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Highland Guard #1
The Chief
An elite fighting force unlike the world has ever seen...
Scouring the darkest corners of the Highlands and Western Isles, Robert the Bruce handpicks ten warriors to help him in his quest to free Scotland from English rule. They are the best of the best, chosen for their superior skills in each discipline of warfare. And to lead his secret Highland Guard, Bruce chooses the greatest warrior of all.
The ultimate Highland warlord and a swordsman without equal, Tor MacLeod has no intention of being drawn into Scotland’s war against the English. Dedicated to his clan, the fiercely independent chief answers to no one—especially not to his alluring new bride, bartered to him in a bid to secure his command of the deadliest fighting force the world has ever seen. The treacherous chit who made her way to Tor’s bed may have won his hand, but she will never claim his heart.
Although her husband’s reputation is as fierce as his manner, Christina Fraser believes that something softer hides beneath his brutal shell. But the only warmth she feels is in their bed, in glorious moments of white-hot desire that disappear with the dawn. When Christina’s reckless bid to win her husband’s love goes awry and thrusts them into danger on the eve of war, Tor will face his ultimate battle: to save his wife and to open his heart—before it’s too late.
Scouring the darkest corners of the Highlands and Western Isles, Robert the Bruce handpicks ten warriors to help him in his quest to free Scotland from English rule. They are the best of the best, chosen for their superior skills in each discipline of warfare. And to lead his secret Highland Guard, Bruce chooses the greatest warrior of all.
The ultimate Highland warlord and a swordsman without equal, Tor MacLeod has no intention of being drawn into Scotland’s war against the English. Dedicated to his clan, the fiercely independent chief answers to no one—especially not to his alluring new bride, bartered to him in a bid to secure his command of the deadliest fighting force the world has ever seen. The treacherous chit who made her way to Tor’s bed may have won his hand, but she will never claim his heart.
Although her husband’s reputation is as fierce as his manner, Christina Fraser believes that something softer hides beneath his brutal shell. But the only warmth she feels is in their bed, in glorious moments of white-hot desire that disappear with the dawn. When Christina’s reckless bid to win her husband’s love goes awry and thrusts them into danger on the eve of war, Tor will face his ultimate battle: to save his wife and to open his heart—before it’s too late.
405 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published March 23, 2010
569 people are currently reading
13393 people want to read
About the author
Monica McCarty
59 books2,957 followersWhat do you get when you mix a legal career, a baseball career, motherhood, and a love of history with a voracious reader? In my case, a Historical Romance Author.
Like most writers, I’ve always loved to read. Growing up in California there was always plenty to do outside, but all too often I could be found inside curled up with a book (or two or three). I started with the usual fare: The Little House on the Prairie series, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit, Watership Down, Nancy Drew, and everything by Judy Blume. Once I cleared off my bookshelf, I started swiping books from my mom. Some, like Sidney Sheldon’s The Other Side of Midnight, probably weren’t the most appropriate choice for a pre-adolescent—although they were definitely illuminating. I can still remember the look of abject horror on my mom’s Catholic-girl-face when I asked her what a virgin was. After that rather brief conversation, she paid a little closer attention to what had disappeared off her book shelf, and steered me in the direction of Harlequin and Barbara Cartland romances. I was hooked. I quickly read through the inventory of the local library and was soon buying bags of romances at garage sales.
In high school, with the encouragement of my father (who I think was a little concerned about the steady diet of romances), I read over eighty of the Franklin Library’s One Hundred Greatest Books ever written—including Tolstoy, Confucius, Plato, and the entire works of Shakespeare. Some of them were tough going for a teenager, but the experience would prove an invaluable foundation for college. After reading War and Peace, I wasn’t easily intimidated.
For some reason Monica decided to go into writing and not fashion.
After graduation, I loaded up the VW (Jetta not Bus) and trekked down I-5 to attend the University of Southern California, majoring in Political Science and minoring in English (see why all that reading helped!). I joined the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, and when I wasn’t studying or at football games, did my best to support the local bartending industry. Ah, the good old days.
With that kind of fun, four years of college wasn’t quite enough. So leaving Tommy Trojan behind, I traveled back up north to Palo Alto for three more years of study at Stanford Law School. Once I survived the stress of the first semester, law school proved to be one of the best times of my life—garnering me a JD, life-long friends, a husband, and an unexpectedly intimate knowledge of baseball. (See “The Baseball Odyssey” below).
Law School was also where I fell in love with Scotland. In my third year, I took a Comparative Legal History class, and wrote a paper on the Scottish Clan System and Feudalism. So I immediately dropped out of law school and went on to write Scottish Historical Romances…well no, not quite. You see, I always knew I wanted to be a lawyer. My father was a lawyer, I was a “poet” (i.e., not into math), and I love to argue. It seemed natural.
So I finished law school, got married, passed the CA bar, moved to Minnesota (with a few stops along the way), waived into the MN bar, worked as a litigator for a few satisfying years, moved back to CA, had a couple of kids, realized that a legal career and being a single parent for most of the year (due to husband's career) would be extremely difficult, and THEN decided to sit down and write.
And how did I end up writing romance? It’s not as divergent as it seems. What I loved about being a lawyer are the same things I love about being a writer—research and writing. The only thing missing is the arguing, but that’s what a husband and kids are for, right?
Like most writers, I’ve always loved to read. Growing up in California there was always plenty to do outside, but all too often I could be found inside curled up with a book (or two or three). I started with the usual fare: The Little House on the Prairie series, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit, Watership Down, Nancy Drew, and everything by Judy Blume. Once I cleared off my bookshelf, I started swiping books from my mom. Some, like Sidney Sheldon’s The Other Side of Midnight, probably weren’t the most appropriate choice for a pre-adolescent—although they were definitely illuminating. I can still remember the look of abject horror on my mom’s Catholic-girl-face when I asked her what a virgin was. After that rather brief conversation, she paid a little closer attention to what had disappeared off her book shelf, and steered me in the direction of Harlequin and Barbara Cartland romances. I was hooked. I quickly read through the inventory of the local library and was soon buying bags of romances at garage sales.
In high school, with the encouragement of my father (who I think was a little concerned about the steady diet of romances), I read over eighty of the Franklin Library’s One Hundred Greatest Books ever written—including Tolstoy, Confucius, Plato, and the entire works of Shakespeare. Some of them were tough going for a teenager, but the experience would prove an invaluable foundation for college. After reading War and Peace, I wasn’t easily intimidated.
For some reason Monica decided to go into writing and not fashion.
After graduation, I loaded up the VW (Jetta not Bus) and trekked down I-5 to attend the University of Southern California, majoring in Political Science and minoring in English (see why all that reading helped!). I joined the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, and when I wasn’t studying or at football games, did my best to support the local bartending industry. Ah, the good old days.
With that kind of fun, four years of college wasn’t quite enough. So leaving Tommy Trojan behind, I traveled back up north to Palo Alto for three more years of study at Stanford Law School. Once I survived the stress of the first semester, law school proved to be one of the best times of my life—garnering me a JD, life-long friends, a husband, and an unexpectedly intimate knowledge of baseball. (See “The Baseball Odyssey” below).
Law School was also where I fell in love with Scotland. In my third year, I took a Comparative Legal History class, and wrote a paper on the Scottish Clan System and Feudalism. So I immediately dropped out of law school and went on to write Scottish Historical Romances…well no, not quite. You see, I always knew I wanted to be a lawyer. My father was a lawyer, I was a “poet” (i.e., not into math), and I love to argue. It seemed natural.
So I finished law school, got married, passed the CA bar, moved to Minnesota (with a few stops along the way), waived into the MN bar, worked as a litigator for a few satisfying years, moved back to CA, had a couple of kids, realized that a legal career and being a single parent for most of the year (due to husband's career) would be extremely difficult, and THEN decided to sit down and write.
And how did I end up writing romance? It’s not as divergent as it seems. What I loved about being a lawyer are the same things I love about being a writer—research and writing. The only thing missing is the arguing, but that’s what a husband and kids are for, right?
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,220 reviews
November 5, 2016
"Together they were a force to be reckoned with. He felt like he was standing on the edge of something momentous. As if history were about to be made. The dawn of a new age of warrior harkened—the dawn of the Highlander."
-Dunvegan Castle-
Well! I've found another author I will certainly adore
And one more fantastic Highlander series 
I'm in heaven 
One warrior Highlander Chief - enough to make you swoon
An elite warrior Highlander army - heart palpitations! Beware!
The background
I just have to say I LOVE the fact that this is historically based. Reading about Willian Wallace, Robert Bruce and all those characters from Braveheart (yes, I'm a Mel Gibson fan :P ), the locations are real, and I have googled it all, and it was so freaking beautiful
I want to move to Scotland! The picture above - Dunvegan Castle, is where this story is placed, that's Tor's castle
and it is on the Isle of Skye (picture below). Simply beautiful.
The story
After William Wallace's death, Robert Bruce decides to form an army. The best warriors Scotland has to give, to fight united and free Scotland from the English rule. The fiercest warrior is chosen to lead them - Tor MacLeod.
The only problem is - he does not wish the part. Christina is from a noble family, but one against King Edward, and whose father decides to use her as pawn to secure Tor's leadership of the Elite warriors. Found together in bed, Tor and Christina are to be married, and he takes his new bride home to Dunvegan Castle. Along with training the recruits who can't stand each other, Tor has to make room in his life for his new bride, which he is reluctant to do. She tries to win his affection, and love :) Will she succeed? DUH!
-The Isle of Skye-
Christina
She's a real romantic
dreaming of Lancelot, a knight in shining armour coming to her rescue, all dazzling and stuff XD When she first saw Tor, he was beating the sh*t out of another warrior, and it was brutal and fierce. Her cry to stop was the only thing that prevented Tor to kill the other man. Even though he doesn't fit the knight description, she's still entranced by him, his strenght, his muscles (well she has eyes right
), his steely blue eyes and golden hair... He should really be sculpted, and from what I read, his manhood should be molded and sold to sex-shops
Anyway, she can't help but feel hope that her warrior cares for her, or that he will grow to love her :) Love the way she didn't give up on him, and the last thing she did - I approve
Not the actuall thing she did, but that it made Tor to grovel eheheheheheheh
Tor
*swoon, gushing, swoon, giggle, want to lick, want to kick, swoon again, want to hug, squeallllll*
I think that covers my reactions to him
He's the uber alpha warrior, can't get any better than that! A Chief to his clan, he's the best warrior in Scotland, and damn but he's pretty too! Golden hair? *swoon* Strength and muscles all over *swOOOOn*
He's been the head of the clan from the age of 10, and isn't ruled by emotions. Having seen his family killed, he's sworn to himself that he wouldn't let anyone close, to trust or to love.
Christina tests that constantly. He can't help but feel for her, and doesn't like it one bit. It was kind of cute seeing him all flustered around her, when he did something that would betray his emotions, and quickly try to hide it XD Although, he was really thick sometimes
(I mean mentally, although the other way as well XD). He didn't trust her enough to tell her about the warriors he was training, and damn, but I wanted to kick his ass for it
Still, he redeemed himself nicely heheheh :) Just loved the ending, even though it may have been a little too sweet, but what the hell, they deserved it
And now? I have read about all those other men who'll have their own books! My brain is I want to read them NOW!! Gah! Me love Highlanders so much 
-Dunvegan Castle-
Well! I've found another author I will certainly adore
And one more fantastic Highlander series 
I'm in heaven 
One warrior Highlander Chief - enough to make you swoon
An elite warrior Highlander army - heart palpitations! Beware!
The background
I just have to say I LOVE the fact that this is historically based. Reading about Willian Wallace, Robert Bruce and all those characters from Braveheart (yes, I'm a Mel Gibson fan :P ), the locations are real, and I have googled it all, and it was so freaking beautiful
I want to move to Scotland! The picture above - Dunvegan Castle, is where this story is placed, that's Tor's castle
and it is on the Isle of Skye (picture below). Simply beautiful. The story
After William Wallace's death, Robert Bruce decides to form an army. The best warriors Scotland has to give, to fight united and free Scotland from the English rule. The fiercest warrior is chosen to lead them - Tor MacLeod.
The only problem is - he does not wish the part. Christina is from a noble family, but one against King Edward, and whose father decides to use her as pawn to secure Tor's leadership of the Elite warriors. Found together in bed, Tor and Christina are to be married, and he takes his new bride home to Dunvegan Castle. Along with training the recruits who can't stand each other, Tor has to make room in his life for his new bride, which he is reluctant to do. She tries to win his affection, and love :) Will she succeed? DUH!
-The Isle of Skye-
Christina
She's a real romantic
dreaming of Lancelot, a knight in shining armour coming to her rescue, all dazzling and stuff XD When she first saw Tor, he was beating the sh*t out of another warrior, and it was brutal and fierce. Her cry to stop was the only thing that prevented Tor to kill the other man. Even though he doesn't fit the knight description, she's still entranced by him, his strenght, his muscles (well she has eyes right
), his steely blue eyes and golden hair... He should really be sculpted, and from what I read, his manhood should be molded and sold to sex-shops
Anyway, she can't help but feel hope that her warrior cares for her, or that he will grow to love her :) Love the way she didn't give up on him, and the last thing she did - I approve
Not the actuall thing she did, but that it made Tor to grovel eheheheheheheh
Tor
*swoon, gushing, swoon, giggle, want to lick, want to kick, swoon again, want to hug, squeallllll*
I think that covers my reactions to him
He's the uber alpha warrior, can't get any better than that! A Chief to his clan, he's the best warrior in Scotland, and damn but he's pretty too! Golden hair? *swoon* Strength and muscles all over *swOOOOn*
He's been the head of the clan from the age of 10, and isn't ruled by emotions. Having seen his family killed, he's sworn to himself that he wouldn't let anyone close, to trust or to love.
Christina tests that constantly. He can't help but feel for her, and doesn't like it one bit. It was kind of cute seeing him all flustered around her, when he did something that would betray his emotions, and quickly try to hide it XD Although, he was really thick sometimes
(I mean mentally, although the other way as well XD). He didn't trust her enough to tell her about the warriors he was training, and damn, but I wanted to kick his ass for it
Still, he redeemed himself nicely heheheh :) Just loved the ending, even though it may have been a little too sweet, but what the hell, they deserved it
And now? I have read about all those other men who'll have their own books! My brain is
I want to read them NOW!! Gah! Me love Highlanders so much 
March 28, 2010
5 stars – Historical Romance
WOW! I loved this! What an awesome start to an enthralling new highlander historical romance series about an elite fighting guard of warriors handpicked by Robert the Bruce to partake in a secret mission to free Scotland from English tyranny by overtaking the throne from King Edward’s rule.
Robert the Bruce’s elite force, the Highland Guard is made up of the best of the best, warriors from the Highlands and Western Isles, selected for their exceptional skills and tactics of warfare, and to lead this band of brave fighters, he calls on the fiercest swordsman and most respected, feared warrior in all the Highlands, Chief Tormod MacLeod of Skye.
Tor MacLeod has spent the last 20 years rebuilding and fortifying his clan, and he has no plan to take part in politics or be drawn into Scotland’s war. The brutalities of his past have hardened the fierce, proud warrior and respected leader, and his devotion is given solely to the welfare of his clan. He has no place in his heart for a woman, even one as tempting and alluring as his sweet, innocent bride.
Christina Fraser is bartered to Tor as part of a political alliance and contracted agreement to train Bruce’s team of superior, deadly warriors. She’s initially frightened by his seemingly barbarian ways, but quickly comes to respect him and yearns to be his wife in every way. But Tor is unaccustomed to sharing himself with anyone or having to worry about a woman’s delicate feelings. He’ll give her unbridled passion in bed unlike she’s ever dreamed, but outside their bedroom, he keeps his emotions tightly controlled and his heart closed off.
Christina is certain Tor harbors a softer, warmer nature underneath his stony, fierce demeanor, and she’s determined to win her husband’s affection. But when her well-meaning but reckless plan to earn his love results in treachery and thrusts them into war, Tor will risk everything to save her from danger, but can the stoic, independent warrior finally concede his heart, before it’s too late?
I love the movie “Braveheart” and this takes place between William Wallace’s torture and execution and Robert the Bruce being crowned King of Scots. It’s a fascinating, riveting combination of steamy highlander romance and military suspense. The description on Monica McCarty’s website says it best: “What’s sexier than a man in a kilt? How about Special Ops in kilts. The series will marry her love for strapping, sexy Highland warriors with her other love for navy SEALs and black ops. Think Suzanne Brockmann meets Braveheart”.
Tor is a sexy, hardened, tortured alpha hero struggling to deal with feelings stirred by his young wife that are totally foreign to him, and Christina is such a sweet, endearing heroine longing for her husband’s trust and affection, that it’s just impossible not to love them both. Their relationship and romance is tentative, touching, intensely passionate, and so achingly tender and sad at times that it brought tears to my eyes, and the love scenes are blistering HOT! I simply couldn’t put it down, and I didn’t want it to end. I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in the series, The Hawk: A Highland Guard Novel, that’s scheduled for release on August 31, 2010.
WOW! I loved this! What an awesome start to an enthralling new highlander historical romance series about an elite fighting guard of warriors handpicked by Robert the Bruce to partake in a secret mission to free Scotland from English tyranny by overtaking the throne from King Edward’s rule.
Robert the Bruce’s elite force, the Highland Guard is made up of the best of the best, warriors from the Highlands and Western Isles, selected for their exceptional skills and tactics of warfare, and to lead this band of brave fighters, he calls on the fiercest swordsman and most respected, feared warrior in all the Highlands, Chief Tormod MacLeod of Skye.
Tor MacLeod has spent the last 20 years rebuilding and fortifying his clan, and he has no plan to take part in politics or be drawn into Scotland’s war. The brutalities of his past have hardened the fierce, proud warrior and respected leader, and his devotion is given solely to the welfare of his clan. He has no place in his heart for a woman, even one as tempting and alluring as his sweet, innocent bride.
Christina Fraser is bartered to Tor as part of a political alliance and contracted agreement to train Bruce’s team of superior, deadly warriors. She’s initially frightened by his seemingly barbarian ways, but quickly comes to respect him and yearns to be his wife in every way. But Tor is unaccustomed to sharing himself with anyone or having to worry about a woman’s delicate feelings. He’ll give her unbridled passion in bed unlike she’s ever dreamed, but outside their bedroom, he keeps his emotions tightly controlled and his heart closed off.
Christina is certain Tor harbors a softer, warmer nature underneath his stony, fierce demeanor, and she’s determined to win her husband’s affection. But when her well-meaning but reckless plan to earn his love results in treachery and thrusts them into war, Tor will risk everything to save her from danger, but can the stoic, independent warrior finally concede his heart, before it’s too late?
I love the movie “Braveheart” and this takes place between William Wallace’s torture and execution and Robert the Bruce being crowned King of Scots. It’s a fascinating, riveting combination of steamy highlander romance and military suspense. The description on Monica McCarty’s website says it best: “What’s sexier than a man in a kilt? How about Special Ops in kilts. The series will marry her love for strapping, sexy Highland warriors with her other love for navy SEALs and black ops. Think Suzanne Brockmann meets Braveheart”.
Tor is a sexy, hardened, tortured alpha hero struggling to deal with feelings stirred by his young wife that are totally foreign to him, and Christina is such a sweet, endearing heroine longing for her husband’s trust and affection, that it’s just impossible not to love them both. Their relationship and romance is tentative, touching, intensely passionate, and so achingly tender and sad at times that it brought tears to my eyes, and the love scenes are blistering HOT! I simply couldn’t put it down, and I didn’t want it to end. I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in the series, The Hawk: A Highland Guard Novel, that’s scheduled for release on August 31, 2010.
May 30, 2017
Pues la verdad es que me ha gustado, tanto la historia como los personajes. Tengo que confesar que me daba un poco de 'miedo' leer este libro, porque pensé que sería como todos los de los Highlanders, pero no es así. En cada página se nota el proceso de investigación que ha hecho la autora y la historia tiene su punto de originalidad. Realmente este inicio de saga promete!
April 26, 2010
Basic set up: Robert the Bruce needs an elite guard of highlanders who don't fight by the *knightly code of honor* who can go in and do the dirty work that the *true knights* won't do and send the awful English King Edward back south of the border where he belongs. They want Tor MacLeod to train and lead the elite force, but he's not interested so more devious means are contrived and Christina Fraser is the bait. Christina is happiest spending her time reading romance novels (I loved how it was the priest who gave her the romance novel) and dreaming of Lancelot kissing his Queen and she's none too thrilled when her mean, nasty, awful father sneaks her into Tor's bed in order to compromise him into marriage. How the marriage will force Tor to join the *forces* is a bit beyond the grasp of my feeble brain, but that's how I understood it.
I didn't have high hopes going into this one but still I didn't expect such silliness either - and I'm not talking about the main plot of a medieval special ops force (rolls eyes). What got me and why I gave up around page 100 was I was getting sick and tired of Christina making goo-goo eyes at Tor like he's her dream come true as well as lusting after his manly build (really was there nothing else going on in that pea brain of hers?). Top that off with Tor's well built....erm....ahem.....you know what always raising at the merest glance at the beauteous Christina (I kid you not it happened at least once on every page) and eyeing her bountiful breasts was enough to send the book flying across the room around page 100. Get it from the library if you must and then buy it if you love it.
I didn't have high hopes going into this one but still I didn't expect such silliness either - and I'm not talking about the main plot of a medieval special ops force (rolls eyes). What got me and why I gave up around page 100 was I was getting sick and tired of Christina making goo-goo eyes at Tor like he's her dream come true as well as lusting after his manly build (really was there nothing else going on in that pea brain of hers?). Top that off with Tor's well built....erm....ahem.....you know what always raising at the merest glance at the beauteous Christina (I kid you not it happened at least once on every page) and eyeing her bountiful breasts was enough to send the book flying across the room around page 100. Get it from the library if you must and then buy it if you love it.
June 15, 2022
Stubborn pride in the belief that he was impervious to emotion had blinded him from what had been there all along. It was the reason he could never stop thinking about her. The reason he looked for excuses to spend time with her. The reason it felt so different to make love to her. It was what made him content to hold her in his arms for hours and listen to her voice as she read him those silly, romantic tales. It was the reason he wanted to wake up beside her every day for the rest of his life. It was the reason his chest twisted when he walked into a room and she looked up to see him, a wide smile spreading across her face. She’d brought warmth back into his life, broken through the icy shell that he’d erected around his heart, and dug down deep to find emotions long buried.
The year of our lord 1305. Tormod Macleod, the chief of Macleod clan, is the premier swordsman and one of the best warlords in the Highlands. The chief is fiercely loyal to his clan and believes that he does not need to pick a side in the war between England and Scotland. However, Robert Bruce has another idea. He knows of the Macleod chief’s superior skills and decides that Tormod would make the perfect leader to train his select few warriors who will help him free Scotland from the English rule. But when the Macleod chief rejects the idea, one of the most patriotic noblemen in Scotland devises the perfect plan in order to secure Tormod’s agreement to lead the secret highland guards. Enter Christina Fraser, a pawn to her father’s game who was forced to trap Tormod in marriage to secure an alliance. The Macleod chief is an intense and menacing warrior but Christina believes that there is a softer side to the man she married, if only he would let her get close enough to him. Soon enough, Christina’s eager attempts to please her husband goes amiss…and Tor might just face the ultimate battle after all.
The chief is the first book from Monica Mccarty’s historical romance series, Highland Guards. This tells the story of Tormod Macleod and Christina Fraser. I have been in the biggest Highland/Scottish mood and I don’t know how I am going back to regency/victorian after this. I don’t even know what happened, one day I just woke up and realized I wanted to read more books set during the medieval time and preferably Scottish too. I am so glad I pushed through because this book was so good! How was I never obsessed with Highlander books before? I can’t even begin to imagine how and why.
I loved the heroine: Christina Fraser. This lass was strong in her own way. Her father is abusive and her older sister is the more “fragile and sickly” one so she takes it upon herself to protect her sister, Beatrix. This is the very reason why she had no choice but to do her father’s bidding to try and trap the hero of the book. She might not be as likeable to others because of her “deception” but I think she more than made up and apologized for her misdeed. I thought she was very sweet so I loved her. She definitely had a romanticized outlook about life, especially about her new husband but it was understandable why. He provided her the security and comfort she was lacking during her years with her father. I loved her determination, may it be in being a good sister, wife or chatelaine. She was such a darling and I rooted for her character until the end. I felt my heart break each time Tor pushed her away and said unkind things when she was only trying her best to please him. I was most definitely wishing for her to leave him just so he can come to his senses and realize what an amazing woman and wife she was to him. Thankfully, he did see the light. I guess it was a matter of preference that will help a reader decide whether they’ll love her or not. In this case, I did. I love heroines who aren’t afraid to be vulnerable. I think their vulnerability (emotionally vulnerable or just not afraid to show the love they have in their heart) is their strength and I don’t see much of that in the real world so I find much joy in reading about characters like her in books. One more thing on my mind while I was reading the book is that I know Christina would have loved Lana Del Rey. She would!
I had a love-hate relationship with the hero of the book: Tormod. I loved his individual character. He was a good man who was dedicated to making sure his people are protected. He was a warlord so I think it is expected that he was the alpha, domineering and closed off type of hero. I have a thing for heroes like him, especially as of late. They are just very appealing to me. As a hero, there were times I hated his actions and most especially his words. He was so mean to Christina when she was only trying her best to be a good wife for him. There were times when he was sweet and considerate which just makes the scenes where he’s unkind hurt much more. Of course there is an explanation as to why he was closed off as he was but it didn’t make the pain feel less cutting. I especially loved him when he was being playful and sweet towards the heroine. For such a man like him, that surely is an improvement from his usual gruff manner. I liked that he didn’t mean to hurt the heroine and tried his best not to but of course the heroine would be hurt because she felt more for him than he did for her at the beginning. I ended up loving his character. Guilty pleasure. I love meanies. Sorry. Also, this man was so hot and knew what to do and say during bed scenes! I usually do not like too much spice but I enjoyed reading them in this book just because it was one of the few times where the hero can let the heroine feel the passion he feels for her and does it very erotically too.
This book was just written so well. I am obsessed! It started out slowly, and I noticed that I read slower than usual. Perhaps because I was processing the details. I think that it is the type of book that you have to read leisurely for maximum enjoyment. I was able to appreciate how well done this book was when I wasn’t in a hurry to reach the ending. The chief has intricate historical details but I really liked it. I am aware that the whole highland guards wasn’t a real thing. What was real, however, were the historical figures in the book and one of them was the hero, Tormod Macleod. The way the author weaved the fictional parts over actual historical stuff was sublime. I really enjoyed this and I am so glad I pushed through because this is one of those books where it was written well and it successfully painted a vivid picture in the reader’s mind which makes it very memorable. The author painted the year 1305 really well for me and I can see Dunvegan castle and its picturesque surroundings, hear the warriors and see just about everything else. The political intrigue kept me very engrossed. It was like watching a medieval movie but with an amazing romance included and a much more in depth look to the main characters.
I thought all of the highland guards were pretty interesting. They are definitely the main reason why I want to proceed and read most of the books in this series. This book didn’t really have an ending where you know it’s an end. It has a closure for the couple, but of course as a reader, you know how the story / much bigger plot would progress until you reach the end of the series. The books are most definitely connected because of the overarching plot involving Robert Bruce. I am very intrigued to know what happens to these highland guards and who they end up with so I will be continuing on with the series.
The fact that these characters, including the hero, heroine and the other highland guards were based on real people makes me feel some type of weird way. I can’t explain why but it makes me sad? That sometime around seven hundred years ago some of these people actually existed makes me feel both happy and sad. Why would Monica Mccarty do this? Now I am too attached to this world, the fictional characters who aren’t entirely fictional and have lived and died centuries ago. It’s weird! The amount of effort the author put into research was admirable. I highly respect authors who make historical books actually feel historical. I read historicals for that atmosphere so it’s always a welcome thing when it actually feels era-appropriate. After this experience, I don’t know how I’m gonna go back to wallpaper type of historicals. Soon maybe, but for now, I am obsessed with the middle ages setting and I need to read more. Also, I just loved the author’s note. It gave me some sense of peace knowing that Tor and Christina were real people and married to each other too. Though we will never know how their real story played out, we at least have this reimagined version of their life where they were eventually happy together. I have nothing more to say except that it was an excellent read. It may have started out slow but when it picked up its pace, it became so much more interesting. How I have never read a Monica McCarty book before this one, I don’t know, but I plan to rectify that soon. The quibbles I have for this one were minor, and I can’t stop thinking about the book so I decided to give it five stars. Lucky me for having some good reads as of late.
Some Quotes:
Christina knew that she’d found something far better than the knight of her dreams. She’d found the Highlander of her heart and a love that would last a lifetime.
“These knights and their foolish codes,” he said with unconcealed disgust. “The gravest dishonor just for consenting to ride in a cart?” He shook his head. “Hell, I’d crawl through a dung heap to save you.”
She was warmth and light to a man who’d been living in a barren wasteland for too long. Hell, he was starting to sound like one of those bard’s tales she loved.
Their eyes locked and the world stopped. For one long heartbeat all he could see was her. Euphoria unlike anything he’d ever known washed over him.
She was a breath of fresh spring air in the dank of winter.
The year of our lord 1305. Tormod Macleod, the chief of Macleod clan, is the premier swordsman and one of the best warlords in the Highlands. The chief is fiercely loyal to his clan and believes that he does not need to pick a side in the war between England and Scotland. However, Robert Bruce has another idea. He knows of the Macleod chief’s superior skills and decides that Tormod would make the perfect leader to train his select few warriors who will help him free Scotland from the English rule. But when the Macleod chief rejects the idea, one of the most patriotic noblemen in Scotland devises the perfect plan in order to secure Tormod’s agreement to lead the secret highland guards. Enter Christina Fraser, a pawn to her father’s game who was forced to trap Tormod in marriage to secure an alliance. The Macleod chief is an intense and menacing warrior but Christina believes that there is a softer side to the man she married, if only he would let her get close enough to him. Soon enough, Christina’s eager attempts to please her husband goes amiss…and Tor might just face the ultimate battle after all.
The chief is the first book from Monica Mccarty’s historical romance series, Highland Guards. This tells the story of Tormod Macleod and Christina Fraser. I have been in the biggest Highland/Scottish mood and I don’t know how I am going back to regency/victorian after this. I don’t even know what happened, one day I just woke up and realized I wanted to read more books set during the medieval time and preferably Scottish too. I am so glad I pushed through because this book was so good! How was I never obsessed with Highlander books before? I can’t even begin to imagine how and why.
I loved the heroine: Christina Fraser. This lass was strong in her own way. Her father is abusive and her older sister is the more “fragile and sickly” one so she takes it upon herself to protect her sister, Beatrix. This is the very reason why she had no choice but to do her father’s bidding to try and trap the hero of the book. She might not be as likeable to others because of her “deception” but I think she more than made up and apologized for her misdeed. I thought she was very sweet so I loved her. She definitely had a romanticized outlook about life, especially about her new husband but it was understandable why. He provided her the security and comfort she was lacking during her years with her father. I loved her determination, may it be in being a good sister, wife or chatelaine. She was such a darling and I rooted for her character until the end. I felt my heart break each time Tor pushed her away and said unkind things when she was only trying her best to please him. I was most definitely wishing for her to leave him just so he can come to his senses and realize what an amazing woman and wife she was to him. Thankfully, he did see the light. I guess it was a matter of preference that will help a reader decide whether they’ll love her or not. In this case, I did. I love heroines who aren’t afraid to be vulnerable. I think their vulnerability (emotionally vulnerable or just not afraid to show the love they have in their heart) is their strength and I don’t see much of that in the real world so I find much joy in reading about characters like her in books. One more thing on my mind while I was reading the book is that I know Christina would have loved Lana Del Rey. She would!
I had a love-hate relationship with the hero of the book: Tormod. I loved his individual character. He was a good man who was dedicated to making sure his people are protected. He was a warlord so I think it is expected that he was the alpha, domineering and closed off type of hero. I have a thing for heroes like him, especially as of late. They are just very appealing to me. As a hero, there were times I hated his actions and most especially his words. He was so mean to Christina when she was only trying her best to be a good wife for him. There were times when he was sweet and considerate which just makes the scenes where he’s unkind hurt much more. Of course there is an explanation as to why he was closed off as he was but it didn’t make the pain feel less cutting. I especially loved him when he was being playful and sweet towards the heroine. For such a man like him, that surely is an improvement from his usual gruff manner. I liked that he didn’t mean to hurt the heroine and tried his best not to but of course the heroine would be hurt because she felt more for him than he did for her at the beginning. I ended up loving his character. Guilty pleasure. I love meanies. Sorry. Also, this man was so hot and knew what to do and say during bed scenes! I usually do not like too much spice but I enjoyed reading them in this book just because it was one of the few times where the hero can let the heroine feel the passion he feels for her and does it very erotically too.
This book was just written so well. I am obsessed! It started out slowly, and I noticed that I read slower than usual. Perhaps because I was processing the details. I think that it is the type of book that you have to read leisurely for maximum enjoyment. I was able to appreciate how well done this book was when I wasn’t in a hurry to reach the ending. The chief has intricate historical details but I really liked it. I am aware that the whole highland guards wasn’t a real thing. What was real, however, were the historical figures in the book and one of them was the hero, Tormod Macleod. The way the author weaved the fictional parts over actual historical stuff was sublime. I really enjoyed this and I am so glad I pushed through because this is one of those books where it was written well and it successfully painted a vivid picture in the reader’s mind which makes it very memorable. The author painted the year 1305 really well for me and I can see Dunvegan castle and its picturesque surroundings, hear the warriors and see just about everything else. The political intrigue kept me very engrossed. It was like watching a medieval movie but with an amazing romance included and a much more in depth look to the main characters.
I thought all of the highland guards were pretty interesting. They are definitely the main reason why I want to proceed and read most of the books in this series. This book didn’t really have an ending where you know it’s an end. It has a closure for the couple, but of course as a reader, you know how the story / much bigger plot would progress until you reach the end of the series. The books are most definitely connected because of the overarching plot involving Robert Bruce. I am very intrigued to know what happens to these highland guards and who they end up with so I will be continuing on with the series.
The fact that these characters, including the hero, heroine and the other highland guards were based on real people makes me feel some type of weird way. I can’t explain why but it makes me sad? That sometime around seven hundred years ago some of these people actually existed makes me feel both happy and sad. Why would Monica Mccarty do this? Now I am too attached to this world, the fictional characters who aren’t entirely fictional and have lived and died centuries ago. It’s weird! The amount of effort the author put into research was admirable. I highly respect authors who make historical books actually feel historical. I read historicals for that atmosphere so it’s always a welcome thing when it actually feels era-appropriate. After this experience, I don’t know how I’m gonna go back to wallpaper type of historicals. Soon maybe, but for now, I am obsessed with the middle ages setting and I need to read more. Also, I just loved the author’s note. It gave me some sense of peace knowing that Tor and Christina were real people and married to each other too. Though we will never know how their real story played out, we at least have this reimagined version of their life where they were eventually happy together. I have nothing more to say except that it was an excellent read. It may have started out slow but when it picked up its pace, it became so much more interesting. How I have never read a Monica McCarty book before this one, I don’t know, but I plan to rectify that soon. The quibbles I have for this one were minor, and I can’t stop thinking about the book so I decided to give it five stars. Lucky me for having some good reads as of late.
Some Quotes:
Christina knew that she’d found something far better than the knight of her dreams. She’d found the Highlander of her heart and a love that would last a lifetime.
“These knights and their foolish codes,” he said with unconcealed disgust. “The gravest dishonor just for consenting to ride in a cart?” He shook his head. “Hell, I’d crawl through a dung heap to save you.”
She was warmth and light to a man who’d been living in a barren wasteland for too long. Hell, he was starting to sound like one of those bard’s tales she loved.
Their eyes locked and the world stopped. For one long heartbeat all he could see was her. Euphoria unlike anything he’d ever known washed over him.
She was a breath of fresh spring air in the dank of winter.
May 6, 2014
Beautiful pictures of Isle of Skye.
I think the there is something about the lighting in that part of the world.
★★★½☆ (This is a review of the audiobook.) Hmmm. I don’t know about this one. Several of the people I did a “buddy read” with in the GoodReads Western and Medieval Romance Lovers Group LOVED this highland romance (with several 5★); however, they read it while I listened. I certainly had to get used to Robert McNab’s narration. He did great job on the men. Nevertheless, since he has a deep baritone, he made Christine’s voice a falsetto; this made her sound even younger and more immature than she probably was in the book. (Though the age difference between the hero/heroine is greater than a decade; also, Tor, the hero, has been married before and has children well on their way to adulthood. She has been quite sheltered.) In addition, the love scenes are pretty explicit (the H/h get a little playful, too); I’ve found not just any male can read those scenes to me.
There were things I LOVED -- and things that made me wrinkle up my nose. Some of the sentences Ms. McCarty writes are wonderful; others are repetitious. A few of the set-ups, and the dialogues that follow, had me going WTH? For example, Christine’s father forces her into to Tor’s bed to cement an alliance (huh?). The father’s reasoning was the biggest hurdle for me to overcome. I know marriage alliances were important, but what about when they were only one-sided? Later, when Christine goes back to rehash with her sister the disaster that took place in his room, this the interchange:
Luckily, another carrot is dangled in front of Tor as a marriage inducement; otherwise we might never have our HEA.
Still, maybe I’m being too harsh, because I’m sure I’ll continue with the series. However, I don’t know if it will be on audio. Maybe.
☚coming out October, 2012
I think the there is something about the lighting in that part of the world.
★★★½☆ (This is a review of the audiobook.) Hmmm. I don’t know about this one. Several of the people I did a “buddy read” with in the GoodReads Western and Medieval Romance Lovers Group LOVED this highland romance (with several 5★); however, they read it while I listened. I certainly had to get used to Robert McNab’s narration. He did great job on the men. Nevertheless, since he has a deep baritone, he made Christine’s voice a falsetto; this made her sound even younger and more immature than she probably was in the book. (Though the age difference between the hero/heroine is greater than a decade; also, Tor, the hero, has been married before and has children well on their way to adulthood. She has been quite sheltered.) In addition, the love scenes are pretty explicit (the H/h get a little playful, too); I’ve found not just any male can read those scenes to me.
There were things I LOVED -- and things that made me wrinkle up my nose. Some of the sentences Ms. McCarty writes are wonderful; others are repetitious. A few of the set-ups, and the dialogues that follow, had me going WTH? For example, Christine’s father forces her into to Tor’s bed to cement an alliance (huh?). The father’s reasoning was the biggest hurdle for me to overcome. I know marriage alliances were important, but what about when they were only one-sided? Later, when Christine goes back to rehash with her sister the disaster that took place in his room, this the interchange:
“I told you what he said. He doesn’t want to marry me.”WTH? How is he going to know this when she did agree to slip into his bed, though only to spare her sister. That, and she was too naïve to realize the depth of her father’s deception , not to mention Tor’s desire: he walks around with a hard cock a lot and isn’t ashamed who sees it, LOL!
Beatrix cupped the side of her face in her hand and gave her an indulgent smile, looking more like a mother than a sister. “He’s angry. Give him time to think. He’ll see that you had nothing to do with our father’s trickery and do what is right.”
Luckily, another carrot is dangled in front of Tor as a marriage inducement; otherwise we might never have our HEA.
Still, maybe I’m being too harsh, because I’m sure I’ll continue with the series. However, I don’t know if it will be on audio. Maybe.
☚coming out October, 2012
July 11, 2011
The Chief features a codependent heroine and a fierce, distant hero. They very rarely converse. It is actually 2 books in one. The first takes place from about pages 1-300. Let's call this story "What Tor's Balls are Doing". The second takes place from pages 300-end. We'll call this one "Actual Interesting Plot".
"What Tor's Balls are Doing" (aka pages 1-300) was not my favorite part of the book, but the nudity kept me goin'. The chick here, Xtina, goes from strong female to lovey man-worshiping puppy dog in the span of a page, constantly craving scraps of Tor's appreciation. How romantic. And speaking of Tor, that dude has the most responsive balls in Scotland. Not a page goes by where you aren't informed as to the state of his genitals. They seem to serve as a sexual divining rod, alerting the reader that naked boobies are on the next page.
"Actual Interesting Plot" kicks in around page 300. Xtina gets smarter (and useful!) and you get to see all that filler, err... I mean, TRAINING, put to use. Tor's balls are no longer providing the narrative, but you hardly miss them because there's stuff going on. I was sad when the story ended here, because I had finally stopped hating it.
Will probably read the next in the series... eventually. For now I can't help but feel Tor's junk is pointing me in a different direction.
"What Tor's Balls are Doing" (aka pages 1-300) was not my favorite part of the book, but the nudity kept me goin'. The chick here, Xtina, goes from strong female to lovey man-worshiping puppy dog in the span of a page, constantly craving scraps of Tor's appreciation. How romantic. And speaking of Tor, that dude has the most responsive balls in Scotland. Not a page goes by where you aren't informed as to the state of his genitals. They seem to serve as a sexual divining rod, alerting the reader that naked boobies are on the next page.
"Actual Interesting Plot" kicks in around page 300. Xtina gets smarter (and useful!) and you get to see all that filler, err... I mean, TRAINING, put to use. Tor's balls are no longer providing the narrative, but you hardly miss them because there's stuff going on. I was sad when the story ended here, because I had finally stopped hating it.
Will probably read the next in the series... eventually. For now I can't help but feel Tor's junk is pointing me in a different direction.
April 6, 2012
4 stars
The Chief is a well written and informative book that in many ways felt more like an historical fiction (the quality of the author's research is very apparent) than a romance novel. However, when the hero and heroine were together they certainly steamed up the pages. Their love story was captivating, heartwarming, and at times heartbreaking. Their much deserved HEA warmed my heart.
I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
The Chief is a well written and informative book that in many ways felt more like an historical fiction (the quality of the author's research is very apparent) than a romance novel. However, when the hero and heroine were together they certainly steamed up the pages. Their love story was captivating, heartwarming, and at times heartbreaking. Their much deserved HEA warmed my heart.
I enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.
December 18, 2023
Just as enjoyable the 6th time reading it.
Reread number 5 I think.
Just as good as the last time I read this.
Great chemistry, characters and storyline.
Wish this author would write some new historical romances, miss her books and writing!
Highly recommended!
Reread number 5 I think.
Just as good as the last time I read this.
Great chemistry, characters and storyline.
Wish this author would write some new historical romances, miss her books and writing!
Highly recommended!
July 28, 2025
Rereading again because I want to continue this series! (2025)
Third reread 7/28/2025
Did a quick skim through for steam stats. (December 2021)
Original review 12/15/2018:
Third reread 7/28/2025
Did a quick skim through for steam stats. (December 2021)
Original review 12/15/2018:
December 9, 2023
2 🤔🤔⭐️s
Not thrilled with either the story or the mcs, especially the heroine whom I found extremely annoying.
The love between Tor and Christina was not convincing and any chemistry was absent.
Not thrilled with either the story or the mcs, especially the heroine whom I found extremely annoying.
The love between Tor and Christina was not convincing and any chemistry was absent.
March 27, 2010
Smoking hot Highlander historical, reminds me of the best of Julie Garwood but with more heat. I really loved this one. It begins a new series, and I think it will be required reading for this series too as it really sets up the premise of a highly trained group of warriors fighting to free Scotland from King Edward and give Robert the Bruce his kingdome. Wonderful and fasinating as it wove real history into the story. My only niggle with this book is that the dialog seamed a bit contemporary between hero/heroine in a few places towards the end, but otherwise I can only say good things about this one. Enjoy.
November 30, 2012
WOW! Monica McCarty, you earned a follower for life!
This book managed to push all my buttons... I'm a sucker for a Highlander!! There, I admit it...
Set in the magnificent Isle of Skye, off the West Coast of Scotland,
Try resisting this
in the year of our Lord 1305. Edward Plantagenet has crushed the Scottish resistance. William Wallace has suffered a traitor's death and Scotland, Highlands and for the first time in their history the Isles are under the rule of the English Crown. The land is savaged, people are scattered and the numerous blood feuds make the idea of a united front against the English seem impossible.
Rough times require a leader. Robert Bruce decides that his time has come, to unite the people and fight for the Scottish Crown. Chivalry and knights are not what this war need, so he handpicks 11 warriors to form a unit, trained in stealth.
The blend of historic events, actual persons and fiction is what makes this book hard to resist. You don't know where history ends and fantasy begins and you are intrigued and hooked and dreading the impossible task ahead.
The trainer of this unusual elite guard is Tormod Macleod. Fierce and proud, battle-hardened and strong, the magnificent Lord of Castle Dunegal is a force to be reckoned with. Reluctant to join in a war against the english and afraid of his clan's future he is drawn in this war through treachery and almost blackmailed in marriage with Christina Fraser.
Christina, has suffered abuse in her father's hands whose hatred for the english is legendary. To save her frail sister from marriage, she agrees with her father to trick Tor into marrying her. She is a romantic, opinionated, learned woman who wants love and companionship. But can a warrior give her what she wants?
The story that unfolds is hard to put down, exciting and leaves you craving for more. I can't wait to find out more of the mismatched band of warriors, who managed to to worm into my heart and to read all their stories.
TEAM HIGHLANDERS (and ISLANDERS)!!!
This book managed to push all my buttons... I'm a sucker for a Highlander!! There, I admit it...
Set in the magnificent Isle of Skye, off the West Coast of Scotland,
Try resisting this
in the year of our Lord 1305. Edward Plantagenet has crushed the Scottish resistance. William Wallace has suffered a traitor's death and Scotland, Highlands and for the first time in their history the Isles are under the rule of the English Crown. The land is savaged, people are scattered and the numerous blood feuds make the idea of a united front against the English seem impossible.
Rough times require a leader. Robert Bruce decides that his time has come, to unite the people and fight for the Scottish Crown. Chivalry and knights are not what this war need, so he handpicks 11 warriors to form a unit, trained in stealth.
The blend of historic events, actual persons and fiction is what makes this book hard to resist. You don't know where history ends and fantasy begins and you are intrigued and hooked and dreading the impossible task ahead.
The trainer of this unusual elite guard is Tormod Macleod. Fierce and proud, battle-hardened and strong, the magnificent Lord of Castle Dunegal is a force to be reckoned with. Reluctant to join in a war against the english and afraid of his clan's future he is drawn in this war through treachery and almost blackmailed in marriage with Christina Fraser.
Christina, has suffered abuse in her father's hands whose hatred for the english is legendary. To save her frail sister from marriage, she agrees with her father to trick Tor into marrying her. She is a romantic, opinionated, learned woman who wants love and companionship. But can a warrior give her what she wants?
The story that unfolds is hard to put down, exciting and leaves you craving for more. I can't wait to find out more of the mismatched band of warriors, who managed to to worm into my heart and to read all their stories.
TEAM HIGHLANDERS (and ISLANDERS)!!!
September 26, 2017
Zor günler için yastık altında hep bir İskoç bulunmalı!
Ağır İskoç fanatiği -bendeniz- sözü akjjdhjfh
Aylık İskoç dozumu almadığımın, gözümün eski Highlander romanlarından sevdiğim alıntılara kaymaya başladığını fark ettiğim anda hemen bu kitaba başladım. Monica’cığımın okuduğum kitapları kalbimi zaten çelmişti, birde bu kadar eşsiz savaşçının bir arada olduğu seri… Eh, ne demişler körün istediği bir göz Allah verdi iki göz, bu seride siz bunu çarpın ona efenim.
Bölgede tarih boyunca sıkça rastlanmış İskoç-İngiliz savaşlarının XIV. Yüzyıldaki direnişlerinin romantizmle harmanlanıp kurgulanmış hali diyebiliriz.
İngiltere’ye karşı verilen mücadelede yenilmez bir güç oluşturmak isteyen Robert de Bruce öncülüğünde bir araya getirilen on eşsiz savaşçı… Kimi klan şefi kimi savaş şefi ya da komutan olan bu adamların farklı hünerleriyle göz korkutmayı amaçlamaktadır. Aralarında kan davası, anlaşmazlık ve düşmanlık olan bu güçlü adamları kontrol edip eğitmesi için seçtiği kişi ise Tor MacLeod’dur.
Bir Adalı olan MacLeod klanı şefi tarafsızlığını korumak isterken onu ikna etmek için hummalı bir süreç başlar. Teklif edilen güzeller güzeli Christina’yı reddeden Lider, en sonunda kaçılmaz sonun kurbanı olur ve evine bir gelinle döner.
(Kitabın adı da böyle çevrilseydi keşke, hem diğer kitaplarla hem de içerikle uyumlu olurdu.)
Ben kitap okurken erkek karaktere karşı istemsizce sahiplenici duygular içine giriyorum. Kadın karakterlere ise tam aksine kolay ısınamıyorum. Yani, normalde böyleydi hiç değilse. Bu kitapta ise işler biraz farklı oldu. Tor beni haddinden fazla çileden çıkarttı. Christina ise öyle yürekliydi ki asıl savaşçı o olsa şaşmazdım, o derece.
Kızın bir-iki ufak hatası Tor’un gözünde olmuş olabilir ama bunları düzeltmek, telafi etmek için öyle çabaladı uğraştı ki kızcağız, taş olsa tepkisiz kalamaz. Ama Tor kaldı. Cidden, yavrum o kadar didindi etti, herif doğru düzgün yanında yatmadı bile ulan! Adamın her hamleyi görmezden gelmesi beni delirtti çünkü kızımız bunların hiçbirini ciddi anlamda hak etmedi be...
Aklı başına daha erken gelseydi keşke. Buna karşılık Christina’nın her hamlesini şiddetle destekledim, özellikle de o nikâh işinden önce aldığı sözü kullanırken. -.- Oh olsun Tor efendiye! Otursun klanıyla şimdi, diye çok söylendim o sırada yalan yok.
Monica’cımın tarihi karakterleri kurgulama huyuna bayılıyorum. Gerçeklerle hayalleri böyle güzel harmanlaması şahane bana kalırsa. Kitap bittiğinde o son sayfalarda verilen isimleri, olayları ve savaşları araştırmak çok hoş oluyor. Bunun yanı sıra Tor, yazarın yayınevinden çıkmış ‘Kır Zincirlerini’ kitabının bir diğer İskoç lideri olan Rory’nin de ilk atasıdır. Kitabın sonunda yazdığına göre Rory, altıncı kuşak torun oluyor. MecLeod klanıyla ilgili internette bulduğum bir sitedir, meraklısına bırakıyorum.
Zor günler için yastık altı yaptığım İskoç Beylerim arasında geçenler eklemiştim bu seriyi. Koridor Yayıncılık tarafından basıldığını bilmiyordum doğrusu. Görünce hem sevindim hem üzüldüm çünkü malum, yayınevinin değişen politikalarının sonucunda historicallarımızı kurban verdik. Bu seride o arada yarım kalmış tabii ki. Zamanında bu kategoride güzel kitapları okuyucuyla buluştururlarken neden böyle bir karar aldılar, bilemiyorum. Tek sevindiğim yazarın yeni bir yayınevi var ülkemizde. Kendileri başka bir seriyle yazarı raflara çıkartmaya başlamış olsalar da umutlar, bu serininde devamının gelmesi, diğer baskısı tükenmiş kitaplarında tekrar basılması yönünde.
Görelim seni Nemesis’cim!
Ağır İskoç fanatiği -bendeniz- sözü akjjdhjfh
Zaman zaman klan üyelerinin önünde bana sevgi gösterisinde bulunmanı isteyebilirim.”
Tor geri çekildi. “Tabii buna gerek yo-”
“Ateşli bir bakış, belki ufak bir öpücük. Çok zor olmasa gerek.”
“Kamp ateşinin etrafında MacSorley’yi dinleyecek olan sen değilsin.”
“Eminim bununla başa çıkacak kadar adamsındır,” dedi anlayış göstermeksizin. Korkusuz savaşçılar zırlamamalıydı.
Aylık İskoç dozumu almadığımın, gözümün eski Highlander romanlarından sevdiğim alıntılara kaymaya başladığını fark ettiğim anda hemen bu kitaba başladım. Monica’cığımın okuduğum kitapları kalbimi zaten çelmişti, birde bu kadar eşsiz savaşçının bir arada olduğu seri… Eh, ne demişler körün istediği bir göz Allah verdi iki göz, bu seride siz bunu çarpın ona efenim.
Bölgede tarih boyunca sıkça rastlanmış İskoç-İngiliz savaşlarının XIV. Yüzyıldaki direnişlerinin romantizmle harmanlanıp kurgulanmış hali diyebiliriz.
İngiltere’ye karşı verilen mücadelede yenilmez bir güç oluşturmak isteyen Robert de Bruce öncülüğünde bir araya getirilen on eşsiz savaşçı… Kimi klan şefi kimi savaş şefi ya da komutan olan bu adamların farklı hünerleriyle göz korkutmayı amaçlamaktadır. Aralarında kan davası, anlaşmazlık ve düşmanlık olan bu güçlü adamları kontrol edip eğitmesi için seçtiği kişi ise Tor MacLeod’dur.
Bir Adalı olan MacLeod klanı şefi tarafsızlığını korumak isterken onu ikna etmek için hummalı bir süreç başlar. Teklif edilen güzeller güzeli Christina’yı reddeden Lider, en sonunda kaçılmaz sonun kurbanı olur ve evine bir gelinle döner.
(Kitabın adı da böyle çevrilseydi keşke, hem diğer kitaplarla hem de içerikle uyumlu olurdu.)
Ben kitap okurken erkek karaktere karşı istemsizce sahiplenici duygular içine giriyorum. Kadın karakterlere ise tam aksine kolay ısınamıyorum. Yani, normalde böyleydi hiç değilse. Bu kitapta ise işler biraz farklı oldu. Tor beni haddinden fazla çileden çıkarttı. Christina ise öyle yürekliydi ki asıl savaşçı o olsa şaşmazdım, o derece.
Kızın bir-iki ufak hatası Tor’un gözünde olmuş olabilir ama bunları düzeltmek, telafi etmek için öyle çabaladı uğraştı ki kızcağız, taş olsa tepkisiz kalamaz. Ama Tor kaldı. Cidden, yavrum o kadar didindi etti, herif doğru düzgün yanında yatmadı bile ulan! Adamın her hamleyi görmezden gelmesi beni delirtti çünkü kızımız bunların hiçbirini ciddi anlamda hak etmedi be...
Aklı başına daha erken gelseydi keşke. Buna karşılık Christina’nın her hamlesini şiddetle destekledim, özellikle de o nikâh işinden önce aldığı sözü kullanırken. -.- Oh olsun Tor efendiye! Otursun klanıyla şimdi, diye çok söylendim o sırada yalan yok.
Monica’cımın tarihi karakterleri kurgulama huyuna bayılıyorum. Gerçeklerle hayalleri böyle güzel harmanlaması şahane bana kalırsa. Kitap bittiğinde o son sayfalarda verilen isimleri, olayları ve savaşları araştırmak çok hoş oluyor. Bunun yanı sıra Tor, yazarın yayınevinden çıkmış ‘Kır Zincirlerini’ kitabının bir diğer İskoç lideri olan Rory’nin de ilk atasıdır. Kitabın sonunda yazdığına göre Rory, altıncı kuşak torun oluyor. MecLeod klanıyla ilgili internette bulduğum bir sitedir, meraklısına bırakıyorum.
Zor günler için yastık altı yaptığım İskoç Beylerim arasında geçenler eklemiştim bu seriyi. Koridor Yayıncılık tarafından basıldığını bilmiyordum doğrusu. Görünce hem sevindim hem üzüldüm çünkü malum, yayınevinin değişen politikalarının sonucunda historicallarımızı kurban verdik. Bu seride o arada yarım kalmış tabii ki. Zamanında bu kategoride güzel kitapları okuyucuyla buluştururlarken neden böyle bir karar aldılar, bilemiyorum. Tek sevindiğim yazarın yeni bir yayınevi var ülkemizde. Kendileri başka bir seriyle yazarı raflara çıkartmaya başlamış olsalar da umutlar, bu serininde devamının gelmesi, diğer baskısı tükenmiş kitaplarında tekrar basılması yönünde.
Görelim seni Nemesis’cim!
March 30, 2010
Wow, what an amazing first book! This is book one in the Highland Guard series, and I was more than impressed. Sometimes an author comes along who puts so much history into a novel that it is like reading a textbook. Monica McCarty is NOT one of those, in fact the history of William Wallace and the time of the Bruce was inserted so seamlessly that it hardly felt like I was reading history. It was part of the story, and part of Christina and Tor's romance.
Christina's father is a noble who hates King Edward,and his 3 year imprisonment has left him bitter. When the rumors start of the Bruce wanting to oust King Edward, her father is forefront with wanting in. Christina and her sister Beatrix are to be used as a bargaining tool for the Highland Chief Tor MacLeod. Basically whichever of the girls appeals to him, he can have as a bride. Too bad he doesn't care.
Tor has his own problems. His twin brother abducted a girl to be his bride, and they ran off. A love match. The problem? Tor's clan and his brother's bride's clan don't get along. Meanwhile, he wants to stay neutral in the Edward/Bruce conflict. But he is the best at training soldiers, and the Bruce wants Tor to train an elite guard (about 10 men) who are the best at what they do, tracking, hunting, swords, fighting, etc, and to teach these men to put their differences aside in order to work together. Ms. McCarty has dubbed it "Special Ops in kilts." So so true. Imagine Navy seals made from the fiercest Highland Warriors. Oh and an English knight.
Christina's father has a plan to make Tor agree. Once seeing the ethereal beauty of Beatrix, or the sultry, curvy Christina, Tor should be eating out of his hand, right? Nope. So Christina's father says he will put Beatrix (a beauty, but better suited for the convent, than the marriage bed) in bed with the MacLeod chief and hope that he can "find" them together, thus forcing the marriage. Christina agrees to do it, to save her sister. Meanwhile, Tor wakes to find a voluptuous wench in his bed, and thanking his host for his hospitality, endeavors to put Christina out of his mind. Oops! He takes her in the dark, from behind, and realizes his mistake as her father barges in with "witnesses." Christina realizes 2 things- 1 her father meant for that to happen, and 2 Tor has no desire to marry Christina.
Tor is convinced to both marry Christina, and train the elite soldiers, but he is not happy about it.
Christina wants nothing more than a home and a man to love. Her romantic ideals cause her to believe Tor is that man. Tor, however does his utmost to dash her illusions. And yet he finds himself wanting to please her, and he can't keep her from his mind.
At one point, Christina is used by a spy among the MacLeod people to flush Tor out. She endangers the whole mission by running the missive to Tor, but she also lead the spies right to him! Tor tells her in no uncertain terms that she is to stay out of his life, and to stay away from anything that does not directly relate to her duties as lady of the keep. Her heart broken, Christina runs from him. Unfortunately she is captured by the English and used as a ransom. But she never was one to keep idle; thinking only of escape, Christina does a fairly good job of escaping, until tor and his Special Ops team shows and takes out close to 100 men! And it's believable! Monica McCarty does an amazing job of weaving history and romance plus the added bonus of hunky Highland warriors throughout this book, and I for one, can NOT wait until the end of August to find out more in The Hawk: A Highland Guard Novel
Christina's father is a noble who hates King Edward,and his 3 year imprisonment has left him bitter. When the rumors start of the Bruce wanting to oust King Edward, her father is forefront with wanting in. Christina and her sister Beatrix are to be used as a bargaining tool for the Highland Chief Tor MacLeod. Basically whichever of the girls appeals to him, he can have as a bride. Too bad he doesn't care.
Tor has his own problems. His twin brother abducted a girl to be his bride, and they ran off. A love match. The problem? Tor's clan and his brother's bride's clan don't get along. Meanwhile, he wants to stay neutral in the Edward/Bruce conflict. But he is the best at training soldiers, and the Bruce wants Tor to train an elite guard (about 10 men) who are the best at what they do, tracking, hunting, swords, fighting, etc, and to teach these men to put their differences aside in order to work together. Ms. McCarty has dubbed it "Special Ops in kilts." So so true. Imagine Navy seals made from the fiercest Highland Warriors. Oh and an English knight.
Christina's father has a plan to make Tor agree. Once seeing the ethereal beauty of Beatrix, or the sultry, curvy Christina, Tor should be eating out of his hand, right? Nope. So Christina's father says he will put Beatrix (a beauty, but better suited for the convent, than the marriage bed) in bed with the MacLeod chief and hope that he can "find" them together, thus forcing the marriage. Christina agrees to do it, to save her sister. Meanwhile, Tor wakes to find a voluptuous wench in his bed, and thanking his host for his hospitality, endeavors to put Christina out of his mind. Oops! He takes her in the dark, from behind, and realizes his mistake as her father barges in with "witnesses." Christina realizes 2 things- 1 her father meant for that to happen, and 2 Tor has no desire to marry Christina.
Tor is convinced to both marry Christina, and train the elite soldiers, but he is not happy about it.
Christina wants nothing more than a home and a man to love. Her romantic ideals cause her to believe Tor is that man. Tor, however does his utmost to dash her illusions. And yet he finds himself wanting to please her, and he can't keep her from his mind.
At one point, Christina is used by a spy among the MacLeod people to flush Tor out. She endangers the whole mission by running the missive to Tor, but she also lead the spies right to him! Tor tells her in no uncertain terms that she is to stay out of his life, and to stay away from anything that does not directly relate to her duties as lady of the keep. Her heart broken, Christina runs from him. Unfortunately she is captured by the English and used as a ransom. But she never was one to keep idle; thinking only of escape, Christina does a fairly good job of escaping, until tor and his Special Ops team shows and takes out close to 100 men! And it's believable! Monica McCarty does an amazing job of weaving history and romance plus the added bonus of hunky Highland warriors throughout this book, and I for one, can NOT wait until the end of August to find out more in The Hawk: A Highland Guard Novel
February 23, 2013
Just what I needed, a tough Scotsman, unable to love, at least he thinks that is the case. Christina - you can get in trouble reading romantic novels - real life is not all Lancelot and Guinevere.... but you did get your HEA after plenty of passion, power struggle, deaths, fighting etc., etc. etc. First time reading this author but will definitely check out some more of her books. I am heading to Scotland at Easter - Skye was not on our list of places to visit but might just add it in now. Hopefully see a few men in kilts, as long as they look like Tor. The heroine might have been small in stature but she sure made up for it with her gutsy personality. Great story.
January 22, 2019
#mystrangereading The Chief by Monica McCarty ⭐️⭐️⭐️ For a historical romance it was pretty good. For a story set in Scotland though, it just wasn't Scottish enough. This story could have been in any time period or any characters except for the random Gaelic words and the war they were fighting in. I was signing up for Scotland AND romance, not romance with a Scottish flair. The characters were great though.
January 6, 2018
My favorite novel in the Highland Guard series ! I read this a while ago but I've been listening to it on audiobook while I do housework. The narrator for this novel is not Anthony Ferguson. I forgot this narrator's name but I prefer Anthony Ferguson's voice ( he read the rest of the novels in this series.)
I just LOVED his book . This novel is the beginning to a VERY SEXY AND ACTION FILLED SERIES. The sex scenes were just spectacular ! It has been said by some readers that the Highland Guard heroes in this series are like yester year's Navy SEALS. Monica McCarty does indeed write them like that. They're all equipped with specialized fighting, tactical and defensive skills and they even go through their version of the SEAL's Hell Week; theirs is called Perdition.
Anyway, the novel begins after William Wallace ( aka Braveheart ) has been tortured and killed by Edward Plantagenet of England. The chief Scottish bishop Lamberton holds a secret meeting with Robert The Bruce, The Earl of Carrick and they devise a new plan for a Scottish rebellion against the English. Bruce decides that the Scots are not strong enough to meet the English knights on a normal conventional battlefield because Edward's knights are superior in training to theirs and the Scots are also plagued with civil disruptions because opposing Scottish clans can't agree with each other. Bruce feels that they must look to a future that will be shaped by the type of "pirate warfare" or guerilla type tactics if they are to make any initial headway and at least infiltrate and destroy chosen English fortified garrisons. The only type of men in the Scottish isles who are capable of this type of fighting are the islanders ( from the isle of Skye etc ) and the Highlanders. These men are descendants of the Norse/Viking pirates and they loathe the conventional knightly type of warfare. These men are SUPREMELY HOT AND GORGEOUS.
Bruce makes a list of about 11 men. The most important man on that list - the key man to the plan - is our novel's super sexy, hunkalicious hero, Tormod McLeod. Tor's the Chief of clan McLeod on the isle of Skye: his clansmen refer to him as "the Ri Tuath" or King of the Tribe. Actually readers will be fascinated to know that there was an real life Tormod McLeod who was the first important chief of the clan. The author has actually posted photos on her website of the real life castle fortress Dunvegan that still exists today in Skye. Dunvegan is where most of the novel is set. Bruce and Lamberton know that Tor is the best swordsman in all of Scotland ( as proven by his annual victories in the highland games and by his reputation as the greatest warrior who's almost on par with the legendary Irish Fionn Mac Cumhail/Finn Mc Cool ). Seriously I find that to be SO sexy. Tor's the ultimate alpha male. He's a blonde hero and in my mind's eye he looked like Chris Hemsworth.
The main obstacle to Bruce's plan, however, is Tor himself. Tor doesn't give a F about the war between the Scots and the English because his clan lives on the isle of Skye and even though it has been annexed to Scotland he thinks that a neutral stance is the best way forward in any future conflict. His clan has been through a lot of fighting in the last 20 years and he is not willing to take sides with either Bruce or King Edward. However he does attend the meeting when he is summoned by the McDonald chief Angus Og. He attends because he is hoping to meet with the Nicolson clan chief who will probably be there; you see Tor's romantic twin brother Torquil has eloped with Nicolson's daughter. This can lead to war with Nicolson because the girl had already been betrothed to another man. Tor's only purpose is to prevent war with Nicolson. He doesn't care about what Lamberton and Bruce want. Angus Og has also invited a lowland Scottish nobleman called Sir Andrew Fraser to the meeting. Fraser hates the English with a passion because he had been imprisoned by Edward for a few years. Fraser is all on board and will do ANYTHING to ensure that the plan for the secret Highland Guard goes off without any problems. Fraser has two very beautiful daughters: Beatrice and Christina. The heroine is the younger daughter Christina. The heroine was sweet, selfless and adorable. She's been described by the H as being "tormentingly beautiful" and another man who's the hero of The HawkThe Hawk tells her she possesses a "beauty" that's "beyond compare". The author really creates the most perfectly matched couple. She's as beautiful and petite as he is tall, handsome and muscular. It's like a pretty people nirvana in this novel.
Fraser is really mean and cruel to Christina and her sister. He beats them and tells them that they are here because he's hoping to marry off one of them to Tor McLeod. The big plan is to sweeten the deal for Tor by giving him his pick of a super beautiful bride: either the fragile, tall blonde bombshell Beatrice or the petite mini Venus beautiful black haired Christina. That's how bad these men need Tor to train the other prospective members of their Highland Guard. Without Tor to train the elite group of warriors, there won't be a group. However Tor says no to the offer. He has the major hots for Christina because he has been lusting after her from the time he sees her, but he's a very disciplined dude: he has trained his mind to put his clan's needs before his own selfish desires. Christina and Beatrice do not want any part of this plan. Beatrice is very holy: she wants to be a nun and Christina wants to marry but she is a romantic who has been fantasizing about knights like Lancelot from Chretien de Troyes poem. Her ideal man is a chivalrous knight not a tall, warrior highlander type. In spite of her preconceived visions of her ideal man, she finds herself drawn to Tor when she sees him.
Christina sneaks away to purchase tickets on a boat that will be sailing to the holy island of Iona where she and Beatrice can escape to a nunnery. When she returns, she is almost raped by a drunken lout but Tor saves her and her little fantasies about him being her knight in shining plaid begin ! Meanwhile her father Andrew is mad as hell because Tor has refused to train the men. Andrew devises a trap for Tor. He tells Christina that she must sneak into Tor's bedroom and let herself be caught in a compromising position so that Tor can be trapped into marriage and thus seal the deal. She doesn't want to but he threatens to beat Beatrice and she succumbs to the nefarious plan in order to spare her sister. Tor was drunk and sleeping but when he awakes he finds Christina and starts to make love to her. She is so innocent that she thinks that a man can only take a woman's virginity if he lying on top of her. In this bedroom scenario, the semi drunken Tor is lying behind her on the bed and so the naive girl prays for Andrew to return before Tor jumps on top of her. Of course she finds herself enjoying all his erotic caresses and kisses. This scene was so hot. Tor ends up taking her virginity from his position lying behind her. He stops immediately when he breaches her hymen. Kudos to this hero for not continuing on until he reaches an orgasm. Andrew enters with witnesses who see Tor standing naked with his still erect penis that's coated with her virgin's blood. Talk about proof in the flesh !
At first Tor refuses to marry her because he says he has been trapped because she was the one who came to his room and he didn't see her face in the dark. That part bothered me a lot. Anyway, Angus Og managed to mediate with Tor and promised to settle the feud with Nicolson on the condition that Tor marry Christina and train the 11 warriors over a 3 month period. Tor agrees to these 2 conditions but he refuses to join the Highland Guard after he has trained them in secret. He's adamant about maintaining his clan's neutral status in the upcoming rebellion against England. Christina manages to get her sister safely on the boat to Iona and she weds Tor soon after. They sail immediately for Dunvegan castle. On the journey to Skye she finds herself becoming more and more entranced by her new husband because he has been very courteous to her - he even agreed to allow her to join the nunnery if she ever becomes unhappy with him.
She tries hard to make her arranged marriage work. She is great at organizing his castle and she even gives a bath to his 3 filthy dogs. But Tor has certain set views about marriage and does not let her get emotionally close to him. He would just have sex with her but not communicate about anything else. He even refused to let her know that he was secretly training the Highland Guard. He would disappear for days at a time to do this and just tell her he was on "clan business." This hurt her a lot. She was just the nicest, sweetest most adorable heroine. I would have thrown a jug at his ass. She even thought he was still sleeping with his former mistress but the woman was merely going with him to cook food for the warriors that he was training. When Christina asked him about Lady Janet, he blew up at her and told her that Janet was none of her concern. He did say say that he was not sleeping with Janet but which wife will believe that when a husband is acting so shady?
Thor made me mad when he kept leaving her bed right after they had sex and when he kept pushing her away. He had this stupid ass policy of never sleeping in the same bed with her after having sex. He would leave to go sleep in the common room where the rest of the warriors slept on pallets. Apparently that was some kind of manly thing to do. Christina did have great courage and her youthful romantic daydreams about her knight in shining armour were so endearing. She was even very ladylike and polite to Tor's former mistress or leman, Lady Janet.
Their relationship only becomes settled and happy after he returns from training the guys for 2 weeks on his "Perdition" camp and finds his clan under attack. When Christina gets sick from flu, he cares for her himself and he finally tells her everything. He still doesn't say he loves her but he starts sleeping in the same bed after they have sex and tells her about his fears that there may be a spy who is responsible for the sudden attacks on his clan. Things are wonderful for a while until the spy ( a clerk called Brother John ) traps Christina into revealing the secret hideaway where Tor is training the elite highland guard. Tor goes ballistic and blames Christina for it. He tells her that if he shut his mouth and not told her his secrets then this shitstorm would not be on the horizon. He is very verbally cruel to her. She cries and begs his forgiveness by telling him she loves him. He is temporarily stunned and affected by her confession of love but his anger makes him stubborn and he tells her that he will never be the kind of sappy husband she wants. He leaves with 10 other highland guard warriors to find Brother John before the latter can arrive at the enemy's ( McDougal ) castle at Dunstaffnage. Christina remembers Tor's promise that she can go to the nunnery whenever she wants so she decides it is best to leave rather to stay with a husband who rejects her love.
The boat she is on is stopped by an English ship and the few Scottish warriors are all killed. Christina is taken captive but she is saved from rape and murder because Arthur Campbell ( one of Tor's trainee highland guard warriors who has been sent to be a spy in the English court ) tells the English captain that she is Andrew Fraser's daughter and McLeod's wife. This gives her prime importance as a hostage rather than a possible rape victim. When Tor returns from killing Brother John, he is repentant and wants to apologize to Christina but gets a letter form Arthur. Tor goes nuts, realizes he loves her and also decides to join the Highland Guard as their leader because he can't be neutral when the English have kidnapped his wife. He and the other super sexy guys in the Highland Guard go on a mission to rescue Christina. Those scenes were awesome ! Those guys were like sexy beasts while they are in a battle ! It made me want to go re-watch my DVD's of the Spartacus tv series, just to see hot men fight. I must add that I had to omit a lot of very interesting parts because of length issues with this review.
But Tor did grovel well in the end and I loved it! The man got on his knees and asked her forgiveness when he told her he loved her. I wished their epilogue had done more than mention her pregnancy. I wanted to know if they were having a boy or girl. But I understood why the author wrote the epilogue to set the background for the rest of the series.
The sex scenes were HOT. Tor is sooooo sexy. He deserves the title of 'Chief' among the elite Highland Guard, but I gotta say that Robby Boyd from
The Raider will always be my favourite hero in the series. That's because I prefer dark haired guys and Tor's a blonde.
I wish this series of novels could be made into a miniseries on tv. The possibilites are endless ! Hot guys, beautiful women, a patriotic Scottish revolution and the best story lines ! I love the men of Monica Mc Carty's Highland Guard series. Every romance reader should try this series, beginning with the Chief. I started with The Chief, jumped to The Ranger , The Raider then The Hawk , The Saint ,The Arrow , The Striker and The Hunter. The only ones I didn't like too much were The Viper ( even though Lachlan McRuari was one guy I had really loved from this first novel ), The Recruit and I did not even bother reading The Ghost because I didn't like that heroine. The novella The Knight was ok, The Rock had a bitch for a heroine and I had little interest in the main characters in
The Rogue, since that H wasn't even a member of the Highland Guard. On YouTube I saw somebody put up a fanfic video with her dream cast of the Highland Guard. I did not agree with Tor being "played" by Hugh Jackman and my personal choice for Robert Boyd would have been Henry Cavill. I also would have put someone like the late Paul Walker to play Eoin McLean.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnASk...
I just LOVED his book . This novel is the beginning to a VERY SEXY AND ACTION FILLED SERIES. The sex scenes were just spectacular ! It has been said by some readers that the Highland Guard heroes in this series are like yester year's Navy SEALS. Monica McCarty does indeed write them like that. They're all equipped with specialized fighting, tactical and defensive skills and they even go through their version of the SEAL's Hell Week; theirs is called Perdition.
Anyway, the novel begins after William Wallace ( aka Braveheart ) has been tortured and killed by Edward Plantagenet of England. The chief Scottish bishop Lamberton holds a secret meeting with Robert The Bruce, The Earl of Carrick and they devise a new plan for a Scottish rebellion against the English. Bruce decides that the Scots are not strong enough to meet the English knights on a normal conventional battlefield because Edward's knights are superior in training to theirs and the Scots are also plagued with civil disruptions because opposing Scottish clans can't agree with each other. Bruce feels that they must look to a future that will be shaped by the type of "pirate warfare" or guerilla type tactics if they are to make any initial headway and at least infiltrate and destroy chosen English fortified garrisons. The only type of men in the Scottish isles who are capable of this type of fighting are the islanders ( from the isle of Skye etc ) and the Highlanders. These men are descendants of the Norse/Viking pirates and they loathe the conventional knightly type of warfare. These men are SUPREMELY HOT AND GORGEOUS.
Bruce makes a list of about 11 men. The most important man on that list - the key man to the plan - is our novel's super sexy, hunkalicious hero, Tormod McLeod. Tor's the Chief of clan McLeod on the isle of Skye: his clansmen refer to him as "the Ri Tuath" or King of the Tribe. Actually readers will be fascinated to know that there was an real life Tormod McLeod who was the first important chief of the clan. The author has actually posted photos on her website of the real life castle fortress Dunvegan that still exists today in Skye. Dunvegan is where most of the novel is set. Bruce and Lamberton know that Tor is the best swordsman in all of Scotland ( as proven by his annual victories in the highland games and by his reputation as the greatest warrior who's almost on par with the legendary Irish Fionn Mac Cumhail/Finn Mc Cool ). Seriously I find that to be SO sexy. Tor's the ultimate alpha male. He's a blonde hero and in my mind's eye he looked like Chris Hemsworth.
The main obstacle to Bruce's plan, however, is Tor himself. Tor doesn't give a F about the war between the Scots and the English because his clan lives on the isle of Skye and even though it has been annexed to Scotland he thinks that a neutral stance is the best way forward in any future conflict. His clan has been through a lot of fighting in the last 20 years and he is not willing to take sides with either Bruce or King Edward. However he does attend the meeting when he is summoned by the McDonald chief Angus Og. He attends because he is hoping to meet with the Nicolson clan chief who will probably be there; you see Tor's romantic twin brother Torquil has eloped with Nicolson's daughter. This can lead to war with Nicolson because the girl had already been betrothed to another man. Tor's only purpose is to prevent war with Nicolson. He doesn't care about what Lamberton and Bruce want. Angus Og has also invited a lowland Scottish nobleman called Sir Andrew Fraser to the meeting. Fraser hates the English with a passion because he had been imprisoned by Edward for a few years. Fraser is all on board and will do ANYTHING to ensure that the plan for the secret Highland Guard goes off without any problems. Fraser has two very beautiful daughters: Beatrice and Christina. The heroine is the younger daughter Christina. The heroine was sweet, selfless and adorable. She's been described by the H as being "tormentingly beautiful" and another man who's the hero of The HawkThe Hawk tells her she possesses a "beauty" that's "beyond compare". The author really creates the most perfectly matched couple. She's as beautiful and petite as he is tall, handsome and muscular. It's like a pretty people nirvana in this novel.
Fraser is really mean and cruel to Christina and her sister. He beats them and tells them that they are here because he's hoping to marry off one of them to Tor McLeod. The big plan is to sweeten the deal for Tor by giving him his pick of a super beautiful bride: either the fragile, tall blonde bombshell Beatrice or the petite mini Venus beautiful black haired Christina. That's how bad these men need Tor to train the other prospective members of their Highland Guard. Without Tor to train the elite group of warriors, there won't be a group. However Tor says no to the offer. He has the major hots for Christina because he has been lusting after her from the time he sees her, but he's a very disciplined dude: he has trained his mind to put his clan's needs before his own selfish desires. Christina and Beatrice do not want any part of this plan. Beatrice is very holy: she wants to be a nun and Christina wants to marry but she is a romantic who has been fantasizing about knights like Lancelot from Chretien de Troyes poem. Her ideal man is a chivalrous knight not a tall, warrior highlander type. In spite of her preconceived visions of her ideal man, she finds herself drawn to Tor when she sees him.
Christina sneaks away to purchase tickets on a boat that will be sailing to the holy island of Iona where she and Beatrice can escape to a nunnery. When she returns, she is almost raped by a drunken lout but Tor saves her and her little fantasies about him being her knight in shining plaid begin ! Meanwhile her father Andrew is mad as hell because Tor has refused to train the men. Andrew devises a trap for Tor. He tells Christina that she must sneak into Tor's bedroom and let herself be caught in a compromising position so that Tor can be trapped into marriage and thus seal the deal. She doesn't want to but he threatens to beat Beatrice and she succumbs to the nefarious plan in order to spare her sister. Tor was drunk and sleeping but when he awakes he finds Christina and starts to make love to her. She is so innocent that she thinks that a man can only take a woman's virginity if he lying on top of her. In this bedroom scenario, the semi drunken Tor is lying behind her on the bed and so the naive girl prays for Andrew to return before Tor jumps on top of her. Of course she finds herself enjoying all his erotic caresses and kisses. This scene was so hot. Tor ends up taking her virginity from his position lying behind her. He stops immediately when he breaches her hymen. Kudos to this hero for not continuing on until he reaches an orgasm. Andrew enters with witnesses who see Tor standing naked with his still erect penis that's coated with her virgin's blood. Talk about proof in the flesh !
At first Tor refuses to marry her because he says he has been trapped because she was the one who came to his room and he didn't see her face in the dark. That part bothered me a lot. Anyway, Angus Og managed to mediate with Tor and promised to settle the feud with Nicolson on the condition that Tor marry Christina and train the 11 warriors over a 3 month period. Tor agrees to these 2 conditions but he refuses to join the Highland Guard after he has trained them in secret. He's adamant about maintaining his clan's neutral status in the upcoming rebellion against England. Christina manages to get her sister safely on the boat to Iona and she weds Tor soon after. They sail immediately for Dunvegan castle. On the journey to Skye she finds herself becoming more and more entranced by her new husband because he has been very courteous to her - he even agreed to allow her to join the nunnery if she ever becomes unhappy with him.
She tries hard to make her arranged marriage work. She is great at organizing his castle and she even gives a bath to his 3 filthy dogs. But Tor has certain set views about marriage and does not let her get emotionally close to him. He would just have sex with her but not communicate about anything else. He even refused to let her know that he was secretly training the Highland Guard. He would disappear for days at a time to do this and just tell her he was on "clan business." This hurt her a lot. She was just the nicest, sweetest most adorable heroine. I would have thrown a jug at his ass. She even thought he was still sleeping with his former mistress but the woman was merely going with him to cook food for the warriors that he was training. When Christina asked him about Lady Janet, he blew up at her and told her that Janet was none of her concern. He did say say that he was not sleeping with Janet but which wife will believe that when a husband is acting so shady?
Thor made me mad when he kept leaving her bed right after they had sex and when he kept pushing her away. He had this stupid ass policy of never sleeping in the same bed with her after having sex. He would leave to go sleep in the common room where the rest of the warriors slept on pallets. Apparently that was some kind of manly thing to do. Christina did have great courage and her youthful romantic daydreams about her knight in shining armour were so endearing. She was even very ladylike and polite to Tor's former mistress or leman, Lady Janet.
Their relationship only becomes settled and happy after he returns from training the guys for 2 weeks on his "Perdition" camp and finds his clan under attack. When Christina gets sick from flu, he cares for her himself and he finally tells her everything. He still doesn't say he loves her but he starts sleeping in the same bed after they have sex and tells her about his fears that there may be a spy who is responsible for the sudden attacks on his clan. Things are wonderful for a while until the spy ( a clerk called Brother John ) traps Christina into revealing the secret hideaway where Tor is training the elite highland guard. Tor goes ballistic and blames Christina for it. He tells her that if he shut his mouth and not told her his secrets then this shitstorm would not be on the horizon. He is very verbally cruel to her. She cries and begs his forgiveness by telling him she loves him. He is temporarily stunned and affected by her confession of love but his anger makes him stubborn and he tells her that he will never be the kind of sappy husband she wants. He leaves with 10 other highland guard warriors to find Brother John before the latter can arrive at the enemy's ( McDougal ) castle at Dunstaffnage. Christina remembers Tor's promise that she can go to the nunnery whenever she wants so she decides it is best to leave rather to stay with a husband who rejects her love.
The boat she is on is stopped by an English ship and the few Scottish warriors are all killed. Christina is taken captive but she is saved from rape and murder because Arthur Campbell ( one of Tor's trainee highland guard warriors who has been sent to be a spy in the English court ) tells the English captain that she is Andrew Fraser's daughter and McLeod's wife. This gives her prime importance as a hostage rather than a possible rape victim. When Tor returns from killing Brother John, he is repentant and wants to apologize to Christina but gets a letter form Arthur. Tor goes nuts, realizes he loves her and also decides to join the Highland Guard as their leader because he can't be neutral when the English have kidnapped his wife. He and the other super sexy guys in the Highland Guard go on a mission to rescue Christina. Those scenes were awesome ! Those guys were like sexy beasts while they are in a battle ! It made me want to go re-watch my DVD's of the Spartacus tv series, just to see hot men fight. I must add that I had to omit a lot of very interesting parts because of length issues with this review.
But Tor did grovel well in the end and I loved it! The man got on his knees and asked her forgiveness when he told her he loved her. I wished their epilogue had done more than mention her pregnancy. I wanted to know if they were having a boy or girl. But I understood why the author wrote the epilogue to set the background for the rest of the series.
The sex scenes were HOT. Tor is sooooo sexy. He deserves the title of 'Chief' among the elite Highland Guard, but I gotta say that Robby Boyd from
The Raider will always be my favourite hero in the series. That's because I prefer dark haired guys and Tor's a blonde. I wish this series of novels could be made into a miniseries on tv. The possibilites are endless ! Hot guys, beautiful women, a patriotic Scottish revolution and the best story lines ! I love the men of Monica Mc Carty's Highland Guard series. Every romance reader should try this series, beginning with the Chief. I started with The Chief, jumped to The Ranger , The Raider then The Hawk , The Saint ,The Arrow , The Striker and The Hunter. The only ones I didn't like too much were The Viper ( even though Lachlan McRuari was one guy I had really loved from this first novel ), The Recruit and I did not even bother reading The Ghost because I didn't like that heroine. The novella The Knight was ok, The Rock had a bitch for a heroine and I had little interest in the main characters in
The Rogue, since that H wasn't even a member of the Highland Guard. On YouTube I saw somebody put up a fanfic video with her dream cast of the Highland Guard. I did not agree with Tor being "played" by Hugh Jackman and my personal choice for Robert Boyd would have been Henry Cavill. I also would have put someone like the late Paul Walker to play Eoin McLean.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnASk...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2022
4,80 stars
Scottish heroes hit different , just saying .
Scottish heroes hit different , just saying .
May 25, 2012
Between my obsession of UF, Paranormal and Dystopian books, I LOVE me some historical romances. Highlanders, smexy times and heaving bosoms are my perfect trifecta in a good romance.
The Chief is the story of Tormod MacLeod. Chief of Clan MacLeod and Scotland's "Greatest Warrior of All". The story begins shortly after the death of William Wallace, prior to the crowning of Robert the Bruce as King of Scotland. Tor has remained neutral in the rising tensions between England and Scotland. His first priority is to protect his clan from a war like the one that almost decimated them so many years before. This is his one and only focus and he does not have time for trivial matters of the heart.
Enter Christina Fraser, daughter of Lord Andrew Fraser, former Sheriff of Stirlingshire and recently released prisoner. Lord Fraser will do anything to marry off his daughters to anyone that will offer him the most advantageous or financially beneficial deal. In order to protect her meek sister, Christina reluctantly agrees to a scheme against Tor that will insure his marriage to Christina. I won't tell you what is involved as it is truly despicable. However, Father of the Year Fraser gets what he wants in the end and a marriage made in hell is born.
As previously stated, I love me some smexy highlander romance. However, I found the initial "sexual tension" of Tor a little distracting. The initial part of the book (by initial I mean the first 250 pages) is spent listening to Tor wax poetically about Christina and her ability to innocently bring “heaviness to his groin”
Warning! The following female mannerisms may induce unintentional cock stirrage:
1. Tucking a lock of hair behind your ear
2. Smiling coyly as you peek over your lashes (not sure how you
"peek over your lashes" but apparently men dig it.)
3. Smelling incredible or fresh and innocent
4. Throwing your arms around a man in a child-like embrace (eww!)
5. Cleaning the fireplace
6. Cleaning the floor
7. Eating figs
8. Walking fast
No wonder Mel Gibson was so frustrated in Braveheart. With all this wanton womanly behavior, it's a wonder he accomplished anything.
What I did like about The Chief was the back story. One of the conditions of marrying Lady Fraser was that Tor would now have to secretly train a group of elite warriors to help in Robert the Bruce's quest to free Scotland. Tor has accumulated an interesting group of men/warriors. MacRuiri, MacKay, MacSorley, MacGregor, MacKinnon........and Gordon, all make up this merry band of misfits that bring more of what I love about HR to the story than the main story line.
I do like Monica McCarty's writing. Her details in the political aspects of the time gave me a better understanding of the slippery slope that some of the clan chiefs had to manuever. It certainly had more depth than a typical book of this genre.
I adored Tor. I love a complete jerk with a soft side. Christina grated on me. I need my heroines with some backbone and the neediness was very excessive. I found myself shaking the book at times because she was so pathetic.
In any case, I will continue on with the series. I'm happy MacSorely is the protagonist in the next book (poor Gordon!) as he was a favorite of mine.
The Chief is the story of Tormod MacLeod. Chief of Clan MacLeod and Scotland's "Greatest Warrior of All". The story begins shortly after the death of William Wallace, prior to the crowning of Robert the Bruce as King of Scotland. Tor has remained neutral in the rising tensions between England and Scotland. His first priority is to protect his clan from a war like the one that almost decimated them so many years before. This is his one and only focus and he does not have time for trivial matters of the heart.
Enter Christina Fraser, daughter of Lord Andrew Fraser, former Sheriff of Stirlingshire and recently released prisoner. Lord Fraser will do anything to marry off his daughters to anyone that will offer him the most advantageous or financially beneficial deal. In order to protect her meek sister, Christina reluctantly agrees to a scheme against Tor that will insure his marriage to Christina. I won't tell you what is involved as it is truly despicable. However, Father of the Year Fraser gets what he wants in the end and a marriage made in hell is born.
As previously stated, I love me some smexy highlander romance. However, I found the initial "sexual tension" of Tor a little distracting. The initial part of the book (by initial I mean the first 250 pages) is spent listening to Tor wax poetically about Christina and her ability to innocently bring “heaviness to his groin”
Warning! The following female mannerisms may induce unintentional cock stirrage:
1. Tucking a lock of hair behind your ear
2. Smiling coyly as you peek over your lashes (not sure how you
"peek over your lashes" but apparently men dig it.)
3. Smelling incredible or fresh and innocent
4. Throwing your arms around a man in a child-like embrace (eww!)
5. Cleaning the fireplace
6. Cleaning the floor
7. Eating figs
8. Walking fast
No wonder Mel Gibson was so frustrated in Braveheart. With all this wanton womanly behavior, it's a wonder he accomplished anything.
What I did like about The Chief was the back story. One of the conditions of marrying Lady Fraser was that Tor would now have to secretly train a group of elite warriors to help in Robert the Bruce's quest to free Scotland. Tor has accumulated an interesting group of men/warriors. MacRuiri, MacKay, MacSorley, MacGregor, MacKinnon........and Gordon, all make up this merry band of misfits that bring more of what I love about HR to the story than the main story line.
I do like Monica McCarty's writing. Her details in the political aspects of the time gave me a better understanding of the slippery slope that some of the clan chiefs had to manuever. It certainly had more depth than a typical book of this genre.
I adored Tor. I love a complete jerk with a soft side. Christina grated on me. I need my heroines with some backbone and the neediness was very excessive. I found myself shaking the book at times because she was so pathetic.
In any case, I will continue on with the series. I'm happy MacSorely is the protagonist in the next book (poor Gordon!) as he was a favorite of mine.
October 3, 2014
I don't really know what to say about this one.
I guess I'm a little baffled because I didn't expect such a detailed history lesson, but basically that's what I feel I got from this book.
Oh, and a detailed(ish) instructions about how to train a highlander special ops team, aka. the highlanders navy SEALs.
Our hero, clan chief Tormod MacLeod does his best to stay neutral and to protect his clan from Scotland’s war against the English. You see he's an Islander and up until a few decades ago the Islands where independent and they were not part of the Scotland. But now the Scottish nobles are expecting him to choose sides.
Christina Fraser is the daughter of a nobleman who was once imprisoned for supporting William Wallace. Her father is desperately trying to get Tor to train the elite team of highlanders, so he does a little bit of trickery, a bit of manipulation, a pinch of threatening and a whole lot of daughter beating....and as a result of it we have a compromising situation, a scared young maiden, a furious warlord, some manipulation (again) and political negotiations which all leads to (kind of) a shot gun wedding.
This is not a spoiler (honestly it's not):
He trains the special ops men and is determent to resist his lovely new wife, she does domestic stuff and tries to impress her husband and make him fall in love with her....Tor wants to keep Christina in the dark about his involvement with the special ops, and she can't help herself so she involuntarily and accidentally snoops around and trys to find out as much as possible about her husband (she's in love with him and wants to know him)....which complicates some things....blah, blah, blah....he has to do some fighting with his Highlander SEALs, and he realizes how much he loves her and he tells her so (btw that's a wonderful scene). And then they get a their HEA.
The romance part was good, and so was the historical/political/special ops training part, but basically this is a romance book so I expected more romance and a bit less historical/political/special ops training. And I know that the Highlanders last names are mostly MacSomethingorother but with all these Mac's: MacLeod, MacDougall, MacDonald, MacSorley, MacRuairi, MacKay, MacLean, MacGregor, it was just ridiculously difficult to follow.
Hopefully the following books will focus more on romance and less on the politics and the Highlander SEALs abilities.
I guess I'm a little baffled because I didn't expect such a detailed history lesson, but basically that's what I feel I got from this book.
Oh, and a detailed(ish) instructions about how to train a highlander special ops team, aka. the highlanders navy SEALs.
Our hero, clan chief Tormod MacLeod does his best to stay neutral and to protect his clan from Scotland’s war against the English. You see he's an Islander and up until a few decades ago the Islands where independent and they were not part of the Scotland. But now the Scottish nobles are expecting him to choose sides.
Christina Fraser is the daughter of a nobleman who was once imprisoned for supporting William Wallace. Her father is desperately trying to get Tor to train the elite team of highlanders, so he does a little bit of trickery, a bit of manipulation, a pinch of threatening and a whole lot of daughter beating....and as a result of it we have a compromising situation, a scared young maiden, a furious warlord, some manipulation (again) and political negotiations which all leads to (kind of) a shot gun wedding.
This is not a spoiler (honestly it's not):
He trains the special ops men and is determent to resist his lovely new wife, she does domestic stuff and tries to impress her husband and make him fall in love with her....Tor wants to keep Christina in the dark about his involvement with the special ops, and she can't help herself so she involuntarily and accidentally snoops around and trys to find out as much as possible about her husband (she's in love with him and wants to know him)....which complicates some things....blah, blah, blah....he has to do some fighting with his Highlander SEALs, and he realizes how much he loves her and he tells her so (btw that's a wonderful scene). And then they get a their HEA.
The romance part was good, and so was the historical/political/special ops training part, but basically this is a romance book so I expected more romance and a bit less historical/political/special ops training. And I know that the Highlanders last names are mostly MacSomethingorother but with all these Mac's: MacLeod, MacDougall, MacDonald, MacSorley, MacRuairi, MacKay, MacLean, MacGregor, it was just ridiculously difficult to follow.
Hopefully the following books will focus more on romance and less on the politics and the Highlander SEALs abilities.
August 7, 2012
2.5 Stars
I was ok, but it could have been better IMO. Tor's about face at the end seemed abrupt to me and Christina was kind of annoying. I liked the premise though so I might try another one in the series.
I was ok, but it could have been better IMO. Tor's about face at the end seemed abrupt to me and Christina was kind of annoying. I liked the premise though so I might try another one in the series.
September 24, 2020
2 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was a bummer. I liked the idea of the book but I just don’t think it panned out the way I had hoped. I really disliked the h! I also didn’t connect with the H. I didn’t feel their connection at all and I felt like it was a joke how they shared “ILYs” right before the epilogue (that didn’t even focus on them). It was more about the politics of the time and the elite force they were building (and the h whining and being annoying). Not my fave.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Christina and Tor’s story. In hopes for gaining the most successful swordsman in the lands to train a new secret elite force, Christina’s father hatches a scheme to trick her and Tor into marriage. Tor is enraged at first to have to marry, but soon realizes that there is a way to train the force without breaking his neutrality and protecting his clan. There are some suspenseful scenes, some sexy times, and some political drama...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing on Christina and Tor in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Alright. It was super slow at times and I felt like nothing was happening. I didn’t skim though (maybe a tad through the epilogue when I realized it wasn’t even about them).
Instalove: Yes for the h. Not for the H.
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Tor. He was alright. He was closed off because of his duties and past but I don’t think I really connected with his character.
h (heroine) rating: 2 stars. Christina. She bugged me! She was TSTL and whiny for majority of the book that had me rolling my eyes constantly.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: No, only a physical separation
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This had alright closure but the epilogue was devoted to setting up the other books in the series rather than give closure for the couple. I expected more .
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
Overall Opinion: This was a bummer. I liked the idea of the book but I just don’t think it panned out the way I had hoped. I really disliked the h! I also didn’t connect with the H. I didn’t feel their connection at all and I felt like it was a joke how they shared “ILYs” right before the epilogue (that didn’t even focus on them). It was more about the politics of the time and the elite force they were building (and the h whining and being annoying). Not my fave.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Christina and Tor’s story. In hopes for gaining the most successful swordsman in the lands to train a new secret elite force, Christina’s father hatches a scheme to trick her and Tor into marriage. Tor is enraged at first to have to marry, but soon realizes that there is a way to train the force without breaking his neutrality and protecting his clan. There are some suspenseful scenes, some sexy times, and some political drama...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing on Christina and Tor in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Alright. It was super slow at times and I felt like nothing was happening. I didn’t skim though (maybe a tad through the epilogue when I realized it wasn’t even about them).
Instalove: Yes for the h. Not for the H.
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Tor. He was alright. He was closed off because of his duties and past but I don’t think I really connected with his character.
h (heroine) rating: 2 stars. Christina. She bugged me! She was TSTL and whiny for majority of the book that had me rolling my eyes constantly.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: No, only a physical separation
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This had alright closure but the epilogue was devoted to setting up the other books in the series rather than give closure for the couple. I expected more .
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
February 21, 2016
Highlander and historical - these two words always got me
I was expecting something easy to read without too much past, but this was too much for me!
I'll read the next book because I want to know if something would be different and I have nothing more to say...so will see!
I was expecting something easy to read without too much past, but this was too much for me!
I'll read the next book because I want to know if something would be different and I have nothing more to say...so will see!
July 26, 2022
A bit slow in parts but it did a good job in showing the connection build up between the leads. The hero took his time, however. Overall an enjoyable listen. A good Highlander story, and I appreciated the author’s note at the end, explaining the liberties taken and the historical context.
March 22, 2010
I must say that I LOVED this book. Monica sure knows how to write a great story with steamy love scenes and a to die for hero. I'm looking fowards to the next book in this series.
July 7, 2011
I really like this book. It's sort of a classic story of woman loves man, man is too manly and warrior-like for her, doesn't know how to love. They have a great bedroom relationship, though. But the characters were likeable, and the guys are yummy. The author fully admits to having some sketchy historical facts throughout the book, but I think it's great that she really did some research on Scotland's history and tried to incorporate some real people and events. It's sort of her version of how things may have happened.
One thing, though, is that I didn't realize that this series is the continuation of her first two series, and I'm not sure how much knowing the background information would have furthered my understanding of this series.
One thing, though, is that I didn't realize that this series is the continuation of her first two series, and I'm not sure how much knowing the background information would have furthered my understanding of this series.
July 4, 2018
The moment I read the blurb of this book, I knew I had to read it. Never mind that it's a 12 book series. The idea of elite soldiers being trained in secrecy was intriguing in itself, but when these men happened to be Highland warriors, handpicked for being the best of the best, I knew I was sold.
This book lived up to my expectations. Both Tor and Christina were amazing. There was a heavy dose of romance to satisfy all historical romance lovers.
The way the bond between the men was created was very well shown. These men who belonged to feuding clans or were loners used to depending only on themselves, came together to create an amazing team, the likes of which were never seen before. I only wish more of their rigorous training was detailed. I was eagerly reading those parts of the story. Hopefully the next books will satisfy my need for more action oriented scenes.
This book lived up to my expectations. Both Tor and Christina were amazing. There was a heavy dose of romance to satisfy all historical romance lovers.
The way the bond between the men was created was very well shown. These men who belonged to feuding clans or were loners used to depending only on themselves, came together to create an amazing team, the likes of which were never seen before. I only wish more of their rigorous training was detailed. I was eagerly reading those parts of the story. Hopefully the next books will satisfy my need for more action oriented scenes.
dnf
April 10, 2022DNF 18 %
Is there a story here? I can't seem to find it.
When I feel like doing housework more than I feel like reading, it's time to give up on the book.
Is there a story here? I can't seem to find it.
When I feel like doing housework more than I feel like reading, it's time to give up on the book.
March 25, 2018
First in the Highland Guard Series a Bit Slow with a Whiny Heroine
I just don’t get the 5 star ratings on this one. I found it disappointing. McCarty can certainly write well (good dialog, well phrased narrative), and the idea of a special forces unit to defend Robert the Bruce was certainly an interesting concept, but the story and the match of hero to heroine were only so so.
Here are the low points: The story began slowly; it had too many pages of introspective thought (pages of the heroine chewing over her circumstances like a dog with a bone; I just wanted to slap her); the hero’s inner lusting after her body parts went on and on (some is good, too much gets old); it was predictable in parts; the constant use of Gallic terms was a distraction (the book needed a glossary); and, as one reviewer pointed out, the author used clichéd characterizations. Finally, and this is a comment made by many reviewers on all the books in the series, the hero may be a hunky Highlander, but the heroine was weak (and in this case, whiny). I like strong heroines. In this case, the hero and heroine were mismatched.
The Chief is the first in the Highland Guard series (The Chief, The Hawk, The Ranger and The Viper, The Saint). Set in Scotland in 1305, the basic plot involves the creation of a medieval “special ops” team of Highlanders who will help Robert the Bruce gain the Scottish throne following King Edward’s brutal killing of William Wallace. Each book tells the story of a team member’s romance.
In this first tale, through manipulation by the heroine, Christina Fraser, and her father (the instigator), our hero Tor MacLeod, head of clan MacLeod, is tricked into a marriage he doesn’t want that will prevent him from making an alliance he needs for his clan and will expose his clan to the wrath of King Edward if Bruce doesn’t succeed, because the alliance also requires him to train/lead Bruce’s special ops team. OK, right off the bat, the whole manipulation-into-marriage turned me off to the heroine as well as the hero (it made him look weak). But I could have gotten over that if it was the only negative. It was the relationship between them that so disappointed. He was a clan chief dominated by his duty and she was…not interesting…and really had no feeling for the burden he carried. By page 320, they had not seen eye to eye and the heroine was getting on my nerves. (Of course, he doesn’t notice the flowers on the table, he’s the head of the warriors!) When the hero finally did realize he loved her it just didn’t seem believable. I got that he lusted for her body, but love? Don’t think so.
The book was too easy to put down. I have read others by McCarty I really enjoyed; her writing is generally quite good.
If you want a good Highlander romance, see my Best Scottish/Highlander Romances list on my blog, Historical Romance Review (http://reganromancereview.blogspot.com/). Frankly, while parts of The Chief were entertaining, I did not find it enthralling.
I just don’t get the 5 star ratings on this one. I found it disappointing. McCarty can certainly write well (good dialog, well phrased narrative), and the idea of a special forces unit to defend Robert the Bruce was certainly an interesting concept, but the story and the match of hero to heroine were only so so.
Here are the low points: The story began slowly; it had too many pages of introspective thought (pages of the heroine chewing over her circumstances like a dog with a bone; I just wanted to slap her); the hero’s inner lusting after her body parts went on and on (some is good, too much gets old); it was predictable in parts; the constant use of Gallic terms was a distraction (the book needed a glossary); and, as one reviewer pointed out, the author used clichéd characterizations. Finally, and this is a comment made by many reviewers on all the books in the series, the hero may be a hunky Highlander, but the heroine was weak (and in this case, whiny). I like strong heroines. In this case, the hero and heroine were mismatched.
The Chief is the first in the Highland Guard series (The Chief, The Hawk, The Ranger and The Viper, The Saint). Set in Scotland in 1305, the basic plot involves the creation of a medieval “special ops” team of Highlanders who will help Robert the Bruce gain the Scottish throne following King Edward’s brutal killing of William Wallace. Each book tells the story of a team member’s romance.
In this first tale, through manipulation by the heroine, Christina Fraser, and her father (the instigator), our hero Tor MacLeod, head of clan MacLeod, is tricked into a marriage he doesn’t want that will prevent him from making an alliance he needs for his clan and will expose his clan to the wrath of King Edward if Bruce doesn’t succeed, because the alliance also requires him to train/lead Bruce’s special ops team. OK, right off the bat, the whole manipulation-into-marriage turned me off to the heroine as well as the hero (it made him look weak). But I could have gotten over that if it was the only negative. It was the relationship between them that so disappointed. He was a clan chief dominated by his duty and she was…not interesting…and really had no feeling for the burden he carried. By page 320, they had not seen eye to eye and the heroine was getting on my nerves. (Of course, he doesn’t notice the flowers on the table, he’s the head of the warriors!) When the hero finally did realize he loved her it just didn’t seem believable. I got that he lusted for her body, but love? Don’t think so.
The book was too easy to put down. I have read others by McCarty I really enjoyed; her writing is generally quite good.
If you want a good Highlander romance, see my Best Scottish/Highlander Romances list on my blog, Historical Romance Review (http://reganromancereview.blogspot.com/). Frankly, while parts of The Chief were entertaining, I did not find it enthralling.
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