Любовная ловушка

Medieval Warriors Trilogy #3

by Heather Grothaus, Хизер Гротхаус

Юная англичанка Ивлин Годвин, бежавшая из монастыря, волею судьбы оказалась в суровых горах Шотландии. Она укрылась в заброшенном лесном домике, где ее и нашел суровый вождь клана Коналл Маккерик. Испугавшись, девушка солгала ему, что разыскивает своих родственников-шотландцев, однако ложь еще больше усложнила положение. Слишком поздно Ивлин поняла, что сама загнала себя в ловушку. Теперь ей предстоит стать женой Маккерика и родить ему наследника, ибо только так, согласно поверью, сможет она избыть проклятие, нависшее над древним шотландским кланом.

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

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Heather Grothaus has published twelve novels since 2006, which
have been translated into several foreign languages. She fell in love with
historical romance after reading a Kathleen E. Woodiwiss novel when she
was far too young to be doing so, and has since built a
reputation for crafting twisting adventures, laugh-out-loud dialogue, and
heart-wrenching emotion. When she’s not writing, she spends her time
gardening, listening to music, reading, and
watching Sherlock. She lives on a small farm in Kentucky with her family.

Reviews

[Zoe · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not sure how I finished the book because it was a really silly story. The writing was not so great with repeated usage of the same phrases over and over again. The hero and heroine crying out of nowhere m, abrupt actions of the characters make the book almost funny.

But I read on. It was not a chore to continue like most 2 stars books for me. Conrall and Eve both lied to each other. Their relationship started in a hut where they were isolated for a long time. Cone all decided to marry Eve because of a curse (yeah you heard me right). And he believed that it would lift the curse for his clan, who cares about the woman and her wishes? Let me beget a son by her. He was supposed to be an alpha male I suppose? (Aren't all highlanders supposed to be?) But he wasn't. He was superstitious and kind of weak in mind. I thought wow that's some caveman thinking.

Eve was a weird heroine too. She had a weird character, sometimes strong sometimes quite a ninny. She had her outbursts but she wasn't crazy mad, which saved her in my eyes. But her fears about birthing seemed really childish, the way it was portrayed. Her reactions to certain situations were TSTL. Overall, not a great heroine.

The whole who is the Buchanan child from Minerva thing was not well done. The old clam feud resulted from a forbidden love didn't really work for me. I lost track and interests in whatever the mystery was supposed to be resolved. Somehow Conrall and Eve could be together, that was the end.

[Katie(babs) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Evelyn Godewin has made a dangerous journey to Scotland with only an old Scottish woman by the name of Minerva Buchanan by her side. Evelyn escaped from England and the harsh priory she resided in at after her father's murder. There was nothing keeping her in England, and she accepted the invitation from Minerva to accompany her back to the land where she was born. Before they can reach a safe haven, Minerva succumbs to the after life, leaving Evelyn alone. But Evelyn is not alone, and those who watch her are out for her blood. Some wild wolves come upon her, and as Evelyn runs for her life, she ends up falling over the edge of a precipice where no one can hear her scream.

Conall MacKerrick is his highland clan's loyal chief, but his guidance cannot help his people. Not only is he trying to get over the death of his wife in childbirth, the sad conclusion to a pregnancy she never wanted, but he is trying to find a way to break a decade's old curse set upon his clan. There is no food to feed his people, and it looks as if the land is about to have its harshest winter ever. Conall makes his clan believe that he is leaving to look for game, but in actuality, he is going to beg forgiveness from Angus Buchanan, the brother of the woman who cursed his clan.

Conall is thrilled to come across his dead uncle's hunting lodge but is shocked to find a woman and a huge black wolf residing inside! Evelyn was able to save herself even though she was badly hurt. She also came across a black wolf that helped defend her against the grey wolves who wanted to kill her. Evelyn has a special trait where she can hear an animal's thoughts. Evelyn and Alinor, as she decides to name the wolf, find shelter in the abandoned lodge and try to recover from their wounds. Now that Conall has come, she is afraid he will harm her, even though he only wants shelter from the storm. And then when Evelyn tells a lie, that she is the niece of Minerva, a plan forms in Conall's mind. The one way to break the curse is to get her pregnant, and he decides he will try his best to do so.

As the winter storm overtakes the land and Evelyn's furry enemies lay in wait to taste her tender flesh, Conall and Evelyn come to terms with one another. They become friends in close quarters and finally lovers. But at what cost? Both have lied, and those lies may ruin their feelings for one another and help make the MacKerrick curse even stronger than before.

The final book in Heather Grothaus's Medieval Warriors Trilogy should not disappoint her fans in the least. Even though this was my first read by Grothaus, I found THE HIGHLANDER to be an engaging historical romance that has some great paranormal undertones, especially when it came to Evelyn reading the thoughts of the various animals she helps in the forest, and that of the spirit of Minerva herself who speaks to both Evelyn and Conall long after she has died.

The majority of the book focuses on Conall and Evelyn, but Alinor and some new animals Evelyn acquires are also important. These two are so untrusting of the other that it takes some lying on both their parts and some of Conall's charm in order for them to be at ease with one another. The lies told may dampen the enjoyment for some readers, but remember, through these lies, a wonderful love starts. And when those lies are found out, the intensity of the drama becomes even stronger. Things happen for a reason, and that sets into motion some important things.

Even though the majority of the action is between Conall and Evelyn, Conall's brother, Duncan, makes an appearance and becomes very important in the effort to break the curse himself. There is also Conall and Duncan's mother, who longs for both her sons to be married. And we certainly cannot forget Evelyn's newfound family that involves a crow, sheep, wolf and a mouse.

THE HIGHLANDER has some sweet and sexy moments along with some tension that leads to the mystery of the curse that becomes the focal point of the story. Longing for a good Scottish romance with a sexy highlander to tickle your fancy? Try Heather Grothaus's latest where you can find out if highland chiefs really do wear anything under their kilts.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third book in the Medieval Warriors Trilogy, and probably my favourite. No surprises there really when the hero is a loveable Highlander. I've really enjoyed this series. Quick and easy to read, I found this novel hard to put down.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good baby making parts..... betrayal and love! this was a good book!

[Mrs. Tobar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story...I love romances like this one.

[Clarice · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Evelyn Godewin turned down marriage to Nicholas FitzTodd to enter the church. She didn't know that she was not long for the church and that she would be leaving her home England as well. She was seeking out a new beginning. Yet fate has other plans in store for her when she is left stranded all alone in an unforgiving highland forest. To be hunted by wolves as winter is stating to set in. Seeking shelter in a abandoned cottage in the woods. Evelyn is thinking that she is alone, until Conall MacKerrick, Highland Chief, bursts into the cottage and accuses her of trespassing. Evelyn tells him a lie that she knows she will regrets one day. Much to Evelyn surprise, she finds herself falling in love with the highlander. Conall believes that his clan is under a curse. The he meets Evelyn, thinking she is the key to breaking the curse on his clan. They begin to trust each other, however, will the lies that they have told each other, destroy their newfound love.

[Fani *loves angst* · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

A great book, about two lonely people finding strength in each other. Sweet and tender mostly, which is not usually my style, but heartwrenching in the end, it pulled me in from the start till the end. The hero was amazing -until he did something that I wanted to hit him on the head- and while the heroine was annoying at times, I generally liked her. I liked the way their relationship evolved, slow and hesitantly at first, but deep and strong in the end, and I loved seeing them together. Tame love scenes, sketchy highlands' background, but still a very nice, emotional read. I really enjoyed this!

[Sue1582 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Es un libro muy liviano y entretiene. El romance entre la protagonista y Conall no es tan interesante (personalmente) como la relación de la protagonista y Alinor (la loba), que logró emocionarme bastante en algunos momentos.

Es recomendable para pasar el rato ya que es muy rápido de leer.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Made me cry several times.

[Jinxy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Weak hero, awful plot *SPOILERS*

This book was horrible! This is the first book by this author that I’ve read and I don’t think I’ll read another. Let’s list all the things wrong with this book (it might be a bit of a rant so prepare for spoilers).

Hero was a weak and spineless jerk. There’s supposedly a curse on his clan MacKerrick that says until a Buchanan (a rival clan and the clan where the “witch” was from) child is born to lead the hero’s clan, they’ll suffer. Hero is supposedly the clan chief but what does he do to try to solve the devastation that this curse brought to his people? He runs away... yep our “hero” decides to jet off on his own and leave the others to their fate. Wow what a swell guy.

Then by pure chance he finds a woman staying in a hunting cabin on MacKerrick lands that claims to be a Buchanan. What luck, right? So he decides to con her into getting pregnant by him. Some weird twist actually has the woman proposing marriage to him (maybe that was supposed to make the reader feel better that the hero is basically trying to use a woman and her future child? Who knows.). Another twist... this woman is scared of giving birth because she’s seen many births not go so well for the either the child, mother, or both and she also had her mother die in childbirth. What does this guy do? He manhandles her and explains to her in a vague way what he wants to do so that she’ll agree but not know the full consequences. When I say manhandles here is what I mean... in one paragraph he is shoving her around towards the bed and using a “bruising grip”. Exsqueeze me? He needs a swift karate chop to the throat and a knee to the groin for those actions. I’ll stop there in how utterly horrid I found the situation.

Then, she’s suddenly pregnant and he’s revealing about the curse and she’s revealing that she’s not actually a Buchanan. At which point he flies into a fury and states that he renounces both her and the child. EXCUSE ME?! Is he shooting for worst human of the year? So first you trick the woman into getting pregnant and then you find out she doesn’t factor into your nefarious plans so you literally renounce and then abandon her at about 7 months pregnant in a hut. At that advanced stage of pregnancy she wouldn’t have been able to travel very far to get help for the childbirth, she wouldn’t have been able to hunt very well to keep herself and her many animals fed, and if she were to die in childbirth but the child lived there would be no one to keep that child alive. He brushes it off as he was doing it for her sake so she could escape the curse. Puhlease don’t feed me that idiot line. His whiny butt should have been left to rot in the woods. The hero must have learned his horribleness from his mother as after hearing what she did even I wanted to curse her!

In addition to all that mess, the emotions between the characters were nonexistent. I felt no love or emotion or even desire between the two MCs. Even the emotions between other characters was terrible. It seemed the author didn’t really know how an actually human being would react in situations so she just threw in an emotion and hoped for the best.

Also, why was the heroine’s “gift” never explained? She seemed to be able to hear animals thoughts. Why? Could they understand her? It wasn’t ever explained to the reader or the characters in the book. Just made to seem like it was completely normal when no one else is able to do it. In addition, at the end her wolf all of a sudden reverts back to being a wild animal? What? How does that make sense? Not only that but goes in and out of wildness when she’s saying goodbye to the heroine. Not at all realistic.

The book and the characters in it were horrible. DO NOT READ.

[Vicky BF Gr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Novela romántica histórica, ambientada en Escocia, cerca del lago Lomond. Está envuelta en un halo de magia y supersticiones que te llevarán a descubrir una historia de mentiras, traiciones y dolor. La autora ha sabido llevarme poco a poco y meterme totalmente en la trama.
Aunque son muchas las novelas de este subgénero que he leído y podría decirse que todas siguen un mismo patrón, a mi esta me ha sorprendido y enganchado de forma que he terminado la lectura emocionada y con una sonrisa. Ambos protagonistas son dos personajes estupendos, bien definidos, que me han hecho sonreír y sufrir a partes iguales.
A los amantes de este subgénero os gustará leerla.

[Lori Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my!

Get your tissues ready! I so loved this story. I found the Champion at a thrift store and loved it. Went looking for more on Amazon and came across this one. Excellent! Definitely a keeper! Happy reading! LoriKatt 😸

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes you just need to read a r0mance. heather Grothaus writes historical fiction with fiesty female leads and warriors who are heroic while also being chivalrous.

[Tetty Marlinda · Rating 1 out of 5]

#31 - 2025
Genre: Historical Romance, Highland

[Vai · Rating 4 out of 5]

" I'm dying, Eve." [...]
"Now?"


Our heroine Evelyn and hero Conall meet in the year 1077. Evelyn is an English lass in Scotland, running away from her past. She has a way with animals, even though it's not really explained in the book what or how it works, but it seems she can understand them or communicate with them. Anyway she finds herself alone, with her newly found wolf Alinor, in a deserted cabin in the middle of winter. She is hurt and can't hunt but somehow they manage to live there for a month.

Then enter Conall MacKerrik, chief of his clan, who leaves his twin brother in charge when he decided to leave his clan and lick his wounds there is a curse on the clan and everyone is sick or hungry or both. He had also recently lost his wife who he didn't love and their infant daughter. in the said cabin.

They meet, they fight, he wants to throw her out of his cabin. To save herself Evelyn tells a lie. A lie that will make this whole book possible, because, as Conall himself realizes, without that lie, he would not have found his happiness with her.

Evelyn said she is half scott - a Buchanan, in hopes that Conall won't throw out a scotish lass. It works, because a child from a Buchanan woman is all Conall needs to break the curse on his clan. He also knows that Evalyn is crazy afraid about getting children because she believes she will die in childbirth, just like her mother. Soon they do marry and she gets pregnant and seems like they will live happily ever after, because they have truly fallen in love... until all the secrets and lies come out .

There is also the mystery part. There is a curse, yes, but there is also more secrets about the past than anyone realized. I did enjoy that, because often there is nothing left to find out after only few chapters.

Only parts that i didn't like were a.) Evelyn and her temper tantrums and b.) the ending. It could have been so much better. But those who enjoy a good grovelling, that's the ending for you.

Almost forgot the humour. There actually was some of that, mostly presented by Conall.

Before he could stop himself, he laughed and blurted, "Is that beast wearing a sash?"
The woman flushed scarlet beneath the dusting of freckles on her cheeks, and the wolf's growl deepened.
"Get out," she said, flicking her blade towards the doorway behind Conall. "Get out, and do not come back or i'll..."
"You'll what?" Conall challenged, a chuckle still in his voice. "Time me hair up in ribbons?" .

"Och, lass, " the highlander moaned. "They got me, they did. Oh, the pain!" .

"Why, good morn to you, as well Conall," came the highlander's disembodied voice. "Did you sleep well? Oh, that's grand! My thanks to you for keeping me warm through the night, and I do apologize for snorin' in your ear like a bull elk. Terrible rude o'me.".

"And I do not snore - 'twas Alinor."
MacKerrick snorted and sat up with a groan. "I've a hard time believing a great black wolf could make a sound like a duck is being strangled, but as you wish, Eve.".

Conall couldn't help but chuckle. "You've nae called me a sneakin' rat's cock before - good on you, Dunc.".

[A · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is truly one of my favorite books, it’s such a cozy comfort read. My biggest gripe with the first two books in this series were that the author used vocabulary that felt very regency era, she really failed to put me into the 11th century, however that really changed in this book! I can’t attest to the historical accuracy but it felt much more like the medieval period.

I really loved how real the characters were. Conall wasn’t the typical huge, buff hero who is a paradigm of responsibility and duty. He’s the chief of his clan but he doesn’t really want to be, he’s actually skinny and lean because they’re starving, rather than somehow still being hugely muscled. He makes dumb decisions because of his pride and is a little awkward and nervous, which is a welcome change from the large and in charge hero who always says the perfect thing.

Before getting to spoilers, I’ll just say that this book has a fantastic grovel, one of the few I’ve actually felt satisfied by.

****SPOILERS BELOW*****


I really loved how their betrayals of each other were (mostly) born out of necessity, it really allowed me to empathize with them both. That being said, when I realized Angus could have lifted the curse if Conall just begged him, and Duncan wanted to do it all along, I was truly impressed that Conall would allow his people to suffer for his pride. Of course they didn’t want him to beg but that’s what a leader is for- to make the best decision even if it’s uncomfortable.

However, this is one of the few books that actually has a satisfying and appropriate GROVEL. Conall truly puts in the time and work to prove that he wants Evelyn, and not just the blood he thought she had.

The bond between Evelyn and Alinor makes this book so compelling and unique, I definitely cried at the end when they shared their families with each other.

I also loved the full circle moment of learning Minerva’s story. The epilogue of Minerva reuniting with Ronan truly made me cry, her worries about what he would think of her old age truly resonated with me.

When I realized that Minerva cut her thumb and put it against Evelyn’s mouth, “giving” her Buchanan blood, I thought that was just the best detail.

My only real complaint is what I perceive to be a glaring plothole. If Minerva is a witch as powerful as described, there is absolutely NO WAY she would have abandoned her child with the woman who kidnapped him! She would have moved heaven and earth to get back her baby and the last piece of her husband she had. Of course something had to prompt her to move to England, but it would have made much more sense if Lana managed to convince her Duncan was dead, I can’t see any other reason why Minerva would abandon her child and never see him again.

Despite that, this book gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling every time!

[Gwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 étoiles

J’ai beaucoup aimé cette suite, même si je l’ai trouvé un moins bien que le tome précédent. Il lui manque le petit truc, la petite étincelle qu’a le tome précédent et qui pourrait faire de ce livre et l’histoire un superbe roman.
L’atmosphère est bien très bien décrite, on sent la tension dû au temps, au lieu, aux manques de repères, mais elle est bien contre balancé par un certain comique de situation.
Il est facile de s’imaginer à l’époque, le lieu et les conditions climatiques.
L’histoire a un certain rythme qui donne envie de connaître la suite à chaque page, en revanche pour le lieu et l’époque il ne faut pas y chercher l’originalité, elle se situe plutôt dans l’intrigue et encore ce n’est pas 100% original.
L’intrigue est toutefois riche et rebondissante et l’on s’attache facilement aux différents personnages.
Les personnages principaux sont plausibles même si certaines de leurs réactions peuvent étonnées ; ils sont toutefois vivants et attachants et quand il le faut, ils savent ouvrir leur cœur. Certains personnages secondaires sont très importants pour l’histoire et le couple et ne sont pas assez présent dans l’intrigue et l’histoire en général, peut-être est-ce là l’erreur de l’auteur.

[Paranormal Romance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Laird to a clan that’s starving without enough game to hunt, the hero leaves the keep and ventures into the woods to find anything to save his clan, even for a few days. There the hero catches a trespasser in a small cottage but doesn’t expect the culprit to be quite so stunning beautiful or so feminine. The heroine, alone in woods, finds a cabin to protect her from the harsh Scottish winter and the hungry wolfs hunting her. When she’s discovered by the laird, she tells him she’s a descendant of the man who cursed him in an attempt to save herself. The hero, believing the heroine to be cure to the curse that’s plagued his clan develops the plan to marry her and get her with child. Stuck in the small cabin with wolves waiting outside and a heavy snow fall barring their escape, the two slow begin to come to understand each other. But things are doomed to fall apart as they’ve both been lying to each other from the start. When the heroine becomes pregnant, he knows his love for her drives him to save her at all cost.

[Ninou on the Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

une très belle fin à cette trilogie, un perso secondaire se révèle à la fin être un perso principal, sans qu'on s'en rende compte, ainsi s'achève parfaitement cette saga. Alors que certains et certaines détesteront Evelyn pour ce qu'elle aura fait endurer à Nicholas, j'ai tout de suite aimé cette femme qui quelque part n'a agit que sous le bon sens et qui a souffert de ces choix. La souffrance sera encore au goût du jour et l'auteur ne les ménagera pas. Le suspense y sera vraiment total et même lorsque vous vous direz ah ben oui c'est évident c'est ça et bien non détrompez vous ne prenez rien de vos suppositions pour acquis car Heather Grothaus vous mènera en bateau jusqu'à destination dans les bras tant attendu de l'être aimé ;)
Une très bonne lecture à tous <3

[Fabcurlygirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been on the paranormal kick so this was a nice change of pace. It's the most recent book in the series, the ending suggests there are other characters that have stories that have been all tidied up. The main female character has spunk and a gift of communicating with animals(not literally) there are e few twists. Definitely interested in reading the previous stories. Not one of my top favorites but able to keep my interest.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an older title I picked up somewhere and I am so glad I did. I really enjoyed reading Eve and Conall's story. From the beginning the imagery Ms. Grothaus presented was outstanding. I could almost feel the icy fingers of a Highland winter creeping into my bones. A bit of mystery to solve, a deception to overcome, love to give and a not-so-wee-but-hot-as-heck highlander on the cover to drool over makes "The Highlander" a VERY enjoyable afternoon read.

[Maggie Hesseling · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read this novel previously, but couldn't remember the ending, so I thought I'd reread it. Unfortunately, the ending really had a 'get-on-with-it' feeling to it.
What really makes the novel worth reading, though, are the animals. Especially Bonnie, but each animal has its own personality- Alinor, Robert, Whiskers, Sebastian- they were all different, unusual and fun.

[Welzen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heather Grothaus ha vuelto a lograr que me apasione por otra de sus historias. Me encanta cómo escribe esta mujer.

[Julieth Echeverry · Rating 5 out of 5]

¡Que historia tan preciosa! <3

[Titou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Une très agréable surprise avec ce dernier tome

http://les-lectures-de-titou.over-blo...

[Connie]

not interesting. did not finish