Claimed by the Highland Warrior by Michelle Willingham

Claimed by the Highland Warrior 

by Michelle Willingham

Bram MacKinloch has spent seven long, torturous years in captivity with only three things to keep him alive—pure brute strength, a thirst for revenge and the memory of his pretty wife's face.
Shock is only one of the emotions coursing through Nairna's body when she sees Bram again. His scars tell of suffering, the hunger in his eyes speak of a burning desire so raw it could consume them both. But a lot has changed since they so innocently wed….

My thoughts:

This is a very dark hearted story; it was painful to read at times. The hero, Bram, was sixteen and newly married when he went to battle. During the battle, his father gave his life for him, only for Bram and his younger brother to be taken into custody. Held for seven years, Bram is able to escape, but he is forced to leave his brother behind.

The story line addresses the effects of PTSD, guilt for leaving his brother behind, and the uncertainty of what faces him once he returns to this clan. My heart broke for Bram with his broken memories which continued to assault him.

Bram has not seen his wife or clan for seven years. The day he was captured was also his wedding day, he never consummated his marriage to Nairna. During the past seven years, his wife Nairna, believing Bram was dead, re-married and had since became a widow. In many Highlander books I have previously read, the wife is the virgin; but since Bram had never taken a woman before, he didn’t know what he should do. Seeing the love rekindle between the two characters was sweet and endearing. The love scenes were passionate and well written.

I had some mixed emotions on Nairna, although she was strong willed, when it came to Bram, she appeared meek and shy. At one point she compared Bram to her deceased husband, and she was afraid of the feelings he’d stirred within her. Get over it Nairna, the man you love has been gone for seven years and you want him, where your deceased husband didn’t pleasure you at the least and left you unsatisfied. The lack of communication between the characters also was frustrating at times.

There were several second characters and cliffhangers, and no I won’t spoil it for you. I just felt like I was left hanging there, and I keep wondering what happened to them.

My Rating: