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Highland Sunset
Vanessa MacIan, daughter of a great clan chieftain, leaves the shelter of her Highland home to visit her mother’s family in England. There she meets Edward Romney, Earl of Linton, and falls desperately in love with a man who is an enemy to the Stuart Cause her father supports. He asks her to marry him and she accepts. Then Bonnie Prince Charlie lands in Scotland, and everything changes. Van’s loyalty forces her to return to the Highlands to be with her father, her family and her clan.
The rebellion is crushed at the Battle of Culloden and England determines to take revenge on the Highland rebels. Edward resigns his position in the English government and travels to Scotland to protect Van against the vengeance of the English army. They marry, but Van’s loyalties are again torn, this time between allegiance to her brother Niall, who is travelling with the prince, and the man she loves.
Highland Sunset is about the love story of Van and Edward. It’s also about the love story between Van’s parents, Frances and Alastair. Finally, it’s the story of the rebellion that destroyed the highland clan system and, with it, an entire way of life.
The rebellion is crushed at the Battle of Culloden and England determines to take revenge on the Highland rebels. Edward resigns his position in the English government and travels to Scotland to protect Van against the vengeance of the English army. They marry, but Van’s loyalties are again torn, this time between allegiance to her brother Niall, who is travelling with the prince, and the man she loves.
Highland Sunset is about the love story of Van and Edward. It’s also about the love story between Van’s parents, Frances and Alastair. Finally, it’s the story of the rebellion that destroyed the highland clan system and, with it, an entire way of life.
416 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 1987
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107 people want to read
About the author
Joan Wolf
104 books368 followersJoan Wolf is a USA TODAY bestselling American writer, whose acclaimed Regency romances have earned her national recognition as a master of the genre. Her many historical and contemporary romances, some of which have been chosen as Literary Guild selections, have been highly praised by reviewers and authors alike.
Joan was born in 1951 and she grew up in the Bronx, New York. A former English teacher, she obtained a Bachelor's degree in Mercy College and Master in English and Comparative Literature at Hunter College. An avid rider and horse owner, Joan lives in Connecticut with her husband Joe and two grown children, Jay and Pam.
Joan was born in 1951 and she grew up in the Bronx, New York. A former English teacher, she obtained a Bachelor's degree in Mercy College and Master in English and Comparative Literature at Hunter College. An avid rider and horse owner, Joan lives in Connecticut with her husband Joe and two grown children, Jay and Pam.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 2, 2026
Read: 2/2/26
Setting: 1745 Scotland, England
Trope: class difference, enemies to lovers
I picked this book based on that gorgeous cover! 😍. Ignore his hair that sort of looks like a mullet! 😳 The rest of the cover is still stunning! The cover aside, I don't think this was the book for me!
plot:
Vanessa loves the her home in the highlands with her family. Her Jacobite father has plans for her to marry their neighbor. This is something Van's mother is strongly against. She wants her daughter to experience music and a peice of world. Frances tricks her husband into allowing Van to stay with her cousin in England.
Van is shocked and appalled to find that she is living in a traitor Whig's home. Something her father couldn't possibly know! Van, though, slowly adjusts to her new world. She really loves her mother's cousin and her music teacher. Her cousin's son, Edward is another matter. Something about the man disturbs her. All that changes when Edward kisses her.
Slowly, she falls in love and agrees to marry him. Frances almost convinces her husband of the match until Bonnie Prince Charlie lands in Scotland. Frances has always known where her husband's loyalties lie. Van must return to the Highlands!
Part 2 of the book goes into the year of the Rebellion with Prince Charles. Van and Edward are separated through most of the 2nd half. The story focuses more on the romance between Frances and Alasdair and Niall (Van's brother) and Jean. Van experiences all the victories and the devastating defeat at Culloden.
Part 3, begins with the aftermath of Culloden. Edward soon arrives in Morar to save Van and her home. Van reluctantly agrees to marry him to save her home 🙄. Girl who are you fooling! Herself, I guess! With Van's father dead and her brother still in hiding with the prince, her heart is breaking right now, so Edward is patient. Very patient! He is able to stop the horrible atrocities done by Cumberland from happening in Morar. Edward even promises Van that he will help her brother escape, just not the prince! If only her brother would abounded the prince, but he never will. Van has to walk a thin line between her husband and her loyalties. Will she sacrifice a great love for a cause that is dead? When will she finally trust Edward again?
I forgot my promise to avoid long JW books. The longer the book, the more the flaws in her writing are exposed. She should stick to novellas! 😬
Conclusion:
This book was an okay hf, but as a romance? It was lacking. Keeping the MC apart through must of the book really hurt the romance aspect. 😉. So beautiful cover, but not much of a story inside the book.
Setting: 1745 Scotland, England
Trope: class difference, enemies to lovers
I picked this book based on that gorgeous cover! 😍. Ignore his hair that sort of looks like a mullet! 😳 The rest of the cover is still stunning! The cover aside, I don't think this was the book for me!
plot:
Vanessa loves the her home in the highlands with her family. Her Jacobite father has plans for her to marry their neighbor. This is something Van's mother is strongly against. She wants her daughter to experience music and a peice of world. Frances tricks her husband into allowing Van to stay with her cousin in England.
Van is shocked and appalled to find that she is living in a traitor Whig's home. Something her father couldn't possibly know! Van, though, slowly adjusts to her new world. She really loves her mother's cousin and her music teacher. Her cousin's son, Edward is another matter. Something about the man disturbs her. All that changes when Edward kisses her.
Slowly, she falls in love and agrees to marry him. Frances almost convinces her husband of the match until Bonnie Prince Charlie lands in Scotland. Frances has always known where her husband's loyalties lie. Van must return to the Highlands!
Part 2 of the book goes into the year of the Rebellion with Prince Charles. Van and Edward are separated through most of the 2nd half. The story focuses more on the romance between Frances and Alasdair and Niall (Van's brother) and Jean. Van experiences all the victories and the devastating defeat at Culloden.
Part 3, begins with the aftermath of Culloden. Edward soon arrives in Morar to save Van and her home. Van reluctantly agrees to marry him to save her home 🙄. Girl who are you fooling! Herself, I guess! With Van's father dead and her brother still in hiding with the prince, her heart is breaking right now, so Edward is patient. Very patient! He is able to stop the horrible atrocities done by Cumberland from happening in Morar. Edward even promises Van that he will help her brother escape, just not the prince! If only her brother would abounded the prince, but he never will. Van has to walk a thin line between her husband and her loyalties. Will she sacrifice a great love for a cause that is dead? When will she finally trust Edward again?
I forgot my promise to avoid long JW books. The longer the book, the more the flaws in her writing are exposed. She should stick to novellas! 😬
Conclusion:
This book was an okay hf, but as a romance? It was lacking. Keeping the MC apart through must of the book really hurt the romance aspect. 😉. So beautiful cover, but not much of a story inside the book.
May 22, 2013
I've read three books by Joan Wolf so far, and I'm not sure I'll bother reading any more. There's something about her heroines that just completely turns me off. Always some little personality quirk that makes me want to reach into the book and strangle them. Then I wonder why the hero would want a woman like that, and that makes me dislike him, too.
I found Vanessa to be a stubborn, prideful, deceitful, inconstant, petty, narrow-minded, inconsiderate twit, and I disliked her a great deal. She didn't deserve Edward, and Edward deserved way better than the likes of her.
That being said, there's more actual story here than one would find in the average run-of-the-mill romance, so if you're OK with a less than stellar heroine, I'd recommend it. Good atmosphere and a lot of historical detail in regards to the conflict between England and Scotland.
I found Vanessa to be a stubborn, prideful, deceitful, inconstant, petty, narrow-minded, inconsiderate twit, and I disliked her a great deal. She didn't deserve Edward, and Edward deserved way better than the likes of her.
That being said, there's more actual story here than one would find in the average run-of-the-mill romance, so if you're OK with a less than stellar heroine, I'd recommend it. Good atmosphere and a lot of historical detail in regards to the conflict between England and Scotland.
October 28, 2020
There’s a LOT of historical information in this book, which I skimmed through pretty quickly at times. However, the book is quite different from the norm, and the characters brave and lovable. I see in the reviews here that Van, the heroine, seems to provoke ire, but I thought her conflict was quite believable and her actions consistent. Truly something out of the norm with a beautiful (though bittersweet) conclusion.
February 24, 2010
Vanessa MacIain is a Highland beauty who must choose between the English earl she has fallen in love with and her Jacobite family, who is determined to help restore Charles Stuart to the throne.
I read this many years ago and kept it in my collection. I've always had a thing for Scottish romances, and upon the original read found this one to be very absorbing. I plan to read it again in the near future to see how it has held up. :)
I read this many years ago and kept it in my collection. I've always had a thing for Scottish romances, and upon the original read found this one to be very absorbing. I plan to read it again in the near future to see how it has held up. :)
June 7, 2022
Excellent historical romance.
A truly excellent historical romance built around real events and incorporating real people to add substance to the fictional characters and events that comprise the core of the romantic story. Anyone who enjoys a well written, well plotted romance involving interesting characters, meaningful growth in relationships and that added aspect of scots history will find this to be a page turner. Enjoy!
A truly excellent historical romance built around real events and incorporating real people to add substance to the fictional characters and events that comprise the core of the romantic story. Anyone who enjoys a well written, well plotted romance involving interesting characters, meaningful growth in relationships and that added aspect of scots history will find this to be a page turner. Enjoy!
August 25, 2014
for the first time in my life i HATED the heroine so much that i wanted the hero to slap her silly. she was horrible and Edward deserved way better than her. i was filled with rage while reading the book and i am soooo relieved its over.
February 18, 2014
Can't stand the h. Prefer the story between the h's parents. Too drawn out; not interested in the historical details. Prob one of my worst reads by this author.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews