Thursday, November 25, 2021

Review: The Bard (Highland Heroes #5)

The Bard (Highland Heroes #5)

by Maeve Greyson 

Blurb:

The fiercer the battle, the sweeter the spoils

Sutherland MacCoinnich flirts his way into the hardest hearts and most forbidden beds. He’s such a charmer, even the lasses that he loves then leaves behind never hold any ill will against him. All the ladies adore him. All except one. As lovely as she is infuriating, the daughter of Chieftain Greyloch barely gives him a passing glance. When she does, it’s only to tell him he smells more like a horse than a Highlander. She even threatens to shoot him if ever sets foot on her land again. And to add insult to injury, the woman cost him a keg of fine whisky in a bet.

An enticing trinity of beauty, wit, and fire. She would be his. Forever.

If Sorcha Greyloch doesn’t marry soon, she’s sure to be the death of her father. Many a desirable suitor has come calling, but she has refused them all. She knows who she wants. She’s loved Sutherland MacCoinnich since the first time he darkened her clan’s door. But she’s not about to tell him that until she has him on his knees. After all, most men share a particular trait. They’re driven to possess what they think they can’t possibly have.

The womanizer of Clan MacCoinnich is about to be tamed by the one woman he feared he would never win, but unexpected danger lurks in Castle Greyloch. A danger that threatens the dueling lovers’ future.

Themes:  Historical

Rating: 4.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

Another masterpiece by one of my newly discovered favorite historical romance authors kicks off with a womanizer finally meeting his match in a feisty and fiery female he just cannot woo. The Highland Heroes series revolves around the MacCoinnich Clan and their friends as they navigate the political and messy world of medieval Scotland and try to find love and happiness.  I stumbled upon this series a bit late and just had to go back to the beginning, but have been waiting for Sutherland’s story for a long time and was definitely not let down a bit when I finally got to read it. Sutherland is a true ladies’ man, a scoundrel who knows that his greatest skill is his charm and he uses it to lethal means with the ladies, but when he makes the mistake of going up against Sorcha Greyloch he never imagined he had met his match.  Sorcha knows the type of man that Sutherland is and though the attraction to him is beyond intense, she can’t trust him to be the man she needs to help lead her clan by her side.  When Sutherland is ordered by his Clan chief to make peace and a match with Sorcha he knows he has his work cut out for him, but he is determined to tame the fiery lass and make her his own.  Sorcha is just as determined to bring him to heel and prove to him that she is the only woman he needs by his side and in his bed, but there are dangers lurking around every corner and if they don’t find a way to trust and overcome those foes they will never have that chance for their happy future together. Sorcha was my favorite heroine of this series to date, sassy, sweet, and compassionate, but also strong, determined, and willing to stand up to all the men in her life to do what she knows is best not only for herself but also her clan.  She truly could have led the clan herself, with no need for a man, which makes her a woman to be reckoned with, but at the same time she knows that she needs the man she loves by her side to truly be the best leader she could be. That level of self-awareness is rare in female leads for historical romance and I love the way Ms. Greyson always manages to bring out the best in her characters. Sutherland was an ass in the beginning of this story, making me more apt to want to slap him silly than sympathize with him, but as he slowly opened his eyes to the gift that Sorcha’s love truly was I began to like him again.  He was loving, resilient, unwavering and willing to do whatever it took to protect the woman he was falling in love with.  Once he opened his eyes and heart he became the man he was truly always meant to be, Sorcha making him a better man and showing that he could be a Clan leader just like his cousin. The spark of fire these two set off in one another was clear for everyone around them to see and it only got hotter the deeper their connection got, to the point I needed water sometimes just reading their story. I am dying for the last book in this series after that last chapter, but I know it will bring a lot of tears at the same time, however I know Ms. Greyson will handle it all with grace and dignity and not a little panache. Well played, Maeve, well played.

*ebook provided by publisher (via NetGalley) for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

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