December Publication

The vibrant protagonists in Karen Ranney's latest Highland Lords romance (after When the Laird Returns) rise above the story's plain prose and formulaic plot line. Scottish country miss and heiress Riona McKinsey has the mind of a modern woman but the duty of an 18th-century daughter to marry well. When a fortune-hunter traps her into an engagement, her hopes for the future wilt until James, The Irresistible MacRae, arrives bearing a message from a family friend. Predictably, Riona and James fall in love, but their happily-ever-after is a while in coming. First they must contend with Riona's grasping fiancé, and then they have to ward off an enemy of the MacRaes' who's determined to kill James. While the story line is far from fresh, those interested in a simply told, sweet romance that doesn't skimp on historical detail will be satisfied. (Avon, $5.99 384p ISBN 0-380-82105-2)