall ever sleeps in it. He has frightened everyone away from the bed but Mara. Instead of being afraid of him she gives him the nickname "Hottie Scottie" not believing he is a ghost.

Now this book does have a few problems. One of them is that the story lags in certain spots. It also moves to fast in the one and only bedroom scene. Baring that it truly was a great 1st story effort. Hopefully, we will see one of Sir Alex's ghostly friends in the next book. Personally, I would like to read Sir Hardwin's story.

This book is absolutly worth a read.

Mara McDougall a self-employed tour guide was seriously reconsidering employment options at the end of her current tour of ghost hunting enthusiasts. With free time before bidding her charges adieu she elected to browse an antique shop. Mara fell in love with an enormous medieval bed and was ticked off by an equally enormous and devastatingly handsome male dressed in a medieval re-enactment costume (or so she thought) warning her away from "his" bed! The big braw lad was Sir Alexander Douglas, a ghost, cursed to spend eternity protecting his bed from the MacDougalls whose trickery and treachery caused him to lose his life and curse himself into a lifeless eternity of revenge.

Mara would be surprised to learn later that evening that she'd been left an inheritance that included a medieval Scottish castle. She now had the funds and the perfect setting to place the antique bed. What she didn't know, but would soon find out, was that along with the bed came one very braw "hottie Scottie" who wasn't at all pleased to be sharing "his" bed with any McDougall, no matter how she spelled her name!

*** MacKay (aka Sue Ellen Welfonder) has charged forward with a new focus in this sensual and delightful new paranormal morsel that once again showcases her love and affinity with the Scottish highlands. In this she delivers a magical paranormal with some very graphic sensual and passionate interludes that are sure to please those who like a lot of spice in their reads. One thing for sure MacKay's interpretation of a ghost's abilities to interact with the mortal realm is sure to set new standards for ghostly hauntings! Initially Sir Alex, hell bent on ridding himself and his bed of any McDougall, ended up being beguiled and bewitched by this very sexy lady of the twentieth century who came complete with a black lace teddy! Reacting to the rudeness of the "hottie Scottie" in the antique shop, Mara was not openly receptive to him as an intruder in `her' castle, but later came to the realization that his `ghostly' presence was one she'd wish would last forever as she'd fallen hopelessly in love with the ghost.

MacKay opens up a new realm of entertaining paranormal possibilities with this delightful new series and one can hardly wait for the sequels that I hope will feature Alex's ghostly buddy Sir Hardwick (um, need I say more?). Fun sexy and very well done!

Marilyn Rondeau, RIO - Reviewers International Organization for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com