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J. G. MacLeod

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The Future Bride: A MacLeod Time-Travel Rom Com (The MacLeod Scottish Time Travel Rom Com Series Book 1) Kindle Edition

by J.G. MacLeod (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.4 148 ratings

Book 1 of 3: The MacLeod Scottish Time Travel Rom Com Series

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Outlander meets Leap Year in this lighthearted, time-travel rom com with strong gin and karate.

Twenty-one-year-old Brigid MacDonald spends her days working as a barista at a coffee shop, hanging out with her BFF, Selma, and avoiding the men she usually meets at bars - until she suddenly finds herself in a strange castle, in another time, being dressed for a wedding ceremony she didn't consent to!

Of course, Brigid steals a horse and flees, but the jilted groom and his brothers aren't giving up so easily. Unprepared for life in the wilds of medieval Scotland, Brigid must trust her life to a moody Highlander named Ferghus.

Set amidst the breathtaking landscape of Skye, Brigid soon finds herself caught in a serious feud between rival clans. Will her knowledge of karatedo be enough to save her from ruthless warriors, or must she lower her guard and let someone else into her life?

Accompany Brigid MacDonald - a strong, witty, skilled, and beautiful redhead - on her journey through the Scottish Highlands. This historical romance combines comedy and suspense that will have you both engaged and laughing at the human frailties that transcend time and place.

For adventure. For love. For kilts. (And strong gin.)

Author's Note:
The Future Bride contains tropes of the romance genre, as well as some carefully-chosen historical inaccuracies, to facilitate the plot.

Reviews always appreciated. Sequel now available!

From the Publisher

Ferghus MacLeod

Brigid knows how to fight, but these groomsmen are relentless.

I tossed and turned for ages, unable to find a comfortable position. I had removed my shoes and placed them next to the fire, but as the night deepened, so too did the chill. Before I knew it, my teeth were chattering. Suddenly, I heard movement beside me and the sound of twigs breaking. I turned to ascertain the source and saw the man stooped in front of the fire, tossing in small branches to relight the embers. In a short time, he had a small fire going.

Praise for The Future Bride

For adventure. For love. For kilts. (And strong gin.)

"Romantic and full of a time travelling woman who’s a real bad a$$. Of course she’s got to be with men fighting over her. I loved it very much. Highly recommend it."

"The characters are well written and grab you from the beginning. A great read."

"It’s definitely not as heavy as Outlander which is why I liked it so much."

"One of the things I enjoyed the most is how natural and gradual the relationship between Brigid and the Scottish Warrior she shares her journey with develops."

Enemies-To-Lovers
Slow-Burn Romance
Time Travel
Historical Romance
Epic Love Story
Witty Banter
Satire
Action & Adventure

The Future Bride Snippets

There's enough slow-burn romance in this book to start a fire...

I watched him flex his hand, as if it had fallen asleep. He slid his arm gently across my waist until he was no longer touching me. He remained curled on his side, his chest warming my back. I expected him to move away, but he didn’t. I squeezed my eyes shut, afraid he would somehow discover I was awake, but he did something unexpected. Ferghus took his fingertips and ran them along the fabric of my dress. His touch was so gentle, I could barely feel it, but my awareness of his action sent heat coursing through me

Ferghus tries his best to abide by his 15th-century rules of courtship.

“’Tis a good deal, Brigid; ye’ll be lady o’ all this,” he said, gesturing to the view in front of us. “Ye’ll be the Chief’s wife one day. ‘Tis an honour…”

Everything he said sounded like a gift – like I was being offered a prize no one else could win, but his voice was laced with melancholy.

“Why does it sound as if you know something you’re not telling me about Doughal?”

“Doughal’s Doughal.”

Ferghus describes the lengths a man would go to for someone he loved.

“He’d start felling logs from that forest back there and drag them up this rocky hill?” I knew I was teasing him more than I ought, but I was in a good mood.

Ferghus ran his palm across the top of his head and down the back of his hair. “A cheil would dae whate’er ye asked,” he said quietly, “if he looved ye.” His eyes met mine for a few seconds before he cleared his throat and readied Selma.

The perfect escape from heavy politics.

Comedy
Karate
Mystery
Travel
Intrigue
Heat

The MacLeod Scottish Time Travel Rom Com series is complete!


The Future Bride (Book 1) Outlander meets Leap Year in this lighthearted, time-travel rom com with strong gin and karate. Twenty-one-year-old Brigid MacDonald spends her days working as a barista at a coffee shop, hanging out with her BFF, Selma, and avoiding the men she usually meets at bars - until she suddenly finds herself in a strange castle, in another time, being dressed for a wedding ceremony she didn't consent to! Of course, Brigid steals a horse and flees, but the jilted groom and his brothers aren't giving up so easily. Unprepared for life in the wilds of Medieval Scotland, Brigid must trust her life to a moody Highlander named Ferghus. Set amidst the breathtaking landscape of Skye, Brigid soon finds herself caught in a serious feud between rival clans. Will her knowledge of karatedo be enough to save her from ruthless warriors, or must she lower her guard and let someone else into her life? For adventure. For love. For kilts.	The Past Love (Book 2) Is the future predetermined? Or do our choices and actions shape the events that come to pass? Brigid MacDonald is a coffee barista with a black belt who’s been transported from 2019 to 15th-century Glasgow, one year earlier than her first adventure in The Future Bride. Time is decidedly ‘out of joint’: Ferghus hasn’t been scarred by Tristen; Nyle hasn’t thrown his disastrous party; and Brigid hasn’t taken a life – yet. Linear reality no longer exists, but nor is this a simple time loop or case of déjà vu. As the mystery slowly unfolds, the characters must choose to work together, or against one another, to resolve their clan feuds and repair their broken hearts. Accompany Brigid on another epic adventure through the Highlands of medieval Scotland. Beware the corsets that bind; the gin that confounds; and the men who ensnare in this lighthearted, romantic comedy with slow-burn romance, karate action, and heart-pounding suspense.	The Once and Future Love (Book 3) Outlander x Karate Kid x Leap Year x Survivor x Frankenstein Brigid MacDonald leads a mundane existence. She thrives on the predictability of her coffee barista job, and being a sensei at the dojo where she teaches karate. That changes when she discovers a strange man, magically transported inside her storage closet one night. Where is he from, and how did he get there? None of Brigid's theories explain his bizarre appearance, nor the fact he doesn't understand anything about modern society. What's a girl to do? Ferghus MacLeod is equally shocked to find himself in a country he's never heard of before, in the home of the bonniest lass he's ever laid eyes upon. Her Canadian accent warms his blood and almost makes him forget he should try to return home. Despite Ferghus's commitment to his own people, he can't deny his growing attraction for this intriguing redhead, which pushes his self control to its limit. It wouldn't hurt if he stuck around for a few more days, would it?

Praise for The Past Love

"MacLeod is the master of witty banter, and as in The Future Bride, between the leads Ferghus and Brigid, it returns beautifully. Brigid and Ferghus fire off their thoughts at a rapid pace at one another in their love-hate relationship as they try to survive together. (Survive what, you'll have to read to find out.)"

"There are beautiful romantic moments of realism and poignancy that will make you marvel at the understanding and wisdom of the author. I felt a bit silly having a tear in my eye as thought of what I was reading, a romantic comedy, but there are surprises here, as one cannot discount this author."

"Ms. MacLeod is a good writer. I just loved her main character, Brigid, with her take no prisoner attitude. She could have come from my own family. Ferghus in my mind reminded me of Hamish from Braveheart. A good and honorable Celt, with all of our weaknesses. I love the offering of an alternate ending, and the fact that this demands a sequel. Well done Ms. MacLeod."

Praise for The Once and Future Love

"I reluctantly finished this book with a smile on my face and, at the risk of being corny, a song in my heart. I highly recommend “The Once and Future Love” to readers of all genres who appreciate an enchanting story, brilliantly told."

"Even with many laughs there is a lovely romance that shows what that truly means also from yet again the author’s skilful human understanding. Of course there is a happy conclusion post some visceral action scenes, some emotional trauma, much social commentary, but humor and romance rule the end of the story, a profound writing task achieved during the last three years of global insanity without compass or rudder. I can only bow to this effort fully realized."

"Takes you on this journey where you laugh and you cry with the characters. Had me hooked from the beginning."

Editorial Reviews

Review

What Readers Are Saying About The Future Bride:

"Along with the great characters, action-packed plot, and excellent writing style, I also enjoyed the author's use of the Scottish language throughout the book. I appreciated the notes she included to translate the speech. Oh, and I want to mention that I giggled out loud a few times while reading this because of the excellent use of comedy. Well done!" - Michele Quirke (author of The Fires of Treason)

"This is a fun romantic adventure, and you can't help but get caught upin Brigid's and Ferghus's tug-of-war relationship. MacLeod maintained the tension between the two protagonists throughout the story, spurring the reader to flip pages well into the late-night hours. Good job, J.G. A five star romance that I highly recommend." - K.D. McNiven (author of Bone Quarry)

"I loved this book! First of all, it's a period piece and second it's set in Scotland - a country that I imagine in my dreams. The same with Ireland, etcetera. To go from one point in time, the present, back a few hundred years is not something every woman experiences. Not ever. I leave the rest to the reader's imagination as to how complicated this can be. Double twist at the end. Five stars!" - Mary Schmidt (author of When Angels Fly)

"Kudos to the author for adding all the Gaelic sentences and translations, I found them to add to the atmosphere of the story. And that last remark about the katas was brilliant. If you want to know what that means, you'll have to read the book yourself!" - P. Kater (Amazon Reviewer)

"There were some very funny passages in here! Well done! I enjoyed the story very much. A page turner. It's 3:08am and I just finished reading it in one sitting. So wonderful to find a story you can enjoy...Thank you, Ms. MacLeod!" - (Amazon Reviewer)

"This was a delightful read featuring a time traveling heroine that was very relatable and a Scottish world complete with heavy accents and kilts. I loved this story. The setting was realistic and believable and all of the characters were interesting and well fleshed out." - M.E.A. (Amazon Reviewer)

"Very enjoyable romance set in medieval Scotland. Lots of humour and a feisty heroine who can fight off the bad guys." - Barb E. (Amazon Reviewer)

"I enjoyed this time travel romance because it is a light read that warms the heart by the end. The love interest is a highlander, and right from the get go, the author also deals with the Outlander similarity by having the heroine draw that comparison in a humorous way. I also like Brigid's interest in karate, as this adds a fun element to her character." - Lavendar Lilly (Amazon Reviewer)

From the Author

J.G. MacLeod started writing this novel after a trip to northern Ontario. The rugged landscape, numerous hiking trails, and endless lakes inspired the creation of this historical romcom.

Over a year ago, J.G. MacLeod conducted research into her family tree - having her DNA tested and connecting with an online genealogy community. She used this information to craft a story whereby the main character finds herself in the author's own family tree - sent back in time from 2019 to Medieval Scotland!

The Future Bride is a story about gender expectations, maturation, courage, and love. J.G. MacLeod wrote this story for entertainment purposes. She intended it to be a light, comedic read for people who enjoy a little fantasy in their historical romances. The author also wished to remain true to the style of courtship that was common in the past, hence why this book contains actual romance rather than immediate gratification. All tropes are intentional, and historical inaccuracies are used to facilitate the plot.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07YK4J8VY
Publisher ‏ : ‎ J.G. MacLeod (October 5, 2019)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 5, 2019
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1716 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 243 pages
Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ B09422NLDR

Best Sellers Rank: #558,096 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #58 in History of Scotland
- #2,360 in Medieval Historical Romance (Kindle Store)
- #2,771 in Medieval Historical Romance (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.4 148 ratings

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J. G. MacLeod

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Author Website: jgmacleod.com

https://www.goodreads.com/jgmacleodauthor

Twitter @jgmacleodauthor

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTn6tclYfP98vmM2lcvmGKA

Award-winning author J.G. MacLeod has always been an avid reader and writer. As a child, she was drawn to putting pen to paper so that she could record the people and places she would create inside her mind. As a young adult, she earned a university degree in Honors English and history due to her keen interest in nineteenth-century studies.

Ms. MacLeod then went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Education and has spent the past twenty years teaching. She taught creative writing, English and social science for most of those years, but she has also spent time as a guidance counsellor and working with students with developmental disabilities. She loves encouraging students to find their own voices through writing and believes that every single person has a story to tell.

J.G. MacLeod writes both fiction and non-fiction stories.To date, she has published eight novels. To view book trailers for these, and other works-in-progress, visit jgmacleod.com.

Ms. MacLeod has three young children of her own and resides in southwestern Ontario where she lives for summer and salted-caramel hot chocolate. She has a passion for travel and loved the friendly people she met on a trip she took to Ireland. Ms. MacLeod dedicates time every day to the act of writing and loves the beautiful nuances of the English language.

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4.4 out of 5

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Mark Scott Piper

A Fun Read With Lots of Adventure and Plenty of Love Story

Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2021

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Full disclosure, I don’t read a lot of romances, but J.G. MacLeod’s The Future Bride intrigued me because it was also a time-travel adventure. I was drawn into the story immediately, and the sometimes heart-pounding excitement and (I’ll admit it) the love story pulled me through to the end.

The characters are wonderfully drawn, and interesting. Brigid MacDonald is a twenty-one-year-old coffee shop worker who, for no clear reason, finds herself in an ancient wedding dress running for her life in Medieval Scotland. Brigid is a feisty redhead, who has martial arts expertise but no previous knowledge of the time or the culture she’s transported into. She’s a strong, modern female, which doesn’t always serve her well among those with a considerably different idea of propriety, and who swear by an unfamiliar moral code.

Fergus MacLeod, a handsome Highlander with a huge scar on his face, helps her escape from the McDonald clan and gets her safely to his family in the north. Communication is near impossible at first, but his shock at her modern-day ways is an even bigger problem. But this is a love story, and we can see Fergus and Brigid falling for each other, even though they go to great lengths to deny it.

A word about language. There are over 141 expressions and sentences in native Scottish Gaelic, most all of which are translated for us with a single click. These were a bit disconcerting early on but once the reader is used to these, and the Scottish accents when English is spoken, it’s a smooth enough ride. In fact, these language issues for readers underline the gap between the two worlds of our main characters, reminding us throughout that we’re way out of our comfort zone. That doesn’t slow down either the action/adventure or the romance of the story.

As the story progresses, the reader shifts from “Will Brigid find her way back to modern-day Canada?” to “Will she marry the man she’s fallen in love with and stay in Medieval Scotland?”
J.G. MacLeod provides two endings. I prefer the first one, but you’ll have to decide for yourself. All in all, The Future Bride, is a good read that will keep you turning pages, feel rushes of adrenaline, laugh often, and react emotionally. I’m not crying. You’re crying.

I highly recommend J.G. MacLeod and The Future Bride.

One person found this helpful

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KuroKoneko Kamen

La Novia Llorona aka The Weeping Bride

Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2023

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The Future Bride has been on my ‘to read’ list for a while due to its interesting premise. I’m a sucker for a time travel story where the main character goes back to medieval times. In this case, coffee shop barista Brigid MacDonald travels through time via her shop’s storage closet and ends up in 16th Century Scotland.

She’s already pretty mentally prepared for such a bizarre turn of events happening to her due to the fact she’s a huge fan of the book/show Outlander, and a fan of Jamie, of course. The story opens with her running through the woods after a case of mistaken identity where Tristan MacDonald believes she is his bride-to-be.

Brigid is only twenty-one and isn’t ready to get married yet. Especially, not to some stranger she’s never even met so she makes a run for it. It’s during her escape that she encounters a handsome, roguish, scarred, Scottish man named Ferghus. The straight-laced and moral obsessed Ferghus takes it upon himself to help Brigid due to the fact that she’s a woman on her own – that in itself was scandalous back then. Apparently.

Brigid is not your typical damsel-in-distress, however, and happens to know martial arts. Her martial arts skills come in handy as Brigid and Ferghus try to escape from the clutches of Tristan’s men, who are in hot pursuit. However, there is one personality trait of Brigid’s that completely drove me nuts while I was reading this story - about every ten pages or so she’s crying. She gets teary eyed or just starts crying - many times. If someone wants to make a drinking game with this book that will get them drunk quickly all you need to do is take a shot every time Brigid starts crying. You will get completely plastered in just the first thirty pages.

As the story progresses Brigid and Ferghus develop feelings for each other as they escape a lot of near-death situations and unwanted suitors. However, the conflict between this couple and Tristan isn’t resolved in this book. There is an alternate ending, which hints the story will continue and most likely resolve this. I will need to read the reviews of Book 2 and see if Brigid stops crying all the time in order to decide whether or not I want to continue this story, however. That little quirk of hers just irritated me for some reason. Even though since this is a romance comedy, I’m probably just taking that way too seriously.

I found myself relating more to poor Ferghus and how he had to deal with all of Brigid’s shenanigans instead of the female heroine, which is different from how my usual experience with these types of stories goes. One would think since Brigid is a fan of Outlander and in Episode 1 the heroine Claire got in trouble for her risqué outfit that Brigid would know better than to start stripping off her clothes all the time in front of men in 16th Century Scotland. But again, it’s a comedy so perhaps that behavior was supposed to be completely outrageous and hilarious to begin with.

The story is incredibly well written and historically accurate. The banter between the two main characters Brigid and Ferghus is incredibly entertaining. The Scottish sentences the author throws in is a nice touch and the footnotes will tell you what each sentence uttered in Scottish means. If you’re looking for a funny, sweet romp into 16th Century Scotland and don’t mind weepy heroines, then I definitely recommend this story.

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Sara Kjeldsen

A fun time travel story

Reviewed in Canada on December 29, 2023

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I really enjoyed this action packed and funny story. It's like an Outlander meets modern rom com story. The leading lady has a black belt in karate and she's understably furious when she's forced to deal with 18th century Scottish customs. I enjoyed the banter between her and Ferguson.
The only thing I would have liked to see was some background before the time travel as I always find the contrast between modern life and a historical setting to be interesting in a time travel story.
I enjoyed the spicy ending. A great read overall!

Penny.S

Highlands, kilts, clan men.

Reviewed in Germany on April 12, 2021

Verified Purchase

Very much enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it. I‘m glad I had the e-book version and could hover over some phrases and read the translation. An easy to read book with witty dialogue, lots of anticipation on whether the two protagonists eventually declare their true feelings. It’s definitely not as heavy as Outlander which is why I liked it so much. This was definitely a page-turner for me and I look forward to the second book!

H. Lales

Modern Day Lady Meets Middle Age's Scotland.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 27, 2020

Verified Purchase

This book was incredibly interesting. Brigid, a modern-day lady with an outspoken, perceptive mind, martial arts skills and beautiful red hair steps into a storage room and winds up in a castle in the middle-ages being prepared for marriage. This is where the adventure begins.

One of the things I enjoyed the most is how natural and gradual the relationship between Brigid and the Scottish Warrior she shares her journey with develops. It's a raw, very realistic relationship with its ups and downs and obstacles with the contrasts between thier worlds often colliding. Which makes it all the more sweeter in the end.

Another detail I especially enjoyed was the choice to use an old Middle-age form of language. I'm not sure if it was Scots Gaelic or an older form of language. But that detail gave the story so much more depth. I also loved that the author had created an index which translated the words in Scottish to English so you could understand what they were saying.

The descriptions of the Woodlands and Scottish castles were particularly enchanting and one of the qualities that made this so immersive for me.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. It was something different for me, I don't usually read historical rom-coms. I'm glad I bought this. If you'd like something light and pleasant to read then I'd suggest this to you.

One person found this helpful

Nashomega

Delightful romance

Reviewed in Australia on September 2, 2023

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Romance, funny and time travel. Brigid is a lovely young lady trying to live her life. But thrown into the 16th is no fun. The characters are well written and grab you from the beginning. A great read

joanne paulson

You must meet Ferghus. Now, if possible.

Reviewed in Canada on April 23, 2022

Verified Purchase

Every night for about 10 days, I couldn’t wait to snuggle into bed early and pick up The Future Bride.
This tale of love and time travel is so much fun, so packed with action, you really want to just devour it whole . . . but work, you know.
Brigid is a barista from contemporary Canada, who for unexplained reasons finds herself running from a potential groom in a Scotland of centuries earlier. Clad only in a wedding gown, she’s madly running through the forest when a massive Scot rescues her (we hope).
Enter Ferghus, with whom it is difficult not to fall in love immediately. Enormous, scarred, handsome, grumpy, hot-tempered, ethical to a fault, suspicious and very hard to understand (at first), he’s a remarkably complex romcom hero and I found myself rooting for him even more than the bride.
She is also an interesting creature, with an unusual skill that confounds Fergus: karate. And let me tell you, that martial art comes in very handy.
As the story unfolds, they find themselves in constant conflict generated in part by the difficulty in understanding each other. One occasionally wants to bang their heads together, really. Yet they are delightful.
The author has taken great pains to give the reader insight into the whole thing. Peppered throughout the book are Scots-Gaelic translations, which at first I thought might be annoying; but after a few pages, I loved this device. Clever and sometimes very funny, they add to the omniscient voice and give the reader that little bit of extra immersion.
I enjoyed The Future Bride immensely. It came up in my reading pile at just the right time, when I needed an escape, and it was the perfect thing, packed with humour and a touch of heat.
If only to meet the redoubtable and sexy Ferghus, it’s a must read.

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The Future Bride: A MacLeod Time-Travel Rom Com (The MacLeod Scottish Time Travel Rom Com Series Book 1) Kindle Edition

From the Publisher

Brigid knows how to fight, but these groomsmen are relentless.

Praise for The Future Bride

For adventure. For love. For kilts. (And strong gin.)

The Future Bride Snippets

There's enough slow-burn romance in this book to start a fire...

Ferghus tries his best to abide by his 15th-century rules of courtship.

Ferghus describes the lengths a man would go to for someone he loved.

The perfect escape from heavy politics.

The MacLeod Scottish Time Travel Rom Com series is complete!

The Future Bride (Book 1)

The Past Love (Book 2)

The Once and Future Love (Book 3)

Praise for The Past Love

Praise for The Once and Future Love

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J. G. MacLeod

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