BUGGY

Opening Line: “Alaric McCabe looked out over the expanse of McCabe land and grappled with the indecision plaguing him.”

Whoa, hello sexy Highland Warriors. I guess I should have listened to all the rave reviews; I’m sorry now I waited so long to discover this series.

This is the second book from the McCabe brothers trilogy and what an epic love story it turned out to be. I’ll be honest, it took me a bit to get into the story but Alaric and Keeley grew on me as did Banks’ particular take on historical Scotland, so that that by the end I found myself ensnared by these lovers who face impossible odds in claiming their HEA. Yeah the ending left me kinda breathless actually; exciting, heartbreaking, and surprising

Centering on middle brother Alaric we join him on his way to meet his betrothed. His is not to be a marriage of love, Alaric is marrying out of a sense of duty, family and to bring an alliance to the McDonald and McCabe clans and because the King demands it. So it’s fair to say there is a lot riding on this union. In the midst of his journey Alaric and his warriors are attacked and he is gravely injured. Managing to escape, his horse conveniently deposits him near the cottage of a healer.

Keeley McDonald lives alone after being banished by her people (the whys are pretty harsh and expanded upon throughout the story) Anyways, Keeley is handy with the ole herb which is lucky for our fallen Highlander. Getting the warrior’s bulk into her small cottage is no easy task but she is swiftly drawn to him and the wicked glint in his green eyes as she begins to care for his injuries and nurse him back to health.

In time his (equally sexy) brothers locate Alaric and then essentially kidnap Keeley so that she can care for him back on McCabe land as well as serve as midwife for the birth of Ewan and Mairin’s (In Bed With A Highlander) upcoming child. It’s not all bad as they offer her a position within their clan.

Back at the McCabe castle Alaric and Keeley are having trouble keeping their hands off each other and finally just abandon any pretenses and go for it. They both know that there is to be no future for them as Alaric is promised to another but for the time they have they’re going to create memories that will last forever. And because this is Maya Banks boy do they ever! The sex scenes are plentiful and even a bit naughty!

So this is where their love story really started to grow on me, as their time together neared an end and each moment became precious. How will they say goodbye? How can Keeley watch while he marries another? I honestly wondered how these two were going to get their HEA and then tragedy struck and a big twist that totally made sense and set up the next book beautifully. Oh the ending is just so good.

I had put off reading this series for quite a while because I just couldn’t come to terms with the author of (Colter's Woman) being able to write a decent historical Scottish romance. (That book may have just scared me for life) I’m very glad I gave this a go because Banks surprised me here.

Earlier I mentioned Banks’ particular take on medieval Scotland, she has written this in modern English. Sure we get a few “Aye’s” and lassies, lochs and lairds, tankards of ale and even descriptions of how ‘things’ are about to burst out of trews but this has been written for the masses. It’s also vague on setting and time period which usually bothers me (i.e. not much research went into this) yet somehow it still worked and I can’t wait to continue on with Caelen’s story in (Never Love A Highlander)