Ash’s review of Forbidden Highlander (Dark Sword, Book 2) by Donna Grant
Paranormal romance published by St. Martin’s Paperbacks 25 May 10
I am happy to say I enjoyed Forbidden Highlander much more than Dangerous Highlander. I think there should be more books combining highlanders with paranormal, and I was sad that I didn’t like the first book more.
In this one, I wasn’t at all bored by the characters or the story. It hasn’t been to long since the first book, where Fallon MacLeod was a drunk. He is now sober and ready to be the laird everyone needs him to be. He has his flaws, he knows he has his flaws, but he doesn’t brood over them, much. He keeps an unopened bottle of wine near him, to remember what he use to be.
It might be unrealistic to have him kick the alcohol so suddenly with no problem, but he is a Warrior and I personally prefer not to have to deal with a hero going through withdrawal. His heroine is Larena Monroe, who, by the way, I think has a great name. She is the only female Warrior they know of, and she houses the goddess of defense. Larena was a breath of fresh air in this story. She is a strong, independent woman who would rather wear pants than dresses and she can fight right along with the men. She might be one of the few heroines ever who I can’t really find a problem with.
Larena and Fallon both experience the usual lust at first sight, and they don’t take long to act on it. With very little resistance on either part, they fall into a relationship that felt real. There is a pretty big thing standing between them, Larena has a duty to fulfill that is standing in the way of something Fallon needs to do. For most of the book, it’s not talked about. Fallon tries to understand and work around it, and again something that could have turned into an annoying plot device, doesn’t.
Everyone is still trying to figure out how to get rid of the evil druid Deirdre, and more Warriors are showing up to help out. We get glimpses of some who are probably going to be getting their own books, or at least I hope so. The final fight scene is a little lacking. Not much really happens to move the storyline along. At this point, I don’t really care about what happens with Deirdre or if they beat her. As a villain, she just isn’t that interesting. I do want to know more about the Warriors, but something big needs to happen in the next book or I probably won’t continue with it.
Grade: B-
Summary:
A DANGEROUS SECRET…
Fallon MacLeod has gifts any warrior would covet – fierce strength, unmatched skill, even immortality. But those gifts come at a price that puts everyone he loves at risk. Only when his brother, Quinn, is taken captive does Fallon leave the seclusion of his Highland home to seek the king’s aid. And though every women at court would gladly be his for the asking, one alone causes desire to roar to life within him: beautiful, mysterious Larena Monroe.
A WILD DESIRE…
Rumors swirl around the castle about “The McLeod” but Larena knows the truth. Like Fallon, Larena is searching for a way to vanquish the evil Druid who wants to wreak havoc on earth. Drawn to Fallon in spite of her fear, she surrenders to a passion that shocks them both with its raw intensity. But Larena dares not hope for more – not when she holds a secret that could turn her fiery Highland love against her forever…
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
I think Lisa Hendrix’s series involves paranormal highlanders. I know Melissa Mayhue and Karen Marie Moning combine highlanders with paranormal.
FYI, I noticed that you gave the book a “B” grade in the Tags on your home page, but you gave it a “C+” at the end of the review. Did you like it enough for a “B”? Thanks for the good review — I was on the fence about reading this, but you convinced me to give it a shot.
Hmm I am not sure why it is saying C, my copies say B- which is the right grade.
It was a good story and I think anyone thinking of reading it should give it a try. It seems like one of those series that gets better as it goes on.
Thanks for clarifying, Ash. I will point out, though, that the grade at the end of the review — between the last sentence and the summary — still says C+. I think that grade should be changed to accurately reflect the grade you meant for it to have.
sorry!!! My fault! It took forever to get this to format and many many many rounds of fighting with my computer (and refreshing). I must have lost the grade and copied from the wrong review.
GREAT CATCH and welcome Ash!