Customer Reviews

Awaken the Highland Warrior

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(31)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Awaken the Highland Warrior by Anita Clenney
Paranormal Romance -May 1st, 2011
4 stars

Inventive and charming, those who love Karen Marie Moning's time travel Highlander series will be sure to delight in this book!

After all these years, Bree finally thinks she has found a real treasure. But she is in the shock of her life when open the hidden vault and unearths a hunky highlander instead of gold! At first she can't believe she found a man inside, especially one named Faelan, who claims to be 150 years from the past! Even if he is handsome, he doesn't quite make up for loosing a whole lot of riches. And his outrageous claim that he comes from the past makes her doubt his sanity. However, when she discovers her Grandma's secret book and reads about fearless warriors with magical talismans who hunt demons to save humanity. She slowly starts to believe that he may be speaking the truth, no matter how fantastical it sounds. And he bears a striking resemblance to an old painting of a handsome rogue that she has often fantasized about. But according to her Grandma's book, these vaults are actually `time vaults' and used to hold demons until Judgement. So is Faelan an evil demon in disguise or the warrior of her heart?

I really liked the instant attraction between the two main characters and found myself quickly getting involved in this story. Bree is bright, mischievous and plucky. Faelan is determined to try to find the demon he hunted 150 years ago, but first he must learn this new world. It was fun to read him explore our modern times. Even though some of the story is a little outrageous, it made me only want to read more. The time vault particularly fascinated me. When it was opened many characters were very interested in it and this really adds mystery of the story. I also liked this book because Bree really grows and learns that she has more depth than even she believes. Girl power!

Surprising, entertaining and adventurous, I can only hope the author plans future books with more highland warriors!

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

The premise for the book was interesting enough but I couldn't get past the bad writing. Seriously, every paragraph had an excessive amount of question sentences in them. I felt like I was on a game show. "Will she get home? Whose key was it? Why so many question?" There were so many that a 1/4 of the way through the book I couldn't care less about the answers to any of them. The writing was jumbled and the lack of dialogue made the book sluggish. I couldn't finish the book; I just couldn't get into the story. I am not sure exactly what good writers do to draw readers into their characters and storylines, but I know it didn't happen in this book.

I literally do not know what to say about this book. It ended. I read the last page. I did not want it to end. I read the last page again. It still ended.

"A voice brushed her ear. `What was lies within cannot be, until time has passed with the key.'"

It's not that the book didn't come to a wonderful, climatic ending. It did. I just did not want it to end. It was action packed. It was pack with intrigue and suspense. It was packed with a whole lot of beautiful Scotsmen - wearing kilts! And, brandishing swords!

"'It lies hidden close to God, in a place where evil can't trod.' That's what it said."

This story was a wonderful romance, bred over centuries of a Scottish warrior and his mate. Their destiny, decided on by the Gods. But, love at first site, does not always take the easy path. Sometimes, it is plagued with demons and half-lings, greed and violence, and the warrior may also have to save the world a time or two before he and his mate can be joined (at least by a priest.)

""In my day, women were to be cherished and protected," Faelan said. "You can protect our backs while we fight alongside you and cherish us when we defeat the enemy," she said. Damnation. What had happened to the sane world he'd left behind where women minded hearth and home?"

Some storylines are good, but they still just hum along. If Awaken the Highland Warrior were set to music notes, it would be filled with crescendos and the clang of symbols would end the book.

If you love a good romance, and you enjoy a good battle, and if you do not mind a gargoyle or two, AND you do not mind being kept riveted to your seat - this book is for you. Click on the icon and buy it now. Don't pass Go, skip Jail, and get it now!

I think there were way too many things that really didn't add up or make sense. I think someone really should have researched a bit better because there are too many times the plot line just wouldn't work. And if I saw it anyone should.

There is one genre of books that I can't seem to pass up, those that include highland warriors, well really, any man in a kilt will do. Add in some time travel and a dose of romance and you have my undivided attention. Awaken the Highland Warrior, went even further, a successful, in charge kind of women.
Bree Kirkland has always felt that someone was watching out for her safety. Perhaps an angel. She thought nothing of digging away in the crypt in her backyard during the dark of night for missing treasure. Instead of the long sought treasure, she unearthed an ancient Scottish warrior. Faelan Connor had been interred in that crypt or rather, time vault, for the last 150 years and still bent on slaying the evil demon who had captured him.

Damsel saves warrior and then warrior feels honour bound to protect damsel. This is one damsel that is quite capable of protecting herself, most of the time, and one who is not going to sit around at home waiting for the big brave guy to do all the dangerous stuff.

This book kept me glued to it page after page as I waited to see what Bree would do next that would infuriate the chauvanistic Faelan. Really, he just needed time to adjust to 21st century living.

I really enjoyed this search of the evil doers, the quest to determine who was good and who was bad. To find out how the Archangel Michael fit into it all, you'll have to read the book. I was fascinated by Faelan's tattoos. You can catch a glimpse of them on the front cover, but the image painted in my mind was much more exciting. I can hardly wait till the next book hits the stores.

Author Anita Clenney has two more books in this series:
Embrace the Highland Warrior which is due out Novemer 2011
Unleash the Highland Warrior due out Spring 2012

How many misunderstandings can two people possibly have? These two are supposed to be in love, but they don't listen to or believe each other, ever. I am glad I only paid 99 cents, but am disgusted at my wasted hours spent hoping it would get better. It never did. It had a great premise. If it was edited to 1/2 the pages and their attraction was more believable, I may have enjoyed it. Instead I am just angry about my invested time.

I loved this book from the very first page. The writing was evocative, had a lovely touch of humour and lots of sensitivity. The story had plenty of action, romance and mystery, and I so much wanted to spend more time with the Warrior, Faelan that I re read the book as soon as I finished it.

This book had me giggling in some parts, gripping my seat in others and moved to tears in others. It's the kind of romance I love - the romance isn't the only thing happening and the sex isn't over done, but the attraction is potent. The Warrior Faelen is one of the most endearing male characters I've ever come across.
Imagine a gorgeous, well built, highland warrior who'd just time travelled from the 19th century and had walked into a modern lingerie shop.

`There he was, in all his kilted glory, standing near the edible panty display, holding a tiny piece of material in his hands.'

As well as painting a picture of a physically powerful man with a huge appetite, Anita Cleeney describes Faelen's innocence in all things modern; his vulnerability in being without his horse, his sword and any coin of his own; his curiosity at the modern world and his grief at realising that his loved ones are long dead. Although his attitudes to women appear chauvinistic to a modern woman, they come from the times in which he was born and at the base of which is a deep respect for women. He wants to cherish and protect them. He soon realises that he has to change his thinking to accommodate the modern woman, but there is something incredibly sweet about his simple desire to look after his woman and give her lots of babies.
Bree on the other hand is a modern woman who never asked to be protected though once she sees what they're up against is pleased that a man with awesome fighting skills is with her. She's not afraid of going to rescue him either and all this is quite confusing for the poor time transplanted being. Along with this tension is the attraction between them that they try hard to deny because initially they aren't quite sure what the other is, the relationship can't go anywhere because he can only marry one of his clan - and THE one he is destined for, a bit like the werewolf imprinting idea. He's lusting after her one moment and apologising for his improper behaviour the next, while she is unable to resist him one moment, then reminding herself that she's off men and that he'll be leaving as soon as he finds his clan the next. All this while battling demons and planning to take out the big one.

His clan are a delightful bunch too and the atmosphere within the family is incredibly heart-warming.
The ending might be a little too sweet in another context, but here it's perfect. I recommend this for all lovers of paranormal romance, especially if you're looking for something a little different. It's a good start for someone interested in venturing into the genre too. I give it 5 stars without hesitation and I look forward to the next instalment due near the end of the year.

This novel had a wonderful leading couple. I was drawn into their romance and thought that the issues they faced were well thought-out and expressed. Where this novel flopped for me was the lack of plot editing. There were more loose ends than I can stand to list, though the most troubling had to do with: the significance of the death of Bree's father and her general family tree, what powers Bree specifically possesses (its clear there is something going on, and it is constantly emphasized with no resolution), and the significance of Ronan's guilt about Bree's abduction. These are just three elements that received a lot of face time throughout the novel. None of the listed plot elements were explained point blank, which I think is necessary in this type of novel. There were many more unexplained devices that should have received either a final conclusion or should have been omitted all together (i.e. Why was the Book of Battles stolen and given to Bree's family? A generous portion of the mystery lies here and a completely flimsy and vague theory is expounded by a minor character -- this is all we get?!?). All of these mistakes indicate both poor editing and plot planning by the author and her editor.

The romantic elements of the story are great. The development of the relationship and the characters are well defined. I just wish that the mystery/adventure element was treated with more care and forethought. As it is the book receives 2/5 because of the disappointing lack of resolution.

Bree awakens Faelan in modern day New York. Immediately upon seeing her he recognizes her to be his mate, but dismisses it as delusion from being locked in the time vault for all those years.

The two of them embark on a journey of trying to capture the demon Faelan set out to capture all those years ago and stay two steps ahead of the demons currently out to kill them.

The premise of this book sounds great. I went into reading it expecting great action and even greater romance. Bree and Faelan's attraction was there, but it never really got off the ground with me. Sure there was sex between them, but that's all it felt like. Just sex.

The action scenario of the story was somewhat dry to me as well. A lot of backstory and history aspects I could have done without. I found that I tended to skip a couple of pages here and there.

This book was amazing!!! You wont be able to put the book down, it moves at a great pace so you stay interested and cant wait to find out what will happen next. Happy reading