A passionate and striking tale, Untamed Highlander by Donna Grant is a fantastic read.  Fans of her Dark Sword Series should be eager to read this latest installment!

Hayden Campbell is scouring wreckage from the Warrior’s latest battle when he spots a young woman, barely alive, in need of help.  He immediately takes her to MacLeod Castle and soon realizes she is the thing he has spent most of his existence despising.  Isla is a drough, the evil that brutally murdered Hayden’s family and what he has deemed the target of his revenge.  Which is why he is at a loss to determine the reasoning for his protective nature over Isla and his magnetic attraction towards her. 

Isla desires Hayden as well, but can’t fathom why one moment he wants to kiss her and the next directs such rage and hatred towards her.  While Isla is confused by her relationship with Hayden, she knows he and the MacLeod clan are in great danger.  Isla is the Warrior’s link to Deirdre, their great enemy, but she’s also their weakness.  Deirdre has kept Isla as a prisoner and is powerful enough to control Isla to do her bidding.  The battle is on to not only destroy Deirdre, but to save Isla...because Hayden cannot let her go now.

A well developed novel, Untamed Highlander is a great read for those who want their Highlanders to have a little paranormal flare.  Grant creates a world that is seductive and sure to entertain readers throughout with magic and drama.  This novel is book four in the Dark Sword Novels series and you can jump right into this series and not be lost or confused at all.  Grant pulls the reader up to speed quickly and efficiently without dragging down the overall pace of the novel.  This was wonderful since the novel was my first read from the series and I never felt lost or confused by something that might have been revealed in earlier novels.  Grant wraps it all up in a nice neat package for new readers. 

Hayden was a pretty spectacular hero.  He is tortured by the events of his past, yet the brave, strong hero who all the Warriors need to be.  It was interesting to watch his inner struggle as he tries to hate Isla but has this overwhelming attraction to her that won’t let him stay away.  His desire for her is sometimes all consuming and very sexy.  Isla feels the same and cannot really understand why, but together they light up the pages with incredibly steamy passion.  I could not help by love Isla’s selfless attitude despite the cruelty she experienced at the hands of Deirdre.  Especially when she is on the brink of finding such happiness with Hayden.  She is willing to sacrifice everything in order to save individuals she barely knows.  She is courageous, intelligent and surprisingly self- confident and everything Hayden could possibly want.            

The only distressing aspect was a small part of the ending.  Isla makes a startling discovery and Hayden’s reaction to the news was just not what I expected.  Especially considering his attitude on the matter for a large portion of the book.  Small problem, certainly, but it did put a little bit of a damper on the story for me. 

Still, Donna Grant’s Untamed Highlander is a fascinating read.  This dramatic and passionate tale, of course, doesn’t conclude everything nicely, but sets up the platform for the next novel in the series.  After being introduced to the entire cast of MacLeods, I am very excited to not only catch up on the series, but to see what the future has in store for everyone else.  Untamed Highlander is a wonderfully passionate novel with compelling characters that deserves high recommendation.  Grant is magically talented as pulling readers into an addictive universe with fascinating characters and making sure they never want to leave.  This novel will delight readers and take them on a thrilling ride into a world of highlanders and magic.  Be glad there is a large cast of characters, because this is one series you won’t ever want to end!

~ Lisa