Series: Highlander Brides (Book 5)
Edith Drummond owes her life to Niels Buchanan and his brothers. Waking after an illness to a castle overrun by rugged Highlanders is disconcerting, but so is learning that she’s slowly being poisoned. Niels insists on staying by her side, and Edith soon discovers that even more dangerous is her wild attraction to the fierce warrior.
Niels has never met a more courageous -- or enticing -- woman than Lady Edith. The idea of such a bonny lass being forced to enter a nunnery is more than any red-blooded Scotsman could bear. He’ll gladly marry her himself. But while sweeping her off her feet is easy, it’ll take all his skill to defeat her family’s relentless enemies, and convince her to surrender to his sweet embrace. . . .
Good book with Lynsay Sands' trademark humor. The Buchanan brothers stopped to see their sister Saidh (The Highlander Takes a Bride) where they discovered their very pregnant sister about to attempt a visit to a friend. Saidh hadn't heard from her friend Edith in some time, and she was worried. It didn't take long for Saidh to convince her brothers to make the trip for her. They did not expect to arrive and find that Edith's father and two of her brothers were dead, and Edith herself at death's door.
The opening chapters of the book were a terrific setup for the story. In the prologue, the brothers' love for and protectiveness of their sister was evident in their decision to help her. I had to laugh at some of their comments, which were not taken well by Saidh. I chuckled at Niels' belief that he had traded an arduous journey for one that would be much more pleasant, as I was certain that he was in for a surprise. I was proved right as their arrival at Drummond did not go as expected. The determination and protectiveness of the Buchanan brothers were evident from the start as they talked their way into the keep. It didn't take long for Rory to discover that Edith had been poisoned and for all of them to take steps to protect her.
There was a connection between Niels and Edith from the moment they met. It was embarrassing for Edith, who fell as she tried to get out of bed after regaining consciousness. I loved Niels' gentleness as he filled her in on what had happened. There was something about her that made him want to take care of her. Of all the Buchanan brothers, Edith thought that Niels was the most compelling. He is also the bossiest of them all, and he soon appointed himself as Edith's guardian. When he wasn't with her, she couldn't go anywhere without a brother or two or guards watching over her. That forced proximity soon gave them both other things to think about.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Niels and Edith. At first, it was the physical attraction that drew their attention. There were several steamy scenes as those feelings sometimes overcame common sense. The more time they spent together, the more they noticed other things about each other. Edith was especially moved by Niels' kindness to young Ronson, though she was a little dismayed by the brothers' influence on the boy's vocabulary. It didn't take long for Edith to realize that Niels' could be the answer to her prayers. Niels is attracted to Edith's fierce loyalty to her people, and her down-to-earth treatment of them. Circumstances hastened the marriage that both thought about, and I loved seeing them together. Though it ended prematurely, their wedding night was hilarious, thanks to third-hand advice that Edith received from her maid. The interactions between Niels and Edith both in and out of bed showed how important it was to each of them to make each other happy. It took a little while for both of them to see that what they felt was love, even though it was obvious to those around them. I liked the ending and look forward to seeing more of them in later books.
The mystery of the poisonings and who has it in for the Drummond family was very well done. Each new attack created more questions instead of bringing them closer to a resolution. It seemed that every time a suspect was considered, something happened to knock them off the list. There were so many twists and turns that it was no wonder that they had trouble. I loved that it was Edith and her knowledge of her people who put all the puzzle pieces together to reach an unexpected conclusion. The final confrontation was intense, with Edith facing the murderer alone. I loved Edith's strength in protecting herself and loved seeing her call out the killer for their motivations.
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