So I have been on a total fantasy kick lately. Well actually, that’s a lie, it’s more like a complete fantasy/romance obsession! 😍

After I read Holly Black’s Folk of the Air series last year, I have been hunting for my next fantasy find. When ‘Beyond the Highland Mist’ popped up on my radar, it had everything that I was looking for! Modern woman thrown back in time, fae folk and highlanders? Um, yes please! I thought I found my next romantic fantastical fix! 

Well, I’m sorry to say, it most certainly wasn’t. 😬

This book? Oh there was just so much wrong, I’m not sure where to even start. But first, let me give you the premise.

In medieval Scotland, a Laird known as “The Hawk” is a living legend. He is known for being fierce in battle and even more so for pleasing women in the bedroom. In fact, his reputation has spread so far and wide that even the local fae kingdom is talking about him. The Queen of the Fairies decided she wants to keep her King and her fool on their toes. So, in order to push their buttons, she tells them that ‘The Hawke” was a lover like no other she’s ever had. The Fairy King and Fool in their jealousy decide to come up with an elaborate plan to Ruin the Scotish Laird’s life...by finding a woman who will actually say “No” to Hawke. Oh and its not like they are going find a girl in this period of time...oh no. Our Fae men are going to pluck a modern woman, out of modern day Seattle, and drop her back in time, in the middle of medieval Scotland. 

Let me tell you something. I was one hundred percent on board with this premise! I LOVE a modern woman thrown back in time and falling in love with a man of the past. It makes for a huge culture clash with some hilariously awkward moments and great feminist potential. But I didn’t get any of that in this book. The tone was all over the place, I didn’t know if it was supposed to be light hearted or more serious. The book had some very misogynistic/toxic moments (yes, I know, nobody was “woke” in the medieval period but-) and it got to the point where I could not get behind our story’s hero. Like, not at all.🙅🏻‍♀️

Here’s where it went wrong. The premise of the story is basically to teach our hero a lesson, or “ruin” his life. Yeah, alright. But the idea of that is sending him a woman that turns him down. Hard. Okay, I can see the humor in the idea that you have this ladies man character that isn’t used to being turned down by a woman and that can be a blow to his ego. Cool. But wait...a woman not willing to have sex with the hero is supposed to be a life ruiner? Because...that’s a fate worse than death, a woman who says “No”. It seems pretty melodramatic right? So I figured that this was going to take a light hearted approach, rather like Lynsay Sands’ Highlander Brides series! 

But no, we kept getting all of these dark undertones! 

When our modern heroine, Adrienne, was literally tossed back in time, she lands in the lap of this disgusting older man, who proceeds to feel her up! He then reveals that he’s going to pass her off as his own daughter and essentially sell her into marriage. When Adrienne refused to so much answer to a name that wasn’t her own, this gross man beats her along with a servant girl until she complied. Now I’m all for realism and women were certainly held to lower standards than men, but for all the lightness the story had up until this point (we literally have two male fairies trying to get even with a human who they believed slept with their queen)...this is some pretty heavy shit. So already, I’m confused with what type of romance this is supposed to be. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Well it gets worse. 

So the Hawke has orders from his King to get married. He’s not up for it. Especially since the woman he is said to marry is supposed to be crazy and ugly. Not a shallow hero at all, am I right? So imagine his surprise when beautiful Adrienne shows up. Oh the Hawks quickly charges his tune and suddenly wants her like nothing else, but is somehow surprised that she wants nothing to do with him? Oh dear. Now, you guys know I LOVE a good hate-to-love trope. But this was just...not. 

So begins the ever not-so-sexy “seduction”. It really wasn’t seduction as much as Hawke just negging, pushing, and wearing Adrienne down. I swear ya’ll, this gets super rapey. Again, I’m all for realism, and men certainly thought that they were entitled to have sex with their wives but...I thought this was supposed to be a romantic fantasy! I don’t find “heroes” trying to force themselves on women sexy. Oh and he tries!

“He’d been trying to provoke her, hoping she’d make him angry so he could lose his head and punish her with his body.”

 When push comes to shove, Hawke actually threatens Adrienne at one point that if she didn’t sleep with him willingly, he could just TAKE what’s rightfully his! *gag* Not to mention his best friend tells her she’s heartless and shames her for not being a good wife. Ugh, why? Why is it that a woman who refuses to have sex with a man is seen to be some kind of monster? I could feel myself dying inside! 💀

If this was supposed to be some type of historical drama, MAYBE I could get with this. But for a romantic fantasy, this was just an absolute mess. There is, of course, a whole lot of other issues and sub plots but I think I’ve given you the gist of what was ultimately wrong for me. If I can’t get behind the main couple, the romance is a failure. 👎🏻

For me this was like the biggest disappointment I’ve had in a while. I haven’t been this disgusted with a romance hero since Kaleb in Credence, and THAT says something! Highland Mist doesn’t even have the excuse of being written well. It really has a confusing tone overall as well as unlikable characters and it was just WAY too long! I could go on forever! 

If you have issues with men getting away with toxic behavior, you’ll want to pass on this one. I tried to find things to like about this book but...in the end I just couldn’t. In the end, I was left feeling so frustrated and wanting to throw my kindle against the wall. 

⭐️ One star for me, and I’d give it less if I could 😬