Amanda Forrester
Sourcebooks Casablanca
March 2, 2010
ISBN-10: 1402229488
ISBN-13: 978-1402229480
Swept up in the turmoil of 14th century Scotland, Lady Aila Graham is destined for the convent until her brother’s death leaves her an heiress. Soon she is caught in the conflict between the hastily arranged marriage with a Highland warrior, the Abbot’s insistence that she take her vows, the Scottish Laird who kidnaps her, and the traitor from within who betrays them all. Yet none realize this quiet, flame-haired beauty has secrets of her own.
Padyn MacLaren, a battled-hardened knight, returns home to the Highlands after years of fighting the English in France. MacLaren bears the physical scars of battle, but it is the deeper wounds of betrayal that have rocked his faith. Arriving with only a band of landless knights and war-weary soldiers, MacLaren finds not a hero’s welcome, but his land pillaged and his clan scattered. Determined to restore his clan, he sees Aila’s fortune as the answer to his problems. Yet this outwardly shy lass is nothing he expected and everything he needs.
As most of you know, I'm not big on reading historical romances unless they have hot men in kilts and then I'm totally up for it. (What? I admit it..) So when I first heard about The Highlander's Sword, I just had to read it. The best way I can describe the story is sweet. Aila and MacLaren are practically two complete strangers to each other, even though they grew up around each other, and now they find themselves married to each other. And not even for love! Aila's father gave her to MacLaren in exchanged because he needs more men to guard their village and MacLaren needs Aila's dowries.
Aila is incredibly naive. I can't really fault her this because ever since she was a wee girl, she was promised to be a nun and now she finds herself married to pretty much a guy she hadn't seen in years. That would freak anyone out! But while I understand that she's really sheltered and all, some of her decision were down-right idiotic. However, she definitely grows as a character and a woman so her TSTL* tendencies didn't bother me a whole lot.
MacLaren, or Padin, his first name and I really didn't like it because I kept thinking he was going to appear out of a bottle in a scene - is a very scarred man. He was burned by a woman a little while back and understandably thinks we're all a bunch of evil, black-hearted wenches. However, he just married the one girl that is actually really innocent yet because of miscommunication and misconceptions of each other, their relationship is off to a rocky start.
I really enjoyed The Highlander's Sword, it's the debut novel by Forrester and a highly entertaining one. The budding romance between Aila and MacLaren is beyond sweet and seeing them not only get to know each other more but also themselves was fun to read. I'll definitely be checking out Ms. Forrester's future books.
Lush Rating: 3!
*Too stupid to live for you guys who don't know.
Aila is incredibly naive. I can't really fault her this because ever since she was a wee girl, she was promised to be a nun and now she finds herself married to pretty much a guy she hadn't seen in years. That would freak anyone out! But while I understand that she's really sheltered and all, some of her decision were down-right idiotic. However, she definitely grows as a character and a woman so her TSTL* tendencies didn't bother me a whole lot.
MacLaren, or Padin, his first name and I really didn't like it because I kept thinking he was going to appear out of a bottle in a scene - is a very scarred man. He was burned by a woman a little while back and understandably thinks we're all a bunch of evil, black-hearted wenches. However, he just married the one girl that is actually really innocent yet because of miscommunication and misconceptions of each other, their relationship is off to a rocky start.
I really enjoyed The Highlander's Sword, it's the debut novel by Forrester and a highly entertaining one. The budding romance between Aila and MacLaren is beyond sweet and seeing them not only get to know each other more but also themselves was fun to read. I'll definitely be checking out Ms. Forrester's future books.
Lush Rating: 3!
*Too stupid to live for you guys who don't know.
5 comments:
Great review.. This sound like something I may like. Thanks
This sounds like something I might like too. I will have to read it. And thanks for telling me about TSTL - I didnt know
Got to love those sexy men in kilts. :)
I just....can't get passed the title. *snort*
Great review, though. Muah!
Laurie & Lily, thanks, guys! :)
Katie, I'm a sucker for the kilts, yum!
B, I just KNEW you were gonna make it dirty! No wonder I heart you, mwah!
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