Highland Avenger  by Hannah Howell is the sort of sweeping, romantic, elemental, lusty kind of book one wants when looking for a Scottish historical. The first pages are full of deceipt, chases, family bonds, and even a shipwreck - that's right! A shipwreck!

 

The story of Arianna Lucette is a stirring one; she's protecting her dead husband's bastard children from their uncle, a man bent on eliminating any possible heirs to the family estate. Arianna flees with the boys across the channel to Scotland, where she hopes her family will protect them. But her enemies are on her heels and Arianna is forced to rely on the help of Sir Brian MacFingal, a man for whom this sort of adventure - running from killers - is actually a little bit fun.

 

Before talking about Highland Avenger specifically, can you tell us a little bit about the Murrays, their lives, loves, and feuds? The Murray clan started with three bothers, next were three cousins, the daughters of the brothers, and has since expanded into grandchildren and inlaws. They have intermarried with many another clan including the Camerons, the Armstrongs, and the notorious MacFingals. Many of them have a touch of some psychic gift as well, most especially healing. They are a closely tied family, easily accepting the newer additions intoi the fold as each new Murray finds his or her soul mate. They work hard, fight hard, and love hard.

What do readers who are new to your series have to know to enjoy Highland Avenger? For anyone who is new to the Murray clan, they really don't need to know everyone else's story. The only real connection in the series is the one of family. Sometimes ones from other stories make a walk-on appearance but even then you don't have to know their story to read Highland Avenger.

For the complete conversation with Hannah Howell, click here!

Melanie Murray is the moderator of Romantic Reads, BN.com's all-romance, all-the-time community forum. You can follow her on Twitter at @Melanie_Murray and get all the latest book news from @BNBuzz.