The Ranger: A Highland Guard Novel

This love was doomed from the start! How could they get pass the betrayal? I just couldn’t see how it could ever work.

Ever since Arthur Campbell was a lad and witnessed the murder of his father by John MacDougall, Lord of Lorn, he has wanted justice. MacDougall lied and said that he killed him in battle but Arthur saw his father have John of Lorn down. MacDougall admitted defeat and once Arthur’s father turned his back killed him, only stabbing him in the stomach because Arthur called out a warning to his father who turned just as the sword made impact. Arthur ran and hid in the woods for weeks when MacDougall’s men went after him and when he finally emerged from the woods, it was too late. His family’s lands had been taken.

Now, show more Arthur is part of a secret team for Robert Bruce. He has been posing as a knight in the enemy’s camp for the last couple of years. Bruce has asked him to join John MacDougall at his castle as a spy to find out how MacDougall is getting messages to his allies.

Anna MacDougall has been asked to keep an eye on the handsome, mysterious and quiet knight, Arthur Campbell who would rather stay in the background and observe rather than be the center of attention. Her father just wants to be sure that he has nothing to hide since he knows the Campbell brothers are split down the middle…three are on the side of Robert Bruce and three are on his side.

Anna finds every excuse to be around Arthur Campbell to the point where she looks like she is throwing herself at him. I cracked up at some of her antics. She is strangely drawn to the knight even though he seems to be doing everything to discourage her. He has been abrupt and almost rude to her in his avoidance of her.
Arthur can’t let himself get involved with Anna MacDougall. It wouldn’t end well seeing as he is out to ruin her father. Yet he can’t keep her off of his mind.
When it is apparent that the MacDougall’s will lose everything if the Earl of Ross does not join forces with them, Anna decides to accept the proposal of Ross’s son, Hugh, to save her clan. She travels the four days to see Hugh Ross. Arthur is one of her guards on the trip. It’s not until Arthur sees Anna with Hugh Ross that he realizes that he is in love with her. Hugh notices the chemistry between Anna and Arthur and decides not to go through with the betrothal but his father was not going to join forces with the MacDougall’s even if he would have married her so it was a moot plan anyway.

Even after Arthur admits to himself that he loves Anna, he knows that they can never be together because once she discovers that he is a spy, she will never forgive him.
I was on the edge of my seat….okay, so I wasn’t actually on the edge of my seat but may have clenched my butt cheeks during a few tense moments while reading this book. I kept hoping Arthur wouldn’t get caught or killed and there were a few close calls.
The author makes me laugh a lot. The way Anna’s puppy adored Arthur and would get so excited it would pee on Arthur’s feet had me rolling.

I’m not going to give the ending away but…it is a romance so….

I’m excited to read the next book, The Viper, because it is about Lachlan MacRuairi who none of the warriors seem to trust but has come through for them more than once so I am interested in getting his story.

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Arthur was fantastic. He struggled with so much, but he was able to come to terms with it all—and he finally got his dues! I loved that Anna, although she also had to come to terms with a lot, hardly wavered in her faith in Arthur and wasn't totally blinded by her familial loyalty. This book repeats a refrain that runs through the series. Each hero is "a man who would stand down dragons and crawl through the fires of hell" (380), yet McCarty's heroes and heroines have all been distinct so far. It would be easy in a series like this for the characters to blend together, but they don't.

I'm reading this book for the third/ fourth time and I'm loving it like if it was the first time.

There is something in the way that Monica McCarty writes that keeps me spellbound. I love how she tangles the real history with the fiction and comes with an incredible and believable novel.
The heroes are well constructed, the environment is based in real facts and places and the romance is credible and of course, the hot scenes are a plus as well as the cover.

So far this is, for me, the book with more deepness. Arthur Campbell and Anna MacDougall, the heroes, have a sense of deepness and intelligence that is not so present in the others characters. They face some serious challenges, angst and sorrow and both must do what they need to do in show more order to keep alive what they believe.
This is one of my favorites in the series. show less

3.5 perhaps. The heroine was a bit immature/childlike, but not as trying as some of McCarty's heroines (they tend to irritate me). The story scenario was complicated, but the telling of it felt a little simplified. I did quite enjoy the hero trying his best to resist the heroine and failing. >=D And the hurdle keeping them apart was a genuinely significant one, which I appreciate! It grew on me.

The plot of this book was tremendously entertaining. I loved the ins and outs of this story. The history, the espionage, the intrigue. It was very well thought out and delivered.

I had a few problems. However minor that they were. I did not like the whole instant lust feeling in the beginning of the story. Way to cheesy. However the story was salvaged and redeemed with all the intricate details and plot twists. Also it left me wondering what happened to some of the characters. I am hoping they will be in other books of the series. Which has so far been the case.

The story is about Arthur (Ranger) Campbell and Anna MacDougall. Arthur is a man torn by duty and honor. He is a member of the Highland Guard. He is sent to spy on Anna's father, show more the man who murdered his father. He does everything in his power to avoid Anna. But she is relentless in her pursuit of him. She eventually wears down his resolve. But fate is conspiring against them.

This book is highly entertaining with lots of twists and turns. A thoroughly enjoyable ride. I highly recommend this series. show less

AUTHOR - love Monica's historical style of writing.

SYNOPSIS
Set in a time when some clans supported invading England and other clans fought for Scotland rule under "Bruce". A man supporting one side but falls in love with a woman from an opposing clan.

FAVORITE PART: Arthur interferes with Anna marrying Alan

LEAST FAVORITE PART: Difficult to understand the differences between the clans and which side supported England and which side fought for Scotland's independence. Difficult to understand which clan hated the other and why.

SEX SCALE: Of the following five options: 1) NOT very descriptive and requires imagination' 2) WILL make you wiggle a little) 3) WISH it was me; 4) OH boy, do not have to use my imagination at all; 5) EROTICA and show more well over the top
******WILL make you wiggle a little (and when they finally got around to it) WISH it was me******

YOU WILL LIKE THIS BOOK IF YOU LIKE: Scotland history. How vicious clans can be when they are divided over who will rule over them. Something along the lines of "Special Forces" with a love relationship that confuses sides and allegiance.

FOUR STARS - I enjoyed her writing because at the end, she explained the historical value. I found her writing to be a bit confusing however, it is not the author's fault that I read the book out of order. I look forward to correcting that problem (see series list below)

MacLeods of Skye
1. Highlander Untamed (2007)
2. Highlander Unmasked (2007)
3. Highlander Unchained (2007)

Campbell Trilogy
1. Highland Warrior (2009)
2. Highland Outlaw (2009)
3. Highland Scoundrel (2009)

Highland Guard
1. The Chief (2010)
2. The Hawk (2010)
3. The Ranger (2010)
4. The Viper (2011) show less

Engaging! Each story focuses on a different member of the guard while still having all the characters you've met in previous books. The history of the the Bruce a great basis for this series. I love the historical descriptorsat the end of each book.