THE HIGHLANDER by Terry Spear is Book 5 in this
author's Highlandersseries. Niall MacNeill and his
friend Gunnolf are charged with finding a certain
Frenchwoman and escorting her to Niall's cousin, Laird
James MacNeill, for her own protection. The lady's father
had saved James' life once during the Crusades.
The search
takes the warriors to the Lowlands of Scotland. At the
opening of the book, Niall is just regaining his senses
after he and Gunnolf were ambushed and attacked by Murray
clansmen. He is grievously injured and there is no sign of
his friend. He eventually makes his way to a cottage and
rests.
When shepherdess Anora comes home, she finds that
not only is there somebody sleeping in her bed, but he's
also a very attractive half-naked man. Luckily for her,
Niall is a good guy as well as being hot. There are some
humorous scenes when they first meet, caused by the fact
that Niall wants to keep her from alerting others of his
presence while he heals -- a pitchfork is involved. Right
away, Niall is impressed by Anora's nerve and then later,
her kindness in taking care of him and his injuries. During
his convalescence, he grows more and more attached to
Anora, even as he suspects she's actually the woman he's
seeking.
If she is that woman, he worries that her taking
her rightful place as a countess will impede their romance.
That being said, he never tries to do anything shady to try
and keep her to himself. He also doesn't play the martyr
and try to push her away "for her own good", as so many
romance heroes would do in that situation. With Niall, what
you see is what you get.
He's a genuinely nice guy, cares
about family, a strong warrior, good-humored, and doesn't
have any hang-ups or emotional baggage. I really liked the
heroine as well. Anora can relate to Niall's being an
orphan because she came to a foreign country at a very
young age and would have been all alone if not for the man
and his sister who took her in.
There is a little intrigue
and some action in this story, but it never overshadows the
romance. While Niall is injured, there is the constant
threat of the Murray clan coming after him to finish him
off, talk of French spies, as well as the threat of anybody
else that might try and take Anora for one reason or
another.
There is also a potential romantic rival in the
form of Matthew, the local butcher's son. Anora's dog
Charlie and the puppy Zara made for some sweet moments --
especially those with Gunnolf. I really enjoyed THE
HIGHLANDER
and look forward to more books in this series -- especially
Gunnolf's story and Allison's.
Anora, the shepherdess, finds a half-naked man in her bed,
so what's a woman living alone in a cottage in the Lowlands
of Scotland supposed to do? Prod him with her pitchfork to
chase him off! Only the man is not just a traveler seeking
her bed for a rest-but a wounded Highlander, who fights
back, swinging his sword!
Niall MacNeill is searching for a Frenchwoman of nobility to
escort to his cousin's castle for safekeeping, when he and
his friend, Gunnolf, are attacked by another Highland clan,
seeking the same woman. The other Highlanders wish to sell
her to the highest bidder-English or French-it does not
matter.
Niall takes refuge in a sheepherder's cottage to heal up
from his wounds and discovers the shepherdess taking care of
him may very well be the woman he seeks. He has no intention
of doing anything but what his cousin requests of him-ensure
her safety on their way to Craigly Castle-but when the lass
so bravely wields her pitchfork at him, he is thinking of
other, more interesting possibilities.
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