ARC Book Review: Highland Awakening by Jennifer Haymore

Release Date: March 29, 2016
Publisher: Random House Publishing
Format: ebook
Genre: Romance
Buy: Kindle 

Synopsis:

As the secret author of racy romances, Lady Esme Hawkins goes to great lengths to protect her family's honor. Which is why she carefully disguises herself before entering a notorious bordello to do research. But when Esme comes face-to-face with a brooding Highland bodyguard, she can't easily refuse a harmless kiss . . . a kiss that inflames desires ripped from the pages of her novels. Acting on them, however, would risk revealing Esme's identity—and the fact that she's engaged to another man.

As a Highland Knight sworn to protect the crown, Camden McLeod never expected to follow his client into a bordello—nor could he anticipate meeting a bright, innocent lass with lush lips and eyes the color of the sea. Instantly, Cam knows he must possess her. But to do so, he'll need to give up his rakish ways, embrace his role as heir to his despised father, and snuff out a deadly threat to his brothers in arms. By comparison, winning Esme away from her insipid fiancé will be pure pleasure.

Review:

Great story with a strong female lead.  Esme is independent and resourceful, something women of the Ton are not supposed to be.  She hides a deep passion and her independent spirit from most of the people in her life but when she meets Camden McLeod he sweeps her off her feet. He is completely taken with her from the moment they meet.  Her profession as an authoress intrigues him and only makes him more determined to win her.

McLeod is also looking for the man who killed his best friend but there aren't any leads.  Esme provides him with some clues to who they may be looking for.  Is the killer hiding in plain sight?

While this has the same romance formula that most of these books have the story was well done, the characters were entertaining and developed and the mystery was believable.

Disclaimer: Book was received from the publisher through netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.