Review: Highland Dragon by Kimberly Killion

Title: Highland Dragon
Author: Kimberly Killion
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Zebra Books
Pub. Date: October 2009
Series: No.
Review At: AtM, Goodreads

~*~Synopsis from Goodreads~*~
Scotland 1502. Akira Neish has been raised as a peasant, her belly often empty and her family subject to the cruel whims of her clan's laird. To the clan's children, the horned shaped birthmark she bears means she is a witch. But she is neither peasant nor witch - and now the man who knows the truth has returned to claim her for his own.

Calin MacLeod has kept Akira's secrets and to avenge his father, the sensual young laird must marry her. He is more than a match for the fiery nature of the woman he adores. Yet the passion they share - and truths that can no longer remain hidden - could rip all of Scotland apart...

This book had been sitting in my TBR pile for a few weeks, and I was very disappointed that I did not get to it sooner. It's been called a story of betrayal, passion, and love. Well, it's all that and more!

Highland Dragon stands apart from the Scottish historical romances I've read, for a couple of reasons, namely the writing style and plot. Right from the very first line to the very last, I was absolutely enthralled and could not put this book down! I should also point out that it has one of the best prologues that I have ever read!

This is medieval romance in its purest form. You won't find everything sugar coated with an over indulgence of rainbows here. The reality of this time period was harsh, demanding, and unapologetic, and that's what Ms. Killion gives us. However, romance can develop even in the most dire of situations, which in the case of Highland Dragon, is front and center, and completely sexy! 

It's uncensored in its telling of a young girl and the life she lives as a woman promised to a mysterious benefactor, a woman taken hostage and the brutal truth of what it means to be a virgin amid the uncivilized. As well as a woman who's mire birth had already destined her future.

Calin witnessed the birth of his betrothed (to form an alliance) and also bared witness to the death of his father at the same time. Determined to be the strong laird he needed to be for the survival of his people, Calin rescues his infant future wife and places her in the hands of his enemy by name, but friend by persona. Akira grows up knowing a combination of love and hardship, and nothing more of her true heritage and the fact that she alone plays a major role in the future of many Scottish lives.

When Akira is kidnapped, it is her alpha benefactor who swoops in to save her, but she only knows him from the correspondences throughout the years. Her feisty and stubborn nature of survival kicks in, and only becomes more so when she finds out who his true identity is. At being ten years her senior, Calin knows that marring Akira, will form an alliance between clans set on defeating a tyrant clan leader who is making his surrounding neighbors fearful for their lives, even if she doesn't know her own true background.

Despite the secrecy and hidden agendas, a spark of interest soon grows in to a depth of affection, desire, and passion that neither can mistake for anything less than love. It is up to each of them to make the tough decisions that could either destroy that love and connection, along with dragging down the clan members. Or, it could rectify past grievances and wrong-doings, while securing a deep passion neither Calin, nor Akira, had ever seen coming.

Calin is continuously fighting his own growing desires and passion for Akira, because he thinks that loving her will get in the way of his duties to the alliance for the sake of keeping his clan safe. But his feelings continue to grow despite his desperate need for them not to. Akira is also finding herself falling for him. However, both are weary to let anyone close to them due to the emotional scares that each bare from the past.

Ms. Killion has created a story that is full of emotion. Hardships and angst are woven throughout it-- Rape, child abuse, domestic abuse, murder, torture, humiliation and degradation. But at the same time, there are exceeding amounts of passion, desire, loyalty, and love. 

There are some fantastic smexy scenes that are intense, powerful, gripping, passionate, and tender. You could truly sense the myriad of emotions that develop  between the two of them when they found these alone times together!!

The secondary characters were also fantastically wrote! You knew them just as well as the main characters, but within shorter amounts of scenes, which lends itself to the ability of the author to be able to create and present such well developed characters!! I even got a little misty eyed in a few places, which is a very hard emotion to invoke in me while reading.

I absolutely loved the plot! While it carried a lot of the 'traditional' Scottish romance characteristics, there was a strong sense of uniqueness that made this book stand out to me. The plot is strong and never faltered in consistancy, action, or closure.

~*~Final Thoughts~*~

This is definitely an adult category book based on inferences of different forms of abuse, especially on woman, as well as for the nicely wrote smexin' scenes. I highly recommend this book for any lover of Scottish medieval romances who love a yummy, dominate alpha, and a strong, yet vulnerable heroine!

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