SEDUCED BY A HIGHLANDER by Paula Quinn

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Date published: September 2010
ISBN: 978-0-446-55237-0
Historical Romance
Paperback
Reviewed by Pam
Obtained by Publisher


Isobel Fergusson is tired of living in fear of her brothers being killed. While at court for the king’s coronation she meets Tristan and finds his company enjoyable. It’s not until her brother Alex finds them together, she learns he’s the son of the man who murdered her father. Alex, challenges Tristan, so Isobel’s fear becomes a reality. She wonders why he doesn’t murder him, instead he knocks him out.

Tristan MacGregor was tutored by an uncle, a gentle man who believed in chivalry, and only killed under duress. Tristan follows the same path, despite his siblings scorn. He feels the need to help Isobel after learning how hard she works for her younger brothers. He has a hard time persuading the family to let him help, even when their unscrupulous neighbors try to burn their crops.

Tristan and Isobel’s story is filled with tension as it brings to life the highlands in the sixteen hundreds. The hero is ideal as he tries to bring some honor and chivalry to everyday living. With a smile and flowery words, Tristan catches the eye of the court ladies.

Isobel is a canny adversary, one who wants to know why he prefers her company.
The secondary characters are all well drawn and believable, making the story an interesting one. Daily life is brought to life, along with the hardships and problems as they fight to survive in a harsh land. Ms. Quinn has written a delightful tale, with a mix of hot sex scenes, fights and passions of all kinds.

If you enjoy reading about canny, seductive and very unrepentant rogue from the highlands, as he seduces most he comes into contact with, enjoy this tale as it is a little different.

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

A HIGHLANDER NEVER SURRENDERS by Paula Quinn

Publisher Grand Central Publishing
Date published August 2008
ISBN 978-0446619134
Historical Romance
Mass Market Paperback
Reviewed by Danny



Ms. Quinn sets her romance right in the middle of the tumultuous time after the death of Oliver Cromwell, quite an unusual time setting, that you don’t find so often as the background of a romance novel.

Claire Stuart is captured by group of Roundheads and has to keep her real identity as well as her connection to the royal family a secret. Additional to that she is on the quest to save her sister from the treacherous Monck. Graham Grant gets the order from Monck to find the royalist rebel Connor Stuart, so decides to join forces with Claire, but he never thought he would fall in love with her.

Ms. Quinn manages to combine historical elements, political intrigues and romance into a fantastic and entertaining story. This is not the only thing that makes the read so enjoyable, because her cast of characters are absolutely enchanting. Claire is not the typical meek damsel in distress, but she is quite a feisty woman, who knows how to fight, thanks to her brother. She prefers to fight instead of doing the womanly arts. The hero Graham and his friend Robert Campbell are the impersonate dreams of Highlanders. Both are loyal to the boot, but also typical stubborn males.
Graham really meets his match with Claire and their relationship is explosive from the beginning. It’s very enjoyable to see how the feelings develop between them.

A HIGHLANDER NEVER SURRENDERS is the sequel of Ms. Quinn previous released book Laird of the Mist, but it can be read as a stand-alone, although I can recommend the book, too. You can never do anything wrong with a book by Ms. Quinn, if you are looking for a witty and sexy book.

LAIRD OF THE MIST by Paula Quinn

Publisher Grand Central Publishing
Date published December 2007
ISBN 0446619124
Historical Romance
Mass market paperback
Reviewed by Pam



Kate Campbell is rescued from the midst of a battle she and her men were losing. Death was imminent when her rescuer arrived, as if an angel had been sent from heaven. Kate soon learns he’s not what he seems, but ironically her clan’s enemy a MacGregor. Worst is to come because he’s the one they call The Devil. The man she believes killed her family, and is now her abductor.

Callum MacGregor is the Laird of the persecuted MacGregor’s, and revenge is all he lives for; revenge for the deaths in his family, for the loss of their lands and for those who took away their Clan name. Revenge for the years of torture his sister Maggie and Callum had to endure, at the hands of the Campbell's. He has vowed they will suffer and die for their deeds. He'll do whatever is necessary, even kidnapping an innocent Campbell woman to ferret out his sworn enemy, her uncle the evil Earl of Argyll. Villains, sensational descriptive prose and the medieval world are brought to life, as the characters take you to their time.

This is an interesting story because Kate is no weak woman and Callum is not an ordinary man. It’s not the usual Scottish-hero-kidnaps-heroine and they fall in love story. It has an engaging plot filled with revenge and hate, with a love that knows no barriers.

Great sexual tension and love scenes with some twists and turns make this a one a roller coaster read. The villains are believable and the conflict is strong enough to hold the truth. With a hero to die for and a spunky heroine who knows her way around a sword, it’s a page turner.

The hero is a mentally and physically scarred man, who has lost all hope of being loved. He doesn’t expect to fall in love, so he's caught by surprise, because he lives and dies for revenge, and doesn't expect to live very long. Kate is the ideal heroine, a strong take no prisoner woman, tough when it matters, a woman who lives with scars of her own. The secondary characters are brilliantly portrayed, a part of the story without taking it over, in fact a must read book.