Highland indeed

Some people really enjoy exotic or unique settings in books. I generally don't get too swept away by setting. I have favorite time periods (mid-19th century, early 20th century) and settings (America, Russia, India) within those time periods that I like, but that doesn't mean I'll read anything because of it.

However, after I finished Highland Masquerade by Mary Elgin, my first thought was, "Anyone who loves a Scottish setting will eat this book up like chocolate."

Me? Not so much. Aillie Rannoch (who I just realized isn't "Allie" as I've thought all along) left her Scottish home after her father was somehow driven to suicide. She puts a curse on the town and leaves. Fast forward 10 years and Aillie is returning home. She's had a successful career as an actress but some shadowy accident (I still don't really know what happened; I think she hurt her legs?) and a chance job offer has brought her home. She puts her acting skills to good use and dresses up like an old maid. But then three strangers in a train car derail her plans...

Yeah, so this book is DRAMATIC. Aillie is just a more mature version of a wild teenager who put a Gaelic curse on everyone who attended her father's funeral. She sounds a bit uncontrollable, for sure.

Half of the time I couldn't even understand what she was saying or why--and that's only throwing in a wee bit of confusion about the Scottish brogue they all used.

I only read this book because I am a total sucker for Listmania! lists on Amazon. I stumbled across one titled "Vintage Romantic Suspense" and since Mary Stewart, Barbara Michaels, Victoria Holt and M. M. Kaye were all listed, I decided to trust the creator of the list. Highland Masquerade definitely fits this mold; it just wasn't quite up my alley.

The plot had such potential! A girl returning home in disguise! She used to be an actress! Oh well...if you like drama and vintage romantic suspense books, give Mary Elgin a try.

Rating: 6/10