What do you think?
Rate this book
The MacGregors: Highland Heirs #8
Highlander Ever After
From New York Times bestselling author Paula Quinn comes a sweeping Scottish historical romance between a dashing MacGregor highlander and his English bride.
They tried to resist a marriage of convenience...
As the clan chief's son, Adam MacGregor is duty-bound to marry a royal heir. Yet when he meets his bride—a beautiful but haughty young lass who thinks he is nothing more than a common savage—he realizes she's more than he bargained for. But the more Adam gets to know his new wife, the more intent he is on proving her wrong about him.
But can they resist each other?
Sina de Arenberg wants nothing to do with the unsavory MacGregors, especially the fierce Highlander she now calls husband. But the more time she spends with the man she married, the more she sees his honor and courage. Just when she thinks there might be a future for her and Adam, Sina is called back to court. England isn't the place she remembers, though, and soon she'll be forced to choose between the life she once knew, and the Highlander who has captured her heart.
They tried to resist a marriage of convenience...
As the clan chief's son, Adam MacGregor is duty-bound to marry a royal heir. Yet when he meets his bride—a beautiful but haughty young lass who thinks he is nothing more than a common savage—he realizes she's more than he bargained for. But the more Adam gets to know his new wife, the more intent he is on proving her wrong about him.
But can they resist each other?
Sina de Arenberg wants nothing to do with the unsavory MacGregors, especially the fierce Highlander she now calls husband. But the more time she spends with the man she married, the more she sees his honor and courage. Just when she thinks there might be a future for her and Adam, Sina is called back to court. England isn't the place she remembers, though, and soon she'll be forced to choose between the life she once knew, and the Highlander who has captured her heart.
400 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 18, 2018
87 people are currently reading
488 people want to read
About the author
Paula Quinn
62 books1,399 followersPaula Quinn is a NY Times and USA Today bestselling author of medieval, Scottish historical, and paranormal romance. To date, four of her books have garnered a starred review from Publishers Weekly. She has been nominated for Storyteller of the year by RT Book Reviews and every one of her books from the Children of the Mist series have garnered Top Picks from RT Book Reviews. Check out her series, Hearts of the Highlands featuring the brave, romantic MacPhersons on Amazon now!
Also, look for her new time-travel series Echoes In Time coming soon!
Also, look for her new time-travel series Echoes In Time coming soon!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
December 31, 2019
This may seem totally obvious through the cover image and title alone but I'm going to say it: if you like the television show "Outlander", specifically the romance of the show--check this novel out! Yes, between the show and this novel they are drastically different stories but at the core there is romance and a highlander, which is basically one step away from Jamie Fraser if you ask me.
As the hate-to-love trope is one of my personal favourites, I'm happy to see that this novel delivered and it was well executed. I guess the main trope in this story would technically be an arranged marriage but hey, I think that would brew some hatred and the dislike between the two was there in the beginning. The chemistry between the two characters was dynamic with a lovely amount of tension to go along with it.
Overall, it was a very quick and enjoyable read for me. I loved that the writing style flowed and was easy but also included the dialogue from Adam's character to be clearly Scottish. It was fun but also a sexy read.
Even though this book is the eighth in a series, it's fine to be read as a standalone (as I did). I'm sure I missed cameos from characters and that I was spoiled for relationships that developed in previous books but I think I'd still enjoy the previous books if I went back and read them after reading this novel.
***Thank you to Forever Publishing for sending me a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review***
As the hate-to-love trope is one of my personal favourites, I'm happy to see that this novel delivered and it was well executed. I guess the main trope in this story would technically be an arranged marriage but hey, I think that would brew some hatred and the dislike between the two was there in the beginning. The chemistry between the two characters was dynamic with a lovely amount of tension to go along with it.
Overall, it was a very quick and enjoyable read for me. I loved that the writing style flowed and was easy but also included the dialogue from Adam's character to be clearly Scottish. It was fun but also a sexy read.
Even though this book is the eighth in a series, it's fine to be read as a standalone (as I did). I'm sure I missed cameos from characters and that I was spoiled for relationships that developed in previous books but I think I'd still enjoy the previous books if I went back and read them after reading this novel.
***Thank you to Forever Publishing for sending me a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review***
December 8, 2018
Series: Highland Heirs #8
Publication Date: 12/18/18
Number of Pages: 400
I'd actually give this book a 4.5-star rating
I understand this is the last book in this excellent series and I’m sorry to see it end. It has been an excellent series with wonderful characters. This addition to the story is well-written, well-plotted and the characters are memorable – not to mention that it includes nice visits with former heroes and heroines.
In the first few chapters, I thought I didn’t like Sina at all. However, as I thought about it, her reactions were very true-to-life. She was a young lady not accustomed to anything other than court-life. She was betrothed to a man she loved and all was right in her world. Then, in the dead of night, she is taken, at the order of Queen Anne, to be married to a Highland savage. She was just taken – no time to pack or even say goodbye. As soon as she arrived, she was expected to marry a man she had never met but greatly feared. She showed quite a bit of spunk trying to fight the marriage but finally had no choice. Was she unhappy – you bet! Did she make everyone aware of her unhappiness – you bet! Could she have had more sympathy for Adam -- yes she could have. Adam was in the same situation as Sina, he was forced into the marriage as well, but at least he didn’t have to leave his home, family, friends and live in a place where everything and everyone made you afraid. So, I came to like and respect Sina even though I thought the thing with ‘loving’ William went on a little too long.
Melusina (Sina) de Arenburg is a Lady-in-Waiting to Queen Anne (last of the Stuart monarchs). She is also the illegitimate daughter of the future king, George (first of the Hanoverian monarchs). Sina and Anne have become close during Sina’s tenure as Lady-in-Waiting – at least Sina thought they had. Then, when Anne had Sina gathered up and taken to the Scottish Highlands to be wed to a Highland savage, she couldn’t believe Anne would betray her like that. When she arrived at Camlochlin Castle she was terrified, but not so terrified that she couldn’t at least try to get out of it – but – to defy the Queen. Oh! What a dilemma. Well – she might have to marry him, but she didn’t have to make it easy on him and she surely didn’t have to consummate the marriage.
Adam MacGregor is the oldest son of the clan chief. Adam is tall, strong, handsome as sin, and loves his life as a single man. He has no ambition to follow as clan chief and is actively promoting his sister to fill that role. Then, a coach arrives with a female aboard and orders for him to marry her. Although Adam has no desire to marry, especially not a stranger, he knows he must follow the Queens orders so he can keep his clan safe. The MacGregors have been proscribed, but they have been mostly left alone because of the MacGregor’s relationship with Queen Anne. This marriage is Anne’s way of keeping the MacGregor’s safe after she dies. Adam sucks it up and decides to make the best of the marriage. Since they have no choice but to wed, they might as well make the best of it and try to be happy. Well – he might as well try, because apparently, Sina has no intention of cooperating.
I loved watching Adam slowly but surely wooing Sina. Who could resist him? He’s wonderful, thoughtful, caring and interested. Sina fights the attraction, but it is useless. Just as Sina comes to the conclusion that she cares, Queen Anne dies, Sina’s father becomes King and he demands Sina’s return to court. How can Adam let her go when she has come to mean so much to him? How can Sina leave when Adam has come to mean so much to her? Again, they have no choice.
Half of this novel takes place at Camlochlin Castle on the Isle of Skye in the Scottish Highlands and the other half takes place in London. It was fun watching Adam show up all of those dandy London Lords. Could Adam win over the King and leave London with his wife? You’ll definitely be rooting for Adam and Sina to find their HEA.
I hope you’ll enjoy the book as much as I did. If you find yourself disliking Sina in the beginning, just remember who she is and what has happened to her – and – put yourself in her place. Would you handle that any better than she did? I wouldn’t.
Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/flippinpages...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlippinPagesRev
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbBookReview
"I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."
Publication Date: 12/18/18
Number of Pages: 400
I'd actually give this book a 4.5-star rating
I understand this is the last book in this excellent series and I’m sorry to see it end. It has been an excellent series with wonderful characters. This addition to the story is well-written, well-plotted and the characters are memorable – not to mention that it includes nice visits with former heroes and heroines.
In the first few chapters, I thought I didn’t like Sina at all. However, as I thought about it, her reactions were very true-to-life. She was a young lady not accustomed to anything other than court-life. She was betrothed to a man she loved and all was right in her world. Then, in the dead of night, she is taken, at the order of Queen Anne, to be married to a Highland savage. She was just taken – no time to pack or even say goodbye. As soon as she arrived, she was expected to marry a man she had never met but greatly feared. She showed quite a bit of spunk trying to fight the marriage but finally had no choice. Was she unhappy – you bet! Did she make everyone aware of her unhappiness – you bet! Could she have had more sympathy for Adam -- yes she could have. Adam was in the same situation as Sina, he was forced into the marriage as well, but at least he didn’t have to leave his home, family, friends and live in a place where everything and everyone made you afraid. So, I came to like and respect Sina even though I thought the thing with ‘loving’ William went on a little too long.
Melusina (Sina) de Arenburg is a Lady-in-Waiting to Queen Anne (last of the Stuart monarchs). She is also the illegitimate daughter of the future king, George (first of the Hanoverian monarchs). Sina and Anne have become close during Sina’s tenure as Lady-in-Waiting – at least Sina thought they had. Then, when Anne had Sina gathered up and taken to the Scottish Highlands to be wed to a Highland savage, she couldn’t believe Anne would betray her like that. When she arrived at Camlochlin Castle she was terrified, but not so terrified that she couldn’t at least try to get out of it – but – to defy the Queen. Oh! What a dilemma. Well – she might have to marry him, but she didn’t have to make it easy on him and she surely didn’t have to consummate the marriage.
Adam MacGregor is the oldest son of the clan chief. Adam is tall, strong, handsome as sin, and loves his life as a single man. He has no ambition to follow as clan chief and is actively promoting his sister to fill that role. Then, a coach arrives with a female aboard and orders for him to marry her. Although Adam has no desire to marry, especially not a stranger, he knows he must follow the Queens orders so he can keep his clan safe. The MacGregors have been proscribed, but they have been mostly left alone because of the MacGregor’s relationship with Queen Anne. This marriage is Anne’s way of keeping the MacGregor’s safe after she dies. Adam sucks it up and decides to make the best of the marriage. Since they have no choice but to wed, they might as well make the best of it and try to be happy. Well – he might as well try, because apparently, Sina has no intention of cooperating.
I loved watching Adam slowly but surely wooing Sina. Who could resist him? He’s wonderful, thoughtful, caring and interested. Sina fights the attraction, but it is useless. Just as Sina comes to the conclusion that she cares, Queen Anne dies, Sina’s father becomes King and he demands Sina’s return to court. How can Adam let her go when she has come to mean so much to him? How can Sina leave when Adam has come to mean so much to her? Again, they have no choice.
Half of this novel takes place at Camlochlin Castle on the Isle of Skye in the Scottish Highlands and the other half takes place in London. It was fun watching Adam show up all of those dandy London Lords. Could Adam win over the King and leave London with his wife? You’ll definitely be rooting for Adam and Sina to find their HEA.
I hope you’ll enjoy the book as much as I did. If you find yourself disliking Sina in the beginning, just remember who she is and what has happened to her – and – put yourself in her place. Would you handle that any better than she did? I wouldn’t.
Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/flippinpages...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlippinPagesRev
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbBookReview
"I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."
January 5, 2019
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋
My first book of a new year , and I picked a brilliant one .
If you love Highlanders , adventure, history, romance and emotion , you can’t go wrong with Paula Quinn , she has a special gift when it comes to all of the above .
Highland Heirs is a wonderful series and although these books can be read as standalones , there is a running family/Friends theme ,so the best results are gained from reading in order .
This is book 8 ,and our hero is so going to make your heart pound , strong and honourable, he’s all you want from your man and more .
Our heroine is feisty and beautiful and these two are made for each other .
A great book by a great author, curl up and enjoy x
💋💋
My first book of a new year , and I picked a brilliant one .
If you love Highlanders , adventure, history, romance and emotion , you can’t go wrong with Paula Quinn , she has a special gift when it comes to all of the above .
Highland Heirs is a wonderful series and although these books can be read as standalones , there is a running family/Friends theme ,so the best results are gained from reading in order .
This is book 8 ,and our hero is so going to make your heart pound , strong and honourable, he’s all you want from your man and more .
Our heroine is feisty and beautiful and these two are made for each other .
A great book by a great author, curl up and enjoy x
Read
April 19, 2019***DNF at 52%***
I just can’t with this. I really wanted to finish Highlander Ever After since I was buddy reading it but I hated it so much that I couldn’t even force myself to read it. It’s PAINFULLY dull. Essentially what this all comes down to is a super whiny girl and a super mopey guy not having sex with each other… o and there’s dogs.
I just can’t with this. I really wanted to finish Highlander Ever After since I was buddy reading it but I hated it so much that I couldn’t even force myself to read it. It’s PAINFULLY dull. Essentially what this all comes down to is a super whiny girl and a super mopey guy not having sex with each other… o and there’s dogs.
December 27, 2018
I loved this installment of the MacGregor's Highland Heirs! I have been waiting for Adam to find love and accept his position in the clan for so long and this story did not disappoint!
Adam MacGregor is the firstborn son of Rob and Davina, but he has long resisted being named his father's heir, he has willingly let his sister Abigail fill the role of the next chief and has passed time aimlessly, hunting, drinking and wenching. But all that changes when Queen Anne demands that he marry Melusina de Arenburg.
Melusina "Sina" is taken from her bed in Kensington Palace and brought to Skye with a letter from the Queen demanding the immediate wedding. Sina is the illegitimate child of George of Hanover, the queen's heir. She is betrothed to her childhood friend William Standish and wants nothing to do with Adam or his family. She marries him out of love for her Queen, but insists that her father will set the marriage aside and refuses to consummate the vows.
Adam is no more pleased about this arrangement than she is, but he will honor his vows to her and will try to make her happy. Adam is a complex character, bold, handsome and charming, but in his heart, he is lonely. His wolfhound Goliath is his closest friend and confidant - but way down deep, lurks a romantic, one who longs for the bond his family has found with their spouses. He puts aside his anger and resentment, and tries to make Sina happy. He thinks she is lovely and understands her pain - but he is hopeful that they can come to some sort of understanding. But when she tells him on their wedding night that she loves another and always will - he rethinks his plan. He still wants a cordial relationship, but he will not lose his heart to her.
Slowly (and I do mean SLOWLY) Sina starts to thaw, she is torn, her heart is with William, but she also recognizes that she may never leave Skye and that the people here have gone out of their way to be kind to her, including Adam. She still wants to leave and feels like her feelings for Adam are a betrayal to William, but what she is beginning to feel for the Highlander is nothing like the warm comfortable feelings she has for William. The more time they spend together, the more she realizes Adam is exactly the man she always dreamt of and her feelings grow.
Just as she accepts her feelings and decides that she will stay, news arrives - The Queen is dead and her father is demanding that she be returned to London. They are heartbroken by the news, but Adam still believes she loves someone else and knows that refusing will start a war. He has to protect his family, even if that means letting go of the only woman he has ever loved.
Sina returns to London and William, but she has changed. She pines for Adam, but after 3 weeks with no word, she assumes he has made his choice and is determined to get on with her life - with William. The night of the betrothal ball, Sina is shocked by a new arrival - Adam and Goliath! She fears for him, his name brands him an outlaw and could get him killed. But when he introduces himself as Lord Adam Hamilton, grandson of the Duke of Hamilton, she keeps his secret and longs to get him alone to find out what his is doing!
Adam has come for his love, but first he must win her heart back and befriend her father. Adam will do anything to win Sina back, but there are those who will do anything to keep them apart. Can they overcome with the odds stacked against them? Will the King forgive his deceit or will it start a war?
This was such a great book, I loved Adam and all the MacGregors. Sina, took me a little bit of time to warm up to, but once I really understood her POV, I began to root for her HEA - I think this book might be my favorite PQ of all time, I was completely invested in the story, I laughed, cried and sighed. The story is a page turner, well written, flows nicely, has steamy love scenes, some nail biting moments and a wonderful sigh worthy ending. It is the eighth book in the series and is interconnected to the other books, but I think it could be read as stand alone title with no problem.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*
Adam MacGregor is the firstborn son of Rob and Davina, but he has long resisted being named his father's heir, he has willingly let his sister Abigail fill the role of the next chief and has passed time aimlessly, hunting, drinking and wenching. But all that changes when Queen Anne demands that he marry Melusina de Arenburg.
Melusina "Sina" is taken from her bed in Kensington Palace and brought to Skye with a letter from the Queen demanding the immediate wedding. Sina is the illegitimate child of George of Hanover, the queen's heir. She is betrothed to her childhood friend William Standish and wants nothing to do with Adam or his family. She marries him out of love for her Queen, but insists that her father will set the marriage aside and refuses to consummate the vows.
Adam is no more pleased about this arrangement than she is, but he will honor his vows to her and will try to make her happy. Adam is a complex character, bold, handsome and charming, but in his heart, he is lonely. His wolfhound Goliath is his closest friend and confidant - but way down deep, lurks a romantic, one who longs for the bond his family has found with their spouses. He puts aside his anger and resentment, and tries to make Sina happy. He thinks she is lovely and understands her pain - but he is hopeful that they can come to some sort of understanding. But when she tells him on their wedding night that she loves another and always will - he rethinks his plan. He still wants a cordial relationship, but he will not lose his heart to her.
Slowly (and I do mean SLOWLY) Sina starts to thaw, she is torn, her heart is with William, but she also recognizes that she may never leave Skye and that the people here have gone out of their way to be kind to her, including Adam. She still wants to leave and feels like her feelings for Adam are a betrayal to William, but what she is beginning to feel for the Highlander is nothing like the warm comfortable feelings she has for William. The more time they spend together, the more she realizes Adam is exactly the man she always dreamt of and her feelings grow.
Just as she accepts her feelings and decides that she will stay, news arrives - The Queen is dead and her father is demanding that she be returned to London. They are heartbroken by the news, but Adam still believes she loves someone else and knows that refusing will start a war. He has to protect his family, even if that means letting go of the only woman he has ever loved.
Sina returns to London and William, but she has changed. She pines for Adam, but after 3 weeks with no word, she assumes he has made his choice and is determined to get on with her life - with William. The night of the betrothal ball, Sina is shocked by a new arrival - Adam and Goliath! She fears for him, his name brands him an outlaw and could get him killed. But when he introduces himself as Lord Adam Hamilton, grandson of the Duke of Hamilton, she keeps his secret and longs to get him alone to find out what his is doing!
Adam has come for his love, but first he must win her heart back and befriend her father. Adam will do anything to win Sina back, but there are those who will do anything to keep them apart. Can they overcome with the odds stacked against them? Will the King forgive his deceit or will it start a war?
This was such a great book, I loved Adam and all the MacGregors. Sina, took me a little bit of time to warm up to, but once I really understood her POV, I began to root for her HEA - I think this book might be my favorite PQ of all time, I was completely invested in the story, I laughed, cried and sighed. The story is a page turner, well written, flows nicely, has steamy love scenes, some nail biting moments and a wonderful sigh worthy ending. It is the eighth book in the series and is interconnected to the other books, but I think it could be read as stand alone title with no problem.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*
November 16, 2018
Sina de Arenberg cannot believe the Queen and her father would marry her off to a savage like Adam MacGregor. They didn't even take her opinion into consideration, nor did it matter that she was all but engaged to her childhood friend, William. Sina wants no part of the MacGregors, but the more time she spends with them, the more she starts to like them, especially her husband. Just when Sina decides to make a go of her marriage to Adam, her father orders her back home and begins the process to annul her marriage.
Adam has fallen for Sina. He lets her go for the greater good of his family, but before long realizes that he is a fool if he doesn't try to win his wife back. Adam travels to court under an alias. He plans to win the king's favor and also the heart of his wife, Sina. What will happen when the king learns Adam's true identity? Will it be the end of him and Sina?
I give author Paula Quinn's HIGHLANDER EVER AFTER a 3.5 star rating. There were a lot of things I liked about this book. The MacGregors are witty, bold and brave. Every one of them is ready to rise to the challenge for those they hold dear. Sina comes from a totally different place. She has not been much around her family and has only ever had a couple of close friends so Sina is a little out of her element when she first meets the MacGregors. Watching most of them so easily embrace her in their fold and accept her was beautiful. I also thoroughly enjoyed the will they, won't they between Adam and Sina. Just when things are about to come to fruition between them, they're torn asunder.
HIGHLANDER EVER AFTER is kind of like a two-parter. Part one is the marriage between Adam and Sina, and their getting to know each other in Adam's world The second part is at court with Sina, a place she no longer holds as dear and that is foreign to Adam. I have to give Adam credit for how well he did there. The thing I disliked the most about HIGHLANDER EVER AFTER was Sina's need to hold herself so apart from Adam. She refuses to give in to the feelings she has developed for Adam. It's well and good that she holds a certain love and respect for William, but Adam is the man she is married to, and her actions only serve to hurt everyone Adam and his family. I'm not saying she should have jumped right into bed with him, but it was clear with time that she and Adam were meant to be together. Thank goodness for Adam's persistence and bravery or they never would have got their HEA.
Adam has fallen for Sina. He lets her go for the greater good of his family, but before long realizes that he is a fool if he doesn't try to win his wife back. Adam travels to court under an alias. He plans to win the king's favor and also the heart of his wife, Sina. What will happen when the king learns Adam's true identity? Will it be the end of him and Sina?
I give author Paula Quinn's HIGHLANDER EVER AFTER a 3.5 star rating. There were a lot of things I liked about this book. The MacGregors are witty, bold and brave. Every one of them is ready to rise to the challenge for those they hold dear. Sina comes from a totally different place. She has not been much around her family and has only ever had a couple of close friends so Sina is a little out of her element when she first meets the MacGregors. Watching most of them so easily embrace her in their fold and accept her was beautiful. I also thoroughly enjoyed the will they, won't they between Adam and Sina. Just when things are about to come to fruition between them, they're torn asunder.
HIGHLANDER EVER AFTER is kind of like a two-parter. Part one is the marriage between Adam and Sina, and their getting to know each other in Adam's world The second part is at court with Sina, a place she no longer holds as dear and that is foreign to Adam. I have to give Adam credit for how well he did there. The thing I disliked the most about HIGHLANDER EVER AFTER was Sina's need to hold herself so apart from Adam. She refuses to give in to the feelings she has developed for Adam. It's well and good that she holds a certain love and respect for William, but Adam is the man she is married to, and her actions only serve to hurt everyone Adam and his family. I'm not saying she should have jumped right into bed with him, but it was clear with time that she and Adam were meant to be together. Thank goodness for Adam's persistence and bravery or they never would have got their HEA.
January 22, 2020
We begin with a very unhappy wedding between an actively screaming bride, Sina, and Adam, a stoic highlander who's just trying to do what's best for his clan even though he's none too happy about it either. I could not stand Sina. Even the fact that she'd had everything taken away from her and had been forced to marry a stranger wasn't enough for me to tolerate her behavior. Adam and his entire family try to make the best out of a bad situation and be nice to her and make her feel welcome, but she responds by being just nasty to them and hitting Adam and throwing things at him. She has already prejudged the highlanders to be savage barbarians because she listens to and wholeheartedly believes the court gossip she has heard in London. She just behaves like a spoiled brat angry at not getting her way, oblivious and uncaring of the fact that Adam has also had his future decisions taken from him. Despite her hatefulness and determination to escape, Sina does find herself inexorably drawn to Adam. She's determined to hold herself aloof from him and maintain her loyalty to her betrothed, William, a childhood friend she fancies herself in love with, though she has not seen him in three years. Just when she finally realizes how great Adam is and that she loves him, her father, now the king, calls her back to the palace. Adam lovers her too, but lets her go because he finds a letter she wrote to William but never sent, denoting how she could never love Adam, and also because he doesn't want to start a war and risk his clan's safety. Heartbroken, Sina returns to the palace and promptly becomes re-betrothed to William and sets about forgetting Adam. Even when he shows up to fight for her and try to befriend her father, she won't reveal her feelings for him and insists that she belongs with William. I was very disappointed in her not being honest with herself or with her father. The constant waffling between them both, but especially on Sina's part got very old and I really began losing my patience with them. Her naivete when it came to William, even after she acknowledged that she really didn't know him anymore was ridiculous.
There's so much intrigue, lies, politics and agendas in this one, as is indicative of a turbulent time in history. I did appreciate that, but Sina's weakness and lack of acknowledgement of her feelings for Adam was irritating. I understand she was trying to protect him and his clan, but her constant concern for and defense of William got really old. Apart from his questionable behavior, William is a grown man and not Sina's responsibility, although she refuses to acknowledge that.
I finally started to really enjoy this one in the last few chapters, although the ending was rather abrupt and I think the final chapter could have been fleshed out a bit more for a more satisfying conclusion. Overall, however, I did enjoy the story and would recommend it.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
There's so much intrigue, lies, politics and agendas in this one, as is indicative of a turbulent time in history. I did appreciate that, but Sina's weakness and lack of acknowledgement of her feelings for Adam was irritating. I understand she was trying to protect him and his clan, but her constant concern for and defense of William got really old. Apart from his questionable behavior, William is a grown man and not Sina's responsibility, although she refuses to acknowledge that.
I finally started to really enjoy this one in the last few chapters, although the ending was rather abrupt and I think the final chapter could have been fleshed out a bit more for a more satisfying conclusion. Overall, however, I did enjoy the story and would recommend it.
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
December 3, 2018
Good Morning Reader,
Today we're going to be taking a stroll through time and look at Highlander Ever After by Paula Quinn.
First up, a warning: This is number 8 in her The MacGregors: Highland Heirs series, so if you jump right into this book, you won't be lost but a lot of the relationships around the hero and heroine aren't going to have the impact they're suppose to. I recommend starting at the beginning with The Seduction of Miss Amelia Bell and working your way through. If you're looking to dive even deeper, check out this series' origin: The Children of the Mist series
Alright, reader, I'll admit I'm a lover of Paula Quinn, through and through, and when I saw this book up for review I tagged it ASAP! That being said everything started off a little rough for me. The writing was a bit on the nose in the beginning and that becomes a harder pill to swallow as her writing expands and becomes more profound throughout the rest of the book. I found myself rereading some of the beginning just in case I had read it wrong. It's such a strange shift in detail and writing style and it doesn't quite bring anything to the story as far as reader perception.
The line that gave me a big case of the eye rolls is here: "Show her the thoughtful, intelligent man behind your roguish smiles. . ." And that is just one, my friend. I highlighted 5 others in just the first chapter. Very unexpected and unusual for this author but maybe I'm missing something obvious and will be e'er the fool on this one.
The beginning was made more harsh by her choice to have the heroine in immense distress on page 1 and throughout the entirety of Act 1. Enter: lots and lots of crying. It's a tough way to start off a book, let alone a relationship. If you can work through your normal inclination to skim passed the "whiny heroine" bits and can put yourself fully into the era and situation, you'll be set. This is where reading the rest of the series would be immensely helpful.
It's been a minute or two since I read book 7 so it helped me have the virgin eye here. With said eye I CONSTANTLY found myself on the hero's side during the first act. This is rather unusual for a "kidnapped heroine" story line and it's very rare that I find myself exasperated by the heroine but. . .here we are.
The Heroine (Sina, btw) wins me back by becoming exceedingly perceptive and forgiving as we fall into Act 2. Nothing warms my heart more than a heroine with some damned common sense. With only some mild wobbling later in the book our hero (Adam) and heroine form a deep and earnest connection that they hold fast to for the rest of their trials, thank goodness. Once the h/h make a decision about each other it's rage-inducing when every minor hurdle sways them from each other. None of that here, most especially for Adam.
As far as opposition, our author is phenomenal with her antagonists. We're given lots of foreshadowing so we have a good idea who the "bad guys" are but how and when they act is still a surprise, which I appreciate. There is hardly ever a dull moment, right up to the very, very end.
Once you're through the first act, and the writing shifts back to what you'd expect from Paula Quinn, the book becomes pure fun. Honest conversations, beautiful world building, and realistic drama and relationship road blocks. The only thing that felt strange was that this entire book takes place over a matter of months. Even with the knowledge that most marriages, and life in general, moved rapidly back then, everything still felt like it was going at breakneck speeds. The good news here is that our author knows how to pack a punch so you never feel like you're missing out on plot or story line.
Bottomline: A great read and a wonderful couple if you can push through the first few chapters.
Rating: ★★★★
*I was given a free copy from Netgalley for an honest review*
Today we're going to be taking a stroll through time and look at Highlander Ever After by Paula Quinn.
First up, a warning: This is number 8 in her The MacGregors: Highland Heirs series, so if you jump right into this book, you won't be lost but a lot of the relationships around the hero and heroine aren't going to have the impact they're suppose to. I recommend starting at the beginning with The Seduction of Miss Amelia Bell and working your way through. If you're looking to dive even deeper, check out this series' origin: The Children of the Mist series
Alright, reader, I'll admit I'm a lover of Paula Quinn, through and through, and when I saw this book up for review I tagged it ASAP! That being said everything started off a little rough for me. The writing was a bit on the nose in the beginning and that becomes a harder pill to swallow as her writing expands and becomes more profound throughout the rest of the book. I found myself rereading some of the beginning just in case I had read it wrong. It's such a strange shift in detail and writing style and it doesn't quite bring anything to the story as far as reader perception.
The line that gave me a big case of the eye rolls is here: "Show her the thoughtful, intelligent man behind your roguish smiles. . ." And that is just one, my friend. I highlighted 5 others in just the first chapter. Very unexpected and unusual for this author but maybe I'm missing something obvious and will be e'er the fool on this one.
The beginning was made more harsh by her choice to have the heroine in immense distress on page 1 and throughout the entirety of Act 1. Enter: lots and lots of crying. It's a tough way to start off a book, let alone a relationship. If you can work through your normal inclination to skim passed the "whiny heroine" bits and can put yourself fully into the era and situation, you'll be set. This is where reading the rest of the series would be immensely helpful.
It's been a minute or two since I read book 7 so it helped me have the virgin eye here. With said eye I CONSTANTLY found myself on the hero's side during the first act. This is rather unusual for a "kidnapped heroine" story line and it's very rare that I find myself exasperated by the heroine but. . .here we are.
The Heroine (Sina, btw) wins me back by becoming exceedingly perceptive and forgiving as we fall into Act 2. Nothing warms my heart more than a heroine with some damned common sense. With only some mild wobbling later in the book our hero (Adam) and heroine form a deep and earnest connection that they hold fast to for the rest of their trials, thank goodness. Once the h/h make a decision about each other it's rage-inducing when every minor hurdle sways them from each other. None of that here, most especially for Adam.
As far as opposition, our author is phenomenal with her antagonists. We're given lots of foreshadowing so we have a good idea who the "bad guys" are but how and when they act is still a surprise, which I appreciate. There is hardly ever a dull moment, right up to the very, very end.
Once you're through the first act, and the writing shifts back to what you'd expect from Paula Quinn, the book becomes pure fun. Honest conversations, beautiful world building, and realistic drama and relationship road blocks. The only thing that felt strange was that this entire book takes place over a matter of months. Even with the knowledge that most marriages, and life in general, moved rapidly back then, everything still felt like it was going at breakneck speeds. The good news here is that our author knows how to pack a punch so you never feel like you're missing out on plot or story line.
Bottomline: A great read and a wonderful couple if you can push through the first few chapters.
Rating: ★★★★
*I was given a free copy from Netgalley for an honest review*
December 7, 2018
I have been reading Paula Quinn's books for years now, and while I liked the her first few books, this is the first of her newer ones where I truly feel she is having a comeback on my bookshelf! I loved, loved, LOVED the history tie-ins with this book, as she has done with all of her others, and the side characters are just as interesting as the main characters. The dogs alone win me over - Ula and Goliath are the sweetest! She has truly created a family at Camlochlin, and I want to be part of it too.
Per royal decree, Melusina de Arenburg has been torn from her home in England and forced to the altar to wed a savage highlander, Adam MacGregor, and neither party is very pleased with this news. Adam because he has no desire to become Chief, but with this marriage, it seems a sure thing. Melusina because she already has a betrothed! An unlikely duo forced together first appears unlikely to succeed, but as time passes, Melusina can't help but fall in love with Adam's family...and Adam himself. Just when they are feeling the first bud of romance, however, Melusina is ordered home, and Adam must fight for the love he never expected.
I was really worried when I first read the synopsis, because I hate love triangles. Truly, they are in my top three of least favorite tropes within a story. However, the author pulled it all together where you know it's there, but you also recognize that it's disintegrating before your eyes. While Melusina continues for a large portion of the story (we're talking halfway through the book) to insist she loves her betrothed, William, she also realizes that her fate is sealed. She sees the wonderful qualities in Adam and begins to wonder if what she feels for William is really love or just comfort. I would have liked her to have been a bit more willing to see what she had with Adam sooner, but I also understood that she couldn't give up on the "love" she thought she already had. Adam was truly a gem among men, considering the hysterics he had to put up with from Sina in the beginning. Yes, his temper got the better of him a few times, but he stuck up for her among his fellow men, and that really touched my heart. He had all the reasons in the world to complain about Sina to his friends, but instead he recognized that she needed to belong. Her feelings really mattered to him. Adam was a really amazing hero.
I'm really excited to see where Paula Quinn goes next with her books! This definitely re-engaged my interest in her writing, and I'm eager to read more.
**I received a free copy via NetGalley and this is my honest review.**
Per royal decree, Melusina de Arenburg has been torn from her home in England and forced to the altar to wed a savage highlander, Adam MacGregor, and neither party is very pleased with this news. Adam because he has no desire to become Chief, but with this marriage, it seems a sure thing. Melusina because she already has a betrothed! An unlikely duo forced together first appears unlikely to succeed, but as time passes, Melusina can't help but fall in love with Adam's family...and Adam himself. Just when they are feeling the first bud of romance, however, Melusina is ordered home, and Adam must fight for the love he never expected.
I was really worried when I first read the synopsis, because I hate love triangles. Truly, they are in my top three of least favorite tropes within a story. However, the author pulled it all together where you know it's there, but you also recognize that it's disintegrating before your eyes. While Melusina continues for a large portion of the story (we're talking halfway through the book) to insist she loves her betrothed, William, she also realizes that her fate is sealed. She sees the wonderful qualities in Adam and begins to wonder if what she feels for William is really love or just comfort. I would have liked her to have been a bit more willing to see what she had with Adam sooner, but I also understood that she couldn't give up on the "love" she thought she already had. Adam was truly a gem among men, considering the hysterics he had to put up with from Sina in the beginning. Yes, his temper got the better of him a few times, but he stuck up for her among his fellow men, and that really touched my heart. He had all the reasons in the world to complain about Sina to his friends, but instead he recognized that she needed to belong. Her feelings really mattered to him. Adam was a really amazing hero.
I'm really excited to see where Paula Quinn goes next with her books! This definitely re-engaged my interest in her writing, and I'm eager to read more.
**I received a free copy via NetGalley and this is my honest review.**
December 10, 2018
5 Stars is not enough!!!!
Full review coming soon.
For more Subscribe/Like/Follow
Blog: http://glimpsesofmybooks.blogspot.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glimpses_of...
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5...
Full review coming soon.
For more Subscribe/Like/Follow
Blog: http://glimpsesofmybooks.blogspot.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glimpses_of...
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5...
December 3, 2018
I loved Adam and Sina's story!!
Commanded by the Queen to marry, neither Adam nor Sina wanted anything to do with the marriage. Adam was not ready to marry and Sina was in love with someone else. But as they spend time together, but realize that their initial impression of the other was false. But just as their feelings start to change, Sina is called back to court when the Queen dies. Now her father will decide what her future holds. Will it be with the man that she is starting to fall for or the one that she thought she wanted?
This was a great addition to the Highland Heirs series. It was fun watching Adam and Sin get over their animosity and come to care for one another. I'm excited to see what Quinn has in store for us next!
Commanded by the Queen to marry, neither Adam nor Sina wanted anything to do with the marriage. Adam was not ready to marry and Sina was in love with someone else. But as they spend time together, but realize that their initial impression of the other was false. But just as their feelings start to change, Sina is called back to court when the Queen dies. Now her father will decide what her future holds. Will it be with the man that she is starting to fall for or the one that she thought she wanted?
This was a great addition to the Highland Heirs series. It was fun watching Adam and Sin get over their animosity and come to care for one another. I'm excited to see what Quinn has in store for us next!
November 25, 2018
Initially Sina is unlikable, however one would expect her to act as she did for a period of time given what was done to her with no forewarning. Very well written, story draws you in and I did not want to put it down. Quinn researched her time period and events well, using pieces of actual history in her storyline to draw the reader in even more. As someone who loves historical romance and history in general including that particular time period, the details used made it all the more enjoyable.
November 18, 2018
This author has never let me down I can always count on her to make fall in love with characters and her storylines. You can almost see the story come tolife as you read.i think I own everything she ever written. She is one of my go to read. Can’t wait for the next book from her.😊
Read
April 26, 2025Highlander Ever After is a slow-burn historical romance featuring a marriage of convenience between Sina (the secret daughter of the royal heir) and Adam MacGregor (the heir of a proscribed Scottish clan). Both are resistant to the marriage, but they have been ordered to marry by the queen.
While I generally like a good slow-burn romance, this one might be a little too slow for my taste. Sina and Adam don't even kiss until about 150 pages into the book and even after that things move very slowly. I generally felt more invested in the story around the 150 page mark and after. Early on Sina is very whiny about everything! And while I understand her initial reticence after being forced into this marriage, it carried on way too long given 1) the fact that Adam demonstrates that he is a good guy and 2) she is definitely attracted to him. I don't have a ton of patience for why heroines, but things did improve later on.
Overall, this story was fine, but I find myself being more interested in the stories of some of the other couples in Adam's family. I'm starting the series pretty late, so I might go back and try one of the previous books. The family dynamics were really great and the Highland setting is fun!
While I generally like a good slow-burn romance, this one might be a little too slow for my taste. Sina and Adam don't even kiss until about 150 pages into the book and even after that things move very slowly. I generally felt more invested in the story around the 150 page mark and after. Early on Sina is very whiny about everything! And while I understand her initial reticence after being forced into this marriage, it carried on way too long given 1) the fact that Adam demonstrates that he is a good guy and 2) she is definitely attracted to him. I don't have a ton of patience for why heroines, but things did improve later on.
Overall, this story was fine, but I find myself being more interested in the stories of some of the other couples in Adam's family. I'm starting the series pretty late, so I might go back and try one of the previous books. The family dynamics were really great and the Highland setting is fun!
September 15, 2019
Endearing characters but lackluster plot
I would like to thank Paula Quinn, Forever/Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Spoilers
This was a nice story, but I don’t think it lived up to its full potential.
The central conflict was great—Adam and Sina being forced to marry for political reasons. They were caught between a rock and a hard place for the entire book, which created excellent tension, intrigue, and stakes and made me sympathize with them and their impossible situation.
The problem is, the tension from that predicament spiked in the first couple of chapters, then the rest of book coasted on its momentum. Save for when Sina was summoned back to London, the tension gradually relaxed until I knew how it was going to end, and it was just a matter of reaching that end. It wasn’t necessarily that the story lacked enthusiasm or energy, it just felt as if it hit its highest point immediately and the rest of the book meandered through minor conflicts.
I found Adam and Sina as endearing as Quinn’s other characters, though I don’t think we dug as deep into them as we could have. We explored their motivations to some degree, but I was left with questions, especially in regard to Sina.
I related to Adam because he resented the expectations, pressure, and responsibilities that were laid over his shoulders the day he was born. Apparently, it wasn’t that he didn’t want to be laird—though being responsible for so many people did intimidate him. He just actively refused because he wanted to feel as if he had a choice in the matter.
And I was kind of disappointed, to be honest. Maybe I just got the wrong impression, but from the other MacGregor books I thought Adam didn’t want to be laird because he wanted to be/do something else, not just that he didn’t want to be laird on principle. I thought his book would be a struggle against convention and expectation until he found a way to be free to do whatever it was he was longing to do. But no, Adam’s arc was realizing that it was useless to run from fate and that being laird wouldn’t be so bad. I would have appreciated it more if Abby had become laird and if Adam had finally been allowed the freedom to live his life the way he wanted.
Sina was a good heroine, strong and independent. If any reader doesn’t like her because she resisted the MacGregors so vehemently—to the point of being a bitch—then that reader isn’t making an effort to relate to her situation, to her helplessness. I don’t think I’d have acted any differently if I were her. I’d have grieved the loss of the life I’d dreamed of, and I’d have resented the MacGregors for being complicit in the marriage. Who cares if they didn’t like it any more than she did—they still did nothing to stop it. She tried to run, tried to stall, tried to refuse to say her vows, but she was outnumbered.
It occurred to me that forcing Adam to marry against his will was rather out of character for the MacGregors. Rob himself said he’d never not let his children marry for love, yet there they were… They seemed to live well enough as outlaws for the last several decades, would they really be so afraid of continuing to do so? Camlochlin was supposed to be hidden and hard to get to, though I don’t think that was mentioned in this particular installment.
Speaking of Camlochlin’s isolation—just how big is Camlochlin? I guess I always imagined it as a keep and a small village all comprised of MacGregors and their near relatives, perhaps a few dear friends. An intimate and exclusive population of about a hundred or so. And I thought that the young adults traveled a fair bit, visiting other relatives, and that’s when the young men had the opportunity to lose their virginities and bed women.
But this book inadvertently highlighted how many women were interested in either bedding or marrying Adam. At his wedding to Sina there was a group of several young women who were blatantly grieving the loss of his eligibility; one of them propositioned Adam and he vowed he would not commit adultery. It’s implied that Adam’s already lain with a number of women, as have his brothers. So Camlochlin has to be sizable with a large portion of non-relatives, right?
But then there’s this passage from the book (Sina’s POV): “…[Adam] was the most strikingly beautiful man she’d ever seen. She wasn’t the only one who thought so, but the majority of the women in Camlochlin were his relatives. It was nothing like this, with every available lady in the palace vying for his attention.”
So yeah, I’m confused. Either Quinn hasn’t explained Camlochlin well enough, or the inhabitants are inbreeding. Or maybe—hopefully—there’s something about Scottish culture at that time that I’m not understanding.
Anyway, back to Sina as a character. She was likable and sympathetic, but her background and motivations weren’t fleshed out well. We knew enough to understand that she struggled with self-worth due to her illegitimacy, but that was about it. I don’t recall getting an explanation for why she repressed her spitfire personality and covered with a cool, polite veneer. Maybe it was to earn her father’s favor, to show him that she could conduct herself with propriety, and thus wouldn’t embarrass him if he declared her his daughter. But at what point did she decide to repress part of herself? What happened to make her think she needed to?
Also, I needed a much deeper delve into her relationship with William. It was pretty much described as an unhealthy codependent thing—but how did it come to be? She fought his bullies with him as children, but how did they go from childhood friends to adults who thought they needed each other to be emotionally stable, to survive? And how did a relationship like that survive a three-year separation? Three years is a long time, but they acted like only a few weeks had passed, like they couldn’t have changed at all. The dynamics of their relationship had the potential to be deep and complicated, but Quinn barely scratched the surface.
William ended up being the villain—surprise, surprise—and it’s such a shame he was a superficial character. There was so much to unpack there. I wanted to know what had happened to him in life to make him feel as if he had no control over his own decisions, as if he was always under someone’s thumb and suffocating. Due to that helplessness, he sought power—and found it by raping and abusing women. I assume, anyway; regarding William’s villainy, Quinn wanted to have her cake and eat it, too—she wanted him to be this depraved madman but didn’t want toown that darkness, depicting it as rumor, euphemism, and ambiguous actions. Not that I wanted a graphic rape scene—god, no—but I would have appreciated it if she committed to the choice. And why was Sina different? Why did he seem to respect her, love her, and not want to exert his power over her, too?
If he had been more developed as a character, as an antagonist, if his relationship with Sina had been more developed, it would have made him a stronger and more compelling villain. But he was hard to take seriously. Therefore, his actions in the end were non-threatening. The end in general was rushed and predictable and meh.
Overall, the story was a little disappointing, the plot a little bemusing, and the characters endearing but not given their dues. I wish the MacGregor series had concluded on a better note, but one thing I am satisfied about is revisiting so many characters in this book, seeing them all happy and thriving.
I’m sad to say goodbye to the wonderful MacGregors, but I’m looking forward to Quinn’s new trilogy, Hearts of the Highlands, which is set further back in time. They aren’t listed on Amazon or Goodreads as of writing this, but her website gives brief descriptions of each and says the first one, Heart of Ashes, is due out already in January 2019! Provided they stick with that date, I imagine the second and third will quickly follow, either one in the summer and the last in the fall, or one next fall and the last saved for Spring 2020. I love medieval-era Scottish romances more than I love regency-era Scottish romances, so I'm pretty excited!
noapologybookreviews.com
keeneyeediting.com
I would like to thank Paula Quinn, Forever/Grand Central Publishing, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Spoilers
This was a nice story, but I don’t think it lived up to its full potential.
The central conflict was great—Adam and Sina being forced to marry for political reasons. They were caught between a rock and a hard place for the entire book, which created excellent tension, intrigue, and stakes and made me sympathize with them and their impossible situation.
The problem is, the tension from that predicament spiked in the first couple of chapters, then the rest of book coasted on its momentum. Save for when Sina was summoned back to London, the tension gradually relaxed until I knew how it was going to end, and it was just a matter of reaching that end. It wasn’t necessarily that the story lacked enthusiasm or energy, it just felt as if it hit its highest point immediately and the rest of the book meandered through minor conflicts.
I found Adam and Sina as endearing as Quinn’s other characters, though I don’t think we dug as deep into them as we could have. We explored their motivations to some degree, but I was left with questions, especially in regard to Sina.
I related to Adam because he resented the expectations, pressure, and responsibilities that were laid over his shoulders the day he was born. Apparently, it wasn’t that he didn’t want to be laird—though being responsible for so many people did intimidate him. He just actively refused because he wanted to feel as if he had a choice in the matter.
And I was kind of disappointed, to be honest. Maybe I just got the wrong impression, but from the other MacGregor books I thought Adam didn’t want to be laird because he wanted to be/do something else, not just that he didn’t want to be laird on principle. I thought his book would be a struggle against convention and expectation until he found a way to be free to do whatever it was he was longing to do. But no, Adam’s arc was realizing that it was useless to run from fate and that being laird wouldn’t be so bad. I would have appreciated it more if Abby had become laird and if Adam had finally been allowed the freedom to live his life the way he wanted.
Sina was a good heroine, strong and independent. If any reader doesn’t like her because she resisted the MacGregors so vehemently—to the point of being a bitch—then that reader isn’t making an effort to relate to her situation, to her helplessness. I don’t think I’d have acted any differently if I were her. I’d have grieved the loss of the life I’d dreamed of, and I’d have resented the MacGregors for being complicit in the marriage. Who cares if they didn’t like it any more than she did—they still did nothing to stop it. She tried to run, tried to stall, tried to refuse to say her vows, but she was outnumbered.
It occurred to me that forcing Adam to marry against his will was rather out of character for the MacGregors. Rob himself said he’d never not let his children marry for love, yet there they were… They seemed to live well enough as outlaws for the last several decades, would they really be so afraid of continuing to do so? Camlochlin was supposed to be hidden and hard to get to, though I don’t think that was mentioned in this particular installment.
Speaking of Camlochlin’s isolation—just how big is Camlochlin? I guess I always imagined it as a keep and a small village all comprised of MacGregors and their near relatives, perhaps a few dear friends. An intimate and exclusive population of about a hundred or so. And I thought that the young adults traveled a fair bit, visiting other relatives, and that’s when the young men had the opportunity to lose their virginities and bed women.
But this book inadvertently highlighted how many women were interested in either bedding or marrying Adam. At his wedding to Sina there was a group of several young women who were blatantly grieving the loss of his eligibility; one of them propositioned Adam and he vowed he would not commit adultery. It’s implied that Adam’s already lain with a number of women, as have his brothers. So Camlochlin has to be sizable with a large portion of non-relatives, right?
But then there’s this passage from the book (Sina’s POV): “…[Adam] was the most strikingly beautiful man she’d ever seen. She wasn’t the only one who thought so, but the majority of the women in Camlochlin were his relatives. It was nothing like this, with every available lady in the palace vying for his attention.”
So yeah, I’m confused. Either Quinn hasn’t explained Camlochlin well enough, or the inhabitants are inbreeding. Or maybe—hopefully—there’s something about Scottish culture at that time that I’m not understanding.
Anyway, back to Sina as a character. She was likable and sympathetic, but her background and motivations weren’t fleshed out well. We knew enough to understand that she struggled with self-worth due to her illegitimacy, but that was about it. I don’t recall getting an explanation for why she repressed her spitfire personality and covered with a cool, polite veneer. Maybe it was to earn her father’s favor, to show him that she could conduct herself with propriety, and thus wouldn’t embarrass him if he declared her his daughter. But at what point did she decide to repress part of herself? What happened to make her think she needed to?
Also, I needed a much deeper delve into her relationship with William. It was pretty much described as an unhealthy codependent thing—but how did it come to be? She fought his bullies with him as children, but how did they go from childhood friends to adults who thought they needed each other to be emotionally stable, to survive? And how did a relationship like that survive a three-year separation? Three years is a long time, but they acted like only a few weeks had passed, like they couldn’t have changed at all. The dynamics of their relationship had the potential to be deep and complicated, but Quinn barely scratched the surface.
William ended up being the villain—surprise, surprise—and it’s such a shame he was a superficial character. There was so much to unpack there. I wanted to know what had happened to him in life to make him feel as if he had no control over his own decisions, as if he was always under someone’s thumb and suffocating. Due to that helplessness, he sought power—and found it by raping and abusing women. I assume, anyway; regarding William’s villainy, Quinn wanted to have her cake and eat it, too—she wanted him to be this depraved madman but didn’t want toown that darkness, depicting it as rumor, euphemism, and ambiguous actions. Not that I wanted a graphic rape scene—god, no—but I would have appreciated it if she committed to the choice. And why was Sina different? Why did he seem to respect her, love her, and not want to exert his power over her, too?
If he had been more developed as a character, as an antagonist, if his relationship with Sina had been more developed, it would have made him a stronger and more compelling villain. But he was hard to take seriously. Therefore, his actions in the end were non-threatening. The end in general was rushed and predictable and meh.
Overall, the story was a little disappointing, the plot a little bemusing, and the characters endearing but not given their dues. I wish the MacGregor series had concluded on a better note, but one thing I am satisfied about is revisiting so many characters in this book, seeing them all happy and thriving.
I’m sad to say goodbye to the wonderful MacGregors, but I’m looking forward to Quinn’s new trilogy, Hearts of the Highlands, which is set further back in time. They aren’t listed on Amazon or Goodreads as of writing this, but her website gives brief descriptions of each and says the first one, Heart of Ashes, is due out already in January 2019! Provided they stick with that date, I imagine the second and third will quickly follow, either one in the summer and the last in the fall, or one next fall and the last saved for Spring 2020. I love medieval-era Scottish romances more than I love regency-era Scottish romances, so I'm pretty excited!
noapologybookreviews.com
keeneyeediting.com
December 19, 2018
Paula Quinn takes readers on a lush, provocative historical tale that is engaging and delightfully sensual.
Sina has such a close relationship with the Queen that she is completely blindsided to discover that the Queen herself is marrying her off to a MacGregor. The book itself starts off with Sina profusely crying at her own wedding. She believes the MacGregors to be savages. Bound by her honor and good name as a lady of Court, she falls in line to accept her tragic destiny.
Adam is not pleased to be married to Sina as well. She constantly walks around in fear of him. She treats him and his family standoffish. She claims to be in love and betrothed to another man. He knows the real reason for the marriage. They need the alliance and peace to keep his family safe. He is next to being Chief of the Clan. He has been fighting his duty since his birth.
Sina makes no attempt to hide her displeasure at being married to Adam. I didn’t like her character for the first thirty percent of the book. She didn’t care that Adam was in the same boat as her. She is pining away for her childhood love interest. It became exhausting. Slowly, she starts to realize that her new kin folk are kind and warm people. She realizes her husband is gentle and she wants him.
Something major happens that causes a shift for everyone including the elder MacGregors. Sina is sent back to Court. Adam, despite his concerns for his family, goes after Sina. I loved when Adam shows up and puts all the men to shame there. Everyone loves him under his fake disguise. Sina is torn between her love for Adam and her childhood friend. It is then that an important decision has to be made. Are they both willing to fight for their newfound love?
Quinn knows how to deftly weave in historical facts while keeping readers engage in the story. This story reminds me of all the reasons why I keep going with this series. It is so reminiscence of the first book in the Children of the Mist series. Robert and Davina’s (Adam’s parents) story won me over and this was exactly the same feeling. It was great revisiting them and even Kate and Callum.
I skipped over a few in the series but I look forward to going back to catch up. Readers should at least read the first series to this incredible family.
~ Samantha
Sina has such a close relationship with the Queen that she is completely blindsided to discover that the Queen herself is marrying her off to a MacGregor. The book itself starts off with Sina profusely crying at her own wedding. She believes the MacGregors to be savages. Bound by her honor and good name as a lady of Court, she falls in line to accept her tragic destiny.
Adam is not pleased to be married to Sina as well. She constantly walks around in fear of him. She treats him and his family standoffish. She claims to be in love and betrothed to another man. He knows the real reason for the marriage. They need the alliance and peace to keep his family safe. He is next to being Chief of the Clan. He has been fighting his duty since his birth.
Sina makes no attempt to hide her displeasure at being married to Adam. I didn’t like her character for the first thirty percent of the book. She didn’t care that Adam was in the same boat as her. She is pining away for her childhood love interest. It became exhausting. Slowly, she starts to realize that her new kin folk are kind and warm people. She realizes her husband is gentle and she wants him.
Something major happens that causes a shift for everyone including the elder MacGregors. Sina is sent back to Court. Adam, despite his concerns for his family, goes after Sina. I loved when Adam shows up and puts all the men to shame there. Everyone loves him under his fake disguise. Sina is torn between her love for Adam and her childhood friend. It is then that an important decision has to be made. Are they both willing to fight for their newfound love?
Quinn knows how to deftly weave in historical facts while keeping readers engage in the story. This story reminds me of all the reasons why I keep going with this series. It is so reminiscence of the first book in the Children of the Mist series. Robert and Davina’s (Adam’s parents) story won me over and this was exactly the same feeling. It was great revisiting them and even Kate and Callum.
I skipped over a few in the series but I look forward to going back to catch up. Readers should at least read the first series to this incredible family.
~ Samantha
December 19, 2018
1712 is an interesting time in England and Scotland's history. Queen Anne is dying with no children and her nephew George is the next in line because of the Protestant/Catholic fight between the two countries. This story is about Queen Anne's protecting a dear young relative in her court, Melusina, from court intrigue and tying her to Stuart connections in Scotland ensuring they stay loyal to England.
In 1712, Sina de Arenburg is a royal bastard, raised by an aunt & uncle and unrecognized by her father George of Hanover, prince elector of England. His aunt, Anne is Queen and Sina is now one of her ladies-in-waiting and dear friend. Sina is betrothed to her long time friend, William Standish, son of the Earl of Chesterfield. He's a cowardly, wimpy man she protected and friended as a child. He's been gone 3 years on his "Grand Tour" and has returned with cruel sexual tastes. Without warning Queen Anne has her sent to Scotland's Camlochlin to be married to Adam MacGregor, elder son of the MacGregor Clan Chief. Adam has run from his responsibilities of becoming the next clan chief planning it to pass to his very capable sister Abigail Marlow, wife of retired English general Daniel Marlow. By marrying to the next King of England's daughter he ensures his clan is safe from England's proscription laws and ensuring he's the next clan chief. This is an unwanted marriage for both of them and it's fun watching them fall in love. We get a fabulous visit with everyone we've come to love in Camloclin during the journey.
Then it all shifts to Kensington Palace when the Queen dies and King George calls his daughter home. The marriage is still unconsummated, although they'd decided just before the summons comes. Now Sina is unwilling to return home but must and Adam walks away. It takes him a few weeks to figure out he's unwilling to let her go and dear Great Aunt Maggie cooks up the idea for him to pretend to be the grandson of the Duke of Hamilton, a lowland Scot so he can safely go to court and bring her home. Wow such action, adventures and intrigue. I loved the switching of the settings in this story so I got a taste of both of their lives. Sina must make a choice, which life does she want? Read the exciting story and decide. Thank you Forever Romance and Paula for this delightful story to review for you.
In 1712, Sina de Arenburg is a royal bastard, raised by an aunt & uncle and unrecognized by her father George of Hanover, prince elector of England. His aunt, Anne is Queen and Sina is now one of her ladies-in-waiting and dear friend. Sina is betrothed to her long time friend, William Standish, son of the Earl of Chesterfield. He's a cowardly, wimpy man she protected and friended as a child. He's been gone 3 years on his "Grand Tour" and has returned with cruel sexual tastes. Without warning Queen Anne has her sent to Scotland's Camlochlin to be married to Adam MacGregor, elder son of the MacGregor Clan Chief. Adam has run from his responsibilities of becoming the next clan chief planning it to pass to his very capable sister Abigail Marlow, wife of retired English general Daniel Marlow. By marrying to the next King of England's daughter he ensures his clan is safe from England's proscription laws and ensuring he's the next clan chief. This is an unwanted marriage for both of them and it's fun watching them fall in love. We get a fabulous visit with everyone we've come to love in Camloclin during the journey.
Then it all shifts to Kensington Palace when the Queen dies and King George calls his daughter home. The marriage is still unconsummated, although they'd decided just before the summons comes. Now Sina is unwilling to return home but must and Adam walks away. It takes him a few weeks to figure out he's unwilling to let her go and dear Great Aunt Maggie cooks up the idea for him to pretend to be the grandson of the Duke of Hamilton, a lowland Scot so he can safely go to court and bring her home. Wow such action, adventures and intrigue. I loved the switching of the settings in this story so I got a taste of both of their lives. Sina must make a choice, which life does she want? Read the exciting story and decide. Thank you Forever Romance and Paula for this delightful story to review for you.
December 21, 2018
Paula Quinn has written some of my favorite Highlander books. She is actually one of the first historical romance authors I read. For a bit I wondered if I would enjoy this story at all, as I detested the heroine at the beginning. Sina and Adam were forced to wed at the direction of the Queen. Neither wanted this marriage, but you don't tell the Queen "no". Adam dealt with the situation stoically; Sina, however, did not. There was much crying, stubbornness and self pity. However, I began to understand her, knowing more about her past. She was taken from all she ever knew and was thrust into an entirely new world.
I loved Adam from the start. He wanted to avoid being clan chief, but accepted his destiny when it caught up with him. His presence, together with that of his tightly knit clan, could not fail to pull Sina in. When she was summoned home by the King, I felt my heart break along with hers. How could they possibly overcome their separation? Adam had a plan...
I loved Adam's entire clan. I do think that I would have been better served by reading the previous books first, as many references were made to past events. But it still stood alone okay; you won't be lost. Don't give up on Sina; she won't disappoint in the end. And Adam will make you sigh from the start.
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.
I loved Adam from the start. He wanted to avoid being clan chief, but accepted his destiny when it caught up with him. His presence, together with that of his tightly knit clan, could not fail to pull Sina in. When she was summoned home by the King, I felt my heart break along with hers. How could they possibly overcome their separation? Adam had a plan...
I loved Adam's entire clan. I do think that I would have been better served by reading the previous books first, as many references were made to past events. But it still stood alone okay; you won't be lost. Don't give up on Sina; she won't disappoint in the end. And Adam will make you sigh from the start.
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.
December 19, 2018
For Sina de Arenberg everything was right with the world she was hoping to marry her childhood friend, the man she loved not knowing the Queen betrothed her to a savage Highlander. Sina wants nothing to do with the unsavory MacGregors, the only life she’s know is at the Queen’s court. She’s forced to leave her home and make a new life with a man she doesn’t know, and doesn’t love in a foreign country and people. Adam MacGregor is duty-bound to marry a royal heir, but he has no desire to marry, especially not a stranger. He knows he must follow the Queen’s orders so he can keep his clan safe.
The more time Sina spends with Adam and his Clan, the more she starts to like them, especially her husband. Just as she’s adjusting to her new life she’s called back to the court she loves, or does she still find the Queen’s court as fascinating and home as she once did? Has Adam become her new home and a chance at happiness? I loved that Adam never gave up on Sina even when she returned to the Queen’s court he followed her. I loved this book and the characters as they take us on a grand adventure into the Highland’s and to the Queen’s court. This my honest opinions after I voluntarily read a copy of this book that was provided to me with no requirements for a review.
The more time Sina spends with Adam and his Clan, the more she starts to like them, especially her husband. Just as she’s adjusting to her new life she’s called back to the court she loves, or does she still find the Queen’s court as fascinating and home as she once did? Has Adam become her new home and a chance at happiness? I loved that Adam never gave up on Sina even when she returned to the Queen’s court he followed her. I loved this book and the characters as they take us on a grand adventure into the Highland’s and to the Queen’s court. This my honest opinions after I voluntarily read a copy of this book that was provided to me with no requirements for a review.
January 1, 2019
I usually wait until I’m finished with a book before I give it a rating but this can’t wait. I’m at the midpoint of “Highlander Ever After” and it’s a Five-Star read hands down. This journey started for me when I bought the eBook version of “Laird of the Mist” for $.99 because I was looking for something to read. Since then I have stayed for the entire saga. It’s 1-1-19 and luckily for me the holiday season is winding down as well as the bagpiping gigs so I can read this last installment. Like all of Ms. Quinn’s books in this series, my bagpipe practice usually goes on hold until I finish the book.
February 10, 2019
I can never have too much of Paula Quinn's stories. I love how she develops the character and the storyline. You're always waiting a good amount of time for the characters to fall for each other. The story of Adam and Sina are no different. Very well written with a few twists and turns to keep you on your toes!
Read
January 19, 2019OK, got a new favorite author. Paula Quinn writes wonderful strong characters with great plot lines and wonderful twists and turns in the story. I am in love with this series and now have to get a hold of all of these books. Oh heck, all of Paula Quinn's books!
March 25, 2019
This is not a book meant to be actually read I don’t think. In about 4 pages you get the idea that the author intends to marry our hero and heroine in a rather abrupt way and then leave us hanging for anything even like foreplay for 200 or so pages. The plot, characters and pace leave a lot to be desired especially considering that readers of historical romance typically enjoy a rich description of environment, and want a deeper exploration of villain’s motives, and a relevant back story. I gave this book 2 stars from the perspective of someone who might like extreme slow-burns and easy storylines.
December 18, 2018
Highlander Ever After by Paula Quinn is book 8 in The MacGregors: Highland Heirs Series. This is the story of Melusina 'Sina' de Arenberg and Adam MacGregor. I have read the previous book (and Loved it!) but feel this can be a standalone book.
Sina has lived in Court most of her life and has become a Lady in Waiting to Queen Anne, in addition she is to marry a man she cares for. But then in a blink of a eye she is taken to Camlochlin Castle in the Scottish Highland and expected to marry Adam. Adam is the oldest of the Clan Chief so he is used to doing his duty. But when the Queen orders him to marry a Sina he is taken back but knows that he can do no less than to marry her. The two are so different being from different cultures, so things start out rocky. Then they start finding their way but another upsetting turn has come their way.
Loved their story!
Sina has lived in Court most of her life and has become a Lady in Waiting to Queen Anne, in addition she is to marry a man she cares for. But then in a blink of a eye she is taken to Camlochlin Castle in the Scottish Highland and expected to marry Adam. Adam is the oldest of the Clan Chief so he is used to doing his duty. But when the Queen orders him to marry a Sina he is taken back but knows that he can do no less than to marry her. The two are so different being from different cultures, so things start out rocky. Then they start finding their way but another upsetting turn has come their way.
Loved their story!
May 18, 2020
Caught in difficult political times a couple is forced by the queen to marry without ever having met. Neither wants this marriage, but he, at least understands the necessity. She, on the other hand, has been simple wrenched away from everything and everyone she has ever known and sent to a strange country that she has been taught is filled with savage barbarians, then abandoned there. Resentment on both parts, great fear on hers and no attempt to even try to make a marriage work. Delightful story as they avoid each other. There are many complications in this one that make you keep reading waiting for the next problem to arise, especially after she is recalled to court and her father, the new king, attempts to have her marriage annulled. The problems just keep compounding. Loved it.
November 26, 2018
I’m always on the lookout for a new romance series to read and I really liked the premise of this one.
I liked Sina and Adam. They’re more alike than they think and it was amusing to watch them get to know each other. I loved all of Adam’s family and the tight knit loyalty. On Sina’s side, it was Poppy I loved the most.
Plot wise, it was a bit slow. Scenes started to feel repetitive and unnecessary and at one point I did skim sections of them while at court.
Overall, it was a good story with characters I liked. I am mildly intrigued about the previous books and just might to back and read some of them.
**Huge thanks to Forever for providing the arc free of charge**
I liked Sina and Adam. They’re more alike than they think and it was amusing to watch them get to know each other. I loved all of Adam’s family and the tight knit loyalty. On Sina’s side, it was Poppy I loved the most.
Plot wise, it was a bit slow. Scenes started to feel repetitive and unnecessary and at one point I did skim sections of them while at court.
Overall, it was a good story with characters I liked. I am mildly intrigued about the previous books and just might to back and read some of them.
**Huge thanks to Forever for providing the arc free of charge**
January 24, 2019
Book: Highlander Ever After
by Paula Quinn
Series: The MacGregors: Highland Heirs, Book Eight
Reviewed by: Barb Massabrook of
1. Tartan Book Reviews
2. Purple Tulip Book Reviews
3. Celtic World of Historical Book Reviews
4.Celtic Barb’s Tartan Book Review Blog
Heat Rating: Smoking Hot!🔥🔥🔥
Overall Rating: 5 Stars and 5 Kilts
The most romantic book I ever read! Wish someone would collect the most heather to prove they love me the most! Those MacGregors sure know how to turn a lassies head!
Camlochlin Castle
The isle of Skye
Summer 1714
Melusina de Arenburg
Adam MacGregor
Melusina MacGregor’s father is the Prince elector, George of Hanover and heir to the throne. Plus he is next in line to be King. His mistress is Melusina’s mother but Melusina who is called Sina is illegitimate. Although a royal bastard but still a bastard! She also has never been acknowledged as her father's daughter. The one thing she wants more than anything is to have a real family something she's been denied her entire life. Her entire life she also thought she would marry her best friend William Standish. The one she had known since she was eight years old and is her betrothed. Yet the Queen whom she thought was her friend ordered this forcing her to marry a savage outlaw. The next in line to become Chief, Adam MacGregor, son of the proscribed chief. Why were they even forcing this alliance?
Adam knew this was the only way to protect and save his outlaw clan. This was something he fought forever never wanting to be in love or to be responsible for his people, his clan. He didn't want this marriage either but he also knew the Queen was his clans protection. Though physically they were both extremely attracted to each other but he didn't like the idea of being married to a woman who loved another. Plus she was terrified of his best friend his dog. Yet he understands due to his status he has to marry a royal heir, who has been taught nothing but lies about his clan. He plans to prove her wrong that they are not savages or barbarians! However, he will never be
like his kin trying to make his wife happy by picking the most heather. Especially since she was pining over another man.
Yet as they get to know each other feelings are brought out and feelings. As Sina sees the one thing she has wanted her entire life is here, a loving family. Then just as she is about to open herself up and show her love she is requested to return to London. Adam just lets her go which makes her miserable realizing she loves Adam and what she felt for William was brotherly love. Plus William is not the gentleman she thought after spending three years away. Plus there os treachery and betrayal at every corner. Not the kindness, friendship, honestly and love she felt in Scotland. Though when Adam returns to get her father's blessing she is deliriously happy. Especially that her father postponed her marriage to Lord Standish!
Yet then both their Sina and Adams lives are in danger. Who can they possibly trust, royal secrets are revealed. There are many who don't want these two together and will do anything to win their selfish desires. Plus both Adam and Sina have not exactly been honest to Sina’s father. He has enough power to end their unity and possibly hang Adam, as he despises the savage MacGregor clan, just from gossip and hearsay. What will the destiny for Adam MacGregor and Sina de Arenburg be? Doom and gloom or a happily highlander ever after?
This is definitely a book readers don’t want to miss. Sadly this is the last book finale of The MacGregor: Highland Heirs series. Where every book in this beautiful series has been filled with all the elements that Scottish historical romance readers love. From page turning, awe inspiring, non-stop action and riveting adventures. Each novel is filled with
betrayal, miscommunication, treachery, suspense, mystery, hatred, passion and love. They are filled with breathtaking settings, characters you never forget, mind-blowing plots and exhilating dialogues! I know I always get swept away in Paula Quinn books with her swoon worthy heros, feisty heroines and spectacular stories!
I think Highlander Ever After is my favorite story of the series. Although I have loved them all as this author is extremely talented! This is a phenomenal book readers definitely don’t want to miss. No worries if it is your first book or your last book of the series. As you can read any of these books as stand alone books too.
I received a complimentary ARC copy from the Forever, Grand Central publishers through netgalley. I voluntarily agreed to read, review and blog an advanced copy of this book. All opinions, ideas, words and thoughts are my own.
Buy Links:
https://www.amazon.com/Highlander-Eve...
https://m.barnesandnoble.com/w/highla...
https://books.google.com/books/about/...
https://www.read-forever.com/titles/p...
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/high...
by Paula Quinn
Series: The MacGregors: Highland Heirs, Book Eight
Reviewed by: Barb Massabrook of
1. Tartan Book Reviews
2. Purple Tulip Book Reviews
3. Celtic World of Historical Book Reviews
4.Celtic Barb’s Tartan Book Review Blog
Heat Rating: Smoking Hot!🔥🔥🔥
Overall Rating: 5 Stars and 5 Kilts
The most romantic book I ever read! Wish someone would collect the most heather to prove they love me the most! Those MacGregors sure know how to turn a lassies head!
Camlochlin Castle
The isle of Skye
Summer 1714
Melusina de Arenburg
Adam MacGregor
Melusina MacGregor’s father is the Prince elector, George of Hanover and heir to the throne. Plus he is next in line to be King. His mistress is Melusina’s mother but Melusina who is called Sina is illegitimate. Although a royal bastard but still a bastard! She also has never been acknowledged as her father's daughter. The one thing she wants more than anything is to have a real family something she's been denied her entire life. Her entire life she also thought she would marry her best friend William Standish. The one she had known since she was eight years old and is her betrothed. Yet the Queen whom she thought was her friend ordered this forcing her to marry a savage outlaw. The next in line to become Chief, Adam MacGregor, son of the proscribed chief. Why were they even forcing this alliance?
Adam knew this was the only way to protect and save his outlaw clan. This was something he fought forever never wanting to be in love or to be responsible for his people, his clan. He didn't want this marriage either but he also knew the Queen was his clans protection. Though physically they were both extremely attracted to each other but he didn't like the idea of being married to a woman who loved another. Plus she was terrified of his best friend his dog. Yet he understands due to his status he has to marry a royal heir, who has been taught nothing but lies about his clan. He plans to prove her wrong that they are not savages or barbarians! However, he will never be
like his kin trying to make his wife happy by picking the most heather. Especially since she was pining over another man.
Yet as they get to know each other feelings are brought out and feelings. As Sina sees the one thing she has wanted her entire life is here, a loving family. Then just as she is about to open herself up and show her love she is requested to return to London. Adam just lets her go which makes her miserable realizing she loves Adam and what she felt for William was brotherly love. Plus William is not the gentleman she thought after spending three years away. Plus there os treachery and betrayal at every corner. Not the kindness, friendship, honestly and love she felt in Scotland. Though when Adam returns to get her father's blessing she is deliriously happy. Especially that her father postponed her marriage to Lord Standish!
Yet then both their Sina and Adams lives are in danger. Who can they possibly trust, royal secrets are revealed. There are many who don't want these two together and will do anything to win their selfish desires. Plus both Adam and Sina have not exactly been honest to Sina’s father. He has enough power to end their unity and possibly hang Adam, as he despises the savage MacGregor clan, just from gossip and hearsay. What will the destiny for Adam MacGregor and Sina de Arenburg be? Doom and gloom or a happily highlander ever after?
This is definitely a book readers don’t want to miss. Sadly this is the last book finale of The MacGregor: Highland Heirs series. Where every book in this beautiful series has been filled with all the elements that Scottish historical romance readers love. From page turning, awe inspiring, non-stop action and riveting adventures. Each novel is filled with
betrayal, miscommunication, treachery, suspense, mystery, hatred, passion and love. They are filled with breathtaking settings, characters you never forget, mind-blowing plots and exhilating dialogues! I know I always get swept away in Paula Quinn books with her swoon worthy heros, feisty heroines and spectacular stories!
I think Highlander Ever After is my favorite story of the series. Although I have loved them all as this author is extremely talented! This is a phenomenal book readers definitely don’t want to miss. No worries if it is your first book or your last book of the series. As you can read any of these books as stand alone books too.
I received a complimentary ARC copy from the Forever, Grand Central publishers through netgalley. I voluntarily agreed to read, review and blog an advanced copy of this book. All opinions, ideas, words and thoughts are my own.
Buy Links:
https://www.amazon.com/Highlander-Eve...
https://m.barnesandnoble.com/w/highla...
https://books.google.com/books/about/...
https://www.read-forever.com/titles/p...
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/high...
January 14, 2019
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
Neither of them wanted what was being thrust upon them. However, in order to save his clan, as the chief's son, Adam MacGregor is forced to marry a royal heir. The woman is none other than Sina de Arenberg, who has but no choice than to follow the queen's order and marry the Highlander. However, she is in love with a man from England named William, and cries her way through the whole ceremony.
Sina has always believed the Highlanders to be savages, and now she is married to one. However, despite keeping Adam at arms' length, she reluctantly begins to see how wonderfully civilized the clan is. A true family. Something she was denied most of her life. Could there possibly be a future between her and her hunky Highlander? What of William? Sina gets the chance to find out when circumstances change and she is called back to England.
There was so much to be enjoyed in this story. How can a woman torn from her home and her love find joy while in an entirely new, and definitely untenable situation? What about Adam? How in the world can a man work both at being future clan chief and a husband who can love a wife who is a total stranger?
I love how this story was developed. It was a pleasure watch these two grow on one another only to be torn apart due to a serious change that ultimately affected Sina. What would they do? Watching their actions were enjoyable. Furthermore, the hounds that accompanied the Highlanders, especially, Adam's, Goliath, found a warm place in my heart as well.
Having gone a long spell without reading historical romances then reading about a dozen in rather quick succession, including these four Paula Quinn novels, tested my merit as a lover of romance. I keep my ear to the ground, so to speak, and know some people see the formulas done in these books as "tropes". The formulas may indeed be repeated, but what brings satisfaction to me as a reader is when the author is exceptional. Paula Quinn is just that. She writes with flair, shifts the plot lines at just the right times, and brings in characters that we cannot help but love and respect.
I am saddened that this is likely the last book in the delightful Highlander Heirs series. However, Adam has a pair of twin brothers, so one can always hope. As a matter of fact, their portion of the included family tree is not filled in. The other books in the Highland Heirs series are A Highlander's Christmas Kiss, The Scot's Bride and Laird of the Black Isle. The previous two series, MacGregegors and MacGregors Highland Heirs, all all connected.
Many thanks to Forever for this ARC to review. This is my honest opinion.
Please see all of my reviews on my blog at www.robinlovesreading.com.
Neither of them wanted what was being thrust upon them. However, in order to save his clan, as the chief's son, Adam MacGregor is forced to marry a royal heir. The woman is none other than Sina de Arenberg, who has but no choice than to follow the queen's order and marry the Highlander. However, she is in love with a man from England named William, and cries her way through the whole ceremony.
Sina has always believed the Highlanders to be savages, and now she is married to one. However, despite keeping Adam at arms' length, she reluctantly begins to see how wonderfully civilized the clan is. A true family. Something she was denied most of her life. Could there possibly be a future between her and her hunky Highlander? What of William? Sina gets the chance to find out when circumstances change and she is called back to England.
There was so much to be enjoyed in this story. How can a woman torn from her home and her love find joy while in an entirely new, and definitely untenable situation? What about Adam? How in the world can a man work both at being future clan chief and a husband who can love a wife who is a total stranger?
I love how this story was developed. It was a pleasure watch these two grow on one another only to be torn apart due to a serious change that ultimately affected Sina. What would they do? Watching their actions were enjoyable. Furthermore, the hounds that accompanied the Highlanders, especially, Adam's, Goliath, found a warm place in my heart as well.
Having gone a long spell without reading historical romances then reading about a dozen in rather quick succession, including these four Paula Quinn novels, tested my merit as a lover of romance. I keep my ear to the ground, so to speak, and know some people see the formulas done in these books as "tropes". The formulas may indeed be repeated, but what brings satisfaction to me as a reader is when the author is exceptional. Paula Quinn is just that. She writes with flair, shifts the plot lines at just the right times, and brings in characters that we cannot help but love and respect.
I am saddened that this is likely the last book in the delightful Highlander Heirs series. However, Adam has a pair of twin brothers, so one can always hope. As a matter of fact, their portion of the included family tree is not filled in. The other books in the Highland Heirs series are A Highlander's Christmas Kiss, The Scot's Bride and Laird of the Black Isle. The previous two series, MacGregegors and MacGregors Highland Heirs, all all connected.
Many thanks to Forever for this ARC to review. This is my honest opinion.
Please see all of my reviews on my blog at www.robinlovesreading.com.
December 21, 2018
I grew up reading historical romance and I still like an occasional trip back to that genre. Paula Quinn is one author who entices me into this genre.
In Highlander Ever After, Sina is forced into marriage with Adam MacGregor who she believes to be an barbarian. She feels like everyone she loved has betrayed her with this arranged marriage, but she goes through with it even though she's been promised to another. No one is happy about this union, including Adam MacGregor, who not only doesn't want to be married, he doesn't want to be head of his clan as well, an honor which would come with the marriage.
Sina and Adam start out not liking each other very much, but as time goes by and they get to know each other that changes, but neither of them want to admit to the other that they are developing real feelings of love.
There weren't many surprises in this story of an arranged marriage designed to forge alliances. The real charm is how their relationship progresses as they learn more about each other. I really liked that part of the story, which takes up most of the book. Some of their sparing made me smile and there was a good bit of humor in this tale that made it a whole lot of fun.
Sina is in a new world in the highlands, unlike any that's she's known, but she does appreciate the women warriors. She's in awe of them and that was a very nice touch to the story. I loved how Sina really looked at her surroundings and made up her own mind about the MacGregors and especially Adam.
When Sina is called back home, she believes that her marriage will be annulled, but Adam wants her back. The last 25% of the book deals with Adam being the "fish out of water" at court. He does a great job of handling himself, which only makes Sina love him more.
While the ending seemed a little rushed, I still really enjoyed this story. If you like a story with a slow burn as the main characters fall in everlasting love, I think you would enjoy Highlander Ever After. It's sweet and sexy. Adam and Sina are great together and there's even a dog that captured my heart. It works well as a standalone. The family tree on Paula Quinn's website helps keep the many characters in the MacGregor family straight.
An ARC was provided for review.
In Highlander Ever After, Sina is forced into marriage with Adam MacGregor who she believes to be an barbarian. She feels like everyone she loved has betrayed her with this arranged marriage, but she goes through with it even though she's been promised to another. No one is happy about this union, including Adam MacGregor, who not only doesn't want to be married, he doesn't want to be head of his clan as well, an honor which would come with the marriage.
Sina and Adam start out not liking each other very much, but as time goes by and they get to know each other that changes, but neither of them want to admit to the other that they are developing real feelings of love.
There weren't many surprises in this story of an arranged marriage designed to forge alliances. The real charm is how their relationship progresses as they learn more about each other. I really liked that part of the story, which takes up most of the book. Some of their sparing made me smile and there was a good bit of humor in this tale that made it a whole lot of fun.
Sina is in a new world in the highlands, unlike any that's she's known, but she does appreciate the women warriors. She's in awe of them and that was a very nice touch to the story. I loved how Sina really looked at her surroundings and made up her own mind about the MacGregors and especially Adam.
When Sina is called back home, she believes that her marriage will be annulled, but Adam wants her back. The last 25% of the book deals with Adam being the "fish out of water" at court. He does a great job of handling himself, which only makes Sina love him more.
While the ending seemed a little rushed, I still really enjoyed this story. If you like a story with a slow burn as the main characters fall in everlasting love, I think you would enjoy Highlander Ever After. It's sweet and sexy. Adam and Sina are great together and there's even a dog that captured my heart. It works well as a standalone. The family tree on Paula Quinn's website helps keep the many characters in the MacGregor family straight.
An ARC was provided for review.
January 14, 2019
Highlander Ever After I postponed reading this book #8 to the last minute possible because I absolutely love this series, and I knew it would be the last book of that series. As I began to read, I was sort of disappointed because I really thought, "How could this end with Sina (the heroine)? She was such a brat!" I would put the book down and walk away because I just did not want this saga to end with such a spoiled woman holding the keys to the clan's future. BUT then I would return, knowing I had to find out more about dreamy Adam (hero) and how the heck he would come to love such a shrew! (Because after all it is a Romance and heck, its Paula Quinn, who never lets me down!... I digress...)Adam is so gorgeous and such a charmer, he slowly tames her with kindness and patience. One of the best things I love about this book is to be able to watch two people grow emotionally, learn to trust each other and to discover that pre-conceived notions are sometimes "verra" wrong. I also like that not only does Sina accept Adam but also his family, which is something she never really had. She also breaks down enough of Adam's barriers to discover his insecurities and secrets. The whole Clan knows he is reluctant to takeover for his father, and Sina becomes his partner in his decision making process. This is what makes their forced marriage of convenience change to a partnership...Bonds are eventually formed that 'What God has joined together let no man put asunder'. There is court intrigue, hidden identities, very smart dialog, sexy love and really wonderful Character development. I think it says a lot when I say I can think of no better couple to take that Clan back into the Mist and into the future. Read it, but give Sina time to grow on you, and I am sure you are going to love it...I also have to mention how sad I am to see the MacGregors leave...I am hoping to see them again someday...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews