Title: MacLean’s Passion (A Highland Pride Novel, book#2)
Genre: Historical Romance/Highlands
Author: Sharon Cullen
Publisher: Loveswept, June 28, 2016
Source: Free for review from the publisher
Pages: 293
Rating: 4
Sexy Rating: 5
Description from Amazon.com:
Colin MacLean has always felt like a black sheep—especially after his brothers are slain before his eyes in the Battle of Culloden. A smuggler by trade, Colin makes for an embarrassing chieftain. He can’t even save his friends from their British pursuers without getting himself captured. But before he is martyred by the hangman’s noose, Colin escapes with his cellmate, a brave lad he’s come to admire. It’s only in the depths of the Highlands that Colin discovers the lad is a lass—and a bonnie one at that. Raised by her older brothers, Maggie Sinclair can drink a pint in no time flat and wield a dagger with the best of ’em. Still, men have always excluded her and women have always shunned her. Colin makes her feel different. His wild spirit and rugged good looks have Maggie reconsidering her less than ladylike ways. For the first time, she’s tempted to put on a gown, just to see how Colin would react. She can only imagine what might happen next: a kiss . . . a touch . . . and perhaps enough sultry heat to melt a cold Highland night.
**
In this Scottish Highlands novel we have a feisty, Tom-boy of a woman who was raised by her older brother without the input of females to impart lady-like ways. She is skilled with weapons and fighting and can hold her own with the men but has no female friends. Colin is the chieftain of his clan because his older brothers died in battle. He does not feel worthy of the title or the responsibility. Maggie imparts her strength of character to help Colin take his rightful place.
I liked this story of a strong willed sometimes reckless heroine. That she and Colin could make a match seemed impractical in any other scenario except in the way fate has thrown them together. Colin was a bit too insecure for my particular hero-taste but he was a good, kind, honorable man. There is plenty of action, battles and sexy times.
This is the second book in Sharon Cullen’s Highland Pride series. It is a standalone novel with some characters from the first book (Sutherland’s Secret) playing important roles. If you have not read the first book then I’m sure this one will whet your appetite to find out more about Brice Sutherland.
I can recommend this book to all Historical Romance readers.
P.S.- The cover gives me the willies. The woman may look a bit like Maggie but the muscle bound male model is not how I pictured Colin.
La Deetda Reads 
Great review, Dot. It’s a pity about the cover, no tough Scot could look less like a ‘Colin’ – nor does she look like a Tom-boy! Luckily I read on a kindle so covers have little effect.
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Wendy, I hear so much about how authors have little input on their cover photos/art that I wish there was a general uprising and they complained. Now the woman here does look like Maggie with her short hair and the gown she was forced to wear by her brother. I did picture Colin as well toned but less over developed and younger than the cover model. This cover turned me off even before I read the book. So perhaps I have other prejudices I’m not confronting.
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I’m with you, completely, Dot! I have a real issue with book covers. And a real hatred of waxed chests 😦
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Ha,ha…I don’t mind the waxed chests, I just think of how painful the process must have been and my sympathy gene clicks in.
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One to add to my ever growing wish list!
Dot, this cover would definitely have put me off reading this book. I hate it when the pictures on the cover bear no resemblance to how the characters are described in the book.
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I’m happy we bloggers are on the same page, maybe WE can influence the publishers to give better covers. I have noticed that pubs. on NetGalley want to know if reviewers give covers a thumbs up or a thumbs down, but they want to know BEFORE you have read the book which isn’t really fair. Sometimes a cover is really lovely but doesn’t relate to the book at all.
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