Love with a Scottish Outlaw: Highland Weddings

Gayle Callen

Jun 2017 · Highland Weddings Book 3 · Sold by HarperCollins

About this ebook

Love is worth any risk in this seductive finale of USA Today Bestselling Author Gayle Callen’s Highland Wedding series…

The last thing clan chief Duncan Carlyle expects to encounter in the rain-soaked highlands was Catriona Duff, daughter of the corrupt earl responsible for the price on his head. Yet Duncan finds himself sheltering the beauty who claims to have lost her memory. Catriona could be the key to stopping her father, but only if Duncan can keep her identity—and his dangerously powerful desire—to himself.

Duncan may have rescued Catriona, but the gruff outlaw clearly doesn’t trust her. She’s moved by his mission to rescue kidnapped children, but hiding in a network of caves means living in close quarters with everyone—including Duncan. And even as Catriona struggles to remember her past, the present draws her ever closer to this enigmatic man…and to the secret that could change everything.

Ratings and reviews

Catriona Duff awakens outside, wet and cold, with a painful throbbing in her head. There are two dead men beside her, and she doesn’t know who they are, or who she is. Duncan Carlyle, outlawed Chief of Clan Carlyle is riding to his encampment when Cat faints in front of his horse. While the woman sounds English, after a few minutes Duncan realises who she is: the daughter of the enemy, the Earl of Aberfoyle, the man who forced Duncan to go underground. Is she a spy, is her presence a ruse from her father? Duncan’s life changed the moment he tried to stop Aberfoyle from kidnapping and selling children as indentured slaves; if Duncan shows his face, his clan is doomed. I simply cannot resist an amnesia trope, and LOVE WITH A SCOTTISH OUTLAW is just fabulous! Duncan is a serious and stern man who never smiles, and I loved him right away for his integrity, his honour, and his determination. He is wary of Cat, but as she could be useful to him, he lets her live in his cave with his people while keeping an eye on her at all times. And lovely man that he is, it unsettles him that, even though he wonders if she can be trusted, he still finds Cat very beautiful. I felt Ms. Callen depicted the loss of memory, and the precarious relationship between Cat and Duncan and his people admirably. Duncan’s backstory is riveting and heartbreaking; he is one of the most wonderful heroes I have ever read. Ms. Callen’s storytelling skills are such that, while I am not usually overly fond of clan wars, I did not miss a word and I was utterly captivated throughout. Ms. Callen’s prose is elegant and effortless, moving the story right along, and yet at times gorgeous turns of phrases or profound thoughts made me stop and think, or simply enjoy the beauty of beautifully turned sentences or descriptions. The intimacy slowly builds between Duncan and Cat, nothing was rushed, it happened organically, and Cat’s memory loss felt real. I enjoyed reading every word of LOVE WITH A SCOTTISH OUTLAW for the sprinkling of historical facts, the intricacy of the plot, the wonderful characters, and mostly that every little prickly detail was handled with such deftness and flair. Cat and Duncan do not have it easy, but what an explosive moment when they do acknowledge their attraction! What an adventure, what a glorious ending, what a wonderful hero! What a remarkable book! I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

This is the third book that I read from Gayle Callen and coincidentally, this is the third book in the Highland Weddings series. I had started reading the first two books in this series and then abandoned them. It does seem like I do know why I had abandoned them. I really had a hard time getting into Love with the Scottish Outlaw. Fortunately, I was able to get past the first few chapters. Love with the Scottish Outlaw is about Lady Catriona Duff whose carriage falls over a cliff and she wakes up with amnesia. She is found on the road by Duncan Carlyle, who is an outlaw. Duncan instantly recognizes Cat but he doesn’t reveal her identity because she is the daughter of his enemy and Duncan is out for revenge. I liked the premise. I also love the slow burn romance here. However, I miss more interactions between Cat and Duncan! I felt like there wasn’t really a real instance where Cat would fall in love with him. Sure, she was attracted to him, but I wasn’t really sold on their love. That being said, I loved that Cat found out about Duncan’s lies in the three-quarters part of the book, which actually gave them enough time to overcome this obstacle. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. It was a little hard to get into at first, but once I did, I got immersed in the story.

'Love with a Scottish Outlaw" by Gayle Callen is Book Three in the "Highland Weddings". This is the story of Duncan Carlyle and Catriona Duff. I have read the previous book but feel this is easily a standalone book. Duncan finds Cat along the way home injured and her not even knowing her name. Duncan knows who Cat is...the daughter of Earl of Aberfoyleis, but keeps it to himself. Earl of Aberfoyle is Duncan's enemy. The man that has made Duncan and his men go underground because they tried to stand up to Earl of Aberfoyle when Duncan found him kidnapping and selling children as slaves. Duncan does take her in to help her heal and tries to fight he growing feelings. Cat wakes up hurt with a few dead men and with no knowledge of who she is. Cat tries to make the best of what has happened to her. But what will she say when she finds out Duncan has been lying to her? "My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."

About the author

After a detour through fitness instructing and computer programming, Gayle Callen found the life she'd always dreamed of as a romance writer. This USA Today bestselling author has written more than twenty historical romances for Avon Books, and her novels have won the Holt Medallion, the Laurel Wreath Award, the Booksellers' Best Award, and been translated into eleven different languages. The mother of three grown children, an avid crafter, singer, and outdoor enthusiast, Gayle lives in Central New York with her dog, Uma, and her husband, Jim the Romance Hero. She also writes contemporary romances as Emma Cane.