Highland Master by Hannah Howell

Highland Master by Hannah Howell.

This is book 19 in the Murray Family series.

Lady Triona McKee's life has not quite turned out as she pictured it. After an illness killed half of her clan, including her husband the laird, Triona is dealing with a neighbor that wants her land and using the excuse that a woman shouldn't be laird.

Triona's cousin (Arianna from Highland Avenger) has run from her husband after hearing some unsettling news. With her comes some of her kinsmen including Sir Brett Murray.

There is an instant attraction between Triona and Brett, but neither is looking for romance and try to ignore it.

Brett and his companions can tell that something is not right in the household.  The only people around are women, children and very old men.  A fire is started in one of the fields and Triona can not withhold the truth any longer.  She needs help keeping her neighbor from trying to get her land.

Brett has pledged to help Triona by staying on with his men even after Arianna might go home.  As the two of them spend time together a friendship develops. They both soon realize that it is quickly becoming more than that. Triona is not about to be under the control of another man now that she has tasted the freedom of becoming laird and Brett is haunted by a past love.  Can they overcome these obstacles to find love with one another?

I am a huge fan of Hannah Howell and have read the whole Murray series.  Once again, she does not disappoint.  As with most of her stories, you get to visit old friends and in this case it was Arianna and Brian from Highland Avenger.

I really liked that Triona and Brett were able to develop a friendship before they become lovers. That is not often done in romance stories.  There was also an added element of mystery that kept me reading. I didn't want to put the book down because I wanted the mystery solved! I'm always laughing out loud when I read one of Hannah's books. I LOVE the banter between her characters.  Even if you haven't read the other books in the series, you will still enjoy it immensely. 

You can get this book at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kensington. 

Thanks go to NetGalley and Kensington for a copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.