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Highlander Brothers #2
The Highlander's Desire: A Scottish Historical Romance Where a Warrior Risks All for Forbidden Passion
To escape the ghosts of his past, warrior Lachann MacMillan will forge his place in the world through battle and cunning. What he doesn't count on is the passion of a lifetime . . .
For Lachann, safeguarding his clan comes before life, limb, and especially love. A political marriage in Kilgorra will ensure that MacMillan lands are protected; so much the better that his bride doesn't stir his blood. But what of the intriguing woman who arouses so much more . . . and lives in the very castle where Lachann is to wed?
A nna MacIver is content to serve in her stepfather's household despite the cruelty of her stepsister, Catriona. She has a sanctuary to which she can escape and no romantic notions to impede good sense . . . until Catriona's intended bridegroom arrives in Kilgorra and shows Anna the meaning of desire. Now, with a clan's future hanging in the balance, Anna and Lachann must decide if love is a risk worth taking . . .
For Lachann, safeguarding his clan comes before life, limb, and especially love. A political marriage in Kilgorra will ensure that MacMillan lands are protected; so much the better that his bride doesn't stir his blood. But what of the intriguing woman who arouses so much more . . . and lives in the very castle where Lachann is to wed?
A nna MacIver is content to serve in her stepfather's household despite the cruelty of her stepsister, Catriona. She has a sanctuary to which she can escape and no romantic notions to impede good sense . . . until Catriona's intended bridegroom arrives in Kilgorra and shows Anna the meaning of desire. Now, with a clan's future hanging in the balance, Anna and Lachann must decide if love is a risk worth taking . . .
389 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 15, 2013
31 people are currently reading
345 people want to read
About the author
Margo Maguire
63 books146 followersAs a nice, sane break from the drama and fast pace of working as a registered nurse in an intensive care unit, Margo Maguire returned to college to study history, and fell in love. Writing about the historical characters she encountered in her classes was a good way to unwind from a crazy day in the unit. She soon started creating her own fictional characters and putting them into historical settings.
Margo is the author of twenty historical romance novels. Her books have been published in numerous languages, and have even come out in Japan as manga—animated books. She is the mother of three grown children and lives with her scientist husband in southern Michigan.
Margo is the author of twenty historical romance novels. Her books have been published in numerous languages, and have even come out in Japan as manga—animated books. She is the mother of three grown children and lives with her scientist husband in southern Michigan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
August 7, 2015
3.5 stars, rounded up because I love Lachann and his men.
I enjoyed this Scottish Highlander romance. Lots of detail was given to the day-to-day running of a keep, and I enjoyed the passion between Anna and Lachann. Things moved a little slow from time to time, but still an entertaining story.
Despite this being the second book in the series, it reads verra well as a stand-alone!
Blurb...
Lachann MacMillan's watched his older brother, the laird of his clan, find a passionate marriage, but he suffers no illusions that his path will be the same--especially as the woman he loved was stolen from him years ago. He's ready to leave his homeland and make his mark. He'll even enter into a passionless marriage to the daughter of the Laird of Kilogorra if it means a chance at his own land…and leaving behind his painful memories. A simple enough plan until he meets Anna MacIver, a mere serving maid with the face of an angel who ignites a fire in him that is anything but angelic.
Anna has been a lowly servant in her uncle, the Laird of Kilogorra's home, since her mother died years ago. She has no envy for her cousin's matrimonial fate as observation of has taught her that freedom--no matter the serving chains--is far more precious that being under the command of a husband. But when Lachlann arrives to marry Anna's cousin, she finds herself longing for something she never knew she wanted. Together the maid and the highlander may find that some things are worth having, no matter the cost.
An ARC was provided by Avon Books.
I enjoyed this Scottish Highlander romance. Lots of detail was given to the day-to-day running of a keep, and I enjoyed the passion between Anna and Lachann. Things moved a little slow from time to time, but still an entertaining story.
Despite this being the second book in the series, it reads verra well as a stand-alone!
Blurb...
Lachann MacMillan's watched his older brother, the laird of his clan, find a passionate marriage, but he suffers no illusions that his path will be the same--especially as the woman he loved was stolen from him years ago. He's ready to leave his homeland and make his mark. He'll even enter into a passionless marriage to the daughter of the Laird of Kilogorra if it means a chance at his own land…and leaving behind his painful memories. A simple enough plan until he meets Anna MacIver, a mere serving maid with the face of an angel who ignites a fire in him that is anything but angelic.
Anna has been a lowly servant in her uncle, the Laird of Kilogorra's home, since her mother died years ago. She has no envy for her cousin's matrimonial fate as observation of has taught her that freedom--no matter the serving chains--is far more precious that being under the command of a husband. But when Lachlann arrives to marry Anna's cousin, she finds herself longing for something she never knew she wanted. Together the maid and the highlander may find that some things are worth having, no matter the cost.
An ARC was provided by Avon Books.
December 28, 2013
Setting: Medieval Scotland
Book #2 in the Highlander Brothers.
Lachann Macmillian has no illusions about love since the day his beloved wed another. He's planning to build a new life by marrying Lord Kilgorra's daughter Catriona, to gain the land he desires. Then he spies a serving girl, Anna Maclver. Anna has been a servant in her uncle's house since her mother's death. She has no dreams whatsoever of love and marriage, since she saw how it ruined her mother's life. But Lachann's arrival makes her long for something more,and someone else in her life. As a relationship begins between these two, jealousy and hatred is unleashed. They must find a way around their enemy to claim their freedom and a happily ever after. The Highlander's Desire was complete with the evil relations and the sort of magic that comes from true love. Though I found the plot to be a usual "tried and true" the strong writing and characters really pulled me in. I enjoyed the first book, and this one was just as good! A winner for Highland romance fans.
Book #2 in the Highlander Brothers.
Lachann Macmillian has no illusions about love since the day his beloved wed another. He's planning to build a new life by marrying Lord Kilgorra's daughter Catriona, to gain the land he desires. Then he spies a serving girl, Anna Maclver. Anna has been a servant in her uncle's house since her mother's death. She has no dreams whatsoever of love and marriage, since she saw how it ruined her mother's life. But Lachann's arrival makes her long for something more,and someone else in her life. As a relationship begins between these two, jealousy and hatred is unleashed. They must find a way around their enemy to claim their freedom and a happily ever after. The Highlander's Desire was complete with the evil relations and the sort of magic that comes from true love. Though I found the plot to be a usual "tried and true" the strong writing and characters really pulled me in. I enjoyed the first book, and this one was just as good! A winner for Highland romance fans.
July 9, 2015
3.75 stars
Inflated rating or rating with a curve? lol The writing is not the best and the characters come off a bit flat and stereotypical (especially the evil stepsister) but I found the sexual tension and quiet longing between the hero and heroine really sweet and so palpable. It's an easy read with not much guessing. It's a Cinderella-inspired story with a Highlander twist. The world building isn't the greatest, there's a lot of repetitive dialogue and the constant breaks in chapters is awkward but sweet love story nonetheless. That saved me from dropping this fast. lol I'm a sucker for good slow simmering chemistry and Lachann and Anna had it.
Inflated rating or rating with a curve? lol The writing is not the best and the characters come off a bit flat and stereotypical (especially the evil stepsister) but I found the sexual tension and quiet longing between the hero and heroine really sweet and so palpable. It's an easy read with not much guessing. It's a Cinderella-inspired story with a Highlander twist. The world building isn't the greatest, there's a lot of repetitive dialogue and the constant breaks in chapters is awkward but sweet love story nonetheless. That saved me from dropping this fast. lol I'm a sucker for good slow simmering chemistry and Lachann and Anna had it.
August 1, 2013
This is one of the few books set in this time era and written by one of my favorite authors that I really had to work at liking the main guy. Lachann was certainly a man that loved his clan and wanted what was best for them. He also wanted a home and family of his own, and following the abduction of his fiance, he came to believe that settling for a laird-ship as well as a marriage of convenience was going to be his lot. I have to admit that as I read the story I came to recognize that sense of impotence he felt against the odds that had played out for him, the evil that had been perpetrated against his clan and him personally, and the ancient clan rivalry that lay at the root of his sense of hopelessness at never finding someone who truly loved him and he could love in return.
This story also featured a heroine who was a woman who deserved to be treated as befitted her station. She was a princess in her own right, but the small-minded and selfish interests of her cousin aided by the emotional retreat of her uncle after his wife’s death now found her in the position of a kitchen servant or whatever cruel task her cousin could lay on her. The interest of the new laird-to-be only made her life more difficult and this story moved in a direction that seemed hopeless for these two. The manipulation of powerful people in the clan, the evil interests of those who cared little for the well-being of the clan or of Anna, kept things in a stew and Lachann, still not really catching on to what was going on behind his back, only knew that his attraction to beautiful Anna kept growing and kept confusing him as to how the future was going to play out.
This is a very political novel in some ways, but it is also a study in the leadership styles that were operative in that era, the ways that good men tried to keep peace and evil men and women sought to undermine it. It is a story that brings the reader smack dab in the middle of clan rivalries, of an evil and selfish woman’s plan and her ability to use others without regard to their feelings, and the kindness and strength of one woman to hold a clan together and display the best to be had in what it meant to be a woman of loyalty and caring.
This is one of those novels that really helped me learn more about the way Scotland grew in its governmental style, the ways that people found to live together, the kinds of living that insured the properity of individuals and families even when weather and politics conspired with invaders to overwhelm and destroy. Ms Maguire is one of my favorite authors because she brings so much actual factual information into her stories and weaves her fictional characters in and out of those happenings. I also appreciate her historical notes that give greater understanding of how people just like her characters could have well been present in those long-ago times.
This is not a novel that is all that easy to read, but that being said, it is one that is so satisfying to sink your teeth into. There is a place for the fun and fluff in romance fiction but there is also a place for the substantive and educational. I appreciate authors who have the gumption to write a really heavy-duty novel like this one. Finishing this book was like finishing a feast, and for someone like me who loves history in the first place, this was a real treat. I think you’ll do well to read and enjoy this book.
I give it a rating of 4.25 out of 5.
This review was originally posted on Book Binge by Judith.
This story also featured a heroine who was a woman who deserved to be treated as befitted her station. She was a princess in her own right, but the small-minded and selfish interests of her cousin aided by the emotional retreat of her uncle after his wife’s death now found her in the position of a kitchen servant or whatever cruel task her cousin could lay on her. The interest of the new laird-to-be only made her life more difficult and this story moved in a direction that seemed hopeless for these two. The manipulation of powerful people in the clan, the evil interests of those who cared little for the well-being of the clan or of Anna, kept things in a stew and Lachann, still not really catching on to what was going on behind his back, only knew that his attraction to beautiful Anna kept growing and kept confusing him as to how the future was going to play out.
This is a very political novel in some ways, but it is also a study in the leadership styles that were operative in that era, the ways that good men tried to keep peace and evil men and women sought to undermine it. It is a story that brings the reader smack dab in the middle of clan rivalries, of an evil and selfish woman’s plan and her ability to use others without regard to their feelings, and the kindness and strength of one woman to hold a clan together and display the best to be had in what it meant to be a woman of loyalty and caring.
This is one of those novels that really helped me learn more about the way Scotland grew in its governmental style, the ways that people found to live together, the kinds of living that insured the properity of individuals and families even when weather and politics conspired with invaders to overwhelm and destroy. Ms Maguire is one of my favorite authors because she brings so much actual factual information into her stories and weaves her fictional characters in and out of those happenings. I also appreciate her historical notes that give greater understanding of how people just like her characters could have well been present in those long-ago times.
This is not a novel that is all that easy to read, but that being said, it is one that is so satisfying to sink your teeth into. There is a place for the fun and fluff in romance fiction but there is also a place for the substantive and educational. I appreciate authors who have the gumption to write a really heavy-duty novel like this one. Finishing this book was like finishing a feast, and for someone like me who loves history in the first place, this was a real treat. I think you’ll do well to read and enjoy this book.
I give it a rating of 4.25 out of 5.
This review was originally posted on Book Binge by Judith.
September 27, 2013
Posted on Buried Under Romance
This is the first of Margo Maguire's books that I've read, and while I applaud her for crafting an interesting story, the characters and plot of this book are not altogether thrilling or wonderfully paced.
The story start off introducing the feud between two clans, the Macmillan and the Macauley. After the Macauleys were bested in battle, the new laird Cullen Macauley offered for marriage the love of Lachann Macmillian, which prompted Lachann to swore against love. Six years later, Lachann has come to wed Laird Macduffie's daughter, Catriona, for political reasons, not knowing he'd requestion his vow against love when he falls for Anna MacIver, stepsister to Catriona and a servant in Macduffie's household.
Certainly, the setup is reminiscent of Cinderella, with the evil stepsister (just one, thank goodness) and an uncaring parent. Anna and Lachann are near opposites in their desires; he wanting a political marriage without love, and her wanting love but not a husband. Yet they are drawn to each other at first sight, and neither really tried to resist this desire for what they believe they must do. Alas, the path to love is never easy, as our villains attempt to thwart Anna and Lachann's romance with their own machinations. Cullen Macauley has come to compete with Lachann for the Macduffie lairdship, while Catriona repeatedly tries to hurt Anna with her nefarious but extremely petty schemes.
The characters are, in many ways, almost cookie-cutter and overly conventional. The villains have no depth as they are entirely unsympathetic. There is not much depth to either Lachann or Anna, despite what direct and indirect characterization reveal about their manners and wishes. Lachann is absurd in swearing against love for his lost love who was forced in a marriage-of-convenience, when the target of his rage should have been Cullen Macauley. Anna, on the other hand, just wants to escape her life and find love, yet she does not try to fight for Lachann's love, and even more by withholding crucial information on Catriona's personality, when she knows Lachann would be miserable in his planned marriage. I do not find this lack of trust between the characters to exhibit signs of true love, which leads to the plot moving at a slow pace - the characters are stuck in their own world of schemes and uncertainty, and blatant facts are ignored in favor of why is almost preferred ignorance.
But, for what it's worth, the story altogether is not bad, though it's hardly great. An attempt to reinvent Cinderella in a historical setting is always engaging, but when there is neither a fast-paced plot with myriad twists nor multi-dimensional characters, it can only achieve a good quality, never great.
3.5 stars
This is the first of Margo Maguire's books that I've read, and while I applaud her for crafting an interesting story, the characters and plot of this book are not altogether thrilling or wonderfully paced.
The story start off introducing the feud between two clans, the Macmillan and the Macauley. After the Macauleys were bested in battle, the new laird Cullen Macauley offered for marriage the love of Lachann Macmillian, which prompted Lachann to swore against love. Six years later, Lachann has come to wed Laird Macduffie's daughter, Catriona, for political reasons, not knowing he'd requestion his vow against love when he falls for Anna MacIver, stepsister to Catriona and a servant in Macduffie's household.
Certainly, the setup is reminiscent of Cinderella, with the evil stepsister (just one, thank goodness) and an uncaring parent. Anna and Lachann are near opposites in their desires; he wanting a political marriage without love, and her wanting love but not a husband. Yet they are drawn to each other at first sight, and neither really tried to resist this desire for what they believe they must do. Alas, the path to love is never easy, as our villains attempt to thwart Anna and Lachann's romance with their own machinations. Cullen Macauley has come to compete with Lachann for the Macduffie lairdship, while Catriona repeatedly tries to hurt Anna with her nefarious but extremely petty schemes.
The characters are, in many ways, almost cookie-cutter and overly conventional. The villains have no depth as they are entirely unsympathetic. There is not much depth to either Lachann or Anna, despite what direct and indirect characterization reveal about their manners and wishes. Lachann is absurd in swearing against love for his lost love who was forced in a marriage-of-convenience, when the target of his rage should have been Cullen Macauley. Anna, on the other hand, just wants to escape her life and find love, yet she does not try to fight for Lachann's love, and even more by withholding crucial information on Catriona's personality, when she knows Lachann would be miserable in his planned marriage. I do not find this lack of trust between the characters to exhibit signs of true love, which leads to the plot moving at a slow pace - the characters are stuck in their own world of schemes and uncertainty, and blatant facts are ignored in favor of why is almost preferred ignorance.
But, for what it's worth, the story altogether is not bad, though it's hardly great. An attempt to reinvent Cinderella in a historical setting is always engaging, but when there is neither a fast-paced plot with myriad twists nor multi-dimensional characters, it can only achieve a good quality, never great.
3.5 stars
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April 16, 2014
My review contains spoilers and they're mostly my thoughts as I went with the book... for more, visit Punya Reviews...
So, I finally finished Margo Maguire’s The Highlander's Desire, book 2 of the Highlander Brothers series. Sadly, it was a sore disappointment for me. By the last few chapters, I was willing this to end just because I’m still stubborn enough to not DNF-ing a book. I wouldn’t say the author’s writing is bad but this was nothing exceptional either. The storytelling was way too full of clichés to hold my attentions for a longer period, hence at about half-way through, I found myself drifting towards other books.
I liked book 1, The Warrior Laird. It was rather good, with some nice paranormal twist to go with it. We meet the McMillan siblings and learn of their tragic past. I don’t remember much, but their father, the Laird of their clan and one of the brothers died very young on an attack one night, treachery of a guest staying with them at that time. Their mother, too, died that winter, alone and cold, while trying to move her remaining offspring to her father’s clan, the MacMillan. They finally did arrive and their grandfather took them in (3 boys and a girl). Hence Dugan and his brothers and sister are known to be MacMillans today. Dugan has become the Laird after their grandfather’s death. One of their brothers is already married. In Dugan’s story, we find him owing a huge amount of money, something that is looming over his head. This becomes a cause for concern to the well-fare of the clan and a headache for him. Then, he hears of this treasure somewhere and a desperate Dugan decides to go on a hunt for it. On the way he meets Maura, a noblewoman. Maura was a bit of a TSTL who thought she can traipse through the Highlands all by herself in search of her mentally challenged younger sister. With Dugan’s help, she flees from her guards and tags along with him and his men. In here, we also meet Lachann, Dugan’s younger brother. He was said to have ‘the auld eyes’ or someone having very sharp sense and instinct. He intrigued me a lot, when, at the end, after Dugan and Maura marry, he’s sent on a mission of his own that would secure his own future. But would you believe that I read none of the mysterious ‘auld eye’ in the Lachann I saw here? Total nada. Let me tell you why...
The Highlander's Desire takes places around 3 years after The Warrior Laird. In the beginning, much like book 1, we see a flashback of how MacMillans became the mortal enemies of the MacAuleys. How Dugan’s lady love chose him over Callum MacAuley because her father willed her to marry him, because Callum, having the riches stolen from other clans, was the better prospect. Lachann had sworn off the matters of heart after Fiona’s betrayal. He’s pretty sure he’ll never love again, and a few secret dalliances with eager lasses are all he wants at the moment. So when Dugan asks him to marry the daughter of Bruce MacDuffie, Lachann thinks it’s for the best. The place called Kilgorra, where the MacDuffies live, is a piece of island that is valuable for the MacMillans for their security purposes. Any ship coming through has to pass through Kilgorra first before reaching the MacMillan lands. An agreement was signed by the MacDuffies and the MacMillans; Lachann would marry Catrìona MacDuffie, in return he’d become the laird, will train an army of able warriors and secure the isle. This agreement seemed like the best solution for everybody.
On his way there, Lachann’s men start poking fun at him. They’ve heard that the bride-to-be is... rather plain to look at. Can Lachann marry an unattractive girl? Lachann just acts the stoic martyr. Oh he’d do it for his clan, as if marrying a plain looking girl is equal to a death sentence! After all, he’s not looking for love, so that would be not trouble to manage, right? After the requisite heir is born, he’ll go about his duties and his wife can do the same. I was pretty interested at this notion, that the heroine is not beautiful. I was hoping to find Lachann a transformed man by Catrìona when he meets her cause I thought she’s the heroine. He’s transformed all right, just more determined not to marry her at all. Why, you ask?
Here is the reason... I was divested of that notion soon enough. Catrìona is far from being the heroine. Yes she’s rather plain looking, with mousey brown hair and eyes, but that’s not it. In addition to being ugly, Catrìona is mean, petty, evil, man-hungry (as in having many lovers throughout the island) and prone to throwing tantrum. And guess who is the target of it all more often than not? Why, it’s her innocent, blonde, blue-eyed and beautiful, goody-two-shoes step-sister Anna! Catrìona is so jealous of Anna that she can’t stand her. Anna has not been treated correctly after her mother, Sigrid, passed away right after her marriage to laird MacDuffie while giving birth to his son. It seems that Catrìona is basically a menace to the island, while her father is a drunken hobo who doesn’t care what happens to them one way or the other.
I was deflated, plain and simple. I could see the ending of this story even before it began. Cliches, clichés... more clichés. And a lumpy plot to go with it. *sigh*
When Lachann arrives, the first thing that catches his eyes, of course, is Anna and he falls for her on spot. After all, she’s the beautiful one, the ‘puir lass’ who’s being harassed by that eeeevil Catrìona, all-day-long! She’s well-liked by everyone and a help around the island. It turns out, Anna’s father was a laird too but he passed away when she was very young. Her mother comes from Norway but there was no other information. I wasn’t even sure why, if her father was a laird, Anna was never taken to the Kearvaig(sp?) clan. She’s supposed to have her own family there, right? Anyhoo, to make long story short, Anna is now a servant, ardently waiting for someone to come and rescue her. Even better, if she could somehow get to her Norwegian relatives, she’d right this moment. But she doesn’t know how to get there, nor has any idea about them. It seems that she’s stuck in Kilgorra for good.
The second thing Lachann notices is that Callum MacAuley is here too and apparently, already has cozy himself up. Apparently, his wife has just passed away and he’s ready to move on. Now, this doesn’t bode well. Lachann can see that the sly bastard has ingratiated himself not only with the Laird and Catrìona but also is acting as the soon-to-be laird throughout the island, leaving blunders on his wake. What Lachann wants is to take control of this immediately and bring back some of the peace in the island. He also wants his men to find able men on the isle who can train and become fine warriors to help securing their island. Even though after seeing his fiancée-to-be he had lost much on his interest, Lachann tries to find some common ground with Catrìona for the sake of their upcoming nuptials. But his mind is forever occupied with the beautiful servant girl he’s seen. Lachann knows he can’t dally here and set a bad example. Besides, he’s not the one to dally with servants, yet Anna is always there, distracting him.
Anna, on the other hand, is having heart-pumping reactions towards the big, brawny Lachann MacMillan. We find her forever telling herself that men are of no good. She’s seen plenty of examples growing up, one was her step-father, then there was her best friend Kyla. Kyla married a guy named Birk some years ago. The first year was happy. But the moment she conceived, Brik had an accident that did something to his head. The man changed, becoming more and more dependent on liquor. It got so bad that he started beating up his wife whenever he saw fit. Anna is always worried about her, hating Birk with a vengeance. She has promised never to let a man in her life, ever... yet it took her one incident to change her mind. Really? That day, Birk again attacks Kyla, beating her to bloody pulp. An enraged Anna goes there to give the oaf a piece of her mind. In the process, she’s almost attacked by Brik. At the same time, Lachann was happening by and saves her. That’s all it took to change Anna’s mind about men and all their devilry! Lachann is now her secret crush, and against her better judgment, she begins daydreaming about him, all the while knowing he’s here to marry Catrìona and become Laird.
As the story progresses, Kyla is attacked by Birk a few more times, and though Anna tried her best to convince the girl to leave her husband because he’s so violent towards her, it seemed that the girl was dumb enough not to care. She’d be beaten to bloody pulp, Anna would save her, keep her and her infant son, Douglas, somewhere hidden for a while. After a while, when she’s healed enough, Kyla would return to her husband’s house cause that’s what a good, biddable wife does. None of Anna’s pleas could budge her from her decision. Birk would be nice to her for a while... and then, he’s not nice again. The cycle went on and on right till the end, while she finds herself pregnant again with another baby. Needless to say, I was super annoyed. The oaf was finally killed by Lachann cause he was getting out of hand.
Now back to the matter of Lachann and Anna. So it happens, in a few weeks he’s here, Anna and Lachann not only begin craving each-other but also, at one point, they become intimate. Anna is ever scared that, one, Lachann would marry Catrìona and she’d be left to witness this with a broken heart; two, Catrìona would be super angry to find out about this. Duh and duh! She knew about it all, yet she slept with him. I’m not sure exactly what she expected! This, of course, helps Lachann to change his mind. He doesn’t want to marry Catrìona anymore cause he believes he has seen enough of her bad behavior to not want to be shackled to her for the rest of his life. Instantly, he plans on a different strategy, though he keeps Anna in the dark about it. Note that he still doesn’t know that Anna is the step-daughter of MacDuffie. I still wonder how, no one, EVER, mentioned this to him, until the very end. Ugh.
There were plenty of lame misunderstandings along the way. Both Anna and Lachann harbor some misleading thoughts about each-other, confusions that could’ve been solved if they actually talked and not keep things hanging. Lachann was supposed to be the one with the ‘auld eyes’, yet he had no idea WTF was going on around him until it was almost late, or too late. One big example was Anna’s true identity. Another was the fire. Lachann does try making changes throughout the island but for Callum MacAuley. He was proving to be an annoyance, creating bigger troubles as that said fire. It seemed like he’s been planning with Catrìona, but I was never really sure what they exactly wanted or the nuances of their relationship, apart from the fact that they were sleeping together. Was it Catrìona who was leading Callum? Or was it all Callum’s plan. No explanations, as if the author decided to lump two ‘villains’ together, only to get rid of them both in two successive, very conveniently done incidents.
We find Catrìona keeping up with her bad name by constantly being mean to people, among other things that is. Funny, it was made to look as if, when she’s not thinking about ruling Kilgorra with Callum, she’s thinking about how to demean Anna and make her life hell. Got me thinking why would this girl be so contemptuous towards her step-sister, aside from the fact that Anna is known to be the beauty? One reason was just that, Catrìona had always been told she’s ugly, she’s the ‘wee wren’, she’s the mousey, plain looking girl who’d never win a man. Yet, she had more lovers throughout the island than Anna. Even that was made to look like something bad. How dare the ugly girl acquire so many lovers? Man-hungry little slut, that’s what she is!!! *eyeroll* Would you believe that every single tongue was wagging behind her back?
But that wasn’t the only thing mind you. Looking more into of the background as it was scattered throughout the book, I learned that Sigrid came here when Catrìona was barely 11, had just lost her own mother. And the moment she and Anna were here, her father entirely forgot about her. With no mother and her loving father forgetting about her too, all the while preferring his new, more ‘beautiful’ family? What 11 yrs. old can forgive her father for being such an a$$? Moreover, she was neglected, constantly judged and condemned. It was as if everyone ALWAYS expected her to fail and do something bad. NO ONE gave her a choice or a chance.
For me, every time I read through one of Catrìona’s thoughts, in midst of all the anger and hatred, I read despair and insecurity. And every time she was vilified, I saw that the people around her helped her becoming the kind of human being she was, as if she was just trying to keep up with her ‘bad name’ since no one expected anything better of her. Then they went and judged her for being ‘mean, petty, evil, man-hungry’ etc. etc. etc. For me, everything she did throughout the story was a result of the prior neglect and unfair comparisons... probably a cry for help that never came. That’s what I meant when I said she was never really given a true voice or a choice. My words might give the impression that I’m supporting her but I, in no way, condone the things she’d done to hurt people. As I mentioned before, I just wanted to get into her psyche and understand her better. The author left clues left and right for me to come to my own conclusions about her, and have to say, I wasn’t at all convinced about this ‘the villainous step-sister’ plot.
I was also enraged when Lachann became angry on behalf of Anna upon learning that MacDuffie didn’t care for her enough to give her her proper place in Kilogorra. FFS, the guy didn’t even care about his own daughter! Oddly enough, I didn’t see one single person in all of Kilgorra mentioning this fact or say something in Catrìona’s favor. After all, it’s Catrìona who is the rightful heir to MacDuffie’s legacy, not Anna. I found this totally unbelievable, and unacceptable.
Then, after coming to the conclusion that Callum was up to no good, Lachann asks MacDuffie to make him the laird to honor the agreement as he’s much more capable of taking care of Kilgorra. MacDuffie finds no other option, seeing how bad of an influence Callum MacAuley had already proven himself to be. Catrìona is, apparently, beyond all redemption, hence totally unmarriageable for Lachann. Then again, he had already planned to marry Anna and make her the mistress of Kilgorra, so she was but one inconvenience to get rid of.
Callum the idiot blasts himself to pieces while trying to tamper with Lachann’s munitions and Catrìona is finally banished from Kilgorra for being such an evaailllll lass who tried to drown Anna’s cat. Yah, you read it right. That was her big, bad offense that finally ticked Lachann off. Anna even tells her ‘I won’t miss you when you’re gone’ or something like that. Anna, must feel great to say that on her face when it’s Catrìona who was supposed to be the mistress of Kilgorra, hmm?
*SMH*
Then, as if on cue to the ending, Anna’s Norwegian relatives arrive to take her away. Not only that, the cherry on top is when it’s revealed that Anna is royalty! This is also when Lachann becomes aware of the fact that Anna is MacDuffie’s step-daughter. LOL Now, if they’re royalty, then why did Anna’s mother come all the way to Scotland to be married to the laird of a small, insignificant clan? I have no idea cause this vague information was never properly explained throughout the story. I, personally, found it rather confounding. There was also no recap or mention of the first book and except for the first chapter, no update on Dugan and Lachann’s own family either.
See what I meant by ‘lumpy plot’ and clichés? By then, I just about had enough of this farce and wanted this to end so bad that I skimmed through the last few chapters.
I’d be eagerly waiting to see if the author takes up the challenge on making a worthy heroine out of Catrìona in a later installment, that is, if she decides to continue on with the series. Otherwise, this is probably the end of this series for me. 3 stars, barely made it.
So, I finally finished Margo Maguire’s The Highlander's Desire, book 2 of the Highlander Brothers series. Sadly, it was a sore disappointment for me. By the last few chapters, I was willing this to end just because I’m still stubborn enough to not DNF-ing a book. I wouldn’t say the author’s writing is bad but this was nothing exceptional either. The storytelling was way too full of clichés to hold my attentions for a longer period, hence at about half-way through, I found myself drifting towards other books.
I liked book 1, The Warrior Laird. It was rather good, with some nice paranormal twist to go with it. We meet the McMillan siblings and learn of their tragic past. I don’t remember much, but their father, the Laird of their clan and one of the brothers died very young on an attack one night, treachery of a guest staying with them at that time. Their mother, too, died that winter, alone and cold, while trying to move her remaining offspring to her father’s clan, the MacMillan. They finally did arrive and their grandfather took them in (3 boys and a girl). Hence Dugan and his brothers and sister are known to be MacMillans today. Dugan has become the Laird after their grandfather’s death. One of their brothers is already married. In Dugan’s story, we find him owing a huge amount of money, something that is looming over his head. This becomes a cause for concern to the well-fare of the clan and a headache for him. Then, he hears of this treasure somewhere and a desperate Dugan decides to go on a hunt for it. On the way he meets Maura, a noblewoman. Maura was a bit of a TSTL who thought she can traipse through the Highlands all by herself in search of her mentally challenged younger sister. With Dugan’s help, she flees from her guards and tags along with him and his men. In here, we also meet Lachann, Dugan’s younger brother. He was said to have ‘the auld eyes’ or someone having very sharp sense and instinct. He intrigued me a lot, when, at the end, after Dugan and Maura marry, he’s sent on a mission of his own that would secure his own future. But would you believe that I read none of the mysterious ‘auld eye’ in the Lachann I saw here? Total nada. Let me tell you why...
The Highlander's Desire takes places around 3 years after The Warrior Laird. In the beginning, much like book 1, we see a flashback of how MacMillans became the mortal enemies of the MacAuleys. How Dugan’s lady love chose him over Callum MacAuley because her father willed her to marry him, because Callum, having the riches stolen from other clans, was the better prospect. Lachann had sworn off the matters of heart after Fiona’s betrayal. He’s pretty sure he’ll never love again, and a few secret dalliances with eager lasses are all he wants at the moment. So when Dugan asks him to marry the daughter of Bruce MacDuffie, Lachann thinks it’s for the best. The place called Kilgorra, where the MacDuffies live, is a piece of island that is valuable for the MacMillans for their security purposes. Any ship coming through has to pass through Kilgorra first before reaching the MacMillan lands. An agreement was signed by the MacDuffies and the MacMillans; Lachann would marry Catrìona MacDuffie, in return he’d become the laird, will train an army of able warriors and secure the isle. This agreement seemed like the best solution for everybody.
On his way there, Lachann’s men start poking fun at him. They’ve heard that the bride-to-be is... rather plain to look at. Can Lachann marry an unattractive girl? Lachann just acts the stoic martyr. Oh he’d do it for his clan, as if marrying a plain looking girl is equal to a death sentence! After all, he’s not looking for love, so that would be not trouble to manage, right? After the requisite heir is born, he’ll go about his duties and his wife can do the same. I was pretty interested at this notion, that the heroine is not beautiful. I was hoping to find Lachann a transformed man by Catrìona when he meets her cause I thought she’s the heroine. He’s transformed all right, just more determined not to marry her at all. Why, you ask?
Here is the reason... I was divested of that notion soon enough. Catrìona is far from being the heroine. Yes she’s rather plain looking, with mousey brown hair and eyes, but that’s not it. In addition to being ugly, Catrìona is mean, petty, evil, man-hungry (as in having many lovers throughout the island) and prone to throwing tantrum. And guess who is the target of it all more often than not? Why, it’s her innocent, blonde, blue-eyed and beautiful, goody-two-shoes step-sister Anna! Catrìona is so jealous of Anna that she can’t stand her. Anna has not been treated correctly after her mother, Sigrid, passed away right after her marriage to laird MacDuffie while giving birth to his son. It seems that Catrìona is basically a menace to the island, while her father is a drunken hobo who doesn’t care what happens to them one way or the other.
I was deflated, plain and simple. I could see the ending of this story even before it began. Cliches, clichés... more clichés. And a lumpy plot to go with it. *sigh*
When Lachann arrives, the first thing that catches his eyes, of course, is Anna and he falls for her on spot. After all, she’s the beautiful one, the ‘puir lass’ who’s being harassed by that eeeevil Catrìona, all-day-long! She’s well-liked by everyone and a help around the island. It turns out, Anna’s father was a laird too but he passed away when she was very young. Her mother comes from Norway but there was no other information. I wasn’t even sure why, if her father was a laird, Anna was never taken to the Kearvaig(sp?) clan. She’s supposed to have her own family there, right? Anyhoo, to make long story short, Anna is now a servant, ardently waiting for someone to come and rescue her. Even better, if she could somehow get to her Norwegian relatives, she’d right this moment. But she doesn’t know how to get there, nor has any idea about them. It seems that she’s stuck in Kilgorra for good.
The second thing Lachann notices is that Callum MacAuley is here too and apparently, already has cozy himself up. Apparently, his wife has just passed away and he’s ready to move on. Now, this doesn’t bode well. Lachann can see that the sly bastard has ingratiated himself not only with the Laird and Catrìona but also is acting as the soon-to-be laird throughout the island, leaving blunders on his wake. What Lachann wants is to take control of this immediately and bring back some of the peace in the island. He also wants his men to find able men on the isle who can train and become fine warriors to help securing their island. Even though after seeing his fiancée-to-be he had lost much on his interest, Lachann tries to find some common ground with Catrìona for the sake of their upcoming nuptials. But his mind is forever occupied with the beautiful servant girl he’s seen. Lachann knows he can’t dally here and set a bad example. Besides, he’s not the one to dally with servants, yet Anna is always there, distracting him.
Anna, on the other hand, is having heart-pumping reactions towards the big, brawny Lachann MacMillan. We find her forever telling herself that men are of no good. She’s seen plenty of examples growing up, one was her step-father, then there was her best friend Kyla. Kyla married a guy named Birk some years ago. The first year was happy. But the moment she conceived, Brik had an accident that did something to his head. The man changed, becoming more and more dependent on liquor. It got so bad that he started beating up his wife whenever he saw fit. Anna is always worried about her, hating Birk with a vengeance. She has promised never to let a man in her life, ever... yet it took her one incident to change her mind. Really? That day, Birk again attacks Kyla, beating her to bloody pulp. An enraged Anna goes there to give the oaf a piece of her mind. In the process, she’s almost attacked by Brik. At the same time, Lachann was happening by and saves her. That’s all it took to change Anna’s mind about men and all their devilry! Lachann is now her secret crush, and against her better judgment, she begins daydreaming about him, all the while knowing he’s here to marry Catrìona and become Laird.
As the story progresses, Kyla is attacked by Birk a few more times, and though Anna tried her best to convince the girl to leave her husband because he’s so violent towards her, it seemed that the girl was dumb enough not to care. She’d be beaten to bloody pulp, Anna would save her, keep her and her infant son, Douglas, somewhere hidden for a while. After a while, when she’s healed enough, Kyla would return to her husband’s house cause that’s what a good, biddable wife does. None of Anna’s pleas could budge her from her decision. Birk would be nice to her for a while... and then, he’s not nice again. The cycle went on and on right till the end, while she finds herself pregnant again with another baby. Needless to say, I was super annoyed. The oaf was finally killed by Lachann cause he was getting out of hand.
Now back to the matter of Lachann and Anna. So it happens, in a few weeks he’s here, Anna and Lachann not only begin craving each-other but also, at one point, they become intimate. Anna is ever scared that, one, Lachann would marry Catrìona and she’d be left to witness this with a broken heart; two, Catrìona would be super angry to find out about this. Duh and duh! She knew about it all, yet she slept with him. I’m not sure exactly what she expected! This, of course, helps Lachann to change his mind. He doesn’t want to marry Catrìona anymore cause he believes he has seen enough of her bad behavior to not want to be shackled to her for the rest of his life. Instantly, he plans on a different strategy, though he keeps Anna in the dark about it. Note that he still doesn’t know that Anna is the step-daughter of MacDuffie. I still wonder how, no one, EVER, mentioned this to him, until the very end. Ugh.
There were plenty of lame misunderstandings along the way. Both Anna and Lachann harbor some misleading thoughts about each-other, confusions that could’ve been solved if they actually talked and not keep things hanging. Lachann was supposed to be the one with the ‘auld eyes’, yet he had no idea WTF was going on around him until it was almost late, or too late. One big example was Anna’s true identity. Another was the fire. Lachann does try making changes throughout the island but for Callum MacAuley. He was proving to be an annoyance, creating bigger troubles as that said fire. It seemed like he’s been planning with Catrìona, but I was never really sure what they exactly wanted or the nuances of their relationship, apart from the fact that they were sleeping together. Was it Catrìona who was leading Callum? Or was it all Callum’s plan. No explanations, as if the author decided to lump two ‘villains’ together, only to get rid of them both in two successive, very conveniently done incidents.
We find Catrìona keeping up with her bad name by constantly being mean to people, among other things that is. Funny, it was made to look as if, when she’s not thinking about ruling Kilgorra with Callum, she’s thinking about how to demean Anna and make her life hell. Got me thinking why would this girl be so contemptuous towards her step-sister, aside from the fact that Anna is known to be the beauty? One reason was just that, Catrìona had always been told she’s ugly, she’s the ‘wee wren’, she’s the mousey, plain looking girl who’d never win a man. Yet, she had more lovers throughout the island than Anna. Even that was made to look like something bad. How dare the ugly girl acquire so many lovers? Man-hungry little slut, that’s what she is!!! *eyeroll* Would you believe that every single tongue was wagging behind her back?
But that wasn’t the only thing mind you. Looking more into of the background as it was scattered throughout the book, I learned that Sigrid came here when Catrìona was barely 11, had just lost her own mother. And the moment she and Anna were here, her father entirely forgot about her. With no mother and her loving father forgetting about her too, all the while preferring his new, more ‘beautiful’ family? What 11 yrs. old can forgive her father for being such an a$$? Moreover, she was neglected, constantly judged and condemned. It was as if everyone ALWAYS expected her to fail and do something bad. NO ONE gave her a choice or a chance.
For me, every time I read through one of Catrìona’s thoughts, in midst of all the anger and hatred, I read despair and insecurity. And every time she was vilified, I saw that the people around her helped her becoming the kind of human being she was, as if she was just trying to keep up with her ‘bad name’ since no one expected anything better of her. Then they went and judged her for being ‘mean, petty, evil, man-hungry’ etc. etc. etc. For me, everything she did throughout the story was a result of the prior neglect and unfair comparisons... probably a cry for help that never came. That’s what I meant when I said she was never really given a true voice or a choice. My words might give the impression that I’m supporting her but I, in no way, condone the things she’d done to hurt people. As I mentioned before, I just wanted to get into her psyche and understand her better. The author left clues left and right for me to come to my own conclusions about her, and have to say, I wasn’t at all convinced about this ‘the villainous step-sister’ plot.
I was also enraged when Lachann became angry on behalf of Anna upon learning that MacDuffie didn’t care for her enough to give her her proper place in Kilogorra. FFS, the guy didn’t even care about his own daughter! Oddly enough, I didn’t see one single person in all of Kilgorra mentioning this fact or say something in Catrìona’s favor. After all, it’s Catrìona who is the rightful heir to MacDuffie’s legacy, not Anna. I found this totally unbelievable, and unacceptable.
Then, after coming to the conclusion that Callum was up to no good, Lachann asks MacDuffie to make him the laird to honor the agreement as he’s much more capable of taking care of Kilgorra. MacDuffie finds no other option, seeing how bad of an influence Callum MacAuley had already proven himself to be. Catrìona is, apparently, beyond all redemption, hence totally unmarriageable for Lachann. Then again, he had already planned to marry Anna and make her the mistress of Kilgorra, so she was but one inconvenience to get rid of.
Callum the idiot blasts himself to pieces while trying to tamper with Lachann’s munitions and Catrìona is finally banished from Kilgorra for being such an evaailllll lass who tried to drown Anna’s cat. Yah, you read it right. That was her big, bad offense that finally ticked Lachann off. Anna even tells her ‘I won’t miss you when you’re gone’ or something like that. Anna, must feel great to say that on her face when it’s Catrìona who was supposed to be the mistress of Kilgorra, hmm?
*SMH*
Then, as if on cue to the ending, Anna’s Norwegian relatives arrive to take her away. Not only that, the cherry on top is when it’s revealed that Anna is royalty! This is also when Lachann becomes aware of the fact that Anna is MacDuffie’s step-daughter. LOL Now, if they’re royalty, then why did Anna’s mother come all the way to Scotland to be married to the laird of a small, insignificant clan? I have no idea cause this vague information was never properly explained throughout the story. I, personally, found it rather confounding. There was also no recap or mention of the first book and except for the first chapter, no update on Dugan and Lachann’s own family either.
See what I meant by ‘lumpy plot’ and clichés? By then, I just about had enough of this farce and wanted this to end so bad that I skimmed through the last few chapters.
I’d be eagerly waiting to see if the author takes up the challenge on making a worthy heroine out of Catrìona in a later installment, that is, if she decides to continue on with the series. Otherwise, this is probably the end of this series for me. 3 stars, barely made it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2014
I really enjoyed this Highlander romance novel. It's the first book by Margo Maguire that I ever read, but since reading this one, I've read a few others. So far, I've enjoyed all of Ms. Maguire's books, without fail. This particular book I read several months ago but, for some unknown reason, never got around to writing a review for it. As with all Ms. Maguire's books that I've read to date, the book is well written, beautifully edited, and has a wonderfully engaging plot, and characters that are extremely well developed.
The heroine, Anna, is a true Cinderella. She is the step-daughter of the Laird of Kilgorra. Ever since the death of Anna's mother, several years earlier, the laird's daughter, Catriona, has treated Anna as a servant--notice I didn't say "like" a servant, but "as" a servant; that's because Anna is a servant in the truest sense of the word. The laird is a drunken sot, who over-indulges his evil, selfish, whorish, daughter, and does nothing to protect Anna from her stepsister's cruelty. Aside from relegating Anna to the servants' ranks, Catriona constantly belittles Anna, and subjects her to physical punishments. Anna is sweet, generous to a fault, loving, caring, and kind. She is the true lady of Kilgorra, as she does her best to ensure the welfare of all of the island's residents.
Catriona, is the laird's only child, thus is heir to Kilgorra. Because she is not a male; however, Catriona's father plans to marry her to a man who will assume the position of laird upon his death. There are two contenders for Catriona's hand in marriage, the hero, Lachlann MacMillan, and his arch nemesis, Cullen Macauley. Lachlann and Cullen have a bad history that dates back years, when Cullen married the only woman Lachlann had ever loved. He remains bitter about the experience, as the woman he loved chose to marry the wealthier Cullen at her father's behest, instead of Lachlann.
After that experience, Lachlann has no interest in ever loving another woman. His only goal in seeking to marry Catriona is to ensure the protection of MacMillan land from a sea attack. To achieve this goal, he must assume control of Kilgorra. Anna and Lachlann meet when he first arrives on the island, and Lachlann saves, first Anna's best friend, and then Anna, from being assaulted by her friend's drunken husband. Lachlann and Anna are immediately drawn to one another, although it is very subtle in the beginning and strengthens are the story progresses.
Nonetheless, considering Lachlann is on the island to court Catriona, the couple realize they have no future together, thus try to fight against their feelings. Tension is added to the plot by way of the rivalry between Lachlann and Cullen, who is a vile and evil individual, and is the perfect match for Catriona in every way. Lachlann is determined to assume leadership of Kilgorra, but has absolutely no desire to marry the vile Catriona, unfortunately he cannot have one without the other. As he becomes more acquainted with Anna and falls in love with her, Lachlann becomes resolved to have Anna as his wife, even if it means giving up Kilgorra--I loved that about him!
The story is fast-paced and intriguing and I really enjoyed it. Nevertheless, I do have a complaint, as there is one part of the story that I thought was far-fetched, to point of being ridiculous. **SPOILER ALERT** Towards the end of the story, Anna's uncle (her mother's brother ) shows up to take Anna back to her mother's people, in Norway. Had he only come looking for Anna and her mother, that would have been fine, but he showed up with a fiance for Anna in tow! I thought that aspect of the story was just plain silly, considering that Anna's uncle had never met her, and knew nothing about her or her life--I mean he didn't even know that his sister had died many years before! What if Anna had already married? See what I mean?--Dumb!
Despite this obvious flaw, I really liked the story. It is definitely one that I would recommend as a very good read. FYI, this is not a clean romance. Happy reading!
The heroine, Anna, is a true Cinderella. She is the step-daughter of the Laird of Kilgorra. Ever since the death of Anna's mother, several years earlier, the laird's daughter, Catriona, has treated Anna as a servant--notice I didn't say "like" a servant, but "as" a servant; that's because Anna is a servant in the truest sense of the word. The laird is a drunken sot, who over-indulges his evil, selfish, whorish, daughter, and does nothing to protect Anna from her stepsister's cruelty. Aside from relegating Anna to the servants' ranks, Catriona constantly belittles Anna, and subjects her to physical punishments. Anna is sweet, generous to a fault, loving, caring, and kind. She is the true lady of Kilgorra, as she does her best to ensure the welfare of all of the island's residents.
Catriona, is the laird's only child, thus is heir to Kilgorra. Because she is not a male; however, Catriona's father plans to marry her to a man who will assume the position of laird upon his death. There are two contenders for Catriona's hand in marriage, the hero, Lachlann MacMillan, and his arch nemesis, Cullen Macauley. Lachlann and Cullen have a bad history that dates back years, when Cullen married the only woman Lachlann had ever loved. He remains bitter about the experience, as the woman he loved chose to marry the wealthier Cullen at her father's behest, instead of Lachlann.
After that experience, Lachlann has no interest in ever loving another woman. His only goal in seeking to marry Catriona is to ensure the protection of MacMillan land from a sea attack. To achieve this goal, he must assume control of Kilgorra. Anna and Lachlann meet when he first arrives on the island, and Lachlann saves, first Anna's best friend, and then Anna, from being assaulted by her friend's drunken husband. Lachlann and Anna are immediately drawn to one another, although it is very subtle in the beginning and strengthens are the story progresses.
Nonetheless, considering Lachlann is on the island to court Catriona, the couple realize they have no future together, thus try to fight against their feelings. Tension is added to the plot by way of the rivalry between Lachlann and Cullen, who is a vile and evil individual, and is the perfect match for Catriona in every way. Lachlann is determined to assume leadership of Kilgorra, but has absolutely no desire to marry the vile Catriona, unfortunately he cannot have one without the other. As he becomes more acquainted with Anna and falls in love with her, Lachlann becomes resolved to have Anna as his wife, even if it means giving up Kilgorra--I loved that about him!
The story is fast-paced and intriguing and I really enjoyed it. Nevertheless, I do have a complaint, as there is one part of the story that I thought was far-fetched, to point of being ridiculous. **SPOILER ALERT** Towards the end of the story, Anna's uncle (her mother's brother ) shows up to take Anna back to her mother's people, in Norway. Had he only come looking for Anna and her mother, that would have been fine, but he showed up with a fiance for Anna in tow! I thought that aspect of the story was just plain silly, considering that Anna's uncle had never met her, and knew nothing about her or her life--I mean he didn't even know that his sister had died many years before! What if Anna had already married? See what I mean?--Dumb!
Despite this obvious flaw, I really liked the story. It is definitely one that I would recommend as a very good read. FYI, this is not a clean romance. Happy reading!
April 23, 2013
Is this a new trend or is it just me ? Lately I'm picking up on a change in the romance novels I read. The writers are giving me characters that I can't completely get behind. I'm reading about heroes that I don't adore (a big change) or heroines that I kinda detest. This was one of those books... I had no adoration for either character in this story. The question is if the writer was able to turn me... change my mind about them. The answer is yes. Maguire gave me just enough angst and romantic lust to get me into the story and gain my sympathy and affection for both Anna and Lachann. It's not an old school bodice ripper nor was I completely enthralled, but it was an enjoyable read for me and I liked the story.
I could almost like him. Lachann ot his heart broke in the past and now he was done with LOVE. Stupid man ! He was about to marry for an alliance and the promise of his own Lairdship. I didn't like his motives in the story and kinda felt he should end up with the viper he'd chosen.
I kinda liked her. Anna had definitely had a hard life. She was a servant in her stepfather's house, and she had a real mean bitch of a stepsister. Here's the thing... I was disappointed that she let them walk all over her even after she was grown and capable of leaving. She was likeable enough for caring about her people and indulgent of her stupid friend. Less admirable was the fact that she was willing to bed the husband to be of her dishonorable sister.
I really hated them. The stepsister was a total bitch. A mean nymphomaniac. Butt ugly, petty and jealous of Anna's beauty. Exactly the kind of person I love to hate. The stepfather. That guy was a loser. A neglectful drunk. He didn't really have any impact on the story except when he was making a buffoon of himself. I kept looking for his ulterior motives or the big epiphany to happen. It never did though. The main villains were kinda inept, actually, despite being thoroughly nasty individuals.
What made the story interesting to me. Okay, so Lachann eventually changed his mind after getting to know Anna. That made all the angst that came before worth it.
There was some good suspense here and the dialogue was engaging. The plot was really intriguing . I guess it was this excellent quality of writing that kinda saved the story for me, when I found it hard to embrace the protagonists. Then there is the fact that it's a Scottish historical and I do love those. I guess I was just looking for more from this story. While it wasn't an outstanding book, it was still an enjoyable read for me and worth the time spent reading it. It's bound to be a winner with lovers of Highland romance and I have no problems recommending it to those readers.
ARC received courtesy of Avon Publishing and Edelweiss.
July 6, 2013
Years ago, Lachann MacMillian watched the woman he loved marry another man. The pain has caused his heart to go cold. Vowing to never love like that again, Lachann has thrown himself into fighting for his family. The clans are torn apart and Lachann finds himself promising to enter into a loveless marriage for the sake of land. He is all set to marry Catriona, daughter of the Laird of Kilogorra until he meets Anna MacIver.
Anna longs for the day that she can leave her Uncle’s house but she doesn’t want to leave without her best friend who is suffering at the hands of her abusive husband. Instead of running away from her hellish life, Anna stays in the home as a mere servant. Her jealous step sister, Catriona, makes her suffer at every chance she gets. When the Highlander arrives to take Catriona’s hand in marriage, Anna suddenly wishes that Lachann would take her away.
To make matters even worst, Cullen Macauley enters the picture to ask for Catriona’s hand as well. Catriona is a bitter and vile woman. Jealous that she does not have Anna’s beauty, she sets out to play the men against each other. Meanwhile, she doesn’t catch on that Anna and Lachann are starting to fall in love.
I love a highlander story. What’s not to love about it? While this story did not leave me overjoyed, I felt satisfied with how the story unfolded. The story has potential. There are two main characters that want to be together. There is a villain…Cullen? See, that’s where the problem lies. I enjoyed when Cullen pops up in the story. He starts off as a great villain. He is the man that stole the woman that Lachann’s love. He has all the meat of a great villain but he is quickly overshadowed by Catriona and her antics. At one point, I forgot that Cullen even exists.
Overall, I still enjoyed this story. Anna and Lachann deserved a happy ending. I recommend this for those who like a solid highlander story.
Anna longs for the day that she can leave her Uncle’s house but she doesn’t want to leave without her best friend who is suffering at the hands of her abusive husband. Instead of running away from her hellish life, Anna stays in the home as a mere servant. Her jealous step sister, Catriona, makes her suffer at every chance she gets. When the Highlander arrives to take Catriona’s hand in marriage, Anna suddenly wishes that Lachann would take her away.
To make matters even worst, Cullen Macauley enters the picture to ask for Catriona’s hand as well. Catriona is a bitter and vile woman. Jealous that she does not have Anna’s beauty, she sets out to play the men against each other. Meanwhile, she doesn’t catch on that Anna and Lachann are starting to fall in love.
I love a highlander story. What’s not to love about it? While this story did not leave me overjoyed, I felt satisfied with how the story unfolded. The story has potential. There are two main characters that want to be together. There is a villain…Cullen? See, that’s where the problem lies. I enjoyed when Cullen pops up in the story. He starts off as a great villain. He is the man that stole the woman that Lachann’s love. He has all the meat of a great villain but he is quickly overshadowed by Catriona and her antics. At one point, I forgot that Cullen even exists.
Overall, I still enjoyed this story. Anna and Lachann deserved a happy ending. I recommend this for those who like a solid highlander story.
September 1, 2013
When in love do we always think with our heart first?
For Anna MacIver wishing was all she could do to get through the day. She wished her mother had not perished and left her with this awful stepfamily making her wish for a way off the island. When Lachann MacMIllan comes to take over the kingdom as its new Laird Anna has mixed feelings as this arrangement involves him marrying her awful stepsister. However, if Catriona was under another’s control she might give Anna the freedom she longs for.
Anna is Catriona equal in all ways but having a mother to defend her rights and a father that can contain a clear thought. With no boundaries, her stepsister spent every moment of the day treating her like a servant and creating a hostile existence between them. With Lachann in the picture, what becomes clear is the need for his leadership and in doing so he makes it clear he is not a man to be trifled. Lachlann needs a wife that cares for his people and notices that Anna is the one who answers the call to all who are in need and will not back off from any fight. Why he is drawn to a woman he cannot have is making life for him more than difficult. Lacklann knows that he may lose the piece of land he must have if he should choose Anna to be his wife but every day that passes he sees she is the perfect fit for him.
With Lachlann’s nemesis dogging his heels, the present Laird incapacitated to help fix the mess his domain is in Lachlann steps up and starts making decisions, barking out orders, and trying to control his raging desire for Anna. Lachlann succeeds at the business but with Anna is what he longs for and will have regardless of the cost.
Margo Maguire has written a story that touches you romantically and fires you up with a right will win passion.
For Anna MacIver wishing was all she could do to get through the day. She wished her mother had not perished and left her with this awful stepfamily making her wish for a way off the island. When Lachann MacMIllan comes to take over the kingdom as its new Laird Anna has mixed feelings as this arrangement involves him marrying her awful stepsister. However, if Catriona was under another’s control she might give Anna the freedom she longs for.
Anna is Catriona equal in all ways but having a mother to defend her rights and a father that can contain a clear thought. With no boundaries, her stepsister spent every moment of the day treating her like a servant and creating a hostile existence between them. With Lachann in the picture, what becomes clear is the need for his leadership and in doing so he makes it clear he is not a man to be trifled. Lachlann needs a wife that cares for his people and notices that Anna is the one who answers the call to all who are in need and will not back off from any fight. Why he is drawn to a woman he cannot have is making life for him more than difficult. Lacklann knows that he may lose the piece of land he must have if he should choose Anna to be his wife but every day that passes he sees she is the perfect fit for him.
With Lachlann’s nemesis dogging his heels, the present Laird incapacitated to help fix the mess his domain is in Lachlann steps up and starts making decisions, barking out orders, and trying to control his raging desire for Anna. Lachlann succeeds at the business but with Anna is what he longs for and will have regardless of the cost.
Margo Maguire has written a story that touches you romantically and fires you up with a right will win passion.
May 30, 2013
Such a good book . . . but of course, I happen to like historical romances set in the history of Scotland. I like them a lot! Having read other Maguire work, I was pleased to be able to read and review this one as well. It is set in a time when the clans were constantly at odds with one another, largely to gain territory and wealth or to gain alliances that would protect a clan from attack by those that were more war-oriented or downright greedy. So this hero now goes to a distant location with the understanding that by marrying the Laird's daughter he will become the laird's heir. Yet there are always power games galore and this novel is no exception. There are also "players" who actively seek to manipulate circumstances and then there are those who simply get caught in between the grinding stones. The heroine is one of those. It's a beautifully written novel about what it takes to be an honest, forthright, yet caring leader in a difficult time when the same temptations to misuse power and authority seemed to be rampant. There are surprises as well as those times when it appeared that the good guys were going to be on the losing end of things. Hard to grasp in a romance novel, eh? No easy solutions here, and the author keeps the pressure on, the intensity going right up until the last. Loved it, and highly recommend it.
September 16, 2014
A wonderful read. The author weaves a amazing tale full of action, danger, and love. The hero is a leader of men; brave, bonney, & charming. The heroine is a true lady of the keep (not the servant she has been forced to be); brave, strong, caring, & kind. There is also a whole town & keep full of wonderful people to remember & some not so wonderful. But every tale needs some villians........ & this one comes with more than a few. Our hero comes to the island to set up a base of protection for his clan & to become laird. Lachann believes the only way to do this is to marry the daughter & sets out to win her hand. But he happens to meet our herione Anna & is instantly drawn towards her. He is not able to take his eyes off her & realizes she really is the lady of the keep even dressed as a servant. He realizes that the daughter Catronia is mean & spiteful and he will not marry her. He comes up with a plan to be both laird of the island & husband to Anna but not without overcoming greed, jealous, danger, & death first. What a true hero & heroine!
July 31, 2013
THE HIGHLANDER'S DESIRE by Margo Maguire is an exciting Scottish Historical Romance set in 1714-1720 Scotland. A fast paced, passion filled story that has a Cinderella Fairy tale feel to it. Has everything a historical romance readers could possibly want in a story, mystery,a bit of mischief,danger,lots of passion,clans, betrayal,romance and love. It also has spousal and sister abuse.Join Anna MacIver and Lachann MacMillan on a journey of a lifetime to find understanding,make a political match,healing,acceptance,healing and true love. A must read! A compelling story of love and honor. I loved Anna and Lachann's story and can hardly wait for the next tale of love and romance from this author. She is a wonderful storyteller,her characters are charming,engaging and realistic and her plots are intriguing. Received for an honest review from the publisher and Edelweiss.
RATING: 4.5
HEAT RATING; MILD
REVIEWED BY: AprilR, Review courtesy of My Book Addiction and More
RATING: 4.5
HEAT RATING; MILD
REVIEWED BY: AprilR, Review courtesy of My Book Addiction and More
August 26, 2013
Book Two of the Highlander Brothers series. It can easily be read as a standalone book, though.
Anna and Lachann are both determined to avoid love forever because of their pasts. Anna has seen what love can do to people, such as Kyla and her abusive husband. Lachann is set on becoming the Laird of Kilgorra, even if he must marry a woman he does not care for. However, they cannot seem to resist one another.
If you're looking for a great Highland read with a brewery thrown in, this is definitely for you.
Anna and Lachann are both determined to avoid love forever because of their pasts. Anna has seen what love can do to people, such as Kyla and her abusive husband. Lachann is set on becoming the Laird of Kilgorra, even if he must marry a woman he does not care for. However, they cannot seem to resist one another.
If you're looking for a great Highland read with a brewery thrown in, this is definitely for you.
May 7, 2015
Nice story. The cover copy describes the hero and heroine pretty well. He wants to be named laird of this Scottish isle shortly after all the Jacobite uprisings, and has to marry the current laird's daughter to get it. But he's attracted to the stepdaughter more. I liked the story, but I honestly think I would have liked it more if the heroine hadn't been quite so perfect and her rival stepsister hadn't been all things evil. I appreciate a little subtlety now and again. Still, it's a good read with a fair amount of adventure thrown in. I enjoyed it.
August 12, 2013
I was hooked on this story from the beginning. It was hard to put down as I read all the twists and turns wondering whether the two main characters-a Scott wanting to be laird of the isle and a servant who was really the current laird's stepdaughter-would let their hearts love at all and then find each other and if so, if they could have a future together or would have to give it up for the good of the people of the isle.
April 21, 2013
The story was good but it seemed rushed... I liked Anna's character but at times i didn't understand what motivated her character to fall in love with Lachlan. She knew she couldn't have him because he belonged to another. She was a realist and pragmatic at times but other times she made nonsense decisions.
November 20, 2013
It was a wonderful novel! I really enjoyed it! It is the story of Lachann MacMillan, and Anna MacIver, and how they fall in love and the odds that they overcame to be together. It is set in Scotland, and the isle of Kilgorra sounded very lovely. This book is the second book about the MacMillan brothers, I hope that there will be more!
September 12, 2014
A bit rushed at the end. The romance was good, but its too slow imo.
August 25, 2014
4-4.5 stars.
I've never read this author previously, but I will pick up more in the future.
I've never read this author previously, but I will pick up more in the future.
January 11, 2022
First time with this author and series. I liked this a lot. A bit slow in the very beginning, but the pace picked up and moved right along. Lachan and Anna were both interesting and engaging. The story had some twists and turns which were well done and everything was resolved by the end.
Very well done.
Very well done.
March 1, 2023
I had a good time with this one, but it is slower moving, allowing the chemistry to build between Anna and Lachlann. The evil step-sister was bit stereotypical, but I didn't mind it in this case. Lachlann is also a great example of an alpha hero who is not an ass.
TW: for domestic violence and attempted animal cruelty
TW: for domestic violence and attempted animal cruelty
December 11, 2019
I unfortunately did not enjoy this as much as the first one.
I wasn't as excited or attached to the characters.
It was still a cute read. But the male character ain't Dugan.
HAHAHAHAHHA.
He has set such a high expectations that I was not interested in his brother at all.
I am sorry. hahaha
I wasn't as excited or attached to the characters.
It was still a cute read. But the male character ain't Dugan.
HAHAHAHAHHA.
He has set such a high expectations that I was not interested in his brother at all.
I am sorry. hahaha
March 20, 2019
The usual archetypes. Heroine annoying here even worse
March 22, 2019
Dashing and chivalrous Highlander and sweet and enduring heroine meet for angsty looks and walks and sexytimes. Clearing out my romance novels and almost regret I don’t have more by this author!
February 16, 2024
Overall this had the elements I like about a trashy romance -- honest hero, innocent heroine, and villains.
November 16, 2025
i injoyed it very much just wath it intended a feelgood story with a happy ending witch transport you to a diferent time so it just reads like a fairytale 😘
August 11, 2016
C- at AAR, so 2.5 stars here It's frustrating to read a book which could have been good, but isn't. That's exactly how I felt as I read The Highlander's Desire. The 18th century Scottish setting had potential - goodness knows this was a time of high drama in Scotland. The Cinderella aspect of the story had potential as well. After all, who wouldn't want to root for the lady wrongfully denied her heritage? However, this book couldn't seem to decide whether it wanted to be a dramatic historical or a fairytale taking place in some sort of land beyond time. As a result, it succeeds at neither.
In the prologue, we learn about the basis for the hero's jaded attitude toward marriage as well as his hatred for a rival clan. Fair enough. Jump forward two years and now jaded hero has set his sights on traveling to Kilgorra to make a political marriage. By marrying the laird's daughter Catriona, Lachann MacMillan will be able to protect his own lands from attack by sea. Given that this book takes place in 1720, a time of some turmoil in Scotland, one would expect to hear mention of Jacobites and tensions with the English, but there was far more talk of Norsemen, which I found a little surprising for this time period. It doesn't matter too much in the end, though. While we get the occasional snippet of historical background, Kilgorra often ends up seeming like a fantasy land out of time, with the characters living in a self-contained little world.
At any rate, Lachann gets to Kilgorra a day early and in addition to surprising his hosts, finds himself surprised to see a rival clan leader there before him. It appears that Lachann will have some competition for Catriona's hand. Unlike his rival, Lachann starts immediately getting the lay of the land and winning the respect of the villagers, as well as finding himself quite taken by a servant girl named Anna. Unbeknownst to Lachann, Anna is actually the laird's stepddaughter. It seems that the laird was so overtaken by his second wife's death that he just sat back and allowed his daughter to abuse the heck out of Anna and turn her into something of a servant. Luckily for Anna, she had a devoted maid or two looking out for her. Oh, and animals seem to like her, too. Cinderella plot, anyone?
This is a partial review. You can find the complete text at All About Romance: http://allaboutromance.com/book-revie...
In the prologue, we learn about the basis for the hero's jaded attitude toward marriage as well as his hatred for a rival clan. Fair enough. Jump forward two years and now jaded hero has set his sights on traveling to Kilgorra to make a political marriage. By marrying the laird's daughter Catriona, Lachann MacMillan will be able to protect his own lands from attack by sea. Given that this book takes place in 1720, a time of some turmoil in Scotland, one would expect to hear mention of Jacobites and tensions with the English, but there was far more talk of Norsemen, which I found a little surprising for this time period. It doesn't matter too much in the end, though. While we get the occasional snippet of historical background, Kilgorra often ends up seeming like a fantasy land out of time, with the characters living in a self-contained little world.
At any rate, Lachann gets to Kilgorra a day early and in addition to surprising his hosts, finds himself surprised to see a rival clan leader there before him. It appears that Lachann will have some competition for Catriona's hand. Unlike his rival, Lachann starts immediately getting the lay of the land and winning the respect of the villagers, as well as finding himself quite taken by a servant girl named Anna. Unbeknownst to Lachann, Anna is actually the laird's stepddaughter. It seems that the laird was so overtaken by his second wife's death that he just sat back and allowed his daughter to abuse the heck out of Anna and turn her into something of a servant. Luckily for Anna, she had a devoted maid or two looking out for her. Oh, and animals seem to like her, too. Cinderella plot, anyone?
This is a partial review. You can find the complete text at All About Romance: http://allaboutromance.com/book-revie...
December 2, 2015
2.75 of 5 Stars
I've been on a huge Highlander historical romance kick lately. I absolutely love the Highland Guard series by Monica McCarty and, despite my insane schedule/life, I've managed to read at least one of her books a week. When I purchase Ms. McCarty's books Margo Maguire pops up as a recommended purchase. I've read Ms. Maguire in the past and decided to give her another try.
Lachlann McMillan has been shielding a broken heart for years, after his first love married his rival. Now, he views marriage as a means to an end. In the interest of protecting his Clan and gaining a Lairdship, he has agreed to marry a woman he soon realizes he detests.
Anna is a kindhearted woman despite her hard life. She defends her friends to the end and gains Lachlann's interest from the start. Sadly, he hasn't come her home to marry her. He's come her marry her evil stepsister. Yep, this book has a little Cinderella story line with a highlander twist. However, Lachlann's plans of a quick and lucrative marriage go awry when he realizes his rival is there trying to steal yet another of his brides. (Unfortunately, Lachlann's first love passed.) Drama and danger ensues. Anna and Lachlann must learn that love is not a weakness, but a strength.
I liked the sexual tension between the main characters and, as mentioned above, the Cinderella aspect. I'm a sucker for fairy tales. But I had a hard time really getting into the characters. They were a bit flat. There was also a lot of repetitive dialogue and inner thought. And, something that was odd and a bit irritating was that Lachlann seemed to always be around. He magically appears by her side - WTF. Not to mention poor Lachlann spent a lot of time rescuing Anna.
The Highlander's Desire is an easy read, I finished it in a few hours and what kept me turning the page was the sweet romance and tension between the main characters.
I've been on a huge Highlander historical romance kick lately. I absolutely love the Highland Guard series by Monica McCarty and, despite my insane schedule/life, I've managed to read at least one of her books a week. When I purchase Ms. McCarty's books Margo Maguire pops up as a recommended purchase. I've read Ms. Maguire in the past and decided to give her another try.
Lachlann McMillan has been shielding a broken heart for years, after his first love married his rival. Now, he views marriage as a means to an end. In the interest of protecting his Clan and gaining a Lairdship, he has agreed to marry a woman he soon realizes he detests.
Anna is a kindhearted woman despite her hard life. She defends her friends to the end and gains Lachlann's interest from the start. Sadly, he hasn't come her home to marry her. He's come her marry her evil stepsister. Yep, this book has a little Cinderella story line with a highlander twist. However, Lachlann's plans of a quick and lucrative marriage go awry when he realizes his rival is there trying to steal yet another of his brides. (Unfortunately, Lachlann's first love passed.) Drama and danger ensues. Anna and Lachlann must learn that love is not a weakness, but a strength.
I liked the sexual tension between the main characters and, as mentioned above, the Cinderella aspect. I'm a sucker for fairy tales. But I had a hard time really getting into the characters. They were a bit flat. There was also a lot of repetitive dialogue and inner thought. And, something that was odd and a bit irritating was that Lachlann seemed to always be around. He magically appears by her side - WTF. Not to mention poor Lachlann spent a lot of time rescuing Anna.
The Highlander's Desire is an easy read, I finished it in a few hours and what kept me turning the page was the sweet romance and tension between the main characters.
July 25, 2013
I thought I had this book all figured out in the first three pages, and I was all set to enjoy a good family feud with a little bit of bride stealing going on. I was wrong! It actually turned out to be a Cinderella story of sorts. I guess we don’t always get what we expect.
Lachlann MacMillan was set to marry his first love, Fiona, and in time become the Laird of her Clan. The Bride price had been settled with her father, but just before he claimed her, Lachlann’s enemy, Cullen Macauley, went to her father and negotiated a larger bride price and stole his bride. Lachlann swore he would never involve his heart in any negotiation again. Years pass. Lachlann then contracted with Laird MacDuffie to wed his daughter Catriona, and then become laird of his clan. Many puzzling things happened when his ship landed at the clan’s pier; there were no guards, there was a beautiful lass being beaten by a drunkard, and Macauley was there!
http://www.thewindowseat13.com/2013/0...
Lachlann MacMillan was set to marry his first love, Fiona, and in time become the Laird of her Clan. The Bride price had been settled with her father, but just before he claimed her, Lachlann’s enemy, Cullen Macauley, went to her father and negotiated a larger bride price and stole his bride. Lachlann swore he would never involve his heart in any negotiation again. Years pass. Lachlann then contracted with Laird MacDuffie to wed his daughter Catriona, and then become laird of his clan. Many puzzling things happened when his ship landed at the clan’s pier; there were no guards, there was a beautiful lass being beaten by a drunkard, and Macauley was there!
http://www.thewindowseat13.com/2013/0...
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