THE WARRIOR - Margaret Mallory
The Return of the Highlanders , Book 3
Grand Central's Forever
ISBN: 978-0-446-58309-1
November 2012
Historical Romance

Scotland 1508

Duncan MacDonald has been a warrior since he left his clan to fight in France, leaving the love of his life behind. He had no choice. Her father—his clan leader—and her older brother waited in his mother's cottage one night and told him to leave or stay and die. Duncan's parentage wasn't clean. His mother never married, and he didn't know who his father was. This made him unsuitable to marry the laird's daughter. If she had married him, her father would have thrown them out of the clan to live in whatever manner possible. He knew the privileged life Moira had would make it impossible for her to live hand-to-mouth with him. Because of this, the best thing was for him to leave. Months later, Moira's brother Connor with whom Duncan traveled, informed him that within two weeks of his departure, Moira, whom he had promised to love forever, married Sean, Laird of the MacQuillan clan. Duncan and Connor are now back on the Isle of Skye. His friend Connor is now laird as both Connor's father and older brother have died. His Uncle Hugh, a pirate, is causing all sorts of trouble in the clan's affairs because he wants to be the laird. Connor needs Duncan more than ever to help rebuild the clan's holdings which have diminished greatly in land, prestige, and power since their sojourn in France. He asks Duncan to visit Clan MacQuillan, not only to help build support, but to also check on his sister Moira.

Moira longs to escape her violent and abusive husband and take her son Ragnall with her. She had loved Duncan more than she should have, but her father told her when given the choice to stay or leave, Duncan chose to leave, which left her forced to take the first marriage offer made. For this she holds a great grudge against Duncan, and when he arrives, she pretends she doesn't remember him. The situation soon dramatically changes, and it is imperative she escape the MacQuillan clan.

This third installment of the Return of the Highlanders series has the same angst, romantic turmoil, and adventure as the previous two volumes. Duncan and Moira are both courageous and deserving characters with many misconceptions to work out between them, and just as many dangers to face. Characters from the first two volumes take part. All this makes THE WARRIOR a first-rate, emotion invoking adventure.

Robin Lee