Rowan MacGregor, orphaned niece to the chief of the MacAlpins and the rock her family depends upon, is worried. With the dwindling health of her aunt, the Guardian of the Targe, the protections that have kept the clan safe and prosperous are fading, and the new Guardian, one of her cousins, has yet to be chosen. Rowan wants nothing more than to see the clan protected again, but when it seems that will never happen, she despairs—even when a handsome and charming stranger comes to her aid.

Nicholas fitz Hugh is not what he seems. Half-English, half-Scottish, he turned his back on his Scottish heritage early in his life, giving his loyalty to England instead. Now he is a talented and cunning spy charged with finding and stealing the Highland Targe for his king.

But when Nicholas finds himself falling for the bonny Rowan and wanting to protect the family she holds so dear, he is forced to choose between his king’s will and his own: Will he betray his king and his mission? Or will he turn his back on the woman he has come to love?

MacAlmost

This was a very sweet tale with very nicey nice characters and a somewhat chaste romance. The story was well-written but dull, especially considering the potential. You have a betrayal that could have wrought a lot more heartache than it did - it was all too easily brushed aside. You have paranormal stuff with the guardianship of the targe that's over before it gets going. And you have a villain who is off page too much to present any real sense of danger.

I'm going to recommend this to readers who don't like too much sex in their Highlander romances but enjoy sweet, gentle character exploration and development.

3 Stars ★★★

ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.