Forbidden Night with the Highlander - Michelle Willingham (HH #1364 - Feb 2018)

Series: Warriors of the Night (Book 2)

The handsome Highlander who seduced her…

…is the very man she must marry!

In this Warriors of the Night story, Lianna MacKinnon seeks to avoid her betrothal to a Norman lord by giving herself to an intriguing stranger. But afterward, she discovers her sensual lover is none other than Rhys de Laurent -- her betrothed -- in disguise! They’ve already had their wedding night… Now there’s no escaping their marriage vows!

Good book. This one is about Rhys de Laurent, older brother of Warrick from the first book in the series (Forbidden Night with the Warrior). Parts of this book take place at the same time as the first book, filling in a few blank spaces. In this book, it is time for Rhys to follow through on the long-standing betrothal between himself and Lianna. He doesn't want to live in Scotland, so far away from his home and family, but he is a man of honor and will do what he must - though he does contemplate getting his brother to marry her instead. His qualms are not eased when he speaks to her father and learns that Lianna wants no part of marrying a Norman. He goes along with her father's suggestion that he get to know her without revealing his identity, but he doesn't like the deception. Lianna is an unusual woman and is considered odd by her clansmen. She loves her people and constantly worries about their health and welfare. She knows that if she doesn't go through with the marriage, it could mean starvation and exile for them. When she meets a handsome stranger, she is nervous at first but also attracted. Part of her feels that he may be the answer to her prayers.

The development of the relationship between Lianna and Rhys was very turbulent. The sparks flew between them from the moment they met. Rhys was as fascinated as he was attracted, and no longer thought of giving her up. Lianna was attracted but also felt guilty because of her betrothal to Rhys. She was also desperate to escape the marriage, and when she sees the opportunity to do so, gives in to the passion she feels for her stranger, thinking she will no longer be wanted by Rhys. I liked Rhys's discomfort with his deception and how he tried to tell her the truth before passion took over. To say that Lianna wasn't happy when she found out the truth would be putting it mildly. Things go from bad to worse when Lianna's older brother attempts to kill Rhys and his men and is killed himself. Lianna is beside herself with grief and anger, making her even more set against her marriage.

I ached for Rhys, who had begun to care for Lianna. I loved the way that he saw how much she did for her people and how disturbed he was by the way they treated her. He tried in so many ways to treat her well and show her the respect he thought she deserved. When they left to go to his home in England for the wedding, Lianna still treated him like pond scum. I was very frustrated with her during their time in England. She held herself away from everyone and was pretty rude to people who wanted to make her feel welcome. Even though she could see that Rhys was a good man who cared for his people, just as she cared for hers, her stubbornness would not let her give in. Eventually, the attraction between them worked a bit of a truce, and Lianna finally began to loosen up. By the time they returned to Scotland, things were looking up for them. Unfortunately, her people hadn't forgiven him for the death of her brother, and Lianna found herself caught between the two sides. Some ill-spoken words by Lianna were overheard by Rhys, putting them at odds once again.

Another trip back to England gives Lianna the opportunity to make things right with Rhys, but now he is the one resisting. His pride has been hurt and he doesn't want to risk being hurt again. Rhys also has some trust issues stemming from some things that happened when he was a child. When Lianna's behavior towards him changes so drastically, he doesn't know whether to believe it or if she is trying to manipulate him. I loved seeing the difference in her attitude and seeing her make her own mark on her new home. I liked the progress she made toward repairing her relationship with Rhys, especially with what happened in the cellar and how it brought them closer together. When a crisis in Scotland sends Rhys riding to the rescue, Lianna must decide whether to follow her heart or her husband's orders. The conclusion was intense, with some very surprising and satisfying twists.

 

Forbidden Night with the Warrior - Michelle Willingham (HH #1338 - July 2017)

Series: Warriors of the Night (Book 1)

One wicked night for an heir!

Rosamund de Courcy has always loved Warrick de Laurent, but was forced to marry another. Now her husband's dying command is that she must provide him with an heir. To do so, she will have to spend one sinful night…with Warrick!

The powerful warrior was wounded by Rosamund's abandonment years ago, and Warrick refuses to let her touch his heart again. But this illicit night is impossible to resist, and soon he is determined -- he will not only possess her, but reclaim her for his own!

Good second chance story with some interesting twists and turns. Rosamund fell in love with Warrick as a young girl. They ran away together but were caught by Rosamund's father who was furious at them. He had already promised Rosamund to Alan and had no intention of allowing a marriage with a second son who had no prospects. When Rosamund tried to resist, her father threatened Warrick's life if she didn't cooperate.

Three years later, Rosamund is married to Alan. They have no children and he is dying. He is desperate to have an heir to prevent his wastrel younger brother from inheriting. He has come up with the idea of having another man get her pregnant - and the man he has chosen is Warrick. Rosamund is horrified by the very thought.

Overall, I liked Rosamund. I thought that she was a bit naïve when she first fell for Warrick. She actually believed that her father would allow her to stay with Warrick, even though he had already made it plain that Warrick was unsuitable. I liked that she did what she had to do to save Warrick's life, even though it broke her heart. I also liked that she tried to be a good wife to Alan, even though she didn't love him. I loved her sense of honor that had her refusing to break her marriage vows by sleeping with Warrick. She is furious at having yet another man dictate the direction of her life. She undergoes some major changes as she attempts to seize control of her future.

I liked Warrick a lot. He is strong, honorable, and determined. I ached for him at the beginning as he dealt with the way that his father treated him. The defining moment of his young life was heartbreaking and affected his life for years to come. I thought it was interesting that both Alan and his brother Owen had summoned Warrick and offered him something he wanted - a chance for the land and respect he craves.

I enjoyed the rekindling of the relationship between Warrick and Rosamund. In spite of everything that had occurred in the past, their love for each other had never died. One of the reasons Rosamund is so horrified by Alan's plan is that she fears the feelings she has buried for so long will come out and destroy her. Though Warrick craves the chance to be with her again, he will not force the issue. I loved his protectiveness toward Rosamund and his determination to keep her safe from Owen. As they spent time together, Warrick lost some of the anger he had felt toward her and began to respect the strength she had developed to go on with her life. He was also determined that this time he would not take a chance on losing her again. Rosamund fought her feelings for Warrick. Besides the whole issue of Alan's desire for an heir, Rosamund has some fears of her own that make her reluctant to participate in his scheme. But as the threats from Owen grow stronger, her heart admits that it is only Warrick who makes her feel safe. I loved seeing them stand together to face the threat and how their confidence in their love gains them the life they want.

The threat posed by Owen was ongoing throughout the book. His evilness is made plain from the very beginning, making Alan's plan understandable. Though Rosamund initially believed she would be safe from him, she quickly learned otherwise. There were quite a few twists and turns as Owen attempts to gain the prize he wants and the others counteract them. Alan's determination to carry out his plan, in spite of Rosamund's objections, was very creepy at times. An unexpected twist regarding Alan's illness added more strain to an already difficult situation. The final confrontation between Warrick and Owen had an unexpected player with an unusual solution to the problem. I was on the edge of my seat as I wondered how it was going to end. The epilogue was a terrific wrap-up for the book as well as a lead-in for the next one. I am looking forward to getting the story behind the tension between Rhys and Lianna.