Highland Lord

I should probably start by saying that I'm not a fan of romances - this is the first I've "read" (I picked the audio book up from the library due to boredom and limited choices), and I'm afraid that aspect of the story did not inspire me to seek out more. I didn't take that into account in my rating, though, since most people looking at this page probably *are* romance fans and not interested my personal genre biases. That said, the story was enjoyable and the characters engaging, though (with the notable exceptions of Elen and Munro) they were a bit 2-dimensional for my taste. Lately, I've been reading mostly historical fiction where the emphasis is on research and accuracy, so the anachronisms in this novel were a bit disconcerting. For example, there were numerous mentions of "clan tartans" 500 years before that 19th-century tradition began. Still and all - and this is probably my genre bias talking - it was better than I expected. It did pique my interest in that historical period (I've read about the Viking influx in Ireland, but not Scotland), so I'll probably try to find some good non-romance historical fiction in that area.

This is the first I have read of a romance histroy or that of Colleen Faulkner. I have felt like I was there with them in the flesh. A must read.

Colleen Faulkner never disappoints a reader! Highland Lord is a great book. I didn't want it to end. It made me cry and laugh, and I thought the unusual romance plot was wonderful. Faulkner's characters leap off the pages. I'm ready to buy a ticket to Scotland this minutes. Those who enjoy a well-crafted historical with a strong heroine and tasteful sensuality will love this story.A Faithful Faulkner Reader

Fans of Colleen Faulkner's HIGHLAND LADY will easily recall the heroine's vicious sister Rosalyn and her plot to destroy those around her. Rosalyn had arranged her own kidnapping with the aid of Lord Munro Rancoff's younger brother, manipulating him to her will. At the conclusion of the novel, Monro's brother died and Rosalyn had been shipped off to a nunnery to live out her existence. Young Anne, the illegitimate daughter of King Robert the Bruce, had also arrived to wait for the time she's old enough for her father to marry her to an appropriate alliance. HIGHLAND LORD begins eight years later when the bastard son of Munro arrives demanding acknowledgement. The son of a Norsewoman, Tor Henneson prepares to fight, to argue, and to overwhelm his father with his rage and resentment for the man he believes to have abandoned himself and his mother. Rather than questioning his son's claims, Munro immediately ascertains the truth of his son's words and accepts him as his son. Tor demands coin so that he might return to his mother's lands. Munro promises a rightful share of his wealth when Tor proves himself worthy to a Forret.In the weeks that follow, Tor finds himself torn between his old heritage and this new one. He also finds himself quickly falling under the spell of the beautiful Anne. But Viking half-breeds aren't ordinarily allowed to marry daughters of kings, legitimate or not. But dark trechery once more brews in the highlands, threatening to lay waste to its lands and people in a bitter plot of revenge.A richly textured novel, HIGHLAND LORD blends the strengths and the power of HIGHLAND LADY with a new generation. While strongly influenced by her guardians, Anne has her own independent ways. She doesn't wear the man's garb that Elen favors, yet she speaks her mind and maintains her independence admirably. Tor's initial anger and resentment mellows into a powerful yet loving character that will delight romance lovers. His newfound loyalties, his sense of responsibility toward his younger brothers, and his growing love and respect for his new family lends him a fascinating depth. Yet Tor also falls into the typical male approach to love, not recognizing a woman's desire for romantic displays of affection. After all, Vikings rule their women, and Viking women would never disagree with their mates.The secondary plot will delight fans with the struggles of comparing a long-term relationship with the impetuous powers of a new love. Elen is still a fierce warrior woman who cares little for clean floors, yet is tempered by her passionate nature, wearing men's clothes and loving her husband deeply. She struggles with the changes that eight years make in a marriage, missing the passion of those first loving days; she struggles with the conflicts of duty and love that drain one's energy before going to bed at night. Her husband reveals the weaknesses many men fall into when in a comfortable relationship, neglecting to remind the woman of his heart tha