Devil of the Highlands Book

4.5 alpha male highlander meets sweet but spirited lass stars

Cullen is known throughout Scotland (and even into England) as the "Devil of Donnachaidh" for crimes he did not commit. He even has a solid alibi for them, but once a rumor begins, it gains a life of its own. He has found it best not to argue his innocence - as this quote from the book states: "Left to their own devices, people almost always choose the most damning explanation for events." In a sense, it has benefited him and his clan in that they have enjoyed a longer period of peace than many because of his reputation - earned or otherwise. But now that he has been contracted to marry, he does have some concerns that his bride will believe the worst of the rumors.

Evelinde d'Aumesbery had an idyllic childhood in northern England until her mother passed away and her father was ordered to remarry a woman the king selected. Though her stepmother at least pretended to behave when her father was alive, once he passed, Evelinde's stepmother revealed her true, cruel nature and found imaginative ways to make Evelinde's life difficult. As her brother has been away fighting in the Crusades since before their father passed away, Evelinde has not had anyone to champion her causes.... and now it is too late. Her stepmother has found a way to get rid of Evelinde AND ensure she has a terrible life --- she has contracted her to wed the devil himself: Cullen Donnachaidh. It is rumored that he is responsible for the deaths of his uncle, his father, and his first wife as all met with untimely "accidents." Even though Evelinde tries to reserve judgment until she knows a person, she knows what many parents tell their children when they misbehave: "The Devil of Donnachaidh will come for you!" ... and now he comes for HER.

Wanting to have one last peaceful ride to her favorite spot on the estate she has lived on her whole life, she takes off before anyone can stop her after she receives the news that her betrothed is expected that very day. But when she has a mishap and embarrasses herself in front of a very handsome man with whom she has startling chemistry, she can't help but allow herself a little pleasure before she is sentenced to life with the devil. But when she learns that the devil is the man she enjoyed frolicking with, she is surprised and secretly pleased. And their chemistry is much more than she could ever hope for! Yet when she speaks with him and tells him of her childhood and wishes with the hope that he will share similar tales with her and want to grant some of her requests, she is greeted with grunts in response.

As Cullen believes, actions speak louder than words, and surely his new bride will see that his action speak much better than he could ever tell her; thus, he is surprised when she gets angry with him for not telling her that he intended to do the things she asked him for all along but never told her. He did them, didn't he? What else could she want? As their communication (or his lack thereof) lead to miscommunications and even dangerous situations for Evelinde, Cullen realizes he must make some changes to gain the affection he realizes he very much wants from his wife. And from Evelinde's perspective, she believes if she can prove her husband innocent of the deeds she knows he would not ever have done, maybe he will grow to love her as she has begun to love him. But when she starts to get too close to the truth, her life is threatened. Can Cullen keep this woman who has captured his heart safe even though he was unable to save his uncle, father, and first wife?

What I liked:
--- The main characters were very likeable (and their chemistry was sizzling!)
--- Solid humor sprinkled throughout - Evelinde's antics were great!
--- The mystery behind the deaths of Cullen's family members kept me guessing until the very end
--- I couldn't put this book down!
--- STEAMY GOODNESS

What I didn't like as much:
--- Cullen was a little too caveman with the grunting all the time, but he got better in terms of communication when it counted
--- The stepmother was a little over the top for reasons I could not really understand (maybe that is revealed more in book 2 which is about Evelinde's brother?)

Overall, I really enjoyed this one! If you like an alpha highlander man of few words but many loving actions, a sweet but feisty heroine, some steamy goodness, and a slowly (but steadily) unraveling mystery, you are sure to like it too!

Plot --- 4.5/5
Main Characters --- 4.5/5
Supporting Cast --- 4.5/5
Steam Level* --- 4/5
Violence --- nothing graphic
Language --- not egregious
POV --- 3rd

*Note that steam level is not a rating so much as a how hot was it: 0/5 - clean; 1/5 - mild; 2/5 - sensual but nothing descriptive; 3/5 - now we're getting somewhere; 4/5 - yes please! ; 5/5 - they did EVERYTHING in this one, y'all