books:

	If You Dare (The MacCarrick Brothers, Book 1) Kresley Cole Pocket, 2005 - 384 pages average customer review:based on 35 reviews view larger image
	for more information click here

highly recommended

Can he exact revenge?

High in the Pyrenees, a band of mercenaries led by Courtland MacCarrick wages war for General Reynaldo Pascal. When Court turns on the evil general, Pascal orders him killed but Court narrowly escapes and exacts revenge by kidnapping Pascal's exquisite Castilian fiancée.

Can she deny her passions?

Lady Annalía Tristán Llorente despises her towering, barbaric captor almost as much as she does Pascal. Her inexplicable attraction to the Highlander only fuels her fury. But nothing will stop her from returning to Pascal -- for if she doesn't wed him, she signs her brother's death warrant, as well as her own.

Can there be love between them?

From the moment Court discovers that Anna's prim façade masks a fiery, brave lass, his heart's ensnared, and he dares to defy the curse that has shadowed his life -- to walk with death or walk alone. But Pascal vows that he'll hunt the two, never stopping until he's destroyed them both.

for more information click here

Swoon

I'm not a big reader of historicals and normally don't care much for novels where the hero and heroine argue a lot, but this is one of those rare books that overcame my normal likes and dislikes because it was so darn good.

I won't go into the plot (it's rather complex to be summarised) but I would like to write a bit about the characters and what makes them special. The hero, Court McCarrick, is rough, tough and not exactly well-mannered. His sexy Scottish accent is brilliantly written by Kresley Cole. Although Court wasn't always nice to the heroine at the beginning, his actions were understandable because he felt so vulnerable around her and unworthy. Annalia is a really good heroine. She is strong and clever without being shrewish, and she deals with Court very well.

One of the best aspects of the book is that both the hero and heroine become better people and learn a lot about themselves. Court discovers he has a tender side and is capable of love, whereas Annalia realises she has a narrow view of the world and should ask for things rather than give orders. The second half of the book is when the characters really come into their own and start to forge a true relationship - so don't be put off by the bickering between the couple at the beginning.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I will be sure to re-read it many times in the future. Some of my favourite scenes were where Court tried to defend and protect Annalia againt almost impossible odds. He never hesitated to put his life on the line to save her and was incredibly brave. What a man!

for more information click here

Loved it!

I thought Kresley Cole's Immortals After Dark series was good, but I very much enjoyed reading this historical of hers. Court was perfect. He was rough and ready, reminding me of Cade from her paranormal series. Anna and Court's relationship is slow to build in typical Cole fashion, but I felt connected to these two characters throughout the whole book.

I'm not a huge historical romance reader. I dislike the formal English setting, with the balls and precise manners. But I love historicals with fierce Scottish men and this book delivers!

for more information click here

If You Dare

If You Dare is a good story, I liked it, but I didn't love it. It was interesting and it held my attention but its not something I would re-read, like I would A Hunger Like No Other, another romance by Kresley Cole. Courtland MacCarrick is described as a handsome scot rougue and Annalia Tristan Llorente is described as a beautiful castilian. Annalia finds him by the river beat pretty badly and unconscious. She takes him in to care for him, even though she knows she shouldn't since she can tell he is a scot. When he regains consciousness he is captivated by Annalia but he feels he should hold back due to the MacCarrick curse that haunts him and keeps him from ever marrying. All in all I found this story to be kind of average. There is passion and romance, but I felt there should be something more.

for more information click here

If you Dare

This is the first of a trilogy about the MacCarrick brothers who have feared an ancient family curse all their lives and resisted lasting relationships with women until that ONE comes along who wont be denied. Filled with suspence and sexual zing between the characters from the beginning.


Liked it for the most part

Proud, haughty and at first bigoted and unlikable, Annalia finds injured mercenary for hire Courtland MacCarrick and against her better judgment takes him to her mountain home in Andorra to recuperate. Annalia's country is under siege from a wicked man, Pascal, who hired Court and his fellow Scots as mercenaries but has now turned against them. Court almost died at their hands.

Anna hates Scots and she lets Court know this almost every time she speaks with him, she is, in fact, hateful and the things she says would probably make anyone with Scottish heritage cringe a little. Court is angered by her but also desires her. He must wait for his men at Anna's home so he puts up with her prejudices and recognizes that he has the upper hand physically, as all the men have left the village to fight against Pascal, including Anna's older brother Aleix.

When her brother is captured, Pascal demands that Anna become his bride or her brother will die. Pascal discovers that Anna and her brother are the last of the Castile royal line. Anna decides to do marry Pascal but she is saved from marrying the disgusting man by Court who kidnaps her. She is terribly ungrateful about this because she believes her brother will die. She almost gets herself and others killed trying to race back to Pascal all the while screaming how much she hates Court.

Little does she know that her brother has escaped thanks to Pascal's beautiful daughter Olivia. She has offered her assistance only if Aleix agrees to marry her.

Pascal's assassins are hot on the heels of Court and Anna. While on the run Anna sees a new side to Court and this is where I really began to like her, mainly because she saw past her own prejudices and snobbery. Court softened toward her and became protective of more than just her person but also of her feelings. These two have intense passion and these scenes are very well written along with the intense feelings neither shares with the other.

I liked this novel and would have given it four stars but for a couple of problems. Firstly, I did not like how the reader is introduced to Aleix and Olivia and then poof they are suddenly married and we didn't get to go on their emotional journey. Are they in love, how is Aleix handling all the old feelings about his first love? Are they getting their own book? Also, I really did not like how the leads treated each other in the beginning of the book. Both were really unkind to each other. But kudos for the setting, Andorra is certainly not a usual locale, and I liked the whole soldier of fortune circa 1850, also unusual.

for more information click here

reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

products you might be interested in

recommendations

Keepers on the Bookshelf - The Ultimate Romance List (For Beginners)
Irresistible Rakes, Rogues and Scoundrels
Historical Romance you shouldn't miss
best historical romance ever!
Erotic/Romantic Series

maccarrick

	If You Desire (The MacCarrick Brothers, Book 2) The MacCarrick Name in History If You Deceive (The MacCarrick Brothers, Book 3) If You Dare (The MacCarrick Brothers, Book 1)