Oh, those Morgan Brothers. In Bad Boys Next Exit and Jingle Bell Rock, USA Today bestselling author Donna Kauffman’s bad boys, Austin and Jace Morgan, couldn’t seem to stop themselves from getting into the most delicious kinds of trouble. Now, it’s brother Tag Morgan’s turn. The brainy anthropologist is in for the biggest discovery of his life – and his greatest treasure – in a woman who blows the dust off his libido…and unearths his secret desires…
IF IT’S TUESDAY, THIS MUST BE SCOTLAND
All Tag Morgan wants to do is help settle his father’s estate so he can get back to properly cataloguing his Mayan ruins. So he’s caught quite off guard to discover that A) his father had holdings in Scotland, and B) the property now belongs to Tag. Leafing through his father’s correspondence with the property’s overseer, one Maura Sinclair, yields even more surprises. His father’s letters reveal a warmer, kinder man – nothing like the harsh, cold disciplinarian Tag remembers. Surely it has to do with Maura, whose writing is filled with a dry wit, and infectious charm that keeps Tag reading all night. By the time the sun rises, Tag knows he’s going to Scotland to find this woman who has so thoroughly captivated him.
Traveling alone through the Scottish highlands with an old car and an even older map, the man who dissects other cultures for a living is completely out of his element in this one. Eccentric locals. Bone-chilling weather. Lethal-strength ale. Scary sheep. It’s a lot to take in. More unsettling is Maura Sinclair, the woman with the sparkling blue eyes and the even sparkier temperament…a woman who’ll fight to keep the land for her tenants…and who ignites passions Tag didn’t even know he had. Once he gets a taste, Tag only wants more. And if he does, he’ll have to let go of the past and embrace the future with everything he’s got…especially his heart.
USA Today bestseller and award winning author of the Cupcake Club series and the Blueberry Cove series, DONNA KAUFFMAN has been gratified to see her books get rave reviews in venues ranging from Kirkus Reviews and Library Journal to Entertainment Weekly and Cosmopolitan. She lives in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains in southwestern Virginia, where she is happily working on the next book in her brand new Blue Hollow Falls series, set right in her mountain home area. When she's not writing, she can be found recapping the popular tv show NCIS for USA Today, or escaping into her garden to play in the dirt. Donna also works as a volunteer wildlife transporter for two local sanctuaries, giving orphaned and injured wildlife a second chance at survival. You can catch up on all of her adventures via her author page on Facebook, or on Twitter, or Instagram @writerchick. Donna loves to hear from readers! You can contact her through her website at www.donnakauffman.com.
Donna Kauffman passed away on April 9, 2020 of pancreatic cancer.
Donna Kauffman turned up the heat with Catch Me If You Can, hands-down the sexiest book of hers I have read. The Men of Rogue’s Hollow certainly know how to charm a woman out of her panties, whether trapped in a car in a snowstorm, or staying in a rambling old castle that holds more than a few secrets.
"You’re fun to play with…"
Tag Morgan was hoping to sort out his dying father’s estate and get back to his life, unbeknownst to him his father has been secretly funnelling cash to a falling down castle estate in Ballantrae, Scotland. The letters that Maura Sinclair, the overseer of the estate has sent his father over the last couple of years leave him all sorts of intrigued, enough so that he jumps on a plane to see how things are for himself.
"Would ye claim me already..."
This story gets the sexy going pretty much from the time these two join each other on the page and it doesn’t really let up until the end. I love Donna’s books generally but releases from latter years have a more polished feel to them in relation to the sexy times, whereas Catch Me If You Can was down, dirty, raw and descriptive, made me want to go back and discover more of the authors works from the early 2000’s to see if they follow suit.
"We have things to work out, you and I… And there’ll be emotions involved and it’ll get messy."
I have everything crossed that the publisher has plans to re-release the other three novellas in this series, whether it be as single titles or a box-set, I’d be all over it like chocolate on a profiterole if they do, as I am dying to get more intimately acquainted with the rest of the Morgan brothers.
ARC generously provided by the author, via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.
Tag Morgan inherited his father's legacy (not that he wants it) and learns that his father heavily invested in the Morgan heritage...a castle in Ballantrae run by Maura Sinclair. After reading Maura's letters to his father, Tag is intrigued by the personality that comes through and decides to head off to Scotland to meet her and wrap up this part of his father's estate. Maura is having an awful day - her investor died 3 months earlier and she doesn't have any money for upkeep on the castle and she caught her boyfriend and best friend going at it in HER bed. To make matters worse, she blows out a tire in the middle of a snowstorm. Fortunately, a nice young man comes along to help her. Next thing you know, they've had an incredible night together and Maura reluctantly leaves him behind. So isn't she surprised when that very man shows up on her doorstep claiming to be Tag Morgan - son of her investor. At first there is some confusion about motivations, who knew about who and what the investment contract really was about. But that's all settled up pretty quickly and the two get on with shagging all over the castle. And with feelings settling in and Tag having no plans to stay, Maura is afraid she's in for a broken heart.
Decent story if you enjoy the sex scenes. The meetcute is pretty great here as they get down and dirty pretty quick and establish a pretty solid connection from the get go. It wasn't hard to believe that both of them had doubts about going their separate ways...but you know, would that ruin the fantasy? Very enjoyable and believable start to this story and establishing of attraction and the beginnings of feelings. But outside of all that sex, there isn't a whole lot going on in this story. There isn't really any angst, aside from that initial misunderstanding, which is resolved quite quickly. Then there's some worry about whether Tag will stick around, but that doesn't take up much either. There isn't much in the way of obstacle for these two, which is probably why it felt like sex scene after sex scene (which were still undoubtedly sexy, just a bit much).
I was also left with quite a few questions regarding Tag's father. Obviously he was a bastard who started changing the closer he got to death, but I never fully understood what he'd been doing with investing in the castle. And none of the characters had any firm answers either, just supposition. So did he really change? Or was he actually engaging in some sort of sabotage? And why did Tag seem to think he'd bought the castle instead of just investing in it? While I'm at it, was there some sort of return on that investment or is it just basically paying for repairs with no return on that investment? Didn't understand all of that actually. Hoping the 4th book wraps it up maybe.
Finally - and this is totally just down to me and my preferences so probably it won't affect your reading experience at all, but the best friend, Priss... yeah, I wasn't happy with how that worked out. Priss is Maura's best friend in the whole world and Maura has been dating Jory, believing herself to be in love or at least have a future with him. She strolls in to her bedroom to find Jory pounding Priss into the mattress. Maura is righteously pissed for the first part of the book. And she absolutely should be. No "friend" does that to someone. That is betrayal of the absolute worst. Priss comes back later to apologize and express her remorse...which felt like bullshit to me because she doesn't actually regret her actions (only the hurt to Maura) and instead of sitting around feeling guilty and awful, Priss has spent the past week in a sexual marathon with Jory. Now when Priss explains how she loves Jory and says she doesn't want their actions to affect hers and Maura's friendship, does Maura rebuff her? Does she talk about how her trust in her best friend is completely shattered? Does she wonder how her best friend could betray her so easily? No. She says, "I don't want it to either." and then they move on to complete and total forgiveness...as though it never happened. That actually pissed me off. A happy medium could have been found with perhaps a tentative invitation back into her life with a disclaimer that she's not sure she can ever trust Priss again, but maybe they can build on this shaky foundation again...but that their friendship will never be the same. I just can't get behind complete forgiveness of that betrayal. And I can't believe after 350 pages, THAT is what has mostly stuck with me from this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
03/25/13: This review is for all 4 stories that make up Donna Kauffman's Men of Rogues Hollow ... ALL FANTASTIC. I loved reading about all four brothers finding their happily ever after. If I had to rate the stories from best forward, I would put Austin as my favorite then Tag, third comes Burke and last is Jace BUT all 4 stories were 5 stars in their own way.....
This book was a re-read for me; and I am glad to find that I rate it as highly now as I did several years ago. What actually baffles me, however, is why I found myself reading this again instead of making a dent in my HUGE TBR list!!! I was just feeling the need to read a sweet, cute and semi-mindless book that wasn't SILLY like the will-not-be-named-here Holiday-themed book I had just attempted to get into. This book did not have anything to do with the Christmas holidays but it did take place in Scotland in a blizzard. I live in Texas where a blizzard is a Dairy Queen treat but it was SNOWING in CMIYC so that will have to do unless I get some good referrals from ya'll on seasonal books . . .
For those who may want to read this book, please know that it is NOT actually a mindless read. There are 3 brothers who were so indelibly damaged by their overbearing and abusive father that they left home as soon as legally able and never returned until after his death. The oldest, Tag, is looking thru estate documents that his father's advisor gives him and finds that his father - who had hated his family's sordid past as thieves and scoundrels in Scotland and had done everything in his power to cancel out that heritage by becoming a judge and beating the "bad" out of his boys - has invested in a castle in Ballentrae, Scotland which has been home to his ancestors for centuries! He also finds 3 yrs worth of letters from Maura Sinclair who currently lives in Castle Ballentrae and who has been trying to keep the old pile from falling down on her head. What amazes him, really, though, is that Maura seems to know a different man than he did so Tag, an anthropologist specializing in Mayan digs, decides to go see just what is going on with this Maura . . .
I can't tell you about their first meeting but rest assured, it is about one of the best such scenes I've ever read! What happens afterwards is an emotional journey for Tag, an awakening for Maura, with subsequent character growth that appeals mixed in with some good old fashion ... heat.
Warm and wonderful with characters I adored and a story I could not put down this story made me feel good and put a smile on my face at the end then again today as I think about Tag and Maura again.
~ Sigh ~
Taggart – Tag – TJ is the oldest Morgan brother and third of four to find the woman he is meant to be with. I had no idea that there were other stories about the brothers or that there was a place called Rogue’s Hollow filled with, it would seem, men with stories already told. In fact, it would seem this book was written years ago and I am thrilled to have finally found it! His other brothers star in their own books and I do hope to run across them at some point in the future.
When I began reading this book I thought it might be a historical romance (had forgotten there was a truck on the cover) and suddenly realized that airplanes did not fit into a historical romance. Taggart and his brothers had a wicked mean father who made their lives a living hell and he continued to reach out from the grave to stir Tag up in the first chapter of this book. In fact, so stirred up was he that he was on a plane to Scotland soon in the story. Why? There were letters from a woman that he read and they drew him...pulled him...and he didn’t know why.
Before reaching the letter writing woman he had a car accident in the snow and all I am going to say about that is that it was steamy and wonderful and a fantasy I enjoyed escaping into. And then...off he went to meet the letter writing lady and in for a surprise he truly was.
I can just imagine Maura’s face when she opened her door to Taggart...what with expecting a happy greeting and not quite getting it. And yet...Tag & Maura seem destined to be together no matter what happens or what is said.
Anyway…
What I liked: * The story from beginning to end * Taggart – oh my – what a wondrous book boyfriend he is...swoon or bed worthy for sure! Smart, caring, tender, intelligent, knows his way around this and that...hmm… * Maura – I would love to be a woman like her with her deep love for home and friends and open giving spirit – and her ability to be just the person that Tag was meant for. * The dialogue and interactions between Tag and Maura * The castle...what place it must be * The way I was introduced to Maura – though it was definitely a bad moment for her to stumble into in that castle of hers * The friendship between Maura and Priss that withstood a lot * Did I say...everything? Well, almost everything...
What I did not like: * Taggart’s father… and if you read this book you will not like him either!
Did I enjoy this book? Definitely Would I read more in this series/by this author? Without a doubt!
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington – Zebra for the ARC – This is my honest review.
I received an Arc of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. Catch Me If You Can by Donna Kaufman is the third story in the Men of Rogue Hollow Series. It is a reissue of a book originally published in 2004 but it does not feel dated and can be read as a standalone Tag Morgan an anthropologist has returned home to Rogues Hollow to settle his estranged father’s estate. While there he discovers that his father had purchased an ancestral castle in Scotland and was funding renovations on the castle. While looking over the documentation pertaining to the castle he discovers a series of letters between his father and the person he presumes to be it’s caretaker and finds himself fascinated by the letter writer. Maura Sinclair. Maura Sinclair is having a very bad day first she catches her boyfriend in her bed with her best friend, then she’s turned down for the loan she needs to keep Castle Ballentrae going and now her truck is stuck in the snow with a blown tire. Trying to get cell service on the mountain road has proved impossible and when she returns to her truck she meets a stranger who’s car skidded into a snowbank trying to avoid her truck in its precarious position half on and half off the road. Tag Morgan is the stranger and the attraction between these two is hot enough to melt quite a bit of snow. They are rescued by a passing truck driver and stay overnight in a boarding house with only one bed. Super-Steamy this story is definitely one that will warm you up on a cold night. Publishing Date December 31 #KensingtonBooks #DonnaKauffman #NetGalley #ScottishRomance #bookstagram #contemporaryromance
Catch Me If You Can is another wonderful story by Donna Kauffman. Taggert Morgan Jr. had a rough childhood. He is the eldest of four boys who lost their mother when Tag was 8. They were then raised by a bitter, abusive father and all left home never to return when they were old enough . Now Taggert Sr. has passed and Tag is the executor. Most things are straight forward with the will with the exception of the investment in a Scottish castle where their ancestors had lived hundreds of years ago. This was so unlike their father who had done everything to get above their scoundrel heritage.
Maura Sinclair is the lady of the castle. When she was left with the legacy of carrying on the castle, it’s lands, and the people who depend upon it for their livelihood she was just 25. As a freelance writer, her income isn’t anywhere near what the castle needs for upkeep and repairs. Thinking outside the box, Maura had contacted Morgan Sr. a few years ago and he had decided that perhaps the heritage of the homeland was worth restoring and had invested with monthly infusions of cash. With his death, Maura doesn’t know how to proceed without this cash flow.
When a chance meeting on a stormy night turns Maura’s life on end and the same event does as much to Tag, a beautiful story of history, redemption, and destiny ensues. I very much enjoyed this book and do recommend it.
Tag and Maura meet as two strangers during a snowstorm in Scotland and they can't deny the mutual attraction. Tag is in Scotland to settle his estranged father's estate that was left to him, not knowing that Maura is the lady that his father talks about in his letters. Maura will do anything to save the land for her people. Even with their differences they still can't deny the chemistry that they share.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book rich full of emotions, humor, banter and great sexual chemistry between Tag and Maura. My favorite line was, "One Night does not a lifetime of happiness make.", but they sure make it happen. This is a reprint. I highly recommend. ,
This is a sequel in the Men of Rogue’s Hollow series but it can be read without reading the prior books.
Tag is the eldest son and back in Rogues Hollow dealing with his estranged father’s estate when he would rather be off playing Indiana Jones and uncovering buries Mayan secrets. As he is ready to close things out, he finds a deathbed dare from his father tied to a collection of letters from Scotland that he can’t quite resist.
He sets off with the intention of seeing what property is owned and making a decision on what to do with it. In reality, he is haunted by the author of the letters. He goes off the road on the way to find her and instead ends up entangled with a woman he can’t resist.
Meanwhile, Maura is running out of money to support the family estate and then walks in on her boyfriend and best friend in a compromising situation. In Maura’s bed. She needs Taggert Morgan’s sons to honor the funding arrangement she had with him and soon. Should she call him or is that crass?
The story on how these two find each other and find each other again is an entertaining read. There were times I couldn’t put it down (even though I really needed to!). I love Ms. Kaufman’s writing and this book does not disappoint. I am glad is part of a series so I will be able to read more about the family.
I am thankful for the electronic copy of this book I received from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.
Tag Morgan is a man on a mission to find out about a property he and his brother's inherited in Scotland. What he encounters much to his surprise is a castle that is on it's last legs and the keeper of the castle was a one night stand in a snowstorm. Maura Sinclair is not going to give up the land her people have had for hundreds of years and she will fight for the tenants living on this land. From the start Tag and Maura have an instant highly charged connection filled with passion and excitement but when they are both fighting at odds with the land, can they come together as one. I loved this book by Donna Kauffman and it was a re-read for me. I was into the first couple of chapters before I realized I had read it before... But it was worth the re-read..
Taggart “TJ/Tag” Morgan isn’t happy with what his recently deceased father’s will. Maura Ramsey is trying to save the family castle. An impromptu trip to Scotland and a winter snowstorm, bring them together unexpectedly. An instant attraction and one-night stand lead to an unforgettable night. He’s determined to play Catch Me If You Can hopefully find her. Taggart Morgan isn’t happy to be back in Rogues Hollow especially when the memories begin coming back of his childhood. He’s surprised by his recently deceased father’s will and the land that know one knows about in Scotland. He puts going back to the dig he’s been working on to take a trip to check it out and try to figure out what to do. Reading the estate managers letters to his father has TJ intrigued by her even before they meet. Maura Ramsey is trying to get funds for the family castle. When she comes home to find her best friend and boyfriend in her bed, she takes off early to talk with a banker. Tag and Maura are stranded together when a snowstorm has them both in a snowdrift. The instant attraction has Maura acting out of character. Tag hasn’t had feelings like this ever but knows it can’t go anywhere because of his job on the other side of the world. They agree on not exchanging names or pertinent information. They take refuge in Tag’s car and start getting very physical in the tight space. They are in the middle of having the best sex that either of them has ever experienced only to be interrupted by a good Samaritan, who offers to take them to the nearest town for the night. They spend a very passionate night together and Maura leaves paying for the room before Tag even wakes up. She leaves to go home only to wish that they’d exchanged information. Tag is having the same feelings and decides to play Catch Me If You Can so that he can find the woman and keep the relationship going until he heads back to the dig sight. When a vehicle comes up the drive Maura wonders who is coming to the castle. She’s just decided to contact the heirs of Taggart Morgan Sr. She’s very excited to see the man she spent the night with and that he tracked her down, only to be hurt when he doesn’t react as excited as she is. Tag isn’t pleased to realize that the mystery woman and Maura are the same. A disagreement happens when they realize who the other one is and the connection between them. They decide to investigate the claim that his father owns the property. Maura goes to get her documents and comes back to find Tag missing. He goes looking for a bathroom and he calms down to realize that his feelings are stronger, and the attraction can’t be denied, instead of looking into the documentation they begin the physical relationship again. The more Tag thinks about everything the more he believes Maura’s claim. They spend more time together getting to know each other. Maura gets Tag interested in the history of their ancestors. The more time Tag spends with Maura the more he doesn’t want to leave and gets to involve his family history. Maura gets a visit from her best friend to ask for forgiveness. Tag comes in at the end of the conversation wanting to know what they’re talking about and Maura reveals the recent past and her recent break up. Tag makes sure that Maura knows his intentions when it comes to her home. He shares his find with Maura, and they go check out his find and make plans to help renovate the castle and bring commerce to the nearby town connected to the castle. Donna Kauffman’s story of finding something that you never knew you needed and haven’t felt before. A man faces his past with the help of the love of a woman, A woman trying to save the only home she’s ever knows uses her family’s past to help her the legacy. A chance to find love and happiness along with forgiving the past will take them on an emotional journey to happily ever after. The third book in Donna Kauffman’s Men of Rogues Hollow will have you cheering for their happily ever after when they play Catch Me If You Can.
I am not sure why, but I feel like I have read this book before or at least one incredibly similar. It was okay, but maybe because I was stuck trying to figure out why it seemed so familiar that I couldn’t really get into it. I did not connect with the main female character. Tag and his brothers were raised by a horribly abusive heinous father who had he not been a judge would have been arrested on child abuse and endangerment charges. Each of men escaped the family home the moment they could with only the clothes on their backs and the terrible memories of all the abuse he reigned upon them. Upon the awful mans death the brothers are all called home to settle his estate. Tag, the oldest learns of a secret his father was keeping in Scotland. He was providing funding to a castle that was a part of their collective family history, possibly the only thing that mattered to the mean old b##$#. Tag travels to Scotland to figure out what was what. Maura Sinclair was doing all that she could to keep the castle from falling into terrible disrepair with what little finances she had. What she does have is a cheating jerk of a boyfriend who she catches in bed with her best girlfriend, a never ending list of things in need of repair, almost no income and a despicable best friend who she should never ever forgive if she wants to ever develop some self respect and yet she does. I wanted to like her, but am a little tired of reading about women who are victims and constantly willing to take crap from everyone in their lives. She was trying to keep up her family legacy in tact the best way she could in lieu of the many obstacles in her way and yet I just couldn’t connect with her that much. Her initial reaction to Tags truth about his father, her forgiveness offered to Priss and so many other things about her just didn’t ring true to me. And Priss, the friend…ugh. She had the nerve to do what she did and then threaten Tag? Seriously her character was a joke and just annoying. There is of course a sweet HEA, but by the end I just did not care all that much. It was surprising in that I have read almost all of the authors work and have enjoyed them all. This one just did not do it for me.
Good book. Tag Morgan is an anthropologist who studies Mayan ruins, as far from his abusive father and life in Rogues Hollow as he could get. As the oldest of four brothers, it falls to Tag to settle his father's estate when the man dies. He is surprised to discover that his father owned property in Scotland and puzzled over the letters his father exchanged with the castle's caretaker, Maura Sinclair. Fascinated by the wit and charm of the letters and unexpectedly drawn to the writer, Tag heads for Scotland. He doesn't expect to wreck his car in a blizzard on the way to the property.
Maura is the last of her line of Sinclairs. The care and keeping of the castle and its people have fallen on her shoulders. Desperate to keep the property from crumbling into ruin, she reached out to Tag's father as an investor. With his death, the monthly payments have stopped. In the culmination of a horrible day that started with finding her boyfriend in bed with her best friend and continued with the denial of a loan she needed for the property, Maura found herself stranded in a blizzard.
I loved the first meeting between Maura and Tag. The chemistry was incendiary, and the connection was immediate. I enjoyed their innuendo-filled banter as the sparks between them grew hotter. After a steamy night together, Tag is stunned to discover that Maura is the woman behind the letters. After some initial misunderstandings are resolved, Tag and Maura realize that there is more between them than just physical attraction. I liked seeing how Maura's love of the land and her history rubbed off on Tag. She had a big part in helping him get past the resentment of his father that kept him from embracing his own interest in his ancestry. At the same time, Tag's attention showed Maura that she'd been settling for less than she deserved in her previous romantic relationships. The question became one of whether Tag's issues with his father would send him back to the Mayans. I liked seeing the changes in Tag as the Morgan/Sinclair/Ramsey history burrowed into his heart and mind. I loved his solution of the way to combine his passion with Maura's, making it possible for them to have the future they both wanted.
To say Tag Morgan had a bad relationship with his father is an understatement. Once Tag turned 18 and graduated from high school he left home and never looked back. He eventually became the anthropologist he wanted to be and enjoyed his life far from Rogue Hollow. Tag still stayed in contact with his brothers, just not his father. He didn't care for his father's tough love approach to life.
Now that Tag's father has passed away, Tag being the oldest, is the one in charge of settling his father's estate. Going into this process with not wanting anything of his father's he is surprised to learn that his father had owned property in Scotland and it now belongs to Tag. He was even more surprised to learn that his father had been sending money each month to help take care of the property he owned. Tag's father did everything in his power to denounce their Scottish heritage....why would his father now want a piece of it? As Tag reads through the letters his father received from Maura Ramsey regarding the Scot property, he is drawn to fly to Scotland to research this find and maybe just Maura herself.
Of course all well laid out plans never go as you expect and Tag meets Maura in a rather interesting way and there is instant chemistry. As these two spend more time together, there is some force greater than both of them that is pulling them together. After some really deep soul searching these two are able to find their unexpected happy ending.
I just adored these two characters. They both were stubborn in their own ways but the characters worked. I really enjoyed the journey they went on, especially Tag to get to their happy ending. Overall this was a wonderful story that I really recommend.
Tag and Maura’s story in Catch Me if You Can by Donna Kauffman, book 3 in her Men of Rogue’s Hollow series is a wonderful and emotional story of two people who truly care about history; especially their own. After the death of his estranged and abusive father and as the eldest, Tag Morgan was tasked with settling his father’s estate. Tag wants to return to work cataloguing his Mayan ruins when he discovers that his father had holdings in Scotland that now belong to him. Interest piqued after reading his father’s correspondence with the property’s overseer, Maura Sinclair, Tag is off, traveling to Scotland to find this woman who captivated him through her letters. Maura Sinclair is a passionate Scot who refuses to give up fighting to keep her land; for its history and for her tenants. Traveling through the Scottish highlands with an old car and an even older map, Tag encounters a broken down car and a traveler; not realizing that this woman is Maura. These two end up hitting it off and having a one-off. They are so attracted to one another; they can’t seem to keep their hands off each other. As they spend time together, Maura’s enthusiasm starts to rub off on Tag and he realizes that there’s a need to alter his plans in order to have a future together.
Ms. Kauffman, a talented story teller, wrote a joyful, funny, emotional, and heartwarming tale that is not to be missed. She provided a tale rich with sexual chemistry, amusing banter, and amazing characters giving Tag and Maura a chance for happiness, love and a future together. I highly recommend Catch Me if You Can to other readers.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
I can’t believe how much I missed the Morgan brothers. Tag Morgan is the strong, silent type…mostly…but he and his brothers have been through much in their lives. No spoilers but Tag ends up in Scotland and meets Maura Sinclair. Ach, that Maura! Probably the best way to describe these two is that they are good people, but both of them are struggling with pasts that are hanging over their futures.
Tag is an archeologist usually exploring civilizations in deserts. Being in Scotland, he’s a mite bit out of his comfort zone, to put it mildly. Maura was born and raised in Scotland, in an old, crumbling castle and surrounding keeps. How they come together is a very sexy story that will have you fanning yourself. I loved Maura’s strength, especially when she is dealing with her very recent past (read the story; I can’t do it justice). She is sometimes unsure of herself but she seems to be a ‘fake it til you make it’ kinda gal. Loved her! And Tag. Wow, did I feel for him. Along with his brothers, he had a childhood that no one should have had to endure. Loved him, too!
Catch Me If You Can is a re-read for me as I bought it when it first came out but I do so love the Morgans. And Maura, and the Scottish crew, are endearing – and frustrating! – and make this story enjoyable. And it is sexy, no doubt about it. I recommend reading and re-reading.
Tag Morgan, as the oldest of four sons, has just received his inheritance. He is rather reluctant to be the executor, as his father was extremely abusive to all the sons as they were growing up, but does so out of a sense of duty. While searching through his father’s papers he is stunned to find that his father has purchased old family property in Scotland, and has been corresponding with the woman, Maura, who lives and runs the castle. He is intrigued by the relationship that his father has built with Maura enough to go over and inspect the property.
I was surprised to find out that this is not a new novel by the author but instead it is being released by a new publisher. While reading the book it became apparent that the other brothers had established stories already but despite that I had not read the other books in the series, it felt okay as a standalone. The story started off really strong and I liked that each of the brothers had found successful careers and loving partners despite their horrible childhoods. I did find myself wishing for more dialogue and interaction between the characters. The story is told mostly in the form of inner dialogue in the main character’s head so much so that I found myself skimming pages and skipping ahead. There were plenty of steamy moments in the book but I was looking for more passion from the characters.
This had the potential to be a great story. Tag, an anthropologist, has returned to his estranged father's home after his father's death and learns that he had inherited not only the family holdings but also a new property his father had purchased in Scotland -- the old ancestral castle. Out of curiosity, he decides to extend his leave before he returns to the dig he is working on in the Amazon, and go take a look at the property in Scotland. In Scotland, Tag meets Maura, the caretaker and last descendant of the clan that has had the castle in their family for hundreds of years. Tag and Maura hit it off immediately and both their plans for the future are rocked.
I would have really enjoyed this story if the author had stuck to the story and followed it to its logical (or even surprising) ending. However I would hazard a guess that less than 25% of this book is the story as described above, and the rest is a long drawn out, too much information, version of their libidos and all the tiny details of that process. It was disappointing because I had to skip multiple pages each time to get to the continuation of the actual story.
I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this books which I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
This was a fun read! It had all the steamy parts with a good storyline along the way.
Tag Morgan is given a surprise when his father passes. Or more like a mystery. A castle in Scotland, his father has been feeding it money but it has been kept very secretive. And then Tag finds the letters between his father and a Maura Sinclair. She is the house manager of the castle so to speak. And from the tone of the letters, Tag has to meet the woman who made his father seem normal. As he travels to this castle in a snowstorm no less, he ends up in a ditch on the side of the road. And there he meets a mysterious woman he has an instant connection with. And it is rather fun to flirt with her, but it would even be better to get busy in the backseat. What happens is a night either of them will never forget, until the next morning when Tag arrives at the castle to find his bedmate answering the door.
What ensues is Tag understanding why his father was attached to this castle and Tag ends up finding his archeological haven on the grounds.
This book has all the passionate sexy scenes. And even though they jump in fast with each other, you don’t care. You just want them together.
I read Catch Me If You Can by Donna Kauffman the first time many years ago when I had just discovered this author in the paperback section of the local bookstore. I enjoyed it the second time as much as the first even with a bit of vintage feel to it. It is true a good story will always remain a good one to read. This one certainly was so I am glad to find it in e-book format now.
True romance book as Tag Morgan works through his feelings towards his late father but finds other feeling growing too. While Maura Ramsey never planned to become Tag’s love interest, it is inevitable for them both even though the Scottish property in question threatens to break them as much as bind them together.
Ms. Kauffman has grown into a writer whose current work is even more emotional deeper while this is simply a fun, fun satisfying read. Need a smile at the end of a long day then this is the story for you. Recommend for those who need a vacation. Easy to take one to the Scottish Highlands in Catch Me If You Can by Donna Kauffman.
An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed Catch Me if You Can , which is the third book in the Men of Rogue's Hollow series.
This book reads perfect as a stand alone as I had not read the previous two books. This book is a re-release with a new cover. I hadn't read it when it was published years ago, so this was a new book for one of my favorite authors, the talented Donna Kauffman.
This story follows Tag Morgan, the oldest of the Morgan brothers, none of whom were close to their father and left home as soon as possible. Tag was in charge of handling the estate and the author writes with such rawness regarding the abuse he and his brothers suffered that Tag was a very relatable character for me.
Tag's management of the estate takes him to Scotland to investigate an investment letter where he meets Maura Sinclair, his love interest.
This novel was so well written with complex, complicated well fleshed out characters and a wonderful well evolved story line. There are some steamy sex scenes in there. This all makes for a great romance.
I am definitely going back to read the first two books in the series!!!
In order for exchange of an honest review, I received an ARC of the re-release of Catch Me if You can by Donna Kauffman. This author is excellent in developing her characters and drawing you in to their lives - and big brawny handsome men are always fun to find the details that make it entertaining. Tag Morgan has come home to join his brothers in the reading of their father's will. #1 he had no idea that his father had property in Scotland that his forefathers had left when they relocated in Rouge's Hollow in Blue Ridge Mountains USA three hundred years ago. . #2 he had never heard of Maura Sinclair, but the letters she had written to his father started his journey to find this different view and side of his father that he never knew existed. Tag is an anthropologist and did not follow his father's plan. Maura Sinclair had a really bad day. Between her best friend and her boyfriend, she was on the road in a snowstorm. And the perfect way to bring these two together while not knowing they were destined to meet because of Tag's father. Great story, keeps you interested to the last word.
The Morgan brothers weren't close to their father. All four left home as soon as they could. Tag, the oldest was told to go. All were the victims of their father's abuse, and had nothing more to do with him after they left. Tag as the oldest was left to handle the estate. Ms. Kauffman takes us through Tag and Jace's memories and the pair's confusion about the way their father was. Tag was dumbstruck when it appears he was left investment papers, letters from a caretaker in Scotland and a letter from his father seeming to taunt him about his chosen profession, anthropology. After much consideration , he decides to go to Scotland to investigate the investment and the letter writer, Maura Sinclair. Neither of them were prepared for the red hot attraction, and had a series of misunderstandings to iron out before admitting that they were always meant to be. Ms. Kaufman weaves a tale that evokes a myriad of emotions with plenty of humor and steamy scenes. I requested and received a NetGalley ARC to peruse and loved every page.
Tag Morgan is the oldest of four boys whose emotionally and physically abusive father has just died. He discovers that his father has been sending money to a woman in Scotland and it has something to do with the Morgan family history, the one his father tried to beat out of he and his brothers. But something about the letters the woman caring for the castle, Maura Sinclair, sent to his father draws Tag to Scotland. In a wild snowstorm, he meets a woman who takes his breath away but she leaves without him learning her name. He is shocked to find her again at the Sinclair castle; she is, of course, the woman who has so intrigued him. The whole time I was reading this book, I was really trying not to judge Maura for stepping out of one man's bed into another. The ex was a complete scumbag anyway and she had just had a near death experience as well as dealing with the crushing responsibilities of being the laird of a clan that had little interest in staying put. And I think what kept confusing me the most was that this seemed so out of line with the Kauffman books that I had been reading recently. Finally, I figured out that this was a reissue from 2003 and it explained So Much. If you have only read recent books by this author, please note that her style has changed a bit. Other than that, the relationship development is a bit thin (a lot of heat with some off-page talks but nothing that let us see why they would stay together) but it is a perfectly fun read.
Wow! Classic Donna Kauffman at its sexiest. I remember reading this book years ago and now that it's being rereleased with a cute new cover I had to reread it again and I forgot how incredibly hot this story was. Talk about some insta-chemistry. Tag and Maura have red hot chemistry that is bound to burn up your ereader. But besides all the hotness between them there was some strong emotional aspects to the story too. Tag's backstory, for instance was so heartbreaking. I just wanted to hug him so hard. His growth and self reflection throughout the story was really wonderful to read. And Maura. Her story wasn't so sad but something did happen to her that made her throw caution to the wind and just go for it with Tag at first. But as they got to know one another and feelings developed it turned out to be a very sigh worthy and heart warming story. Definitely a very hot romance that will warm up your winter nights too.
This is a reprint of an earlier Donna Kauffman book from 2004. I have been reading Donna Kauffman’s books for more than five years. I love her style of writing. However, when reading this book I can see that it was part of her earlier endeavors. Her writing is so much better all these years later.
I really liked the characters in this story as well as the story line. While this is a third in a series about the men of Rogues Hollow you can definitely read this as a stand alone. This is a typical chick lit book, entertaining and doesn't make you think too hard. It had emotions, humor, good wit, some intense moments, steamy scenes, and some page-turning dialog. This is a cuddle-up, rainy-day kinda read and something good for passing time. I wouldn't mind reading more in this series and see how the other brothers met their matches and their stories.
I would like to thank the publisher, Donna Kauffman and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a reprint from 2005 that I had never read. And I will be honest and say having read most of Donna Kauffman’s books and especially the newer ones and I can see how she has grown as an author. But that being said it was still a great book.
I loved some of the scenes that are in the book, especially the first meeting of Tag and Maura. The story is sweet and humorous. It is a light read but enjoyable.
I love that this story was set in Scotland in a castle the boys father bought years ago and now Tag is responsible for. And he meets Maura who has been caring for the castle for years. And the romance begins.
Such a great story to sit back and enjoy. It isn’t a mindless read but it is a simple read.
I will have to go back and see if I missed this whole series and pick them up.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.