ARC REVIEW Highland Guard by Hannah Howell

Book 20 in Hannah Howell's Murray series, and I just jumped right in, and I wish I hadn't. It wasn't bad but the majority of Harcourt and Annys' relationship takes place before the book. I don't know if the events of their relationship took place during another book but it was at first vague and then it was redundant. I had a hard time finishing it, it had a bunch of filler stuff could have been left out.

Lady Annys MacQueen needs help, she didn't want to ask Harcourt Murray for help but her husband told her if she needed help to ask him. Harcourt is the father of Annys' son and child who was being raised by another man, it was the hardest thing Harcourt has ever done. Harcourt was asked by Annys' husband, Daniel, to father an heir he couldn't get himself. Now that he is dead and the four year old child is now the Laird of the keep and everyone knows the truth about the child but because he was named Daniel's son and recognized by Crown and Court as his son everyone accepts him. Everyone except a malevolent and vindictive relative ready to smear Annys' name and take the keep by force if necessary. Nobody want him he would be bad for the people and the land so Harcourt and some of his men are training men how to fight and protect little Benet. Annys feels guilty for having feelings for Harcourt just having buried her husband but she never stopped loving Harcourt, and she is a little hardheaded about it. Harcourt when he realizes his true feelings isn't going to easily walk away again, but he has his own keep and she needs to stay there with Benet.

The ending was predictable and I really wish I had more of Harcourt and Annys before the events of this book. It was just ehh.