Another tortured hero, full of self-loathing. A sweet, standard Scottish romp, easy reading. I liked the hero, Sin, and the romance was nice and steamy. (3.5 stars) ( )

Another tortured hero, full of self-loathing. A sweet, standard Scottish romp, easy reading. I liked the hero, Sin, and the romance was nice and steamy. (3.5 stars) ( )

This is my favorite of the Kinley MacGregor books in general, and of the MacAllisters series in particular. Sin always struck me as the most interesting and likable of the MacAllister brothers. I've read the other books in the series for the sake of completion, but none of them ever appealed to me like this one did. I really enjoy the first part of the story, reading about Sin and Callie's first meetings and seeing their attraction for each other spark. This is one of those stories where you can really witness the romance between the characters take root and blossom. ( )

Okay, Sin's background is so unrelentingly awful, it's amazing he didn't shut down into a catatonic stupor. It's just hatred, indifference and torture all the way. And Callie starts off having a bit of spunk, but then she becomes equally unrelentingly sweet. And yet, their romance works, because you just want Sin to have some warmth and softness in his life. It has some real touching moments in it, though the end is just rubbish - Henry II would never have reacted like that! If you use real people, you have to stay true to their character - and it's too sweet; but the middle and beginning are good, so it's definitely worth a read, if not a keeper. ( )

Caledonia “Callie” MacNeely was taken hostage by Henry II, in an attempt to cease hostilities by Highland rebels against English settlers. Now he needs a man he can trust, to protect his interests, to marry the fiery lass and return her to her people - and discover and put down the rebels.

Sin is a hated and feared man, spurned from birth by his parents and sold into slavery by his knight sponsor; he was trained as an assassin by the Saracens, but now is eternally loyal to Henry for freeing him. But he never wanted to be tied down by a woman, nor does he desire a family - unwilling to bring a child into such a harsh and merciless world. However, it seems he has no choice, and so he weds the intriguingly intelligent beauty and returns with her to Scotland - a land he hoped never to see again.

Who doesn’t love the tortured hero, the kind that don’t think they deserve the heroine (what man does)? They’re definitely my favorite and Kenyon/MacGregor writes these gorgeous brooding alpha males with finesse. Sin believes in justice and happiness….just not for himself. And despite the fact the Callie hates everything English, she finds herself falling for this ferocious advisor to her enemy, and wishes for nothing more than a smile and a laugh from him.

Of the ones that I’ve read, this my favorite of the MacAllister novels - though they are all fabulous! I know you’ll love Sin as much as I do.