| Title | : | In Bed with a Highlander (McCabe Trilogy, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0345519477 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780345519474 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Mass Market Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 351 |
| Publication | : | First published August 30, 2011 |
| Awards | : | Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award (RT Award) Scotland-set Historical Romance (2011) |
Ewan McCabe, the eldest, is a warrior determined to vanquish his enemy. Now, with the time ripe for battle, his men are ready and Ewan is poised to take back what is his—until a blue-eyed, raven-haired temptress is thrust upon him. Mairin may be the salvation of Ewan's clan, but for a man who dreams only of revenge, matters of the heart are strange territory to conquer.
The illegitimate daughter of the king, Mairin possesses prized property that has made her a pawn—and wary of love. Her worst fears are realized when she is rescued from peril only to be forced into marriage by her charismatic and commanding savior, Ewan McCabe. But her attraction to her ruggedly powerful new husband makes her crave his surprisingly tender touch; her body comes alive under his sensual mastery. And as war draws near, Mairin's strength, spirit, and passion challenge Ewan to conquer his demons—and embrace a love that means more than revenge and land.
In Bed with a Highlander (McCabe Trilogy, #1) Reviews
-
Re-read 5/12/21
After reading
THIS book, I was in the mood for some good old fashioned historical romance of the highlander variety. And since
THIS book is apparently never ever ever gonna happen, I decided to re-read this series for the zillionth time.
Original Review:
5 Thousand One Million Stars. All of them.
One of my favorite Highlander romance series of ALL TIME.
All the time.
I have read and re-read this entire series so many times since it first came out that it's stupid. LOVE it. -
When she was his wife, he'd take great delight in advising her of her duty to him and, most important, her obligation to obey him without question.
Sigh. What a disappointment. I was so eager to read this book because I adored (ADORED) Banks' "Montgomerys and Armstrongs" trilogy,
Never Seduce a Scot and
Highlander Most Wanted. I loved Banks' kind, honorable, compassionate, and patient heroes. So I dived into In Bed With A Highlander expecting a real treat.
Instead I got stuff like this:
Misogynistic views, such as:
"She said nothing the entire time she was with you? Let nothing slip? Think, Alaric. She had to have said something. It simply isn't a woman's nature to be silent for prolonged periods of time."
And
"There'll be plenty of time to see her face. Besides, 'tis not the face you need to concern yourself with. 'Tis the rest."
Really? This is our hero? Are you serious? And I'm not talking about early in the book, okay, in case you are thinking, "Oh, he just needs to be reformed." No. That second quote is from the 62% mark! By that time, even an "asshole hero" should know better.
...
We also have a complete obsession on the hero's part in re: the heroine's obedience - and I'm NOT talking about in bed.
"You WILL obey me."
and
"I am your laird, and you will obey me as everyone else here obeys me. Is that understood?"
and "When I issue a summons, I expect you to heed it," he said. "I expect - nay, I DEMAND - obedience. I won't accept defiance from you."
Ew, really? Ugh. He also likes shutting her up, mostly by kissing her - but sometimes with hand-gagging:
When she would have opened her mouth to dispute his assertion, he shocked her by clamping his hand over her mouth.
"You will be silent and allow me to finish."
Unless you are enjoying a sexual game (which they were NOT), you just do not treat another person like this and disrespect them in that way. It's wrong. The fact that he just wants his wife to shut up all the time and has no desire to listen to what she wants to tell him is bad enough, hand-gagging her is atrocious. I can't forgive this.
...
Then there's all this possessive crap.
Lord, but she was sweet. Nay, bedding her would be no hardship at all. The image of her swollen with his child flickered through his mind, and he found himself very pleased with the image. Very pleased indeed.
Ew, ew, ew.
He was hard and aching. Want was fierce within him. There was nothing to prevent him from charging across the room, yanking her from the tub and laying her on the bed. She was his to take. From the moment she'd set foot on his lands, she was his. Whether she wanted him or not.
Okay, two things. One: peeping Toms are disgusting. Not only is what you are doing (watching her bathe without her knowledge or permission) dishonorable, but it is very creepy, skeevy, and revolting. No one likes a peeping Tom.
Two: Really? All women who "set foot on" your land are your property to do with what you wish? Really? And you're the laird of the clan? I can't believe anyone would let you lead if that is your attitude. You don't sound like a very good leader. You're just okay with raping someone? Really? You think raping people is your "right?" I can't even with this.
...
Mairin is a virgin and he "deflowers" (hate that term) her in the most brutal way. (Keep in mind that she was badly beaten two or three days earlier.) I mean he just rips her wedding gown to shreds and plows into her. It takes two minutes and there was zero kissing, foreplay, anything. Ugh. Could you be more disgusting? I don't think so. He leaves her bleeding and sobbing on the bed. Do you expect me to forgive him for this shit?!?!?!? NO. I never forgave him. He didn't even feel guilty or bad about it!!!
He finally starts caring that he might have hurt her or 'done the wrong thing' when she starts sleeping with his 6-year-old son in her bed to keep him away from her at night. He confronts her about it and she says,
"'Tis truth you've no skill at loving... 'Tis a well-known fact that a man is either skilled in matters of loving or matters of war. 'Tis obvious that fighting is your skill."
Ewan winced. The little wench was shredding his manhood. His cock positively withered under her criticism.
THAT'S when he decides that kissing and foreplay and good sex is worth his time, because he has to prove his manhood and he's insulted that she thinks he's bad in bed. Not, you know, because he should be loving and affectionate to his wife and care about whether she's enjoying herself or not. Good gravy, I can't BELIEVE that this guy is supposed to be the hero. He's a cretin.
...
Is this book bad? Well, it's bad for ME. I hate bossy, demanding, possessive, ruthless heroes. I HATE THEM. I know they are super-popular right now, though, labeled as "alpha" and many readers swoon over them. So. If reading my quotes in this review and my status updates makes you excited instead of making you want to vomit -go for it! It's well-written for a romance book and Banks certainly knows how to make a book exciting and pull on your heartstrings. I think she was kind of going for a Julie Garwood-type of thing in this book - ditzy heroine who is 'cute and feisty, but like a kitten' and domineering hero who wants a slave, not a wife. You know the type of book. (Not dissing Garwood - she was my first romance novel ever!)
If this kind of thing floats your boat - go for it! Banks is not a bad romance writer.
If, however, you like men who are patient and merciful and into things like kissing, I would absolutely and wholeheartedly recommend Banks' other books,
Highlander Most Wanted and
Never Seduce a Scot. They are sweet, charming, and heartrending. Skip this drivel and go for the good stuff!
ONE REAL STAR, ONE ROMANCE STAR
P.S. If you want to know what the actual plot is, Tessa Dare made THE CUTEST book trailer for this book - using Barbies and My Little Ponies! See it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn67JJ...
Thanks to KarenF for letting me know about this! -
4 to 4 1/2 SHINING STARS!!!
I'm going to make this review short and to the point.
I...LOVED...THIS...BOOK!!!
This story was fantastic. The writing was superb and the plot marvelously creative. The characters were multi-layered, endearing, and wonderfully human. Unlike some of Banks's other books, the sex scenes were tastefully written and only moderately graphic.
I love when authors include delightfully written children within the plot, and I found myself eagerly looking forward to the interactions between eight-year-old Crispen and Mairin, the heroine. Those endearing scenes became some of my favorites. I can not end this review without giving BIG kudos to Maya Banks. Typically, her main characters actually communicate and work together as a team. A quality sadly lacking in many romance novels. It was refreshing to read!!!
Why did I wait so long to read one of Maya Banks's historical romances? That's a good question...they're simply fabulous. -
4.5
this was exactly what i wanted!!! it gave me so much outlander vibes -
*** 4 1/2 stars ***
In Bed with a Highlander was a great surprise! I really enjoyed reading this sweet and sexy Highland romance.
Mairin has spent years at a nunnery because she is the illegitimate daughter of the former King of Scotland and has a generous dowry that would tempt men to force her into marriage. She is abducted from the nunnery by bad men loyal to Duncan Cameron, who tries to get her to marry him then beats her when she refuses to say her vows. Along the trip to Cameron lands, her kidnappers find a young boy who she takes under her wing. She escapes the Cameron holding along with young Crispin McCabe, who she helped to save from Cameron. The boy's family finds them, as they were out looking for the missing Crispin, and bring them to McCabe land where Mairin meets the intimidating Laird, Ewan McCabe who is the father of Crispin.
Ewan McCabe is intrigued by the beautiful Mairin, who refuses to give her name or any information. But Ewan is a smart stubborn man and eventually figures out who she is. He proposes that she marry him because he is able to keep her safe from men like Cameron and can offer her a home and family. In return his clan will get her badly needed dowry. So their marriage starts out as a convenience but these two quickly start having deeper feelings for each other. Ewan enjoys his new wife's happy personality, though her impulsiveness gives him some heartburn. Mairin loves finally having a home, while Ewan's protective but caring actions help her fall for him.
This was a really enjoyable romance! The tone really reminded me of Julie Garwood's The Secret, Ransom and Honor's Splendour, so if you are a fan of those I highly recommend it. I like the fact that there were no big misunderstandings or hurtful behavior, just a good love story about two people who appreciate each other. The story was really good, it really held my attention. I love that the heroine was a nice person, but she also would stand up for herself. Ewan was a good alpha hero who learned that it was okay to show softer feeling for his beloved wife. I loved seeing the progression of their feelings as they slowly fell for each other. The ending was really sweet, but I wanted an epilogue! The younger two McCabe brothers will be having their own stories soon and I am excited for them! For those afraid of this book because it's by Maya Banks, I would say it's nothing like her romantica books. The steam level is normal for mass market paperback - but still nice. I like her writing much better in this (and the KGI books) than her romantica, so give it a shot even if you don't like those.
Highly recommended if you enjoy a good medieval Scottish romance!! -
a really entertaining read,though the end for me felt sudden and quick. can someone tell me what happened to the bad guys cause i felt really like they didn't answer what happened to them.
-
DNF@36%
Ughhh the first sex scene was cringey AF, tbh it was straight up rape.
I don't give a fuck if the hero redeems himself in the heroine's eyes, I'm done with this.
Audio: 3.5 stars ⭐ -
Here are the things that happened to our heroine in this story:
Multiple kidnappings
Beat-up
Shot with an arrow
Poisoned
Punched in the face
Backhanded a couple of times
Stabbed
She's the original Bad Luck Brian.
This story was really eventful, obviously. It was also cute and funny.
Mairin finds herself married to Ewan after another man had tried to force her into marrying him. She's got one hell of a dowry. It brings all the boys to the yard.
hasn't worked for me. Stupid old curdled milkshake!
Ewan is happy that Mairin will marry him because he just knows that she will stop being so willful and disobedient. She will finally respect his complete authority as ruler of the land....
When she was his wife, he'd take great delight in advising her of her duty to him and, most important, her obligation to obey him without question.
God has such a great sense of humor!
Mairin tries to be a good wife. She even tries to make excuses for her new husband's apparent lack of sexual skills.
"'Tis a well-known fact that a man is either skilled in matters of loving or matters of war. "Tis obvious that fighting is your skill."
That donkey should be wearing a helmet! He could get hurt!
Mairin cracked me up throughout the book. She is so clueless from spending most of her life in a nunnery that her attempts at being a good wife are hilarious. She is also fiercely protective of the women and children. She pretty much starts a women's revolution. I have to approve of that! And, she's so bloodthirsty that I want to have lunch with her.
After she completely decimates a guy who was threatening her and her husband is asking her what punishment he should give the guy:
"I think he should be fed to a pack of wild wolves. Perhaps tied between two trees and left to bleed to attract predators."
"Or we could simply drag him behind a horse for a few miles?" she asked hopefully.
Aww, kids say the cutest things!
There was a lot going on in this book, which I liked. Never a boring moment. I also really liked all of the side characters and am looking forward to their stories. I am especially looking forward to the third book because the grumpy brother and the girl who is a warrior and kicked ass in this one are going to be featured. It should be a fun series. -
3,5 💘💘💘🌟🌟🌟s❣️
I enjoyed so much this highlander historical romance read!!!
I don’t know why, but there was no epilogue... 😳 -
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Started Out Good But Then....*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
Re-read: 17.11.2020
It's too cheesy. It truly is. The things is, the first half of the book is actually quite good. However, after that, it got boring with all the lovey-doveys. I just lost interest. I loved the relationship between Ewan and his brothers. It was deep and true. But other than that, some things did bother me. Like for example the Mama part - Ewan's son calling her that. It just didn't feel right. Perhaps if it had happened naturally, then yes I'd like it, but this way it just felt forced. Mairin started out quite great, but then she just seemed... not necessary dumb but at least very naive, and that kinda ruined it for me as well. Also, not a lot happened. That said, it wasn't a bust at least. It was enjoyable to some point, I guess. Still not interested in reading the rest of the trilogy though.“What are the two of you whispering about?” Alaric demanded irritably.
She glanced over to see the warrior watching her, his eyes narrow with suspicion.
“If I wanted you to know, I’d have spoken louder,” she said calmly.
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Historical Romance (M/F)
Series: - Series, Book One.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Ewan McCabe.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Unsure.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Unsure.
Will I read this again in the future? - No.
Rating - 3.5/3 stars.
First read review:
Simply said: I actually, surprisingly, liked book. It was quick, hot and filled with love. I really had the hots for Ewan McCabe (how old?). He wasn't all that bad. Nor was his brothers ;) Mairin Stewart (how old?) was alright. She was stupid at time, though I do know it is because she is naive and didn't understand how to do things correctly as she had been on the run for most of her life. Ewan and Mairin was cute together, and were good for each other. Oh, and the McCabe Clan was awesome (most of them). I'm not sure if I'll continue reading the series though...“You aren’t going anywhere, lass.”
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Historical Romance
Series: - Series, Book One
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Ewan McCabe
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Not sure.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Yes.
Will I read this again in the future? - No, I don't think so.
Rating - 3.5 * Laird* Stars. -
2.5 stars
In Bed with a Highlander had that B movie sort of feel to it. <--my opinion
It wasn't bad. It just wasn't superduperamazing, either.
I'm not really sure I have any real complaints, but it kinda left me with a bland taste in my mouth when I closed the book. And maybe that's because I like my romances to have a little more humor in them?
I saw this one, and was hoping for a good Men-In-Kilts romance to sorta tide me over till I found my Next Big Read.
shrugs
And it wasn't awful! I read it in a few days, and didn't hate it. So. There's that.
Plus, you should check out some of the other reviewers who adored this one. Just because it wasn't totally my cuppa, doesn't mean it won't be yours.
I will say that I liked the secondary characters enough to snatch up the next book in the series!
Onward!
Pssst. This is one of my favorite Kilt Romances:
When a Scot Ties the Knot -
★★★✩✩ I guess I’m in the minority on this one. Lots of my GoodReads friends that I am so often in synch with loved this one. I couldn’t get past a couple of things. Still, I’m willing to give this author another try. I’ve just requested the next book in the series from the library instead of purchasing it this time. Lost interest at a crucial point and had to force myself to go back to it. (Really needed the “I” in the title for a challenge!) Never a good thing. So, consider that, and take my review with a grain of salt.
Why I didn’t like it: -
I'm in the mood for a Sexy Laird in a Kilt!!
Ewan McCabe
Laird McCabe's son is missing and he's ready to go to war in order to get him back!! Only when he finds his son, he's with a bruised and battered woman. When he discovers that she is the illegitimate heir of the King, he knows me must marry her to secure the future of his clan!!
His gaze narrowed and she could see his hands twitching again like he’d love nothing more than to throttle her. She was beginning to think it was an affliction of his. Did he go around wanting to choke the life out of everyone or was she special in that regard?
Mairin
Marin has spent her entire life in hiding. If any Laird were to discover that she is the illegitimate heir of the King's, they might force her to marry them in order to steal her dowery.
She has just escaped the clutches of one man, only to find herself in the arms of another that wants to marry her.
“What are the two of you whispering about?” Alaric demanded irritably....
“If I wanted you to know, I’d have spoken louder,” she said calmly.
I usually love a smart mouthed heroine, and Marin is beautiful, sassy, and confrontational. But she is also too stupid to live. She's constantly butting her head in where it doesn't belong and acting like she is in charge of shit when she doesn't even know what's going on. She's openly disrespectful of her husband, but it's because he is openly disrespectful of her too.
Thank goodness the last 25% gets better as the couple finds love, and begins to treat each other with respect and devotion. But I wanted to throttle them both during the middle of the book. It made for great angst, which I am Not a fan of.
This was a joy to read and it had all the elements I loved. A kidnapped damsel in distress, a sexy Laird with an attitude, and a couple that marries before they fall in love. Oh, and the villain was a complete Dick!!! I hated him!!
I highly recommend this to all of my friends that love historical romances about highlanders. You will not be disappointed. I also look forward to reading more of this series. -
A Fun, Romantic, Sexy Tale!
In Bed with a Highlander is the first book in the McCabe Trilogy, a sexy, romantic, fun historical romance written by the very talented Maya Banks. I thoroughly enjoyed this story with its twists and turns, wonderful characters, sweet romance and the steamy sex that Ms. Banks writes so well.
The Story
The story opens with Mairin Stewart being kidnapped from the nunnery she’d spent most of her life hiding away in. The illegitimate daughter of the king, Mairin is heiress to strategic, prized land, and the man who marries her will make his Clan a force to be reckoned with, a power unlike any other. Duncan Cameron is determined to be that man.
Laird Ewan McCabe, a widower, has spent years rebuilding his Clan after an attack that almost wiped them out. He wants nothing more than blood revenge against Duncan, the bastard who killed his father along with most of his Clan. When Ewan’s young son, Crispen, goes missing, he sends out his brothers and his warriors to find him. What they find, however, is Crispen in the care of a bruised and bloodied but feisty, strong willed woman, a woman who might just be the salvation of the Clan, and the answer to all of Ewan’s problems - if he can just open his heart and let her in.
The Audio
The narrator for this book, Kirsten Potter, has a lovely, rich, clear voice. I enjoyed her Scottish accent and the emotion and humor she gives to the characters and brings to the story. Her flow and pacing is well done and I’m very impressed with how wonderfully she gives men, women, and children, unique and distinctive voices!
The Bottom Line
While I wish there had been more Scottish brogue and period dialog used in the story, I truly enjoyed In Bed with a Highlander. Whether you read the book or listen to it, it’s fast paced, witty, sensual and poignant, and with Ms. Potter’s narration, an absolutely engaging, entertaining read! I’m looking forward to returning Highlands to spend time with those amazing McCabes! -
***4.25 Stars***
How do I feel about my first Historical Romance and my first Highlander book??
I loved the McCabe brothers and their family dynamic. Each brother brings something different into the fold, but at their core they are unselfish, loving and deeply loyal. The plot was engaging and had me breaking a sweat towards the end there. The secondary characters were nicely developed and I thoroughly enjoyed the family dynamic of the keep...even though Mairin did have her moments.
Overall, a great introduction to this genre and series and I'm looking forward to reading Alaric and Caelen's books....especially the broody, tortured Caelen.
Aye, this lass will definitely endeavor to read more of this genre.
-
View my ARC review on
Under the Covers
In Bed with a Highlander is the first in a new historical romance trilogy by Maya Banks. First off, the covers of this trilogy are amazing, not to mention they all feature the hottie that is Paul Marron. Cue swoons.
But there is more! Banks introduces three McCabe brothers who are simply delicious. In Bed with a Highlander is Ewan McCabe’s story. Ewan is the laird of his keep, where his brothers Alaric and Caelen are his second in command. While Ewan himself is strong and mighty, his keep and clan are not. They are dwindling in resources and food and a war is threatening to rise among clans.
The book starts off with Mairin Stuart, the niece of King David, praying that her enemies do not find her. However, her prayers are not heard because Duncan’s men find and capture her, bringing her unwillingly to his keep where he commands her to marry him. Mairin bears the crest of Alexander on her thigh, which was placed upon her at birth so that no one would ever mistake her identity. With a wealthy dowry and power, Duncan wishes to wed her immediately and consummate their marriage, thus gaining power and an advantage. But Mairin is a tough woman who doesn’t go down easily. She fights with all her might, even using her body as a shield to cover a young eight-year old boy who had the unfortunate luck of crossing paths with Duncan.
The young boy turns out to be Ewan McCabe’s son and when Mairin and the boy escape Duncan’s keep for McCabe’s, that’s when the story really begins...
I was really surprised with how quick I read this book. Banks crafts an intriguing story with her strong characters and fast-paced dialogue. So much happens within the first few chapters that I didn’t really have the chance to put the book down. It was that good.
Mairin, for me, was the stand-out star. I loved her tenacity and wit. She seemed to never show fear, even in the face of Duncan who beat her mercilessly. And I have to admire a woman who is able to keep a man like Ewan on his toes. As a Laird, Ewan is certainly arrogant and is not used to being disobeyed. Mairin matches him well and while it took me awhile to get into the romance, it was all worth it in the end.
I cannot wait for the next book in the series. Banks sets up Alaric’s book perfectly in this one. Rionna is from the McDonald clan, a clan that had possible alliances with McCabe. And so, to strengthen that alliance, Gregor McDonald wishes for her daughter, Rionna to marry Alaric. I am dying to know how this plays out since Alaric isn’t too keen on the idea of marriage and Rionna is a warrior herself.
Bottom line? READ THIS BOOK!
*ARC provided by author -
4.5 stars.
LOVED IT!!!
I do not read much historical and this started a little rough for me. I was worried. Ewan lost a 1/2 point for their wedding night. But it was smooth sailing after that and I stayed up ridiculously late to finish it. Mairin was funny, brave and sweet. In the beginning she was so brave that I knew I was going to love her. While she skirted around a couple of "stupid" moments, I found her cute and was not frustrated.
I loved that the nuns taught her about sex so she thought she should instruct her husband that he did not kiss properly! Or her learning about BJs...I can picture her face!
Ewan was tough to take at times but I grew to love him. His adoration of his wife and son helped. I felt bad for his struggles, admired his tenacity and loved that he had no problem showing his affection for Mairin. His character was not quite as developed as Mairin and probably why I did not love him as much.
Of course his son, Crispin (aged 8), was adorable. It was nice to see that these big tough warriors were so openly affectionate with the children.
The fact that Ewan had a dead wife did not bother me one bit. He says he never thinks of her and mostly cannot even remember her (she has been gone about 8 years). They were childhood friends and married because their fathers told them to. They were not together long and Cripin never knew her. Ewan certainly cared for her, but his love for Mairin far surpasses that. Actually his lack of ever mentioning her was a little strange, but I was pleased.
I listened to part of this on audio and I thought the narration was terrific.
Safety Gang safe - only issues for some are dead spouse and some violence against the heroine by the bad guy.
A note about historicals - I am so grossed out when I think about where these men get their sexual experience. In this book the men talk about tavern wenches and I am totally skeeved out thinking about their swapping fluids without protection. And I am not one to worry about condoms in books, but for some reason this bothers me. I guess because you know there are few women, lots of men and zero protection. Yuck! -
After reading this entire book, I would say the comparison to Julie Garwood's Highland romance books is apt. Yet, it's good to have a new author who writes Highland romance with a lovable heroine and a fierce hero who is not quite tamed, but definitely gives his heart to her. If it works, why not do it?
Favorite aspects of this novel:
*Hands down, I really like Mairin. Who doesn't like a heroine who is genuinely kind and good-hearted? One who is also tough and determined but sweet and innocent as well.
*A hero who does truly love her and shows it, despite the fact that it goes against his well-earned, tough-guy reputation to be a marshmallow for his woman. Ewan happily said I love you, which is awesome!
*The suspense was good. The book starts with a bang, and the tension is well-sustained throughout with threats on Mairin's life. My heart was beating very fast towards the end. I literally wondered if I would get the happy ending I expected. Of course, I was not disappointed.
*The bonding between Mairin and Crispen. Too cute how he would sleep in the bed with her and truly adored her. But then, she risked personal injury for his safety. Crispen was a cute kid period.
*I felt like the period was well-represented without going too stereotypical "Highland romance." While I don't mind brogue, it was nice that Banks didn't feel the need to pepper the dialogue with Highlander accents. And the hero didn't wear a kilt. He wore trews. A Highland book but I didn't have to constantly be reminded of that in an in-your-face way.
Wow moments:
*I think Mairin took more lickings than Harry Dresden from the series by Jim Butcher, and boy does he get hurt a lot! If this was a Charmed episode, she'd be rendered infertile by all the injuries she received (for those who watched, you know I'm talking about Piper).
*Evil, evil villain. I did feel cheated that .
*Really like that Rhionna promises to be a bonafide kickbutt heroine. Looking forward to her book.
*The love scenes are nicely steamy!
Overall, this is a very good book. I am glad to find some newer Highland historical romance novels to read, since I enjoy them. While it wasn't mind-blowing, it was entertaining and had a novel feel to it so that I didn't feel like I was reading the same book again. The characters were well-developed and the humor touches were good. While Ewan and Mairin both have some miss-steps in their interactions with each other, it was clear that they were meant for each other, and I could feel the love. I also loved how Mairin won over the clan's loyalty.
I recommend this book to historical romance readers, especially those who enjoy medieval, Highlander books. -
Audiobook: Narrator - Kristen Potter
Wow! This narrator nailed it! I absolutely loved every moment as she brought this story and the varied characters to life. The accents for each one was spot on and I began to hear that accent even as I was reading the mail! I would gladly listen to her over and over again!
I read this book years ago and remembered loving it, although I couldn’t remember all the reasons why. It didn’t take me long listening to this one to remember. This is all about the characters, They are witty and smart, fierce and loyal, hurt and broken. Each one is larger than life and I couldn’t help but fall in love with them all. Ewan is so protective over Mairin in every way that I love a hero to be. And Mairin is exactly what I adore in a heroine. She’s so witty and fun and she really turns this clan’s soldiers on their ears as they try to keep up with her.
I can’t recommend this book enough! Love, love LOVE it!
Dual POV
Safe
Triggers -
What a great start to a highlander series! I’ll be honest, until now I instantly dismissed any Maya Banks book. After reading, (and not really liking), her erotic ménage book ‘Colters’ Woman’ a few years ago, I just knew she wasn’t an author for me. But, never say never, right? Right. Despite so many of my online friends repeatedly saying her new series are great, that they are nothing like her earlier erotica stuff, I still held off reading them. But I love a good steamy highland novel, so last week I finally cracked and read this one. Wow, I so enjoyed it! I just picked up the rest of this series. It feels kind of odd to consider Maya Banks as a ‘must read author’, but that now seems to be the case. I’ll also have to try her KGI series too.
In Bed with a Highlander was a fast paced story where the heroine, Mairin, is the main pawn in a game of power, greed and revenge. After spending year in hiding for her own protection, she is kidnapped by a fierce enemy who plans to wed her for her massive dowry and land rights. After a grueling escape, she is taken to safety where she meets Ewan McCabe, laird of the McCabe clan. Knowing she must wed to protect herself and her land, Ewan seems like the right choice.
I enjoyed this one quite a bit. The romance was passionate, sexy and always center to the story, while the action kept me guessing and guessing. There were several ‘OMG, how are they going to get out of that?!’ moments. The end was a bit rushed, but it worked for me. We meet Ewen’s two brothers in the story, and I look forward to reading the Alaric’s story next. I agree with many reviewers who said if you like the old Julie Garwood highlander historicals, you will enjoy this series. -
In Bed with a Highlander: A DAZZLING historical romance sure to leave you sated yet hungry for more of Maya Banks stellar writing!
Honestly, it is quite ridiculous how much I enjoyed this here book. I've surpassed fangirldom and have nothing but pure appreciation for this book. It's 5:03 AM and though I have a busy day ahead of me, given I had even an iota of a chance, I would wholeheartedly start the next in the series.
5 Reasons everyone shouldLIEread In Bed with a Highlander
1. The Heroine: Mairin
Where do I start. Let's be honest ladies, I would say majority of the time a romance book's hero is what captures and keeps everyone's attention. That's why we have labels like TSTL for females and mostly positive labels like Alpha and Beta for the males. However, let me be the one to say right here, Mairin completely held her own. She was dynamic and engaging throughout the whole novel. Mairin is no uncoordinated, tripping, tstl lass. Instead, she is a beautiful, strapping, boyount, confident gem. While her consent to marry the laird seemed on the surface like her giving up. Don't be fooled, she was ready to wage a war on everyone's heart. She won the people over and her man through her integrity and willingness to sacrifice for the greater good. Banks wasted no time showing how wonderful Mairin. Her treatment of the Laird's child was above exaltation. She defended him and lived on for him like a true champion. She is in every way a true heroine. Plus, she had me laughing many a time with her blabbering mouth! She knew her place as a woman....and that is wherever she wanted it to be!
2. The first Couple of chapters
Honestly, by the first page I was hooked. This book starts of intense and you get invested so fast. My heart was pounding and my blood was pumping as I read through the intense beginning of the novel. Maya Banks wastes none of your time getting into the meat of the story. Your villain is revealed early on as the story starts. Its a welcome change from the usually slow and super predictable starts of most historical romance novels.
3. The hero:Ewan MacCabe
Oh alpha, where for art thou alpha. Let me just say Ewan MacCabe had me on a slow burn the WHOLE novel. He crockpott-ed my insatiable butt with all that slow cooking. Obviously, he is one hell of a hero if he has me sitting here typing like Paula Dean. This man is a loving father, fair and true laird, loving husband, and attentive brother. One thing that I never failed to notice, the whole novel Ewan was fighting for others. He fought to feed his clan, upkeep his crumbling keep, protect his son, aid his men, help his brothers, protect Mairin, and so much more. This guy didnt have a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out of and yet he fought for his people, i mean truly fought.
They say desperation is the birth of ingeniuty. Ewan lived his life as if failure was not an option, however, with the weight of so many people's welfare upon his shoulder he assuredly knew the consequences if he did not succeed. In the end, when he was threatened with a starving clan and a dowry-less wife. He simply said , "We will make it we always do, I'll find a way." That is a man. I loved him because he was not afraid to admit when he was wrong or fight when he was outnumbered. Easily, one of the top 5 heroes I've ever read. I have a bunch of quotes I had prepared to place in this description however, One really has to just read the book in its entirety to see what I mean. Favorite thing about him, yes he is alpha and no he is not a jerk. Jerk's have no place in romance. Ewan , however, will always have a place in romance.
4. All the other loveeeely men
Crispin, is Ewan's ever galliant and adorable son. He was a close contender to stealing the whole show I tell ya. Maya banks did a stellar job of writing about him as a child. I didn't feel like he was imposing upon the story, In fact I found myself constantly waiting for him to appear. He was awesome. Also, Ewan has two brothers: Alaric and Caedon. I CANNOT wait to read their books. They had important roles in this novel, but Maya Banks barely let us grasp the characters. She gave me just enough intrigue the hell out of me. It was nice, sometimes I get tired of tasteless hints about the following books when I read the first of a series. Banks did a very nice and stealth job of introducing the next two protagonists.
5.Last but certainly not least...STEAM
WHEW, the sex was fire. Period.
In Conclusion, I loved this book. Obviously, or else I wouldn't be writing a review at 5:30 AM!
CASTING
Ewan
This nameless guy from my French Rugby Men Calender
Mairn
A beautiful black hair blue eye petite featured girl
Crispin
Bran from game of thrones!
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1-3.If you deceive, If you dare, If you desire [not in order]
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A fantastic start to a new series by Maya Banks. Loved it.
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Arranged marriage is one of my favorite tropes in romance genre so obviously, I was looking forward to reading this book. However, romance-wise and plot-wise, this story is pretty simple, straightforward and full of clichés (brooding confident overbearing hero and fierce independent heroine prone to cause difficulties). Moreover, I don’t have patience with heroines who always blurt out everything they are thinking. It may happen once but repeatedly through out whole novel? That’s one annoying trend and it made Mairin look quite stupid.
In Bed with a Highlander is great pick for leisure reading and I have to admit that here were parts that I enjoyed. Nonetheless, I’m not going to continue with this series. -
I don't know about you, but I'm starting to think that if you've read one highland romance, you've read them all. I'm not knocking on Ms. Banks in particular because she writes very well. There's just absolutely nothing new or special here. And I think I've read this same plot line in at least half a dozen romances: A pretty little Scottish heiress, hiding out from an evil chief/laird/lord who wants to force her into marriage to claim her lands, ends up in the hands of a rival, gruff yet good, chief/laird/lord who also wants her lands but likes her, too, and convinces her marriage to him is her best option. The heiress is a virgin and shocked on her wedding night, and therefore the requisite scenes of asking older women for bedroom advice follow. While the heiress learns how to please her man and tries to become mistress of the keep, chief/laird/lord discovers how difficult it is to protect the heiress from any number of dangers she continually walks into, and from the constant threat of evil chief/laird/lord trying to take her away. Stop me if you've heard this one before.
This is by no means a bad book. Ms. Banks' writing is neat and natural, the period detail is good, and the sex is hot. There's just really nothing original about it, and I found myself getting bored. We get a little action and excitement toward the end, but overall I wasn't captivated. I've seen lots of glowing reviews for this one, though, and I can't help but think that some of these reviewers haven't read as many highland romances as I have, and thus weren't getting such a feeling of same old, same old. It certainly wouldn't be a bad introduction for someone who wants to try a highland romance. Interestingly, though, I did find that both of our chief/laird/lord's brothers came across as being much more intriguing to read about, and there's a nice set-up in place for book two in this series. I'll probably give it a try in the hopes that it's more entertaining. -
I love the KGI series by Maya Banks, but when it came to reading her historicals I balked. In the past, I’ve found that when I like books of one genre by an author I don’t normally like books of other genres by the same author. So I put off reading this book. Even the description didn’t sway me. It just didn’t appeal.
However,
Alyssa kept bugging me to read this book. She promised I would like it. Every time I was looking for a book to read she would beg me to read this. And every time I would put her off and pick something else.
I finally gave in and promised it would read it…eventually. And I (reluctantly) made good on my promise. Even as I started the book, I wasn’t looking forward to reading it.
I am extremely happy to say that I loved every minute of this book. Mairin was very strong and protective of her family and she had the nerve to stand up to her husband. I loved the interactions between Ewan and Mairin. They were a great couple and the McCabe’s are a great clan. I especially loved the scenes between Mairin and Crispin.
I can’t say I was disappointed (because I wasn’t) but I do wish there had been a little more of a search for the traitor in their midst.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book and I didn’t want it to end. I can’t wait to continue the McCabe stories and find out what happens to Alaric and Caelen. -
4 Solid & Happy Stars
Why haven’t I read a highlander romance book in so long! This was good and has me craving more.
The story focuses on the illegitimate daughter of the king – Mairin, she is a pawn many wish to use, and her seclusion from the world in a nunnery, is shattered when she is kidnapped, escaping with a child she has protected, she crosses paths with the McCabe clan, and their Lard Ewan McCabe (the father of the child she has with her), and once he realises who she is Ewan tells her they will be married. As marriage to Mairin and the child that would come from that union will give hope for the future, and enable him to take care of his clan and ensure they thrive - thus the no he gets from her is one he ignores.
What Ewan doesn’t expect is to be intrigued by his lady wife, before he can blink, she has found a way into his heart and his treatment of her reflects more than him being an honourable and dutiful husband (well after a little while it does). I enjoyed how protective of her he was, and I loved that Mairin wasn’t afraid to speak her mind and do what she thought was right, even when she felt it would anger Ewan. I did wish Ewan would have toned down the demands for Mairin to obey him, but I guess the time in which the book was set meant this would happen, luckily, he isn’t an ass about it for the most part.
Can I say holy shit when it comes to all Mairin goes through in this book, she is As a leading lady Mairin rocked, I liked her fortitude, spirit and protective nature.
The one thing I really didn’t like in this book was the depiction of
There is a good blend of heat, action, romance and humour in this book, all of which means I know I will be re-reading it at some point. That being said I wish the ending had been teased out a bit more, and we knew exactly what occurred to the villains – the ending felt a little abrupt.
99p on Amazon 3rd May 2019 -
"He looked savage with his unkempt, long dark hair and the braids dangling on each side of his temples."
Several rereads later... Still a 5 STAR story 😍 -
Saving my thoughts for The Rake Appreciation Society live show!
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The first book in Maya Banks' McCabe series, set in Medieval Scotland. Googling in the information provided in the novel I believe this story is set around the year 1134. The heroine, Mairin, is stolen from an abbey where she was hiding. Mairin escapes and ends up with hero, Ewan McCabe. While a bit spicy in places I did find it sweet. Some have compared this to Julie Garwood's historicals and I did find a similarity here and there. Mainly with the stubbornness of the heroine and the alphaness of the hero and the bits of witty conversation they had. Not being a history major I can't tell you how historically accurate it was but the conversations were in modern english. This could be a problem for some but not me since I don't speak old english or scottish. I liked it and will continue the series.
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4.5 stars!
Man do I love Highlanders. They just have that commanding, protective demeanor that I LOVE! They get me like no other kind. This book was so good!
I loved the heroine, Mairin. She had the right amount of sass and spunk that makes for perfect chemistry. I can’t wait to continue on to book two. Alaric really caught my attention.
“There’s little decency to good loving,” Maddie said sagely. “If ’tis decent, it isn’t much fun.” Bertha nodded, her lips compressed as her head bobbed up and down. “Nothing wrong with a nice, dirty romp.”
Once Mairin got the hang of it in the bedroom, she became more than Ewen could handle. They were a passionate match!
