Reckless

I found it funny when I was reading in the other 2 books in the series about how jealous Tavis and Iain reacted whenever Alexander got around their women....almost made them realize just what they had but still they needed an extra push of "life happens" to really make them take that step and commit. Alexander would come around as cool as you please with all his charm and good looks to point out what they were doing wrong and even tell them what they needed to do to save their relationships...but also to let it be known if they stepped wrong, he could be there for their women to pick up the pieces. But as usual, life happens and now Alexander is bitter and distrustful of all women. When Alexander captures Ailis, Jamie and the kids and takes them home, she does all she can to make sure her identity remains a secret. After seeing that look in his eyes, she knows exactly what Alexander wants from her. Barra kind of throws a wrench in the plan when he sees her and thinks she's her sister...so right then and there she knows the gig is up. Like one of the other reviewers mentioned, the funniest scene is when Sibeal brought Alexander low for hitting Ailis. As expected, Ailis and Alexander start a love affair and she begins to fall for him, but of course past experience makes him cold and mean towards her when he can't seem to control his feelings and wants for her. Ailis knows she's the pawn for her uncle, her betrothed and even Alexander but tries to snatch what ever pieces of happiness while she can, even if the emotions are returned because she knows it'll be harder on her once she returns to her betrothed. When Ailis and Alexander get captured, that's when he begins to get a taste of his own medicine...Malcolm comes along and Alexander is left to wonder just why he's being so nice and why he would step up to help her going against his own clansmen. I feel the only thing missing in this story is a follow-up with the MacLagans....both Islaen and Storm had said previously, when he finds the right woman Alexander would change his ways and I'm sure Tavis and Iain would've like to have seen how the mighty Alexander had fallen.

Shows great passion and romance. Hannah makes you fall in love with the characters and feel what they feel!

How can you beat her? She is Nora Roberts writing 800 years earlier! I try to read everything Hannah puts out and I am never disappointed.

Setting - Scotland, 1375 --- Ailis MacFarlane, was not happy but resolved to marry Donald MacCordy, a man she despised in a betrothal arranged by her uncle and guardian Colin MacFarlane. As it was the fate of women to be a bargaining chip for alliances amongst clans her only concession was that the three illegitimate children of her sister be allowed to come and live with her after the marriage. Close as she had been to her sister Maire, she'd never been told who the children's father was. Alexander MacDubh, was rumored to be as handsome as he was arrogant and cold and he deeply hated Colin MacFarlane, the man who had killed his father and stolen Leargan from them. When he learned that his youngest brother Barra had an affair and fathered three children with a MacFarlane lover whom he hadn't seen in years, he immediately set out to kidnap and bring the children back to be raised by the MacDubh clan. In the process of abducting the children he also brought back Ailis whom he'd mistakenly thought was the children's nursemaid. Ailis had been raised to hate and despise the enemy clan of the MacDubh's and consequently on the day that she and the children were kidnapped she hoped to keep her identity a secret until she could escape. Ailis also knew that as a maiden of an enemy clan, her virtue would be forfeit before she would be released back to her clan. If they discovered that she was the heir to Colin MacFarlane she might even be ransomed. However, noticing that the MacDubh laird was the handsomest man she'd ever seen, and realizing that once she was finally ransomed back to her clan she would be married to the obnoxious Donald MacCordy who definitely would not be gentle - ravishment by Alexander seemed to be pleasanter alternative. *** I totally loved this story and Ailis was a fabulously strong and spunky heroine. Knowing full well the laird of an enemy clan would ravish her, she decided she wouldn't fight and to make the most of the inevitable had a bottle of wine smuggled into her and got herself pretty well foxed before it happened! The tipsy dialog surrounding the event was hilarious and while some may construe it as rape, I just did not see it that way at all. Alexander, who tried so hard to assume indifference and to keep his hatred for anything MacFarlane had never counted on the passion he felt for the very beautiful Ailis, whose spirit and wit totally disarmed him. The children were a delight especially when tiny five year old Sibeal came to her Aunt Ailis' defense, practically unmanning Alexander while giving him a complete dressing down - now that was a hoot! The secondary characters including her loyal friend Jamie, the children, and the men at arms all add a wonderful depth to this action packed, and sensually stimulating medieval romance. --- Marilyn, for www.historicalromancewriters.com ---

THIS BOOK WAS GREAT, I READ IT IN 2 DAYS,COULD'NT PUT IT DOWN. ONE REVIEW SAYS THE HERO WAS A JERK, BUT HE REALLY WAS JUST A VERY HURT MAN UNTILL A GOOD LASS SAVED HIM FROM THAT.. IT IS ALSO A MORE REALESTIC ROMANCE ABOUT THE TIME PERIOD OF THIS ERA... HANNAH HOWELL IS GREAT, PLEASE DON'T PASS THIS ONE UP.....

Ailis MacFarlane is at a loss at how to prevent her upcoming nuptials to her abhorrent betrothed, Donald MacCordy. However, her uncle, not to mention her fiancé and his family, are determined to see her wed in order to unite the MacCordys' and the MacFarlanes' clans. Just as she thinks her wedding to Donald is inevitable, in rides the brutally handsome laird Alexander MacDubh to capture Ailis, her sister's children, and her giant protector Jaime out from under enemy hands. His daring is by no means noble move, but instead a calculated move in order to reunite his brother Barra with his children, whom he had only just learnt about. In a drunken stupor, Barra had recounted to his older brother how six years ago he had had an affair with Mairi, Ailis's sister and daughter of the MacDubh's deepest enemy, not to mention fathering three children whom he has not seen since his Mairi died. The MacFarlane's are to blame for Alexander and Barra's father's death as well as stealing their land. However, the children are Barra's and they carry MacDubh blood in their veins and Alexander would see them in his hands. When he captured Ailis and her brood Alexander had no idea that his enemy would become a main part of his world. His mistrust over women stemmed from two bad marriages in which his wives had used him and turned him into an embittered man set on revenge. However, he is drawn to Ailis with a passion he cannot deny but will his suspicious nature of women prevent him and Ailis from becoming more? Hannah Howell does a superb job of writing a true Scottish Highland romance. From the language to the setting, Ms. Howell accurately conveys the time period. You will come to empathize with the characters, main as well as secondary. This is one historical romance reissue (previously written under the name Anna Jennet) not to be missed.