Highlanders #4
By: Lynsay Sands
Releasing January 31, 2017
Avon Books
Link to Follow Tour: Tasty Book Tours
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Blurb
If there’s one thing Lady Murine will not abide, it’s her virtue being handed over to the highest bidder. When her scoundrel brother does just that—in exchange for a few Scottish horses, no less—she’s appalled, but she refuses to stand by and let it happen. She’s determined to take matters into her own hands, even if it means braving the countryside alone—or worse, with a tempting Scot by her side.
Dougall set out to sell a few horses to an English lord; he never expected he’d help smuggle a beautiful fugitive back to Scotland instead. When her brother offered Lady Murine for a few horses, Dougall was disgusted and promptly turned him down. But encountering the runaway lass on the road out of town sets something pounding in Dougall’s heart. There’s something about this fierce woman that makes him want to do more than just help her escape. He wants to protect her—with his life and his heart.
If Dougall’s not careful, this Scot might just end up tying the knot…
All Dougall wanted to do was sell some horses. He expected coins, not to be offered one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen. He’s even more shocked to find out that she’s Murine, the woman who’d saved his sister’s life. Loyal down to the bones, he and his brothers don’t have to think twice about helping her when they find her trying to escape her half-brother who’d planned to sell her virtue.
Along their journey they get to experience her bravery first hand. She’s quite a handful, and her fainting spells don’t mesh well with her independence, especially when she decides to bathe in the river near a waterfall. Trouble seemed to follow Murine, and I couldn’t help but to love her. She never behaved like a damsel in distress; and although she does resist sometimes, she knows her limits, and quickly learns Dougall’s. He’s just as stubborn as she is, and the two of them together made me smile.
Dougall and his band of brothers also brought a curve to my lip. It’s obvious that Dougall’s the leader…on the road, that is. Aulay (the eldest brother) is the true leader of the clan. They’re all very honorable, sweet, brave gentlemen, and they are all so grateful to her for saving their sister (not to mention taken with her personally) that they fuss over her like a mother hen. They want to make sure she’s safe.
A scene or two seemed rather lengthy, NOT BORING, just lengthy (don’t take this as an insult, but an observation). Each scene appeals to the five senses, and that fact, along with the entertaining dialogue, kept me turning the pages. A phrase or two blinked me back to this century, and that made me smile. By no means did it take anything from the story.
I felt a little detached from the antagonist and one of the characters that just sorta popped up close to the end. Not completely, just a little. Nonetheless, the story ended well (it’s a romance, so of course it did 🙂 ). The brothers took hold of my heart, and I’d love to read about their love matches.
I really enjoyed the story (and I’ll admit I crushed on Dougall and his brooding ways).
It’s well worth the read!
0: You won’t need any coffee to stay up for this one. It’s intriguing enough all on its own.
1: You’ll stay up late, but not all night. Brew one cup.
2: You’ll read as long as you’re not tired. If you are, two cups should do the trick.
3: I hope you got plenty of rest; you’ll need it, or at least 3 cups.
4: If the cable goes out, read the book. It’s better than nothing, I guess. Oh, don’t forget your brew!
5: Find anything else to do- it doesn’t matter what it is. Don’t waste your coffee. Too much caffeine is bad for you.
My rating: 1/2 cup of coffee
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Author Info
Lynsay Sands is the nationally bestselling author of the Argeneau/Rogue Hunter vampire series, as well as numerous historicals and anthologies. She’s been writing stories since grade school and considers herself incredibly lucky to be able to make a career out of it. Her hope is that readers can get away from their everyday stress through her stories, and if there’s occasional uncontrollable fits of laughter, that’s just a big bonus. Please visit her on the web.
Author Links: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS
“Dougall,” Murine moaned in protest when he broke their kiss. She tried to shift against him again, but he held her still, trying to catch his breath and regain control of himself.
“Hush,” he murmured and turned sharply toward shore, intending to get them out of the water and set her away from him. He realized what a stupid idea that was when the supporting water fell away and she, probably afraid he would drop her, tightened her legs to keep herself up. Dougall stopped walking and dropped his head to her chest with a groan as her body slid against his again.
This had really been a bad idea, he acknowledged and took a couple of deep breaths, before saying, “I’m going to set ye down, lass.”
“But I don’ wan’ ye to,” she protested. “This feels good. I like it.”
The words made his determination falter. If it weren’t for the way she slurred her words, he might have taken her there and then. However, there was a definite slur to her words. Murine was in no state to think clearly on this. He had to think for both of them, and while he’d pretty much decided he was indeed going to marry Lady Murine Carmichael and bed her well and repeatedly, he would not have her waking in the morning and accusing him of treating her like the whore her brother had tried to turn her into.
“I like it too, lass, but—”
“Then why are ye stopping? Did I do something wrong? Tell me what to do and I’ll—” Her words died on a gasp as he suddenly dropped her into the water. It was a desperate bid to save them both. She was a tasty little bundle and Dougall could not fight himself and her too.
Leaving her to flounder back to her feet in the shallow water, he moved quickly back to shore, grabbed his tartan, laid it out, and knelt to begin pleating it with his back to the water. He didn’t do more than glance over his shoulder once to be sure she got out of the water safely, but then immediately turned his full attention forward again. He would give her time to dress and then escort her back to camp . . . and then he would not allow himself to be alone with her until they reached Buchanan and were safely married. He would not have her thinking he saw her through her brother’s eyes.
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