In Bed With a Highlander-Maya Banks

In Bed With a Highlander
Maya Banks
Ballantine, Aug 30 2011, $7.99
ISBN: 9780345519474

Mairin Stuart is the illegitimate daughter of King David. She lives in contented seclusion at a monastery until violent Finn and nineteen soldiers arrive. Finn demands Mother Serenity hand over Mairin or die. Mairin steps forward to save the kind Sisters. Her vicious half brother Duncan Stuart sent Finn to abduct her as he plans to use her as a pawn to wrestle the throne from the king. While encamped for the night, the soldiers capture a lad Crispin. Mairin saves his life when she challenges Finn as she knows Duncan plans to marry her and sire an heir so he can claim her keep Neamh Alainn.

The McCabe laird Widower Ewan is upset that his son Crispin is missing. He cannot send his soldiers on a hunt as that would leave the keep vulnerable; the last time that happened eight years ago left his father and his wife dead betrayed by his sister-in-law. Instead he assigns his two younger brothers (Alaric and Caelin) to find their nephew.

Duncan batters Mairin when she rejects his demand she marry him. A woman enables Mairin and Crispin to escape. Alaric finds them and brings them to the keep where Ewan fears she is the enemy as she wears the garb of hated Duncan. As they fall in love father like siblings and son ferociously protects her from a raging Duncan.

The first McCabe brother Highlander romance is an enjoyable tale as brave Mairin and doubting Ewan fall in love. The story line is action-packed from the moment Finn and his men assault the monastery and it never slows down because of a series of confrontations. Sub-genre fans will enjoy Maya Banks’ exhilarating good vs. evil opening act.

Harriet Klausner