The Highland Chieftain

Since having been jilted by the Earl of Seaforth, Lady Mairi MacKenzie has lost her sparkle; all joy seemed to have drained out of her. Duncan “Dunn” MacRae, who has fancied Mairi in secrets for several years, saw his chance when Seaforth cried off, but Mairi refused. But her father has not relented: she will marry into the nobility, which is why the MacKenzies are headed to Urquhart Castle for the Highland fetes. Unable to lift her spirits, Mairi wanders off in the wood for some peace and quiet, which was not to be, as she is accosted by some Redcoats. Dunn had been keeping an eye on her, and a good thing it was, because he arrived just in time to rescue her from the ill-intentioned villains. Alas, more are coming their way, and the only way out is to run for their lives … Amy Jarecki is always a wonderful writer, but with THE HIGHLAND CHIEFTAIN, she has reached heights of uncommon brilliance. The author’s prose is as gorgeous as you will ever see: luminous, crisp, and utterly dazzling; the descriptions makes Scotland, voyages at sea, the Highland games, are as vivid and real as you can hope for on the written page; and the little trip to London Bridge was something I had never seen before. Ms. Jarecki sprinkles her narrative with delightful and enlightening historical details that make her story shine with welcome authenticity. Seldom have I read a historical romance that rang so true, especially a Scottish one, and the dialogues were utterly delightful as well, the author never straying from the era’s usage and still keeping the tone flowing and airy. Needless to say, the secondary characters, some recurring ones from previous books, are impeccably drawn; Lord Buchan was particularly intriguing … It seems I’m always repeating myself when it comes to Amy Jarecki, but every book in this fabulous series is better than the previous one. Dunn is a magnificent hero: big, brawny, manly, honourable, and with a real tender Scotsman’s heart; he is a true romantic, and I simply adored him. Mairi acts like a well-bred early eighteenth century woman, yet she is not a dishrag, nor is she a reckless fool; she stood her ground when it was required, and not out of stubbornness; she behaved sensibly at all times. The romance is passionate, and I felt the immense love that Mairi and Dunn shared. There is a lot of action and adventures in THE HIGHLAND CHIEFTAIN, as well as a splendid romance, and the storytelling is exceptionally smooth, there is nary a bump on the narrative road. If you love Highland romances, THE HIGHLAND CHIEFTAIN is one you will not want to miss, because I truly felt I had been transported in another time and place for the time it took to read this outstanding book!

Another great story from Amy Jarecki! I loved the pace of the story and had to keep turning pages to see where this tale would take me. Danger, misunderstandings, a father who lost his path, and a love so strong it touched me deep, all of this combined to make a story worth reading and sharing. Mairi and Dunn made a great couple with the strength of their love and commitment to each other. I highly recommend this story. I received a copy of this story through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.

Lady Mairi MacKenzie is humiliated. Her betrothed has decided to marry someone other than her. She is not overly worried though. Being the first daughter of an Earl, Lady Mairi won’t have to wait long before she is betrothed again. But, when Laird Duncan MacRae proposed marriage, right after being jilted, Mairi was mortified. She was not about to accept a pity marriage. So she promptly declined the Laird’s offer. Her father would not have allowed her to marry Laird Dunn anyway; because he was not a titled gentleman. Lady Mairi’s father was known for his cold, cruel, brutal ways. He was always kind to Lady Mairi, though, so she only half-believed what was said about him. But when her heart began to fall for Laird Dunn MacRae, Lady Mairi was shocked at her father’s reaction. He was not only cruel and ruthless to Laird Dunn, but also to her. Lady Mairi was left with a painful decision. Does she choose the only family she’s ever known, or does Lady Mairi, follow the man she loves, and become her father’s enemy? The Highland Chieftain is a captivating, romantic tale. If you enjoy adult historical fiction romance, you’ll love The Highland Chieftain. Thank you, Forever-Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley, for my advanced review copy.