On This Page
Description
Fiction. Romance. Historical Fiction. HTML:Only her love could gentle his savage soul—He was born to a clan of warriors of supernatural strength, but Gavrael McIllioch abandoned his name and his Highland castle, determined to escape the dark fate of his ancestors. Hiding his identity from the relentless rival clan that hunted him, he called himself Grimm to protect the people he cared for, vowing never to acknowledge his love for ravishing Jillian St. Clair. Yet even from afar he watched show more over her, and when her father sent an urgent summons, "Come for Jillian," he raced to her side—into a competition to win her hand in marriage.
Why had he run from her so many years before? And why return now to see her offered as a prize in her father's manipulative game? Furious, Jillian vowed never to wed. But Grimm was the man she loved, the one who urged her to marry another. He tried to pretend indifference as she tempted him, but he could not deny the fierce desires that compelled him to abduct her from the altar. She was the only woman who could tame the beast that raged within him—even as deadly enemies plotted to destroy them both.... show less
Tags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
To Tame a Highland Warrior by Karen Marie Moning
Book #2: Highlander Series
Source: Purchase
My Rating: 4½/5 stars
My Review:
To Tame a Highland Warrior, book two of Karen Marie Moning’s Highlander series opens with Grimm Roderick wondering just what in hell the Hawk’s wife wished for him and him receiving a letter from his old friend, Gibraltar St. Clair. Few things in the world have the power to tear Grimm from the Hawk’s side but the missive “Come for Jillian” is indeed one of those things.
Jillian St. Clair has had enough of this shit!! She loves both her father and mother dearly but their insistence that she marry is just getting out of hand. The one man Jillian would have married with no protests or complaints made it clear show more years ago he was not the man for her and would never marry her. From that moment forward, Jillian has done everything in her power to discourage any and all suitors. To date, her gambit has worked but now her parents are travelling and she has been left in the care of three men, one of whom she is to take as her husband. Well played, parentals, well played.
Grimm wasn’t sure life could get any worse but his arrival at Jillian’s home and the discovery that he is meant to be one of her suitor’s pretty much pushed it all over the edge. No matter how much Grimm cares for Jillian, and he does, he won’t subject her to his secret torment. Grimm is a berserker and when the rage overtakes him, he has no way of controlling himself or his actions. He is a legendary warrior and more than capable of protecting himself but to harm Jillian would be unthinkable. Grimm refuses to allow Jillian to remain unprotected and though he has vowed not to compete for her affections (he already has them!) he will stay with her until her parents return. Or until his enemies attack and he is forced to leave. You know? Whichever one comes first.
Jillian is constantly perplexed by Grimm. One minute he is by her side and barely controlling his attraction to her and the next he is turning away from her. Jillian wants Grimm with every fiber of her being and so, with the help of her father and one of the other suitors, a plan is hatched to bring Grimm around, to make him her own. True to form, Grimm waits until the last possible and most dramatic minute to claim what is his. Unfortunately, a leisurely life is not meant to be for Grimm and Jillian as the two ride fast and furious toward Grimm’s ancestral home. The enemy is at the gates and it is time Grimm had some answers. Going home was never in the cards for Grimm but that is where the enemy is leading him and where he will finally be able to lay old ghosts to rest.
The Bottom Line: I enjoyed this read far more than the first installment of the series. Grimm is a legend among the living and to hear of his exploits is to both fear and respect him. Unfortunately, misconceptions and misinformation have kept him away from his ancestral home and his family for too many years. With Jillian by his side, Grimm is able to face his past, forgive his father, and fight for the future he desperately wants to embrace. Jillian is my favorite kind of heroine, a strong, intelligent woman who is well ahead of her time and place. Jillian doesn’t fear Grimm but fears for him and knows if he will only accept her, she can help him heal and move forward. The legends of the berserkers, the meeting of the past and the present, the complications and battles, the solidly written characters, and the naughty bits all come together in a most entertaining way in this read. show less
Book #2: Highlander Series
Source: Purchase
My Rating: 4½/5 stars
My Review:
To Tame a Highland Warrior, book two of Karen Marie Moning’s Highlander series opens with Grimm Roderick wondering just what in hell the Hawk’s wife wished for him and him receiving a letter from his old friend, Gibraltar St. Clair. Few things in the world have the power to tear Grimm from the Hawk’s side but the missive “Come for Jillian” is indeed one of those things.
Jillian St. Clair has had enough of this shit!! She loves both her father and mother dearly but their insistence that she marry is just getting out of hand. The one man Jillian would have married with no protests or complaints made it clear show more years ago he was not the man for her and would never marry her. From that moment forward, Jillian has done everything in her power to discourage any and all suitors. To date, her gambit has worked but now her parents are travelling and she has been left in the care of three men, one of whom she is to take as her husband. Well played, parentals, well played.
Grimm wasn’t sure life could get any worse but his arrival at Jillian’s home and the discovery that he is meant to be one of her suitor’s pretty much pushed it all over the edge. No matter how much Grimm cares for Jillian, and he does, he won’t subject her to his secret torment. Grimm is a berserker and when the rage overtakes him, he has no way of controlling himself or his actions. He is a legendary warrior and more than capable of protecting himself but to harm Jillian would be unthinkable. Grimm refuses to allow Jillian to remain unprotected and though he has vowed not to compete for her affections (he already has them!) he will stay with her until her parents return. Or until his enemies attack and he is forced to leave. You know? Whichever one comes first.
Jillian is constantly perplexed by Grimm. One minute he is by her side and barely controlling his attraction to her and the next he is turning away from her. Jillian wants Grimm with every fiber of her being and so, with the help of her father and one of the other suitors, a plan is hatched to bring Grimm around, to make him her own. True to form, Grimm waits until the last possible and most dramatic minute to claim what is his. Unfortunately, a leisurely life is not meant to be for Grimm and Jillian as the two ride fast and furious toward Grimm’s ancestral home. The enemy is at the gates and it is time Grimm had some answers. Going home was never in the cards for Grimm but that is where the enemy is leading him and where he will finally be able to lay old ghosts to rest.
The Bottom Line: I enjoyed this read far more than the first installment of the series. Grimm is a legend among the living and to hear of his exploits is to both fear and respect him. Unfortunately, misconceptions and misinformation have kept him away from his ancestral home and his family for too many years. With Jillian by his side, Grimm is able to face his past, forgive his father, and fight for the future he desperately wants to embrace. Jillian is my favorite kind of heroine, a strong, intelligent woman who is well ahead of her time and place. Jillian doesn’t fear Grimm but fears for him and knows if he will only accept her, she can help him heal and move forward. The legends of the berserkers, the meeting of the past and the present, the complications and battles, the solidly written characters, and the naughty bits all come together in a most entertaining way in this read. show less
Este foi sem dúvida um livro que me arrebatou por completo e que não me deixou descansar até ter terminado a leitura.
Para ser sincera já andava há muito tempo para começar a ler esta saga, cheguei mesmo a perder a conta das vezes que me vi, em várias alturas, com livros desta serie na mão e sempre desisti de os comprar no último minuto. Olhando agora para trás, posso afirmar que fui uma tola, que devia ter seguido o meu primeiro instinto e também as opiniões de uma amiga que me afirmava que estes livros tinham uma qualidade imensa e que não me iria arrepender. Agora arrependo-me, mas de não ter seguido o seu conselho.
Karen Marie Moning é, sem dúvida, uma autora que nos marca de uma forma surpreendente, que a todo o show more momento nos deixa a suspirar e que adora fazer com que a nossa imaginação esteja sempre a trabalhar ao longo da leitura dos seus livros. Esta serie, passada na Escócia do seculo XVI, tem como base a lenda celta dos Berserker, criaturas sobrenaturais e de poder imenso que matavam todos aqueles que apanhavam pela frente. Aproveitando esta lenda, a autora criou um romance incrivelmente sensual e que me cativou até à última página, deixando-me bastante curiosa acerca dos outros livros desta saga Highlander.
Como este é apenas o segundo livro da saga (faltam sair em Portugal o terceiro e o oitavo livro da saga), apenas aparece em algumas cenas as personagens principais do primeiro livro, Açor e Adrianne, pois estes são grandes amigos de Grimm. Adorei a personagem de Grimm, que apesar do seu passado cheio de cenas aterrorizantes e de mal entendidos, conseguia manter a sua mente sã e sempre soube distinguir as suas prioridades, coisa que muitas vezes é esquecida ao longo de uma história. Foram muito engraçadas as cenas de provocação entre ele e Jillian, desde o início que era notório os sentimentos de ambos, apenas não conseguia descortinar o que haveria por trás de certos acontecimentos da trama. Em relação a Jilian, ela própria era uma personagem forte, com ideias e princípios muito bem definidos. Ao contrário daquilo que estamos habituados, ela não era caracterizada como uma mulher fraca e sem vontade própria, algo bastante comum na época retratada neste livro. Ela sabia o que queria e lutou por isso até ao fim, conseguindo o seu final feliz.
Foi sem duvida um livro esclarecedor e com o qual me tornei fã da autora. Sem dúvida que esta é uma saga que irei continuar a seguir.
http://viv-omundoencantadodoslivros.blogspot.pt/2013/03/sdeopiniao-highlander-o-... show less
Para ser sincera já andava há muito tempo para começar a ler esta saga, cheguei mesmo a perder a conta das vezes que me vi, em várias alturas, com livros desta serie na mão e sempre desisti de os comprar no último minuto. Olhando agora para trás, posso afirmar que fui uma tola, que devia ter seguido o meu primeiro instinto e também as opiniões de uma amiga que me afirmava que estes livros tinham uma qualidade imensa e que não me iria arrepender. Agora arrependo-me, mas de não ter seguido o seu conselho.
Karen Marie Moning é, sem dúvida, uma autora que nos marca de uma forma surpreendente, que a todo o show more momento nos deixa a suspirar e que adora fazer com que a nossa imaginação esteja sempre a trabalhar ao longo da leitura dos seus livros. Esta serie, passada na Escócia do seculo XVI, tem como base a lenda celta dos Berserker, criaturas sobrenaturais e de poder imenso que matavam todos aqueles que apanhavam pela frente. Aproveitando esta lenda, a autora criou um romance incrivelmente sensual e que me cativou até à última página, deixando-me bastante curiosa acerca dos outros livros desta saga Highlander.
Como este é apenas o segundo livro da saga (faltam sair em Portugal o terceiro e o oitavo livro da saga), apenas aparece em algumas cenas as personagens principais do primeiro livro, Açor e Adrianne, pois estes são grandes amigos de Grimm. Adorei a personagem de Grimm, que apesar do seu passado cheio de cenas aterrorizantes e de mal entendidos, conseguia manter a sua mente sã e sempre soube distinguir as suas prioridades, coisa que muitas vezes é esquecida ao longo de uma história. Foram muito engraçadas as cenas de provocação entre ele e Jillian, desde o início que era notório os sentimentos de ambos, apenas não conseguia descortinar o que haveria por trás de certos acontecimentos da trama. Em relação a Jilian, ela própria era uma personagem forte, com ideias e princípios muito bem definidos. Ao contrário daquilo que estamos habituados, ela não era caracterizada como uma mulher fraca e sem vontade própria, algo bastante comum na época retratada neste livro. Ela sabia o que queria e lutou por isso até ao fim, conseguindo o seu final feliz.
Foi sem duvida um livro esclarecedor e com o qual me tornei fã da autora. Sem dúvida que esta é uma saga que irei continuar a seguir.
http://viv-omundoencantadodoslivros.blogspot.pt/2013/03/sdeopiniao-highlander-o-... show less
Este foi sem dúvida um livro que me arrebatou por completo e que não me deixou descansar até ter terminado a leitura.
Para ser sincera já andava há muito tempo para começar a ler esta saga, cheguei mesmo a perder a conta das vezes que me vi, em várias alturas, com livros desta serie na mão e sempre desisti de os comprar no último minuto. Olhando agora para trás, posso afirmar que fui uma tola, que devia ter seguido o meu primeiro instinto e também as opiniões de uma amiga que me afirmava que estes livros tinham uma qualidade imensa e que não me iria arrepender. Agora arrependo-me, mas de não ter seguido o seu conselho.
Karen Marie Moning é, sem dúvida, uma autora que nos marca de uma forma surpreendente, que a todo o show more momento nos deixa a suspirar e que adora fazer com que a nossa imaginação esteja sempre a trabalhar ao longo da leitura dos seus livros. Esta serie, passada na Escócia do seculo XVI, tem como base a lenda celta dos Berserker, criaturas sobrenaturais e de poder imenso que matavam todos aqueles que apanhavam pela frente. Aproveitando esta lenda, a autora criou um romance incrivelmente sensual e que me cativou até à última página, deixando-me bastante curiosa acerca dos outros livros desta saga Highlander.
Como este é apenas o segundo livro da saga (faltam sair em Portugal o terceiro e o oitavo livro da saga), apenas aparece em algumas cenas as personagens principais do primeiro livro, Açor e Adrianne, pois estes são grandes amigos de Grimm. Adorei a personagem de Grimm, que apesar do seu passado cheio de cenas aterrorizantes e de mal entendidos, conseguia manter a sua mente sã e sempre soube distinguir as suas prioridades, coisa que muitas vezes é esquecida ao longo de uma história. Foram muito engraçadas as cenas de provocação entre ele e Jillian, desde o início que era notório os sentimentos de ambos, apenas não conseguia descortinar o que haveria por trás de certos acontecimentos da trama. Em relação a Jilian, ela própria era uma personagem forte, com ideias e princípios muito bem definidos. Ao contrário daquilo que estamos habituados, ela não era caracterizada como uma mulher fraca e sem vontade própria, algo bastante comum na época retratada neste livro. Ela sabia o que queria e lutou por isso até ao fim, conseguindo o seu final feliz.
Foi sem duvida um livro esclarecedor e com o qual me tornei fã da autora. Sem dúvida que esta é uma saga que irei continuar a seguir.
http://viv-omundoencantadodoslivros.blogspot.pt/2013/03/sdeopiniao-highlander-o-... show less
Para ser sincera já andava há muito tempo para começar a ler esta saga, cheguei mesmo a perder a conta das vezes que me vi, em várias alturas, com livros desta serie na mão e sempre desisti de os comprar no último minuto. Olhando agora para trás, posso afirmar que fui uma tola, que devia ter seguido o meu primeiro instinto e também as opiniões de uma amiga que me afirmava que estes livros tinham uma qualidade imensa e que não me iria arrepender. Agora arrependo-me, mas de não ter seguido o seu conselho.
Karen Marie Moning é, sem dúvida, uma autora que nos marca de uma forma surpreendente, que a todo o show more momento nos deixa a suspirar e que adora fazer com que a nossa imaginação esteja sempre a trabalhar ao longo da leitura dos seus livros. Esta serie, passada na Escócia do seculo XVI, tem como base a lenda celta dos Berserker, criaturas sobrenaturais e de poder imenso que matavam todos aqueles que apanhavam pela frente. Aproveitando esta lenda, a autora criou um romance incrivelmente sensual e que me cativou até à última página, deixando-me bastante curiosa acerca dos outros livros desta saga Highlander.
Como este é apenas o segundo livro da saga (faltam sair em Portugal o terceiro e o oitavo livro da saga), apenas aparece em algumas cenas as personagens principais do primeiro livro, Açor e Adrianne, pois estes são grandes amigos de Grimm. Adorei a personagem de Grimm, que apesar do seu passado cheio de cenas aterrorizantes e de mal entendidos, conseguia manter a sua mente sã e sempre soube distinguir as suas prioridades, coisa que muitas vezes é esquecida ao longo de uma história. Foram muito engraçadas as cenas de provocação entre ele e Jillian, desde o início que era notório os sentimentos de ambos, apenas não conseguia descortinar o que haveria por trás de certos acontecimentos da trama. Em relação a Jilian, ela própria era uma personagem forte, com ideias e princípios muito bem definidos. Ao contrário daquilo que estamos habituados, ela não era caracterizada como uma mulher fraca e sem vontade própria, algo bastante comum na época retratada neste livro. Ela sabia o que queria e lutou por isso até ao fim, conseguindo o seu final feliz.
Foi sem duvida um livro esclarecedor e com o qual me tornei fã da autora. Sem dúvida que esta é uma saga que irei continuar a seguir.
http://viv-omundoencantadodoslivros.blogspot.pt/2013/03/sdeopiniao-highlander-o-... show less
"I wake up wanting you. I fall asleep wanting you. I watch a magnificent sunrise and can think only of sharing it with you. I glimpse a piece of amber and see your eyes. Jillian, I've caught a disease, and the fever abates only when I'm near you." - Grimm Roderick
Wow! Talk about a whiplash TO THE EXTREME! I guess God really does reward you if you're patient and manage to avoid strangling (fictional) people. (Yes, Adrienne and Hawk, I'm talking about you two!)
So... second book was... interesting. I didn't get my wish to never see the dreaded main couple of the first book on paper EVER AGAIN, but at least their page-time was kept to the minimum. The second book focuses on Hawk's best friend, Grimm Roderick. Our "unlucky" lad, happens to show more be a Berserker, which means once he enters a state of bloodlust, it's nearly impossible to stop and/or to tell friend from foe. Having witnessed his father kill his mother in his blood-induced rage, Grimm abandons his home, his position of wealth, and his original name. Hiding from his heritage - and the McKanes that are after his kind - he is found in the woods by Jillian St. Clair and her father, who take him in. But his enemies draw close after a while, so he leaves the St. Clairs in order to protect them. Years later, we find him living in Dalkeith, as Hawk's best friend, as seen in the first book. And now, some time after his friend finally found the woman of his dreams and married her, Grimm receives a mysterious letter by Gibraltar St. Clair, telling him that Jillian needs him. He instanly rushes to Caithness, only to realize that the cunning old man has brought two more men in his home, with one thing in mind - marry his daughter off to the one who will manage to make her fall in love with him. Grimm wants nothing more than to flee as far away from this place as possible - no matter what his Berserker side wants to do with the only woman who ever held his heart. But Jillian, clever woman that she is, has other plans in store for her first childhood love...
To Tame A Highland Warrior was a definite improvement fromBeyond the Highland Mist - but it still lacked something which I can't name yet. In any case, I loved the main couple. I have already expressed how much I appreciate Grimm as a character - in the first book's review - and I don't mind repeating myself here: the man is wonderful! He's honorable - sometimes to the point of driving the readers and Jillian mad - , sweet, funny, protective, and reliable - all the things a true Alpha male should be. He denies himself his one true love because he fears he'll hurt her, and, since Berserkers can't really enjoy lovemaking unless it's with their destined mate, he had to keep his distance from erotic acts in general, which makes his case even more adorable.
Buried beneath a mound of rubble-the debris from a past she was beginning to suspect had been more brutal than she could comprehend there was a very real, vulnerable man.
She'd seen in his stark gaze that he desired her, but more significantly, that he had feelings so deep he couldn't express them, and subsequently did everything in his power to deny them.
Jillian was one of the most intelligent young women I've read about, and the most understanding - no wonder she was able to instantly pick up his quirks and decipher his attitude and manners. And seeing as she's my age, this gave her even more of a boost in my list - girls at that age simply don't think reasonably and they certainly don't show any sign of understanding and open-mindedness, of acceptance. She knows what she wants, and she's not afraid to go after it - in fact, she refuses anything but what she desires, leaving no room for compromises. She's not a "hot'n'cold" gal, which is another plus, as this shows maturity and a steady character with depth. And her mind really works, catching all the signs and later on working them out to find the truth.
"I would live any kind of life I had to live, so long as I lived it with you, Grimm Roderick."
Almost all the other characters were as lovely as ever. If there's one thing I like about Karen Marie Moning, it's her secondary characters. They make me fall in love with them and wish they had their own HEA. Take Quinn for example. I loved Quinn. Even though the sweet, romantic prince is not my type, Quinn honestly managed to make my girly side swoon. The only thing I found negative was Kaley's obsession to have Jillian marry him - of course, it's not the guy's fault that the obnoxious woman got stuck with that idea just because she saw Mr. Prince Charming. I still ended up cursing his name by the 4th time I read about Kaley running her trap about him and Jillian... Like anyonecared about that pairing when we could actually have something much better with Jillian and Grimm united...
Same goes with Elizabeth. What is wrong with that woman?! Why can she not decide what she wants? First, she wants Quinn to be her son-in-law, then she says she wants Jillian to choose with her heart, and then, when said heart chooses Grimm, she's against that decision. Oh, but wait, she actually comes around when she sees how much her daughter loves the Berserker, only to frown again when he abducts her from her fake wedding with Quinn. What is with some of those women that follow in Adrienne's path when it comes to deciding? Oh, dear Lord, the headache...
At least Jillian was nowhere near that failure of feminity. So there's that, at least.
The world-building is as professional as ever, the accents one of the best part of Moning's writing, and of course, the humor never seems to stop. Sarcasm seems to be her strong feature, and she uses it well and to her advantage, to make the story more lively and interesting - as if it wasn't enough to have a unique plot and characters. And the love scenes were scorching hot!
He caught her questing hand and pinned it against the wall above her head. Only when he had secured both her hands did he change the tempo of the kiss, turning it into a teasing, playful flicker of his tongue, probing, then withdrawing, until she was gasping for more.
Compared to the first book, this one was by far better. But, like I said, there was something missing, something that kept me from fully enjoying it, and for the life of me, I can't find what it is that's missing. Still, even with that little detail to serve as a personal bother, Grimm's story was marvellous and with many incredible twists!
"And the daughter wed the lion king... I love you, Gavrael McIllioch." - Jillian St. Clair. show less
Wow! Talk about a whiplash TO THE EXTREME! I guess God really does reward you if you're patient and manage to avoid strangling (fictional) people. (Yes, Adrienne and Hawk, I'm talking about you two!)
So... second book was... interesting. I didn't get my wish to never see the dreaded main couple of the first book on paper EVER AGAIN, but at least their page-time was kept to the minimum. The second book focuses on Hawk's best friend, Grimm Roderick. Our "unlucky" lad, happens to show more be a Berserker, which means once he enters a state of bloodlust, it's nearly impossible to stop and/or to tell friend from foe. Having witnessed his father kill his mother in his blood-induced rage, Grimm abandons his home, his position of wealth, and his original name. Hiding from his heritage - and the McKanes that are after his kind - he is found in the woods by Jillian St. Clair and her father, who take him in. But his enemies draw close after a while, so he leaves the St. Clairs in order to protect them. Years later, we find him living in Dalkeith, as Hawk's best friend, as seen in the first book. And now, some time after his friend finally found the woman of his dreams and married her, Grimm receives a mysterious letter by Gibraltar St. Clair, telling him that Jillian needs him. He instanly rushes to Caithness, only to realize that the cunning old man has brought two more men in his home, with one thing in mind - marry his daughter off to the one who will manage to make her fall in love with him. Grimm wants nothing more than to flee as far away from this place as possible - no matter what his Berserker side wants to do with the only woman who ever held his heart. But Jillian, clever woman that she is, has other plans in store for her first childhood love...
To Tame A Highland Warrior was a definite improvement fromBeyond the Highland Mist - but it still lacked something which I can't name yet. In any case, I loved the main couple. I have already expressed how much I appreciate Grimm as a character - in the first book's review - and I don't mind repeating myself here: the man is wonderful! He's honorable - sometimes to the point of driving the readers and Jillian mad - , sweet, funny, protective, and reliable - all the things a true Alpha male should be. He denies himself his one true love because he fears he'll hurt her, and, since Berserkers can't really enjoy lovemaking unless it's with their destined mate, he had to keep his distance from erotic acts in general, which makes his case even more adorable.
Buried beneath a mound of rubble-the debris from a past she was beginning to suspect had been more brutal than she could comprehend there was a very real, vulnerable man.
She'd seen in his stark gaze that he desired her, but more significantly, that he had feelings so deep he couldn't express them, and subsequently did everything in his power to deny them.
Jillian was one of the most intelligent young women I've read about, and the most understanding - no wonder she was able to instantly pick up his quirks and decipher his attitude and manners. And seeing as she's my age, this gave her even more of a boost in my list - girls at that age simply don't think reasonably and they certainly don't show any sign of understanding and open-mindedness, of acceptance. She knows what she wants, and she's not afraid to go after it - in fact, she refuses anything but what she desires, leaving no room for compromises. She's not a "hot'n'cold" gal, which is another plus, as this shows maturity and a steady character with depth. And her mind really works, catching all the signs and later on working them out to find the truth.
"I would live any kind of life I had to live, so long as I lived it with you, Grimm Roderick."
Almost all the other characters were as lovely as ever. If there's one thing I like about Karen Marie Moning, it's her secondary characters. They make me fall in love with them and wish they had their own HEA. Take Quinn for example. I loved Quinn. Even though the sweet, romantic prince is not my type, Quinn honestly managed to make my girly side swoon. The only thing I found negative was Kaley's obsession to have Jillian marry him - of course, it's not the guy's fault that the obnoxious woman got stuck with that idea just because she saw Mr. Prince Charming. I still ended up cursing his name by the 4th time I read about Kaley running her trap about him and Jillian... Like anyonecared about that pairing when we could actually have something much better with Jillian and Grimm united...
Same goes with Elizabeth. What is wrong with that woman?! Why can she not decide what she wants? First, she wants Quinn to be her son-in-law, then she says she wants Jillian to choose with her heart, and then, when said heart chooses Grimm, she's against that decision. Oh, but wait, she actually comes around when she sees how much her daughter loves the Berserker, only to frown again when he abducts her from her fake wedding with Quinn. What is with some of those women that follow in Adrienne's path when it comes to deciding? Oh, dear Lord, the headache...
At least Jillian was nowhere near that failure of feminity. So there's that, at least.
The world-building is as professional as ever, the accents one of the best part of Moning's writing, and of course, the humor never seems to stop. Sarcasm seems to be her strong feature, and she uses it well and to her advantage, to make the story more lively and interesting - as if it wasn't enough to have a unique plot and characters. And the love scenes were scorching hot!
He caught her questing hand and pinned it against the wall above her head. Only when he had secured both her hands did he change the tempo of the kiss, turning it into a teasing, playful flicker of his tongue, probing, then withdrawing, until she was gasping for more.
Compared to the first book, this one was by far better. But, like I said, there was something missing, something that kept me from fully enjoying it, and for the life of me, I can't find what it is that's missing. Still, even with that little detail to serve as a personal bother, Grimm's story was marvellous and with many incredible twists!
"And the daughter wed the lion king... I love you, Gavrael McIllioch." - Jillian St. Clair. show less
The first book in Karen Marie Moning's Highlander series was just kind of okay, so I wasn't expecting much from the sequel. But I actually rather enjoyed it (I say "rather" when in reality I read the whole book in one afternoon).
I actually liked the hero and the heroine. Grimm, while still the self-pitying hero that plagues romance novels, is a very interesting character with an actually interesting oddity about him. Jillian's not the stereotypical firey heroine either, though she's certainly not some damsel in distress. Both characters find a nice balance between clichés.
The plot is actually pretty nice too. It's not so complicated that it gets lost in the romance, but it's not so simple that it leaves the book a plotless series of show more shmexy scenes. The only major fault I would care to mention is that the ending explanation is a little too hasty. I think it could've been expanded a little to properly match the expansive mystery of the rest of the book. It's like wrapping up an enthralling mystery by just saying, "Oh, the butler did it."
But overall, To Tame A Highland Warrior is a surprisingly good historical/fantasy romance. show less
I actually liked the hero and the heroine. Grimm, while still the self-pitying hero that plagues romance novels, is a very interesting character with an actually interesting oddity about him. Jillian's not the stereotypical firey heroine either, though she's certainly not some damsel in distress. Both characters find a nice balance between clichés.
The plot is actually pretty nice too. It's not so complicated that it gets lost in the romance, but it's not so simple that it leaves the book a plotless series of show more shmexy scenes. The only major fault I would care to mention is that the ending explanation is a little too hasty. I think it could've been expanded a little to properly match the expansive mystery of the rest of the book. It's like wrapping up an enthralling mystery by just saying, "Oh, the butler did it."
But overall, To Tame A Highland Warrior is a surprisingly good historical/fantasy romance. show less
And my love for Highlanders continues. This book is about Gavrael "Grimm" who we met briefly in Beyond The Highland Mist. I loved his character in that one, so at the end when Adrienne made her wish upon a star which totally frazzled him, I knew I couldn't wait to find out what would happen to him.
Fourteen year old Grimm witnessed the massacre of his village at the hands of a rival clan. In anger he begs the God Odin to turn him into a Berserker so he can have his revenge. It works, but the villagers now fear him and he thinks his father killed his mother during the Berserker madness. He flees his clan and finds a home with the St. Clairs. Grimm has loved Jillian since they were children, but he refuses to act upon it because of his show more secrets. When Jillian begins to profess her love to him, he flees. Years later a mysterious message from Jillian's father brings him back. Once again he has to fight temptation and keep Jillian at arm's length.
Jillian's parents, Gibraltar and Elizabeth are hilarious. He is a meddling, sly old fox and she is a mother hen. Gibraltar summons three men who he thinks are worthy of his daughter and hopes that she will pick one of them - Quinn, a childhood friend, Logan, a cad, and Grimm. It's so cliche, but I suppose jealousy works wonders to spur a man into action.
Jillian is a rather likable character. She never does as she's told, she's feisty, confrontational and very persistent. Naturally Grimm is the target for all of Jillian's traits which slowly chip away at his resolve. They have so many moments where they try to express what they feel with harsh words and actions. Pretty much 3/4 of the book deals with the push and pull between them.
Grimm is brooding but he has a really good heart. He's often told that he's clueless when it comes to Jillian, but I can't really fault him for that because women often tend to play "games" instead of just stating what they want. He's just not the "read between the lines" type of guy. I felt myself flush at every mention of him in his tartan and war braids. There's nothing hotter!
I'm giving it 5 stars because I'd definitely read it again for the laughs. show less
Fourteen year old Grimm witnessed the massacre of his village at the hands of a rival clan. In anger he begs the God Odin to turn him into a Berserker so he can have his revenge. It works, but the villagers now fear him and he thinks his father killed his mother during the Berserker madness. He flees his clan and finds a home with the St. Clairs. Grimm has loved Jillian since they were children, but he refuses to act upon it because of his show more secrets. When Jillian begins to profess her love to him, he flees. Years later a mysterious message from Jillian's father brings him back. Once again he has to fight temptation and keep Jillian at arm's length.
Jillian's parents, Gibraltar and Elizabeth are hilarious. He is a meddling, sly old fox and she is a mother hen. Gibraltar summons three men who he thinks are worthy of his daughter and hopes that she will pick one of them - Quinn, a childhood friend, Logan, a cad, and Grimm. It's so cliche, but I suppose jealousy works wonders to spur a man into action.
Jillian is a rather likable character. She never does as she's told, she's feisty, confrontational and very persistent. Naturally Grimm is the target for all of Jillian's traits which slowly chip away at his resolve. They have so many moments where they try to express what they feel with harsh words and actions. Pretty much 3/4 of the book deals with the push and pull between them.
Grimm is brooding but he has a really good heart. He's often told that he's clueless when it comes to Jillian, but I can't really fault him for that because women often tend to play "games" instead of just stating what they want. He's just not the "read between the lines" type of guy. I felt myself flush at every mention of him in his tartan and war braids. There's nothing hotter!
I'm giving it 5 stars because I'd definitely read it again for the laughs. show less
Well, okay then. We certainly had no hint in [b:Beyond the Highland Mist|743599|Beyond the Highland Mist (Highlander, #1)|Karen Marie Moning|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1303017809s/743599.jpg|729750] that Grimm was anything special. In fact, I wasn't sure whether to like him. I love a tortured, vulnerable hero. Possibly more than I like a 100% alpha male. I didn't like that he took her to bed then took off, though. I guess assuming that Quinn would marry her made it "okay", but in that time, being an unwed mother was a huge deal. I did love that once he kissed her the first time and knew she was his true mate, he never touched another woman. Curse or not, that's much better than him screwing everything that moved.
Members
- Recently Added By
Author Information
37 Works 36,761 Members
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
Some Editions
Series
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
- To Tame a Highland Warrior
- Original title
- To Tame a Highland Warrior
- Original publication date
- 1999-12-01
- People/Characters
- Jillian St.Clair; Gavrael Roderick Icarus McIllioch "Grimm"; Ronin McIllioch; Hawk Douglas; Adrienne Douglas; Gibraltar St. Clair (show all 11); Elizabeth St. Clair; Quinn de Moncreiffe; Ramsay Logan; Hatchard; Kaley Twillow
- Important places
- Maldebann Castle, Scotland, UK (fictional); Wotan's Cleft, Scotland, UK (fictional); Tuluth, Scotland, UK (fictional); Dalkeith-Upon-the-Sea, Scotland, UK (fictional); Caithness Castle, Scotland, UK (fictional)
- First words
- THE SCREAMING HAD TO STOP. He couldn’t endure it another minute, yet he knew he was helpless to save them. His family, his clan, his best friend Arron, with whom he’d ridden the heather fields only yesterday, and his moth... (show all)er—oh, but his mother was another story; her murder had presaged this … this … barbaric …
- Quotations
- Hear me Odin, I summon the Beserker! I Gravrael Roderick Icarus McIllioch, offer my life - nay, my soul - for vengeance. I command the Berserker!
Politely inquire? You call a barely grunted and entirely put-upon-sounding 'what' a polite inquiry? A 'what' that says 'how dare you invade my space with your pitiful sounds? A 'what' that says, 'could you please go die so... (show all)mewhere else, peahen?
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 1,775
- Popularity
- 12,305
- Reviews
- 48
- Rating
- (3.93)
- Languages
- 6 — English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese (Portugal)
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 31
- ASINs
- 9