This is a perfect blend of romance and history. I love how Monica McCarty knows so much about the Scottish history surrounding Robert the Bruce that she can effortlessly combine real characters and real events with a few invented characters to make an exciting and heart clenching story.

Thom met Elizabeth and Jamie Douglas when they were children and, along with his friend Joanna, they became best friends. Elizabeth and Jamie were the laird's children and Thom was the son of the village blacksmith but that didn't seem to matter while they were young.

Things changed when they grew older. Thom had always been in love with Elizabeth and he thought she felt the same. He waited three long years for her to come back from France to find out she just wanted to be friends. She was too aware that the differences in their social status would never allow anything else.

But nothing could keep Thom down. He joined Bruce's army and aspired for a knighthood. He even had a wealthy widow with lands and titles interested in marriage. Everything was going great until Elizabeth came crashing back into his life.

I did not like Elizabeth for most of the book. I didn't like how innocent and naive she was for her age. I didn't like how shallow she was, thinking about how grand the wedding celebration would be whenever she married but not caring about the actual marriage. I didn't like how easily bored she became and I didn't like how she cared so much about her status. I started liking her and then she pissed me off again.

I did, however, fall in love with Elizabeth's cousin Izzy. Some of the things she said had be roaring with laughter. I hope she's featured in a future book.

I did get tired of the back and forth indecision by both parties in this book. It was just too much. It made me long for the end to hurry up and that's not a good thing for me.

I think there is one more book out so I am going to read that next. ( )

I received this book as an Advanced Readers Copy for a fair and honest review - This was an awesome book to read, the background and history within the book was great, I came in late to this series of books. It has taken me two to three to read each of the book so far. Can't wait for the Ghost to come out to read. ( )

The Rock by Monica McCarty is a 2015 Ballantine publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher as an XOXpert, the official street team of XOXO After Dark.
(http://xoxoafterdark.com/)

This eleventh installment in the Highland Guard series starts off like a sweet fairy tale when Thomas McGowan becomes friends with Jamie and Elizabeth Douglas as children. Although Elizabeth was only six years old, she proclaimed that one day she was going to marry Thom. But, as they grew up, Thom’s feelings toward Elizabeth became clear to her brother. The two men argued and Elizabeth was sent away.

Why? Well, Thom is the son of a blacksmith and Elizabeth is a princess. The class distinctions were too great to overcome. But, Thom always believed in Elizabeth, always knew she would return and they would have their happily ever after.

Well, Elizabeth does return, but his plans and hers couldn’t be more different. Bitter, and angry, Thomas sets out to become a Knight and better himself. His goal is to show Elizabeth he is worthy of her. But, is she worthy of him?

The Highland Guard series is one the very best Historical Highlander series in my opinion. As I have stated countless times, the attention to detail is next to none. It's as historically accurate as is possible, is well written and researched. I have yet to read a book from this series that didn’t wow me.

But, I have to confess, I struggled with this one quite a bit. Elizabeth is the most obtuse protagonist I’ve encountered in a long while. I do understand the girl knew her lot in life and can even see how it was possible she never thought of Thom in a romantic way. She even admitted she was not the romantic type, and of course, she knew all along a marriage with him was impossible, so she never entertained such notions.

But, surely she knew he was in love with her! I know young women in those days were sheltered and naïve, but I felt she toyed with his feelings, led him on, and used him. Why else would Thom be so very positive she returned his feelings?

After Elizabeth stomps all over Thom’s heart, in almost the same breath, she actually has the nerve to ask if they can go back to being the best of friends, like they were before, as though people can turn their feelings on and off like a light switch. That’s the type of thing that made it hard to warm up to her. I was outraged by her insensitivity to Thom’s feelings.

Thom on the other hand is a romantic, but maybe he was deluding himself a little too, and was partly responsible, by setting himself up for a fall. He was aware she was a princess and to believe that when push came to shove she would disobey her brother, shirk her duty as a princess, and risk poverty to marry for love, was just asking for heartbreak. Yes, it sounds romantic, but logically, it seemed impossible. Still, of the two, I admired Thom the most. The man has principles, believes in himself, in love, in right and wrong, and well, if I had been Elizabeth, and found out Thom loved me, I would go weak in the knees, and I think being poor with Thom would be a much better fate that being rich, a trophy, and never knowing real love or passion. But, that’s just me and of course times were very, very different in medieval Scotland.

So, this couple puts us on an emotional roller coaster. Elizabeth puts Thom through the ringer, constantly drawing him into her snare, then pulling back, then begging to be forgiven, making Thom love her, then hate her.

So, does Elizabeth ever redeem herself and prove she is worthy of Thom? Well, for Thom’s sake, I will give her the benefit of the doubt. She does finally wake up and the course she takes is indeed very risky and could come at a very high cost to her, and is all done in the name of love.

I have to be completely honest and say this was not my favorite book in the series, and it did take me a long time to warm up to Elizabeth, and even then it was grudgingly, but the writing and historical details are top notch as always, and I was engaged in the story, and although Thom is kind of the new kid on the block, he saved the day, and the story for me. I really liked him and am happy I got to meet him and was happy he got his happily ever after. ( )

... a solid addition to the Highland Guard series

The fairytale was not going to come true. No matter how hard he tries, even when he climbs up into the princess's tower, Thomas MacGowan learns early on that Elizabeth Douglas, daughter of Lord Douglas can never be for him. Childhood friends, Thom the son of the castle blacksmith is smitten by Elizabeth right from when she was just a wee young thing who trailed around behind him and her brother Jamie.
Rejected, Thom joins Bruce's army still dreaming that he might one day be in a position to offer for Elizabeth.
Meantime, Elizabeth has outgrown childhood fancies and is determined to marry for position and power.
When her younger brother is imprisoned by the English, Elizabeth asks Thom, who has the uncanny ability to climb sheer rock faces, to attempt his rescue.
Thom's talent brings him to the attention of Bruce's secret army--The Highland Guards, but will this bring him to Elizabeth's attention? Oh, Thom has Elizabeth's womanly attention despite her rationality--something she fights hard.
Given the secret name of The Rock, Thom is revealed as so much more--solid, unwavering and committed. Indeed Thom's skill was to be a turning point in Bruce's plans for overthrowing the English and in taking Roxburg and Edinburg castles.
MacCarty's expose on the hierarchy in the society of the times is fascinating. I love her attention to detail.
I really liked Thom. I actually wondered if Elizabeth was worthy of him. Fortunately Thom thought she was. I will admit to being frequently out of charity with Elizabeth. Sure I understand her reasoning (given her childhood insecurities). She leads Thom and herself a merry dance as she fights her desire for wealth and position over love.
Initially this story didn't for me quite have the verve of others in the series, but as the story unfolded it revealed itself as an interesting addition, both frustrating and yet complex, different and immensely enjoyable.

A NetGalley ARC ( )

The Rock, book 11 in the highland guard series, was another fabulous novel from Monica McCarty. I absolutely loved it. It only took me two days to read this book because I was so entranced by the characters and their personalities that I couldn't put the book down. I love the repartee between the characters in the book. Reading this book was like watching a full length film--- I laughed, then I cried, then I laughed again, then I cried just a little bit more at the struggles I could see the characters going through in my minds eye. She has such an eye for describing situations that you can't help but be instantly be pulled into in the book with your mind and your heart. ( )