There are not enough words in the English language to describe this book. I'll keep it simple: I LOVED it! Easily one of my favorite books I've read this year! Highland Obsession had everything-- passion, lust, love, and even a bit of action.

And boy, was the sex hot, hot hot! Warning: if you are not into explicit love scenes and threesomes, then tread carefully while reading this book, because it's full of it! I personally didn't mind it, and in fact I found myself enjoying it, even though I'm not usually one for a romance novel with multiple partners in the bed at one time. But in HO, it was handled wonderfully, and instead of reading like a cheap porn (which some authors, unfortunately, end up doing), it still had all the great components of a true romance.

And it's all thanks to Dawn Halliday's amazing writing skills-- the characters were very well developed, and they connected, not only during the sex (no pun intended, of course!), but also during every day conversations. They worked through their problems, of which there were a few along the way, they didn't just let it go and then suddenly "make up" a few days later with sex.

Even though I knew from the very beginning that Cam wasn't meant for Sorcha, despite the fact that they'd had a great friendship...and later became lovers, I realized that what they had was important for the development of the rest of the book. They cared for each other, of course, and the passion was there, but they were meant for someone else. Because they already had that deep connection, it didn't bother me when Alex (Cam's best friend) decide to share Sorcha one night. I knew that even though all three of them weren't going to be together, it still meant something-- to all of them, in a way. Alex and Cam had been friends for so long, they were practically like brothers. And even though Sorcha was Alex's, Cam was a part of her past, and to a point, her future, even if it would only be as friends. That's what made this whole story so good-- because Dawn knows how to show the different kinds of loves, and how trust is really needed in a relationship.

As for the rest of the story...well, it was pretty good as well! I would hate to give too much away, so I won't go into specifics, but let me assure you-- if you love a good historical romance, and you don't mind the erotic undertones, Highland Obsession should be at the top of your list for this year! Halliday has captured my attention as an author, and now whenever I see her name on a book, it's instantly going into my cart! They say that you can only get better with practice....well, HO was already pretty close to being a perfect read, so I can just imagine how good her future books will be! One thing's for sure...I can't wait until Cam's story, but I just wish I didn't have to wait so long (2010!).

5/5 STARS! Utterly delightful, sexy, and romantic, Highland Obsession is only the beginning of what I'm sure will be a great little series. And be sure to look out for more of Halliday's books, published by Ellora's Cave, along with the wicked historicals written under her real name, Jennifer Haymore (A Hint of Wicked is out now!).

Until Next Time,

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My Thoughts:

I have to be honest: when I first started the book, the story line was a bit dry, and it moved slow, too slow for my tastes. It wasn't enough to make me want to put the book down, unfinished, and it didn't make me hate the book in the end, but I think it's only fair that I say this, in case others happen to find themselves thinking the same thing, wondering if they should read the book. And here's my answer: yes. I don't regret reading this book, it was good. Maybe not at the top of my favorites list, but definitely not on my least favorite either.

Moving on. After the story line picked up, I started to enjoy it. The characters were interesting, and Young did a wonderful job at making them seem real. They had flaws, they had pasts, but they knew what mistakes they may have made, and weren't wimpy or annoying. Good characters are a must for a good book, they're what holds the rest of the book together!

The one thing that confused me a bit was how Young started the book out telling us about a murder mystery in this relatively small town, and it's Camille's job to help figure it out. But suddenly, less than a fourth of the way through the book, the mystery element kind of...disappeared, and suddenly it's all about Camille and Jack's rekindling of their previous relationship. Now, I like a good suspense/mystery that the author combines with a romance story, but the melting of the two elements in this particular book weren't the smoothest. Sorry, Karen, it's nothing really against your writing, maybe it's more of my own particular opinion on what I like to read in a book? It's hard to explain...

However, as the story continued, I found myself enjoying it more and more. Jack and Camille's connection started to grow (again), and there were more than a few parts where I found myself chuckling (always a good thing). Most importantly, the mystery came back, with a powerful kick, adding drama and suspense back into the story. After they started putting more of the 'clues' together, I instantly knew who the killer was, but even figuring it out before the big climax didn't take away from the enjoyment of the book.

If there is one thing I would have liked a bit more of in the book, it's the back story of Camille and Jack. The author touched on it, briefly, a few times, but it always left me wanting a bit more. Jack was an alcoholic when they were married, but it finally became too much for Camille and she divorced him. After he sobered up, he became a man of God. (PAUSE) Wait, how did that happen? Don't get me wrong, I know it's possible, and I think it's great, but I would like to have read a bit about it! Talk about a strong, but previously tortured hero... So why not give us a little nibble of what he went through? And I know this was suppose to be more of a lite Christian novel, which means no 'R' rated sex scenes, but I wish they'd had a bit more passion along the way, even if it was only kisses. Even sweet, innocent ones are better than nothing!

4/5 stars. All in all, this was a very good book. Just the right amount of mystery and a light touch of romance (I loved how the story shows you that love can be won, even after it's lost). Not too fluffy, but not too much hard core suspense either. Great for a quick read by the pool side! ;)

Enjoy!

Until Next Time,

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I know, I know, I'm a bit behind. But better late than never, right?

Here's the two books I received. One came last Friday, the other one came Monday, but I thought I'd just lump the two together.

Oh, and if you clicked on this post because of the other title 'Upcoming Giveaway', well, I'll explain more about that after the books. :D


Book One

Book Two




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Until Next Time,

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As far as my two challenges go (my LT 999 Challenge and my LT Paranormal 999 Challenge), during the month of April I finished:

~4 books for the 999

~5 books for the Paranormal 999

Not too bad, I'm about half way on the first (Which surprised me!)and a bit less than that on my paranormal one (Which is odd for me, the paranormal lover. I wonder if I'm coming down with something...) If I want to finished them on time, I'm going to have to up it a bit this month though. I'm going to aim for 8 from each challenge, but that's sometimes hard when new releases keep coming out that I've been itching/dying to read!

I wasn't disappointed so much with the number of books completed, as it was the fact that I only completed two reviews through the whole month, and the one review, The Last Bridge, I didn't even write and post until May! Horrible month for me, but that's okay. I'll do better next time! ;)

If there is so many books, and so little time, then where does the time to write reviews fit in there, huh? ;)

Until Next Time,

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