Rating: 
Summary: An easy to read, fun-to-read romantic tale!
Review:
JoAnn Ross's first book of her Stewart sister trilogy is a unique blend of Scottish-American culture with historical facts and fantasy centered on the Brooch of Lorn, a historic jewel which has gone back and forth between the feuding Stewarts and the MacDougalls ever since it was ripped from Robert the Bruce's tartan in 1306.
The main characters, Lily Stewart and Ian MacDougall MacKenzie, aren't looking for romance or commitment, but the attraction that sparks when Ian appears at the Stewart castle resort in the midst of a terrible storm will not be ignored. The castle, affectionately called Stewart's Folly, straddles the North Carolina-Tennessee border of the Smoky Mountains and is home for the eclectic Stewart clan.
In order to maintain the sprawling manor, the family sponsors the Highland Games on the castle grounds. Ian, under the guise of filming a documentary about the games, has really come to steal the brooch for the MacKenzie clan. Lily is the coordinator of the games. Lively sensual dialogue snaps back and forth between the two as each attends to his/her personal agenda. The twists and turns in their romance provide a fun read.
The transitions between character history, brooch history, and storyline are a little awkward at times, but Ms Ross's superb and evocative word pictures paint the Scottish Highland games firmly in the reader's mind.
The engaging personalities of her secondary characters add yet another level of charm to the book. Duncan MacDougall, the ornery Scotsman who sent his grandson to America to reclaim the brooch; Lily's father John Angus Stewart and his very young fiancée Jenny; zany, mystic Aunt Zelda; divorced Aunt Melanie and her bag piping daughter, Missy, and Lily's grandmother Annie are all quirky, captivating characters who draw you into the story.
OUT OF THE MIST is a terrific combination of Ms Ross's distinct contemporary writing style and her story weaving gift. Her subtle, witty humor interspersed with all that Scottish history, firefly science and even the geological review of plate tectonics keeps you turning the pages. The snippets and hints of the coming stories of Lily's two sisters, Lark and Laurel, will have you eagerly awaiting the sister's stories.
Rating: 
Summary: Great fun, and you'll learn some things, too....
Review: Author Ross does a fine job of introducing the Stewart sisters and extended family in the first book of her newest trilogy. The wedding scene is pure farce and so wonderfully written you can see it as it's happening. Not only does she give us a very entertaining story, Ross adds in Scottish history, firefly science and even plate tectonics (!) so painlessly that you won't realize you're smarter until you finish the last page.
Also included is a snippet from the next book in the trilogy, OUT OF THE BLUE, that looks to be even better. Something to look forward to.
Rating: 
Summary: A big time dissapointment
Review: I bought this because well...I read "Out of the Blue" the second book in this series and I thought it was good, so I went ahead and bought the first one to the series. And it turned out to be a big dissapointment. The story is boring. She overdone it with the historical facts. The characters are unreal. When someone is telling you that they accuse you of stealing their family heirloom and they're wanting it back. I expected the character to be hurt. But the most unreasonable thing ever! THey have sex! This is a HUGE disgrace toward Ross's name. If you like her writing as I do, please don't buy this installment and go right to the next two. They are much better.
Rating: 
Summary: Major Bummer !!
Review: I don't know, maybe it's me, but this writer seems to keep going from bad to worse with her stories. No doubt, it's time to change up! Back to the drawing board. With some of the standard writers of this genre lately it is almost as though I have to close my eyes, give it the ennie, meanie, miney, mo teck to see what to read next. (By the way that teck is not working!)
Rating:
Summary: From bad to worse !
Review: I don't know, maybe it's me, but this writer seems to keep going from bad to worse with her stories. No doubt, it's time to change up! Back to the drawing board. With some of the standard writers of this genre lately it is almost as though I have to close my eyes, give it the ennie, meanie, miney, mo teck to see what to read next. (By the way that teck is not working!)
Rating:
Summary: Not what I expected from this seasoned pro at all!
Review: I was looking forward to reading Ms. Ross' OUT OF THE MIST. Especially after being disappointed by her last few efforts. I am so disappointed I can't begiin to tell you how upset I am becoming with this writer. I don't know what's happened to Ms. Ross but her last few books (including this one), has left a lot to be desired. Maybe it's time for me to move on to someone new to provide me with a decent story. Perhaps, I'll go back to Linda Howard or Linda Foster. I got the same way with books of JD Robb/Nora Roberts for a while. That was the reason I began reading Ms. Ross' books to begin with. Maybe I should find someone new altogether. Who knows. What I do know however is that I have had it with this writer.
Rating:
Summary: Not quite as bad as...
Review: Lily "no talent" Stewart no longer looks forward to the upcoming Highland Games at her family's Great Smoky Mountain resort as she has in the past. She is concerned because Oscar winning documentary filmmaker Ian MacDougall MacKenzie is thinking of filming the event. His work is critically acclaimed, but extremely cynical, negative, and dark. A rain soaked Ian arrives at "Stewart's Folly" after walking a mile in a storm when his car rental failed. He and hotel hostess Lily are attracted from the first moment they see each other; shaking hands they emit enough electricity to light a city. Lily worries about the film that she believes will accentuate the negative. The truth is Ian is here to take back a seven-century-old broach his grandfather insists was stolen by the Stewarts decades ago. Although Ian and Lily act wary towards one another, they fall in love, but neither wants that at this time. OUT OF THE MIST is a fine contemporary romance that highlights the Scottish-American culture. The entire clan is fun to observe, but especially delightful is the lead couple and a geriatric duo. Fans of JoAnn Ross will enjoy this tale and take pleasure with the thought that two sisters remain for their tales to be told. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Very fine contemporary romance
Review: Lily "no talent" Stewart no longer looks forward to the upcoming Highland Games at her family's Great Smoky Mountain resort as she has in the past. She is concerned because Oscar winning documentary filmmaker Ian MacDougall MacKenzie is thinking of filming the event. His work is critically acclaimed, but extremely cynical, negative, and dark. A rain soaked Ian arrives at "Stewart's Folly" after walking a mile in a storm when his car rental failed. He and hotel hostess Lily are attracted from the first moment they see each other; shaking hands they emit enough electricity to light a city. Lily worries about the film that she believes will accentuate the negative. The truth is Ian is here to take back a seven-century-old broach his grandfather insists was stolen by the Stewarts decades ago. Although Ian and Lily act wary towards one another, they fall in love, but neither wants that at this time. OUT OF THE MIST is a fine contemporary romance that highlights the Scottish-American culture. The entire clan is fun to observe, but especially delightful is the lead couple and a geriatric duo. Fans of JoAnn Ross will enjoy this tale and take pleasure with the thought that two sisters remain for their tales to be told. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Major Bummer !!
Review: No more ROSS books for me! The plots are becoming so repeative and boring. Chow Baby!
Rating:
Summary: Not quite as bad as...
Review: Not quite as bad as 'JR's' last book but still boring and old news. What happened to the 'JR' that I once new? I will give this writer one final time to get it right after that I'm finished with her! Very disappointed!
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