Highland Hero by Cynthia Breeding – a Review

Highland Hero by Cynthia Breeding – a Review

 

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / Apple

 

Description:
If Juliana Caldwell said the sky was blue, Rory MacGregor would tell her it was gray with a storm due any minute. No man gets under her skin more than the arrogantly handsome Scot. When she is abducted by a rival clan, Rory is the last person she expects or wants to call her hero.

Rory is the best tracker the MacGregors have, so when his brother’s sister-by-marriage goes missing, he’s ordered to find her. But binding himself to the fiery English redhead with an opinion about everything is not how he saw this rescue going. To save her from the clutches of the villainous Cameron laird’s son, though, he must declare them handfasted.

When their escape goes horribly awry, Juliana and Rory are forced to take the long way home. Surviving blizzard conditions, meddling clanspeople, and a near-fatal ambush on the trail, nothing compares to the unexpected and unlikely passion that ignites between the rugged Highlander and his English warrior princess.

Each book in the Children of the Mist series is STANDALONE:
* Highland Renegade
* Highland HeroReview by Georgianna Simpson

 

 

Review:

Highland Hero is the latest in the Children of the Mist Series by Cynthia Breeding. This is the story of Rory MacGregor and Juliana Caldwell. If you read the previous novel, you will recognize many of the characters in or spoken of in this novel. Rory is the brother of Ian who has just married Juliana’s sister Emily. They are celebrating the wedding and the lifting of the proscription for the MacGregors. Rory and Juliana spar over every conversation. Both are strong willed and opinionated, and while neither will admit it, they love sparing with each other.

Rory is much more civilized and honorable than Juliana is willing to admit. He’s not the kind to treat a lady with less than some respect. Juliana has a dark secret that she hasn’t told anyone. As a young girl and living with Emily and her then husband, a count (although he was an opium and gambling addict, given to violence). She and her younger sister were home alone, when a nobleman who the count owed a gambling debt came to their castle to collect on the debt. She told him her brother-in-law wasn’t home just then and would he like to tell her what the problem was. They went to the library to talk. He locked the door and immediately began to tear her clothes off and rape her. He told her if she kept fighting, he would also take her little sister. To save her sister, she stopped resisting. She was hit, raped and humiliated, but never told anyone. To this day, she cannot stand too close to any man and plans never to marry.

When she goes outside to get some fresh air that night, she was abducted by Neal Cameron, a nasty little bugger from another clan. He intended to take her as a bride and bed her. She fought as much as she could, but they used a rag soaked in something to make her sleep while they took her away. When she was found missing Ian sent Rory out to track her and bring her back.

When Rory finds her, he tells the Cameron’s, they can’t have her for a bride, because she’s already handfasted to him. Juliana goes along with what Rory said just to get free. She has no idea that handfasted means legally married in all ways, at least for a year. Rory understands she doesn’t have a clue what she’s agreed to, but he intends to honor his part. However, he never intends to claim her against her will. Just as they take off, the Cameron’s find out that she lied. Neal and some of his men get saddled up and begin to pursue them. Rory is quite good about hiding and knows which way will get them to freedom.

Basically, that’s the gist. Now let me tell you what I found so entertaining. The conversations between the two main characters are witty and sometimes very funny. They irritate each other to the extreme, but slowly begin to find things that they actually admire about each other.  As they argue and face extreme weather and many other issues to get to safety, they slowly begin to fall in love…but neither will admit it, of course.

The misunderstandings are plentiful, the hidden desire is strong. This premise makes for a wonderfully exciting tale. There is danger, romance, and much more. My recommendation is to grab a glass of your favorite beverage (a cold glass of wine was my choice) and curl up for a unique story and a lot of fun.

Reviewed by Georgianna

Copy provided by Publisher

Share

Highland Renegade by Cynthia Breeding – a Review

Highland Renegade by Cynthia Breeding – a Review

 

Amazon / B&N / Google Play

 

Description:
Emily, the Dowager Countess of Woodhaven, has received title to lands in the Highlands—MacGregor lands—and after surviving an abusive marriage, she’s determined to make a new start…without a man. She just has to win over the handsome Scottish laird whose family has lived there for centuries. How hard could it be?

When Ian MacGregor heard that the Sassenach countess was actually laying claim to his lands, he figured to scare the aging widow away by showing her the hardships of living in the Highlands. She’d leave before the first snowflake fell. But he never imagined that the widow was young and beautiful and more territorial than a she-wolf. No matter, he’ll prove that a fragile, London woman like her would never survive life without her servants…and if he happens to give her the coldest and most remote rooms, all the better.

Despite his best efforts to freeze her out, things between them heat up. But Highlanders hate the Sassenach, so Ian faces a dire choice—his clan or the irresistible English aristocrat who seems to have taken not only his lands, but also his heart.

 

Review:

Highland Renegade is a historical romance (and a novel in the series Children of the Mist) by author Cynthia Breeding. It’s set in Scotland in the year 1774.

I found this novel to be both professionally written and entertaining. Its characters are distinct in their personalities and very well done. While I don’t do spoilers, I can give you the setup of the beginning and tell you what I found so entertaining.

Emily Caldwell’s father and mother died, leaving her nothing but debts and two sisters. The elderly Lord Woodhaven (Albert) offered for her hand in marriage and would allow her to bring her sisters. He was aged and not a particularly a good man. In fact, he was a drug addict and womanizer as well as a man who hit his wife often. Her husband died and left her only debts, which she had to sell her only house to pay. His cousin who inherited his title and entailed property will not let the ladies live with him and his wife (all three are young and lovely). However, King George had been a friend of her father’s and gave her ownership and title to a property in Scotland that her husband had leased.

In July 1774, Emily (Dowager Lady Woodhaven) is taking her sisters to Scotland to live. It was formerly the property of the MacGregor clan, but due to political issues they were not allowed to own property anymore. Although those who did not take up arms in last issue were allowed to live there. She had been running her husband’s estate and businesses, because he wouldn’t be bothered, and had become quite good at managing and improving property. She’d studied the reports of the Scotland property and had many questions and plans to improve it so they could earn a living there. However, she fully intended to cooperate with those already there.

Ian MacGregor and his brothers and uncles currently lived in Strae Castle, taking care of the clan and managing the property and distillery. Because the late Lord Woodhaven was in his mid-sixties, they assume the lady coming to see the property is aged. They intend to show her they are managing the property well, make her a bit uncomfortable in hopes she’ll quickly return to London and leave them to their business. Ian had filed reports with the late Lord Woodhaven that undervalued the property a bit, while the true profits were used to improve the property and take care of the clan. They were quite surprised to see three beautiful and young women arrive with five wagons of their things.

That is the considerably basic setup. There is much more detail that I will leave you to discover for yourself. Let me give you the reasons I found this story so very entertaining and why I am looking forward to more from this talented author.

I loved the characters. They are very well described, and each has a unique personality. The conversations are realistic, and the various personalities often clash with interesting results. The romance is at first slow to build, but the interest is immediate. I loved that. The plot is well done with lots of twists and intrigue. I found the pace to be perfect, allowing for the characters to grow to know each other and fast enough to make it a page turner. If you haven’t read this series, I urge you to give it a try. My regards to author Cynthia Breeding, thank you for a thrilling and heartfelt novel. I look forward to much more from your talented imagination.

Reviewed by Georgianna

Copy provided by Publisher

Share