Highlander Ever After by Paula Quinn

Barbara’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Highland Heirs #8
Publication Date: 12/18/18
Number of Pages: 400

I understand this is the last book in this excellent series and I’m sorry to see it end. It has been an excellent series with wonderful characters. This addition to the story is well-written, well-plotted and the characters are memorable – not to mention that it includes nice visits with former heroes and heroines.

In the first few chapters, I thought I didn’t like Sina at all. However, as I thought about it, her reactions were very true-to-life. She was a young lady not accustomed to anything other than court-life. She was betrothed to a man she loved and all was right in her world. Then, in the dead of night, she is taken, at the order of Queen Anne, to be married to a Highland savage. She was just taken – no time to pack or even say goodbye. As soon as she arrived, she was expected to marry a man she had never met but greatly feared. She showed quite a bit of spunk trying to fight the marriage but finally had no choice. Was she unhappy – you bet! Did she make everyone aware of her unhappiness – you bet! Could she have had more sympathy for Adam — yes she could have. Adam was in the same situation as Sina, he was forced into the marriage as well, but at least he didn’t have to leave his home, family, friends and live in a place where everything and everyone made you afraid. So, I came to like and respect Sina even though I thought the thing with ‘loving’ William went on a little too long.

Melusina (Sina) de Arenburg is a Lady-in-Waiting to Queen Anne (last of the Stuart monarchs). She is also the illegitimate daughter of the future king, George (first of the Hanoverian monarchs). Sina and Anne have become close during Sina’s tenure as Lady-in-Waiting – at least Sina thought they had. Then, when Anne had Sina gathered up and taken to the Scottish Highlands to be wed to a Highland savage, she couldn’t believe Anne would betray her like that. When she arrived at Camlochlin Castle she was terrified, but not so terrified that she couldn’t at least try to get out of it – but – to defy the Queen. Oh! What a dilemma. Well – she might have to marry him, but she didn’t have to make it easy on him and she surely didn’t have to consummate the marriage.

Adam MacGregor is the oldest son of the clan chief. Adam is tall, strong, handsome as sin, and loves his life as a single man. He has no ambition to follow as clan chief and is actively promoting his sister to fill that role. Then, a coach arrives with a female aboard and orders for him to marry her. Although Adam has no desire to marry, especially not a stranger, he knows he must follow the Queens orders so he can keep his clan safe. The MacGregors have been proscribed, but they have been mostly left alone because of the MacGregor’s relationship with Queen Anne. This marriage is Anne’s way of keeping the MacGregor’s safe after she dies. Adam sucks it up and decides to make the best of the marriage. Since they have no choice but to wed, they might as well make the best of it and try to be happy. Well – he might as well try, because apparently, Sina has no intention of cooperating.

I loved watching Adam slowly but surely wooing Sina. Who could resist him? He’s wonderful, thoughtful, caring and interested. Sina fights the attraction, but it is useless. Just as Sina comes to the conclusion that she cares, Queen Anne dies, Sina’s father becomes King and he demands Sina’s return to court. How can Adam let her go when she has come to mean so much to him? How can Sina leave when Adam has come to mean so much to her? Again, they have no choice.

Half of this novel takes place at Camlochlin Castle on the Isle of Skye in the Scottish Highlands and the other half takes place in London. It was fun watching Adam show up all of those dandy London Lords. Could Adam win over the King and leave London with his wife? You’ll definitely be rooting for Adam and Sina to find their HEA.

I hope you’ll enjoy the book as much as I did. If you find yourself disliking Sina in the beginning, just remember who she is and what has happened to her – and – put yourself in her place. Would you handle that any better than she did? I wouldn’t.

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