Kilts and Catnip is Book 1 in the Shrouded Isle fantasy series, and opens with the first-person impressions of a mother who is rudely awakened by her teenager. Daughter Tate has been abducted in the middle of the night and Becca is charged with her rescue, an endeavor which quickly turns into so much more in a story steeped in Scottish atmosphere, legends, and romance.
A dark-haired, handsome figure in a kilt returns Tate, and Becca quickly learns that he is not the kidnapper, but she faces an instant conundrum over puzzles that only become more complex as events progress.
From a kitten's rescue that leads to a near-deadly encounter with a kelpie to the handsome Greg's knowledge of this strange world and his efforts to keep Becca safe, Kilts and Catnip not only offers an emotion-packed first person adventure, but injects a solid sense of place into its descriptions and dialogue.
To its credit, Kilts and Catnip doesn't attempt to reproduce Scottish brogue in its many conversations, but instills just enough accent into its dialogues to make it readily understandable, yet atmospheric.
Readers seeking strong stories of romance paired with paranormal elements will especially appreciate the strength of Becca's first-person observations as she navigates a world replete with threats, mysterious forces, and her personal quest to uncover Greg's story and real identity.
As Becca and her teens interact on different levels and learn more than they expected about fairies and Scottish legends, they find themselves facing many changes and challenges to their lives and relationships.
By building a powerful atmosphere of family ties and then introducing a romantic and mysterious figure into the mix, Zoe Tasia has created an original, gripping story that draws readers in with not just evolving romance and fantasy, but strong interpersonal ties which lie at the heart of any truly compelling read.
Kilts and Catnip is highly recommended for paranormal and romance audiences who want their writing vivid, personal, and as strong in psychological connections as it is in a sense of place and an atmosphere of danger; all set against a search for connections and home.
When a widow and her two daughters travel to a remote Scottish island, a series of unusual occurrences leads them to believe ancient legends may be more fact than myth.
In this debut fantasy, Rebecca “Becca” Shaw enjoyed a contented life in Houston with her husband, David, and their daughters, Jessie and Tate. But her happiness was shattered by the sudden death of her husband. Haunted by memories of David, Becca accepts a job as a teacher at the American school in Aberdeen, Scotland. A year later, an advertisement for a home in Shrouded Isle catches her eye, and Becca rents the cottage hoping to spend a quiet summer with her daughters. Shortly after moving in, Tate disappears in the middle of the night. She is rescued by a mysterious man who admonishes Becca to “leave my forest.” At a ceilidh, Becca meets Greg Gillie, the man who saved her daughter. While she is intrigued by Greg, she is more concerned with some strange events, including an attempted attack by wolves and Tate’s unusual and distant behavior. Becca’s search for answers leads to the discovery that the fae are not legends and she may have a role to play in the Isle’s magic. Tasia’s first installment of the Shrouded Isle series is an entertaining and engaging romantic fantasy with appealing characters and vivid settings. Becca is a winsome and resourceful heroine whose desire for a summer vacation leads her into a world of magic. Her relationship with Greg develops slowly as they both struggle to cope with tragedies in their pasts. The intriguing supporting characters include Kay Sheey, Becca’s neighbor, and Conall McNeil, the local grocer who has an interest in Becca and a grudge against Greg. The settings are well-drawn, especially the author’s descriptions of the tree-lined streets (“Roses twined up trellises along the walls, splashing yellows, pinks, and reds. Sun shone down on the leaves of the honeysuckle-garlanded oaks dappling the bright sidewalks with shade”).
This promising new fantasy series with strong characters should appeal to fans of Charlaine Harris.