An Tig Beag Press, $0.99, ISBN 979-8201846404
Historical Romance, 2021
Hmm, Kristin Gleeson’s Highland Yuletide Wish is an actual sequel, part of The Highland Ballad, an ongoing romantic series featuring Abby Gordon and her beau Iain MacGregor.
Naturally, I just have to have not read any of the previous stories. What can I say? I like living on the wild side, baby!
In this one, Abby and Iain had been married for a year. It’s almost Yuletide when this story opens, and Iain needs to be away to collect his brother.
Abby’s suspicion skyrockets.
“It is as I said,” he said, slowly, kindly. “There is much unrest around St Andrews. The Dowager Queen has retreated tae Stirling. Our queen is married to the French Prince and heir, Glenorchy and Argyll are stirring up trouble with the Protestant Lords, Moray is uncertain in his loyalties—”
Abby held up her hand. “Yes, I know this.” Her tone was clipped now, if only to show him that she wouldn’t be fooled. “This is no different than last summer, when Alisdair went off to study at St Andrews.”
“Abby,” his tone was sharp. “It is different. The differences are subtle, I grant ye, but they are there. There is some trouble afoot.”
Here lies my problem: I have no idea why Abby is immediately jealous and paranoid. Did he run off to shag some floozy around Yuletide in the past? Does she suspect him of being a spy for the enemy?
I also don’t know why Iain can’t be straight with Abby as, after all, they are both married and I suppose they are both madly in love. What does he have to hide, hmm?
Naturally, Abby takes off after him herself, because, you know, so what if there were to be indeed danger afoot! She wants to follow him and she’s going to do because yas kween.
Sadly, the reason of Iain’s rather shifty behavior turns out to be a pretty mundane one. That’s a disappointment, as this mundane revelation reduces the characters’ antics into petty plus silly equals ugh this feels like a waste of time.
Still, to be fair, I may be missing out on some crucial puzzle pieces, so to speak, that would have allowed this story to make more sense. Who knows, maybe Abby can take care of herself so what she does here may not be as foolhardy as it appears to someone that has never read those stories. Maybe she is a blabbermouth that can’t keep a secret, hence Iain being all vague to her at the beginning. Maybe, maybe, maybe.
The story is actually readable, and there is a solid sense of pacing as well. The author has me easily intrigued enough to want to find out what this hushed up reason for Iain’s secrecy is, so all things considered, maybe three oogies will be a fair score for this one.
I do have to wonder, though: is it wise to present this story in a way that can lead readers new to the whole thing into believing that Abby is reckless, clingy, and jealous while Iain is unnecessarily secretive, condescending, and patronizing?
