Reading Roundup #34: Highland Flings

You know, sometimes a gal just wants some angst and drama. And when that happens, where better to turn than torrid Highland romances?

“The Montgomerys and Armstrongs” #1-2 by Maya Banks: This was my first dive in Maya Banks’s Highlander romances, and honestly, I wasn’t sure I’d stick with it. The stories and the writing are Melodramatic (yes, with a capital “M”), but… they’re FUN Melodrama. With a side of tenderness that I really appreciated. Another main source of interest for me was that one of the female leads is a non-hearing person, which you don’t often see in historical romances. I do have to quibble with the way a woman’s trauma – especially in the second book – is used as background or to propel the male lead’s development rather than her own because a year of abuse was gotten over pretty quickly when freedom and love finally came along. Still, it’s a shame Banks seems to have set this series aside because I’d like to know what happens to the other potential heroines she introduced in these first two entries!

“The McCabe Trilogy” #1-3″ by Maya Banks: This was the Banks series I ended up loving! The first book is somewhat lighter before the next two move into more drama, and I liked all of it. This trilogy definitely felt stronger overall to me because the women have more agency, too. The main conflict and the Big Bad take a backseat to the relationships, of course, but I’m fine with that because… well, I was never really sold on the Big Bad, anyway, but I adored all the leads. Watching the third brother, Caelen, come out of his crusty shell was especially satisfying, and his female lead, Rionna, was another happy discovery, exceeding my expectations by going beyond the surface tropes. I’m almost sorry it’s only a trilogy because I very much enjoyed spending time with the McCabe clan. Hey, Maya Banks? How would you feel about giving Gannon a romance, hm? Surely he deserves it after his stalwart defense of everyone else’s lady love in every book!

If you like Highland romances, these series are a good dramatic romp, BUT they come with all sorts of trigger warnings (which you probably expect going into this genre, anyway). As mentioned, there’s a lot of female trauma that doesn’t always get handled thoughtfully, as far as the heroine’s characterization (though this is better in the “McCabe” trilogy), while it’s used for the hero’s growth. Sexual assault and violence against women is a common theme – and one of the main things used to clue us into the villain’s villainy, which always feels a little too cheap and easy for me. So definitely keep that in mind, if you’re thinking of reading because these are not fluff. But if you can handle it, there are some very sweet romances at the heart of these books.

–b