An intriguing blend of Regency-Era historical, cutting edge sci-fi, taunt political intrigue, and scorching hot romance makes this one of the most curious and exciting series out there and I have been (im)patiently waiting for the latest release when a mischief-prone Regelen lordling crash lands onto a planet where the fierce, rugged Highlander ways are still in place.
My Highland Laird is the fifth of the Sci-Regency series. The romances are each standalone. However, the series arc and connection of characters is strongly tied so it must be read in series order.
Lord Bannon Thompson's latest mischief has landed him on a ship headed for Englor to visit his friend, King-Consort Payton, while the trouble cools back on Regelence. The Lady Anna will make one stop along the way to drop off Regelence diplomats to the planet Skye hoping to gain allies against the growing Inter-galactic Navy threat. All goes awry and he ends up crash-landed with his valet, Louie, in the primitive wilds of Skye's highland clan lands right into a smoldering clan war and what looks like a secret IN operation. Bannon has never been known for his diplomacy or for fighting prowess. He's an artist. But now, he will do what it takes to prove himself as not a fluff head and keep that stunning highlander, who caught his attention from the start, safe.
Laird Ciaran MacKay thought he had more time to prepare to fill his father's boots, but a sneak attack from an advanced force of unknown outsiders who come from offworld and the collusion of a neighboring clan against his own has him fighting to prove himself with the clan council and to himself that he can take care of the diminishing food supply, stop the MacLeans and whatever they are building with the outsiders on their land, and avenge his father's death. Into this frenzy drops two more strangers whose ship crashed nearby and claim they are not with the ones stirring up trouble. Ciaran wants to believe the gorgeous red-headed Bannon, but he is well aware that the young man is keeping secrets and those secrets have something to do with his close friends and mentors. Not that this will stop him from pursuing Red and trying to persuade him to stay on Skye- with him.
My Highland Laird got off to a slow start for me. It was exciting enough and Bannon is as mischievous as the Townsend family who got their stories before him, but it was definitely one that called for the reader's patience.
This book is set on a new planet and a new historical culture that doesn't blend the tech. Skye is totally true to earth's Scottish past around the seventeenth or eighteenth century in the highlands. The people seem to know about other planets of humans, but not the specifics of technology. There is a lot going on leaving me with a handful of puzzle pieces waiting to see how it all fits together. It does eventually and in some interesting series-shaking twists. This book also was the first to reveal a clear picture of what the IN conspiracy was all about and what their end game is so it really advanced the series storyline.
As to the romance, it was instant attraction, but then work for it relationship between a pair of opposites. Bannon comes from a sophisticated, aristocratic background and he's always been buffered as the baby in the family that no one takes very seriously. He chafes under this and wants to prove himself and has no idea how until he stumbles into the situation on Skye. He starts to shine there even though he is a fish out of water even with his feelings for Ciaran. Ciaran has been brought up rough as a warrior and a leader of people who have to be tough to live in their rural, rugged world. He has a strong sense of duty and responsibility and already feels like a failure because everything gets thrown at him at once. Bannon is his own tempest, but he is also stalwart and shows Ciaran that the goal can be reached by more than the obvious, blunt-force means. They recognize the strength and ability in each other even while they pursue a sensual getting to know you on a personal level. I loved them together, but I could have done without the distraction of Bannon's internal voice that he called Timothy.
I can't wait to see what comes next for the group of friends now that a surprise about Trouble's past came out and the truth of what is going on with the powerful IN and what it is trying to do.
This is an exciting, extra-spicy m/m sci-fi romance series that I can recommend to those who like this interesting and entertaining mash up of history and sci-fi.