Vengeance with a twist.

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The Wolf of Kisimul Castle (Highland Isles #3) by Heather McCollum. 

  

Scottish Highlands 1523.
Mairi Maclean knew that marriages were clan alliances, no matter that her first marriage went badly. Now widowed, she's again decided to marry for clan. Just before her wedding she learned that her fiancé intended to send a handsome friend to kiss her. If she enjoyed the kiss she might break off the wedding. Not that Mairi was going to do that! As she sad though, “Drunken plans should not be made the night before weddings!”
But did her fiancé have to send someone so handsome? When Mairi kissed the stranger she almost swooned. Still, the wedding would continue Mairi decided even as the stranger was leading her out ... and away, wait a minute, to where? Oops drunken plans certainly played into the hands of Alec MacNeil!
Mairi found herself captive to Alec, clan chief known as The Wolf of Kisimul Castle! Alec has decided to take vengeance against those who murdered his wife and Mairi was the widow of his enemy!
The pages devoted to Mairi being held captive are hilarious. I would give the book five stars just for those pages of mischief. The  relationship with Alec's children, the transition unbeknownst to him of  dank dungeon to something other, is brilliant. Mairi and the children become a formidable team that it takes Alec some time to become aware of.
I loved this story. Marie is a treat, feisty and full of life despite the shadow of fear that hung over her from her treatment at the hands of her former husband and his family.
Alec is a man of honor, trying to keep his clan and family together, and yet so young in understanding relationships, hampered as he is by his seemingly lacklustre upbringing. All the women in his life leave the castle in someway, and yet he remains to carry on a tradition.
Neither of them dreamed where things would lead. 
This definitely is the highlight of the series, humorous and heartfelt.

A NetGalley ARC

*****

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