Irresistible MacRae: Book Three of the Highland Lords [Hardcover]

Karen Ranney (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2002

To avoid a scandal that would devastate her family, Riona McKinsey has agreed to marry the wrong man -- though the one she yearns for is James MacRae. Had she not been maneuvered into a compromising position by a man of Edinburgh -- who covets her family's wealth more than Riona's love -- the dutiful Highland miss could have followed her heart into MacRae's strong and loving arms. But alas, it is not to be.

A man of the wild, tempest-tossed ocean, James MacRae never dreamed he'd find his greatest temptation on land. Yet from the instant the dashing adventurer first gazed deeply into Riona's haunting gray eyes, he knew there was no lass in all of Scotland he'd ever want more. The matchless lady is betrothed to another -- and unwilling to break off her engagement or share the reason why she will marry her intended. But how can MacRae ignore the passion that burns like fire inside, drawing him relentlessly toward a love that could ruin them both?

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The vibrant protagonists in Karen Ranney's latest Highland Lords romance (after When the Laird Returns) rise above the story's plain prose and formulaic plot line. Scottish country miss and heiress Riona McKinsey has the mind of a modern woman but the duty of an 18th-century daughter to marry well. When a fortune-hunter traps her into an engagement, her hopes for the future wilt until James, The Irresistible MacRae, arrives bearing a message from a family friend. Predictably, Riona and James fall in love, but their happily-ever-after is a while in coming. First they must contend with Riona's grasping fiance, and then they have to ward off an enemy of the MacRaes' who's determined to kill James. While the story line is far from fresh, those interested in a simply told, sweet romance that doesn't skimp on historical detail will be satisfied.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

About the Author

Karen Ranney wanted to be a writer from the time she was five years old and filled her Big Chief tablet with stories. People in stories did amazing things and she was too shy to do anything amazing. Years spent in Japan, Paris, and Italy, however, not only fueled her imagination, but proved that she wasn't that shy after all. Yet she prefers to keep her current adventures between the covers of her books. Karen lives in San Antonio, Texas.

--This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: San Val (December 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1417710683
• ISBN-13: 978-1417710683
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,053,490 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Karen Ranney was first published in 1995. Since then, she's gone on to write dozens of historical romances, most of them set in Scotland.

Her books have been described as evocative, intensely romantic stories featuring characters who leap off the page.

In addition to historical romance, she also writes mystery and suspense under the pseudonym of Katherine Storm.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not as Good as Books One & Two, December 18, 2002

By 

M. Rondeau (West Springfield, MA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Irresistible Macrae: Book Three of the Highland Lords (Mass Market Paperback)

Having been sent to Edinburgh to be presented to society in hopes of finding a husband the very wealthy heiress Riona McKinsey has been maneuvered into a most compromising position by a calculating fortune hunter. Using Riona's love for her family as a weapon to threaten scandal and ruin upon her she grudgingly agrees to a betrothal and marriage with the odious greedy suitor.

Her mother, Susanna, had sent a plea to her friend Fergus MacRae to see if he could help her figure a way out of the mess Riona had fallen into. Fergus couldn't come but sent his nephew James MacRae as his emissary. Once Susanna, saw James she concocted a scheme to have him spend time at her estate half hoping that an attraction would happen between Riona and James. Naturally, as they try to ignore the attraction - James being honorable realizing that she was betrothed and Riona having committed herself to a betrothal and trying to honor her agreement to save her family from scandal, the inevitable happens and they fall in love.

I have to say that I've read all of Karen Ranney's novels to date and have been most satisfied up until now. Her prose of course, is outstanding and you get all warm and fuzzy as these two fall in love - James being the more poetically sensitive of the MacRae brothers, but the plot really does not make sense. Once the mother had agreed to her daughters sacrifice betrothal what on earth did she hope to accomplish by maneuvering her daughter and James into a lustful encounter? But more importantly, knowing what a toad her betrothed was for manipulating her into a compromising position, and Riona being portrayed as an independent and resourceful daughter - what difference did it make which scandal would be worse - the Riona breaking off a forced betrothal with a man she despised - or running off to Gretna Green with a man who was her love and kindred spirit? Never mind that Riona was supposedly doing it all for her sweet sister so that the sister could marry the man she was in love with. Why didn't the sister see how miserable Riona was being forced into marrying someone she did not love? The secondary plot of someone trying to kill James was not of primary importance to the plot and was dealt with rather haphazardly and used, I believe, as a vehicle solely to put James and Riona in a compromising position.

I am sorry to say that the third book of Highland Lords series just did not live up to my expectations of a Karen Ranney novel especially after having read everything else she has written plus the first two books of the series that had much more excitement and sensuality to them. She did manage to pull off the ending so I did not rate this so much by the weakness of the plot as I did by her exquisite prose - Rating a 3 would have been too low but with no 1/2 points in this rating system I am giving it a 4*.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars delightful Scottish historical romance, December 15, 2002

By 

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

This review is from: The Irresistible Macrae: Book Three of the Highland Lords (Mass Market Paperback)

In 1778 Scotland, Harold McDougal tricks Riona McKinsey into entering the gardens by informing the heiress that her sister was there weeping. When she goes into the gardens, she quickly realizes her sibling is not there. Harold follows Riona and insures everyone sees them together so that she is compromised and must marry him. Though she prefers to reject this odious money grabber, a scandal would destroy her sister's chances for happiness so a reluctant and irate Riona agrees to wed Harold in a month.

Riona's mother Susanna wants her daughters happy but cannot see Riona with this smiling con artist. She asks for help from her friend Fergus, but he is getting married so he sends his nephew James MacRae to assist Susannah. When he gets ready to go home, Susanna concocts a ploy to keep him here because she has a bigger plan that centers on James and Riona, whose passion for each other makes it easier to accomplish. However, Riona is betrothed and someone wants James dead making the permanency that Susanna envisions vey unlikely to occur.

Though the third Highlands Lord book reads somewhat like the previous two and has too easy solutions to Riona's dilemma, readers will relish this Scottish romance because the lead couple makes for a delightful pair that the audience will cherish. The story line is fast-paced and loaded with the intrigue of the late eighteenth century. Still the cast owns the novel especially Riona, James and that wile coyote Harold, who for the most part is, as clever villain readers will find in a historical.

Harriet Klausner

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable read, July 20, 2008

By 

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

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This review is from: The Irresistible Macrae: Book Three of the Highland Lords (Mass Market Paperback)

Don't be put off by the title as it doesn't do the story justice (it's not one of those stories where the hero is irresistible and knows it). While you might groan a bit at the character of the mother and sister, basically the hero and heroine make a delightful couple and it's a fun read. It's not of the same caliber as say, Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander" but for light reading you'll enjoy it.