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Book Review-Captured Heart by Heather McCollum

by | May 17, 2018 | Book Reviews | 0 comments

Book Review-Captured Heart by Heather McCollum

Book Review-Captured Heart by Heather McCollumCaptured Heart by Heather McCollum
Series: Highland Hearts-McCollum #1
on September 11, 2012
Genres: Historical Romance, Scottish Highlands, Medieval Era
Narrator: Michelle Ford
Length: 11 Hours and 43 Mins
Pages: 400
Format: Audiobook
Goodreads
AmazonLibrary Thing
four-half-stars

Fleeing with only her bow, horse, enormous pet wolf, and the cryptic clues hidden in her mother’s medicine journal, healer Meg Boswell gallops north towards freedom, running from the man who falsely accused her mother of witchcraft. Cursed with magical healing abilities, Meg knows that if she’s captured, she will die like her mother—atop a blazing witch’s pyre.

Winter winds rip across the Highlands, pressing Chief Caden Macbain forward in his desperate plan to save his clan. He’s not above using an innocent woman to bargain for peace if it keeps his clan from starving. But Meg isn’t who Caden thinks she is, and when she kills a man to save the clan, he must choose between duty and her life. For although he captured her to force a peace, Meg's strength and courage have captured Caden's heart.

Captured Heart is the second book in the series, or technically the first book….but there is a book before this book that is a #0.5??….so yeah I will call this book two in the series. I have been ITCHING to read this author and I finally grabbed up this one since I found it on the audible romance package, and WOW what a great book. I was swept up in the story so quickly and the narrator was awesomesauce peeps. Like, I want to look at all the books she has narrated and listen to them all because she was so wonderful. She has such a beautiful voice, does great tones for various characters, and loved the Scottish drawl she incorporated and she really makes the characters come alive here.

Captured Heart is a story that begins Meg Boswell fleeing her home in England. Her life is in terrible danger. Her father, a Englishman, killed her mother claiming her to be “a witch” and burned her at the stake. Her mother was a gentle and kind woman, and was a healer. But when she receives word that her father is coming for her to make sure she is free of any evil spirits, she knows that really means “torture and death” and that what he really wants is the information she knows. That he is a traitor to King Henry VIII, and her mother had proof and the proof is in a secret hiding place in the Highlands. But she has family, an aunt, her mothers sister, Rachel, who is married to the clan chief Munroe.

While on her journey up north, she runs into a skirmish between the Scots and the English, and saves the life of a highland warrior, and soon learns that he is the chief of the clan Macbain. Meg has healing abilities and offers to help with his injured men if they will provide an escort up to her aunt’s home. But Meg doesn’t realize that this highlanderwith whom she is drawn to….has other purposes for her. Caden is the chief and after a horrible raid of all of their cattle and their fields burned and with winter upon them….his people will not survive the winter. His plan was to kidnap Alec Munroe’s beloved niece, in exchange for the return of their supplies and the chance for peace between their feuding clans. But there is a problem…Caden is falling in love with this lovely lass who is stealing the hearts of his people…himself included. But there is a plot, a brutal englishman, wants Meg and not for any good reason and he might have to choose between his clan and the woman he has fallen in love with.

This is such a lovely book and I loved it so much. I think I have found a new author to love and adore because I was so drawn into this story. And of course we have one of my favorite themes in highlander romances….a highland laird and a healer for a heroine. I really love this set up though. Because there is a kidnapping trope here….however the heroine for most of the book has NO clue she has actually been kidnapped. Its apparently a very unconventional kidnapping. But Caden doesn’t want Meg to know the truth, because he knows that she is learning to love his clan and the life they have. But when he marries her to protect her from her English father, other truths are revealed about Meg’s true parentage, about the legacy her mother left behind including a healing magic, and connecting with her Aunt Rachel who shares the same gift.

There is a plot that is full of suspense and action which really keeps you on edge throughout the story and we see some betrayal from trusted allies. I really enjoyed the way that this author handled this aspect of the story. It didn’t detract from the romance, it ended up enchancing the story in such a lovely way.

The romance that develops between Caden and Meg is slow and sweet. They both have some great chemistry, but nothing really happens until their marriage of convenience, and by this time there is a great affection between them. There is a strong level of trust and friendship between them, and I did like seeing their relationship deepen as they face off some conflicts. I will say the “clan feud” added a fun element. I got a kick out of Alec Monroe though, he is such a typical highland chief, full or pride and stubborness. But seeing how his wife, Rachel, and their son deceive him to bring about peace between the clans is brilliant. And for my readers….Alec Monroe and Rachel, are the pair in book one of the series so I am excited to see more of them soon.

From beginning  to end this story thrilled me and definitely kept me on my toes and I never wanted this book to end. This author crafts so beautifully written characters they you could see yourself being best friends with them in real life and it was really hard to let them go. The ending was PERFECT….one of the best endings I have read in a while. And yes there was some tissues involved because the emotional level was so right on. Highly Recommend to any readers that love a sexy highlander romance that curls your toes and tugs at your heartstrings….A TASTY DELIGHT!!

About Heather McCollum

Heather McCollum is an award winning, historical and YA paranormal romance writer. She earned her B.A. in Biology, much to her English professor’s dismay, and was a 2009 Golden Heart Finalist.

When she is not picking her teen’s brain for authentic attitude for her YA books and finding time to write, she is usually found educating women on ovarian cancer symptoms. Ms. McCollum has recently slayed the cancer beast and resides with her very own hero and 3 kids in the wilds of suburbia on the mid-Atlantic coast.

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