Conquered by a Highlander (by Paula Quinn)

Conquered by a Highlander rating:  4.5 out of 5 stars
Release Date:  May 2012

Children of the Mist series rating:  6 stars

Though Conquered is part of a series, it reads as a stand alone story with fulfilling character appearances from previous books.

How are the sex scenes?
A couple descriptive ones, the rest are behind closed doors.

How are the story lines?
Great.  Detailed and historically accurate with character appearances from previous novels.

Would you read it again?
I plan to read this entire series again.

Conquered by a Highlander is the fourth and final novel in Paula Quinn's Children of the Mist Scottish romance series.  Preceded by three emotionally charged, historically driven novels (and the two book MacGregor series) Conquered debuted in May 2012 with high romantic expectations. 

If I do blog so myself, Mrs. Quinn was more than up to the challenge.

By 1688's standards, Camlochlin's very own Colin MacGregor is a grown man at twenty-two years and he's ready and willing to continue the fight for the Catholic king to keep the throne.  Colin infiltrates an enemy's army and befriends many foul smelling creatures - I mean, men - to collect information for the crown.

He didn't count on Lady Gillian Dearly...

The cousin to the enemy and mother of illegitimate, four-year-old Edmund.  At nineteen Lady Gillian has been cast out from her family and sent to hide behind the walls of her cousin's home.  Did you say nineteen?  Why, yes I did.  That would mean she was fifteen when she...  Why yes it does.  That young?  It is historically accurate, but feel free to call Teen Mom.

Torn between his loyalty to England and his growing desire for the bonny lass and her endearing son, Colin must make character defining choices that affect their future and the future of his clan.  Though we all know the ending - I pretty much enjoyed the journey getting there.

Pretty much?  Well, yes. 

Though Paula Quinn delivered yet again with superb writing skills, well defined characters and historically accurate facts, Colin and Gillian just didn't tug my heart strings like Tristan and Isobel did (Quinn's Seduced by a Highlander, book #2).  There wasn't enough resistance between the couple.  Yes, Gillian's evil cousin was threatening her son, but Quinn had already revealed that the cousin would never harm the child so Gillian and Colin's reason for staying apart fell flat; and

The first intimate scene burst out of left field and without the characters discussing it, or even giving the event consideration through inner dialogue.  Maybe it was too planned...read it and let me know your thoughts.  Aha - yes I did just tell you to buy this book.

Despite the two minimal complaints, Conquered is a great read and up to par with Rob and Davina's story (Quinn's Ravished by a Highlander, book #1). 

Do not consider this review a failure for Conquered, but a supreme achievement for Seduced and Quinn's Children of the Mist series as a whole.  Conquered is a good, solid love story that is heads above the competition.  (Apologies to Monica McCarty.  I do not mean you.)  The Children of the Mist series is one of the best historical romance stories I have read.  Ever.

Don't overlook Conquered.  Read the entire series and thank me later.

Learn more about Paula Quinn and upcoming titles at her website: http://www.paulaquinn.com/index.html


Read About the Characters from Beginning to End:

Laird of the Mist (MacGregor series, book #1)
A Highlander Never Surrenders (MacGregor series, book #2)
Ravished by a Highlander (Children of the Mist series, book #1)
Seduced by a Highlander (Children of the Mist series, book #2)
Tamed by a Highlander* (Children of the Mist series, book #3)
Conquered by a Highlander (Children of the Mist series, book #4)

*Quinn's link to Tamed is not working so I've linked the title to the Bonus Features section.