The Seduction of Elliot McBride (Mackenzies Series Book 5)

This book starts with a wedding, not the more regular meeting, courting, falling in love story. I liked it. Of course, Elliot and Juliana do know each other, and have for many years. Juliana hasn't seen Elliot since her debut ball, when he kissed her. Convinced she will never have him for herself, she finally accepted an offer of marriage from someone else. But after a long engagement, her wedding day has arrived at last, and she is ready. When the groom doesn't show, her family starts looking for him, only to find out the cad has married his piano teacher the day before! How could he humiliate her like that? Leaving her at the altar, not even a note?

Elliot went to India, and has only been back once, a broken and tortured man. But now he is back, and determined to marry Juliana himself. The fact that she proposes to him when her fiancée jilted her, is a big bonus. And not leaving her time to reconsider, he takes her to the waiting priest. A change of grooms is no problem at all, who cares about a possible scandal?

Elliot takes Juliana with him to his newly bought castle in Scotland. His great-uncle needed money, and Elliot needs a refuge, quiet surroundings to get his head back straight. He was tortured severely, and is still living the nightmare from time to time. The castle is a mess, with only the old laird living there, and one young man servant.
Luckily, Elliot has brought his servants from India with him, and they will help set the castle to rights. But Juliana will have to hire everyone available in the surroundings too, to help repair everything. Especially as she is determined to have a midsummer fȇte. She has to get used to the Indian food Elliots' manservant slash cook makes for them, but she likes it.

Then Elliot becomes convinced that a former friend from India, whom he is afraid was murdered by him, is haunting him here. Will Juliana believe in him, or will she be afraid that the madness has overtaken him completely?

What can I say about this new Jennifer Ashley book? You all know she is one of my favourite authors, doesn't matter which genre she writes in. So I knew I had a great book in my hands, the moment I picked it up. And I was not disappointed.
It did take me a while to get used to Elliot, who is a very different hero from what I am used. He does seem to live in his own world, and he really does live in a nightmare sometimes, disappearing for a long time, hiding from his captors, or sleeping like in a coma. He is very autocratic, doesn't discuss things at all. But he clearly does love Juliana, and does everything for her that he can. She was the one thing that kept him sane. But I grew to like Elliot a lot, the more sane he became. He is a hunter, a man of action, who doesn't mind to work with his own hands instead of having servants do what needs to be done. He is a real Scot, in a kilt. With nothing underneath ...

And Juliana. 30 years old, jilted at the alter, her whole future in pieces. Until she finds Elliot and proposes to him, her life long dream. She fell in love with him as a little girl, when he kissed her cheek while putting a frog in her pinafore. She has taken care of her father's household since she was 11 or so, as her mother was worthless in that regard. She is great at organizing things, making lists. But Elliot makes her enjoy her life as well, taking her away form her lists, her planning. I liked that.

An original story, with a bit of a suspense plot. A meeting with previous characters, and a lovely couple. There was a very nice scene with Ian and Elliot. I am very much looking forward to catching up with them in the next book(s). If you still have not read a Jennifer Ashley book, even after all my recommendations, what are you waiting for? Shall I just send you one to try?

9 stars.

© 2013 Reviews by Aurian

Full review on my blog, [...]

Before I order a book I usually read the reviews--unfortunately I did not do that with this book. I saw it at the book store and, as I had really enjoyed the other books in this series, I made the mistake of purchasing "The Seduction of Elliot McBride". Even had I read the reviews I might have bought this book as there are far too many readers who issue 5 stars to the most poorly written publication. I will be honest and tell readers I did not finish the book as it was too boring for words, I could not get interested in the characters, and the theme has been worked to death. The first four books of the Mackenzie brothers were very good-especially the first and fourth in the series- but Eliot McBride was no where in their class. I disliked this book so much I gave it away. Ashley is a good writer but she could not bring this book to life. Jennifer, did you write this in a hurry to fulfill a contract? This reader is so disappointed.

What I loved...
I absolutely loved the utter devotion that Elliot had for Juliana. That devotion is what pushed him through the darkest parts of his captivity and helped him hold onto what sanity he had left. Although they had a unusual engagement and hadn't really seen each other for years, they didn't let time become tension between them. Elliot and Juliana committed themselves to their marriage and created a truly unbreakable bond. And it wasn't just their emotional bond that was forming- the physical chemistry between Elliot and Juliana was off the charts. There was no timid virgin here, Juliana was just as active in their love life as Elliot and I'll never look at whiskey the same way again. The number one thing that stands out for me though is that no matter how much of the world thinks that Elliot is mad, Juliana never does and she never makes him feel that way either.

What I liked...
Juliana and Elliot are a wonderful couple with flesh out personalities but the personality that stole the book was Elliot's distant uncle McGregor who he also bought the run down castle from. He blew holes in ceilings with shotguns and bellowed up and down halls. Even Elliot's manservant and his family from India were a wonderful addition to the story. The relationship between Elliot and Mahindar was very deep and well written. Even the Scottish characters introduced in Elliot and Juliana's new home add heart and humor to a wonderful story.

What I didn't like...
Can I say nothing? All I can say is that I would have liked to see more of the Mackenizes than what we did. It really was a wonderful story and I was so engrossed in it that I finished it within a day.

Favorite Quote...
"I would have said that Juliana was my lass, had always been mine. That I wasn't stepping aside for anyone."
-Elliot, on what reason he had to stop Juliana's original wedding.

Jennifer Ashley continues the Mackenzie series with the story of Elliot McBride, one of Cameron Mackenzie's brothers-in-law. I have only recently caught up on the Mackenzie series and just finished last years fun Mackenzie Christmas novella and equally enjoyable book on Lloyd Fellows, The Untamed Mackenzie (Mackenzies Series), the Mackenzie's illegitimate half-brother who has been a recurring secondary character in the series. So, I had high hopes for this one. And, wow, what a disappointment.

***SPOILERS DO FOLLOW***
Beautiful, wealthy, organized Juliana St. John is finally getting married. However, one little problem: her long-time betrothed has left her literally standing at the altar. Embarrassed but not heartbroken, she walks to a little side chapel to think and happens to sit on a man stretched out sleeping in a pew, one Elliot McBride, the brother of her dear friend Ainsley Mackenzie. After one sweet kiss with Juliana at the age of 18, Elliot left Scotland with his regiment for India and, now, at around age 30 is finally back, having survived his time in the military, subsequent years as a plantation owner, and brutal capture and torture by Afghani tribesmen who held him prisoner for almost a year. When Juliana half-jokingly proposes that he take the place of her ex-betrothed, he immediately agrees. With this fun and rousing start, off we go. Immediately after, Elliot takes Juliana to his newly purchased, remote, ramshackle castle. A whole new cast of characters is introduced including Elliot's Indian servants, his eccentric uncle, and equally eccentric neighbors.

It's insta-love for both Elliot and Juliana, who never forgot about him in all the years he was away. Elliot himself is suffering from PTSD in a major way and it was only thoughts and memories of Juliana that got him through his horrific ordeal as a prisoner. Fairly late in the book, we find out that Elliot had been keeping tabs on Juliana through the years via his sister Ainsley and knew exactly when and where she'd be getting married. So, he showed up to stop it (though I don't know how he could stop a wedding when he was fast asleep in a pew outside the main church). It's also quite ridiculous that after not having seen or contacted Juliana in the many years they were apart, Elliot wakes up and realizes what she means to him. At this point he doesn't even know her and she doesn't know him. Still, this could have worked if the book itself was about how they reconnected and got to know one another again. But, it isn't. It was about pretty much everything else you could think of though. There is blackmail, assassins, the illegitimate daughter of Elliot with the long dead mistress he shared with his best friend in a kind of ménage relationship in India, the reappearance of the BFF, intolerant/wacky neighbors, interfering Mackenzie's, an estate that needs renovating, a large garden party, fortune telling, etc. You name it, it's in this book, other than serious attention paid to Elliot's recovery and relationship with Juliana, who pretty much accepts everything without batting an eyelash. Broken down estate? No problem. Crazy uncle shooting things at random? No problem! Indian Servants? Charming! Indian food? Delicious! Illegitimate daughter with a mistress who didn't want Elliot but loved his BFF? No problem, Elliot didn't love her either, she's long dead, and the child is adorable! Seriously, Juliana takes everything in stride, never gets upset, just keeps making lists and having lots of hot sex with her hunky Scottish hubby. Elliot also conquers his PTSD with lots of the previously mentioned hot sex, plus thinking lots of good thoughts about Juliana.

There is a fine book in this mess somewhere, one without the distractions of the ménage with the BFF and the resulting baby, poorly drawn secondary characters, silly blackmail plot, and equally silly assassination plot. (Seriously, I think the assassins had some justification.) The story of Elliot's PTSD, his recovery, his reconnecting with Juliana and his Scottish heritage and culture after a decade in India could have been a wonderful book instead of what we actually got. So very disappointing.

Enjoyable read, especially if you like highlander romances. Even though it is a part of a highlander series, it is a good stand-alone book. Elliot McBride is full of mystery, rugged, yet gentle in his way. I enjoyed the story enough that I want to start with the first book in the Mckenzie series to get to know the other characters that are mentioned in the book.

If you are into steamy Highland Scots this is your book. This couple was absolutely wonderful Juliana and Elliot had cared for each other since they were teens and didn't tell each other. After going through a horrible captivity in India Elliot comes home a broken man. Juliana's love and caring brings him back to himself . How she does that kept me turning pages until I read it in a day. Loved it.

4.75
Another fabulous book in The MacKenzie series. Jennifer Ashley never fails to deliver an emotionally charged book. Elliot and Julianna have loved each other from afar since they were children. Elliot leaves England around age 18 to join the Raj and after to make his fortune in India and is gone for years. Julianna only hears of Elliot thru Ansley her best friend and Elliot's sister. While in India Elliot disappears for almost a year and when he returns he's a broken man but determined to be well again and make Julianna his.
Elliot is a troubled soul and Julianna is a strong highland lass. Together they show each other how to heal and live life. You will fall in love with every character in this book. You will laugh and cry during this emotional ride and read some of the hottest sex in this series. I loved it and I can't wait to read Daniels book.

I have enjoyed every book in the Mackenzies series, with of course The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie being my favorite. I didn't think anyone could rival, until now. I loved this book. I now have two top favorites, and I can not wait for the next one!

Readers will love this action packed, romantic story. Elliot is everything any girl could want in a Highlander and Juliana is a loveable type A lady with a wild streak a mile wide. The rundown castle is charming, the dialog witty, and the climax satisfying. This novel will make you want to run out and snatch up the rest of the Mackenzie series just to see what you have missed.

Kaitlin
Reviewer for Coffeetime Romance & More

Juliana St. John's wedding day had arrived, but her groom had not because he had gotten married the day before. She spots a friend Elliott, and so the adventure begins. From the very first page to the very last page, The Seduction of Elliott McBride is a captivating story that will take readers on a journey they will never forget.
Lauren Calder at affairedecoeur.com