NEVER LOVE A HIGHLANDER is the final book in Maya Banks' McCabe brothers' trilogy. Set in the Scottish Highlands during the time of war and mistrust makes this a must read for lovers of highland novels everywhere. Maya Banks has created a family of brothers each as complex and as different as they are alike. NEVER LOVE A HIGHLANDER is the story of Caelen, the youngest of the three and the one who must bow to duty.

Banks was able to capture the true heart of both her characters and bring them leaping off the pages. From the first page I was captivated by Caelen and Rionna. Caelen is everything that a highlander should be: big, strong, set in his ways, and secretly charming. Rionna was the ideal heroine. She was strong, courageous, heartbroken, and she had spirit. Watching this unlikely pair come together out of duty and finding a way into each other's heart was an amazing adventure. Aside from the romantic plot we have the threat of a shared enemy, Duncan Cameron; and he is one heck of a threat. After almost destroying the McCabes once in battle; Duncan is back with a vengeance and a lust for Scotland. Caelen was once duped by a woman he set his heart for a watched as she nearly destroyed his family. This marriage is simply a convenient way to unite the McDonalds and the McCabes. But Caelen did not count on the feelings that Rionna would stir to life within him.

Rionna was cast aside by one McCabe already. Finding herself wed to the youngest of the brothers Rionna knows that she is not about to give up her heart again. The pain and humiliation that she endured was enough for one lifetime. Yet Caelen has managed to work his way into her very soul. With every step that they have taken he has shown her compassion, desire, and most importantly how to love. When one betrayal too many hits close to home it becomes a threat that can destroy everything that Rionna has gained. To hold onto Caelen, Rionna will stare into the face of their enemy. She will betray her family if it means saving Caelen. Rionna is willing to place her life in jeopardy to show Caelen the meaning of true love.

Simply enchanting! This book took me by surprise with how emotional it actually was. I was swept away into the emotions of the characters. I felt betrayed, I felt humiliated, and I felt the sacrifices that both characters had to make and the pain it took to endure. The setting followed the history of the Scottish people; the tragedy of war and feuding that has always marked this land was very present in this book and only added to its allure. This was a true love story in every sense of the word. NEVER LOVE A HIGHLANDER was filled with adventure, danger, and a love straight out of Shakespeare.