| Series: | Highland Isles #4 |
| Pub. Date: | May 8, 2018 |
| Publisher: | Entangled Tantor Audio |
| Narrators: | Tim Campbell |
| Length: | 6 hrs 49 min |
| Source: | Publisher |
This is my first read by Heather McCollum, and I'm sorry that I haven't already read the rest of the Highland Isles series. I quite liked this one! If you are just discovering this author like me, I don't think its absolutely necessary for you to read the earlier books. There are some references to events in earlier books, and maybe a slight spoiler, but nothing major.
Our heroine is an English lass, Grace Ellington, who has been living on the Isle of Mull with her sister (heroine of a previous book). The only thing I missed by not reading the earlier books was Grace's backstory. I wanted to know how she got to Mull, what happened in her past (it was referenced a few times but not explained), and how she became a healer. While Grace had a couple of reluctant moments early on, she didn't grind on my "reluctant heroine" nerve, and I liked her quite a bit. She was assertive and not afraid to speak her mind, particularly when it came to our hero. She was intelligent and kind and brave. All great qualities.
The hero is the fearsome Devil of Dunakin, Keir MacKinnon. Keir is the enforcer and executioner of Clan MacKinnon, and wears proof of every death upon his body. His formidable reputation and appearance make people quake in fear, and not many would dare to cross the MacKinnon clan because of him. But Keir is not made of stone, and he was a good and honorable man beneath that rigid exterior. I loved the peeks we got beneath the devil's mask, and I liked his character just as much as Grace.
The relationship between these two was a bit hot and cold. There was undeniable chemistry, but Kier's duty to his clan kept him at arm's length much of the time. I was so happy when Grace started seeing more than the image that Kier projected, and was able to find that good and vulnerable center. I loved that she was determined to save him from himself, and the situation he was placed in by duty to his clan and chief. With our assertive and vocal heroine, this story ended up being a bit more steamy than the typical historical romance - which was just fine by me.
I am not usually a huge fan of male narrators, but I really liked this one. Tim Campbell brought our Scots to life, and I loved his accent and deep voice. He was able to affect a passable female persona as well, which is usually my biggest hang up with male narrators. I will definitely look for more of his narrations in the future.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the publisher, Tantor Audio.
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