I have always been a fan of books set in the Scottish Highlands, perhaps because of my own Scottish blood or the fascinating Scots I have known. Regardless of the reason, I'm always ready to try another romance set in my favorite country so Hannah Howell's Highland Wolf was a perfect fit.

James Drummond wasn't going to let another minute pass without trying to regain his rightful home from the evil Donnell MacKay. In hiding for years after wrongly being accused of murdering his wife, James was ready to reclaim Dunncraig and his daughter Margaret from the thief MacKay who now had power over them both.

Crafting a clever disguise to gain employment in the Dunncraig keep was not difficult, but keeping to his French accent posed a bit more of a problem – especially after meeting Annora MacKay and learning that she herself was quite fluent in French, in addition to being amazingly attractive.

Rolf, as most called him now, spent his days working at his art and keeping his eyes and ears open. Someone, somewhere must know the truth of how his wife really died. He noticed that Annora also seemed ever-watchful, but he had no idea why. It might take time, but he would reclaim Dunncraig as his own and discover Annora's secrets – perhaps claiming her for his own as well.

Annora MacKay loved Meggie as if she were of her own blood and not merely the adopted daughter of her cousin to whom she was a nursemaid. She'd have left Dunncraig long ago if not for the little girl.

Far older than her years, Meggie often said things that made Annora question the true fate of her mother. Annora was not ignorant to the fact that her cousin Donnell MacKay was a bad man. But could he truly have set up the murder to take over the lands of Dunncraig? She wasn't sure, but she was determined to find out. She only hoped she would succeed in finding the truth before Meggie became of marriageable age and all was lost.

As if the secrets of the past were not enough, the new man Rolf Lavengeance seemed to resonate with secrets of his own. Never had she found a man so attractive, or so mysterious. No doubt he was a master carver, but it seemed he also had the manners and carriage of one higher born. And what of the Scots accent he used when he thought himself alone? The only thing she could do was spend more time with him and see if she could uncover those secrets.

Hannah Howell's Highland Wolf is an engaging story of a strong willed woman and a wronged man, both searching for their freedom and the truth in the keep of Dunncraig. She has created characters of depth who will appeal to the reader and a fascinating storyline that will draw you in quickly and hold you there tight.

Ms. Howell has written many stories set in the Highlands, but this is the first that I have read. Though minor, I did want to point out the one downside to my reading of Highland Wolf. Ms. Howell writes her dialogue in a Scots dialect I am not familiar with and at times it was difficult to understand what was being said without re-reading passages. I'm not sure if all of her books are written in this way, but rest assured it was only a small point and did nothing to detract from the enjoyable story as a whole.

If you are a fan of the Scottish Highlands and are interested in meeting a few likeable characters in search of the truth, pick up a copy of Hannah Howell's Highland Wolf and settle in for a good read. 
 
Reviewed By Sabine Maurier
© March 2008