| Title | : | Storm the Castle (Marry the Scot, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 302 |
| Publication | : | First published March 2, 2019 |
Mathilda:
A Highlander walks into a bar...
My father's conference, to be exact. The Scot is huge, overbearing, and his gaze sets me on fire. He wants to take me home to see his mighty tower.
I'm tempted. I really am.
Except I just had a proposal from someone else. One that could give me everything I wanted.
Apart from love.
But when did I ever have a need for that?
Callum:
I know what I want when I see it, and I'd move mountains for the lass with a whip-smart mind and killer legs.
But I came here to reclaim a debt. The man who screwed me over put my castle on the line. My ancestral home where I raised three brothers. I cannae let that lie.
If it means storming his party, then so be it.
Storm the Castle is the first in a major new contemporary romance series. Set in the gorgeous Scottish Highlands, this story of big love brings Highlander romance into the modern day.
Storm the Castle (Marry the Scot, #1) Reviews
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OH. MY. GOD. I need to say! Now, THIS guy is HOOOT !!!! And do you know why?
Because he has HONOR.
Because he KNOWS WHAT HE WANTS. Because he PROTECTS his friends and embraces them all as if they were one of his.
Because he LOVES and takes care his family and brothers with a soooooo beautiful love that it softens until the hardest hearts.
Because he had a shitty childhood but he doesn't use it as an excuse to treat other people like garbage.
Because he doesn't think that LOVE is a sign of weakness.
Because he doesn't use his power or beauty to distribute his dick around like it is popcorn in the cinema.
And yes, he is HOT because he knows how to make a woman feel unique and special.
Yes, unfortunately he is a character. A pity indeed. But I prefer to believe that these are the guys that are the majority out there and not these excuses for human beings that these other authors write with beautiful eyes, straggling hair and that use their six pack as a free pass to distribute venereal diseases and that the only difference between them and the dogs in heat is that the dogs have more loyalty! š¤¦āāļø
Here it is another book by Mrs. Vines in which there is nothing not to love about! š„°š„°š„°š„°š„°š„° -
![Vaishali ā¢ [V.L. Book Reviews]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1552133842i/85343546._UY200_CR5,0,200,200_.jpg)
R A T I N G: 3 stars to Storm the Castle ā ā ā
With his back to me and the castle and loch beyond, he stole my attention. No sight in the world could compete with the picture of my massive, powerful Highlander overseeing his land, heavy boots on the rocks where generations of lairds before him wouldāve surveyed their property.ā
āCome on, woman,ā he murmured and then led me away. In the weirdest twist of my fun-filled evening, I, self-contained and independent Mathilda, would have followed him anywhere.ā
A warm, wholesome love affair
'Storm the Castleā Is book number one in the āWild Scotsā series. Any debut is a crack in frigid ice, a toe-dip in unpredictable temperature, a flight of trepidation for any writer, more so than any reader awaiting that new release, but after scouring the many glistening reviews boasting a glittering story, I have to agree and hold faith by this bookās influence. Itās an uplifting start to a series, I wonāt argue that at all. With impeccable writing, this is an adamant, conservative romance, one that I recommend and praise for itās healthy and wholesome attitude!
I didnāt know why I expected another Highlander. Maybe Iād heard Callumās gentle rolling Rs and decided all men should speak that way.'
Weāve got a lonesome, loving Scott, impassioned and gentle - big-hearted, tender-hearted and open-hearted, he sings his affection in a brogue that can only corral the love of his land and the heart of a lady who belongs by his side, in name, status, loyal partnership and mate. Stalking and storming the layers of his castle, heās mighty but lonely. When his motivation to claim practical and self-sacrificing Mathilda Storm from a marriage of convenience, he shows her a shade of love both sweet-smelling and passionate but independent and self-supporting.
'The resilience of the man astounded me. His size, the spread of his shoulders, held up a world. Alone.ā
Still flummoxed, I made a rash decision. If you wanted something, you went all in to get it. I wanted to know Mathilda better. I liked the small window into her personality Iād seen, and Christ was she beautiful. Armies of men could die trying to score a kiss from those lips.ā
I really am grateful, feel grateful and cherish the feeling of gratefulness when I get to read from a male protagonist who doesnāt, not even once, use his violent, distressing background or rough upbringing as an excuse to mistreat anyone or dish out hordes of cruelty, especially to women. Unfortunately, this can be a commonplace presence in this genre. Jolie Vines take a hammer to that chisel with her Scottish creation Callum McRaeā¦
āSomeone that overbearing doesnāt deserve to keep their control once theyāve gone. Secrets hold power. Talking about them stops that.ā
He made the decision to draw a line and never cross it. Heās his own man, and this is what I call an inspirational representation of a man in this genre. Heās loyal, honourable, grounded, valuable and once he meets the beautiful Mathilda he knows what he wants and doesnāt abandon any desire to get it. Heās not offensively promiscuous or unbearably egotistical. Heās a stand-up guy, a great role-model/caregiver for his brothers and everything Mathilda might want.
"Because you want to kiss me.ā She smiled, and my blood ran hot.
āNo. I want you to kiss me. Iāll chase ye to the ends of the earth but only if I know you want it.ā
The reason for my mid-range rating isnāt for any compromisation in the authorās storytelling skill or technical misdemeanor. If anything, the writing is spotless and the proofreading is just as speckless. Itās more that my reading experience bordered on a lukewarm embrace as opposed to a flaming-with-energy bear hug. More a laid-back acceptance than ensnared by captivation. I felt like I was reading through a fog, trying to access the story and channel some excitement for it. Excitement that didnāt come often at all for this romance junkie was hoping for.
āYouāre a laird. A Scottish lord. Youāre single, and you live in a castle. With stone towers and crenelated walls? Safe from marauders. Do you swim naked in the loch and fight dragons in the mountains on the weekends?ā Mathildaās voice sounded strained.
āAll apart from the dragons, aye.ā¦ā
As well as examples of ātelling and not showingā, I wasnāt excited or thrilled by the romance or the overall low-energy hum of the story. The conflict surrounds the more external issues of familial security and precarious future plans. For the most part, Callum and Mathildaās relationship is more or less stable with what ifs and whatnots thrown in between. Not a criticism at all, but more a personal mismatch for the moment for me. Still, highly recommendable and a pleasant Highlands escape while giving me a chance to work my own imitation of a Scotsmanās burr :D
Callum huffed. āAre you asking if I worried when I saw you being abandoned? Aye. You went to sit down alone and you rubbed your head. You looked vulnerable, and that was all wrong. Did I also plan on talking to you because youāre the most beautiful woman I have ever seen? True. I did.ā
Get involved in some proud and stormy Scots, loving and ignorant family values, difficult relationships, sacrificial intention, gambling livelihoods, a McRae clan that gave this story its energy and a Laird and lady with deep affection for familial welfare. If any man came at me with the incessant vigour as a certain Laird Callum McRae, Iād be another lass in line to champion his home and heart.
'Callum McRae, with his honour, big heart, and even bigger frame, was far too addictive for just one day.ā
Potential Content Warnings: Retrospectively mentions alcohol addiction, violence and child abuse. One-time mention of cancer. Profanity is not excessive, but it is interspersed throughout with a few sex scenes.
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The Marry the Scot series features the McRae brothers from the Highlands of Scotland falling hard for their ladies.
STORM THE CASTLE is Callum and Mathilda's story. An alpha laird and the lass he can't have.
Want to be the first to know about my new releases, giveaways and promotions? Click here to join my newsletter:
https://www.jolievines.com/newsletter/ -
Iām so incredibly proud and excited for Jolie Vines as her first book goes out into the world. As a romance lover, Iāve read tons of books with a Highland hero, but interestingly, almost all of them were historical or involved time travel. This is my first contemporary Highlander and Callum gave me everything I wanted.
As the story begins, Mathilda is contemplating marriage to her fatherās business partner. Not because she loves himāshe barely knows the man. But she desperately wants to build a home where she can invite her sister to come live, and her father would only allow it if she were married and could provide a stable environment. Her younger sister has a terrible home-life with her parents and Mathilda feels she is the only one who can save her. The would-be fiancĆ© needs her as much as she needs him, to help him with some personal PR.
Anyway, sheās not looking for a relationship when she meets Callum, but sometimes, the best things in life are a surprise. The hulking Scot is a laird of his own castle, raising his two teenage brothers, and he is instantly struck by the mutual attraction to Mathilda. He becomes quickly intent on wooing her, all as he struggles to save his estateā¦one in dire straits, largely because Mathildaās own father has reneged on a business deal with him. Obviously, things are complicated.
As I said, Callum is a marvelous hero. He is sexy and strong, but more importantly, so loyal and steady. Though he isnāt perfect, he tries to be. He puts the people he loves first, and even though heās under 30, he is a father figure to all the young men around him. Of course, Mathilda canāt help but fall for him.
The heroine has the same kind of loyaltyā¦albeit to her sister. But I appreciate the fact that she is honest from the beginning with Callum and I never had to wait for a big secret to blow up in her face.
Great secondary characters have me excited to keep reading: especially James and Beth in the next book. (Is she a little older than he is? Iām curious. āAnd I want to know about those scars.) Iām also wondering if Ally and Scarlet might have their own book when they get a bit older. Lots of breadcrumbs to follow, but donāt worry, this book will give you a complete and satisfying HEA.
*ARC provided by author -
Iām bummed. I really wanted to like this so much more than I did. The premise was great. Callum was a great book boyfriend, but goodness gracious the book was so ill-paced, yāall. Like it was SO SLOWāand donāt get me wrong, I am all for a slow simmerābut then they FINALLY get ātogetherā and their love scene felt completely off balance from the slow build-up they had? Idk.
Then it was only 50% through and the rest of the bookās pace just felt weird. Iām bummed because I liked them, but their story was so slow that I nearly forgot I was reading this book multiple times, and that should not be the case with a chick-lit read. -
š FREE on Amazon today (7/23/2020)! š
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I LOVED THIS BOOK!
Callum is freaking adorable. I want all the sequels yesterday.
It was such a good read. I burned straight through it.
I cannot wait for more! -
Storm the Castle by Jolie Vines is book One in the Marry the Scot Series. This is the story of Mathilda Storm and Laird Callum McRae.
Callum is struggling to keep his brothers and his castle going after being taken by a bad deal. When he goes forward to get what is owed him her runs in to Mathilda the mans daughter. Sparks fly between the two and he plans of perusing those sparks, but he also needs her father to come through for him. Mathilda is working to help her little sister to move in with her which their father won't allow unless Mathilda is married. So Mathilda is considering her father's business partner, Dominic Hanswick as a husband. This wold be a marriage of convince for them both, but now she has met Callum who is messing with her plans...or is he?
Enjoyed their story and hope to read more from this author. -
I wanted to love this but I found it too easy to put down, maybe it was just because of the time of year and I had other things going on.
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I just discovered Jolie Vines books and I think itās safe to say that Iām already obsessed. If you fancy falling in love with a modern-day Highlander, then look no further - Laird Callum McRae will have you swooning in no time.
STORM THE CASTLE was sweet, it was steamy and it was so funny (Wasp & Ally will have you laughing your socks off). There was an element of insta-love (on Callumās part) yet it was also a delicious slow-burner that that had me craving the moment that these two finally got together. Mathilda was my favourite kind of heroine; she was feisty and independent and I loved that she knew her own mind. Together they just made perfect sense.
Jolie has created a world that I completely got lost in, and I cannot wait to continue on with the series and get to know the other characters better. -
What a fantastic read! I absolutely fell in love with Callum and Mathilda's story. This was a book about soulmates. About love conquering all. Add to that a Scottish castle, a sexy-as-sin laird and a smart, feisty heroine and you've got absolute perfection. I found myself thinking about this story, about these characters after reading them, to the point that I slowed my pace, not wanting it to end. I cannot wait for the next in the series! A Must Read!
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I loved this story so much!I love a good Scottish book but one where there is family involved and it isn't a historical read is amazing! Jolie really brought it to the table with Mathilda and Callum. They just jump right off the pages and into your life and you feel like you are right there living with them and feeling what they feel.
Callum is in trouble because of a deal he made with a man falls through and he is about to lose his castle and then he and his brothers will have no place to live. So Callum goes to the man and tells him he needs to fix the situation and the man offers Callum his daughters hand in marriage. Callum agrees and when he meets Mathilda he is taken aback as to how beautiful she is and he knows that he has made the right decision.
Mathilda is willing to do whatever it takes to help her family out especially her sister. So when her father asks her to marry Callum she agrees because she knows she can take her sister with her and raise her as her own without her fathers over baring ways. This is a win win situation but when Mathilda meets Callum her heart starts to skip a beat and she falls for Callun. -
I am loving listening to this! Not sure if itās the narrator or just the words but DANG! I love Callum! He is honest, straightforward and that Scottish accent is sexy as all get out! There are so many things to love about this big guy! He plays so cool and tough on the outside but Inside? He is a nervous nelly because he doesnāt want to do anything wrong and make her leave. That first KISS?! OMG! So sexy and sweet! Tummy flutters appear here!
I hope all these guys get their stories on audio! I love listening to them talk for hours!! Those brothers crack me up! Ari and Wasp! They are sixteen year old crazies. But these guys are all about family and it shows.
I listened to this on audio. George Ellington did a wonderful job! I really loved listening to this one. It will be a repeater for the wonderful characters, amazing story and George Ellingtonās voice!
More please! -
So cute!
This story was everything I needed right now. Lock down reading slumps are a thing and this was just so perfect. It was big time sweet and a little sexy and intense but never hopelessly so if that makes sense? It was exactly right at exactly the right time and Iām so happy Iāve finally started this series. Book hubby status for Callum, that was completely unavoidable here š¤·š»āāļø -
I would say 3.5 because I liked it but more along the lines of it being a mehhh story. Not great but definitely not bad.
The hero with his laird status and Scottish ancestry kept giving me Jamie Fraser vibes. He was not exactly described like Jamie because he's much much taller and has blonde hair. But I kept imagining red haired Jamie with the sexy Scottish accent! -
Dnf!
Unfortunately it couldn't keep my interest!! -
Fun Read.
This book just made me smile. A really fun fast paced romance. One OTT went of a castle and the woman he meets. It's insta-love. I smiled the whole way. -
Good God.
I read this series all out of order, but it didn't matter. Marry the Scot? YES EFFING PLEASE. Any one of them, but Callum? Big, strong, capable, full of love? The stuff dream men are made of.
Cal and Matilda's connection is instant and deep and almost seems fated: romance novel perfection. I love them as a couple. The added layer of contemporary highland romance (with a castle!) is like a modern fairy-tale. *Happy sigh*
I actually listened to the audiobook, and smiled like an idiot for all 8 hours. That Scottish accent and this story slayed me. -
Loved this slow-burn romance!
"Each time she squeezed my fingers it was like she had a hold of my heart and was plucking the strings."
Callum McRae is out of his Highland comfort zone and in London for a confrontation with his co-investor. He never expects to meet the captivating Mathilda. He's never felt such a connection with another woman before and he plans to do everything he can to win her over.
"Ever since I was a little girl, I'd dreamt of a man sweeping me off my feet and stealing me away to his stronghold."
Mathilda Storm is focused on her sister's welfare and, as such, is on the verge of making a decision that she's not 100% sure is right...especially once she meets Callum McRae. However, there seems to be a few obstacles in their way, so she tries to shut down her feelings and his attempts to charm her. However, the more time she spends with him, the more she finds it very hard to deny what is in front of her.
"He made my toes curl and my heart burst with life, and kissing him changed everything I knew."
Gah! I just loved this story so much. Callum is just dreamy! Bullish and rough round the edges but so charmingly direct with the biggest, softest heart, and super broad shoulders to bear his burdens. I'm fell for him hard! He and Mathilda had a fantastic connection and I loved how well they understood each other. Mathilda is a good woman - heart is in the right place, almost to the detriment of her own happiness. I just adored how well she gelled with Callum. The two of them had an honest relationship with no unnecessary angst. I loved how well they dealt with every problem. The chemistry between them was hella hot! It was a slow build-up between them but well worth the wait! Such a fabulous read! -
5 Cranky Stars
Let me just say right now, for me to give a romance novel 5 stars is a rarity. Normally I feel they are too predictable and wishy washy. Not so with this one though. I loved the characters. They were strong willed and determined and cared about their families.
Mathilda is the daughter of a shrewd businessman. He is a self-made millionaire and proud of it. However, he rules his family with an iron fist. When Mathilda was ten, her sister was born and she has always felt like Scarletās protector. Scarlet and her Dad donāt get along and she constantly acts out. Mathilda has been trying to get her Dad to let her sister live with her. Mathilda doesnāt work for her father nor does she want to. She wants to be an event planner.
While stuck at a business dinner her Dad forced her to attend, she sees a handsome brute of a man across the room. Being already upset by a proposal her Dadās business partner made, she tries to escape the party but of course falls and is rescued by the mystery man. Heās Scottish and his accent and good looks have her hooked.
I donāt want to spoil this story with spoilers so let me just say the action is plentiful. Itās also suspenseful and definitely a ācanāt put it downā book. Looking forward to book 2 which will tell another characterās story. -
Loveš Is Timeless
Contemporary Tale of Opposing sides of two warring families coming together in the name of šlove.
The book reads somewhat like a historical highlander romance, but maybe I've been reading too many of those lately! Loveš is timeless, too!
Callumšŗšš is the young Laird, truly the king of his family's ancient castleš°. He and his brothers are trying to repair the run down castleš° and make the vast land holdings profitable again with a Scotch Whiskey distillery, cattle and tourism. Their late father was a meanšødrunk and a gamblerš, and nearly lost it all before he died.
Mattiešš is the young English woman who's father and his partner fail to make good on their total contract for Callum's Whiskey.
The partner, Dominicšŗ, gets into trouble with another man's wife and ruins his reputation. Somehow he thinks a marriage of convenience to Mattiešš will repair his image and the company's image!
Callumšŗšš comes down from his mountain in northern Scotland to Bristol, to resolve the Whiskey contract dispute, and meets Mattiešš by accident.
When Callumšŗšš and Mattiešš meet, it's loveš at first sight but how do they ever work it all out? Secrets are not going to fly in their intense relationship!
ARC Received from Hidden šGems
I also got the book with KU.
Loved this contemporary and well written timeless romanceš! -
What can I say about Storm the Castle? One word, Fantastic. Jolie Vines is an amazingly talented author who gets you right in the feels from the very start. She makes you love her characters, even the secondary ones and has left me intrigued about their stories too. I am Scottish so I know she has done her research. So much so that she even has Scottish coloquialisms down to a tee. And can that lady write a good love scene.
This is a story of finding your fit and your family, whether they are blood or not and the lengths people will go to to keep that unit together. The two main characters find each other at the height of their own family troubles and I loved them both instantly. When you connect to characters like these two you will them to have a HEA as if they were your best friends.
Thank you Jolie for bringing your Hot Scots into my life. Youāve become a firm favourite for me. X -
*** 4.5 Stars ***
Storm the Castle (Marry the Scot #1), Jolie Vines's debut novel, is a contemporary highlander romance told in dual POV featuring a smart, independent, feisty heroine and a strong, sexy, Scottish laird.
The book opens with Mathilda Storm contemplating a marriage of convenience to her father's business partner, Dominic Hanswick, a man she does not love. Without giving away any details I'll just say that they both have reasons for considering a union to be advantageous. But when Matilda meets Callum McRae their mutual spark of attraction is difficult to ignore, and he sets out to pursue her. Things are further complicated when she learns that Callum's estate is struggling financially largely due to Dominic and Mathilda's father reneging on a business deal.
Will Mathilda go through with the marriage arrangement to Dominic? Will Callum convince her to be with him instead? And will he still want her after he finds out who her father is? Can Callum and Mathilda find a way to get everything they need along with what they want, or will they be forced to choose between the two?
I loved Callum and Mathilda's story! They are both fantastic lead characters - spirited, loyal, capable and honest. I really enjoyed the secondary characters as well. The setting was vivid and I was easily immersed in their world. The writing is so good, it's hard to believe this is a debut. A sweet, charming, romantic, sexy, and dreamy tale. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
*** I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC. *** -
was super lucky to win this read from the author on a instagram giveaway ... she told me that i would fall in love with this Scottish dude!! she was not kidding. i am an such and audiobook fan ...this would be one to hear for sure ... with a great accent and all ... i saw the ad on instagram early ... so cool!! love it. hope she does well ... on KU ... several times i was wondering if i was saying things right ... like i try to be silly and do an accent but i think i missed it totally but i did try. newbie to this author. i would have loved to grow up in a castle in this area of the world. so cool! love or a marriage of convenience ...what would u desire? enjoy this read. check it out! will read more from Jolie Vines soon enough!! ( ;
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This is a brilliant, heartwarming, intriguing, romantic and amusing. Callum is a determined, protective, caring, charming and strong family oriented man who has been responsible for his younger brothers since he was 18. Mathilda is a lot like Callum, with the exception of actually having her sister, something she has been trying to change. When they meet, Mathilda had just been proposed to by one of her father's partners, Dominic, a proposal designed to clean up his name and give her a home where her father might let her sister live. But there's an instant and intense attraction between them, so intense that Callum decides then and there that she's The One and tries to get her to at least meet with him before he leaves the country. Mathilda is confused by her feelings, thinking that she needs to marry Dominic, but being drawn to Callum. His pursuit is complicated by the fact that Callum had a lucrative contract with her father that Dominic ruined. Their story is sweet and romantic, Callum's brothers add entertainment to the story and James adds intrigue. I can't wait to find out James' story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Hidden Gems. This is my honest and voluntary opinion of it. -
Storm the Castle is the contemporary romance I didnāt know I was missing. This book took me by surprise and reeled me in from the outset. The elements of historical āHot Scotā romance that I love are meshed so well into this modern day setting. A giant brooding laird with a sense of duty to family and clan above his own comforts, a woman from a well set family fighting to make her own way... chemistry that continues to pull the two together and lovable supporting characters. Sign. Me. Up. šš»
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I finished this in one sitting.
And you know why? Because of Callum to be honest.
I know the bar is low but this man was just simply perfect.
Talking, protective, honest, a family man and just good. Besides being hot obviously.
I also liked that this was an unusual type of men from what I usually read.
I also liked her.
I also felt the connection although they barely knew eachother.
And yes it was rushed in the end but who cares honestly? -
Oh My Gosh
I so dream of a large highlander like Callum! His and Mattieās story is AMAZING! Leaves you in the edge of your seat wanting the perfect ever after. Hot sex scenes to boot make this an excellent read. Nice to find modern day Scottish romance novels. Loved it so much that I just bought the other books in this series!
