Review: Seduced By A Highlander by Paula Quinn
Seduced By A Highlander by Paula Quinn
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Forever
Available: September 1st 2010
Genre: Historical Romance
Source: Publisher
Reviewed by: Catherine
SINS THAT CAN’T BE FORGIVEN
Tristan MacGregor is famed throughout the Highlands as a silver-tonged seducer and an unrepentant rogue. Bold and charming, he’s dallied with many women, yet none as mysterious as the lass he steals a kiss from at king’s court. Little does he know this beauty is one of his clan’s greatest enemies.
PASSION THAT CAN’T BE DENIED
Isobel Fergusson has despised the bloodthirsty MacGregors ever since they murdered her father. She’s horrified to learn that the handsome stranger she kissed is of this clan. But Tristan means to possess her at any cost and Isobel’s body turns traitor at his touch. Can a man she’s sworn to hate be the only one she can ever love?
What an absolute sweetie this hero was! Wow! He was just perfect. He was funny and cheerful, and he was determined to win the heroine and end a family feud. He dreamed of living his life by the honor and principles of the knights of old. He lost his way there for a while and stopped making an effort to live up to his own expectations, but after he met the heroine and they began a friendship it quickly kicked back in.
Tristan made the story for me. Everyone else contributed to my enjoyment, of course, but it wouldn’t have had quite the same charm with a different hero. He was so cheerful and determined that it was hard not to love him. He took quite a few knocks in the story, but he just kept getting back up and continuing on. It was very admirable.
At times Tristan came off as a little sexist. But it was just a stray comment here and there and the heroine was quick to call him on it. Once he saw her point of view he was quick to adapt and agree with her. Isobel was a strong character and she wasn’t willing to be treated like a delicate flower. She didn’t run around playing warrior, but she was the rock that her family depended on. She had to play mother to most of her brothers and with no one else to keep food on the table, she had to labored just as hard as her older brother Patrick to keep the family fed.
There was quite a lot of humor in this book. It wasn’t over the top humor, but there were multiple times that I giggled over scenes. Especially when Tristan comes to visit Isobel’s family! Hilarious! That visit was not easy on him. Every time he turned around some other calamity was befalling him. One of my favorite quotes comes from that part.
“Clearly, they did not want peace. He had to escape their demented clutches, but he couldn’t even think without a wave of nausea threatening to overtake him.”
The heroine was not perfect for me although she didn’t irritate me to the point that I disliked her. Quite a few times she would say or do something that came off as a bit hypocritical. I started to get exasperated because it seemed like she was behaving that way just to be contrary. Luckily the author didn’t let her characters act like this was acceptable. Tristan was quick to point out when she was throwing stones in a glass house. That definitely made it easier to take.
There wasn’t a very strong sense of period in the book. Occasionally something would be mentioned about a political event, but honestly it all felt very vague. That isn’t a deal breaker for me, but I know it is irritating for some, so be warned.
One of my pet peeves is faux Scottish brogues. I cannot stand hearing “wee lassie” and “dinna fash yerself” and the like constantly. There was some of that here, but it managed to blend into the background and not irritate me into getting an eye twitch. Maybe because it was consistent and not just thrown in haphazardly? I’m not sure, but it worked for me here.
I was all set to give this a 4 grade, but the end made me drop it down to a 3.5. I am not a fan of cutesy and the end was full of it. There had been a few moments in the story where the sweet aspect had strayed close to the too sugary line but it never actually crossed it. In the end it did. The last couple chapters seemed to be there for no reason other than to show how happy Tristan and Isobel will be and to give everyone and their brother a chance to mend fences and be BFF’s forever. Some people really dig that sort of thing, but I’m of the mind that sometimes less is more. So less sweet and cute at the end would have been a boon for me.
Overall, I thought it was a pretty good book. I think it might even end up being a great book for people who like their romances a little sweeter than I personally prefer.
Favorite Quote:
Series list:
- Ravished by a Highlander (Children Of The Mist, #1)
- Seduced by a Highlander (Children of the Mist, #2)
GoodReads Reviews
Author’s Website
Purchase Links: Amazon || Book Depository
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Posted in 16 Responses to “Review: Seduced By A Highlander by Paula Quinn”
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5 hearts: I loved it! Seriously, get this book NOW!
4 hearts: Very good, I'll recommend it.
3 hearts: Good
2 hearts: Not for me, but had it’s good points.
1 heart: Not my cup of fiction.
DNF: Did not finish
*whispers* I love Scottish brogues in books…even the wee lassie. Nice review
KC–YES, there is nothing better than a Scottish hottie!
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KC – Thanks! I’m really odd. I don’t seem to mind it in Karen Marie Moning’s Highlander books, but I do in most. I don’t know why it bugs me so much when most people love it.
Fiction Vixen – Julie Garwood got me hooked on Highlanders at a young age.
I do like sweet, as long it is not cheesy sweet
Great review. I admit-I’m a sucker for the Scottish brogues too.
Blodeuedd – I don’t think it strayed into cheesy territory, but it was a little too sweet for me.
Tori – Thanks! I see I stand as the lone brogue hater. ;P
Catherine–confession: I haven’t read Julie Garwood either. Geez I suck.
Fiction Vixen – You better hand back in your romance reader card!
mmmmm..Scottish hotties! I don’t like overly cutesy either…but this one sounds nice!
Mandi – I liked it enough that I plan to buy the first book in the series. (very loosely connected) So I hope you enjoy it too if you end up getting it!
I have this one on my shelf and I’m glad to hear that you liked the story, well at least in the beginning. I actually just finished a book where they had very thick accents and it is a bit much at times to slow down and think about what they are saying.
I’m glad the hero is great and the storyline has humor in it because it sounds like something I would enjoy. Over the holidays I’ll have to try to read this one.
Thanks for the good review.
Alexa – I really did enjoy it despite the last couple sweet chapters. I thought the characters and the relationships developed between the hero and heroine and their family members were nice.
Which book was it? (If you don’t mind sharing)
The humor was perfect for me. It really kicked in when he visited the heroine’s family. I don’t want to spoil it, but I hope you laugh when you get to it too.
If you think about it I hope you’ll come back and let me know what you think of it when you’re finished!
Catherine- The book with the accents was Twelve Nights by Hope Tarr. It was a cute short book but it set you up for 12 days of seduction and in the end it barely gave you any steam. I’m not all about steamy scenes, trust me the plot was good but if you are sort of promising heat you should bring a little to the plate.
I will also try to come back after I read it.
Alexa – I completely agree. Unmet expectations will bite you in the butt every time. Even if the rest is good, sometimes it’s hard not to miss what was implied.
Catherine-
Exactly I was expecting a steamy holiday read and it was lacking the steam. I did get A Season of Seduction from a giveaway recently though so maybe that will prove to be a steamy holiday read. Have you read that one?