*I received a free copy of Highland Heat from via Netgalley. This has in no way influenced my voluntary review, which is honest and unbiased *
Highland Heat Series: Highland Knights #1 on 24 November 2015
Pages: 244
With blood still drying on the front lines at Waterloo, Lady Grace Carrington helps an injured soldier to a British medical tent. Though she believes she’s pulled him to safety, in fact she has put them both in grave danger: Because when his brilliant blue eyes meet hers, the passionate Scottish sergeant kisses her in a way that leaves her breathless and trembling. As the obedient daughter of an earl, Grace shouldn’t be tempted by someone so far below her station. But as a red-blooded woman, she longs for so much more.
As far as Duncan Mackenzie is concerned, getting stabbed in the arm was the best thing that ever happened to him. When he wakes on the battlefield, the sight of Grace’s lovely face sets his soul aflame. As an enlisted man and a farmer’s son, however, pursuing his guardian angel means facing the wrath of London society, not to mention his own superiors in the British Army. Aye, but he’d risk all that and more just to keep her in his arms.
Highland Heat had a fantastic balance of hot romance and heady mystery, and it kept me interested and flipping the pages fast!
Not everyone can pull of a historical romance heroine who actually helps out at the battleground of Waterloo, without swooning, and without really caring about propriety. Highland Heat featured such a heroine, and she was fascinating to say the least! Her name, Grace, does say it all as she showed both grace and strength as she dealt with wounded and dead soldiers. And when she discovered Duncan alive, it was all she could do to help him to his feet and to see a doctor. Of course, him being a Scottish sheep-farmer, and she a British noble didn’t make their instant attraction go away… It rather intrigued them both that they got along so well, and it irritated Grace that the ton was such a snobbish lot as to not let her be with Duncan if she wanted to.
Because Duncan’s superior officer has been chosen for a secret project, and includes Duncan in this, Grace and Duncan travel back to England together, and they spend quite a bit of time getting to know each other better. And their attraction just keeps growing – which makes it impossible for them to stop thinking of each other. Highland Heat also has a great mystery, where the Highland Knights are sent to Manchester to stop a possible revolt against the crown at all costs. And this is another place where Grace needs to be strong and fight with all her might.
Crossing boundaries and opening up communication across classes is something I find interesting in historical romances, and this was well done in Highland Heat. There was a lot of reflection both on the class differences and on the fact that women had very little say in their own lives in that period. Haymore managed to introduce these themes into the story with ease and it brought another layer to the characters and kept me enchanted from start to finish. Written in past tense, third person point of view, the story was evenly paced and and touched both my heart and my mind.
Lord, he was a handsome man. Thick and muscular, with a ruggedly masculine face and russet-brown hair. And those startling light blue-green eyes. He wasn’t dark or brooding like her brother-in-law; he was quick to smile, and there was a sort of boyishness to him she found intensely appealing.
Was this how it was done? She knew a kiss consisted of one person’s lips pressed against another. She’d seen a few kisses in her life. But this… this was… Oh, God.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
About Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms
Linda is an English as foreign language teacher and has a Master's degree in English Language and Literature. She's an avid reader, blogger, compulsive one-clicker and a genre omnivore. Ever since she learnt how to read she has been seen with a book or two in her hands everywhere she goes.
Wow! I love this premise, Lexxie! And I’m very interested in seeing how it’s carried out. That Grace is a British noble and is on the battlefield at Waterloo is quite something. Duncan falling for her and vice versa is quite something as well. You know I’m a fan on unconventional heroines and Grace seems to be exactly that. I’m adding this one to my wishlist!
Miss you and love you, wife! {{BIG HUGS}}
It was really good, Brandee! And I loved that Grace was so strong-minded, and that she didn’t really care about the ways of the ton… she found it ridiculous that people were supposed to marry within their own ‘rangs’ and that there was not a lot of choice – neither for men nor for women.
Miss you too, wife!! {{{BIG HUGS}}}
One day I’ll have to go back to Highland romances, it’s been years!
Then you should check out this series, Melliane 😀
It’s no mystery I love her writing style, so this is definitely on my TBR pile!
Really happy you enjoyed it so much 🙂
Oh, I hope you’ll get to it soon, Silvia!
Twitter: bmreviewsohmy
You had me at Highland, love me a Highlander romance. 🙂
I love highlander romances, too, Stormi!!
oh yay….I am so glad that you loved this one. Jennifer Haymore is such a great talent. I liked the way she introduced the themes for this book too, and it just works so well for this pair. Lovely Review.
I agree, Haymore knows what she’s doing, and her very different characters just mesh together somehow 🙂
I can’t stand swooning heroines, so this sounds right up my alley. Great review! 🙂 ~Aleen
I think there are situations in which I’d let a swoon go, but most of the time, I rather enjoy the stronger heroines who can deal with anything life throws at them 🙂
Oh this one has been on my TBR for a while! Glad to see you enjoyed this! I’ve read a few of her other stuff and it’s always spicy and action packed, haha. Love the quotes you shared! Awesome review, Lexxie!
Oh yes. I’ll need this one! I do enjoy her books but managed to not read any of them in 2016 I don’t think. Gasp!