If it wasn't for the sweet ending, this would've been 2 stars for me. That payoff was great, and I can tell it really meant a lot to the characters. What almost ruined it for me were the questionable ethics , and the pacing was all over the place. I swore the book finished at the 55% mark. Alas, there was a lot more to go, and it just dragged.

One of my least favorite romance novel plots is when the hero and heroine aren't honest with each other. There was so much "she did this because she thought he wanted that" and "he did that because he misheard her" that I almost threw my kindle across the room. Instead of being cryptic all the time, if they just said what was bothering them, the entire book would've ended a lot sooner.

I was also disappointed in Willingham's heroine. Lianna started out as an interesting character with a strong case of OCD. Her emotions, fears, and anger were all justified, and I was curious to know how Rhys was going to overcome them. The answer is to get kidnapped. Seriously, Lianna was pretty TSTL, and it was enraging. This also meant Rhys had very little character development because he realized he loved her when she went missing for the gazillionth time.

I don't know what's going on with this series, but there's a lot of violence against the heroines and kidnappings because the women couldn't have a guard for five minutes. Usually, Willingham is more creative than this, and while I like a good hero saving the heroine situation, this is starting to get ridiculous and redundant. Hopefully the third is better. ( )

Good book. This one is about Rhys de Laurent, older brother of Warrick from the first book in the series (Forbidden Night with the Warrior). Parts of this book take place at the same time as the first book, filling in a few blank spaces. In this book, it is time for Rhys to follow through on the long-standing betrothal between himself and Lianna. He doesn't want to live in Scotland, so far away from his home and family, but he is a man of honor and will do what he must - though he does contemplate getting his brother to marry her instead. His qualms are not eased when he speaks to her father and learns that Lianna wants no part of marrying a Norman. He goes along with her father's suggestion that he get to know her without revealing his identity, but he doesn't like the deception. Lianna is an unusual woman and is considered odd by her clansmen. She loves her people and constantly worries about their health and welfare. She knows that if she doesn't go through with the marriage, it could mean starvation and exile for them. When she meets a handsome stranger, she is nervous at first but also attracted. Part of her feels that he may be the answer to her prayers.

The development of the relationship between Lianna and Rhys was very turbulent. The sparks flew between them from the moment they met. Rhys was as fascinated as he was attracted, and no longer thought of giving her up. Lianna was attracted but also felt guilty because of her betrothal to Rhys. She was also desperate to escape the marriage, and when she sees the opportunity to do so, gives in to the passion she feels for her stranger, thinking she will no longer be wanted by Rhys. I liked Rhys's discomfort with his deception and how he tried to tell her the truth before passion took over. To say that Lianna wasn't happy when she found out the truth would be putting it mildly. Things go from bad to worse when Lianna's older brother attempts to kill Rhys and his men and is killed himself. Lianna is beside herself with grief and anger, making her even more set against her marriage.

I ached for Rhys, who had begun to care for Lianna. I loved the way that he saw how much she did for her people and how disturbed he was by the way they treated her. He tried in so many ways to treat her well and show her the respect he thought she deserved. When they left to go to his home in England for the wedding, Lianna still treated him like pond scum. I was very frustrated with her during their time in England. She held herself away from everyone and was pretty rude to people who wanted to make her feel welcome. Even though she could see that Rhys was a good man who cared for his people, just as she cared for hers, her stubbornness would not let her give in. Eventually, the attraction between them worked a bit of a truce, and Lianna finally began to loosen up. By the time they returned to Scotland, things were looking up for them. Unfortunately, her people hadn't forgiven him for the death of her brother, and Lianna found herself caught between the two sides. Some ill-spoken words by Lianna were overheard by Rhys, putting them at odds once again.

Another trip back to England gives Lianna the opportunity to make things right with Rhys, but now he is the one resisting. His pride has been hurt and he doesn't want to risk being hurt again. Rhys also has some trust issues stemming from some things that happened when he was a child. When Lianna's behavior towards him changes so drastically, he doesn't know whether to believe it or if she is trying to manipulate him. I loved seeing the difference in her attitude and seeing her make her own mark on her new home. I liked the progress she made toward repairing her relationship with Rhys, especially with what happened in the cellar and how it brought them closer together. When a crisis in Scotland sends Rhys riding to the rescue, Lianna must decide whether to follow her heart or her husband's orders. The conclusion was intense, with some very surprising and satisfying twists. ( )