Review -- THE SINNER

The Sinner
Return of the Highlanders, Book 2
by Margaret Mallory
Publisher: Grand Central
Release Date: November 1, 2011

Four fearless warriors return to the Highlands to claim their lands and legacies. But all their trials on the battlefield can’t prepare them for their greatest challenge yet: winning the hearts of four willful Scottish beauties.

After walking away from a horrible marriage to a philandering man, Glynis MacNeil is resolute in her decision to never marry again and she will do anything possible to thwart her father’s matchmaking schemes. So when two warriors from another clan arrive at her father’s home, Glynis puts her latest plan into action. With the help of her maid, she transforms herself from a beautiful young woman to a woman with oozing pot marks all over her face.

Alex MacDonald is one fierce warrior. While he is known for his battle skills, it is his reputation between the sheets that gets people talking. Growing up with parents who fought constantly, Alex is determined never to wed. And why should he since a different woman every night satisfies his needs. When Alex and his friend Duncan arrive at the McNeil castle, Alex is shocked to be introduced to a woman with horrible pot marks on her face. Upon closer inspection, Alex immediately realizes the pot marks which seem to be oozing down her face are actually a disguise. Quite amused by such drastic measures, Alex beings a conversation with this unique woman.

“I’d do anything for my clan but wed,” Glynis said.

“Since we are of one mind on that,” Alex said, “we can be friends, aye?”

She looked over her should at him. “Do ye mean it?”

“Usually I become friends with women after I bed them,” he said. “But I’ll make an exception for ye.”

And thus a friendship between the two forms. In another attempt to get away from her matchmaking father, Glynis coaxes Alex into taking her along on his travels to Edinburgh where family from her mother’s side lives. During the days of travel, friendship swiftly gives way to the chemistry of white, hot passion. The sparks between the two could set all of Scotland on fire! Passionate nights (and a few days) sear a permanent place in each other’s heart.

With every stroke of his strong hands, he wiped away another bad memory of Magnus touching her. She wanted him to replace every ounce of unpleasantness and humiliation with pleasure and joy. Oh, God, how she wanted him. She wrapped her legs around Alex’s hips, urging him forward.

“I don’t want to rush this time,” he said against her ear. “I’m going to make certain ye don’t forget me too soon, Glynis MacNeil.”

Not likely.

While in Edinburgh, Alex discovers he is the father to a small girl. Hoping to provide his daughter with a calm, quiet childhood unlike his own, Alex practically begs Glynis to be his wife and mother to his daughter. Thinking she would never have a child of her own, Glynis finally accepts Alex’s proposal as her only way of becoming a mother, but secretly she hopes that his philandering ways are a thing of the past and that his heart would belong to her. Having endured humiliation by her first husband, all Glynis wants is to be loved and desired above all women by her husband. Through trials and a misunderstanding, Alex comes to the realization that one true love is so much better than a different woman every night.

Her eyes closed as his mouth met hers. For a long, long time, he just kissed her, not as a step to something else, but as if he wanted to do it forever. His fingers slid into her hair and supported her head as their tongues moved against each other in deep kisses.

Glynis felt adrift and breathless as he kissed her cheeks, her eyelids, her hair.

“Cronaim tgum,” he said. I missed you.

Since reading and reviewing Margaret Mallory’s debut novel, KNIGHT OF DESIRE, I have been singing her praises. And as much as I loved her medieval series, All the King’s Men, I must say that I believe Ms. Mallory has found her calling in writing Highlanders. The first book in this series, THE GUARDIAN, was a fabulous story and Ms. Mallory has kept the writing bar high with this latest offering. THE SINNER is a novel overflowing with everything you expect from a Highlander novel – fierce passion, male arrogance, and female determination. But THE SINNER offers so much more – a real friendship between husband and wife, the gentle interactions between a father and daughter, and the sweetness of true love.

While you could read this novel as a standalone book, I would highly recommend that you read the series in order as it will enrich your reading experience.

~ Buffie

Review -- The Guardian

The Guardian
The Return of The Highlanders, Book 1
by Margaret Mallory
Grand Central
Release Date: May 1, 2011






“And what are you good at?” she asked instead.

“Just as ye say,” he said, leaning closer, his even white teeth gleaming. “Seducing my wife.”

She felt herself blush to her roots. “I’m not your wife.”

“But ye are,” he said.

“Ye did not claim me for five years.”

He slid a hand beneath her hair and cupped the back of her neck as he leaned toward her. “Well, I’m claiming ye now.”




The story begins with four young lads, both friends and family, visiting a local seer. Each lad wishes his future told and the seer gladly obliges. She tells young Ian MacDonald that he will wed twice, once in anger and once in love. Disgusted by the topic of marriage, young Ian wants to hear something more interesting – like how many battles he will fight or how he will die. The seer tells him she has no control over the sight.

Fast forward 8 years … returning home from fighting on the border and visiting the Scottish court, Ian MacDonald encounters young Sileas on the road late at night. Sileas implores Ian to take her with him as she just escaped her evil stepfather who is intent on marrying the young girl to his very own son. Having known Sileas for several years and always seeming to be the one to get her out of trouble, Ian agrees to take her to his family. Since he is now traveling with a young charge in the dark of night, Ian decides to make camp until morning, only to be found by his father and uncle who believe he has compromised young Sileas. Even though Ian protests profusely, he is forced to marry Sileas. Immediately after, he and his three friends leave the country to fight in France.

Sileas has dreamed of marrying Ian MacDonald since she was a little tot; however, her dreams and her reality do not match. Sure, she married Ian and is his wife, but the man has been gone for 5 years. Five long years of facing the entire clan as a married woman who is still virgin, which is very daunting and humiliating. Sileas dreams of the day when Ian will return and sweep her into his arms and confess his undying love for her. Once again, her dreams and her reality do not match. The night of Ian’s return, Sileas’ dreams are dashed when Ian does not acknowledge her presence in his parents’ home.

When Ian embraced his mother first, she understood. That was only right. And she hardly resented it at all when he greeted Niall next, for Niall had missed Ian almost as much as she had. But then, it was her turn. She fixed her gaze on the floor and held her breath, waiting. He was the one left; he should come to her. In any case, her feet would not move.

She imagined it a thousand times. Ian would give her a wide smile that warmed his eyes and pull her into his arms. He would tell her how much he missed her and how glad he was to be home. Then, in front of God and his family, he would call her wife and give her a kiss—her first real kiss.

In her more realistic moments, she thought it might be awkward between them at first, but that Ian would attempt to make it right and seek her forgiveness. Never did she imagine he would not speak to her.

Not a single word.

Ian is beyond shocked when he returns to his home to find the young slip of a girl he married has matured into a woman full of curves, full of intelligence and full of love for his family. Once he overcomes his shock, Ian is anxious to prove he can be the husband Sileas wants … at least in her bed. But Sileas wields the steadfast Scottish stubbornness and makes it clear to Ian that she wants, and more importantly deserves, a husband who loves not only her body but her heart, mind and soul.

Chip by little chip, Ian begins to tear down the wall between Sileas and himself. When a Highlander sets his mind to a task, there is nothing and no one that will stand in his way. Not a stubborn wife. Not an evil stepfather. Not a clan searching for a leader. Nothing. The task may difficult, but the reward is so sweet and so satisfying.

As a huge supporter and fan of Margaret Mallory, I have always enjoyed her rich, lush historicals. This book is Ms. Mallory’s first foray in Highlander storytelling, and I must say the romance community now has a new star in Scottish tales. Ms. Mallory weaves a sweeping story that brings the Isle of Skye and the Scottish spirit of determination, passion and love alive for the reader. Characters that tug at the deepest corners of your heart, a love story that seeps into the very depth of your core and a multiple sigh-worthy ending that sings to your spirit are all combined in the magic of this wonderful book. A definite must read! Bravo, Margaret Mallory! Bravo!

Now hurry up and write the rest of the series! I can’t wait to read the tales of Alex, Duncan and especially Connor.


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Review -- Knight of Pleasure

Knight of Pleasure
by Margaret Mallory
Publisher: Grand Central
Release Date: December 1, 2009

After eight long and torturous years, resenting every day and every hour of her marriage, Lady Isobel Hume is rid of her red-faced, sweating husband. The old man is dead. Finally! Forced by her father to marry Lord Hume at the very tender age of thirteen, Isobel is glad to be free from the controlling hands of any man. After learning Lord Hume had deeding the estate and property to a man he believed his illegitimate son and refusing this man’s proposal in marriage, Lady Isobel meets with Bishop Beaufort to discuss her options in challenging the property transfer. Bishop Beaufort informs Lady Isobel of her three choices: 1) marry this man and keep her home and position; 2) return to her father’s care; or 3) allow King Henry to arrange another marriage for her to efforts to strengthen the ties between England and Normandy. Lady Isobel quickly decides to face the devil she does not know and travels to Normandy to await the King’s decision on a new husband.

Sir Stephen Carleton is a member of King Henry’s army in Normandy. As the battles wage, Sir Stephen witnesses things no human should ever see. The massacre of women, children and the elderly during the siege of Caen is burned deeply in his mind, his heart, and his soul and all the ale in England or Normandy cannot chase away the vivid images in his head. In and out of bed with several women, Sir Stephen has yet to find the one woman who makes this weary existence worth it all. He longs for a woman similar to the wife of his half brother, one that is beautiful, courageous, full of opinion and laughter. Upon meeting Lady Isobel for the first time, Sir Stephen is more than intrigued by her devilish green eyes. But I believe the meeting that seals the deal for Stephen is when he happens on Lady Isobel while she is practicing with her sword in a secluded area. As you can see from this passage, Sir Stephen is more than intrigued.

“Close the door!” she hissed. “I cannot be seen here.”

And what a sight she was, with her cheeks flushed and strands of dark hair sticking to her face and neck. God preserve me. He stepped inside and firmly closed the door behind him.

“I meant for you to remain outside when you closed it.”

Though she took a step back as she spoke, she kept a firm hand on her sword. As she should.

With her glossy dark hair in a loose braid over her shoulder, she looked even more beautiful than he imagined. And he’s spent hours imagining it. No man saw a grown woman with her hair uncovered unless he was a close family member. Or a lover. The intimacy of it sent his pulse racing.

Aye, the lady had every reason to feel nervous at finding herself alone with a man in this secluded place.

The interaction between Sir Stephen and Lady Isobel is just fabulous. I love a strong heroine, and Lady Isobel is one that can (and does) go toe to toe with Sir Stephen, matching his intensity in love of county, honor, and passionate embraces.

I was fortunate enough to review Ms. Mallory’s debut novel, Knight of Desire, earlier this year. I thoroughly enjoyed the novel and raved about this new author. I have been waiting to read this installment in the All The King’s Men series and must tell all you fair readers that this book does not disappointment. In addition to being a great story, it was fun to revisit characters from Knight of Desire (Lady Catherine, William FitzAlan, and the traveling musician Robert).

Thus far, Ms. Mallory has gifted her heroines with abilities far beyond the typical ones of the ordinary medieval woman. While the heroines of her stories may stitch well and have the knowledge to run a household, they also know how to ride like the wind on a horse, swing a sword with ease, and pull a dagger without a second thought. I love a heroine who is more than what she seems. More than a sewer. More than a breeder.

Ms. Mallory is definitely not a one-hit wonder!

Now I am anxiously awaiting the next novel in this series. I can’t wait to read James’ story!!!!

~ Buffie