Bambi Unbridled: Review: A Highland Knight's Desire by Amy Jarecki

A Highland Knight's Desire
by Amy Jarecki
Series: Highland Dynasty #2
Pub Date: March 3, 2015
Publisher: Self-Pub
Pages: 338
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Unlimited

My Rating:

Sultry Scale:

In 15th century Scotland, Sir Duncan finds himself rescuing Lady Meg from the clutches of the Earl of Northumberland, and he is knocked off guard by the sassy, redheaded lass. And aye, the tall, dark, and rugged Highlander challenges Meg’s piety with his every stare.

Sir Duncan focuses on returning Lady Meg to her family and collecting his bounty before the lass can further sink her wiles into his heart. Lady Meg’s kidnapper, Northumberland, is plotting his revenge and is out to ruin them both. If Northumberland’s ruse is not exposed, Meg may end up becoming a nun, and Duncan a pawn in a deadly game. Join us on this passionate adventure as Lady Meg discovers herself – and her desires.

This was another great historical romance loosely based on the lives of real historical figures. We first met our hero, Duncan, in Knight in Highland Armor as the son of Colin Campbell, first Lord of Glenorchy (also known as the Black Knight of Rome for his time fighting during the Crusades). Colin and his third wife, Margaret Robinson, were the love interests in the first book.

Now Duncan is all grown up and quite the ladies man himself. He has taken over carrying out the king's law for his father, and is leading a band of men known as the Highland Enforcers. We first meet our heroine, Meg, as she is about to be kidnapped by her brother's enemy. Meg is a beautiful lass with fiery red hair, but she has a misshapen hand so she thinks she will never be marriageable. Given the suspicions of the time, when such things could be seen as the mark of the devil, her assumptions were probably pretty accurate.

For me, this was a sweet love story. Meg did get hung up on Duncan's womanizing past several times, but I tried to ignore it as I know the ridicule she faced for her deformity diminished her self-esteem. I hated that she referred to her hand as "the claw" or "pincher" because I keep imagining her with some big lobster claw stuck on her arm. Meg and Duncan got to experience a ton of adventure in their journey to love - even though many parts of that journey were harrowing. I loved Meg's spirit and loyalty to Duncan, and I loved that Duncan looked past Meg's hand to see her true beauty.

As with Knight in Highland Armor, this is not a light fluff read. Its packed full of historical details, court intrigue, treachery, drama, heartache, betrayal, love and romance. I recommend this book to fans of heavier historical reads, and authors such as Virginia Henley and Kathryn Le Veque.

This book also will add a stop to my 2016 Scotland Itinerary - Tantallon Castle, where Lady Meg lived with her brother prior to her marriage to Sir Duncan.