THE HIGHLAND DUKE by Amy Jarecki

Publisher:    Forever

Published:   March 28, 2017
ISBN:        978-1455597802
Genre:       Historical Romance
Format:     Print
Obtained via:  Publisher  
Reviewed by name and email address:  Gina  Ginalrmreviews@gmail.com

THREE HEARTS

 

Akira Ayers is a healer.  Despite being maligned as a gypsy, otherwise known as a tinker, she does not let the slights and insults stand in the way of her healing. Following a brutal battle she makes her way onto the field to see what she can do to help. There she finds a Highlander, a nearly dead one, but while life still courses through him she will do what she can to save him.

George Gordon, Duke of Gordon has no liking for the usurper to the throne. Given his love of country he finds himself wounded after battle. When Akira finds him he accepts her care but the advent of a greedy red coat and his band set them on the run. With help from a neighboring clan they make their way to the Gordon stronghold, but the British Captain Roderick is hot on their trial.

 
Unable to fight his attraction to Akira and wanting to protect her should they be caught, George keeps his true identity a secret until he no longer can. She takes his revelation that he is a duke in stride…and is thrilled when he tells her he loves her. But all is not well at the Gordon castle—the duke’s former wife, a mean and vicious harridan, is in residence. The woman wastes no time telling Akira that George will never marry her, but rather he will soon discard her as he has done all his former mistresses. Believing the duchess, Akira flees for her home.  Can a man a heartbeat away from the throne and a low born healer find a life together?
 

THE HIGHLAND DUKE is the first book by Amy Jarecki I’ve read. As a lifelong romance reader I cannot resist a good love story. Having cut my romance reading teeth on historical romance, with Highlanders a favorite Akira and George’s story sounded too good to pass up. She writes in what I feel is a classic romance style—there are no gratuitous sex scenes but rather a deep and abiding love, that, while it happens quickly, you know is true. Jarecki tells not just a story of the couple, but both characters have their own story.  And, their personal stories are interesting.

Akira reminding George and herself over and over she is a healer got a little old.  After the 15th time I kinda got it.  And he ruminated about keeping his secret identity a few times too many. His reason was laudable and he explained it well. It just got a bit repetitive. A little less of the tinker/identity discussion and a little more of the scenery would be nice. I never got a feel for what it felt like sleeping in the cave, what it felt like for Akira to be in a castle for the first time…but I had a clear picture that he thought she smelled like jasmine.

Akira and George’s story is a nice one. Like I said, it’s written in the classic style of a true romance.  It is a story of a couple knows there will only ever be one person for them and they will do anything to be with that person…like the kind of love we’d all like to have for ourselves.

 

This is an objective review and not an endorsement of this book.