New Review: Paula Quinn’s CONQUERED BY A HIGHLANDER – Superb Storytelling in this next in the series

This is the 6th of Quinn's Highlander romances that tell the stories of the MacGregors of Skye and it’s truly a worthy installment. Her writing just gets better and better. This story begins in 1688, 3 years after TAMED BY A HIGHLANDER and tells of Colin MacGregor, who was featured in that book as an able young soldier just joining King James II's army. Now Colin is a seasoned warrior, an assassin for the king and a spy sent to Dartmouth Castle (pictured below) to uncover a plot of English nobles to support William of Orange and welcome his invading army.

Quinn has created a wonderful heroine in Lady Gillian Dearly, a single unwed mother and daughter of the Earl of Essex, who because of her son’s birth has been banished to this remote castle governed by her lecherous cousin, Lord Devon. She lives for her 3-year-old son, Edmund, who Colin befriends and teaches games, all the while he is ingratiating himself into the group of Devon’s men disguised as Colin Campbell. Quinn expertly captures the heart of the young mother.

As always, Quinn's story is true to history and weaves the characters' lives into the events that affected the times. Unlike some "historical" romance, Quinn actually gives you real history, not just a general background setting. That kind of research takes time, but it pays off in a tale that will hold readers captive. The plot is intriguing and will keep you turning pages. Her characters are well developed and believable and the romance slowly develops as Colin and Gillian gain admiration for each other.

I recommend this one and all in Quinn's Highlander romances (see full list below and my other reviews of her books). The first one, LAIRD OF THE MIST, is a particular favorite of mine (Callum MacGregor is my favorite of her drool worthy heroes).

The MacGregor Series:

Laird of the Mist (Callum MacGregor and Kate Campbell)
A Highlander Never Surrenders (Graham Grant and Claire Stuart)

Children of the Mist:

Ravished by a Highlander (Robert MacGregor and Davina Montgomery)
Seduced by a Highlander (Tristan MacGregor and Isobel Fergusson)
Tamed by a Highlander (Mairi MacGregor and Connor Grant)
Conquered by a Highlander (Colin MacGregor and Gillian Dearly)