Second in the McCabe Trilogy, an historical-romance series set in medieval Scotland around the three McCabe brothers.

The Story
The MacDonald wants an alliance with the McCabes to protect his clan from Cameron and Malcolm. An alliance of marriage between his daughter, Rionna, and the middle McCabe. Except, on his way to his betrothal, Alaric McCabe is ambushed and his men are killed. He manages to get away sorely wounded only to drop off his horse in front of a healer's hut. A healer, Keely, with whom he falls in love. A love forbidden by his own honor and political expediency.

Even more disastrous when Ewan kidnaps Keely after he and Caelen track their brother down.

The Characters
Keely formerly McDonald has survived these long years in the forest as a healer after being cast out from the McDonald clan. Alaric McCabe knows his duty. He will marry Rionna McDonald to cement the alliance between his clan and hers. For it is only through this alliance that the other clans will join and ensure the defeat of the Camerons. And the safety of the McCabes.

Mairin and Ewan are happily awaiting their first child together—Crispin is looking forward to a younger brother...or sister. Caelen. Well, Caelen is Caelen. Luckily for Keely, Mairin has already started the defrosting of this third McCabe brother. Rionna McDonald is the McDonald's only heir. Whoever weds her will rule the Clan McDonald. Her husband will simply have to accept her preferences for battle and swordplay. Laird McDonald is a lecherous fool who has endeared himself to no one. I hate to think what part he plays in the next installment!

My Take
This was much better than the first, In Bed with a Highlander. Actually, it made me cry a lot towards the end...sniff… The brothers are such alpha males but with such soft hearts and even though the ending was wayyyy too obvious, it was still an interesting method by which to resolve the who is marrying whom dilemma. With some interesting possibilities for Rionna in the next in the series, Never Love a Highlander.

The Cover
Well, the purple, black, and lavender plaid is nice. Still not the McCabe tartan. But you definitely get the idea with the naked couple lying on the sofa draped in the plaid. Too bad authors don't get much input on the covers… Hey, maybe it's a McDonald plaid?? The title seems accurate enough since Alaric is definitely involved in the Seduction of a Highland Lass.