Taming the Highland Bride

February 1, 2010
Sands's second book in her Medieval trilogy is a mixture of sexy romance and humor combined with an unfortunately stale story. When Merewen Stewart arrives at her betrothed's stronghold, Alexander d'Aumesbery is well into a whiskey-induced "recovery" for a sore tooth, convincing Merry that he's a drunk like her father and brothers. As their first weeks together don't prove otherwise, Marry's take-charge attitude-viewed by some as shrewish-comes on strong. As for Alex, he finds that his new wife's arrival coincides suspiciously with attempts on his life, which continue to dog him as they travel to visit his sister and her new husband. Though the road trip allows the couple to get familiar, overcome their differences, and come to love each other, the sparks that distinguish standard formula fare fail to materialize.