Master of Desire by Kinley MacGregor

Another series that I have been reading out of order, this is the first book in the MacAllister series by Kinley MacGregor, and comes before Claiming the Highlander in the series.

A Dream of Desire Awakened

Beautiful Lady Emily dreams of the rapture of love and the joys of marriage. The youngest daughter of an English lord at war, she is shaken by the arrival of a mysterious stranger to her father's castle. Could this breathtaking man be Emily's yearned-for lover? Indeed, Draven de Montague, Earl of Ravenswood, has come for Emily...but romance has nothing to do with it. In the Tender Embrace of an Enemy

Draven would never have entered the home of his most hated adversary had not the King himself ordered him to take in his foe's daughter for a year to forge bonds of peace between their two feuding houses. Worse still, here is a lass whose exquisite
loveliness could tempt Draven to betray his sworn vow never to let anther close to his heart. Emily knows the searing heat of her passion could burn down the defenses of this proud warrior. But will the surrender of the sweet nectar of his lips and his bold, sensuous caress ignite a blaze so hot it consumes them both?

When Henry orders that Draven must become the guardian of his enemies daughter there is only one proviso - at the end of the year Lady Emily must be in the same virgin state as she was at the beginning of the twelve months - which would be fine except Lady Emily has her own agenda and it's not necessarily the same as the King's.

Emily sees this as a chance for her to escape. Her father is no ogre, but since her mother and sister's died her father has basically smothered her with kindness, not allowing her any freedom, and most certainly not encouraging any young men to call on her.

Draven, on the other hand, had a terrible background that is gradually revealed through the book. His mother was murdered in front of him, his father was an extremely brutal man as well as a man who goes back on his promises. Because Emily's father sees him as being his father's son Emily's father will not accept Draven as an honourable man, especially as there is evidence to say that Draven has broken his word to the King by attacking villages.

Will Emily and Draven get to be married and live happily ever after? Will Emily's father realise which of his new son-in-laws is the man of honour? Well of course he will, but the journey was quite enjoyable!

Draven's brother is Simon who is the best friend of Sin MacAllister in Born in Sin, and who features in his own story in the Where's My Hero anthology.

What I don't get is that this book is written by the same author who wrote A Pirate of her Own. It must be the Scottish setting as opposed to the pirate one that mean that I was able to immerse myself completely in this book, and to enjoy it so much! I had none of the issues with the writing that I had in the pirate book!

Rating 4/5