BOOK REVIEW- The Taming of Malcolm Grant

BOOK REVIEW- The Taming of Malcolm Grant-
AN ALLURING LASS-Emmaline Grey spends her days with her beloved dog, dreaming of the sea-until a brawling Highlander shatters her quiet life to pieces. Though her blindness prevents her from seeing his face, his voice is a warm blend of velvet and silk, and his rakehell ways unmistakable. Risking the wrath of a rival clan as she nurses him back to health, Emma soon realizes the real danger is the magnetic pull she feels to this half-naked Scot recovering in her bed.
A RECKLESS ROGUE-With his rugged handsomeness and wicked charm, Malcolm Grant wants nothing more out of life than whisky, women, and the occasional war. The only lass he's ever trusted left him with more scars than a battlefield. Yet now at the mercy of this sweet stranger, Malcolm can barely resist the gentle hands that make him feverish with desire-until Emma, the one he will never have, is the only woman he wants . . .   AMAZON I'm giving it a 4 Star Rating on Amazon.  

This book had a slow start; most of that time was spent developing the background story of both Emma, and Malcolm .  Also it was a time where Emma was trying save both Malcolm and his brother's life.  Cailean was also severely injured in a fight at the brothel.   They are hidden away there as they are attempting to heal.  That alone is quite the unusual part of the story.  I wasn't expecting that, but it definitely added to the story.   Bess, one of the prostitutes, has set her eye on Malcolm.  She's been with him before and is certain he's hers for the taking, because who could resist her?  The top woman of the house.  Malcolm isn't interested in being in her clutches.  So of course, you can see where the trouble is going to get worse can't you?

Malcolm has seen a few others in love, so to his way of thinking it must exist.  It's just that he's never experienced it and thinks he probably never will.  No woman has ever captured his heart, he's been with many women and then left them without a backwards glance.  After each encounter though, he felt more empty and defeated.  He longed to love and be loved, he just didn't even seem to realize how much he wanted to feel what other men did.
Emma had skills as a healer, which normally she tries to keep hidden from strangers.  Her friend and mentor Clementine had suffered for it.  She did pass on her skills with herbs and medicines to Emma though.  Emma lived in fear of someone thinking her skills made her a witch.
I liked the accurate observations that Malcolm had about Emma.  That she  didn't let blindness overcome her, had compassion for strangers, and had courage dealing with bullies.  He admired that about her and so did I.   He also found her to be a challenge because he had always relied on his good looks and charming expressions when it came to women.  It didn't work with her, she couldn't see any of that.  Besides that, she listened and she "saw" things  deeper with her ears that others often missed.
Of course this isn't just about the attraction between Emma and Malcolm.  People died, powerful people died the night of that fight and they are coming back for revenge and no one is safe from their plans.   That part of the story starts to heat up and was interesting as well. 

I received a free copy of this book through Goodreads-  First-Reads program in exchange for an honest review.