CAPTURED BY THE HIGHLANDER – Julianne MacLean
Highland Warriors Trilogy , Book 1
St. Martin's Paperbacks
ISBN: 978-0-312-36531-8
March 2011
Historical Romance

The Scottish Highlands, August 1716

Lady Amelia Sutherland awakens to find a large, rough looking Scot looming over her. She has come north to Fort William with her guardian to be near her fiancé, Lieutenant Colonel Richard Bennett of the Royal Dragoons, who is presently away hunting the infamous Jacobite rebel, the Butcher of the Highlands .

Naturally, according to the Scots, the Butcher is a patriot who fights for freedom and justice for his fellow countrymen, though his real identity is known to very few. He has just fought his way into Fort William to kill Richard Bennett, who brutally raped and murdered the Butcher's own betrothed, Muira. But Bennett is not in his bedchamber; his bed is occupied by a lovely young woman who claims to be Bennett's fiancée. Perhaps depriving Bennett of his woman would be sweet revenge.

Amelia is terrified by the fierce Scot who takes her prisoner, informing her he hasn't yet decided whether to kill her or let her live. As they make their way north, they meet three of the Butcher's cohorts, one of whom is Angus MacDonald, Muira's brother, who is in favor of killing the English woman immediately.

Who is the fierce Butcher of the Highlands ? As Amelia and Duncan (the only name he gives her) spend their days and night in travel, Amelia begins to realize that perhaps not all Englishmen are good nor all Scots evil.

CAPTURED BY THE HIGHLANDER is an intriguing romance set in perilous times in Scotland . The author does a good job making her hero admirable, yet still a man of his time and place. He's honorable in the light of that era and treats Emily with respect. Amelia, a duke's daughter, has recently suffered loss, but she's bright and ultimately brave. A physical attraction grows between them that has a chance to grow into more.

As the first in this Highland trilogy, CAPTURED BY THE HIGHLANDER is self contained and satisfying in itself and sets up Angus MacDonald to star in the next volume of the series, CLAIMED BY THE HIGHLANDER (Watch for its review in April.). You'll find them both well written and very worth the reading.

Jane Bowers