Series: Murray Family, #2
Traits & Tropes: road trip; Highlander; heroine in danger; soldier; forced proximity; protector; reformed rake; widow; damaged heroine
Publication Date: 07.26.22
Genre/Setting: Historical; Medieval; Scottish Highlands/France, 1437
Heat Level: 4.5
Rating: 3/5
Nigel Murray immediately realized the young woman trying to disguise herself as a page was not a boy. He would’ve still said nothing until a battle with the English forced the truth out and Nigel couldn’t stop himself from stepping in to save the woman. Now they’re both in danger because of her past and he’s determined to get her safely to his home in Scotland and seduce away the fear he sees in her.
Gisele Deveau knows the darker side of men having narrowly survived her husband’s abuses. Now with that man dead and her suspected of his murder, Gisele has a bounty on her head and many of her husband’s kinsmen hunt her though she is innocent. Even her own family refuses to believe in her innocence, forcing her to a desperation that causes her to agree to Nigel’s escort despite that he is a stranger to her. His sensuality challenges her but trusting in his true feelings for her may be more than Gisele can manage.
I previously read this book several years ago, but I had only the vaguest recollection of it and decided to do a reread. I think some aspects of this held up better on the reread, while others stuck out to me in ways they didn’t before. Mostly, I was frustrated with both Gisele and Nigel for making poor decisions repetitively. Poor decisions are wholly relatable and humanizing, but it is frustrating to see the same ones repeated in a book and begins to make the plot feel repetitive. I did love that this felt like a traditional Highlander romance, even though it’s mostly set in France, because of the protective hero, forced proximity and road trip aspects. I still think the ending was a bit anticlimactic with the villains just disappearing off page, though I did appreciate that lack of angst. I’m still annoyed at Nigel for not confiding in Gisele his true reasons for leaving Scotland and I think that hurt the depth of emotion in this story a bit for me, leaving many of their intimate scenes together feeling more driven by lust than anything else, though I think they were meant to show a healing for Gisele after the abuses she suffered from her husband. Overall, this was a fun Highlander romance and not a bad world to spend some time in. I still enjoy the Murray family and I’m glad to see them getting re-releases with snazzy new covers.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2306887672
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