Customer Reviews

Highland Wife (Harlequin Historical)

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

 

 

I'm not usually fond of the "misunderstanding" plot line - you know the kind, where there is some type of misunderstanding in the first chapter of the book. The couple then spends the next 8 chapters not explaining what really happened. They finally explain in Chapter 9 and everyone is happy by Chapter 10.

The misunderstanding in this book is a little more complex. The hero is deaf and her father fails to mention that to her. Immediately on the heals of the wedding, they are forced to flea her father's home because an angry, jealous cousin attacks the keep.

When Robert realizes Mairi doesn't know he's deaf, it's already too late. He wants the marriage to work, but his honor won't let her make the final commitment to him (consumation) until she knows the truth. But he wants to wait until he's home to tell her the truh. He is equally afraid of her pity and her scorn. He feels that by showing her how he has kept his keep and has the respect of his people will prove to her that he will be a good provider.

Without the marriage consummated, she can still back out of the marriage contract. His honor demands nothing less.

This story line worked because Robert had very real reasons for keeping his secret. He wanted her told. In fact, it was a stipulation to the marriage contract in the first place. That the misunderstanding occured was not his fault and it was something he wanted to rectify very badly.

I liked how the author dealt with a deaf hero. Especially a deaf hero in an unusual time period - Medieval Scotland. She mention a few of the signs he learned and created over the years. She even mentions how he managed to survive without his hearing and became a knight.

I liked how his honor was important to him. I liked how Mairi took the news, dealt with it in a clear headed fashion. She was a strong heroine, full of courage and passion.

This was a very good book - I highly recommend.

Robert MacBain travels to the Highlands for an arranged marriage with Mairi MacInness. He thinks that as part of the negotiations, she has been told about his deafness, but she hasn't, then they are attacked and one calamity follows another and he can't find a good way to tell her. The plot revolves around him trying to find a way to tell her, and her trying to figure him out. The whole miscommunication plot threatens to get frustrating, but somehow the author pulls it off. What sets this one apart is that unlike every other "wounded hero" romance, Robert is not some aloof, cold-hearted jerk--he's really sweet and generous. And Mairi is not some sheltered bimbo, she actually shows some intelligence. Also the story is not entirely from Mairi's point of view; about half the narration is from Robert's POV, and we find out a lot about how he lost his hearing as a small child, and how his mother invented a sign language and taught him to speak and lip-read. The descriptions of his deafness are very realistic; the author indicates in the dedication that her son is deaf, which explains the realism.
The Bride of Trouville is the story of how Rob's mother and stepfather met when he was a child, and The Quest is the story of Rob's stepbrother Henri.

I really loved this book. I thought it was so neat to have a deaf hero, and to see how he has compensated and become a very strong, capable man during a time when people with disabilities were discounted and not even considered worthy of having their own properties and running their lives. I also enjoyed the relationship between Mairi and Robert. Lyn Stone knows how to write romantic and sensual, and interesting love stories. A must read."

This is the first time in years that I've read a Harlequin romance novel. Boy have thing changed. I remember them being very typical with no sex. This novel not only had a great story but was also steamy. Reading this book makes me want to rethink my notion that Harlequin books are too childish. This book was better than some of the regular romance novels where the sex was tbe only thing they had going for them.

I picked up this book because I love the Scottish historicals. I really loved this story. I liked Mairi because she was strong and independant, but also soft. I LOVED Rob!!!! He was so sensitive and sweet. I couldn't put the book down. I liked the conflict between Mairi and Thomas, it was just so funny to see them competeing for Rob's affection and attention. And the best was the way Mairi always stood up for Rob and never backed down on anything. Overall, Mairi was a person I could be friends with, adn Rob was definitely the kind of guy I could fall in love with.

The nice thing about this story is that it's different. We have a strong warrior who happens to be deaf, one who accepts his fate and develops his character with honor and honesty. He is not bitter, but a well balanced, emotionally honest (and intelligent) man. How refreshing! At the prompting of his steward, he agrees to take a wife, and his steward, who is his life long friend and who takes his responsibility seriously, finds him a beautiful lass in the Highlands. The steward makes a full disclosure to her father that the warrior is deaf. The father, however, in his ignorance decides not to tell her and so the story begins.

I thought all the characters were well developed except for the heroine, who seemed to me incapable of being in relationship to others, and was so contradictory she didn't feel "real". That said, it's still an interesting story.

One of the best books I ever read !

The Highland Wife is a phenomenal book with a brilliant plot and excellent characters (I loved Maire and Rob).
I had a wonderful time reading this sweet and funny romance, It made me laugh, sigh and dream a lot !!!!!!!!!!!! It was so romantic and hot !!!!!!!!!!
Lyn Stone has totally surprised me with this marvellous romance. I could not put it down once I began reading and I'm planning to read it ever year.

Congratulations Lyn Stone !!!!!!!!

Actually, I didn't read this book in english, I've read a copy in Portuguese (this book was translated) by the name "Coragem de Mulher". But I'm planning to buy a original copy.