Review: The Rock by Monica McCarty

The Rock

Author: Monica McCarty
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Series: Highland Guard #11
Pages: Mass Market Paperback, 416 pages
Genre: Historical Romance
Release Date: December 29th 2015

Summary:

New York Times bestselling author Monica McCarty continues her Highland Guard series in this eleventh steamy historical romance set against the sweeping backdrop of the Scottish Highlands.

The first time he caught sight of Elizabeth Douglas, Thomas MacGowan thought she was a princess. To the son of the castle blacksmith, the daughter of the powerful Lord of Douglas might as well be. When it becomes clear that his childhood companion will never see him as a man she could love, Thom joins Edward Bruce’s army as a man-at-arms to try to change his lot. If he’s harbored a secret hope that he could close the gap between them, he faces the cold, hard truth when Elizabeth comes to him for help. She might need the boy who used to climb cliffs to rescue her brother from the hands of the English, but she would never see the son of a smith as a man worthy of her hand

Review:

These just get better and better!
I swear each time I finish a book in in the series I am sure it's my absolute favorite, then I read the next and feel the same. I was so looking forward to reading Thom story. I can't believe McCarty managed to exceed my expectation - AGAIN.
Well, this one definitely is my favorite in the series...
.. for now
;)

Funny enough I read this right With Every Breath- and I would have told you before I started this, the two books could not be more different. One is a new adult set in Patagonia and this is a historical set in Scotland. But there are many parallels between the two books and why I liked them. First both heroes- are broody, melancholic dudes- ripped and super hot... Both are from the Highlands and both are mountaineers.
Why am I mentioning this?
Weeeeelllll... I think I got a new favorite genre: Scottish mountaineer hottie romances
I really think it's a thing. Seriously, it defo beats the usual highlander romps. Any day.
But seriously, both books are set in mountains. Both heros love them and both of them a climbers. And both authors  get the setting and the whole environment, the feelings, the quiet and the majesty of the mountains just right. Both books have beautiful descriptions, made my heart ache and leap, are well written and clearly extremely well researched. While Riley chose a setting that is on my bucket list, McCarty's setting is well known to me.
I lived in Scotland for a while. I even did some of the climbs she describes. And let me tell you, it was like revisiting them.
In fact this made me wonder once again how much time McCarty has spent in the Highlands.

Her descriptions are gorgeous and so accurate, it's like I was there again. I can not stress how awe inspiring that is for me. McCarty clearly is a master of her craft.
I fell in love with this series, because of her beautiful prose. So there is no surprise there. But each and every book manages to surprise me, with it's beautiful descriptions of Scotland, the  clever weaving of the fictional with the historical and the great character building.

The Rock wowed me even more. First the mountain-climbing aspects were awesome. But more than that- this book is set between different events and between previous books. If you read the other books of the series, you know about the two MCs already.Elizabeth and Thom both make appearances in other books. Thom more so than Elizabeth, and I was super excited to read about Thom's story. Since he featured in the last two books- and I took an instant liking to him. So I had quite high expectations of this one. Possibly higher than usual... Still McCarty managed to surprise me and exceed my expectations. The historical aspects of the series are getting better and better in my opinion. McCarty interweaves the historical with the fiction in such a clever way it feel extremely real. Her stories though fictions seem possible. I find myself wishing they were true- which in itself surprises me, because we all know I am way too unromantic for something like that. But McCarty manages to bring the romantic out even in me.

While the setting is historically driven- and again extremely well done- the story line to a degree is driven by those historical events. On top of that McCarty adds her romance story. This one, like all the others is in some ways your usual romance. But McCarty does give it her own twist each time. And  romance in The Rock is about trying to breach different social standing. To be honest, I don't actually think that Thom and Elizabeth would have had much of a chance in the real world, simply because their relationship would have been a total faux-pas. But McCarthy does kinda make me believe it would have been possible. Well, she makes me hope so at least. See? She brings out the romantic in me!

The character building is just like always, really well done. I didn't like Elizabeth much for most of the book- but I did get where she was coming from.
Thom on the other hand-- gosh, I don't think I liked any of McCarthy's heros better than him. And let's just make that clear, I love them all! But Thom. SIGH. As I said before I seem to have something for melancholic, broody, stubborn, honourable, mountaineering Highlanders.
Just like in the previous books, I loved to get glimpses of the rest of the crew. McCarthy is brilliant at showing a different side to the characters when seen from a different POV. Each book makes me wonder how the Bruce really was, I like to believe, he was like McCarthy describes him. In fact I feel like someone, who was there, told me about that time and those people. That's how flawless her character building is.

So officially my favorite book by McCarthy and an absolute must read!

Rating: 

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Review: The Striker by Monica McCarty

The Striker

Author: Monica McCarty
Series: Highland Guard #10
Pages: Mass Market Paperback, 416 pages
Genre: Historical Romance
Release Date: November 24th 2015

Summary:

Six years ago, Eoin "Striker” MacLean endured the greatest betrayal of his life, a disaster that led Robert the Bruce to a crushing defeat and left Eoin without the spirited woman who ruled his heart. Eoin knew that falling in love with his sworn enemy’s daughter was risky, dividing him between a possessive desire for beautiful Margaret MacDowell and an undying loyalty to his king. He promised Bruce that he would keep his fiery bride in the dark about the elite Highland Guard, but he could not predict the dire consequences his secret would have on his young marriage. Nor could he foresee how surrendering to temptation could cripple Bruce’s cause, forcing Eoin to blame his wife—and himself for trusting her.

Now, as Bruce prepares to challenge the resistance’s remaining strongholds, Eoin finally has his chance for revenge against the woman he once loved so fiercely and her entire clan. But when ferociously independent Margaret reveals a surprise that unites her with Eoin, neither of them will let their love go down without a fight

Review:

Another great installment by McCarty. I should say, that I thought this would be the end of the series- but after finishing The Striker I discovered to my utter delight, that there will be at least two more novels to come!

I am still a bit shocked at how much I like this series. I mean, I am miss-why-read-those-highlander-novels-cause-they-are-so-far-off-reality-they-might-as-well-be-called-fantasy-without-worldbuilding.
Then I stumbled over the Highland Guard Series and ate humble pie.
So I thought, I was so wrong, I've read quite a few books in this genre, but somehow, so far at least, they all a tad disappointing. First they all seem to have no clue about the Scottish climate.  NO ONE runs around the highlands in thin frocks people! It's mission impossible.. and why does the sun always shine in those novels? Which alternative universe are they talking about.... But I am getting off track.



My point is that after reading The Striker two things became really clear to me:

McCarthy does describe the Scotland I know- and love. And she does a really amazing job at it. I feel like I've revisited my former home, when I come up for air in between reading. Her descriptions are accurate, realistic and capture the beauty of Scotland amazingly. Which speaks for her amazing skill as a writer but I keep wondering how much time McCarthy has spent in the Highlands. Her descriptions of places ( that I know really well) are just amazing. I simply don't have another word. They are evocative and exact. I am sadly not good with words so I fail at describing the incredible beauty that McCarthy creates with hers.

The historical setting is brilliant. I love the authors notes at the end of each book. And while I am quite knowledgeable in this particular part of history, I am always amazed by McCarthy's research. Even more by how she takes historical facts and creates characters that seem real.  Again a tribute to McCarthy's great skill at her craft. This novel is cleverly interwoven in the historical setting, pivoting  around the battle of Loch Ryan.



The story line goes over several years. I actually love how there was a back and forth. Slowly we could reconstruct the events- some of which we already knew from previous books in the series, but revisiting them from a different POV and with additional details.
This is definitely a second chances romance. It all starts with total insta-lust. And ooooh all the sizzles, I tell you the chemistry between Eoin and Margaret is palatable- and that keeps up until the end of the book.  Which leads me to the smut. Just as always McCarty does not dissapoint when it comes to the smexy stuff.  It's hot hot hot.
And then the two MCs behave totally annoyingly stubborn and immature and all goes to hell. My heart was breaking for most of the book.  This is not a sweet little insta to HEA ending novel. No, this is heart wrenching, sad and utterly infuriating. In all the best ways. In one word: It's intense. Very intense. I felt every turn of their journey. I wanted to console them and shake them - actually smack them most of the time. And I totally enjoyed the ride. Just be warned it's not your easy going and sweet romance story line
I honestly did question their love. It was all a bit too insta for my taste. I kept thinking this is all just lust- they completely mistaking sexual attraction with love. And to McCarty's credit they do question it themselves. Though I do believe they end up caring for each other now after finishing it, I found myself doubting them until the epilogue really.



I think Eoin and Margaret are two of the most flawed characters ever written in a Highland romance, ever! And I totally adore that. They behave like utter idiots at times, but I understood where they were coming from. I like both of them and believed their mistakes were at times to do with immaturity.  I also believed when they reformed some of their faults. Both, Margaret and Eoin feel like real people, probably exactly because they are flawed. They are also complex and interesting - and I like them both, I could identify with both of them.
Just like the previous novels, this one is character driven as well. And in my opinion it's intensity (and stupidity) is bearable because of the character growth the two MCs go through. And just like always I really enjoyed revisiting the other members of the crew. They all feel so real. It's amazing to see the characters from a different POV in each book. I love how one sees a different side of them, but how familiar they have all become.

So another AMAZING installment to my favorite Highlander series. And as I said the good news there will be at least two more books. In fact I already read The Rock- and well, let me just say it is good...(I shall post my review next week) and I am waiting to get my hands on The Ghost, desperately, while hoping that there will be MORE.

Until then: Get your hands on The Striker, find a quiet corner and go to the Highlands for a few hours. You won't regret it. I promise.

Rating: 

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