Taming the Highlander by May McGoldrick Pages: 257
Series: The Scottish Relic #2
Genres: Historical Romance
Goodreads
This new historical romance from May McGoldrick pits one spirited lass against her biggest challenge yet: a Highland lord who has no desire to lose his heart.
Innes Munro has the ability to "read" a person’s past simply by touching them, but her gift comes with a heavy price: her freedom. Forced to stay at desolate Castle Girnigoe, Innes never expects to be drawn to the wounded warrior who haunts its dark passages and challenges her at every turn.
Conall Sinclair, the earl of Caithness, carries the scars of battles with the English and the lash marks of their dungeons, but the wounds that fester within give him even greater pain. Isolating himself from his clan and the rest of the world in a tower perched on the wild Scottish coast, Conall is reluctant to let the spirited Innes close to him, however neither can deny the growing passion that ignites with every look, every touch.
But can Conall ever love a woman who can read his darkest secrets and feel the pain he hides... and can love really tame all fears? As dangerous forces close in, Conall and Innes must take the ultimate leap of faith and forge a bond of trust that will save them both...or lose each other forever.
Taming the Highlander
May Goldrick
As I have gotten back into historical romance, I have stuck to regency. So, I decided to branch out a bit and try the whole Scottish craze! Taming the Highlander was certainly unique for me!
Set in the 16th century, we are introduced to 2 Scottish clans: The Munros and the Sinclairs. Innes’ sister is marrying Conell’s brother so they have all gathered for the wedding. Innes ends up staying after the wedding because things are not going well between her sister and her new husband. In staying, she ends up meeting Conell, who is battle scarred and reclusive. Innes is reclusive too because of her ‘gift’. When she touches people, she sees their past and feels their feelings.
Innes and Conell have an instant attraction, but nether feels that they will ever find love, and during their 2nd encounter, they actual get a bit testy with each other. I enjoyed their banter and I enjoyed the slight paranormal twist to this story as well. I think that this twist was what kept me reading. If I wasn’t curious to find out more about her power, I probably would have given up early because it would have been just another run of the mill romance.
Its hard for me not to compare this to some of the old Jude Deveraux books I used to love. What I felt was lacking in Taming the Highlander was the thing I loved about Deveraux’s stories: romance! Innes and Conell didn’t make me really believe in their love at all. It was kind of a secondary event to their larger stories of pain and isolation. So, I think this book was a struggle for me at times because I wanted a romance and I’m not sure I really FELT that in this story. Let me also say that I tend to like my heroes alpha; Conell was so NOT. He was so damaged by what had happened to him that he couldn’t seem to really work past it and it made him seem weak. Lots of readers won’t feel this way at all; but if you like your alpha heroes, this might be a book to pass on.
If you like your historical romance with more history, lore, and supernatural elements than romance, this is a great pick. If you like your romance with a touch of history, pick up an old Jude Deveraux book 🙂
My thoughts on the cover: meh.
- POV: 3rd
- Tears: no
- Trope: Scottish historical
- Triggers: none
- Series/Standalone: standalone within a series (seriously, the books aren’t even really connected at all)
- Cliffhanger: View Spoiler »
- HEA: View Spoiler »
A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught, Highland Velvet by Jude Deveraux, or The Murray Family series by Hannah Howell…then you will probably like Taming the Highlander!
So the heat factor is pretty much weak?
the cover is pretty meh huh? They definitely could have done way better with it.
Yeah, it was just kind of uninspiring to say the least!