Review of Highland Hearts, an historical romance by Hannah Howell set in medieval Scotland
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Synopsis
Moments after Tessa Delgado frees Sir Revan Halyard from her uncle’s dungeon, Revan kidnaps her. Revan suspects that Tessa’s uncle is involved in a plot to overthrow King James II and she just happens to have the information that he needs. Suddenly they are on the run, trying to reach the King before Uncle Thurkettle and the treacherous Douglases can track them down.
Forced together, Revan and Tessa find themselves increasingly attracted to each other and before long have begun a “no strings attached” affair. This is complicated when Tessa’s other uncle, Sir Silvio Delgado Comyn, demands that Revan marry her. Knowing how Revan feels about the land and money she has inherited, Tessa determines that she must find a way to release him despite how much she has come to love him.
Review
Highland Hearts was fast-paced with lots of action. Revan and Tessa are constantly running from some sort of danger or trying to get their various bits of information to the king. Even once they’ve passed their information on, they quickly uncover more information, making their flight to the king even more urgent.
These two have sex far too soon for my liking. I get that they’ve been alone in a cave together for days on end and there is this immediate connection between them. However, it is the 15th century and Tessa is an obviously virtuous young woman. There is no way they would have done anything like this so quickly in real life.
Despite all the trouble she was in, she knew sleep would come quickly. It was just weighting her body when she felt Revan slip under the blanket and lay down beside her. Wide-eyed with shock, suddenly alert, she turned to stare at his broad back.
“What are you doing?” she squeaked.
“Going to sleep.”
“Ye canna sleep here.”
“’Tis the only place to sleep there is. Wheesht, I am too weary to bother with some fool lass’s outrage. I am also too weary to be any threat to any female. So ye can just calm yourself down and go to sleep.”
It was interesting to see how the characters dealt with Tessa having money while Revan had none. Usually the man has the money while the woman may have a small dowry (and not much more). Revan seems to be the only one who sees any problem with him not having any money to contribute to his potential marriage.
Conclusion
Have you read Highland Hearts? What did you think? Do you agree with what I’ve said about it? Let me know in the comments.
Might be wrong, but is this the 2nd book you’ve reviewed in a short time set in Scotland? If so, is it a coincidence, or are you finding yourself drawn to Scotland as a setting after having traveled there yourself?
Scotland seems to be a very popular place to set books in, particularly historical fiction and romance.