HIGHLAND WARRIOR – Monica McCarty
Ballantine Books
ISBN: 978-0-345-50338-1
January 2009
Historical Romance

Isle of Bute, Scotland – 1608

Catrina Lamont is the beloved daughter of Lord Lamont. She is pampered and treated like a princess. But Catrina is out of sorts because her father wants her to find a husband. In order to speed along this process, he decides to host a Highland gathering at his castle. He needs Catrina to be married for the sake of the clan's safety as well as the alliance it will bring.

When Catrina's younger brother Brian comes to her about a kitten stuck in a tree, she goes to help. Catrina saves the poor kitten, and her brother runs away with the creature before he can help Catrina out of the tree. She is stuck there and in quite a bind, that is, until a strange man comes to her aid. At first he teases her but then does the gentlemanly thing and helps her down. He expects a kiss for saving the lass and Catrina gives him what he wants. The kiss they share is unlike anything she has ever experienced. She leaves without finding out his name but will soon know, for he is Jamie Campbell and one of the Lamont's fiercest enemies.

Jamie has heard tales of Catrina's incredible beauty but never expected to fall for her. Jamie decides he will marry the beauty and will do everything he can to have her accept him as her husband. Catrina refuses to marry Jamie even though he sets her heart fluttering. But Jamie is quite skilled at seduction, while Catrina is only an innocent in the ways of passion. She quickly succumbs to his touch. But when she finds out Jamie's reputation of being one of the Earl of Argyll's henchmen, she turns away from him in disgust.

Before Jamie can make Catrina see that he is not the cold-blooded killer she thinks he is, the Lamont stronghold is taken by Argyll. Argyll believes that Catrina's father is hiding a member of another enemy clan. Before Catrina's eyes, her father and brothers are killed, and she is almost raped, but not before Jamie can come to her rescue. Months after the massacre has ended, Catrina is all alone except for the support of other relatives. The only man who can protect her is Jamie, and the only way he will do so is to make Catrina his wife.

Monica McCarty has written a tension filled romance where the hero and heroine want each other so badly but refuse to give their hearts to one another because they are each other's enemy. HIGHLAND WARRIOR is a tale about a time period where fighting and war was a way of life.

Catrina may seem to be a spoiled little miss who has her father wrapped around her finger, but she grows up because of the horrors that surround her, especially with the deaths of her loved ones. The only man who wants to love her and makes sure she will be safe is the one man she feels is responsible for all her heartache. Poor Jamie may seem to be a hardened fighter, but he treats Catrina with tenderness and love. He is the first to admit how much he cares for Catrina and goes to great lengths to show her how he feels about her. Catrina is the one who puts up walls between Jamie and herself because of what happened with her family.

The mystery remains whether Brian and Niall, Catrina's brothers, were really killed or if they still live. But Catrina still mourns for their loss, as well as her father's, because the Lamont clan was a caring and supportive one. And even though Catrina may seem to be fragile, she is very strong, and many of the men in her life rely on her to make things right.

HIGHLAND WARRIOR is a rousing tale of sword fighting, battles, and a romance that is close to perfect in its telling.

Kate Garrabrant