Beauty and the Barbarian – Highland Force Series #3

Merrin - cursed with a giving heart. Ian - warrior with a gentle heart. Two souls brought together by circumstance, bound by love and duty. 

When a wounded Highlander washes ashore on her lonely island, Merrin cannot turn her back on him. Against her father’s wishes she keeps him in their home, tending to his wounds. Unaware they are harboring a fugitive, her father Niall still worries that the secret he harbors will be stolen away. Will the two men be able to come together to protect their individual secrets, and the woman who holds both of their hearts? 

Highland romance at the finest!  “Beauty and the Barbarian” brings the reader into the story from the first paragraph and holds them fast until the very end. Readers not begging for more might want to check their temperature to make sure they aren’t sick! Merrin and Ian scorch the pages from the second their eyes meet for the first time. Niall is the perfect personification of the protective father, with gifts that he keeps hidden until the necessary moments. One cannot forget the lovely Gar - lazy hound one moment, warrior beast the next. Never before has a pet become such a standout character! 

The plot is true to period and befits the Highland clan mentality with exceptional skill. Superstition is handled with a clear understanding and the challenges presented are realistic and captivating. A steamy, page-turning, butterflies-in-your-belly period romance that enthralls a reader from beginning to end! 

Penelope Anne Bartotto