A #review of Love of a Highlander, by Katy Baker - Book 4 in Arch Through Time

Today, I review Love of a Highlander, by Katy Baker, Book Four in her Five-Book Series, Arch Through Time.

Pages -  213 

Published -  July 28, 2017

Sold by - Amazon Digital Services LLC

Genre -  Historical Romance, Fantasy, Scottish Time Travel

Series -  Arch Through Time (Four of Five)

Language -  3/5

Sexual Content -  4/5

Narrative -  3rd P

Maya Charles trusts no one.

Having been abandoned by her parents as a child, it’s a lesson she’s learned the hard way. Now, having graduated from art college saddled with debt, she’s struggling to make ends meet. When a strange old woman gives her a cryptic message offering help, she scoffs at the idea: other people can’t be trusted, right? But when a sixteenth century warrior appears out of nowhere to save her life she might just be forced to challenge that assumption.

Lachie MacFarlane is sick of his life. As the laird’s nephew his duty is clear: the clan comes before all else—including Lachie’s happiness. Facing the prospect of an arranged marriage with a woman he doesn’t love, Lachie wants out. So when a strange old woman gives him the opportunity to travel to the future to aid someone in trouble, he jumps at the chance. Little does he know that decision will send them both hurtling back in time —and right into danger.

Thrown together in a world of peril and intrigue can Maya and Lachie find a way home? And more importantly, can they learn to trust each other?

Lovely Cover Art.

However...

At this point in my decision to read every Highlander romance novel on my Kindle, I've come to the sad but knowing conclusion that this sub-genre of Romantic Fiction is not all it is cracked up to be.

One good thing: I see and feel a need to re-work my Ratings system, and when I find the time, I'll do just that.

Knowing the author is young and British did help to understand the writing, but not the grammar.

• It was her who brought me here
• and the stink of burning filled the air.
• Maya made out the silhouette of several figures stood outside her front door.
• he would swat without a second’s thought.
• and fitted perfectly in her palms.
• For a wonder, he did as she asked.
• Maya used a pair of tongues to lift the pan from the fire
• doubted that would cut any mustard.
• think that will cut any mustard with her?
• That way she’d be sat in the wagon,
• Before it shut Maya got a glance of
• what prices they hoped to get for their fleeces
• What had she got to go back to?
• after all you’ve all done for me.”
• him this close was sending her crazy.
• Sasha and Olivia were sat at one of the tables
• let her go and go through with this
• she’d leant to Maya.
• Gritting her teeth and steeling her resolves,
• Her eyes fell on a lump hammer that rested, head-down against a pile of timbers.
• landing a knee into his guts.
• heard the great hall before she saw it.
• He was done out in his finest plaid
• Does ye family not provide for ye?”
• Thick brocaded curtains picked out in red and gold
• filled with clan’s folk
• all but barging his cousin out of the way.
• She’s already mad with me
• At the banquet he’d almost been undone.
• would make any swanky hotel jealous.”
• and the ale and wine flowed the conversations
• wearing expensive looking dresses
• with grain sacks but there were all gone now.
• her hand flew to her mouth.
• He’d just turned into the corridor
• Darcy threw up her hands.
• if her father was trading her into marriage.
• It was a comforting sound. Homely.

even worse, was the lackadaisical misuse of punctuation... as if it just doesn't matter, so what the hell, let's just get on with it, shall we?

• in a braid and large, dark eyes.
• white-blond hair he wore tied with a leather band and light blue eyes.
• large with the look of a warrior about him,
• turned to look at her a murmur of surprise and unease
• As the day wore on the landscape
• Until we find a burn that’s all the water we have.”
• When they reached an inn Lachie would treat the wound himself,
• He moved off to serve a customer leaving Maya feeling sick to her stomach.
• the back of her neck with a band but some of the curls
• framed the windows and a four-poster bed with ornate covers
• Dropping the coins into her purse she pulled her cloak around her and
• Motioning for Maya to remain where she was he crossed to the door and
• When she was finished Lachie took the coins she’d earned
• a loose plait that fell over her shoulder then grabbed her pencils and
• After Alec she found herself dancing
• and swallows skirted the heather catching insects
• Feeling the sudden urge to draw Maya took her sketchpad and pencils out
• Smokey, curled up in his box under the window raised
• to Smokey who wolfed them down,
• Perhaps sensing his gaze Maya glanced
• was holding Mayflower already saddled and ready.
• Seeing it Maya let out a little yelp
• Gritting his teeth he opened
• Hardening her heart she lifted her chin
• As they ate all the talking was done

It was too difficult to read, much less enjoy.

The story revolves around a young, modern-day female artist who has an emerald necklace from her mother (although the girl grew up in an orphanage) and she's at a Craft Fair when an old woman walks up to her and asks an oddly worded question.

Heroine distrusts all so tries to ignore old lady politely.

Then we're transported to Historical Scotland times and we meet Hero, a grumpy middle-sibling of a powerful clan.

He's bored, he's ignored, and he's soon to be wed to a woman he doesn't love.

A fire breaks out at a grain storage, Lachie runs in to help, some beams collapse, and he's in modern-day Heroine times.

She's in the midst of a jewel heist when Lachie appears, saving her by dragging her through a portal just in the nick of time.

Then the mundane, every author who writes time-travel romance says the same things, occurs.

Heroine isn't as impressed as she should be.

Hero isn't as astonished as he should be.

The author injects a ton of possible reasons why these inaccuracies occur.

Heroine has her purse and the emerald necklace, but even after being thrust into ancient times in the strangest of possible scenarios, she maintains her modern-day bitch mentality and trusts no one.

She even checks her cell phone, wanting to call the authorities about the situation that occurred in another time and place.

THEN we have the clash of wills based entirely on historical perspective that is hardly touched upon but necessarily mentioned as a way to smooth over the He's a Warrior and She's Twenty-First Century issue.

He warns her of impending dangers and she scoffs at him, snarls, and insists she's no fool and can take care of herself.

Because, even after being delivered to the ancient past and knowing this now, we're still going to be of a mind to believe we're in charge, nothing's changed, really, and I know where I am and what I'm doing.

Even knowing this isn't true, we're still going to give our Heroine that type of a mindset?

Why not.

Every other author does, right?

Eventually, we arrive at Hero's castle, where everyone looks funny and talks funny but behaves 100% twenty-first century, from their moral compass to their 'feelings'.

The usual and expected day-to-day happenings occur with Heroine meeting Hero's clan, his family, who are all delightful, merry, and receptive without question.

Heroine is anxious to return even knowing and constantly repeating the fact that she has nothing to return to, no one to return to, and even less reason to want to return.

Only that she 'needs' to return... 'wants' to return... maybe.

I couldn't figure out why the author chose to dump the Hero in the very heart of the story, but she did.

Lachie disappeared soon after he brought Heroine to his father's castle, and so we read chapter upon chapter of Heroine and her thoughts, feelings, and associations with the rest of the clan.

Then Lachie returns to say he's sorry he's neglected her.

All's forgiven.

His fiance arrives in that time and she's really sweet.

Beautiful, and sweet.

It's a clan alliance thing, why they need to marry, but the woman is as interested in Lachie as Lachie is in his fiance.

Very convenient.

We'll have her mother be the antagonist.

Swell.

Lachlan's mother also happens to be from the twentieth century, and she, too, possesses a cell phone.

Calculating the date of publication, Lachlan's age, and whatnot... my deductive reasoning puts her cell phone at the very early model Flip-Phone variety.

With a screen just big enough to see a phone number or a name and nothing more.

No bells, whistles, or APPS to speak of.

Yet, this woman's 20+ years old cell phone still works!

You see, she's apparently been keeping it charged using a solar panel.

The same solar panel that Heroine is currently using to entertain the amazed crowds at the castle.

No one is THAT amazed, however, because they've apparently seen all of the same features that are currently on Heroine's phone on Lachlan's mother's twenty + years old phone.

Imagine that!


Sigh.

I'm being overly facetious at this point, I know.

I just can't take much more is all.

Too much sameness, too much copycat ideas, and too much LAME for my taste.

And, again, what is the point of using the HIGHLAND label if you aren't going to go into any amount of depth or analysis about that time period or its people and customs?

You're simply plunking a hunky man in a kilt down in a Romance novel but not giving him an ounce of character, uniqueness, or charm.

What makes him HIGHLAND, for heaven's sake?

What makes a Highland Warrior different and special compared to a British Lord or an American Soldier?

Nothing, apparently, and after having read so many of these contrived, so-called Romance novels.





I will not be reading any more of Ms. Baker's work nor another book in this series.

However, and to be fair, I would say that given plenty of time... say, a decade or more... it would not surprise me if the author improves greatly.

There is some potential here, and if she takes the time to study English Grammar and especially Punctuation, she might prove to be a worthwhile Romance author.

Love of a Highlander is the fourth novel in the Arch Through Time romance series.

Each book can be read as a standalone novel.