Lawson’s Review of In the Highlander’s Bed by Cathy Maxwell
Historical romance released 29 Jan 08 by Avon
This is one of a series of quite a few, I really don’t know how many, that center around the Cameron sisters from America and their husband’s families. It’s the first Cathy Maxwell that I’ve read in a few years, as well. It revolves around the kidnapping of the youngest Cameron sister, Constance, by Gordon Lachlan, the leader of a Scottish revolt. He kidnaps her to ransom her for a legendary sword which her brother-in-law has posession of. A kidnapping plot is sometimes hard to do, the author has to work to make it seem like real love instead of the Stockholm Syndrome.
Maxwell succeeds pretty well in making it seem like real love rather than love forced by the situation. Gordon kidnaps Constance as she’s trying to run away from the school she’s in. Constance is left there by her well meaning but overbearing sisters because they think that’s where she needs to be. Constance wants to go home to the Ohio Valley where she thinks she’ll be happier than in dreary England or Scotland.
Constance is rather petulant at the beginning, whining a lot about wanting to go home and getting on a ship to escape her life in Scotland. After being kidnapped, one would think she’d see the dangers of a woman alone in 1808. When she realizes her purpose in managing things in Gordon’s camp and joins his rebellion Constance grew on me quite a bit. Sure, she acts kind of immature, but she has grown up while with Gordon’s rebellion.
Gordon is a pretty decent guy. A lawyer, he wants to seek justice and right the wrongs that the English have done to the Scottish. But because of that he’s neglected his sister, who had some horrible things done to her because of him. Eventually Gordon sees things as futile and with Constance at his side, he sees a life beyond leading a rebellion, one that’s safe and free and includes a family.
As sweet as the story ends up, it just didn’t go that extra mile to make a memorable love story. Gordon and Constance were cute together, very supportive, and the HEA works, but overall it was just an average read.
Grade: C
Blurb:
Highland warrior Gordon Lachlan has spent his life fiercely battling the English. Now, to claim victory for his clan, he must retrieve the legendary Sword of the MacKenna from the hands of his mortal enemies. His plan: to kidnap Constance Cameron from her remote boarding school and force her wellborn relatives to surrender the sword as her ransom.
But Lachlan is surprised that the woman he’s snatched from her bed is no malleable miss. Constance longs for adventure. She’s tantalized by Lachlan and his passionate cause . . . and tempted enough by his seductive ways to wonder what it would be like to find herself in the Highlander’s bed . . .
Read an excerpt.
