I gave 2.5 stars... I had a really hard time with the lead female character... she drove me nuts. ( )

I gave 2.5 stars... I had a really hard time with the lead female character... she drove me nuts. ( )

Though the plot Kathleen Harrington chose to base The MacLean Groom on may seem like a repeat of so many other historical romances already out there, it's anything but. Kathleen turns a seemingly simple plot and adds her own spectacular writing skills to it, making the story an original work of art. Her books have everything: honest-to-God romance, deliciously steamy sex scenes, and a subplot that adds a touch of mystery and adventure (Up until the end, you are not sure who really did kill a certain character nor how far evil Ewen is willing to go in orer to get control of all the land and power he can.). Add to all that a wickedly handsome hero, a Highland warrior/Sea God, and Kathleen has created the perfect historical romance novel.

Joanna did not want to marry the fierce Lord Rory Maclean, the very man who murdered her grandfather after wrongly accusing him of killing another man, a friend of Rory's, as it turns out. She is so against it that she gets the whole castle to go along with this elaborate plot to hide her until the very end, saying that her cousin is her. Then, right before the ceremony, her cousin's father will step forward and claim that she is not Joanna, by which the true Joanna will be long gone, leaving the wicked laird along at the alter.

But this plan backfires from the beginning when Rory realizes almost from the very beginning that the true Joanna is dressed as a lowly servent boy, Joey. He, of course, keeps his knowledge of their plot secret and starts the seduction of the beautiful lass. By the time the ceremony comes around, he has her--him, as she was still dressed as Joey-- come up and be the proxy bride and say Joanna's vows, knowing full well that she is Joanna. He tears off her cap right before leaning in for a passionate kiss and lets her and their guests know that he has not been fooled.

Of course, she still fights him, not wanting to be married to such a devious man, and her evil uncle Ewen, who had planned to have her married off to her sixteen year-old cousin in order to keep their two lands together, does not help their potential love connection any. Of course, in the end, they both end up falling for each other, after some steamy tearing up of the sheets.

But everything goes wrong one day. After Ewen has her and her family taken away to a far off castle and has Rory thrown in prison for five months, Joanna fears that she will never see her beloved again, and will instead either be killed by her phsyco uncles or finally married off to her cousin. But when Rory is freed by his brothers and comes to her rescue, ragged and dressed like a wicked pirate, she's not the only one who's surprised. When Rory turns to see her standing there, he finds out just what five months apart can do to her body---she's pregnant.

They head home, and a few months later, she gives birth to their lovely baby boy. When Godfrey tries one last time to take her away for his own plans, this time planning on killing James, their baby, and Rory, Joanna steps inbetween his knife and her beloved Rory. Rory kills Godfrey, but before he dies, they find out that Joanna had been telling the truth all along-- her grandfather was not the one who killed Cameron. Everything falls into place: the two feuding families have stopped, Rory and Joanna proclaim their love to one another, and they all live happily ever after.

4.5/5 STARS. The Maclean Groom is a must read for any die-hard Scottish romance fan, or any romance fan, for that matter. Charming and sweet, steamy and witty, TMG is the perfect read! Unfortunately her previous novels are currently out of print, but I am trying to get my hands on used copies. Until then, I am anxiously awaiting the next two books *As far as I know, they are not yet even written, but still...* in her luscious and gripping Highland Laird's Trilogy-- no doubt about Rory's younger brothers. ( )