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He would defy the boundaries of time for one night in her arms . . .He was a mighty Scottish warrior who lived in a world bound by ancient laws and timeless magic. But no immortal powers could prepare the laird of Castle Brodie for the lovely accursed lass who stood before him. A terrible trick of fate had sent her 700 years back in time and into his private chamber to tempt him with her beauty—and seduce him with a desire he could never fulfill. For this woman he burned to possess was show more also the woman he had foresworn to destroy.
When Lisa felt the earth move under her feet, the fiercely independent 21st-century woman never dreamed she was falling . . . into another century. But the powerful, naked warrior who stood glaring down at her was only too real . . . and too dangerously arousing. Irresistibly handsome he might be, but Lisa had no intention of remaining in this savage land torn by treachery and war. How could she know that her seductive captor had other plans for her . . . plans that would save her from a tragic fate? Or that this man who had long ago forsaken love would defy time itself to claim her for his own. . . . show less
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Here's the thing, Karen Marie Moning: you write a story in which time travel plays a significant part, and I'm GONNA be harsh.
Let's start way back in the Prologue. Circenn curses a flask so that once it is touched it will be transported back to him, effectively returning the lost flask. Unfortunately, it will also return whoever touches the flask. Adam gets pissy and makes Circen swear to kill the bearer of the flask to protect all the secrets, or whatever. After a lot of arguing, Circenn makes the oath. But here's the thing: Circenn swears to kill the MAN who touches the flask. MAN. MALE. Guess who brings the flask? Right. A woman. I totally expected this to be the loophole. And it would've worked SO WELL because Adam knew who would show more pick up the flask, and Adam didn't actually want her dead, and even if Circenn forgot he said man, Adam could've been all, "Remember, you swore to kill the MAN. AHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA."
But that's not what happened. Oh well.
Moving on. I don't see what the big deal is about Circenn being immortal. I mean, yeah, I get not wanting to curse anyone else with immortality, but still. Do you have any idea how much trouble would've been saved by him just spilling the beans? "Oh, Lisa, your mother is going to die alone in the future? WAIT, I'm IMMORTAL. I promise to seek her out and take care of her. Heck, I'll even throw my sexy bod into the equation."
But that solution never occurred to anyone. Whatever.
Moving on. Perhaps this is a small detail, but it seriously bugs me. The longer Lisa spends in the past, the more upset she gets because every day she spends there is a day her mother is alone. But... she's not on another planet. She's in the past. So if she were to find some sort of way to time travel... she could just travel back to the moment she left.
But maybe I'm just being nitpicky about time travel.
But now that we're on the subject, the ending. Oh. my. gosh. the. ending. Romance novels are notorious for magical, happily ever afters, but THIS? SERIOUSLY? You are taking it TOO FAR, here! You can't just DO THAT.
And my final irritation... the first time Circenn sees her in her undies, she says that he caught her in the one fancy pair of underpants she happens to own: a set of lacy lavender lingerie. The ONE pair she owns. But then at the very end, she rushes to get dressed and we find out later that she is now wearing a set of lacy PINK lingerie. What.
Oh wait. Of course. Of COURSE she'd have more lacy lingerie, because THEY CHANGED THE EFFING FUTURE. Naturally, that would result in her having more pairs of flirty underpants.
All that aside... I mean, the characters weren't bad. I guess. I didn't think the book was too awful until I started writing a review of it.
But she messed with time travel. How can you expect me to not be harsh? show less
Let's start way back in the Prologue. Circenn curses a flask so that once it is touched it will be transported back to him, effectively returning the lost flask. Unfortunately, it will also return whoever touches the flask. Adam gets pissy and makes Circen swear to kill the bearer of the flask to protect all the secrets, or whatever. After a lot of arguing, Circenn makes the oath. But here's the thing: Circenn swears to kill the MAN who touches the flask. MAN. MALE. Guess who brings the flask? Right. A woman. I totally expected this to be the loophole. And it would've worked SO WELL because Adam knew who would show more pick up the flask, and Adam didn't actually want her dead, and even if Circenn forgot he said man, Adam could've been all, "Remember, you swore to kill the MAN. AHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA."
But that's not what happened. Oh well.
Moving on. I don't see what the big deal is about Circenn being immortal. I mean, yeah, I get not wanting to curse anyone else with immortality, but still. Do you have any idea how much trouble would've been saved by him just spilling the beans? "Oh, Lisa, your mother is going to die alone in the future? WAIT, I'm IMMORTAL. I promise to seek her out and take care of her. Heck, I'll even throw my sexy bod into the equation."
But that solution never occurred to anyone. Whatever.
Moving on. Perhaps this is a small detail, but it seriously bugs me. The longer Lisa spends in the past, the more upset she gets because every day she spends there is a day her mother is alone. But... she's not on another planet. She's in the past. So if she were to find some sort of way to time travel... she could just travel back to the moment she left.
But maybe I'm just being nitpicky about time travel.
But now that we're on the subject, the ending. Oh. my. gosh. the. ending. Romance novels are notorious for magical, happily ever afters, but THIS? SERIOUSLY? You are taking it TOO FAR, here! You can't just DO THAT.
And my final irritation... the first time Circenn sees her in her undies, she says that he caught her in the one fancy pair of underpants she happens to own: a set of lacy lavender lingerie. The ONE pair she owns. But then at the very end, she rushes to get dressed and we find out later that she is now wearing a set of lacy PINK lingerie. What.
Oh wait. Of course. Of COURSE she'd have more lacy lingerie, because THEY CHANGED THE EFFING FUTURE. Naturally, that would result in her having more pairs of flirty underpants.
All that aside... I mean, the characters weren't bad. I guess. I didn't think the book was too awful until I started writing a review of it.
But she messed with time travel. How can you expect me to not be harsh? show less
Five years ago a fatal car crash killed her father and crippled her mother, Catherine, forcing Lisa Stone to work two jobs in order to pay cumulative medical bills and support herself and her mother. Adding to their burden, Lisa and her mother have recently been told that Catherine suffers from cervical cancer. Lisa's primary concern is caring for her mother, both emotionally and financially, but she is fast becoming disillusioned and exhausted. Her evening job, cleaning at a local museum, is Lisa's escape from the trials of the real world. While in her boss's office, fatigue overtakes Lisa and she falls asleep only to awaken when he and a colleague arrive early in the morning. Fearing termination, Lisa scrambles to hide under his desk show more and overhears the two talking about a rare, medieval artifact the museum has recently acquired. After they leave, curiosity gets the better of her and Lisa investigates the intricately designed box left on top of the desk. Upon opening it and touching the strange flask inside, the world shifts beneath Lisa's feet and she feels herself falling...landing at the feet of a giant man stepping from his bath.
Circenn Brodie, laird of Castle Brodie, quickly realizes that the woman, Lisa Stone, who inexplicably materializes at his feet from thin air, is not of his time. Circenn surmises that a long ago curse he cast on a fairy flask has sent this woman to him -- and to her destruction. Circenn is a man of honor, but how can he keep his long ago oath to destroy the bearer of the flask when Lisa appears to be innocent of its power? The longer Circenn delays fulfilling his oath, the more of a temptation Lisa becomes.
This book was so good I was sad to see it come to the end. I laughed, cried, and yes, fell a little bit in love with Circenn. If you love books that pull you into the story and location then you will love this one! show less
Circenn Brodie, laird of Castle Brodie, quickly realizes that the woman, Lisa Stone, who inexplicably materializes at his feet from thin air, is not of his time. Circenn surmises that a long ago curse he cast on a fairy flask has sent this woman to him -- and to her destruction. Circenn is a man of honor, but how can he keep his long ago oath to destroy the bearer of the flask when Lisa appears to be innocent of its power? The longer Circenn delays fulfilling his oath, the more of a temptation Lisa becomes.
This book was so good I was sad to see it come to the end. I laughed, cried, and yes, fell a little bit in love with Circenn. If you love books that pull you into the story and location then you will love this one! show less
I meant to read this last month for our KMM spotlight, but didn't get it done in time. I'd forgotten how much I adore this book. When I think of the Highlander series I generally think of Kiss as the first good book, but despite some issues with this one it still tugged at me.
I think because Cin is such an exceptional hero. Despite the times and his own nature, his one thought is to care for Lisa and see her happy. I especially loves the way he looks after her as she grieves, taking care to give her space but also be there when she needs him.
Although cheesey, the bond between Cin and Lisa is another point in favor of this book. I love that they connect on such a level, and care so much for one another.
I think because Cin is such an exceptional hero. Despite the times and his own nature, his one thought is to care for Lisa and see her happy. I especially loves the way he looks after her as she grieves, taking care to give her space but also be there when she needs him.
Although cheesey, the bond between Cin and Lisa is another point in favor of this book. I love that they connect on such a level, and care so much for one another.
The Highlander's Touch resonated with me. No wait, let's be more specific. Lisa resonated with me. Her experience as a carer is so accurately portrayed I have to wonder if Moning has ever been one. Many times I read something and said, "Yes. This is what it's like. Exactly." So thank you for that. What an unexpected to surprise. This is the reason for the 'favourites' shelf.
I appreciated Cicernn's knight-in-shining-armour routine, his understanding Lisa's refusal to enjoy herself while her mother lay dying and alone, and feeling she didn't deserve to be happy having had no reason to feel much positive emotion in years. Everything else...was okay, worthy of a 3-3.5★ rating, but a solid 4★ for what this meant to me personally. show more Moning's author note is a stark warning for all women to ensure they attend regular cervical smear tests. show less
I appreciated Cicernn's knight-in-shining-armour routine, his understanding Lisa's refusal to enjoy herself while her mother lay dying and alone, and feeling she didn't deserve to be happy having had no reason to feel much positive emotion in years. Everything else...was okay, worthy of a 3-3.5★ rating, but a solid 4★ for what this meant to me personally. show more Moning's author note is a stark warning for all women to ensure they attend regular cervical smear tests. show less
First of all, what was with that mega cop-out ending?! Talk about a cheesy wrap-up for a cheesy book. There’s screwing with time, and then there’s completely altering the course of history to give your characters everything they want.
I should have just read the end first, because I would have thrown this thing away and been a whole lot happier. I DESPISE it when characters get everything their way in the end – and then some. That what Disney movies are for.
And did Robyn Carr pay a visit to the author or something, because the last thing I expected in a mediaeval story was a women’s health lesson given by the Highlander hero of the bloody book!!!! Not only that, but then the book finishes with a health lecture from the author. show more Geez woman, just let me read my crappy pseudo-Scottish story in peace!
Modern-day American woman Lisa Stone gets zapped seven hundred years into the past (to 1314). Her mother is dying alone in the future and Lisa can’t get home. She finds herself stuck in Scotland with some sort of magical, humongous Highlander, Circenn Brodie, who tries to kill her.
Does Lisa faint? Cry? Panic? Go into shock? Not believe it? No, of course not. She’s too busy admiring the size of Circenn’s penis.
(As you would expect, Circenn is naked when she meets him. And we’ll just ignore that he’s hung like a rhinoceros and she can’t get her hand around that massive manroot, but of course she’s a virgin – naturally – and loves sex from the get-go.)
How about when Circenn cuts her throat as he’s trying to kill her? Frightened? Traumatised? Of course not! She’s turned-on.
When Lisa’s not staring at Circenn’s giant schlong, she’s chatting away with him in in contemporary American English. And he’s chatting right back at her – in contemporary American English. (They’re literally trading idioms, and reminiscing about the things Lisa says that are similar to what Circenn’s mother used to say. Uh huh. The year 800, the year 2000, no real difference there.)
And Ms Moning, it’s an ARSE in Britain. An ass is a donkey. While I sure can imagine Circenn sitting on his donkey, I rather think the powerful warrior would prefer a horse.
Our dashing, tall leading couple spend page, after page, after page, after page, after page doing some serious introspection. It was boring. I knew how they felt – Lisa liked Circenn’s nether regions, and Circenn wanted to put those nether regions to good use. I got that in the first scene they were together.
It’s only a few days before Lisa decides she’s in love with war-torn, mediaeval Scotland. She wants to stay because the food is the best she’s ever eaten (snort!), the clothes are so great, and the landscape is so pretty. Here’s a tip Miss Stone: the landscape in Scotland is pretty these days too, only you get to live with plumbing. And feminism.
To top it off, the author throws in a bizarre speech from our massive hero about how women should be able to have satisfying sex lives before marriage. Way to give your historical characters era-inappropriate attitudes there!
I despair for poor Lisa. Just how many babies is an immortal woman supposed to have if Circenn’s mighty seed hits the jackpot every time?!
The book descends into sheer silliness by the end, with talk of magical connections and men feeling births (it's like that movie where Arnie got pregnant!) and communicating across dimensions and being fairies. What, exactly, was the author going for here? A little bit of every genre? So many ideas and characters and points of view, and none of them were covered satisfyingly.
Circenn and his friends are such smart guys they’re conversing with words that haven’t been invented yet, such as "Oops" (circa 1925–30), "Ditto" (1615–25), "Sarcasm" (1570–80), "Breakfast" (1425–75). I could go on.
I didn’t want complete accuracy (no need for a doctorate from Cambridge just to read a book!), but I needed much more than I got. But, “Oops”? Really?!
The worst thing about the whole book is that Lisa takes the concept of Too Stupid To Live to an entirely new level. The plot only – literally only ever – moves along when she does something unbelievably stupid. She gets trapped in the museum because she falls asleep in her boss’ office. She gets transported in time because she decides to touch a priceless artefact she wasn’t supposed to touch (and don’t get me started on how much I hate people who can’t keep their hands off the exhibits in galleries and museums!). She is discovered by all the men because she decides to climb out a window even though she was told to stay put. She is forced into a marriage because she was told to stay in her room for her own safety, but no! she just had to have a look at the men.
Following that we have another favourite plot device of mine. Important information is being revealed, but oh no! we’re only 80% of the way through the book, we can’t learn it all now! So instead of hearing him out, Lisa tells Circenn to stop telling her. Now there’s a good way to make sure we can save some more Big Revelations until later in the book. It’s especially stupid as Lisa was the one who wanted him to talk in the first place.
Stupidity as a plot device is the worst thing an author can do. Once is bad enough, let alone once every chapter! I don’t care that the author writes it off as the endearing character trait ‘curiosity’ about ten thousand times in the book. Curiosity and sheer idiocy are two very different things.
On top of that, Lisa refuses to even try and communicate in a way the people will understand. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that saying things such as:
“You and I have a date with warm water and soap later this afternoon.”
And
“She was in a car wreck five years ago…
…After that, all I see are the crushed, jagged pieces of a blue Mercedes.”
won’t make any sense to these people.
Stupidity aside, neither lead character has a personality to speak of. Circenn is obscenely oversized, stupendously gorgeous and he broods. Lisa is tall, attractive and feisty. But so what? Why should I like them? Why in the world do they love each other? Telling me they’re wildly in love isn’t enough. You need to show me.
But never fear! Just when you start to feel like you’ve turned up at a 21st century Trafalgar Tours Scottish theme night instead of the real deal, Moning dumps pages upon pages of unnecessary historical information on us. It’s not interwoven with the stories of the characters. At. All. Instead we have characters, characters, characters, HISTORY LESSON. Characters, characters, characters, HISTORY LESSON. Like maybe what you’d get if you pasted huge chunks from Wikipedia into your fan fiction (I’m not accusing her of doing that, it’s just the feeling it gave).
And why does everyone have to be so tall – it’s 1314, the era where the average man was 5‘6’’. A 5’10’’ woman and a nearly seven foot man wouldn’t just be tall, they wouldn’t even fit through a doorway!
Moning is one of the guiltiest breakers of the “Show, don’t Tell” rule. Additionally, she explains things to us as if we’re morons. For example, when Lisa opens the door and Circenn falls into the room, we don’t need an entire paragraph explaining that that must mean he’d been leaning on it, and that’s why he fell, and that that’s why he looked surprised when the door opened!! Come on woman, give us some credit!
I kind of got that this book was supposed to be light-hearted. However, humour only seemed to come in the form of toilet jokes, and it was painful to read. Then we got a Buffy the Vampire Slayer joke immediately before the Battle of Bannockburn (the Braveheart scene again). I cringed.
I am undoubtedly being too picky, but The Highlander’s Touch was a massive disappointment, and it felt like a chore to read. It certainly seems the time travel concept works much better when less time is crossed (Outlander is set in the 18th century, and it was much easier to buy the heroine from 1945 and her adjustments to her new existence). Two hundred years would require adjustments, but things could be figured out. Seven hundred years, and Lisa may as well have zapped herself to Endor to live with the Ewoks.
If Moning had chosen to write this with more humour and play up to the fact her story was ridiculous, then I would have been more forgiving and settled in for the ride. However this book is trapped between an attempt to be a serious historical and an attempt to be a romantic romp, and it’s not working on either count. I have the next book in the series, but it’s really going to have to lift its game if I’m going to find anything to enjoy there. show less
I should have just read the end first, because I would have thrown this thing away and been a whole lot happier. I DESPISE it when characters get everything their way in the end – and then some. That what Disney movies are for.
And did Robyn Carr pay a visit to the author or something, because the last thing I expected in a mediaeval story was a women’s health lesson given by the Highlander hero of the bloody book!!!! Not only that, but then the book finishes with a health lecture from the author. show more Geez woman, just let me read my crappy pseudo-Scottish story in peace!
Modern-day American woman Lisa Stone gets zapped seven hundred years into the past (to 1314). Her mother is dying alone in the future and Lisa can’t get home. She finds herself stuck in Scotland with some sort of magical, humongous Highlander, Circenn Brodie, who tries to kill her.
Does Lisa faint? Cry? Panic? Go into shock? Not believe it? No, of course not. She’s too busy admiring the size of Circenn’s penis.
(As you would expect, Circenn is naked when she meets him. And we’ll just ignore that he’s hung like a rhinoceros and she can’t get her hand around that massive manroot, but of course she’s a virgin – naturally – and loves sex from the get-go.)
How about when Circenn cuts her throat as he’s trying to kill her? Frightened? Traumatised? Of course not! She’s turned-on.
When Lisa’s not staring at Circenn’s giant schlong, she’s chatting away with him in in contemporary American English. And he’s chatting right back at her – in contemporary American English. (They’re literally trading idioms, and reminiscing about the things Lisa says that are similar to what Circenn’s mother used to say. Uh huh. The year 800, the year 2000, no real difference there.)
And Ms Moning, it’s an ARSE in Britain. An ass is a donkey. While I sure can imagine Circenn sitting on his donkey, I rather think the powerful warrior would prefer a horse.
Our dashing, tall leading couple spend page, after page, after page, after page, after page doing some serious introspection. It was boring. I knew how they felt – Lisa liked Circenn’s nether regions, and Circenn wanted to put those nether regions to good use. I got that in the first scene they were together.
It’s only a few days before Lisa decides she’s in love with war-torn, mediaeval Scotland. She wants to stay because the food is the best she’s ever eaten (snort!), the clothes are so great, and the landscape is so pretty. Here’s a tip Miss Stone: the landscape in Scotland is pretty these days too, only you get to live with plumbing. And feminism.
To top it off, the author throws in a bizarre speech from our massive hero about how women should be able to have satisfying sex lives before marriage. Way to give your historical characters era-inappropriate attitudes there!
I despair for poor Lisa. Just how many babies is an immortal woman supposed to have if Circenn’s mighty seed hits the jackpot every time?!
The book descends into sheer silliness by the end, with talk of magical connections and men feeling births (it's like that movie where Arnie got pregnant!) and communicating across dimensions and being fairies. What, exactly, was the author going for here? A little bit of every genre? So many ideas and characters and points of view, and none of them were covered satisfyingly.
Circenn and his friends are such smart guys they’re conversing with words that haven’t been invented yet, such as "Oops" (circa 1925–30), "Ditto" (1615–25), "Sarcasm" (1570–80), "Breakfast" (1425–75). I could go on.
I didn’t want complete accuracy (no need for a doctorate from Cambridge just to read a book!), but I needed much more than I got. But, “Oops”? Really?!
The worst thing about the whole book is that Lisa takes the concept of Too Stupid To Live to an entirely new level. The plot only – literally only ever – moves along when she does something unbelievably stupid. She gets trapped in the museum because she falls asleep in her boss’ office. She gets transported in time because she decides to touch a priceless artefact she wasn’t supposed to touch (and don’t get me started on how much I hate people who can’t keep their hands off the exhibits in galleries and museums!). She is discovered by all the men because she decides to climb out a window even though she was told to stay put. She is forced into a marriage because she was told to stay in her room for her own safety, but no! she just had to have a look at the men.
Following that we have another favourite plot device of mine. Important information is being revealed, but oh no! we’re only 80% of the way through the book, we can’t learn it all now! So instead of hearing him out, Lisa tells Circenn to stop telling her. Now there’s a good way to make sure we can save some more Big Revelations until later in the book. It’s especially stupid as Lisa was the one who wanted him to talk in the first place.
Stupidity as a plot device is the worst thing an author can do. Once is bad enough, let alone once every chapter! I don’t care that the author writes it off as the endearing character trait ‘curiosity’ about ten thousand times in the book. Curiosity and sheer idiocy are two very different things.
On top of that, Lisa refuses to even try and communicate in a way the people will understand. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that saying things such as:
“You and I have a date with warm water and soap later this afternoon.”
And
“She was in a car wreck five years ago…
…After that, all I see are the crushed, jagged pieces of a blue Mercedes.”
won’t make any sense to these people.
Stupidity aside, neither lead character has a personality to speak of. Circenn is obscenely oversized, stupendously gorgeous and he broods. Lisa is tall, attractive and feisty. But so what? Why should I like them? Why in the world do they love each other? Telling me they’re wildly in love isn’t enough. You need to show me.
But never fear! Just when you start to feel like you’ve turned up at a 21st century Trafalgar Tours Scottish theme night instead of the real deal, Moning dumps pages upon pages of unnecessary historical information on us. It’s not interwoven with the stories of the characters. At. All. Instead we have characters, characters, characters, HISTORY LESSON. Characters, characters, characters, HISTORY LESSON. Like maybe what you’d get if you pasted huge chunks from Wikipedia into your fan fiction (I’m not accusing her of doing that, it’s just the feeling it gave).
And why does everyone have to be so tall – it’s 1314, the era where the average man was 5‘6’’. A 5’10’’ woman and a nearly seven foot man wouldn’t just be tall, they wouldn’t even fit through a doorway!
Moning is one of the guiltiest breakers of the “Show, don’t Tell” rule. Additionally, she explains things to us as if we’re morons. For example, when Lisa opens the door and Circenn falls into the room, we don’t need an entire paragraph explaining that that must mean he’d been leaning on it, and that’s why he fell, and that that’s why he looked surprised when the door opened!! Come on woman, give us some credit!
I kind of got that this book was supposed to be light-hearted. However, humour only seemed to come in the form of toilet jokes, and it was painful to read. Then we got a Buffy the Vampire Slayer joke immediately before the Battle of Bannockburn (the Braveheart scene again). I cringed.
I am undoubtedly being too picky, but The Highlander’s Touch was a massive disappointment, and it felt like a chore to read. It certainly seems the time travel concept works much better when less time is crossed (Outlander is set in the 18th century, and it was much easier to buy the heroine from 1945 and her adjustments to her new existence). Two hundred years would require adjustments, but things could be figured out. Seven hundred years, and Lisa may as well have zapped herself to Endor to live with the Ewoks.
If Moning had chosen to write this with more humour and play up to the fact her story was ridiculous, then I would have been more forgiving and settled in for the ride. However this book is trapped between an attempt to be a serious historical and an attempt to be a romantic romp, and it’s not working on either count. I have the next book in the series, but it’s really going to have to lift its game if I’m going to find anything to enjoy there. show less
"So this is what it feels like... Circenn. I love you." - Lisa Stone
I often ask my dear mother if, perhaps, I was born in the wrong side of the world - a personal joke at my own misery, as I sometimes find myself behaving and thinking very differently from the people of my country. Still, it's hilarious how Moning has made me question even the timeline - perhaps it's not the country I live in, but the era? Who knows? One thing's for sure, her Highlanders so far - Hawk always excepted - are nothing short of delicious!
Circenn Brodie, a Highland laird that has lived way more than any mortal would have been able to, has a dark side he's not very proud of. In order to keep it in check, he has sworn a list of oaths - and since Circenn is a show more true warrior, he never breaks an oath. But all this changes when he curses a flask vital to the Tuatha Dé Danann, and Adam Black, the Black Elf, forces him to swear yet another oath: he must kill the mortal whose hands will make the curse work. Circenn obeys, only to find out he can't bring himself to honor his word when the curse finally works. The unfortunate mortal in question is a young woman from the 21st century, who has suffered many miseries in her short life so far, and who poses a different kind of threat than any other possible candidate of this awful position - she makes his heart beat in a rhythm that can very well cause him to break his oath. Lisa Stone has had a life no one would envy. Her father has died, her mother is sure to follow very soon, and she works two jobs just to make ends meet. Travelling back in time was not in her immediate plans, and this dark yet handsome warrior who is supposed to kill her certainly makes things worse - as if she needed more drama... Will Circenn break his oath to keep the only woman who's made him truly feel alive by his side? And how will Lisa go home, before her mother dies, to at least say goodbye?
What better way to make an old-fashioned woman melt than a good man, who's hell bent in keeping his word no matter what? Screams "honorable knight" to me quite clearly. Alright, I'll admit I didn't want him to keep his oath about killing Lisa... Or the one about intimacy, because, heck, why give me a brooding hot Scot and not give me some sexy scenes to drool over? I seriously have to check for therapy, by the way, because my obsession with brooding, grumpy fictional guys is just not normal - or healthy, God help me if I decide to follow that obsession and marry someone like that. Anyway, while Grimm in the 2nd book was wonderful, I felt that Circenn ranked a level higher than that. Maybe it was his grumpy, dark looks - sort of like NR's Grant Campbell, one of my personal favorites. And despite the dangerous aura than only Lisa seemed to be getting, the man was pretty much all bark and no bite. Once he stopped being afraid of what he was, though, he honestly became one damn tempting piece of male dominance and sinful fantasies! The way he kept describing in perfect detail what he wanted to do to Lisa had me gasping like a virgin in heat - which, to my defense, is true, but is rarely obvious, so you can imagine my surprise at Circenn of all people bringing that side of me out in the open. The only problem was when he got too daring in his approach - using the "back door" without permission is a definite no-no, pal, and no, I don't care how much of a prude that makes me, buttsex is ALWAYS a turn-off for me, period. Things should NEVER enter the body from that place - unless we're talking about colonoscopy or other medical reasons, then I'm game. Fortunately, there is no other scene with that kind of atrocious act, so I won't complain any longer. The fact he thought intimacy comes with trust, and he refused to have sex just for the sake of it compensated well enough, too.
Lisa, on the other hand, never did anything I might disagree with, or do anything stupid. And to think that she didn't go to any fancy college, well, that goes to show that great education doesn't always make someone smart, you have to be a natural to really think. While she didn't compare with Jillian St. Claire, Lisa still was a far cry from the weakling, indecisive idiot that was Adrienne from the 1st book. And she had even more tragedies in her life, so how cool does that make her? Though, between you and me, if her parents were a little bit mature and responsible, none of this would have happened. Honestly, her moter refuses to go have her damn PAP test, and she gets cancer - stupid parent #1. Her father has his head up in the clouds, doesn't take care of life insurance - or mobile vehicle security - and the only thing he thought of asking when he was told his cars were stolen was if his wife had really checked, as if two huge metal machines can actually get lost that easily - stupid parent #2. See what I mean? It's a miracle Lisa managed to be so responsible with those two fools needing some parenting themselves...
There were also many more freaking awesome things in this book. Duncan and Galan Douglas being two of them. Duncan was so funny in his skirt-chasing ways, and I would have loved to see if he ever managed to convince dear Elizabeth to give him a chance - not that I would have blamed the lass if she didn't, the man had been in more holes than my poor usb flash drive... As for Galan, God, I do wish he finds someone clever enough to see the man under the strategist's face. I dare say he was my favorite of the Douglas brothers - there we go, again, another quiet and brooding male. Can we pretty please send Ruby back for him or him in the future for her? My mind is stuck on that impossible ship that makes no sense to anyone else but me, I'm afraid...
The Highlander's Touch was by far an excellent read - certainly much better than the first two books of the series. But there's still something missing, and I'm seriously confused as to what on Earth is not doing it for me in this series. I think in this case the end sort of ruined it - too perfect, too convenient, too easy. Almost like Moning was rushing things to be done with it.
Let's hope I can finally find that missing detail I need for the five stars in the next book...
"I would not have had it come out like this — not now, when I have no choice but to race off to battle. You must believe that I have never lied to you, Lisa. Believe in me and await my return. I promise we will speak of it all then. I will answer any questions you have, explain everything. I love you, lass." - Circenn Brodie show less
I often ask my dear mother if, perhaps, I was born in the wrong side of the world - a personal joke at my own misery, as I sometimes find myself behaving and thinking very differently from the people of my country. Still, it's hilarious how Moning has made me question even the timeline - perhaps it's not the country I live in, but the era? Who knows? One thing's for sure, her Highlanders so far - Hawk always excepted - are nothing short of delicious!
Circenn Brodie, a Highland laird that has lived way more than any mortal would have been able to, has a dark side he's not very proud of. In order to keep it in check, he has sworn a list of oaths - and since Circenn is a show more true warrior, he never breaks an oath. But all this changes when he curses a flask vital to the Tuatha Dé Danann, and Adam Black, the Black Elf, forces him to swear yet another oath: he must kill the mortal whose hands will make the curse work. Circenn obeys, only to find out he can't bring himself to honor his word when the curse finally works. The unfortunate mortal in question is a young woman from the 21st century, who has suffered many miseries in her short life so far, and who poses a different kind of threat than any other possible candidate of this awful position - she makes his heart beat in a rhythm that can very well cause him to break his oath. Lisa Stone has had a life no one would envy. Her father has died, her mother is sure to follow very soon, and she works two jobs just to make ends meet. Travelling back in time was not in her immediate plans, and this dark yet handsome warrior who is supposed to kill her certainly makes things worse - as if she needed more drama... Will Circenn break his oath to keep the only woman who's made him truly feel alive by his side? And how will Lisa go home, before her mother dies, to at least say goodbye?
What better way to make an old-fashioned woman melt than a good man, who's hell bent in keeping his word no matter what? Screams "honorable knight" to me quite clearly. Alright, I'll admit I didn't want him to keep his oath about killing Lisa... Or the one about intimacy, because, heck, why give me a brooding hot Scot and not give me some sexy scenes to drool over? I seriously have to check for therapy, by the way, because my obsession with brooding, grumpy fictional guys is just not normal - or healthy, God help me if I decide to follow that obsession and marry someone like that. Anyway, while Grimm in the 2nd book was wonderful, I felt that Circenn ranked a level higher than that. Maybe it was his grumpy, dark looks - sort of like NR's Grant Campbell, one of my personal favorites. And despite the dangerous aura than only Lisa seemed to be getting, the man was pretty much all bark and no bite. Once he stopped being afraid of what he was, though, he honestly became one damn tempting piece of male dominance and sinful fantasies! The way he kept describing in perfect detail what he wanted to do to Lisa had me gasping like a virgin in heat - which, to my defense, is true, but is rarely obvious, so you can imagine my surprise at Circenn of all people bringing that side of me out in the open. The only problem was when he got too daring in his approach - using the "back door" without permission is a definite no-no, pal, and no, I don't care how much of a prude that makes me, buttsex is ALWAYS a turn-off for me, period. Things should NEVER enter the body from that place - unless we're talking about colonoscopy or other medical reasons, then I'm game. Fortunately, there is no other scene with that kind of atrocious act, so I won't complain any longer. The fact he thought intimacy comes with trust, and he refused to have sex just for the sake of it compensated well enough, too.
Lisa, on the other hand, never did anything I might disagree with, or do anything stupid. And to think that she didn't go to any fancy college, well, that goes to show that great education doesn't always make someone smart, you have to be a natural to really think. While she didn't compare with Jillian St. Claire, Lisa still was a far cry from the weakling, indecisive idiot that was Adrienne from the 1st book. And she had even more tragedies in her life, so how cool does that make her? Though, between you and me, if her parents were a little bit mature and responsible, none of this would have happened. Honestly, her moter refuses to go have her damn PAP test, and she gets cancer - stupid parent #1. Her father has his head up in the clouds, doesn't take care of life insurance - or mobile vehicle security - and the only thing he thought of asking when he was told his cars were stolen was if his wife had really checked, as if two huge metal machines can actually get lost that easily - stupid parent #2. See what I mean? It's a miracle Lisa managed to be so responsible with those two fools needing some parenting themselves...
There were also many more freaking awesome things in this book. Duncan and Galan Douglas being two of them. Duncan was so funny in his skirt-chasing ways, and I would have loved to see if he ever managed to convince dear Elizabeth to give him a chance - not that I would have blamed the lass if she didn't, the man had been in more holes than my poor usb flash drive... As for Galan, God, I do wish he finds someone clever enough to see the man under the strategist's face. I dare say he was my favorite of the Douglas brothers - there we go, again, another quiet and brooding male. Can we pretty please send Ruby back for him or him in the future for her? My mind is stuck on that impossible ship that makes no sense to anyone else but me, I'm afraid...
The Highlander's Touch was by far an excellent read - certainly much better than the first two books of the series. But there's still something missing, and I'm seriously confused as to what on Earth is not doing it for me in this series. I think in this case the end sort of ruined it - too perfect, too convenient, too easy. Almost like Moning was rushing things to be done with it.
Let's hope I can finally find that missing detail I need for the five stars in the next book...
"I would not have had it come out like this — not now, when I have no choice but to race off to battle. You must believe that I have never lied to you, Lisa. Believe in me and await my return. I promise we will speak of it all then. I will answer any questions you have, explain everything. I love you, lass." - Circenn Brodie show less
3.5 Stars
I loved the beginning. About 30% in everything slowed down to a crawl. Very little action of any kind. Mostly internal thoughts which became repetitive.
Around 70% things picked up again.
The steam is a very, very Slow Burn and while it was Nice, I was a bit disappointed. I expected more from these two characters with all their passion for things.
The ending was a mixed bag. There is a reveal that I sort of expected, but was interesting. It explained a lot about Circen and Adam.
But then things got a bit too jejune for me. I suddenly felt like I was reading a YA story! It became to Disney World. Make a wish, click your heels and POOF, ALL your wishes come true.
I liked this one a lot more than the last in the series.
Anyway, I show more will read book #4 next month. But, if it isn't better written than the first 3, I will stop them. Even though I like the characters, there is just to much repetitive thoughts to hold my interest. show less
I loved the beginning. About 30% in everything slowed down to a crawl. Very little action of any kind. Mostly internal thoughts which became repetitive.
Around 70% things picked up again.
The steam is a very, very Slow Burn and while it was Nice, I was a bit disappointed. I expected more from these two characters with all their passion for things.
The ending was a mixed bag. There is a reveal that I sort of expected, but was interesting. It explained a lot about Circen and Adam.
But then things got a bit too jejune for me. I suddenly felt like I was reading a YA story! It became to Disney World. Make a wish, click your heels and POOF, ALL your wishes come true.
I liked this one a lot more than the last in the series.
Anyway, I show more will read book #4 next month. But, if it isn't better written than the first 3, I will stop them. Even though I like the characters, there is just to much repetitive thoughts to hold my interest. show less
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Author Information
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Karen Marie Moning was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. She received a bachelor's degree in society and law from Purdue University. Before becoming a full-time writer, she worked as a bartender, a computer consultant, and an insurance specialist. Her first book, Beyond the Highland Mist, was published in 1999. She writes the Highlander series, the Fever show more series, and the Fever World series. Her first graphic novel, Fever Moon, was published in 2012. Her novels have won numerous awards, including the RITA Award for best novel in 2001 for The Highlander's Touch. Karen's title's Feverborn and High Votage made the New York Times Bestseller List. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Awards and Honors
Awards
Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
Ullstein (25396)
Work Relationships
Is contained in
Beyond the Highland Mist / To Tame A Highland Warrior / The Highlander's Touch / Kiss of the Highlander / The Dark Highlander / The Immortal Highlander / Spell of the Highlander by Karen Marie Moning
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Highlander's Touch
- Original title
- The Highlander's Touch
- Original publication date
- 2000-11-07
- People/Characters
- Circenn Brodie; Adam Black; Lisa Stone; Galan Douglas; Duncan Douglas; Ruby (show all 16); Catherine Stone; Steinmann; Robert the Bruce; Armand Berard; the Templars; James Comyn; Gillendria; Aoibheal; Elizabeth MacBreide of Shallotan; Tally MacBreide
- Important places
- Scotland, UK; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Brodie Castle, Moray, Scotland, UK; Dunnottar Bluff, Scotland, UK (fictional)
- Important events
- Battle of Bannockburn (1314-06-24)
- Epigraph
- "I am that merry wanderer of the night
I jest to Oberon and make him smile"
Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night's Dream - First words
- Adam Black materialized in the Greathall.
- Quotations
- But if you break your vow, how will you explain it to Adam?
Oh, for Christ's sake!.....Duncan! Alesone! Get out of the kitchen! Take it to the rooms upstairs! You know I have rules----
What did you find out, Ruby? Don't try to distract me with tea. Has anyone seen my daughter?.......................No one has seen her since night before last. The museum's security cameras have her on tape. The last reco... (show all)rded image of her is outside Steinman's office
It is a woman. I need you to claim her as your cousin, and when you meet her to pretend it is the renewal of an old acquaintance. Cousin by blood--Lisa MacRobertson.
You are in dire need of a mam. Speaking of which, you and I have a date with warm water and soap later this afternoon.
Yer a beauty, lass. I thought I could refashion it well, bt 'tis the woman who makes this gown.
Yes. I'm all she has left, Circenn. She's ill and won't live much longer. I was taking care of her, feeding her, working to support us. Now she is completely alone.
Molten. Poured down his throat. It will cool and be removed without difficulty.
His own jealousy destroyed him. I did not raise a hand against him. And that man had nothing to do with siring you. You are my son, and mine only. No sed of his made you. When Morganna died, I refused to lose you, too.
Come. Let us begin and regain your mate. Welcome to my world, son. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Champagne had never tasted sweeter.
- Original language*
- Englisch
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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