Highland Warrior

Clan Campbell, Book 1

By: Monica McCarty

Narrated by: Roger Hampton

Length: 12 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

The ruthless enforcer of Scotland's most powerful clan, Jamie Campbell will use any means necessary to vanquish lawlessness and unrest among the feuding Highland clans. Seduction is a game as easily played as subterfuge, but when Jamie poses as a suitor to a rival clan's daughter in order to expose treason, the line between duty and pleasure is suddenly blurred. Ebony-haired, ruby-lipped Caitrina Lamont defies him, denies him, and arouses him like no other woman. Caitrina has no intention of forsaking her beloved father and doting brothers for a husband-especially a hated Campbell. But Jamie's raw, sensual strength and searing kiss melt her resistance. When her idyllic world is shattered, Caitrina's only hope to save her clan lies in the arms of Jamie Campbell, the enemy she holds accountable for its ruin. Can their tenuous truce, born in the velvet darkness of passionate nights, forge a love as strong as the sword that rules the Highlands?

©2009 Monica McCarty (P)2012 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Sexy, full of action, and realistically violent, this story of 17th-century Scotland touches on issues of family loyalty and duty and expertly kicks off McCarty's back-to-back Clan Campbell trilogy." ( Library Journal)

Very Enjoyable

Would you consider the audio edition of Highland Warrior to be better than the print version?

Did not read it in print.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Highland Warrior?

The whole book was memorable, however, the scene when Katrina is unconscious and a Campbell warrior is about to rape her, I was so happy when she was saved by Jamie. I appreciated the fact that early on Jamie told Katrina that she could not get in the way of his duty. Jamie had strong principles and Katrina kept trying to change him. I was happy that he stood firm, even when it came to Katrina's brother. In the end Jamie even gave him a choice. He truly was a fair man.

What does Roger Hampton bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

You could actually see the scenes and the characters. He was great. I will listen to more narrations by him. I loved the use of his voice for Jamie (the strength in the voice) and how in the story that deep voice is commented on.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I had an extreme reaction to Jamie. He represented a strong man, one you could lean on and always feel safe. Jamie and Kartrina had a strong sexual attraction to each other. Jamie wanted her so much and he wanted those feelings returned, but he gave her a choice to stay or go. Katrina had to learn how special her man was.

Any additional comments?

From the very beginning the sparks flew between Katrina and Jamie. Katrina was spoiled and early on in the story Jamie tells her this. Jamie let's her know how she was blind to so many things and she needed to open her eyes and grow up. I understood Katrina's battle with trust issues and of course Jamie was a Campbell. When you are raised to have a hatred for someone or something and you are isolated by your own town or Keep, it can be hard to change your views, that's all you know.

This book was so enjoyable and I will listen to the next one in the series.

Yum! Katrina chose well!

Would you consider the audio edition of Highland Warrior to be better than the print version?

For sure! Narrator was great!

What other book might you compare Highland Warrior to and why?

Hard to compare, because it was so good! I wish I could be guaranteed a read (listen) this good every time!!

Have you listened to any of Roger Hampton???s other performances before? How does this one compare?

He's always good...but the excellent story and characters make it all come together!

Any additional comments?

Best use of a credit, ever!

Really nice listen!!

It was nicely put together. Kept me interested. Loved the two leads in the story. Great voice, could listen all day and night!!!

Romance, Seduction, Hot, love a kilt!!

McCarty builds two complex, lovable, frustrating characters with Jamie Campbell and Catrionia Lamont. Love scenes are HOT without violence. The Campbell’s Trilogy is one of her best!

Groan....

Roger Hampton gave a great performance, but the book was just too far fetched to be enjoyable.

It was too unbelievable to imagine Jamie Campbell, the feared and ruthless enforcer of Scotland's most powerful clan, would allow Katrina to talk back to him in front of his men and others as she did in the book. Katrina was pathetic---she made the same mistakes over and over, her unreasoning stubbornness over-ruled common sense.

I normally like Highlander books, but it appears to me Monica McCarty believed that in Highland Warrior the explicit sexual content could carry the book. Sorry, but I like a book with a story to tell, likable characters, romance and a somewhat believable story-line. In my opinion Highland Warrior fell short in all.

Still In Love With Her Books!

This is a series I have a hard time putting down, and it's about my sixth time re-reading it! I loved listening to it as an audiobook.

Looking for a head-strong woman and a man who'll make your heart skip a beat? Look no further my romance friends, because this is the book for you!

Jamie is one of my favorite H's from Monica. Strong, smart, loving, a bit dark, and absolute perfection. Caitrina is the perfect match for him in wills. The book is a perfect blend of unspoken feelings and hidden secrets.

Just one warning: once you start, you'll have trouble stopping, so be sure to slot off some time!


Lily S. Thomas - Author of the Ice Age Alphas series

ok

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

the story it self was good, but it want on and on in some places. i think it would better to just read it.

Would you recommend Highland Warrior to your friends? Why or why not?

in book form yes

Did Roger Hampton do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

it was ok

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

no

I am so torn, I loved it, I hated it

Okay the love had a lot to do with the narrator, his voice of Jaimie Cambell....oh my! Deep, seductive, with a Scottish brogue...oh the shivers! I also liked that this wasn't a typical highlander story...there was a reluctant woman who didn't want to get married....but just as I thought we would get to the marriage sooner rather than later all heck broke loose. The hero waited months to find his would be bride again and again was refused...with REALLY good reason.

Now the part I hated...how is it that the author painted a strong independent woman yet she can't make up her mind about anything! She wants him, she doesn't, she needs him, she doesn't, she loves him, she doesn't, she trusts him, she doesn't.....UGH!!!! I wanted to strangle the heroine myself, she was annoying right up to and including the final chapter. I don't see myself getting book 2 unless it goes in the $4.95 sale....it wasn't totally not worth reading but I wouldn't do it again.

Liked it, but Book 2 was my favorite

3.5 stars rounded up.

This is my first read by this author and I'll definitely give her another go.

I loved the hero. He was besotted from day one and not above rather ruthlessly manipulating events to force the heroine's hand in marriage, something I always fall for. Especially since he truly wanted her to be happy and was a very honorable man.

The heroine was sometimes difficult, but I didn't dislike her. I tried to put myself in her shoes. She'd been pampered and deliberately shielded from the world by her father and older brothers. This wasn't her fault and her personality and views were to be expected. Still she was someone who fiercely loved those close to her down to the average servant and was not a mean or heartless person.

I always found it ironic that men of those times liked to think of women as shallow and frivolous, but they deliberately kept them ignorant of the real world and encouraged them to remain nearly childlike. It was a self fulfilling prophecy when they behaved in such a way. I don't believe this heroine had ever been more than a few miles from her home in her life. This led to someone with a very limited world view who saw things as black or white, good or evil and no one aside from the hero ever challenged that view.

When she was disillusioned it came as a huge blow and adjusting to it was hard for her and painful for the reader as well. McCarty didn't flinch from the brutality of the times and I respect that. I hate whitewashing history to make everything sweet and fluffy.

When it comes to the heroine's sometimes stubborn and difficult behavior, I tried to remember how much clan loyalty and feuds meant to Scottish highlanders of the time. Her distrust for the hero was very understandable given the circumstances and the fact that all of her clansmen hated her new husband. She was in a difficult situation and obviously very torn and confused in this new world of complexity and split loyalties.

However, I think the author let it drag a bit toward the end with the heroine's constant flip-flopping between trusting and not trusting the hero. It's easy to sit back and judge after the fact, but IMHO McCarty pushed the h's distrust (no matter the justification) to a point that could have turned some readers against her and lost this book a 1/2 star on my part.

I do want to check out the rest of the series. There was one person in this novel (the H's brother) who deserved a serious comeuppance and that didn't happen here. I'm hoping he'll get it in book 2 or 3. Of course, historically, men did get away with such actions in those times and McCarty may choose to let that happen in his case. If so, I'll respect the decision because I'd rather have a villain go unpunished than have a brutal time in history turned into a fluffy-bunny dreamland.

ETA: Audio Review - Roger Hampton is one of the few male narrators in romance that I can tolerate. Most men make the heroine sound like a linebacker in drag (YMMV). I think he does an exceptionally good job of doing the female voices. It has to be be hard to voice another sex. Not sure of the accuracy of the accents, but sounds good to me. The heroes sound bone-meltingly sexy.

Entertaining ...But...

The story was good enough to keep me lisening, but the main character was frustrating...making the same mistrakes over and over again, she was hard to like..but the Jamie Campbell character makes up for it, he was a great hero and you really rooted for him, Bottom line... I will listen to other books in this series, but I am not rushing out to buy them right after finishing this book.