“Eveline Armstrong is fiercely loved and protected by her powerful clan, but outsiders consider her “touched.” Beautiful, fey, with a level, intent gaze, she doesn’t speak. No one, not even her family, knows that she cannot hear. Content with her life of seclusion, Eveline has taught herself to read lips and allows the outside world to view her as daft. But when an arranged marriage into a rival clan makes Graeme Montgomery her husband, Eveline accepts her duty—unprepared for the delights to come. Graeme is a rugged warrior with a voice so deep and powerful that his new bride can hear it, and hands and kisses so tender and skilled that he stirs her deepest passions.
Graeme is intrigued by the mysterious Eveline, whose silent lips are ripe with temptation and whose bright, intelligent eyes can see into his soul. As intimacy deepens, he learns her secret. But when clan rivalries and dark deeds threaten the wife he has only begun to cherish, the Scottish warrior will move heaven and earth to save the woman who has awakened his heart to the beautiful song of a rare and magical love.”
(Source: penguinrandomhouse.com)
I love you, Eveline,” he whispered, though he knew she could not hear him. “Somehow, I’ll make you hear me and you’ll know that I love you as fiercely as it’s possible for a man to love a woman.
– Maya Banks
A few days ago I wrote a post about books set in Scotland, there I mentioned the McCabe trilogy by Maya Banks. After finishing this great series I wanted to read more Highlander books, how convenient that Maya Banks wrote another series set in the Scottish Highlands. It´s about the two most powerful clans – the Montgomerys and the Armstongs – under King Alexander II reign. So we are a good 100 years later than the McCabes.
After reading the summary the reader already knows about Evelines condition, she is deaf. Because of that it was even more sad to read about how she got treated by her clan. I mean don´t get me wrong, they all loved her very much, but they thought she was crazy and treated her in that way. Every time someone said that Eveline is not normal, that she can´t be a good wife or that she can´t bear heirs to a laird I just wanted to smack my kindle against the wall. It was just so unfair, why can’t she have children, even when she´s not wholly normal? Her family was really dumb about that, they just had to pay enough attention to her and I am sure they would have realized that she is a very intelligent woman and that she is deaf.
When Eveline and Graeme first met I had a stupid grin on my face. It was just so sweet how she reacted. Graeme is a warrior and one might be afraid of him at first, but Eveline was not, she trusted him from second one. It was so beautiful to read about their love and how they got to know each other. How they grew to like and in the end love each other.
I felt so sorry for Eveline that Greames clan hated her at first, sure one can understand why..at first. She tried so hard to fit in and worked her a** off for their acceptance, but they all were so cruel and mean. I even cried a bit when they were so mean to her. Eveline is such a sweet and good character, one just has to like her!
To read about her condition was very touching, how she fought with it at first, how she overcome her fear and learned to read the words from the lips, it´s just very impressive. It made the whole book more romantic in my opinion.
I really enjoyed Never Seduce a Scot, again it´s a book that could entertain me and it was a fast read. It had everything I expected from it and that’s the important part for me. It´s of course not perfect and I am sure a lot of people don’t like this kind of books, but I can get lost in them and if the characters and story are not completely hopeless I really enjoy them! So if you seek something light and romantic with a bit sex in it, go for it!
Just Me 