BOOK REVIEW- HIGHLAND PROTECTOR (The Murrays Book 17) by Hannah Howell

Someone would see Ilsabeth Murray Armstrong hang for murder. 

When her dagger is found buried in the body of one of the king's men, there is little room for doubt--the perpetrator must pay with her life. But Ilsabeth is no killer, and only one person can help clear her name: Sir Simon Innes, a man so steely and cool that no danger can rattle him. . .and no woman in distress can sway his heart. 

Until now. Simon has spent his life searching for truth in a world fraught with deception. But the hauntingly beautiful fugitive seeking his aid affects him so deeply, he wonders if he can trust the flawless judgment he has always relied on. For all signs point to Ilsabeth's guilt, except one--the unparalleled desire he feels at her slightest touch. . . AMAZON 4 stars

This book was kind of hard for me to rate. It did have good main characters and plenty of action trying to catch the bad guy and guys.  Yes, there was more than one.  So the tension and danger was there for sure.  
 Ilsabeth had a large, loving family who were unique in their own ways. The Armstrong family still had people who didn't think well of them though because of the sins of their ancestors.  
Simon on the other hand was more of a survivor of his family and his childhood had been brutal.  He became a man of honor, and a strong protector of the innocent.  He was a King's man who relentlessly pursued the truth, no matter who it landed on.  
Here is the rub for me.  I was barely into very many chapters when the heroine knows she is deeply, madly in love with the hero.  Really?  Even for me that seemed kind of fast.   And how quickly and often that they fell into bed together?  I am struggling between giving it 3.5 or 4 stars on Amazon.  Every time I think that it will be 3.5 I think of something else that was pretty good.  Like the two children that Ilsabeth rescues on her wild escape to find Simon. Points went up until I remember at least the two times when she does something so stupid it makes me shake my head.  But then again the point goes back up when we get to the conclusion of the book.  Man, all that bouncing around made me tired.  So I guess 4 Stars on Amazon, because there was enough good in it.  Over all, it's a book that I liked with some reservations.