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.

To settle a gambling debt, one of Daniel Mackenzie's rotten opponents takes him to a tucked-away town house in the rough part of London. Here, Daniel is introduced to Violet Bastien - daughter to the city's most famous medium - and promised a reading of his very own. It is here that Daniel witnesses nothing magical or mystical, but downright intriguing and smart. Violet has the parlour rigged with contraptions and mechanisms to fool punters into buying all her trickery fortune telling and ghost-talk. Daniel isn't fooled for a second, but he's impressed. Even more so when he remains behind and asks to see Violet's various machines - amazed at the ingenuity of this woman. And though she's not as beautiful as some of the courtesan's he's sampled, Violet intrigues and beguiles Daniel ... even as she's clobbering him over the head for stealing a kiss ... Even when she dumps his unconscious body outside a doctor's house, and escapes into the night with her mother and maid. `The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie' is the sixth book in Jennifer Ashley's addictive `Highland Pleasures' series. Daniel is my favourite Mackenzie after his uncle Ian and father Cam. For that reason, I went into this sixth book with weary expectations ... weary, because Once Upon a Time I would have declared eldest Mackenzie, Hart, my absolutely favourite of the Highland Pleasures brood. That was, until his book `The Duke's Perfect Wife' when I think Jennifer Ashley made an abysmal attempt at writing Hart's "dark delights" and turned him very sanitary and dull (despite his much-commented upon dastardly reputation of previous books). So, I love Daniel and have done ever since his lengthy appearance as secondary character in his dad's book `The Many Sins of Lord Cameron', in which he helped Cam to woo his lady love, Ainsley. I admit, after reading the blurb for Daniel's book (an older woman AND a medium? Oh, boy) I was highly sceptical and kept forcing myself to go in with lowered expectation. But, to my surprise, a truly stellar heroine and new facets to Daniel's previously cheeky-Casanova persona make `The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie' one of Jennifer Ashley's best thus far. Yes, Violet is somewhat older than Daniel and daughter to a medium. Now, while Violet swears up and down that her mum is the real-deal (and very fragile for all her spirit-talking) Violet has a more calculating, mathematical mind and does invent gadgets to help her convince punters of a gift she does not possess. Violet and her mum have actually lived a really rough life because her mother has insisted on travelling the continent, sharing her gifts. For this reason, Violet is more a parent to her mother and has been in charge of keeping them from the law and sleazy marks. Though Violet hasn't always been able to save herself, and she has the psychological scars to prove it. I love, love, loved Violet. Previously Beth and Ainsley were my favourite Mackenzie wives, but Violet is now front-runner. She is older than Daniel, and she has had to be a parent to her own mother, but there's something very innocent and childlike about Violet too ... even despite having had to grow up fast. She doesn't really trust anybody and imagines the worst in any situation, so for that reason when she starts developing feelings for Daniel and daring to imagine becoming part of his family - there's a childlike wonder and hope to her that's instantly catching. And, of course, she's wicked smart. Daniel loves to tinker with machinery and in this book he's actually building a racing car and imagining a motorbike (or the ye olde equivalent of them, at least!) and she's as captivated and fascinated by his blueprints as he is. This is, really, what attracts Daniel to her and everything else comes later - but her brain is the big pull for him throughout. Now, Daniel surprised me in this book. He actually reminded me a lot of Ian, come to think of it. He's so fascinated with machinery and lives in his own head that he can get that very determined, focused drive that Ian displays (though not to the same extent). I know in previous books much has been made of Daniel taking after his father's footsteps in the lady-stakes (taking courtesans, and his first mistress at age fourteen or thereabouts) but in this book Ashley really hits home how much of a creative mind Daniel is and what a dreamer he can be. I liked seeing this side of him, though I do think I needed a bit more about his voracious love life to be reconciled. If there was anything that frustrated me in the book, it's the same old argument I've had since book three - more Cam & Ainsley! I feel like in all subsequent books since theirs, every other Mackenzie has had more than enough secondary character page-time. Lord knows Mac and Isabella are always clamouring across the page with their brood, and I'm thrilled that Ian is always very much intricate to his brother's stories (he is in Daniel's too). But Cam and Ainsley feel like the forgotten Mackenzies, and I was hoping that in his own son's book Cam would make more of an appearance and us fans would have a chance to peek at the progress of his and Ainsley's marriage (now with two little ones, half-siblings for Daniel). But, alas, Daniel speaks to Violet of the feeling of distance and disappointment he feels from his dad (and lengthy conversations the impact his mother's insanity had on his life) but as for actual scenes with Cam, they are few and far between. Ainsley gets much more page-time with both Daniel and Violet, but Ashley keeps Cam stoically silent and gruff when all I wanted was some glimpses into his relationship with Daniel as it has now progressed into his son's adulthood. Still, `The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie' far exceeded my expectations and Daniel proves why he's a favourite Mackenzie and his lady love is a formidable new lassie to bring into the family. This book almost makes up for Hart's lacklustre one ... almost.

Oh my goodness--what a book! I have been eagerly awaiting this book's release more than any other, ever. I have other books that are my stand-alone favorites, but The Mackenzies Series is positively, hands down, my all-time favorite series from Ian's story in Book 1 to this concluding one. Each one has been just.....wow. There are no words. The Wicked Deeds of Daniel Mackenzie wraps up the series in a most wickedly fabulous way. Well, what would we expect but for Daniel, the son of Cameron Mackenzie to be a wicked, wicked man? How could he not be, considering his unconventional upbringing in a family full of scandalous men? Each of the Mackenzies played a role in turning Daniel into the man in this novel. Fortunately, not only did he learn rake-like behavior from his family, he also inherited the best qualities of each of the Mackenzie men. He is keenly intelligent like his Uncle Ian, gifted in the art of love like his Uncle Mac, and confident and ruthless (if need be) like his Uncle Hart. Daniel is all of them rolled into a young, delictible morsel of a man wrapped in plaid. And oh, the plaid. As in all of the Mackenzies Series books, the kilt almost become a character. I love kilts. I love manly men wearing kilts. <Sigh> When Daniel meets spiritualist Violet Bastien, he immediately sees through her tricks and props but is intrigued. Not only is she beautiful, but she is clever. Her talent with building machinery and use of complicated engineering principles to enhance her mother's seances make her nearly irrisistible to him. No calculating society miss is Violet and Daniel can't wait to see her again. But she vanishes! Violet has spent her life moving from place to place, taking care of her clarvoyant mother. Her past is tragic and horrible and best, and has made her wary of men and reluctant to let anyone know the real Violet. But there is something about the handsome Scotsman that shows up in the middle of the night for a reading. He seems to see through her eyes into her very soul. This is a wonderful, wonderful story of two damaged souls learning to trust and to love for the first time. In true Jennifer Ashley form, there is some serious steam between the characters. Her love scenes always are.......heartstopping.....to put it mildly. Her heroes have a way with women and know it. If only they were real!!!!!! Highly recommended----start with The Madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie and prepare to be glued to your Kindle through the entire series.

Daniel Mackenzie , is a true Mackenzie, handsome , rich , enigmatic, brilliant has a little of each of his uncles and father in him. Daniel is young confident rich young man in the prime of his life and out playing a new card game brought back to England from America ; poker and winning tremendously at it. Winning so much that the aquantance Mortimer who brought the game back with him, has just lost incredibly to Daniel. Mortimer owes Daniel money ince he has played too deeply but instead talks Daniel into coming with him and the other men to meet a women as payment ; to spite Danel telling him he has no need of to be set up with a women Of course he doesn't women come to him, well if you have been following the series , you know Daniel is charming as all hell and has been since we first met him, but I digress... Daniel does go with Mortimer to a house were he meets Violet Bastien , a medium and Daniel is instantly enchanted with her. Violet Bastien and her mother are mediums, though violet knows that she really s not, sh is just extremely good at reading people and handling them , she does not seem to be Able to handle Daniel , just a simple touch has her edgy. Daniel being the ver curious about nothing mechanical finds himself snooping in Violets house and discovering the inner working of her wind machine and noise makers he becomes even more enchanted with her when he discovers that violet has built and assembled most of the devices herself, s stolen kiss leads to another but when Daniel backs her to a wall it brings bad memories back for i violet and Indus her striking him with a vase, which leaves Daniel to all apart dead.......... At this point I was close to balling my eyes out... Violet freaks she just accidentally killed a man out of fear but given his station no one wil believe her , so the run is on but before she runs he takes Daniel's body and dumps it at the doorstep of a physician ; luckily for Daniel. Now our Danny is he upset , that Violet has knocked him out and dumps him well mybe a little ,but he is till going to find Violet because he can not stop thinking of her, and who better to help but his Uncle Ian. Your are led on a small chase to France , and an all out slow seduction of Violet for the rest of the book.. Ms Ashley ,delivered as far as I am concerned on this book, she gave us Danny's story while keeping us up to date with the rest of the family and I love visiting the MacKenzies!

Daniel Mackenzie, son of Cameron Mackenzie and part of the Mackenzie clan, is a delightful man. When he meets the lovely Violet Bastien who earns her living by assisting her mother in holding seances and other "spiritual" gatherings, instead of being offended, he is highly interested in the machines she has built to enhance the atmosphere of her seances. *Minor Spoiler* But more than his interest in Violet's machines, Daniel is captivated by Violet and what makes her tick. Although their friendship gets off to a rocky start due to Daniel's being coshed over the head with a heavy vase wielded in the hands of a fearful Violet, it turns out that Daniel is a most forgiving fellow. He heals up nicely and then proceeds to attempt to find the "suddenly missing" Violet along with her machine. He is building a motorized vehicle and is of the opinion her machine can assist him in his invention. The question: Is Daniel more interested in Violet or her machine? In any event, their mutual interest in machines turns out to be a factor in their relationship and actually contributes to some of the fun in the book, including a ride in a hot air balloon utilizing Violet's machine. There is a serious side to this novel which has to do with some extreme darkness in Violet's past. When Daniel becomes aware of Violet's past, he becomes somewhat driven to help rid her of the emotional hang-ups brought on by these dark experiences. Violet has a tendency to "run" when things get too hot, but Daniel is determined to keep her close by. Along the way, all the Mackenzie men and their families come into the story line in one way or another and we get to catch up with how they are all doing - and indeed, what a family they are becoming. I would like to state that I strongly disagree with the reviewer who was of the opinion that Violet's behavior, as a result of the harsh experiences she suffered in life, ruined the book. Nada! Nil! I am one who reads these books for relaxation and this book had enough fun and life in it that I didn't feel stressed out while I was reading because there was an amazing solution to Violet's situation after all! His name being Daniel, the Man, Mackenzie!!! Overall, I would say the story line is definitely more than above average. But, the main reason I enjoyed this book so much is because Daniel Mackenzie is 10 stars all the way - his character and persona stand alone as the type of man one rarely finds in a novel. He is truly an amazing man who knows what he wants and has the heart to go after it with a single mindedness rarely portrayed by heroes in this genre. Indeed, Daniel is Violet's hero all the way through the book. Way to go - Jennifer Ashley! Thank you for giving us a man with such a generous spirit.

This book jumps forward several years to 1890 and Daniel Mackenzie is all grown up at 25. When the book opens, he is playing poker and winning. His opponent can't cover his bet and he insists that Daniel accompany him for repayment in kind. They end up at the house of a medium, a lovely young woman named Violet. Daniel recognizes the tricks she is expertly playing and is intrigued by the machinery she employs. He stays behind and learns that she has built the machines herself. He is attracted to her, so naturally he kisses her. However, she panics and bashes his head in.| Violet thinks she has killed him so she moved his body on a cart to where it will be found. Then she gathers her mother, their maid and a few necessities together and leave London. She's sorry for killing him, but she's used to moving around. Well, of course Daniel isn't dead and of course he tracks her down (with Ian's help). Part of the charm of this series has been that each of the heroes is damaged in some way. This is not true for Daniel except that his mother had mental health issues and tried to kill him as an infant. As a heroic lead, Daniel is practically perfect. He's enjoying life and why not? He's rich, handsome, intelligent; he still enjoys training horses with his father, but his new obsession is building motorcars. He's almost boring. Violet is a bit more interesting, being of a lower class and forced to use her wits to earn a living at work that is shady, if not outright fraudulent. Also, she was raped as a teenager - this isn't a spoiler because it comes up very early in the book - and this is major plot point in the story. My favorite things about the book are: I enjoyed the bits where Daniel and Violet work on mechanical stuff together. I hate when books characterize someone as a scientist or writer or something but you never actually see them doing it. Daniel and Violet go ballooning and build a motorcar together and Violet learns to drive. As always, I enjoyed the visit with the Mackenzies. Otherwise, I found it a bit boring. Maybe I wasn't completely convinced by the romance bits - Daniel is still very young to be getting married at 25. And Violet talks about wanting to travel the world, but she's already preggers by the end of the book. Meh.

The impressionable boy Daniel has grown up to be a happy go lucky man. He meets violet during a seance when her landlord owes Daniel 2000 pounds from gambling. However, Daniel isn't one to get sucked in by theatrics and pegs violet as a fraud. But, what made Daniel notice her was after finding how she does her tricks what with violet also, being fascinated by engines just like Daniel. Together they go through a whirlwind of obstacles. One mainly being fighting violets passed which gets panic attacks from. **small spoiler** Violet is a raped victim. I know a woman being raped is not conducive to romance. However, I believe it gives reality to the characters. There are people out there that had such an horrible thing happen to them. But, what I want to say is that besides her horrible introduction to intimacy violet over came that and allowed Daniel to show her a way to move on with her life and not letting past experiences bring you down but make you stronger. And the way Daniel helped violet get through it was unbelievable and worth the read. In the end I enjoyed Daniel's story. He let nothing and no one get in his way and freed the woman he loved from a bleak life. I gave it a five star because the story was engaging and very much believable. It also, showed strength and love from all the characters past and present. Giving readers a glimpse of past characters and how they are doing in their lives which I personally like. But, I will say Ian's story remains my favorite. For those who have not read it yet is a must read. You will not regret it. Ms Ashley keep with the Mackenzie family they are awesome stories.

So, I've been a followers of this series from the first book, The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie. Typically, series will fizzle out for me, but not this one. Still going strong, baby, still going strong. I've spent the entire series teetering between my two favorite MacKenzie brothers, Ian and Cameron, unable to decide which one I loved more. Then... then, along came Daniel MacKenzie, the reckless teenager we first met in book one of the Highland Pleasures series. The perceptive, intelligent younger MacKenzie who traipses all over Europe looking after his uncle and aunties, living up the wicked MacKenzie name. Daniel MacKenzie, my new fictional love. Since the reader is so well acquainted with Daniel throughout the whole series and watches him grow into manhood, I knew this author would have to make his story exceptional, with a rocking heroine and all that. I mean, she had to! This is Daniel we're talking about. Daniel, Danny boy, with a father who doesn't know how to take care of him, a mother that tried to murder him in the cradle, and member of a family that is full of tormented, troubled men. Of course, she had to give him a happily ever after with a heroine who deserved him. Task accomplished. I've officially dubbed this book my favorite in the series. Yes, I'm gushing about the book, but I can't help it. I absolutely loved Daniel. He is not unlike his uncles. When he sees something he wants, namely Violet, he goes after it. And he doesn't stop until she is absolutely and completely his. Our Danny boy is a fabulous hero who has no difficulty recognizing the woman he wants to spend his life with, and he doesn't mind facing her demons together with her, all in the name of love. Now, our heroine, Violet. I can honestly say this author doesn't tend to disappoint with her heroines either. These MacKenzie men need a strong, determined lady by their side. The conventional miss would not do for any of these men. Violet is a wonderful heroine for Daniel. Able to read anyone, it made sense she had no idea just what Daniel was thinking most of the time. And it was because he was actually being genuine with her. No artifice, no ulterior motives. He just honestly wanted to be with her, and she had no idea how to react to him. Overall, I'm one satisfied reader after reading The Wicked Deeds of Daniel MacKenzie. For ages, I waited for this book, and I was not disappointed in the slightest. This will be one I reread many, many times.

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.