Scan barcode
bookishnerdyandcurious's review against another edition
5.0
So. I went into this book not particularly liking either the H or h - Caelan, our H, has been pretty damn unlikable in the previous two books: a betrayal eight years before from the woman he loved caused the decimation of his clan, his father and sister-in-law killed. He took the blame on his shoulders and in doing that, closed off his heart to all becoming the grumpy, rude warrior we meet in book 1. He grows some in book 2, but I was not holding out much hope for him in this one. Rionna, our h, is the girl who was supposed to marry Ewan in book 1 and Alaric in book 2 - until they both found love and Caelan declares he will marry her to keep the proposed alliance between the clans. She has grown up learning to fight with the warriors and is most comfortable in men's dress than she is in women's. She is as unlike her feminine sisters-in-law as possible and that seems to drive Caelan insane. The kicker? Neither of them wants the marriage, but they both want her father, the former laird of her clan, gone.
You would think that would be the whole story. You would be wrong. Very wrong. There were so many instances where I wanted to smack the shit out of Caelan for being so rude to both Rionna and to his new clan - as the new laird, he swoops in making all sorts of pronouncements and doesn't seem to realize that might be a reason the warriors seem to have issues with him? Add to that the warriors don't think he treats Rionna well (since they don't see what goes on in the bedroom... and he's still kind of a shit to her in private) and he's just a step from mutiny. I mean, we're more than halfway through the book when everyone has it out and the warriors challenge Caelan and he takes on every single one of them and only almost gets bested at the end, earning their respect. Rionna basically defies everyone, wanting to go and fight all the time, getting upset with being told no, and acts like a petulant child when told that she needs to learn how to run the keep, like the lady of the keep should.
Now all of that would indicate that I might not have liked this book. That would be incorrect. I loved this book - I loved that it made me feel all the feelings, I love that it made me cry. This was a perfect ending to this series - and I understand why people are hella salty that Maya Banks never finished the Montgomery and Armstrong series (I have joined those ranks now).
You would think that would be the whole story. You would be wrong. Very wrong. There were so many instances where I wanted to smack the shit out of Caelan for being so rude to both Rionna and to his new clan - as the new laird, he swoops in making all sorts of pronouncements and doesn't seem to realize that might be a reason the warriors seem to have issues with him? Add to that the warriors don't think he treats Rionna well (since they don't see what goes on in the bedroom... and he's still kind of a shit to her in private) and he's just a step from mutiny. I mean, we're more than halfway through the book when everyone has it out and the warriors challenge Caelan and he takes on every single one of them and only almost gets bested at the end, earning their respect. Rionna basically defies everyone, wanting to go and fight all the time, getting upset with being told no, and acts like a petulant child when told that she needs to learn how to run the keep, like the lady of the keep should.
Now all of that would indicate that I might not have liked this book. That would be incorrect. I loved this book - I loved that it made me feel all the feelings, I love that it made me cry.
Spoiler
My heart was breaking as Rionna came up with her plan to free her husband from his imprisonment by her father and Duncan Cameron - she knew that Caelan may never forgive her but she had to save him. And when he realizes that she was always true to him and did this to save him? I SOBBED.willow_garden_3697's review against another edition
4.0
Seems to have a small weakness for the MCCabe brothers....
lailailai's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
geekxgirl's review against another edition
4.0
4 Stars (reread 2024)
I didn't review this the first time I read it in 2018 (I think?) Well, it's now 2024 and I'm happy to say I stand by my original rating.
This book was fabulous. Love love loved the hero Caelen and the heroine Rionna. These two had so much affection between them and true intimacy as a couple that really bonded them throughout the story. It made it truly beautiful and wholly believable that they fell in love with one another.
I didn't review this the first time I read it in 2018 (I think?) Well, it's now 2024 and I'm happy to say I stand by my original rating.
This book was fabulous. Love love loved the hero Caelen and the heroine Rionna. These two had so much affection between them and true intimacy as a couple that really bonded them throughout the story. It made it truly beautiful and wholly believable that they fell in love with one another.
ntanash's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
lynseyisreading's review against another edition
5.0
And finally it's Rionna's book! I was intrigued by Rionna's character right from book one when she stomped up to a group of warriors, in trousers and helm, and showed them just who was bitch with the pointy end of her sword. Oh, how that doth ticketh all my boxes. When she took her helmet off and they realized it was a lass? Hee hee! I love it!
And who has she been paired with but the surliest of the brothers, Caelen McCabe. And man who's convinced all women are treacherous wenches just waiting to strike after a betrayal when he was but a young lad. It's fair to say Caelen has a few issues to work through, and only someone as strong as Rionna could have possibly tamed this particular Highlander's heart.
“'Tis a universal truth that when a lass says she's been thinking, a man ought to be wary.”
It was another emotional book but I didn't cry quite as much as I did over book two (probably since that's impossible). And there was a lot more action than in the previous book too, which I like. I wouldn't have expected anything less from Rionna's book, really.
The overall story arc has been wrapped up nicely and I have to say this has been a really wonderful trilogy. Maya Banks will be an auto-buy author from here on out.
Highly recommended to all fans of Scottish romance.
4 Stars! ★★★★
And who has she been paired with but the surliest of the brothers, Caelen McCabe. And man who's convinced all women are treacherous wenches just waiting to strike after a betrayal when he was but a young lad. It's fair to say Caelen has a few issues to work through, and only someone as strong as Rionna could have possibly tamed this particular Highlander's heart.
“'Tis a universal truth that when a lass says she's been thinking, a man ought to be wary.”
It was another emotional book but I didn't cry quite as much as I did over book two (probably since that's impossible). And there was a lot more action than in the previous book too, which I like. I wouldn't have expected anything less from Rionna's book, really.
The overall story arc has been wrapped up nicely and I have to say this has been a really wonderful trilogy. Maya Banks will be an auto-buy author from here on out.
Highly recommended to all fans of Scottish romance.
4 Stars! ★★★★
ashezbookz's review against another edition
4.0
Again with the old timey talk but alas, I knew that going in since I had read it before - I think Rionna is amazing, shes an extremely awesome kick ass female and I'm happy that she exists in the world of books - I think Caelen was my fav McCabe, mostly because he was so surely - I like the brotherly love and the paths that each of them took toward the end, and it was adorable.
diep's review against another edition
I’m on chapter 3 right now and I gotta dnf this. The male character is so rude and he considers our female lead below him. No thank you, he’s a big red flag and I like the dresses, not this hierarchy
sauvegypsy's review against another edition
The lead male was a complete dick, but the heroin just kept forgiving his jump-to-unreasonable-conclusions ass. Had a bit of Stockholm syndrome vibes rather than mutual compromise in their situation.