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Scotland’s King Robert the Bruce is retaking his kingdom from the
invading English. To win, he’ll need all the grit and courage of his
elite band of warriors, the Highland Guard, men who fight without fear
and love without limits.
Fiery, aggressive, and bold, Kenneth Sutherland is a true champion—skilled with any weapon and driven to win. Now Kenneth is ready for his greatest challenge: joining Robert the Bruce’s secret army to fight among the elite. Kenneth’s best chance to attain that honor is by winning the Highland Games. Focused and prepared for victory, he is caught off guard by a lovely wisp of a woman—and a stolen moment of wicked seduction. Her innocent arousal and her shameless hunger fire his blood. He will win his place in the guard—and in Mary of Mar’s bed.
The ruggedly handsome hero-in-the-making stirs a heart that should know better. Mary vows that her surrender will be sport only—no promises, no heartbreak, just one night of incredible passion. Nothing, she swears, will persuade her to give up her hard-wrought independence and put her fate in the hands of another powerful man. But with every gentle touch and heart-pounding kiss, Kenneth makes her want more. Now Mary wants his heart. But is this determined champion willing to surrender everything for love?
Fiery, aggressive, and bold, Kenneth Sutherland is a true champion—skilled with any weapon and driven to win. Now Kenneth is ready for his greatest challenge: joining Robert the Bruce’s secret army to fight among the elite. Kenneth’s best chance to attain that honor is by winning the Highland Games. Focused and prepared for victory, he is caught off guard by a lovely wisp of a woman—and a stolen moment of wicked seduction. Her innocent arousal and her shameless hunger fire his blood. He will win his place in the guard—and in Mary of Mar’s bed.
The ruggedly handsome hero-in-the-making stirs a heart that should know better. Mary vows that her surrender will be sport only—no promises, no heartbreak, just one night of incredible passion. Nothing, she swears, will persuade her to give up her hard-wrought independence and put her fate in the hands of another powerful man. But with every gentle touch and heart-pounding kiss, Kenneth makes her want more. Now Mary wants his heart. But is this determined champion willing to surrender everything for love?
Genre: historical romance
Publishing date: October 2012
Mature content: yes
Review:
The
Recruit is book 6 in the Highland Guard series by Monica McCarty and is,
as all of the other books so far, a great read. It's the story of Kenneth and Mary. Kenneth showed up for the first time in book 5, The Saint, at the end of which there was a hint that he could come to join the Highland Guard.
I have to say, I loved Kenneth in book 5 and I had high hopes for him in The Recruit. At that level, I was not disappointed. But his romance with Mary did not start on the right foot, not in my opinion. You can't convince me that a woman can fall in love (or even in lust) with a man while watching him having sex with some other random woman. Sorry, but that just does not make sense to me. Other than this (not so minor) detail, The Recruit has the makings of a wonderful historical romance. But since that first scene happens just a few pages into the book, it kind of ruined the romance for me and it took me a while to believe that Kenneth and Mary could have a credible happily ever after. And that's why I can't bring myself to give The Recruit the 5 stars it would otherwise deserve.
I have to say, I loved Kenneth in book 5 and I had high hopes for him in The Recruit. At that level, I was not disappointed. But his romance with Mary did not start on the right foot, not in my opinion. You can't convince me that a woman can fall in love (or even in lust) with a man while watching him having sex with some other random woman. Sorry, but that just does not make sense to me. Other than this (not so minor) detail, The Recruit has the makings of a wonderful historical romance. But since that first scene happens just a few pages into the book, it kind of ruined the romance for me and it took me a while to believe that Kenneth and Mary could have a credible happily ever after. And that's why I can't bring myself to give The Recruit the 5 stars it would otherwise deserve.
Like the others in the series, The Recruit can be read as a stand alone book, but I strongly recommend you to start at the beginning and read all of them in order. Or, at least, book one, The Chief, which is a must if you want to understand how the Highland Guard came to be (read my review of The Chief here). But overall, my recommendation is that you shouldn't miss any of them!
Happy readings,
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