Sandy M’s review of Highland Surrender by Dawn Halliday
Historical Romance published by NAL Trade 6 April 10
Cam has had a time of it. He lost the woman he loved to his best friend in Highland Obsession, and since that time he’s been in England looking for a suitable wife. He thinks he’s found her. And she is suitable. If he wants to live in a passionless marriage.
Cam soon finds out he can’t live without passion, however. He does try to rein in his desires and appetites and learn from his past obsessive experience when it comes to women; thus, his stint in England that brings Elizabeth to Camdonn Castle. He also wants to earn the respect of his people again, so he has to follow through with this life he’s now chosen.
For Elizabeth, Cam’s proposal couldn’t have come at a better time. She’s always longed for freedom and her dream is about to come true. Escaping the clutches of her uncle will finally come to pass when the marriage takes places in a few weeks. And, boy, does she need to get away from that jerk. Talk about one evil character. That man is something else.
What neither of these characters know is that they’re about to come face to face with that one person who will give them the passion they think they can trade for. Nearing Camdonn Castle, their party is attacked. Cam races after the fleeing highwaymen and Elizabeth is left alone on the side of the trail when she falls from the carriage without anyone noticing until it’s too late.
Cam is unsuccessful in vanquishing the attackers and is left for dead in the forest, where he is later found by Ceana McNab, the local healer who everyone fears. Elizabeth is rescued by Robert MacLean, a groom from the castle who has tried to keep the peace among Cam’s people while he’s been away for months on end.
Ceana comes from a long line of healers who have lived with the curse of losing their beloveds, so she’s sworn never to love or marry again. But taking care of Cam while he heals puts her to the test. Their attraction is immediate, passion flares between them. They both do an admiral job of staying away from each other, even despite stolen glances and sizzling kisses. That, of course, can only last so long.
Keeping his secret close to the vest has kept Robert on Camdonn lands for a number of years now, but once Elizabeth comes to him in the stables, wants to be with the groom instead of the earl, he bears his soul but refuses to betray the only family he has left.
But all of these characters can only hold out so long against their passionate natures. Secrets are learned, those passions are let free, betrayals forgiven, and lives begin to be joyously lived. I really like how they don’t let the wrong thing get in the way of their happiness; they look at everything as it is and as it could be, as it should be, and make the right decisions.
I like this book even better than Highland Obsession, especially since I wasn’t sure that I’d continue to like Cam after his maniacal behavior in that story. But when he realizes how much he has to lose, and it’s a lot, he surrenders. And wins big time.
Grade: A
Summary:
When passion sweeps away all reason…
Determined to put his roguish past behind him, the Earl of Camdonn arranges to marry the proper Lady Elizabeth. But when an accident lands the Earl in the expert hands of a beautiful Highland medicine woman, all well-laid plans are thrown to the wind- and, just as in the old days, his passions run high…
Ceana MacNab has terrible luck with men. Resigning herself to the healing arts, she has steeled her heart against love. Then fate sends Cam her way. Even though he’s a well-bred Earl-and Ceana a low-born Highlander-their all-consuming passion may lead the way to lasting bliss.
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
