Falling for the Highlander Book Review

Warning: spoilers ahead. Read at your own risk.

In the past, a woman’s virtue was her greatest asset. It often determined the course of her life and how she was perceived.

Falling for the Highlander, by Lynsay Sands, was published in 2017. It is the final book in the Highland Brides series. Lady Murine Carmichael has the unfortunate fate of being forced to live with her hated half-brother. Drowning in debt, he tries to sell her in return for a few Scottish horses. Unable to take it anymore, Murine decides to take a chance in the outside world. Her journey has barely started when she is assisted by an unforeseen escort.

Dougall Buchanan is a man of honor. He refused Lord Danvries’ offer of his sister. That does not mean, however, that he views Murine in the same light. Both brave and attractive, helping her reach freedom is only the beginning. He would love nothing more than to be her other half. But two things stand in the way: her reciprocating his feelings and an enemy that would be more than happy to tear them apart.

I have mixed feelings about Falling for the Highlander. Overall, it is a good book. I liked the sizzle and romantic chemistry between the romantic leads. The story itself is not bad. Murine is intelligent, has a backbone, and is unwilling to simply yes the men around her.

But I have two major pet peeves when it comes to specific narrative points: a fainting/rendered unconscious heroine and a damsel in distress who has to be rescued from the antagonist. Both are fairly common across all genres and specifically standard in the romance genre. Unless it is absolutely necessary for the plot, both should be avoided at all costs. By keeping them alive, they undo everything all of the work for equality that has been done over the generations.

In this novel, one is better than the other. I won’t say which one, but this choice by the author tainted my overall perspective of the tale.

Do I recommend it? Maybe.

Falling for the Highlander is available wherever books are sold.

Immortally Yours (Argeneau Vampire Series #26) Book Review

The myth of the vampire has been akin to catnip for writers for centuries.  The question that a reader must ask is, does the adequately distinguish their vampire tale from the multitude of narratives with the same basic concept?

In Immortally Yours (Argeneau Vampire Series #26), by Lynsay Sands, Beth Argenis is one of the most respected Rogue Hunters in the vampire community. Her job is  police her fellow vampires. Cullen “Scotty” MacDonald is a fellow Rogue Hunter. Not only has Beth had a crush on Scotty for over a century, she has had some rather steamy dreams about him. But the last thing she wants is to be the damsel in distress who Scotty must rescue.

For his part, Scotty is unsure if Beth is his life mate. That is until one explosive kiss confirms their mutual desire for one another. The kiss confirms everything that his heart has been saying, but his head has been denying. Then it becomes terrifying clear that Beth is in danger and the culprit is closer than anyone has previously thought. If Scotty does not get over his hesitation about love and Beth’s past, he may lose her forever.

The concept of the book sounded intriguing. I have not read any previous books in this series, so this book is the only thing I know about the series. While I appreciated the strong women that populate this world, I was not blown away by the book.  The hook in any story where romance is the basis of the narrative is the rising action where it appears that the lead characters will get together. I wanted to feel the heart fluttering, the blood pumping and I wanted to imagine what it would be like when these characters got together. However, by the time the book was finished, I was underwhelmed.

Do I recommend it? Not really.