Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Terrific book with a great balance of romance and suspense. This book picks up where the previous book (Highland Wolf) ends. Allissaid MacFarlane is the sister of the heroine in that book, and when the villain in that book is foiled, he immediately kidnaps Allissaid to continue his efforts to steal her family's lands. Allissaid is no meek-hearted miss and risks her life to escape, even though she's badly injured. When she attempts to steal, umm.. borrow a plaid left on the shore of the loch, its owner catches her, and in the struggle, she loses consciousness.
Calan is taking a quick dip in the loch when he sees a lad running off with his plaid. However, once he tackles the lad, he discovers the lad is a lass and a lady. Because she's unconscious and to protect her reputation, he sneaks her into his room at the castle. He'll straighten things out once she's awake and he knows who she is. When she awakens, Allissaid has no idea if she's in the home of a friend or foe, so she pretends she doesn't remember anything, including who she is. Calan's instincts to protect are aroused, and he's determined to keep her safe.
I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Allissaid and Calan. Since his father's death eight years earlier, Calan has been busy learning to be a laird and taking care of his lands and people, with neither time nor inclination to look for a wife. But Allissaid drew his interest from the start, and I loved seeing this tough Highland warrior show his softer side as she wormed her way into his heart. It doesn't take long for Allissaid to realize that Calan is an honorable man and that she can trust him.
Most of the book's action occurs in Calan's bedroom, where Allissaid is hidden to keep her presence secret until MacNaughton can be dealt with. Calan won my heart with his sensitivity, from the late-night snack scene to his understanding of her fears for her family. He falls for her more every day and is soon determined to have her for his own. Allissaid falls equally hard for him and starts hoping he feels the same. There are some blatant matchmaking vibes from Calan's mother and sister, so it's no surprise their growing attraction puts them into a compromising situation with predictable consequences. There is a hilarious scene with Calan and his mother regarding the wedding night, and Calan's reactions had me laughing out loud. The ending was fantastic, and I look forward to seeing more of them in future books.
The story's suspense was good, keeping Allissaid's danger present without overwhelming the romance. The more we hear about MacNaughton's actions and intentions, the more Allissaid's peril is evident. Calan and his family have had issues with MacNaughton and are determined to keep her safe. I liked seeing the steps taken to mitigate the threat and how clan relationships and alliances make that possible. There is suspicion that MacNaughton has spies planted in the various households, intensifying the need for secrecy. The final confrontation was a nail-biter as an unexpected (by them) player entered the game and put Allissaid in danger. The ending was well done, with Calan to the rescue.
The secondary characters were terrific, too. I liked Calan's sister Inghinn. Like Allissaid, she is intelligent and strong. I liked her quick understanding of the danger Allissaid was in and her efforts to keep her safe. I laughed at her mother's blatant matchmaking attempts with Alick and am interested in seeing if anything comes of it. Calan's mother was great. I liked her obvious caring for Allissaid and wasn't surprised at her attempts to bring her and Calan together. It was fun to see Calan's confusion when she didn't react as he expected her to. Calan's cousin and best friend, Gille, had an intriguing backstory, and I'd love to see him get his own story. I loved seeing more Buchanans and hearing about other clans and characters from earlier books.
#netgalley
Calan is taking a quick dip in the loch when he sees a lad running off with his plaid. However, once he tackles the lad, he discovers the lad is a lass and a lady. Because she's unconscious and to protect her reputation, he sneaks her into his room at the castle. He'll straighten things out once she's awake and he knows who she is. When she awakens, Allissaid has no idea if she's in the home of a friend or foe, so she pretends she doesn't remember anything, including who she is. Calan's instincts to protect are aroused, and he's determined to keep her safe.
I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Allissaid and Calan. Since his father's death eight years earlier, Calan has been busy learning to be a laird and taking care of his lands and people, with neither time nor inclination to look for a wife. But Allissaid drew his interest from the start, and I loved seeing this tough Highland warrior show his softer side as she wormed her way into his heart. It doesn't take long for Allissaid to realize that Calan is an honorable man and that she can trust him.
Most of the book's action occurs in Calan's bedroom, where Allissaid is hidden to keep her presence secret until MacNaughton can be dealt with. Calan won my heart with his sensitivity, from the late-night snack scene to his understanding of her fears for her family. He falls for her more every day and is soon determined to have her for his own. Allissaid falls equally hard for him and starts hoping he feels the same. There are some blatant matchmaking vibes from Calan's mother and sister, so it's no surprise their growing attraction puts them into a compromising situation with predictable consequences. There is a hilarious scene with Calan and his mother regarding the wedding night, and Calan's reactions had me laughing out loud. The ending was fantastic, and I look forward to seeing more of them in future books.
The story's suspense was good, keeping Allissaid's danger present without overwhelming the romance. The more we hear about MacNaughton's actions and intentions, the more Allissaid's peril is evident. Calan and his family have had issues with MacNaughton and are determined to keep her safe. I liked seeing the steps taken to mitigate the threat and how clan relationships and alliances make that possible. There is suspicion that MacNaughton has spies planted in the various households, intensifying the need for secrecy. The final confrontation was a nail-biter as an unexpected (by them) player entered the game and put Allissaid in danger. The ending was well done, with Calan to the rescue.
The secondary characters were terrific, too. I liked Calan's sister Inghinn. Like Allissaid, she is intelligent and strong. I liked her quick understanding of the danger Allissaid was in and her efforts to keep her safe. I laughed at her mother's blatant matchmaking attempts with Alick and am interested in seeing if anything comes of it. Calan's mother was great. I liked her obvious caring for Allissaid and wasn't surprised at her attempts to bring her and Calan together. It was fun to see Calan's confusion when she didn't react as he expected her to. Calan's cousin and best friend, Gille, had an intriguing backstory, and I'd love to see him get his own story. I loved seeing more Buchanans and hearing about other clans and characters from earlier books.
#netgalley
