Book Review: The MacInnes Affair by Blair McDowell

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

THE MacINNES AFFAIR by Blair McDowell is a contemporary romance intertwined with a historical romance with a mystery subplot. The present MacInnes and Glendenning investigate a mystery and the history tied to their MacInnes and Glendenning 19^th century ancestors. This is a standalone romance read.

The Present

Canadian Lara MacInnes is getting away from her broken engagement with a trip to Athdara castle B&B in Scotland. Athdara castle has been in the Glendenning family for generations and the current generation has done everything to ensure it continues on for many more. None more so than the handsome Highlander Iain Glendenning. As Lara and Iain begin to discover how much they have in common, they also discover the journals of a long ago Glendenning woman in love with Lara’s very great-grandfather.

The Past

Elspeth Glendenning is in a carriage accident and rescued by a rugged Highlander named Lachlan MacInnes. While the clans may have been feuding since Culloden, Elspeth and Lachlan fall in love. They discover the carriage wreck was not an accident and the two are caught up in events beyond their control.

Lara and Iain research the long ago romance and historical events that intertwine their two families. As these two work to uncover a murder mystery from the past, they fall in love as well. Can this generation of MacInnes and Glendenning’s solve a mystery that persists from their clans’ past?

I really enjoyed reading this entertaining contemporary and historical romance mix. It was not what I was expecting from the genre listings on the description because it is not a time-travel or paranormal romance. It has two time-lines that intertwine, but no one travels to another time. That said, both plot-lines are well written and I never felt confused as the two stories shift from past to present and back again. The present day romance progresses at a believable pace and the historical romance is filled with situations that are appropriate to that time.

This is the type of book you can just fall into and get engrossed by the history and mystery and not want to put down. This is the first book I have read from this new to me author, but I will definitely be looking for others.

Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.