The Scot Who Loved Me audiobook

3.5/5 no review until HarperCollins bargains with their union.

3.5 rounded upYears ago, twice widowed Anne Neville was tasked with finding and bringing back the Jacobite’s missing gold. And finally, after years of collecting information and meticulous preparation, Anne and her merry band of accomplices are ready to set their plan in motion, they just need one more thing – the help of William MacDonald – Anne’s first and only love, who she hasn’t spoken to since the uprising 8 years ago. But to finish her mission and finally be able to return home to Scotland, Anne will do what has to be done and convince Will to help them, but first, she has to break him out of prison.Will MacDonald never stopped loving Anne, but insecurity and misassumptions tore them apart 8 years ago and their pride has kept them apart ever since. So when she shows up at the prison, his first reaction is to refuse to help, but his heart still wants her and he realizes he may never get another chance to win her back, so he agrees to at least meet with her partners and listen to their plan. But little does Anne know that Will has his own plan to woo her back into his life. The plan is revealed to Will and he is stunned – the gold was stolen and is currently in the possession of the last person he ever wanted to see again – Ancilla, the widowed Countess of Denton – the woman who hired him as her “personal footman” five years ago and kept him in her “employ” for a year before he finally gathered the remnants of his pride and left. He wants to refuse but knows if he does, he will lose Anne forever. Anne knows of his past with the Countess, which is why he was necessary to the plan, she does feel bad about making him return to what he considers his greatest shame and if she is honest with herself (which she usually is) she will admit that she is jealous, but she can’t let her feelings get in the way of the mission, because the Countess is a worthy foe and Anne would be a fool to let her guard down around the woman. She promises herself that once her mission is complete, she will examine her feelings and consider her options for the future – and hopefully it won’t be too late!This was a very interesting story, the plan to reclaim the gold was well done and was reminiscent of some great cinematic heists such as The Sting, The Italian Job, and Ocean’s 8 – but overall I felt that the story was a bit slow and the relationship between Anne and Will underdeveloped and stilted, it was clear they had a past and still loved each other, but Anne’s feelings and motivations regarding Will were kept from the reader for most of the book, in the end, everything that was kept from the reader was explained, but it was too little, too late for me to feel the connection. The book has some great secondary characters, a very mild love scene, secrets, surprises, a well-executed theft, and the promise of HEA. I did enjoy the story and am looking forward to future installments.*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own. *

I. Loved. This freaking story, y’all. I listened on audio and genuinely enjoyed Marian Hussey’s narration! I’m always wary going into audiobooks where there will be prominent accents, especially as distinctive as Scottish, but the narration was absolutely fabulous. As was the story. This was my first Gina Conkle, and I’m mad at myself for initially judging the book by its cover because while I love me a clinch, the hair on the male model on this cover was *not* working for me. I am big enough to say that I was a moron for letting such a small detail keep me from picking this up sooner, because it has given me so many moments of joy within the last week as I’ve been listening to it. Anne Fletcher is a completely competent, bad-ass woman who has a league of equally bad-ass women of varying ages and skills. They’ve tasked themselves with righting wrongs and returning stolen Scottish treasures back to the Highlands, where they belong. Their first mission is to steal back some Jacobite gold, and the book opens with this killer scene of Anne bribing her way into prison to rescue Will MacDonald, who she wants to rope into her scheme to steal the gold from under a countess’s nose. The thing? Anne and Will MacDonald have history. They met years prior, as younger versions of themselves, when he was to escort her to her betrothed…and then they went and fell in love on the way there. But 8 years, a rebellion, and life have separated Will and Anne. Anne, with her devotion to Scotland, is driven by duty to complete her mission and she needs Will’s help, even though this reunion brings back painful memories for both of them. There are secrets that need to be shared, and feelings that are still harbored, all in the middle of a plot to steal gold and return it to where it belongs without getting caught. I loved Anne’s motley crew of women in the league. I love a good girl gang and Conkle delivered with the league. I’m curious to see how many of the women in the league will be given HEAs…I know Cecilia is next and I adored her, but I’m wondering if we’ll also get love for Miss Mary Fletcher after some scenes in this book. Some things that really worked for me in this novel: both Will and Anne are painted as such multi-faceted characters. They both have autonomy, carry equal weight, and their partnership even on a professional scale is so great because they support one another in their endeavors. I liked that Will’s soft, sweet, romantic side is leaned into so heavily—it’s what we deserve. I love that it doesn’t take the entire novel for them to separately realize they are still in love with each other, even though neither is sure the other feels the same. Their second chance felt so deserved for me. I also was so envious of Conkle’s wordsmith abilities here—turns of phrase, descriptions that made me go, “Damn, I want to write like that!”I truly had no idea how things would go at any turn of the novel and it kept me on my toes. Every chapter ended and I wanted more. Even when the novel itself ended! Every day when I drove to work listening, I would sit in my car for a few extra minutes to finish the chapter I was listening to because I couldn’t bear to leave off in the middle of one. I genuinely, genuinely enjoyed this book. I’ve already used another credit to get A Scot Is Not Enough, Cecelia’s story, and I’ll be starting it immediately.

I really enjoyed this story! Will is a highlander beast for sure. 😉😍🥰He was in prison because he was wearing his kilt. He was surprised when Anne came to free him. She had left him many years ago. Now she needs his help finding and stealing a treasure. Will agrees to help her. Will they risk everything for love? If you want to know read this book. 📚

Will MacDonald was an enforcer for Clan MacDonaldranald but he was a Jacobite and his side could not fight against the English. So many men died during that battle. He was six foot and four inches, brown-blond hair, and all muscles and attitude. When she first met him he was twenty and that was eight years ago. They had loved deeply. He was angry and she was hurt. There were some things they would have to clear up, eventually. Just after Culloden, a large chest of gold arrived on the Scottish Coast. Then disappeared. Anne Fletcher, MacDonald, Neville, had discovered its whereabouts, she and the league were going to steal it back, then return it to Scotland and the people who needed it. Anne had long black hair, a beautiful and kissable mouth, and slender.It was a wonderful story of the scrapes the five women get into. They had to be focused in order to get away with it. The characters were funny and so sweet and tried to be helpful. I have always enjoyed Gina Conkle's books and recommend them to my friends. She writes an engaging tale, keeping it easy to read and entertaining. The things they have to go thru to try to accomplish their final vow for Scotland. I highly recommend this marvelous novel and found it very enjoyable.I received this ARC from Net Galley and voluntarily reviewed it.

This was a well plotted novel that is the first in a new series that takes place in 1753-after the second Jacobean rebellion. I found Gina Conkle's writing to be easily accessible and steadily paced. This is a novel that is much more plot driven and we are introduced to a large cast of characters (who I assume will continue to build out this series as it goes on). At the heart of this novel is the second chance romance between our hero and heroine who first fell in love when they were very young with ideals of supporting each other during the uprising.This novel starts off eight years after they have been apart and our heroine has been married and widowed two times over. Anne is resilient and smart, she has been on a mission to restore the Jacobean gold back to Scotland and she rescues our hero (Will) from prison in order to help with this task. Anne learns throughout this novel how to be strong and steadfast in her goals, how to move on from the past, and how to dream bigger for her future.Will is in some ways a gentle giant, and in others a fierce and strong individual who will fight for his country and the people he loves. Will learns to look past misunderstands and to discover the growth and independence that Anne has built of herself. Will comes to terms with wrongs he has committed and through the rediscovery of love he finds strength to overcome.The relationship between Will and Anne is a very soft undercurrent to the intriguing plot line that mainly drives the story. Action and conflict all stem from the goals and mission that are set into motion at the start of the novel, which then leads Will and Anne to learn each other and uncover the ways each of them has grown. I do love that their relationship is not bogged down by angst over the past, I love that they learn to discuss things with and open mind and I love that they reach understandings without harboring petty feelings from the past. This second chance relationship is very slow burn and blooms with maturity so it is a bit softer in feel and not driven fully by lust. There are very few sensual moments but I still was able to feel the re-arising of attraction between Will and Anne, and because their love is more mature, the foundation for their love to develop is very strong.I would highly recommend this novel if you love a plot driven historical romance that is the foundation and start of what looks to be an captivating series that focuses on the after maths of the second Jacobean rebellion. I am looking forward to seeing where this story develops.

Engrossing tale of second chance love between Will MacDonald and Anne Fletcher. Will is a wonderful man, proud Scotsman who fought in the rebellion, and heartbroken due to the betrayal/abandonment of his first love. Anne is a strong woman, doing what she must to survive, and leading a group of women in an act of retribution. When these two meet again, sparks fly, but the pain they have endured may be too much. Loved these characters and the side characters in this story, the writing style and the pace of this book. Highly recommend.

The Scot Who Loved Me is the first book in Gina Conkle's Scottish Treasures series. I have some of her prior books but haven't read them yet, so her work was new to me. The beautiful cover caught my eye. Gorgeous purple sky...pretty woman in a lovely gown...oh, who am I kidding? The hot guy in the kilt was front and center and totally captured my attention; I'm woman enough to admit it! It took a while for this story to draw me in, but I'm glad I stuck with it, as I ended up really enjoying it.Scotsman Will MacDonald sits in prison, where he's been since getting caught wearing his kilt in public. It's 1753, eight years since the Uprising, and that's now a punishable offense. He plans on leaving England as soon as he's released...that is, until a beautiful woman comes to the prison for him, promising to get him released and giving him gold in exchange for helping her and her league on their mission to steal back stolen Jacobite gold to return it to Scotland. As if that wasn't shocking enough, the woman just happens to be Anne Fletcher, his former love that left him in Scotland. There's bitterness there, as they both believe they were wronged by the other in that past event. But feelings still run deep, and Will swears he will do everything he can to help Anne and her friends and to keep them safe, even though they must part when their mission is accomplished.I did worry about this story for a bit, as it moved rather slowly for me. They were both very hurt by the past and each other, so it seemed like they didn't care for one another very much and it was a bit gloomy. However, as they discovered more of what had happened and reconnected, I began to get into it more. And then, as their heist plans began to come together and then took off, I was riveted. They knew they were still in love, but Anne planned to return the gold to Scotland, while Will wanted to see his father in Virginia and make amends with him. I despaired of them getting their HEA. Anne was a strong heroine, having dealt with so much after she parted from Will but not ever thinking of shirking her duty to return the gold. Will was all man, big and brawny and protective, yet he seemed to have a gentle soul. There was much attraction between the two, though there was only one intimate scene besides kissing. I really enjoyed the supporting characters, especially Will's dear Aunt Flora and his saucy cousin. Also, Ancilla, the widowed Countess of Denton, made a great villain. I'm looking forward to discovering which of the league's women stars in the next book.I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Gina Conkle’s “The Scot Who Loved Me: A Scottish Treasures Novel” is splendid tale! I love her Viking and Scottish stories.The mission, to steal the Treasure of Loch Arkaig from English hands and returning it to the Highlands where it belongs. No easy feat, but with the proud Scot, Will MacDonald sitting in prison, Anne Fletcher must first free the man who’s never forgiven her leaving him long ago. And so the adventure begins.The author weaves a well written, wonderfully clever tale with an intriguing well planned plot to steal the Jacobean treasure and return it to Scotland. In the midst of the story lies a beautiful love story, a second chance for our characters, a sassy heroine and a fierce and gentle Highlander determined to protect her.I enjoyed the characters growth as the story went along. The love story moved from past hurts to forgiveness, understanding and respect. Those old feelings between them are clearly visible in the attraction as strong as it ever was. The chemistry sizzles just beneath the surface. I enjoyed the intrigue and element of danger created in the plot. The author did a wonderful job with imagery and dialogue creating a time you become one with. The cover is lovely and the book is aptly named.With interesting characters, a fascinating plot, a beautiful love story and her amazing talent the author renders a fine story.Thank you so much Ms. Conkle for this fascinating adventure and love story!

The Scot Who Loved Me by Gina Conkle is a daring, bold, and dangerous story. A book of second chances. The characters share a past history. One that I got only a glimpse of and one that still runs deep in them both. The desire never left. Both have been loved and broken. Each one now has something they could lose. It was not just their hearts on the line but their lives. The English versus the Scots. A strong man who rebelled and lost, defied the English rules and wore his kilt, and the one who kept getting his fine butt locked up in a cell. Then there's the reckless, brave, and beautiful sass who dares to buy him. He is set free but he really escapes one hell and enters another one. Neither one got over the heartache they share in common. He hurt her and she ran off on him. Now, the pain simmers and boils. His love burns like hot coals. So does her love for him. It was funny and charming to follow them as they bantered. Oh, those banters were fun! Full of passion, wit, and sass. These two head strong protagonists were amazing. Their journey was deadly, dangerous, and secretive. Overall, I loved this historical romance novel. The dialogue, the accents, the culture and time period were done well. I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.

I thought this book had a strong plot, good writing and a array of intriguing secondary characters. I liked the premise behind this book and was excited to read it. For me personally, the end product just came up short for me. I never really connected with the characters and while I certainly felt bad for Will and fiercely believed he deserved so much better all the way around than what he actually got, I never felt fully invested. If I'm one hundred percent honest, I felt a strong dislike for Anne. She was very mean spirited and the type that had no problem using anyone to the point of being more than willing to throw even those she supposedly loved under the bus if it served her purpose at the time. In the end I'd call this a split decision for me. It was not a winner for me and I struggled to finish it but I would still give the next entry in this series a read in hopes that different lead characters made all the difference. This is my frank, freely posted review.

A new series from Gina (I have read and love Midnight Meetings, need more please) and the Viking series (yummy). I love a Scottish setting (okay this one is not really Scottish but it has Scottish people). I really enjoy the detail Gina puts into her books. I know very little about this time period but her writing makes you feel like you are right there with these characters. I felt it read really well and I read it pretty fast and I loved the aspect of the heist being planned, clever. One thing though, I sometimes had to read a line twice because I could not tell whose point of view it was from. Pssst…one more thing, I know Gina is not known for overly sexy books, but a little more would not have hurt. The story did flow well without it and that is just my opinion. I did laugh in several places with the innuendos and smart-talking. And just look at the cover, Will is gorgeous! Yeah, I kept going back to the cover over and over again. I received a complimentary copy from the author.