While this book didn't blow me away, it did have all of the elements that I tend to like in a Highlander romance. I love those that are rich in Scottish history...obviously loosely based on real events, with an author's historical note. But the history and politics didn't at all override the romance, which is obviously the best part of the book to me. Sileas (pronounced She-luss) was a pitiful young girl, she and her mother were both used as pawns in men's games of war and politics. I could empathize with her plight, but the miscommunication between she and Ian when they were older and wiser got to be too much. Sileas seemed more mature when she was a thirteen year old. Honestly, her character just caused a lot of problems. She WAS available and useful in Ian's parent's household, and the family came to love her and rely on her, but I couldn't get past how much chaos she caused.Ian was a somewhat blah character. I just didn't feel anything for him, which is very uncommon for me with regards to heroes. He was a teenage boy full of hormones and horny-ness at first, but even after he grows up, he just remains so clueless about Sileas. I never understood how he couldn't see her embarrassment and heartbreak. Did he honestly NEVER think about what a forced marriage would do to a thirteen year old girl? Not to mention one who had already lived the life that Sileas did. This was a hard thing to buy, and if I couldn't bring myself to believe that he was such an utterly oblivious person, then I'd just have to fall back on the fact that he is unfeeling and never cared about her emotional well being.All that being said, I will still continue with the story, because I am very intrigued by Connor and the rest of the men. This series seems to not only have individual stories but a series plot as well, and I love that in a series. It makes for an intricate and intriguing story line. The writing is fine, it's the characterization that fell short for me. I just didn't really like either of them. I listened to the audiobook...the narrator sounded like an old English Dude, and I KNOW that fact colored my opinion of the story, so take this review for what it's worth. I will switch to reading the rest of the series.
