Review: Kresley Cole – MacRieve

Immortals After Dark Series: 

Book 13:

MacRieve: Uilleam MacRieve and Chloe Todd

 

 

Purchase on Amazon:Kresley Cole – MacRieve (Immortals After Dark)

Summary:

From Goodreads.com

A Beast In Torment

Uilleam MacRieve believed he’d laid to rest the ghosts of his boyhood. But when a brutal torture revives those ancient agonies and destroys his Lykae instinct, the proud Scot craves the oblivion of death. Until he finds her—a young human so full of spirit and courage that she pulls him back from the brink.

A Beauty In Chains

Seized for the auction block, Chloe Todd is forced to enter a terrifying new world of monsters and lore as a bound slave. When offered up to creatures of the dark, she fears she won’t last the night. Until she’s claimed by him—a tormented immortal with heartbreaking eyes, whose touch sets her blood on fire.

A Full Moon On The Rise

With enemies circling, MacRieve spirits Chloe away to the isolated Highland keep of his youth. But once he takes her to his bed, his sensual mate becomes something more than human, evoking his savage past and testing his sanity. On the cusp of the full moon, can he conquer his worst nightmare to save Chloe . . . from himself?

 

Review:

Kresley Cole has long since earned her place on my auto-buy list as well as the top spot as my favorite author. Every time I pick up a Kresley Cole book it starts this spiral of need to go back and read the rest of the series all over again. I swear I do a re-read of IAD at least once a year. I know without a doubt that if I pick up a Kresley Cole book it will be a minimum of four stars EVERY time. MacRieve is absolutely no exception to this rule. This was not my favorite book of the series but I’d still say Ms. Cole has a winner on her hands. I DEVOURED it, staying up all night to finish and dragging my ass into work with almost no sleep but not caring. PS. I really wish release day was on a Friday or something so this wouldn’t keep happening to me with my favorite authors. LOL

 

As with Lothaire I gotta say MacRieve was kinda a douche in the middle of the book. He showed promise early on but events triggering childhood trauma and massive guilt changed that fairly quickly. I am glad to say that he did see error of his ways and did endeavor to change his attitude but it was some rough going there for a while. MacRieve totally earned his nickname of “Head Case” and I absolutely LOVED that nickname for him; it was so fitting and cracked me up every time someone used it and they called him it right to his face and he couldn’t even get mad since it was true. Lol Coming into this book, I had no idea just how traumatized MacRieve was, in reality we didn’t know much about the twins other then they are Hot and Hotter or is it Hotter and Hot?? A childhood event when he was nine lasting until it came to a head at thirteen shaped the rest of his life and then when he was picked up by the Order that just made everything worse. His torture was extensive as the pet of Dr. Nixon and then after the escape he barely dodged another bullet which dredged up the childhood memories. I couldn’t help but repeatedly say “pobrecito” (poor guy) throughout a lot of the book. He may have been a douche but it was kind of understandable and I couldn’t hate him for it. He even brought tears to my eyes a few times and I don’t think I have ever cried in a Kresley Cole book, because usually I’m too busy laughing.

 

Even though there were a few tears worry not my friends you’ll still laugh in this book because Chloe is quite the smart ass and I adore smart ass characters. Probably one of the reason I love Kresley Cole so much, most of her characters tend to be on the smart ass side and I can’t get enough of it. Chloe is also a pretty tough chica. In the beginning she is just a human professional woman’s soccer player with dreams of the Olympics but soon she realizes that something is happening to her. When her father disappears after handing her the living book of the Lore it is merely weeks when she is kidnapped to be sold to the highest bidder. It seems her father is enemy numero uno amongst the Lore. It is on the auction block when MacRieve finds her and “rescues” her. It is just when she is starting to buy into MacRieve’s matehood when he does a complete 180 after her transition. Chloe is not one to really put up with much shit so she gives back as much as she gets from MacRieve wanting nothing to do with him, but the nature of the beast rears its ugly head and circumstances what they are they have to stick together. What I really liked about Chloe is that she didn’t really freak out about the Lore and her transition. She had a “rub some dirt” mentality and tried to make the best of the situation. She remained her smart ass self and won everyone over including MacRieve. Although, I do wish that she would have been able to compete in the Olympics, it seems a bit sad that she had to give up that dream, but she took it in stride.

 

This book isn’t as action packed as some of the others as MacRieve is still pretty traumatized from being tortured so I think this was a good move, plus we still had plenty of drama with MacRieve and Chloe in their own personal battle between each other and MacRieves’ past. This is probably the steamiest book of the series, almost from the get go. As with all the other books in this series the side characters cannot be dismissed. I adore every single one of them in particular I loved the orphaned brothers. They cracked me up, especially the younger one. I’m drawing a blank on his name right now. We spend more time with Monroe then we ever have before and I like him, it’s looking like his book may be next in the series. He’s little to serious so I hope his mate drives him nuts! Kresley Cole is setting us up for something BIG so I can’t wait to see where we go in this series!

 

Well Done Kresley Cole, Well Done!

 

Rating: 5 Romanticals

This review can also be seen on www.paranormalromancenovel.com .

Review- Reluctant (Highland Historical) (The MacKays #3)

I am in awe with this new novella Kerrigan released. I have been really dying for this one to come out.
This series has me so addicted to the magical and enchanting world Kerrigan has created.

Seriously HOLY SHIT!!! The sex scenes were about to put my kindle on fire! I could feel the heat… I can always expect Kerrigan’s books to have that WOW factor!

I mean they are always classy but still oh so erotic. I really enjoyed how she brought everyone back into this one. I loved seeing everyone again. I say “seeing” because I can always picture the details in my mind because Kerrigan’s details are vivid and alive.

Kamdym is a banshee, the last of her 3 sisters to find a mate. She has pledged herself to the Banshee queen to protect her sisters. After many years of serving the queen she is asked to kill the laird of shadows. Does she accept?

Laird of Shadows handsome and ruthless meets the beautiful banshee Kamdyn. Kamdyn has come to kill him.

These 2 have sizzling hot chemistry right from the start. The emotional connection is heart felt.

This was masterful, unique story of lust, passion, honor, and love.

This is a keeper that I will read over and over again! If I could I would give it more than 5 stars!

5 Romanticals

Buy Link: Reluctant (Highland Historical) (The MacKays #3)

 

Review: Kerrigan Byrne – Reluctant

Highland Heros and the MacKay’s

Book 3 and 6:

Reluctant: Soren Laird of Shadows and Kamdyn MacKay

Purchase on Amazon: Kerrigan Byrne – Reluctant (Heroes of the Highlands) (The MacKays #3)

Summary:

From Goodreads.com

He would be her first kill…

Kamdyn MacKay is a Banshee assassin who has never killed a man. When her first mark becomes the Berserker warlord terrorizing the Highlands, she knows she must slay him or face unthinkable consequences. Once she’s face to face with the notorious Laird of Shadows, Kamdyn realizes she’s also never been taken by a man, and his carnal proposition may prove too seductive to resist.

She would be his first kiss…

The brutal Laird of Shadows fears nothing, especially not a warrior’s death. When a tiny, lovely Banshee invades his camp intent on his demise, a mistaken kiss brands her as the mate he’s been searching the decades for. The least he can do is persuade his tempting executioner to make his last night on earth something to remember.

Review:

YAY!!! Byrne returned to her berserkers! This makes me to thrillingly happy! I ADORE berserkers, I think they are the least utilized in the paranormal genre and should be used so much more. Kerrigan Byrne is the only author that I can think of that uses them on a regular basis, which is how I discovered her in the first place and have never looked back!

In Reluctant we fast forward quite a number of years; I think it is close to 20ish? Kamdyn is a handmaiden to the Fae Banshee Queen. She selflessly gave herself to the Queen so that her sister could live with her Druid mate in the second book. For this alone she has endeared herself to me, there was no way I couldn’t love her coming into this book. I could only hope that her mate would be worthy. I was not disappointed in this aspect. I think Soren has become my favorite male of this entire series, including the other berserkers. He’s a brute of a male but so very self-aware. The things he says to Kamdyn are to make your heart beat a little bit faster. I’m not a huge highlighter in books, but some of what he says I just cannot resist, it was just too damn perfect. Even warlords have feelings and he has no problem expressing himself so eloquently. At the end he is willing to sacrifice EVERYTHING for his wee Banshee and it’s quite beautiful. Kamdyn has such a soft heart and can’t bring herself to kill this warlord that says things to her that melt her heart a little bit more each time he speaks. The chemistry between Kamdyn and Soren is explosive and heats up the pages. You may have to fan yourself off a little while reading this scorcher!

With each book that Kerrigan Byrne writes I am again reminded why she is on my auto-buy list and I read her books within days of their release. I have loved every single one of them and this one might just top my list as my new favorite!

Rating: 5 Romanticals

 

*You can also view this review on http://www.paranormalromancenovel.com

Review: Kerrigan Byrne–Redeemed

Highland Historical (The Banshees)

Book 4:

Redeemed: Kylah MacKay and Daroch McLeod

 

 

Purchase on Amazon: Kerrigan Byrne – Redeemed (Heroes of the Highlands) (The MacKays #2)

Summary:

To a Banshee, revenge is a dish best served screaming…

Kylah MacKay was brutalized and burned alive, but denied her vengeance by a cruel twist of fate. She’s drawn to the one man more damaged then her, and becomes a pawn in an ancient war that may cost her very soul. Somehow this man, who has no use for emotion or love, awakens dangerous desires she’d thought died with her.

He’s a man out of time…

Daroch McLeod is a ruthless and brilliant Druid driven by a single purpose: Retribution. Abused and tormented, he’s promised not to stop until he’s retaliated against his immortal captors. And he’s never been closer to his goal. Daroch refuses to let the beautiful, inquisitive Banshee, who haunts his every step, uncover his deadly secrets.

Can two souls searching for vengeance find redemption instead?

 

Review:

I pick up a Kerrigan Byrne book and I know that I am going to get a well written entertaining story. She has never, not once failed to impress me with her mad story telling skills. This installment of the Banshee series is no exception to that. This book picks up pretty close to where RELEASED left off.

Of the wronged MacKay women Kylah has the most reason for revenge: chained, used and left to burn alive Kylah feels nothing in death. She is left uncomfortably numb. She knows that she should feel something at the very least a burn for revenge but with that option gone for good she has nothing left, not even her Banshee scream. As a banshee she is drawn to strong dark emotions, one day she was out wandering and was drawn to a place of great anguish. It is there in the presence of all that pain that she is finally able to find her own pain and anger and at long last her scream. She is surprised to find that she is not alone in the cave and as it turns out it was the Druid and not the cave that she was drawn too. Never has she felt such pain in one person, not even herself. Daroch is a man of science, a Druid, possibly the last of his kind. Born thousands of years earlier he should have died with his people, but fate was not so kind. Now his one goal in life is to destroy all things Fae, and he is running out of time. When a curious, beautiful banshee shows up in his cave the last thing he wants is her distracting him or finding out what he is up to. If he finds a way to kill the Fae, that would include her…

Despite everything that was done to her Kylah has this quite innocence about her. At the time of her death she was still young and had left a fairly sheltered life and even though her innocence was stolen from her she still maintains a piece of that after death. She also has an insatiable curiosity about her, it kind of reminds you of a young child always asking the question “why?”. Only instead of being annoying she asks intelligent questions and has a quick mind. Daroch is at first annoyed that his solitude has been invaded but he quickly comes to appreciate her intelligent, curious mind. Kylah is had to not like, she is sweet and despite her beauty she is not spoiled. With little else to do, Kylah decides to throw in her lot with Daroch whether he likes it or not, so she is a bit of a stubborn wench.

Daroch has met his match, finally someone that can out stubborn him. She’s not tangible so it’s not like he can physically remove her from his presence. Daroch is dark, brooding and tortured soul; everything we have come to love in our Alpha male lead. He is freak’n sexy! All muscle, brains, magic and bad attitude! A killer combo if you ask me. Kylah is not immune to this combo either. Even though Kylah almost kills him twice in about an hour, Daroch finds himself thawing towards her. Soon he is finding himself looking forward to her company instead of dreading it and then he is left wondering how in the hell that happened. For over a century he hasn’t so much as wanted to be near another person, but this slip of a lass is getting past all of his defenses.

Together, these two are better than they are a part. In such a short period of time they become a team. Each one is strong where the other is weak, each teaching other new things about life and about death. Kylah gets Daroch to rethink some of this theories and start and living. Daroch helps Kylah find herself as a woman and to help her discover she is more than a beautiful face and that she has a brain that she can use. Little by little they help each other heal, but each has a soul deep need for revenge and it may just destroy them both…

Rating: 5 Romanticals

Review: Kerrigan Byrne – Released

Highland Historical (The Banshees)

Book 4:

Released: Laird Rory MacKay and Katriona

 

 

Purchase on Amazon: Kerrigan Byrne – Released (Highland Historical #4) (The MacKays)

Summary:

From Goodreads.com

She’s become a Banshee, screaming for vengeance…

The last thing Katriona remembers about her life is her violent death. Now, in order to rest, she must avenge her family, which means eliminating the last of the corrupt MacKay Lairds. But her Banshee scream doesn’t kill him, and the more she tries, the harder it becomes to resist the wicked temptation he poses.

He’s cursed for the crimes of another…

None of the many sins staining Laird Rory MacKay’s soul warrant the wailing Banshee in his bedroom. With a clan divided, an impending marriage, and whispers of a dark curse threatening the livelihood of his people, Rory doesn’t have the time – or the heart – to face the specter of the one woman he’s spent the last year trying to forget.

Review:

From the first couple of pages I was sucked into this story. I was supposed to be working on something else but had a few minutes to spare and I made the mistake of starting this book. Within the first couple of pages I was hooked! I was click, click, clicking away until I realized how in deep I was and that I had to get back on task, but man putting the book down to get my work done was so damn hard. I don’t think I ever flew through work so fast just so I could get back to the story. The story where is not long, it leaves a lasting impression. It is full of powerful emotion and characters you quickly come to care for. Kerrigan Byrne is a master a creating atmosphere and pulling you into her world. She describes things in such a way that it almost feels like you are there. The textures and atmosphere of the story are alive and vibrant.

We start the book with Katriona contemplating killing Laird Rory and as she recounts what had happened to her and her family, it is POWERFUL, definitely emotional. I found myself misting up a bit because of the pain that these young women endured. Equally powerful is Rory’s reaction to what happened and to Katriona herself, even if she is now a much feared Banshee. She never knew that Rory had deep seeded feelings for her for years and that he had been mourning her. Katriona is perplexed as to why she can’t take his life, a life for a life, isn’t that how it works? And as a Banshee, her magic is powerful. Perplexed Katriona spends more and more time haunting Rory, but the more time she spends with him the less she wants to kill him. But her time is running out, she has a year from her death to extract her revenge or she can never be released from her curse.

The push and pull between Katriona and Rory is intense. Rory knows what he wants but it’s out of his reach, he’s a year too late for the woman he always yearned for and his intended is on her way. Rory is noble man; he is the youngest son of a monster and younger brother to a man just as bad as his father. All of his life he has been paying for the sins of the father and brother. Now, they are gone and he is doing everything he can make up for their reign of terror. When Katriona shows up as a Banshee and tries to kill him, he figures it’s no less than he deserves. There is no way that you can’t fall a bit in love with Rory. He puts the needs of his clan ahead of his and his heart aches for everything that his father and brother had done. He knows there is no way he can make up for it all, but he does as much as he can even sacrificing himself and the one thing he had always wanted. Rory has an understated power about him; he commands but is not overt about it.

Rating:  5 Romanticals

 

 

*This review can also be seen on www.paranormalromancenovel.com .

Review: Heather McCollum – Captured Heart

Captured Heart: Chief Caden Macbain and Meg Boswell

Purchase on Amazon:

Summary:

From Goodreads.com

Fleeing with only her bow, horse, enormous pet wolf, and the cryptic clues hidden in her mother’s medicine journal, healer Meg Boswell gallops north towards freedom, running from the man who falsely accused her mother of witchcraft. Cursed with magical healing abilities, Meg knows that if she’s captured, she will die like her mother—atop a blazing witch’s pyre.

Winter winds rip across the Highlands, pressing Chief Caden Macbain forward in his desperate plan to save his clan. He’s not above using an innocent woman to bargain for peace if it keeps his clan from starving. But Meg isn’t who Caden thinks she is, and when she kills a man to save the clan, he must choose between duty and her life. For although he captured her to force a peace, Meg’s strength and courage have captured Caden’s heart.

Review:

I am so glad I took a shot on this book. It was such a heartwarming highlander tale. I have to admit I’ve missed my highlanders they are so sexy, loyal and caveman like! On top of that it’s an abduction Highlander tale, I always enjoy a good abduction! LOL. And even more?! Our heroine is a healer! How can you not love healers, their sole reason for being is to help people? They are always so loveable, gentle and always win me over. So I got a tri-fecta with this book.

Meg is our heroine, she is a healer inherited down the maternal line. Her own mother was burned as a witch by her own husband. Meg has lived in fear of her father since she was a small child. She is living in England with her aunt and uncle when notice comes that her father is coming for her and means to test her for being a witch. As terror overtakes her, she flees, only knowing she is heading north to her mother’s sister who lives in the Highlands. It is during this time that she meets and saves the life of Caden, a highlander that captures her attention more than he should. It occurs to her that she would be safer if she traveled with this band of highlanders back to their home in the highlands and from there she can contact her aunt. What she didn’t know is that Caden had been searching for her all along to be used as a bargaining chip against the 100 year feud with the very clan she is trying to get to.

During Meg’s journey she discovers a lot about herself. She discovers that her healing is a lot more extensive than she ever thought. She learned that her gift is just that, a gift. She had always considered it more of a curse to hide, but after meeting her aunt she learns that she can do so much good with her gift. She learns how strong she can be in the face of true danger, and how fierce she can be when someone she loves is threatened. She finds her strength in the highlands in the embrace of a clan. She wins over the entire MacBain clan in short time. As a healer she has a gentle loving spirit that shines through, she can’t help but to help when people are in need. The limits of her strength are sorely tested in her time in the Highlands as more and more secrets get exposed and the threat of her father looms over her. She is blissfully ignorant that she is actually a prisoner with the MacBain clan and is drawn to the Clans Chief, Caden. She finds herself gravitating towards him more and more until she doesn’t know what to do about her desire, but Caden sure does.

Caden is everything you would expect from a Highland Chief. He puts his Clan first and is fiercely loyal to his people. So much so that he decided to abduct a girl from England to bargain peace with a neighboring clan. It is rumored that the Chief of that clan has a niece that he loves dearly and would do anything to bring her to the highlands so Caden decides to get to her first. He soon realizes that the girl he seeks pretty much drops into his lap and he takes advantage of the situation when she asks if she could travel with him and his men. He wages an internal war on one hand he feels guilty for tricking such a young woman that he has come to care about and on the other hand he knows that his clan stands to starve this winter if he does not broker peace. As the days pass, Caden gets closer and closer to Meg and he feels more and more guilty for his betrayal. He feels himself falling for Meg and knows when Meg finds out about his betrayal all could be lost…

This was a heartwarming tale that I highly enjoyed. It has an abduction, betrayals, secrets long buried, and danger at every corner. Pick this one up and get ready to be entertained.

*This book was provided through NetGalley for an honest review. No other compensation was provided.

Rating: 4 Romanticals

Review: Michelle Willingham – Tempted by a Highland Warrior

MacKinloch Clan Series:
Book 3:

Tempted by a Highland Warrior: Callum MacKinloch and Lady Marguerite de Montpierre

Summary:

From goodreads.com
After years of brutal torture, Callum MacKinloch is finally free of his captors–but his voice is still held prisoner. He’d never let anyone hear him scream. Although Lady Marguerite de Montpierre’s chains may be invisible, they threaten to tie her to a loveless and cruel marriage.

When Marguerite discovers Callum waiting to die, her heart aches for the warrior beneath the suffering–but they can have no future. Yet she is the one woman with the power to tame the rage locked inside him. Maybe he can find another reason to live…for her.

Review:
This was my first book by Michelle Willingham and I have to say I am impressed! I didn’t quite know what to expect from this book, I was a bit reserved after having seen it was a third book in a series. However, that did not hinder my enjoyment of this book at all. I do not feel it was necessary to have read the previous two books to understand this title it easily stands up as a standalone. M. Willingham’s writing quickly swept me up in this tale starting from when Lady Marguerite is startled from her sleep by tortured screams and she finds herself tending to Callum’s tortured back. From their first meeting you feel the connection between these two kindred spirits. Both are locked in chains, but their chains are entirely different. Hers are of her title and gender and his are that of a prisoner of war.

From the age of 12 Callum has been held prisoner, tortured to the brink of death more times than he can remember, his voice gone after one especially vicious torture where he refused to let them hear him scream. His body eventually recovered but his voice never did, his flesh is yet again recovering from a whipping when Lady Marguerite is awakened and comes to his aid thinking it is him who screamed. There was something in the way she cared for him that gave him a renewed vigor for life, even for the possibility of seeing her once more before he dies. Callum, does not give up, even against insurmountable odds, he keeps on going, in chains or out of them. He is an inspiration and one of my favorite highland warriors to date. How can you not love a man that doesn’t give up on his woman even when facing his own death, you just can’t. There is no defense against that, his love just pours out of him and after the life he has led it is a miracle he can love at all. He is a proud, strong, intelligent, highland warrior and I too would have given up everything to be with this man.

With Marguerite, she is such a kind lady; when she tends to Callum’s wounds you immediately have a soft spot for her. She is so gentle with him and brings him back not just from the physical brink but from the mental too. When he is finally free and he is half out of his mind and she tends to him again with such caring and understanding, you just know these two belong. Then, she gets home and is locked back up into her invisible chains yet again and Callum comes for her, I about started to dislike her, but that was my modern woman coming out. I really had to set that aside and remember we are in the 1300’s and she is the daughter of a Duke, considered no more than mere property and then I’m ok, you go girl. These might be tiny rebellions in today’s standards but in 1300’s standards they were HUGE! She had some balls after all and I started liking her again. She had to work with what she could, how she could, it might not have been the best way but it was the only way she could figure at the time. And one huge thing to her credit is she doesn’t give up, if it meant her life or his, she’d do what she had to, to make sure he still had his. By the end she had some serious courage and did what a girl had to do, even if it meant plunging to her death, because even death was a better fate then what her father had planned for her…

I highly recommend this book, I thoroughly enjoyed it! I remembered why I loved highlanders so much, it’s been a while since I have read a highlander book that I enjoyed as much as this one. The characters leapt right off the page; their emotions felt real, the character development was well done. The scenes were rich and full of life. And oh how the sensuality smoldered as Callum and Marguerite discovered theirs together for the first time. This is a love that truly defies all odds and stands against all tests. And their loe is tested over and over, it is quite the roller coaster ride of events and emotion. I didn’t expect this historical to be as steamy as it was so I was in for a very pleasant surprise to find that the sexuality simmered and created a delicious tension between these two. I also found that in a strange way Callum’s inability to talk in a way increased their communication as they had to rely so much on the non-verbal, but from the beginning they had such a deep connection between them that Marguerite, never seemed to not know what Callum was thinking. I know as soon as I am able to find some time, I will be going back and reading the first two books in this series and finding any other books I can from Michelle Willingham, I believe she also has a series about an Irish family, I know I won’t be passing that up!

Rating: 4.5 Orchids

*Review copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review, no other compensation was given.

Karen Marie Moning – Spell of the Highlander

Highlander Series:

Spell of the Highlander: Cian MacKelter and Jessica St. James

Summary:

Cian is a 9^th century Highland Laird who also happens to be the most powerful Druid who has ever lived. Cian is dabbling in the black magicks with his “best friend” Lucan when Lucan tricked him and trapped him in the Dark Glass, for the next 11 centuries. Several months earlier a freak of circumstances allowed the mirror to be stolen and sold to the highest bidder.  Jessi wished she could have some sort of life, any life really she wasn’t picky.  She feels like she is never going to get a break until Professor Keene breaks several bones and sends Jessi to his office to accept a ‘package”. The package turns out to be an old mirror that she could have sworn that she saw the outline of a huge man, it freaks her out and she avoids the professor’s office for several days. When she can no longer avoid it she returns to the office only there is a strange blond man there and she just knows that he is going to try to hurt her. Then suddenly a huge man appears in the begging her to release him from the mirror. Convincing herself she’s in the middle of a dream she repeats the spell and releases the huge man and promptly curls up and falls asleep. The next day concerned she is crazy and in desperate need of a padded cell she goes back to the office only to have the man in the mirror still there and again trying to convenience her to release him from the mirror because her very life may depend on him. Cian has 20 days to keep this woman safe and to defeat Lucan and together he and Jessi go on the run for their very lives.

Review:

This is my first novel by K.M. Moning and I enjoyed her writing. It is funny, sexy and intelligent. When she mentions Lafayette, IN in the novel I about died, it’s my home town and no one cares about Lafayette, IN especially for it to appear in a novel however briefly. Then I flipped to the back of the cover and saw she went to Purdue University (located in Lafayette) and I liked her even more since I also went to Purdue. The novel is thoughtfully written with plenty of action, it’ll keep you interested. Both Cian and Jessi are relatable characters and I devoured the book in a few hours I just couldn’t put it down.  There is defiantly magic with this book in more than one way. There were a couple of characters from previous novels that I am going to have to go back for!

Rating:

4.25 Orchids out of 5

Karen Marie Moning – Beyond the Highland Mist

Highlander Series:

Book 1:

Beyond the Highland Mist: Sidheach James Lyon Douglas, Third Earl of Dalkeith A.K.A Hawk and Adrienne de Simone

 

Summary:

In 16^th Century Scotland Hawk is considered the most beautiful man in Scotland as well as is legendary in his prowess in the bed chambers, woman flock to Hawk to be able to experience even just once to see if the legend is true. Hawk is not one to turn down what is offered freely but he only gives pleasure and nothing else of himself. When the consort of Queen Aoibheal of the Fairy hears the tails of the Hawk and suspects his own queen having had sampled the legend the King is overcome with jealously and devises a plan along with the Fairy Adam Black to bring an end to the legend of the Hawk.  The plan is to find a modern day (20^th century) woman that can resist the Hawks charms and to lead him on a merry chase only to leave him once he has fallen for her. Adam Black has found the perfect woman in Adrienne de Simone; fresh out of an abusive relationship with a beautiful very wealthy man and running for her life always looking over her shoulder, she hates ALL men especially the beautiful rich ones. When Adrienne falls through an empty space and finds herself in 16^th century Scotland and into the lap of a greedy nasty man she is understandably confused and doesn’t know what in the world is going on, but a survivor she has always been. When her life and all the women in the castle lives have been threatened if she does not pretend to be some other dead woman and marry some man sight unseen her survival instincts kick in and she agrees, at least until she can find some way out of the 16^th century and back into her own time. When the groom doesn’t even show up but sends a proxy instead, Adrienne is fuming from the lack of respect and she is thrown on a horse immediately after and sent to her new home. After years of forced service to the King, Hawk now only has one worry, his ordered betrothal to a rumored hideously ugly crazy woman (whom no one has actually laid eyes on), whom he has been avoiding most of his life, but time is running out. He has very little time before the date that he has to be married or the King will destroy his castle and the entire village. On the date the wedding is to take place he send his best friend Grimm in his place, the less contact he has with his “bride” the better, he has even instructed his staff to ignore the lass. When Adrienne arrives at the keep and is rudely ignored by the entire household including her “groom” she is rightly angry, she has been treated callously by her own husband. Never mind that she never wanted to be married and would actually prefer if she never saw him, it was the principle of the matter. When Hawk finally gets around to seeing Adrienne who was talking to the handsome blacksmith Adam Black he sees how beautiful his wife is and is finally coming around on the whole marriage thing, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad with a woman as beautiful as she. Hawk is uncontrollably jealous when he sees his wife talking to the smithy and Adrienne gets an introduction to her husband she will never forget. Hawk has messed everything up from the beginning and is now at a loss on how to woo his own wife; the lass will have nothing to do with him and damn it he wants to exercise his husbandly duties. Can Hawk overcome his past mistakes, Adrienne’s fears regarding mean and the repeated attempts on her life or will all be lost?

Review:

Overall the book was pretty good, it got somewhat redundant in parts and I’m glad this was not the first book that I started with in this series or I may not have continued with the series. Adrienne to me was not very believable especially in her past of domestic abuse, I can’t really put my finger on it but something just wasn’t quite there for this. Maybe it’s because my best friend is a domestic abuse counselor and the patterns of her behavior didn’t seem to match the real stories that I have heard over the years, so I could be biased. Although I did enjoy how Adrienne certainly made Hawk beg for it, she did not go easy on him.  I do enjoy when a womanizer is brought to his knees from time to time. The time traveling aspect of the book was a new twist to the highland theme. This may have been my first time traveling book, it was interesting to read a modern woman’s take on 16^th century living and how she adapted. Overall, not one of the best of the series but it was still pretty good.

Rating:

3 moons out of 5

Karen Marie Moning – To Tame a Highland Warrior

Highlanders Series:

Book 2:

To Tame a Highland Warrior: Gravreal McIllioch A.K.A Grimm and Jillian St.Clair

Summary:

When Gravreal was 14 he saw his dad crouched over his mother’s body holding a knife, he fled the castle in a rage only to witness his clan being massacred by the McKan Clan. All his life he has heard the tale of the Berserker’s while he is watching his clans slaughter he pleas to the gods to invoke the Berserker and his prayer was answered. When he feels the strength and rage enter him he runs to his clan and ends up slaughtering every McKane within his path saving the rest of his clan. Thinking his entire clan was killed and that his father murdered his mother he flees his home to wonder the highland forests, hunted by the remaining McKanes for two years; when he is found by a very young Jillian, who claims him for her own like a lost puppy. By now Gravreal has taken the name Grimm forsaking his old life including his name, he feels that it is safe enough that he could reenter civilization and upon seeing the young Jillian everything within him is calling to him to protect her as she is HIS.  Jillian is intrigued by the boy from the forest and as she grows older her feeling become more intense and turn to love, but Grimm does everything within his power to torment, ignore and frustrate her and then one day her home is raided and she see Grimm headed to the stables after the battle has completed, she just knows that he is leaving. Jillian runs after Grimm and after a passionate kiss and confessing that she wants him to stay, he coldly rejected her and left anyway and she was never able to get over the rejection or him. For years Grimm protected Jillian from afar, he could never really being himself to truly leave her but he knows how dangerous he is and refuses to bring that to Jillian ever again. He knows her home was raided all those years ago because he was there and the McKanes never gave up their pursuit of him.  Now after years Grimm receives a missive from Jillian’s father telling him to come for Jillian. Grimm owes Jillian’s father his life so he answers the call immediately even though he knows he shouldn’t be anywhere near Jillian. Laird St. Clair has had it with Jillian she is well past the marrying age and he has been to lenient with his daughter so he sends for three men who don’t scare easily for Jillian to choose from and demands that she has picked one by the time he and her mother get back from visiting her brother. When Grimm arrives to find out that Jillian is to pick a husband he immediately takes himself out of the running, he knows that her father could not have wanted a berserker as a son in law. Even though he has taken himself out of the running doesn’t mean Jillian will let him. Jillian wants to deny that she has any feeling left for Grimm but when she see’s him again it all comes flooding back. As much as Jillian and Grimm fight the attraction they keep coming back together but Grimm knows he has no right to Jillian he is not natural, dangerous and still hunted by the McKane’s and as much as he wishes otherwise he cannot have her. Can these two overcome all the obstacles to come together or is all lost?

Review:

I love Grimm! I want my own hot Berserker.  I love his intensity and his desire to protect Jillian at any cost. His feelings of not being worthy of her feel real, you can feel his pain and self-loathing. K.M. Moning really brings Grimm to life and you find yourself relating to him.  Jillian is feisty! I love a feisty heroine; she knows what she wants and sets out to get it, and does! I loved her creative problem solving to get rid of all her previous suitors, she really knows how to get a man lose interest. She may be a mere woman in a time when woman are to remain in the background but she is smart and knows how to work with what she has at her disposal. Jillian is by far my favorite female of this series and I know you will love her too! This book is one of my favorites of the series and makes me want more berserkers!

Rating:

5 Orchids out of 5