A HIGHLANDER IN PERIL is Book three in Kara Griffin's "Gunn Guardsman" series. This is the first book I've read by Kara Griffin but I was still able to enjoy it without having read the previous books. What starts out as a marriage born from a sense of duty, and an honoring of a dead man's last wish soon blossoms into a beautiful love story. I love this kind of story and it's a bonus that the hero and heroine are both likable characters I can care about.

Sean Gunn and Lady Frances Jordan are thrown together by the matchmaking of Frances's dying uncle William. Sean gains much from the marriage -- a wife, a step-daughter, and a position as Laird Hume. Kara Griffin does a great job of defining the main characters and breathing life into them. Sean is convincing as an alpha hero with a tender side and Frances has a quiet strength but has a passionate side as well. The attraction between Sean and Frances is immediate but I like the evolution of their relationship. The steamy scenes are balanced perfectly with the sweet scenes - like the ones between Sean and Frances's young daughter.

In addition to the wonderful romance, there is the central storyline of the mysterious serial killer. Someone is murdering young women -- many of them Lady Frances knows personally, including her good friend Winifred. The identity of the killer remains a secret until the very end, heightening the suspense. There are occasional scenes from the killer's POV. The element of danger is very real and provides excitement, without obscuring the romance.

A HIGHLANDER IN PERIL is everything I look for in a historical highlander romance -- great characters, a sexy and sweet romance, and an intriguing mystery. Readers who like a strong yet sensitive hero will love this book. I eagerly await the next book in this Gunn Guardsman series.

Book Summary

A life forever changed
A heart on the mend
Mysterious events abound

To receive his family’s fortune, Sean Gunn must wed the lady thrust upon him by his dying uncle. As a Gunn clan protector and guardsman, he’s honor-bound to accept his uncle’s legacy and the woman whose voice alone affects more than his heart.

Lady Frances Jordan never thought to feel the stirrings of love since she’d lost her husband, but Sean Gunn’s irresistible manner and handsomeness is just what she needs to move on with her life. He awakens her desire with his passionate kisses and romantic gestures.

When many a lady goes missing near the border of Scotland and England, Sean is determined to find out who the knave is. Frances becomes the target of the would-be attacker and needs the aid of the Gunn protector. Can Sean keep his lady safe and embroil himself in border politics to ferret out the assailant?