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Campbell Trilogy #3
İskoç Esareti
Güçlü bir İskoç şefinin gayrimeşru oğlu olan Duncan Campbell, işlemediği bir suç yüzünden on yıldır sürgündedir. Hain damgasının gölgesinde geçirdiği yılların ardından, adını temize çıkarma isteğine daha fazla karşı koyamaz ve İskoçya'ya geri dönmeye karar verir. Bu, ihanetini unutamadığı tek kişinin, aşkın yıkıcı gücünü ona kanıtlayan kadın olan Jeannie Gordon'un yardımını istemesi anlamına gelse bile...
Jeannie Gordon, aşkını ve güvenini paramparça eden adamı yıllar sonra karşısında bulunca, hayatı yeniden tepetaklak olur. Artık o âşık ve saf kız değildir, tehlikeli sırları olan bir kadına dönüşmüştür. Ancak Duncan ve Jeannie, güvensizlik ve ayrılıkla harmanlanmış olsa bile, aralarındaki tutkunun daha cesur bir şekilde tekrar alevlenmesine karşı koyamazlar. Çözmeleri gereken entrikaların ortasında kalmış olmalarına rağmen kabullenmeleri gereken bir gerçek vardır; o da kaderlerinin birbirine mühürlenmiş olduğudur...
Jeannie Gordon, aşkını ve güvenini paramparça eden adamı yıllar sonra karşısında bulunca, hayatı yeniden tepetaklak olur. Artık o âşık ve saf kız değildir, tehlikeli sırları olan bir kadına dönüşmüştür. Ancak Duncan ve Jeannie, güvensizlik ve ayrılıkla harmanlanmış olsa bile, aralarındaki tutkunun daha cesur bir şekilde tekrar alevlenmesine karşı koyamazlar. Çözmeleri gereken entrikaların ortasında kalmış olmalarına rağmen kabullenmeleri gereken bir gerçek vardır; o da kaderlerinin birbirine mühürlenmiş olduğudur...
448 pages, Paperback
First published March 24, 2009
117 people are currently reading
1927 people want to read
About the author
Monica McCarty
61 books2,966 followersWhat do you get when you mix a legal career, a baseball career, motherhood, and a love of history with a voracious reader? In my case, a Historical Romance Author.
Like most writers, I’ve always loved to read. Growing up in California there was always plenty to do outside, but all too often I could be found inside curled up with a book (or two or three). I started with the usual fare: The Little House on the Prairie series, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit, Watership Down, Nancy Drew, and everything by Judy Blume. Once I cleared off my bookshelf, I started swiping books from my mom. Some, like Sidney Sheldon’s The Other Side of Midnight, probably weren’t the most appropriate choice for a pre-adolescent—although they were definitely illuminating. I can still remember the look of abject horror on my mom’s Catholic-girl-face when I asked her what a virgin was. After that rather brief conversation, she paid a little closer attention to what had disappeared off her book shelf, and steered me in the direction of Harlequin and Barbara Cartland romances. I was hooked. I quickly read through the inventory of the local library and was soon buying bags of romances at garage sales.
In high school, with the encouragement of my father (who I think was a little concerned about the steady diet of romances), I read over eighty of the Franklin Library’s One Hundred Greatest Books ever written—including Tolstoy, Confucius, Plato, and the entire works of Shakespeare. Some of them were tough going for a teenager, but the experience would prove an invaluable foundation for college. After reading War and Peace, I wasn’t easily intimidated.
For some reason Monica decided to go into writing and not fashion.
After graduation, I loaded up the VW (Jetta not Bus) and trekked down I-5 to attend the University of Southern California, majoring in Political Science and minoring in English (see why all that reading helped!). I joined the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, and when I wasn’t studying or at football games, did my best to support the local bartending industry. Ah, the good old days.
With that kind of fun, four years of college wasn’t quite enough. So leaving Tommy Trojan behind, I traveled back up north to Palo Alto for three more years of study at Stanford Law School. Once I survived the stress of the first semester, law school proved to be one of the best times of my life—garnering me a JD, life-long friends, a husband, and an unexpectedly intimate knowledge of baseball. (See “The Baseball Odyssey” below).
Law School was also where I fell in love with Scotland. In my third year, I took a Comparative Legal History class, and wrote a paper on the Scottish Clan System and Feudalism. So I immediately dropped out of law school and went on to write Scottish Historical Romances…well no, not quite. You see, I always knew I wanted to be a lawyer. My father was a lawyer, I was a “poet” (i.e., not into math), and I love to argue. It seemed natural.
So I finished law school, got married, passed the CA bar, moved to Minnesota (with a few stops along the way), waived into the MN bar, worked as a litigator for a few satisfying years, moved back to CA, had a couple of kids, realized that a legal career and being a single parent for most of the year (due to husband's career) would be extremely difficult, and THEN decided to sit down and write.
And how did I end up writing romance? It’s not as divergent as it seems. What I loved about being a lawyer are the same things I love about being a writer—research and writing. The only thing missing is the arguing, but that’s what a husband and kids are for, right?
Like most writers, I’ve always loved to read. Growing up in California there was always plenty to do outside, but all too often I could be found inside curled up with a book (or two or three). I started with the usual fare: The Little House on the Prairie series, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit, Watership Down, Nancy Drew, and everything by Judy Blume. Once I cleared off my bookshelf, I started swiping books from my mom. Some, like Sidney Sheldon’s The Other Side of Midnight, probably weren’t the most appropriate choice for a pre-adolescent—although they were definitely illuminating. I can still remember the look of abject horror on my mom’s Catholic-girl-face when I asked her what a virgin was. After that rather brief conversation, she paid a little closer attention to what had disappeared off her book shelf, and steered me in the direction of Harlequin and Barbara Cartland romances. I was hooked. I quickly read through the inventory of the local library and was soon buying bags of romances at garage sales.
In high school, with the encouragement of my father (who I think was a little concerned about the steady diet of romances), I read over eighty of the Franklin Library’s One Hundred Greatest Books ever written—including Tolstoy, Confucius, Plato, and the entire works of Shakespeare. Some of them were tough going for a teenager, but the experience would prove an invaluable foundation for college. After reading War and Peace, I wasn’t easily intimidated.
For some reason Monica decided to go into writing and not fashion.
After graduation, I loaded up the VW (Jetta not Bus) and trekked down I-5 to attend the University of Southern California, majoring in Political Science and minoring in English (see why all that reading helped!). I joined the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, and when I wasn’t studying or at football games, did my best to support the local bartending industry. Ah, the good old days.
With that kind of fun, four years of college wasn’t quite enough. So leaving Tommy Trojan behind, I traveled back up north to Palo Alto for three more years of study at Stanford Law School. Once I survived the stress of the first semester, law school proved to be one of the best times of my life—garnering me a JD, life-long friends, a husband, and an unexpectedly intimate knowledge of baseball. (See “The Baseball Odyssey” below).
Law School was also where I fell in love with Scotland. In my third year, I took a Comparative Legal History class, and wrote a paper on the Scottish Clan System and Feudalism. So I immediately dropped out of law school and went on to write Scottish Historical Romances…well no, not quite. You see, I always knew I wanted to be a lawyer. My father was a lawyer, I was a “poet” (i.e., not into math), and I love to argue. It seemed natural.
So I finished law school, got married, passed the CA bar, moved to Minnesota (with a few stops along the way), waived into the MN bar, worked as a litigator for a few satisfying years, moved back to CA, had a couple of kids, realized that a legal career and being a single parent for most of the year (due to husband's career) would be extremely difficult, and THEN decided to sit down and write.
And how did I end up writing romance? It’s not as divergent as it seems. What I loved about being a lawyer are the same things I love about being a writer—research and writing. The only thing missing is the arguing, but that’s what a husband and kids are for, right?
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
September 1, 2012
We learned in Highland Warrior and Highland Outlaw that Jamie and Lizzie (and their rapey, evil-assed brother Colin)
…had an older, illegitimate brother Duncan
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…who was accused of treason. Duncan fled Scotland to avoid being hanged, and he was making his name as a mercenary in Ireland and elsewhere.
Widowed Jeannie Gordon nee Grant is trying her best to raise her son Dougall, the heir to the Marquisate of Huntly, and her young daughter Ella under the watchful and critical eyes of her mother-in-law the Marchioness. It's more dangerous than you might think; recently someone tried to abduct her. Her son is heir to a fortune, and any man who takes her to wife will have control. So it's no great surprise that, when a man sneaks up on her after a swim in the loch, she's ready for him, with a pistol. Unfortunately, she's just shot the man she once loved, the man who long ago got between her thighs with a promise of marriage, knocked her up, and then left her cold.
Duncan MacGregor is out to clear his name, and he thinks Jeannie can help. After all, she was complicit in the plot he's taken the blame for, and maybe even the plan to frame him for the treason. All the traitors but Jeannie are dead now, and he figures he can make her confess what she knows. He longs to come home, but first the two-faced bitch has to tell him what he needs to know.
But Jeannie still has someone to protect (besides herself). If her husband and father are posthumously convicted of treason, her son may find his title and inheritance forfeit. And if Duncan figures out that Dougall is really his, he will insist on claiming his son, and making Dougall a bastard. So there's no way in hell she's telling Duncan anything.
The battle is on, spiced up by the lingering, untameable passion that keeps roaring up and biting them in various body parts.
The ultimate revelation is probably no huge surprise, but it's another four star for McCarty. She does repeat herself in some ways, but I don't care because the stuff she repeats works for me.
Oh, and she really makes my day with her author's notes at the end, where she talks about the real history behind each story. I'm a dork that way—I love it when an author weaves a ripping good story around actual people and events of the era, then takes the time to let me know what's historical fact and what's poetic license.
…had an older, illegitimate brother Duncan
[image error]
…who was accused of treason. Duncan fled Scotland to avoid being hanged, and he was making his name as a mercenary in Ireland and elsewhere.
Widowed Jeannie Gordon nee Grant is trying her best to raise her son Dougall, the heir to the Marquisate of Huntly, and her young daughter Ella under the watchful and critical eyes of her mother-in-law the Marchioness. It's more dangerous than you might think; recently someone tried to abduct her. Her son is heir to a fortune, and any man who takes her to wife will have control. So it's no great surprise that, when a man sneaks up on her after a swim in the loch, she's ready for him, with a pistol. Unfortunately, she's just shot the man she once loved, the man who long ago got between her thighs with a promise of marriage, knocked her up, and then left her cold.
Duncan MacGregor is out to clear his name, and he thinks Jeannie can help. After all, she was complicit in the plot he's taken the blame for, and maybe even the plan to frame him for the treason. All the traitors but Jeannie are dead now, and he figures he can make her confess what she knows. He longs to come home, but first the two-faced bitch has to tell him what he needs to know.
But Jeannie still has someone to protect (besides herself). If her husband and father are posthumously convicted of treason, her son may find his title and inheritance forfeit. And if Duncan figures out that Dougall is really his, he will insist on claiming his son, and making Dougall a bastard. So there's no way in hell she's telling Duncan anything.
The battle is on, spiced up by the lingering, untameable passion that keeps roaring up and biting them in various body parts.
The ultimate revelation is probably no huge surprise, but it's another four star for McCarty. She does repeat herself in some ways, but I don't care because the stuff she repeats works for me.
Oh, and she really makes my day with her author's notes at the end, where she talks about the real history behind each story. I'm a dork that way—I love it when an author weaves a ripping good story around actual people and events of the era, then takes the time to let me know what's historical fact and what's poetic license.
March 19, 2018
Bence seri finali olarak gayet güzel. Duncan’ın başına gelenleri ve nihayet itici karakterin başına bir şeyler gelmesini okumak güzeldi. Çevirideki “hadi”li cümleler de olmasa sıkıntı yoktu. Campbell ailesini de böylece bitirip diğer serisine geçme zamanı geldi.
February 21, 2023
yazarın kurgularını belirli tarihi bilgiler üzerinden kurgulanmasna her daim hayranım. çok güzel bir seri sonuydu, uzun zamandır ertelenen kitap bir nevi ağrı kesici olarak tüketildi.
•
bu kitabın ne ing ne tr elimde olmayışı asabımı felaket derece bozuyor, of!
•
July 19, 2021
3.5
Keşke hiç durmadan yazsada yazdıklarını okusak😊
Keşke hiç durmadan yazsada yazdıklarını okusak😊
January 1, 2012
I actually can't be that bothered to do a long and indepth review on this.
This was definately my least favourite read out of the 6 books I have read of hers.
Jeannie and Duncan were apparently in love, there was a big misunderstanding, he thinks she betrayed him, she's upset that he doesnt trust her and he leaves Scotland under the label traitor. He comes back 10 years later and low and behold go to find her to help clear his name. She doesnt want to help...and has a big whopper of a secret of her own and doesnt want him to find out.
After some arguments some "chemistry" they end up back together in the fight to help clear his name.
To be honest, I just didnt like this that much.
I gave it 3 stars out of respect to the author. But I didnt like Jeannie....if she had truly loved Duncan she would have warned him....because he could have been killed.
Duncan should have listened to her rather then jump to conclusions...even when the evidence was damning.
I just didnt get how these 2 were in love in the first place, let alone, fall back in love with each other. They only seemed to have lust and lots of it.
It was also obvious who had set Duncan up....I had guessed it from the previous books actually, so wasnt surprised at all.
It wouldnt put me off reading more in the future but was a disappointing end to this trilogy.
This was definately my least favourite read out of the 6 books I have read of hers.
Jeannie and Duncan were apparently in love, there was a big misunderstanding, he thinks she betrayed him, she's upset that he doesnt trust her and he leaves Scotland under the label traitor. He comes back 10 years later and low and behold go to find her to help clear his name. She doesnt want to help...and has a big whopper of a secret of her own and doesnt want him to find out.
After some arguments some "chemistry" they end up back together in the fight to help clear his name.
To be honest, I just didnt like this that much.
I gave it 3 stars out of respect to the author. But I didnt like Jeannie....if she had truly loved Duncan she would have warned him....because he could have been killed.
Duncan should have listened to her rather then jump to conclusions...even when the evidence was damning.
I just didnt get how these 2 were in love in the first place, let alone, fall back in love with each other. They only seemed to have lust and lots of it.
It was also obvious who had set Duncan up....I had guessed it from the previous books actually, so wasnt surprised at all.
It wouldnt put me off reading more in the future but was a disappointing end to this trilogy.
May 14, 2021
Jeannie'nin beni terk ettin muhabbeti sonuna kadar devam etseydi en az Caitrina kadar nefret edecektim kendisinden! Sanki sen adama dürüst davrandın da.. Duncan da güle oynaya gitmedi herhalde.. Neyse ki sonralarda toparladı kendini o yüzden kendisini gömmeyeceğim şuan.
Bu arada Caitrina da son iki kitapta kendi kitabındaki halinden bin kat daha iyiydi. Böylece onu da affettim! :D
Keşke sonunda Duncan ve Dougall için de özel bir sahne olsaymış. Bence hak ediyorlardı güzel bir karşılaşmayı... (1 yıldızı bu yüzden kırıyorum.)
Bu arada Colin ve Niall sahnesinde içimin yağları eridi resmen!
Böylece Niall ve Annie'nin kitabına güle oynaya geçiyorum şuan!
PS: Kitapların sonundaki yazar notlarına ne kadar bayıldığımı söylemiş miydim?
Bu arada Caitrina da son iki kitapta kendi kitabındaki halinden bin kat daha iyiydi. Böylece onu da affettim! :D
Keşke sonunda Duncan ve Dougall için de özel bir sahne olsaymış. Bence hak ediyorlardı güzel bir karşılaşmayı... (1 yıldızı bu yüzden kırıyorum.)
Bu arada Colin ve Niall sahnesinde içimin yağları eridi resmen!
Böylece Niall ve Annie'nin kitabına güle oynaya geçiyorum şuan!
PS: Kitapların sonundaki yazar notlarına ne kadar bayıldığımı söylemiş miydim?
![Profile Image for ᑭᑌᑎƳᗩ [Punya Reviews...].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1572968006i%2F3840999._UX200_CR0%2C33%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
May 28, 2012
My review contains spoilers and they're mostly my thoughts as I went with the book...
Ah, quite disappointing ending of a great trilogy! And I thought Caitrina was the most annoying heroine but in comparison to Jeannie, she's a better option. Jeannie was so so irritating for the better part of the book, can’t even begin to tell you. Her loyalty to her traitorous father and husband was very applaudable but for that, what she did with Duncan was simply appalling!
So, this is what happened between Dancun and Jeannie 10 yrs ago. They met at king James’s court, both very young. Duncan is illegitimate We really never got to know much about him before because of his runaway status. Here we get to see the whole sordid history. Even being illegitimate and knowing he’d never be good enough, Duncan is his father’s right hand and a very able one at that. He’s at court to convince Laird Grant to be an ally against the Huntleys. Here, we get to meet a young and quite lighter Colin and their father, the then Earl of Auchinbrek. The Earl knew his eldest son is very capable of handling this situation, even though he’s only 21. Duncan was a great warrior in the making. In court, while looking for Grant, he sees his daughter Jeannie, a 17 yr old beauty with red hair and green eyes and falls instantly for her. It helps that the girl reciprocates. Jeannie, has always battled with the scandal her beautiful yet impetuous mother created when she ran away with an English lord and died in England. Since she looks much like her mother, Jeannie is compared to her often; mostly from her beloved father, whom she loves a lot. She’s here for a match, but doesn’t like meeting people because of the censures she’d suffered. She doesn’t like to think she has anything common with her mother. Anyway, she sees Duncan and is extremely attracted to his big physique, raven dark hair and gorgeous sapphire eyes. They dance around each-other for about two weeks. Duncan finally manages to convince Grant to help them but was seriously thinking of talking to his father about Jeannie. He knew there’d be trouble since he’s illegitimate but he’s willing to fight. Jeannie apparently doesn’t care about his illegitimacy. The night before he’d leave, Duncan asks Jeannie to meet him in secret. They swim in a loch nearby and you can guess, wet dresses and kisses led to making love. Duncan was sure he’ll marry her and Jeannie was willing too, she tells him she’d do something to convince her father.
When Duncan returns to Campbell Castle, his father is says no to this match. Duncan soon learns that Colin, who left a week ago, has already been there to ask for Jeannie’s hand. Since Colin is the heir, his father send a message to Grant and Grant agreed, which is also why he agreed to help them. Duncan is speechless but still tries push his case. His father hurts him pretty badly when he understood that the matter has already gone too far between Duncan and Jeannie, by reminding him that ‘he reaches too high’ and the match between them is out of the question. Duncan is kinda disillusioned. He’d always had his father’s side after his mother dumped him as a baby. His stepmother was just indifferent. But he’d always had his siblings’ love, shared a close bond with them. Seems like it’d change now. He vows he’ll find a way to marry her. In Grant’s place, Jeannie is waiting for Duncan to come up with the proposal. When they arrive, she sees Duncan is quite detached. She’s now confused, thinking about her mother. I mean if you already said ILU to each-other, how come now you’re so confused? So, I didn’t believe they were in love; it was just young infatuation and lust IMO. Anyway, when she finds a private time, Duncan tells her what’s going on. Jeannie decides to talk to her father, as she was scared to do previously. When they left for the battle, Jeannie is scared for Duncan as she watches them leave. Suddenly a rider, who was hidden in the woods, comes to the keep. She goes to talk to her father but eavesdrops. The tall, blonde man in none other than the 2nd son of the enemy, the Hunleys, Francis Gordon. It seems like her father is betraying Argyll and the others with the Huntleys. Also, he’s made a match between her and Francis. When Francis leaves, Jeannie tries to talk to her father but he’s furious. He threatens her that he’d lock her up. Jeannie panics and plans to somehow to meet Duncan to veer him away from the war. She sends a vague note to him to meet her in a nearby inn, goes there and waits.
After a hectic day, in his tent, Duncan reads the note which Colin gave him and rides to the inn. Jeannie doesn’t tell him clearly (something made me so mad) of her father’s treachery since she won’t betray him. She’s only thinking of Duncan (and her own interests) so she tries very vaguely to tell him there’s danger so that he stays away. Duncan won’t listen. He asks her over and over again about it but she doesn’t clarify. Then, when she saw she’s not getting her way, she distracts and manipulates him into making love to her throughout the night. Duncan leaves at dawn, but finds his dresses neatly arranged. Anyway, soon the Huntleys attack, Grant betrays and Agryll is defeated. Argyll’s mad angry and would find out who did this to him. After many discussions, Duncan fails to produce the map that was supposed to be their plan. Being an illegitimate doesn’t help so suspicions about him grew. They also find out he was out the earlier night, oh the poor guy. Jeannie, the next day, is angry at Duncan for leaving her (b*tch!) and feels betrayed that he didn’t side with her. I mean WTF? She goes back to her keep and waits for news. Soon her father comes back. She’s sure this time Duncan would come and ask for her hand (always living in her own happy world!). In the meantime, some gold was found in Duncan’s things so everyone now suspected it was Duncan, did it out of jealousy. It didn’t matter when his father fell saving Argyll, Duncan is the one who fought and hold everything back as long as he could, that he’d served Argyll loyally from a young age. Nothing matters, NOTHING! A desperate Duncan knows there’s no one to help him out and the woman he loves probably betrayed him, referring to their night together and her vague messages. Colin tells him to runaway, otherwise he’ll hang. Duncan manages to get into Jeannie’s room somehow at night and condemns her. She doesn’t acknowledge neither denies anything, then tries convincing him with her whining and illogical actions. When nothing works and Duncan finally leaves, she thinks oh, he just left me like that, maybe what we did was wrong etc. See how ‘me’ comes to her on every thought? You chose a side b*tch, your traitorous bastard of a father’s side, you didn’t think of him (his clan), wanted him to betray them (abandoning the war?) because of you, how can you even think this way? Before leaving, Duncan hears his father’s last words, when Colin went out to give them some privacy. He refers to the MacDonalds, Duncan’s mother and asks to find her in stilted words, with a lot of difficulty. Duncan shrugs it off and goes away to Ireland. Jeannie, meanwhile, finds out she’s pregnant so goes to the Campbell Castle to tell Duncan but learning that he’s gone, again, decides he’s betrayed her, left her bla bla and starts hating him. She marries Francis soon to save the child of its illegitimacy.
10 yrs later, Francis is dead for sometimes now. It seems like he’s been very kind and good to Jeannie but she never returned his affections. I knew she couldn’t, b*tch that she is! He knew of Jeannie’s pregnancy and hid it, took care of the son, Dougall, gave him his name and now he’s been fostered with the Campbells, not knowing that it’s his own clan. Jeannie could hide Dougall’s true age because of some convenient incidents back then and that he’s a bit small for his age. She has a daughter, Ella, with Francis. I did like Ella a lot. Her mother-in-law is very strict and has no lasting affection for her. Can’t blame her if you ask me! But the older woman loves her grandchildren, though not aware, like the others, of Dougall’s true identity. Jeannie’s been attacked (attempted abduction) by the MacKintoshs after Francis’s death, for a marriage. You know, her beauty and lands. Also, the Huntlys want her to marry someone of their own choice. She doesn’t care to marry ever. The news of Duncan’s return doesn’t help too. So as the goes for a swim, then was coming out of the lake, Duncan’s presence startles her and she shoots him. Yah she did and it was near fatal. She didn’t regret, at all, that he might die. She stood there watch him bleed and wanted him dead. CAN YOU FREAKEN BELIEVE IT? Duncan came back to clear his name, also knowing Francis died did something in his heart for him to return. He knows Jeannie can help him by telling him the truth or letting him investigate inside her keep. But, this was some welcome from the beautiful nude woman in front of him! Before it, he was thinking of their past, how it was to have sex with her and so on. I couldn’t believe after what happened, he could be so obtuse! Anyway, sometimes later, Jeannie realizes he might die. Note that she dressed and already called her men to arrest him. Duncan’s own men from Ireland, Leif and Conall also came to have a look. Jeannie takes Duncan in her keep to attend the wound. While attending, she kept thinking how he’s grown into a gorgeous man and how her body reacts to him, contradicting her other thoughts such as, how she doesn’t care for him, how he’s left her, how she’s scared he might do harm to her children (huh?) etc. She was pretty hypocritical in her thoughts about Duncan. She wants to f*ck him, as long as it’s convenient and doesn’t hamper her own plans, her clan, her father and husband’s treachery and her son! I could’ve overlooked the son part, had not the son in question been Duncan’s own, the fact she decided hid from him, no matter what. She can’t take the chance of him claiming Dougall. Later, though, I understood why. I didn’t know even if they marry, claiming Dougall would still make him a bastard. Odd rule, if you ask me!
Duncan still wants Jeannie with every pore of his being. It irritates him (and me) yet he can’t do anything about it. He’s posing as a guard send by her brother, as they planned to appease her mother-in-law. I loved his introduction and exchanges with Ella a lot. I wish there were more of those. But Jeannie isn’t happy about him ‘captivating’ her daughter (a 7 yrs old) like she was by him. I mean what was her problem? If you read her thoughts about Duncan, God it all felt so odd! They were almost always bordering on negative, sometimes rather creepy yet his manly body doesn’t deter her from remembering their time together so long ago! It’s like her husband never existed! The man, even though a traitor, was totally forgotten which, somehow, I didn’t approve of.
Duncan gets a fever from the wound and fell very ill. The healer calls Jeannie at night to have a look. When she’s there, she’s suddenly feeling nauseated, thinking of her husband, who also died of a sword wound and later, fever. Then you know what, she actually thought if she lets Duncan die, it’ll solve all her problems! OMFG! B*tch! I don’t care that she took it back just afterwards, how awful and immature. She NEVER grew up from her 17 yrs self IMO, until the very end. When he’s finally ok, Duncan kept asking Jeannie to help him and she ALWAYS kept saying no; at first her supposed hatred for him, then when they finally kissed, for Dougall and of course, her father and her husband. Duncan tries looking through her castle, once finding a priest’s hole [ref: this keep being a place for the Templar Knights]. There he actually found some messages with indistinct wording and that map he lost. It kinda proves her husband was involved. Jeannie, meantime, found him out and kept thinking, oh he betrayed me again! How dare he search my castle! Bla bla bla (Me? wanna kill her!) Duncan shows her the map, yet she kept denying any involvement of her husband. Even when she was being such a b*tch, he still kept seeing her ‘beauty’. Good lord, I was so annoyed at him for this that I seriously decided to dump him with Jeannie because I can’t recommend anything about her other than her external ‘beauty’. But they do kiss, you know and she lets him touch her too. She can’t help herself then but in her mind (sometimes even on his face) she kept vilifying him and hurting him in return. This went on for a long time. Duncan kinda suspected there’s something holding her back. He asked around about her son’s age but was disappointed. He knew the daughter is too young to be his. He didn’t like knowing how angelic Francis Gordon was, as Jeannie kept slapping those on his face with every opportunity. I hated when she kept whining to herself oh I should’ve loved Francis but I couldn’t react to his lovemaking bla bla. Whatever, b*tch!
Then one day, Duncan and his men went to hunt when Ella goes missing. She wanted to go with them and having her mother’s beauty and stubborn streak, nothing could deter her. Duncan found her and brought her back later. But in the keep, everything is in awry, Jeannie is having fits. She dispatches almost all her guardsmen, in her mind she keeps praying that Duncan comes back soon because he’d know what to do. Then she remembers this place where Francis would take Ella and decides to have a look herself. When she does, the MacKintoshs again attack her. Duncan reached the keep only to find Jeannie’s been gone for sometimes now. But he finds her soon, fallen from her horse and MacKintoshs’ surrounding her. He goes berserk. How dare they touch what’s his! Hmm Duncan, what was that? Yours? Even after the way she treated you? Sorry but I can’t help but feel pissed! Anyway, he saves her and takes her back. She’s now grateful to him but still won’t help him. Then Duncan decides, his final chance, if Elizabeth’s letters are true, is with Jamie. Only if his brother doesn’t throw him in the dungeon on sight. Jeannie panics; no, not for him but for him finding out Dougall’s identity and forces Duncan to take her with him. On their journey, Duncan is tempted to shag some barmaid just to take off the edge Jeannie is setting but he doesn’t, how nice! I wished he’d find someone else, just to punish her and I would’ve danced with glee! One night, they make their stop at an inn. Some Campbell guardsmen were looking for him there and Jeannie ‘helps distracting’ them with her revealing gowns and flirtation. Oh now she’s decided to help Duncan, though he doesn’t appreciate this. How dare she flirts and shows her boobies around! (Me? Someone save me from this misery!)
When they reach Campbell Castle, I liked reading the siblings’ reuniting. Duncan thought how his ‘little’ brother has grown. I was thinking, wasn’t Catarina pregnant in the previous book? Then how could she fly out the keep and down the stairs in her advanced pregnant state? No idea! Anyway, Jamie promises to listen to him and he does. Duncan gives him all the proofs but they both know it’s not enough. Meanwhile, Duncan tries to convince Jeannie of his feelings because he’s decides he still loves her, would always love her. She was watching her son fight, when Duncan comes out and her son is enthralled by his words and shows of gun and swordfight. Jeannie kinda feels remorse that this is how father and son should be but there’s nothing to be done. She can’t reveal it. When Dougall is gone, she goes to the armory to stack his bows but Duncan follows her. More talks and words exchanges, heated kisses and they almost end up doing it. Lord, sex scenes were hot in this book, just for Duncan yet I couldn’t enjoy them as I should’ve for my utter dislike of Jeannie. When Duncan asks Jeannie to tell him she wants him too, she hesitates. Duncan is hurt and leaves.
Outside he finds Elizabeth is here too with Patrick. When he held her, Jeannie not knowing it’s Elizabeth, is instantly jealous. *rolls eyes* Then, Duncan is being updated with the recent news, including Colin’s. They’re all worried for him yet know he’s made his bed. When Duncan hears that Colin might be in Inveraray Castle, he immediately feels that the last letter he sent to Elizabeth might fell into Colin’s hand. Which means, he knows of Duncan’s whereabouts and this might explain the guardsmen looking for him. Over and over Colin’s name keeps coming back on that day in Glenlivet. None of them wants to think of Colin as the betrayer but they know there’s every chance. It’s sad how their brother has changed over the years. It was sad for me because I felt, even as I ended the book, there should’ve been more from Colin’s POV. I mean why did he do that? We didn’t really know much about him in earlier books, he was always portrayed as the villain from the start. I felt there were much more than just jealousy of his elder brother’s accomplishments and dark anger. I saw that others were accountable for it too because, once his father actually said to him that he should’ve made Duncan his tanaiste (heir). What son likes to hear such thing? Then when they all were arguing in Glenlivet, whenever Colin tried to put forth a comment, no one seemed to care about his opinions. It must’ve been utterly frustrating. I felt no one gave Colin a chance to prove himself, which in return created this rash, hotheaded man.
Anyway, somewhere in between, Duncan and Jeannie finally decides to put it all behind, trust each-other and become lovers again. Jeannie encourages Duncan to look for his mother. He agrees after some persuasion from her (he can never deny her anything and after such great sex too!). In the MacDonalds’ place, he learns his mother, the old nursemaid died about the time when Glenlivet happened. He’s quite disappointed. He knows he resembles his father to a fault (except the hair, which is his mother’s), so when the old lady Anne MacDonald acts as if she’s seeing a ghost, he’s not surprised. Back in the inn, Jeannie and he make love and the words of marriage and love come out. He wanted her to run away with him before, which she denied for her kids but now, she would go anywhere with him. This time Duncan refuses and Jeannie blurts out about Dougall. Duncan gets very angry and goes out to cool his heels. Colin in the meantime, was trying to capture him and deliver to Argyll. He didn’t know that Jamie and Elizabeth is already on their way to Inveraray to convince Argyll. The next morning, Jeannie decides to pay another visit to Lady Anne as a maid confirms that some information on Duncan’s mother was wrong.
After that, there was quite a nice, big surprise for Duncan (thanks to Jeannie– ugh but true) and not so very big one for Colin as he tries to kill him and then Niall Lamont shows up... You can guess, if you’ve read the earlier books, what might’ve happened afterwards. I wished I saw some more interaction between Dougall and Duncan. It’s said that Jeannie wants Dougall to know of his identity, she doesn’t care anymore. I agree, Dougall has a right to know his father. In the epilogue, they are married finally but yet to tell him, so I felt I missed this union between the father and the son. I would’ve rated it a 3.5 had it been there but now it’s 3. I, again, loved the author’s note/historical facts. Always worth a read!
A picture of Castle Campbell...
Ah, quite disappointing ending of a great trilogy! And I thought Caitrina was the most annoying heroine but in comparison to Jeannie, she's a better option. Jeannie was so so irritating for the better part of the book, can’t even begin to tell you. Her loyalty to her traitorous father and husband was very applaudable but for that, what she did with Duncan was simply appalling!
So, this is what happened between Dancun and Jeannie 10 yrs ago. They met at king James’s court, both very young. Duncan is illegitimate We really never got to know much about him before because of his runaway status. Here we get to see the whole sordid history. Even being illegitimate and knowing he’d never be good enough, Duncan is his father’s right hand and a very able one at that. He’s at court to convince Laird Grant to be an ally against the Huntleys. Here, we get to meet a young and quite lighter Colin and their father, the then Earl of Auchinbrek. The Earl knew his eldest son is very capable of handling this situation, even though he’s only 21. Duncan was a great warrior in the making. In court, while looking for Grant, he sees his daughter Jeannie, a 17 yr old beauty with red hair and green eyes and falls instantly for her. It helps that the girl reciprocates. Jeannie, has always battled with the scandal her beautiful yet impetuous mother created when she ran away with an English lord and died in England. Since she looks much like her mother, Jeannie is compared to her often; mostly from her beloved father, whom she loves a lot. She’s here for a match, but doesn’t like meeting people because of the censures she’d suffered. She doesn’t like to think she has anything common with her mother. Anyway, she sees Duncan and is extremely attracted to his big physique, raven dark hair and gorgeous sapphire eyes. They dance around each-other for about two weeks. Duncan finally manages to convince Grant to help them but was seriously thinking of talking to his father about Jeannie. He knew there’d be trouble since he’s illegitimate but he’s willing to fight. Jeannie apparently doesn’t care about his illegitimacy. The night before he’d leave, Duncan asks Jeannie to meet him in secret. They swim in a loch nearby and you can guess, wet dresses and kisses led to making love. Duncan was sure he’ll marry her and Jeannie was willing too, she tells him she’d do something to convince her father.
When Duncan returns to Campbell Castle, his father is says no to this match. Duncan soon learns that Colin, who left a week ago, has already been there to ask for Jeannie’s hand. Since Colin is the heir, his father send a message to Grant and Grant agreed, which is also why he agreed to help them. Duncan is speechless but still tries push his case. His father hurts him pretty badly when he understood that the matter has already gone too far between Duncan and Jeannie, by reminding him that ‘he reaches too high’ and the match between them is out of the question. Duncan is kinda disillusioned. He’d always had his father’s side after his mother dumped him as a baby. His stepmother was just indifferent. But he’d always had his siblings’ love, shared a close bond with them. Seems like it’d change now. He vows he’ll find a way to marry her. In Grant’s place, Jeannie is waiting for Duncan to come up with the proposal. When they arrive, she sees Duncan is quite detached. She’s now confused, thinking about her mother. I mean if you already said ILU to each-other, how come now you’re so confused? So, I didn’t believe they were in love; it was just young infatuation and lust IMO. Anyway, when she finds a private time, Duncan tells her what’s going on. Jeannie decides to talk to her father, as she was scared to do previously. When they left for the battle, Jeannie is scared for Duncan as she watches them leave. Suddenly a rider, who was hidden in the woods, comes to the keep. She goes to talk to her father but eavesdrops. The tall, blonde man in none other than the 2nd son of the enemy, the Hunleys, Francis Gordon. It seems like her father is betraying Argyll and the others with the Huntleys. Also, he’s made a match between her and Francis. When Francis leaves, Jeannie tries to talk to her father but he’s furious. He threatens her that he’d lock her up. Jeannie panics and plans to somehow to meet Duncan to veer him away from the war. She sends a vague note to him to meet her in a nearby inn, goes there and waits.
After a hectic day, in his tent, Duncan reads the note which Colin gave him and rides to the inn. Jeannie doesn’t tell him clearly (something made me so mad) of her father’s treachery since she won’t betray him. She’s only thinking of Duncan (and her own interests) so she tries very vaguely to tell him there’s danger so that he stays away. Duncan won’t listen. He asks her over and over again about it but she doesn’t clarify. Then, when she saw she’s not getting her way, she distracts and manipulates him into making love to her throughout the night. Duncan leaves at dawn, but finds his dresses neatly arranged. Anyway, soon the Huntleys attack, Grant betrays and Agryll is defeated. Argyll’s mad angry and would find out who did this to him. After many discussions, Duncan fails to produce the map that was supposed to be their plan. Being an illegitimate doesn’t help so suspicions about him grew. They also find out he was out the earlier night, oh the poor guy. Jeannie, the next day, is angry at Duncan for leaving her (b*tch!) and feels betrayed that he didn’t side with her. I mean WTF? She goes back to her keep and waits for news. Soon her father comes back. She’s sure this time Duncan would come and ask for her hand (always living in her own happy world!). In the meantime, some gold was found in Duncan’s things so everyone now suspected it was Duncan, did it out of jealousy. It didn’t matter when his father fell saving Argyll, Duncan is the one who fought and hold everything back as long as he could, that he’d served Argyll loyally from a young age. Nothing matters, NOTHING! A desperate Duncan knows there’s no one to help him out and the woman he loves probably betrayed him, referring to their night together and her vague messages. Colin tells him to runaway, otherwise he’ll hang. Duncan manages to get into Jeannie’s room somehow at night and condemns her. She doesn’t acknowledge neither denies anything, then tries convincing him with her whining and illogical actions. When nothing works and Duncan finally leaves, she thinks oh, he just left me like that, maybe what we did was wrong etc. See how ‘me’ comes to her on every thought? You chose a side b*tch, your traitorous bastard of a father’s side, you didn’t think of him (his clan), wanted him to betray them (abandoning the war?) because of you, how can you even think this way? Before leaving, Duncan hears his father’s last words, when Colin went out to give them some privacy. He refers to the MacDonalds, Duncan’s mother and asks to find her in stilted words, with a lot of difficulty. Duncan shrugs it off and goes away to Ireland. Jeannie, meanwhile, finds out she’s pregnant so goes to the Campbell Castle to tell Duncan but learning that he’s gone, again, decides he’s betrayed her, left her bla bla and starts hating him. She marries Francis soon to save the child of its illegitimacy.
10 yrs later, Francis is dead for sometimes now. It seems like he’s been very kind and good to Jeannie but she never returned his affections. I knew she couldn’t, b*tch that she is! He knew of Jeannie’s pregnancy and hid it, took care of the son, Dougall, gave him his name and now he’s been fostered with the Campbells, not knowing that it’s his own clan. Jeannie could hide Dougall’s true age because of some convenient incidents back then and that he’s a bit small for his age. She has a daughter, Ella, with Francis. I did like Ella a lot. Her mother-in-law is very strict and has no lasting affection for her. Can’t blame her if you ask me! But the older woman loves her grandchildren, though not aware, like the others, of Dougall’s true identity. Jeannie’s been attacked (attempted abduction) by the MacKintoshs after Francis’s death, for a marriage. You know, her beauty and lands. Also, the Huntlys want her to marry someone of their own choice. She doesn’t care to marry ever. The news of Duncan’s return doesn’t help too. So as the goes for a swim, then was coming out of the lake, Duncan’s presence startles her and she shoots him. Yah she did and it was near fatal. She didn’t regret, at all, that he might die. She stood there watch him bleed and wanted him dead. CAN YOU FREAKEN BELIEVE IT? Duncan came back to clear his name, also knowing Francis died did something in his heart for him to return. He knows Jeannie can help him by telling him the truth or letting him investigate inside her keep. But, this was some welcome from the beautiful nude woman in front of him! Before it, he was thinking of their past, how it was to have sex with her and so on. I couldn’t believe after what happened, he could be so obtuse! Anyway, sometimes later, Jeannie realizes he might die. Note that she dressed and already called her men to arrest him. Duncan’s own men from Ireland, Leif and Conall also came to have a look. Jeannie takes Duncan in her keep to attend the wound. While attending, she kept thinking how he’s grown into a gorgeous man and how her body reacts to him, contradicting her other thoughts such as, how she doesn’t care for him, how he’s left her, how she’s scared he might do harm to her children (huh?) etc. She was pretty hypocritical in her thoughts about Duncan. She wants to f*ck him, as long as it’s convenient and doesn’t hamper her own plans, her clan, her father and husband’s treachery and her son! I could’ve overlooked the son part, had not the son in question been Duncan’s own, the fact she decided hid from him, no matter what. She can’t take the chance of him claiming Dougall. Later, though, I understood why. I didn’t know even if they marry, claiming Dougall would still make him a bastard. Odd rule, if you ask me!
Duncan still wants Jeannie with every pore of his being. It irritates him (and me) yet he can’t do anything about it. He’s posing as a guard send by her brother, as they planned to appease her mother-in-law. I loved his introduction and exchanges with Ella a lot. I wish there were more of those. But Jeannie isn’t happy about him ‘captivating’ her daughter (a 7 yrs old) like she was by him. I mean what was her problem? If you read her thoughts about Duncan, God it all felt so odd! They were almost always bordering on negative, sometimes rather creepy yet his manly body doesn’t deter her from remembering their time together so long ago! It’s like her husband never existed! The man, even though a traitor, was totally forgotten which, somehow, I didn’t approve of.
Duncan gets a fever from the wound and fell very ill. The healer calls Jeannie at night to have a look. When she’s there, she’s suddenly feeling nauseated, thinking of her husband, who also died of a sword wound and later, fever. Then you know what, she actually thought if she lets Duncan die, it’ll solve all her problems! OMFG! B*tch! I don’t care that she took it back just afterwards, how awful and immature. She NEVER grew up from her 17 yrs self IMO, until the very end. When he’s finally ok, Duncan kept asking Jeannie to help him and she ALWAYS kept saying no; at first her supposed hatred for him, then when they finally kissed, for Dougall and of course, her father and her husband. Duncan tries looking through her castle, once finding a priest’s hole [ref: this keep being a place for the Templar Knights]. There he actually found some messages with indistinct wording and that map he lost. It kinda proves her husband was involved. Jeannie, meantime, found him out and kept thinking, oh he betrayed me again! How dare he search my castle! Bla bla bla (Me? wanna kill her!) Duncan shows her the map, yet she kept denying any involvement of her husband. Even when she was being such a b*tch, he still kept seeing her ‘beauty’. Good lord, I was so annoyed at him for this that I seriously decided to dump him with Jeannie because I can’t recommend anything about her other than her external ‘beauty’. But they do kiss, you know and she lets him touch her too. She can’t help herself then but in her mind (sometimes even on his face) she kept vilifying him and hurting him in return. This went on for a long time. Duncan kinda suspected there’s something holding her back. He asked around about her son’s age but was disappointed. He knew the daughter is too young to be his. He didn’t like knowing how angelic Francis Gordon was, as Jeannie kept slapping those on his face with every opportunity. I hated when she kept whining to herself oh I should’ve loved Francis but I couldn’t react to his lovemaking bla bla. Whatever, b*tch!
Then one day, Duncan and his men went to hunt when Ella goes missing. She wanted to go with them and having her mother’s beauty and stubborn streak, nothing could deter her. Duncan found her and brought her back later. But in the keep, everything is in awry, Jeannie is having fits. She dispatches almost all her guardsmen, in her mind she keeps praying that Duncan comes back soon because he’d know what to do. Then she remembers this place where Francis would take Ella and decides to have a look herself. When she does, the MacKintoshs again attack her. Duncan reached the keep only to find Jeannie’s been gone for sometimes now. But he finds her soon, fallen from her horse and MacKintoshs’ surrounding her. He goes berserk. How dare they touch what’s his! Hmm Duncan, what was that? Yours? Even after the way she treated you? Sorry but I can’t help but feel pissed! Anyway, he saves her and takes her back. She’s now grateful to him but still won’t help him. Then Duncan decides, his final chance, if Elizabeth’s letters are true, is with Jamie. Only if his brother doesn’t throw him in the dungeon on sight. Jeannie panics; no, not for him but for him finding out Dougall’s identity and forces Duncan to take her with him. On their journey, Duncan is tempted to shag some barmaid just to take off the edge Jeannie is setting but he doesn’t, how nice! I wished he’d find someone else, just to punish her and I would’ve danced with glee! One night, they make their stop at an inn. Some Campbell guardsmen were looking for him there and Jeannie ‘helps distracting’ them with her revealing gowns and flirtation. Oh now she’s decided to help Duncan, though he doesn’t appreciate this. How dare she flirts and shows her boobies around! (Me? Someone save me from this misery!)
When they reach Campbell Castle, I liked reading the siblings’ reuniting. Duncan thought how his ‘little’ brother has grown. I was thinking, wasn’t Catarina pregnant in the previous book? Then how could she fly out the keep and down the stairs in her advanced pregnant state? No idea! Anyway, Jamie promises to listen to him and he does. Duncan gives him all the proofs but they both know it’s not enough. Meanwhile, Duncan tries to convince Jeannie of his feelings because he’s decides he still loves her, would always love her. She was watching her son fight, when Duncan comes out and her son is enthralled by his words and shows of gun and swordfight. Jeannie kinda feels remorse that this is how father and son should be but there’s nothing to be done. She can’t reveal it. When Dougall is gone, she goes to the armory to stack his bows but Duncan follows her. More talks and words exchanges, heated kisses and they almost end up doing it. Lord, sex scenes were hot in this book, just for Duncan yet I couldn’t enjoy them as I should’ve for my utter dislike of Jeannie. When Duncan asks Jeannie to tell him she wants him too, she hesitates. Duncan is hurt and leaves.
Outside he finds Elizabeth is here too with Patrick. When he held her, Jeannie not knowing it’s Elizabeth, is instantly jealous. *rolls eyes* Then, Duncan is being updated with the recent news, including Colin’s. They’re all worried for him yet know he’s made his bed. When Duncan hears that Colin might be in Inveraray Castle, he immediately feels that the last letter he sent to Elizabeth might fell into Colin’s hand. Which means, he knows of Duncan’s whereabouts and this might explain the guardsmen looking for him. Over and over Colin’s name keeps coming back on that day in Glenlivet. None of them wants to think of Colin as the betrayer but they know there’s every chance. It’s sad how their brother has changed over the years. It was sad for me because I felt, even as I ended the book, there should’ve been more from Colin’s POV. I mean why did he do that? We didn’t really know much about him in earlier books, he was always portrayed as the villain from the start. I felt there were much more than just jealousy of his elder brother’s accomplishments and dark anger. I saw that others were accountable for it too because, once his father actually said to him that he should’ve made Duncan his tanaiste (heir). What son likes to hear such thing? Then when they all were arguing in Glenlivet, whenever Colin tried to put forth a comment, no one seemed to care about his opinions. It must’ve been utterly frustrating. I felt no one gave Colin a chance to prove himself, which in return created this rash, hotheaded man.
Anyway, somewhere in between, Duncan and Jeannie finally decides to put it all behind, trust each-other and become lovers again. Jeannie encourages Duncan to look for his mother. He agrees after some persuasion from her (he can never deny her anything and after such great sex too!). In the MacDonalds’ place, he learns his mother, the old nursemaid died about the time when Glenlivet happened. He’s quite disappointed. He knows he resembles his father to a fault (except the hair, which is his mother’s), so when the old lady Anne MacDonald acts as if she’s seeing a ghost, he’s not surprised. Back in the inn, Jeannie and he make love and the words of marriage and love come out. He wanted her to run away with him before, which she denied for her kids but now, she would go anywhere with him. This time Duncan refuses and Jeannie blurts out about Dougall. Duncan gets very angry and goes out to cool his heels. Colin in the meantime, was trying to capture him and deliver to Argyll. He didn’t know that Jamie and Elizabeth is already on their way to Inveraray to convince Argyll. The next morning, Jeannie decides to pay another visit to Lady Anne as a maid confirms that some information on Duncan’s mother was wrong.
After that, there was quite a nice, big surprise for Duncan (thanks to Jeannie– ugh but true) and not so very big one for Colin as he tries to kill him and then Niall Lamont shows up... You can guess, if you’ve read the earlier books, what might’ve happened afterwards. I wished I saw some more interaction between Dougall and Duncan. It’s said that Jeannie wants Dougall to know of his identity, she doesn’t care anymore. I agree, Dougall has a right to know his father. In the epilogue, they are married finally but yet to tell him, so I felt I missed this union between the father and the son. I would’ve rated it a 3.5 had it been there but now it’s 3. I, again, loved the author’s note/historical facts. Always worth a read!
A picture of Castle Campbell...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2022
Hot, hot, hot! The steam between Duncan and Jeannie is enough to curl the pages, or in my case fog my Kindle. Their romance is the stuff of legends and history. Young lovers torn apart by tragedy and deceit. This is a second chance romance and so much more. The mystery element makes the story so much better.
Duncan Campbell has fought hard his whole life to make his place in the Campbell Clan. As the illegitimate son of the chief, he has had to prove his worth every day in every way. When he meets and falls in love with the daughter of a Gordon chief, he faces more than strong opposition to the match, he faces war and traitorous actions. After ten years in exile, he is back to clear his name and get answers from the woman he once loved.
After Duncan deserts her, Jeannie Gordon is forced into marriage by circumstances beyond her control. She knows that Duncan pledged to marry her but refused to trust her and left her. Now he's back after ten years and the passion between them is stronger than ever, but trust between them is in short supply. To clear his name, Duncan and Jeannie will need to risk everything as they seek to truth to what really happened and find to true traitor.
Duncan Campbell has fought hard his whole life to make his place in the Campbell Clan. As the illegitimate son of the chief, he has had to prove his worth every day in every way. When he meets and falls in love with the daughter of a Gordon chief, he faces more than strong opposition to the match, he faces war and traitorous actions. After ten years in exile, he is back to clear his name and get answers from the woman he once loved.
After Duncan deserts her, Jeannie Gordon is forced into marriage by circumstances beyond her control. She knows that Duncan pledged to marry her but refused to trust her and left her. Now he's back after ten years and the passion between them is stronger than ever, but trust between them is in short supply. To clear his name, Duncan and Jeannie will need to risk everything as they seek to truth to what really happened and find to true traitor.
June 23, 2016
3,5. Me faltaba un Campbell para finiquitar la trilogía. Y después de leer ambas trilogías de la autora sólo puedo decir que no sé qué leche he hecho con mi vida lectora sin haberla leído antes. Menos mal que aún me quedan algunos libros suyos.
April 25, 2019
Mükemmelll bayıldımmm.Serinin ikinci kitabını okumadan buna gectim cok merak etmiştim.... Bu kadının kalemini çok seviyorum . Serinin birinci kitabı biraz hayal kırıklığı olmudtu benim için. Ask,savaş,ihanet,ikinci şans temalarında harmanlanmış mükemmel bir hikaye idi. İkinci şans temasınıçok seviyorum. Şimdi serinin ikinci kitabını okuyacagım.:))))))
October 3, 2016
I tried to read this book before and had to stop because I did not like Jeannie. But I have not had a good read in a long while. Monica McCarty ranks high on my favorite writer list. So I decided to pick up this book again.
My second attempt was successful, actually. This time I managed to read on. I still cannot say that I love this book as much as I did her other books, but she kept my interest. I enjoyed the read.
What can I say about Jeannie and Duncan? Well, I did not like Jeannie very much. I understand that she wanted to protect her son, but this is why I almost never like a mother heroine: the child takes precedence over anything. I don't like that. Am I reading a romance novel or a family drama? There are only a handful of books where the heroines were also mothers that I liked. But as soon as the heroine did something in the name of "protecting my child" and put other people at risks, I am immediately turned off.
This book was complicated, like all Monica McCarty's books. A couple torn apart by betrayal and distrust. Monica McCarty makes it work. There are a few things about her books that make me cringe, but she sure knows how to build characters and relationships. Or let me put it this way: the way she allows her characters to connect is something that I can relate to very well.
What did not make sense to me is how small a part their son played in the story. I know that Duncan had to first clear his name, but an unclaimed son, that is some material. Somehow this was addressed only in a fight and that was it. We spent most of the time watching Jeannie and Duncan question and doubt each other. It was very frustrating. This couple has all the Monica McCarty signature passion between them, but somehow I was rather unenthusiastic about their physical relationship. I think it is because their emotional attachment seemed a little weak to me, so their physical relationship lost its allure. I always say, sex alone is not sexy. I need to believe that they cared for each other. While I did feel that Jeannie and Duncan had a thing going, it was not the kind of "thing" that really connects with me.
Characters from the previous 2 books also appeared in this book: Jamie and Caitrina, Patrick and Elizabeth. I was very happy to read more about Patrick and Elizabeth, their book being the best in the series for me. Duncan and Jeannie are like Jamie and Caitrina to me: they are alright I suppose, but I was not invested in their story. Patrick and Elizabeth are a much better couple for me.
My second attempt was successful, actually. This time I managed to read on. I still cannot say that I love this book as much as I did her other books, but she kept my interest. I enjoyed the read.
What can I say about Jeannie and Duncan? Well, I did not like Jeannie very much. I understand that she wanted to protect her son, but this is why I almost never like a mother heroine: the child takes precedence over anything. I don't like that. Am I reading a romance novel or a family drama? There are only a handful of books where the heroines were also mothers that I liked. But as soon as the heroine did something in the name of "protecting my child" and put other people at risks, I am immediately turned off.
This book was complicated, like all Monica McCarty's books. A couple torn apart by betrayal and distrust. Monica McCarty makes it work. There are a few things about her books that make me cringe, but she sure knows how to build characters and relationships. Or let me put it this way: the way she allows her characters to connect is something that I can relate to very well.
What did not make sense to me is how small a part their son played in the story. I know that Duncan had to first clear his name, but an unclaimed son, that is some material. Somehow this was addressed only in a fight and that was it. We spent most of the time watching Jeannie and Duncan question and doubt each other. It was very frustrating. This couple has all the Monica McCarty signature passion between them, but somehow I was rather unenthusiastic about their physical relationship. I think it is because their emotional attachment seemed a little weak to me, so their physical relationship lost its allure. I always say, sex alone is not sexy. I need to believe that they cared for each other. While I did feel that Jeannie and Duncan had a thing going, it was not the kind of "thing" that really connects with me.
Characters from the previous 2 books also appeared in this book: Jamie and Caitrina, Patrick and Elizabeth. I was very happy to read more about Patrick and Elizabeth, their book being the best in the series for me. Duncan and Jeannie are like Jamie and Caitrina to me: they are alright I suppose, but I was not invested in their story. Patrick and Elizabeth are a much better couple for me.
September 15, 2012
4 1/2 Stars!! Great ending to the series. For highland lovers, Duncan is delectable, and McCarty has written one of her most steamy, passionate stories.
I absolutely could not stop reading this book! The build up to Duncan's story was very well-done. After reading the first two books of the trilogy, Duncan was as infamous to me as to the characters in the story.
I loved the way McCarty wrote this book; it begins with Duncan's return, then goes back ten years to tell the story of his exile. The transitions are masterfully written and kept me in eager anticipation of every word.
This book was 5-star worthy for the large majority of the story. Only a few minor issues that keep it from five stars. One is the heroine... Jeannie made me want to shake her. Early on, she does something that is nearly unforgivable in the world of romance novels. When Duncan returns, her obtuse blindness to the seriousness his plight and her unsupportable anger that she was wronged by him is all hard to digest. But she comes around.
While I did like her, I also found her choices and arguments extremely frustrating. She was just not the smartest of heroines...
The other issue for me was the anti-climactic ending. Duncan was wanted by the King for certain treason. He was the biggest outlaw of all. I obviously wanted an HEA, but I didn't understand how the evidence that Jeannie found and delivered to Argyll had any bearing on Duncan's guilt. Certainly not enough to keep him from Argyll's wrath.
I think McCarty could have written a more developed and compelling rationale for exonerating Duncan. I was completely underwhelmed by the "evidence" Jeannie found and also by the luke warm ending. (I would have liked to see more interaction btw Duncan and his son once he knew...)
Despite those flaws, I adored the book, and the series. Monica McCarty has fast become a favorite historical author of mine. I look forward to more of her Highland Guard novels!
May 21, 2020
An enjoyable series Jennie and Duncan
I enjoyed this series.
Jeannie and Duncan met when young. Family and Clan feuds cause separation for them both. Duncan is charged with treason. After 10 years he has come back to prove his innocence. Jennie and Duncan rediscover the love they have always had for each other. Nice ending to this story.
I enjoyed this series.
Jeannie and Duncan met when young. Family and Clan feuds cause separation for them both. Duncan is charged with treason. After 10 years he has come back to prove his innocence. Jennie and Duncan rediscover the love they have always had for each other. Nice ending to this story.
July 26, 2017
I've enjoyed this series. It's been nice being in the historical highlands again and these books have just enough excitement, intrigue, love, and complications.
July 8, 2016
Ay, Duncan, yo te quiero para mi.
October 24, 2022
Serideki en sevdiğim kitap bu oldu.
Erkek ve kadın karakterlerin ayrı düşmelerine rağmen hala ilk günkü gibi birbirlerini sevmeleri çok çok çok güzeldi.
4,5 ⭐️
Erkek ve kadın karakterlerin ayrı düşmelerine rağmen hala ilk günkü gibi birbirlerini sevmeleri çok çok çok güzeldi.
4,5 ⭐️
October 11, 2025
Ne varsa eskilerde var ♡
Ailenin gayri meşru çocuğu Duncan Campbell, kuzeni Argyll kontunun en güvendiği adamıyken hain damgası yemiş ve ülkeden kaçması gerekmiştir. 10 yıl sonra yurt dışında kendine büyük bir nam kazanmışken adını temize çıkarmak için İskoçya'ya döner ve ona ihanet etmiş olduğundan şüphelendiği ve sevdiği kadından yardım ister. 10 yıl önce gerçekte ne yaşandı?
Ben serinin ilk kitaplarını iki kere okudum. İkisinde de üçlemenin bu son kitabına geçtiğimde seriyi bitirmek yerine yazarın yan serisi Highland Guard'ı okumaya devam etmişim. Hiç bir mantıklı nedeni yok. Gerçi iyi ki öyle olmuş. Eski tarihi aşk kitapları gerçekten çok güzel. Bunu söylemekten hiç bıkmayacağım. Çok keyifle okudum. Yine Monica sayesinde tarihi aşk sevgim kabardı, coştu.
Ailenin gayri meşru çocuğu Duncan Campbell, kuzeni Argyll kontunun en güvendiği adamıyken hain damgası yemiş ve ülkeden kaçması gerekmiştir. 10 yıl sonra yurt dışında kendine büyük bir nam kazanmışken adını temize çıkarmak için İskoçya'ya döner ve ona ihanet etmiş olduğundan şüphelendiği ve sevdiği kadından yardım ister. 10 yıl önce gerçekte ne yaşandı?
Ben serinin ilk kitaplarını iki kere okudum. İkisinde de üçlemenin bu son kitabına geçtiğimde seriyi bitirmek yerine yazarın yan serisi Highland Guard'ı okumaya devam etmişim. Hiç bir mantıklı nedeni yok. Gerçi iyi ki öyle olmuş. Eski tarihi aşk kitapları gerçekten çok güzel. Bunu söylemekten hiç bıkmayacağım. Çok keyifle okudum. Yine Monica sayesinde tarihi aşk sevgim kabardı, coştu.
April 8, 2009
3.5 stars. A great ending to a terrific series. This wraps up the Campbell trilogy with the story of Duncan, the eldest brother. Ten years ago he was betrayed and found guilty of treason - a hanging offense. He escapes to Ireland, and has returned to see if he is able to prove his innocence. He believed Jeannie Gorden, the young woman he loved and wanted to marry, had betrayed him. Jeannie was in a terrible position of conflicting loyalties at the time, a situation which didn't change even after ten years.
Overall I really enjoyed this one, but I had issues with the heroine. I wasn't crazy about her. I understood her, but that was about it. I also didn't really see these two fall in love again when he returned. They spent time together, but it was only an OK romance. But the adventure story of betrayal and treason was very well done. I loved this part of the story, including the great conclusion as to how Duncan was finally able to prove his innocense. And for those who care about sensuality, this was a HOT read. Probably the hottest of all of her books. I look forward to what ever this author writes next!
Overall I really enjoyed this one, but I had issues with the heroine. I wasn't crazy about her. I understood her, but that was about it. I also didn't really see these two fall in love again when he returned. They spent time together, but it was only an OK romance. But the adventure story of betrayal and treason was very well done. I loved this part of the story, including the great conclusion as to how Duncan was finally able to prove his innocense. And for those who care about sensuality, this was a HOT read. Probably the hottest of all of her books. I look forward to what ever this author writes next!
March 10, 2016
Un broche de oro para esta gran saga.... ufff lo que he sufrido con los protagonistas, como me ha gustado la trama, no decae en ningun momento y como me ha gustado ver al resto de personajes de los demas libros como siguen con sus vidas. Como todos los libros de Monica MacCarthy muy recomendables!!!
June 17, 2022
I have read this book twice. It’s very good. A love story for the ages! Plot 8.5(1-10) steaminess 8(1-10)
April 24, 2019
Bu kadına da bayılıyorum ya😍
June 18, 2017
Black Duncan's return.
Monica McCarty has to be one of the most inconsistent writers I've ever encountered. Out of the six or so of her Highlander books that I've read so far, I've rated them anywhere from 4.5 stars to 1.5 stars. Some books have seen me so invested in the romance, that happy tears were streaming down my face as I read the final pages. Others have been tedious and left me completely unaffected.
This one falls somewhere in the middle.
I was quite keen to read this instalment to find out the full story behind Duncan Dubh's treason at long last, since it's been mentioned in the other books of the trilogy several times. The story opens with quite a bang in the present—albeit still in the 17th century—day, then it takes us back the 10 years to when the hero and heroine, Duncan and Jeannie, met and fell in love originally, before the alleged betrayal/treason nastiness all happened, causing Duncan to flee to Ireland for a decade or else face the hangman's noose. So it started very well, and I rather liked the couple at the beginning; they were very sweet together and had some great sensual scenes and some nice angst and drama. It was once we returned to present day that I found myself falling out of love with the story.
One of the main reasons I don't like romances featuring ex lovers, is the inherent bitterness they always bring with them. In this case, I never felt like Duncan and Jeannie truly got back that magic they'd had when they first met. There was just too much water under the bridge.
The next problem was that the plot just seemed to stop for about a hundred pages or so while they dithered about deciding whether or not to trust each other again. It was annoying to the nth degree to watch them get close and then retreat into distrust again, a cycle which was then repeated ad nauseam. I really think the book could have been a good hundred pages shorter and lost a lot of this padding and filler section. I realise it's the finale of the trilogy, and the one we've all been waiting for, but making it longer doesn't automatically make it more 'epic'.
It perhaps wouldn't have been quite as tiresome if we, as readers, didn't already know everything that was going on. We knew Jeannie's secret, we knew about Duncan's innocence, and we knew who the real villain was. It was just a matter of waiting for the characters to catch up.
All together, I'm glad I read it and that I've completed the trilogy, but it wasn't one of McCarty's best efforts.
3 Stars ★★★
Monica McCarty has to be one of the most inconsistent writers I've ever encountered. Out of the six or so of her Highlander books that I've read so far, I've rated them anywhere from 4.5 stars to 1.5 stars. Some books have seen me so invested in the romance, that happy tears were streaming down my face as I read the final pages. Others have been tedious and left me completely unaffected.
This one falls somewhere in the middle.
I was quite keen to read this instalment to find out the full story behind Duncan Dubh's treason at long last, since it's been mentioned in the other books of the trilogy several times. The story opens with quite a bang in the present—albeit still in the 17th century—day, then it takes us back the 10 years to when the hero and heroine, Duncan and Jeannie, met and fell in love originally, before the alleged betrayal/treason nastiness all happened, causing Duncan to flee to Ireland for a decade or else face the hangman's noose. So it started very well, and I rather liked the couple at the beginning; they were very sweet together and had some great sensual scenes and some nice angst and drama. It was once we returned to present day that I found myself falling out of love with the story.
One of the main reasons I don't like romances featuring ex lovers, is the inherent bitterness they always bring with them. In this case, I never felt like Duncan and Jeannie truly got back that magic they'd had when they first met. There was just too much water under the bridge.
The next problem was that the plot just seemed to stop for about a hundred pages or so while they dithered about deciding whether or not to trust each other again. It was annoying to the nth degree to watch them get close and then retreat into distrust again, a cycle which was then repeated ad nauseam. I really think the book could have been a good hundred pages shorter and lost a lot of this padding and filler section. I realise it's the finale of the trilogy, and the one we've all been waiting for, but making it longer doesn't automatically make it more 'epic'.
It perhaps wouldn't have been quite as tiresome if we, as readers, didn't already know everything that was going on. We knew Jeannie's secret, we knew about Duncan's innocence, and we knew who the real villain was. It was just a matter of waiting for the characters to catch up.
All together, I'm glad I read it and that I've completed the trilogy, but it wasn't one of McCarty's best efforts.
3 Stars ★★★
July 18, 2010
I enjoyed this book more than most McCarty novels. Not sure why. Maybe it was because it's been a while since I read a book by her, or maybe it's because the character's motivations made some sense in this one. In every McCarty romance, the hero and heroine have a misunderstanding caused by lack of communication that leads to a separation. In most of them, the reasons for their lack of communication are ridiculous, but in this one it made sense. Shortly after Duncan & Jeannie meet and fall in love, he goes to battle and his side is betrayed, and he is framed for it. He flees Scotland in disgrace as a traitor. He suspects Jeannie framed him, since he secretly spent the night with her before the great betrayal. So in this case, they have good reasons for not trusting each other! Yay! She thinks he may have betrayed her side (but not really - but she can't talk to him because he is gone), and he thinks she betrayed him in favor of her father. Of course, all is resolved in the end and there is a ridiculously happy ending.
October 11, 2009
Okay, I started this book yesterday at 5PM and finished it at 12AM.
Somewhere in there I even went out got dinner and came back. So I'm guessing the 400+ pages took about 5 1/2 hours to read.
The story of this book was heart wrenching, the struggle of desire, honor and raw passion between Duncan Campbell and Jeannie Grant. A pure case of love at first sight. The air is thick with energy and vibrates with all the tellings that Duncan has just encountered his "one" fated love in this tiny stammering pixie.
No matter the duty, conspiracy or lies that drags him away from his true love, someday they will reunite... but there's no need to re-kindle the fire that has never really died between them.
A GOOD Read!
Somewhere in there I even went out got dinner and came back. So I'm guessing the 400+ pages took about 5 1/2 hours to read.
The story of this book was heart wrenching, the struggle of desire, honor and raw passion between Duncan Campbell and Jeannie Grant. A pure case of love at first sight. The air is thick with energy and vibrates with all the tellings that Duncan has just encountered his "one" fated love in this tiny stammering pixie.
No matter the duty, conspiracy or lies that drags him away from his true love, someday they will reunite... but there's no need to re-kindle the fire that has never really died between them.
A GOOD Read!
February 3, 2019
Another 4 stars from me to this very talented author ...
H and h are young lovers who are parted due to some circumstances ... they meet again with a secret child (boy) between them and another plot moppet in the form of h's young daughter ... and H is an outlaw who is hunted all over ...
Well crafted tale .... another great H but I liked this h more than the H ... she was just great ... a perfect champion for her children ... broken hearted but very brave ... an absolute delight to read ...
H and h are young lovers who are parted due to some circumstances ... they meet again with a secret child (boy) between them and another plot moppet in the form of h's young daughter ... and H is an outlaw who is hunted all over ...
Well crafted tale .... another great H but I liked this h more than the H ... she was just great ... a perfect champion for her children ... broken hearted but very brave ... an absolute delight to read ...
September 15, 2021
I thought McCarty mastered tension with the first book of this trilogy, Highland Warrior. Well, Highland Scoundrel blew it out of the water. After all, two chapters in our hero is bleeding out from a bullet in his stomach and we shift to a multi-chapter flashback? Brilliant! And truly, McCarty does not coddle her characters. She runs them through the ringer and ends up with some really interesting insights in the end.
April 28, 2018
Güzel bir hikayeydi ve kısa sürede serinin bitmesi ise en sevindirici olan yönüydü . Monica seviyorsanız kaçırmayın derim..Umarım diğer serisi de biter , pek umudumu yeşertemesem de
December 14, 2019
Protagonistas: Duncan & Jeanie
Profesiones: Guerrero & Heredera
Pais: Escocia
Profesiones: Guerrero & Heredera
Pais: Escocia
February 14, 2021
It took me much more time to read this one compared to the previous books, specially the beginning... But it gets better, I think it would be the best book of the trilogy if the beginning wasn't this slow
December 12, 2021
These Scottish guys are the bomb. Lol
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