The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie (Mackenzies Series)

This review will be rather short, because this book is so darn good that I don't want to give away any more of the plot than appears in the publisher's blurb. Let me begin, though, with a couple of caveats. Jennifer Ashley has written six novels and two novellas in the Highland Pleasures series, and I have adored each of them. So I'm a huge fangirl. She is an excellent writer, with a first-rate command of the English language. Her plots hum along smoothly, her characters are compelling, and the romance element is strong and sensual. Her books are not erotica, but she writes some of the best love scenes out there. There is a book for each of the four Mackenzie brothers (and a mere novella for their illegitimate half-brother), and although each of them works as a stand-alone book, they are much more enjoyable if read in order. Each one builds upon the last in presenting the interplay among these five brash, handsome, wealthy Scotsmen, their wives, and their children. (Ashley's last novel before this one, The Seduction of Elliot McBride, is about a brother-in-law and could be skipped to read later.) In The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie, the hero is the son of Lord Cameron, second eldest Mackenzie brother. We have watched him grow from an impatient teenager determined to ensure that his rakehell father married the lovely Ainsley Douglas in The Many Sins of Lord Cameron to the budding young engineering genius who steals every scene in which he appears in A Mackenzie Family Christmas: The Perfect Gift. So my second caveat is this: if you haven't read the series, you may not enjoy this book as much as I did, for Daniel's family members are important secondary characters. I think that Ashley does a good job giving background about these various Mackenzies, but then again, I've read all that comes before, so take this observation for what it's worth. Now, as for the plot. As the blurb says, Daniel (now age 25) meets Violet at a séance, but in addition to her beauty he is also enthralled by the hidden machinery used to create spooky special effects. Daniel is an gifted inventor, obsessed with designing a new motorcar, and when he learns that Violet designed her own gear and also is fascinated by machines, he is smitten. Violet is not even close to being an aristocrat like Daniel, but that matters not to him. To Violet, Daniel is not just a handsome, charming, wealthy, exciting man, he actually talks to her and treats her with courtesy. She doesn't trust him, however, because he is, after all, just another man and she trusts no men. At the age of sixteen, Violet was betrayed by a man who should have protected her, and the violent attack she suffered as a result has haunted for ten years. She and her mother, who "really" is a medium, have traveled around Europe, barely earning a living by putting on shows and séances for paying customers. When Violet disappears from London, Daniel recruits his Uncle Ian to help track her down in France, and the chase begins. With consummate patience, Daniel pushes when Violet tries to pull away. Their slowly burgeoning romance is a joy to read; his gentling of her skittishness regarding physical intimacy leads to heart-melting love scenes. There are adventures aplenty, as might be expected with a hero who likes to fly balloons, drive fast motorcars, and use his fists to extract revenge on Violet's tormentor. Daniel's father and uncles have his back all the way, except perhaps for Hart, who protects his kin in his typical imperious manner. For some readers, there may be a bit too much action worked into the second half of the book, but I enjoyed it. I have been waiting for Daniel's story for a long time and was not disappointed one little bit.

The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie is the sixth book in the incredibly popular Highland Pleasures series, AKA Those Sexy Mackenzies! This is, of course, Daniel's story, one I've been waiting for for a very long time! Well, our rambunctious Daniel is all grown up and just as eccentric and rakish as his Da and uncles were before true love settled them down. What I most enjoyed about this book was seeing an entirely new side to Daniel, a mature, focused side. We've slowly been learning that one of his passions is tinkering with gadgets and mechanical things, but here we find he's grown into quite the inventor. He's smart, clever, determined, and possesses that devil-may-care attitude towards life that seems to be an inherent part of being a Mackenzie. Violet is one of the most unique heroines I've read in a very long time. I really enjoyed her and her exploits, but I have to admit, I'm not a fan of her mother's. There were moments when it bothered me how much Vi wanted to cater to Celine's whims, and though Violet isn't entirely bamboozled by dear old mum, she chooses the path of least resistance and avoids the fall out sure to come by not toeing the line. That said, while I didn't love their mother/daughter relationship, I did like some aspects of it, especially how it made Violet into a force to be reckoned with, a force able to give Daniel a run for his money! Truthfully, I think Daniel and Vi are a match made in heaven! They're both quirky and creative and because they're of a like mind, they can share ideas, feed off one another, and make amazing things happen. One issue I had, and it might just be a "me" thing, but I was annoyed by Ms. Ashley's attempt to make smoking sensual. Having lost my mother-in-law to lung cancer, having my own mother so stricken with emphysema that she's confined to a wheel chair, on oxygen, and having grown up in a home with two chain smoking parents, I find absolutely nothing sensual or attractive about the habit. Like I said, it might be a "me" thing, but I feel strongly enough about it that it diminished my overall enjoyment of the story. I'm happy to report that once again Jennifer Ashley has given us a wonderful story! Our Daniel is the man we all knew he'd grow up to be, and in Vi he's met his match! I enjoyed visiting with all the Mackenzies, but I do wish we'd spent more quality time with them. I'm thrilled to know that Daniel's book isn't the last because I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have the world of Clan Mackenzie to escape to.

After growing up, Daniel makes a handsome attractive young person who is wriggling off the hook in his childhood. He also tries to find a way out of a quizzical woman's difficultie. The plot is quite entertaining. But the sex scene is a bit fulsome.

Wonderful read from a brilliant story teller. Such strong characters. Everyone needs a Daniel Mackenzie in their lives.! Loved Violet such a fierce , determined, frightened woman, you just couldn't help feel for. Such a good ending to the villains I almost cheered !

So glad I picked this up. This story left me with that sigh-worthy happiness when I finished it. For that to happen I have to feel invested in the characters (which only happens when they're well written and aren't annoying). This is a unique story, is written well, moves at the perfect pace, keeps you engaged, has character development and relationship growth. It could be argued that Daniel is a little too perfect and seemed to have fit a lot of amazing experiences into his 25 years, but when I rate books I base it on how engaged I am through the reading experience and how invested I am in the characters. This novel kept me eager and my heart was engaged.

I’m hopelessly addicted to these Scottish rogues. I love them and adore the strong, feisty, and resilient ladies who capture them, or are captured by them. It’s a fantastic read.

Book 6 of the " Mackenzie Series " - When Daniel Mackenzie wins a poker game from a man who can't pay, he is offered the services of Violet - a confidence trickster posing as a spiritualist. It is Violet's love of machinery that at first catches Daniel and the reader's interest and I wish the author had stayed with that sub-plot instead of drifting all over the map. The lightness of the beginning of the novel became too heavy and melodramatic in areas. Three near death experiences, a rape and an attempted rape, villains around every corner - a little too much for one novel. I loved Daniel in the previous novels in the series but in his own story his character didn't stay true.