The Making of a Highlander (Midnight in Scotland #1) by Elisa Braden

 

Summary (from the publisher): In Elisa Braden's enchanting new Midnight in Scotland series, the unlikeliest matches generate the greatest heat. All it takes is a spark of Highland magic.

"Make me a lady, and I'll make ye a Highlander." –Mad Annie Tulloch, Scottish lass

"Challenge accepted." –John Huxley, English gentleman

No lady can tempt him more than the next shore.
Everyone wants handsome adventurer John Huxley to settle down—family, friends, London society. Everyone except John. He's evaded too many scheming title huntresses to trust in happily-ever-after. Now, a vow made to a dying friend has him locked in a land dispute with a stubborn Scot who offers one way out: Win the Highland Games. John likes a challenge, but this one's impossible. Still, with training from the Scot's stepdaughter, victory might be within reach. He only has to teach the fiery, foul-mouthed, breeches-wearing lass how to land a lord. It seems "impossible" is just getting started.

She's no lady—she's Mad Annie Tulloch.
Everyone calls her Mad Annie. True, her best friend is a ghost. And yes, her greatest talents involve cooking for giants and taunting ridiculously handsome Englishmen. But she's not mad—she's desperate. To save her friend, Annie must marry a lord. The trouble is, no lord will look twice at a hoyden like her. This calls for "Lady Lessons," and she knows just the uptight Englishman to provide them.

When did a simple bargain become a battle of desire?
Amidst cursed castles, caber tossing, and questionable chaperones, John and Annie's wildfire attraction threatens to send their plans up in flames. And when Annie's family is targeted by a dangerous enemy, John is tempted to stay, to fight, and to win the greatest prize of all: A fiery lass's tender, loyal heart.

Review: Annie Tulloch is a young Scottish girl who is rough around the edges. Raised by her stepfather and with four older stepbrothers after her mother's death, Annie is no lady. Meanwhile, John Huxley is a handsome, English adventurer who finds himself in Scotland over a land dispute. John makes a bargain with Annie's father who offers him a way out if he can win the Highland Games. And Annie takes this as an opportunity to help him train in exchange for lady lessons, since she is determined to marry a lord to help save her friend. But all the time together becomes a struggle for the pair, as they battle their attraction to one another. 

I enjoyed this romance! It is not high literature, but it's not meant to be. I liked that both characters have triggers and hang ups and cause misunderstandings but they're both willing to reconsider and love each other despite their flaws. I love how devoted John is to Annie and how he treats her with respect and like a lady from the beginning. 

The only part of this I took issue with was the sort of supernatural element. It was just odd that Annie's best friend is a ghost. This is revealed fairly early on in this book, so I don't believe it's a spoiler. It was a bit of an odd inclusion, but it did give her a reason to need to spend time around John: to carry out her plan to help her ghost companion Finley. 

Stars: 3