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The Hawk (Highland Guard #2)

by Monica McCarty (Goodreads Author)

4.26 of 5 stars 4.26 · rating details · 1,914 ratings · 139 reviews

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 no...more

ebook, 320 pages

Published August 31st 2010 by Ballantine Books

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Nov 25, 2012 Blacky *Mistress of doom* rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-historical, of-course, highlanders, 5-stars-for-quality, 4-stars-for-enjoyment

Can I just say how much I'm in love with all the covers from this series? I want one of those!!

The story in this one takes place (mostly) on Spoon Island

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After her sister persuades her to go to an annual ritual swim in the sea, Ellie gets kidnapped by Viking pirates (well, at least that's what she thinks

)
Hawk was at a meeting, securing more troops to Bruce's cause, when they spotted Ellie. Not being able to risk it if she were a spy, he takes her with him on his ship as a hostage, but prom...more

30 likes · like · see review

Nov 23, 2012 Laura the Highland Hussy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: highlander-books

Review posted at Demon Lover's Books & More

Okay, for all you who know me, we all know I'm a huge Monica McCarty fan- this book is no exception. I just love Erik MacSorley. He is half-Viking/half-Highlander and super hot! Erik is one of Robert Bruce's new elite Highland Guard. We met him in The Chief, and I loved him then-he's always got a joke and a ready come-back, but something about him makes me think it's a front.

This is a small quote about Erik that shows his devil-may-care attitude. He...more

20 likes · like · see review

May 13, 2013 Kari rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013ch, highlander-scot-irish

This is the second book in the Highland Guard series. It is a continuation of The Chief, but they do work as stand-alone. This is the story of Erik MacSorley (Hawk) and Lady Elyne de Burgh. Erik is working for Robert the Bruce, and during a secret meeting with some Irish mercenaries, Erik is forced to kidnap Ellie to protect her. They both hide their identities from each other, but they can't hide their mutual attraction. Erik is a half-highlander half-viking seafarer and a charming flirt. He wa...more

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Sep 21, 2010 Shawna rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of sexy highlanders

Shelves: historical-romance, highlanders-hunks-in-kilts-scots, im-a-cover-hottie-ho, monica-mccarty-highlanders, historical-romance-medieval-misc, historical-romance-scottish, pirates-sailors-vikings, rt-book-reviews-top-pick, hero-attractive-handsome-heartthrob, heroine-plain-jane-ugly-duckling, enemies-to-lovers-opposites-attract, cop-bodyguard-govop-merc-military, 2010-reads, captive-kidnapped-hostage-slave, hero-addict-excon-lawtrouble-thief, hero-bad-boy-playboy, hero-expert-skilled-voracious-lover, hero-mix-of-alpha-beta, hero-stud-mantel-hall-of-fame, heroine-kickass-spirited-strong, heroine-naïve-virgin-like-a-virgin, i-read-library, revenge-deception-secrets-lies, sizable-packages, beauty-is-in-the-eye-of-beholder, love-triangle-vying-courtships, hh-warrior, 4-stars, hh-spy-agent-for-crown-and-country, brothers-sisters-cousins-family, favorite-romance-series, hero-flirt-charmer-ladies-man, hero-player-manwhore-sex-addict, hero-authentic-uber-rake, star-crossed-lovers, hero-or-heroine-or-setting-irish, hero-affable-lovable-rogue

4 stars – Historical Romance

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Dec 02, 2011 Jocelin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: highlanders, favorites

This book was such a pleasure to read. First, I would like to say "thank you" to Monica McCarty for writing such a well-thought out story. It had everything in it; there was romance, action, a gripping story, strong characters. I was really sad when I was finished reading the book. I LOVED Eric "Hawk" MacSorley. He was a brash, charming, flirtatious rogue of a warrior. He was such a likeable character. He was a breath of fresh air compared to his captain "The Chief" Tor MaCleod. He knew when to...more

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May 13, 2013 Claire Saim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Après Le Chef, totale réussite du genre, Monica McCarty reprend le fil rouge de son intrigue, la garde secrète de Robert de Bruce, en guerre contre le roi Edouard d’Angleterre. Nous sommes entre l’Ecosse et l’Irlande, au 14e siècle. L’aventure commence...

Cette fois-ci, nous faisons la connaissance du lumineux Faucon, Erik MacSorley, marin émérite, homme droit et courageux, tout dévoué à la cause contre les anglais. Grand séducteur, il joue de son charme ravageur pour séduire les femmes, qu’il ai...more

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Oct 03, 2012 Nance rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, books-read-2012, nance-s-rrr-2012-challenge

***POSSIBLE SPOILERS PRESENT IN REVIEW***

As author, Monica McCarty’s, saga continues with the specialist band of warriors comissioned by Robert the Bruce to take over Scotland, we next encounter Erik MacSorley - extraordinaire-at-sea. The man has a great sense of humor and smolders with that twinkle-in-your-eye intensity. And, that’s exactly what Lady Elyne de Burgh witnesses after being captured while swimming near his boat off the north coast of Ireland. MacSorley is commissioned to slip undet...more ***POSSIBLE SPOILERS PRESENT IN REVIEW***

As author, Monica McCarty’s, saga continues with the specialist band of warriors comissioned by Robert the Bruce to take over Scotland, we next encounter Erik MacSorley - extraordinaire-at-sea. The man has a great sense of humor and smolders with that twinkle-in-your-eye intensity. And, that’s exactly what Lady Elyne de Burgh witnesses after being captured while swimming near his boat off the north coast of Ireland. MacSorley is commissioned to slip undetected past an English patrol ship while continuing on his way to Dunluce Castle to meet with Irish mercenaries. After her capture, he refuses to let Ellie go because she might have heard what their glorious group of bandits has planned. But, he just can’t kill her! He loves women – every woman! Uggh! And, to make matters worse, she’s trembling and pale! In other words, scared to death! Oh, damn! What does Erik, “The Hawk”, do with her now? Well, she’ll just have to stay with them until he finishes his mission - then he’ll decide just what he’s going to do. Poor Ellie! How did she get herself into this mess? All she wanted to do was go for a swim! Now look at the danger she could be in. When she first meets Erik, she is totally entranced by his mesmerizing blue eyes, sculpted handsomeness, and powerful muscular physique. But, she can’t resist seeing him for what he really is - a pirate, a warrior, a rogue gone bad. She tries to make him see that it was only a mistake that he had come upon her. But, there’s no way that he’s going to let her go. Who knows what she had heard them talking about? He just can’t take that chance – for the good of Robert Bruce and The Guard. And so begins Erik and Ellie’s romantic quest to find true love – a passion not bound by dowrys or titles, but by honesty, trust, and devotion. Two amazingly strong characters that were tied together by a cause so vital - each honorably obligated to the opposite side. What will these two characters find together? Will they survive the hardships of a war only to decide that “the cause” is more important than their relationship? Or, will their love be that strong that they will find some sort of compromise so they can be together forever? Erik and Ellie were great together! I loved both of them immensely! Erik was a funny guy – great sense of humor and just radiating that intense heat. Couldn’t help but love him to death! While Ellie, was, of course beautiful, but feisty and not afraid. She had a backbone – always standing up for what she believed in. And happily, in the end, she believed in Erik. Within him was where her heart was entombed – forevermore to stay. Great book! Can’t wait to read the next book in the series, The Ranger! Ms. McCarty does it again!!(less)

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Jun 28, 2011 Melody rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, angst-forlorn-couples, deception, historical-romance, highlander-novels, monica-mccarty, forbidden-love, uptight-heroine, wish-i-hadn-t-bought, sell-back, opposites-attract, battle-of-wills, kidnap-captured, adventure, heroes-w-hilarious-sense-of-humor, rake-playboy, virgin-heroine, bad-boy, not-worth-buying, kiss-me-i-m-irish, stockholm-syndrome, plain-jane

3.5 stars

Second book from the Highland Guard series. This was okay for me. Good but not great. Character-wise I liked it a lot better then the first book but as for plot..kind of meh. My fav so far from this series is third book that follows this.

As much as I admire McCarty's skill of backing up her stories with a lot of historical facts and information I'm starting to wish she would not pack it in so much, especially in one book. It's getting into 'overkill' territory with all the information...more 3.5 stars

Second book from the Highland Guard series. This was okay for me. Good but not great. Character-wise I liked it a lot better then the first book but as for plot..kind of meh. My fav so far from this series is third book that follows this.

As much as I admire McCarty's skill of backing up her stories with a lot of historical facts and information I'm starting to wish she would not pack it in so much, especially in one book. It's getting into 'overkill' territory with all the information some that I think isn't even necessary? Here I felt it started to get in the way of the initial story and the continuous reminders of who is who, who's the enemy of who, who's dead, which guard is where, what territory they are on, etc etc etc just makes it hard to follow and kind of redundant and long-winded to read. I felt my head was spinning with all the events and facts that kept getting pummeled in. She gives cues in the beginning of each book to remind/introduce readers where we are exactly timeline-wise and which guard is where. But that's all that is needed IMO. I swear I kept getting thrown off with all the kings, lords, clan names and Islands that were named in here, you really have to pay attention or else you are completely lost. I can't tell you how many times I confused characters up. I just felt a lot of the backdrop *clutter* wasn't necessary in this one.

Aside from that I loved the hero in this, Erik "Hawk" MacSorley. Such a charming, witty, outgoing, delicious, adventurous, saucey character who I couldn't help but love. He meets his match in Lady Elyne de Burgh, daughter of a powerful Irish Lord. This was a surprising switch of roles where the hero was the chaser and the heroine was the 'seducer', in other words resistant to his charms. lol Erik is known to be a big flirt who always has ladies at his feet, he loves women and makes no apologies for it. Ellie is the first woman to not be impressed with his good looks and outrageous charm and he doesn't know how to handle it. I must say the reversal of roles was surprising and fun to read. It's usually the other way around where the heroine has to fight to win the hero's affections and make him open up his heart to love. But Erik here isn't the only one who had cynical views on love and marriage, Ellie holds no dreams on love and always tries to be 'realistic'. Ellie is definitely not the typical heroine, she's outspoken, independent and too serious for her own good and a tad haughty at times. I did sometimes find myself wishing she was a little less serious and loosen up but I understood the author's intention. I guess one of the main reasons this book didn't grab me so much was the heroine. I felt she was too uptight and serious for my taste. She's the polar opposite of Erik's playful witty outgoing personality and it made the story a little stale and less fun. I've always loved the opposites attract dynamic between the H/HR but in this I felt they were mismatched as a pair. Still, it was interesting seeing the two clash and bring out a side from each other that wasn't there before.

While I wasn't overly enthralled with the love story as I was in McCarty's previous books from her other series, it was a nice read. Can't wait to see who the next book will be on. ;) (less)

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Jan 27, 2011 May Mostly Romance rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

หากจะใช้คำว่าผิดหวัง กับหนังสือเรื่อง The Chief ซึ่งเป็นเล่มแรกในหนังสือชุดนี้ก็คงจะน้อยเกินไปค่ะ เพราะมันน่าผิดหวังมากเสียจนแม็กซ์ขยาดไม่กล้าหยิบเล่มสอง (The Hawk) มาอ่านเลยล่ะ

แต่แล้วหลังจากทำตัวเป็นคนดี จัดหนังสือเข้าชั้นในช่วงวันปีใหม่ จู่ ๆ แม็กซ์ก็รู้สึกอยากอ่านเรื่อง The Ranger ซึ่งเป็นเล่มสามในชุดอย่างมาก ความอยากอ่านมีมากพอที่จะทำให้เราตัดสินใจหยิบเอาเล่มสองมาอ่านก่อน ตามประสาคนที่ (พยายาม) อ่านหนังสือเรียงกันตามลำดับในชุด

สิ่งที่ไม่คาดคิดก็คือ เรื่อง The Hawk ดันสนุกกว่าที่คิดมาก ๆ เลยล...more

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Jan 13, 2011 Tyra Berger rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I love The Highland Guard novels because they are thrilling, and the characters have bigger than life persona's. Hawk totally fits that description, he is agressive, daring, reckless, handsome, and charming. He practically leaps off the page. He is a born leader and his actions matched his descriptions.

Ellie is described as a plain woman but I think the fact that she didn't immediately throw herself at Hawk was what first drew his attention to her. I think it was her personality and her lust for...more

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Oct 25, 2010 Lady Rogue 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 loved the chemistry between Erik and Elle. While Erik struggled with his attraction to her with both his sense of duty and the honorable thing between right and wrong, Elle was seeking adventure and love from someone who could look past her title and position. I found Erik's character to be adventureous, fun loving, and reckless, but he was also loyal to a cause, serious when he needed to be, and fearless when it was required. But, like all men, he also has his pride and was often at times arr...more

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Sep 05, 2010 Angela James rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, historical

I really loved the first book so I was disappointed that I didn't have the same feelings about this one. First, we start off with a prologue in Robert Bruce's POV, all to establish the history of the legend of how he saw a spider that didn't give up and it motivated him to keep fighting for his crown. The prologue was slow enough, and felt somewhat unrelevant, that I almost gave up on the book during it.

Then, throughout the book, from beginning to end, the author repeatedly told us that the Hig...more

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Dec 03, 2012 Esther rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Well, this is my second highland guard novel. I read #6 first, and although I liked it, I didn't love it. I've been downloading them from my online library, hence the lack of sequence in my reading. I downloaded this one, the story of Hawk, and was pleasantly surprised. I loved it!!! I love the characters, especially Ellie. She's described as plain and ordinary, but she is far from that. Our hero, Erik, is described as handsome, beautiful and carefree, but he's much more than that. They are thr...more

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May 21, 2013 Chonticha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Compared to the first book in the series, The Hawk was a bit of a let down for me. The pacing in the first half of the book is quite slow with very little happening, but thankfully the story gains speed in the second half, which is also where the Robert the Bruce storyline is picked up again.

The hero, Erik (a.k.a. The Hawk), is absolutely wonderful and larger than life. One thing I definitely love about the Highland Guard series is that each hero is distinctly different. Monica McCarty spices up...more

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Apr 07, 2012 Shanyn Hosier rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance

This book got off to a slow start - it wasn't until chapter 3 that I had any reluctance to put it down. But once the focus turned on Erik "Hawk" MacSorley and Lady Elyne "Ellie" de Burgh, the tale became far more entertaining. I really liked the idea of an outrageous flirt and ladies' man getting his comeuppance from a lowly (he thinks), plain nursemaid. The author managed to make Ellie smart and strong without coming across as a shrew, and even roguish Erik was a likable sweetheart. Their roman...more This book got off to a slow start - it wasn't until chapter 3 that I had any reluctance to put it down. But once the focus turned on Erik "Hawk" MacSorley and Lady Elyne "Ellie" de Burgh, the tale became far more entertaining. I really liked the idea of an outrageous flirt and ladies' man getting his comeuppance from a lowly (he thinks), plain nursemaid. The author managed to make Ellie smart and strong without coming across as a shrew, and even roguish Erik was a likable sweetheart. Their romance took time and effort to develop, a fact that I appreciate a great deal. There was lots of great chemistry and emotional tension between the two of them to balance out some heart-pounding adventure.

I'm glad I read the author's note at the end of the book. McCarty took the opportunity to relay the historical basis for some of her plot lines, which is good, because one in particular that I found trite ended up being based on fact! (view spoiler) McCarty herself admitted the sisterly switcheroo seemed far-fetched, and as a result, it all felt a little too-neatly tied up at the end.

There were far too many Edwards in the story, and the author didn't clarify which was which often enough to avoid confusion. On the other side of the spectrum, she spent far too much time introducing the other 10 or so members of the special-ops "Highland Guard" members, most of which either don't show up at all or have only a token appearance in the plot. It felt forced, like a thinly veiled ploy to push the other books in the series on me. Maybe I'm too cynical.

Another issue I had with the story was that of anatomical confusion regarding the location of the hymen. [see this link to a blog on Smart Bitches Trashy Books for a hilarious yet biologically accurate rant on the subject] Ms. McCarty makes a sadly common mistake here, allowing all sorts of deep, digital penetration to miraculously avoid rupturing the heroine's hymen, as well as several inches of genital penetration before that pesky membrane finally gives way and Ellie is a virgin no more.

All things considered, I did enjoy this story once it got going. I liked the characters and wouldn't mind reading more about Erik and Ellie's life together. But a glance at McCarty's website shows that the other additions to the series are about fellow Guard members which, despite the author's attempts to ram them down my throat, I'm not terribly interested in getting to know any better.(less)

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Aug 02, 2012 Kristin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, historical-romance

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...more

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May 16, 2013 Siham rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Je ne pensais pas que Monica McCarty ferait mieux que Le Chef et pourtant c’est le cas avec le Faucon

Erik MacSorley alias Le Faucon est le meilleur marin de la garde de Robert de Bruce et il est chargé d’engager des mercenaires. Alors que cela devait se faire dans un lieu secret, ils se font surprendre par Ellie, la fille du compte d’Ulster, qui venait d’effectuer « Le plongeon de la demoiselle » une dernière fois avant de se marier. Erik ne pouvant la laisser s’en aller au risque qu’elle dévoil...more Je ne pensais pas que Monica McCarty ferait mieux que Le Chef et pourtant c’est le cas avec le Faucon

Erik MacSorley alias Le Faucon est le meilleur marin de la garde de Robert de Bruce et il est chargé d’engager des mercenaires. Alors que cela devait se faire dans un lieu secret, ils se font surprendre par Ellie, la fille du compte d’Ulster, qui venait d’effectuer « Le plongeon de la demoiselle » une dernière fois avant de se marier. Erik ne pouvant la laisser s’en aller au risque qu’elle dévoile tout ce qu’elle a pu entendre, il fait d’elle sa prisonnière le temps que cette affaire de mercenaire soit réglée. Ellie n’est pas du tout le type de femme d’Erik, et la jeune femme n’est pas le genre de personne à se laisser séduire par de belles paroles, mais pourtant entre les aventures en mer et les préparatifs pour la bataille imminente, ils ne pourront s’empêcher de succomber aux charmes de l’autres.

Les gros points forts de ce roman sont les personnages principaux et leurs caractères qui font que la romance est plus profonde, plus attachante et plus exaltante. D’un côté on a Erik, l’homme arrogant qui a totalement conscience de ses capacités en tant que marin, guerrier et séducteur. Avec ses cheveux blonds, ses yeux magnifiquement bleus et ses belles fossettes, il sait qu’il plait aux femmes. Comme il le dit lui-même : il aime les femmes et les femmes l’aiment en retour. De l’autre côté on a Ellie, l’ainée de la famille qui a du reprendre la gestion du domaine et l’éducation de ses jeunes frères et sœurs depuis la mort de leur mère. Elle ne s’amuse jamais, bien qu’elle rêve de libertés et d’aventures, et surtout elle est intelligente et ne se laisse pas avoir facilement. Elle sait reconnaitre un séducteur quand elle en voit un et ne tombe pas dans le panneau. Entre Erik et Ellie c’est le jour et la nuit et au fur et à mesure qu’ils passent du temps ensemble, ce qu’ils cachent au plus profond se libèrent, ils apprennent à se connaître, à se faire à la présence et au caractère de l’autre et ils deviennent un couple merveilleux. Entre eux c’est franchement drôle à observer car pour Erik, Ellie est un mystère : elle n’est pas son type de femme physiquement (il juge qu’elle n’a pas assez de forme) et surtout elle résiste complètement à ses charmes, du moins en apparence. A force de s’acharner à vouloir réussir à obtenir d’elle une réaction c’est lui qui tombe petit à petit dans ses filets. Et Ellie aussi change car au début, elle est froide et insensible mais l’aventure auprès d’Erik la libère elle se retrouve à vouloir plus se laisser aller. Ils se complètent.

J’adore voir homme si sure de lui et tête à claque changer d’attitude avec le temps et tomber amoureux. Pour lui c’est comme si il se prenait une grande claque mais quand il est conscient de ce qu’il ressent c’est définitif. Et ce que j’ai le plus appréciait c’est le fait qu’Ellie ne soit pas la jeune femme typique de romance historique : magnifique avec des courbes parfaites qui fait succomber tous les hommes à son passage. Pour le coup c’est une jolie fille mais sans plus, et pourtant c’est son caractère qui la rend magnifique et c’est vraiment ce qu’Erik a aimé chez elle. C’est son cerveau qui a compté et non son tour de poitrine (il est assez attaché à ce critère au début quand même)

La romance dans le Faucon est aussi liée aux problèmes politiques qui ont plus d’importance. Les choses se concrétisent et se compliquent, et puis leur famille étant rattaché à des personnes importantes auprès du roi cela a un impacte sur les décisions qu’ils prennent et les mensonges proférés. En tout cas ces évènements donnent du poids aux tomes à suivre.

Le Faucon est un gros coup de cœur qui confirme que la série des Chevaliers des Highlands va devenir une très bonne série incontournable dans les romances historiques sur les highlanders.(less)

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Aug 02, 2012 Tami rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Loved this read!!

Eric 'the Hawk' MacSorley is my favorite character so far. He's charming, sexy, smart, cunning, strong, loyal, and funny. The beginning of the book with the spider and whatnot was interesting from a historical POV, but a bit boring. The events at the Virgin Plunge is where things pick up. Hawk, is forced to kidnap a female from a cave to keep her from being killed by a band of Irish mercenaries. He flees with the woman, Ellie, to his home island, Spoon. They grow close on this i...more

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Nov 19, 2011 Gladys (glad4twilight) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: highlanders, romance

I am very surprised that something about this book was very appealing to me. The history and writing, the secret highland guard and especially the irresistable Hawk. I cant resist a blond seafarer and his wild rides on the ocean.

Hawk was the best part of this book and the story of him being this wild guy that all the women love and chase as he acts like he's God's gift to women. Meanwhile the woman that gets his heart is this small waif looking girl that is not gorgeous with a curvy body but ye...more

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Sep 12, 2011 Bobbi Jo rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, 14th-century, hunky-higlanders, monica-mccarty, highland-guard-series

I love this book. It takes me a couple of days to realize how much I really like a book.

If I can't stop thinking about it, even while I'm reading another good book, then I know it's had an effect on me. If I find myself daydreaming about it at work, while I'm driving, or when someone is trying to talk to me (literally), then I know I'm hooked. If I wish I could read another book just like it, knowing that this kind of book comes around once in a long while, so I decide I should just read this o...more

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Jan 10, 2011 Leslie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: library-book, historical

This was a sweet romance of mistaken identity, dangerous situations and courageous men and women. If you read my review of the first book in this series, The Chief, then you know how much I enjoyed it and was looking forward to reading more in this series. After reading The Hawk I can't wait to read The Ranger, book 3.

This time our hero is a ladies man. Oh, my is he ever! Erik MacSorley or Hawk as he's know to his fellow Guards, is the youngest child with 5 older sisters. He loves women, all wom...more This was a sweet romance of mistaken identity, dangerous situations and courageous men and women. If you read my review of the first book in this series, The Chief, then you know how much I enjoyed it and was looking forward to reading more in this series. After reading The Hawk I can't wait to read The Ranger, book 3.

This time our hero is a ladies man. Oh, my is he ever! Erik MacSorley or Hawk as he's know to his fellow Guards, is the youngest child with 5 older sisters. He loves women, all women. He enjoys their company and in true alpha male form is also very protective of them. One thing I did like is while he could be overbearing, he really did treat all women well whether they be lady or village maid. He's also very fierce in his loyalty to Scotland and almost a little too reckless with his own safety. I think it was a matter of being a bit overly confident in his abilities. He's an easy hero to like right off. He's one of those guys that is smart, good looking and charming but isn't arrogant about it.

Lady Elyne de Burgh is the daughter of the powerful Earl of Ulster and betrothed to Sir Ralph de Monthermer, former son-in-law of King Edward. But when she is captured by Hawk, she tells him she is a nursemaid, in an attempt to protect her life. So now she is Ellie, nursemaid and captive of the Scottish rebel, Hawk. Ellie is afraid and with good reason since she's in the hands of the enemy, even if he's gorgeous and a charmer. She's smart but also desperate to get away and does takes some serious risks but I really couldn't blame her. I liked that while she may have had a TSTL moment or two, she acted out of desperation and not stupidity. Certainly made for a more realistic read than her being the perfect captive.

The romance of Hawk and his captive is sweet and funny. I was pleasantly surprised at how amusing their dialogue was. Ellie is far better educated than the nursemaid she claims to be so her discussions with Hawk were not what he was expecting. She surprised him and sometimes confused him. She proved that he doesn't know women as well as he thought. LOL

Once again there is a lot of politics within the story. I loved how the various relations of this lord and that lady were woven with in the story. Some readers might not like all of the political and court intrigue - there are quite a few characters to keep track of. I like it when there are actual historical figures and McCarty does a good job bringing them to life.

I was caught up in the continuing story of the Highland Guard and Robert Bruce's quest for a Scotland free of English rule. I didn't enjoy The Hawk as much as The Chief primarily due to the story slowing down too much in the middle but it picked up towards the end with Hawk wooing and winning the woman of his heart.
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Oct 02, 2011 Kat ~ Forever Book Lover ♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance

Second book in the Highland Guard, in this one we meet Hawk, aka Erik MacSorley. He is the seafarer. He pulls Ellie out of the water, from the moment they met the your knew their romance was going to be rocky.

Great chemistry between the two of them. Not to spoil it but there was love and heartbreak... but rest assure, love prevailed..

Cons: Although I love the series, I am disappointed that there is not any Scottish accent in the writing. Just another peeve, is there were so many names being thr...more

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Apr 19, 2012 Diane Sallans rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I received the 5th book in this series (The Saint) as a Goodreads First-Reads, so Iwent back to start at the beginning of the series (see my comments on The Chief).
This series is about the Highland Guardians - early 14th Century "Special Forces" formed by Robert the Bruce when England's King Edward of England is trying to take control of Scotland.
This second book is about Erik McSorley recruited because of his skills in sailing. He mistakenly kidnaps a young woman who is witness to one of his mi...more

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May 10, 2013 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-romance, mccarty

Hawk and Ellie's story's. Ellie accidenly overhears a meeting between Hawk and Irish mercenaries. To save her life Hawk is forced to take Ellie as a captive. Due to an increase in English troops and gallys Hawk, his crew and thier unwilling captive are forced to hide on an island. During this time Hawk grows closer to the only woman that doesn't fall at his feet.

Ellie is fallen in love but she is still betrothed to another. Hawk has sworn he would never settle for 1 woman when he can have them...more

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Nov 26, 2012 Courtnie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, romance, highlander-romance, reviewed

Maybe it's my love of pirates, but I considered The Hawk to be preferable over The Chief. The basic story was more exciting and the banter was enjoyable. I also just happen to love sea stories so that probably boosted this book for me.

I still suffered through battle strategy and logistics of the time that bored me to tears. The repeated use of names, though historically acurate, was annoying. Was she talking about Christina the cousin, sister or mere mention of some Christina in some court? Who...more

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Apr 08, 2011 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: part-of-series, traded-sold

I wasn't expecting to enjoy this book, mainly because the first one didn't "wow" me. I read some reviews of The Hawk online and it didn't seem to bowl people over. I really, really liked it, though! Erik was a great hero - strong, loyal, sexy, fun, a man who hid his depth behind an affable facade. Ellie was so perfect for him. She was plain and practical and smart and gave as good as she got. I thought the action parts with Bruce's Highland Guard was done very well and I loved their romance. The...more

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May 05, 2011 Stevie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The series is very entertaining and fast paced. I enjoyed this one more so than the first just because it gave the heroine a bit more spine and intelligence than the previous story. Hawk was enjoyable for a lead due to his playful, boyish facade, and of course his inner struggle had a few humorous lines here and there. Great read - no. Fun read - yes. Classic boy meets girl under bad circumstances with conflict that melts into attraction and desire and rolls into a relationship and struggles fro...more

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Sep 05, 2012 Marru Aguilar rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Halcon... uuuf solo de pensar en Erik MacSorley me hace volar y pensar en los rubios y fuertes vikingos de antaño como lo hace Elie.

Una historia fuerte, intrepida, atrevida pero claramente romantica y realista. El protagonista se enaltece de lo que termina siendo su cruz pero para la cual hace falta una mujer, una guerra y un sin fin de sentimientos y emociones para descubrirlo.

La "niñera" me parece la persona mas perfecta para el mujeriego de Erik ya que no se deja fiar por el exterior ni las a...more

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May 17, 2011 Highland-dreamer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

I loved this book- I thought it was very well-written; I was never bored during any part of the novel. The historical details brought the book to life, and I enjoyed reading them. The concept of this series is great, too! Who wouldn't want to read about a bunch of highlanders, who also happen to be part of a super-secret special forces team? This was the first book I read in the series, (though it is book 2), and I didn't feel cheated or like I missed out on a previous story- it was very good as...more

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Sep 02, 2010 Kathleen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had time to finish this book before work after all. I LOVED this book! The hero Hawk was just to irresistible not to love. The heroine was smart, brave and had lots of courage. The story was really good with lots of action. I loved reading how the H&H fell in love as the story moved a long. The love scenes were really good and I could feel the love between them even when they would not admit it to themselves.

The next book in this series The Ranger is also a must read for me. Monica McCarty...more

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About Monica McCarty

What do you get when you mix a legal career, a baseball career, motherhood, and a love of history with a voracious reader? In my case, a Historical Romance Author.

Like most writers, I’ve always loved to read. Growing up in California there was always plenty to do outside, but all too often I could be found inside curled up with a book (or two or three). I started with the usual fare: The Little Ho...more What do you get when you mix a legal career, a baseball career, motherhood, and a love of history with a voracious reader? In my case, a Historical Romance Author.

Like most writers, I’ve always loved to read. Growing up in California there was always plenty to do outside, but all too often I could be found inside curled up with a book (or two or three). I started with the usual fare: The Little House on the Prairie series, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Hobbit, Watership Down, Nancy Drew, and everything by Judy Blume. Once I cleared off my bookshelf, I started swiping books from my mom. Some, like Sidney Sheldon’s The Other Side of Midnight, probably weren’t the most appropriate choice for a pre-adolescent—although they were definitely illuminating. I can still remember the look of abject horror on my mom’s Catholic-girl-face when I asked her what a virgin was. After that rather brief conversation, she paid a little closer attention to what had disappeared off her book shelf, and steered me in the direction of Harlequin and Barbara Cartland romances. I was hooked. I quickly read through the inventory of the local library and was soon buying bags of romances at garage sales.

In high school, with the encouragement of my father (who I think was a little concerned about the steady diet of romances), I read over eighty of the Franklin Library’s One Hundred Greatest Books ever written—including Tolstoy, Confucius, Plato, and the entire works of Shakespeare. Some of them were tough going for a teenager, but the experience would prove an invaluable foundation for college. After reading War and Peace, I wasn’t easily intimidated.

For some reason Monica decided to go into writing and not fashion.

After graduation, I loaded up the VW (Jetta not Bus) and trekked down I-5 to attend the University of Southern California, majoring in Political Science and minoring in English (see why all that reading helped!). I joined the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, and when I wasn’t studying or at football games, did my best to support the local bartending industry. Ah, the good old days.

With that kind of fun, four years of college wasn’t quite enough. So leaving Tommy Trojan behind, I traveled back up north to Palo Alto for three more years of study at Stanford Law School. Once I survived the stress of the first semester, law school proved to be one of the best times of my life—garnering me a JD, life-long friends, a husband, and an unexpectedly intimate knowledge of baseball. (See “The Baseball Odyssey” below).

Law School was also where I fell in love with Scotland. In my third year, I took a Comparative Legal History class, and wrote a paper on the Scottish Clan System and Feudalism. So I immediately dropped out of law school and went on to write Scottish Historical Romances…well no, not quite. You see, I always knew I wanted to be a lawyer. My father was a lawyer, I was a “poet” (i.e., not into math), and I love to argue. It seemed natural.

So I finished law school, got married, passed the CA bar, moved to Minnesota (with a few stops along the way), waived into the MN bar, worked as a litigator for a few satisfying years, moved back to CA, had a couple of kids, realized that a legal career and being a single parent for most of the year (due to husband's career) would be extremely difficult, and THEN decided to sit down and write.

And how did I end up writing romance? It’s not as divergent as it seems. What I loved about being a lawyer are the same things I love about being a writer—research and writing. The only thing missing is the arguing, but that’s what a husband and kids are for, right?(less)

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Books by Monica McCarty

Highlander Untamed (MacLeods of Skye Trilogy, #1)

Highlander Unchained (MacLeods of Skye Trilogy, #3)

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The Hawk (Highland Guard #2)

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