Awaken the Highland Warrior (Connor Clan, #1) by Anita Clenney

May 30, 2011 texxie-prufreads.blogspot.com rated it 4 of 5 stars

I won this book via a goodreads giveaway. Thank you Ms. Clenney. :)

I was pleasantly suprised by this book. I found Bree to be a fantastic female lead. She's very stong willed and independent while vulnerable at the same time. Emotionally atleast. Bree is always on the hunt. She enjoys digging up the past and making sense of it. Literally. She has inherited her late grandmothers home and on that land lies the family graveyard. What lay buried underground, right in her back yard, will change her l...more I won this book via a goodreads giveaway. Thank you Ms. Clenney. :)

I was pleasantly suprised by this book. I found Bree to be a fantastic female lead. She's very stong willed and independent while vulnerable at the same time. Emotionally atleast. Bree is always on the hunt. She enjoys digging up the past and making sense of it. Literally. She has inherited her late grandmothers home and on that land lies the family graveyard. What lay buried underground, right in her back yard, will change her life, as she knows it, forever. Enter Faelan.

Faelan is a warrior who has been trapped in a time vault for 150 years. She invites him to her home to tend to his wounds, help his recovery while neither are quite sure of the other. The only thing that is for sure, is Faelan's draw to her. It's as though he can't control it. While Bree has a horrible relationship track record, and knows she should ward off men, Faelan is'nt easily ignored.

I loved the back and forth between the two leads. I laughed out loud numerous times as Faelan tried to figure out if Bree was "touched in the head". Women from his time were not like Bree. He is baffled that she lives by herself, let alone works outside of the home. This of course is infuriating to Bree, though, the way he looks at her......

For me, the "action" is this book was secondary, it was the "dance" between the two leads that sucked me in and kept me there. Faelan is just delish, plain and simple. I loved his inner monologue in regards to his feelings for Bree. I hope to also learn more about Bree in the second installment. There is definately more to her. The reader is left wondering just who she is exactly.

Ms. Clenney did a great job of not "revealing" too soon. I had a couple of cases of "Just when you think you know....." so that was an added bonus. She also peaked my interest in one of the secondary characters. Ronan. I loved he was written into the story and his interaction with both Bree and Faelan. Again, delish. I want to know more about him and the secrets that he keeps.

Nicely done. Can't wait to read Embrace the Highland Warrior in Nov.(less)

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Jul 03, 2012 Ann Keller rated it 5 of 5 stars

Before Bree Kirkland was born, she was destined to meet and be a part of Faelan’s life. When she opened his time vault, Faelan erupted from the enclosure, swinging his blade at her tender throat. Faelan has been sleeping for one hundred fifty years and he has some adjustments to make.

Bree isn’t anything like the women of Faelan’s time. She’s smart and courageous, as well as bold when he is used to ladies being more shy and retiring. Although Bree claims she isn’t a warrior, she certainly fights...more

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Mar 30, 2012 Johanna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Awaken the Highland Warrior
by Anita Clenney

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Time-Travel

A MAN FROM ANOTHER TIME . . . Faelan is from an ancient clan of Scottish Highland warriors, charged with shielding humanity from demonic forces. Betrayed and locked in a time vault, he has been sleeping for nearly two centuries when spunky historian Bree Kirkland inadvertently wakes him. She's more fearsome than the demon trying to kill him, and if he's not careful, she'll uncover the secrets his clan has bleed and...more

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Feb 21, 2012 Kristy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, app-kindle, highlander-viking, historical-love, hott-spots, vampires-werewolves-and-magic-oh-my, ebook, time-travel

This book started out good, kinda dragged through the middle and then picked back up at the end. I really enjoyed the story. But I was expecting it to be like Kiss of the Highlander It was the same kind of idea, with the highlander from centuries ago, waking up in our time, but it wasn't executed as well.

Faelan, the warrior from 1860, was too modern. He referenced modern day things and spoke like he had been in this time period far longer than a couple of days. It was explained that warriors ne...more

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Feb 04, 2012 Sophia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: pnr-uf

Looking for a book with paranormal elements, adventure, mystery, intriguing plots, romance, and a dash of Highlander thrown in for good measure? Well look no more!

A young woman mistakenly opens a vault hoping to find treasure, but ends up with a true Highland warrior who's first waking motion is to almost decapitate her with his dirk because he thinks she's a demon. The fact that 150 years have gone by and it is time for the warrior to awaken and be set free actually sets in motion many groups o...more Looking for a book with paranormal elements, adventure, mystery, intriguing plots, romance, and a dash of Highlander thrown in for good measure? Well look no more!

A young woman mistakenly opens a vault hoping to find treasure, but ends up with a true Highland warrior who's first waking motion is to almost decapitate her with his dirk because he thinks she's a demon. The fact that 150 years have gone by and it is time for the warrior to awaken and be set free actually sets in motion many groups of people and activities. Demons are plotting, mysterious figures dart in and out of the woman's woods, journals and mystical items are now treasured items, and their lives are in constant danger. Bree knows Faelan is keeping secrets and he keeps them because he suspects her of being a demon. As they engage the danger about them, he slowly starts to trust her with the truth. But each time he does, something happens to make him doubt. Faelan's mission is still to destroy a strong demon set on clearing the planet of humans with a dreaded disease. He must also find the book of his clan that details the warrior's missions and the key to the time vault. Bree helps him adjust to the modern world, saves his life, and leads him to his family. They are drawn to each other, but to protect her he pulls away. It is in the final scenes of the book that he must decide once for all if she serves a demon lord or if she is the strongest, bravest human he knows.

The story is contemporary time, but there are threads and flashbacks that go back 150 years. The heroine, Bree Kirkland, is a gutsy, clumsy, beautiful young woman with a tortured past who is just now coming into her own when she releases Faelan the Highland warrior from a strange vault-like box. The hero, Faelan Connor, awakens to find himself a century and a half later from when he was sealed in the time vault to adjust to the modern age while trying to determine if Bree is friend or foe, trying to keep them both alive in the meantime from the onslaught of demons seeking their lives and the items they possess, and trying to figure out his feelings and the odd mysteries surrounding Bree. He is part of warrior clan of men bred to fight the demons who seek to harm humans. There is a strong code that he must follow even if it means that he cannot have Bree. Faelan has guilt and pain to overcome since he feels responsible for failing his clan and responsible for the death of his family.

The plot was stupendous and has so many twists and characters may or may not be who they seem. This one rivals a spy thriller in that sense. The romance part of the plot has its ups and downs depending on the level of trust and understanding that fluctuates for both the two main characters based on what was being revealed at the time. The reader knows the truth (some of the time), but must wait for the characters to catch up. Another wonderful piece was meeting Faelan's modern relations in the clan. There are lots of stories there still to tell I think.

There were a few loose ends so I look forward to reading the next installment and getting Cody's story.(less)

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Nov 24, 2011 Holjo rated it 3 of 5 stars

Rated 3.5/5

Summary: Bree Kirkland has been a treasure hunter all her life. When she inherits her Grandmother's home, which includes a graveyard and crypt, she can't help herself from investigating the property - especially after discovering a map and strange metal disc in the home. Bree's curiosity reaches a pinnacle on the day she uses the disc, which is actually a key, to open a capsule inside the crypt. By doing so, she has awakened a Scottish Highland warrior who has been asleep on the prope...more Rated 3.5/5

Summary: Bree Kirkland has been a treasure hunter all her life. When she inherits her Grandmother's home, which includes a graveyard and crypt, she can't help herself from investigating the property - especially after discovering a map and strange metal disc in the home. Bree's curiosity reaches a pinnacle on the day she uses the disc, which is actually a key, to open a capsule inside the crypt. By doing so, she has awakened a Scottish Highland warrior who has been asleep on the property for over 150 years.

Faelan Connor is the awakened warrior. The last thing Faelan remembers is facing several ancient demons in an ambush near Albany, NY. Faelan comes from a clan of warriors who receive their orders directly from the Archangel Michael. Their purpose on Earth is to hunt and destroy demons, thereby protecting humanity from the war, disease, and death that the demons bring to the world. When Faelan wakes up after 150 years, he feels as though only a few hours have passed. But, during his slumber, his family and closest warrior friends have been lost to him.

Faelan's nemesis, an ancient demon named Druan, has a plan to destroy the human population by releasing a deadly virus into the world. Druan has his own army of lower-demons and half-demon spawn to help with his evil plans. These creatures have been searching for the missing key (Bree's key) and Faelan's time capsule for over a century. While they are fairly sure that the items are on Bree's land, none had found the missing items before Bree did.

Bree and Faelan become a team of sorts. They are both targets of Druan's attention, although both in different ways. Bree helps Faelan become accustomed to the modern world, while Faelan does his best to protect Bree from danger. Ultimately, however, Faelan's primary goal is to destroy Druan and the virus before it's too late. While working together, Bree and Faelan develop feelings for each other. But, a relationship between them is strictly forbidden by the warrior laws.

Review: After the first few chapters of this book, I really wasn't sure that I was going to have anything positive to say about it. It was really confusing at first, extremely vague, and it jumped all over the place. My impression was that the author was trying so hard not to release any secrets, that she wound up going overboard and not telling us enough to make sense of the story. I was at least a 1/3 of the way through the book before the pieces started to fall into place.

Eventually, I did become completely engrossed in the story. I am often critical of books that have one simple plotline (boring), and this story was the polar opposite of that - almost to the point where there was so much going on that it was challenging to keep track of it all. It wasn't that any one thing was complicated to understand, it was just that it was difficult to identify how people and events were relevant. Once I could start connecting the dots, I enjoyed it. By the end, I thought that the complexity was a nice change of pace compared to other books I've read lately. I appreciate that the author attempted to turn every small detail into something significant.

The characters are very likeable. Bree is independent and proudly quirky. She makes choices that don't make sense to anyone else, but seem perfectly reasonable to her. Faelan is an alpha male character who is trying very hard to understand this modern woman. They clash with each other frequently because their views of the world are so different. Together they make a great team, as long as they are willing to trust each other.

I really wish I could give this book a higher rating. While I did wind up liking it, I thought there were still a lot of holes in the story. For example, there were vampires in the final chapters, but the book ends without any explanation of how or why they exist. This may be a set-up for the next book in the series, but they really just seemed out of place. There were also visions and artifacts that weren't explained very well. For example, there is a Book of Battles that is very important to the warriors, but we never really know why it exists. And lastly, Bree has several special abilities that she should not have, but we never know why.

I would recommend this book to fans of Highlander stories. But, you definitely need to be a reader who can overlook a little frustration at the beginning of the book, and live without total closure at the end of a book. It's not for everyone.

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Oct 29, 2011 Inga rated it 5 of 5 stars

My review:

I loved it! I read it in one sitting; I could not put the book away. It did not matter, that it was already 3 am in the morning, but I finished it! It was romantic, exciting, funny book to read. I really enjoyed the writing, the story itself and characters! Well, give me a Scottish warriors and I’m totally hooked.

Regarding the plot:

Meet Bree – a sassy woman who thinks that she is about to find a treasure in the chapel in her backyard. Surprise, surprise! What she finds is a gorgeous Sc...more

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Sep 28, 2011 Sheila rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, paranormal, romance

When Bree opens a treasure chest on her grandmother’s property, a highland warrior leaping out the grave isn’t quite what she expects. Kilt, sporran, dagger and all, with a battle-cry straight from Braveheart, Faelan is huge, immensely attractive, and seriously weakened by 150 years of confinement. He’s also very much alive, and the first thing on Bree’s agenda is feeding him and keeping him that way. After all, she’s an archeologist; what could be better than a real-live piece of history to tal...more

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Aug 05, 2011 Donna McBroom-Theriot rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I literally do not know what to say about this book. It ended. I read the last page. I did not want it to end. I read the last page again. It still ended.

"A voice brushed her ear. `What was lies within cannot be, until time has passed with the key.'"

It's not that the book didn't come to a wonderful, climatic ending. It did. I just did not want it to end. It was action packed. It was pack with intrigue and suspense. It was packed with a whole lot of beautiful Scotsmen - wearing kilts! And, bran...more

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Aug 01, 2011 Sheyla rated it 3 of 5 stars

Bree Kirkland is looking for a treasure in her Grandmother's property but what she finds instead is a Highlander hunk, whom she awakens from a hundred and fifty years of slumber.

Faelan has been placed in the Time Vault by a demon, Druan. To his dismay he realizes that everyone he has loved, including his family, are all gone. He also has to deal with the attraction towards the woman who is helping him come to grips with this new decade. His clan has defended the world from demons for centuries a...more

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Jul 29, 2011 Book Binge Blog rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review, paranormal, sourcebooks

Bree Kirkland has been treasure hunting all of her life so when she finds out that there might be a treasure in her own backyard, literally, she’s pretty excited about it. She manages to open the huge crypt and in there she finds….a man? And a beautiful kilted one as well.

It seems that Faelen Connor was put into a time vault by a demon 150 years ago and Bree’s the one that has set him free. Faelan’s obviously not used to anything here in the 21st century but he picks up on things quickly. The qu...more Bree Kirkland has been treasure hunting all of her life so when she finds out that there might be a treasure in her own backyard, literally, she’s pretty excited about it. She manages to open the huge crypt and in there she finds….a man? And a beautiful kilted one as well.

It seems that Faelen Connor was put into a time vault by a demon 150 years ago and Bree’s the one that has set him free. Faelan’s obviously not used to anything here in the 21st century but he picks up on things quickly. The quickest thing he does is go after Bree – but she has no idea who or what he is and he has no clue if she’s on the side of the demon’s or not. There are definite trust issues there but they have to work together for a time to try to find out where Faelan came from.

Bree does end up helping Faelan find his family (descendants) in Scotland but that just reminds Faelan that there’s horrible evil in the world and he wants Bree to have no part of it. You see Faelan is from a clan of warriors that fight demons and are given their tasks/missions by none other than Michael the archangel himself. Now Faelan has to find the demon that he was assigned to kill 150 years ago, find an ancient book that belongs to his family as well as stop all of the humans on the planet from dying and that includes Bree. All in a days work, ya know? But can he push Bree out of his head long enough to get the job done?

This was a great first book in what looks like a very good series about kilted warriors, demons and vampires. Faelan ended up having such a huge extended family that I couldn’t decide who I wanted to read about next!

Those of you who like a sweet romance in all of your books, however, may find this one a little lacking in the “sweet” – but if you’re looking for an independent heroine and the man who’s brought to his knees by her then this is your kind of book. There definitely are moments of soft emotion in this book but the romance took place during battles and family gatherings and though I don’t normally like that it just worked for me in this book.

Now Bree – even at the end of the book – remained a mystery to me. She could do things that even seasoned warriors couldn’t (not physical stuff) but that part was never quite explained. Yes, where she came from was, but I think I was left with a few unanswered questions when I turned the last page. I can’t say I cared for that all that much but I’m hoping that we get more info about Bree in future books.

Overall a really good paranormal with suspense, romance, family and history - just a great combination.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5

This review was originally posted on Book Binge by Tracy.(less)

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Jul 26, 2011 Chandra rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, romance, time-travel, contemporary

AUTHOR: AWAKEN THE HIGHLAND WARRIOR is a Scottish Highlands Historical Romance. This is Anita’s first book written and the first in a series called “Highland Warrior”. Naturally scenes from one event to another are not written smoothly but okay, the author is new at it. Give her a break. She is going to be even greater someday.

SYNOPSIS – Faelan, a Scottish warrior awakens 150 years after being put into a time chamber by an evil force. Bree, while looking for treasure, opens his chamber and out h...more

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Jun 30, 2011 Sandy M rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, paranormal, time-travel

When I first started reading this book, I had high hopes. Though it starts out with shades of Karen Marie Moning, it does go its own way and I was intrigued.

But that intrigue dips and turns in ways early on that leave you frustrated. The main issue I have is it takes twelve chapters before things begin to really move along. Once Bree awakens Faelan after his 150-year nap, through the first eleven chapters it’s nothing but the two of them dancing around one another, lying to one another, suspicio...more When I first started reading this book, I had high hopes. Though it starts out with shades of Karen Marie Moning, it does go its own way and I was intrigued.

But that intrigue dips and turns in ways early on that leave you frustrated. The main issue I have is it takes twelve chapters before things begin to really move along. Once Bree awakens Faelan after his 150-year nap, through the first eleven chapters it’s nothing but the two of them dancing around one another, lying to one another, suspicious of one another, the same scenes over and over again, just said differently each time. There’s a few confrontations with demons and the like thrown in, but there’s not nearly enough to break up the ongong repetition. After the awakening scene and the initial getting-to-know-one-another part (though they fib to one another so much, they don’t really get to know each other until this late too), this book should have started at Chapter 12.

Another frustration is how many times Faelan apologies to Bree. For being attracted to her, for wanting to touch her, caress her, make love to her, and those love scenes are nicely done. But, to me, all that sorriness takes the romance out of the story. I realize Faelan is a product of a time when women were to be protected by men, but he’s an alpha Scottish warrior who fought to keep his clan and the human race safe, the type of man romance readers want to fall in love with, to dream about, to drool over. Between his apologizing and his sometimes bumbling about when fighting demons, which is done to showcase the things Bree can unexpectedly do when up against a demon, Faelan loses his appeal somewhat.

A lot of the book is predictable. It follows the same basic format that romances have for years. The aforementioned suspicions fly back and forth, each silently questioning themselves about the other, some of it a little too far-fetched at times. I know that’s some foreshadowing on the author’s part, but it’s just too blatant too often. Even after they’ve made love a few times (for which Faelan apologizes), there’s still too much wariness and distrust and not enough talking so they can figure things out together. Misunderstandings galore result. Also, Bree is the typical heroine who can’t stay put when danger is around and Faelan requests (okay, demands) her compliance. Of course, trouble ensues when she does this, and I thought of those old movies where the female star either fell while running from the bad guy or who got in trouble every time she turned around.

Interest didn’t pick up again for until Faelan and Bree get to Scotland to locate Faelan’s family, which is around Chapter 21. I did enjoy those characters and how they welcomed Faelan into the fold, along with Bree. They all could see she’s meant for him, but even though a mate mark has shown up on his person, he’s looking around for someone other than Bree to be his mate, all because he can’t be with a woman who isn’t of his clan. Well, of course, we all know what Bree will eventually find out about herself. The action scenes where the other warriors join Faelan to work together to bring the main demon down are great. Faelan has finally come into his own, his fighting has improved and I like him much better in this half of the book, for the most part.

But with these new characters for future stories and with Ms. Clenney’s growth as an author with each successive book, I will keep my hopes alive a little longer to find out what happens next.

See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandnread.com (less)

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Apr 27, 2011 Bookaholics rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Awaken the Highland Warrior by Anita Clenney
Paranormal Romance –May 1st, 2011
4 stars

Inventive and charming, those who love Karen Marie Moning’s time travel Highlander series will be sure to delight in this book!

After all these years, Bree finally thinks she has found a real treasure. But she is in the shock of her life when open the hidden vault and unearths a hunky highlander instead of gold! At first she can’t believe she found a man inside, especially one named Faelan, who claims to be 150 ye...more Awaken the Highland Warrior by Anita Clenney
Paranormal Romance –May 1st, 2011
4 stars

Inventive and charming, those who love Karen Marie Moning’s time travel Highlander series will be sure to delight in this book!

After all these years, Bree finally thinks she has found a real treasure. But she is in the shock of her life when open the hidden vault and unearths a hunky highlander instead of gold! At first she can’t believe she found a man inside, especially one named Faelan, who claims to be 150 years from the past! Even if he is handsome, he doesn’t quite make up for loosing a whole lot of riches. And his outrageous claim that he comes from the past makes her doubt his sanity. However, when she discovers her Grandma’s secret book and reads about fearless warriors with magical talismans who hunt demons to save humanity. She slowly starts to believe that he may be speaking the truth, no matter how fantastical it sounds. And he bears a striking resemblance to an old painting of a handsome rogue that she has often fantasized about. But according to her Grandma’s book, these vaults are actually ‘time vaults’ and used to hold demons until Judgement. So is Faelan an evil demon in disguise or the warrior of her heart?

I really liked the instant attraction between the two main characters and found myself quickly getting involved in this story. Bree is bright, mischievous and plucky. Faelan is determined to try to find the demon he hunted 150 years ago, but first he must learn this new world. It was fun to read him explore our modern times. Even though some of the story is a little outrageous, it made me only want to read more. The time vault particularly fascinated me. When it was opened many characters were very interested in it and this really adds mystery of the story. I also liked this book because Bree really grows and learns that she has more depth than even she believes. Girl power!

Surprising, entertaining and adventurous, I can only hope the author plans future books with more highland warriors!

Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club

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Mar 09, 2012 Tara rated it 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this paranormal, time-travelling, adventurous, light romance book! The woman was strong willed and the men sexy! What more could I have wanted in a book? lol This is not something I would normally gravitate towards because some of the images I conjured up in my mind from the story were kind of frightening! But I am on a Scottish kick at the moment and this caught my eye! The story was engaging, and I thought the twists and turns the story took on were interesting and kept me reading! I...more

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Mar 31, 2012 Miki rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wonderful! I loved the mystical power aspect of the book and the interaction with history and romance. The plot is captivating and the characters well constructed. I absolutely loved it.

Faelan is a proud warrior that knew his destiny was to fight one of the old demons to save the world. Wanting to save his family he went to fight alone and found himself sealed instead of Druan , the demon he was assigned to.

More than 150 years later, when he is freed he discovers a world completely different and...more Wonderful! I loved the mystical power aspect of the book and the interaction with history and romance. The plot is captivating and the characters well constructed. I absolutely loved it.

Faelan is a proud warrior that knew his destiny was to fight one of the old demons to save the world. Wanting to save his family he went to fight alone and found himself sealed instead of Druan , the demon he was assigned to.

More than 150 years later, when he is freed he discovers a world completely different and he has nothing to him anymore. Because of that he has to rely on the woman, Bree, who freed him and housed and fed him. For him that something unimaginable because women should be frail, protected, cherished not living alone, fierce and so special. He is attracted but afraid that’s a scheme from his old enemy. Bree could be a demon or a Halflings so he prefers to keeps what he is secret and he has to respect the rules of his clan too even if he starts regretting them a bit.

For Bree, treasures always have been a passion, so, when she find a old map in a journal of her ancestor she hopes for jewellery, gold anything but not a gorgeous old warrior trying to kill her. However, she can’t left him alone and hurt. Deciding to help him, after discovering he could be a warrior from the ancestral legends her grandmother told her, even with precautions like keeping him unarmed. She is appalled by this man who finds he has to protect her and the next minute tries to kill her or affirms she lied to him. However, in the same time she is attracted to him, feeling she knows him and some voices are telling her the same. Are her dreams or memories right?

The others warriors seem to be gorgeous too and so loyal, when Faelan has doubts they are certain that Bree is loyal and while respecting Faelan as their chief, they try to make him see things under a new light. The old fight is still on and the war near but this time, Faelan will accept help from his clan, descendants of his family, to face it.

The rhythm is good, the intrigue well done and you can be fooled by the identity of the bad guys. Really everything is creating a wonderful story with a touch of paranormal. So if you love romance and action, stubborn hero you will enjoy this book. I want the next book as soon as possible.
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Jan 02, 2013 Courtnie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, romance, contemporary-romance, finishing-is-my-ocd, meh, highlander-romance, paranormal-romance, reviewed

Where to begin? This book barely squeaked by with 2 stars. There were a few 3 star moments, but a good half of the book was 1 star drivel.

I almost shoved this book on my DNF shelf. I think it was chapter 11 before I decided I might as well finish it, and at that point it felt very much like 'must-read-entire-book'.

The paranormal aspects were completely uninspired. Angels & Demons yawn and a late arrival of vampires. Couple with that a simple time travel trunk and it feels like a poor mish-...more Where to begin? This book barely squeaked by with 2 stars. There were a few 3 star moments, but a good half of the book was 1 star drivel.

I almost shoved this book on my DNF shelf. I think it was chapter 11 before I decided I might as well finish it, and at that point it felt very much like 'must-read-entire-book'.

The paranormal aspects were completely uninspired. Angels & Demons yawn and a late arrival of vampires. Couple with that a simple time travel trunk and it feels like a poor mish-mash of Sherrilyn Kenyon and Karen Marie Moning. Which would be okay if some of the authors choices didn't drive me absolutely buggy while reading. Here are a few examples.

1.) The pop-culture references were annoying. There were at least 8 (I quit counting) - ranging from Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (mild) to Lord of the Rings (felt totally cheesy). It seems like they were used in place of good writing. For example the LotR reference was about an Orc, like 'don't those demons look like Orcs'. Come on, use your imagination and write something original! Your audience will thank you for it!

2.) The sheer number of times I had to read about Bree "clothing, feeding and sheltering" Faelan. As in 'you should thank me, I fed you!". News flash lady, it's not attractive, polite or even noble to remind someone why they should be indebted to you. You help because you want to, not so that you can manipulate. All in all, the recitation of this innumerable times did not endear me to Bree. I wanted her to use some wit, heart, sass, whatever else she could to beat Faelen over the head - NOT food. BORING and, oh yeah, uninspired.

3.) Real lack of time travel concept. I couldn't get over how 'modern' Faelen had become in 24 hours. He understood things like the television, photography, pasteurization, and, my personal favorite, had this very stunning bit of dialogue "I miss my mom". Ultimate eyeroll. I am convinced that Faelen needed to wear a kilt so that we were reminded that he was supposed to be of Scottish/Irish heritage from 1860.

4.) And I'll stop here - and this is purely opinion and personal preference - the usage of 'tarnation' and 'damnation'. Sigh. They are period appropriate, but feel very contrived nonetheless. If you're going to mix modern and old speech patterns, at least do it convincingly. If felt very awkward to read every.time.

Some of the Scotland scenes dragged a bit. Overall, I did finish the book though. Despite the constant questioning and the misjudgements that bordered on silly towards the end between our Hero and Heroine, I was hooked enough to want to see their HEA.

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Nov 14, 2011 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: jamie-challenge, kindle, paranormal-romance

If you like Karen Marie Moning's Highlander series, you'll probably like this series. If you can overlook Faelen, the Highland Warrior from the 1800s modern vocabulary and his quick understanding of modern wonders like cameras (how did he know they take photographs?!) then you'll grow to like the characters, humor, action scenes, men in kilts, bad demons and icky halflings. It's explained later in the book that warriors pick up languages and dialects fast. It's part of their disguises. I guess t...more

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Aug 30, 2011 Steph rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-read

Bloody hell where to do I even start... It was INCREDIBLE! I was sucked straight into the story from the very first page to the very last word.
I will write this review asuming that you have read the back cover of the book.
Faelen is an amazing Hero. I loved that in the beginning he is so out of place. How differently he sees the world. The whole Kilt thing is SO HOT. I think I may have fallen in love with him lol. Some people hated that he appologised for everything. But I liked that about hi...more Bloody hell where to do I even start... It was INCREDIBLE! I was sucked straight into the story from the very first page to the very last word.
I will write this review asuming that you have read the back cover of the book.
Faelen is an amazing Hero. I loved that in the beginning he is so out of place. How differently he sees the world. The whole Kilt thing is SO HOT. I think I may have fallen in love with him lol. Some people hated that he appologised for everything. But I liked that about him. He realised that some of his behavior would not be acceptable to women of his time, and not even with most women of this time. He just can't seem to control himself around her, but that (for me) just made this couple so steamy and passionate. What's not to love? I do however wish that sometime, later on in their relationship that we got see see them slow down a little and enjoy it. Every time we saw a sex scene, it was just raw lust. Just sex! Which I do love but would have liked them to really 'be together' If that makes sense lol. Sometimes his lack of knowledge of this new world was just hilarious.
I really liked Bree's character. She is such a strong woman, and she deals with everything that's thrown at her so well. She's kick ass lol.
The storyline that ran through-out this book was fantastic. I really liked the whole Warriors vs Demons. The story had so many twists and turns, it constantly keeps you guessing. Just when you think you know what's going to happen and who the bad guy's are... something else happens and completely throws you off the scent. It was beyond genius!
I think I enjoyed this story more in the second half. Once they had tracked down Faelan's family (the descendants of his brothers and sister). It was great to all of a sudden have a load of new people involved in the story. This is where we get to meet Ronan. For me personally he completely steals the show for most of the second half. As soon as the POV went to someone else, all I could wait for was more Ronan. He is such an outragous flirt, but in the best way possible. There were too many times to count, where I was laughing out loud at his humour. He is every girls dream, Bree is lucky to have him as a friend. I would happilly kill the girl he ends up with, just to have him for myself ;) I love how close he gets to Bree. They have a great connection. You can see just how much he cares for her and wants her to be happy. Plus the scene where all the warriors are training out on the field, TOPLESS, bar their kilts... WOW! Ronan practices with his trademark bow and arrow, I was blushing just reading about Ronan half naked lol. I really hope to see more of him in the future *wink wink*.
I was so happy with the length of the book. It was plenty long enough for every single character to get a great introduction. The storyline was just magic. But never at any point was a bored or wished the book was shorter. I actually never wanted this book to end.
There is so much more to say but my review would then go on forever. If you love rediculously hot men, Warriors, Demons, strong women, hot sex and some sideline character that pull you, very willingly into their world. Then this is the book for you.
It was 59p on my Kindle, I could kiss Anita Clenney for writing this book. Can't wait for the next instalment in November 2011.(less)

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Jun 25, 2011 Alleluialu rated it 4 of 5 stars

Anita Clenney, the author of this book, asked me to read and review it and I am honored to do so. I really enjoy reading time travel books mainly because of the reactions of the unsuspecting (in most cases) time traveler to the time to which he/she has been transported. This book did not disappoint in that regard. As a bonus, in this book you get the exciting warriors vs. demons aspect. Faelan is trapped in a time vault for 150 years and released by Bree, an adventurous Civil War expert. While e...more

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Aug 22, 2011 Kristin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance

Bree loves a good puzzle, so it is no surprise that when she finds a treasure map, she sets off to find the treasure. The only thing is, the treasure that she is looking for isn't at all what she thought it was going to be. Instead of finding old artifacts she finds Faelan, a Scottish warrior who was locked away in a time vault for the last 150 years.

I really enjoyed this story. I bought the book on a whim at Borders when it was half off. It sounded like such a crazy kooky book from the synopsis...more Bree loves a good puzzle, so it is no surprise that when she finds a treasure map, she sets off to find the treasure. The only thing is, the treasure that she is looking for isn't at all what she thought it was going to be. Instead of finding old artifacts she finds Faelan, a Scottish warrior who was locked away in a time vault for the last 150 years.

I really enjoyed this story. I bought the book on a whim at Borders when it was half off. It sounded like such a crazy kooky book from the synopsis and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. First off you have Faelan who is so out of his element. You figure times have certainly changed since 1860. For instance Bree says that they will go to McDonald's to eat and he thinks "What are the MacDonalds doing in America and what do they have to do with food?" He also isn't used to woman being outspoken or even fighting. It totally catches him by surprised when Bree and Faelan are attacked and Bree not only defends herself but starts fighting back as well.

However, my favorite character of the book was not one of the main characters but one that is introduced towards the end, Ronan. He is so flirtatious towards Bree and it grates on Fraelan's nerves... and I love it! The things he says and does is just plain funny. Like when him and Bree sneak into the kitchen to find a midnight snack and he finds cookies. He takes a bite and holds the cookie out to Bree and says "Try it. Don't worry. I don't have cooties, and my hands are clean. I haven't scratched my ass all day." He is definitely someone that I would love to be friends with.

As a whole I really enjoyed the book and I am really glad that I made the impulse buy. I could see myself rereading it again.

Favorite part
Bree takes Faelan to the grocery store to get food. Obviously, this is his first time at a store and he not only goes to the produce and just starts eating the fruit but he doesn't understand why it is a big deal. So Bree gives him a granola bar to tide him over. My favorite part is what happens next...
"Faelan stuffed his mouth with the granola bar like a starving toddler and moved down the aisle with the loaded cart. Bree grabbed an empty one and squeaked back. She rounded the corner and stopped. Faelan wasn't chewing. That was a good sign. The package he was reading wasn't. He glanced up, mouth parted, eyes dark, and the hand holding the box of extra large condoms darted behind his back."

Check out more review at Book Sniffers Anonymous (less)

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Jul 07, 2011 Amber R at Awesomesaucebookclub rated it 4 of 5 stars

A highland warrior that is protecting the world from demons has been locked in a time vault for 150 years is released by a modern woman who is obsessed by antiques. Bree and Faelan's story is enough to make me wish that demons were hunting me down, just so that I could have a Faelan come rescue me.

I feel really bad for Faelan. He's thrust into the 21st century with no clue what's going on with anything in this world. Not only that but he's not sure if the only person who even knows he's alive is...more

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Jun 30, 2011 Kristen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, demons, romance, highlander

GENRE: Scottish Paranormal Romance
THEME: Highlander and Demons
RECEIVED: Received from Author for Review
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/

REVIEW:
I’ve read a few Highlander genre novels, but nothing compared to how much I love Awaken the Highlander by Anita Clenney. Not only did she add a paranormal touch, but the character both main and secondary were well developed and I enjoyed all the different personalities, with the addition of a wonderful well-put together story.

Bree Kirkland is a fema...more GENRE: Scottish Paranormal Romance
THEME: Highlander and Demons
RECEIVED: Received from Author for Review
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/

REVIEW:
I’ve read a few Highlander genre novels, but nothing compared to how much I love Awaken the Highlander by Anita Clenney. Not only did she add a paranormal touch, but the character both main and secondary were well developed and I enjoyed all the different personalities, with the addition of a wonderful well-put together story.

Bree Kirkland is a female version of how Clenney describes it “Indiana Jones,” after finding a warrior buried in a crypt that’s been behind her house for as long as she can remember, and her life gets a lot more adventurous than she could of ever imagined. The warrior needs Bree’s help to adapted to the world today being stuck in there for many years and with demons trying to kill him he has more on his plate than just a woman who makes is blood boil.

I really enjoyed the mix of Highland Warriors vs. Demons; it was full of action and lot of kilt wearing moments. Clenney creates a fantastic history that connects all the characters in the book, without it being overwhelming with information. I loved the chemistry between Clenney’s two leads Bree and Faelan. Bree being strong but clumsy with a life full of independence, where Faelan was born a warrior and protector making Bree’s independent life not so much anymore.

Faelan comes from a long line of warriors in his clan and I was happy to meet more of his family, mostly all men, they were hilarious and intriguing. I can’t wait to see where Clenny takes the series with the characters she introduced. My ultimate favorite was Ronan, another warrior and family member of Faelan. He really knows how to get under Faelans skin, which made for some great scenes.

The romance was hot! Not just the steamy kind but the pages were on fire with the attraction between Faelan and Bree. When there’s a man walking around your house in a Kilt it would be impossible to resist staring…or even the accidental peak of what’s under there. I loved the funny moment with these two and how they developed through the book.

Overall I highly recommend this series to book lovers of paranormal romance and highlander genres. The mix just made for a wickedly awesome and thrilling ride as I turned each page. The villains, romance, characters, plot, it was fantastically entertaining and I never wanted it to end.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is an adult novel with some steamy sexual content and humorous moments. I recommend this book to fans of the highlander series by Karen Moning and Kinley MacGregor.
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Aug 04, 2011 Lucy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Awaken the Highland Warrior
I admit to a weakness for Highlander stories. I love the era, the strong men, the trouble, the kilts. What I don’t love is the tendency for the females in the Highlander stories to be clingy, soft ladies who constantly need rescuing by the big Alpha males. So, it was a very pleasant surprise to get to know the heroine of this book, Bree Kirkland. I am not sure if she is just a naturally strong character, if it is due to the time-travel aspect (she is a modern woman, a...more Awaken the Highland Warrior
I admit to a weakness for Highlander stories. I love the era, the strong men, the trouble, the kilts. What I don’t love is the tendency for the females in the Highlander stories to be clingy, soft ladies who constantly need rescuing by the big Alpha males. So, it was a very pleasant surprise to get to know the heroine of this book, Bree Kirkland. I am not sure if she is just a naturally strong character, if it is due to the time-travel aspect (she is a modern woman, after all) or if it is the combination of herself with Faelan that makes her so kick-ass. Whatever it is, Bree is a treasure.
Faelan Connor is the highland warrior of the title. He is also over 150 years old, having been placed in a burial vault by a demon trying to keep him from his duty, protecting the human race. It is Bree (naturally) who finds him accidentally and sets him free. She is a Civil War historian by choice and has spent a lot of time at Civil War reenactments, and more importantly, looking for treasure. It is treasure she assumes she has found when she finds the burial vault that has markings identical to a family heirloom of hers. Using the disk to open the vault, however, instead gives her Faelan, kilt and all. The fact that he nearly kills her within the first moments of their meeting does not stop her from offering him shelter at her house when it becomes apparent he is not well.
Faelan is fun to read as he learns about the 21st century, while fighting his attraction to Bree at the same time. When she walks in on him in the Jacuzzi, so loved it. The two have a lot of trust issues and aren’t honest with the answers, so there is a lot of dancing around between them. Faelan made me feel for him, as well, as he realizes his family, his country, his time, have all gone.
The recurrent theme of the book is good vs evil, in fact the Highland Warriors (all strong and sexy, and part of the Connor clan) are, if not by name angels, the absolute good guys given their directive by the Archangel Michael, while there are actual demons for the bad guys, most notably Druan (the one who put Faelan in that vault). He not only wants to destroy Faelan and the human race, but he wants Bree for himself.
I love that Bree doesn’t back down from anyone and when necessary she jumps right in the fight. There are surprises involving Bree. The attraction between her and Faelan is strong, and his protective instincts (and Scottish chivalry) come out full blast around her, but this is no shrinking violet and she lets him know. Bree also has a more complex side, such as when she realizes (the day she takes Faelan home) that in a house of eight bedrooms there are only one set of sheets because the house belonged to her late grandmother and she refused to sleep on a dead person’s sheets.
All in all, this is a good start to a series. Faelan has a large family, so the series could go on for a while. It is paranormal, fantasy, highlander and romance mixed together, with solidly defined characters and an interesting storyline.
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Dec 02, 2011 LilaBird rated it 5 of 5 stars

O-M-G. Anita Clenney is my new Karen Marie Moning. I almost want to just end the review there. 'Nuf said.

But I guess I'll say a little more. So, this is the awesome story of a special clan of Scottish warriors who are basically demon slayers sent on missions by the Archangel, Michael. You get all the usual "special clan" stuff that you would expect: mate marks, special talismans that can only be used by specific warriors, certain clan members have special gifts or abilities like being Watchers o...more

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Sep 27, 2011 Dahlia (yadkny) rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Highland Romance Lovers

What would you do if a Scottish Highland warrior suddenly came into your life? Well for Bree Kirkland, she simply put him to bed and fed him.

The adventure began right in Bree’s own backyard. The death of her grandmother ushered in a need to reclaim her roots, starting in the one place that holds the fondest and most frightening of memories for her. After exploring the house she inherited, Bree finds herself outside in the graveyard chapel with a most astonishing discovery. Surprise quickly turns...more What would you do if a Scottish Highland warrior suddenly came into your life? Well for Bree Kirkland, she simply put him to bed and fed him.

The adventure began right in Bree’s own backyard. The death of her grandmother ushered in a need to reclaim her roots, starting in the one place that holds the fondest and most frightening of memories for her. After exploring the house she inherited, Bree finds herself outside in the graveyard chapel with a most astonishing discovery. Surprise quickly turns to fear when she suddenly has a knife at her throat. Yet when the slight misunderstanding is cleared, Bree provides Faelan with shelter, clothing, and food (LOTS of food), while helping him acclimate to the ways of society and technology in this century. It’s not that it's a hardship for her since he isn’t hard on the eyes to look at, but the problem is it becomes quite clear early on that neither of them trusts the other. Regardless, the mysteries keeping piling up and Bree is determined to solve them.

Faelan is shocked over how things have changed since his awakening from the time vault. How different the women are from his time is the hardest to process and deal with. His instincts and skill as a warrior are as useful as ever and unchanged in this new century, but his instincts and skill with women, namely Bree, leaves something to be desired. The reverence and protective manners Faelan is used to now has to include a larger dosing of respect and compromise. Bree, however, is impossibly curious and clumsy with the biggest heart for adventure that Faelan has ever encountered. She is definitely no wilting lily at the sight of blood or battle and Faelan is forever battling the blood-boiling desire she instantly ignites in him. Add to that the forbidden factor and Bree is one tempting woman, but there are others who want her as well.

I very much enjoyed the quirky aspects of Bree's personality, challenging nature, and her passion for the Civil War. Her flaws were believable and her courage admirable. Heroines like that are few and far between and to me that makes her memorable. I will admit it took me longer to enjoy Faelan's character. I found him at times to be a bit inauthentic as a Highland warrior from a century gone by. I just couldn't nail his voice in my head as easily as I was able to with any of the rest of the cast. As the story continued, and the plot continued to thicken, and the suspense continued to build, I found Faelan easier to “hear” and “see”, which made him much more enjoyable. My senses were definitely wide awake for his more intimate scenes with Bree.

Surprisingly there is plenty of humor in the story as well.

There was a name written on a wee square, right at the top of her arse. Levi Strauss. Was this some sort of family crest? Unusual place to display it. ...

“Does your husband work with horses?" he asked...

“Horses?”

“I saw them on your family crest. Is Levi Strauss your husband?”

“Levi? Oh, no, I'm not married.”

“You let a man who's not your husband put his name on your ar... backside?”

Although the story has moments of descriptive dragging throughout, the pacing didn't really pick up until after chapter 10. However, the many colorful characters and plot twists and turns were brilliantly done and unpredictable, which kept me reading. By the end, this adventure went beyond my wildest imagination and by the turn of the last page had me literally reaching for the next book in the series. I can’t wait to explore more of the warriors (both male and female) of the Connor Clan!

In the mood for an amazing contemporary highland tale? Well Awaken the Highland Warrior is sure to please!

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May 12, 2011 Staci rated it 3 of 5 stars

Recommended to Staci by: Sourcebooks

Shelves: 2011-reads

My thoughts:
Well, I have to be honest and tell you that I thought this one was just going to be a big cheesy sex fest. Instead, I need to admit to my readers that I actually enjoyed it. It was fun, fast paced, had some great action, and the storyline was one that kept me engaged. I liked the two main characters and the author made me want to get back to the story so that I could figure out what was going to happen next!! I'm open to reading a lot of different genres and this was a fun one to add...more

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May 25, 2011 WildAboutBones rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read4bbpr-review

This is the first in the new Connor Clan series. It drew and kept my attention almost from the first page. Demons, lizard/snake men, a few vampires, an Archangel, a plot to destroy mankind, sword & dirk fighting, sexy highlanders, a damsel so not in distress, a smoldering attraction and a little humor - what more do you need for a good paranormal romance read?

Bree, historian and Indiana Jones wannbe, finds more than she bargained for when she unearths a crypt while treasure hunting and opens...more This is the first in the new Connor Clan series. It drew and kept my attention almost from the first page. Demons, lizard/snake men, a few vampires, an Archangel, a plot to destroy mankind, sword & dirk fighting, sexy highlanders, a damsel so not in distress, a smoldering attraction and a little humor - what more do you need for a good paranormal romance read?

Bree, historian and Indiana Jones wannbe, finds more than she bargained for when she unearths a crypt while treasure hunting and opens it with a flat disc. All she wanted was the treasure, instead she got him, Faelan - a seriously hot man in a kilt.

The last thing Faelan knew, he'd been about to fight four demons - the old ones - and then he was looking into her eyes. Was she a demon's minion, a halfling or a demon in disguise? She said 150 years had passed. All he knew were dead. How to get back to his clan in Scotland? He didn't know but he did know that just looking at her made him hard with a longing that was almost to much to control.

This was a nice length which allowed for in depth story and character development. The action is fast-paced with several twists and surprises. Amidst the fighting, a steamy romance is going on with vanilla sex scenes. And while not a comedy by any stretch of the imagination, it can be very humorous much of the time.

As the first in a new series, it has set up several secondary characters for exploration as lead characters in future books but without the aggravating cliffhangers some authors use. Clenney successfully whispers at potential subjects to pursue in the future without interrupting the flow of the story.

While the sex could have been hotter, my one small disappointment with the book is that I figured out two of the twists/problems - one of the twists I figured out pretty early and one of the problems I figured out late in the book but before it was revealed. But that's just me, it happens alot with me and shouldn't reflect badly on the book. There were several twists and issues I didn't figure out which is good.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the sequel, Embrace the Highland Warrior , due out in Nov. 2011, a preview of which is included at the end of the story. (less)

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Sep 17, 2011 Rachael rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-romance

I really like this book (and having my other fav author terry spears praise it on the cover helped too)

was a fast paced book and plenty of action and romance and sexy stuff .. but enough of the tension to keep it interesting ...
and plenty of funny secondary charecters .. loved Ronan as well ...
would def love to read mnore of this series :D

if i only had one gripe (maybe 2) (spoiler ahead if ya havent read this book STOP NOW)

1.it would have been nice to see Faelen confront Ronan about "that ni...more

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Sep 09, 2012 Julia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, contemporary, paranormal, romance, time-travel, centex-digital-library

I borrowed this book from a digital library, book thinking I might finding something like Outlander. No.... This was far more bizarre. I kept thinking that if Rhonda Sheer were still hosting the defunct Up All Night series, this book would make an awesome B-rated movie. A historian Bree accidentally wakes up a Highland warrior Faelon, trapped in a time vault that she mistook as a treasure chest. The warrior was trapped in the time vault after failing to kill off Druan, one of the ancient demons....more

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Awaken the Highland Warrior (Connor Clan #1)

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