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After reading Highland Whispers by Sharon Gillenwater, I could only come to one conclusion: the author was trying way too hard. This novel had all the aspects that should make a romance novel good—plot twists, tension, love/hate relationships—but unfortunately I think it all just falls flat because Gillenwater simply tried to make this book out to be more than what it really was.
The book opens in 1790 Scotland, where Miss Sheridan Sinclair finds herself in trouble. Sheridan is intelligent and wealthy, and traveling with a friend. The two ladies get into a bit of a pickle, and are saved by one Jeremy MacKenzie. MacKenzie is a Scottish-American, who has come home to live with his aunt (whose estate just happens to border Sheridan’s land). The villain is Lord Cameron MacVeigh, and he has his sights set on Sheridan. Cameron was obsessed with Sheridan’s mother before her death, and decides Sheridan will do just as nicely as his unwilling bride. The entire novel is spent trying to unravel the mystery surrounding Sheridan’s parents’ deaths, as well as trying to keep her safe from MacVeigh’s clutches.
My biggest problem with this novel was the dialogue. Every character speaks in these long, drawn-out speeches. They narrate their every action, along with their motivation for taking said action. I know romance novels aren’t supposed to be “realistic” the same way soap operas aren’t an accurate depiction of real life, but come on. People don’t really talk that way! And not only did everyone talk as if giving a monologue, the dialect was simply way off.
Regular readers of this column (hi, Mom!) probably remember that poor dialects are a huge pet peeve of mine. I’m sorry, but real Scots don’t say “Och!” every other word, even in the eighteenth century. I also didn’t find the characters to be very nuanced, and in fact many of them are outright one-dimensional. MacVeigh is such a loon and such a villain that you’d expect to find him twirling his mustache and tying Sheridan to the train tracks somewhere (if they, uh, had trains in 1790 Scotland. Ahem!) A lot of times an otherwise lousy romance novel will be redeemed if the love scenes are good. Sadly, this isn’t one of those times. I found the sex to be bland and vague. And really, when is “vague” a good thing when dealing with sex?
Highland Whispers could have been a much better novel, perhaps if it had a better editor. I’d actually settle for a better copy editor, as the whole thing was rife with typos. I think this was the first time I’ve ever read a romance novel with my trusty red pen in hand.
If you’re looking for a romance novel set in Scotland, there are hundreds, maybe thousands, to choose from. Feel free to pass this one over.
