He was Black Robert of Craighdhu, a rogue of the highest order, answerable to no one except the people of Craighdhu. There was nothing he wouldn't risk and nothing more important to Robert MacDarren than his Scottish Highland home. A man who really cares nothing for the political intrigue and machinations of the current "Royal Pains," he is caught in the middle of just such machinations. Forced to marry and protect a young woman, who has been placed in hiding, apparently, for her royal bastardly birth, Black Robert takes her to his home with intentions only of keeping a safe distance between this woman, himself, and especially from his home and people. He knows anything "Royal" has nasty side effects, and even this meek, innocent-appearing young female can be more deadly than the fiercest warrior. Princess Kathyrn Kentyre becomes anything but meek, and her "Royalty" has taught her everything, but innocence. Is she everything Robert says she is? OR is she worse? This romance has a good overall story line with captivating "royal" intrigue. However, I only rated it a 3 because it was seriously lacking in the "romance" category. I started out really into the rough, wild, Scottish rogue, Robert MacDarren, but his character did not seem to evolve and gain the depths that capture the heart of the reader. In fact, in the romance category, he was more of a "Wam, Bam, Thank-you Mam!" type of lover (if you can call that a lover?) Even Kathyrn, the heroine, although young and physically innocent, was anything but emotionally innocent. She was a virgin of the body, but not of the spirit. Yet, she accepted her first sexual encounter with a very matter-of-fact attitude and little emotion when one would expect her to have an extreme abhorrence or fear of physical intimacy due to her abusive childhood. It all just didn't add up. I was left not only unsatisfied, but truly confused by the characters' actions and attitudes. I just couldn't relate, couldn't bring any compassion to the characters' plight, and left more disgusted than anything else.
I discovered this book via a rant on SBTB. The sample I downloaded on kindle intrigued me but didn't convince me to ante up the price. However, my library had an e-copy (score!).This is an enjoyable read. Set in Elizabethan times (but not perhaps with the language) with Elizabeth starring herself we follow the life of Kate the illegitimate daughter of a queen. She has been "sheltered" with an abusive cleric and is now given/married to Robert MacDarren the Earl of Craig Dhu (a scottish highland island fortress). MacDarren is blackmailed into the marriage and gets around it by offering a "handfast" - marriage for a year instead of a binding marriage before God. Kate's identity gets discovered and power players attempt use her in a bid to get the throne.Kate was a great character. You see her develop from a child being given her first taste of freedom to a woman intent on saving what she loves no matter the cost. Robert is a complex character with his own issues. The two together are a great couple.I enjoyed reading this book and am definitely contemplating it's purchase.
What do You think about The Magnificent Rogue (1993)?
A wonderful highlander to fall for. Kathryn has been in the less than tender care of a religious zealot most of her life. She has been told she will never deserve love and kindness because she is a born strumpet and destroyer. When Queen Elizabeth releases Sir Robert from the tower she insists he take Kathryn as his wife and keep her far in the highlands on his island home. Niether of them like being forced to bend to another's will. A wonderful highland romancce with lots of action and political intrigue. I loved it. p.s. I don't know where a Scottish Laird could have seen a muddy gopher. l.o.l.
—Petula
I think that this book should be a three and a half star book instead of just three. The story itself was pretty good. I like that there were twists and turns throughout and that there was mention of people in history. Johansen did a wonderful job of keeping with the time but at times I thought the language was a little too modern.I think that although Kate was the heroine, both Robert and Gavin stole the show for me. There was something that just rubbed me the wrong way with Kate but then again I am not saying that she was unbearable. She definitely was needed in the story for it to flow the way that it did.Overall I would definitely recommend this book for someone to read.
—Gina
Honestly, I was disappointed with this story. It started really great and I really liked it, but somewhere along the road to Craighdhu it all went down for me. It could be that the main heroine wasn't lovable to me, or stuff that came out of her mouth, or that I didn't feel that HR bliss of struggle/denial when it comes to love/passion, or that the main hero was actually sweet and not so much rogue as you expect. I also had a problem which I never had till now. I know that in HR heroines are rarely above 18 years old, but here I felt like it was so expressed that I really couldn't connect to her as a serious character. I know, I know that she behaves like a mature person and all that, and that she had awful past... But, I just couldn't connect to it at all. She simply irritated me. And I know that I have a problem and tendency that heroines irritate me a lot, but I just can't help myself. She was portrayed as a strong female with backbone, but all I saw was some immature child that behaves like she has a wisdom of some Druid.
—Vishous
