Jennifer Ashley - The Seduction of Elliot McBride

Juliana St. John was raised to be very proper. After a long engagement, her wedding day dawns—only for Juliana to find herself jilted at the altar.
Fleeing the mocking crowd, she stumbles upon Elliot McBride, the tall, passionate Scot who was her first love. His teasing manner gives her an idea, and she asks Elliot to save her from an uncertain future—by marrying her…
After escaping brutal imprisonment, Elliot has returned to Scotland a vastly wealthy yet tormented man. Now Juliana has her hands full restoring his half-ruined manor in the Scottish Highlands and trying to repair the broken heart of the man some call irredeemably mad. Though beautiful and spirited, Juliana wonders if that will be enough to win a second chance at love. 

Comment: This is the fifth full length story in the historical series about the Mackenzies by Jennifer
Ashley. This story features not the Mackenzies but two people close to them, via Ainsley Mackenzie, the heroine from the third book. I was very curious to see a story with two main characters not directly connected to those we've met before.

This is the story of Elliott McBride, Ainsley's brother, and Juliana St John, a family friend who's been left in altar waiting for a groom that eloped with another woman. In a crazy outburst, Juliana asks Elliott to marry her and he accepts. They marry and start their lives together, but along with Elliott comes a great deal of past issues that can be a challenge for Juliana but something she accepts because she always worshiped Elliott. Will love be strong too?

I was quite confident that this book would be a good read and I'd spend some good times reading it. I wasn't wrong but I confess I didn't enjoy this story as much as the previous ones.
This story focuses on two characters we weren't as familiar with, not like we were with all the Mackenzies from one book to another. But I ended up liking them, more so Elliot and the secondary ones. Juliana was OK but that was it. I didn't see nothing in her to be amazing. I felt sorry for some of her disappointments in life but overall, she wasn't a memorable character for me. I get she was special for Elliott but to be really honest, the whole marriage thing was to fast and impulsive and when we got a sort of explanation as to why Elliott agreed so promptly it just wasn't credible for me and for the feel of the story. It suited Elliott's behavior but at the same time it was too easy to justify and I didn't believe it that much. Or should I say, to me it didn't make sense.

The main couple seem good together but it seemed to me there was always a certain sense of distance between their relationship and me, the reader. I don't exactly know how to explain and this didn't happen with the other books, but I felt that this couple's romance wasn't as alive as the others..perhaps just my impression.
Juliana accepted several things and I applaud her sense of justice and fairness. But like I said, she wasn't that vibrant as I imagined she could be.
Elliott,on his side, suffered from PTSD - not called this at the time obviously - and his actions were believable. I ended up liking him more than Juliana. Still these two never amazed me as much as other beloved characters did in the previous books.
The secondary characters were interesting and I wouldn't mind knowing more about them,

Taste is relative and I know many people loved this...but for me it was weaker than the other books and while I was reading it I managed to feel I wasn't as engrossed in it as I could. The overall story seemed good, the scenes and settings helped, but considering it all, I think it was a bit disappointing, 
Anyway, I have hopes for the next...
Grade: 6/10