Highland Wolf [Paperback]

Hannah Howell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2008

In this all-new novel, "New York Times" bestselling author Howell returns to the breathtaking Scottish Highlands with the unforgettable Murray clan and the stunning Annora MacKay, who cannot resist the desire awakened in her by an alluring stranger. Original.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Zebra (January 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 082178000X
• ISBN-13: 978-0821780008
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #179,725 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #9 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Romance > Authors, A-Z > ( H ) > Howell, Hannah

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars entertaining Highland historical romance, January 4, 2008

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Highland Wolf (Paperback)

By 1477 Scotland disgraced former Laird James Drummond knows if he is caught he will be executed for killing his wife Mary three years ago. However, he also realizes as he hides that he will soon need to get inside his former home Dunncraig to find proof that his late spouse's relative and current Laird Donnell MacKay killed or arranged the killing of his late spouse. James also wants to hold his child Margaret whom he desperately misses, but claimed as his by the devious new Laird.

He manages to get inside Dunncraig masquerading as a master carver. However, as he uses his disguise to get around the keep, James meets Donnell's cousin Annora MacKay, who takes care of the laird's young daughter. They are attracted to one another and she unmasks him; but instead of exposing James, she helps him. When James goes berserk when someone tries to rape his beloved Annora, they are forced to flee. However, they are caught by his enemy leaving them no time left for love as he is to be executed while she has already been flogged.

Few authors if any can match the passion that Hannah Howell consistently brings to her Highland historical romances. Although somewhat like her myriad of previous well written fifteenth century Scottish tales, fans will relish Ms. Howell's terrific HIGHLAND WOLF as the probability of this couple surviving seems almost zero.

Harriet Klausner

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Mediocre Medieval..., January 12, 2008

By 

Jody Allen (US) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Highland Wolf (Paperback)

As readers, we all have authors who are auto-buys, you know the ones that if they wrote the back of a cereal box you would be first in line to buy it. Well Hannah Howell is one of those authors for me. I have enjoyed all her books (with the exception of her vampires) with the Murray Clan. Her heroines usually possess a unique gift that either the hero has to endure or embraces, much to the surprise of the heroine. Unfortunately, the heroine's gift in HIGHLAND WOLF wasn't very well developed. Ms Howell tells us about it rather than having the heroine show us through her actions and in the dark moment-the rescue of the hero, she doesn't use it. It seems an after thought at best.

Also her hero, Sir John Drummond is a letdown. His wife has died in a fire that he is framed for, making him an outlaw of the crown, so he leaves his two year old daughter behind (lives in a cave for three years) in the care of the man who is responsible for his exhile (the reader knows this upfront/not a spoiler). He has an epiphany (not sure what caused this) and decides to go back to his keep in disguise (not very convincing--changes hair color and adds a eye patch) to find out who really did his wife in. Big Martha (the cook) figures out who he is but no one else does, makes you wonder how well his clan really knew him. His marriage was one not a love match resulting in a less than satisfying sexual relationship, but he states (in the beginning of the book) his wife was a good mother. But as the story unfolds he is quick too admit she wasn't a good mother, leaving the reader to wonder at the inconsistency.

The heroine, a bastard by birth has been passed form one clan member to another never calling anyplace home, has but only a few moments of indecision (she doesn't want to be like her mum) before she falls for the charm and into the bed of the hero. Yet after the dark moment, she can't marry the hero, because she isn't good enough. What!!! She was too self-effacing for me to really care about her. This coupled with the hero constantly claiming her as "mine" (this is really getting to bug me with medievals) when another character has designs on her, he treats her like his property even when he isn't sure he is ready for such a long term relationship and the heroine lets him get a way with it. NO WAY!! This is atypical for Howell heroine. I can't imagine a Murray heroine putting up with that. An ok read but not her best, if you haven't read her before find ELFKING'S LADY, UNCONQUERED or any of the Murray clan titles first.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Helpless Highlander, January 14, 2008

By 

Misuzmama (New York, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Highland Wolf (Paperback)

Three years ago James Drummond was wrongfully accused of murdering his wife and deemed an outlaw. So he fled his keep and remained hidden all this time. Finally, the Laird has decided to return and get back what is rightfully his; Dunncraig Keep and his five-year old daughter Margaret.

Annora MacKay is a bast*rd as well as a poor woman with no dowry or lands to offer. So she drifts from one relative to another, relying on their charity to keep her alive. She had no purpose in life until she was summoned by her cousin to come and take care of his two year old daughter. That was three years ago and little Meggie has become her soul purpose for life now.

But Annora suspects something is amiss. Her cruel cousin shelters her and the girl, like a prison. Any disobedience is met with swift physical punishment, which Annora has learned to avoid. Still when a handsome woodcarver arrives at the keep, Annora is intrigued. She has the gift of 'sensing ones feelings' and this man carries a lot of hatred towards her malicious cousin. Why? Before she knows it, she's entangled herself in a deadly plot with seemingly no means of escape.

Just an OK book. I really enjoyed the complete change of plot in this one. Refreshing because I didn't get the sense of deja vu like I did in some of Howells other books (some seem to be the same book with different characters) Anyhow the setting is fresh and held a lot of promise, but failed somewhat. I never really felt that James was a "wolf", you know -on the attack, out for revenge- type. Not aggressive enough. He is too timid for me and a bit helpless. I understand that it is not possible for him to just go and attack the keep because he is an outlaw, but too flee? Like a dog with its tale between its legs? That just smacks of anti alpha behavior and I just plain like my highlanders as alpha males.

I did also notice that there is a lot of violence in this book compared to her others. I didn't really like that. Have sword fights, kill the enemy a gruesome way -no problem, but the abuse the heroine? A bit too much for me.

And then there is the revenge. How James finally finds the 'evidence' that Annora's cousin is the villain is frankly laughable. It really gives new meaning to the word stupid criminals. It is just too much of a stretch for me.

So if you've read Howell before then your used to the characters brogue (for newbies it takes a bit of getting used too -ye ken?) and if you don't mind the slightly less than alpha hero & the violence then you might like this one. A stand alone book with plenty of sexual tension and loves scenes. And the little girl is very cute too.

Not a bad read, just not my favorite Howell. Some of my other favorites in this genre include the authors Garwood, Sands, Quinn and McCarty.