A Goodreads Best of the Month pick He has sworn to protect her… Captain Reid MacKenzie, Earl of Seaforth, is a man of his word. During a harrowing battle at sea, the heroic Highlander makes a vow to a dying friend to watch over the man’s daughter. His plan: send the child to boarding school as quickly as possible so he can continue his mission. But Reid’s new ward is no wee lass. She’s a … is no wee lass. She’s a ravishing, fully grown woman, and it’s all he can do to remember his duty and not seduce her himself.
But he might be her greatest threat… Miss Audrey Kennet is stunned by the news. First this kilted brute tells Audrey her father is dead, and next he insists she marry. But as Reid scours England for the most suitable husband, Audrey soon realizes the brave, brawny Scot is the only man she wants–though loving him means risking her lands, her freedom, and even her life.
Lords of the Highlands series: The Highland DukeThe Highland CommanderThe Highland Guardian
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I really enjoyed this installment of the Lords of the Highlands – Reid (love that name!) and Audrey are both great characters and easy to like.
The story opens with Reid MacKenzie, Earl of Seaforth returning from France with Audrey’s father, when they are attacked by a British galley and Nicholas Kennet is gravely wounded. Reid manages to get them to shore, but Nicholas’ wounds are too great and before he dies he makes Reid swear to take care of his daughter.
Reid arranges burial and sets off for Coxhoe Manor, to see to his ward and then return to Scotland and make alliances for “the Cause”. Reid is a Jacobite, but he treads softly, he was raised as a ward of Queen Anne and she has a soft spot for him. He truly cares for Anne, but he is determined to see her brother named King once Anne has passed. He is working with the Duke of Gordon and the Marquess of Tullibardine to ensure that James inherits and he is annoyed that he must detour to see to Nicholas’ child. But duty and honor are everything to Reid and he gave his word. He thinks he will stop by the Kennet estate, pack the child off to school and be on his way within days.
Upon arriving at Coxhoe, Reid is annoyed once more that the child has not appeared when he had her summoned over an hour ago, he is then shocked when Nicholas’ daughter is not the wee lass he assumed, but a 19 year old woman. A very beautiful, rich woman. Reid then decides that he will just marry her off, make sure the estate is in good order and then be on his way.
Audrey is devastated by the death of her father and horrified that Reid intends to marry her off. Audrey is convinced she is a wallflower and has no desire to marry. For some reason, Reid makes her bold, she does not trust Reid and demands that he take her to her father’s grave. When he doesn’t comply, she takes off on her own, but is stopped by Reid’s commander Dunn and returned to the house. Still not trusting Reid and grieving for her father, Audrey begins to look into her father’s dealings and is shocked at what she learns.
She begins to trust Reid and they grow closer – there is attraction there, but Reid is in no position to marry Audrey. He takes her to a ball to meet suitors, but is unhappy with each man that dances with her. For her part, Audrey spends the entire night comparing all the men to Reid and they all fall short. When she is confronted by Mr. Wagner Tupps, he is cruel to her and threatens to destroy Reid and her father’s reputation if she does not marry him. She is shaken by the encounter and seeks a moment to herself, Reid finds her and comforts her. Later Wagner claims to be the last male heir to the estate and demands to marry Audrey.
Reid refuses and begins to look for evidence to refute Wagner’s claim. He swears to protect Audrey and they share a kiss. But Wagner is not done with Audrey and forces her to accept his suit. When Reid learns of this, he goes after Wagner, but the man grabs Audrey. Reid saves her, but Wagner gets away.
Things just seem to fall apart for our lovers, Reid is arrested and beaten, Audrey admits she loves him and helps free him from prison. He tries to push her away, but she insists on caring for him. They turn to Aiden, the Marquess of Tullibardine for help and hide out in his hunting lodge. Reid heals and he and Audrey become lovers. Audrey hopes for more, but Reid has secrets and a duty to his clan. They part ways and Reid fully expects to never see her again.
When news comes, Audrey with the help of Aiden’s wife Maddie, leave England to bring the news to Reid. But they are too late and Audrey once again finds herself in danger and later learns Reid’s secret and is crushed.
This was a very intense, very well written story, it has a lot of action, steamy love scenes, many twists and turns, secrets, a little heartache, old friends, a very nasty, persistent villain and finally a HEA that didn’t seem like it could ever be.
This is the third book in the series, but it could easily be read as a stand alone title. I am happy to recommend this book and can’t wait for the next book!!
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher*
Romantic! Exciting! Suspenseful! This book reached out, grabbed me by the heart and dragged me back in time to Scotland during the early stages of the Jacobite movement. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. While this is the third book in the lords of the Highlands series, you can easily read it as a stand-alone. However, all of the other books are so good I know you’ll want to go back and read them as well.
Amy Jarecki has captured the feel of the time superbly. The English are riding roughshod over the Scots. They consider the Scots to be barbarians and see no reason not to mistreat and maim at every opportunity. You feel the tension in the air and feel the cruelty of the English. Is it any wonder that the Scots rebelled? The characters are fully developed, the writing outstanding and the story is well planned, well-written and very exciting. You’ll fall in love with both Audrey and Reid.
Reid MacKenzie, Earl of Seaforth is a Highlander through-and-through. He’s also a Jacobite. Not because he’s a religious zealot, but because he is concerned about the sovereignty of Great Britain and doesn’t want to be ruled by ‘outsiders’ upon the death of Queen Anne. He wants Anne’s brother, James, from the Stuart line to become king. He’s the leader of the Highlanders support of ‘the cause’ and has little time for other things in his life – especially NOT a young ward. When he and his crew are returning to England from a visit to James in France, their ship is fired upon and sunk off the coast. His whole crew escapes unharmed – except for Nicholas Kinnet. As Kennet lays dying, he extracts a promise from Reid. Reid promises that he will see to the care and well-being of Kinnet’s daughter. Reid has no time to care for a child, but he’s a man of his word and will see to her care. How long can it take to find a good boarding school for her?
Audrey Kennet has always been excruciatingly shy and awkward. She’s a wallflower of the first order – or so she thinks. So, what is she to do when an unkempt stranger shows up at her door and announces that her father is dead and he is her new guardian? Well – she certainly isn’t going to trust him! Then, he announces that he will be marrying her off as soon as possible. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! She has no intention of marrying just to suit her new guardian. She finds she has strength and courage she never existed within her and manages to keep Reid off-kilter at every turn.
There is a first-class villain, of course. He sets many bad things in motion – just so he can have Audrey and her estate. I won’t mention all of the treacheries he sets off, but it takes us on a wild ride of a story. It is fast-paced, chilling, heart-wrenching and – yes – romantic. What a ride! You wonder right up to the end if they’ll survive and get their HEA! Great read!
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“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”
I wish the book never ended
I did not want to put this story down. Audrey’s strength and smarts made her a fun heroine, and I wanted her to be happy. Reid’s sense of duty and his struggle to come to terms with his future had me smiling and shaking my head. As they fought all the dangers around them, I kept turning the pages to see how it turned out. I loved the history behind the story as well. I highly recommend this book.
I received a copy of this story through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.
A story really appeals to me when a hero, once given his word, will follow through even when it is inconvenient and neigh impossible to make it happen. Such is the case with Reid MacKenzie, Earl of Seaforth, when he vows to a dying associate working for the cause, to protect his daughter, much as a guardian would.
The girl, Miss Audrey Kennet, isn’t a wee lass as Reid thinks, but a woman full-grown with the most beguiling blue eyes. Yes, the reader knows Reid will sink in the mire of lust, love, or both long before he knows it, and then it’s too late!
His plans change according to the circumstances. He can’t place her in boarding school, not even finishing school, because she’s completed her schooling. She’s of marriageable age, so all he needs to do it put Nicholas Kennet’s business in order and find a lad to marry her to.
As in any good story, and Amy Jarecki always tells whoppers, simply going from A to B is fraught with challenges. Here, Miss Audrey herself and other outside forces have Reid reworking his plans over and over.
Reid gets drawn into the net of caring (he’d rather not!)–he needs to get on with his own life. The cause needs him. His clan needs their chieftain with an added obligation which perils his freedom. His father made a pack with his uncle (again that honor thing) which has him already betrothed to his father’s uncle’s daughter. What is more important than unifying the clan and working for the cause? The Earl of Seaforth will be pulled in every direction, his heart being tattered in the process.
Audrey Kennet has more than beguiling blue eyes. She’s a woman of honor herself and demands to pay back the times Reid has protected her. She loses a little more of her heart to him every day. Frankly, they are a match made in heaven.
As with the rest of this series, this is an exciting read, suspenseful, full of danger plus experiencing what a man in love will do as he grapples with the anguish of satisfying his heart and doing the honorable thing.
The wallflower discovers she’s stronger and has more going for her than she ever knew! The hero of our story who has always been the responsible one, finds himself with more to deal with than he ever dreamed of. Oh this is going into my favorites file.
Reid MacKenzie is a Scottish Earl, Captain of his own galley returning from France on a mission for Queen Anne and as leader of the Scottish Defenders. In his youth he was a ward of Queen Anne after his parents died and became one of her favorite Scots. He went to France to plead with James Stuart to convert to Protestantism so he could inherit the English throne upon Queen Anne’s death. Otherwise the Scottish/English Stuart line would end and the Hanover line would take over. His ship was sunk by an errant “warning shot” by an English Navy ship patrolling the coastal waters. On board was Nicholas Kennet, a wealthy English coal miner who what helping to fund the “Jacobites”. He was the only fatality. As Nicholas is dying he extracts a promise from Reid to see to the wellbeing of his only daughter and heir, Audrey. Unbeknownst to Reid said daughter is 19, newly home from boarding school and a professed “wallflower”.
I loved Audrey Kennet. She only had her Dad as a friend and they did everything together. She suddenly finds her life upside down, about to be married off to a stranger and ripped from her home. She has no relatives and suddenly find herself with a young stranger as her Guardian. After meeting with her father’s solicitor, who is determined to turn her inheritance over to the crown as no woman can possibly inherit, she is determined to prove to the world she can run her own affairs. Each step of the way she finds more and more backbone and determination that she can control her own life and affairs. I loved seeing the wallflower blossom. And poor Reid can’t walk away because he’s made a promise he can’t walk away from either. His problem is he’s running out of time as he has to call a Clan meeting in Scotland in 3 months and here he is in England tending to Audrey. Enter the “slimy” Wagner Tupps determined to get his hands on Audrey and her inheritance. You see he’s the illegitimate son of Audrey’s uncle, Josiah. Amy takes us on a step by step journey of how Reid protects Audrey and Audrey grows into the woman her father would be proud of. I adored experiencing the journey by reading their story.
Thank you Amy and Hachette Book Group for giving me this ARC for an honest review.
The Highland Guardian by Amy Jarecki
Lord of the Highlands #3
Reid MacKenzie, Earl of Seaforth, was having a nice sail back home from France when everything went to sh*t in a handbasket. Finding his ship sinking, his friend mortally wounded and all on board swimming for their lives it was perhaps one of the worst days of his life…well…till that point…I do believe one later day in the book may have been quite a bit worse. Bidden by Nicholas Kennet to become guardian for his daughter Audrey what can Reid say but, “sure” thinking Audrey would be a little tyke…uh…nope, no way, no how. She was a woman full grown and rather tempting.
Audrey claimed to be clumsy and shy but as time went on some of the words I wrote down related to her included: young, smart, naïve, stupid (very stupid sometimes), emotional, caring, capable, calming, stimulating, healing, stalwart…and she loves with a big heart. She is nineteen.
Reid is a man with a purpose. He wants to ensure who will be the next king of England, has an earldom and all of its responsibilities, is part of a clan, has…well…had his own ship and is only twenty-three. He is sure he is too young to settle down though he knows he must someday.
Throw into this story an evil man or two, a romance, a ball, a gorgeous red dress, an escape, time on the run, old expectations and promises to deal with, new love to figure out, evil dragoons, a sadist and more and you have a thrilling story from beginning to end. I will say that Audrey seemed weak and rather pallid at first and her idea of doing things for herself usually fell flat on its face BUT she did grow as the stories pages accumulated and I thought she and Reid made a good couple.
Did I like the story? Yes
Did I like the main characters? Yes
Were the villains evil enough? Yes
Were there characters I want to know more about? Yes
Who are these characters? Well, I wonder if Chieftain Dunn Macrae and Mairie might have a book of their own at some point in the near future 😉
Thank you to NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and the Author for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4-5 Stars
I thoroughly enjoyed the story about Reid and Audrey. Fulfilling a promise to a dying friend he agrees to become guardian to his daughter thinking she is a child. To his surprise she is a full grown woman. This story has more than just romance, it has the intrigue and history and the coming together of two people from different places and the obstacles they have to overcome. There is also steamy romance!! I love that she incorporates characters from her other books but this is also a stand alone. I love reading Amy’s books and if you have not read the, before I would definitely recommend this one!