Wings of Morning (These Highland Hills, Book 2): These Highland Hills Series, Book 2 [Kindle Edition]

Kathleen Morgan begins her riveting highland historical novel, Wings of Morning, on Regan MacLaren's wedding night. When the clansmen bring their drunken laird, who is Regan's foster brother, to their bedchamber, Roddy is both brutal and awkward in his attempts to consummate the marriage. Regan flees, and when he cannot find her, he decides to make peace by bringing her an expensive gift--stolen from the flocks and herds of the neighboring Campbell clan. Instead, they bring Roddy back laid out on his plaid, killed by Ian Campbell after a surrender, according to Roddy's brother, Walter, who has become the new laird of the clan.

When Regan tries to prevent Walter's ambush of Ian Campbell, she loses her way, falls, and loses her memory. She does not remember who she is, that she is the abandoned heiress of the wealthy Drummond clan, the widow of murdered Roddy MacLaren, or that she hates Ian Campbell. Campbell's peasants bring her to Ian's estate where he and his mother nurse her back to health. As the godly Ian and she spend time together, love grows, and Regan finds in Ian's mother the mother-figure missing in her own life.

The return of Regan's memory, the distrust of Ian's cousin Niall, the hunger for power of her cousin William Drummond, the commands of Queen Mary, and the schemes of Walter MacLaren threaten Ian's and Regan's budding love.

Kathleen Morgan weaves a fascinating tale of highland romance. Though I have read little historical fiction in the past few years, I scoped out free moments to pick up her book. Her characters are well drawn: Ian, strong, handsome and godly, with a clear idea of what he wants; Regan, a distrustful and vulnerable survivor; William Drummond, the power-hungry man intent on not losing his position to Regan; and the grasping, unscrupulous Walter. My only suggestion would be that Morgan make some of the Scottish words a little more understandable, such as "tanist."

Morgan, the winner of the 2002 Rose Award for Best Inspirational Romance and author of several romances, delivers again. Fans of historical fiction or of Scotland will enjoy this book. - Debbie W. Wilson, Christian Book Previews.com

In WINGS OF MORNING, the second installment of These Highland Hills, Kathleen Morgan offers up her own trademark brand of historical romantic fare that, while engaging, requires turning a blind eye to some cliched plot elements.

Morgan picks up from the first book in the series, CHILD OF THE MIST, which introduced us to the feuding, superstitious world of the Scottish Highlands in the 1500s. In it, we met Niall Campbell and Anne MacGregor and followed their tempestuous marriage. In this sequel, Niall's brother Iain takes center stage. We're also introduced to the 17-year-old orphaned Regan Drummond, who has been raised by the MacLaren clan and is now to be wed to her best friend, Roddy MacLaren.

However, on her wedding night Regan discovers Roddy's darker side. Inexplicably, she's angry with him for getting drunk, but a few paragraphs before, she's urging him to down some wine before he comes to their marriage bed. After fleeing from her new husband (and conveniently staying a virgin), she is stunned the next morning when she discovers Roddy has been murdered. Her new brother-in-law, Walter, vows vengeance on Iain Campbell, who Walter says killed Roddy. But we're already pretty sure who has killed whom.

Regan rides out on horseback and ends up in an accident, which lands her at the Campbells' castle suffering from amnesia. She's nursed back to health (can you say PRIDE & PREJUDICE?) and falls in love with the kind, handsome laird Iain, whose gotten over his love for Anne from book one and is ready to turn his attentions elsewhere. Kathleen Morgan knows how to weave sexual tension throughout her novels, and the romance heats up nicely between Regan and Iain.

Disappointingly, amnesia has been so overused as a plot device that the reader can't help but feel this is an easy way to make the story move along. Regan predictably regains her memory just before the Queen visits, and she's able to bring her murder accusations against Iain directly to the authorities. The reader is left scratching her head at this point, wondering why a woman who loved Iain so desperately would desire to avenge her husband of one night by seeing her love interest executed for murder. It's also a bit unbelievable that Iain's family continues with varying levels of affection to care for Regan, who is now trying to unjustly (but justly in her mind) accuse the kind and generous Iain. To say the reader needs to suspend disbelief is to state it lightly.

Some of the Scottish terminology (as in CHILD OF THE MIST) is confusing (a glossary would be helpful) and, when it is frequently used, detracts from the smooth pacing of the book ("Weesht" is enjoyable the first time, but gets old quickly.) There's the unavoidable comparison of a woman to a horse, which unfortunately appeared in CHILD OF THE MIST (this time, it's "Bridle the filly before she takes the bit, and she's forever out of control.") It's a tired analogy that is used far too often in romance novels.

Despite these missteps, Morgan excels at including some nice historical details, including a section on roses --- which might slow down an uninterested reader --- but as a gardener, I found it absorbing. Her settings are usually well-described, "the heath washing the hills in lavender and pink, the sparkling burns flowing through the glens, and the eagles soaring overhead."

If historical fiction readers can suspend their disbelief about some of the plot elements, they should find this an engaging romance.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby. Contact Cindy at phrelanzer@aol.com.

In 1556 heiress Regan MacLaren marries her childhood friend Drummond, but halts their lovemaking when her drunken groom acts brutish in front of his equally intoxicated friends and brother Walter. The next day Regan learns that Drummond was murdered by the laird of Clan Campbell Iain when he went on a raid to obtain a bride gift for her, was caught, surrendered, and was cowardly killed. Walter demands justice, but insists their poor clan cannot obtain such from the likes of the mighty Campbells. Instead he waits to abduct Iain at an opportune moment when they can bring him stealthily to justice at their keep.

Regan worries when Walter leads a party to snatch Iain so she follows. She stumbles and is found by Iain's men who bring the injured woman to their chieftain. Regan suffers from amnesia, but quickly Iain and her fall in love. However, once she learns who she is, she will need to decide between her clan in marriage or the Campbells not realizing that Walter plans to take away her choices.

WINGS OF MORNING is a terrific sixteenth century Scottish romance starring a delightful cast that brings to life the feuds and pacts of These Highlands Hills. The story line contains a bit of a mystery as to whether Iain really murdered Drummond and if not who did, but clearly the relationship between the laird and the amnesiac make for a fun tale as he wonders what will happen to them once she regains her memory. The return of the lead couple from CHILD OF THE MIST augments a fine historical tale that will have readers pondering how the diabolical Walter will bring justice to Iain and take Regan as his.

Harriet Klausner