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Dark Sword #1
Highlander: El beso del demonio
Lucan MacLeod es una leyenda entre los guerreros, y uno de los más feroces de su clan. Durante trescientos años, se ha mantenido apartado del mundo, escondiendo al vengativo dios que se encuentra atrapado en su alma. Pero entonces una joven a la que salva durante una fuerte tormenta despierta sus impulsos más primitivos…
Cara no cree en los rumores sobre el castillo de los MacLeod hasta el día en que el majestuoso guerrero de las Highlands se cuela en su vida, atrayéndola entre sus poderosos brazos hacia su mundo de magia y druidas. Una guerra épica entre el bien y el mal se avecina. Lucan debe luchar contra su absorbente atracción hacia Cara, o rendirse ante las llamas de un amor que amenaza con destruirlos a ambos…
Cara no cree en los rumores sobre el castillo de los MacLeod hasta el día en que el majestuoso guerrero de las Highlands se cuela en su vida, atrayéndola entre sus poderosos brazos hacia su mundo de magia y druidas. Una guerra épica entre el bien y el mal se avecina. Lucan debe luchar contra su absorbente atracción hacia Cara, o rendirse ante las llamas de un amor que amenaza con destruirlos a ambos…
288 pages, Paperback
First published December 23, 2009
165 people are currently reading
6378 people want to read
About the author
Donna Grant
299 books4,766 followersDonna is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over a hundred novels. Her most popular series is the breathtaking Dark King (aka Dragon King) series featuring dragons, immortal Highlanders, and the Fae.
In addition to her novels, Donna has written short stories, novellas, and novelettes for digital-first and print release. She has been dubbed as giving the “paranormal genre a burst of fresh air” by the San Francisco Book Review. Her work has been hailed as having “deft plotting and expert characterization” by Publisher’s Weekly and “sizzling” by RT Book Reviews.
She has been recognized with awards from both bookseller and reader contests including the National Reader’s Choice Award, Booksellers Best Award, as well as the coveted K.I.S.S. Award from RT Book Reviews.
Donna travels often for various speaking engagements, conferences, and book signings. She is also a frequent workshop presenter at national conferences such as RT Book Lovers Convention and Thrillerfest, as well as local chapters.
Born and raised in Texas, she also has ties across the border in Louisiana. Growing up with two such vibrant cultures, her Cajun side of the family taught her the “spicy” side of life while her Texas roots gave her two-steppin’ and bareback riding. She is never far from her faithful 80 pound dog, Sisko, or her three cats. She can often be found at the movies or bookstore with her children. Or buying makeup. And shoes.
You an find her at www.DonnaGrant.com
as well as her website devoted entirely to the Dragon Kings and all series that encompass the Dark World at www.MotherOfDragonsBooks.com.
In addition to her novels, Donna has written short stories, novellas, and novelettes for digital-first and print release. She has been dubbed as giving the “paranormal genre a burst of fresh air” by the San Francisco Book Review. Her work has been hailed as having “deft plotting and expert characterization” by Publisher’s Weekly and “sizzling” by RT Book Reviews.
She has been recognized with awards from both bookseller and reader contests including the National Reader’s Choice Award, Booksellers Best Award, as well as the coveted K.I.S.S. Award from RT Book Reviews.
Donna travels often for various speaking engagements, conferences, and book signings. She is also a frequent workshop presenter at national conferences such as RT Book Lovers Convention and Thrillerfest, as well as local chapters.
Born and raised in Texas, she also has ties across the border in Louisiana. Growing up with two such vibrant cultures, her Cajun side of the family taught her the “spicy” side of life while her Texas roots gave her two-steppin’ and bareback riding. She is never far from her faithful 80 pound dog, Sisko, or her three cats. She can often be found at the movies or bookstore with her children. Or buying makeup. And shoes.
You an find her at www.DonnaGrant.com
as well as her website devoted entirely to the Dragon Kings and all series that encompass the Dark World at www.MotherOfDragonsBooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 427 reviews
July 28, 2020
Okay, completa honestidad aquí. Compré esta saga de libros porque pensé que iban a ser, básicamente, muchos sexy times en Escocia y ya está. La trama me daba un poco igual, sabía que había algo de fantasía y poderes y tal, pero pensé que la autora usaría esa trama como una simple excusa para hacer que hombres escoceses son kilts tuvieran una razón para quitárselos, if you know what I mean.
¡Y vaya sorpresa me llevé! Cuando estaba leyendo este primer libro, que en inglés se llama Dangerous Highlander, me di cuenta de que era muchísimo menos sexy de lo que me imaginaba y que la trama no estaba tan mal después de todo. Vamos a ver, no se confundan, el libro es plano, acelerado y no hay mucha construcción de absolutamente nada, ni relaciones, ni personajes ni entorno, pero es extrañamente light y entretenido. Aunque sí que me faltaron sexy times, no puedes poner a un guerrero highlander semidesnudo en la portada y darme sólo dos o tres escenas así, por todos los dioses.
En fin, aquí la trama empieza contándonos que por allá en 1200 o 1300 (perdonen las fechas, no las recuerdo y me da pereza pararme y buscarlas nuevamente), los romanos querían invadir a toda Gran Bretaña. Y lo iban logrando, subiendo poco a poco, acercándose a las Highlands, pero los druidas decidieron que no los iban a dejar invadir sus tierras. Así que los drough, la facción druida que sí usa magia negra, invocó a unas especies de dioses y los encerró en los cuerpos de los guerreros más poderosos de cada clan para que así protegieran todo el norte de Gran Bretaña. Y lo lograron, pero luego no pudieron sacar a esos dioses de los cuerpos de esos hombres y, además de volverlos inmortales, les dieron el poder de pasar los poderes de esos dioses de generación en generación. También hay por ahí una drough malvada que se llama Deirdre que quiere acabar con todos los druidas de magia blanca, los mai y controlar a todos estos guerreros/dioses. Sin embargo, tres guerreros escaparon de sus garras y se han estado escondiendo en el castillo McLeod desde hace 300 años: Fallon, Quinn y Lucan.
Y en realidad todo empieza cuando, un día, una chica de la aldea vecina al castillo McLeod sale a cosechar hongos. Eventualmente Cara se va acercando más al acantilado y, de repente, una ráfaga de viento se lleva consigo un colgante que le dio su madre antes de morir. Cuando Cara está a punto de caerse por el acantilado, Lucan, que la ha estado viendo desde el castillo, decide romper todas las reglas e ir a salvar a la primera mujer con la que se cruza en 300 años.
Y así es como empieza un romance tempestuoso y tremendamente acelerado entre Cara y Lucan. Es muy gracioso en cierto sentido porque Cara estaba a punto de ordenarse como monja y, de repente, empieza a sentir todas estas cosas locas y pasionales por Lucan. Y, bueno, leerlo a él también es un cuadro porque es como las biggest blue balls in history. El pobre hombre va diciendo todo el rato que está que se muere de ganas y pasión porque ella es la primera mujer que ve en 300 años y que quiere hacer las cosas despacio, pero sus sentimientos y la lujuria lo dominan. Como les digo, la parte romántica y de la relación de ellos dos es medio cringe y bastante menos hot de lo que podrían imaginar. De hecho, es muy raro todo lo que hacen teniendo en cuenta que están en 1600, pero oh, well, quién soy yo para juzgar a un guerrero highlander inmortal y a una casi-monja que, obviamente, esconde un secreto y va a cambiar las reglas del juego.
Y nada, la trama de fantasía en general, igual que todo el libro, es bastante apresurada y un poco floja, pero me interesó más que el romance, realmente. Creo que este primer libro fue un gran info dump, pero tengo la esperanza de que en los siguientes las cosas entre druidas malignos, guerreros poseídos, guerreros inmortales y monstruos se pongan muchísimo más interesantes.
¡Y vaya sorpresa me llevé! Cuando estaba leyendo este primer libro, que en inglés se llama Dangerous Highlander, me di cuenta de que era muchísimo menos sexy de lo que me imaginaba y que la trama no estaba tan mal después de todo. Vamos a ver, no se confundan, el libro es plano, acelerado y no hay mucha construcción de absolutamente nada, ni relaciones, ni personajes ni entorno, pero es extrañamente light y entretenido. Aunque sí que me faltaron sexy times, no puedes poner a un guerrero highlander semidesnudo en la portada y darme sólo dos o tres escenas así, por todos los dioses.
En fin, aquí la trama empieza contándonos que por allá en 1200 o 1300 (perdonen las fechas, no las recuerdo y me da pereza pararme y buscarlas nuevamente), los romanos querían invadir a toda Gran Bretaña. Y lo iban logrando, subiendo poco a poco, acercándose a las Highlands, pero los druidas decidieron que no los iban a dejar invadir sus tierras. Así que los drough, la facción druida que sí usa magia negra, invocó a unas especies de dioses y los encerró en los cuerpos de los guerreros más poderosos de cada clan para que así protegieran todo el norte de Gran Bretaña. Y lo lograron, pero luego no pudieron sacar a esos dioses de los cuerpos de esos hombres y, además de volverlos inmortales, les dieron el poder de pasar los poderes de esos dioses de generación en generación. También hay por ahí una drough malvada que se llama Deirdre que quiere acabar con todos los druidas de magia blanca, los mai y controlar a todos estos guerreros/dioses. Sin embargo, tres guerreros escaparon de sus garras y se han estado escondiendo en el castillo McLeod desde hace 300 años: Fallon, Quinn y Lucan.
Y en realidad todo empieza cuando, un día, una chica de la aldea vecina al castillo McLeod sale a cosechar hongos. Eventualmente Cara se va acercando más al acantilado y, de repente, una ráfaga de viento se lleva consigo un colgante que le dio su madre antes de morir. Cuando Cara está a punto de caerse por el acantilado, Lucan, que la ha estado viendo desde el castillo, decide romper todas las reglas e ir a salvar a la primera mujer con la que se cruza en 300 años.
Y así es como empieza un romance tempestuoso y tremendamente acelerado entre Cara y Lucan. Es muy gracioso en cierto sentido porque Cara estaba a punto de ordenarse como monja y, de repente, empieza a sentir todas estas cosas locas y pasionales por Lucan. Y, bueno, leerlo a él también es un cuadro porque es como las biggest blue balls in history. El pobre hombre va diciendo todo el rato que está que se muere de ganas y pasión porque ella es la primera mujer que ve en 300 años y que quiere hacer las cosas despacio, pero sus sentimientos y la lujuria lo dominan. Como les digo, la parte romántica y de la relación de ellos dos es medio cringe y bastante menos hot de lo que podrían imaginar. De hecho, es muy raro todo lo que hacen teniendo en cuenta que están en 1600, pero oh, well, quién soy yo para juzgar a un guerrero highlander inmortal y a una casi-monja que, obviamente, esconde un secreto y va a cambiar las reglas del juego.
Y nada, la trama de fantasía en general, igual que todo el libro, es bastante apresurada y un poco floja, pero me interesó más que el romance, realmente. Creo que este primer libro fue un gran info dump, pero tengo la esperanza de que en los siguientes las cosas entre druidas malignos, guerreros poseídos, guerreros inmortales y monstruos se pongan muchísimo más interesantes.
December 4, 2013
This could have been awesome. I mean, there were cursed Highland warriors, possessed by ancient gods that had been sealed in the depths of Hell. That should be epic, right? Yeah, not so much.
The short of the story is: Highlanders want the Roman armies to leave their lands. There are good and bad druids. The bad druids call up ancient gods who have been banished to Hell to possess the strongest warriors and fight off the Romans. But the gods don't want to stop fighting and turn on each other. So the good and bad druids band together and bind the gods. One evil druid chick wants to rule the world so she starts unlocking the gods that have been passed down through the generations from father to son. There are three brothers, each possessed by the same god (no idea how that happened since they're not triplets) who managed to escape Evil Druid chick and have been hiding in their old castle for three centuries.
Our "hero" is the middle brother and he wants to have sex. Desperately. He's had a hard on for over three hundred years, yo. Dude's got the worst case of blue balls EVER. And that's really all he's got. Personality? Not much of one. Goals? Other than to find a wet hole to bang, not really. Smarts? Again, not so much.
So a pretty girl stumbles into the supposedly-abandoned castle where dude and his brothers have been hiding from Evil Druid chick. Pretty girl passes out after falling off a cliff. And dude just can't wait to bone her. He spends the entire book thinking about nailing her, even after he just finishes giving her one. I'm serious here. That's all he thinks about. And it's not even the fault of the demon god stuck in him! It's just dude. The demon god gets angry and uses rage to fight. Not fuck. But all dude thinks about is fucking. How am I supposed to even like him? He sounds like every frat brat I've had the misfortune of meeting. How the hell is that supposed to be sexy??
Miss Thing who dude is obsessed with fucking? We find out might be the good druid salvation for the brothers. Huzzah! But she has no idea how to use her powers. Booooo. Hey, let's celebrate her magic and console ourselves about her lack of knowledge by having sex in the forest! Oh, wow, there are other possessed warriors who want to join the cause against Evil Druid chick. Let's celebrate by having sex in the bedroom! And the kitchen! And the great hall. And the bedroom again. Who would have thought I'd get tired of the smut and start skimming it?
That isn't even mentioning the fact that everyone in this book is supposed to be Scottish. You'd think they'd have accents, right? Or that the author would say, "Ok, everyone knows they're in Scotland. I can do without all those 'doona' and 'ken' and 'cannae' and 'lass'!" Yeah, no. There's sporadic use of a written Scots accent (which isn't even that good), but 90% of the time, everyone sounds like they work at Medieval Times in L.A. WTF? Gimme good Scots accents or don't even try.
I've got the next two books in this series sitting on a shelf but there's no way I'm going to read them. I may skim them before I sell them, but I doubt it. I really don't care what happens to these characters.
The short of the story is: Highlanders want the Roman armies to leave their lands. There are good and bad druids. The bad druids call up ancient gods who have been banished to Hell to possess the strongest warriors and fight off the Romans. But the gods don't want to stop fighting and turn on each other. So the good and bad druids band together and bind the gods. One evil druid chick wants to rule the world so she starts unlocking the gods that have been passed down through the generations from father to son. There are three brothers, each possessed by the same god (no idea how that happened since they're not triplets) who managed to escape Evil Druid chick and have been hiding in their old castle for three centuries.
Our "hero" is the middle brother and he wants to have sex. Desperately. He's had a hard on for over three hundred years, yo. Dude's got the worst case of blue balls EVER. And that's really all he's got. Personality? Not much of one. Goals? Other than to find a wet hole to bang, not really. Smarts? Again, not so much.
So a pretty girl stumbles into the supposedly-abandoned castle where dude and his brothers have been hiding from Evil Druid chick. Pretty girl passes out after falling off a cliff. And dude just can't wait to bone her. He spends the entire book thinking about nailing her, even after he just finishes giving her one. I'm serious here. That's all he thinks about. And it's not even the fault of the demon god stuck in him! It's just dude. The demon god gets angry and uses rage to fight. Not fuck. But all dude thinks about is fucking. How am I supposed to even like him? He sounds like every frat brat I've had the misfortune of meeting. How the hell is that supposed to be sexy??
Miss Thing who dude is obsessed with fucking? We find out might be the good druid salvation for the brothers. Huzzah! But she has no idea how to use her powers. Booooo. Hey, let's celebrate her magic and console ourselves about her lack of knowledge by having sex in the forest! Oh, wow, there are other possessed warriors who want to join the cause against Evil Druid chick. Let's celebrate by having sex in the bedroom! And the kitchen! And the great hall. And the bedroom again. Who would have thought I'd get tired of the smut and start skimming it?
That isn't even mentioning the fact that everyone in this book is supposed to be Scottish. You'd think they'd have accents, right? Or that the author would say, "Ok, everyone knows they're in Scotland. I can do without all those 'doona' and 'ken' and 'cannae' and 'lass'!" Yeah, no. There's sporadic use of a written Scots accent (which isn't even that good), but 90% of the time, everyone sounds like they work at Medieval Times in L.A. WTF? Gimme good Scots accents or don't even try.
I've got the next two books in this series sitting on a shelf but there's no way I'm going to read them. I may skim them before I sell them, but I doubt it. I really don't care what happens to these characters.
March 8, 2022
Dangerous Highlander by Donna Grant
1st book in the Dark Sword series. Paranormal historical romance.
Cara is caught in a storm and ends up at MacLeod castle where she discover a group of men that have been hidden away for 300 years. They are warriors with ancient gods within them and Cara’s own magic awakens to help fight the coming evil.
So this warrior has been hidden in a castle for 300 years and sees a woman and now has sex on the brain. Sure, there are magic and druids and a vengeful something ….but he’s got his eye on the girl. She’s innocent but seems to like him too so….they go at it.
There’s more to the story. But overwhelmingly, my impression = hot and steamy 10 times over. At least.
1st book in the Dark Sword series. Paranormal historical romance.
Cara is caught in a storm and ends up at MacLeod castle where she discover a group of men that have been hidden away for 300 years. They are warriors with ancient gods within them and Cara’s own magic awakens to help fight the coming evil.
So this warrior has been hidden in a castle for 300 years and sees a woman and now has sex on the brain. Sure, there are magic and druids and a vengeful something ….but he’s got his eye on the girl. She’s innocent but seems to like him too so….they go at it.
There’s more to the story. But overwhelmingly, my impression = hot and steamy 10 times over. At least.
December 27, 2011
I'm not saying this book was boring.
Hero: My boner burns for this woman like no other but I'm a monster, no one could love me.
Heroine: I can love you.
Hero: NO I'm a monster doomed to live alone but my boner for you will never die.
Heroine: I love monsters.
Hero: NO! I must take care of everything because I am a nurturing, sensitive alpha male living in 17th century Scotland. My boner and I will suffer alone for centuries.
Heroine: Lucan, you're dreamy let me make you dinner.
Seriously. The hand wringing. The mystery. The concealed gods that come in colors every where (they're like a rainbow). Demon kisses, good and evil druids...I just...I just.... there are no words.
OK, maybe I'm saying this book was boring. At least I finished it.
Hero: My boner burns for this woman like no other but I'm a monster, no one could love me.
Heroine: I can love you.
Hero: NO I'm a monster doomed to live alone but my boner for you will never die.
Heroine: I love monsters.
Hero: NO! I must take care of everything because I am a nurturing, sensitive alpha male living in 17th century Scotland. My boner and I will suffer alone for centuries.
Heroine: Lucan, you're dreamy let me make you dinner.
Seriously. The hand wringing. The mystery. The concealed gods that come in colors every where (they're like a rainbow). Demon kisses, good and evil druids...I just...I just.... there are no words.
OK, maybe I'm saying this book was boring. At least I finished it.
January 28, 2010
Dangerous Highlander is the first book in the new Dark Sword series about immortal Highland warriors who are possessed by ancient gods. I enjoyed this first entry into the series, except for a few parts that could have been better, but overall I think there is a lot of potential for interesting stories with warriors who were introduced in this first book.
Cara grew up an orphan in the Scottish Highlands after both her parents were killed when she was five. She has decided to join the nunnery where she was raised because she wants to belong somewhere and doesn't have any marriage prospects. One day as she is picking wild mushrooms near the abandoned MacLeod castle that is supposed to be haunted by monsters, she is saved from certain death by a mysterious man.
Lucan MacLeod and his two brothers, Fallon and Quinn, have lived in their abandoned castle for the last three hundred years after an evil Druid awoke an ancient god inside of them. Centuries ago, during the Roman occupation of Britain, the Druids had awoken the ancient gods to place them in each clan's toughest warriors to help drive out the Romans. After the Romans had been defeated, the ancient gods would not leave the warriors so the Druids found a way to bind the gods so they wouldn't have power. An evil female Druid who thirsted for power found out how to unbind the ancient gods, which is how Lucan and his brother became immortals with a god inside of them. They have to fight to keep the god at bay but over the years they have learned to control themselves. Lucan doesn't realize how lonely he had become until he saves Cara from death and feels attracted to a woman for the first time in centuries.
Lucan and Cara have an instant and overwhelming attraction for each other. Cara is in danger because the evil Druid woman wants to capture her for some nefarious reason. Lucan and his brothers are also wanted by the same woman, Deirdre, because she needs their power. Despite the danger, Lucan and Cara can't help but give into the feelings they have for each other. They know it's only a matter of time before Deirdre tries to capture them again, so they make the most of the time they have by training Cara to fight - and by enjoying each other. But what kind of future can an immortal Highlander have with a mortal woman? And are they both willing to risk their hearts?
The overall storyline of the warriors and the Druids is interesting and different. I like the brothers, Lucan, Fallon and Quinn - they had a nice relationship. Lucan and Cara were nice together but I thought the beginning attraction came on a little too fast - Lucan was overcome with lust from the first time he saw her and I was a little worried that it might just be because he hadn't been with a woman in three hundred years :) But as the story progressed, they did get to know each other more so I could believe the romance better than at the beginning. The historical aspects of 1600's Scotland were wallpaper at best, the characters' manner of speaking and actions could just as easily have been present day so I didn't really "feel" the historical setting - but with the paranormal theme of the story this wasn't a big deal for me. My biggest issue with the story was a lack of depth to the characters and story. We never really got to know the two main characters beneath the surface, I had trouble really empathizing with them because of this. The paranormal aspects of the story could also use more depth and detail - but hopefully this will be included in future books. One other small quibble was that the heroine recovered in one day from the death of everyone she knew in the village - that didn't really seem plausible. She just seems to forget about that and start lusting after Lucan all the time. However, I did like Cara as a person, I thought she had a good attitude toward the big changes in her life (though I am not sure how believable her easy acceptance was, I prefer that to the heroines who refuse to believe things that are right in front of them).
Despite those quibbles, I did enjoy the story. I plan on reading the next books because there are a few warriors that I want to learn more about. Plus Fallon and Quinn need to find some love! I think Fallon is going to find his lucky lady in the next book from the excerpt I read.
So my overall impressions: nice, light paranormal romance that is enjoyable to read and leaves you wanting to read the next book in the series to see where it is going to go. The story and characters could have a bit more depth but the overall story is worth reading.
Cara grew up an orphan in the Scottish Highlands after both her parents were killed when she was five. She has decided to join the nunnery where she was raised because she wants to belong somewhere and doesn't have any marriage prospects. One day as she is picking wild mushrooms near the abandoned MacLeod castle that is supposed to be haunted by monsters, she is saved from certain death by a mysterious man.
Lucan MacLeod and his two brothers, Fallon and Quinn, have lived in their abandoned castle for the last three hundred years after an evil Druid awoke an ancient god inside of them. Centuries ago, during the Roman occupation of Britain, the Druids had awoken the ancient gods to place them in each clan's toughest warriors to help drive out the Romans. After the Romans had been defeated, the ancient gods would not leave the warriors so the Druids found a way to bind the gods so they wouldn't have power. An evil female Druid who thirsted for power found out how to unbind the ancient gods, which is how Lucan and his brother became immortals with a god inside of them. They have to fight to keep the god at bay but over the years they have learned to control themselves. Lucan doesn't realize how lonely he had become until he saves Cara from death and feels attracted to a woman for the first time in centuries.
Lucan and Cara have an instant and overwhelming attraction for each other. Cara is in danger because the evil Druid woman wants to capture her for some nefarious reason. Lucan and his brothers are also wanted by the same woman, Deirdre, because she needs their power. Despite the danger, Lucan and Cara can't help but give into the feelings they have for each other. They know it's only a matter of time before Deirdre tries to capture them again, so they make the most of the time they have by training Cara to fight - and by enjoying each other. But what kind of future can an immortal Highlander have with a mortal woman? And are they both willing to risk their hearts?
The overall storyline of the warriors and the Druids is interesting and different. I like the brothers, Lucan, Fallon and Quinn - they had a nice relationship. Lucan and Cara were nice together but I thought the beginning attraction came on a little too fast - Lucan was overcome with lust from the first time he saw her and I was a little worried that it might just be because he hadn't been with a woman in three hundred years :) But as the story progressed, they did get to know each other more so I could believe the romance better than at the beginning. The historical aspects of 1600's Scotland were wallpaper at best, the characters' manner of speaking and actions could just as easily have been present day so I didn't really "feel" the historical setting - but with the paranormal theme of the story this wasn't a big deal for me. My biggest issue with the story was a lack of depth to the characters and story. We never really got to know the two main characters beneath the surface, I had trouble really empathizing with them because of this. The paranormal aspects of the story could also use more depth and detail - but hopefully this will be included in future books. One other small quibble was that the heroine recovered in one day from the death of everyone she knew in the village - that didn't really seem plausible. She just seems to forget about that and start lusting after Lucan all the time. However, I did like Cara as a person, I thought she had a good attitude toward the big changes in her life (though I am not sure how believable her easy acceptance was, I prefer that to the heroines who refuse to believe things that are right in front of them).
Despite those quibbles, I did enjoy the story. I plan on reading the next books because there are a few warriors that I want to learn more about. Plus Fallon and Quinn need to find some love! I think Fallon is going to find his lucky lady in the next book from the excerpt I read.
So my overall impressions: nice, light paranormal romance that is enjoyable to read and leaves you wanting to read the next book in the series to see where it is going to go. The story and characters could have a bit more depth but the overall story is worth reading.
May 11, 2016
Veréis este libro en mi apartado de leído y pensaréis "¿Qué demonios ha fumado Ithil?" Pues bien, nada ilegal. Mi idea para leer este libro eran highlanders, echarme unas risas, y leer una tontunada pseudo-romántica porno para básicamente reírme un poco. ¿Qué tal ha cumplido? Pues ahora mismo os lo explico.
-Highlanders. Tres. Para mi gusto, pocos highlanders, vaya. Hacia el final de la novela aparecen más pero de estos personajes de "hola, estoy aquí y tengo un trasfondo MUY oscuro e interesante, ya sabes, por si vas a continuar la saga *guiño guiño*". En sí los que hay son el típico personaje torturado por su pasado, que se considera un monstruo y tiene que defender a todo el mundo de sí mismo, porque es un monstruo pero a la vez proteger a sus hermanos y sacar a su familia adelante.
-Risas. Moderadas. La verdad es que hay algunas escenas que son para hartarse de reír. Como por ejemplo, cuando aparece la mala malísima del libro que masturba a los hombres con su pelo. Sí, el de la cabeza. O cuando la protagonista, esa que piensa desde el capítulo dos las cosas que le haría al buen highlander, tiene pensamientos tales como "Ella intentó recordarse a si misma que iba a tomar los votos y a convertirse en monja". También puedo incluir aquí las descripciones de "miembros aridentes", "pezones inflamados" y demás lindezas que van a ritmo de uno por capítulo. Más o menos.
-Protagonista pava. Obviamente. Una chica HUÉRFANA, de esas que la dicen: no vayas a ese castillo que está embrujado y en ruinas, es peligroso. ¿Y ella qué hace? Efectivamente, va. No vayas sola por ahí, que acaba de atacarnos y serás más vulnerable ya que estás en peligro. ¿Y ella qué hace? Por supuesto. Esto incluye la salida melodramática de "estoy poniendo a las personas que más me importan en peligro, es todo culpa mía, me voy a ese bosque oscuro y tétrico de noche, porque ¿qué puede salir mal?" Vamos, que todas esas circunstancias que cualquier persona normal evitaría, va de cabeza. Y se pega al mozo de turno, porque a pesar de vivir en la Escocia profunda, en un castillo en ruinas, él huele a "sándalo, deseo y fuerza". Ahá, sí.
-Sexo. INSUFICIENTE. Lo mires por donde lo mires. Si yo cojo una novela pornosa romántica, me espero una escena de sexo decente al menos en los primeros capítulos. Aquí he tenido que esperar hasta más de la mitad del libro. ¿Qué clase de timo es este? Que sí, que antes se imaginan lo que harían y demás, pero no cuenta. Creo que ha tenido unas cinco escenas de sexo en sí, y la verdad: mucho ruido y pocas nueces.
-Trama. No, en serio, la tiene y es hasta interesante. Highlanders que tienen a dioses imbuidos en su alma para hacerles guerreros del copón y luchar contra los invasores, pero que, al no haber más invasores, se volvieron los unos con los otros de forma que los druidas tuvieron que "sellar" esos poderes. Pero que ahora, la mala de turno, decide capturarlos para liberar esos poderes por lo que ahora vuelven a estar corrompidos por la maldición del dios. Maldición que les hace inmortales y tener super poderes muy chulos, pero a la vez unos monstruos *música dramática*. Increíblemente predecible, sin intriga alguna y sosa, sí, pero oye, para este tipo de libro no es excesivamente mala. Los he leído peores. Se deja leer y tiene buen ritmo. Y por supuesto, cumpliendo todos los clichés del género porque, why not?
-Highlanders. Tres. Para mi gusto, pocos highlanders, vaya. Hacia el final de la novela aparecen más pero de estos personajes de "hola, estoy aquí y tengo un trasfondo MUY oscuro e interesante, ya sabes, por si vas a continuar la saga *guiño guiño*". En sí los que hay son el típico personaje torturado por su pasado, que se considera un monstruo y tiene que defender a todo el mundo de sí mismo, porque es un monstruo pero a la vez proteger a sus hermanos y sacar a su familia adelante.
-Risas. Moderadas. La verdad es que hay algunas escenas que son para hartarse de reír. Como por ejemplo, cuando aparece la mala malísima del libro que masturba a los hombres con su pelo. Sí, el de la cabeza. O cuando la protagonista, esa que piensa desde el capítulo dos las cosas que le haría al buen highlander, tiene pensamientos tales como "Ella intentó recordarse a si misma que iba a tomar los votos y a convertirse en monja". También puedo incluir aquí las descripciones de "miembros aridentes", "pezones inflamados" y demás lindezas que van a ritmo de uno por capítulo. Más o menos.
-Protagonista pava. Obviamente. Una chica HUÉRFANA, de esas que la dicen: no vayas a ese castillo que está embrujado y en ruinas, es peligroso. ¿Y ella qué hace? Efectivamente, va. No vayas sola por ahí, que acaba de atacarnos y serás más vulnerable ya que estás en peligro. ¿Y ella qué hace? Por supuesto. Esto incluye la salida melodramática de "estoy poniendo a las personas que más me importan en peligro, es todo culpa mía, me voy a ese bosque oscuro y tétrico de noche, porque ¿qué puede salir mal?" Vamos, que todas esas circunstancias que cualquier persona normal evitaría, va de cabeza. Y se pega al mozo de turno, porque a pesar de vivir en la Escocia profunda, en un castillo en ruinas, él huele a "sándalo, deseo y fuerza". Ahá, sí.
-Sexo. INSUFICIENTE. Lo mires por donde lo mires. Si yo cojo una novela pornosa romántica, me espero una escena de sexo decente al menos en los primeros capítulos. Aquí he tenido que esperar hasta más de la mitad del libro. ¿Qué clase de timo es este? Que sí, que antes se imaginan lo que harían y demás, pero no cuenta. Creo que ha tenido unas cinco escenas de sexo en sí, y la verdad: mucho ruido y pocas nueces.
-Trama. No, en serio, la tiene y es hasta interesante. Highlanders que tienen a dioses imbuidos en su alma para hacerles guerreros del copón y luchar contra los invasores, pero que, al no haber más invasores, se volvieron los unos con los otros de forma que los druidas tuvieron que "sellar" esos poderes. Pero que ahora, la mala de turno, decide capturarlos para liberar esos poderes por lo que ahora vuelven a estar corrompidos por la maldición del dios. Maldición que les hace inmortales y tener super poderes muy chulos, pero a la vez unos monstruos *música dramática*. Increíblemente predecible, sin intriga alguna y sosa, sí, pero oye, para este tipo de libro no es excesivamente mala. Los he leído peores. Se deja leer y tiene buen ritmo. Y por supuesto, cumpliendo todos los clichés del género porque, why not?
March 16, 2010
This is my first book by Donna Grant I have read, I really enjoyed it, It has lots of romance, passion and dangerous immortal warrior’s that has a different God with in each warrior. The book really pulled me in to the Druid story line, it was fresh and didn’t drag.
**Spoilers below**
Cara is alone in the world her parents was killed when she was very young, a nuns find her and talks her in she lives in a nunnery by the MacLoeod Castle. Cara has heard tails of the warriors but doesn’t believe them until she meet them, she also finds out she is a something more than a regular person. I really liked Cara story line it was fresh and exciting, who wouldn’t want to live with three dangerous warriors. Wow, that the life for me…
Lucan and his brothers are hiding form Deirdre, but what they don’t know is they are not the only warriors or the only one Deirdre is looking for until they meet Cara and are attacked again. I really liked the brothers together they have been all alone for three hundred years then you add a women plus a few more warriors into the mix you know things will be interesting.
The sexual tension starts right off the bat, its not to long before Cara and Lucan both cave in, the sense are really hot, and exacting, I liked the one in the forest..
I really like the ending of the book, its had a big cliffhanger at the end that makes you crave for the next book.
The only thing I was very disappointed that it wasn’t made clear if Cara stays mortal or not, I hope this will clear up in the next book..
**Spoilers below**
Cara is alone in the world her parents was killed when she was very young, a nuns find her and talks her in she lives in a nunnery by the MacLoeod Castle. Cara has heard tails of the warriors but doesn’t believe them until she meet them, she also finds out she is a something more than a regular person. I really liked Cara story line it was fresh and exciting, who wouldn’t want to live with three dangerous warriors. Wow, that the life for me…
Lucan and his brothers are hiding form Deirdre, but what they don’t know is they are not the only warriors or the only one Deirdre is looking for until they meet Cara and are attacked again. I really liked the brothers together they have been all alone for three hundred years then you add a women plus a few more warriors into the mix you know things will be interesting.
The sexual tension starts right off the bat, its not to long before Cara and Lucan both cave in, the sense are really hot, and exacting, I liked the one in the forest..
I really like the ending of the book, its had a big cliffhanger at the end that makes you crave for the next book.
The only thing I was very disappointed that it wasn’t made clear if Cara stays mortal or not, I hope this will clear up in the next book..
October 16, 2016
2.5 stars rounded down. I'm hopeful the next one is better. I so love Highlanders.
January 29, 2010
2.5 stars. Liked it, but didn't love it. A great premise for a story, but at times I felt like I was reading a comic book as the narration and dialog felt over-done. I also got tired of being told on every other page how hot they are for each other. It interupted the flow of the story at times. Not sure if I'll continue with the series.
January 22, 2010
I loved this. The ending is perfect for the setup of the next book and I look forward to reading Forbidden Highlander
May 3, 2021
3.75 - I enjoyed this book a lot, oh the whole shape-shifting idea and magical aspects of the book was totally captivating.
I felt as though it was kinda repetitive in certain areas and there wasn’t much excitement, the book had potential but it wasn’t quiet there yet. There was a lot of discussion happening but not enough action, for a book that seemed as though it would be full of warfare, but no, they spent most of there time in the castle talking 🤷🏾♀️🤷🏾♀️
Maybe it was the audiobook I was listening to that made the book have an underlying boring-ness to the book (no offense Anthony Ferguson, but you Scottish voice is absolutely BANGING like so good , but the narrating voice is verra verra dull 🤷🏾♀️)
Och now, twas decent still 💕
I felt as though it was kinda repetitive in certain areas and there wasn’t much excitement, the book had potential but it wasn’t quiet there yet. There was a lot of discussion happening but not enough action, for a book that seemed as though it would be full of warfare, but no, they spent most of there time in the castle talking 🤷🏾♀️🤷🏾♀️
Maybe it was the audiobook I was listening to that made the book have an underlying boring-ness to the book (no offense Anthony Ferguson, but you Scottish voice is absolutely BANGING like so good , but the narrating voice is verra verra dull 🤷🏾♀️)
Och now, twas decent still 💕
July 15, 2019
This book, this series is where things began for a favorite series of mine. Dark Kings spins off from the Dark World series, in which this series, Dark Swords, begins. Because of my love of the Dark Kings series, I have come gone back to read where things started.
I know of the Warriors from their interactions with the Kings in the Dark Kings series. It's strange to see them as they were before but interesting. The Dark Swords is a historical series that takes place in the 16th century. There are no Kings or Fae but the Druids are there. The Warriors are a combination of the strongest warrior in a clan and a primeval God that was called up from hell to help the Highlanders defeat Rome from invading way back when. The Gods did their job but have no interest in returning to hell. And Druids can't figure out how to get them out. They were finally bond, returning the men to their normal lives until an evil, power hungry Druid releases them. And we have this story.
I enjoyed the characters in this story. Lucan is the center of this story but the two other brothers had my attention as well. All three have an evil God bound to them and each experienced great loss at the hands of Deirdre but they each handle it very differently. As for Lucan, he's worked hard to hold what's left of his family together. As the middle brother, he is the peacekeeper. When he sees Cara in danger, he leaps right in to help her. He is a good man and protective Highlander.
As for Cara, I liked her. She's definitely a 16th century women but she has a bit of spunk to her. Definitely a great match for Lucan. She does bring up an issue I had with the book. There are still some unanswered questions in my mind about her parents and magic that she has. I'm not a fan of dangling plot lines. It's not a huge deal but it is there.
For the most part, the story flows well and held my interest. I do think it could have used a bit more polish as it's not quite the standard I expect from this author, however, I'm used to reading her current work and this book came from several years ago. I can live with it.
I'm definitely going to keep reading. They search for a way to bind their Gods so that they are regular men. I wonder how this plays out as it connects to the present day books of Dark Kings that I have already read. Something happens. I want to know what it is.
A good historical paranormal romance read that has me interested in reading more.
I know of the Warriors from their interactions with the Kings in the Dark Kings series. It's strange to see them as they were before but interesting. The Dark Swords is a historical series that takes place in the 16th century. There are no Kings or Fae but the Druids are there. The Warriors are a combination of the strongest warrior in a clan and a primeval God that was called up from hell to help the Highlanders defeat Rome from invading way back when. The Gods did their job but have no interest in returning to hell. And Druids can't figure out how to get them out. They were finally bond, returning the men to their normal lives until an evil, power hungry Druid releases them. And we have this story.
I enjoyed the characters in this story. Lucan is the center of this story but the two other brothers had my attention as well. All three have an evil God bound to them and each experienced great loss at the hands of Deirdre but they each handle it very differently. As for Lucan, he's worked hard to hold what's left of his family together. As the middle brother, he is the peacekeeper. When he sees Cara in danger, he leaps right in to help her. He is a good man and protective Highlander.
As for Cara, I liked her. She's definitely a 16th century women but she has a bit of spunk to her. Definitely a great match for Lucan. She does bring up an issue I had with the book. There are still some unanswered questions in my mind about her parents and magic that she has. I'm not a fan of dangling plot lines. It's not a huge deal but it is there.
For the most part, the story flows well and held my interest. I do think it could have used a bit more polish as it's not quite the standard I expect from this author, however, I'm used to reading her current work and this book came from several years ago. I can live with it.
I'm definitely going to keep reading. They search for a way to bind their Gods so that they are regular men. I wonder how this plays out as it connects to the present day books of Dark Kings that I have already read. Something happens. I want to know what it is.
A good historical paranormal romance read that has me interested in reading more.
January 11, 2010
Well, I must say I REALLY liked this book and look forwards to the next in this series. The story was very interesting yet it was a simple read. I enjoyed all the paranormal elements too. The romance was really good and the love scenes were well done. The ending was also well done and left me wanting more, I'm glad that this is going to be a series.
October 20, 2021
Una historia simplecita, casi infantil si no fuera por las escenas subidas de tono. Pocos personajes (también simples y planos), pocas locaciones y con un componente sobrenatural algo enredado que no se sustenta por sí solo. Apenas entretiene lo justo para no quedarse con mal sabor, pero con un final tan abierto a su continuación que defrauda.
September 13, 2019
Rated 4.5 Stars
Well, that was a fun read! Had all the exciting aspects of a great Historical PNR - Dark Magic, 3 Sexy Highlander Brothers, Immortality, Druids, Evil Incarnate, Warriors, Old Castles, Monsters, Love, takes place in Scotland, & of course has a HEA!
On a funny note, for years, I always thought Donna Grant wrote only "Clean" books and therefore didn't read her material (cuz I liked the sexy stuff). Now, that I'm menopausal (yuck) and not very interested in the sex & tell scenes, I finally read one of her books.......ONLY to discover that she writes LOTS of sex scenes!! I couldn't believe it! I laughed out loud at the irony of it for totally getting my time periods backwards. I did really enjoy her writing and just skimmed over most of the skin-2-skin scenes.
So, yes, I do believe I'll read on to book 02 in the series to find out what happens to the next brother.
Well, that was a fun read! Had all the exciting aspects of a great Historical PNR - Dark Magic, 3 Sexy Highlander Brothers, Immortality, Druids, Evil Incarnate, Warriors, Old Castles, Monsters, Love, takes place in Scotland, & of course has a HEA!
On a funny note, for years, I always thought Donna Grant wrote only "Clean" books and therefore didn't read her material (cuz I liked the sexy stuff). Now, that I'm menopausal (yuck) and not very interested in the sex & tell scenes, I finally read one of her books.......ONLY to discover that she writes LOTS of sex scenes!! I couldn't believe it! I laughed out loud at the irony of it for totally getting my time periods backwards. I did really enjoy her writing and just skimmed over most of the skin-2-skin scenes.
So, yes, I do believe I'll read on to book 02 in the series to find out what happens to the next brother.
November 10, 2015
When one of my blog readers suggested I try a Donna Grant book, I looked her up on Goodreads and was pretty impressed to see how many books she has with a four star rating or above. So I picked up this first installment in her Dark Sword series. Though it had some engaging moments, I am sad to say that this book wasn’t a big hit for me. I liked the concept, but it suffered from a classic case of insta-love, paired with characters which felt more built in a mold, than uniquely forged.
The set-up is intriguing. Hundreds of years ago, powerful Druids called up some ancient Gods to help fight off Roman invaders. When their job was done, the Gods wouldn’t leave, but the Druids did manage to bind them inside the warriors they inhabited. There, they stayed dormant, passed down to sons throughout the generations. Until one power-hungry Druid priestess tried to let the Gods back out, with her to rule them all. The MacLeod brothers were among those warriors, but they would not be her tools. They escaped her and returned to their old castle, where they have lived –immortal– in secret for the past 300 years.
Now it’s 1603. Like most people, Cara has no idea that the MacLeods live in the old rundown castle that’s rumored to be haunted. But when she almost falls off a nearby cliff, it’s Lucan McLeod who saves her life and brings her inside his home to recover. When she wakes up, she learns there is an entire world of magic and monsters that she never knew existed. And suddenly, she is thrust right in the middle of the battle between magic used for good and evil.
Lucan knows she is The One right away. Cara was going to be a nun, but one look at Lucan and she is ready to drop trou. She has never known anything of the supernatural, but she is totally ok with the fact that her new man turns obsidian and grows killer claws and fangs. In fact, she accepts all of this monster and magic business as easily as if someone told her it might rain tomorrow. I don’t want to her to be obtuse, but come on! That’s a lot to take in.
The MacLeod brothers all fit inside neat little boxes. Fallon is the eldest, who fears losing control so much that he never uses his God powers and dulls the impulse with wine. Quinn, the youngest, lost his wife and child and is subsumed by rage because he was unable to protect them. Lucan, the middle brother, feels like he needs to take care of them both and puts his own needs last in order to help the other two. There is very little else to say about any of them. The characterization is very superficial, making it difficult to care about them on any deeper level. The romance is too easy to care a great deal for it either.
This is why the book didn’t score with me. I didn’t care much about anything because I wasn’t invested. It wasn’t bad necessarily, beyond the fact that the hero’s man part was called a “rod” about 872 times over the course of the book. (A thesaurus never hurt anyone.) It was an ok read, just not one I can summon much enthusiasm for. I don’t think I’ll continue with the series, though fans of highlanders/ time travel/ immortal warriors might still enjoy the ride.
Rating: C+
The set-up is intriguing. Hundreds of years ago, powerful Druids called up some ancient Gods to help fight off Roman invaders. When their job was done, the Gods wouldn’t leave, but the Druids did manage to bind them inside the warriors they inhabited. There, they stayed dormant, passed down to sons throughout the generations. Until one power-hungry Druid priestess tried to let the Gods back out, with her to rule them all. The MacLeod brothers were among those warriors, but they would not be her tools. They escaped her and returned to their old castle, where they have lived –immortal– in secret for the past 300 years.
Now it’s 1603. Like most people, Cara has no idea that the MacLeods live in the old rundown castle that’s rumored to be haunted. But when she almost falls off a nearby cliff, it’s Lucan McLeod who saves her life and brings her inside his home to recover. When she wakes up, she learns there is an entire world of magic and monsters that she never knew existed. And suddenly, she is thrust right in the middle of the battle between magic used for good and evil.
Lucan knows she is The One right away. Cara was going to be a nun, but one look at Lucan and she is ready to drop trou. She has never known anything of the supernatural, but she is totally ok with the fact that her new man turns obsidian and grows killer claws and fangs. In fact, she accepts all of this monster and magic business as easily as if someone told her it might rain tomorrow. I don’t want to her to be obtuse, but come on! That’s a lot to take in.
The MacLeod brothers all fit inside neat little boxes. Fallon is the eldest, who fears losing control so much that he never uses his God powers and dulls the impulse with wine. Quinn, the youngest, lost his wife and child and is subsumed by rage because he was unable to protect them. Lucan, the middle brother, feels like he needs to take care of them both and puts his own needs last in order to help the other two. There is very little else to say about any of them. The characterization is very superficial, making it difficult to care about them on any deeper level. The romance is too easy to care a great deal for it either.
This is why the book didn’t score with me. I didn’t care much about anything because I wasn’t invested. It wasn’t bad necessarily, beyond the fact that the hero’s man part was called a “rod” about 872 times over the course of the book. (A thesaurus never hurt anyone.) It was an ok read, just not one I can summon much enthusiasm for. I don’t think I’ll continue with the series, though fans of highlanders/ time travel/ immortal warriors might still enjoy the ride.
Rating: C+
February 9, 2010
Generally, historical and paranormal romance don’t mix.
They are two separate genre’s that don’t get along with each other very well. When I’ve read historical paranormal romance before, one of the two elements falls flat. Either the historical setting takes a background to the paranormal story. Or the paranormal part of the story is overshadowed by the setting.
Either way, it is normally a genre that doesn’t work very well.
So imagine my surprise when I picked up Dangerous Highlander by Donna Grant and ended up blown away. I have read several of Grants other novels, but Dangerous Highlander leaves them all choking in the dust.
Dangerous Highlander is set in the Scottish Highlands and concerns three brothers: Lucan, Quinn and Fallon. They are three immortals who carry a curse inside of them.
Inside of their bodies rests the being of a God bent on destruction. When they let the God inside of them lose, they become that God and have that God’s powers. Unable to come to terms with what they are, they hide inside of their castle and become beings of legend.
Their lives change when Cara MacClure nearly dies. Lucan takes her into the castle, knowing that he risks exposing what they are. Though he knows that he shouldn’t, Lucan feels a passion for Cara that pulls at him, that heats his skin. He wants her but knows that she will not want him when she finds out what she is.
But all is not what it seems. Though Cara knows it not, there is magic inside of her. Magic that someone would kill her for. Can Lucan protect her and his heart? Or will they give into the passion that consumes them both?
I haven’t enjoyed a historical paranormal romance so much in years. Filled with glorious detail, fantastic locales, believable characters and passion that scorches the page and burns the fingers, Dangerous Highlander is one heck of a fantastic book.
Not only does Grant give us characters we can know and love, she surrounds them in a story that pulls you in from the first page and refuses to let go, even after the last page is turned.
Thankfully Dangerous Highlander is the start of the new Dark Sword Series. I, for one, can’t wait for more.
Five out of Five Stars.
They are two separate genre’s that don’t get along with each other very well. When I’ve read historical paranormal romance before, one of the two elements falls flat. Either the historical setting takes a background to the paranormal story. Or the paranormal part of the story is overshadowed by the setting.
Either way, it is normally a genre that doesn’t work very well.
So imagine my surprise when I picked up Dangerous Highlander by Donna Grant and ended up blown away. I have read several of Grants other novels, but Dangerous Highlander leaves them all choking in the dust.
Dangerous Highlander is set in the Scottish Highlands and concerns three brothers: Lucan, Quinn and Fallon. They are three immortals who carry a curse inside of them.
Inside of their bodies rests the being of a God bent on destruction. When they let the God inside of them lose, they become that God and have that God’s powers. Unable to come to terms with what they are, they hide inside of their castle and become beings of legend.
Their lives change when Cara MacClure nearly dies. Lucan takes her into the castle, knowing that he risks exposing what they are. Though he knows that he shouldn’t, Lucan feels a passion for Cara that pulls at him, that heats his skin. He wants her but knows that she will not want him when she finds out what she is.
But all is not what it seems. Though Cara knows it not, there is magic inside of her. Magic that someone would kill her for. Can Lucan protect her and his heart? Or will they give into the passion that consumes them both?
I haven’t enjoyed a historical paranormal romance so much in years. Filled with glorious detail, fantastic locales, believable characters and passion that scorches the page and burns the fingers, Dangerous Highlander is one heck of a fantastic book.
Not only does Grant give us characters we can know and love, she surrounds them in a story that pulls you in from the first page and refuses to let go, even after the last page is turned.
Thankfully Dangerous Highlander is the start of the new Dark Sword Series. I, for one, can’t wait for more.
Five out of Five Stars.
June 19, 2016
Absolutely spectacular! The three warriors of Clan MacLeod (Fallon, Lucan, Quinn) have been captured by Deirdre and the evil God of revenge forced inside them. This is Lucan's story. The brothers have escaped and spent the last 300 years hiding from the evil druid Deirdre in an effort to survive. They haven't really lived in all this time as they were just hiding inside their castle and haven't come out in over 300 years. Can you imagine?
When Cara stumbles upon the cliffs by MacLeod castle, without thinking, Lucan rushes outside to save her and it's lust at first sight. Oh did I forget to mention that Cara was from the local nunnery but hadn't as yet taken her vows? The sexual tension between them is intense. The revelations from Cara really floor the brothers almost as much as does the sight of their monsters. Deirdre's creatures attack many times and the fighting is unbelievably bloody and brutal.
All three brothers have suffered greatly but I really feel for Fallon because he actually believes he is unlovable because of the monster he carries inside. His soul is scarred and he doesn't trust his own judgment. The woman for him will be something else and the romance should be an intense love/hate relationship. I can't wait to read his story. And poor Quinn, he has no control over his beast at all and fears for his sanity. This series starter is just wonderful and these are characters you can really care about. This is a series that could be enjoyable for a long time. Hopefully there are plenty of warriors to warrant their own book.
When Cara stumbles upon the cliffs by MacLeod castle, without thinking, Lucan rushes outside to save her and it's lust at first sight. Oh did I forget to mention that Cara was from the local nunnery but hadn't as yet taken her vows? The sexual tension between them is intense. The revelations from Cara really floor the brothers almost as much as does the sight of their monsters. Deirdre's creatures attack many times and the fighting is unbelievably bloody and brutal.
All three brothers have suffered greatly but I really feel for Fallon because he actually believes he is unlovable because of the monster he carries inside. His soul is scarred and he doesn't trust his own judgment. The woman for him will be something else and the romance should be an intense love/hate relationship. I can't wait to read his story. And poor Quinn, he has no control over his beast at all and fears for his sanity. This series starter is just wonderful and these are characters you can really care about. This is a series that could be enjoyable for a long time. Hopefully there are plenty of warriors to warrant their own book.
August 18, 2013
I really wanted to like this book but I found it extremely disappointing. One of the things that annoys me most in a book is contradictions in the story line and this made a big mistake early on and it annoyed me all the way through. The plot had more holes than a teabag.
I couldn't warm to any of the characters, the leads of Lurcan and Cara were particularly irritating. The general story itself while not original was vaguely promising but it just didn't hold together.
The story was inconsistent and repetitive and if I never read the word Rod again it will be too soon. I can't see myself getting round to read the rest of this series.
I couldn't warm to any of the characters, the leads of Lurcan and Cara were particularly irritating. The general story itself while not original was vaguely promising but it just didn't hold together.
The story was inconsistent and repetitive and if I never read the word Rod again it will be too soon. I can't see myself getting round to read the rest of this series.
July 12, 2025
Dangerous Highlander by Donna Grant
Genres: Adult, Historical, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance.
2.8 stars
I usually round down anything that is a .5. Above that I round up. I had problems rating how I feel about this one. While I feel it deserves more than 2 stars, or even 2.5, it is not a full 3 stars either. This is due to all the negatives I found in the story. It is the positives I found that finally had me clicking 3 stars.
It started out interesting. Slowly it became a quagmire of problems.
The repetition became excessive.
I read 'He wanted', 'She wanted' and 'Hunger' so many times I was ready to commit Bookicide!
The repetitive rambling of how Lucan ached for his brothers & Cara. Rambling between his various thoughts of protecting his brothers, his physical attraction & emotions about Cara. The list goes on.
By the time Lucan & Cara were finally intimate I just didn't care anymore.
The Scottish brogue used sporadically throughout the story was horrendous. It was so infrequently used and so inaccurately composed it became meaningless in the story. In truth, it was annoying and became distracting.
Then there was a paragraph that literally contradicted itself.
"....but she understood that these Warriors had accepted the god inside them and knew just how powerful they were. For over three hundred years the MacLeod brothers had denied what was inside them. Denied it and refused to learn what their limits were. That had to change if they were going to beat Deirdre."
At this point none of the brothers had accepted the god inside them.
While I had a couple of other problems with the story, I am going to jump to the positives.
I didn't run into many editing/typo errors other than the way the Scottish brogue is written.
The basis of the story is well done. The beginning is truly intriguing and is what kept me reading.
At 72% it started to get interesting again, but I still had to skim through repetition. I find myself curious as to whether or not the author improves or removes the Scottish brogue in the rest of the series. I would like to see more of this world. The world build, while it could have been much better, was interesting.
I find that I can't make up my mind about following the series. I want to know how it continues to develop. I'm just not sure about investing my time into a series that the first book of had me considering putting it into my rejects shelf.
Genres: Adult, Historical, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance.
2.8 stars
I usually round down anything that is a .5. Above that I round up. I had problems rating how I feel about this one. While I feel it deserves more than 2 stars, or even 2.5, it is not a full 3 stars either. This is due to all the negatives I found in the story. It is the positives I found that finally had me clicking 3 stars.
It started out interesting. Slowly it became a quagmire of problems.
The repetition became excessive.
I read 'He wanted', 'She wanted' and 'Hunger' so many times I was ready to commit Bookicide!
The repetitive rambling of how Lucan ached for his brothers & Cara. Rambling between his various thoughts of protecting his brothers, his physical attraction & emotions about Cara. The list goes on.
By the time Lucan & Cara were finally intimate I just didn't care anymore.
The Scottish brogue used sporadically throughout the story was horrendous. It was so infrequently used and so inaccurately composed it became meaningless in the story. In truth, it was annoying and became distracting.
Then there was a paragraph that literally contradicted itself.
"....but she understood that these Warriors had accepted the god inside them and knew just how powerful they were. For over three hundred years the MacLeod brothers had denied what was inside them. Denied it and refused to learn what their limits were. That had to change if they were going to beat Deirdre."
At this point none of the brothers had accepted the god inside them.
While I had a couple of other problems with the story, I am going to jump to the positives.
I didn't run into many editing/typo errors other than the way the Scottish brogue is written.
The basis of the story is well done. The beginning is truly intriguing and is what kept me reading.
At 72% it started to get interesting again, but I still had to skim through repetition. I find myself curious as to whether or not the author improves or removes the Scottish brogue in the rest of the series. I would like to see more of this world. The world build, while it could have been much better, was interesting.
I find that I can't make up my mind about following the series. I want to know how it continues to develop. I'm just not sure about investing my time into a series that the first book of had me considering putting it into my rejects shelf.
October 10, 2014
Cara lost her parents when she was just a girl, and was found by some villagers while wandering the forest.. Now she is a grown woman, and is planning on being a nun, when a child gets sick, she goes in search of herbs. But she also has a curiosity about MacLeod Castle, while getting too close, she ends up falling down a cliff, and is rescued by Lucan MacLeod. Lucan, and his brothers, are known among legends and myths. The only ones to survive a attack on their clan, and have god's put in them, and now Lucan has spent years imprisoned in this castle, fighting off warriors spent by their enemy, and now he can't let Cara go. For the first time in his life, he feels more alive and vibrant than ever. But when it become clear, that Cara has magic herself, he knows that he has dragged her into a world of danger and intrigue...but also a deep desire that will consume them...
Dangerous Highlander is the first installment in the Dark Sword series, but it does have connections to other series as well. One of the things that I loved most about this one, was the setting and style of the plot that we have set in place here. So its set in the 1600's Scotland, so we have a setting of medieval history relevance, but we also have a dark paranormal spin to the story as well, which always intrigues me, but this one is so different than other paranormal historical's I have had the opportunity to read. It has such a deeper feel to the story, and is pretty intense at times. The heat between Cara and Lucan is pretty sexy and hot, and sometimes I am in the mood for something softer, but in Dangerous Highlander, this story had exactly what I was looking for. It has some elements in the plot that are dark, but more in the paranormal element and the more see of the villain, the more you despise her.
This story has plenty of unique scenes that just wraps its way around you and make you sigh in that falling in love feeling. Lucan and Cara were such fun to see their story unfold, even though there is plenty of danger, you also see how these two have a bond from the beginning. I am really admiring this author and the way she has built this world of danger and passion and a story overwhelms you and you just can't let it go until the end. A story that will bring such intense emotions and will capture you heart and soul!! STUNNING IN EVERY DETAIL!!
Dangerous Highlander is the first installment in the Dark Sword series, but it does have connections to other series as well. One of the things that I loved most about this one, was the setting and style of the plot that we have set in place here. So its set in the 1600's Scotland, so we have a setting of medieval history relevance, but we also have a dark paranormal spin to the story as well, which always intrigues me, but this one is so different than other paranormal historical's I have had the opportunity to read. It has such a deeper feel to the story, and is pretty intense at times. The heat between Cara and Lucan is pretty sexy and hot, and sometimes I am in the mood for something softer, but in Dangerous Highlander, this story had exactly what I was looking for. It has some elements in the plot that are dark, but more in the paranormal element and the more see of the villain, the more you despise her.
This story has plenty of unique scenes that just wraps its way around you and make you sigh in that falling in love feeling. Lucan and Cara were such fun to see their story unfold, even though there is plenty of danger, you also see how these two have a bond from the beginning. I am really admiring this author and the way she has built this world of danger and passion and a story overwhelms you and you just can't let it go until the end. A story that will bring such intense emotions and will capture you heart and soul!! STUNNING IN EVERY DETAIL!!
July 26, 2011
I have been wanting to read this series for awhile now, I have seen many good reviews and they have been on my wishlist/TBR for what seems like forever. I finally bought this one out of whim one day. Not sure why hot cover, story called to me but I am sure glad I did. My only regret is that I didn't start or buy this book sooner.
This book combines both of my favorite genres in one, paranormal historical. I was certainly surprised just how fast I read this book, I read this book in one day- I just couldn't put it down. May I point out first and for most I loved the characters that is a must for me, to be able to connect to them which I did wholeheartedly.
As much as I loved the main characters, I equally loved the side characters. I loved the relationships not only with Lucan and Cara but with the brothers as well. I loved how despite all they had been through they stuck together as a family should. What I found especially nice was how welcome they made this girl feel at home though there was a few tense moments.
The backstory was very easy to understand and not once did I feel confused or that it dragged on too long. Overall this book captured my attention and held it to the very end. I can't wait to read Fallon's book which is next in the series, Forbidden Highlander.
This book combines both of my favorite genres in one, paranormal historical. I was certainly surprised just how fast I read this book, I read this book in one day- I just couldn't put it down. May I point out first and for most I loved the characters that is a must for me, to be able to connect to them which I did wholeheartedly.
As much as I loved the main characters, I equally loved the side characters. I loved the relationships not only with Lucan and Cara but with the brothers as well. I loved how despite all they had been through they stuck together as a family should. What I found especially nice was how welcome they made this girl feel at home though there was a few tense moments.
The backstory was very easy to understand and not once did I feel confused or that it dragged on too long. Overall this book captured my attention and held it to the very end. I can't wait to read Fallon's book which is next in the series, Forbidden Highlander.
February 8, 2022
Audio listened on:
7-8/2 2022. Rating changed to 3 stars.
30-31/12 2019. Rated 4 stars.
Ebook read on:
9-10/12 2014. Rated 4 stars. I think I rated it different but changed it when I had listened to the audio.. But I could be wrong.
--------------------------
I've already read (listened) to most of the Dark Kings books and now I'm going to listen through the Dark Sword and Dark Warriors series. I know I'm not doing it in the right reading order but here we are :)
I'm loving this Dark World that Grant has created.
7-8/2 2022. Rating changed to 3 stars.
30-31/12 2019. Rated 4 stars.
Ebook read on:
9-10/12 2014. Rated 4 stars. I think I rated it different but changed it when I had listened to the audio.. But I could be wrong.
--------------------------
I've already read (listened) to most of the Dark Kings books and now I'm going to listen through the Dark Sword and Dark Warriors series. I know I'm not doing it in the right reading order but here we are :)
I'm loving this Dark World that Grant has created.
April 26, 2010
Nothing about this book I disliked!!! From the very beginning I was hooked to this book! I fell in love with every character and their personalities!!! I love discovering new authors and I am so happy I came across another series to add to my pile of books! The romance scenes in this book were perfect! It has action/love/Romance/mystery which is just about everything I look for in a book! A must read!
February 22, 2012
I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next stories about the three brothers. If you like your Highlanders with a bit of magic and paranormal twist, you will enjoy this series. Lots of sizzle too!
I just finished my first re-read of this book so I can start the entire series. I found I enjoyed it even more the second time around. :)
I just finished my first re-read of this book so I can start the entire series. I found I enjoyed it even more the second time around. :)
June 18, 2018
3 3/4 "(HR) Highlander+(PNR) bound god= happy Stacie." Stars!
Very entertaining start to the series. On to the next one! I'm listening to the audiobooks.
Happy reading!
Very entertaining start to the series. On to the next one! I'm listening to the audiobooks.
Happy reading!
April 11, 2011
Love this entire series! Love the Highlanders with a touch of paranormal.
April 28, 2017
3.5 Stars ~ Rounded up due to unique backstory.
The backstory with the druids and Warriors really carried this book for me. I liked Cara. I had no issues with her, but I didn't love her. Worse, I didn't love Lucan. His limelight kept getting stolen by his brothers.
Overall, it was a decent start to a series. I'll keep reading because I need to know all about Fallon, Quinn, and Galen.
The backstory with the druids and Warriors really carried this book for me. I liked Cara. I had no issues with her, but I didn't love her. Worse, I didn't love Lucan. His limelight kept getting stolen by his brothers.
Overall, it was a decent start to a series. I'll keep reading because I need to know all about Fallon, Quinn, and Galen.
April 25, 2011
Sometimes no matter how extensive the menu (to-read list), you just want a burger and fries (Highlanders!). Just as sure as most restaurants can pull off a decent burger, most romance authors that write these rough and tumbling historical figures do it with some level of competence. All I really needed was a kilt, heavy brogue, and some supernatural element along with a happy ending. What did I get? Only got one of three, but I still loved it. No kilts. No brogue other than an ‘aye’ and ‘donna’ randomly thrown in. Not one single ‘wee lass’. It is a new author and new series for me, so I didn’t know what to expect. It was $2.99 on Kindle so I decided to chance it.
So we start with the traditional three brothers dealing with a curse. I don’t know why there are three but it seems to be a popular plot device so I rolled with it. Fallon the oldest is a drunk; Lucan is the middle son and makes all the sacrifices; and then there is Quinn, the youngest and most out of control. All three are cursed to carry a demonic god that causes them to physically change to beast when they tap into the power. The demon possession started as a desperate action taken by Druids hundreds of years earlier to save Scotland from the Romans. They called up some gods from hell, had them possess their best warriors with murderous bloodlust. The plan worked until the Romans were gone but the bloodlust remained and they couldn’t get the genie back in the box or hell however you want to look at it. To save themselves, the Druids bound the gods to remain dormant inside the warriors. Well that worked but what no one expected was that the children and future generations would inherit the demons. As it turns out, the demons seek the strongest from the original clans to host them when their host dies. Since all three brothers were very strong, their one demon was split amongst them. This was unusual because it’s pretty much one demon per person. The brothers would turn completely black, eyes and all.
There were a few tricky plot elements such as the fact that the Druids had two factions -- good earth worshipping ones and blood thirsty human sacrificing ones. Once you sort out that part of it, the rest fits nicely. There is an evil nemesis named Deidre that wants to dominate the world by controlling the demons within the warriors. She uses the spell to unbind the demons within the warriors then tortures them until they let their evil side rule. Deidre is cookie cutter bad guy with a few original traits that make interesting. She is obsessed with recapturing the brothers for her own sick ends. She had them once and unbound their gods making them immortal and violent. The brothers escaped and eventually found ways to live with their demon gods. They have remained hidden for 300 years from Deidre in their former castle which now is mostly ruins. They couldn’t really fix it up ‘cause then everyone would know they were hiding there for 300 years. Yeah, that was hard to swallow. I swear -- no one looked for them there. The heroine’s name is Cara and as expected, she has issues. She stumbles on the middle brother Lucan and we have the expected ‘instant love’ scenario. The two along with the brothers battle Deidre and her horde. It might sound boring but it was very engaging.
I fell hard for these characters and their plight for happiness and to escape the lonely isolated existence they came to accept as the only way to survive. That was the best part of it for me in spite of the missing kilts and brogue. These characters could have been from any time period or continent especially with their names. So three stars to Ms. Grant for a better than fair love story with hot sex and danger around every corner. I have decided to read book two and three since they are out and I really, really want to see each brother find his HEA.
So we start with the traditional three brothers dealing with a curse. I don’t know why there are three but it seems to be a popular plot device so I rolled with it. Fallon the oldest is a drunk; Lucan is the middle son and makes all the sacrifices; and then there is Quinn, the youngest and most out of control. All three are cursed to carry a demonic god that causes them to physically change to beast when they tap into the power. The demon possession started as a desperate action taken by Druids hundreds of years earlier to save Scotland from the Romans. They called up some gods from hell, had them possess their best warriors with murderous bloodlust. The plan worked until the Romans were gone but the bloodlust remained and they couldn’t get the genie back in the box or hell however you want to look at it. To save themselves, the Druids bound the gods to remain dormant inside the warriors. Well that worked but what no one expected was that the children and future generations would inherit the demons. As it turns out, the demons seek the strongest from the original clans to host them when their host dies. Since all three brothers were very strong, their one demon was split amongst them. This was unusual because it’s pretty much one demon per person. The brothers would turn completely black, eyes and all.
There were a few tricky plot elements such as the fact that the Druids had two factions -- good earth worshipping ones and blood thirsty human sacrificing ones. Once you sort out that part of it, the rest fits nicely. There is an evil nemesis named Deidre that wants to dominate the world by controlling the demons within the warriors. She uses the spell to unbind the demons within the warriors then tortures them until they let their evil side rule. Deidre is cookie cutter bad guy with a few original traits that make interesting. She is obsessed with recapturing the brothers for her own sick ends. She had them once and unbound their gods making them immortal and violent. The brothers escaped and eventually found ways to live with their demon gods. They have remained hidden for 300 years from Deidre in their former castle which now is mostly ruins. They couldn’t really fix it up ‘cause then everyone would know they were hiding there for 300 years. Yeah, that was hard to swallow. I swear -- no one looked for them there. The heroine’s name is Cara and as expected, she has issues. She stumbles on the middle brother Lucan and we have the expected ‘instant love’ scenario. The two along with the brothers battle Deidre and her horde. It might sound boring but it was very engaging.
I fell hard for these characters and their plight for happiness and to escape the lonely isolated existence they came to accept as the only way to survive. That was the best part of it for me in spite of the missing kilts and brogue. These characters could have been from any time period or continent especially with their names. So three stars to Ms. Grant for a better than fair love story with hot sex and danger around every corner. I have decided to read book two and three since they are out and I really, really want to see each brother find his HEA.
August 14, 2015
Dangerous Highlander
3 Stars
Lucan MacLeod and his brothers are one of a number of immortal Highland warriors cursed by Druids to house evil ancient Gods. The MacLeod brothers struggle against the demons inside them and have shut themselves away in the ruins of their family keep. When Cara, a young woman from the nearby village, stumbles across their refuge, she sets off a chain of events that ignites a fierce war between good and evil in which the MacLeods will have to conquer their fears in order to survive.
A compelling premise with likable characters. Unfortunately, the romance fails to live up to its potential.
While there is nothing wrong with either Lucan or Cara per se, there is simply nothing about them that evokes any real interest or caring in their relationship. As the middle brother, Lucan spends a great deal of time fretting over his brothers (Fallon who copes by consuming large amounts of alcohol and Quinn who is losing the battle with his demon) both of whom are far more intriguing than their anxious sibling.
Although Cara is a sweet heroine, she is also overly trusting and naive, and exhibits quite a few TSTL traits. Moreover, the details of her mysterious background and abilities are underdeveloped and underutilized.
Lucan and Cara also lack the chemistry that would turn their otherwise lackluster romance into a scorching page turner.
The world building is much more appealing. The dichotomy between the warriors and their demons is reminiscent of Gena Showalter’s Lords of the Underworld series. However, the internal struggle is barely touched upon and the extent of the demon’s influence on the warrior is never fully realized.
All in all, an OK historical romance with a paranormal twist. The overall storyline and secondary characters are interesting enough to continue with the series.
3 Stars
Lucan MacLeod and his brothers are one of a number of immortal Highland warriors cursed by Druids to house evil ancient Gods. The MacLeod brothers struggle against the demons inside them and have shut themselves away in the ruins of their family keep. When Cara, a young woman from the nearby village, stumbles across their refuge, she sets off a chain of events that ignites a fierce war between good and evil in which the MacLeods will have to conquer their fears in order to survive.
A compelling premise with likable characters. Unfortunately, the romance fails to live up to its potential.
While there is nothing wrong with either Lucan or Cara per se, there is simply nothing about them that evokes any real interest or caring in their relationship. As the middle brother, Lucan spends a great deal of time fretting over his brothers (Fallon who copes by consuming large amounts of alcohol and Quinn who is losing the battle with his demon) both of whom are far more intriguing than their anxious sibling.
Although Cara is a sweet heroine, she is also overly trusting and naive, and exhibits quite a few TSTL traits. Moreover, the details of her mysterious background and abilities are underdeveloped and underutilized.
Lucan and Cara also lack the chemistry that would turn their otherwise lackluster romance into a scorching page turner.
The world building is much more appealing. The dichotomy between the warriors and their demons is reminiscent of Gena Showalter’s Lords of the Underworld series. However, the internal struggle is barely touched upon and the extent of the demon’s influence on the warrior is never fully realized.
All in all, an OK historical romance with a paranormal twist. The overall storyline and secondary characters are interesting enough to continue with the series.
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