ARC Review: Highland Sword (Royal Highlanders #3) by May McGoldrick

Title: Highland Sword

         Royal Highlander 3

Author: May McGoldrick

Release Date: March 31, 2020 (ARC)

Published By: St. Martin’s Press

Category: Historical – Romance – Scottish

Type: Digital – Paperback – Audio

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May McGoldrick Website

Blurb: 

A VOW FOR VENGEANCE
Fleeing to the Highlands after her father’s murder, fiery Morrigan Drummond has a score to settle with Sir Rupert Burney, the English spymaster responsible for his death. Trained to fight alongside the other rebels determined to break Britain’s hold on Scotland, she swears to avenge her father’s death—until a chance encounter with a barrister as proud and principled as she is presents her with a hard choice…and a bittersweet temptation.

A PLEA FOR PASSION
Aidan Grant has never encountered another woman like dangerous beauty Morrigan—and he has the bruises to prove it. Yet she could be the key to defending two innocent men, as well as striking a death blow to the reprehensible Burney. Convincing Morrigan to help him will take time, but Aidan is willing to wait if it means victory over corrupt government forces and freedom for his people…and Morrigan’s hand in marriage. Can two warriors committed to a cause stand down long enough to open their hearts to a love fierce enough to last…forever?

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Favorite Lines:

Other sensations were running through him. The feel of her body pressed against him…Morrigan was completely unaware of the effect she had on him.  ~  Aiden

Never in his life had anyone fussed over an injury of his, certainly not one as minor as this. He did enjoy his attention, though, and considered pretending to pass out, just to see how she’d respond.  ~  Aiden

Excerpt:

          By the time they reached the corner, the villain was some distance ahead of them. He was moving with a determined step, turning his head neither left nor right, like a wounded soldier lurching back toward his own lines. He was clearly laboring for breath, his shoulders rising and falling as he moved. 
          “He’s moving as if the Grim Reaper is on his tail.”
          “He’s thinking we’re his only chance,” Aidan replied. “He wants to get his things before we change our mind.”
          “If he turns into that alleyway halfway down, I still say it’s a trap.”
          “Don’t you think using this rogue to trap us in the middle of the day in an alley is a wee bit far-fetched?”
          “You’ve forgotten High Street in Edinburgh. Midday.”
          He was right. In plain daylight. A ship’s master who’d had his ship seized for transporting Africans to sugar plantations in the West Indies had attacked Aidan with a knife. Sebastian knocked him down with a single blow and disarmed him. 
          “And how about the Crown & Anchor? London.”
          That was in broad daylight as well. And within shouting distance of the Temple Bar. Aidan was on his way to meet his brother when two footpads attempted to waylay him. Sebastian had seen them from the doorway of the tavern and came to his aid. They turned out to be servants of Lord Horsley, another Tory foe whose nose Aidan had figuratively tweaked. 
          “The alley next to the Palace at Westminster. What time of the day was that?”
          Blast. “And in every case, the two of us fought off the blackguards. Except at Westminster, where I was holding my own fairly well until you showed up.”
          Sebastian’s answer was another grunt. 
          The truth was, Aidan could have been beaten to death that day. He couldn’t prove it, but he was certain those assailants had been hired by the Home Office. 
          Aidan definitely had his enemies. And he knew he was more than just a burr under their gilded saddles. He was part of a reform movement that could unhorse the power of those in charge entirely. Many people in London, powerful men like Lord Sidmouth and his cronies, thought nothing of using a club or a dagger to eliminate foes like him. 
          “We’re at home. We’re in the heart of the Highlands. There are more sympathizers for the cause here than in the streets of . . .”He paused, motioning to a woman who was striding along in Sparrow’s wake. “If she’s unafraid of these back streets on her own, then I say the two of us have no reason to worry.”
          Now that he’d noticed her, Aidan paid closer attention. A grey dress was visible beneath her long coat. A single dark braid of hair hung like a rope from under an oversized knitted tam. She carried nothing in her hands, which he noted were fisted as they swung at her sides. 
          She moved with the smooth, lithe ease of a young fencer, but she had a purposeful manner in her gait. Aidan glanced ahead at Sparrow and realized she was closing quickly on him. 
          The informer’s words came to him, along with his own thoughts—there were many people who would readily take the sword of justice into their own hands. 
          At that moment, Sparrow turned into the alley without a glance back at them. The woman slowed for the briefest of seconds, bent down, and reached into her boot. He saw the flash of the knife’s blade as she pressed it into the folds of her coat. In an instant she too had disappeared into the alley. 
          “You go after him,” Aidan shouted, starting to run. “I’ll stop her.”
          She whirled as they stormed into alley. Intent as she was on Sparrow, they’d caught her by surprise. The alley was short and dark, and the brick walls on either side glistened with moisture and slick green patches. Aidan went after the knife he’d seen in her hand, knocking it from her grip as she raised it. His momentum drove him into her, and he grasped her arms to keep them both from falling. 
          Sebastian raced past them, and she struggled fiercely to wrench her arms free. Her dark eyes flashed. Even in the dank dimness of the alley, her beauty was stunning. 
          “Let go of me.”
          “I’m afraid I—” he started to say but got no further. 
          Her knee came up sharply, knocking his bollocks halfway to Nairn. As he gasped for air, she nearly connected with another kick to the side of his knee, but he managed to deflect the blow, yanking her booted foot upwards and upending her. 
          Bloody hell. He was fighting with a woman. She was on the ground for only an instant. Springing to her feet, she glanced once at the end of the alleyway and then darted toward her knife, which lay on a tangle of discarded netting along the base of the wall. 
          Woman or she-devil, he thought, he wasn’t about to let her use him for a pin cushion. 
          She reached out to snatch up the weapon, but Aidan caught hold of her coat, pulling her back. She spun away, yanking herself free of his grasp and falling on her face as she slid across the ground. Immediately, she was on her knees. She reached up to touch her rapidly swelling lip. 
          He staggered toward her, wincing at the pain between his legs. He leaned down to take her hand and help her up. Another mistake. 
          Without an inkling of warning, she reared back and butted him, planting her forehead squarely in his eye and knocking him onto his backside. 
          He sat for a few moments, dazed. When the cobwebs began to clear, she was gone. He looked around, but one of his eyes was not functioning. He touched it, but it was already swollen shut. 
          Aidan groaned and struggled to his feet. He scanned the alley with his one good eye, searching for any remnant of his manly self-respect. He spotted her knife and picked it up. Finding his hat where it had fallen, he sagged back against the wall. 
          A moment later, Sebastian came down the alley with Sparrow alongside of him. He paused by where Aidan sat in a heap, not even trying to hide his smirk. 
          “Perhaps next time, you should run after the sickly men, and I’ll fight the women.”

Highlight:

          She had her back to him as she reached for a volume, but he recognized her immediately. 
          “Miss Drummond.”He hadn’t seen her since yesterday. 
          She almost fell off the ladder but caught herself. Her dark eyes flashed in the lamplight as she turned. 
          “I’m very sorry.”He dropped his satchel by the door and crossed the room to her. “I didn’t mean to give you a start.”
          “Then perhaps you shouldn’t make a habit of sneaking up on people.”She reached up and took down the volume she was after. 
          “Searc said I’d be safe working up here.”
          “If Searc only knew our history.”
          The dark blue dress hugged her curves perfectly. Her pretty face still sported bruises from their skirmish. This explained why she wasn’t taking meals with everyone else at the Great Hall. Aidan held up a hand to help her down. Morrigan shot him a look that told him she needed no assistance. He remained rooted on the spot. 
          “The ladder is unsteady. I’d hate to have you fall on whatever deadly weapon you’re concealing tonight.”
          “Good point . . . and I don’t use that word lightly.”With a quirk of her lips, she accepted his offer and descended. Her hand was warm and strong and had none of the softness of most city lasses. The skin had clearly been toughened by hours of work in the training yard. And he knew from personal experience, the time had not been ill-spent. 
          He watched her. She ignored him. Studying the volume, she headed toward the table. 
          “I didn’t mean to intrude. I’ll be happy to come back later.”
          “Not at all. My work is done here. I have what I need. I’ll take the books back to my room.”
          Aidan eyed the stack. Each of the volumes was heavy. Altogether, it would require more than one trip. “Allow me to carry them for you, then. That’s quite a collection.”
          She separated two of the books from the others and added the one she’d just retrieved. “I don’t need any help. These three should suffice.”
          “I’m a highly skilled beast of burden.”
          “I’m perfectly capable of carrying them, thank you. But since you insist on being useful, you can help me put the others back on the shelves.”
          “As you wish.”He studied the bookcases. Spaces between volumes made it obvious where the books had been pulled from. “You tell me where they go and—”
          “If you’d like to help, then please hand them up to me.”
          She was a woman who knew her mind. He was wise and would never remind her that he was taller and had a greater reach. But he also had no desire to curtail this unexpected encounter. 
          Morrigan climbed the ladder and stretched a hand down to him. 
          For a moment Aidan stared, admiring the loveliness of the woman before him. Her hair spread like a blanket of soft curls around her shoulders. Her eyes were magical. Her face, when healed, would be the kind poets wrote poems about. 
          “Do you intend to help or just strike a pose, Mr. Grant? I’m not planning to paint your portrait.”
          Her wit was as attractive as the rest of her, but he’d be a fool to give her a compliment on it. She’d cut him to ribbons. 
          Aidan picked up the first book off the desk and read the title aloud. “Hungarian and Highland Broad Sword. I see you have a devoted interest in the martial arts.”
          She took the volume out of his hand and slid it on a shelf. 
          “The Military Adventures of Johnny Newcome.”He read the second title. “What British fort do you plan to storm?”
          “Any suggestions?”
          “Fort George? It’s handy, a wee bit more than half-a-day’s ride.”
          She found the spot for this book, as well. 
          “Or are you going right for the heart of the empire. Parliament itself.”
          “I was thinking St. James Palace. I believe we should roust that fat little Hanoverian king.”
          “Very ambitious,” he said as he picked up two volumes. “Reft Rob; Or, The Witch Of Scot-Muir, Commonly Called Madge The Snoover.”
          She reached for it, but he held back for a moment. “A classic of modern literature, to be sure, but it won’t help you with your military ambitions.”
          “You don’t know how useful snoovering is in a campaign.”She crooked a finger at him. 
          Aidan grinned and handed it up to her. “What does snoovering mean?”
          “I have no idea.”
          “But you pulled it off the shelf.”
          “I didn’t. Or at least I don’t remember doing it. I really don’t know how that got mixed in with my books.”
          “Perhaps this one is also not one of yours. A Modern Anecdote Of The Ancient Family Of The Kinkvervankotsdarsprakengotchderns.”
          “Now you’re just making things up.”
          “Me? Telling stories? Yesterday, you told me that I’m horrible at it.”
          “I said no such thing. I said that you are not to be trusted.”
          “Well, what do you say to this?”Aidan opened the book and showed her the title page. 
          She had to lean toward him to see. The ladder shook and Morrigan had to put a hand on his shoulder to steady herself. Her hair brushed against his face. The incredible softness, the fresh scent made him want to touch the silky ringlets. 
          The moment was fleeing. She took the book out of his hand and turned away. 
          “I’m just so curious about the range of your interests.”
          “There are lots of things that would surprise you about me. But that volume must have been sitting on the desk before I arrived here, as I don’t—”
          “These two must be yours. Love And Madness. A Story Too True.”Aidan tried to cock one eye at her, but it was too painful. “And Studies in the Nude.”
          “They are not.”
          “Then perhaps I’ll hold on to the second volume.”
          “Suit yourself.”
          “On second thought, perhaps when I have more time for leisure reading.”
          Morrigan snatched the book from him. “That’s not the title at all. It’s Rowlandson’s Miseries of Human Life.”
          “So it is. The light is not very good over here. I must have misread it.”
          Morrigan shook her head at him. She turned to slide the volume into the bookcase, but he saw the smile. 
          Aidan considered pulling a few more books off the shelf so they could continue to play this game. But Morrigan was too quick for him. She was down the ladder and had the selected books in her arms in an instant. 
          “Thank you for the entertainment, Mr. Grant. Good night to you.”
          He bowed, regretting it as she started toward the door. 
          “Have you decided what story we shall use to explain our bruises to the people of Dalmigavie?”
          “After tonight, sir, you’ve gained my confidence. Go ahead. Tell them whatever you wish.”
          And without another word, she went out.

Review: 

Morrigan has always been a bit different. She looks at the world around her with vengeance and has never hesitated to act when necessary, going so far as to killing a man to save her sister. But no one knows that her thirst for vengeance regarding her father’s death stems from much more than his murder alone. Beneath her tough exterior, Morrigan is frightened and prepares to keep those she loves safe in the best way she can – through endless amounts of training for battle with weapons. Isabella has always ignored the signs, but as Morrigan’s past is revealed, much more of the puzzle pieces begin to link together. She finds herself in an extremely uncomfortable position with a barrister, Aiden. Not only did they become acquainted in a harrowing way, Aiden now needs her help in the form of the single thing she is absolutely unable to help with. Aiden will allow the time she needs but hopes it is not too late to save his clients who will surely hang. A system so corrupt, Aiden has been forced to learn a new way to lunge and parry his way through the courtroom. As Morrigan spends more time with Aiden, she sees into his heart and altruistic personality; to try to do good in times of great strife and exploitation. Also does her affection for Aiden grow – but given her past and Aiden’s bright future, Morrigan is unable to tie herself to him permanently fearing to tarnish his good name.

Aiden is determined to do what is necessary to free his clients, unjustly accused of treason as is the normal practice of late. Those who seek to squelch the rebellion, ending Britain’s thumb over Scotland, only operate more and more dastardly as time stretches on. But Aiden has learned a few of his own tricks in dealing with the unethical courts and refuses to lose this case. With his rapidly gaining reputation comes an offer for a future he has been working towards. He understands Morrigan’s reluctance, but he also appreciates her uniqueness in a way no other ever has. He wants her with him by his side as he moves towards a position of power that could truly make a difference in this broken land they have desperately been trying to save. But Morrigan will not capitulate, refusing to blacken Aiden’s name and reputation. Aiden is left with no other choice but to bring out all of his skills he’s learned as a barrister to prove to her that they were meant for one another. And the first order of business following the trial is taking down the family’s longtime nemesis, Burney.

Three books in, a series complete, and still my advice remains … McGoldrick is a MUST-READ author. Without a doubt, hands down, one of the absolute best! I sometimes worry when I am so caught up in a series that the author will be unable to meet my expectations as the series unfolds. This happens all too often and can be extremely disheartening. However, I should have trusted my instincts. The enthusiasm I began with, never wavered! If anything, the thrills I experienced all through the series remained consistent from beginning to end. I couldn’t even muster up the slightest complaint within the story. If anything, I just wish there had been a bit more time revisiting with the two previous couples. My only regret is my sadness that this series has reached its conclusion. I would have happily continued reading within this series for as long as possible. However, a character referenced from a different series from this talented duo gave me hope. I now have other books I can experience with McGoldrick, despite my time drawing to a close with the Royal Highlanders. I also very much enjoyed a new feature added to this book: the toggling points of view between Morrigan and Aiden. With the seriousness of some of the content in this installment, the retelling being presented through both Morrigan and Aiden’s eyes was a positive move for this book, adding necessary depth and emotion.

Each member of this family struggles through some extremely difficult times. Any average being would have given up the ghost in the face of such overwhelming odds. But Morrigan is made of just as stern stuff as her other family members, Isabella and Maisie. If you are familiar with this series, you understand that nothing is sunshine and roses for this family and Morrigan’s story is no different; I daresay darker, than the previous books due to her past. I do not want to provide any spoilers despite the fact that I knew exactly her past as soon as her reaction toward a particular person was described. Suffice to say that these women were made to rise above the ashes and make their own marks on their dangerous paths toward freedom and equality. A family for fierce, female, Phoenix. With the amazing talent of McGoldrick, each character was granted their own unique part to play, never once creating a feeling of dejavu within the books. I adored Aiden and Morrigan just as I did the preceding main characters in this series, especially their completely unforgettable initial meeting. As their sordid connection from that first meeting is revealed, my love for the couple grew. Sebastian, Aiden's brother, is a crack up and provides a much-needed bit of levity to this heavy story. I wouldn’t mind seeing a story for him in the future. 😊 As far as the romance, this is definitely a slow burn, but is also necessary in order to keep these characters true to who we come to know them as. Once the passion is released, lookout. The McGoldricks have a way of keeping the sensual scenes beautiful without turning it into a lesson in eroticism. Quite descriptive when compared to the first book in the series, but packed with passion, each of these books builds in the sensuality aspect. I appreciated that when Morrigan and Aiden finally did come together that the authors did not lose sight of her past and how to honor that – refusing to turn her into the seductress she had never been and even providing a setting that was more comfortable for them mentally.

This series is one that should not be missed! It also absolutely must be read in order. There is just way too much information provided in each installment that ultimately carries over into the next books. Without such knowledge, confusion is sure to take root. And even though each book highlights a different couple, this series is actually Cinaed’s journey with everyone else becoming connected to him in various ways. However, if you are familiar with this series, I am confident you will enjoy this finale just as much as the previous contributions. The plot is captivating, the characters wonderfully complex, the history and fictional aspects effortlessly intertwined, the series itself a perfect example of beautifully crafted historical romance. I will end this review with a statement similar to my opening. McGoldrick is a duo to be cherished – their writing style a gift not to be ignored – their characters ones to treasure – their stories remarkable and something every reader should experience at least once.

Kindle version provided by NetGalley/St. Martin’s in exchange for an honest review.