BOOK REVIEW: ‘Kiss of the Highlander’ by Karen Marie Moning
5
Apr012011
by Carolyn • Posted in 4 Star Reviews, Authors M-P, Book Reviews, Karen Marie Moning, Paranormal Romance, Reviews by Laura
Title: Kiss Of The Highlander (Highlander #4)
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Publisher: Dell
Publication Date: May 2008
Ebook: 416 pages
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Source: Own Copy
Reviewed by: Laura
RATING: 8/10 – Brilliant, couldn’t put it down
GOODREADS SUMMARY:
A laird trapped between centuries…
Enchanted by a powerful spell, Highland laird Drustan MacKeltar slumbered for nearly five centuries hidden deep in a cave, until an unlikely saviour awakened him. The enticing lass who dressed and spoke like no woman he’d ever known was from his distant future, where crumbled ruins were all that remained of his vanished world. Drustan knew he had to return to his own century if he was to save his people from a terrible fate. And he needed the bewitching woman by his side….
A woman changed forever in his arms…
Gwen Cassidy had come to Scotland to shake up her humdrum life and, just maybe, meet a man. How could she have known that a tumble down a Highland ravine would send her plunging into an underground cavern — to land atop the most devastatingly seductive man she’d ever seen? Or that once he’d kissed her, he wouldn’t let her go?
Bound to Drustan by a passion stronger than time, Gwen is swept back to sixteenth-century Scotland, where a treacherous enemy plots against them … and where a warrior with the power to change history will defy time itself for the woman he loves….
REVIEW:
I don’t know why, but I have a bit of a weakness for time travel romances, and Karen Moning has written more than a couple of good ones to satisfy my habit. This book and the sequel with Drustan’s brother Daegus are two of my favourites from her Highlander series. For fans of Moning’s Fever novels, this is the first book about the MacKeltars.
Gwen Cassidy has led a bit of a boring life and even when she decides to live a little and books a dream holiday to Scotland, she gets it wrong and ends up on a coach with a group of pensioners. But, just when she’s given up hope of adventure an unexpected hiking accident finds her falling upon Highland Laird Drustan, cursed into a magical sleep for nearly five hundred years. Despite his smouldering good looks, Gwen thinks the best thing to do is take the obviously crazy man back to his family.
Drustan is the last in the line of a family of Druid warriors, tasked with protecting an ancient and magical secret. When he awakens in the twentieth century he knows he must find a way to travel back in time.
Both Gwen and Drustan are fantastic characters. The dialogue between is snappy and engaging. I liked Gwen for her intelligence, sass and sense of humour. She is without a doubt an equal match to Drustan. But, above all, Karen Moning really knows how to put together a hero. Drustan is smoking! Ok, so there are a couple of roll your eyes moments, a scene that comes to mind is Drustan being too well endowed to fit into modern men’s jeans! But it’s written with such wry humour you can’t help but laugh.
The novel has a great mix of romance, sexiness, intriguing plot and wit. I like my romances with a decent storyline, and with lots of time travelling, a mystery and supernatural subplot this book did not disappoint. The time travelling element could have been quite messy, especially with Gwen and Drustan travelling back to Drustan’s past, with the risk of paradoxes, but it is handled cleverly and humorously.
The ending was fabulous, a vibrant cocktail of sadness and love, which will give you more than a couple of reasons to contentedly sigh.
VERDICT:
If you are a fan of Moning’s Fever series, be warned that these books are not the same in tone, they are lighter, funnier and are definite romances. But, for very different reasons just as good.
This book sucked me in from the start and given this now about the third time I’ve read it, that’s saying something. Escapism at its finest.
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5 Comments
Thank you for this review! I was thinking about reading Highlander series because I LOVED Fever series but I wasn't sure until now.
Thanks again, I NEEDED to read this
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sounds so interesting.. this will go in to my to read list.
thansk again for sharing.
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It's weird I wouldn't normally pick this up because of the Highlander part. It does sound good though. THanks.
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@Judit you're welcome, I'm glad you enjoyed the review
The Highlander series is very different from the Fever series, they are definitely romances but I really enjoy them for different reasons
@Umeshikad enjoy the book!
@Liz it is good & I kind of know what you mean on the Highlander part, but Karen Marie Moning is an fab author.
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This series is awesome! Its been awhile since I have read them but I still remember how much I loved reading it.
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