The Highland Chieftain

June 4, 2018
Jarecki’s sensual fourth Lords of the Highlands historical (after The Highland Guardian) highlights the allure of the early-18th-century Scottish Highlands amid the turmoil of Jacobite rebellion. Lady Mairi MacKenzie, proud daughter of the Earl of Cromartie, was crushed when her longtime fiancé, the Earl of Seaforth, wed another, but she refused Laird Dunn MacRae’s subsequent offer of marriage, believing it was only made as a favor to Seaforth. After Dunn protects Mairi during an attack of British redcoats, she realizes that his proposal was sincere, based on his enduring affection and admiration of her. The danger is constant as Dunn tries to hide Mairi from the redcoats. When he whisks her away to safety, her father thinks Dunn’s kidnapped her and puts a price on his head. Sexual tension heats up the pages as Mairi agrees to wed Dunn against her father’s wishes. Mairi’s fortitude and sense of independence make her an admirable protagonist for this fast-paced, expertly crafted romance. Agent: Elaine Spencer, Knight Agency.

Narrator Dave Gillies digs in with the vocal gymnastics needed for a romance set in historical Scotland. Lady Mairi MacKenzie has been jilted, but she isn't willing to accept a proposal out of pity, even if the man asking is the towering warrior Laird Duncan MacRae. But when Redcoats drive them into hiding and Mairi's father sets a price on Duncan's head, they will need to overcome more than miscommunicated feelings to claim their love before their clans-- or Mairi will find herself married off to the nearest noble. Gillies does an admirable job juggling a variety of Scottish tones to round out a boisterous cast of warriors and aristocrats. He adjusts his delivery for quiet and rowdy scenes alike to great effect. A.L. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine