Conquered by a Highlander

Children of the Mist #4

by Paula Quinn

BOUND BY DUTY

Colin MacGregor was born to fight--for his beliefs, his king, and his family's honor. After years away from his beloved Scotland, he yearns to return to its lush, green hills--and he can, after he completes one final mission for the king. Sent to infiltrate a traitor's home, Colin is determined to expose the treasonous plot and triumph on the battlefield...until he meets a sensual lass who tempts him towards other pursuits...

BETRAYED BY PASSION

Lady Gillian Dearly is no stranger to temptation. Cast out of her family for bearing an illegitimate child, she's now the ward of a barbarian conspiring against the king. Her only desire: freedom for her son and for herself at any cost, even if it means making a deal with the devil. Yet when a mysterious Highlander appears in their midst, his raw strength and smoldering gaze give her hope for a future beyond the castle walls--and promise a desire unlike any she's ever known. But passion comes at a price...

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Audiobook, Historical Fiction, Scotland, Medieval

353 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 24, 2015

About the author

Paula Quinn is a NY Times and USA Today bestselling author of medieval, Scottish historical, and paranormal romance. To date, four of her books have garnered a starred review from Publishers Weekly. She has been nominated for Storyteller of the year by RT Book Reviews and every one of her books from the Children of the Mist series have garnered Top Picks from RT Book Reviews. Check out her series, Hearts of the Highlands featuring the brave, romantic MacPhersons on Amazon now!
Also, look for her new time-travel series Echoes In Time coming soon!

Reviews

[Duchess Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite of the series so far, by leaps and bounds! Colin MacGregor has captured my heart!

I'm a sucker for a romance with kids involved, especially when a big, strong tough guy is laid low by a woman and her tiny kid. Colin MacGregor, the fierce and mighty warrior, spy for the English King, was certainly felled by Gillian and her son Edmond!

As the story opens, we meet up with Colin again. (all character pics are from Paula's website)

Last we knew of him, he had just joined King James English army and already had a fierce demeanor...this guy was gung ho all the way to fight and lead! Now he has traveled to Dartmouth Castle as a spy, in search of information that will help smash the rebellion and attempted usurper of the James enemy.



When he gets to his destination, he finds a castle filled with foul, stinking, lazy men who are supposedly the fighters for the enemy. This men are pigs, and yet among them all, there is Lady Gillian.


She is quiet and proud, though she is treated like garbage because she had a son out of wedlock. Banished from her home by her father, she was sent to live at Dartmouth with her cousin. But her cousin is the traitor that Colin was sent to uncover, and the way that he treats Gillian only makes Colin grow more distasteful of him. Gillian needs to be on constant guard from the men at Dartmouth, but most especially her cousin, who takes every opportunity to shame her in front of the men, and continually threatens the life of her son, Edmond, if she will not cave to his attentions. There's never quite so hateful a character than a man who abused women and children, and as Colin continually places himself between Gillian and her cousin, his attraction for this strong woman grows until he can't hide it any more.

This is so much more than the normal Highland romance...this was true passion...not only sexual, although my goodness, the heat level in Quinn's books is awesome!! But a passion for living a full life filled with people who respect and love you, the passion for your children that only a mother can feel, and the passion of a man who is turning his back on every belief he's ever known because of a woman and child.

This author, this series are fantastic, but this one outshines the rest for this reader! For any reader of Highland historical romance, I can't recommend this author enough. I will definitely be snatching up anything this lady can throw at me!!

[KristenReviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 EXCELLENT STARS!!!

I loved, loved, loved this book!!! It's by far my FAVORITE of the series thus far! Simply excellent!!!

Review to come.

[Mslvoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gilliand & Edmund has been hidden away in Dartmouth Castle

I love this book! Absolutely love it!!! I will say this book was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!! I love Colin. I love how Paula writes history in her books. It's wonderful. My GR friend, Carolyn loved him too! She says 'Paul is very good with her history and I, too, love how she weaves it into the story.' I second this!

It's so sad to see the series end, but Paula promised that more MacGregors are coming and I can't wait for Highland Heirs series.

I love this beautiful picture of Dartmouth Castle in Paula Quinn's website

[♡Karlyn P♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5! This may be my favorite book in this series so far. I love a romance where the relationship slowly develops from more than just lust, but also from respect, friendship, and admiration. This was that kind of romance.

Both Colin and Lady Gillian had much to hide, and much at stake if their secrets are revealed. I normally don't like when the H/h keeps a lot of secrets from each other, but in this book it made perfect sense. I liked everything about the plot, and enjoyed each time more and more was revealed to each other. As a reader, I knew once they realized they were both trying to thwart her evil cousin the passion would explode between them. Ahhh, loved it.

Overall, a great romance story with some great characters and a fascinating plot that kept me glued. The 'heat' comes a bit late, but I didn't mind at all as the romance was always a big part of the story. It's books like these that make me such a sucker for highlander romances. Sure, they're a bit 'modern' in language and ideals, but toss in a hot, hunky highlander hero like Paula Quinn writes and I'll forgive any of these minor historical inaccuracies.

[BookLover · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was a bit of a slow build for me, but Colin and Gillian story totally won me over. It wasn't just their love story that sucked me into this book, but Colin's relationship with Edmond, Gillian's son. I swear I fell in love with Colin once he started interacting with the little boy.

This has been a very enjoyable series!

[Christine Kallner · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from GoodReads' FirstReads program and this review is long overdue!

I was really torn between 2 and 3 stars for this book, but settled on 2 because it really was just OK. Not terrible or awful, but not good or great either. In fairness, this is not my usual type of book and I'm sure there are many fans of Paula Quinn who would grant this 4 or 5 stars and I totally respect that, it's just really not really for me. I was hoping it would be and entered the FirstReads contest because I adore all things Scottish, am an avid reader of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander books, and was looking to try a different author with a similar setting. When all is said and done though, this book cannot hold a candle to Outlander.

I have to admit I nearly put this one down altogether. It took me a long time to really get into the story and the language nearly drove me mad! The dialogue read much like a novel set in the modern day would except with words like "'twas" and "mayhap" here and there. When I got to a sentence that started "Mayhap 'twas..." I nearly threw the book up in frustration. To me, it just felt like such a forced way to try to evoke another time period. The only real comparison I have is the Outlander books, but those are written with heavy Scottish dialogue that managed to feel much more authentic and add to the story instead of detract from it. I'll give credit where credit is due though, and when the Scottish men are talking in this novel, they do use words like "aye" and "lass" and their dialogue flows much better, without being so distracting.

My other main criticism of the book was that we spent a LOT of pages rehashing how Colin is a big tough warrior and he can't believe he's letting a woman and her son get under his skin and soften his heart. You're a Scottish brute with a heart of gold and you're showing a side of you no one has seen before - OK, OK, I get it! I get. Really.

For any fans of steamy romance looking forward to the "good stuff" know that it takes a real long time to get to there. And then WHAM all of a sudden you can't believe things have progressed so quickly. Colin is putting something in all the other men's drinks to knock them out so he can steal away to a cave with his lady Gillian. He proceeds to go down on her and then walks away to the mouth of the cave and jerks off at a distance. At which point, I was left thinking "WTF, did that really just happen?!" I don't know, it just seemed to all happen really slow, then really fast, and then things went just a bit odd. To each his own, I suppose, but I can totally respect that he was trying not to get the poor woman pregnant.

Onto more mundane things, it's also important to note this book is part of a series. I'd heard it's not necessary to read the previous novels first and I definitely would agree that is true. I imagine readers who've been with the series from the beginning would appreciate this later volume more, but I had no problem following the story without having read any of the earlier books.

If you're looking for a quick romantic read, this is certainly not a bad book. If you're already a fan of Paula Quinn, please just ignore me because I'm sure you will like this one as well. But, if you're an Outlander fan and looking for another Scottish book you'll enjoy just as much, I'm afraid you'll likely be disappointed.

[Ezi Chinny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boy, I sure missed a good highlander romance book.

“He would help her. He would be her champion. He was all she had left. His heart would let him do nothing else.”

Colin MacGregor is a general in King James of England’s army. He is also a spy for the crown. Colin was sent to infiltrate the army of Earl of Essex, who was loyal to William of Orange. This fight was for power, and it also had religious undertones as William of Orange was a Protestant and King James was Catholic.
Colin pretends to be a mercenary and quickly gains a position in the army of Earl Geoffrey’s army. There he notices Geoffrey’s cousin & ward, Lady Gillian Dearly, who has been sent there as a punishment for having a child out of wedlock.
Colin quickly realizes that this growing attraction to Lady Gilliam would compromise his mission for King James. But as a soldier he has sworn fealty to the King and must carry out his duty as emotion stoic as possible.
In the end, he has to make a choice between his heart and his king.

This story has all the things that I love in a historical romance. It is simple, it is predictable, but it tugs at your heart strings regardless. Gillian was a likable heroine. She possessed internal fortitude and she seemed to be a good judge of character. Her ability to take a leap of faith resulted in her gaining everything she ever wanted. Colin was an endearing hero. Anyone who takes time to notice and play with children is a winner in my book. I just felt for little Edmund. A war camp is no where a little 3 year old boy, but Colin did all he could to bring a smile to the little boy’s face, as well as mine.

I liked that this story wasn’t full of torrid sex, but sensual and tame lovemaking. It fit Gillian & Colin’s character. They were not in a place where they could just give into their passions and let go. They had to always be cautious and perceptive. So their time together was somewhat reserved until Colin could make his decision.

I couldn’t put this book down and it was thoroughly enjoyable. Unfortunately Conquered by a Highlander is the fourth and final novel in Paula Quinn's Children of the Mist Scottish romance series. I have read somewhere that there will be a spin-off from this series. So that is good news. If you love those historical romance novels with Scottish heroes, then this is the book for you. It is an engaging read and you will be satisfied with the conclusion.

Preceding books in order:
Book 1: Ravished by a Highlander
Book 2: Seduced by a Highlander
Book 3: Tamed by a Highlander


***e-arc provided by Netgalley***

[Amarilli 73 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Premetto subito di aver iniziato il nuovo capitolo di questa serie di Paula Quinn un po' titubante: se "Stregata da un highlander" mi era piaciuto molto, "Domare un Highlander" mi aveva invece delusa a causa di una trama sfilacciata.
Però ero altrettanto curiosa di vedere com'era stato sviluppato il personaggio di Colin MacGregor che, rispetto ai suoi parenti, è quello più schierato politicamente: addirittura un generale, al fianco di Giacomo Stuart, quando non opera come sicario reale in incognito.
Anche se col tempo egli è divenuto meno fiducioso nelle capacità del proprio sovrano, ha accettato di compiere un'ultima missione per eliminare il pericolo rappresentato da Guglielmo d'Orange, introducendosi in un castello nemico. Guglielmo sta per sbarcare e il padrone del maniero è colui che ha pianificato il voltafaccia di sette nobili inglesi per dargli appoggio.

In realtà i piani di Colin di scoprire i traditori vengono ben presto intralciati da una presenza femminile non prevista: Gillian ha avuto un figlio illegittimo ed è stata confinata dal padre presso il cugino, un tipo piuttosto viscido e debole. Anche se non stupido, va detto.
Sinora Gillian ha sempre resistito per amore di Edmund, un bimbetto vispo e delizioso, ma ormai la rete di menzogne e inganni sta per stringersi intorno a lei e ogni speranza sta per esaurirsi. E questo non dovrebbe costituire un problema di Colin, se non fosse che ragazza intrepida e frugoletto che chiede storie della buonanotte sono un binomio potente...

L'elemento che più ho apprezzato nel romanzo, al di là di come Gillian e suo figlio finiscano per dare fiducia a Colin (impresa assurdamente facile, trattandosi di un highlander ventenne con muscolo d'acciaio e occhi di ghiaccio), è il percorso intrapreso da lui stesso nel valutare il proprio ruolo: onorare l'incarico o proteggere i propri cari? Cattolici o anglicani?

La Quinn riesce a far trasparire bene l'angoscia di quel periodo, pervaso da continue guerre e cambio di poteri, dove l'ascesa di un monarca cattolico o di uno protestante poteva comportare, a seconda dei casi, il rovesciamento e lo sterminio di famiglie, casati e popolazioni etichettate come appartenenti ora all'una ora all'altra religione.
E, alla fine, al di là del potere e dell'onore, ciò che contano sono soprattutto gli affetti tra i membri del clan e la sicurezza di una vita ai margini del mondo ma comunque sicura e lontana dal sangue.

Credo questo sia il volume conclusivo della serie e un po' mi dispiace lasciare i MacGregor, ma l'ascesa di Guglielmo non poteva significare un miglioramento per loro: per fortuna l'autrice ci saluta imprimendoci nella memoria una bella immagine di fierezza e libertà.

[The Window Seat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Win Conquered by a Highlander! Interview with Paula Quinn and giveaway... http://thewindowseat13.blogspot.com/p...


Ok, to be honest, I sort of heaved a big aggravated sigh when I choose to review this book. I always loved all the old Julie Garwood Highlander novels, but have never since found a really dependable Highlander author. For the most part, many of the books start the same. Someone is a spy (either the hero or the heroine) and the other one is hiding a secret that the spy has to figure out. Once the spy is revealed, trust is betrayed, and a Big Plot Device intercedes between the couple.

Well, as I began reading Conquered by a Highlander, all I could think was, "Here we go again!" Colin MacGregor is a Highlander who is a spy for King James of England. James's daughter, Devina, is Colin's sister-in-law. Colin is determined to figure out who is betraying Colin to William of Orange. As Colin arrives at the Earl of Essex's castle, he is hiding his identity and acting the role of the mercenary. Once there, he sees the beautiful cousin of the Earl, the Lady Gillian. The Lady Gillian is the mother of the illegitimate child, Edmund, and she is, of course, hiding secrets. Once again, I thought. Secret identities, betrayals, political intrigue...why does every Highland novel now sound the same?

And then... it happened.

For the full review, please go to http://thewindowseat13.blogspot.com/2...

[Jocelin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars "graded on a curve"

I was really looking forward (and sad) to reading the last book in the Children of the Mist series. I really enjoyed the others but, this one I really didn't care for the leads. The main characters Gillian & Colin were just ok. I didn't feel a real spark of romance between them and they seemed like they were forced together. The issue with Edmund (Gillian's son) in the book was a little trying and it got to be annoying towards the end of the book. He was cute, but his mom made me wish he was not in the book. Out of all the MacGregor children I would say that Colin is the dullest.
Why after all this did I give this book a 3 star. One reason, is because the writing is still top-notch. Paula Quinn can still craft a story that you want to see to the end. I love how at the end of the story she gives you a brief insight to the other siblings and their growing families. She also wrote a brief summary of her feelings toward her COTM subjects. I thought it was sweet and she gave us a taste of her next series "Highland Heirs". They will feature the grandchildren of Callum "The Devil" & Kate MacGregor. Looking forward to this new series. Although, I still wish there was one more story about Robert MacGregor (awesome Highlander).

[Debra Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much! It was a great ending for the series. I have been waiting for Colins story to unfold ever since first meeting him during " Ravished " , the first book of the series. Such a badass. I just knew that Ms. Quinn would save his story for the grand finale. Since the start of this series Colin has been devoted to the King. Dedicated to his cause. Maybe just a little blinded to the Kings faults? He has slowly become disillusioned with King James yet he remains loyal even after the King threatens the woman & child he has come to love. Colin deserves a very special lady for his own. Gillian was an exceptional heroine .... an unwed mother unrepentant in her love for her child. It was very endearing to see Colin fall in love with Gillian & her young son. I think he may have loved the boy from the start. The author also revisited all of the beloved characters from each of the previous books in the series. Rob is now the Clan chief of thè MacGregors. Connor & Tristan make appearances as well as their respective wives. A very fitting tribute to end this beloved series. As always, extremely well written. This author pays attention to historical detail without giving us a history lesson. Paula Quinn is the epiteme of a romance novelist. She definitely saved the best for last. I thought that Connor & Maires story was my favorite but Colins story was far & above my favorite. I am saddened to see this series come to an end. However, Ms. Quinn hints that there will be more Macgregor books to come. Possibly a new series with the next generation of MacGregors & their loves. After all, that is how this series came to be. It all started with Callum MacGregor in " Laird of the Mist " & Graham Grant in " A Highlander never Surrenders " . With this series Paula Quinn gave me the three most important details that I personally require in a romance novel... Alpha males, Romance, & an ongoing series where I can become invested in the characters that I meet. This was my very favorite book of the series. It hooked me from the first sentence. I could not put it down until after 3 am . Huzzah! Ms. Quinn. Huzzah! Can't wait to see what you have in store for me next.

[Jen Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are two things that are important to Colin MacGregor: his clan and his job as an agent of the king. Both play a role in his latest mission. He must infiltrate the home of a traitor and uncover his plans. Geoffrey is part of conspiracy to help overthrow the pro-Catholic king to put a protestant sympathizer on the throne. Colin needs to find out who is aligning with Geoffrey and what the king needs to do secure his interests. After all, the MacGregors are Catholic and a protestant king would make them targets. Colin ingratiates himself with Geoffrey and his men under an alter-ego... one willing to fight for their cause.

As soon he arrives at Dartmouth, Colin meets Geoffrey's cousin Gillian. She has been banished to her cousin's custody to raise her bastard son away from her noble family. She puts up a brave face but she is miserable. Geoffrey hates her son and he wants her in his bed. Only her guard George keeps her and young Edmund safe --not only from Geoffrey, but all of his men who lust after her.

The relationship between Colin and Gillian develops very, very slowly. He really falls for her son before he falls for her. And that is important because that little boy is her everything. It was very sweet, but it took forever for these two to so much as kiss. Too long. In fact, I felt the urge to skim a little, though mostly it was because of all the political stuff wrapped up in the story. I had a hard time keeping up with who all the players were and honestly, I didn't really care. I just wanted the damn romance to happen.

I did like the characters. Colin is a strong and capable Highlander whose heart softens beautifully for Edmund. Gillian is a strong woman, who does whatever is necessary to protect her child. Like I said, likeable and sweet, though not very hot. There's a little bit of lovin' toward the end, but not much.

Geoffrey makes a good villain. And I like that he is smarter than he appears. I also liked George, who had his own morality and loyalties.

I should point out that this is book four in Paula Quinn's Children of the Mist series. But it works just fine as a standalone.

Rating: C+

*ARC Provided by NetGalley

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, Paula Quinn has conquered me with her books. The last installment of the Children of the Mist cemented its place in my heart rather quickly. Colin is our true hero, with his goals in mind and his path clear before him. Gillian is a strong, determined female trying to make the best of her situation for her son. Edmund is an adorable little boy and Gates is a real friend. Watching Colin slowly begin to fall for Gillian and Edmund is fascinating. His hell bent desire to focus on his war and doing what he came there to do crumbles piece by piece as his heart comes to life for the first time. It warmed my heart watching him lose himself first to Edmund then to his mother. Gillian is by far one of my favorite females. She's so strong and willing to do whatever it takes for the one piece of joy in her life, and later she holds nothing back when it comes to her love and desire for Colin. I laughed out loud every time Colin made a comment about how soft all his brothers and father have become, all the while slowly losing his battle not to turn into them. Needless to say when he plucks a flower from the grass I was smiling like a fool. It was a lovely story of how they two of them came together and fought against it all to make a life for themselves, happy in love and safe in Camlochlin.

While I'm sad to see the Children of the Mist go, I do look forward to Highland Heirs. I know the next generation is going to be just as fun, strong, and mischievous as this one! And i know that Paula Quinn will once again present us with dashing heroes, strong females and lots of love and laughter to fill the Highlands.

[Sijing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colin, my boy!!! Another stoic, "I'm a cold-hearted bastard" type but I'm not mad about it. I was on tenterhooks the whole time wondering when they were gonna get out and be safe!!! It takes like 75% of the book the get there because Colin has to convince himself love is real lol. I loved the scenes of Colin and Edmund together (though Edmund's supposed to be 3? He really came off as more of a 5 or 6yo). Poor Gillian was really stuck in a bad situation, but she remained strong and defiant and always thinking of Edmund, which is admirable. I wish there had been any epilogue! The ending was kind of...abrupt? Like all was resolved but I would've really liked to see a bit of how Colin, Gillian, and Edmund settled in as a family, maybe a scene of Edmund calling Colin his father.

Didn't like what James became but I suppose that's in keeping with the real history? Not quite sure, but the more I read Highlander novels the more interested I am in Scottish/Highlander history, aha. The only way to get me interested in history, tbh.

[Arya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not even ONE thing pissed me off about this book, and this is so rare that I don't know if it's ever happened before.
BEAUTIFULLY written characters. Not one freaking flaw in the writing. How much you like it or not will depend upon you personally, but there weren't any mistakes. No giant inconsistencies or overdone macho-ness or every other bullshit that every other book has.
My favorite main characters were the hero: Colin, the heroin: Gillian, her protector: Gates, and her adorable son: Edmund. They were each written so carefully, realistically, and consistently, it was incredible.
Unique plot. I did not find it to be super predictable or boring at all. I realized that I was halfway through the book and nothing significant had happened between the hero and the heroine and I was still very much interested.

I will say that there could have been more chemistry or just more conversation between the hero and heroin. It was still perfect though.

[Izzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg the feels. I remember why I adore this Camlochlin seriesverse. Quinn is the mother of Highlander romance.
Kinda disappointed that the King became villainous...just when I thought I'd finally found a series with a decent king, but no. People with power have a penchant for becoming stone cold murderers *sigh*
But turning to nicer matters, what a darling Edmund is sooooo cute and cherub like.
Ridiculously smug that Gillian got to stab the little coward of a cousin too.
And Colin is such a sweetheart inside. All these MacGregors and Grants are darlings and so hot and manly with their swords (in both sense of the word) it's too good to be true! If only....

[Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Novel received courtesy of Goodreads.com giveaway

I absolutely LOVED this story and will be looking for all the others in the series. I've loved historical fiction for as long as I can remember and this was so well-researched and well-written that I couldn't put it down! The MacGregor clan and the English people of the time were written spot on. Such characters were written by an author with a true heart for the time. I can't wait to find the rest of the books!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book in the "Children of the Mist" series by Paula Quinn. Well done continuation of the Highland clan from Skye. I've been listening to this series via audio book and I highly recommend it. The dialogue and accents bring the story to life in a way that straight reading wouldn't be able to.
If you are a fan of historical romance, you should pick this book/series up.
Happy Reading...enjoy!

[Teshai · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I could give it 6 stars I would. This is my favourite story so far. For him to bring along Gates and all his kin?! Wow, Colin is the man.

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5. 🧑‍🧑‍🧒
“No more threats, Geoffrey.” She shoved her hand into the fold of her skirts, produced her dagger, and without pause in her breath, jammed the blade into his side.
“Only cowards make them,” she murmured, stepping away from him when he crumpled to his knees. “And I am done with being one.”

[Jordan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has secret identity, mother and child, and spy elements. The heroine was a bit unreasonable here and there, but was otherwise decent. The story didn't grab me as much as I'd like, but I was still entertained.

[Dottie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely a keeper! Taken from my review at RomanceJunkies.com:

Colin MacGregor is a general in King James’ army. He was born to fight and relished it, but in the past three years, most of his battles had been political ones, not born in the battlefield. His wits were as sharp as his blade. However, lately he had begun to have doubts in the king, whose thirst for power was poisoning his actions. Still Colin would carry out his mission. He would once more use the name Colin Campbell and infiltrate Dartmouth Castle. For years, he has been away from Scotland and longs to return there, but first, he has this last mission he must complete for the king. All of the information he has gathered from secret correspondence between England and Prince William led to Dartmouth Castle and Geoffrey Dearly, Earl of Devon and lord of Dartmouth. Upon his arrival, he spotted a beautiful woman up in the turrets and silently watched her for a few moments, not knowing why this particular woman seemed to affect him. Representing himself as a mercenary, Colin managed to infiltrate the castle.

Lady Gillian Dearly, Geoffrey’s cousin and the daughter of the Earl of Essex, was allowed to roam about unescorted for fear that she would be abducted by one of her cousin’s hired mercenaries. However, most of the men were too afraid of Captain Gates, who protected her, to do anything. Gillian had been guilty of falling in love and getting pregnant. She now has a three-year-old son, Edmund, who was born out of wedlock. Afterwards, her father had sent her to live with her cousin Geoffrey, since he was the only one who would take her in. However, Geoffrey has ulterior motives. He desires to have Gillian in his bed, but knows that unless he wed her first, he would make an enemy out of her father. Geoffrey does not lose a chance to taunt Gillian about her illegitimate child and his plans for her. He would like nothing better than to have the child killed and out of the picture. But he knows that Gillian would kill him in his sleep. Edmund is the reason she lives and breathes. She would do anything for him and take any abuse to keep him safe. All she longs for is to get away from Dartmouth Castle with her son and to never give into a man again. But she must bide her time. Even her father will have nothing to do with his grandson. Still that is fine, as she needs no one but Edmund to be happy. She has been writing to Prince William in the hopes that she can talk him out of giving her to Geoffrey in wedlock.

As Colin keeps an eye on Geoffrey, who is conspiring with Prince William against the king, he feels more and more protective of Gillian, who suffers much under the guardianship of her cousin. He is also drawn towards her little son, who sees in Colin the friend he so desperately longs for. His whole life has been built around battle and political maneuvers, but suddenly he sees his focus changing. Gillian tempts him as no other woman has ever done.

Watching how tenderly the brawny, mysterious highlander treats her son, and the passion in his eyes when he looks at her, she finds herself falling in love. But she knows all too well the cost of passion. Dare she hope for a future outside of the walls of Dartmouth Castle with this man she has come to love, or is he just using her for his own purposes?

A fast-paced tale, CONQUERED BY A HIGHLANDER, the fourth book in award winning author Paula Quinn’s CHILDREN OF THE MIST series, will captivate you from the very first page. Open this book and get carried away into the lush Scottish Highlands with brawny highlanders and the feisty woman who love them. The tender love that Colin feels for Gillian’s young son Edmund will capture your heart, as will the love between mother and son. Brimming with passion, humor, danger, suspense, clever banter, hunky highlanders, romance and a once-in-a-lifetime love, this story is unforgettable and an absolute keeper. Do not miss it! Although it is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone. But for further enjoyment, do not miss the other books in this exciting series; RAVISHED BY A HIGHLANDER, SEDUCED BY A HIGHLANDER and TAMED BY A HIGHLANDER.

Dottie, RomanceJunkies.com

[Kristin Anders · Rating 4 out of 5]

Conquered by a Highlander rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Children of the Mist series rating: 6 stars

Though Conquered is part of a series, it reads as a stand alone story with fulfilling character appearances from previous books.

How are the sex scenes?

A couple descriptive ones, the rest are behind closed doors.

How are the story lines?

Great. Detailed and historically accurate with character appearances from previous novels.

Would you read it again?

I plan to read this entire series again.


Summary

Conquered by a Highlander is the fourth and final novel in Paula Quinn's Children of the Mist Scottish romance series. Preceded by three emotionally charged, historically driven novels (and the two book MacGregor series) Conquered debuted in May 2012 with high romantic expectations.

If I do blog so myself, Mrs. Quinn was more than up to the challenge.

By 1688's standards, Camlochlin's very own Colin MacGregor is a grown man at twenty-two years and he's ready and willing to continue the fight for the Catholic king to keep the throne. Colin infiltrates an enemy's army and befriends many foul smelling creatures - I mean, men - to collect information for the crown.

He didn't count on Lady Gillian Dearly...

The cousin to the enemy and mother of illegitimate, four-year-old Edmund. At nineteen Lady Gillian has been cast out from her family and sent to hide behind the walls of her cousin's home. Did you say nineteen? Why, yes I did. That would mean she was fifteen when she... Why yes it does. That young? It is historically accurate, but feel free to call Teen Mom.

Torn between his loyalty to England and his growing desire for the bonny lass and her endearing son, Colin must make character defining choices that affect their future and the future of his clan. Though we all know the ending - I pretty much enjoyed the journey getting there.

Pretty much? Well, yes.

Review

Though Paula Quinn delivered yet again with superb writing skills, well defined characters and historically accurate facts, Colin and Gillian just didn't tug my heart strings like Tristan and Isobel did (Quinn's Seduced by a Highlander, book #2). There wasn't enough resistance between the couple. Yes, Gillian's evil cousin was threatening her son, but Quinn had already revealed that the cousin would never harm the child so Gillian and Colin's reason for staying apart fell flat; and

The first intimate scene burst out of left field and without the characters discussing it, or even giving the event consideration through inner dialogue. Maybe it was too planned...read it and let me know your thoughts. Aha - yes I did just tell you to buy this book.

Despite the two minimal complaints, Conquered is a great read and up to par with Rob and Davina's story (Quinn's Ravished by a Highlander, book #1).

Do not consider this review a failure for Conquered, but a supreme achievement for Seduced and Quinn's Children of the Mist series as a whole. Conquered is a good, solid love story that is heads above the competition. The Children of the Mist series is one of the best historical romance stories I have read. Ever.

Don't overlook Conquered. Read the entire series and thank me later.

See the review and websites for Paula Quinn (along with her books in order) here.

[Christina T · Rating 3 out of 5]

While reading this book I unintentionally kept comparing Monica McCarty's Highland Guard series to this book. Comparing the two series was actually not fair to either author. Although both series are about warring Highlanders this particular series is set some 300 years later than McCarty's. This book in particular, set in 1688, focuses on the characters more than the historic setting. For someone like me, who is more character driven, it should have been a home run. So why after several weeks of thinking about did I lower my rating from 4 stars to 3.5?

For multiple reasons actually...

1) Although I do not like insta-love I don't care for the flip side either. The slow progression towards the lovey dovey outcome made for an equally slow progressing book. As a reader I was moving from chapter to chapter waiting for something to happen being a bit disappointed each time. In addition to the slow romance, the promised fighting action took forever to reach it's climax also. A big battle was hinted at throughout the book and, unfortunately, happened off camera, so to speak.

2) When the I Love Yous were admitted the book continued for another 700 pages. A bit of an exaggeration but you get the idea. There were misunderstandings to resolve, a battle (we didn't witness) to fight, and a reunion to happen. Yet, when all was said and done, I felt I missed something. Some sort of epic momentous declaration in front of God and Scotland about how Gillian was the only woman Colin would ever want and maybe a wedding. I kind of feel that since I had to read another 1200 pages after the I Love Yous I should have got a wedding out of the deal.

3) Why didn't Colin have any issue with Gillian having a baby out of wedlock? In 1688 I'm not sure any man would have taken a fallen woman and her child in as their beloved. Maybe that is why there was no wedding. Perhaps, Colin made Gillian his mistress! Probably not as this is a romance and those things don't smack of HEAs.

The good stuff: I know I said a few things that could be deal breakers for some I do have to say that over all I did like this book. I liked Gillian and her precarious position. I liked her champion/guard George. I thought Geoffry made for an excellent villain (one which proved to be quite smart). And Gillian's son Edmond is precious. I enjoyed the women from Colin's homeland. I liked that this book works well as a standalone even though it is book 4 in Children of the Mist series. But I think what I loved best about this book was not the characters nor the plot but the dedication at the beginning of the book...

"To my beloved... Until we meet again in the sweet hereafter. I love you."


In a Nutshell: Despite the issues I had with this book I still found it to be a decent historical read. Heavy on the character, light on the plot. I'd not recommend this book to just anyone but those who are character driven, like myself. Do not compare this series to the Highland Guard series. Read it and enjoy it based strictly on it's own merits. Oh and I also think that Paula Quinn is grossly over looked when it comes to historical romances. I don't think this particular book is a good one to recommend but I totally recommend her as an author and implore y'all to pick one of her books up.

[Farrah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review also appears on my blog at http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspo...

Delightful romance and endless thrills...
Conquered by a Highlander was sweet, suspenseful, and near perfect.

First of all, I really admired Gillian. She was betrayed by the man she thought she loved and had a bastard child. Her father sent her to live with her creepy cousin as punishment. But, though it all, she was brave. She sacrificed her dignity daily to keep her son, Edmund, safe, she swallowed her pride constantly, and yet she was still strong. It was very admirable. She was careful when she fell in love with Colin, but not stubborn. And she was able to trust him and the most important time, when he saved both her and her son's life. She's probably one of the best romance heroines ever.

Colin was sweet. By his own admission, when he arrived he was a heartless warrior. But he never really was, not with how kind he was to little Edmund, not with how sweet he was to Gillian. After falling in love with Gillian, he put her above his duty to the king. Their romance was both sweet and steamy, though neither were overwhelming; just the right amount of each, I would say. I loved them together, and I was SO happy with their ending.

Little Edmund was so freaking adorable! Oh my goodness, I wanted to give the little cutie a hug to many times. He was just precious, the cutest little thing ever. I adored him. But he wasn't just a cute face that kept me smiling, he was also instrumental in bringing Gillian and Colin together. He grew fond of Colin immediately and insisted that Colin come with him and Gillian whenever they went somewhere. I was happy with how things ended for him; the poor boy deserved some happiness after living with Gillian's creep of a cousin.

That brings us to the very man. He was truly awful. He wants Gillian, as his wife and in his bed. He's been using Edmund to control Gillian, while treating both horribly. Dear god, I hated his guts. I was so glad when karma came to bite him in the butt. If anything, I think he deserved even worse than what he got. He was truly terrible, but the ideal antagonist.

The setting was outstanding. For one, the politics were flawless, and added some political intrigue to the tale, though it wasn't at center stage. But the castle where Gillian is trapped, that's the most impressive part. The picture was painted perfectly. I felt the very atmosphere, the stifling misery and oppressiveness. It was always lingering, never allowing me to forget Gillian's incarceration in the terrible place. I loved that feel and applaud the author for doing such a fantastic job with it.

The one complaint I have is the beginning. After Gillian and Colin met, things seem to kind of hit a stand-still for a while. The two were at an impasse, and the story refused to move on until they resolved it. It took longer than it should have, but once the story started up again, everything was perfect. It wasn't a massive problem, and I was able to forget it once I moved past the block, but it bothered me enough to merit mention.

But, otherwise, I loved this book. Conquered by a Highlander is brilliant, a wonderful story with fantastic characters and a perfect ending.

4/5

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy!

[Elis Madison · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fourth in the Children of the Mist series. It's still late Restoration England, the latter part of James II/VII's reign. The king has recently edged past the line between monarch and tyrant. Colin MacGregor (this is the brother of Mairi from the last story) joined the royal guard in the last story. He is now something of a spy as well, but he's starting to have his doubts about his king.

He's been sent to Dartmouth, to the keep of the Earl of Devon, who is believed to be in the thick of a plot by William of Orange to unseat James. Colin presents himself as a disenfranchised ex royal guardsman, who came to offer a little info about James' readiness, and a strong arm in the coming fight. The plan is for him to find out Devon's plans, and then call in his own men who wait nearby for a signal to attack. Every living person in this keep will die when the time comes.

Two of the living people in the keep are Gillian Dearly, the daughter of the Earl of Essex, and her little boy. She got knocked up by a commoner and when she refused to give up her baby, her father sent her to Devon. Devon can't seem to keep his slimy hands off the maidservants, but he's really tenting his justacorps for Gillian. When the conflict between William of Orange and James is over, he expects William will betroth him to Gillian as a reward (because noblemen in those days queued up to marry fallen women). Meanwhile he keeps her on a tight leash, and only two things keep him from anticipating the wedding night: First, there's Gillian herself—she might be forced to play nice with Devon because he threatens to banish her son if she doesn't, but she's also good with a dagger and she'll use it to keep what's left of her chastity. And second, there's Captain Gates—he's Devon's man, but he also stands ready to lop off the man-bits of anyone, including Devon, who messes with Lady Gillian. I'm not clear how either of those threats really works, since Devon holds the trump card, but conveniently, he's kept his man-bits under his own girly clothes thus far.

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Colin has an inconvenient attack of conscience when it comes to Gillian and her adorable boy, but he reminds himself regularly that he's a heartless SOB. He'll do what he must to advance the cause of his king no matter who gets trampled in the process.

So when push comes to shove, does Colin continue to serve his unjust king, or does he follow his heart? The answer isn't any great surprise.

This one deserves something between 3-4 stars. It's one of the better stories of the series if only because there are intrigues and danger mixed with the "loves-me-loves-me-not" angst. Still not one of Quinn's best, but definitely above the curve.

[Ronda Tutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful Story that Melts the Heart!

I'm In Awe as I think about this beautiful story. This is the second book I’ve read of Paula Quinn’s and I’m amazed at how her characters make you feel as if you've known them and lived in their world all your life – so down to earth, humorous bantering among-st each other, and their dedication to their families will sweep you away with sweet bliss. The MacGregor Highlanders is a clan full of fierce warriors for sure, but they are the most respectful, honorable, lovable, and sexiest swoon worthy men and women that readers will not be able to resist falling in love with.

The writing is so smooth and visionary that the author will have you feeling the emotions of not only the highlanders but the intense and furious feelings of the enemy’s passion for power and destruction for their cause.

I loved General Colin’s and Lady Gillian’s story. Colin MacGregor is a man who’s only love most of his life is battling and fighting a war to protect his family from losing their freedoms and rights – that is until he meets Gillian and her beautiful son Edmund. I think what I loved most about Colin besides him being a sexy highlander is that he fell in love with Gillian’s son before he realized he was in love with her. That he accepted Gillian and her son regardless of her having a child out of wed lock. He was the perfect hero to rescue her and give her the dreams she so desired.

Lady Gillian was a strong woman and determined not to be broken by her cousin just because she had a child of wed lock. She was no one whore and no matter how much her cousin rudely embarrassed her and mocked her she kept her head held up high and fought back with her wits and in the end her whole being in order to protect her son. It was so beautiful to see her fall in love with Colin and learn to trust a man again. Their erotic scenes were passionately tasteful sending a thrilling chill down my spine and making me want to melt as I curled my toes. 3 Flames

The secondary characters were so interesting that I wanted to know more about them and was really glad to see that Captain Gates (Gillian’s Guardian) and his family ended up moving to the highlands in the end to be with Colin and Gillian and be protected from the war between King James and Prince William.

The ending was a perfect tear jerk-er as Colin makes it back to the Highlands and gets greeted by Edmund the beautiful little boy running into his open arms with his mother Gillian right behind him. Yes I shed a tear as my heart thudded with excitement and was smiling at the same time. Such a great happy ending and I hugged the book with great satisfaction for Colin and Gillian’s start of the Happy Ever After.

Excellent Read!

[Kat ~ Forever Book Lover ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can find this review and more at Forever Book Lover.

I have been lucky enough to receive this book from the author, I have been anticipating Colin's story and I can tell you right off - it was AMAZING.

This book is everything I love in a story intrigue, romance, suspense and of course, my brawny highlanders. I love strong willed heroines, those that can stand up for themselves among self centered egotistical overpowering men. Lady Gillian Dearly, is a single unwed mother and also the daughter of the Earl. Upon the birth of her son, Edmund, the Earl banished her to live with her overpowering cousin, Lord Devon in Dartmouth.

As we learned in earlier books in the series, Colin is devouted to King. Colin comes to Darmouth under false pretense, he is spying for the king, he is going by the name of Colin Campbell. Lady Gillian lives for her 3-year-old son, Edmund. While at Darmouth, Colin befriends the boy, all the while he is ingratiating himself into the group of Devon’s men earning their trust and measuring their level of skill.

I love the way that Ms. Quinn, slowly built the romance between Colin and Gillian. It was important to see the bond between Colin and Edmund grow, the boy looking for a father figure and a man protecting and loving a boy that is not his own.

The battles are vivid and very descriptive, you can almost hear the clashing of the swords. Ms. Quinn spends the needed time to build the characters. I felt anguish for Colin as he suddenly has doubts and begins to question his loyalty to the man whom he fights for, the man who he is willing to die for. When he learns the King plans to do harm to the two people that Colin has come to love, that act threaten and strains his allegiance. It was nailing biting right until the end.

I will miss this series and have grown to see the children of the Laird of the Mist have their own stories and loves. I look forward to any future books Ms. Quinn scripts.

I want to thank the Paula Quinn for very kindly sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colin MacGregor believes in the mission of his King. He goes deep undercover to infiltrate one of the enemy’s home. The goal is to gather information about Prince William’s plans to over throne King James. However, his plans are derailed when he spots Gillian Dearly and her young babe, Edmund. The two are not a part of the plan and normally Colin never rule with his heart but each day that he spends around them, he realizes that sometimes he can’t act according to the plan.

Gillian is cast away by her father to her cousin’s home to raise her bastard child. Suffering endless berating from her cousin and threats to take her child away, an escape appears so far away. There are not many she can trust but when the silent and deadly mercenary enters the compound, she and her son takes to his strength.

Quinn pens a wonderful story of hope, betrayal and love with true historical events in the background. Of course, I knew that William takes the throne so I became curious to know how Quinn would turn the events out and she masterfully weave the tale of the character’s mission to reflect the actual times.

Gillian is a strong female character whose triumph is long awaited. Colin and Gillian romance brews slowly in the background. I eagerly went through the pages waiting to see if Colin’s identity would be discovered, how he would defeat Prince William and if he could save Gillian and Edmund. Yes, there is the “big” misunderstanding but Quinn doesn’t dwell on it and quickly moves past it, much to my satisfaction.

While Colin initially started off like every Highlander male (strong, brooding, fierce warrior, etc.), his affections towards Edmund shows a vulnerable and caring side to him. The friendship that takes place between the two is so sweet and earnest that I couldn’t help but to fall for him.

Paula Quinn writing continues to get better and she is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers for highlander romances. I recommend this book for those who have enjoyed the previous books in this series.

[Brittany B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
This story just didn't work for me, though I was delusional about who the heroine was throughout much of the book. (I thought Gillian was Judith from the end of Mairi and Connor's book. The names sounded alike. I know it's idiotic)

I felt like the story was incredibly restrained by the heroine's circumstances. Imprisoned by her family to live with a pervert psycho cousin, and completely entrenched in bringing down the king Collin serves, Gillian never grew on me. Her situation with her family never seemed remotely realistic. I hate when main characters who are all bad, like her cousin. He lacked depth, and was in nearly every scene. In contrast, in Tamed by a Highlander, the bad guy was both good and bad. He loved the heroine and there were obvious reasons for his dark side.
As for Gillian, she was not very well developed either. I liked her way better when I thought she was Judith, the sweet Lady in Waiting of the queen who had a massive infatuation for Collin. But when I realized she was just the character on the page, I was underwhelmed. Now let me say that in general, Paula Quinn does not write the most lovable heroines! I have only truly loved one them, out of 4 books, yet I have yet to give her books less than 3.4- 4 stars. I felt that Gillian was one dimensional.

I wasn't even wild about Collin in this book. I thought this book limited his personality. I like him, from every book in the series. He is the most interesting character, with the least interesting book... I was disappointed.

But... I will reread this book in a few months, to see if my preconceived notions of it spoiled the book. It's definitely possible my first impression screwed up my experience.

I admit this: I'm horrified that this series is over. I would pay for the audiobook publishing of her Laird of the Mist McGregor series!! I swear.

(If anyone wants to read it to me and send me the MP3, I would pay $$$. Lol I'm so spoiled and addicted to audiobooks it's sad! )