Over the years I have read many short stories, and one of the things that has led me to prefer the novel by no small margin over the short story is that so many short stories seem to say so little. They always ended before the story line and characters had developed into anything.

Today, I still prefer longer prose works, but reading this collection of stories by Vasily Shukshin was a revelation. Despite their brief length, the author manages to establish genuinely palpable characters and a sense of completeness and significance so often lacking in the short story. 'In the Autumn' and 'Styopka' are both remarkably poignant pieces. I highly recommend this collection to anyone who enjoys literature in any form.

Oh MY,SUCH a good book!!!!! Perfect continuation of "Kilgannon".
There has only ever been one book that has made me cry..."Outlander"..well...Add "The Wild Rose of Kilgannon" to that list because this book had me weeping like mad throughout..Could Mary and Alex's story be more romantic??? They are so in love..and I'm not talking "fluffy" love...I'm talking the kind of love that overcomes any obstacle...and believe me there are quite a few of those within this story...The characters were unbelievably well developed ...Mary was awesome...she was so in love with her man, and so strong...nothing could stop her!!! I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!! It had me laughing, gasping, crying, and pulling my hair out...I'm exhausted!!!! Girls...get this book!!!! DEFINITELY a MUST READ!!!!!!

The love story of Alex and Mary continues...Alex MacGannon prefers not to fight in the upcoming war between the English and his fellow Scotsmen. However, his friends, the MacKinnon and the MacDonald, persuaded Alex into join James Stewart's cause. Alex leaves behind his beloved Mary Rose and his two sons from a previous marriage to fight for Scotland's freedom. However, Alex finds the Scottish leadership lacking in both courage and tactics. He stayed with his fellow Scotsmen even when James Stewart flees to France (Coward!!)and leave them to fret for themselves. Alex refuses to go home in spite of missing his family and his home greatly. He wants to be sure that all his people return home safely and in doing so, he is forced to surrender to the English, who imprison him in the Tower. Though English, Mary risks her own safety by travelling to London to save the man she loves. This is an amazing sequel of the KilGannon and Alex is an amazing hero, who understands loyalty as he insures his men safely return to their homes. And Mary, who gave up everything to go to Scotland with Alex, is more than willing to give up even more for her beloved's freedom. This is a must read for you Scottish Romance readers out there!! But as I finished the last page, it does make me wonder if there will be another book after The Wild Rose of KilGannon.....Wouldn't it be great? ;) I hope so...

I just finished this book and I cannot believe how much I enjoyed it! I love this series and I do hope that Kathleen Givens comes out w/ more to this or a different story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I am in love with Alex and Mary. This was a great love story, great action, great everything! Please take my advice and read her two books! This one fabulously picks up where the other left off! Way to go Kathleen!

A lightening strike divides a mighty oak yet lives. Consequently, a seer tells the legend of the MacCurries: three generations of lairds will be born and will die on the same date. Then twins will be born to the third son and they will lead their people to both war and to fifty years of peace. The twins of three generations of men who died on their birth dates, nothing has ever come between brothers James and Neil...except a woman.

Ellen refuses to settle for less than a passion that transforms if she is to ever marry. She certainly does not expect to find that passion on the road Dunfllandy Castle as she flees her family home to warn her cousin John of a plot of murder. The would-be assassins pursue Ellen until James MacCurrie comes to her rescue. But he cannot even reveal his true identity since he is taking his twin's place at the gathering of clans.

Even as passion draws Ellen and James together the coming war keeps them divided in this tumultuous account of an exciting era of highland history. THE LEGEND begins with James story and leads to the sequel that will follow Neil's quest for love. The richly developed characterization, especially the strength of the bond between the brothers and Neil's jealousy when that bond weakens, lends the novel a marvelous depth. In addition, the tightly woven plot draws readers into a dangerous world of loyalty and betrayal. A must read for historical romance lovers, THE LEGEND comes very highly recommended.

A lightening strike divides a mighty oak yet lives. Consequently, a seer tells the legend of the MacCurries: three generations of lairds will be born and will die on the same date. Then twins will be born to the third son and they will lead their people to both war and to fifty years of peace. The twins of three generations of men who died on their birth dates, nothing has ever come between brothers James and Neil...except a woman.

Ellen refuses to settle for less than a passion that transforms if she is to ever marry. She certainly does not expect to find that passion on the road Dunfllandy Castle as she flees her family home to warn her cousin John of a plot of murder. The would-be assassins pursue Ellen until James MacCurrie comes to her rescue. But he cannot even reveal his true identity since he is taking his twin's place at the gathering of clans.

Even as passion draws Ellen and James together the coming war keeps them divided in this tumultuous account of an exciting era of highland history. THE LEGEND begins with James story and leads to the sequel that will follow Neil's quest for love. The richly developed characterization, especially the strength of the bond between the brothers and Neil's jealousy when that bond weakens, lends the novel a marvelous depth. In addition, the tightly woven plot draws readers into a dangerous world of loyalty and betrayal. A must read for historical romance lovers, THE LEGEND comes very highly recommended.

Setting: Scotland
Year: 1689

THE LEGEND begins with the death of the great clan leader and father of Neil and James, two twins that are cast into a role fate has predestined for them. The seer prophesies that two brothers would lead the clan to war, and then to 50 years of peace. Both brothers would marry a woman from the East and the women would share a name.

Ms. Givens weaves a stunning tale of politics and warfare in 17th Century Scotland. As the highland clans prepare for battle against King George of Orange in their support of King James Stuart, James encounters Ellen Graham. Ellen Graham is on her way to warn her cousin, John Graham, of a sinister plot of assassination.

James, a handsome black-haired warrior with blue eyes, is smitten by Ellen and the feeling is mutual. His care for her is immediate and continual throughout the story. Indeed their conflict does not lie with their relationship and feelings for each other but the storm of history they are swept up in.

This is a masterful tale rich in action, adventure, and passion cast against very real historical events. It will set your heart pounding with excitement as you experience highland clansman, fierce in battle, or the passionate love between James and Ellen. Reading this book will make you desperate for more, and you are in luck...there is a sequel.

Set against a backdrop of turbulent historical times and inter-mingled with an ancient prophecy that can't be denied, THE DESTINY shines!
Jacobites, supporters of the exiled branch of the house of Stuart are seeking to restore James II to the English and Scottish thrones. When William III and Mary II ascended the throne after the flight of James II to France, strong Stuart partisans remained to offer rebellion. Neil MacCurrie, a highland Chieftain is in England, a very dangerous place to be during these times.

Eileen Ronley first meets Neil MacCurrie disguised as a Frenchman seeking shelter and a safe place to stay at her father's home. Unfortunately her father has mysteriously died several years earlier along with her mother, and the house is now owned by Milford, a man who is both suspicious and weary of this strange visitor to the Ronley home. Neil is on dangerous ground and his true heritage must not be discovered. Knowing this he answers untruthfully the questions set before him by Milford and he is taken prisoner. Eileen suspects he is not what he seems but regardless of this bravely helps him escape. Neil and Eileen feel a compelling and strong attraction and share a kiss farewell. They meet again in the royal courts of King William III and Mary II, a dangerous place for any Scot. There they fall in love and just might find their 50 years of peace.

THE DESTINY is a sweeping grand tale of political intrigue, personal ambition and romance that should not be missed!

With King James in exile, the Jacobite cause is lost. Neil MacCurrie, Highland chieftain and Earl of Torridon, has just returned from a visit to France, where Scotland's deposed -- and demoralized -- monarch is holding court. After several weeks, and numerous delays, Neil was finally granted an audience with James Stuart, and was urged to sign an oath of fealty to King William. There will be no second uprising, then; no further attempts to regain James's throne, and the news is bittersweet to Neil, who fought at Killiecrankie and the Battle of the Boyne.

Will Torridon now be blessed with fifty years of peace as prophesized? He kens naught, but the legend has born fruit with his brother's marriage, so Neil had best keep an open mind. The delays at James's court have played havoc with Neil's travel plans, however, forcing him to journey overland through England in the guise of Jean-Paul Belmond, a Huguenot. Posing as a Frenchman could very well save his life. Seeking sanctuary at Ronley Hall, the home of a Jacobite sympathizer, is proven to be a foolish gamble, though: Sir Adam Ronley drowned in the Thames two years ago, and the Hall is now owned by a man loyal to William and Mary.

As fate would have it, Sir Adam's daughter is still a resident of the Hall, however. With no dowry, no property and no prospects, Eileen has precious few options, and must rely upon Milford's charity. Offering her aid to Monsieur Belmond (a man, she deduces, who is as French as Scottish whiskey) is terribly wanton and reckless...but what choice has she? An unknowing pawn of King William's, Eileen is a woman torn between duty, destiny and desire. After aiding Belmond's escape, her life is forever changed, and is more perilous, puzzling and conflicted than ever. Eventually, court intrigues will conspire to force her hand -- but will Eileen run to her destiny, or from it?

A dynamic blend of history, adventure and romance, The Destiny is Kathleen Givens's sequel to another rousing Scottish tale, The Legend. Binding the MacCurrie brothers together is a prophecy foretelling fifty years of peace, and Neil's marriage to a woman from the east (whose name is the same as his brother's wife). Fatalism and romanticism are intimately entwined in this story, imbuing Ms. Givens's prose with a sense of expectancy and hushed awareness.

An immediate connection is formed between Neil and Eileen, the origin of which is never questioned, just accepted, as calm as you please. Their sweetly budding relationship has a gentle luminosity that isn't dimmed by the questions of loyalty, faith and trust they inevitably face, or the obstacles placed in their path. There are misconceptions, mistruths, and mistaken impressions to muddle through, of course, but their date with destiny has been all but literally carved in wood.

As clan chief, Neil has responsibilities to fulfill and a way of life to preserve, nay, protect; as the granddaughter of King Charles (and possibly the rightful claimant to the throne), Eileen has a terribly difficult decision to make. And yet, there's really no question how their respective destinies will unfold. Ms. Givens has successfully brought a legend to life in The Destiny, and weaved into its folds a lovely, sumptuous romance daring enough to defy customs, protocol, and murderous plots.

Reviewed by C.L. Jeffries

I was first introduced to this author in "The Legend", the wonderful predecessor to this book and I'm glad I discovered her. "The Legend" introduced twin brothers James and Neil MacCurrie and the prophecies involving their lives, loves, war, peace and the future of their clan.

"The Destiny" is laird Neil's story and opens with Neil returning from a meeting with exiled King James in France. Posing as a French Huguenot, he arrives at what he has been told is a safehouse and there he meets Eileen Ronley. She has been asked to translate French to English so that it can be determined who he is and why he has come. During the exchange, Eileen comes to doubt that he is, indeed French, since he seems to know of her Scots mother. Neil is stunned to discover that Eileen is the long lost cousin of his own cousin Duncan. They begin to feel an attraction to one another immediately. When Neil is imprisoned, Eileen helps him to escape and he leaves her with a kiss and the words "I will see you again".

Eileen is the granddaughter of King Charles II. Her father was the king's illegitimate son, but there are rumours that Charles did, in fact marry Jane Ronley. If that could be proven, Eileen would then be the rightful queen. This makes life quite dangerous for Eileen (which worries Neil even more than Eileen) and creates most of the intrigue and conflict in this story. Will Neil return to London and find her? Will Eileen pursue her claim to the throne? Are Neil and Eileen each other's destiny?

If you need to have hero and heroine constantly together and having sex, you likely won't enjoy this book. Neil and Eileen are seperated often, but there are enough sweet, romantic encounters along the way that turn your heart to mush and keep the romance alive for Neil, Eileen and the reader. Though I liked "The Legend" better, this is still recommended and I hope that Duncan will get his story next. :)

For those of us who have read, lived and loved Gabaldon's Outlander series, it is hard for other authors to live up to these works. Givens' Kilgannon books are an excellent choice. The book is written in from the first person character of Mary Lowell, an unwed English woman whose relatives are determined to see her married off. Mary unexpectedly meets a dashing Scot, Alex MacGannon during the height of the English Season, 1712. Alex, a widowed father of two young boys, is immediately intrigued by Mary. Mary, likewise, is quite interested in Alex. Mary gives little thought to the relationship she had with Robert Campbell, thinking it nothing more than a friendship. As it turns out, the Campbells and MacGannons have been long time enemies in the homeland Scotland. Unable to deny her love for Alex, Mary marries him and leaves her home in England to become the Laird's wife of Kilgannon, and stepmother to his two boys.
Filled with adventure, action, betrayal and romance, readers will not be disappointed in this tale. The story is set a few years before the first Jacobite uprising, neatly paving the way for the second book, The Wild Rose of Kilgannon.
If you like Scottish Highland stories, this is an excellent selction.

After I read the online reviews of this book "KilGannon" I ordered the books here on Amazon...It was a pleasent surprise for my part after I finshed reading these two books (KilGannon, and the wild rose of Kilgannon) The books are wonderful.. yes, some reviewers think these two books reminded them of the OUTLANDER series...I personally own these books, so I agree with them. The KilGannon's story line is like this: Everyone expects Mary Lowell to marry the handsome Scotsman, Robert Campbell, whom she has known for years. Except there is a small problem: He hasn't proposed yet! Everyone else in the ton seems to be so sure that Mary is Robert's fiancee. In the meantime, Mary becomes fascinated with and falls in love with another handsome Scotsman, Alex MacGannon-Laird of KilGannon. Mary is an Englishwoman who is expected to marry well and Alex is considered a 'barbarian' by members of the ton. And then there are the mysterious accidents that befall Alex that point to a relentless enemy. But then they got married and Mary is welcomed into the hearts of Alex's clan. But marriage doesn't mean living happily ever after for this couple because of the highland politics via love as Alex finds himself [drawn] into the plot to restore the Stuart throne.(the Jacobite uprisings) It is refershing to see that not only Kathleen Givens manages to make her main characters lively, interesting and 3 dimensional, but that she also does this with the secondary characters as well. All in all, this is an excellent read. If you are facinated by Scottish Romance novels, I high suggest you read The KilGannon and its' sequel. :)

I picked this book up on a whim and am so glad I did. The characters are real and I never found myself questioning their thoughts or actions. You appreciate Mary's struggle to come to terms with life in the Highlands which is so different from her easy & boring life in London (before Alex came along). Alex is charming, funny and romantic. It's easy to see why Mary fell for him, he respects her mind and heart and never treats her terribly, as I've seen a lot in romance novels, man treats the woman horribly yet because he's attractive she puts up with it and falls in love. Mary is an intelligent woman with a good heart, she is very likable. It's a good book to curl up with on a rainy day.

Four romance novelists got together to write a short story that shows the beauty of Scotland. These stories involve clueless women who get their foot stuck somewhere and gets help out of their predicament by a long-haired highlander. At first they cannot stand each other and near the end of each story fall madly in love.

None of the four stories give a feeling about Scotland. It relies heavily on stereotypes and the lack of scenic pictures in the book does not help at all. One gets so upset with the female protagonists that the visual imagery of the their location gets lost in the text. One of the most poorly edited stories in this anthology is Connie Brockway's LASSIE GO HOME. Devlin Montgomery is helping American Toni Olson to find a kidnapped dog by giving her a ride on his motorcycle. Dev is physically attracted to Toni in her jeans and her seductive cowboy boots. One night they are staying in a room where they wind up playing strip poker. Toni has apparently lost her pants and is about to lose another hand. Devlin is staring at her thinking, 'If he won another hand, what would he ask her to shed - shirt or fantasy-inducing boot?' My question is the following, have you ever taken off your jeans while still wearing cowboy boots? It is near to impossible without having them removed first.

There are probably better stories that bring the essence of Scotland into their plot but this is not one of them. This book might seem like a good idea at the time but apparently too little time was given in the making of it.

If you want to think deeply, which most people don't when they settle down with a romance, this isn't the book for you, but if you want a light and pleasant journey to an idealized Scotland, you'll be happy with this book. The four stories are enjoyable, although I personally found "Sinfully Scottish," about a devilish and manipulative millionaire, much too fake and saccharine for my taste. My favorite was "Lassie, Go Home," which had a fun and spunky heroine. All of the stories have an American woman visiting Scotland, meeting a sexy Scot, and deciding to stay. It's a fantasy a lot of us enjoy, and who can beat the settings that always involve a castle? I don't think I'll be rereading these stories, but they were definitely a nice diversion, like a dip in a cool stream on a hot day.

Courtesy of The Best Reviews

Lassie, Go Home by Connie Brockway
Toni Olson is an American woman in Scotland to bring home a Beautiful Border collie she bought in hopes to advance her own breeding program in the States. Devlin Montgomery is the owner, reluctant to sell his beloved dog. When Dev's overseer, Mr. MacGill, takes off with the dog, Toni and Dev must track him down. Along the way they find a lot more than and old man and a dog.... They find a love that just possibly may last a lifetime.

This was a cute story full of laughs and more than a little sexual tension between the primary characters. Ms. Brockway has drawn a fun tale, just the right length for a relaxing summer evening (or a cold winter night!) The end of the story was a bit different and fits the story's theme perfectly.

Sinfully Scottish by Patti Berg
Emily Sinclair is a national bestseller of cookbooks full of her own decadent desserts, set against stunning backdrops and passionate tales. Colin Dunbar is a reclusive Scot, famous for his family's unique recipes for whiskey. Emily and Colin make an intriguing wager, allowing her to photograph his castle for her next book and search for a secret, forcing them into living arrangements which generate far more heat than his strongest blend of whiskey.

This was quite a steamy story, the passion between the characters exploding off the pages. The heat radiating from this one is enough to burn the reader's fingers while turning the pages. A unique premise here, Ms. Berg has penned a delightful story.

The Maddening Highlander by Debra Dier
Ann Fitzpatrick is an archeology professor come to Scotland on a quest for treasure and a legend. Iain Matheson is something of a playboy, known as much for his adventures with the ladies as his advances in his film production company. The two team up to solve the mystery of some hidden family treasures. But they uncover a lot more than that... they find a hidden passion as well.

This was a classic theme, revolving around a common legend of the Highlands, but it still works. Nothing new in this one, but it was fun anyway. It is a lively tale just right for some light reading.

Castle in the Skye by Kathleen Givens
Maddie Breen is a New Yorker, working in a high profile career, who is desperate for some time off. She heads to Scotland for the birthday party of an old family friend. Here she meets Iain MacDonald who is restoring an old castle for her friends. The sparks are immediate and electric between them, igniting a passionate blaze. But will they overcome the hurdles to their once in a lifetime love?

This was probably the favorite story in this collection for this reviewer. Plenty of tension from the moment Iain and Maddie meet. There was even a good dose of intrigue, with a subplot involving the castle renovations.

All in all, a very fun book to read. The common theme of American women going to Scotland for some summer fun and finding true love in the process. There was plenty of passion in each story and a good dose of comedy as well. This is definitely a perfect book for a hot summer night...or a cold winter one that needs warming up.