Highland Spitfire landed on my review pile a few, erm, years ago. I loved the cover and accepted it. Then realized Mary Wine is the pen name of Dawn Ryder. Who I'd just tried and...did not like at all. *cue the blogger groan* So it's sat on the review pile for a few years. I finally tackled it. It wasn't knock me over amazing but it wasn't so bad, either! Yay!

The Gist: Rival clans and a King's Regent who's had enough of all the fighting and killing over a stupid generations old grudge. His solution? The Laird's kids are gonna marry. They have no choice. Either they marry at that moment or he's going to slaughter both clans and be done with all of them. So....a wedding. With two very reluctant participants.

Bhaic and Ailis. Whew. I liked them... mostly. They're both headstrong, determined, resilient. They're both in a terrible position of saving everyone they love in exchange for giving up their own happiness and futures. It's hard not to have sympathy for that. 

Now. The romance. When they were playing along well together they were good. They actually suited quite nicely. Things steam up and there were some feisty moments which were fun. But it was a lot to get to that point. 

Now, my issues and why it wasn't fabulous. Two things to deal with the marriage. 

1 ] Ailis was so dang wishy washy about everything. She was doing the noble thing she'd tell herself. Saving her family. And then she'd promptly try to run away. Even though she was told if she did that everyone would be killed. :facepalm: Or I want you (she'd be all over him) and then OMG no no don't touch me!!!! 

2 ] And then Bhaic. He barely did anything to make sure she was okay with leaving her home and living with people who despise her clan and with it her. His family and clan were terrible to her. The staff horrible. They put her down, neglected her, spit on her, locked her in rooms, etc. She kept her head up and did her best but they were just awful and he didn't even notice. Every once in a while he'd be like oh...right...and would put someone in their place or do something kind. But for the most part he just dumped her in the castle and went about his daily life. So that bothered me.

All in all, Highland Spitfire was hard for me. It was SO much better than the other book I tried of hers so...yay! And it was lively and kept me reading so...yay! But I didn't quite believe the falling in love or would make it long term really or at least that she'd be happy at his keep with the people in his clan. I don't know. I wish things had changed between them a bit earlier on in the book so it would feel on more solid ground. Would I read another? I don't know. Maybe a library loan. But it's not one I'd be clamoring for, unfortunately.

Another fantastic highland romance from Mary Wine!  HIGHLAND SPITFIRE pits the MacPhersons against the Robertson clans and to stop the endless feuding, the Queens Regent has ordered a marriage alliance between the two warring clans.  Ailis Robertson is quick to agree in order to save her father from the hanging that will follow if she does not.  Bhaic MacPherson reluctantly agrees much for the same reason.

Despite fierce opposition to her presence in the MacPherson castle, Ailis holds her head high and does her absolute best to make this alliance work.  She works without complaint and refuses to show fear in the face of the "enemy."  She's definitely the "highland spitfire" as the title suggests.

Bhaic is a fearsome warrior with a patient, loving heart beneath his tough exterior.  He is patient with Ailis and understanding of the foreign situation she finds herself in.  Bhaic is incredibly protective of those he loves and a typical brawny, brutish highlander, but he wants a willing wife, not a miserable one so he is willing to put aside his ways to woo his wife.

Together and after several trials, Ailis and Bhaic feel intense passion for each other.  Ailis is a little scared of the large warrior and Bhaic is unexpectedly overwhelmed at the thought of losing her, but nothing can stop the love that develops between these two enemies-to-lovers.

The world-building in this novel is phenomenal and the heat is off the charts!  Mary Wine always does a fantastic job of drawing her readers into a deep, historical story that ensures a scintillating love story.

Again Mary Wine writes another quick paced page turner in this exciting, riveting adventure in times when Scotland was run by the King's Regents since Mary Stuart's son James is only seven years old and too young to rule. They want these Clan feuds to end and Scotland to have a united front, especially since most of the feuds are from so long ago by Clan ancestors who have been dead and buried for hundreds of years! They don't even remember the reasons of why they became enemies! Plus with that Protestant, English, Sassenach Queen, is on their tails and possibly invading their lands at any time, the Scottish people need to be at peace and all the Highlander and Lowlander Clan's with each other.

Forced marriage trope is one of my favorite tropes and when well done, it can be actually a lot of fun. Just think, two people from feuding clans are forced to marry and both are very weary of not just each other but of everyone around them.

I’m sorry, but I had a lot of trouble connecting to the two main leads. I was hoping for at least a bit of chemistry, but … no. I felt that they were just … there. Their animosity took too long to be resolved and that bothered me.

The only thing I did like is the way the author took her time in writing about the clans and the life they lead. She obviously did her research and I enjoyed that aspect of the story very much.

I have to be honest and say, just skip it.

Melanie for b2b

So HUGE disclaimer: I have read this book twice already. Why? Well because when it was time to read Highland' Vixen I have realized a year is a long time to remember all the kilt-awesome characters we were introduced to in this book. I can honestly say I do not regret a moment of the re-read if anything I feel in love with the book even more. Knowing who the second book was about made me pay a bit more attention to secondary characters who are main characters in Highland Vixen... but I digress this review is not about them (not yet) but about the offspring of 2 hot headed laird clans of Highlands - Bhair of clan of MacPherson and Ailis of clan of Robertson. Sworn enemies. Married by force.

All of his adult life, he’d been told chasing skirts was a sin. Now he had a wife, one the church would agree was his for the taking, but she was the only woman in the Highlands he had no business craving. His enemy’s daughter.

That's right! Two sworn enemies are forced to wed to force a peace between the clans by an over ambitious and hella shady Regent. It may be completely messed up on my part but I enjoyed the standoff that resulted in the marriage a bit too much.

Overall I loved this book because of the hot headed Bhair and Ailis who were quick to get into a fight even as they were trying so hard to fight off their attraction for one another. Bhair was a perfect gentle giant who wooed Ailis even as she resisted him while trying to find her place in a castle of residents who abhorred her presence there. So obviously I loved their blossoming romance when they both forgot to keep their prideful guards up and slowly fell madly in love.

There are quite a few hilarious moments presented by the secondary characters such as drama Bhair's half-brother, War Chief of MacPherson clan stirs up between the budding romance of Bhair and Ailis. There are also a couple castle residents who get in the fray of Bhair/Ailis union whether with good or bad intentions.

“Is nae that yer wife?” 

“Maybe.” 

Symon cut him a somber look. “Marriage is nae one of those things ye say maybe about.”

“In this case, it’s true.”

So if you are up to a task for some laughs, woo-ing, drama, and a bit of highlander danger then jump on this horse and gallop to MacPherson Castle for some fly on the wall action. Guaranteed you will not be disappointed... or bored.

This was a wonderful book. Mary Wine went against the traditional shy, soft heroine when she wrote this book and I loved it. The main female character was definitely a spitfire and provided us with laughs and cheers throughout the whole book.