Conquered by a Highlander (Children of the Mist #4) by Paula Quinn

Apr 16, 2013 Duchess Nicole rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites-of-all-time, favorites, favorite-heroes, genre-historical-romance, highland, read-in-2013, library, z-audiobooks

My favorite of the series so far, by leaps and bounds! Colin MacGregor has captured my heart!

I'm a sucker for a romance with kids involved, especially when a big, strong tough guy is laid low by a woman and her tiny kid. Colin MacGregor, the fierce and mighty warrior, spy for the English King, was certainly felled by Gillian and her son Edmond!

As the story opens, we meet up with Colin again. (all character pics are from Paula's website)

Last we knew of him, he had just joined King James Englis...more My favorite of the series so far, by leaps and bounds! Colin MacGregor has captured my heart!

I'm a sucker for a romance with kids involved, especially when a big, strong tough guy is laid low by a woman and her tiny kid. Colin MacGregor, the fierce and mighty warrior, spy for the English King, was certainly felled by Gillian and her son Edmond!

As the story opens, we meet up with Colin again. (all character pics are from Paula's website)

Last we knew of him, he had just joined King James English army and already had a fierce demeanor...this guy was gung ho all the way to fight and lead! Now he has traveled to Dartmouth Castle as a spy, in search of information that will help smash the rebellion and attempted usurper of the James enemy.

When he gets to his destination, he finds a castle filled with foul, stinking, lazy men who are supposedly the fighters for the enemy. This men are pigs, and yet among them all, there is Lady Gillian.

She is quiet and proud, though she is treated like garbage because she had a son out of wedlock. Banished from her home by her father, she was sent to live at Dartmouth with her cousin. But her cousin is the traitor that Colin was sent to uncover, and the way that he treats Gillian only makes Colin grow more distasteful of him. Gillian needs to be on constant guard from the men at Dartmouth, but most especially her cousin, who takes every opportunity to shame her in front of the men, and continually threatens the life of her son, Edmond, if she will not cave to his attentions. There's never quite so hateful a character than a man who abused women and children, and as Colin continually places himself between Gillian and her cousin, his attraction for this strong woman grows until he can't hide it any more.

This is so much more than the normal Highland romance...this was true passion...not only sexual, although my goodness, the heat level in Quinn's books is awesome!! But a passion for living a full life filled with people who respect and love you, the passion for your children that only a mother can feel, and the passion of a man who is turning his back on every belief he's ever known because of a woman and child.

This author, this series are fantastic, but this one outshines the rest for this reader! For any reader of Highland historical romance, I can't recommend this author enough. I will definitely be snatching up anything this lady can throw at me!!(less)

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May 30, 2012 The Window Seat rated it 5 of 5 stars

Win Conquered by a Highlander! Interview with Paula Quinn and giveaway... http://thewindowseat13.blogspot.com/p...

Ok, to be honest, I sort of heaved a big aggravated sigh when I choose to review this book. I always loved all the old Julie Garwood Highlander novels, but have never since found a really dependable Highlander author. For the most part, many of the books start the same. Someone is a spy (either the hero or the heroine) and the other one is hiding a secret that the spy has to figure o...more

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Jul 22, 2012 Shan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I may have said this before, but I love Paula Quinn and especially anything to do with the children of the mist. P.Quinn can do no wrong in my book. I hope there is a book for Will and Finn in the works (let me know if it is already in print somewhere). I have loved every last highlander and the women they love in every book that I have had the pleasure of reading so far. This is no different.

I think this one is so good because I had a while to get to Colin before his story was told,so I was al...more

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Jul 06, 2012 My Book Addiction and More MBA rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

CONQUERED BY A HIGHLANDER by Paula Quinn is an exciting Scottish Romance/historical romance.Book#4 in the Children of the Mist series,but can be read as a stand alone. See, “Book 1, RAVISHED BY A HIGHLANDER,In Book 2, SEDUCED BY A HIGHLANDER,and In Book 3, TAMED BY A HIGHLANDER”. What a conclusion to this fast paced,adventure filled story with characters that jump off the page and will capture your heart. Follow Lady Gillian Dearly and Colin MacGregor as they find passion,desire,love,betrayal,an...more

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Jun 29, 2012 Katinki rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: silly-little-highlander-romances

This is for all the MacGregors and Children of the Mist books (there's 6 altogether). On average, I'll say 2.5 stars, some being 2's and a couple of them being 3's.

What I liked:
- They're fun little reads and they made me laugh (intentional or not, I have no clue). The Scottish accents and wording made it rather fun - dinna, canna, nae, aye, wee lass, etc lol
- They're actually not terribly unbelievable from a historical standpoint. I really did like the historical context.
- I like how the boo...more

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Jun 10, 2012 Kristin Anders rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Historical Romance Readers, single mothers

Shelves: historical-romance, romance-books-reviewed

Conquered by a Highlander rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Children of the Mist series rating: 6 stars

Though Conquered is part of a series, it reads as a stand alone story with fulfilling character appearances from previous books.

How are the sex scenes?

A couple descriptive ones, the rest are behind closed doors.

How are the story lines?

Great. Detailed and historically accurate with character appearances from previous novels.

Would you read it again?

I plan to read this entire series again.

Summary

Conquer...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Brittany B. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: great-series, audiobook, 1favorites, favorite-narrator, rom_historical, rom_highlanders, rom_guilty-pleasures

3.5 stars.
This story just didn't work for me, though I was delusional about who the heroine was throughout much of the book. (I thought Gillian was Judith from the end of Mairi and Connor's book. The names sounded alike. I know it's idiotic)

I felt like the story was incredibly restrained by the heroine's circumstances. Imprisoned by her family to live with a pervert psycho cousin, and completely entrenched in bringing down the king Collin serves, Gillian never grew on me. Her situation with he...more

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Jun 20, 2012 Rachel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: scottish-romance

Once again, Paula Quinn has conquered me with her books. The last installment of the Children of the Mist cemented its place in my heart rather quickly. Colin is our true hero, with his goals in mind and his path clear before him. Gillian is a strong, determined female trying to make the best of her situation for her son. Edmund is an adorable little boy and Gates is a real friend. Watching Colin slowly begin to fall for Gillian and Edmund is fascinating. His hell bent desire to focus on his war...more

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Jun 15, 2012 Farrah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review also appears on my blog at http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspo...

Delightful romance and endless thrills...
Conquered by a Highlander was sweet, suspenseful, and near perfect.

First of all, I really admired Gillian. She was betrayed by the man she thought she loved and had a bastard child. Her father sent her to live with her creepy cousin as punishment. But, though it all, she was brave. She sacrificed her dignity daily to keep her son, Edmund, safe, she swallowed her pride constantl...more This review also appears on my blog at http://www.thegoldenruleof666.blogspo...

Delightful romance and endless thrills...
Conquered by a Highlander was sweet, suspenseful, and near perfect.

First of all, I really admired Gillian. She was betrayed by the man she thought she loved and had a bastard child. Her father sent her to live with her creepy cousin as punishment. But, though it all, she was brave. She sacrificed her dignity daily to keep her son, Edmund, safe, she swallowed her pride constantly, and yet she was still strong. It was very admirable. She was careful when she fell in love with Colin, but not stubborn. And she was able to trust him and the most important time, when he saved both her and her son's life. She's probably one of the best romance heroines ever.

Colin was sweet. By his own admission, when he arrived he was a heartless warrior. But he never really was, not with how kind he was to little Edmund, not with how sweet he was to Gillian. After falling in love with Gillian, he put her above his duty to the king. Their romance was both sweet and steamy, though neither were overwhelming; just the right amount of each, I would say. I loved them together, and I was SO happy with their ending.

Little Edmund was so freaking adorable! Oh my goodness, I wanted to give the little cutie a hug to many times. He was just precious, the cutest little thing ever. I adored him. But he wasn't just a cute face that kept me smiling, he was also instrumental in bringing Gillian and Colin together. He grew fond of Colin immediately and insisted that Colin come with him and Gillian whenever they went somewhere. I was happy with how things ended for him; the poor boy deserved some happiness after living with Gillian's creep of a cousin.

That brings us to the very man. He was truly awful. He wants Gillian, as his wife and in his bed. He's been using Edmund to control Gillian, while treating both horribly. Dear god, I hated his guts. I was so glad when karma came to bite him in the butt. If anything, I think he deserved even worse than what he got. He was truly terrible, but the ideal antagonist.

The setting was outstanding. For one, the politics were flawless, and added some political intrigue to the tale, though it wasn't at center stage. But the castle where Gillian is trapped, that's the most impressive part. The picture was painted perfectly. I felt the very atmosphere, the stifling misery and oppressiveness. It was always lingering, never allowing me to forget Gillian's incarceration in the terrible place. I loved that feel and applaud the author for doing such a fantastic job with it.

The one complaint I have is the beginning. After Gillian and Colin met, things seem to kind of hit a stand-still for a while. The two were at an impasse, and the story refused to move on until they resolved it. It took longer than it should have, but once the story started up again, everything was perfect. It wasn't a massive problem, and I was able to forget it once I moved past the block, but it bothered me enough to merit mention.

But, otherwise, I loved this book. Conquered by a Highlander is brilliant, a wonderful story with fantastic characters and a perfect ending.

4/5

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy!(less)

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May 28, 2012 Sha Mslvoe ♥♥♥ rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: highlander, historical-romance, medieval, on-nook, scottish-highland, keepers

Gilliand & Edmund has been hidden away in Dartmouth Castle

I love this book! Absolutely love it!!! I will say this book was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!! I love Colin. I love how Paula writes history in her books. It's wonderful. My GR friend, Carolyn loved him too! She says 'Paul is very good with her history and I, too, love how she weaves it into the story.' I second this!

It's so sad to see the series end, but Paula promised that more MacGregors are coming and I can't wait for Highland Heirs series....more

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Jun 01, 2012 Dottie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Definitely a keeper! Taken from my review at RomanceJunkies.com:

Colin MacGregor is a general in King James’ army. He was born to fight and relished it, but in the past three years, most of his battles had been political ones, not born in the battlefield. His wits were as sharp as his blade. However, lately he had begun to have doubts in the king, whose thirst for power was poisoning his actions. Still Colin would carry out his mission. He would once more use the name Colin Campbell and infiltrat...more Definitely a keeper! Taken from my review at RomanceJunkies.com:

Colin MacGregor is a general in King James’ army. He was born to fight and relished it, but in the past three years, most of his battles had been political ones, not born in the battlefield. His wits were as sharp as his blade. However, lately he had begun to have doubts in the king, whose thirst for power was poisoning his actions. Still Colin would carry out his mission. He would once more use the name Colin Campbell and infiltrate Dartmouth Castle. For years, he has been away from Scotland and longs to return there, but first, he has this last mission he must complete for the king. All of the information he has gathered from secret correspondence between England and Prince William led to Dartmouth Castle and Geoffrey Dearly, Earl of Devon and lord of Dartmouth. Upon his arrival, he spotted a beautiful woman up in the turrets and silently watched her for a few moments, not knowing why this particular woman seemed to affect him. Representing himself as a mercenary, Colin managed to infiltrate the castle.

Lady Gillian Dearly, Geoffrey’s cousin and the daughter of the Earl of Essex, was allowed to roam about unescorted for fear that she would be abducted by one of her cousin’s hired mercenaries. However, most of the men were too afraid of Captain Gates, who protected her, to do anything. Gillian had been guilty of falling in love and getting pregnant. She now has a three-year-old son, Edmund, who was born out of wedlock. Afterwards, her father had sent her to live with her cousin Geoffrey, since he was the only one who would take her in. However, Geoffrey has ulterior motives. He desires to have Gillian in his bed, but knows that unless he wed her first, he would make an enemy out of her father. Geoffrey does not lose a chance to taunt Gillian about her illegitimate child and his plans for her. He would like nothing better than to have the child killed and out of the picture. But he knows that Gillian would kill him in his sleep. Edmund is the reason she lives and breathes. She would do anything for him and take any abuse to keep him safe. All she longs for is to get away from Dartmouth Castle with her son and to never give into a man again. But she must bide her time. Even her father will have nothing to do with his grandson. Still that is fine, as she needs no one but Edmund to be happy. She has been writing to Prince William in the hopes that she can talk him out of giving her to Geoffrey in wedlock.

As Colin keeps an eye on Geoffrey, who is conspiring with Prince William against the king, he feels more and more protective of Gillian, who suffers much under the guardianship of her cousin. He is also drawn towards her little son, who sees in Colin the friend he so desperately longs for. His whole life has been built around battle and political maneuvers, but suddenly he sees his focus changing. Gillian tempts him as no other woman has ever done.

Watching how tenderly the brawny, mysterious highlander treats her son, and the passion in his eyes when he looks at her, she finds herself falling in love. But she knows all too well the cost of passion. Dare she hope for a future outside of the walls of Dartmouth Castle with this man she has come to love, or is he just using her for his own purposes?

A fast-paced tale, CONQUERED BY A HIGHLANDER, the fourth book in award winning author Paula Quinn’s CHILDREN OF THE MIST series, will captivate you from the very first page. Open this book and get carried away into the lush Scottish Highlands with brawny highlanders and the feisty woman who love them. The tender love that Colin feels for Gillian’s young son Edmund will capture your heart, as will the love between mother and son. Brimming with passion, humor, danger, suspense, clever banter, hunky highlanders, romance and a once-in-a-lifetime love, this story is unforgettable and an absolute keeper. Do not miss it! Although it is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone. But for further enjoyment, do not miss the other books in this exciting series; RAVISHED BY A HIGHLANDER, SEDUCED BY A HIGHLANDER and TAMED BY A HIGHLANDER.

Dottie, RomanceJunkies.com
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Jul 11, 2012 Lynelle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I am completely in love with Paula Quinn’s MacGregor clan! While the 1st three books in the Children of the Mist series are all happening around the same time, this book takes place 3 years in the future, which allows Colin to become more experienced and grow from his 19 years in the first few books.

Colin is the youngest son of the infamous Devil MacGregor and has prided himself to become as strong of a warrior as his father and has devoted himself to the war that is brewing to rid England of a...more I am completely in love with Paula Quinn’s MacGregor clan! While the 1st three books in the Children of the Mist series are all happening around the same time, this book takes place 3 years in the future, which allows Colin to become more experienced and grow from his 19 years in the first few books.

Colin is the youngest son of the infamous Devil MacGregor and has prided himself to become as strong of a warrior as his father and has devoted himself to the war that is brewing to rid England of a Catholic king. He has strongly believed in his cause, until recently when he’s not so sure that he believes in King James’ motivations anymore. After a brief visit home where he sees each of his siblings married and with kids, he’s off to one last task where he will disguise who his is and infiltrate his one of his enemy’s stronghold to seek out information before his army comes to destroy them. This is where he meets Gillian, cast out of her father’s home for becoming pregnant out of wedlock and forced into the custody of her disgusting cousin, who wants her so much but does everything he can to break her to his will.

Colin has never been a man to be swayed by a woman or anything to veer him off his path once it’s set, and his only focus has been battle and protecting his kin. He is a very smart and cunning warrior and General in the king’s army but something about Gillian and 3 year old Edmund draws him in. Gillian is one tough girl and I loved how devoted to her son she was and the lengths she was willing to go to in order protect him. Now Colin isn’t necessarily my favorite MacGregor off spring (I mean come on, he has some sexy older brothers, it’s not his fault) but he has definitely had me pondering him from the beginning with how closed off his was and how strict his focus is. I liked how we get to see a new side to Colin, one he didn’t even know he possessed, as he slowly falls for Edmund and then Gillian. It warms my heart whenever these big strong men show so much affection for children in stories, must be the mother in me.

As I said I am in love with the MacGregor clan and I am kicking myself for waiting so long to discover these books. I would recommend these books to anyone who likes Historical Romances; I mean seriously, you cannot go wrong with some crazy hot warrior Scotsmen ;) I will be eagerly looking forward to reading anything else that Paula Quinn writes in the future!
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Aug 02, 2012 Crystal Miles rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads

Let me preface this review with the fact that I do not normally read books like this. The title alone is enough to turn me away, let alone the cover. I won this book as a first-reads giveaway (I wanted to win a book, and the odds on this book were good). That being said, I ended up really liking this book.
Conquered by a Highlander involves the stories of two different people, Colin MacGregor and Gillian Dearly. He is fighting to serve his king (who he is not sure he still supports), and she is f...more

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Jun 01, 2012 Jen (Red Hot Books) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

There are two things that are important to Colin MacGregor: his clan and his job as an agent of the king. Both play a role in his latest mission. He must infiltrate the home of a traitor and uncover his plans. Geoffrey is part of conspiracy to help overthrow the pro-Catholic king to put a protestant sympathizer on the throne. Colin needs to find out who is aligning with Geoffrey and what the king needs to do secure his interests. After all, the MacGregors are Catholic and a protestant king would...more There are two things that are important to Colin MacGregor: his clan and his job as an agent of the king. Both play a role in his latest mission. He must infiltrate the home of a traitor and uncover his plans. Geoffrey is part of conspiracy to help overthrow the pro-Catholic king to put a protestant sympathizer on the throne. Colin needs to find out who is aligning with Geoffrey and what the king needs to do secure his interests. After all, the MacGregors are Catholic and a protestant king would make them targets. Colin ingratiates himself with Geoffrey and his men under an alter-ego... one willing to fight for their cause.

As soon he arrives at Dartmouth, Colin meets Geoffrey's cousin Gillian. She has been banished to her cousin's custody to raise her bastard son away from her noble family. She puts up a brave face but she is miserable. Geoffrey hates her son and he wants her in his bed. Only her guard George keeps her and young Edmund safe --not only from Geoffrey, but all of his men who lust after her.

The relationship between Colin and Gillian develops very, very slowly. He really falls for her son before he falls for her. And that is important because that little boy is her everything. It was very sweet, but it took forever for these two to so much as kiss. Too long. In fact, I felt the urge to skim a little, though mostly it was because of all the political stuff wrapped up in the story. I had a hard time keeping up with who all the players were and honestly, I didn't really care. I just wanted the damn romance to happen.

I did like the characters. Colin is a strong and capable Highlander whose heart softens beautifully for Edmund. Gillian is a strong woman, who does whatever is necessary to protect her child. Like I said, likeable and sweet, though not very hot. There's a little bit of lovin' toward the end, but not much.

Geoffrey makes a good villain. And I like that he is smarter than he appears. I also liked George, who had his own morality and loyalties.

I should point out that this is book four in Paula Quinn's Children of the Mist series. But it works just fine as a standalone.

Rating: C+

*ARC Provided by NetGalley(less)

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Jun 27, 2012 Johanna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Conquered by a Highlander
(Children on the Mist, Book #4)
by Paula Quinn

Rating: 4.5
Genre: Historical Romance

BOUND BY DUTY
Colin MacGregor was born to fight-for his beliefs, his king, and his family's honor. After years away from his beloved Scotland, he yearns to return to its lush, green hills-and he can, after he completes one final mission for the king. Sent to infiltrate a traitor's home, Colin is determined to expose the treasonous plot and triumph on the battlefield . . . until he meets a s...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Elis Madison rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bad-guys-galore, era-restoration, good-historical-detail, part-of-series, what-no-kilts, intrigue-is-good

This is the fourth in the Children of the Mist series. It's still late Restoration England, the latter part of James II/VII's reign. The king has recently edged past the line between monarch and tyrant. Colin MacGregor (this is the brother of Mairi from the last story) joined the royal guard in the last story. He is now something of a spy as well, but he's starting to have his doubts about his king.

He's been sent to Dartmouth, to the keep of the Earl of Devon, who is believed to be in the thick...more This is the fourth in the Children of the Mist series. It's still late Restoration England, the latter part of James II/VII's reign. The king has recently edged past the line between monarch and tyrant. Colin MacGregor (this is the brother of Mairi from the last story) joined the royal guard in the last story. He is now something of a spy as well, but he's starting to have his doubts about his king.

He's been sent to Dartmouth, to the keep of the Earl of Devon, who is believed to be in the thick of a plot by William of Orange to unseat James. Colin presents himself as a disenfranchised ex royal guardsman, who came to offer a little info about James' readiness, and a strong arm in the coming fight. The plan is for him to find out Devon's plans, and then call in his own men who wait nearby for a signal to attack. Every living person in this keep will die when the time comes.

Two of the living people in the keep are Gillian Dearly, the daughter of the Earl of Essex, and her little boy. She got knocked up by a commoner and when she refused to give up her baby, her father sent her to Devon. Devon can't seem to keep his slimy hands off the maidservants, but he's really tenting his justacorps for Gillian. When the conflict between William of Orange and James is over, he expects William will betroth him to Gillian as a reward (because noblemen in those days queued up to marry fallen women). Meanwhile he keeps her on a tight leash, and only two things keep him from anticipating the wedding night: First, there's Gillian herself—she might be forced to play nice with Devon because he threatens to banish her son if she doesn't, but she's also good with a dagger and she'll use it to keep what's left of her chastity. And second, there's Captain Gates—he's Devon's man, but he also stands ready to lop off the man-bits of anyone, including Devon, who messes with Lady Gillian. I'm not clear how either of those threats really works, since Devon holds the trump card, but conveniently, he's kept his man-bits under his own girly clothes thus far.

Colin has an inconvenient attack of conscience when it comes to Gillian and her adorable boy, but he reminds himself regularly that he's a heartless SOB. He'll do what he must to advance the cause of his king no matter who gets trampled in the process.

So when push comes to shove, does Colin continue to serve his unjust king, or does he follow his heart? The answer isn't any great surprise.

This one deserves something between 3-4 stars. It's one of the better stories of the series if only because there are intrigues and danger mixed with the "loves-me-loves-me-not" angst. Still not one of Quinn's best, but definitely above the curve.
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Jun 22, 2012 Kate rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, net-galley, galley, adult, historical, highland, hot-dude-cover, male-and-female-pov, meh, part-of-a-series, romance, switching-pov, reviewcopies

For this review and others like it visit my blog

A free copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for a review.

Conquered by a Highlander is the fifth book in the Children Of The Mist series. It is the first I have read but I didn’t need to read the books before in order to understand and follow this one.

There was a lot to admire about this book and there was a lot to enjoy as well. But it had its flaws which dampened my overall view of the book. The novel was full of detail I...more For this review and others like it visit my blog

A free copy of this book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for a review.

Conquered by a Highlander is the fifth book in the Children Of The Mist series. It is the first I have read but I didn’t need to read the books before in order to understand and follow this one.

There was a lot to admire about this book and there was a lot to enjoy as well. But it had its flaws which dampened my overall view of the book. The novel was full of detail I could visualise it all perfectly. I liked the storyline the romance wasn’t rushed which gave me a chance to get to know the characters before things got heavy.

Out of everything it was the characters that I enjoyed the most in this book. Gillian is amazing; she is smart, strong and full of spirit. She goes through a lot but makes all the right decisions. What I liked about her was her restraint when it came to the romance. Throughout the whole book she has to be careful of all her actions because she has a son who she doesn’t want to endanger. All of her decisions are made not because she is lusting over a man but because she is a devoted mother. It was nice to see a female character with more important things to think about than men and sex. Colin is another interesting character. At first I didn’t like him, he came across as heartless and arrogant. But it is through the interaction with not only Gillian but her son Edmund that he changes into a caring and compassionate man.

Another character worthy of a mention is Gates. It would have been so easy for Paula Quin to turn this story into a love triangle but she didn’t. Instead Gates is something else and he became my favourite character in the book. The villains in this novel are hideous it was not a half-hearted attempt to make them unlikeable, they were truly vile which is something else I liked about the book.

The romance was a slow burner, it took a while to get going which built up my anticipation. Unfortunately I couldn’t help but be underwhelmed by it when it finally happened. I just didn’t feel the emotion between the two characters. The biggest problem I had with this book was that not much seemed to happen at all. I found it a little long winded and wanted more to happen.

I did enjoy this book but was not blown away. It is a pleasant enough historical romance but lacked bite.(less)

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May 29, 2012 Erin Muses rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance

I have been eagerly awaiting the return of the MacGregors since stumbling on the rest of the series late last year and finding the 3rd/5th (Tamed by a Highlander) to be one of the most emotionally moving books I've read. Paula Quinn did not reach the bar that she set with Tamed, but she came close.

Colin MacGregor has spent the last three years of his life dedicated to the supporting King James' reign and dismantling opposition to the Catholic king's plans. He arrives at Dartmouth Castle to spy o...more

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Jul 12, 2012 Jackie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012, read-the-e-book-edition, e-arc-review-book-read, netgalley-e-book

Book Synopsis

BOUND BY DUTY

Colin MacGregor was born to fight-for his beliefs, his king, and his family's honor. After years away from his beloved Scotland, he yearns to return to its lush, green hills-and he can, after he completes one final mission for the king. Sent to infiltrate a traitor's home, Colin is determined to expose the treasonous plot and triumph on the battlefield . . . until he meets a sensual lass who tempts him towards other pursuits . . . .

BETRAYED BY PASSION

Lady Gillian Dearl...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Belinda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Colin MacGregor has taken a undercover assignment to seek out traitors who are against the King. Colin misses his beloved Scotland, but his duty to his King comes first. Hired by a man as a mercenary, Colin meets a beautiful lass named Lady Gillian Dearly. She has been living at the castle of her cousin because she has a son out of wedlock and banished from her home. Even though Gillian tries to protect her son from her vicious cousin, it's Colin who comes to her aid. She sees how her son is tre...more

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Nov 29, 2012 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I just want to start, by saying the premise of this story was just a bit different then the usual Highland Novel we see. Gillian, being cast out of the family home for having a child out of wedlock, she is now at the mercy of her cousin Geoffrey, Lord Devon. Geoffrey wants to marry her, but she doesn't want that. She just wants freedom for herself & her son Edmund.
Along comes Colin MacGregor, posing as a Campbell, his sword for hire, so he can uncover information on the upcoming arrival of...more I just want to start, by saying the premise of this story was just a bit different then the usual Highland Novel we see. Gillian, being cast out of the family home for having a child out of wedlock, she is now at the mercy of her cousin Geoffrey, Lord Devon. Geoffrey wants to marry her, but she doesn't want that. She just wants freedom for herself & her son Edmund.
Along comes Colin MacGregor, posing as a Campbell, his sword for hire, so he can uncover information on the upcoming arrival of Prince William of Orange, for King James. Going into the story, I expected that Colin & Gillian would have gobs of time to make eyes at eachother, and discover how great the other was, but that wasn't really the case. Colin wormed his way into Gillian's affection, by actually being nice, and accepting to Edmund. It appears no one in Dartmouth Castle knows how to be nice to a child, but his own mother, and no one else has any children either.
So while Colin is being a 'kid' with Edmund, Captian Gates is tasked with being Gillian's gaurdian, and champion. Captian Gates will take down anyone who threatens Gillian, and her virtue.
Colin & Gillian finally find some free time to talk, when she wants to know why he doesn't want to play with the boy anymore. Colin is attracted, but he's very cautious about showing any interest in her, because it is too dangerous. Gillian has her own ideas about Colin, but no oppertunity at first, to discover his true feelings. So you see, I spent quite a bit of the first half of the book, waiting for them to finally be alone together, to kiss, and discover eachothers attraction, but it took a while. When they finally did make time, it was good, and I really liked them together.
In the end Lord Devon didn't quite have the wool pulled over his eyes, like everyone was expecting. Geoffrey knew Gillian was trying to write to Willian of Orange, asking for freedom, He figured out that Colin Campbell was really General MacGregor, that The MacGregors took Edmund with them to Skye, and that MacGregor was passing info to messingers for King James. It seems the only things he didn't know was, King James was coming to invade the castle, and that Gillian carried a dagger on her person & knew how to use it. The whole ploy of gettig Edmund out of Dartmouth Castle was, long in the planning, but seemed seemless. And readers are all happy for the couple (at least I was) to have this time, away from prying eyes, while they traveled to Essex (Gillian's Fathers castle) to leave Edmund.
Colin has, at a few spots in this story, second thoughts about going to war for The King. He finally tells King James that he chooses to go home to Skye and live 'Happily Ever After' with Gillian. (less)

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May 05, 2012 Samantha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-s-challenge, historical, arc

Colin MacGregor believes in the mission of his King. He goes deep undercover to infiltrate one of the enemy’s home. The goal is to gather information about Prince William’s plans to over throne King James. However, his plans are derailed when he spots Gillian Dearly and her young babe, Edmund. The two are not a part of the plan and normally Colin never rule with his heart but each day that he spends around them, he realizes that sometimes he can’t act according to the plan.

Gillian is cast away b...more Colin MacGregor believes in the mission of his King. He goes deep undercover to infiltrate one of the enemy’s home. The goal is to gather information about Prince William’s plans to over throne King James. However, his plans are derailed when he spots Gillian Dearly and her young babe, Edmund. The two are not a part of the plan and normally Colin never rule with his heart but each day that he spends around them, he realizes that sometimes he can’t act according to the plan.

Gillian is cast away by her father to her cousin’s home to raise her bastard child. Suffering endless berating from her cousin and threats to take her child away, an escape appears so far away. There are not many she can trust but when the silent and deadly mercenary enters the compound, she and her son takes to his strength.

Quinn pens a wonderful story of hope, betrayal and love with true historical events in the background. Of course, I knew that William takes the throne so I became curious to know how Quinn would turn the events out and she masterfully weave the tale of the character’s mission to reflect the actual times.

Gillian is a strong female character whose triumph is long awaited. Colin and Gillian romance brews slowly in the background. I eagerly went through the pages waiting to see if Colin’s identity would be discovered, how he would defeat Prince William and if he could save Gillian and Edmund. Yes, there is the “big” misunderstanding but Quinn doesn’t dwell on it and quickly moves past it, much to my satisfaction.

While Colin initially started off like every Highlander male (strong, brooding, fierce warrior, etc.), his affections towards Edmund shows a vulnerable and caring side to him. The friendship that takes place between the two is so sweet and earnest that I couldn’t help but to fall for him.

Paula Quinn writing continues to get better and she is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers for highlander romances. I recommend this book for those who have enjoyed the previous books in this series.(less)

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Jun 20, 2012 Tina "coffee and books" rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: audio, historical-romance, part-of-a-series, reviewed

This is the 4th book in the Children of the Mist series by Paula Quinn. This is not my favorite of the series, but still a very good story. I would have given this a rating of 3 stars, but I really enjoy the narrator in this audiobook version, so I'm bumping it up.

Colin MacGregor is a warrior. It's in his Highlander blood. It's all he's ever wanted to do. He's risen in the ranks of King James army and now is a general, as well as a trusted friend to the King. Colin finds himself in the castle of...more This is the 4th book in the Children of the Mist series by Paula Quinn. This is not my favorite of the series, but still a very good story. I would have given this a rating of 3 stars, but I really enjoy the narrator in this audiobook version, so I'm bumping it up.

Colin MacGregor is a warrior. It's in his Highlander blood. It's all he's ever wanted to do. He's risen in the ranks of King James army and now is a general, as well as a trusted friend to the King. Colin finds himself in the castle of the Earl of Essex posing as a mercenary to gain information to find out if William of Orange is really a threat to the throne. King James has always had his respect and admiration. He's always been proud to serve his king and help to protect him. But, he's becoming power hungry and persecuting the protestants, which is exactly what was done to the Catholics and was Colin's sole reason for signing up with James in the first place. This weighs on his mind, but he's determined to help his king triumph. That is until he meets Gillian Dearly and her son Edmund.

Gillian Dearly has been cast out of her family's home, because she has born an illegitimate child, and sent to live with her cousin the Earl of Essex. She is subjected to his mean spirited jests about her being a whore and her son being a bastard. He means to force her to wed him once William is in power and send Edmund away. It doesn't matter that she despises him, that makes it all the more fun for him.

Colin walks a fine line between helping Gillian and keeping up his cover and serving his King.

Narrator Review:

Carrington MacDuffie does an amazing job narrating this series. You find yourself drifting into the story and forget you are just hearing it and not actually a part of it.

PROS:

This is a great Highlander story. I loved that Colin was the tough warrior one minute and the friend of a 4 year old the next. Gillian was such a strong and courageous character without coming off unbelievable. There were some great sub characters and we got to re-visit some of our favorites from the previous books.

CONS:

It's not the strongest book in the series. Had a few parts that just kind of dragged on, but not too bad. Edmund being such a perfectly, well behaved 4 year old was a bit hard to believe. But, not a deal breaker to the story. The constant verbal abuse from the Earl of Essex and his men gets old. We get the picture. He's mean and treats her badly. She will not be treated well if he gets his way and marries her.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this story. And if you like Audiobooks you can't go wrong with this one.(less)

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Feb 03, 2013 Justine Gauckler rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

How did I not know this was about the MacGregors? Well it is!!!! And oh man does Paula Quinn make her characters perfect. Colin is such a man and it takes him forever to figure out he's in love. Gillian was made as the perfect compliment to Colin. It took me about 2 pages to get me hooked. I loved the way she staged each chapter so that you had to finish reading it. I can see the mountains of Skye in my head and I will be dreaming of lochs and hills tonight. I didn't anticipate falling for a boo...more

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Jun 12, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I love this series and was soooooo happy to get my hands on Colin's story. I loved it!!! I seems like forever since I have visited Paula Quinns' MacGregors. And although we did not visit long with the rest of the clan it was great to get a quick update on everyone. I fell in love with Gillian and Edmunds charaachters. And was happy to see George join them on Skye, with his wife's family. I am super excited about the next generation, although I would have loved to see how Finn faired when it came...more

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Jun 09, 2012 Kari rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What a beautiful love story. I just love Paula Quinn's writing.

The story about Colin and Gillian is totally romantic, sensous and so awesome. There is not much hoochie going on until later and it is because of the real character development between the hero and heroine. The characters, the castle, the rooms, the landscapes and everything is meticulously described by the author. A very moving story. I wish I could give it 6 stars!

This is my second favorite from the MacGregors after Laird of the...more

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Mar 26, 2012 Melissa Porter rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The action starts within the first few pages catches you and keeps you going through out the whole book. I like how the descriptions are in depth but not over doing it. The emotional rollar coster ride that goes on in the heads of Colin and Gillian is a great ride.
I laughed out loud when I read about the peeing in the kegs. (Normally it takes a little more to get me to laugh out loud when I am reading but that did it) Great humor in the book was a bonus.
This was an awesome read. I would recomm...more

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Jan 31, 2013 Alisa Jenkins rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: highlanders, romance-historical, 2013-tbr-pile-challenge

This story is slow to get to the romance, but still good.
Gives lots of details of Lady Gillian's life harsh as it is and what she is suffering. Shows the love she has for her son. Captain George is set to protect her from all males including her cousin who she resides with. Devon wants her, but degrades her and threatens her son's life every chance he gets.
Devon is waiting for Prince William to arrive, and fight for the crown.
Colin is sent my King James to spy on Devon and get information of th...more

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Dec 01, 2012 Christine rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I received a free copy of this book from GoodReads' FirstReads program and this review is long overdue!

I was really torn between 2 and 3 stars for this book, but settled on 2 because it really was just OK. Not terrible or awful, but not good or great either. In fairness, this is not my usual type of book and I'm sure there are many fans of Paula Quinn who would grant this 4 or 5 stars and I totally respect that, it's just really not really for me. I was hoping it would be and entered the FirstRe...more I received a free copy of this book from GoodReads' FirstReads program and this review is long overdue!

I was really torn between 2 and 3 stars for this book, but settled on 2 because it really was just OK. Not terrible or awful, but not good or great either. In fairness, this is not my usual type of book and I'm sure there are many fans of Paula Quinn who would grant this 4 or 5 stars and I totally respect that, it's just really not really for me. I was hoping it would be and entered the FirstReads contest because I adore all things Scottish, am an avid reader of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander books, and was looking to try a different author with a similar setting. When all is said and done though, this book cannot hold a candle to Outlander.

I have to admit I nearly put this one down altogether. It took me a long time to really get into the story and the language nearly drove me mad! The dialogue read much like a novel set in the modern day would except with words like "'twas" and "mayhap" here and there. When I got to a sentence that started "Mayhap 'twas..." I nearly threw the book up in frustration. To me, it just felt like such a forced way to try to evoke another time period. The only real comparison I have is the Outlander books, but those are written with heavy Scottish dialogue that managed to feel much more authentic and add to the story instead of detract from it. I'll give credit where credit is due though, and when the Scottish men are talking in this novel, they do use words like "aye" and "lass" and their dialogue flows much better, without being so distracting.

My other main criticism of the book was that we spent a LOT of pages rehashing how Colin is a big tough warrior and he can't believe he's letting a woman and her son get under his skin and soften his heart. You're a Scottish brute with a heart of gold and you're showing a side of you no one has seen before - OK, OK, I get it! I get. Really.

For any fans of steamy romance looking forward to the "good stuff" know that it takes a real long time to get to there. (view spoiler)

Onto more mundane things, it's also important to note this book is part of a series. I'd heard it's not necessary to read the previous novels first and I definitely would agree that is true. I imagine readers who've been with the series from the beginning would appreciate this later volume more, but I had no problem following the story without having read any of the earlier books.

If you're looking for a quick romantic read, this is certainly not a bad book. If you're already a fan of Paula Quinn, please just ignore me because I'm sure you will like this one as well. But, if you're an Outlander fan and looking for another Scottish book you'll enjoy just as much, I'm afraid you'll likely be disappointed.(less)

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Jul 30, 2012 ♡KarLynP♡ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: genre-historical, genre-highlander, 2012-05-may, steam-warm, audiobook

4.5! This may be my favorite book in this series so far. I love a romance where the relationship slowly develops from more than just lust, but also from respect, friendship, and admiration. This was that kind of romance.

Both Colin and Lady Gillian had much to hide, and much at stake if their secrets are revealed. I normally don't like when the H/h keeps a lot of secrets from each other, but in this book it made perfect sense. I liked everything about the plot, and enjoyed each time more and more...more

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Conquered by a Highlander (Children of the Mist #4)

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