(The Montgomerys and Armstrongs #1)

Author: Maya Banks

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Release Date: 9/25/12

Genre: Historical Romance

Source: Edelweiss

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Author’s Website: www.mayabanks.com

Description

As a way to bring two rival clans together the king has ordered that Graeme Montgomery, laird to the Montgomery clan, marry Eveline Armstrong, laird to the Armstrong clan’s only daughter. Everyone believes Eveline to be daft or touched, not all there, because of a fall that occurred a few years before but that’s not the case at all. She’s deaf, not daft, yet she can still understand what people say by reading their lips, but she’s happy with her life so she doesn’t correct anyone. Now that she’ll be marrying Graeme though, she’ll have a totally new way of life to learn, and a whole clan of people that hate her to deal with.  

Graeme is not happy with his chosen wife. He wanted a family and a wife who could be his lover and friend and give him children, but now that won’t happen because he’s been ordered to marry a woman who’s not all there. But once he gets to know her, he learns her secret and finds out that his dream of a real family can come true and he may even learn to love his extraordinary wife because she is just that special.

Now that they both have a chance at a happy fulfilling life, they must convince their clans of that too and worry about an enemy who wants it all ended. Can they bring their enemy families together and can Eveline win the love of Graeme’s clan or are they forever doomed to live with this hatred for the rest of their lives?

Review

This was a really beautiful story! Maya has outdone herself with this book, it’s even better than her other three historicals combined. :) With her brilliant writing style and incredibly lovable characters, it’s impossible to not be sucked into this story and fall in love with the characters.

Graeme is one of my very favorite heroes I’ve ever read before. He’s kind and caring towards his clan and fiercely loyal to his people. And with Eveline, *sigh* he’s such a wonderful man to her. He had every right to be angry and hate her, but he welcomed her with open arms and tried to make sure his clan did the same. And when they didn’t, which is so terrible, he makes sure they know exactly what will happen to them if it happens to her again. And Eveline, she is such a brave woman with more spirit than she knows what to do with. Instead of feeling sorry for herself when she was stuck with a clan she knows hates her and taken from her family, she held her head high and worked as hard as ever to try and earn their love and loyalty and when they just treat her like the lowest of the low she gets back up and keeps trying. Both of these characters are more than just great characters, they’re inspirational, they’re everything good in life and set a great example for how every person should be towards everyone. Together they melt the pages too. Whew, those love scenes were so sweet and sexy. Some of Maya’s best work is in this book. Trust me, I know. ;)

I also enjoyed all of the secondary characters, specifically Rory, Graeme’s sister and both his brothers and Eveline’s brothers. I can’t wait to see what Maya does with them. I really hope they each get their own books because they’re all drool worthy too. ;) As for Graeme’s clan members, well I wish I could jump into the book and strangle them for some of the awful things they did to poor Eveline, who didn’t deserve it but at least they made up for it when it counted.

All in all, this was a fantastic read! Plenty of lovable characters, a little action, a little drama and lots of sweet love scenes (which make the book extra good in my opinion). I give this book 5 Moons and I recommend it to all Maya Banks fans for sure and those who love Historical Romance and even some Contemporary fans will love it too! :) Now I have to be patient for the next book to release….