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Mackenzies & McBrides #6
The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie
SECOND SIGHT AND SEDUCTION…
Daniel Mackenzie lives up to the reputation of the scandalous Mackenzie family—he has wealth, looks, and talent, and women love him. When he meets Violet Bastien—one of the most famous spiritual mediums in England—he immediately knows two things: that Miss Bastien is a fraud, and that he’s wildly attracted to her.
Violet knows she can’t really contact the other side, but she’s excellent at reading people. She discerns quickly that Daniel is intelligent and dangerous to her reputation, but she also finds him generous, handsome, and outrageously wicked. But spectres from Violet’s past threaten to destroy her, and she flees England, adopting yet another identity.
Daniel is determined to find the elusive Violet and pursue the passion he feels for her. And though Violet knows that her scandalous past will keep her from proper marriage, her attraction to Daniel is irresistible. It’s not until Daniel is the only one she can turn to that he proves he believes in something more than cold facts. He believes in love.
Daniel Mackenzie lives up to the reputation of the scandalous Mackenzie family—he has wealth, looks, and talent, and women love him. When he meets Violet Bastien—one of the most famous spiritual mediums in England—he immediately knows two things: that Miss Bastien is a fraud, and that he’s wildly attracted to her.
Violet knows she can’t really contact the other side, but she’s excellent at reading people. She discerns quickly that Daniel is intelligent and dangerous to her reputation, but she also finds him generous, handsome, and outrageously wicked. But spectres from Violet’s past threaten to destroy her, and she flees England, adopting yet another identity.
Daniel is determined to find the elusive Violet and pursue the passion he feels for her. And though Violet knows that her scandalous past will keep her from proper marriage, her attraction to Daniel is irresistible. It’s not until Daniel is the only one she can turn to that he proves he believes in something more than cold facts. He believes in love.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 2013
About the author
Jennifer Ashley
195 books7,178 followersNY Times Bestselling author Jennifer Ashley writes historical, contemporary, and paranormal romance, historical mysteries, and urban fantasy as Jennifer Ashley, Allyson James, and Ashley Gardner.
Jennifer's novels have been translated into many different languages, and earned starred reviews from Booklist and Publisher's Weekly. More about her books at http://www.jenniferashley.com and http://gardnermysteries.com.
Jennifer's novels have been translated into many different languages, and earned starred reviews from Booklist and Publisher's Weekly. More about her books at http://www.jenniferashley.com and http://gardnermysteries.com.
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August 2, 2020
4 Sacrificed Stars
First read 5/10/2015
Reread 8/29/2016
rereread 8/2/2020
*Spoilers*
“I am pleased to hear it, Mr. Mackenzie. However, if you have come tonight to mock me and my work, I will have to ask you to depart. Or at least wait in the hall.” “Why?” His eyes held an impish twinkle. “Does my mockery disturb th’ spirits?”
The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie is the 6th book in the MacKenzies & McBrides series. It is a very good read. I enjoyed it, but something was missing from it , I don't know what, but it just wasn't as good as the first 3 books in this series! I know no book will ever stand up to Ian's , because Ian's book is one of those books that stays with you forever, so it is not fair to compare any others to Ian's , but Mac and Cams books are kick ass 5 stars too and this one just didn't hold up compared to their either. Daniel's book was a good solid 4 stars though.
“You are arrogant,” she said. “That’s true, but is that the best you can do? I’ve been called far worse than that.” “All right, then you are an insufferable, full-of-yourself, aristocratic prig.”
What this book is about
Daniel Mackenzie is all grown up now. 25 years old and he is living his life, sowing wild oats, inventing new things, and living the good life. One night he meets medium Violet Bastien, and knows two things for sure. She is full of crap and he wants her more than he has ever wanted anyone. Violet had lived her whole life fighting for everything she has. Sacrificing her life and happiness to take care of her mother and herself. She has been hurt very badly at a very young age and she knows she can't trust anyone but herself. She lets no one in, tells no one her secrets, and shows no one the real her. Daniel wants her to let him in. In her life, in her bed and in her heart. He wants to earn her trust. Can Violet let her walls down and find happiness, and if so will Violet's secrets prove to be too much for Daniel?
“You mean you sacrificed yourself for her, just as you sacrificed yourself for Jacobi, just as you sacrificed any chance at a normal marriage because he convinced you to. You sacrifice, and you run, and Violet, you have got to stop.”
Daniel:
Danny was cocky as ever, funny, laid back, and he was like a mixture of all the Mackenzie brothers. Maybe that is why Danny didn't stand out for me , cuzz he was like a mini copy of all the brothers in one. Don't get me wrong he was sweet, charming, and super supportive and understand of Vi and all she was going through. He was a great hero, but a month from now I won't remember him from the sea of 100s of other heroes I have read about.
“Lass, I’m hungry for you too. Believe me, I am. But I’m not going to fall on ye and devour you. Much as I’d like to. I want to get to know you.” His grip softened, and he drew one finger across her cheek. “I want to know all of you, Vi, my sweet South London Sassenach.”
“I had a mixed upbringing,” Daniel said. “My father didn’t pay as much attention to me as I wanted, but he did teach me good things. How to ride horses, how to take care of them, how not to suffer fools. My uncles had a big part in raising me too. From Uncle Mac, I learned how to appreciate a beautiful woman and how to make her the center of my world. Uncle Ian taught me about aiming for what I want and letting nothing—no person, no thought, no fear—stop me. He also taught me how to outthink opponents without letting on that they’re being outthought.” Daniel smiled a little. Ian had never come straight out and said any of this; Daniel had learned it from years of observing the man. “From Uncle Hart, I learned about ruthlessness. Hart also taught me about cultivating people to have on my side. Money isn’t enough. You need friends, people who believe in you. Loyal ones, so when you need them, they’re right behind you.”
“You are stronger than you think.” Daniel cupped his hands around her elbows. “And don’t worry, sweet. I’ll be right beside you to make sure you don’t fall.”
Violet:
I like Vi a lot. I thought she had a lot of courage, and strength to face her past. I like that she was into inventing things too like Daniel. VI is a adventurous lil daredevil. The fact that she is a medium was a two edged sword for me. At times I found it funny, but then at times I would picture the south park episode where they make fun of John Edwards( a Tv medium) and I would have a hard time taken her character seriously.
“If I see him, I don’t know what I’ll do. I’ve tried to understand, tried to reason why he would do what he did to me, but I find no reason. I loved and admired Jacobi—I’d have done anything for him—and in return he destroyed my life. He’s still destroying it.”
“I do not belong to you. I never did. I was afraid to come here tonight, because I was afraid I’d panic when I saw you. I was even afraid I might forgive you, because you’d tell me your remorse, and I’d feel horrible if I didn’t relent. I didn’t want either of those things to happen, so I didn’t want to see you. But he made me come.” Violet didn’t look at Daniel, didn’t point at him. “Because Daniel knew I needed to see you. I needed to see that you’re a pathetic, weak, friendless soul. That you’re base enough to lock a sixteen-year-old girl into a room with a man and walk away, knowing that man was going to rape her. Oh, you don’t like the word?”
“Well, I am here to become unbound to you,” Violet snapped. “Then I will rush to bind myself in truth to Daniel, because he is a hundred times the man you are. A thousand. He knows me better than anyone else in the world, and I’m not afraid to trust him with that knowledge. He is generous, greathearted, understanding, kind—everything you are not. And I love him for it.”
“I’m never going to be free of this, am I?” “The panicking? You are. Because you’re with me now, and I’m going to keep you absolutely safe.”
Vi and Danny's relationship was slow building and very tender. They are very cute together. Vi's mom annoyed me to no end, and I thought Hart was kinda a jerk again. Of course Hart is kinda a jerk in most the books, and I still love him. I would have loved to see more of fellows and see if he and Louisa have had any children yet. Overall a great read. I am on to the next book. Below I leave my favorite moment from this book:
“Do you have a message for Mr. Mackenzie?” The planchette said Yes. Mademoiselle Violette was very good, but Daniel was good too. “What message?” he asked. Ellingham joined them on the planchette again, and it started to move. Around and around it went on the board, back and forth, sliding toward a letter only to slide away before it could stop. Daniel felt Violette’s subtle but steady pull, and he subtly but steadily pulled back. Mademoiselle kept her countenance absolutely still. If the spirit’s indecision vexed her, she made no sign. The planchette at last halted at the letter F. Ellingham said excitedly, “Someone should write this down.” A gentleman obligingly drew a small notebook and pencil from his coat pocket and wrote F. The planchette moved again. It stopped at U, paused for a time, then slid innocently to the letter C. After another pause, it began a rapid journey toward the letter K. Mademoiselle jerked her hand back, and the planchette stopped dead. The room filled with snickers and chortles. “Well,” Violette said, turning to fully face Daniel. “The spirit seems in a mischievous mood tonight.”
http://jessicasoverthetopbookobsessio...
First read 5/10/2015
Reread 8/29/2016
rereread 8/2/2020
*Spoilers*
“I am pleased to hear it, Mr. Mackenzie. However, if you have come tonight to mock me and my work, I will have to ask you to depart. Or at least wait in the hall.” “Why?” His eyes held an impish twinkle. “Does my mockery disturb th’ spirits?”
The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie is the 6th book in the MacKenzies & McBrides series. It is a very good read. I enjoyed it, but something was missing from it , I don't know what, but it just wasn't as good as the first 3 books in this series! I know no book will ever stand up to Ian's , because Ian's book is one of those books that stays with you forever, so it is not fair to compare any others to Ian's , but Mac and Cams books are kick ass 5 stars too and this one just didn't hold up compared to their either. Daniel's book was a good solid 4 stars though.
“You are arrogant,” she said. “That’s true, but is that the best you can do? I’ve been called far worse than that.” “All right, then you are an insufferable, full-of-yourself, aristocratic prig.”
What this book is about
Daniel Mackenzie is all grown up now. 25 years old and he is living his life, sowing wild oats, inventing new things, and living the good life. One night he meets medium Violet Bastien, and knows two things for sure. She is full of crap and he wants her more than he has ever wanted anyone. Violet had lived her whole life fighting for everything she has. Sacrificing her life and happiness to take care of her mother and herself. She has been hurt very badly at a very young age and she knows she can't trust anyone but herself. She lets no one in, tells no one her secrets, and shows no one the real her. Daniel wants her to let him in. In her life, in her bed and in her heart. He wants to earn her trust. Can Violet let her walls down and find happiness, and if so will Violet's secrets prove to be too much for Daniel?
“You mean you sacrificed yourself for her, just as you sacrificed yourself for Jacobi, just as you sacrificed any chance at a normal marriage because he convinced you to. You sacrifice, and you run, and Violet, you have got to stop.”
Daniel:
Danny was cocky as ever, funny, laid back, and he was like a mixture of all the Mackenzie brothers. Maybe that is why Danny didn't stand out for me , cuzz he was like a mini copy of all the brothers in one. Don't get me wrong he was sweet, charming, and super supportive and understand of Vi and all she was going through. He was a great hero, but a month from now I won't remember him from the sea of 100s of other heroes I have read about.
“Lass, I’m hungry for you too. Believe me, I am. But I’m not going to fall on ye and devour you. Much as I’d like to. I want to get to know you.” His grip softened, and he drew one finger across her cheek. “I want to know all of you, Vi, my sweet South London Sassenach.”
“I had a mixed upbringing,” Daniel said. “My father didn’t pay as much attention to me as I wanted, but he did teach me good things. How to ride horses, how to take care of them, how not to suffer fools. My uncles had a big part in raising me too. From Uncle Mac, I learned how to appreciate a beautiful woman and how to make her the center of my world. Uncle Ian taught me about aiming for what I want and letting nothing—no person, no thought, no fear—stop me. He also taught me how to outthink opponents without letting on that they’re being outthought.” Daniel smiled a little. Ian had never come straight out and said any of this; Daniel had learned it from years of observing the man. “From Uncle Hart, I learned about ruthlessness. Hart also taught me about cultivating people to have on my side. Money isn’t enough. You need friends, people who believe in you. Loyal ones, so when you need them, they’re right behind you.”
“You are stronger than you think.” Daniel cupped his hands around her elbows. “And don’t worry, sweet. I’ll be right beside you to make sure you don’t fall.”
Violet:
I like Vi a lot. I thought she had a lot of courage, and strength to face her past. I like that she was into inventing things too like Daniel. VI is a adventurous lil daredevil. The fact that she is a medium was a two edged sword for me. At times I found it funny, but then at times I would picture the south park episode where they make fun of John Edwards( a Tv medium) and I would have a hard time taken her character seriously.
“If I see him, I don’t know what I’ll do. I’ve tried to understand, tried to reason why he would do what he did to me, but I find no reason. I loved and admired Jacobi—I’d have done anything for him—and in return he destroyed my life. He’s still destroying it.”
“I do not belong to you. I never did. I was afraid to come here tonight, because I was afraid I’d panic when I saw you. I was even afraid I might forgive you, because you’d tell me your remorse, and I’d feel horrible if I didn’t relent. I didn’t want either of those things to happen, so I didn’t want to see you. But he made me come.” Violet didn’t look at Daniel, didn’t point at him. “Because Daniel knew I needed to see you. I needed to see that you’re a pathetic, weak, friendless soul. That you’re base enough to lock a sixteen-year-old girl into a room with a man and walk away, knowing that man was going to rape her. Oh, you don’t like the word?”
“Well, I am here to become unbound to you,” Violet snapped. “Then I will rush to bind myself in truth to Daniel, because he is a hundred times the man you are. A thousand. He knows me better than anyone else in the world, and I’m not afraid to trust him with that knowledge. He is generous, greathearted, understanding, kind—everything you are not. And I love him for it.”
“I’m never going to be free of this, am I?” “The panicking? You are. Because you’re with me now, and I’m going to keep you absolutely safe.”
Vi and Danny's relationship was slow building and very tender. They are very cute together. Vi's mom annoyed me to no end, and I thought Hart was kinda a jerk again. Of course Hart is kinda a jerk in most the books, and I still love him. I would have loved to see more of fellows and see if he and Louisa have had any children yet. Overall a great read. I am on to the next book. Below I leave my favorite moment from this book:
“Do you have a message for Mr. Mackenzie?” The planchette said Yes. Mademoiselle Violette was very good, but Daniel was good too. “What message?” he asked. Ellingham joined them on the planchette again, and it started to move. Around and around it went on the board, back and forth, sliding toward a letter only to slide away before it could stop. Daniel felt Violette’s subtle but steady pull, and he subtly but steadily pulled back. Mademoiselle kept her countenance absolutely still. If the spirit’s indecision vexed her, she made no sign. The planchette at last halted at the letter F. Ellingham said excitedly, “Someone should write this down.” A gentleman obligingly drew a small notebook and pencil from his coat pocket and wrote F. The planchette moved again. It stopped at U, paused for a time, then slid innocently to the letter C. After another pause, it began a rapid journey toward the letter K. Mademoiselle jerked her hand back, and the planchette stopped dead. The room filled with snickers and chortles. “Well,” Violette said, turning to fully face Daniel. “The spirit seems in a mischievous mood tonight.”
http://jessicasoverthetopbookobsessio...
March 25, 2015
“You are stronger than you think.” Daniel cupped his hands around her elbows. “And don’t worry, sweet. I’ll be right beside you to make sure you don’t fall.”
Daniel and Violet were a wonderful couple, I completely enjoyed their story, but what made me love this one was the Mackenzie family <3
I love every single one of them and it was amazing to see them all so much throughout the book :)
The story
After winning on poker one night, Daniel is offered a woman as payment.
That woman is Violet, the daughter of a powerful medium, one who is in the "business" herself.
Daniel, of course, realises from the start that she's a fraud, but he doesn't care, he is more interested in her gadgets and machines she uses for her "work".
As the spend more time together, Daniel realises she is perfect for him, but things from her past prevent her from being with him...
Daniel and Violet
Daniel reached his tanned and callused hands out to her. “Then grab hold of me and hang on. We’re both scared about where this will end up, and when the hurting will come. If the hurting comes, it will be bad, I already know that. But hang on to me, and we’ll find out together, all right?”
I loved them together <3
Especially how Daniel was with her :D
He is younger than her, but I have to say I didn't feel the age difference at all because he is actually really mature, probably because of the way he grew up with his family and all.
He accepts Violet for who she is, even though it's difficult for her to understand that.
Violet has had violence in her past, and she is unable to trust Daniel when it comes to the seduction part of their relationship, but the woman is lucky, and I mean really lucky to have someone like Daniel to help her there <3
Overall
The Mackenzie family brought the magic back for this one, and I loved every second of it :)
I'm kind of sad that the next book will be about Ainsley's brother because we probably won't see our favorite characters there :(
Anyway, one thing that was great, Daniel's inventions and everything :D
A bit different than the usual but that made me love it more :D
And so, I really enjoyed this one, from the story to the romance and most of all the characters, well, Daniel specifically <3
He is an amazing hero and one of my favorites ever <3
For all lovers of historical romance, read this one!
For all lovers of this series, believe me, you'll love this too <3
January 18, 2016
It's About time! Daniel MacKenzie finds Love!
I have loved Daniel MacKenzie ever since he was a young kid running away from home in the first book of this series. I have watched him grow into a brilliant, fun loving, witty man. He can fight, speaks multiple languages, makes friends with ease, and loves the ladies. But he isn't famous or infamous yet.
Uncle Hart had his own personal brothel at my age, where he trained ladies in the art of exquisite pleasure. He trained them, not the other way around, the pompous bastard. Dad had his own racing stable, Uncle Mac was already a celebrated artist with a scandalous marriage. I’m a bit late in the proceedings for a Mackenzie.
Daniel meets Violet and is immediately entranced with her beauty and cunning. She is claiming to be a medium to the afterlife, but he is more interested in the gadgets she uses to con her customers. Daniel's more intrigued when he discovers that she builds her own machines. He has never met a woman he can relate to on that level before. Daniel means to make Violet his lover. He intends seduce and have her by his side as he travels the world.
From a young age, I have had mistresses whose beauty and skills would astound you. Skills they taught to a young man, because I was ever so rich.
But Violet's life has been one con after the other, starting when she was a young girl at the age of sixteen. She was also the victim of a cruel act. She may want Daniel as much as he wants her, but the skeletons in her closet will not allow these two to have a peaceful union.
Daniel is obsessed with finding the men that have taken advantage of and used Violet. He is determined to rain down justice on these bastards!!
Daniel avenges his woman like a mad man!!
This book was fast paced and a total joy to read. I love the MacKezies and am crazy about Daniel. This book only gets 3 stars because I never felt any emotional connection between Daniel and Violet. They were attracted to each other and enjoyed each other's company, but I never felt that they were in love, which was really weird. It was as if the author said these two were in love, so therefore it must be. But it wasn't conveyed well at all, which was so disappointing to me.
I still can't wait to read more of this series, and see more MacKenzies!!!
Sexxy Mackenzie Reviews:
The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie
Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage
The Many Sins of Lord Cameron
The Duke's Perfect Wife
A Mackenzie Family Christmas: The Perfect Gift
The Untamed Mackenzie
The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie
Scandal and the Duchess
Rules for a Proper Governess
The Stolen Mackenzie Bride
A MacKenzie Clan Gathering
October 10, 2013
4 Deliciously Wicked Stars!
The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie is the sixth book in the incredibly popular Highland Pleasures series, AKA Those Sexy Mackenzies! This is, of course, Daniel’s story, one I’ve been waiting for for a very long time!
Second Sight And Seduction…Well, our rambunctious Daniel is all grown up and just as eccentric and rakish as his Da and uncles were before true love settled them down. What I most enjoyed about this book was seeing an entirely new side to Daniel, a mature, focused side. We’ve slowly been learning that one of his passions is tinkering with gadgets and mechanical things, but here we find he’s grown into quite the inventor. He’s smart, clever, determined, and possesses that devil-may-care attitude towards life that seems to be an inherent part of being a Mackenzie.
Daniel Mackenzie lives up to the reputation of the scandalous Mackenzie family—he has wealth, looks, and talent, and women love him. When he meets Violet Bastien—one of the most famous spiritual mediums in England—he immediately knows two things: that Miss Bastien is a fraud, and that he’s wildly attracted to her.
Violet knows she can’t really contact the other side, but she’s excellent at reading people. She discerns quickly that Daniel is intelligent and dangerous to her reputation, but she also finds him generous, handsome, and outrageously wicked. But spectres from Violet’s past threaten to destroy her, and she flees England, adopting yet another identity.
Daniel is determined to find the elusive Violet and pursue the passion he feels for her. And though Violet knows that her scandalous past will keep her from proper marriage, her attraction to Daniel is irresistible. It’s not until Daniel is the only one she can turn to that he proves he believes in something more than cold facts. He believes in love.
Violet is one of the most unique heroines I’ve read in a very long time. I really enjoyed her and her exploits, but I have to admit, I'm not a fan of her mother’s. There were moments when it bothered me how much Vi wanted to cater to Celine’s whims, and though Violet isn't entirely bamboozled by dear old mum, she chooses the path of least resistance and avoids the fall out sure to come by not toeing the line. That said, while I didn't love their mother/daughter relationship, I did like some aspects of it, especially how it made Violet into a force to be reckoned with, a force able to give Daniel a run for his money!
Truthfully, I think Daniel and Vi are a match made in heaven! They’re both quirky and creative and because they’re of a like mind, they can share ideas, feed off one another, and make amazing things happen.
One issue I had, and it might just be a “me” thing, but I was annoyed by Ms. Ashley’s attempt to make smoking sensual. Having lost my mother-in-law to lung cancer, having my own mother so stricken with emphysema that she’s confined to a wheel chair, on oxygen, and having grown up in a home with two chain smoking parents, I find absolutely nothing sensual or attractive about the habit. Like I said, it might be a “me” thing, but references to it were made often, and I feel strongly enough about it that it diminished my overall enjoyment of the story.
I'm happy to report that once again Jennifer Ashley has given us a wonderful story! Our Daniel is the man we all knew he'd grow up to be, and in Vi he's met his match! I enjoyed visiting with all the Mackenzies, but I do wish we’d spent more quality time with them. I’m thrilled to know that Daniel’s book isn’t the last because I don’t know what I'd do if I didn't have the world of Clan Mackenzie to escape to.
Note: I started out listening to the audio book but was so disappointed in the narration that I DNF'd it. For my review of the audio version, click here: Dhes's Audio Book Review of The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie
October 16, 2013
October 2013 is long time away. *sigh*
Two years later...
Was Daniel Mackensie's story worth the wait? (Years, people! YEARS!!!) It saddens me to say no.
Each character had his/her strengths, but together they lacked chemistry. There were lovely declarations, sweet love scenes, a little bit of adventure; yet this story dragged. I wasn't convinced by Daniel's powerful attraction to Violet. Surely, he's seen beautiful women before! An attraction starting at an intellectual level would have made more sense (for me) for the cerebral Daniel, but it was BAM, like nearly all the Mackenzie men.
Daniel has his breath stolen by a fraudulent fortune-teller. Then, in a moment of panic, Violet is prompted to violent action and flees. Daniel's actions following this incident did not compute in my romance lovin' brain.
Violet is a damaged person. (The reason is obvious and nothing unique.) Daniel takes great care with her. (Total hero material!) He fights for her. He loves her. Daniel is sigh-worthy. Throw in the Mackenzie clan, consistent family dynamics, and unobtrusive (I thought) follow-up with the growing family to make a cohesive Highland Pleasures package. But the romance...arghhhh! (Maybe it was one of those "It's not you, it's me" kind of thing. So don't write this book off!)
Other Mackenzie fans may enjoy this story much more than I did. I failed to feel the spark and didn't think Daniel and Violet had a solid foundation from which to build a rewarding romance.
The teaser for Sinclair McBride's story looks promising. I'll keep my fingers crossed his relationship doesn't include insta-love. Sinclair will drag his feet with his heroine, and I'm okay with that happening.
3 stars...It was not all I'd hoped for Daniel.
Two years later...
Was Daniel Mackensie's story worth the wait? (Years, people! YEARS!!!) It saddens me to say no.
Each character had his/her strengths, but together they lacked chemistry. There were lovely declarations, sweet love scenes, a little bit of adventure; yet this story dragged. I wasn't convinced by Daniel's powerful attraction to Violet. Surely, he's seen beautiful women before! An attraction starting at an intellectual level would have made more sense (for me) for the cerebral Daniel, but it was BAM, like nearly all the Mackenzie men.
Daniel has his breath stolen by a fraudulent fortune-teller. Then, in a moment of panic, Violet is prompted to violent action and flees. Daniel's actions following this incident did not compute in my romance lovin' brain.
Violet is a damaged person. (The reason is obvious and nothing unique.) Daniel takes great care with her. (Total hero material!) He fights for her. He loves her. Daniel is sigh-worthy. Throw in the Mackenzie clan, consistent family dynamics, and unobtrusive (I thought) follow-up with the growing family to make a cohesive Highland Pleasures package. But the romance...arghhhh! (Maybe it was one of those "It's not you, it's me" kind of thing. So don't write this book off!)
Other Mackenzie fans may enjoy this story much more than I did. I failed to feel the spark and didn't think Daniel and Violet had a solid foundation from which to build a rewarding romance.
The teaser for Sinclair McBride's story looks promising. I'll keep my fingers crossed his relationship doesn't include insta-love. Sinclair will drag his feet with his heroine, and I'm okay with that happening.
3 stars...It was not all I'd hoped for Daniel.
October 8, 2021
3.5 stars
This book started off SO STRONG....but went on for wayyyyyyyy too long. Ughhhh. I loved how Daniel and Violet met and how Daniel was determined to have her. Violet had to flee with her family because they scam people into thinking they're mediums and put on "spooky" shows that are actually a hoax. Daniel tracks her down and the book goes from there. This did not have to be this long. Especially because it was just more of them hanging out with each other and not a whole lot of plot except for the beginning and the end. Daniel was also really into inventions and building things, and I really would have loved to see even more of that. I did love seeing all of the Mackenzies again, but, again, I would have loved to see more. I definitely ended up loving the first four books of this series more than this one.
This book started off SO STRONG....but went on for wayyyyyyyy too long. Ughhhh. I loved how Daniel and Violet met and how Daniel was determined to have her. Violet had to flee with her family because they scam people into thinking they're mediums and put on "spooky" shows that are actually a hoax. Daniel tracks her down and the book goes from there. This did not have to be this long. Especially because it was just more of them hanging out with each other and not a whole lot of plot except for the beginning and the end. Daniel was also really into inventions and building things, and I really would have loved to see even more of that. I did love seeing all of the Mackenzies again, but, again, I would have loved to see more. I definitely ended up loving the first four books of this series more than this one.
Read
January 31, 2012Daniel's story. Title has changed to The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie.
July 30, 2018
This may be my favorite in the series, and to think I wasted all these years leaving it unread. I hope to add more later.
Too much later to write a proper review, but let me just say that what a lucky girl I was reading this and Pretty Face in quick succession. Two DIK in a row. Woot. I loved the way these two could geek out together, adventure together and support each other. If I were to put myself in a book, this could be a contender because they just had so much fun together.
Another kudos to JA for the period details.
Too much later to write a proper review, but let me just say that what a lucky girl I was reading this and Pretty Face in quick succession. Two DIK in a row. Woot. I loved the way these two could geek out together, adventure together and support each other. If I were to put myself in a book, this could be a contender because they just had so much fun together.
Another kudos to JA for the period details.
November 4, 2013
This was such a treat for me as the Mackenzie clan has always held a special place in my heart. Mainly, Ian Mackenzie; and those who know me know that he has Asperger's like my oldest daughter. So, everytime I read about Ian, I soak it all up and it never fails to touch something deep inside of me. Ian and my daughter have so many characteristics that are the same, at times I feel like I am reading about her. Of course, this book wasn't Ian's book, it was his beloved nephew's. Throughout this series Daniel has been an adventurous teen, and as it is common with all of the Mackenzie men; he has his quirks about him. With Daniel, he loves everything mechanical; and in this book he is busy working on a motor car and one he wants to figure out how to go very fast. He meets his match the day he comes across a lady named Violet, who he discovers during one of her "sessions" to contact the dead. You see, Violet and her mother are said to have a gift, and they use that gift to help people connect to their loved ones. I am thinking it would be similar to the famous "Long Island Medium" that we see on TV! The only thing is, that with Violet and her mama, they are basically putting on a scam. They do it for survial and out of necessity; at least that is how they are justifying it!
When Daniel and Violet meet, they figure out very quickly that they are kindred spirits. I found it so amusing how these two were so much alike. They both loved creating things mechanical. WIth Violet, she had invented a "wind machine" and as soon as Daniel saw that, he was hooked! (in more ways than one) Immediately Daniel has use of that wind machine and in a mad rush decides Violet must accompany him to test out an invention of his, and see if her creation will help his. This is one of my favorite scenes in this book. Daniel takes Violet soaring across the sky in a hot air balloon. It was just so romantic, and it showed even more how these two were just plain meant for each other! They both fall hard and fast for each other; but not all is as easy as it looks. Violet has some major trauma that she has dealt with in her life-and at a very young age to boot. This gets in the way of her letting her guard down with Daniel, and he learns very quickly that it will take time and patience to tame Violet to his hand.
This is their story, and I loved it so very much. There was such a sweetness to the way these two fell in love. They were both so adventurous yet cautious, and they both came alive when something excited or inspired them. It was just a beautiful love story.
The added bonus was that we got to see a lot of the other members of Daniel's eccentric family; including all the children that they have all been having! That is one thing about the Mackenzie series that I love so much. We always get the treat of seeing them all show up in the present story. The Mackenzie's are a very close knit family who are extremely protective over each other. They are devoted to one another and loyal to the very end. They may not fit the mold of what is considered "normal"; but that have the most important factor in a family and that is unconditonal love. They are my most favorite fictional family, and I don't think any other will ever top them for me!
My only complaint about this book, was the lack of sex. I know, that sounds so shallow!! I am sorry if this makes me look back; however I am honest and I love sex and lots of it in my romances! Don't get me wrong, there were some very erotic moments between these two; but it took until almost the end of the story for them to "do the deed" !!! LOL One thing that I LOVED about the other Mackenzie stories was that they were very HOT. Beth and Ian's book was especially through the roof! So, I have come to expect that in a Jennifer Ashley story. There were reasons as to why Daniel and Vi couldn't just jump into intimacy, and if I look at it honestly; it probably wouldn't have been as believable if she had of. But for my own tastes; I would have liked a lot more action between the sheets!! LOL *blushes* This really does make me sound shallow!
All in all, another heartwarming book with the beloved Mackenzie's in it! Now I am curious if this is it for my favorite family; or will I be blessed to have a continuation on my top series? No matter what Jennifer Ashley writes though, I will always be standing in line to get the next book that she has published. She will always be an author who stands at the top of my list of favorites. If you haven't been introduced to the Mackenzie's yet; this family is one that any lover of books should become aquatined with. You won't be disappointed!
When Daniel and Violet meet, they figure out very quickly that they are kindred spirits. I found it so amusing how these two were so much alike. They both loved creating things mechanical. WIth Violet, she had invented a "wind machine" and as soon as Daniel saw that, he was hooked! (in more ways than one) Immediately Daniel has use of that wind machine and in a mad rush decides Violet must accompany him to test out an invention of his, and see if her creation will help his. This is one of my favorite scenes in this book. Daniel takes Violet soaring across the sky in a hot air balloon. It was just so romantic, and it showed even more how these two were just plain meant for each other! They both fall hard and fast for each other; but not all is as easy as it looks. Violet has some major trauma that she has dealt with in her life-and at a very young age to boot. This gets in the way of her letting her guard down with Daniel, and he learns very quickly that it will take time and patience to tame Violet to his hand.
This is their story, and I loved it so very much. There was such a sweetness to the way these two fell in love. They were both so adventurous yet cautious, and they both came alive when something excited or inspired them. It was just a beautiful love story.
The added bonus was that we got to see a lot of the other members of Daniel's eccentric family; including all the children that they have all been having! That is one thing about the Mackenzie series that I love so much. We always get the treat of seeing them all show up in the present story. The Mackenzie's are a very close knit family who are extremely protective over each other. They are devoted to one another and loyal to the very end. They may not fit the mold of what is considered "normal"; but that have the most important factor in a family and that is unconditonal love. They are my most favorite fictional family, and I don't think any other will ever top them for me!
My only complaint about this book, was the lack of sex. I know, that sounds so shallow!! I am sorry if this makes me look back; however I am honest and I love sex and lots of it in my romances! Don't get me wrong, there were some very erotic moments between these two; but it took until almost the end of the story for them to "do the deed" !!! LOL One thing that I LOVED about the other Mackenzie stories was that they were very HOT. Beth and Ian's book was especially through the roof! So, I have come to expect that in a Jennifer Ashley story. There were reasons as to why Daniel and Vi couldn't just jump into intimacy, and if I look at it honestly; it probably wouldn't have been as believable if she had of. But for my own tastes; I would have liked a lot more action between the sheets!! LOL *blushes* This really does make me sound shallow!
All in all, another heartwarming book with the beloved Mackenzie's in it! Now I am curious if this is it for my favorite family; or will I be blessed to have a continuation on my top series? No matter what Jennifer Ashley writes though, I will always be standing in line to get the next book that she has published. She will always be an author who stands at the top of my list of favorites. If you haven't been introduced to the Mackenzie's yet; this family is one that any lover of books should become aquatined with. You won't be disappointed!
December 18, 2021
I LOVED this book!! From beginning to end I simply couldn’t get enough! The author had to have felt the pressure to deliver an amazing story, after all by this time in the series we all pretty much adore Daniel. I think Jennifer Ashley does an amazing job telling this story and it’s probably my second favorite of the series, right after The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie.
Daniel is both a sweetheart & a sensual tease. He enjoys life in all manner of hedonistic adventures and he isn't ashamed of his actions. Daniel also loves hard. He loves his family (all of them), he loves horses, and he loves inventing new things or improving already available items.
Violet, she is a lass of many names, personalities, backgrounds, and talent. Violet has lived a life that has left her constantly unsettled and just one proverbial step away from disaster. Violet is also traumatized and has moments of panic when certain situations make her recall her past.
When Daniel meets Violet he is bewitched. He wants her. She is unlike any other woman he has met…
Violets past may keep her from enjoying the pleasures Daniel offers…worse it may keep her from being with the man she is falling in love with.
Daniel has never been one to give up…
Daniel is willing to earn Violet’s trust. He knows how to calm skittish creatures and slowly bring them to life. He is willing to woo Violet after all he wants more than her body and her brilliant brain, he wants her love.
“ Violet was like an untamed colt, one that had been mistreated, who looked out at the world in frightened uncertainty. Daniel didn’t want to break her, as trainers sometimes did with the young horses. He needed to gentle her, to earn her trust.”
“He didn’t want to frighten her away, destroying what little trust he’d already gained from her. But proceeding slowly was fine. If it took Daniel the rest of his life to seduce her, so be it.”
“Beautiful, sweet Violet. He’d never met anyone like her. He was falling in love with her, and he didn’t even know her last name.”
I loved watching their relationship unfold. Each situation was written very well and the story flowed very smoothly. The wooing of Violet is done with much enthusiasm and creativity by Daniel— he means to make Violet fall head over heels, he wants Violet to lean on him and to let him help her fly!
The ending of Daniel & Violet’s story was perfect!
This book also brings in all the other Mackenzie family members and helps to provide little updates about our favorite Scottish family. I loved every bit!
***I do have to warn you - there are some very sensitive areas and trigger content is scattered throughout the story. So please heed the warnings re: rape, assault, and murder. ***
Overall I LOVED this book! I highly recommend this book and this entire series!
5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 5 Flames 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 | Trigger Content 🚧⚠️🧨 3/5
The audiobook for this book & the entire series is brilliantly performed by Angela Dawe. She brings this series to life adding additional enjoyment to the stories. If you enjoy audiobooks I encourage you to check out the books in this series via audio — they are wonderful!
Finally I encourage you to purchase this companion book for this series as it really helps you get inside the characters & authors heads!!
Review Copy of The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie purchased by reviewer for an honest Review.
Daniel is both a sweetheart & a sensual tease. He enjoys life in all manner of hedonistic adventures and he isn't ashamed of his actions. Daniel also loves hard. He loves his family (all of them), he loves horses, and he loves inventing new things or improving already available items.
Violet, she is a lass of many names, personalities, backgrounds, and talent. Violet has lived a life that has left her constantly unsettled and just one proverbial step away from disaster. Violet is also traumatized and has moments of panic when certain situations make her recall her past.
When Daniel meets Violet he is bewitched. He wants her. She is unlike any other woman he has met…
“Damn, but she was beautiful, and defiant too. No simpering miss in her first Season, hoping to snare the wealthy Mr. Mackenzie, one of the most eligible bachelors in Britain.”
“Lass, I’m hungry for you too. Believe me, I am. But I’m not going to fall on ye and devour you. Much as I’d like to. I want to get to know you.” His grip softened, and he drew one finger across her cheek. “I want to know all of you, Vi, my sweet South London Sassenach.”
Violets past may keep her from enjoying the pleasures Daniel offers…worse it may keep her from being with the man she is falling in love with.
Daniel has never been one to give up…
“I don’t know how to fight, not like this. It isn’t lifting tables, or releasing ectoplasm . . .” “It isn’t fooling people, no.” Daniel’s eyes were still. “It’s truth. It’s life.” “I don’t know anything about life. I only know how to run.” Daniel reached his tanned and callused hands out to her. “Then grab hold of me and hang on. We’re both scared about where this will end up, and when the hurting will come. If the hurting comes, it will be bad, I already know that. But hang on to me, and we’ll find out together, all right?”
Daniel is willing to earn Violet’s trust. He knows how to calm skittish creatures and slowly bring them to life. He is willing to woo Violet after all he wants more than her body and her brilliant brain, he wants her love.
“ Violet was like an untamed colt, one that had been mistreated, who looked out at the world in frightened uncertainty. Daniel didn’t want to break her, as trainers sometimes did with the young horses. He needed to gentle her, to earn her trust.”
“He didn’t want to frighten her away, destroying what little trust he’d already gained from her. But proceeding slowly was fine. If it took Daniel the rest of his life to seduce her, so be it.”
“Beautiful, sweet Violet. He’d never met anyone like her. He was falling in love with her, and he didn’t even know her last name.”
I loved watching their relationship unfold. Each situation was written very well and the story flowed very smoothly. The wooing of Violet is done with much enthusiasm and creativity by Daniel— he means to make Violet fall head over heels, he wants Violet to lean on him and to let him help her fly!
The ending of Daniel & Violet’s story was perfect!
This book also brings in all the other Mackenzie family members and helps to provide little updates about our favorite Scottish family. I loved every bit!
***I do have to warn you - there are some very sensitive areas and trigger content is scattered throughout the story. So please heed the warnings re: rape, assault, and murder. ***
Overall I LOVED this book! I highly recommend this book and this entire series!
5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 5 Flames 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 | Trigger Content 🚧⚠️🧨 3/5
The audiobook for this book & the entire series is brilliantly performed by Angela Dawe. She brings this series to life adding additional enjoyment to the stories. If you enjoy audiobooks I encourage you to check out the books in this series via audio — they are wonderful!
Finally I encourage you to purchase this companion book for this series as it really helps you get inside the characters & authors heads!!
Review Copy of The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie purchased by reviewer for an honest Review.
April 6, 2017
Daniel and Violet. Well you know who Daniel is and if you don't, you should really read book 3. "the Many Sins of Cameron". Violet has grown up on the wrong side of tracks with just her mother and an maid. They make their living as Mediums and Clairvoyants. Violet knows she has no psychic abilities but whether or not her mother does, you-the-reader will have to decide. Daniel and Violet would appear to have nothing in common, but they do. They both love machines and engines. Violet is a few years older than Daniel, but years younger in experience when it comes to love, and with a tragic past. Daniel loves engineering and mostly enjoys courtesans because debutantes fall asleep if he talks about his true interests. So the premise of the story sounds great. But for me it fell far short.
Daniel is used to having money and using it to getting his way. Not in a bad way, but he is entirely ignorant of what it's like to be a poor woman with no 'Man' to help her. I found this odd considering his extensive travels and intelligence and his being friends (not just a client) with courtesans. What really bothered me though was Violet. She's a woman who can supposedly control and command the attention of an audience of hundreds. Yet every damn time she is alone with Daniel she loses every bit of gumption the author claimed she had. It beggared belief and made her perilously close to a doormat. Well OK, she WAS a doormat! Every time it happened I got mad and thought about DNFing the story. I honestly wish I had...
I kinda wonder if the ending was so 'high-action' to try and make up for the rest of the boring disappointing tale.
I did love the bits where Ian made an appearance, but not much else... I guess it basically boils down to; I just didn't enjoy the story.
Daniel is used to having money and using it to getting his way. Not in a bad way, but he is entirely ignorant of what it's like to be a poor woman with no 'Man' to help her. I found this odd considering his extensive travels and intelligence and his being friends (not just a client) with courtesans. What really bothered me though was Violet. She's a woman who can supposedly control and command the attention of an audience of hundreds. Yet every damn time she is alone with Daniel she loses every bit of gumption the author claimed she had. It beggared belief and made her perilously close to a doormat. Well OK, she WAS a doormat! Every time it happened I got mad and thought about DNFing the story. I honestly wish I had...
I kinda wonder if the ending was so 'high-action' to try and make up for the rest of the boring disappointing tale.
I did love the bits where Ian made an appearance, but not much else... I guess it basically boils down to; I just didn't enjoy the story.
March 6, 2018
4.5 Danny boy Stars
We finally get Daniel’s story! He is Cam’s son and I have been waiting for him to be all grown up and what a story we got.
You usually can read the books out of order, but I think it’s best to read all the books with the Mackenzie men before starting this one. Daniel’s Uncles and Aunts have cute little places in this book and well, it’s best to have their story first.
The best part of this book was just Daniel himself. He’s the carefree happy boy that loves to spend money, but also pursue his tastes and desires. Which includes inventions, helping the poor or hunting after Violet.
What I love best about this series is that you never know what kind of story you will get and what kind of characters you will get. I adore Violet and her character is really unique. She does a bunch of hocus pocus kind of stuff, speaks to the dead and puts up performances, so when she’s requested to do a show for Daniel, well the story begins from there.
Daniel and Violet by far have one of the best chemistry and romances out of the historical romances I have read. I really felt their relationship. I loved how guarded Violet was and how she has a damaged past. I love light Daniel is and how he goes through life taking everything he can and he just completes the book.
The whole book is about Daniel pursuing Violet, no matter what Violet does. And each time they meet he breaks a part of her defenses and I gobbled up the pages like mad!!!! I couldn’t get enough of it and I read the book in one sitting.
This one is by far one of my favorite book in the series, but of course I still will always love Ian the best.
We finally get Daniel’s story! He is Cam’s son and I have been waiting for him to be all grown up and what a story we got.
You usually can read the books out of order, but I think it’s best to read all the books with the Mackenzie men before starting this one. Daniel’s Uncles and Aunts have cute little places in this book and well, it’s best to have their story first.
The best part of this book was just Daniel himself. He’s the carefree happy boy that loves to spend money, but also pursue his tastes and desires. Which includes inventions, helping the poor or hunting after Violet.
What I love best about this series is that you never know what kind of story you will get and what kind of characters you will get. I adore Violet and her character is really unique. She does a bunch of hocus pocus kind of stuff, speaks to the dead and puts up performances, so when she’s requested to do a show for Daniel, well the story begins from there.
Daniel and Violet by far have one of the best chemistry and romances out of the historical romances I have read. I really felt their relationship. I loved how guarded Violet was and how she has a damaged past. I love light Daniel is and how he goes through life taking everything he can and he just completes the book.
The whole book is about Daniel pursuing Violet, no matter what Violet does. And each time they meet he breaks a part of her defenses and I gobbled up the pages like mad!!!! I couldn’t get enough of it and I read the book in one sitting.
This one is by far one of my favorite book in the series, but of course I still will always love Ian the best.
October 5, 2013
Finally we get to read Daniel's story! Since we first met him when he was a teenager it's a little strange to see him all grown up and finding love himself. But he's actually a wonderful hero even though I felt slightly dissatisfied by the end.
Daniel meets Violet when a man who owes him money takes Daniel to see this medium he's hosting in lieu of payment. Daniel goes along for the ride but is soon disgusted by his peer and the snooty bunch of young lords that accompany them. He feels sympathy for Violet's dependence on the demanding aristocrat while at the same time finding himself intrigued and enthralled by the engineering prowess displayed in her performance. She's got all the other young lords fooled. Daniel looks deeper and falls hard for her machines. Everybody's got a weakness, right?
I loved Daniel. I loved Violet. So what left me ever-so-slightly disappointed? I felt that some things were not completely resolved, especially on the emotional front. Not between Daniel and Violet, their chemistry was excellent and their friendship to love story was fine for the most part. It's the other family relationships that feel glossed over. I get that they're a messed up family communication-wise, but it seems like years have passed since the ice began to thaw so I'd like to see something a little more relatable.
The climax also felt a bit cluttered. I love seeing the Mackenzies in all their knock-down/drag-out glory, but it felt like they muddied things. Daniel being the four brothers' youngster for so long seems to demand that he get out of the biggest scrape in his story without their help. This family is a team, I know, but story arcs do demand some things and I think this one short-changed Daniel as an adult lead in that way.
However, Ashley writes this family so incredibly well, that my dissatisfaction at the very end was minor. And the excerpt from the next book -- about Ainsley's brother Sinclair McBride -- has me anxious to get my hands on that one the moment I can. I'm very loyal to this series, having only been truly disappointed in one of the books. I highly recommend the Mackenzie series to anyone who loves historical romance. It begins with "The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie" which I've seen on sale several times, so look for it.
Daniel meets Violet when a man who owes him money takes Daniel to see this medium he's hosting in lieu of payment. Daniel goes along for the ride but is soon disgusted by his peer and the snooty bunch of young lords that accompany them. He feels sympathy for Violet's dependence on the demanding aristocrat while at the same time finding himself intrigued and enthralled by the engineering prowess displayed in her performance. She's got all the other young lords fooled. Daniel looks deeper and falls hard for her machines. Everybody's got a weakness, right?
I loved Daniel. I loved Violet. So what left me ever-so-slightly disappointed? I felt that some things were not completely resolved, especially on the emotional front. Not between Daniel and Violet, their chemistry was excellent and their friendship to love story was fine for the most part. It's the other family relationships that feel glossed over. I get that they're a messed up family communication-wise, but it seems like years have passed since the ice began to thaw so I'd like to see something a little more relatable.
The climax also felt a bit cluttered. I love seeing the Mackenzies in all their knock-down/drag-out glory, but it felt like they muddied things. Daniel being the four brothers' youngster for so long seems to demand that he get out of the biggest scrape in his story without their help. This family is a team, I know, but story arcs do demand some things and I think this one short-changed Daniel as an adult lead in that way.
However, Ashley writes this family so incredibly well, that my dissatisfaction at the very end was minor. And the excerpt from the next book -- about Ainsley's brother Sinclair McBride -- has me anxious to get my hands on that one the moment I can. I'm very loyal to this series, having only been truly disappointed in one of the books. I highly recommend the Mackenzie series to anyone who loves historical romance. It begins with "The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie" which I've seen on sale several times, so look for it.
Want to read
December 3, 2013
January 12, 2017
Another brilliant 5 star Mackenzie story!
I've enjoyed watching Daniel Mackenzie grow and mature in the course of this series and am thrilled that he finally has the chance to show that he can rival his father and uncles as a great Mackenzie hero.
Careless kindness and generosity flowed from Daniel so easily. He was a man who gave and thought nothing of it.
Daniel really made this book for me. I love his warmth and natural charm…his kindness and generosity… his total honesty….his sense of humour…the ease with which he fits into every level society. His boundless energy finds an outlet in his love for science and engineering and he enjoys nothing more than tinkering with machines. It is refreshing to see a hero who is not only smart but also is not afraid to get his hands dirty.
Now she felt her façade crumbling to reveal the lonely and weary young woman she was…
My heart went out to Violet for all the pain, fear and humiliation she had suffered as a young girl but, despite everything, her indomitable spirit is not broken. Forced to support herself and her mother, she has lived using her wits and the only skills she knows. Fearing that she may be denounced as a fraud at any time, they are constantly moving on.
Violet let out a wild noise. Every bit of fear in her was gone. She was free. And Daniel loved her.
Daniel is just the perfect man for Violet. Watching him slowly gain her trust with his patience, tenderness and understanding, enabling her to finally break free of her past, was such a wonderful and emotionally satisfying experience.
Daniel couldn’t afford to take his attention from the three men he was fighting, but the room seemed to suddenly fill up with Scotsmen. Loud voices, grating laughter, kilts.
I enjoyed seeing the other Mackenzies...always there to cover each other’s backs. Of course, however brief an appearance, Ian always steals the show for me and Hart – well just say he is his usual autocratic self. This exchange between Daniel and his stepmother, Ainsley, brought a smile to my face.
“Now, shall we try another cake? Or perhaps you could take me to the cabaret so I can watch the cancan.” “Cake,” Daniel said quickly. “Dad would thrash me good if I took you to the cabaret to look at naked women.” “Don’t be silly. I like the dancing. I can’t imagine how they’re able to kick their legs so high. And anyway, it’s not sordid. They wear drawers.”
“In some cabarets, especially this late, they don’t always.”
“Oh.” Ainsley looked thoughtful. “Yes. I can see where that would be a bit racy. Especially with the kicking.”
I adore the Regency period but it is refreshing to have a book set during the late Victorian period. This was a period of important scientific and engineering advances and Ms Ashley uses it as the backdrop to the romance between Daniel and Violet. The attention to detail made me feel as though I was actually seeing and experiencing all these amazing things that happened to Violet through her eyes. It added a richness and depth to the story.
The Mackenzies continue to weave their magic and I loved Daniel’s story. He is the last of the Mackenzies to settle down but I am delighted that it is not the end of the series as Jennifer Ashley confirms on her blogspot.
I will do a novella and novel about the remaining McBride brothers (teaser for Sinclair is at end of Daniel's book). Then I want to do a novella about the Mackenzies' wild Scotsman ancestor, Malcolm, who was the only one of his five brothers to survive Culloden, and who steals his bride from an English family.
Then I plan to "end" the series with a book set a little forward in time, featuring the entire family
REVIEW RATING: 5/5 Stars
SENSUALITY RATING: HOT
Highland Pleasures series to date (click on cover for more details):
I've enjoyed watching Daniel Mackenzie grow and mature in the course of this series and am thrilled that he finally has the chance to show that he can rival his father and uncles as a great Mackenzie hero.
Careless kindness and generosity flowed from Daniel so easily. He was a man who gave and thought nothing of it.
Daniel really made this book for me. I love his warmth and natural charm…his kindness and generosity… his total honesty….his sense of humour…the ease with which he fits into every level society. His boundless energy finds an outlet in his love for science and engineering and he enjoys nothing more than tinkering with machines. It is refreshing to see a hero who is not only smart but also is not afraid to get his hands dirty.
Now she felt her façade crumbling to reveal the lonely and weary young woman she was…
My heart went out to Violet for all the pain, fear and humiliation she had suffered as a young girl but, despite everything, her indomitable spirit is not broken. Forced to support herself and her mother, she has lived using her wits and the only skills she knows. Fearing that she may be denounced as a fraud at any time, they are constantly moving on.
Violet let out a wild noise. Every bit of fear in her was gone. She was free. And Daniel loved her.
Daniel is just the perfect man for Violet. Watching him slowly gain her trust with his patience, tenderness and understanding, enabling her to finally break free of her past, was such a wonderful and emotionally satisfying experience.
Daniel couldn’t afford to take his attention from the three men he was fighting, but the room seemed to suddenly fill up with Scotsmen. Loud voices, grating laughter, kilts.
I enjoyed seeing the other Mackenzies...always there to cover each other’s backs. Of course, however brief an appearance, Ian always steals the show for me and Hart – well just say he is his usual autocratic self. This exchange between Daniel and his stepmother, Ainsley, brought a smile to my face.
“Now, shall we try another cake? Or perhaps you could take me to the cabaret so I can watch the cancan.” “Cake,” Daniel said quickly. “Dad would thrash me good if I took you to the cabaret to look at naked women.” “Don’t be silly. I like the dancing. I can’t imagine how they’re able to kick their legs so high. And anyway, it’s not sordid. They wear drawers.”
“In some cabarets, especially this late, they don’t always.”
“Oh.” Ainsley looked thoughtful. “Yes. I can see where that would be a bit racy. Especially with the kicking.”
I adore the Regency period but it is refreshing to have a book set during the late Victorian period. This was a period of important scientific and engineering advances and Ms Ashley uses it as the backdrop to the romance between Daniel and Violet. The attention to detail made me feel as though I was actually seeing and experiencing all these amazing things that happened to Violet through her eyes. It added a richness and depth to the story.
The Mackenzies continue to weave their magic and I loved Daniel’s story. He is the last of the Mackenzies to settle down but I am delighted that it is not the end of the series as Jennifer Ashley confirms on her blogspot.
I will do a novella and novel about the remaining McBride brothers (teaser for Sinclair is at end of Daniel's book). Then I want to do a novella about the Mackenzies' wild Scotsman ancestor, Malcolm, who was the only one of his five brothers to survive Culloden, and who steals his bride from an English family.
Then I plan to "end" the series with a book set a little forward in time, featuring the entire family
REVIEW RATING: 5/5 Stars
SENSUALITY RATING: HOT
Highland Pleasures series to date (click on cover for more details):
October 16, 2013
This review will be rather short, because this book is so darn good that I don’t want to give away any more of the plot than appears in the publisher’s blurb.
Let me begin, though, with a couple of caveats. Jennifer Ashley has written six novels and two novellas in the Highland Pleasures series, and I have adored each of them. So I’m a huge fangirl. She is an excellent writer, with a first-rate command of the English language. Her plots hum along smoothly, her characters are compelling, and the romance element is strong and sensual. Her books are not erotica, but she writes some of the best love scenes out there.
There is a book for each of the four Mackenzie brothers (and a mere novella for their illegitimate half-brother), and although each of them works as a stand-alone book, they are much more enjoyable if read in order. Each one builds upon the last in presenting the interplay among these five brash, handsome, wealthy Scotsmen, their wives, and their children. (Ashley’s last novel before this one, The Seduction of Elliot McBride, is about a brother-in-law and could be skipped to read later.) In The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie, the hero is the son of Lord Cameron, second eldest Mackenzie brother. We have watched him grow from an impatient teenager determined to ensure that his rakehell father married the lovely Ainsley Douglas in The Many Sins of Lord Cameron to the budding young engineering genius who steals every scene in which he appears in A Mackenzie Family Christmas: The Perfect Gift.
So my second caveat is this: if you haven’t read the series, you may not enjoy this book as much as I did, for Daniel’s family members are important secondary characters. I think that Ashley does a good job giving background about these various Mackenzies, but then again, I’ve read all that comes before, so take this observation for what it’s worth.
Now, as for the plot. As the blurb says, Daniel (now age 25) meets Violet at a séance, but in addition to her beauty he is also enthralled by the hidden machinery used to create spooky special effects. Daniel is an gifted inventor, obsessed with designing a new motorcar, and when he learns that Violet designed her own gear and also is fascinated by machines, he is smitten. Violet is not even close to being an aristocrat like Daniel, but that matters not to him.
To Violet, Daniel is not just a handsome, charming, wealthy, exciting man, he actually talks to her and treats her with courtesy. She doesn’t trust him, however, because he is, after all, just another man and she trusts no men. At the age of sixteen, Violet was betrayed by a man who should have protected her, and the violent attack she suffered as a result has haunted for ten years. She and her mother, who “really” is a medium, have traveled around Europe, barely earning a living by putting on shows and séances for paying customers.
When Violet disappears from London, Daniel recruits his Uncle Ian to help track her down in France, and the chase begins. With consummate patience, Daniel pushes when Violet tries to pull away. Their slowly burgeoning romance is a joy to read; his gentling of her skittishness regarding physical intimacy leads to heart-melting love scenes.
There are adventures aplenty, as might be expected with a hero who likes to fly balloons, drive fast motorcars, and use his fists to extract revenge on Violet’s tormentor. Daniel’s father and uncles have his back all the way, except perhaps for Hart, who protects his kin in his typical imperious manner. For some readers, there may be a bit too much action worked into the second half of the book, but I enjoyed it.
I have been waiting for Daniel’s story for a long time and was not disappointed one little bit.
Let me begin, though, with a couple of caveats. Jennifer Ashley has written six novels and two novellas in the Highland Pleasures series, and I have adored each of them. So I’m a huge fangirl. She is an excellent writer, with a first-rate command of the English language. Her plots hum along smoothly, her characters are compelling, and the romance element is strong and sensual. Her books are not erotica, but she writes some of the best love scenes out there.
There is a book for each of the four Mackenzie brothers (and a mere novella for their illegitimate half-brother), and although each of them works as a stand-alone book, they are much more enjoyable if read in order. Each one builds upon the last in presenting the interplay among these five brash, handsome, wealthy Scotsmen, their wives, and their children. (Ashley’s last novel before this one, The Seduction of Elliot McBride, is about a brother-in-law and could be skipped to read later.) In The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie, the hero is the son of Lord Cameron, second eldest Mackenzie brother. We have watched him grow from an impatient teenager determined to ensure that his rakehell father married the lovely Ainsley Douglas in The Many Sins of Lord Cameron to the budding young engineering genius who steals every scene in which he appears in A Mackenzie Family Christmas: The Perfect Gift.
So my second caveat is this: if you haven’t read the series, you may not enjoy this book as much as I did, for Daniel’s family members are important secondary characters. I think that Ashley does a good job giving background about these various Mackenzies, but then again, I’ve read all that comes before, so take this observation for what it’s worth.
Now, as for the plot. As the blurb says, Daniel (now age 25) meets Violet at a séance, but in addition to her beauty he is also enthralled by the hidden machinery used to create spooky special effects. Daniel is an gifted inventor, obsessed with designing a new motorcar, and when he learns that Violet designed her own gear and also is fascinated by machines, he is smitten. Violet is not even close to being an aristocrat like Daniel, but that matters not to him.
To Violet, Daniel is not just a handsome, charming, wealthy, exciting man, he actually talks to her and treats her with courtesy. She doesn’t trust him, however, because he is, after all, just another man and she trusts no men. At the age of sixteen, Violet was betrayed by a man who should have protected her, and the violent attack she suffered as a result has haunted for ten years. She and her mother, who “really” is a medium, have traveled around Europe, barely earning a living by putting on shows and séances for paying customers.
When Violet disappears from London, Daniel recruits his Uncle Ian to help track her down in France, and the chase begins. With consummate patience, Daniel pushes when Violet tries to pull away. Their slowly burgeoning romance is a joy to read; his gentling of her skittishness regarding physical intimacy leads to heart-melting love scenes.
There are adventures aplenty, as might be expected with a hero who likes to fly balloons, drive fast motorcars, and use his fists to extract revenge on Violet’s tormentor. Daniel’s father and uncles have his back all the way, except perhaps for Hart, who protects his kin in his typical imperious manner. For some readers, there may be a bit too much action worked into the second half of the book, but I enjoyed it.
I have been waiting for Daniel’s story for a long time and was not disappointed one little bit.
October 30, 2019
Sexta novela de la serie Mackenzies & McBrides en la que tenemos como protagonista a Daniel Mackenzie, al que hemos visto crecer a lo largo de la misma. Un personaje que ha ido evolucionando poco a poco, desde ese joven rebelde que busca atención, otro algo más mayor que ya tiene una idea de futuro a un maduro hombre con la cabeza bien amueblada que encuentra a una mujer que le atrae no solo físicamente. Así aparece Violet Bastien, una mujer poco transparente todo lo contrario de Daniel. Violet es una joven que ya tiene una trayectoria, un pasado que iremos descubriendo poco a poco y que nos tocará la fibra. Y es que Daniel es un libro abierto, inteligente, divertido y sobre todo seductor y esto último es una baza para que la novela me haya encantado. La seducción es algo que la autora sabe plasmar muy bien, nunca hubiese imaginado que ese joven Daniel fuese a convertirse en un personaje tan transparente y sin ambages, algunas veces descarado pero tan atento con Violet que me encantaba.
Violet es un personaje que al principio pensaba que iba a pasar sin pena ni gloria pero la autora le ha sacado partido no solo con su don sino más bien con ese pasado que nos desvela en el momento adecuado que nos sorprenderá de varias maneras.
La pareja he visto que tiene química aunque se lleva el mérito Daniel por ese seductor nato y esa alegría y positividad que arrasa allá donde vaya y eso que su pasado fue traumático.
La trama me ha gustado, la novela tiene de todo un poco, alguna que otra sorpresa, su parte de acción y lo mejor es el juego de seducción y la manera de ser y de tratar Daniel a la mujer que lo vuelve loco.
Sobre los personajes secundarios la que no me gustó fue la madre de Violet. Cecily me pareció una madre que no era madre, más bien una hija de la que tiene que estar pendiente Violet y que parece que le importe muy poco de su hija mientras ella esté bien.
Continua la reseña en: https://oceanodelibros.blogspot.com/2...
Violet es un personaje que al principio pensaba que iba a pasar sin pena ni gloria pero la autora le ha sacado partido no solo con su don sino más bien con ese pasado que nos desvela en el momento adecuado que nos sorprenderá de varias maneras.
La pareja he visto que tiene química aunque se lleva el mérito Daniel por ese seductor nato y esa alegría y positividad que arrasa allá donde vaya y eso que su pasado fue traumático.
La trama me ha gustado, la novela tiene de todo un poco, alguna que otra sorpresa, su parte de acción y lo mejor es el juego de seducción y la manera de ser y de tratar Daniel a la mujer que lo vuelve loco.
Sobre los personajes secundarios la que no me gustó fue la madre de Violet. Cecily me pareció una madre que no era madre, más bien una hija de la que tiene que estar pendiente Violet y que parece que le importe muy poco de su hija mientras ella esté bien.
Continua la reseña en: https://oceanodelibros.blogspot.com/2...
January 2, 2020
Another favorite in this series for me. What a wonderful story and the characters and their adventures were on point.
Narration by Angela Dawe was nice as well.
5-🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Narration by Angela Dawe was nice as well.
5-🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
July 17, 2018
3 estrellitas
Al final me ha sorprendido gratamente. No es un libro inolvidable y no es el mejor de la serie, pero ha tenido algo que me ha mantenido enganchada a la lectura a pesar de que ha habido muchas cosas que me han chirriado bastante con respecto al romance entre los protagonistas.
Y ese algo, aunque parezca que me estoy contradiciendo, han sido los protagonistas…pero por separado.
Violet es una protagonista de las que me gustan. Decidida, independiente, trabajadora. No le gusta lo que hace pero sabe que es la única forma de poder sobrevivir junto con su madre y su sirviente. Su pasado ha dado bastante de sí a lo largo del libro y en parte explica el por qué de su comportamiento en muchas ocasiones. Me ha parecido un personaje muy creíble.
Daniel, por el otro lado, es un amor. Es el hombre perfecto (demasiado perfecto diría yo, pero se lo perdono a la autora porque ha habido otras cosas en las que fijarme y que me han chirriado más) Es guapo, sincero, rico, con sentido del humor, sabe luchar de mil formas diferentes y por sobre todo, es el inspirador de tantos inventos que hoy en día utilizamos como es el coche o el globo aeroestático…tiene recursos para todo…vamos, un partidazo.
Y si son dos personajes tan buenos, ¿Por qué no me ha convencido su romance?
Porque no me puedo creer que un hombre que acaba de conocer a una mujer y casi le mata, la siga por medio continente simplemente porque le han atraído sus besos y sabe de máquinas como él. Si se conocieran de antes y hubieran interactuado más me podría parecer vendible, pero no, él me ha parecido más un hombre obsesionado al principio de su historia, más que enamorado. Sí que es cierto que a medida que la conocía más se podía ver esa atracción, pero es que el principio me ha trastocado del todo.
La trama en sí es bastante simple. No hay mucha acción y la mayor parte de ella trata de Daniel convenciendo a Violet de salir con él y de los inventos que éste último quiero lograr patentar.
Es a partir de la segunda mitad cuando empezamos a descubrir cosillas del pasado de Violet que a mí me atraparon a seguir leyendo para saber cómo se solucionaban.
Y de nuevo me desilusioné. En apenas 2 capítulos, Daniel “el perfecto” arregla la situación, gana lo que quería ganar y consigue a la chica. Quería más chicha pero no se si a la autora la urgieron a terminar o no quiso extender algunas escenas que para mi gusto personal, eran muy bien recibidas.
Si que me han gustado cosas, como la familia MacKenzie al completo metiéndose en la vida de los protagonistas junto con toda su prole o la relación padre- hijo del protagonista. Pero como digo, esperaba muchísimo más y se quedó en aceptable.
Con este libro puedo decir que termino la serie MacKenzie, ya que el resto está en inglés.
Una serie en la que el mejor libro sin ninguna duda es el de Ian y en la que el resto de libros han sido mejores o peores pero también agradables. ¿La recomiendo leer entera? La respuesta es sí, pero con expectativas más bajas a partir del segundo libro, porque como digo, no todos son Ian.
Al final me ha sorprendido gratamente. No es un libro inolvidable y no es el mejor de la serie, pero ha tenido algo que me ha mantenido enganchada a la lectura a pesar de que ha habido muchas cosas que me han chirriado bastante con respecto al romance entre los protagonistas.
Y ese algo, aunque parezca que me estoy contradiciendo, han sido los protagonistas…pero por separado.
Violet es una protagonista de las que me gustan. Decidida, independiente, trabajadora. No le gusta lo que hace pero sabe que es la única forma de poder sobrevivir junto con su madre y su sirviente. Su pasado ha dado bastante de sí a lo largo del libro y en parte explica el por qué de su comportamiento en muchas ocasiones. Me ha parecido un personaje muy creíble.
Daniel, por el otro lado, es un amor. Es el hombre perfecto (demasiado perfecto diría yo, pero se lo perdono a la autora porque ha habido otras cosas en las que fijarme y que me han chirriado más) Es guapo, sincero, rico, con sentido del humor, sabe luchar de mil formas diferentes y por sobre todo, es el inspirador de tantos inventos que hoy en día utilizamos como es el coche o el globo aeroestático…tiene recursos para todo…vamos, un partidazo.
Y si son dos personajes tan buenos, ¿Por qué no me ha convencido su romance?
Porque no me puedo creer que un hombre que acaba de conocer a una mujer y casi le mata, la siga por medio continente simplemente porque le han atraído sus besos y sabe de máquinas como él. Si se conocieran de antes y hubieran interactuado más me podría parecer vendible, pero no, él me ha parecido más un hombre obsesionado al principio de su historia, más que enamorado. Sí que es cierto que a medida que la conocía más se podía ver esa atracción, pero es que el principio me ha trastocado del todo.
La trama en sí es bastante simple. No hay mucha acción y la mayor parte de ella trata de Daniel convenciendo a Violet de salir con él y de los inventos que éste último quiero lograr patentar.
Es a partir de la segunda mitad cuando empezamos a descubrir cosillas del pasado de Violet que a mí me atraparon a seguir leyendo para saber cómo se solucionaban.
Y de nuevo me desilusioné. En apenas 2 capítulos, Daniel “el perfecto” arregla la situación, gana lo que quería ganar y consigue a la chica. Quería más chicha pero no se si a la autora la urgieron a terminar o no quiso extender algunas escenas que para mi gusto personal, eran muy bien recibidas.
Si que me han gustado cosas, como la familia MacKenzie al completo metiéndose en la vida de los protagonistas junto con toda su prole o la relación padre- hijo del protagonista. Pero como digo, esperaba muchísimo más y se quedó en aceptable.
Con este libro puedo decir que termino la serie MacKenzie, ya que el resto está en inglés.
Una serie en la que el mejor libro sin ninguna duda es el de Ian y en la que el resto de libros han sido mejores o peores pero también agradables. ¿La recomiendo leer entera? La respuesta es sí, pero con expectativas más bajas a partir del segundo libro, porque como digo, no todos son Ian.
October 26, 2013
I love Jennifer Ashley, and her Highland Pleasures Series is one i especially love!! I have been waiting impatiently when I heard Daniel Mackenzie was getting his own story…..
The title of this book is perfect in explaining Daniel, he is wicked. He has wickedly wonderful hands, kisses body (oh my), wickedly sensual smile and a wicked sense of humor., wickedly intelligent mind etc etc. And while I loved Daniel, he did appear to be too good to be true. The man had no faults, and while it bothered me a bit it didn’t take away my enjoyment of this book. For me Daniel was one of those over the top characters that you knew could never exist in real life, but a small part of me wished he did. So Daniel is happily in this book and I enjoyed the wicked rascal immensely.
And Violet is a charming character that i enjoyed. And if you know me at all, you know I have a real issue with “come and save me” heroines in books. Violet is a woman with a horrible and abusive past. Because of her past she has learned to survive by trusting no one, she is a trickster, a con artist and lets no one see the real Violet or let anyone near her heart. What i liked about this character was her strength, despite her past and despite the way she choose to deal with it I admired her a lot.
And the bonus in this story was seeing the Mackenzie men again….OMG OMG OMG!! Ian (yep still swooning over this man), Mac, and Cameron and Hart, they all had enough of an appearance to satisfy and sate my missing them.
Overall a wonderful fairytale feel story, with the prince wearing a kilt! YAY!!!
The title of this book is perfect in explaining Daniel, he is wicked. He has wickedly wonderful hands, kisses body (oh my), wickedly sensual smile and a wicked sense of humor., wickedly intelligent mind etc etc. And while I loved Daniel, he did appear to be too good to be true. The man had no faults, and while it bothered me a bit it didn’t take away my enjoyment of this book. For me Daniel was one of those over the top characters that you knew could never exist in real life, but a small part of me wished he did. So Daniel is happily in this book and I enjoyed the wicked rascal immensely.
And Violet is a charming character that i enjoyed. And if you know me at all, you know I have a real issue with “come and save me” heroines in books. Violet is a woman with a horrible and abusive past. Because of her past she has learned to survive by trusting no one, she is a trickster, a con artist and lets no one see the real Violet or let anyone near her heart. What i liked about this character was her strength, despite her past and despite the way she choose to deal with it I admired her a lot.
And the bonus in this story was seeing the Mackenzie men again….OMG OMG OMG!! Ian (yep still swooning over this man), Mac, and Cameron and Hart, they all had enough of an appearance to satisfy and sate my missing them.
Overall a wonderful fairytale feel story, with the prince wearing a kilt! YAY!!!
October 10, 2013
I couldn't help but compare this to Ian's book the whole time I was reading it ( completely unfair, I know). In fact, the high points of THIS book for me were the scenes containing Ian.
I enjoyed this one a lot, but when compared to Ian's story (one of my all time favorites) which was a 5 for me, this one would be a 3. I really liked Daniel and Violet, but I found myself almost skimming through the end. Maybe I'll like it more with another read; however, upon first read it was a solid 3-3.5 for me.
I enjoyed this one a lot, but when compared to Ian's story (one of my all time favorites) which was a 5 for me, this one would be a 3. I really liked Daniel and Violet, but I found myself almost skimming through the end. Maybe I'll like it more with another read; however, upon first read it was a solid 3-3.5 for me.
October 9, 2013
Daniel and Violet, I wanted so much to love their story, after watching Daniel grow up in the background of the MacKenzie novels it's hard that I didn't love this story. The problem was, and it's an issue I have with many of these unbalanced socially romances is the fact that I just didn't find it believable.
I know the entire concept of the historical romance is slightly (ha!) overblown at times but there's still that tint of what if, but when your heroine is a charlatan medium with an unexplained skilled for mechanics, my incredulity is just stretched past its limit.
I know the entire concept of the historical romance is slightly (ha!) overblown at times but there's still that tint of what if, but when your heroine is a charlatan medium with an unexplained skilled for mechanics, my incredulity is just stretched past its limit.
April 26, 2016
Ay Daniel ♥♥♥
Mi reseña en Mi Rinconín de Lectura
Mi reseña en Mi Rinconín de Lectura
November 7, 2020
Όταν πρωτογνώρισα τους αδελφούς Μακένζι, είχα ένα καλό feeling. Τον Ίαν τον συμπάθησα και τον συμπόνεσα, αλλά δεν μπορώ να πω πως μου έκανε κανένα τρελό 'κλικ'. Αυτό γεννήθηκε με τον Μακ, τον δεύτερο αδελφό, ωρίμασε με τον Κάμερον και έφτασε στο απόλυτο peak με τον Χαρτ (αχ, Χαρτ, Χαρτ, my heart...)
Έπειτα από τα τέσσερα πρώτα βιβλία της σειράς, ξεκινούν τα "αλλά...". Μετά τους original Μακένζι, λοιπόν, περνάμε στα αδέλφια της Έινζλι -της συζύγου του Κάμερον- ή στη νεότερη γενιά των Μακένζι. Και στο βιβλίο αυτό παρουσιάζεται η ιστορία του γιου του Κάμερον από τον πρώτο του γάμο, του Ντάνιελ.
Ο Ντάνιελ, λοιπόν, διαθέτει μερικά από τα χαρακτηριστικά που κάνουν τους Μακένζι τόσο ερωτεύσιμους. Είναι ένας χαρακτήρας πιο μοντέρνος, πιο σύγχρονος από τον πατέρα και τους θείους του (λογικό, επόμενη γενιά βλέπεις...), πλούσιος, γοητευτικός, πανέξυπνος, πολυταξιδεμένος και έμπειρος, με το χάρισμα να γοητεύει και να κερδίζει τους γύρω του. Δεν είναι όμως απλά ένας υπερφίαλος νεαρός, που σπαταλάει την περιουσία του πατέρα του. Ο Ντάνιελ διαθέτει ένα κοφτερό μυαλό μηχανικού, ασχολείται με εφευρέσεις και ονειρεύεται να φτιάξει το γρηγορότερο αυτοκίνητο του κόσμου. Είναι ένας πανέμορφος νεαρός άντρας με ψυχή μικρού παιδιού - με την καλή έννοια. Και δεν νομίζω να βρεθεί αναγνώστρια να μην τον αγαπήσει. Κι αν όχι αυτό, έστω να τον κατασυμπαθήσει. Σε αυτή τη δεύτερη κατηγορία ανήκω κι εγώ. Και μπορεί να μην καρδιοχτύπησα για χάρη του, αφού η καρδιά μου σε ό,τι αφορά τους Μακένζι ανήκει στον Χαρτ (με μια μικρότερη θέση και για τον Κάμερον), αλλά τον αγάπησα ως γιο του Κάμερον, ως παιδί δικό μας τέλος πάντων, σαν να είμαι της οικογενείας.
ΟΜΩΣ, παρ' όλη τη συμπάθειά μου, δεν πιστεύω πως χρειάζονταν 556 σελίδες για να διαβάσω την ιστορία του. Υπήρξαν πολλά σημεία στο βιβλίο όπου θεώρησα πως αυτό έκανε μια μικρή κοιλιά, πολλά σημεία με πολύ μπλα-μπλα ή υπερβολικές/αχρείαστες/περιττές λεπτομέρειες, περιγραφές κτλ. Νομίζω πως θα μπορούσε άνετα να είναι εκατό σελίδες λιγότερες, η πλοκή να είναι πιο περιεκτική και το ίδιο αποτελεσματική ως προς το αποτέλεσμα.
Μεγάλο μειονέκτημα για μένα σε αυτό το βιβλίο η ηρωίδα. Η Βάιολετ Μπαστιέν δεν κατάφερε να κερδίσει τη συμπάθειά μου ούτε σε μια τόση δα παράγραφο. Δεν με ενόχλησε το ότι ουσιαστικά είναι μια απατεώνισσα (σε αυτού του είδους τα βιβλία, άλλωστε, όλες οι απατεώνισσες "αναγκάστηκαν" να... απατεωνίσουν εξαιτίας της κακούργας κοινωνίας και της μαύρης τους της τύχης), το ότι είναι μεγαλύτερη ηλικιακά από τον Ντάνιελ, το ότι έσερνε μαζί της τη μάνα της ή έτρεχε πίσω από τη μάνα της ή γενικότερα η ζωή της. Όχι, ο χαρακτήρας της δεν με κέρδισε. Η παρουσία της η ίδια. Διάβαζα για εκείνη στο βιβλίο και ξίνιζα τα μούτρα μου, διάβαζα το δράμα της ζωής της λες και διάβαζα μια ατέλειωτη λίστα για σούπερ μάρκετ - και μάλιστα μια λίστα με ψώνια που ΔΕΝ είναι δικά μου, αλλά του γείτονα ξέρω γω. Αδιάφορη. Άχρωμη, άοσμη και από τις λίγες που έχω χαρακτηρίσει "κακό σπυρί στον σβέρκο" (και όχι κάπου αλλού). Από αυτές τις γυναίκες που μοιάζουν να σέρνουν την γκαντεμιά και τη βαρεμάρα και την κακομοιριά πίσω τους και υπάρχουν μόνο για να ταλαιπωρούν τους άλλους, να κλέβουν χρόνο από το βιβλίο και να ενοχλούν άμα τη εμφανίσει τους. Από αυτές που εγώ ως μάνα δεν θα ήθελα ποτέ νύφη για το παιδί μου (ΜΕΓΑΛΗ ΚΟΥΒΕΝΤΑ ΞΕΣΤΟΜΙΖΩ, ΑΝ ΣΚΕΦΤΕΙ ΚΑΝΕΙΣ ΠΩΣ ΟΧΙ ΜΟΝΟ ΔΕΝ ΕΧΩ ΠΑΙΔΙΑ, ΑΛΛΑ ΟΥΤΕ ΚΑΝ ΜΗΤΡΙΚΟ ΕΝΣΤΙΚΤΟ ΕΝΕΡΓΟΠΟΙΗΜΕΝΟ!) Πραγματικά, έχω να θυμάμαι πολύ λίγες ηρωίδες που έχω κατατάξει σε αυτή την κατηγορία. Συνήθως τις λατρεύω.
Καταλαβαίνει λοιπόν κανείς ότι τα χαμένα αστεράκια οφείλονται στο πολύ μπλα-μπλα και την ηρωίδα. Ξεκάθαρα. Και τρία που έβαλα, πολλά μου φαίνονται.
Πέρα από τη Βάιολετ -για την οποία ήδη αφιέρωσα περισσότερο χρόνο απ' όσο θεωρώ ότι αξίζει, αλλά τα είπα και ξεθύμανα!- έρχομαι λοιπόν να θίξω ξανά τη συνήθεια πολλών συγγραφέων να γράφουν για γενιές ολόκληρες, για παιδιά και εγγόνια αγαπημένων ηρώων, και κάπου στην πορεία να το ψιλοχάνουν. Γιατί το ίδιο ακριβώς έπαθα και με την οικογένεια Μάλορι της Johanna Lindsey. Αγάπησα τα αδέλφια των πρώτων βιβλίων, αλλά μετά κάπου χάθηκε η μπάλα κι έφτασα στο σημείο να παρακαλάω να μη γράψει και για τα δισέγγονά τους! Κάπου χάνεται η μαγεία, νομίζω, ή απλά η συγγραφέας αναγκάζεται να επαναλαμβάνεται ή να "ατονεί" και το αποτέλεσμα να είναι κατώτερο των περιστάσεων. Είτε γιατί τα έχει δώσει όλα στα πρώτα βιβλία είτε γιατί οι πρώτοι ήρωες ήταν απλά τόσο ενδιαφέροντες και κέρδισαν τόσο πολύ τις εντυπώσεις, που οι υπόλοιποι μοιραία ωχριούν μπροστά τους. Και μπορεί να έχει ένα ενδιαφέρον να μάθει ο αναγνώστης τι απέγινε ο γιος ή η κόρη ενός ήρωα που αγάπησε πολύ (εν προκειμένω, του Κάμερον) και τον οποίο γνώρισε κάποτε ως μικρό παιδί/έφηβο και τώρα τον βλέπει να ερωτοτροπεί, αλλά ΟΧΙ ΠΑΝΤΑ. Τόσο απλά!
Πολλές φορές ορισμένα πράγματα είναι καλύτερα να μην ειπώνονται, ώστε να διατηρείται η αρχική μαγεία. Για παράδειγμα, το ότι εγώ προσωπικά, απ' όλο το βιβλίο για τον Ντάνιελ Μακένζι, ενδιαφέρθηκα και χάρηκα κυρίως μαθαίνοντας για τα παιδιά του Μακ, του Κάμερον, του Ίαν ή του Χαρτ παρά για το actual πρωταγωνιστικό ζευγάρι, νομίζω πως από μόνο του κάτι λέει.
Εν τέλει, δεν το θεωρώ ένα κακό βιβλίο, αλλά νομίζω πως όποιος έχει διαβάσει τα τέσσερα πρώτα βιβλία της σειράς σίγουρα θα το βρει κατώτερο. Κι αν γνωρίσει για πρώτη φορά τους Μακένζι μέσα από αυτό το βιβλίο, πιθανότατα θα σχηματίσει για εκείνους μια λιγότερο καλή γνώμη απ' ό,τι πραγματικά τους αξίζει. Κι αυτό απλά είναι κρίμα...
Έπειτα από τα τέσσερα πρώτα βιβλία της σειράς, ξεκινούν τα "αλλά...". Μετά τους original Μακένζι, λοιπόν, περνάμε στα αδέλφια της Έινζλι -της συζύγου του Κάμερον- ή στη νεότερη γενιά των Μακένζι. Και στο βιβλίο αυτό παρουσιάζεται η ιστορία του γιου του Κάμερον από τον πρώτο του γάμο, του Ντάνιελ.
Ο Ντάνιελ, λοιπόν, διαθέτει μερικά από τα χαρακτηριστικά που κάνουν τους Μακένζι τόσο ερωτεύσιμους. Είναι ένας χαρακτήρας πιο μοντέρνος, πιο σύγχρονος από τον πατέρα και τους θείους του (λογικό, επόμενη γενιά βλέπεις...), πλούσιος, γοητευτικός, πανέξυπνος, πολυταξιδεμένος και έμπειρος, με το χάρισμα να γοητεύει και να κερδίζει τους γύρω του. Δεν είναι όμως απλά ένας υπερφίαλος νεαρός, που σπαταλάει την περιουσία του πατέρα του. Ο Ντάνιελ διαθέτει ένα κοφτερό μυαλό μηχανικού, ασχολείται με εφευρέσεις και ονειρεύεται να φτιάξει το γρηγορότερο αυτοκίνητο του κόσμου. Είναι ένας πανέμορφος νεαρός άντρας με ψυχή μικρού παιδιού - με την καλή έννοια. Και δεν νομίζω να βρεθεί αναγνώστρια να μην τον αγαπήσει. Κι αν όχι αυτό, έστω να τον κατασυμπαθήσει. Σε αυτή τη δεύτερη κατηγορία ανήκω κι εγώ. Και μπορεί να μην καρδιοχτύπησα για χάρη του, αφού η καρδιά μου σε ό,τι αφορά τους Μακένζι ανήκει στον Χαρτ (με μια μικρότερη θέση και για τον Κάμερον), αλλά τον αγάπησα ως γιο του Κάμερον, ως παιδί δικό μας τέλος πάντων, σαν να είμαι της οικογενείας.
ΟΜΩΣ, παρ' όλη τη συμπάθειά μου, δεν πιστεύω πως χρειάζονταν 556 σελίδες για να διαβάσω την ιστορία του. Υπήρξαν πολλά σημεία στο βιβλίο όπου θεώρησα πως αυτό έκανε μια μικρή κοιλιά, πολλά σημεία με πολύ μπλα-μπλα ή υπερβολικές/αχρείαστες/περιττές λεπτομέρειες, περιγραφές κτλ. Νομίζω πως θα μπορούσε άνετα να είναι εκατό σελίδες λιγότερες, η πλοκή να είναι πιο περιεκτική και το ίδιο αποτελεσματική ως προς το αποτέλεσμα.
Μεγάλο μειονέκτημα για μένα σε αυτό το βιβλίο η ηρωίδα. Η Βάιολετ Μπαστιέν δεν κατάφερε να κερδίσει τη συμπάθειά μου ούτε σε μια τόση δα παράγραφο. Δεν με ενόχλησε το ότι ουσιαστικά είναι μια απατεώνισσα (σε αυτού του είδους τα βιβλία, άλλωστε, όλες οι απατεώνισσες "αναγκάστηκαν" να... απατεωνίσουν εξαιτίας της κακούργας κοινωνίας και της μαύρης τους της τύχης), το ότι είναι μεγαλύτερη ηλικιακά από τον Ντάνιελ, το ότι έσερνε μαζί της τη μάνα της ή έτρεχε πίσω από τη μάνα της ή γενικότερα η ζωή της. Όχι, ο χαρακτήρας της δεν με κέρδισε. Η παρουσία της η ίδια. Διάβαζα για εκείνη στο βιβλίο και ξίνιζα τα μούτρα μου, διάβαζα το δράμα της ζωής της λες και διάβαζα μια ατέλειωτη λίστα για σούπερ μάρκετ - και μάλιστα μια λίστα με ψώνια που ΔΕΝ είναι δικά μου, αλλά του γείτονα ξέρω γω. Αδιάφορη. Άχρωμη, άοσμη και από τις λίγες που έχω χαρακτηρίσει "κακό σπυρί στον σβέρκο" (και όχι κάπου αλλού). Από αυτές τις γυναίκες που μοιάζουν να σέρνουν την γκαντεμιά και τη βαρεμάρα και την κακομοιριά πίσω τους και υπάρχουν μόνο για να ταλαιπωρούν τους άλλους, να κλέβουν χρόνο από το βιβλίο και να ενοχλούν άμα τη εμφανίσει τους. Από αυτές που εγώ ως μάνα δεν θα ήθελα ποτέ νύφη για το παιδί μου (ΜΕΓΑΛΗ ΚΟΥΒΕΝΤΑ ΞΕΣΤΟΜΙΖΩ, ΑΝ ΣΚΕΦΤΕΙ ΚΑΝΕΙΣ ΠΩΣ ΟΧΙ ΜΟΝΟ ΔΕΝ ΕΧΩ ΠΑΙΔΙΑ, ΑΛΛΑ ΟΥΤΕ ΚΑΝ ΜΗΤΡΙΚΟ ΕΝΣΤΙΚΤΟ ΕΝΕΡΓΟΠΟΙΗΜΕΝΟ!) Πραγματικά, έχω να θυμάμαι πολύ λίγες ηρωίδες που έχω κατατάξει σε αυτή την κατηγορία. Συνήθως τις λατρεύω.
Καταλαβαίνει λοιπόν κανείς ότι τα χαμένα αστεράκια οφείλονται στο πολύ μπλα-μπλα και την ηρωίδα. Ξεκάθαρα. Και τρία που έβαλα, πολλά μου φαίνονται.
Πέρα από τη Βάιολετ -για την οποία ήδη αφιέρωσα περισσότερο χρόνο απ' όσο θεωρώ ότι αξίζει, αλλά τα είπα και ξεθύμανα!- έρχομαι λοιπόν να θίξω ξανά τη συνήθεια πολλών συγγραφέων να γράφουν για γενιές ολόκληρες, για παιδιά και εγγόνια αγαπημένων ηρώων, και κάπου στην πορεία να το ψιλοχάνουν. Γιατί το ίδιο ακριβώς έπαθα και με την οικογένεια Μάλορι της Johanna Lindsey. Αγάπησα τα αδέλφια των πρώτων βιβλίων, αλλά μετά κάπου χάθηκε η μπάλα κι έφτασα στο σημείο να παρακαλάω να μη γράψει και για τα δισέγγονά τους! Κάπου χάνεται η μαγεία, νομίζω, ή απλά η συγγραφέας αναγκάζεται να επαναλαμβάνεται ή να "ατονεί" και το αποτέλεσμα να είναι κατώτερο των περιστάσεων. Είτε γιατί τα έχει δώσει όλα στα πρώτα βιβλία είτε γιατί οι πρώτοι ήρωες ήταν απλά τόσο ενδιαφέροντες και κέρδισαν τόσο πολύ τις εντυπώσεις, που οι υπόλοιποι μοιραία ωχριούν μπροστά τους. Και μπορεί να έχει ένα ενδιαφέρον να μάθει ο αναγνώστης τι απέγινε ο γιος ή η κόρη ενός ήρωα που αγάπησε πολύ (εν προκειμένω, του Κάμερον) και τον οποίο γνώρισε κάποτε ως μικρό παιδί/έφηβο και τώρα τον βλέπει να ερωτοτροπεί, αλλά ΟΧΙ ΠΑΝΤΑ. Τόσο απλά!
Πολλές φορές ορισμένα πράγματα είναι καλύτερα να μην ειπώνονται, ώστε να διατηρείται η αρχική μαγεία. Για παράδειγμα, το ότι εγώ προσωπικά, απ' όλο το βιβλίο για τον Ντάνιελ Μακένζι, ενδιαφέρθηκα και χάρηκα κυρίως μαθαίνοντας για τα παιδιά του Μακ, του Κάμερον, του Ίαν ή του Χαρτ παρά για το actual πρωταγωνιστικό ζευγάρι, νομίζω πως από μόνο του κάτι λέει.
Εν τέλει, δεν το θεωρώ ένα κακό βιβλίο, αλλά νομίζω πως όποιος έχει διαβάσει τα τέσσερα πρώτα βιβλία της σειράς σίγουρα θα το βρει κατώτερο. Κι αν γνωρίσει για πρώτη φορά τους Μακένζι μέσα από αυτό το βιβλίο, πιθανότατα θα σχηματίσει για εκείνους μια λιγότερο καλή γνώμη απ' ό,τι πραγματικά τους αξίζει. Κι αυτό απλά είναι κρίμα...
March 5, 2021
This book had a different feel from earlier ones in the series. The hero, Daniel, was only a teen in the earlier books, but in this one he's a fully-grown adult man. He's a very likeable character, with a real zest for life and a keen intelligence.
Violet is a character I thought I mightn't like, as she makes a living, with her mother, as a fake medium. Not a trope I'm particularly fond of. But Ms. Ashley's strong writing made Violet an appealing character, and her reasons for the way she lived her life were convincing.
The book is set in the later Victorian era, in 1890, with the dawn of the motor car age. I liked that both Daniel and Violet had a mechanical bent, and the way they worked together on Daniel's engines was an interesting aspect of the story. The ballooning scenes and the scenes in the car showed the two of them truly enjoying themselves, and Violet finding a freedom and joy that had previously eluded her. Another strong book in this enjoyable series.
Violet is a character I thought I mightn't like, as she makes a living, with her mother, as a fake medium. Not a trope I'm particularly fond of. But Ms. Ashley's strong writing made Violet an appealing character, and her reasons for the way she lived her life were convincing.
The book is set in the later Victorian era, in 1890, with the dawn of the motor car age. I liked that both Daniel and Violet had a mechanical bent, and the way they worked together on Daniel's engines was an interesting aspect of the story. The ballooning scenes and the scenes in the car showed the two of them truly enjoying themselves, and Violet finding a freedom and joy that had previously eluded her. Another strong book in this enjoyable series.
April 29, 2017
Adoré esta serie aunque reconozco que los libros fueron desparejos. Pero amé a estos hermanos aristócratas escoceses de finales del siglo XIX, bellos, fuertes, torturados, obscenos, ricos, poderosos y que no les importa un rábano lo que piense la sociedad. Y amantes tiernos aunque superhot cuando se enamoran. Y sus mujeres fuertes y decididas.
En este libro nos cuenta la historia de Daniel, el hijo de Cameron (el de "Los pecados de Lord Cameron Mac..."). Ya tiene 25 años y, básicamente, es un bonvivant sin problemas. Feliz con sus viajes, máquinas automotrices, juegos de azar, mujeres de ocasión... en ese orden.
A raíz de una apuesta conoce a Violet, una supuesta "medium" que trabaja con su madre esquilmando a ilusos. Pero tuvo un pasado muy traumático que Daniel intentará hacerle superar.
Como algunas de las novelas de la serie, no es WOW WOW, tiene problemas de ritmo. Por momentos se hace pesada y por otros acelera demasiado.
Pero tiene una gran virtud: es original, no encontramos frases hechas ni situaciones repetidas que solemos leer hasta el hartazgo en distintas novelas y, a mí, ya me cansan.
A las que leyeron la serie, en este sabemos de la vida de los tíos (Ian, Mac y Hart, el Duque) y padre de Daniel, diez años después de sus historias.
Estos "cameos" de personajes de novelas anteriores me producen sentimientos encontrados. Por una parte, me gusta saber de la vida posterior de personajes de historias que me han gustado pero, por otra parte, a veces aparecen como algo forzado en el relato. En esta novela por momentos parece natural y necesario, y por momentos forzado.
Pero bueno, en definitiva, me atrapó, la leí en dos días y no podía dejar de pensar cómo seguiría cuando dejaba de leerla.
Sensaciones que, creo, buscamos todas cuando empezamos una novela nos guste o no al final..
En este libro nos cuenta la historia de Daniel, el hijo de Cameron (el de "Los pecados de Lord Cameron Mac..."). Ya tiene 25 años y, básicamente, es un bonvivant sin problemas. Feliz con sus viajes, máquinas automotrices, juegos de azar, mujeres de ocasión... en ese orden.
A raíz de una apuesta conoce a Violet, una supuesta "medium" que trabaja con su madre esquilmando a ilusos. Pero tuvo un pasado muy traumático que Daniel intentará hacerle superar.
Como algunas de las novelas de la serie, no es WOW WOW, tiene problemas de ritmo. Por momentos se hace pesada y por otros acelera demasiado.
Pero tiene una gran virtud: es original, no encontramos frases hechas ni situaciones repetidas que solemos leer hasta el hartazgo en distintas novelas y, a mí, ya me cansan.
A las que leyeron la serie, en este sabemos de la vida de los tíos (Ian, Mac y Hart, el Duque) y padre de Daniel, diez años después de sus historias.
Estos "cameos" de personajes de novelas anteriores me producen sentimientos encontrados. Por una parte, me gusta saber de la vida posterior de personajes de historias que me han gustado pero, por otra parte, a veces aparecen como algo forzado en el relato. En esta novela por momentos parece natural y necesario, y por momentos forzado.
Pero bueno, en definitiva, me atrapó, la leí en dos días y no podía dejar de pensar cómo seguiría cuando dejaba de leerla.
Sensaciones que, creo, buscamos todas cuando empezamos una novela nos guste o no al final..
July 11, 2018
No puedo con este libro. La serie me ha encantado pero este no me lo puedo terminar. Ella es súper sosa, no tienen conversaciones interesantes y encima Daniel va detrás de ellas después de haber pasado sólo un rato juntos. La trama está bien, interesante incluso, pero entre ellos no me parece que haya ningún tipo de conexión especial. Tenía muchísimas ganas de leerme el libro de Daniel, ya que lo conoces desde que era un adolescente y con su personalidad tenía mucho potencial, pero voy a dejarlo y ya le daré otra oportunidad en otro momento.
June 2, 2018
4.5 stars
Second favorite in the series after book 1.
Second favorite in the series after book 1.
April 22, 2014
I loved the first four books of this series, the ones that focus on the original four Mackenzie brothers: Hart, Mac, Cameron, and Ian. Later books in the series focus on more distant relations (this one is about Cameron's oldest son, Daniel), and like Stephanie Laurens' Bar Cynster series, things are getting ridiculous.
The main problem with this book is that the plot tries to do way too much. Part of that is a function of the series: every time Ashley brings back a character we know from previous books, she writes a summary of their backstory to remind us about them. It would have been better to forego these reminders, because those of us who know the series mostly don't need our memories jogged, and those who pick up this book as a stand-alone don't need to know the backgrounds of minor characters in order to understand this plot, and so either way, it's distracting.
The other part of it is that the plot of this story is just too ambitious. Violet, the heroine, has a tortured past, and when Daniel learns her secret, he vows to avenge her. This means hunting down and revenging not one, but two men. This is a tall order, and one he doesn't actually get started on until the last 15% of the book. Meanwhile, Violet is nearly violated again by a third man, but luckily she doesn't even bother to tell Daniel about that, because if she had, surely he'd try to hunt him down, too. Also, Daniel seems to suffer cardiac arrest the way some of the women of the era suffered fainting spells, and though the story finds him twice on the very brink of death, the plot barrels along without dwelling either on his injuries or his recovery, as if restarting his heart were as easy as passing smelling salts under his nose. The plot is so inflated that conflicts arise and are left without resolution, simply because there isn't time to follow up all the loose ends. In addition to the unavenged near-rape of the heroine, there is a scene where Violet watches Daniel enter a carriage with a passel of courtesans (he has a chaste excuse, but Violet doesn't know that) and she is distraught at his faithlessness, but the next time she sees him, she doesn't give any indication that she knows or was hurt by his betrayal. Huh? I'd have thought Ashley just forgot about writing that scene, except that it does get mentioned again, in passing, near the end of the book.
Finally, I get frustrated by books where the tension between the main characters could be easily resolved if they'd just have a conversation. This is such a story. Daniel decides relatively early on that Violet is The One, but he doesn't tell her, so she reasonably assumes (given that he's an aristocratic heir to a fortune and she's a lower middle-class fortune teller) that their relationship is just a dalliance on his part. I found myself frustrated by the misunderstandings that ensued, until I thought, "He needs to tell her. It's not as if she's a mind-reader." -And then I thought (since she makes her living as a spiritualist) with a chuckle, "Well, actually, she kind of is." Oops.
The main problem with this book is that the plot tries to do way too much. Part of that is a function of the series: every time Ashley brings back a character we know from previous books, she writes a summary of their backstory to remind us about them. It would have been better to forego these reminders, because those of us who know the series mostly don't need our memories jogged, and those who pick up this book as a stand-alone don't need to know the backgrounds of minor characters in order to understand this plot, and so either way, it's distracting.
The other part of it is that the plot of this story is just too ambitious. Violet, the heroine, has a tortured past, and when Daniel learns her secret, he vows to avenge her. This means hunting down and revenging not one, but two men. This is a tall order, and one he doesn't actually get started on until the last 15% of the book. Meanwhile, Violet is nearly violated again by a third man, but luckily she doesn't even bother to tell Daniel about that, because if she had, surely he'd try to hunt him down, too. Also, Daniel seems to suffer cardiac arrest the way some of the women of the era suffered fainting spells, and though the story finds him twice on the very brink of death, the plot barrels along without dwelling either on his injuries or his recovery, as if restarting his heart were as easy as passing smelling salts under his nose. The plot is so inflated that conflicts arise and are left without resolution, simply because there isn't time to follow up all the loose ends. In addition to the unavenged near-rape of the heroine, there is a scene where Violet watches Daniel enter a carriage with a passel of courtesans (he has a chaste excuse, but Violet doesn't know that) and she is distraught at his faithlessness, but the next time she sees him, she doesn't give any indication that she knows or was hurt by his betrayal. Huh? I'd have thought Ashley just forgot about writing that scene, except that it does get mentioned again, in passing, near the end of the book.
Finally, I get frustrated by books where the tension between the main characters could be easily resolved if they'd just have a conversation. This is such a story. Daniel decides relatively early on that Violet is The One, but he doesn't tell her, so she reasonably assumes (given that he's an aristocratic heir to a fortune and she's a lower middle-class fortune teller) that their relationship is just a dalliance on his part. I found myself frustrated by the misunderstandings that ensued, until I thought, "He needs to tell her. It's not as if she's a mind-reader." -And then I thought (since she makes her living as a spiritualist) with a chuckle, "Well, actually, she kind of is." Oops.
August 17, 2018
Daniel is lovely but this book suffers from TMMF. TMMF is my very own acronym for Too Much Mackenzie Family and I can't believe I said that. I love all those hunky Mackenzie men. Matter of fact, if I could lose 10 pounds and 45 of my years and time-travel back to the 1800s, I'd be first in line to see if maybe one of them would choose ME instead of the lovely lady who actually got him to settle down. And I loved reading about all the family together in Mackenzie Family Christmas: The Perfect Gift (Highland Pleasures).
But here not so much. This story started out well and I was impressed by the characters and the plot. Daniel is a true jewel among young men. He's charismatic, caring, kind, handsome, very attractive to women, rich, a math whiz, and totally into inventing thing like hot air balloons and motorcars. He's 25 now and it's time for author Ashley to get him married off.
Enter heroine Violet. She's into inventing things too so we know she's perfect for him. Only problem is she's a bit of a flimflam artist, along with her mom. They're from the poor south side of London. Violet's been raised by her mother (no father around) and to survive they work as clairvoyants/mediums/fortune-tellers, going from place to place in England and Europe. Apparently Violet's mother maybe does have a bit of clairvoyance and that's where the idea sprang from.
Violet also has a traumatic incident in her past. At 16 she was betrayed by her mentor/father-figure Jacobi (another flimflammer) and was raped. (Not a spoiler really) So Violet, now about 28, is coping as well as she can, getting on with her life but unable to bear intimacy with a man without reacting in panic and fear.
The first half of this book has Daniel and Violet meeting and discovering things about each other and was a good read. Daniel, once he knows of Violet's PTSD, is patient and loving with her. So the romance is good.
It's the rest of the book that messed up the story for me. Ashley crammed as much "stuff" (I can't think of a better word) into this than I would have thought humanly possible. Balloon rides, seances, fortune telling, fisticuffs with bad guys, lots of sex scenes, a friend with syphilis, discussions about machines, motorcar building and test driving, looking for Jacobi, and more scenes with Mackenzie family members than I could ever have wanted or felt necessary. I think everybody except Louisa makes an appearance here.
I found myself skimming the last half of the book and was relieved when it came to an end. Although I appreciated the love story, I did not appreciate the whole story.
But here not so much. This story started out well and I was impressed by the characters and the plot. Daniel is a true jewel among young men. He's charismatic, caring, kind, handsome, very attractive to women, rich, a math whiz, and totally into inventing thing like hot air balloons and motorcars. He's 25 now and it's time for author Ashley to get him married off.
Enter heroine Violet. She's into inventing things too so we know she's perfect for him. Only problem is she's a bit of a flimflam artist, along with her mom. They're from the poor south side of London. Violet's been raised by her mother (no father around) and to survive they work as clairvoyants/mediums/fortune-tellers, going from place to place in England and Europe. Apparently Violet's mother maybe does have a bit of clairvoyance and that's where the idea sprang from.
Violet also has a traumatic incident in her past. At 16 she was betrayed by her mentor/father-figure Jacobi (another flimflammer) and was raped. (Not a spoiler really) So Violet, now about 28, is coping as well as she can, getting on with her life but unable to bear intimacy with a man without reacting in panic and fear.
The first half of this book has Daniel and Violet meeting and discovering things about each other and was a good read. Daniel, once he knows of Violet's PTSD, is patient and loving with her. So the romance is good.
It's the rest of the book that messed up the story for me. Ashley crammed as much "stuff" (I can't think of a better word) into this than I would have thought humanly possible. Balloon rides, seances, fortune telling, fisticuffs with bad guys, lots of sex scenes, a friend with syphilis, discussions about machines, motorcar building and test driving, looking for Jacobi, and more scenes with Mackenzie family members than I could ever have wanted or felt necessary. I think everybody except Louisa makes an appearance here.
I found myself skimming the last half of the book and was relieved when it came to an end. Although I appreciated the love story, I did not appreciate the whole story.
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