This is my first read from Candace Camp and, admittedly, maybe starting in the middle of a series wasn't the best idea. But I got excited when I saw it on NetGalley b/c I have been wanting to try her for a while. While I didn't love this book, there were enough likable aspects for me to give her another shot in the future.

I will start with the things that worked for me. I love the hero, Coll Munro. While I am not usually a fan of beta heroes, it worked for him. Having grown up with the sting of bastardy, Coll did not want the same thing for his adult life and future children. He was artistic, hard-working, and noble. He just tugged at my heart strings for some reason.

I also liked the bit of mystery this story had. The treasure hunt was a great little puzzle, made more interesting by the Jacobite gold and the history and traditions of the "old ones". The archaeological site was also quite interesting... though it fizzled out somewhat to focus on the treasure. I would have liked to know more about what they uncovered at the dig site.

My only real issue with the story was the heroine... and it was a big issue. I just could not stand her. Violet Thornhill had a Napoleonic complex, only it was gender-based rather than height-based. She was prickly and abrasive and a downright drama llama. I have never read a heroine who could take every well-meaning gesture/thought/comment and turn it into an affront on her gender and freedom. It was aggravating and I wanted to shake her so many times through this book. I felt like she treated Coll horribly, especially by making him feel sad and guilty just because he wanted to marry her.

I have not read the earlier books in this series, and there was some character crossover so I didn't always know the backstory or people/events being referred to. However it wasn't horribly confusing if you want to start in the middle as I did.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 3 stars / 3 flames. ( )