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Highlander Heroes #1-3

Highlander Heroes, Books 1-3: The Touch of Her Hand / The Memory of Her Kiss / The Shadow of Her Smile

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The Touch of Her Hand

When Conall MacGregor kidnapped the daughter of his sworn enemy, he never imagined his own heart would be held captive.

For more than a decade, while the First War of Scottish Independence rages, fierce warrior Conall MacGregor has dreamed of the revenge he will have against the man who robbed him of his family and home. To this end, he abducts the daughter of his enemy, hoping to force a marriage and reclaim what is rightfully his. He has no idea that the stubborn lass will turn his world upside-down, and that he will be the one held captive.

Half-English Tess Munro has no plans to shame her father and people by wedding MacGregor the Murderer. Despite her tremendous fear and a regrettable liking of his kisses, she staunchly refuses to wed him. She tries often to escape, both Conall and the hateful people of Inesfree, who leave no question about their absolute distrust and dislike of the Munro prisoner.

Soon, Conall’s reasons for stealing Tess grow more distant, and Tess’s desire to flee begins to fade, but a threat greater than their own pride will challenge the very fragile existence of their growing desire for each other.

Conall MacGregor has conquered many enemies, but can he win the heart of one stubborn lass?

The Memory of Her Kiss

Anice Lindsay is a novice at Jardine abbey, whose true calling seems to be getting into trouble. Gregor Kincaid, known as The Fist of Scotland, is a fierce warrior and noble companion to William Wallace.

Gravely wounded and separated from his army, Gregor stumbles upon the exquisite Anice, locked outside of the nunnery in the midst of one of her regular punishments. His decision to save her has more to do with her beguiling blue eyes than his need of assistance.

Anice is only too happy to escape the discontent of Jardine. When the braw chief of the Kincaids rescues her and then promptly collapses from his wounds, she doesn’t think twice about secreting and nursing him until his army comes to collect him.

En route to Stonehaven, the Kincaid fortress by the sea, Gregor struggles mightily against his growing desire for Anice while she innocently and happily surrenders to his kisses. Once safely arrived at Stonehaven, Anice learns the reason behind his resistance: he is betrothed to a woman of an enemy highland family, and the wedding must take place to put an end to years of violence.

Highland intrigue blooms in the background of the great war for Scottish freedom. Setting aside his feelings for Anice in favor of peace in the Highlands, can Gregor live with his choice to put Anice out of his reach, out of his arms, and out of his heart?

The Shadow of Her Smile

Ada Moncriefe cannot stand by while her betrothed cruelly executes prisoners. She makes a daring plan to free the Scots warriors in the dungeon, only asking that the brave leader take her with him when they escape. Things go horribly wrong, and Ada pays a dear price for her sacrifice. Broken and scarred afterward, she lives a ghost-like existence, having no idea what her future holds.

Jamie MacKenna is haunted by the fact that he was prevented from returning to save his men-at-arms and the lass who’d freed them. With greater fervor, he thrusts himself into the war for Scottish freedom alongside the valiant warrior, William Wallace.

More than a year later, he stumbles upon Ada Moncriefe in the Scottish Highlands. His guilt induces him to offer her marriage, and despite the tormenting passion that rages between them, he vows never to love her. Soon though, Ada begins to yearn for something more with her hardened warrior husband.

As the sun sets on William Wallace’s fight for Scottish independence, Ada and Jamie must both learn to forgive and to open themselves to love.

953 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 21, 2020

227 people are currently reading
155 people want to read

About the author

Rebecca Ruger

69 books185 followers

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5 stars
322 (72%)
4 stars
90 (20%)
3 stars
27 (6%)
2 stars
3 (<1%)
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2 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Profile Image for Fran.
476 reviews3 followers
July 30, 2021
I read these books back in October 2020 and quite honestly I couldn't read them fast enough. Ms. Ruger has a remarkably descriptive and absorbing writing style, giving us wonderful and complex characters, amazing world building, breathtaking scenes, and stunningly beautiful romance. These books can be read as standalones, but the truth is, once I read my first book in this series I couldn't stop.

My full reviews can be found on each separate book page but here they are in a nutshell:

1) The Touch Of Her Hand is a story of revenge and honor for your clan that comes before anything else. So what does Conall do with the woman he's kidnapped then fallen in love with? And what does Tess do about her duty to escape him when she no longer wants to?

2) The Memory Of Her Kiss is a lot about "otherism" IMO. Just because Anice is high spirited and unconventional in her appearance and her interests, doesn't mean she's less than any other woman. Gregor's too busy to notice how special she is, but there are others who will.

3) The Shadow Of Her Smile is the story of how guilt and hatred can blind you to any other emotion. It's the most intense of these three stories. We feel what Jamie and Ada feel as they process their shared experience and their grief. This book includes an epilogue that brings all three of these stories full circle and to a satisfying conclusion.

Rebecca Ruger's a terrific storyteller. Her heroines are strong, her Heroes are fragile yet powerful, and the emotions are wide ranging, complete with humor. Her books are like potato chips, you can't read just one.
Profile Image for Helen McCormick .
301 reviews
May 28, 2022
Very addictive and wonderful

I so enjoyed these novels. The 1st was reminiscent of outlander, my favourite book, but was very enjoyable to read with likeable characters, the second was different and well accepted,
The third was different again for the inclusion of a scarred leading lady. A lot went to imagination of treatment which was better than reading the violence.
Not 5 stars simply because I found the names of the characters not sounding like 1300 names, the men were all "giants" and the ladies all small, slender and big boobed 🙄🤣.
But the love, passion and romance and Scottish beauty woven into the story, along with following loveable characters in all 3 books, makes these three books very addictive indeed, William Wallace being in the stories a lot made it a little unbelievable but reflective of the times the novels were set.
My one annoyance was the use of lie throughout the book rather than lay! Ie Jamie lie on the ground.
Profile Image for Linda Elliott.
1,565 reviews9 followers
August 25, 2021
I Got Totally Engaged in these books

I found all 3 stories to be totally engaging. The characters will make you feel what they feel because the author wrote them instead your way they weren't just people in a book But people you've met. The plots and each 1'd we're engaging and interacted with the others. I enjoyed this author the way she Stepped us through each Problem as it arose for each character.
Profile Image for Shell.
83 reviews
October 15, 2023
Highland Collection Books 1-3

Wonderful Highland read, awesome that the books inter twine the previous characters to keep the books interesting.
Some of the in-depth love making was a bit much at times, as I just skipped over it and continued with the book.
All in all, Looking forward to reading the next volumes of books!
979 reviews8 followers
August 1, 2021
My only problem is every book about a Highlander these days seems to have a Jamie!

Happily not always a Fraser. I rather enjoyed this trilogy, separately and together. Well written and thought provoking, and not Droughtlander.
Profile Image for Clarie Giselle Speights .
538 reviews1 follower
September 2, 2021
3.good stories

I traveled to Scotland with reading these books. Intriguing and detailed the unfortunate events that fall a woman and their brave Scottish knights who save them. Worth a read!!
Profile Image for bex.
2,435 reviews24 followers
September 9, 2021
Low 3

Author needs to learn to conjugate lie properly. Currently erroneous form very stilted. Stories are okay. First one especially had underlying violence elements that made it difficult to be sympathetic to male MC. All three had some recurring things that felt a bjt odd.
Profile Image for Janet Wild.
495 reviews2 followers
September 9, 2021
This set of books made for a good read on a wet week

I liked the the way the authors knowledge of the time period provided the background of the stories. The characters are strong, both the male and female ones. The supporting characters also, I especially liked Angus.
6 reviews
September 15, 2021
Highlander Heroes review

Hello fellow readers! I really enjoyed the Highlander Heroes. My favorite part was when she connected all the characters in the last book. I felt sad when I was done reading this series. I looked forward to reading it.
398 reviews3 followers
July 30, 2022
highland heroes trilogy

I really enjoyed all three of these books. Great storytelling with just the right amount of description. Loved the characters and how their lives intertwined. Could have done without the detailed sex but it wasn’t over the top like some other books.
Profile Image for Melissa.
1,079 reviews5 followers
January 1, 2023
Highlander Heroes Books 1-3

Books The Touch of Her Hand, The Memory of Her Kiss and The Shadow of her Smile all written by Rebecca Ruger. They are sad and happy books. Mysterious at times. I love them all.
3 reviews2 followers
January 4, 2023
Excellent reading!

This was storytelling at its best. The characters were well drawn and their actions believable. I really enjoyed this new to me author. I will definitely look for more of her work. There was more romance than explicit sexual encounters.
302 reviews1 follower
November 8, 2024
I love these books on Scotland and the highlanders. The reason for the 4 star was that the stories sometimes started off a bit slow. I love the fact that the three books used the same characters so you got to know them even more.
255 reviews
February 18, 2025
Fantastic!

What a wonderful story and series. 3 women with such sad and horrible beginnings to get such wonderful lives and love. A must read you won't be disappointed. Sadness Happiness Romance and good.ole Sex. Happy reading😊
3 reviews
August 3, 2021
Good plots and plenty of detail. One criticism, she lie on beach should be she lay on beach. At least half a dozen of lie instead of lay.
43 reviews
August 9, 2021
Bad grammatical errors that weren't the Scotsisms

Really bad grammatical errors. The author or editor doesn't know when to use lay or lie.

Story lines were pretty good.
327 reviews1 follower
October 6, 2021
Hero

Interlaced story of couples struggling against the British in the fight for independence. A good mix of history and story.
183 reviews
December 17, 2021
Wonderful

Great stories with believable characters written in the timeframe of the patriot William Wallace. Entertaining from start to finish with action l
102 reviews2 followers
December 10, 2022
Highlander Heroes 1-3 are wonderful! let's you imagine real love, bad wars and true friendship. This not a book for the faint of heart. It is very graphic in torture and in love.
79 reviews1 follower
December 19, 2022
Great collection

This group of books are interesting. They tell stories of brave warriors and the brave ladies they fall for in a time of great upheaval in Scotland.

33 reviews
February 16, 2023
Good trilogy

I loved all three stories and how they all tied together. The each had a good story so it wasn't just about sex.
Profile Image for Laura.
36 reviews
September 7, 2023
Great Characters!

These were great books, with just the right amount of laughter and tears mixed in. I loved all the history in these book.
81 reviews2 followers
January 29, 2024
Absolutely love Rebecca Ruger's books! They are filled with action, suspense, and romance. I am so happy that I found this author and am presently reading Highlander Heroes #4-6.
36 reviews
February 10, 2024
What a wonderful series

Loved Jamie & Ava's story and thoroughly enjoying this series. Every book has been a wonderful read. Now on to the next.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews

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