His Highland Rose (His Highland Heart 0.5) by Willa Blair #review

Today I review His Highland Rose, a Prequel to the His Highland Heart series, by Willa Blair.

Pages - 204 

Publisher - Willa Blair

Published - December 1, 2016

Sold by -  Amazon Digital Services LLC

Genre -  Historical Romance / Medieval Scotch Highlands

Language -  0/5

Sexual Content -  2/5

Narrative -  3rd P

Iain Brodie is a fierce warrior and passionate lover, but to prove he’s responsible enough to follow his ailing father as the clan’s chief, he must give up the lasses and find a bride—quickly. He doesn’t expect to fall for any of the Rose chief’s three daughters, but he can’t get one out of his mind—or heart—even when he discovers she is not who she claims to be.
Skilled rider and archer Annie Rose values her freedom. She doesn’t want to be anyone’s bride, not even deliciously and annoyingly sexy Iain Brodie’s. But her father wants an alliance with Iain’s clan and he’s chosen her to forge it. Unaware she could be sealing the fate she desperately wants to avoid, Annie falls under Iain’s seductive spell at the spring known in old tales as the fairy pool.
But when her father suddenly decides against their match, Annie discovers the love she never expected to find—with Iain. To win her, Iain must risk losing everything he values—the clan he was born to lead and even Annie, the woman he sees for who she truly is—his only love.

I really like the Cover Art, and the premise for this story had PROMISE.

However, as I began to read this one, it quickly fell apart for me.

Juvenile writing (YA audience-geared?) but not as flawless as you would expect, and another go-nowhere Romance with little in the way of Romance to make this a Romance or a winner.

The whole point of the story wasn't that Annie was a willful, spoiled brat in Medieval Europe, reading more like a modern-day feminist than a respectable female archer of her time, but that she had injured herself and became scarred, thus thinking she is now unsuitable for a man.

Iain read rather well, as did Annie, but when the two are together, it becomes a lackluster, read-this-before yawn-fest.

The fact that Iain is 'artistic' as well as 'braw' came as a bit of a surprise, but there wasn't enough of either instance that occurred to draw me into the story or want to root for their budding relationship.

Iain experienced insta-love upon seeing Annie, and while Annie instantly felt something as well, she still had that 'scar' to deal with, thus pushing him off on one of her other sisters (for HIS sake).

I have to agree with a majority of the negative reviews for this one as it has no business riding the coat tails of the Highlands bandwagon since very little is known or even explained about the time period, any conflicts of that era (which, by the way, is never actually mentioned in the story other than its being LABELED as Medieval).

This was about Annie's scar and Iain's talent conflicting with one another and nothing more.

There is a HEA, so if you are in the mood for a light read with little in the way of action, conflict/resolution, or even cat & mouse (for a welcome change), then this is probably a good choice for you.