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Brotherhood of the Black Tartan #5
Remembering Jamie
Miss Eilidh Fyffe always assumed her life would follow a predictable pattern—meet a charming man, fall in love, marry, and live happily ever after. But when an accident damages her memory, she is left with only questions. Has she already fallen in love and married? If only she could remember...
Master Kieran MacTavish has spent six years searching for his lost wife. But, turns out, finding Eilidh alive is only the beginning of the battle. She has no memory of him—no recollection of their courtship, love, or handfasting. Refusing to be discouraged, Kieran relishes the chance to make Eilidh fall for him all over again. Surely he can rekindle the flame of their love.
But the intervening years have changed them both. Eilidh is crippled by grief—the deaths of her father, her younger brother, Jamie, and others overwhelm her. And the more Kieran comes to know this new Eilidh, the more he is haunted by the woman she once was.
Throughout it all, one question looms large—
Is your love still your love if the person they once were no longer exists?
Master Kieran MacTavish has spent six years searching for his lost wife. But, turns out, finding Eilidh alive is only the beginning of the battle. She has no memory of him—no recollection of their courtship, love, or handfasting. Refusing to be discouraged, Kieran relishes the chance to make Eilidh fall for him all over again. Surely he can rekindle the flame of their love.
But the intervening years have changed them both. Eilidh is crippled by grief—the deaths of her father, her younger brother, Jamie, and others overwhelm her. And the more Kieran comes to know this new Eilidh, the more he is haunted by the woman she once was.
Throughout it all, one question looms large—
Is your love still your love if the person they once were no longer exists?
382 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 8, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 177 reviews
March 31, 2024
Good book. Dragged in the middle and the end was resolved too quickly and perfectly but enjoyed it, overall.
January 10, 2024
This is an absolutely fabulous series finale. And I did not enjoy myself at all for like 90% of it.
From the first couple of chapters I warily posed the question “Wait. Will this be a whole book of ‘OMG THIS POOR MAN’?” And, for me? Yes, yes, it was, and hence no fun was had, just a perma-chest-pang interspersed with either too brief moments of relief or frustration palpitations. I’m no Van fan quitter (I’ll admit to some tiny skimming like a sacrilegious ingrate), so I had to see it through and, in the midst of all my griping, kept a glimmer of hope that I would be swooning and satisfied by the end. But like, literally not until the most perfect full-cast time jump epilogue in creation (Aaw, you can tell Ewan’s her favorite) and even the ever-delightful author’s notes, was I appeased from wanting to indignantly bellow “Don’t be mean to our Kieran, Miss Fyffe!” and chuck my phone into a crosshatch sea.
I do love a good and angsty second chance. Ms. Van was like “Prove it”. Even through my subjective long-suffering, I was fully aware how this has the epitome of a second chance trope in so many ways. I adore this author’s writing, her story choices, her characters’ depth, her weaving of themes of healing and bravery to trust that what’s on the other side of what you fear to face is so worth it. Not really surprised, but turns out I do not endure well the angstalanche cardiac stess test resulted from amnesia/flashback yanking and *shudder* love triangle (not to mention crossdressing hidden identity is not my jam- I know, overwhelming personal factors totally at work here). And, just to sprinkle in some rationality, I understand we needed Eilidh to truly choose Kieran, and, to truly choose him, she needed a plausible alternative that would provide what her battle-worn self now most yearned for in the path of least resistance, but, by Mrs. Fitzpatrick’s rosy cheeks, it drove me crazy. And even more when there are reactions to all the lovetriangling coming to roost/ill-usage of the losing party compounding to any patience for our amnesiac drifting away like sea mist over gorse and had me considering hiking it to Yorkshire and punting my phone off the Bempton Cliffs might be more appropriate.
The brilliant interactions with the Brotherhood and the founding of their society, the looming mystery of what actually happened on The Minerva, the intense hoisting up of the stakes and that someone needed to crack a Kilmeny Castle window because Mr. Chen’s fireworks had nothing on the heat and electric confrontations these two life-battered lovebirds were giving off, were definitely highlights. And happily chalking this one up as another “There’s no resolution, like a Van resolution”.
In the end, arbitrary star rating because I can concede this is the hard-fought HEA story this couple needed and the Brotherhood finale this beloved series warranted. I would read the Black Tartan descendants into perpetuity.
Content Notes: Kissing Only. Vague allusions to prostitution and sexual abuse/ pregnancy as result. Mention of family death grief and child loss grief. Mention of alcoholism recovery. On page panic attacks. Flashbacks to traumatizing events/bloody scenes. Mention and on page grief of pregnancy loss. Extremely brief mention of depression and suicidal thoughts. Mention of secondary infertility. Some biblical swearing.
From the first couple of chapters I warily posed the question “Wait. Will this be a whole book of ‘OMG THIS POOR MAN’?” And, for me? Yes, yes, it was, and hence no fun was had, just a perma-chest-pang interspersed with either too brief moments of relief or frustration palpitations. I’m no Van fan quitter (I’ll admit to some tiny skimming like a sacrilegious ingrate), so I had to see it through and, in the midst of all my griping, kept a glimmer of hope that I would be swooning and satisfied by the end. But like, literally not until the most perfect full-cast time jump epilogue in creation (Aaw, you can tell Ewan’s her favorite) and even the ever-delightful author’s notes, was I appeased from wanting to indignantly bellow “Don’t be mean to our Kieran, Miss Fyffe!” and chuck my phone into a crosshatch sea.
I do love a good and angsty second chance. Ms. Van was like “Prove it”. Even through my subjective long-suffering, I was fully aware how this has the epitome of a second chance trope in so many ways. I adore this author’s writing, her story choices, her characters’ depth, her weaving of themes of healing and bravery to trust that what’s on the other side of what you fear to face is so worth it. Not really surprised, but turns out I do not endure well the angstalanche cardiac stess test resulted from amnesia/flashback yanking and *shudder* love triangle (not to mention crossdressing hidden identity is not my jam- I know, overwhelming personal factors totally at work here). And, just to sprinkle in some rationality, I understand we needed Eilidh to truly choose Kieran, and, to truly choose him, she needed a plausible alternative that would provide what her battle-worn self now most yearned for in the path of least resistance, but, by Mrs. Fitzpatrick’s rosy cheeks, it drove me crazy. And even more when there are reactions to all the lovetriangling coming to roost/ill-usage of the losing party compounding to any patience for our amnesiac drifting away like sea mist over gorse and had me considering hiking it to Yorkshire and punting my phone off the Bempton Cliffs might be more appropriate.
The brilliant interactions with the Brotherhood and the founding of their society, the looming mystery of what actually happened on The Minerva, the intense hoisting up of the stakes and that someone needed to crack a Kilmeny Castle window because Mr. Chen’s fireworks had nothing on the heat and electric confrontations these two life-battered lovebirds were giving off, were definitely highlights. And happily chalking this one up as another “There’s no resolution, like a Van resolution”.
In the end, arbitrary star rating because I can concede this is the hard-fought HEA story this couple needed and the Brotherhood finale this beloved series warranted. I would read the Black Tartan descendants into perpetuity.
Content Notes: Kissing Only. Vague allusions to prostitution and sexual abuse/ pregnancy as result. Mention of family death grief and child loss grief. Mention of alcoholism recovery. On page panic attacks. Flashbacks to traumatizing events/bloody scenes. Mention and on page grief of pregnancy loss. Extremely brief mention of depression and suicidal thoughts. Mention of secondary infertility. Some biblical swearing.
March 7, 2024
Maybe the previous book put me off too much because I didn’t love this one either.
Or maybe it’s the memory loss trope which is not my favorite?
In any case the love story was underwhelming and the ending a little anticlimactic. However I will still read the spinoff because I loved the first three books too much to part with these characters just yet.
3,5 stars
Or maybe it’s the memory loss trope which is not my favorite?
In any case the love story was underwhelming and the ending a little anticlimactic. However I will still read the spinoff because I loved the first three books too much to part with these characters just yet.
3,5 stars
August 11, 2021
*sigh*
I always enjoy a good amnesia trope, I just think it can add such a nice layer of tension to a story! In this case our hero, Kieran MacTavish has been searching for his wife for six years and in book five he has finally found her but she has amnesia and does not remember an entire year of her life, the year she met and fell in love with Kieran!! That was a cliffhanger ending for sure!!
So, of course I have been eagerly awaiting this book and to get to know Eilidh and hear Kieran's story and to finally find out what happened to Jamie and the shipwreck that had changed everyone's lives.
I thought this well very well written, keeping me engaged and turning the pages. Your heart will break for Kiernan, to have suffered so long and to finally find his wife and have her not remember him or what they shared!! Kiernan was a great character, I really enjoyed his attempts at wooing and his persistence! Eilidh is stubborn! But she has also gone through so much and changed a lot as well. I thought they had great chemistry and such a lovely relationship.
I loved seeing past characters and love that they didnt take over the story! Which can happen in series, but Ms. Van handled it really well. I liked that we got answers for things that had been carried throughout the series and that loose ends were tide up. I was also impressed that the book could stand so well on its own, you could read this without reading the other books and not feel lost at all. (Of course, if you read this one first, it would give a way a lot for the previous books in the series).
Overall, a really enjoyable read and fun conclusion to a wonderful series.
Content Rated PG13
Romance: Clean, just kissing.
Language: None-mild, nothing I can remember
Violence: Mild, talk of fights, slavery, shipwrecks, etc. Nothing graphic or overly detailed
Other: Talk of pregnancy, miscarriage
I always enjoy a good amnesia trope, I just think it can add such a nice layer of tension to a story! In this case our hero, Kieran MacTavish has been searching for his wife for six years and in book five he has finally found her but she has amnesia and does not remember an entire year of her life, the year she met and fell in love with Kieran!! That was a cliffhanger ending for sure!!
So, of course I have been eagerly awaiting this book and to get to know Eilidh and hear Kieran's story and to finally find out what happened to Jamie and the shipwreck that had changed everyone's lives.
I thought this well very well written, keeping me engaged and turning the pages. Your heart will break for Kiernan, to have suffered so long and to finally find his wife and have her not remember him or what they shared!! Kiernan was a great character, I really enjoyed his attempts at wooing and his persistence! Eilidh is stubborn! But she has also gone through so much and changed a lot as well. I thought they had great chemistry and such a lovely relationship.
I loved seeing past characters and love that they didnt take over the story! Which can happen in series, but Ms. Van handled it really well. I liked that we got answers for things that had been carried throughout the series and that loose ends were tide up. I was also impressed that the book could stand so well on its own, you could read this without reading the other books and not feel lost at all. (Of course, if you read this one first, it would give a way a lot for the previous books in the series).
Overall, a really enjoyable read and fun conclusion to a wonderful series.
Content Rated PG13
Romance: Clean, just kissing.
Language: None-mild, nothing I can remember
Violence: Mild, talk of fights, slavery, shipwrecks, etc. Nothing graphic or overly detailed
Other: Talk of pregnancy, miscarriage
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 13, 2021
Dang....I'm still processing. That was a journey! That was an amazing end to this series. Van knows how to build upon each book to make the last book this explosion of feeling! I seriously almost cried! My heart ached for these two! What a Love story! Kieren is someone you can't help but feel for from the first book. He is someone I have loved from the first, you get glimpses of their story in each book and I couldn't wait to find out the truth of what happened on that ship! Well let me tell you the telling of this was so well done. I got all the answers I wanted and she wrote it in a way you got to be there for it all! Way to go Van!! You outdid yourself with this one:} In order to get the full effect you Must read the whole series!!
Proper romance with some swoony amazing tension and kisses!!!!
Proper romance with some swoony amazing tension and kisses!!!!
October 22, 2021
Oh. my. stars. This book!! This series!!!
Apparently I am in such a book hangover that I am having a hard time forming complete sentences.
There are good books, there are great books, and then there are the books that stay with you long after you finish.
The books that give you all the feels and touch your soul and make it hard to read anything after because your heart is still so wrapped up in the story.
Remembering Jamie belongs in that last category. In fact, the entire Brotherhood of the Black Tartan series does.
This is an epic love story of heartache and hope. The angst in this book just about ripped my heart in two but it was totally worth it because of the happily ever after. The romance is swoony and riveting and just about perfect.
The characters are so engaging- they are complex and dynamic and their emotions are so well conveyed that sometimes I forgot that they are fictional.
I don’t want to give away too much of the plot but if you enjoy super swoony Scottish romances with fantastic characters and unputdownable plots, then you need to read this series.
I received a complimentary copy but a positive review was not required.
Apparently I am in such a book hangover that I am having a hard time forming complete sentences.
There are good books, there are great books, and then there are the books that stay with you long after you finish.
The books that give you all the feels and touch your soul and make it hard to read anything after because your heart is still so wrapped up in the story.
Remembering Jamie belongs in that last category. In fact, the entire Brotherhood of the Black Tartan series does.
This is an epic love story of heartache and hope. The angst in this book just about ripped my heart in two but it was totally worth it because of the happily ever after. The romance is swoony and riveting and just about perfect.
The characters are so engaging- they are complex and dynamic and their emotions are so well conveyed that sometimes I forgot that they are fictional.
I don’t want to give away too much of the plot but if you enjoy super swoony Scottish romances with fantastic characters and unputdownable plots, then you need to read this series.
I received a complimentary copy but a positive review was not required.
November 8, 2021
Beautiful end to the series
Nichole Van did a wonderful job with the Brotherhood of the Black Tartan series. The build-up and mystery surrounding Jamie was so intriguing and there were hints and snippets in each book, culminating in this spellbinding conclusion.
I love each of the characters so much and the bond they share is heartening. Their personalities are vivid and I love how they mesh together so well, showing up in each other's stories with a true brotherhood. They are each solid and strong, supporting one another and finding love.
Although Kieran and Jamie found love once before, a case of amnesia and years apart allows for a second chance and what a long, heart-wrenching journey it is, full of ups and downs and in betweens. But don't worry--I was here for every minute of it. I loved the challenges they faced, the patience and long-suffering, the frustration, the hope. This journey was one worth taking and I adored it all. I'm sad this series is over.
Content: mild romance; mild violence/danger
*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
Nichole Van did a wonderful job with the Brotherhood of the Black Tartan series. The build-up and mystery surrounding Jamie was so intriguing and there were hints and snippets in each book, culminating in this spellbinding conclusion.
I love each of the characters so much and the bond they share is heartening. Their personalities are vivid and I love how they mesh together so well, showing up in each other's stories with a true brotherhood. They are each solid and strong, supporting one another and finding love.
Although Kieran and Jamie found love once before, a case of amnesia and years apart allows for a second chance and what a long, heart-wrenching journey it is, full of ups and downs and in betweens. But don't worry--I was here for every minute of it. I loved the challenges they faced, the patience and long-suffering, the frustration, the hope. This journey was one worth taking and I adored it all. I'm sad this series is over.
Content: mild romance; mild violence/danger
*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
October 28, 2021
I'll tell you one thing, Nichole Van is an incredibly talented writer. Even though I didn't connect with Jamie or Kieran, she kept my interest the whole way through.
I've been honest through this whole series that the Jamie/Minerva ship sinking mystery was the weakest part of every book for me. It's just not my kind of plot - where a very loose mystery is dragged across multiple books. I enjoy mysteries, but ones with more forward momentum, where information is consistently propelling the central plot. In this case, everything was very fact-finding and it was always an aside. The only time the mystery was pivotal to the central plot was the first book - and I loved it. What I'm trying to say is, if in every book this mystery doesn't actually change anything majorly for the central characters then why should I care? And this was the case with book 2, 3 and 4. The whole Jamie/Minerva/Kieran thing just felt like a constant loose thread, that would detract from the central action. It made Kieran quite annoying and made me care less about the Minerva plot each time it came up.
Anyway that mild rant aside, I felt that this book suffered from this whole dragged out mystery sinkhole, which is interesting since Jamie and Kieran are the central characters. This Minerva mystery has been dragged through 5 books. At this stage (and full spoilers) we know the reason the brotherhood was marooned (because of Cuthie being a bad human), we have since found out that Cuthie and Massie survived. Then we find out that Jamie survived too. Then we find out that Jamie and Keiran were actually married. Then we find out that she was pregnant. Then we find out Jamie lost her memory. Which brings us to this book. I'm actually getting a little annoyed recapping how thin this mystery was to start of with. There are no stakes. The brotherhood is alive, so we're not really worried about them. And Jamie is alive. So the whole mystery is wondering exactly what happened, years and years ago. There's no source of tension.
There's an attempt to raise the stakes by reopening the inquest into what happened to the Minerva. This is what brings Jamie and Kieran back together as she is impelled to try and recover her memories or risk being prosecuted for allegedly blowing up the ship.
Which brings me to my second main qualm. This is a difficult story to pull off. Kieran has his full memories. He has his love for Jamie and also the grief of being separated from her. For Jamie, she doesn't know Kieran one bit, she's also had 6 years of life that has never included him. And suddenly she's being pressured to uncover memories that she's both subconsciously and consciously covered over in order to protect herself. And that's the whole book. Jamie being afraid to poke at unknown wound and Kieran being desperate in his need to have his wife back. It's not fun.
At its worst, it makes you really sympathetic to Kieran but Jamie comes across as horrible and cruel. At its best it's an interesting exploration of just how much our experiences shape who we are. Jamie has to wrestle with who she's being told she is and who she feels she actually is. And Kieran has to come to terms that the wife he knew and lost is not the same person at all anymore. It was incredibly nuanced and I thought Nichole Van pulled this off well. The drawback is that this is the whole book. Of being frustrated with Jamie and sad for Kieran. And then it ends. We don't really go deeper with Kieran because his whole arc is centered of Jamie's memories. And because there's a dissonance with Jamie, it's difficult to know and connect with her.
Of course Jamie finally recalls her memories of Kieran and all is well but this was at the very end of the book.
In terms of the inquest, it is ruled that the Minerva wrecked after all and Jamie is let off the hook.
So while the writing was great, this was just not my kind of book. The mystery was weak and though the characterisations were done well, I couldn't connect with these characters.
It was a satisfying end to the series and I remain a fan of Nichole Van.
I've been honest through this whole series that the Jamie/Minerva ship sinking mystery was the weakest part of every book for me. It's just not my kind of plot - where a very loose mystery is dragged across multiple books. I enjoy mysteries, but ones with more forward momentum, where information is consistently propelling the central plot. In this case, everything was very fact-finding and it was always an aside. The only time the mystery was pivotal to the central plot was the first book - and I loved it. What I'm trying to say is, if in every book this mystery doesn't actually change anything majorly for the central characters then why should I care? And this was the case with book 2, 3 and 4. The whole Jamie/Minerva/Kieran thing just felt like a constant loose thread, that would detract from the central action. It made Kieran quite annoying and made me care less about the Minerva plot each time it came up.
Anyway that mild rant aside, I felt that this book suffered from this whole dragged out mystery sinkhole, which is interesting since Jamie and Kieran are the central characters. This Minerva mystery has been dragged through 5 books. At this stage (and full spoilers) we know the reason the brotherhood was marooned (because of Cuthie being a bad human), we have since found out that Cuthie and Massie survived. Then we find out that Jamie survived too. Then we find out that Jamie and Keiran were actually married. Then we find out that she was pregnant. Then we find out Jamie lost her memory. Which brings us to this book. I'm actually getting a little annoyed recapping how thin this mystery was to start of with. There are no stakes. The brotherhood is alive, so we're not really worried about them. And Jamie is alive. So the whole mystery is wondering exactly what happened, years and years ago. There's no source of tension.
There's an attempt to raise the stakes by reopening the inquest into what happened to the Minerva. This is what brings Jamie and Kieran back together as she is impelled to try and recover her memories or risk being prosecuted for allegedly blowing up the ship.
Which brings me to my second main qualm. This is a difficult story to pull off. Kieran has his full memories. He has his love for Jamie and also the grief of being separated from her. For Jamie, she doesn't know Kieran one bit, she's also had 6 years of life that has never included him. And suddenly she's being pressured to uncover memories that she's both subconsciously and consciously covered over in order to protect herself. And that's the whole book. Jamie being afraid to poke at unknown wound and Kieran being desperate in his need to have his wife back. It's not fun.
At its worst, it makes you really sympathetic to Kieran but Jamie comes across as horrible and cruel. At its best it's an interesting exploration of just how much our experiences shape who we are. Jamie has to wrestle with who she's being told she is and who she feels she actually is. And Kieran has to come to terms that the wife he knew and lost is not the same person at all anymore. It was incredibly nuanced and I thought Nichole Van pulled this off well. The drawback is that this is the whole book. Of being frustrated with Jamie and sad for Kieran. And then it ends. We don't really go deeper with Kieran because his whole arc is centered of Jamie's memories. And because there's a dissonance with Jamie, it's difficult to know and connect with her.
Of course Jamie finally recalls her memories of Kieran and all is well but this was at the very end of the book.
In terms of the inquest, it is ruled that the Minerva wrecked after all and Jamie is let off the hook.
So while the writing was great, this was just not my kind of book. The mystery was weak and though the characterisations were done well, I couldn't connect with these characters.
It was a satisfying end to the series and I remain a fan of Nichole Van.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 3, 2021
So emotional and heartbreaking! But after all that Kieran has been through, it's such a relief for him to have Jamie with him again, even under the circumstances. She seems to be in an impossible situation- married to someone she barely remembers from her youth, about to be engaged to a good but boring man, and haunted by a conniving captain out for revenge. It was interesting how her personality reverted back to how she was before the voyage, where her memory loss last allowed her to remember. The traumatic events she endured pushed her mental state into a post traumatic stress state, associating fear and danger with her memories, and her coping mechanism was to retreat to the safety of not feeling. Kieran is desperate for her to remember, not only for his sake, but for her own safety. They get to know each other all over again with how much has changed over the years. I loved the insights Kieran has into the differences and similarities between both sides of the same woman- Jamie and Eilidh. She feels like two different people, and it was fascinating to see how they merged to create a whole new personality as she stands up for herself, is introspective as to what she wants for her future, and resurfacing memories begin to influence her. Her fight against the powerful chemistry between her and Kieran really gave him a run for his money, and I loved how determined he was to rewin her heart. The subplot of the vengeful captain and the threat from the hearing adds tension and suspense, and finally brings closure to the overarching backstory that continued through each book in the series. I loved this journey with each member of the Brotherhood of the Black Tartan!
Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.
Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.
October 18, 2023
What a satisfying finale!!
Bookish Yays:
😍 Getting to watch our fiercely loyal Kieran woo his long lost love all over again.
😍 It’s always a good time when the brotherhood gets together.
😍 The double epilogue. Couldn’t keep the contented smile from my face.
😍 I’ve said this before, but I still love that Van portrays children realistically with their mischievous shenanigans, but still shows they are lovable.
😍 Mmmm I love me some good character growth and this book had it in spades.
😍 Kieran’s declarations of love rate high on the swoon scale.
Mixed Bag:
🤔 Kieran, a recently recovered alcoholic, probably wouldn’t have such a fine figure. A ruddy nose and barrel chest seem more likely. The whole series I’ve pictured him as a gruff sailor, but in this one suddenly he’s suddenly super handsome. 😂
🤔 Captain Cuthy acted a little too hot headed in the climax, I would have preferred him more cunning and ruthless, and maybe have had a little more tension. It was a decent climax, but I guess I was expecting a bigger revelation.
🤔 Flashbacks have to be done well, especially when there are a lot of them, but it worked for Jamie’s story. Did they mess with the pacing? A bit, but I think the depth they added outweighed any minor annoyance.
🤔 There is a love triangle, but to be fair Jamie/Ailee has memory loss and didn’t choose to be in a love triangle. I think it works for this story because it sets her up for a lot of character growth.
🤔 The audio narrator changed in this book, which kind of threw me off, but I actually ended up liking her voice and think it fits the story.
Bookish Nays:
😒 Just a titch too much internal monologue over the same repeated issues. But this only bothered me occasionally—nothing like book 3, thankfully.
😒 Wanted a little more from the climax, specifically from Jamie/Ailee. I wanted her to help resolve it, to bring some big evidence to light instead of being a passive observer.
Quotes for your enjoyment:
✨ “…and in time honored Scottish tradition, Kieran intended to fight dirty.”
✨ “Security is’nae the same thing as love. It’s close enough for some people, but I dinnae think it will be good enough for you.”
✨ “I dinnae want a crumb of our love. I dinnae want a ghost of our love. I want the whole brightness of it, and if I cannae have that, then I wish to be free.”
Overall ratings for the series:
Book One: 5 ⭐️ (most fun)
Book Two: 4.75 ⭐️ (heavy and meaningful and the most romantic)
Book Three: 2.75 ⭐️ (had it’s good moments, but the weakest of the lot and the most repetitive)
Book Four: 3.5 ⭐️ (the plot thickens)
Book Five: 5 ⭐️ (satisfying culmination)
I feel like an honorary member of the brotherhood and it was a delight to see the culmination of this deliciously Scottish series.
Content:
Miscarriage, infertility, loss of family members, a couple memories of severe loss of blood of a dying person, a couple steamy kisses between a married couple, mild innuendo, tasteful hint of implied intimacy of a married couple but quite clean, occasional biblical swearing, no blasphemy.
Bookish Yays:
😍 Getting to watch our fiercely loyal Kieran woo his long lost love all over again.
😍 It’s always a good time when the brotherhood gets together.
😍 The double epilogue. Couldn’t keep the contented smile from my face.
😍 I’ve said this before, but I still love that Van portrays children realistically with their mischievous shenanigans, but still shows they are lovable.
😍 Mmmm I love me some good character growth and this book had it in spades.
😍 Kieran’s declarations of love rate high on the swoon scale.
Mixed Bag:
🤔 Kieran, a recently recovered alcoholic, probably wouldn’t have such a fine figure. A ruddy nose and barrel chest seem more likely. The whole series I’ve pictured him as a gruff sailor, but in this one suddenly he’s suddenly super handsome. 😂
🤔 Captain Cuthy acted a little too hot headed in the climax, I would have preferred him more cunning and ruthless, and maybe have had a little more tension. It was a decent climax, but I guess I was expecting a bigger revelation.
🤔 Flashbacks have to be done well, especially when there are a lot of them, but it worked for Jamie’s story. Did they mess with the pacing? A bit, but I think the depth they added outweighed any minor annoyance.
🤔 There is a love triangle, but to be fair Jamie/Ailee has memory loss and didn’t choose to be in a love triangle. I think it works for this story because it sets her up for a lot of character growth.
🤔 The audio narrator changed in this book, which kind of threw me off, but I actually ended up liking her voice and think it fits the story.
Bookish Nays:
😒 Just a titch too much internal monologue over the same repeated issues. But this only bothered me occasionally—nothing like book 3, thankfully.
😒 Wanted a little more from the climax, specifically from Jamie/Ailee. I wanted her to help resolve it, to bring some big evidence to light instead of being a passive observer.
Quotes for your enjoyment:
✨ “…and in time honored Scottish tradition, Kieran intended to fight dirty.”
✨ “Security is’nae the same thing as love. It’s close enough for some people, but I dinnae think it will be good enough for you.”
✨ “I dinnae want a crumb of our love. I dinnae want a ghost of our love. I want the whole brightness of it, and if I cannae have that, then I wish to be free.”
Overall ratings for the series:
Book One: 5 ⭐️ (most fun)
Book Two: 4.75 ⭐️ (heavy and meaningful and the most romantic)
Book Three: 2.75 ⭐️ (had it’s good moments, but the weakest of the lot and the most repetitive)
Book Four: 3.5 ⭐️ (the plot thickens)
Book Five: 5 ⭐️ (satisfying culmination)
I feel like an honorary member of the brotherhood and it was a delight to see the culmination of this deliciously Scottish series.
Content:
Miscarriage, infertility, loss of family members, a couple memories of severe loss of blood of a dying person, a couple steamy kisses between a married couple, mild innuendo, tasteful hint of implied intimacy of a married couple but quite clean, occasional biblical swearing, no blasphemy.
September 17, 2021
Well that was an emotional rollercoaster. Even had me teary eyed. I hate to see this series end but Nicole Van has become a favorite so I’m excited to see what she has in store next.
October 20, 2021
Fabulous conclusion to an amazing series full of endearing (and sometimes hilarious) characters, heartbreaking challenges, and swoonworthy heroes!
September 30, 2022
UTTER ROMANTIC PERFECTION.
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Yes, I said it. PERFECTION. ALL THE DANG STARS. BEST BOOK OF THE SERIES.
You name it, I probably shouted about it. Oh my gosh this was a stunning read. All of the previous four books have been leading up to this moment. This second chance romance + amnesia plot was built up to the desperate need to know what would happen between Kieran and Eilidh.
This was full of swoony moments. Full of blushes and recovering memories. Full of down right sob worthy scenes and cheers at final reveals. I felt all of the emotions and teared up more than once because the PAIN, the LOVE, the beautiful HOPE will send you to your knees. The kind of love here is timeless. It is everything wonderful about romance books.
I’m trying to stay vague because it is the last book and I don’t want to spoil things throughout. So PLEASE TRUST ME AND READ THIS SERIES!!! It’s one of my new favorite historical romance series ever. There’s many different tropes, connections, character backgrounds and more. Van did an incredible job crafting this from start to finish and I am in complete awe.
Overall audience notes:
- Historical romance
- Language: none
- Romance: closed door (between married couple)
- Violence: mild
- Trigger/Content Warnings: prior substance abuse (specifically alcohol), miscarriage (flashback chapters, on page, descriptive, please read with care), childbirth, ship explosion and loss of life (flashback), PTSD, depictions of grief, suicide ideation
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
Yes, I said it. PERFECTION. ALL THE DANG STARS. BEST BOOK OF THE SERIES.
You name it, I probably shouted about it. Oh my gosh this was a stunning read. All of the previous four books have been leading up to this moment. This second chance romance + amnesia plot was built up to the desperate need to know what would happen between Kieran and Eilidh.
This was full of swoony moments. Full of blushes and recovering memories. Full of down right sob worthy scenes and cheers at final reveals. I felt all of the emotions and teared up more than once because the PAIN, the LOVE, the beautiful HOPE will send you to your knees. The kind of love here is timeless. It is everything wonderful about romance books.
I’m trying to stay vague because it is the last book and I don’t want to spoil things throughout. So PLEASE TRUST ME AND READ THIS SERIES!!! It’s one of my new favorite historical romance series ever. There’s many different tropes, connections, character backgrounds and more. Van did an incredible job crafting this from start to finish and I am in complete awe.
Overall audience notes:
- Historical romance
- Language: none
- Romance: closed door (between married couple)
- Violence: mild
- Trigger/Content Warnings: prior substance abuse (specifically alcohol), miscarriage (flashback chapters, on page, descriptive, please read with care), childbirth, ship explosion and loss of life (flashback), PTSD, depictions of grief, suicide ideation
September 10, 2021
A glorious ending to an amazing series!
March 5, 2024
I'm not crying YOU ARE
September 28, 2021
The fifth and final book of the Brotherhood series, and perhaps my favorite of them all. It tells the beautiful love story of Kieran MacTavish and Jamie (Eilidh Fyffe), but as their love story is revealed, it also contrasts it with the present, which is seven years later.
Eilidh washed up on the shore pregnant and with no memory of anything, other than the fact she had been on a ship. Terrified by the traumatic memories that linger on the edge of her consciousness, she makes a choice to move on with her life and find some sort of peace and calm, when unbeknownst to her, she has a husband who thinks she is dead.
Meanwhile, her husband, Kieran, has discovered that Jamie is still alive, but she doesn't remember him or their love and marriage. And things get even worse when the captain of the ship charges her with destroying it and murdering all on board. As the two of them try to fight against the accusations against Eilidh, they also must come to terms with loss and whether or not she will ever remember her love for Keiran, or if she even wants to remember.
Wow! Such a great book - heart wrenching at times and full of love. It truly brought the whole Brotherhood story together in such a wonderful way. So sad it's over, but at least I own all the ebooks from the series, so that I can reread them ;).
Eilidh washed up on the shore pregnant and with no memory of anything, other than the fact she had been on a ship. Terrified by the traumatic memories that linger on the edge of her consciousness, she makes a choice to move on with her life and find some sort of peace and calm, when unbeknownst to her, she has a husband who thinks she is dead.
Meanwhile, her husband, Kieran, has discovered that Jamie is still alive, but she doesn't remember him or their love and marriage. And things get even worse when the captain of the ship charges her with destroying it and murdering all on board. As the two of them try to fight against the accusations against Eilidh, they also must come to terms with loss and whether or not she will ever remember her love for Keiran, or if she even wants to remember.
Wow! Such a great book - heart wrenching at times and full of love. It truly brought the whole Brotherhood story together in such a wonderful way. So sad it's over, but at least I own all the ebooks from the series, so that I can reread them ;).
September 8, 2021
What an ending and what an ending to this series! This is without a doubt my favorite book from The Brotherhood of the Black Tartan series. My heart was ripped out, torn to pieces, put back together and I came out feeling more complete than ever. I’m pretty sure my heart grew 10x’s after reading this. So much emotion, so much conflict, so much EVERYTHING!
Kieran is a little rough around the edges, but that is what makes him uniquely Kieran. His devotion to Jamie/Eilidh is what makes love, love. I loved the tension in this book SO much. Never have I ever wanted to read the back of the book more than in this one. This book really was everything. My heart went out to Jamie/Eilidh. Her struggle with memory loss and more is overwhelming. I LOVED following along her character arc. Nichole does a great job of doing flashbacks to set the story. This could be read as a stand alone 100%, but trust me you’re going to want them all. The friendship between these characters is strong. Each of their stories will leave a mark, and I highly recommend them.
Content: mild swearing, very discreet mention of intimacy between a married couple (I would let my tween read this book with little hesitation), mention of miscarriage-which was incredibly well done. This is a trigger for me and I had never felt so connected to a character who has been through this. I applaud the author for how well she conveyed those emotions.
Thanks to the author for the copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
Kieran is a little rough around the edges, but that is what makes him uniquely Kieran. His devotion to Jamie/Eilidh is what makes love, love. I loved the tension in this book SO much. Never have I ever wanted to read the back of the book more than in this one. This book really was everything. My heart went out to Jamie/Eilidh. Her struggle with memory loss and more is overwhelming. I LOVED following along her character arc. Nichole does a great job of doing flashbacks to set the story. This could be read as a stand alone 100%, but trust me you’re going to want them all. The friendship between these characters is strong. Each of their stories will leave a mark, and I highly recommend them.
Content: mild swearing, very discreet mention of intimacy between a married couple (I would let my tween read this book with little hesitation), mention of miscarriage-which was incredibly well done. This is a trigger for me and I had never felt so connected to a character who has been through this. I applaud the author for how well she conveyed those emotions.
Thanks to the author for the copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.
September 14, 2021
This is the final book in this series, and I loved-loved it! Kieran has been devastated by the loss of his wife for over six years, which has been shown in the other books. Now, he gets his turn in the limelight, but it was a heart-tugging story. Jamie—Miss Fyffe as she knows herself now after having amnesia for the last six years after a shipwreck—is dumped unceremoniously into a Scottish estate by her chaperones and left there all alone at the beginning of this book. She once again meets the despicable Kieran, who wasn’t there to help her family so many years ago when they needed him—after they had helped him. The despicable, handsome man who calls her Jamie and acts like he knows her. But the Jamie he and the Brotherhood of the Black Tartan talk about is nothing like the girl she is. The girl she remembers.
Oh, my, I don’t want to give anything away in this book, but be warned it will unleash all your angsty emotions, even if you bury them deep. This book about coming to know oneself made me cry, laugh, and cry once more. There’s a lot of crying as you try to figure out Jamie’s life with her—who she really is—what she wants now instead of being told what she wanted in the past. It’s a gripping romance with all the feels. I loved-loved-loved the characters, and the story was super well done. This might have been my favorite in the series, although I loved-loved them all, so I hate to even say that. It’s a fantastic series. The end.
Oh, my, I don’t want to give anything away in this book, but be warned it will unleash all your angsty emotions, even if you bury them deep. This book about coming to know oneself made me cry, laugh, and cry once more. There’s a lot of crying as you try to figure out Jamie’s life with her—who she really is—what she wants now instead of being told what she wanted in the past. It’s a gripping romance with all the feels. I loved-loved-loved the characters, and the story was super well done. This might have been my favorite in the series, although I loved-loved them all, so I hate to even say that. It’s a fantastic series. The end.
January 21, 2022
Oh. My. Word. what an ending to an awesome series. This book will make you feel all the emotions. My heart went out to poor Kieran, who'd been looking for his wife for 6 years and then to find her alive but living a life with no memory of him or their life together. How heart-wrenching for him. There were so many times I thought Jamie might choose not to remember since she found such pain in the memories.
I love the strong family bonds these men have--it goes much deeper than a mere friendship. They've been there to support each other through the worst of their individual trials. I loved how each of these wonderful men and their wives helped Jamie in their own way. I loved that we got an epilogue.
You really need to read the previous books in the series as this is the last book and ties everything up. Warning: be prepared for a book hangover when you finish this one. I own this book but listened to the audiobook from my library using the Hoopla app. The narrator is great.
I love the strong family bonds these men have--it goes much deeper than a mere friendship. They've been there to support each other through the worst of their individual trials. I loved how each of these wonderful men and their wives helped Jamie in their own way. I loved that we got an epilogue.
You really need to read the previous books in the series as this is the last book and ties everything up. Warning: be prepared for a book hangover when you finish this one. I own this book but listened to the audiobook from my library using the Hoopla app. The narrator is great.
December 17, 2023
This was the perfect ending to an amazing series. I highly recommend that you read this series in order. This book dealt with some heavy topics, but it was beautifully done. Kieran and Eilidh are just amazing together. I love the slow transformation that takes place through the book.
August 14, 2023
I had so many problems with this book that only a strong last 20% brought my rating from 2.5 stars to 4 stars.
***spoilers***
Here are the problems I had:
(1) Too much time spent covering the same ground as previous novels in the series.
(2) This would have been so much more enjoyable if the reader hadn’t found out in the previous books that Jamie was female and married to Kieran.
(3) I didn’t like the frequent and detailed flashbacks. So much of what happened six years previously was revealed in the other books in the series that I had already written much of it in my head and the flashbacks felt like “been there, done that.”
(4) Kieran was so devoted and loving that Eilidh’s constant rejections felt, well, mean. I get that she didn’t remember him and had her life all planned without him, but he was considerate and caring towards her and she was cruel in return. Frankly, I didn’t like her. At all.
(5) Where is Jamie’s much-vaunted courage? Kieran frequently thinks how courageous his Jamie is but she spends the book avoiding anything that threatens her numbness, especially Kieran and any memories associated with him.
I thought this last book of the series was structurally weak and inconsistent in its logic, but it did roar to a satisfying and emotionally charged ending.
***spoilers***
Here are the problems I had:
(1) Too much time spent covering the same ground as previous novels in the series.
(2) This would have been so much more enjoyable if the reader hadn’t found out in the previous books that Jamie was female and married to Kieran.
(3) I didn’t like the frequent and detailed flashbacks. So much of what happened six years previously was revealed in the other books in the series that I had already written much of it in my head and the flashbacks felt like “been there, done that.”
(4) Kieran was so devoted and loving that Eilidh’s constant rejections felt, well, mean. I get that she didn’t remember him and had her life all planned without him, but he was considerate and caring towards her and she was cruel in return. Frankly, I didn’t like her. At all.
(5) Where is Jamie’s much-vaunted courage? Kieran frequently thinks how courageous his Jamie is but she spends the book avoiding anything that threatens her numbness, especially Kieran and any memories associated with him.
I thought this last book of the series was structurally weak and inconsistent in its logic, but it did roar to a satisfying and emotionally charged ending.
September 22, 2021
Another great Scottish tale. I have enjoyed this series immensely and am always amazed by the amount of work the author puts in to each story. I loved the storyline and the ending. That being said, this story was a little harder for me to read then the others. I struggled with Jaime. Her personality had changed so drastically, it was almost like she wasn’t even close to the same person. I know the author meant to perceive it this way, but it made me withdraw slightly. There were times when she was down right annoying. But once she realized the truth, she returned to her normal self. This was expected, and I loved how it came to be. Kieran was also a bit more subdued then I imagined him to be from the other books. Even though I had a difficult time with the characters, I still thoroughly enjoyed the tale and recommend it to others. There are a few curse words used throughout, but not many.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2021
3.5 stars. I’ll start off by saying I loved the brotherhood of the tartan books. And this story is where they all lead. But this is by no means my favorite. I’ve struggled with Kieran throughout the series for his self-destruction. And this book felt like a required book to tie up the series but not one I liked in its own right. I don’t like the love story. I don’t like the secret love, secret marriage, secret baby background to the story so it’s not exciting me to me finally uncover the backstory here amidst PTSD amnesia. Great author but this isn’t the book I enjoy.
September 9, 2021
The first half of the book was hard to read. I am not a fan of love triangles, and I was heartbroken for Kieran. He was so patient and trying so hard! Poor guy. It all turned out fine in the end, but wow did my heart take a beating along the way.
December 6, 2022
A regency soap opera. Was entertaining even if I found Eilidh frustrating throughout most of the book. Still love the “Brothethood” characters in this series.
September 9, 2021
Loved how this was an ending that felt like a beginning!
Okay so I may have stayed awake to just past midnight so I could immediately download and start reading this book. I didn’t know what to expect from the story, just that I needed to know how it was all going to end. This was pure soap opera kind of material, so good you can’t stop reading and when you do begrudgingly have to set the book aside to feed your family all you can think about is what is going to happen next.
They really were dragging this ending out! At the 2/3 mark I thought it could have gone any number of ways. I felt tied to the story. It was such an exciting book, very emotional and a rollercoaster of an adventure to be told. It switches back and forth between the Minerva voyage accounts and Jaime post Minerva. I feel so happy with how everything came together. A really great story and fantastic end to a series I have loved.
Rating: PG/PG-13, clean but has some mutiny scenes that deal with death and loss without giving too many gory details.
Okay so I may have stayed awake to just past midnight so I could immediately download and start reading this book. I didn’t know what to expect from the story, just that I needed to know how it was all going to end. This was pure soap opera kind of material, so good you can’t stop reading and when you do begrudgingly have to set the book aside to feed your family all you can think about is what is going to happen next.
They really were dragging this ending out! At the 2/3 mark I thought it could have gone any number of ways. I felt tied to the story. It was such an exciting book, very emotional and a rollercoaster of an adventure to be told. It switches back and forth between the Minerva voyage accounts and Jaime post Minerva. I feel so happy with how everything came together. A really great story and fantastic end to a series I have loved.
Rating: PG/PG-13, clean but has some mutiny scenes that deal with death and loss without giving too many gory details.
September 20, 2021
This was a wonderful end to a wonderful series! I love everything Nichole Van writes and this book did not disappoint! Eilidh/Jamie was such a complex character with her memory loss. I was shocked at how different she was, but loved how Kiernan was still devoted to her and determined to know the person she had become, not just the person he thought she should be. Eilidh had gone through so much trauma, but was still a strong woman. It was of course fun to see the rest of the Brotherhood in this book and the epilogues are the end were just the icing on the cake. I'm already on the edge of my seat waiting for Ms. Van's next book!
August 12, 2024
I guess if you get your hands on any of this author’s books you should count yourself fortunate and just read it. But this is the last in a series so do what you gotta do. Jaime forgets who her husband is and it’s a whole thing that will basically tear your heart out and stomp on it. Hard. But @nicholevan knows how to speak to my Scottish loving heart so I forgave her. It’s swoony folks and brings all the people I love together to a satisfying conclusion.
March 27, 2023
Marvelous
What a fantastic story to finish the series. I think my heart had been holding out for Kieran's story. I've loved all of them, but thus was gorgeous. Ill forever be a Nichole Van fan now.
What a fantastic story to finish the series. I think my heart had been holding out for Kieran's story. I've loved all of them, but thus was gorgeous. Ill forever be a Nichole Van fan now.
October 1, 2021
This one was the best one yet! The feelings were raw, painful, but oh so powerful! Very good writing a d a great conclusion to the series.
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