Highlander Untamed Book

This review is long overdue.

Highlander Untamed is what started my love affair with Highlanders.

I think that Rory is the absolute epitome of the clan chief who values honesty and loyalty, and whose main focus is for the good of his clan.

Rory MacLeod handfasts with Isabel MacDonald to do his duty, hopefully uniting the two clans. Unfortunately the MacDonald clan is ruthless and is their most hated enemy. Rory's sister Margaret had been married to Isabel's uncle the MacDonald, who used her and returned her. And she was in an accident that cost her the use of her eye, and scarred her face. When Isabel met her, Margaret wore an eye patch that was just horrid.

Now Isabel is quite the dutiful niece and is planning to snoop for her uncle, until she realizes that her uncle might just be wrong. She begins to admire her husband more and more. She is supposed to seduce him, but he won't be seduced. Rory's plan is to return her a virgin and pretend the year-long handfasting never happened. Eventually they do succumb, of course ;)

One thing that's really cool about this book is that it uses real people, and real history. The Fairy Flag the MacLeods have existed. The "War of the One-Eyed Woman" was true. The characters lived and Monica McCarty breathed new life into them. (you can find all the real info on her website, btw)

Eventually Isabel gains Rory's trust, and that of his family, and she actually doesn't betray him, even thought what happens looks bad. So Rory throws her out. That scene is just heartbreaking.

She goes back to the MacDonald clan in shame, and more than anything she feels that she has to prove to Rory that she's innocent. Their reunion scene is so beautiful. She and Rory of course live happily ever after, and what's cool is that there's a little bitty side romance with Margaret, who maybe didn't realize that the patch she wore was worse than the scar.

Great romance, and a great heroine. I liked how she grew up and realized that her uncle was the villain, not her husband. Her husband finally loosened up a bit and there is one line in this book that several years later as I write this review, I've never forgotten:

"Never think I did not want you."

I hope you can find that quote if you read this.