Royal Highlander #1
“Whatever you do,” he said wearily. “When our bairn is born, don’t name him Searc.”
Cinaed Mackintosh
May McGoldrick, aka Nikoo and Jim, hit all the right notes for me with this book. The Radical War of 1820 makes a suspenseful backdrop for this tale, the characters are vibrant, and Jean is great at stealing the scene from Isabella and Cinaed.
Tensions are high throughout Scotland in 1820. Scottish culture had been repressed for over 75 years, people are forced from their homes, and suppression of all protests is the law of the land. If this is not enough, Isabella Drummond is wanted by both the British forces and Scottish rebels.
As we meet her, she is fleeing to Inverness to seek passage to Canada for herself, her sister, and her stepdaughter. Her husband was an activist with the rebels in Edinburgh and was shot by British soldiers raiding their clinic during strikes by the workers. Isabella is a University-trained physician who has worked alongside her father and husband. Her training leads her directly to Cinaed Mackintosh’s side.
Cinaed is the captain of the Highland Crown which sank when it ran aground. Rather than allow anyone to expose what his cargo is, he lights it on fire before abandoning ship. The villagers waiting on shore to loot the boat are angered by its destruction, and one of them shoots Cinaed as the longboat he’s in attempts to reach the beach. Despite the danger to herself, Isabella rushes to save his life with the grumbling aid of Jean, the woman who is giving her shelter.
The characters are all capable in their own ways and in ways that, while unusual, were not unheard of in that time. The characters are also not forceful to the point of stupidity. Isabella is wise enough to hide her abilities when dealing with people who might turn on her. When the opportunity presents itself, she is willing to help those in need. Cinaed is willing to put his own life and liberty in danger to run weapons and carry emigrants across the ocean. This doesn’t change even when he’s down with a hole from a bullet in his chest. He offers Isabella the protection of claiming to be his wife because he knows that even his own family would turn her in without that protection.
Jim and Nikoo’s blending of historical fact and fiction paints a vivid landscape of Scotland in 1820. They don’t pull their punches concerning the conditions of the people and the delicate balance that exists between different factions that can explode into violence at any time. Even with the high level of tension, there is humor and softer elements to be found. Several scenes actually had me laughing out loud, which is a rare occurrence. Jean is an excellent counterpoint to Isabella’s compassion, and her willingness to clobber Cinaed in the head is especially amusing. The romantic elements showcase the growing together of two people during a time of turmoil and are a nice contrast to the chaos that surrounds the couple. While there is sexual content in the book, there are no explicit sex scenes.
Some new information about Cinaed’s past comes to light at the end of the book, but that is for Highland Jewel and Highland Sword to explore. I look forward to reading Maisie and Morrigan’s stories as they fight for their own bit of peace in the Scottish Highlands.
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