another great story of this series I really love Ramos, he could have been from the medieval period ( )

After returning to this series after about 3 years, I realized I just really couldn't get into this book! I think I've outgrown my love for highlander romances. Ironically, my visit to Scotland two years ago sort of cured me! I could barely get through this one, which was so dull - apart from a few battles, nothing really happens! Mairie, our heroine, goes back in time to rescue her niece from the 13th century, who turns out to be a spoiled brat. Ramos Navarro, a newly made Guardian is ordered to find Mairie while back in time and return her to the present day. Ramos has his own agenda as well, for he wants to find his father back then and destroy him somehow (but he's a Fae, so it's tricky). Ramos and Mairie of course are attracted to one another, but as much as he enjoys bedding her and there are a few hot moments between them, he cannot let it happen again for he is committed to being her Guardian! Of course, Mairie is not too happy with this idea, so they were always bickering, which made their "non-courtship" annoying! He kept thinking he was not worthy of her because of his past history as his father's son. No humor, no real chemistry, some battle scenes, and some loose ends all made for a less than satisfying book. Still, I will continue with the series, for I've heard it gets better. Sigh. The things we do for kilts and Scottish accents. ( )

This series gets better and better. Romance with a touch of intrigue ( )

***NOTE MY REVIEWS OFTEN CONTAIN SPOILERS***

When Mairi MacKiernan researches the family she left behind in the thirteenth century only to learn that her beloved Aunt Rosalyn’s only daughter is killed before her time Mairi decides that she must go back and save the girl. Unfortunately her sister in law, the only one she knows with time travelling powers won’t help her because it’s forbidden to change the past. Unwilling to let things drop, Mairi goes to Pol’s Glenn determined to claim the birthright denied to her because she was a daughter of a son instead of the daughter of a daughter. Before going on the journey Mairi leaves a packet with Sarah only to be opened if she doesn’t return that night because even if she’s back in time for years she should return within moments of when she left. The packet is the only information she leaves about her plans, not willing to risk telling anyone about her hopes before then because she’s not willing to let them stop her. When Mairi doesn’t return that night Ian goes to Dallyn requesting the guardian’s help to bring back his friend’s sister. Ramos Navaros, formerly known as Ramos Servans will do anything to redeem himself for the pain he caused during his time with his father. He can’t forgive himself for being so blind, for being part of the wrong team, that’s why he became a guardian. To become part of the Elite Guard was his greatest honor, so when his first assignment is to journey into the past to save Mairi from the Duke Servans he’s sure his destiny is to kill the Nuadian wreaking havoc in the thirteenth century and see Mairi home. He doesn’t plan on the girl being an irresistible feisty woman and what he really doesn’t count on is the Nuadian being his own father. He’d plan to send Mairi right home then deal with his father, but Mairi won’t return without saving her cousin and he can’t abandon Mairi to go after his father. As passion stirs between them Ramos knows he must end it, he knows that with his family and his past he’s not good enough for Mairi, but he can’t seem to convince her of that. If he could only get her home she’d see other men would be so much better for her even if he doesn’t like to think of the idea of her with any other man. Unfortunately when Mairi finally tries to escape to the present with her cousin her magic won’t work. She’s there to fulfill her destiny which she thought was saving Marsali, if that’s not her destiny what is and will she discover it before she’s stuck in the past forever?

The third novel in the Daughters of the Glenn series finally ties together the relation between the first two novels as secondary characters from each novel come together for their own love story. The book is a well written close third person that bounces between the present and the past in the beginning before both characters return to the past to the bulk of the story. Sex scenes are included in this romance, but they’re short and there’s only like two of them which accent the love story rather than detract from it. Though I will say one of them did kind of bug me, not because it’s a bad scene, but because he just saved her from hypothermia and they’re supposed to be saving her cousin who’s been kidnapped by the Duke. Time is of the essence and they decide to have sex? My thought on this was that these characters really need to get their priorities straight. I also find it a little hard to believe that with all the inappropriate for that time period things that they do in this novel no one catches them and they aren’t forced to get married. I mean beside the sex, half the things the two of them do which are entirely acceptable in this century would have made her be thought of as ruined and in need of a shotgun wedding in that one. However their coming together is entirely their own decision instead of a mandate based on their actions in the past which though it worked well with the plot doesn’t seem entirely believable to me. It almost makes me wonder if the people in that keep are blind. I did enjoy that although initially Mairi is paralyzed by fear in frightening situation eventually she gets past that and uses all the defensive things she learned in the future to help protect herself. She did demonstrate quite a few things to portray her as a strong woman; however she also had quite a few that made her look like a weak one. The plot was an interesting blend of a love story and a fantasy I guess suspense. It was definitely a well written page turner with a fast pace.

The main characters are extremely well developed and easy to relate to. The two leads Mairi and Ramos kind of parallel each other with the kind of healing they need to do because of their pasts. Mairi needs to get past her almost rape and murder that occurred before she was brought to the future, she needs to get back her spirit and fire. Ramos needs to get past what he did at his father’s request because it wasn’t like he knew at the time that his father was the bad guy. He was raised to believe something entirely different from the truth and he’s a good man. Everyone other than him sees that. They both have these huge emotional scars that they need each other to get through. They’re a nice blend of positive and negative attributes that make them memorable and realistic characters. I also enjoyed seeing the characters we’ve met in other novels like Pol, Dallyn, Connor and Cate, Sarah and Ian as well as Rosalyn and Blaine. Though many of these characters took a back seat to newer characters it’s always nice to see a novel which brings back characters you enjoyed in previous novels. Even the secondary characters were fairly well developed.

Overall I’d definitely recommend this book to readers of fantasy and historical romance. Mayhue is a writer in the genre who is not to be missed. ( )

Third story in the Daughters of the Glen series by Melissa Mayhue

I definitely liked this story much better than 1st book in series. The plot was more well developed and very smoothly written. This story was far more fast paced than the other novels in the series. Scenes flowed together nicely and the plot line kept you glued to the story. Her prose was beautifully scripted and once again you felt like you were there in the story.

The main and secondary characters were far more realistic and I enjoyed how she developed the secondary characters this time around. Of course I would have liked a little more of the humour that was far more prevalant in the first book in the series, but that is just my preferance. I also would have liked a little more details of Mairi's adjusting to modern life. I would have to say that is my biggest complaint about the series that the characters adjust far too quickly in the era's that they travel to.

As I have said before time travel books are not my favourite because they make my brain hurt with all the possibilites and the problems with it. Also books about the Fae often irritate me at times as well, but these are my issues -- not yours. It was a lovely told tale and I really enjoyed it. I would recommend it to those who enjoy Scottish historical romances and those who enjoy stories about the Fae. ( )