A new author for me! This books is 2nd in the Clan Kendrick series.

Donella is being cast out of the convent, the nuns saying she just doesn't have what it takes. Our hero Logan is the one to escort her back to her family. This couple gets roped into all sorts of scenarios together. You might like it if you like action, lots of characters, and/or Scottish romance. If you've read this author prior and have enjoyed, I'm guessing you would enjoy this as well.

Me, however. I was not a fan. I am abandoning this book at 55%. I feel nothing but annoyance. I don't care about the people, I'm overwhelmed by the large cast of characters, there's no tension to me and too many other things that have yet to be addressed or resolved for me to hope I will come to care for them in the last 45%.

I was able to receive an ARC copy complimentary from netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.



***EXTREME SPOILERS***
***THE NITTY GRITTY OF MY DISLIKES***

Spoiler

As soon as they meet, they snip at and are snide to each other. There's no reason for this animosity other than they are just rude, unlikeable people. The beginning of this book seemed just so negative, and using language like 'moron' repeatedly, that I looked up some words. The book uses 'moron' 10 times, some form of 'idiot' 40 times, some form of “annoy” is 34 times, and some form of 'hate' 29 times. It was just unpleasant for me to read. Literally her first words to Logan are “Excuse me, are you going to stand there gaping at me all afternoon? Will I have to go down to the inn and fetch the carriage myself?” Not being given any back ground about why she is exactly leaving the convent or her past history it just makes her come off to me as someone I wouldn't want to be around. It continues non stop. He's annoyed with her. She's annoyed with him. I can't stand either of them. Another lovely Donella line, “I will pray that you keep your blasted mouth shut.” Yes, yes let's ALL do that, please?

As Logan and Donella finally get a carriage on the road to her Uncle's, they are held up and an abduction of Donella is attempted. Donella obviously knows something about this, why this is happening, but the reader is left in the dark along with Logan. When Logan questions her, she repeatedly blows him off and gets rude.

They get to an inn, and it just gets weird. The innkeeper is acting weird, they go to bed, the innkeeper locks Donella in her room. The innkeepers wife lets them out. You do find out a bit more about the whole abduction reasoning, but not much. You find out Donella was locked in her room so a second abduction attempt could take place. This part irritated me because Donella and Logan sat with the innkeepers wife and discussed plenty of information and plans...with the wife of the person who attempted to kidnap you?! Really. Logan is concerned about the kidnapping attempts....obviously. Donella thinks “Blast. Why couldn't he let it go?” Why can't he let it go? People are shooting at him. Chasing him. You are screaming you're locked in your room. Just let it go Logan, geez must you be so high strung?

They go to another inn. Ruffians follow them there and they must run again! The plot is just non stop shenanigans. At least with all the running, the snapping at each other has taken a back seat. They go to some cottage, where he carries her in. She has an injured foot from wearing too large of boots. Another Donella thought - “She found herself irritated that he seemed more worried about her family's possible wrath than he was about her condition”

WHAT?! Literally all these words came out of Logan's mouth in the few pages prior:

“I'm worried about that limp.”
“Sit down and take off your boot.”
“You don't have to prove your mettle to me, it's foolish for you to suffer if there's something I can do about it.”
“Take your damn boot off. I will not have you suffering”

Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. This lady is delusional. Did she not hear any of that? Oh, well. They spend the night together in the cabin, snuggling up for warmth.

Alasdair, Donella's cousin, arrives in the morning to help and catches the two together in bed. Talks abound about marriage to repair the damage done to Donella's reputation but she says she will be going to another convent soon.

Logan goes home to his family and we have 2 whole chapters about utter nonsense. Endless characters are introduced. Endless things are talked about that have already happened, many must have their own stories already I'm guessing by the mini backgrounds given about...everyone! It felt like I was reading an epilogue for a different book that I haven't read yet. Perhaps this part would be enjoyable if you've kept up with all of her work. Then the same thing happens with Donella's next chapter, although it was a bit more plot driven. Still 3 chapters to say that she will visiting the Kendricks and it was an extremely boring 3 chapters.

I just don't care anymore. The rest could be good. Hopefully everyone else loved it, but this book was not for me. If I try this author again, I will start at the beginning of a series to hopefully cut down on the previous character talk.