Customer Reviews

Beloved Highlander

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Gregor Grant is a pushover when it comes to women in distress. But his most recent experience blew up in his face (not to mention the wound to his arm) and he's reluctant to stick his neck out for a woman again. What an unfortunate moment for Meg Mackintosh to march into his life looking for his help! He is not at all what Meg expected. First of all, he's drunk, second of all he is much more hardened and fierce (and of course handsome!) than the sensitive boy she had understood him to be. His family lost their lands twelve years ago after backing the Stuarts' claim to the English throne in the failed 1715 Rebellion. Gregor never thought to see his home again and has spent the past twelve years a soldier in the English army and trying to forget that he is, or at least should be, the laird of Glen Dhui. Which is precisely why Meg has sought him, but what, exactly does this fiery redhead want from him?

Margaret Mackintosh is the daughter of an English general who bought Glen Dhui after it was confiscated from the Grants. He met the eighteen-year-old Gregor when he was imprisoned after the rebellion, took a liking to the lad and lobbied for his freedom, for which Gregor is grateful. He has now been deceived into betrothing Meg to their neighbor the Duke of Abercauldy a man, he later learns, suspected of murdering his first wife. Knowing that he is too old to fight off Abercauldy, he sends Meg to bring back Gregor Grant who he thinks is the only man who can save them all. Just how Meg does not know, but she'll do anything for her father, and if he thinks Grant can help them, so be it.

But what he has in mind will change their lives forever. Is Gregor willing to resume his rightful place as laird - even if it means marrying the brave and fiery Meg? And will Meg agree to marry the golden haired, fierce warrior Gregor? And is there more to it than a marriage for their mutual benefit?

I loved Gregor's character and Meg's as well. He's sweet, strong, warm and honorable and she's strong, competent, pragmatic and passionate. An enjoyable romance even if the Abercauldy aspect of the story was a bit weak.

Following the success of her previous medieval trilogy, Ms. Bennett has crafted another fine historical romance novel that takes place in the Scottish Highlands of 1728 with a feisty, strong and independent heroine who is saved by, and saves the hero. Granted, a well-used plot vehicle but one that comes to life under the masterful wordsmith, Sara Bennett.

At the request of her father, General Mackintosh, Lady Margaret (Meg) set out on a mission to find Captain Gregor Grant, the man who would have been Laird of Glen Dhui, had he not obediently followed his Jacobite father and lost his inheritance in the uprising of 1715. General Mackintosh, Meg's father, had befriended the young Gregor years before and through a set of circumstances, both had saved each other's lives. Now, the General was looking for Gregor to save his daughter from a marriage contract he had arranged to a Duke whom he had recently learned might be a murderer.

Lady Margaret's (Meg) first impression of the glorious man she had imagined the boy artist, Gregor Grant had become, was disillusionment when she discovered him, in a tavern - drunk, wounded, and smelling the worse for wear after fighting a duel over a married woman. Conversely, in Gregors inebriated state, this fiery haired Scottish lass with the brightest, bluest eyes he'd ever seen, though dressed in men's trews, looked like an angel.

Meg's father, knowing Gregor to be an honorable lad, was hoping that the years had not changed him, and asked that Gregor marry his daughter in an attempt to prevent the Duke of Abercauldy from marrying her. Gregor, who was already very much attracted to Meg, agreed, but only if she approved it as well. Both are very much in love with one another but their individual histories made them each afraid to admit it to one another.

The supporting characters of Michael Bain (Gregor's man) and Alison, as long lost lovers were a special treat and a well-crafted and enjoyable couple. The pace was adequate and the lead duo was a delight. All in all, this is another satisfying historical romance from an author who is fast making her mark and gaining fans in this genre.

In 1728, dying General Mackintosh arranges for his beloved daughter Margaret to marry their wealthy neighbor Lord Abercauldy. He thought he was doing the right thing to insure Margaret's future until he learns that Abercauldy killed his first wife. Desperate to keep Margaret safe, but unable to ride because he is blind, he sends his daughter to bring home Gregor Grant, the son of the former owner of the estate. Though Gregor lost his inheritance due to the Jacobite Rebellion, he also saved the General's life so Mackintosh believes the lad is honorable.

Margaret finds Gregor drunk and wounded from a duel over a woman. She persuades him through her courageous actions to come home with her to meet the General although she is disappointed that he does not live up to her image of him based on the drawing she found that he did when he was a teen. The General asks Gregor to marry Margaret to correct his error in judgment. Gregor agrees only if Margaret agrees. She reluctantly does and they wed. Though both already love one another neither trusts the other's motives. They also must contend with an irate spouse and Abercauldy.

This is an exciting eighteenth century romance, though the resolution of the conflict with the villain occurs too easily. The story line moves rapidly forward from the moment Margaret confronts a drunken Gregor until the climax. Gregor and Margaret are a wonderful duet whose mistrust is understandable. The support crew sustains the plot's pace and enables the audience to comprehend what makes the lead duo act as they do. The bottom line is that this is a fun tale that readers will enjoy.

Harriet Klausner

Once again I have been unable to put down a Sara Bennett book. Her hunky Scottish hero with a wry sense of humour, Gregor Grant, is well-matched by the flame-haired, spirited Lady Margaret (Meg) Mackintosh.

More light-hearted than her medieval stories, Beloved Highlander has obviously given Sara much delight in the telling, and that delight is echoed by the reader of this wonderful tale of two strong characters who are determined to fight for the love they have discovered. Gregor has lost his lands and his title but not his honour. Meg has had to contend with suitors seeing only her father's wealth and property and not her goodness of heart and spirit. Although their pasts create obstacles to their love, these wonderful characters take the reader on a passionate journey which ends in a humorous solution to their problems and a joyous start to their lives together.

This is a great Scottish romance from Sara Bennett. After her Medieval trilogy I didn't think she could get any better, but this has a lighter note to it that I very much enjoyed. Gregor and Meg were wonderful characters and the story flowed very nicely. A bit of humour, too, which I enjoyed.
I'll be looking out for the next one you can be sure of that!

I am loving this author. Meg was a great heroine, so kind and giving and real. Gregor was a perfect hero. The romance is slow at first, but then it picks up after the wedding.

I bought this for the 5 star ratings and was all prepared for a nice, juicy Highland historical romance, but I found it disappointing, as you'll see from my comments below.

First to the story: At 17, Gregor Grant lost his role as future Laird of Glen Dhui with the Scottish uprising of 1715, even though his father was the Jacobite in his family. Gregor is spared transport from Scotland by English General Mackintosh whose life Gregor saves. Gregor becomes resigned to a life away from his clan and takes a job as Captain in a Campbell regiment where he has been serving for years. Meanwhile, Gen. Mackintosh now owns Glen Dhui and needs Gregor's help. Mackintosh sends his daughter, Margaret, to find Gregor and bring him back to help them defeat the claim of an evil suitor (the neighboring duke) who Macintosh betrothed her to in a weak moment. Margaret grew up with visions of Gregor as a golden boy who drew beautiful pictures, so she is shocked to find a dark, scowling warrior sitting in a tavern smelling of booze and bleeding from a sword wound. Gregor agrees to help her--for pay--since he was needing a change anyway.

From the beginning I could see where this was going and that's always disconcerting. OBVIOUSLY she needed to marry Gregor, making him laird and defeating the evil duke's claim. Duh. That the heroine didn't see this just made her look stupid. But the predictability of all that wasn't the biggest negative for me. It was the author's style of overly long passages of character introspection. Pages and pages of it. OK, so they lusted after each other from the beginning and she was insecure and he experienced mixed feelings being back home. I got it already. I didn't need to read it over and over again. (I'm not convinced a guy would be spinning all that around in his head anyway. But even so, it was just repetitive and boring.) I skipped many of those paragraphs and missed no dialog or action. Two thirds of the way through the book, they finally wed. To my way of thinking, that could have been accomplished in the first 50-100 pages. The story just dragged for me.

Like another reviewer, I found the heroine annoying. She was overly concerned with her plain looks and incredibly insecure (ostensibly this was due to her suitors who were only interested in her wealth but that didn't make sense as her father loved and doted upon her). She also constantly questioned Gregor's feelings for her without justification which really got old.

Some who don't mind the slower pace and the long passages of introspection might find this a worthy read. It's my first by Bennett and I suppose it's her style and her fans are used to it. To me, it was only mildly entertaining and easy to put down. While I finished it, I was not enthralled. For a list of those Scottish/Highlander historicals I believe justify 5 and 4 stars, see my Best Scottish/Highlander Historical Romances list.

One last thought. The cover picture of the hero is wrong. He does not have hair that dark. The book, on the few occasions it refers to his hair, describes it as tawny with gold highlights.

This was a nice book and I liked the writing style. I liked the secondary story about Alison and Malcolm but thought the author could have explored it a little bit further. Both Meg and Gregor were refreshing in that they were not as bitter and angry as many heros and heroines.

I felt like the story just went in circles. No matter what the heroine never felt worthly, loved, beautiful, bla bla bla. So she had red hair and freckles. Since when did that make you an ugly duckling? Up to the VERY end of the book she was worried her man didn't love her when he never once did anything to prove otherwise. Also I'm sure she was meant to come across as strong willed (which I love when they are not weak) but she just came across very unlikable. I kept wondering why he did like her so much! I also usually love the secondary characters but just didn't feel anything for anyone.