#BookReview ~ Highland Escape (Hardy Heroines #1) by Cathy MacRae #HistoricalRomance #Scotland @CMacRaeAuthor

Highland Escape

 (Hardy Heroines #1)

By Cathy MacRae

Fleeing the English army that murdered her family before her eyes, Anna Braxton rescues two young women, kidnapped by a barbaric Highland clan only to find herself unjustly imprisoned by the clan she aided. Disgusted by her treatment, she counters their belated offer of friendship with anger and distrust. But she does not count on the unexpected effect the laird’s son has on her heart.

Duncan MacGregor does not understand his da’s command to imprison the young woman who saved his sister’s life. He is more than intrigued with Anna’s skill with a bow and sword—in fact, he is fascinated by everything about her, in spite of her lack of feminine wiles. Straightforward and with a deep-seated sense of honor, Anna Braxton disrupts his entire notion of a suitable woman.

Trained as a warrior and unwilling to be any man’s chattel, Anna shuns the idea of marriage—until Duncan coaxes her into a world of acceptance and passion she never knew existed. He wants her as his wife. She will agree, but only on her own terms—conditions Duncan is not sure he can accept.

The Coffee Pot Book Club Review

Anna Braxton watched as the English slaughtered her kin, and now she is on the run. She has no idea where she is going, but she is determined to put as much distance between herself and the English soldiers as she can. But then she stumbles upon two women who are moments away from being raped. She cannot stand by and do nothing. She has to intervene. But by doing so, it means her path will cross with the MacGregor clan.

Duncan MacGregor has never met anyone like Anna. A woman warrior is not unheard of, but the things that Anna can do are beyond anything he has ever witnessed. But although she saved his sister from a terrible fate his father, the Laird, looks at Anna with suspicion. How will Duncan convince his father that Anna isn't the enemy? And how will he convince Anna that he is worthy of her love?

They say you cannot judge a book by its cover, and I know this to be true, but when I saw the cover of Highland Escape (Hardy Heroines #1) by Cathy MacRae, I knew I just had to read it.

Initially, I was a little sceptical about the portrayal of Anna. I wasn't expecting to read about a 14th Century martial arts expert in Scotland, but actually, Ms MacRae's portray of Anna really worked. It was indeed an interesting twist. I was very interested to read the author's ‘Note to the Reader’ at the end of the book, which explained where she got her inspiration from and how the 9th Crusade influenced her story.

I adored the characterisation of Duncan. He is slightly bemused by Anna, to begin with, but he admires her greatly and eventually, as with all good romance, love blossoms. There are many reasons why our two protagonists should not be together, and they overcome many obstacles to find their happy ever after.

I thoroughly enjoyed Highland Escape, and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series.

I Highly Recommend.

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Cathy MacRae

Amazon best-selling author Cathy MacRae enjoys weaving tales of romance in the Highland mists. Her stories feature strong heroes and feisty heroines in pursuit of their happy-ever-afters in medieval Scotland.

When not writing, Cathy can be found curled up in a chair with a book or enjoying the outdoors with a German Shepherd or two. A member of RWA, NTRWA, and Celtic Hearts Romance Writers, she is currently working on another Highland romance novel and planning her next trip to Scotland.