Laird of the Black Isle by Paula Quinn

This Highlander will risk everything to find his daughter...

Lachlan MacKenzie has nothing left to lose since his wife and daughter were killed. But when a shadowy figure reveals his little girl might still be alive, Lachlan will do whatever it takes to find her—even abduct a lass from the MacGregor clan for an exchange. Being caught would mean certain death. But the laird of the Black Isle won't let anything—or anyone—interfere with his mission...not even his beautiful, stubborn captive.

Even his heart

 All Mailie MacGregor wants is to return home to her family. And the Highland beast who captured her can go to the devil. Her plan: to thwart him at any cost and win her freedom. But she never expected to be so drawn to the fierce warrior and the desire in his eyes

Series: The MacGregors: Highland Heirs #7  | Publisher: Forever | Genre:  Historical Romance | Source: Publisher  | Rating: 4.5 Cups

Challenges Read For:  -Bad Boys of Romance - Literary Pickers : Bookshelf  

 

It’s been a minute since I’ve picked up a Scottish historical romance and I completely forgot just how much I love them. I received a review copy of this one a bit a go and, apparently, it fell behind my desk and I forgot about it. I found it when I was having the carpets cleaned and new I had to dive right into it. Lachlan and Mailie’s Beauty and the Beast type of romance was the perfect way to ease back into historical romance.

 

Here’s what’s going on. Since the death of his wife and daughter, Lachlan MacKenzie’s been known as the Dragon of the Black Isle and he doesn’t mind that moniker if it keeps the villagers away. When he’s approached by an unknown man claiming to have information that his daughter’s alive, Lachlan is willingly to do anything, including kidnapping a lass from the MacGregor clan. He knew capturing Mailie wouldn’t be easy but he never expected he end up losing his heart to the lass and the children she took in.

 

Mailie never imagined someone would be daft or daring enough to capture her right under the noses of her clan members. Although she’s starting to see her captor in a new light. The longer she and two orphaned children stay with Lachlan, the more she realizes she’s lost her heart to him. Now the only she has to do is get Lachlan to let them in.

 

I forgot how provoking Paula Quinn’s writing could be. She has a way of drawing me in from the start and not letting go until the last page. While I do like a good historical romance set in the Jacobite era, I’m normally not a fan of Highlanders who are loyalists to the English crown but Lachlan won me over right from the start.

 

Lachlan and Mailie were rather interesting. Both were headstrong and determined and it was a battle of wills from the start. Whenever Lachlan would pull away, Mailie was right there fighting her way back into his life. She was also ready and willing to fight for Will and Lily (the recently orphaned children from Lachlan’s village) to have a place in Lachlan’s heart.

 

The relationship between Lachlan and Mailie was a slow burn, which fit perfectly. It gave Lachlan time to heal and let go of the ghosts in his life and let Mailie in. While Lachlan tried to shut Mailie out, he didn’t fight it once he knew he Mailie was right for him.

 

One of my favorite aspects of this had to be Will and Lily. These poor children just lost their mother and now find themselves in the care of their reclusive laird and a stranger. Mailie opened her heart to the children as soon as she met them. Will fought for a friendship with Lachlan from the start of the book and it was nice to see Lachlan let him into his life and his heart. It took a little more time for Lachlan to warm to Lily because she reminded him of the daughter he lost.

 

While this is book 7 in an established series, it reads nicely as a standalone. Having only read one other in the series, I didn’t feel lost picking this one up.

 

Overall, a brilliant, Scottish take on one of my favorite tales (Beauty and the Beast). I could not put this one down.

The MacGregors: Highland Heirs Series

The Seduction of Miss Amelia Bell #1

The Wicked Ways of Alexander Kidd #2

The Sweet Surrender of Janet Buchanan #3

The Scandalous Secret of Abigail MacGregor #4

The Taming of Malcolm Grant #5

A Highlander's Christmas Kiss #6

The Scot's Bride #7

Laird of the Black Isle #8

Highlander Ever After #9