Celtic Barb's Tartan Book Review Blog: Beauty and the Highland Beast , A Highland Fairy Tale by Lecia Cornwall, Book 1, 5 Kilts.

Scotland 1706

Laird Padraig Sinclair, of Carraig Brigh, as any father loved his son dearly and wanted him healed immediately! He was not the same man he had been in physically or mentally. Padraig’s son and heir Alasdair Og Sinclair, that most called Dair, He was the Captain His men and cousin were sailing on a journey their way to France to take his cousin Jeannie to a nunnery as she requested.. They and were captured by English soldiers mistaken for pirates. They took everything of value on their ship, gold, coins, including their crew and his female cousin and murdered everyone including his beautiful cousin whom they raped, beaten and hung. The worst of it is they he had forced him to live and watch while chained. Most had been his dear friends since childhood, they had tortured and beaten Dair half to death, but let him live just make a point and set an example. He now has now drinks heavily to forget , walks with a limp, face is scarred, nose broken and wounds not healing that were not tended to and are still festering. Dair has hallucinations and horrible nightmares where he screams through the night in terror . His clan knows he's dying and most believe he is a madman and monster and is the cause of the Clans devastation and downfall and has cursed them all. Dair knows the clan would never vote him in as the next laird and he doesn't blame them a bit. He doesn't believe he is a good choice himself and knows they whisper about him behind his back. Yet his father,

stubborn Padraig Sinclair forbids his son to die and calls for village healer Morie o’ the Spring, the old crone and pagan worshipper who worships the goddess as her savior. It is the Goddess voice she hears tells the Sinclair Chieftain, he needs a virgin maiden to heal his son!

Laird Donal MacLeod, of Glen Iolair, the father of eight lassies and eight dead wives. He perks up when Padraig Sinclairs to take of his daughters off his his hands with an offer of marriage. That is until he ask for his daughter Fiona they call Fia. As she is his clumsy accident prone daughter, often ignored or forgotten by her own family members! She had an accident as a child that causes me to walks with a limp and body badly scarred. Though she is beautiful but she just doesn't recognize it. At first Donal is thrilled with the idea to marry off one of his daughters, until he realizes it his fey daughter as he calls her Fia. Donal is very overprotective of Fia until her sisters back her up naming her finer qualities. When Padraig sees she's a healer he is hopeful she will be the one. Though he secretly knows he would never marry his son to such a woman with her defects , but her beautiful flirtatious sister Meggie would be perfect for Dair,who will comes as chaperone! Afterall he did promise to marry his son to one of his daughters just might not be the daughter he thought. Yes Padraig Sinclair could be a cruel, devious and a bit of a snob. He still also insists Dair will be the next Chieftain though Dair tells him he is unfit and to make his cousin Logan, Jeannies twin brother his heir. Well his father won't even listen and is determined Dair is to be the next Laird!

Fia see’s Dair is not mad or insane just grieving and in mourning and in need of comforting. She seems to be able to start to heal him when no other can. At first the Sinclair’s , are in awe of her, but then due to a villain in their mist - the winds shift and not for the better. This also puts Fia's life in peril and his in danger as there are whispers of witches and madness and revenge that the closer they too become the more their lives become in peril! Who could this be? Will Dair finally be able keep the past at bay and take a chance on love? Will innocent Fia die at the hands of a madman, villain or a broken heart?

Biggest scene stealer is Beezlebub, Fia’s ferocious cat which is hilarious! Some hilarious and heartwarming moments with the Sinclair clansman Angus, Niall, Jock and Ruari too. Also the endearing character English John. He,was the Englishman who also was in prison for debt and kept Dair alive. English John brought him home and was asked to stay on as Dair’s companion, since he was the one who kept him alive in prison and brought his fevered body home.

Be ready to be swept away by Beauty and the Highland Beast, A Highland Adventure, book one. is an awe inspiring beautifully written book with 70 exceptional chapters that I absolutely loved! It has breathtaking settings, magnificent fast paced plots and characters that glide off the pages and straight into the reader's heart. In addition to so many twists and turns that had me holding on to my seat by a thread! A definite readers delight! A must read in my opinion just was blown away by this beautiful, heart tugging, emotional story! This novel had me tearing up, but then again some parts had me laughing hysterically too. There is something about tortured souls that draws readers in, as I simply could not put the this one down! I think everyone wants to draw someone that is in darkness into the light. Bravo Ms. Cornwall for penning this exilarating tale as I know I was absolutely captivated by this magnificent tale. It's a story of torture, mayhem, murder, betrayal, superstition, grief, compassion , healing, forgiveness, trust, hope, faith and love. Had me hooked from start to finish! Loved Beauty and the Beast by Lecia Cornwall.

Really strikes on all emotions, you can't help but feel empathy for both the hero and heroine in this story. They are two tortured souls with little self esteem, but in a sense becomes each others lifeline too. So I recommend to have a box of Kleenex on hand. I am definitely looking forward to the next fascinating installment of A Highland Fairy Tale series by Lecia Cornwall, I can hardly wait!

***I was given an ARC of this book by publishers St. Martin’s Press/Macmillan Casablanca through netgalley.com for an honest review.

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