Review: A Highlander’s Christmas Kiss by Paula Quinn
Series: The MacGregors: Highland Heirs #5
Historical Romance
Released: September 27, 2016
Forever
Reviewed by Sheena
Christmas may be coming to Linavar, but Temperance Menzie is far from joyful. Grief-stricken over the death of her father at the hands of the Black Riders, she almost didn’t see the wounded stranger in the woods. And now she’s determined to give this braw, brooding Highlander the help she couldn’t give her father. But there’s a secret lurking in the depths of his blue-gray eyes. And Temperance won’t rest until she uncovers it . . .
A killer for hire. It’s the last thing Cailean Grant ever thought he’d become, but being part of the Black Riders was his only way to survive. Now, his guilt grows day by day, along with his desire for the beautiful, brave lass nursing him back to health. As Christmas, the season of miracles, draws near and the truth of his identity threatens to come out, Cailean must risk the only thing he has left to lose-his heart.
Favorite Quote: “Yer veiled insult of me being incompetent are words I shall particularly enjoy watching you eat.”
A Highlander’s Christmas Kiss is a beauty of a tale set in the Scottish Highlands made beautiful by Paula Quinn. I love Paula Quinn. Her novels are lush, romantic escapes that always leave you content in the most cozy way. This was certainly the case with Christmas Kiss, book five in the Highland Heirs series.
Cailean is a man with a heart run cold. His last forays at love ended in bitter tragedy, both women dying sadly in his arms. What’s a man to do when he believes he will never have lasting love? Go dark of course. Cailean is a tortured, dead man walking. His heart is scorched earth and bad decisions lead to more bad choices when he finds a home with the Black Riders, a mercenary-esque band of misfit killers for hire.
Temperance is the perfect highland romance heroine! She is outgoing and a little rash and has such a good heart and head on her shoulders. She is headstrong without being hard-headed, and her bravery and willingness to put herself out there to save a stranger was a hallmark of her worth. She is attracted to Cailean, drawn to him when she finds him in the woods after he suffers yet another betrayal. Cailean Grant has no idea that his salvation is right within his grasp, if only fate didn’t play such cruel tricks on him.
This is such a fluid novel, the plot and character development progressing in such an appealing and natural way. Temperance is the lighthouse that leads Cailen from cold, lonely and adrift to his true self. The thawing of Cailean’s heart, his essential mending is the basis of the novel. It works because of all the clever moving parts of the story and how inviting he is as a character. There is no secret that he has fallen in with black-hearted men to lose himself and swing his sword until he is thankfully taken from this world. A man with loose ties and nothing to lose. Catnip. Pure romantic catnip and I was lapping at my bowl!
This was the man who had shared the deepest parts of his heart with her, the man who had brought back her joy while she helped him rediscover his. The man who had captured her heart and given her hope for the kind of love she’d always desired.
The man who’d helped take her father from her.
And she loved him! Though he infuriated her. Though it caused her pain to know of his involvement with the Black Riders, though they risked it all, to be together. It broke my heart in little pieces each time Cailean looked at her with the knowledge of her father’s murder. Those quiet moments when he wanted to bolster her confidence in avenging her father, yet knowing she will soon see him a monster.
Such romantic conflict! Ach! She loved him, and he adored her by and by.
The drama! The stolen looks, the happenstance crossing of paths before they officially meet that fateful night. Cue squeals!! If you are into being captivated by sensual tension and romantic seduction, this is the novel for you. If you are into beefy, swordsmen, beautiful imagery and third chance love that feels even better than the first time, this is the novel for you. If you have eyeballs or ear drums this is the historical romance novel for YOU!
At 352 pages, Highlander’s Christmas Kiss is hefty, but it reads like a dream. I nearly read it in one sitting, yet, breaks for basic needs (you know like, food, water, ensuring shelter) kept getting in the way. Paula Quinn writes the kind of books that you can read anywhere, in transit, by your fire-place, curled up on the couch or hunched over the kitchen counter making pesky dinner (there those needs come again, ruining a perfectly good chapter!).
It is fifth in the series, yet stands alone like a champ. Reading the prior novels only acts a small boon when you see characters from earlier novels cameo. Brand new readers will do just fine starting with Kiss. It is as compelling as it is entertaining and a ride anyone can enjoy. I know I did.
Grade: B+
Previous Reviews: The Taming of Malcolm Grant, Scandalous Secret of Abagail MacGregor, The Wicked Ways of Alexander Kidd
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