The whole premise is based on such a weak case for something that it's really kind of a stretch to go along with. And the heroine is mostly ruled by her impulses and lacking anything near wisdom, that it made it hard for me to enjoy her. Overall just a miss for me. ( )

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The holidays are supposed to be a joyful time. However, Temperance Menzie is grieving the loss of her father. He died at the hands of the Black Riders. Temperance swears vengeance on whoever is responsible for her father’s murder. In her grief-stricken haze, she nearly bowls over an injured stranger in the woods. Temperance couldn’t save her father’s life, but she will do all that is in her power to save the life of this stranger.

Cailean Grant is a part of The Black Riders. From my understanding, this is explained more fully in a previous story. The details are below. But he is desperate to keep this a secret to Temperance. Cailean never wanted to join the Black Riders. He has fought to the death, and may do so again in the future, but this is not the man he sought to become. It was truly a matter of survival. Now Cailean must survive his injuries, but will he survive the guilt assailing him?

While Cailean struggles to recover he must contend with very mixed feelings. He was certain that he had found the love of his life, but tragically, she died in his arms. However, it doesn’t take him long to realize that he has growing feelings for Temperance. Meanwhile, she has been promised in marriage to a man she does truly love, but only as a dear friend. This is made ever more clear to her, as she must contend with things only Cailean can make her feel.

Considering the time and setting of this story, more than just romance is explored here. Danger is ever-present in this story, right from the outset. Also, we see facets of Temperance’s personality explored as she is determined to kill the man responsible for her father’s murder. Meanwhile, Cailean’s secret really offsets any chance for a future between them.

As this story has Christmas in the title, the season is part of what is going on, although quite different for our day and age, and even most locales. I was able to enjoy the story, which was a bit heavier towards danger and the thirst for vengeance. Nonetheless, I was pleased by the time I reached the happy ending. The rabbit trails may be a bit twisty at times, but Paula Quinn is a very intelligent writer who gave me as a reader the opportunity to feel the intensity of all of the predicaments as they happened.

Add to all of that a fast-paced story, likable characters and men in kilts and you definitely have me prepared to continue this series. As a matter of fact, I downloaded the next two books listed here, and will be receiving the latest title any day now.

The Highlander’s Christmas Kiss is the fifth book in the Highland Heirs series. The following books that have been released are The Scot’s Bride, Laird of the Black Isle/> and Highlander Ever After./>There were four previous stories in a related series, The MacGregors: Highland Heirs,/> that is loosely connected to this one. ( )

This story is another fantastic read from the MacGregor/Grant legacy.

Cailean Grant is a broken highlander taken to riding with a band mercenaries hired by Edward Murdoch called The Black Riders. His personal tragedies have left him with a dark heart that is cold and empty.

Temperance Menzie is the carefree daughter Seth Menzie of Linavar, tenants of Lord Murdoch. She is spunky, witty and loyal.

Cailean catches a glimpse of Temperance while at the Kenmore market and is captivated by her. On their journey back to Lyons Ridge, Cailean’s cousin Patrick MacGregor is shot with an arrow. In an effort to retaliate against the perpetrator Temperance’s father is killed. Seeing temperance lose her father, and him being the cause of it, he goes to check on her and attempt to apologize.

This is a wonderful tale of forgiveness that will pull at your heartstrings. The twists and turns (and there were plenty) had my heart racing and I couldn’t read fast enough! Every time I thought I knew where it was going I was wrong. Paula Quinn is a wonderful storyteller. She paints a wonderful world of believable characters and brilliant plots and this book is no different. I was truly captivated!

*** I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review through Netgalley.com***
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I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

After having his last two true loves die in his arms, Cailean has decided that the only way to go through life is to be completely cold-hearted and not grow attached to anyone. He joins a group of mercenaries called the Black Riders and tries to shut himself off from the world. His cousin Patrick refuses to leave him though and does his best to keep Cailean from icing over his heart. When Patrick gets shot with an arrow, Cailean demands vengeance, unfortunately, his anger leads him on the wrong path.
Temperance has long tried to avoid Duncan Murdoch and his father's group of Black Riders. When they come to her village and murder her father in front of her, she vows vengeance against all the Riders. Cailean and Temperance both have their fair share of hurt, anger, and pain but will they be able to see beyond all that to the love and happiness awaiting them beneath it all?

"Ye are my candle in the dark."

Fifth in the MacGregor's Highland Heir series, we get Cailean Grant's story. We last saw him losing the woman he loved as she died in his arms and are reminded that his beloved dog also died in his arms. Both instances are heartbreaking but if you haven't read the past books, you wouldn't know how much Cailean loved his dog, there is little mention of the woman, and what we do get is how Cailean only knew her for a couple weeks and no one else knew he was in love. It makes the two instances seem distant and doesn't wrench the readers hearts, therefore making Cailean’s insistence to be cold-hearted and shut off from the world seem a bit over dramatic. It also gave a contradictory feel when Cailean mentions how he misses writing poetry and is given to flowery talk to and about Temperance but supposed to be totally against falling in love; it felt as if the author was trying to mold Cailean into someone he wasn't.

Temperance was the independent, beautiful but doesn't realize it, and strong willed heroine, not a lot to distinguish her from other heroines in the genre. She was likeable until towards the end where we have to have the prerequisite extra angst and Temperance gets extra strong willed (stupid) in her quest for vengeance. Cailean and Temperance didn't have the burning chemistry I search for in books, they start off very doe-eyed about each other's looks and it feels like it is just a given that they will then end up together.

The villain was satisfactorily villainous, Temperance's Gram was sweet and quaint, and Cailean's cousin Patrick was loyal and side-eye sexy enough to anticipate his book. The biggest problem I had with this is that if you have read the other books in the series, no new ground is covered here and in fact, this book felt like a lot of filler; nothing really happens for most of it. Cailean slowly recovers from an injury as Temperance is attracted to him, there is the side angst that Cailean is a Black Rider and Temperance hates them, and then the ending danger as Duncan Murdoch comes back into play; I felt myself getting bored through a lot of the middle.

With a title of A Highlander's Christmas Kiss, you'd expect some holiday ambience and the story definitely delivers on that front. The talk of the celebrations the villagers observe along with the scenery and weather adding to the scenes was my favorite part of the story. If you're a diehard reader of the MacGregor series and have to know how each descendant of The Devil MacGregor and his friend Graham Grant end up, then this could be a good Christmas time story but others probably won't find a lot here for them.


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**I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own and not influenced by my source.**

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this one a lot but when I compare it to others in this universe, it fell a little flat.

For once, it was nice to read a slow burn Highlander romance. It gets exhausting reading about these love at first sight heroines and heroines and I liked that that wasn't the case here. It took these two a long time to build up the simmering tension. However, in that time I wanted that connection to be expanded upon more. I get that Cailean likes her "fiery" spirit but it never becomes more than that (or if it did it was lost on me). They do bond a bit later over past experiences of loss but I just wanted that little but more.

I also found Temperance to be a tad immature. I could have forgiven her if she was maybe 20 but she was nearing 30. I suppose Cailean found it endearing but it just caused so much unnecessary drama.

The premise is exciting--it's one of my favourite tropes--but it doesn't get to be used to it's full potential until the very end and by that point my interest was waning. The slow burn had burnt me out a bit as did the many page numbers. Which is a shame because the last 50 or so pages were super exciting.

Fans who enjoy slower and sweet romances with a touch of danger will love this. As will previous fans of Quinn's work. ( )