Book Review-The Warrior

The Warrior
Return Of The Highlanders (3)
Margaret Mallory
Forever
Paperback
Published October 2012
355 Pages
Scottish Highlands Historical Romance
ISBN: 978-0-446-58309-1

Synopsis
Four fearless warriors return to the Highlands to claim their lands and legacies. But all their trials on the battlefield can't prepare them for their greatest challenge yet: winning the hearts of four willful Scottish beauties.

Star-Crossed

From the Isle of Skye to the battlefields of France, Duncan MacDonald has never escaped the memory of the true love he left behind. Deemed unworthy of a chieftain's daughter, Duncan abandoned the lovely Moira to prove his worth in battle. Now, when called upon to rescue her from a rival clan, one thing is certain: Moira's pull on his heart is stronger than ever.

Bartered away in marriage to a violent man, Moira will do anything to ensure she and her son survive. When a rugged warrior arrives to save her, the desperate beauty thinks her prayers have been answered—until she realizes it's Duncan. The man who once broke her heart is now her only hope. Moira vows never again to give herself—or reveal her secrets—to the fierce warrior, but as they race across the sea, danger and desire draw them ever closer.

My Review
Summary 
Duncan, has never been able to forget his one true love, the one woman who has held his heart all of these seven years. When she married another man, he felt as if his world had ended, but he knew he could never give her a life that he wanted to give her. Now his closest friend and his Laird, has asked him to go in search of Moira and make sure that all is well. Even though that is the very last thing that he want to do, he knows he needs to do it. Moira, felt like Duncan had broken her heart, abandoning her when she needed him. She once would have sacrificed everything to have a future with Duncan, but she knew he saw her as others did, a sheltered princess. So she ends up marrying a handsome Laird of another clan. However she fully regrets that decision now, seven years later. She is now a mother to the most wonderful boy, but his father is abusive and she knows their time grows short. Moira, knows that both her life and her son's life is in danger. So she tries to escape, only to have her son taken from her and to almost be beaten to death by her husband, until Duncan saves her. Now it will take both Duncan and Moira working together to save her son. But Moira never expected to fall in love all over again with the one man that broke her hurt all those years ago. But now she is willing to fight for their love...but will Duncan fight for her and the love that they share?

The Hero 
Duncan, knew that he was never good enough for Moira. He always felt like she could do so much better that himself, even though he knew that no one would love her like he would. But when he thought they might have a chance at a life together, her father put a stop to it and forced Duncan to leave, making him see she deserved a life of privelage. Never had such a decision been so difficult. But when she enters his life again, with no father looking over her shoulder, and her husband dead, he doesn't want to get his hopes up by believing they might have a future together. However he wants to make the best of what precious time they have left...together.

The Heroine 
When Moira was young, she made the mistake of falling in love with a man that was far beneath her in station. Now she has moved on, but her situation hasn't exactly improved much. She spends every day protecting her son from her husband, who is very jealous and abusive. She wishes that her brother, Connor, would care enough to send help. She is shocked when Duncan saves her life when her husband beats her violently in a fit of rage. Now after her son is taken from her, she will do everything she can to find him and keep him at her side. Then a old love enters into the equation and as much as she craves his touch, its his heart she craves even more.

My Thoughts 
The Warrior is the third installment in the Return of the Highlander Series. I have been fortunate enough to have been able to access it through my library. First off I have to say I just love this cover and portrays Duncan perfectly. He is well known for knowing how to sail on the sea, and is a very skilled warrior. Normally I am not a fan of long hair, but on Duncan it  has a sexy appeal to it. Ducan is the silent warrior type, he broods alot and we see this in the earlier books in the series. But he also has some hidden talents we see peeking through. I also really enjoyed Moira, she had spunk. I really enjoyed seeing how protective she is of her son, and she is willing to fight to save the ones she loves. I found that a very positive quality, and I liked how she interacted with Duncan and tries to prove to him that she isn't a fragile doll about to break. There was some good tension mixed in with a sizzling romance. I also enjoyed the secondary characters that livened up the story as well.  There was also a danger element to the plot that added to the flavor of the whole story.  As a side not any of those that like a good canine in a romance...this one is for you. The boy's dog Sar is so protective and such fun to see the way he is blended in with the story. I have truly come to fall in love with the master story teller that portrays a vivid world which takes the reader back through time and makes 1500 Scotland come alive in the readers mind. Such a sexy romp that fully engages the reader with enchanting characters, a plot full of adventure and intrigue, and a sensual love story that will just break your heart. A Wonderful addition to a series that has me completely hooked. A Must read for those who love a fun and sexy highlander romance that will curl your toes!!

The First Line
Duncan MacDonald could defeat any warrior in the castle--and yet, he was powerless against his chieftain's seventeen year old daughter. 

My Favorite Quote 
For a long time, he was lost in a mindless, never ending kiss. But when she groaned into his mouth and pressed her breasts against his chest, lust too long denied surged through him like a roaring river. And that river of desire swept away all the barriers he had built through all the years away from her. 
To have this woman, he would die a thousand death, face any enemy, fight the very devil himself. He could never have enough of her. 

My Grade On This Book 
5 Blossoms

Heat Rating 
Steamy

Other Books In The Series 
The Guardian
The Sinner
The Chieftain