Category: Scottish/Highlander

Highland Ruse by Madeline Martin

On By TracyIn Jacobean/Stuart Era (1603-1714), Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Highland RuseHighland Ruse by Madeline Martin

Series: Mercenary Maidens, #2

Release Date: November 14, 2017

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Great follow up to Highland Spy!

Delilah is the middle child of fifteen and was sent to work for a relative in the English court. Soon after arriving and losing her virtue, Delilah is approached by a woman named Sylvi and offered the opportunity of a lifetime. With no options, Delilah agrees to work with Sylvi.

After years of training and working to prove herself, Delilah is finally embarking on her first solo mission. Her job is to act a decoy and apprehend the people who are trying to abduct Lady Elizabeth and to ensure that Lady Elizabeth reaches her betrothed without incident.

All goes according to plan and Delilah is taken captive by Kaid MacLeod, Laird of the MacLeod’s. Kaid mean Elizabeth no harm, but her betrothed, Seamus MacKenzie is another story. Haunted by the savage attack that left many in his village, including his father dead, Kaid needs a bargaining chip. He plans to ransom Elizabeth back to MacKenzie in exchange for his father’s sword and the hope of peace.

Delilah employs several tactics to delay their journey and tries to harden her heart against Kaid. But when one of her plans goes awry and Kaid cares for them and then later she witnesses his nightmares and learns the truth, she begins to have doubts about Elizabeth’s safety. Kaid tries to comfort Delilah and things start to heat up, but Kaid refuses to go any further. Kaid decides to leave the coach and travel on horseback, forcing Delilah to leave most of her possessions.

Worried that they will arrive too soon and ruin the plan, Delilah takes action and turns the tables on Kaid. Delilah tells Kaid who she is and proceeds to take him to Sylvi, but soon they cross onto Kaid’s lands and Delilah realizes she has lost her advantage.

Kaid approaches Delilah with a new plan, asking her to impersonate Lady Elizabeth and help him find the lost MacKenzie heir, Torra. He feels that if Torra is restored to her rightful position, there can be peace between the clans. At first Delilah refuses, but when she meets a young orphan girl named Claire and learns the horrors the MacKenzie brought to the MacLeod’s, she knows what she must do.

When things start to go bad, Kaid rushes to rescue the woman he loves. And Delilah turns to Sylvi for help. Things go from bad to worse and just when it seems all hope is lost, Ms. Martin is able to work a miracle and give Delilah and Kaid the HEA they deserve.

This book was well written, flowed non-stop from the first page until the last, there was action, sword fights, steamy love scenes, secrets, betrayals, heartache and moments when it seemed there was no way this was going to end well. There are cameos with Sylvi, Percy, Liv & Isabel as well as the introduction of several secondary characters that add so much depth to this story. This is the second book in the series, but it could easily be read as a standalone title. I am happy to recommend this book and look forward to the next book in the series Highland Wrath (Sylvi’s book!!!!)

*I am voluntarily leaving a review of an Uncorrected eARC provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher*

The Devil of Dunakin Castle by Heather McCollum

On By TracyIn Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's Reviews, Tudor Era (1485-1603)Leave a comment

The Devil of Dunakin Castle (Highland Isles, #4)The Devil of Dunakin Castle by Heather McCollum

Series: Highland Isles, #4

Release Date: November 13, 2017

Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Before I begin my review, I have to say that this book had the absolutely best dedication I have ever read and that dedication is reiterated in the note from the author at the end of the book. It was beautifully done and really touched my heart.

This book has all the elements I love in a story: humor, action/adventure, a misunderstood hero, steamy love scenes and a heroine that you can’t help rooting for.

Grace has been a secondary character in the previous books in this series, she is the sister of Ava, the heroine of the first book ( The Beast of Aros Castle ). Grace has always been portrayed as meek and even a bit weak, she has many fears and considers herself a coward, but inside she longs to be strong and have adventures of her own. When an opportunity to leave Aros arises, she jumps at the chance to leave and secretly hopes that she will find her own adventure. She leaves with an escort to travel to Barra to help Mairi with the birth of her child. But on the way, she and her escort are caught in a storm and take shelter at the inn. When her escort Thomas becomes ill, the healer in Grace takes over and she ventures out in the storm to find herbs to treat Thomas. But she gets turned around in the blizzard and soon finds herself lost and alone.

Keir MacKinnon is on a mission, he is on his way to Aros to bring back Mairi MacLean the famed healer. Keir is the brother to the chief and his nephew is gravely ill, he will find the MacLean healer and bring her to the Isle of Skye – no matter what. Keir is known as the Devil of Dunakin, the fierce warrior and executioner of his clan. When Keir hears a scream while on the way to the village, he tells his friend Brodie to go ahead to the inn and turns back to investigate.
What he finds is Grace surrounded by wolves. Injured while trying to save her and then knocked unconscious, Grace knows she cannot leave him to die. She tends his wounds and those of his horse and then begins to make a shelter to protect them from the storm. When Keir awakes, he is shocked to find Grace on him and asks if she is an angel. When he realizes that he is not dead, he leads them to a deserted cabin. Over the course of the storm, Grace cares for Keir and when he finally wakes, she is smitten. They spend time to together and the attraction grows. Just as things begin to heat up between them, Brodie shows up.

Grace learns that Keir is planning on taking her with him and is furious. But along the way, she learns much about Keir and is shocked by the way people treat him. She tries to stay angry, but her heart goes out to this man.

When they arrive at Dunakin, Grace faints at the sight greeting her, but when she recovers, she agrees to treat Keir’s nephew, Lachlan. But the news is not good, not only is the boy sick, but now his father, Rab is also showing signs of the illness. When Grace learns the cause, she has no one she can trust except Keir. And she is not sure she really knows who Keir is, is he the sweet, gentle man who saved her or is he the killer his clan deems him to be. Grace decides that she does trust Keir and together they form a plan to weed out the villain.

The plan works perfectly, except it also implicates Keir’s sister and Rab orders Keir to execute her. Grace is horrified for Keir and seeks him out. When she finds him, she learns his deepest secrets and knows that she loves him. She begs him to refuse to kill Dara, knowing that it will be the act that finally destroys him. Keir loves Grace, but he feels there is no future for her with the “Devil” and tells Brodie to return her to her family.

Desperate to save Keir, she seeks out the one person she believes will help her and learns of a clan legend – that the Devil will be killed when an Angel pierces his heart. To save the man she loves, Grace will have to overcome her own fears.

This was such a great story, the book is well written and flows great, has lots of action, steamy love scenes and a great ending. While this book is the fourth book in the series, I think it could easily be read as a standalone title with no real problems. But, if you would like a better understanding of Grace’s character, I would recommend reading the first book (The Beast of Aros Castle ), before you read this story.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher*