Title: Highland Hearts
Author Name & Publisher: J. P. Bowie (Pride Publishing)
Publication Date & Length: July 12, 2016 – 103 Pages
Callum Robertson has inherited his grandfather’s mansion in northern Scotland, but the house comes with a history he knew nothing about—should he be thrilled, or feel threatened as the house seems to lure him in?
When Callum Robertson first sees the old Scottish country mansion his grandfather bequeathed him, his first instinct is to sell the antiquated pile for whatever he can get for it—admittedly not much in a downturned market. Then he meets Craig MacPherson, a local farmer with auburn curls and sparkling gray eyes, and suddenly the gloomy old house doesn’t look quite the white elephant it first appeared to be.
Craig tells Callum that it’s rumored the house is haunted but by what or whom no one seems to know. Books flying off shelves then being mysteriously replaced give Callum pause to reconsider his rejection of the idea of an actual ghost haunting the place. When he finds a journal relating to the history of his family he is, by turn, intrigued then fascinated as the family saga unfolds through the writings of his ancestors.
An encounter with what he feels must be the spirit of his great-great-great uncle Alistair makes him change his mind about not only selling the house, but also about his future with Craig.
While Callum Robertson tours for the first time, the mansion he inherits from his Scottish grandfather, he receives a visit from local farmer Craig McPherson. Unsure how he can maintain the larger than life home and still survive, Callum toys with the idea of selling when “something” or “someone” drops a book in his lap so to speak. It’s a journal written by his great-great-great grandfather.
While reading about his family history from several generations, Callum not only learns the rumors of the house being haunted are true, but he comes to appreciate the love his family had for the home. He is saddened to find out his grandfather wasn’t the horrible man his own father made him out to be. And he’s also angry with himself for not visiting when he was old enough to make his own decisions.
His relationship with Craig also grows quickly into something they both realize neither one wants to live without.
This is a nice, quick read with a HEA.
Kris
This is a sexy, romantic, short story about family history, family secrets and new love. When Edinburgh software manager Callum inherits a rural Scottish mansion from the grandfather he never knew, he meets Craig, a local farmer. While trying to sort out the estate, Callum and Craig uncover all sorts of family secrets including a resident spirit.
While the connection between Callum and Craig is a little too instalove for me, I did enjoy the intrigue as Callum unravels his family history. For a short story, Callum and Craig are well developed characters and I liked the clash between the local boy and the public schoolboy. Callum’s family tree is fascinating and I enjoyed the way Callum is quick to embrace the unexpected.
The sex is hot in this story, but there is little romance. The connection between Callum and Craig feels convenient in the first instance, a comfortable, repeating hookup. The jump from convenient hookup to HEA is as fast as the jump from strangers to bed partners. While entirely realistic for the twenty-first century, this won’t work for romance purists.
This is a quick, easy read with two well-developed leading men and an exciting plot.
Sarah
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