Series: Shaws and MacRobs, #1
Traits & Tropes: enemies to lovers
Publication Date: 04.21.22
Genre/Setting: Historical; Medieval; Scottish Highlands, 1245
Heat Level: 1.5
Rating: 4/5
As the youngest of four siblings and the only girl, Catlin MacRob is used to being called stubborn and headstrong. She’s had to be to avoid being trampled by her over-protective family. When the king’s latest missive demands that she wed Laird Broden Shaw within the month if the feud between their clans cannot be ended before then, she decides her only hope of avoiding the forced match is to figure out what happened to her missing clanswoman. The woman’s disappearance has pushed the two clans to the brink of war so the action seems necessary, but when Broden catches her poking around on his lands, her reaction to his nearness sends her plans awry and she knows she must uncover the truth before her feelings get the best of her.
Broden knows working with Catlin is a crazy idea but he’s willing to try for the chance of easing the tension between their clans. He finds himself unwittingly enthralled by Catlin’s quick wit and blind determination to learn the truth but as their investigation continues Broden learns a clan secret that could destroy all his efforts to make peace. Given his position as laird, he must put his clan first, even if that means endangering his heart, anything to avoid a full blown clan war.
I love a good highlander romance and a feuding clan is one of the best setups for the enemies to lovers trope, in my opinion. I was happy that this book kept up a quick pace and kept the angst to a minimum, as an excess of angst sometimes makes me dislike this trope, so I was glad to see that was not the case here. I liked Broden as a hero because he was able to own up to his mistakes and display his emotions with raw honesty, even when he knew there would be dire consequences for doing so. Catlin annoyed me with how often and how quickly she jumped to conclusions, often outrageous ones, unwilling to give Broden’s clan even a little bit of benefit of the doubt. This just didn’t jive with her supposedly high level of intelligence for me as she was actually often very short-sighted and narrow-minded. Fortunately, she was at least willing to hear Broden out when these sorts of miscommunications occurred and I loved that they had real conversations, mostly because he forced them, when she would rather have avoided them. If you’ve been reading any of my recent reviews then you know I’m all for mature, adult communication in my romance. All in all, this is a quick and gratifying read that sets up for a series that I think will be very interesting and definitely one to check out.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/2762368803
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4667869631
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