Review: The Highlander’s Bride (Highland Trouble) by Amanda Forester
Historical Romance
Released: September 1, 2015
Sourcebooks Casablanca

Reviewed by Sheena

After years of fighting in France, Sir Gavin Patrick longs for his Scottish home and for an easier life off the battlefield. However, laden with a shipment of orphans, a massive treasure to transport, and Lady Marie Colette—a sharp-tongued French heiress—Gavin realizes that the real battle is only beginning. Colette expects a painless trip as Gavin transports her to her Highland fiancé, but their relationship takes an unexpected turn…
Forced to pose as a married couple in order to sneak out of France, Gavin and Colette fight against their developing, forbidden attraction…all the while yearning to fulfill their pent-up desire.

Confession – I love this cover!  The side profile of the hero, the heroine’s stolen glance, the kilt, the gown, the scenery -the kilt.  Ahhh, I do love a romantic Scottish Highlander tale.  This was my first Amanda Forester novel and on the whole, it did not truly disappoint. Early on, the story included some very familiar elements that I have always enjoyed – sweeping imagery, duty and honor bound warriors and a most distressed damsel. I was pleased to discover a very likable heroine and requisite imposing highlander complete with brawn and kilt (sorry, I say kilt a lot. Kilt).  Winning characters aside, the novel’s pace was a little too slow at times.  It often meandered when I needed it to at least trot with purpose.  This was definitely a slow burner, more of a semi-sensual kindling as I watched Gavin and Colette fall in love.

Lady Marie Colette was nothing she seemed and everything I admired.  She learned to read secretly, during a timer where an education was thought to be wasted on women.  She was the daughter of a wealthy noble, yet had riches in her own right from her late mother.  Colette loved her lady mother, and held fast to her teachings, especially in moments of distress, but I also got the impression that she deep down held a level of resentment for her mother’s teachings.

“You are the brightest ornament of court.  You must always act in a manner becoming your station or you will be a discredit to your father,” her mother’s instruction rang in her head.  The teachings of her mother were all Colette had left of her, so she clung to them with an adamantine will.  She was not expected to have any thoughts save how she could serve first her father and then her husband.

This really resounded with me. Colette had a gilded cage syndrome that was arresting.  So much in fact that I yearned for her to taste freedom. And what better way to experience the thrill of freedom, than with a wild man…enter Gavin.  He is a brave yet simple man.  not at all gentle-born, but radiated a goodness that made him perfectly likable.  Almost too likable.  Not that I need a brute, but he was just so gosh darn honorable.  He didn’t really scandalize her the way I usually find so endearing.  

I have heard rumors o’ yer beauty, but they were untrue.  Ye’re more lovely than anything I heard described.”

Yessss, I know, sweet. Poetic even, and nearly the first thing that tumbles out of his mouth to her.  Their mutual physical attraction was undeniable, and they easily fit together.  Her longing for the beautifully free life he could provide for her, jumps off the page.  It would be so simple to declare for one another, her manipulative meddling father be damned, and live happily ever after yet they seemed to get in their own way, complicating the uncomplicated.  There is little “conflict” outside of devising  a way to undermine Colette’s unwanted engagement to another Highlander, brokered by her father in return for battle ready warriors to fight for the French people- her French people.  I grew a little weary at the constant manufactured obstacles, seriously the climax was very anti-climactic.  Once I saw that the meat of the novel was not in its action, sex or  plot development, but quite simply in the budding relationship between Colette and Gavin, I was able to enjoy the story for what it was at face value.  I would rather have had that added dimension of passion, danger and true conflict, however, functioning in the pure vein of romance, it worked well enough to be of the more chaste adult novels I’ve read.

Man meets Lady, Lady is promised to another, Man agrees to escort Lady (whom he has fallen for) to her unwanted groom, they fall in love and kind of get it on (sorry smexy girls, no weighty peens to be seen here),the resolution you see a mile away, HEA- check- and it’s not a cliffie.  That about covers it.  The Highlander’s Bride is satisfying in small bites….  I didn’t devour this tale and it took me a few days to actually finish it off.  But it was satisfying enough.  It is actually a testament to the writer’s skill that even with the slow pace, lack of tension and only a few hot kisses, the story of Colette and Gavin was still worthwhile.  A good lazy weekend read I would suggest.  Don’t expect to be riveted or blown away, but you will pass the time agreeably.

Grade: C

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