Romancing the Dark Side

My Highland Spy by Victoria Roberts

Series: Highland Spies #1

Genre: Historical Romance

Published by: Sourcebooks Casablanca on September 2, 2014

Format: eARC Pages: 320

Source: NetGalley

Purchase: Amazon • Barnes & Noble

*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My first Victoria Roberts’ historical romance novel, but it definitely won’t be my last…Ruairi and Ravenna had me hooked from the first page to the last!

MY HIGHLAND SPY is a story filled with intrigue, adventure, a sweet romance and my favorite…highlanders! Ravenna Walsingham is not your average English lady, she works with her uncle as an accomplished spy for the Crown and her latest assignment has brought her to the home of Laird Ruairi Sutherland in the Scottish Highlands, a suspected threat to the Crown. Posing as a governess to Laird Sutherland’s son Torquil, Ravenna plans to uncover any conspiracy but soon realizes the only danger lurking is the possibility losing herself to the handsome and charming Highland laird and compromising her assignment.

Everyone that reads my reviews knows my favorite kind of heroine is a strong, independent one with a smart mouth and Ravenna fits this description perfectly. This type of leading lady isn’t so prevalent in historical romance so I knew Ms. Robert’s story would be a real page turner. Ravenna is a smart, kind and determined woman who is extremely protective of her family and loyal to those she cares for, despite being a spy for the King. She has some preconceived prejudices against highlanders so it was great to see her guarded interactions with everyone when she arrives at Ruairi’s home. I really enjoyed her character and love how organically she fit into Ruairi’s world, as if she were always meant to be there. Ravenna held her ground with the smexy alpha and it was a great surprise to see a real heroine in this book, not a damsel in distress, which is common in this genre.

If there’s an alpha hero I can’t resist it’s a highlander and Laird Ruairi Sutherland is as swoon worthy as they come! Territorial alpha males are welcomed but not mandatory in my books and Ruairi is a real fresh breath of air in this story. Like Ravenna, he’s devoted to protecting his family (son) and clan, Ruairi is a great leader who doesn’t mind sacrificing himself for the greater good. His determination to keep his son by his side after his wife’s untimely death and not send him off to the English, tugged at my heart strings. He isn’t the usual brooding male, he has a great sense of humor and his flirty banter with Ravenna are some of the most enjoyable moments in MY HIGHLAND SPY. The romance between Ruairi and Ravenna develops over time, even with their intense chemistry which made it all worthwhile..there was no drama between them. I was relieved to learn that Ravenna is an experienced woman and not a virgin which means these two could heat up the pages without a proposal or marriage, it was great to see two grown adults give into their passion with no expectations. These two are perfectly matched despite their cultural differences and bring out the best in each other. I couldn’t get enough of them!

Another character I must mention in this review is Ruairi’s best friend and right hand man, Fagan. He stole the show from Ruairi a few times with his wit and charm. His friendship with Ruairi is really sweet and I hope that Ms. Robert’s considers him as a possible love match for Ravenna’s younger sister Grace. The small glimpse of the interaction between them left me wanting their story!

MY HIGHLAND SPY was a fantastic introduction to Victoria Robert’s captivating romance and larger than life characters. There’s enough adventure and tension to keep you intrigued, with a steady pace that doesn’t feel too rushed and allows you to really connect with the characters. New and old readers of historical romance are sure to find this a delightful reading experience. I mean, who doesn’t love a sexy Highlander who speaks Gaelic and wears a kilt, right?