Review: The Hawk by Monica McCarty

The Hawk
(Highland Guard, #2)
By: Monica McCarty
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Published: Aug. 31, 2010
Genre: Historical Romance
Rating:



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Handpicked by Robert the Bruce to help him in his quest to free Scotland from English rule, the elite warriors of the Highland Guard face their darkest days. When Bruce is forced to flee, his bid for freedom rests on the shoulders of one extraordinary warrior.

Erik MacSorley is a brilliant seafarer who has never encountered a wind he could not harness or a woman he could not win—until he drags a wet, half-naked nursemaid out of the waters off the Irish coast. Ellie's ordinary appearance belies the truth: She is in fact Lady Elyne de Burgh, the spirited daughter of the most powerful noble in Ireland. Worse, this irresistible woman is determined to prove herself immune to Erik's charms—a challenge he cannot resist.

Her captor may look every inch a rugged warrior, but Ellie vows that it will take more than a wickedly suggestive caress to impress her. Yet Erik will sweep away Ellie's resistance with a desire that resonates deep within her heart. Still, he is a man driven by loyalty, and she is a woman with secrets that could jeopardize Bruce's chance to reclaim his throne. As the battle for king and country sounds across the shores, will Ellie's love be enough to finally tame the legend known as the Hawk?

My thoughts...
The second book in the Highland Guard series does not disappoint.

When Ellie's younger sister calls her boring and challenges her to take a swim in the annual Virgin's Plunge, Ellie accepts the challenge. She decides to go for a swim away from the action and ends up coming across pirates apparently making a deal with one of the guards. She accidentally gives away her location and before she knows it, she's a captive on the pirates ship. However, these aren't your typical pirates. They seem more noble than most men.

I thought this was a great continuation to the story. I enjoyed Ellie a lot more than the protagonist from the last book. Ellie is smart and stubborn and she is not going to let the captain "Hawk" intimidate her, nor will she allow him to woo her over with his roguish charms. Which throws Hawk for a loop because ever since he was little, all he needed to do was flash his dimples and ladies ate out of the palm of his hand. So when he grudgingly takes Ellie onto his ship until his mission is complete, he is not too thrilled that she appears to not only refuse to listen to him but she constantly tries to boss him around and tell him what to do.
 
There is even more background woven into this story like the fact that Bruce is married to Ellie's sister. We don't really get a lot of time with the other members of the guard but I cannot wait to catch up with the other men and read their story.

Favorite quote...
"Erik was shocked into rare silence. For once a quick response did not slip from his tongue. Had she just compared him to a bloody peacock? First a dog, now a bird? He was one of the most feared warriors in the Highlands, personal guardsman to a king, henchman and kinsman to one of the most powerful leaders in the Western Isles, and chieftain on an ancient clan." 


Previous reviews from the Highland Guard series
The Chief