Gwen’s reviews of The MacCarrick Brothers Trilogy by Kresley Cole
Historical romances released by Pocket April 2005 – May 2007

Rowrrr! Can you say “alpha males”? I knew you could! This is a very fun, very sexy historical series from one of my fav authors. It features three brothers who think they’re cursed to be alone and lonely, otherwise they’ll risk their mates’ death. Of course, this is all based on a Book of Fates that prognosticates the demise of their loves, as well as some anecdotal evidence. Problem is, the last stanza of the poem/fate is obscured by blood and may very well obviate the curse. So what do they decide? Well, of course, rather than risking someone they love, they choose to be alone. That is, until the mighty MacCarrick johnsons start speaking louder than the curse, then all bets are off and you better lock up your virgin daughters ’cause these brawny Scots are on the prowl!

If You Dare (Book 1)
Released by Pocket 26 Apr 05

I really love Kresley Cole’s heroines. She writes strong, funny women who are so appealing that it’s tough to dislike them. Annalia is no exception – I loved her. I loved Courtland a bit less, but he’s still on a short list of “I’d do him” heroes, somewhere down from Robb’s Roarke. However, I still wanted to bludgeon him with a blunt object. Regularly. Throughout the book. I just kept saying, “Talk to her, dammit!” Court couldn’t have been more uncommunicative if he didn’t have a mouth – in fact might have been more so.

Dare has a very interesting setting and good villains. Olivia (main villain’s daughter) was fascinating, and her romance with Aleix (heroine’s brother) was something I wish Cole would have explored a wee bit more, but she stayed focused on our H/H, so I can’t fault her. There was good action throughout that was gripping and believable.

However, I did get a weird little feeling about 2/3 of the way in that the romance was beginning to feel a little forced (can you say Stockholm Syndrome?). The heroine seemed to just suddenly turn the corner and realize that this reticent, almost silent Scot was the love of her life. Didn’t quite believe that.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed the romance and the story. Another good entry by a stellar author.

Grade: B

Summary:

Can a Highlander steal his enemy’s bride and make her love him?

High in the Pyrenees, a band of mercenaries led by Courtland MacCarrick wages war for General Reynaldo Pascal. When Court turns on the brutal general, Pascal orders him killed. Court narrowly escapes and exacts revenge by kidnapping Pascal’s exquisite Castilian fiancée.

Noble heiress Annalía Tristán Llorente despises her towering, barbaric captor almost as much as she does Pascal. Her inexplicable attraction to the Highlander only fuels her fury. Yet nothing will stop her from returning to Pascal—for if she doesn’t wed him, she signs her brother’s death warrant, as well as her own.

From the moment Court discovers that Anna’s prim façade masks a fiery, brave lass, his heart’s ensnared and he dares to defy the curse that has shadowed his life—to walk with death or walk alone. But Pascal vows that he’ll hunt the two, never stopping until he’s destroyed them both. If they survive, can this hardened soldier of fortune convince the only woman he’s ever loved that she’s meant to be his?

Read an excerpt.

If You Desire (Book 2)
Released by Pocket 24 Apr 07

As with Dare, I loved this heroine, Jane. I mean, REALLY (RAAAAALLY) liked her. Once again, I wanted to bludgeon the hero, Hugh, more than once, though I loved him.

Cole once again remained focused on our main couple but deftly interleaved other characters who kept the conflict and tension high. The villain was oogie (is that a word) and I RAAAALLY wanted him to buy it in the end – which he does – in style. The action is, once again, believable and really drives the plot along quickly.

In the last few chapters when our self-contained hero, Hugh, used more self-discipline than a whole herd of nuns and monks, I raaaally wanted to bash him about the head and shoulders. Then he does something supremely stupid – not as in TSTL, just your normal run-of-the-mill man-stupid. But because of it, I wouldn’t have taken him back like our very forgiving heroine does. Plus he was relatively humorless and grim thru most of the book – Court (hero in the first book) was at least humourous. Wish Hugh had been more lighthearted once or twice. Plus, I got raaaally sick of the hero’s constant “the Curse! the Curse!” attitude. Enough already.

I enjoyed this read. You don’t need to have read the first book to enjoy it, though some of the backstory would help.

Grade: B-

Summary:

He tried to run . . . In his youth, Hugh MacCarrick foolishly fell in love with a beautiful English lass who delighted in teasing him with her flirtatious ways. Yet he knew he could never marry her because he was a second son with no prospects, shadowed by an accursed family legacy. To avoid temptation, Hugh left home and trained as an assassin.

She tried to forget him . . . Jane Weyland was devastated when the Highlander she believed would marry her abandoned her instead. Years later, when Hugh MacCarrick is summoned to protect her from her father’s enemies, her heartache has turned to fury—but her desire for him has not waned.

Will passion overwhelm them? In hiding, Jane torments Hugh with seductive play. He struggles to resist her because of deadly secrets that could endanger her further. But Hugh is no longer a gentle young man—and toying with the fever-pitched desires of a hardened warrior will either get Jane burned . . . or enflame a love that never died.

Read an excerpt.

If You Deceive (Book 3)
Released by Pocket 22 May 07

Oh my goodness gracious me! What a year makes in an author’s craft! Cole outdid herself with Deceive! This was one of the best reads I’ve had so far this year! No lie! If you’re an historical romance fan, you canNOT miss this book!

This book was just a wonderful romance – hands down. While it’s part of a trilogy, it’s very focused on our two main characters – heroine Madeleine and hero Ethan. It reads fine on its own with no need to be read in order with the other two.

Ethan’s Machiavellian revenge on Madeleine’s family has left her destitute. She has no idea it’s Ethan behind the misfortune – she thought it simple bad luck and bad decisions. She’s left orphaned and penniless, scrabbling out a living in one of the worst slums in Paris all as a result of his revenge on Maddie’s parents.

Maddie is a wonderful heroine – she has quiet dignity and is self-effacing, she is beautiful but not vain, she is destitute but has a strong sense of self-respect, she’s obviously well-bred but knows how to play the angles. All of these qualities perplex Ethan.  He can’t figure out how a woman, who has experience all kinds of bad luck, can possibly come out so well-balanced. In contrast, he’s spent a decade or more wallowing in the negative emotions that Maddie lets roll off her back as something she cannot do much about.

Through some interesting circumstances, Ethan meets Madeleine and eventually takes her to Scotland with him.  The story of how these two people come to know and love each other is lushly sensual and filled with emotion. You can see the runaway train of her impending knowledge of his role in her bad luck and your heart breaks when it happens. The oh-so-intense Ethan deserves all the heartache he gets, plus some, for being such an asshole a couple of times on many occasions. (I love that Cole lets her heroes be “human”.)  However, it’s such a sweet love story that when they do finally come together (’cause, duh, they do – HEA here), you’re grinning the whole time.

I highly recommend this read to fans of Kresley Cole’s work – contemp paranormals or historicals. You’ll love it. I also recommend this to fans of historical romance.  Though even if you’re not such a big fan of historicals, I think you’ll still like it – Cole doesn’t beat the historical elements into the ground.

I just loved this book.

Grade: A+

Summary:

Burning vengeance . . . Ethan MacCarrick was a heartbreakingly handsome rake until a powerful nobleman ordered him brutally beaten and his face scarred for a crime he didn’t commit. Ethan’s reprisal—bankrupting the nobleman and forcing his exile—does little to appease his wrath. Ten years later, a haughty, mysterious beauty enchants Ethan—the daughter of his enemy. At last, Ethan will have the revenge he’s craved; he’ll promise her marriage, seduce her, then cast her aside.

Bitter hardships . . . When Madeleine Van Rowen’s family was suddenly plunged into destitution and dishonor, she steeled herself against further heartache. She never weakened, never trusted, until a towering, scarred Highlander relentlessly pursues her, breaking down her defenses.

At what price forgiveness? The passion between them burns hotter than Ethan’s fury, and soon he finds he can’t let her go. But when Madeleine uncovers the truth about him, can Ethan convince her to accept all he now offers—when he once destroyed everything she had?

Read an excerpt.

This was a very fun trilogy. The reads all went very fast, with the last read getting sucked down in one night. I very highly recommend Deceive, and recommend Dare and Desire.

Overall grade: A-