Legacy of the Highlands

Legacy of the Highlands - Harriet Schultz 2.5-3 starsWell... not sure what to do with this book. I liked it, but I didn't love it.Here's what I liked:* Serge's character - I especially like the way the author describes him as a "buff Brad Pitt" at one point. He stayed true to character, even though he made a few mistakes. But that's where the interest and drama are at!* Will - He's almost too perfect, and then we learn about something he did... the very thing that caused a giant riff in his friendship with his best friend since grammar school, Diego. That "thing" goes back to a rather bizarre story, almost unbelievable. I realize it gave the author a way to proceed with the story and all, but... to me, this was a stretch in many, many ways. Not only Will's actions, which seem out of character for the perfect guy and perfect husband, but the "act" that led to the letters that led Will to take the action he did, which led to the "event" that caused the riff. Following me yet? (I don't want to mark a bunch of spoilers, so I'm simply trying to talk around things. If you haven't read the book yet, my review might not help you decide whether to read it or not.)* Interesting historical stuff - If I've heard of the Declaration of Arborath (which might be briefly mentioned in The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon), I wasn't well acquainted with it. The concept of the One Hundred was very interesting. I suppose there are likely lots of folks still rallying for a free Scotland; it's tough, sometimes, to remember that Scotland still isn't a sovereign country. (That's an American for you, right?)* What caused Will's death - OK, I can buy this, even though when you step back and think about it, it seems kind of hokey. But if you know your Scottish history at all or even a little like I do, I can see it. It's a stretch, but I bought this. I just didn't like all the build-up to how and why the person who was responsible was involved.* The conspirators - Again, even though the One Hundred seems a bit hokey, I can see it. And I liked the layers of the men involved. I liked that they weren't all in agreement. I liked the emotions and expressions of Jamie, the grandson. These people made sense to me. Their actions seemed real and true.Here's what I'm not sure about:* The prequel - What has "Lust and Honor" got to do with this story? The two seemed like completely different things and people to me. If you haven't read the prequel, don't bother, IMO.* The "act" that caused the "event" which caused the riff between Diego and Will - Once again, this just seemed... odd. Especially because it involves 2 rather cold fish, Will's parents. They just don't seem the type to me, despite the author mentioning that each has had discrete affairs through the years. The fact that comes from all of this is just too convenient - for the plot and for our heroine, Alex. * Our hero, Diego - He's a bit too mercurial for me; one minute, he's calm and the next he's punching someone. He doesn't always make good decisions, either. He's too arrogant. He might be devastatingly handsome and a good friend to Alex & Will, but... I sure wouldn't fall for this guy. And I didn't really want Alex to, either. His machismo seemed over-the-top, even for a Venezuelan. I suppose, overall, it was his mercurial behavior that got me. He seemed like the kind of guy who might actually beat a woman, even though I'm sure the author didn't intend for readers to get that idea. And yes, he did take good care of Alex; he never harmed her in any way. But I just didn't really like him. * Our heroine, Alex(andra) - I appreciate her reaction to Will's death; it read like genuine grief, even the running away part. But the whole thing between Alex & Diego just seems too soon. And the reveal that Diego tells Alex makes her decision to jump into bed with him and justify it to herself seems convenient. If we did a fast-forward to 1 year from Will's death, I'd buy the relationship between Diego and Alex and the whole trip to Scotland. But within a 3 month time period, this all seems too fast.Yes, Alex has known Diego for years. And yes, she's likely been attracted to him, just in the back of her mind, since she'd chosen Will to love. BUT... too much too soon.Otherwise, I liked her determined attitude, and I mostly liked her.* The cover - OK, so what the heck is this a picture of? I'm guessing it's supposed to be Scotland, but....So there you have it. I can't say that I was bored with the story, and I found some of it quite fascinating. But overall, it was between OK and Like.