Hannah Howell has
proven that there can never be enough Murrays in the Scottish
Highlands. She is a master of the Highland Scottish Romance and
delights fans once more with another set of twins in this first of a
two part series about Murray cousins, brothers Sir Artan and Sir Lucas
Murray. In this, Sir Artan's story we begin where we last ended in the
Murray saga with Angus MacReith needing a strong highland laird as heir
for Glascreag. He turns to one of the Murray twins he has fostered
asking Artan to go and seek out his niece Cecily Donaldson whose mother
married a lowlander and is living with her aunt and uncle who are now
her guardians. Angus plans to have Artan marry Cecily and thus become
the laird, but Artan is skeptical about marriage and even less
enthusiastic about marriage to a lass sight unseen. He shows up at
Dunburn with two lowlander guards in each arm as the celebration of
Cecily's betrothal to Sir Fergus Ogilvey is being finalized. Like many
of the Murrays Artan takes one look at the lovely Cecily with her fiery
hair and temper and recognizes his mate. But at the same time he also
recognizes that all is not right at this estate and soon overhears that
Cecily's relatives had her family killed and is using her to make this
advantageous marriage and then have her done away with as well. Artan
seduces her away from Dunburn and then struggles with his feelings of
not only desire and passion, but growing love, as well as guilt, as he
then has to reveal the real reason why he is taking Cecily; that
another marriage has been arranged for her. Artan begins wooing Cecily
and on the run from Sir Fergus and her aunt and uncle, Artan and Cecily
become handfasted. Only in the style of Hannah Howell can a sexy,
passionate, fiery seduction on the run be so much fun. They eventually
make it to Glascreag where Cecily finds out the truth and feels
betrayed, not realizing that Artan truly desires her. Sir Fergus
eventually comes up to the highlands and joins forces with one of the
many highlanders, Laird MacIvor, that has been coveting Glascreag for
years, which is the reason why Angus needs an heir like Sir Artan that
is strong to defend Glascreag. In this battle Artan is wounded and
captured by Sir Fergus, who also takes the opportunity to torture Artan
a bit. The highlanders stick together as Laird MacIvor sides with Angus
and Artan after seeing how evil Sir Fergus really is. MacIvor mortally
wounds Sir Fergus, but not before Artan slips into a deep coma-like
sleep to overcome his wounds. Cecily, like many of the Murrays, has
healing talents, but even her talents seem hopeless. She prays that she
will be a good and perfect wife if Artan awakes, and when he does,
Artan begins to realize something is definitely not right as his lass
with the temper and screaming passion in his bed has become subdued.
Once again Artan finds himself wooing his Cecily and this historical
romance has a "they lived happily ever after" ending with Cecily and
Artan declaring their love and realizing they both fell in love from
the moment they met. Highland Barbarian is another fun, sexy Scottish
Historical Romance in a long line of highland romances that Hannah
Howell fans never grow tired of reading and adding to their
collections.
Publisher: Zebra
(December 2006)
Reviewed
by Beverly,
Beverly Romance Books
