In Bed with a Highlander by Maya Banks | Audio Review

Series: McCabe Trilogy, #1
Traits & Tropes: marriage of convenience; Highlanders
Publication Date: 08.30.11 
Genre/Setting: Historical; Medieval; Scottish Highlands, 1134
Heat Level: 4.5 
Rating: 4/5
Narration Rating: 4/5 

As the eldest McCabe brother and laird of the clan, Ewan is determined to see their enemy destroyed and their clan restored to its former prosperity. He’s spent time ensuring his men are trained and ready for vengeance until distraction arrives in the form of a woman. Mairin could be the answer to his clan’s problems, but Ewan is leery of involving his heart in anything.

As the illegitimate daughter of Scotland’s former king, Mairin comes with the inheritance of a much-coveted property that has made her the target of many marriage schemes, making her understandably wary of love. Those fears are proven to be well-founded when she escapes one dangerous situation only to find herself with little choice but to marry her rescuer, Laird Ewan McCabe. Her attraction to her powerful new husband makes Mairin eager to spend more time with the fierce warrior who turns out to be surprisingly gentle with her. With the clan on the cusp of war, Mairin and Ewan’s newfound bond will be sorely tested as others try to break them apart.

I think I somehow wasn’t in quite the right mood for this book; there was a good portion of it that just made me anxious and wasn’t super enjoyable for me, but I still enjoyed the last quarter or so of the book. Though things did wrap up fairly quickly in the end, I was satisfied with how everything turned out and the bond Ewan and Mairin had managed to forge despite quite a bit of adversity and the obstacles created by Mairin’s extreme naivete. I think Mairin’s lack of experience was somewhat understandable given that she’d been hidden away in a convent, but it also seemed exaggerated for comedic effect, and it just felt a bit slapstick to me after a while. I also would’ve preferred to see the Camerons receive their punishment/comeuppance on the page in some form or fashion rather than just having it mentioned that they’d be dealt with. Despite these couple complaints I had, I did enjoy Ewan and Mairin’s story and I do plan to continue the series with the other two brothers’ stories.

https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/2765950629

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2137227454