Review: Creatively Fun, Erotic, Highland Novella
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 21, 2011
The Laird of Darkness is a creatively fun, heart-warming, pulse racing, crafted story of a sexy, misunderstood highland hero and one heroine who is more than what she seems.Lady Alana Forbes is on her way to meet her betrothed when she is surprised by a devilishly handsome stranger; dark, mysterious, and oh-so-naked. After learning who she is and where she's headed, Laird Duncan MacDougall can't pass up the opportunity to use the light-haired beauty to his advantage. He decides to take Alana and her traveling party hostage to use as a bargaining chip.Half-Fae Duncan, has been seeking a way to gain the magical bow and arrows from his half-brother Laird Kinnon MacClaren, who's also half-Fae. For the magical arrows are the only thing that can save Duncan from a lifetime of perilous dreams of Underworld creatures who's nighttime attacks are more real than fiction. However, there's something much more tempting standing in his path of  the perfect revenge and attaining his goal of freedom from the otherworldly creatures.Lady Alana Forbes is beyond tempting to Duncan, and despite his reputation as the Laird of Darkness, Duncan is more compassionate than what he's been made out to be. Not to mention, he's quite enticing to Alana as well.The non-virgin heroine tries just as hard as the Laird of Darkness to not give into temptation, but passion is what they both seek -- and almost need. The pleasure they find in one another causes them both to question their duty and original goals and plans.Nicole North brings a great, fast paced, uniquely crafted, highly sensual story in a matter of just over one-hundred pages. She's brought a uniqueness to the Highlander table in the creation of the Laird of Darkness. Half-Fae brothers who are lifelong enemies, each possessing different supernatural powers, is only one aspect of Ms. North weaving paranormal elements into an erotic historical highland story. Lady Alana Forbes is also more than what she seems.While it's often hard to get a true sense of the characters in short novellas, Ms. North is able to move them pretty fast, I personally feel, from the fact that Lady Alana is not a virgin. She's the one that initiates the sexual interaction between her and Duncan (which is a great turn of events from most highland/historical stories). She's bold in her actions and her sensuality causing the 'action' to move forward quickly. And, the well developed sexual tension and erotic scenes are what really bring this couple together.My "wish list" items for this novella are first off, I would have loved for it to have been longer; the world and the relationships a little more explored!! While the relationship between Alana and Duncan is wrapped up, it contained so many unique supernatural elements that I would loved to have known more about them, the clans people and their knowledge of the two supernatural Lairds, and the back story of the two Lairds mother and the dynamic family structure. Next, I would have loved to know more about Alana and her uniqueness! She also possesses something (I'm excluding what due to not giving away spoilers) that I want to know more about. I would have also loved to see the outcome between the two Lairds after the climax of the story.What readers can expect to find between the covers is a handsome, dark, misunderstood, vulnerable hero who finds passion and a sense of peace in the arms of his light-haired heroine, uniquely crafted Lairds who possess diverse powers and a deep hatred for one another, and of course, highly sensual characters who heat up the pages in some very erotic scenes!Nicole North has created a well written, fast paced, erotic, heart warming, pulse-racing, creatively fun, novella addition for the Highlander sub-genre. Her love and knowledge of Scotland comes through in details, and her fun spin on characters makes Laird of Darkness a very quick, engaging read. I would really love to see this world and characters revisited to find out more to my left over questions!