Highlander Unchained by Monica McCarty

Another home run by Ms. McCarty! I have not read her 2nd novel in this series, but book 3, Highlander Unchained, is great!

Highlander Unchained is about Flora, a young lady with a tragic family history. Her mother was married four times to men she did not love, and she was miserable. She always told Flora to only marry for love. Flora had inherited wealth from her mother, and she also had good connections, as her half-brother Rory (the hero in the first book in this series) was head of the clan MacLeod and her other half-brother Hector, was head of the clan of MacLean , and her uncle is the Earl of Argyll.

When her mother dies, Flora knows her brothers and uncle are going to marry her off. She does not want to be a polital pawn, and decides to elope with a friend. On the way to their secret elopement they are ambushed by highlanders who take Flora hostage while her "fiancee" runs away and leaves her.

Laughlin Maclean, is the Maclean of Coll. He has a brother and two sisters that he cares for. He is at war with Flora's half-brother Hector,who has stolen Laughlinl's castle and abuses his people. He sent his brother to the King to try to get his castle back and the king imprisoned his brother. Flora's uncle, the Earl, tells Laughlin if he can convince Flora to marry him he will give Laughlin a writ freeing his brother from prison. He then tells Laughlin that Flora is in the process of trying to elope. Laughlin and his men are the ones who end up ambushing and kidnapping her.

At first Flora is furious, but as she stays at the keep she grows fond of Laughlin's sisters and takes them under her wing, teaching them to read and write and dance. She is also attracted to Laughlin, but cannot forget she is his prisoner. Laughlin develops feelings for Flora and wants to prove his affection for her by allowing her to leave. She is so moved by this gesture she decides to stay.

Her half-brother Hector sends men to rescue her from Laughlin, but she refuses to go. Laughlin continues to show her kindness and affection and they decide to wed. BUT, he has not told her about the bargain with her uncle. He loves her and is afraid if Flora finds out she'll leave him. She finds out the morning of her wedding and fireworks fly!

This book was great - again, sexy Highlanders, battles, intrigue, romance, it has everything! Every time I'd tell myself, "I'll just finish this part then put it down", something else would happen and I eventually had to make myself put it down because it was so hard to tear myself away. There was so much going on I really can't put it all down here, it would be almost as long as the book!

My only question is this - Where can I sign up for swimming lessons with Lachlan?! ;)

Highlander Untamed by Monica McCarty

I read Julie at Outlandish Dreaming's terrific reviews of Monica McCarty's books and decided they sounded exactly like the kind of story I've been looking for - and I was not disappointed! Highlander Untamed is the first book in the Macleods of Skye Series. What a great story!

At the request of her uncle, Isabel MacDonald agrees to a year-long handfast to an enemy clan's laird, Rory MacLeod. Her uncle wants her to find the hidden entrance to the MacLeod castle and steal their infamous Fairy Flag and bring it to him. If she does not, he will back the enemy clan of her father in a feud, which will certainly end in her father and brothers deaths. The plan is for her to seduce him and gain the information for her to pass on. The only problem is, he's not being seduced! He won't come anywhere near her.

Rory's plan is simple, handfast Isabel to maintain peace, then return her at the end of the year. He does not want to get close to her, or have sex with her, or like her. But she is beautiful, and he finds himself attracted to her. She befriends his sister, who was wounded and shamed by Isabel's clan two years previously. He sees the difference in his sister almost immediately - she's more outgoing, and seems happier than he's seen her since her injury. It's not until Isabel is ambushed by a rival clan and almost raped that Rory realizes he might love Isabell.

For her part, Isabell starts to love Rory's family, and then even Rory himself. They begin a physical relationship that brings them even closer. But Rory knows he must return Isabel at the end of the handfast so that he can marry someone from another clan for political reasons. Isabel knows he plans to return him and tries to think of a way to stay.

She feels tied to Rory's family in a way she's never felt before and comes up with a plan that will satisfy her uncle yet not betray Rory, but he walks in on her in the middle of the plan and thinks she's planning to betray him. He breaks the handfast and throws her out, devestated by her betrayal.

Can she prove to Rory her allegiance is to him? Will Rory believe her? What will her uncle do to her?

I will admit I am a sucker for stories with forced weddings (in books only - haha), so this book had everything I like - great characters, clan battles, sexy, sexy Highlanders, and, at one point, Rory asked Isabel for a boon (I surely do luv me a boon!). I loved this book!!! I can't wait to read the next one...

The author's note at the end of the book was fascinating. Apparently these were real people. The story may have been fictional, but it was based on historical facts. I would never have guessed the fairy flag or the War of the One Eyed Woman were real.