Highland Heat
3 Stars

With her reputation in tatters, Deidre Chattan is forced to accept her banishment to the abbey. But even amongst the nuns, Deidre cannot escape her impulsive nature, and she soon finds herself agreeing to a masquerade that lands her on the doorstep of Quinton Cameron. A powerful highland laird and nobleman, Quinton is fascinated by Deidre's fiery spirit and is determined to have her for his own. Can Deidre and Quinton overcome their clash of wills to find happiness together?

Series note: This is a direct continuation of the events in book #2.

Highland Heat is similar both in structure (Deidre held captive in Quinton's castle as he tries to seduce her) and pacing (the first half is slow but picks up halfway) to the first two installments.

Quinton and Deidre have great chemistry, but their romance is undermined by the couple's inability to communicate, which ultimately leads to a prolonged and unnecessary separation. In fact, Quinton isn't even present for about 1/3 of the book.

The best aspects of the story, and in fact the series as a whole, have been the inclusion of historical figures and events. This time period in Scotland following the assassination of King James I with its political machinations and upheavals is fascinating, and Wine manages to weave it all seamlessly within the narrative.

In sum, although this is the weakest book, the series has been enjoyable overall, and I will be reading more of Wine's work soon. ( )

Headstrong Deidre Chattan lives with having disgraced her family once so is doing penance at a nunnery. In hiding from those who want to keep her prisoner until her son reaches the proper age, the Scottish Queen turns up at the nunnery. Persuaded to impersonate the Queen, Deidre takes off on a dangerous adventure. Quinton Cameron, laird of his clan, has stolen a kiss from Deidre before. Now he has political reasons for trying to find the Queen and determined to make Deidre his own. ( )

I really enjoyed this third book in the Highlander series. The first is by far my favorite but I enjoyed this one much better than I expected given the hero and heroine's background in the earlier books. Deidre and Quinton were very independent characters and it was great to see their interactions. I would have given this book a better review but there was a lengthy section in the middle of the book when the story develops without the two together. The relationship was at a crucial point and it was a big distraction for me. ( )

The blurb does say some things that don't happen. They never truly protect king and crown. There is some politics in the background but it's more about their passion, and how a marriage to her could bring clans together, so who should have her?

This is book 3 in a series, but they are all standalone so even if I had read none of the others I could just have jumped in and missed nothing. Deirdre slept with a man who promised her marriage but he just used her. That is why she is at a convent to calm down a bit, but not to become a nun. She knows Quinton from before since his friend married her sister in book 2, and in that book they shared one passionate kiss. But now she has no dowry anymore and a bad reputation. But of course these two are thrown together again and there is passion. They can't keep their hands of each other, but she does give it a valiant try.

I did like Deirdre, sure she was an idiot in the past for falling for lies, but he must have been good at it. Now she wants to be stronger, and she wants to do what is right. Quinton is all man, and alpha. He also has a broken heart just like her. They were both betrayed in the past.

Other than that there is the woman who betrayed him to marry someone else and she wants to cause more mischief, oh she was one wicked evil woman. Then there is also the bigger politics. Because if Deirdre married Quinton then that would form a bigger alliance that stands against another alliance, and there is someone who does not want that. Dangers ahead.

One thing though, I was not too happy about how he kept telling her to lose herself to her passion, I felt he was being an ass in a way. He can sleep with whoever he wants to, if she does it she is ruined, double ruined. A woman has no choices like that. He just wanted to get in under her skirts. But ok I forgive him cos she did really want him, even if it meant never marrying him.

Recommendation and final thoughts:

A nice historical romance with lots of passion, and some intrigue too. A brave highlander and one fiery lass. But there is also a lot of Scottish accent in the book, and that makes it a bit harder to understand when some of them talk. ( )