What do you think?
Rate this book
Brotherhood of the Sword & MacAllister #3
Born in Sin
Stunning Caledonia MacNeely fights an unfamiliar shiver when she is offered in marriage to the infamous ′Lord Sin�. Though Callie fears this mysterious knight - less for the dark whispers that damn him than for the burning desire he invokes - she is under order of the English King. And with the fate of her troubled clan hanging in the balance, she has little recourse.
372 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
206 people are currently reading
5,390 people want to read
About the author
Kinley MacGregor
29books1,549followersSherrilyn McQueen
aka
Sherrilyn Kenyon & Kinley MacGregor
aka
Sherrilyn Kenyon & Kinley MacGregor
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 546 reviews
December 9, 2012
REREAD: AHHHHHHHHHHHH This book is the BEES KNEES! me reading this book--> 
One of my most favorite books, and the heroine is like everything a herione should be. RIDE OR DIE oh yeah!!!!!
Born in Sin: 5 star read with complex characters and fulfilling progression of plot towards a above satisfactory HEA
Again, I have chosen to read a book that has been thoroughly reviewed multiple times. It seems I'm perpetually behind the great romance reads curve , however, it does afford me to ability to simply write on how i feel!
5 Reasons I Value This book As A 5 Star Read...
1. MacGregor was not lazy with the plot
2. The Plot Progression is perfect in a mathematical sense
One of my most favorite books, and the heroine is like everything a herione should be. RIDE OR DIE oh yeah!!!!!Born in Sin: 5 star read with complex characters and fulfilling progression of plot towards a above satisfactory HEA
Again, I have chosen to read a book that has been thoroughly reviewed multiple times. It seems I'm perpetually behind the great romance reads curve , however, it does afford me to ability to simply write on how i feel!
5 Reasons I Value This book As A 5 Star Read...
1. MacGregor was not lazy with the plot
Often, Writers in my honest opinion are lazy with romance. They do not spend enough time building the tension, working out the problems, or other important matters. I don't know how many times I have read a 350 or so page book and by page 150 the writer has solved all the main problems or dissolved the sexual tension and we are left with 200 pages of TSTL moments and silly, urbane misunderstandings. MacGregor did no such thing. This is fine writing with an in depth acuity toward the story line.
2. The Plot Progression is perfect in a mathematical sense
This goes slightly with No. 1 but Its done so well I couldn't not mention it! The timing in this novel was impeccable. The tension building is long enough to invoke your feelings but not too long as to tire you out. I must say I love the placement of the rising action, climax, and falling action. The perfect timing of certain aspects of the novel take away the predictability, which as an avid romance reader I know other people grapple with.
3.There is a lack of character duplicityI HATE, ABHOR, LOATHE, and every other similar word when characters are way different than what they are written to be. For instance, please do not call the hero a rake or a demon when all he does is copulate a lot with willing partners, gamble at GENTLEMENS CLUBS, tell bawdy jokes, and tup more girls. He is not a rake, he is not evil, if anything he is just HORNY! The point is, in this novel when she said Sin was evil he did things worth being deemed evil. When the heroine Callie was deemed beautiful she was actually beautiful INWARDLY and OUTWARDLY. I appreciate the honesty to her characters
4.SIN.SIN.SIN...SIN ;)That's the hero of the story if you don't know and boy he is sex personified. I just want to literally and you make take this however you want...eat him up! His resiliency is something born of god. I don't love abused or tortured heroes because I have a fetish for charity cases. I love them for all the odds they beat. I love them for the war they willing chose to engage in in order to truly LIVE, LOVE, AND BE LOVED. Sin is inwardly gorgeous. What he has done is horrible, scary, and down right wrong. Yet, like a phoenix he rises from the ashes of his destruction and shines. There is a quote that he said that completely stopped me. Closing his eyes, he did what he hadn't done since he was a small boy. He prayed. He prayed for the
politics of Henry and her brother not to come between them. Prayed for some miracle that would see
them with a future together. And as he lay there, behind the lids of his eyes he did another thing he'd not done since early childhood.
He hoped. He saw in his mind the children he would love to have. Little boys and girls with their mother's warmth and spirit.
He wanted this dream. With every piece and part of him, he ached for it.
He had to have it. The beginning may be a little confusing of that quote, but hopefully you understand. This is a man who would give it all to just for once be more than his past. He is a survivor and I adore him!!!
5. CallieShe was a beautiful beautiful heroine. She fought fiercely for everyone even if it meant she was in last place. I respect her tenacity and ability to face adversity. sin needed a strong woman not some missish noble flower above getting her hands dirty. What i loved about her is that she was something without her husband. A lot of historical romance heroines are nothing without their men, in fact, I have seen in writing many a heroine say that. She had so much strength. she even told him if he left she would miss him but she would raise their child the right way. I know that despite her pain she will always be strong for her people. THAT is the definition of a heroine!
In conclusion, I cannot express enough the necessity of reading this book. It is a great addition to the genre of romance and a testament to the ability of writers to create a fine specimen of a character
Similar Books
1. Kiss of the Highlander!
2.If You Dare
3. If You Deceive
January 22, 2012
5+ stars � Historical/Medieval/Highlander Romance
Oh, how I loved, loved this book! I’m a sucker for emotional romances with tortured heroes, and Born in Sin is a touching read featuring one of the most abused and anguished romantic heroes of any that I’ve read. Sin’s unbearably tragic past and continual suffering and mistreatment from others have made him justifiably brooding, jaded, distrustful, reclusive, and full of self-loathing, yet he treats the heroine with gentleness and reverence.
He’s one of the most unforgettable, heartbreaking, and sigh-worthy heroes in Romancelandia. And Callie, the plucky lass who’s determined to convince Sin he’s worthy of love and devotion, is one of the most spirited, steadfast, compassionate, loyal, and endearing heroines ever. Sin and Callie forge a love that is pure, poignant, passionate, inspiring, and truly wondrous.
Although it’s a medieval highland historical romance, Sin reminded me in some ways of another of my all-time favorite tortured heroes, Zsadist from . And like Zsadist and Bella in , Sin and Callie in Born in Sin are a treasured Romancelandia couple for the keeper shelf! Big 5 stars!
It’s hard to cast someone as dark, dangerous, and broodingly sexy as Lord Sin, but Eric Bana has his penetrating, midnight eyes. Dress him in all black knight garb, put him on a black war stallion, and give him a sword, and he’d make a compelling, forbidding Lord Sin.
And this sexy knight could portray Sin rather convincingly as well.
Oh, how I loved, loved this book! I’m a sucker for emotional romances with tortured heroes, and Born in Sin is a touching read featuring one of the most abused and anguished romantic heroes of any that I’ve read. Sin’s unbearably tragic past and continual suffering and mistreatment from others have made him justifiably brooding, jaded, distrustful, reclusive, and full of self-loathing, yet he treats the heroine with gentleness and reverence.
He’s one of the most unforgettable, heartbreaking, and sigh-worthy heroes in Romancelandia. And Callie, the plucky lass who’s determined to convince Sin he’s worthy of love and devotion, is one of the most spirited, steadfast, compassionate, loyal, and endearing heroines ever. Sin and Callie forge a love that is pure, poignant, passionate, inspiring, and truly wondrous.
Although it’s a medieval highland historical romance, Sin reminded me in some ways of another of my all-time favorite tortured heroes, Zsadist from . And like Zsadist and Bella in , Sin and Callie in Born in Sin are a treasured Romancelandia couple for the keeper shelf! Big 5 stars!
It’s hard to cast someone as dark, dangerous, and broodingly sexy as Lord Sin, but Eric Bana has his penetrating, midnight eyes. Dress him in all black knight garb, put him on a black war stallion, and give him a sword, and he’d make a compelling, forbidding Lord Sin.
And this sexy knight could portray Sin rather convincingly as well.
December 11, 2013
I AM FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEe
NEVER AGAIN.
Holy shit this was bad.
You have insta love.
Men who apparently have tough armors but are weak as fuck IMO.
Women who can apparently see through all of that shit to the sad sad man who lies inside when no one else could.
So many tropes. It was depressing.
The only good thing about this book was that the dude was a virgin. It amused me.
I must stop reading books none of my friends have rated.
NEVER AGAIN.
Holy shit this was bad.
You have insta love.
Men who apparently have tough armors but are weak as fuck IMO.
Women who can apparently see through all of that shit to the sad sad man who lies inside when no one else could.
So many tropes. It was depressing.
The only good thing about this book was that the dude was a virgin. It amused me.
I must stop reading books none of my friends have rated.
April 7, 2020
2.5 stars. I tried another new-to-me author, but I didn't really love this one. Hero and heroine were quite well-drawn, but the hero's angsty back story was just a bit too much for me to take. There were some funny lines and some sweet scenes. But overall, not really my cup of tea. I admit, I did some skimming. Oh well, I tried.
July 11, 2020
Reread 2020
I stand by my 4 star rating. I will only add that it seemed repetitive at times. The constant mention of how the heroine smelled like lavender, and the hero's constant internal thoughts of not being worthy were overdone. But overall I liked this book very very much, just not quite a 5 star.
We see Simon again who adds a light hardheartedness to all the depressing circumstances around hero Sin. Unlike book #1, there was a lack of witticism in the dialog, and I miss the medieval words the author formerly used. I also wish she went a little heavier on the Scottish accents.
It was great how the author carefully worded the hero's dialog to make me think I had mis-categorized the book
I would definitely recommend and will reread .
Safety
Original 2016 read
____________________
Oh How my heart was breaking for Sin throughout this entire book. I really liked the h as well. I do suspect however judging by the reviews that the version of this book I read was revised heavily. It appears that a lot of the torture descriptions were removed, most likely for the better. I gave 4 stars only for some small reasons:
I felt King Henry would not have been so accommodating to the way he was being spoken to most times.
I didn't buy the the fact that Sin forgave his stepmother so easily at the end.
On the good side, I loved the characters especially Simon who gave the light hardheartedness much needed in this story.
I stand by my 4 star rating. I will only add that it seemed repetitive at times. The constant mention of how the heroine smelled like lavender, and the hero's constant internal thoughts of not being worthy were overdone. But overall I liked this book very very much, just not quite a 5 star.
We see Simon again who adds a light hardheartedness to all the depressing circumstances around hero Sin. Unlike book #1, there was a lack of witticism in the dialog, and I miss the medieval words the author formerly used. I also wish she went a little heavier on the Scottish accents.
It was great how the author carefully worded the hero's dialog to make me think I had mis-categorized the book
I would definitely recommend and will reread .
Safety
Original 2016 read
____________________
Oh How my heart was breaking for Sin throughout this entire book. I really liked the h as well. I do suspect however judging by the reviews that the version of this book I read was revised heavily. It appears that a lot of the torture descriptions were removed, most likely for the better. I gave 4 stars only for some small reasons:
I felt King Henry would not have been so accommodating to the way he was being spoken to most times.
I didn't buy the the fact that Sin forgave his stepmother so easily at the end.
On the good side, I loved the characters especially Simon who gave the light hardheartedness much needed in this story.
August 29, 2015
Born in Sin is the third book in Kinley MacGregor's Brotherbood/MacAllister series, and I would have to say it is my favourite one so far. It was also the reason I started this series, as I had heard many good things about the book, particularly its tortured hero, Sin.
If I’d read this one as a standalone, I think I might have been disappointed. Not because I would have missed any crucial background (even though Sin and his brothers first appeared in ), but because the writing style might have been more ‘light� than I would expect from a good ‘tortured hero� book.
Thankfully, having read and (both of which were very enjoyable reads), I knew what to expect from the writing. MacGregor has a fairly plain, simple, straightforward style. She is not overly descriptive, and leans more toward fun than angst. The language is not authentic for the time, but nor did it jolt me out of the story.
I’m not sure that I’m explaining myself particularly well here, but because I was not expecting an angsty, complex read, I wasn’t disappointed with the fairly ‘typical� romance fare. Some might even call it clichéd, but that didn't make it any less enjoyable for me. I found Sin’s story to definitely be worth reading.
Sin MacAllister's life has been the stuff of nightmares. Talk about tortured. Immediately following his birth he was cast out by his mother in England and sent to live with his father in Scotland. A constant reminder of his father’s infidelity, he was treated abominably by both his father and step-mother, never acknowledged and always left to watch from the shadows while his ‘legitimate� brothers received care and attention.
When King Richard comes looking for hostages, Sin is thrust away and told never to return. From that point, his life goes from horrible to unbearable. He is eventually sold by his guardian as a slave to the enemy, and trained by the Saracens as an assassin, forced to do things no man, let alone a child such as himself, should witness.
After many years, Sin takes his one chance for freedom when he is sent to assassinate King Henry. Having pledged his eternal loyalty to the King, Sin is left with little choice years later when the King bids him to marry a Scottish lash in an effort to halt the raids on the English settlers in Scotland.
Sin is a product of his life experiences. The things this man has endured could break your heart. He has never been shown kindness, never felt a human touch in anything other than anger, knows only hatred and animosity. He belongs nowhere, and to no one. He has no business with a wife, particularly one as lovely as Callie.
I could go on and on about the story, as much happens when Sin is forced to return to the Scotland he hates, with the wife he knows will eventually betray him like everyone else - but I should probably let you read the story yourself rather than have me continue to tell it to you.
Suffice it to say, if you have a liking for ‘tortured heroes�, Sin is a must-read character.
I had indicated in my review for Claiming the Highlander that that book and its predecessor (Master of Desire) weren't closely related, but I want to note that this book is related to each of the first two books. Although it could probably still be read as a standalone, the others are also good reads so why not enjoy them all!
If I’d read this one as a standalone, I think I might have been disappointed. Not because I would have missed any crucial background (even though Sin and his brothers first appeared in ), but because the writing style might have been more ‘light� than I would expect from a good ‘tortured hero� book.
Thankfully, having read and (both of which were very enjoyable reads), I knew what to expect from the writing. MacGregor has a fairly plain, simple, straightforward style. She is not overly descriptive, and leans more toward fun than angst. The language is not authentic for the time, but nor did it jolt me out of the story.
I’m not sure that I’m explaining myself particularly well here, but because I was not expecting an angsty, complex read, I wasn’t disappointed with the fairly ‘typical� romance fare. Some might even call it clichéd, but that didn't make it any less enjoyable for me. I found Sin’s story to definitely be worth reading.
Sin MacAllister's life has been the stuff of nightmares. Talk about tortured. Immediately following his birth he was cast out by his mother in England and sent to live with his father in Scotland. A constant reminder of his father’s infidelity, he was treated abominably by both his father and step-mother, never acknowledged and always left to watch from the shadows while his ‘legitimate� brothers received care and attention.
When King Richard comes looking for hostages, Sin is thrust away and told never to return. From that point, his life goes from horrible to unbearable. He is eventually sold by his guardian as a slave to the enemy, and trained by the Saracens as an assassin, forced to do things no man, let alone a child such as himself, should witness.
After many years, Sin takes his one chance for freedom when he is sent to assassinate King Henry. Having pledged his eternal loyalty to the King, Sin is left with little choice years later when the King bids him to marry a Scottish lash in an effort to halt the raids on the English settlers in Scotland.
Sin is a product of his life experiences. The things this man has endured could break your heart. He has never been shown kindness, never felt a human touch in anything other than anger, knows only hatred and animosity. He belongs nowhere, and to no one. He has no business with a wife, particularly one as lovely as Callie.
I could go on and on about the story, as much happens when Sin is forced to return to the Scotland he hates, with the wife he knows will eventually betray him like everyone else - but I should probably let you read the story yourself rather than have me continue to tell it to you.
Suffice it to say, if you have a liking for ‘tortured heroes�, Sin is a must-read character.
I had indicated in my review for Claiming the Highlander that that book and its predecessor (Master of Desire) weren't closely related, but I want to note that this book is related to each of the first two books. Although it could probably still be read as a standalone, the others are also good reads so why not enjoy them all!
September 17, 2016
Sin is a very tortured hero who endured so much cruelty and pain. He is a powerful fearless knight but his heart is pure gold. Callie is taken hostage by the King and as a way of ensuring peace between the English and the Scots he forces a marriage between Sin and Callie. Sin is a very damaged man who wants to avoid love at all costs but Callie is a strong and patient heroine. Her love saves him and heals him. If you love a swoon-worthy hero who treats the heroine like a queen then you must read this book!
June 10, 2023
3 Stars
Opinion Breakdown
The Good: The premise, the side characters, and the banter.
The Not-So-Good: The ending. It definitely could've been much better with a farther glimpse into their future.
The Bad: The lack of an emotional connection. I wanted to feel more.
Overall: This was enjoyable, but just not as angsty as I was hoping. While I definitely felt bad for the horrors and pain the H suffered, I don't think I connected enough to get emotional for him. I just wanted to shake him a few times when he was continuing to push the h away. Overall, this was just an okay read for me.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Callie and Sin's story. Sin turns his life around when he spares the King of England from an ordered assassination attempt that Sin was supposed to hand out, and he becomes a trusted advisor to the King as years go on. Only now the King is asking him to return to Scotland, which he has sworn never to do, and marry their political prisoner, Callie, to help mend relations with her clan. Callie soon realizes that marrying Sin is the only option for peace for her clan has and she reluctantly agrees. Once they start to spend more time together, Callie realizes that the horrible rumors about her betrothed are not true and they start to care for one another despite the unlikely pairing. There is some political drama, some sexy times, and some sweet moments...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing on Callie and Sin in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I thought it flowed well and I never skimmed.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings.
H (Hero) rating: 3.5 stars. Sin. While I liked him for the most part, his inner self-deprecating thoughts got old quick.
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Callie. I liked her. I appreciated her strength and how she cared for the H.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: No
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: No
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends in a pretty good place and what I would call a HEA, but I'm greedy and I wanted much more! Maybe something like
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
Opinion Breakdown
The Good: The premise, the side characters, and the banter.
The Not-So-Good: The ending. It definitely could've been much better with a farther glimpse into their future.
The Bad: The lack of an emotional connection. I wanted to feel more.
Overall: This was enjoyable, but just not as angsty as I was hoping. While I definitely felt bad for the horrors and pain the H suffered, I don't think I connected enough to get emotional for him. I just wanted to shake him a few times when he was continuing to push the h away. Overall, this was just an okay read for me.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Callie and Sin's story. Sin turns his life around when he spares the King of England from an ordered assassination attempt that Sin was supposed to hand out, and he becomes a trusted advisor to the King as years go on. Only now the King is asking him to return to Scotland, which he has sworn never to do, and marry their political prisoner, Callie, to help mend relations with her clan. Callie soon realizes that marrying Sin is the only option for peace for her clan has and she reluctantly agrees. Once they start to spend more time together, Callie realizes that the horrible rumors about her betrothed are not true and they start to care for one another despite the unlikely pairing. There is some political drama, some sexy times, and some sweet moments...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing on Callie and Sin in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I thought it flowed well and I never skimmed.
Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings.
H (Hero) rating: 3.5 stars. Sin. While I liked him for the most part, his inner self-deprecating thoughts got old quick.
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Callie. I liked her. I appreciated her strength and how she cared for the H.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: No
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: No
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends in a pretty good place and what I would call a HEA, but I'm greedy and I wanted much more! Maybe something like
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
March 17, 2020
Re-read 03/12/20
Screw my 4-star rating. 5 fucking stars all the way. Maybe it was the fact that it was raining. Maybe it was the gloomy, cold, turn on the fireplace kind of day and I was in a mood. I don't know. But I loved this even more than the first time I read it. It still breaks my heart and then somehow slowly pieces it all back together. I might have teared up a little. Okay, I totally did. It's just so romantic. Sin is so damaged, so tortured, but he isn't cruel. He's grumpy. But he's a giant softy. And I can't help it, I still want to chase him around with my arms open telling him to accept my love and that he's worth it.
*Just looking at that gif made me remember everything about Land Before Time. And then it made me sad. Because of Littlefoot's mom. And then I got misty-eyed. I think this book opened an emotional dam of tears and that does not make me happy. I might as well read Old Yeller next. THANKS, BOOK.
****
I adored this book.
I have a feeling this is one of those love it or hate it kind of books. In many ways, it's pretty much just a paint by numbers HR. We have the hero who doesn't believe he can love or deserves love and a heroine who is determined to love and win the love of the hero. You know how it goes.
Fortunately for me, it didn't matter to me how many times this has been done before, it's one of my favorite tropes.
Sin was sold when he was a child and all of his emotions were tortured and beaten out him. Not to mention that he was trained as an assassin at a very young age. In a backward sort of way, he manages to save the life of the king and in return asks for his freedom from the group of people who bought him. His request is granted and he promises loyalty to the king, but only the king. He refuses to ever be beholden to anyone again. Time passes and the king has decided that he is going to make peace by marrying Callie (who is his hostage) to Sin. Both of them are pissed about it and want to refuse but strangely enough, they don't immediately hate each other. They find that they actually get along. They marry, and of course, Sin isn't exactly popular with Callie's people. Which Sin happens to be used to. Callie is determined to win Sin's heart and of course, Sin believes he doesn't have one, but he still wants her love. So begins a gloriously adorable and romantic mutual wooing.
Reasons I shouldn't have liked this book:
-Cliches. So many cliches.
-Sin went from emotionless grump to please love me way too quickly.
-Callie was unusually stubborn for a woman of her time. Not in a plucky heroine kind of way, but in an almost stupid and completely unrealistic kind of way.
-This book was a walking example of instalove.
Reasons I loved this book:
All of the above.
I loved it all. I loved watching Sin fall for Callie, even if it was too fast. I loved that Callie had such a strong backbone. She needed to have one if she was going to deal with Sin. I especially loved how secretly soft and kind Sin was, despite his upbringing. I'm a big fan of tortured, reclusive heroes who aren't giant assholes. Sure, he was emotionally closed off, but he was never cruel. The sex was great, the romance was actually romantic, and it was an easy read. The writing was well done and I really enjoyed getting to catch up with characters from the previous books. I wasn't sure I'd like Sin as much as Draven from , but I did. Maybe even more so. Yes, it was completely formulaic, but IMO, that only matters if you don't like the formula.
I can't help it, this book was like catnip for me. A lot of people are going to find this book over the top mushy but I love mushy books. The mushier the better!
I regret nothing.
September 20, 2022
Taken hostage by the English king, Caledonia MacNeely, daughter of a Scottish laird, finds herself forced into a marriage with a man known only as Lord Sin. The mysterious knight dressed in unrelieved black is feared by all, but Callie can also see the goodness in the man beneath the armor and is determined to make the best of the situation they’re both forced into since it’s the only way to save her clan from the king’s wrath.
This book was rather reminiscent of more classic, old school vibe Highlander romances and I adored it. Sin was the ultimate brooding, tortured hero who’d never known love and had experienced only loathing or dismissal. I loved seeing Callie teach him how to love and hope and allow himself to be open to the things he was feeling for her. It’s rare that I say this, but Callie as the heroine made this book just as much as the hero. She was perfect for Sin, and I loved how open she was to the possibility of them together and how positive she remained and how determined she was to make the best out of a situation they had both been forced into. She immediately saw Sin for the gentle, caring man he truly was beneath the scary black armor, and it was so satisfying to me that she saw the real person and refused to let others mistreat him. Usually in these sorts of books we get a heroine who is not accepted and must earn the good will of the people, but in this case, it was the hero and I loved seeing Sin surprise Callie’s clan at every turn, earning their, admittedly grudging, respect, and eventual acceptance. I especially loved Sin’s dynamic with his brothers and their loyalty to him despite their long separation. This was my first book from this author, but I definitely want to read the other brothers� stories now.
Sin is now one of my favorite examples of a tortured hero and he and Callie are one of my new favorite couples. I loved their chemistry and steadfastness towards each other, but the best aspect here for me was that it was Callie who stood strong for Sin when he was unsure of himself and how to deal with all the newfound emotions that came with their growing love. They’re both finding themselves and their place in the world but they’re finding it and undergoing that development together, as a team. That dynamic was beautiful to me, and I thoroughly enjoyed their story.
Blog link:
This book was rather reminiscent of more classic, old school vibe Highlander romances and I adored it. Sin was the ultimate brooding, tortured hero who’d never known love and had experienced only loathing or dismissal. I loved seeing Callie teach him how to love and hope and allow himself to be open to the things he was feeling for her. It’s rare that I say this, but Callie as the heroine made this book just as much as the hero. She was perfect for Sin, and I loved how open she was to the possibility of them together and how positive she remained and how determined she was to make the best out of a situation they had both been forced into. She immediately saw Sin for the gentle, caring man he truly was beneath the scary black armor, and it was so satisfying to me that she saw the real person and refused to let others mistreat him. Usually in these sorts of books we get a heroine who is not accepted and must earn the good will of the people, but in this case, it was the hero and I loved seeing Sin surprise Callie’s clan at every turn, earning their, admittedly grudging, respect, and eventual acceptance. I especially loved Sin’s dynamic with his brothers and their loyalty to him despite their long separation. This was my first book from this author, but I definitely want to read the other brothers� stories now.
Sin is now one of my favorite examples of a tortured hero and he and Callie are one of my new favorite couples. I loved their chemistry and steadfastness towards each other, but the best aspect here for me was that it was Callie who stood strong for Sin when he was unsure of himself and how to deal with all the newfound emotions that came with their growing love. They’re both finding themselves and their place in the world but they’re finding it and undergoing that development together, as a team. That dynamic was beautiful to me, and I thoroughly enjoyed their story.
Blog link:
June 21, 2018
Az önce @İlkim’den öğrendim, serinin beşinci kitabı geliyormuş.
Tabii gelir canım, neden olmasın, sonuçta ülkenin sayı siteminde 1, 2 sonra hooop 5 geliyor. Yani gidip beşinci kitabı basmalarından daha doğal ne olabilir ki sonuçta?
�
Uzun zamandır okuduğum ennnn güzel historical ennn güzel highlander romanı oldu bence!
Kinley/Sherrilyn gene yapmış yapacağını.
Yine bir Epsilon engeline takılan seriyle karşı karşıyayız dostlar. Hâlâ anlamakta zorlanıyorum, böyle seriler nasıl yarım bırakılıyor diye ama neyse, bu kitabın altında sinirlenmeyeceğim çünkü SİİİİİİNNNNNN diye çığlıklar atmak geliyor içimden.
Yahu kadın, sen zaten PNR yazıp beni öldürüyorsun bir de şu historicalların var ya... Daha bir ölüyorum, gerçi ben şu ara ders yüzünden de ölüyorum, o yüzden senin öldürmelerin bal kaymak benim için. Evet, dersten yeni kalktım, iyi değilim, SON YİRMİ GÜN!
Sin, İngiliz bir kadının -kesinlikle anne değil- ve bir İskoç lordun oğlu. Yavrum, kimse tarafından kabul edilmemiş, sevilmemiş bir çocukluk; esir olarak gençlik ve krala sadık bir asker, suikastçı olarak hayatını geçirmiş. İlk kitapta olduğu gibi Henry’nin gene düğün dernek kurası gelince kendisini bir İskoç kadınıyla evlenirken buluyor.
O kadar yaralı ve hayata karşı inancını yitirmiş bir adam ki bu evliliğin hayatında bir şeyleri değiştireceğine inanmamayı bırakın, böyle bir şey aklına dâhi gelmiyor. Buna rağmen muazzam bir adam olarak kendisini yetiştirmiş. Bir sürü haksızlığa maruz kalmış biri olarak kimsenin aynı şeyleri yaşamasına izin vermemek için uğraşıyor. Bu arada da paramparça olmuş kalbini korumak istiyor ama Callie buna izin verir mi?
Akıllı kız!
Böyle adamı bulacaksın da aksini yapacaksın?
Vururlar kızım seni, ne diyorsun sen.
Historicallarda en sevdiğim kadın karakterlerden biri olmuş olabilir kendisi. Bu kadar sabırlı, adamın kalbine giden yolda kendinden bu kadar emin olmasıyla beğenimi kazandı. Sin’in yaşadıklarını öğrendikçe onun için yaptıkları beni çok mutlu etti.
M U H T E Ş E M D İ İ Ş T E B E
Kitabın yararlı erkek fantezime bire bir uyması bir yana kitapta öyle bir şey vardı ki hiç düşünmeden beş yıldızı bastım! ADAMSIN SİN, BİR TANESİN, BİR, BİR...
Tabii gelir canım, neden olmasın, sonuçta ülkenin sayı siteminde 1, 2 sonra hooop 5 geliyor. Yani gidip beşinci kitabı basmalarından daha doğal ne olabilir ki sonuçta?
�
Uzun zamandır okuduğum ennnn güzel historical ennn güzel highlander romanı oldu bence!
Kinley/Sherrilyn gene yapmış yapacağını.
Yine bir Epsilon engeline takılan seriyle karşı karşıyayız dostlar. Hâlâ anlamakta zorlanıyorum, böyle seriler nasıl yarım bırakılıyor diye ama neyse, bu kitabın altında sinirlenmeyeceğim çünkü SİİİİİİNNNNNN diye çığlıklar atmak geliyor içimden.
Yahu kadın, sen zaten PNR yazıp beni öldürüyorsun bir de şu historicalların var ya... Daha bir ölüyorum, gerçi ben şu ara ders yüzünden de ölüyorum, o yüzden senin öldürmelerin bal kaymak benim için. Evet, dersten yeni kalktım, iyi değilim, SON YİRMİ GÜN!
Sin, İngiliz bir kadının -kesinlikle anne değil- ve bir İskoç lordun oğlu. Yavrum, kimse tarafından kabul edilmemiş, sevilmemiş bir çocukluk; esir olarak gençlik ve krala sadık bir asker, suikastçı olarak hayatını geçirmiş. İlk kitapta olduğu gibi Henry’nin gene düğün dernek kurası gelince kendisini bir İskoç kadınıyla evlenirken buluyor.
O kadar yaralı ve hayata karşı inancını yitirmiş bir adam ki bu evliliğin hayatında bir şeyleri değiştireceğine inanmamayı bırakın, böyle bir şey aklına dâhi gelmiyor. Buna rağmen muazzam bir adam olarak kendisini yetiştirmiş. Bir sürü haksızlığa maruz kalmış biri olarak kimsenin aynı şeyleri yaşamasına izin vermemek için uğraşıyor. Bu arada da paramparça olmuş kalbini korumak istiyor ama Callie buna izin verir mi?
Akıllı kız!
Böyle adamı bulacaksın da aksini yapacaksın?
Vururlar kızım seni, ne diyorsun sen.
Historicallarda en sevdiğim kadın karakterlerden biri olmuş olabilir kendisi. Bu kadar sabırlı, adamın kalbine giden yolda kendinden bu kadar emin olmasıyla beğenimi kazandı. Sin’in yaşadıklarını öğrendikçe onun için yaptıkları beni çok mutlu etti.
M U H T E Ş E M D İ İ Ş T E B E
Kitabın yararlı erkek fantezime bire bir uyması bir yana kitapta öyle bir şey vardı ki hiç düşünmeden beş yıldızı bastım! ADAMSIN SİN, BİR TANESİN, BİR, BİR...
Aye, I’ll marry the wench, but only if you can find a priest who will sanction it.�
Henry’s face blanched.
Sin smiled evilly. In the last nine years, he had been excommunicated five times. The most recent one carried a papal ban so severe that it should have him roasting out eternity right by the devil’s side.
The pope himself referred to Sin as Satan’s Most Favored Spawn.
“Do what?�
ٳ.�
He frowned at her words.
“Here, now, I didn’t mean to make you stop.�
February 1, 2023
Qué descanso leer una romántica histórica, en tercera persona, con su tensión emocional y sexual bien dosificada, con personajes atractivos aunque sea en una Edad Media algo de cartón piedra.
Lo que más me gustó de la historia es el protagonista, Sin (Pecado) MacAllister, en modalidad tipo callado y letal, un solitario a quien todos temen, asesino por cuenta de su rey. Éste (Enrique II, uno de los monarcas más interesantes de la Edad Media) le pedirá algo sorprendente: que se case con una prisionera escocesa, para conseguir acabar con unos rebeldes de su clan.
Caledonia MacNeely tenía todas las papeletas de ser una pizpireta megaperfecta, y no, es una heroína bastante sensata.
Me sorprende lo mucho que me ha gustado esta novela, considerando que mis experiencias anteriores con la autora fueron muy decepcionantes (con este seudónimo).
Lo que más me gustó de la historia es el protagonista, Sin (Pecado) MacAllister, en modalidad tipo callado y letal, un solitario a quien todos temen, asesino por cuenta de su rey. Éste (Enrique II, uno de los monarcas más interesantes de la Edad Media) le pedirá algo sorprendente: que se case con una prisionera escocesa, para conseguir acabar con unos rebeldes de su clan.
Caledonia MacNeely tenía todas las papeletas de ser una pizpireta megaperfecta, y no, es una heroína bastante sensata.
Me sorprende lo mucho que me ha gustado esta novela, considerando que mis experiencias anteriores con la autora fueron muy decepcionantes (con este seudónimo).
April 24, 2008
This book was very predictable and boring. There is endless repetition that acts like filler just to get over 300 pages (how many times does the reader have to read how emotionally damaged Sin is and how beautiful and wonderful Callie is???), nothing really happens after you've hit the half way mark, it's touted as being witty/funny but there is very, very little humour and what is there is ho-hum, the love story is gag worthy--all your stereotypical bad romance story inanities, the language doesn't match the period (I don't really think they were saying "Oh you wish!" way back in medieval times), and everything is extreme--so beautiful, so angelic, so sad, so horrible...it's like the author didn't know any happy medium.
If you want a lack-lustre story with nothing interesting and the same old same old, then this is the book for you.
If you want a lack-lustre story with nothing interesting and the same old same old, then this is the book for you.
June 25, 2012
Another great story from Kinley MacGregor!! I wish I read it last year when I saw this book. I ignored it coz I thought she won't beat my favourite Highland authors. My judgement was wrong, Born in Sin was the BEST book I've ever read. Better than Master of Desire.
I love how Callie try to win Sin's heart. Sin is a tortured hero. His parents throw him and never admit that Sin is their son. I know some parents are CRUEL but I really hate them in this story. His mother deserved a slap!
Although he doesn't have LOVE in his, his brothers, foster brothers and Callie loves him. I loved him too!! His fan who reads this story loves him too.
You will sigh, laugh, cry, anger, happy reading this book. This book will captured your heart and you will be sorry for not reading Born in Sin.
Recommended. Please read, you don't know what you're missing.
I love how Callie try to win Sin's heart. Sin is a tortured hero. His parents throw him and never admit that Sin is their son. I know some parents are CRUEL but I really hate them in this story. His mother deserved a slap!
Although he doesn't have LOVE in his, his brothers, foster brothers and Callie loves him. I loved him too!! His fan who reads this story loves him too.
You will sigh, laugh, cry, anger, happy reading this book. This book will captured your heart and you will be sorry for not reading Born in Sin.
Recommended. Please read, you don't know what you're missing.
May 18, 2022
A pesar de mi falta de tiempo he disfrutado a tope de esta lectura. Me ha encantado.
Es cierto que el primer título de esta serie me aburrió mucho, pero este libro nada tiene que ver con él. Es un libro muy completo pues hay de todo un poco, amor, drama, entre otros. La lectura llegó a absorberme de tal manera que las hojas volaban entre mis dedos, a pesar de mi falta de tiempo.
¿Se puede leer este libro sin haber leído los anteriores? Pues si se podría pero te faltaría por conocer a algunos personajes secundarios y en algunas ocasiones te perderías. Yo no leí el segundo y me ha ocurrido, así que si tampoco has leído el primero es más lioso aun.
En cuanto a los personajes decir que me encantaron tanto Callie como Sin. Callie por su dulzura y su extrema paciencia. Sin me dio muchísima pena a lo largo de la lectura. Todo lo que había padecido no tenía nombre, por ello no comparto una parte del final con la madrastra.
Otro personaje que me enamoró fue Simón. Es un personaje excepcional que enriqueció la historia.
En resumen decir que es un libro precioso aunque en muchas ocasiones triste, pero merece la pena leerlo.
❗️¿Recomendaría este libro? Si, pero lo haría si lees al menos el primero de esta serie.
‼️Dificultad en la lectura. Ninguna. Es un libro ágil y atrapante.
Es cierto que el primer título de esta serie me aburrió mucho, pero este libro nada tiene que ver con él. Es un libro muy completo pues hay de todo un poco, amor, drama, entre otros. La lectura llegó a absorberme de tal manera que las hojas volaban entre mis dedos, a pesar de mi falta de tiempo.
¿Se puede leer este libro sin haber leído los anteriores? Pues si se podría pero te faltaría por conocer a algunos personajes secundarios y en algunas ocasiones te perderías. Yo no leí el segundo y me ha ocurrido, así que si tampoco has leído el primero es más lioso aun.
En cuanto a los personajes decir que me encantaron tanto Callie como Sin. Callie por su dulzura y su extrema paciencia. Sin me dio muchísima pena a lo largo de la lectura. Todo lo que había padecido no tenía nombre, por ello no comparto una parte del final con la madrastra.
Otro personaje que me enamoró fue Simón. Es un personaje excepcional que enriqueció la historia.
En resumen decir que es un libro precioso aunque en muchas ocasiones triste, pero merece la pena leerlo.
❗️¿Recomendaría este libro? Si, pero lo haría si lees al menos el primero de esta serie.
‼️Dificultad en la lectura. Ninguna. Es un libro ágil y atrapante.
September 8, 2018
โอ� � � � อ่านจบตั้งนานแต่ไม่ได้รีวิ� เขียนอังกฤษไม่ออก แปะไทยไว้ก่อนแล้วกัน
ชอบๆๆๆ กำลังอยากอ่านนางเอก proactive พอดีแล้วพอมาเจอเรื่องนี้ก็เลยถูกใจมากกกกก พระเอกก็รันทดได้อี� ชีวิตน่าสงสารมาก� แต่พระเอกก็น่ารักมากเหมือนกัน <3
ชอบๆๆๆ กำลังอยากอ่านนางเอก proactive พอดีแล้วพอมาเจอเรื่องนี้ก็เลยถูกใจมากกกกก พระเอกก็รันทดได้อี� ชีวิตน่าสงสารมาก� แต่พระเอกก็น่ารักมากเหมือนกัน <3
![Profile Image for ᑭᑌᑎƳᗩ [Punya Reviews...].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1572968006i%2F3840999._UX200_CR0%2C33%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
June 8, 2011
My review contains spoilers and they're mostly my thoughts as I went with the book. This one's got 2 parts.
I had to write something personally to Sin. I love this man. He has to be my most favorite KM hero so far (though there is Draven and Jack ... Also, can't wait to read about Ewan). I feel so much for him and his bad, messy life that I don't even know if I'll be able to express myself adequately. His life as a Saracen slave and before that (I had no idea about it), as a squire to Harold of Ravenswood ( hero Draven's father) was just sad. In MoD, there was no hint about Sin; I didn't know Sin, Draven and Simon grew up together, at least before Harold sold him to some Saracen trader. I'm not going to talk about that life since it's all in the book and too sad for me to discuss. I'd rather talk about him and Caledonia and how fate brought them together.
Well, whatever it was that brought them together, I don't care but I really really like Callie. She's brave and smart, kind, generous and so far I've seen nothing TSTL about her. Not a single thing! And, I adore it! As king Henry's captive, she was scared for her and her little brother's life so she made several attempts to flee, all of which were really commendable. Meantime, Henry threatened, wheedled and manipulated Sin to marry her so that he can command her clan. Callie still didn't know this is her man when she met Sin while fleeing for the first time (yah, there were more attempts). The whole process was such fun to read! I loved how Sin was acting besotted and then, was disgusted about it.
Sin fascinates Callie. Even after knowing many things about him, she cares for him. And, I applaud that. She doesn't judge him, condemn him on spot. I wish she flayed the woman, that is his mother, after that incident when they married. I kept on seeing parts of her and liked her more and more for it. The way she cares for her half-brothers, her step-mother (who deserves praise too), her clan and most of all Sin; she is simply great! Now, she wants to know this man better who's trying everything to ignore her.
But, Sin's confused and thinks he isn't deserving of a life full of care, love and acceptance and I don't blame the poor babe one bit! You just have to read to know how people treat him and how his parents blamed and cast him away for their own sins. I was speechless! Even his step-mother, Braden-Lochlan-Ewan's mother Aisleen, I was disgusted by her words/actions. She won't get any respect from me in any other book for sure! Don't even wanna talk about his dad! Callie is so different, so adorable and beautiful all over, Sin wants her with all his being but just can't make himself vulnerable anymore. He tried in the past and was spurned. But, he wants her and there's no denying it.
Now, they're in highlands where Sin is supposed to take Callie's clan the MacNeely in hands. Trouble's brewing there that needs to be taken care of. Callie still doesn't know that Sin is half-Scot so she's afraid of his well-being. There's every chance of seeing the other MacAllisters again. I loved the reappearance of Simon. I liked him from MoD, even though I didn't approve of his dalliance with Emily's lady's maid. Here, when they visit Ravenswood, these two seen together (though if someone hadn't read MoD before, won't know about their past). Simon is, again, helping Sin and Callie to bond. I loved visiting Draven and Emily, since they're my other favorite KM couple. Callie's brother Jamie was an adorable kid. There are funny scene aplenty in this book and no matter what some say, this book is great!
PS: I've read in some reviews that Sin is supposed to be a virgin! Really? So far, whatever I've read, gave me this impression that he has this almost inhuman ability to supress his physical desires. If so, then it'll be my first novel where the h/h loses their virginity to one another. Interesting!
PPS: They haven't consummated the marriage yet, that wedding night scene was hot yet kinda funny but eitherway, it wasn't done. Again, Callie doesn't know ... why? Read the book! :p I like that Callie isn't a squeamish miss when it comes to sex. She's bold and knows what she wants and she wants Sin bad! ;)
***
I enjoyed this book so much, I gulped it down faster than I thought I would. Sin, I've already mentioned, stole my heart completely. Callie, an incredible heroine, I adored too. This book had much angst, specially concerning Sin's life and the way he was just was resigned that his life's always be like this; all sufferings and pain, being the scapegoat. He'll never be worthy of a better life, be a better man whom a woman like Callie could love. I cried a lot for the man because it seemed so unfair. His sufferings in life was just so. Already mentioned, I'm amazed that he was able to feel love and give it in such abandon that in the end, he decided to sacrific himself to save Callie's clan.
It was a pleasure to read how their relationship grew and Callie's perseverance on seeing that this man is well-loved and never hunger for the soft touch was exquisite! The trouble with Henry and her clan, created by someone very close to her, was a bit unexpected but not entirely unusual. In the end, it was heartbreaking to see how Sin decided that he would sacrifice himself instead of that person, so that Callie wouldn't have to choose and ultimately, her clan has the peace she always dreamed of. He even donned the MacNeely plaid to show Henry he belonged to the clan, but mostly, to Callie. For a proud man who always made sure he's never owned by anyone (not even Henry), never belongs to anyone [ref: his past with his father], it was a huge step! It was also incredible. But, these are just a few examples of the man I couldn't but love. Some might find his 'ordeals' a bit too much and I did too at some points but there wasn't any real moment of frustration for me.
The way Callie rescued Sin from Henry's forces was marvelous to read. I was so happy, can't explain. Loved reading the MacAllister brothers and the way they all came together with men from both the clans to help Callie. Then, the epilogue. It was Christmas and the poor babe never knew a real Christmas in his life. I believe if Sin can, I'll forgive Lochlan's mother Aisleen, too. I think I understood the reasons behind her cruelty, though nothing excuses the way she treated him. Loved that she gave Sin a fitting Christmas gift; the MacAllister clan banner, which had four golden swords stitched in it before (one blackened after Kieran's death), now had five. It was beautiful. I was teary-eyed and had this big idiotic grin on my face, just knowing that Sin knew he's loved and admired by people around him and he was accepted just as he is. Finally, he was at peace.
A great big 5 star! :D
PS: My words on Sin being a virgin were correct and I believed the reasons behind it. Pretty compelling but admirable nonetheless. Love scenes were sweet. It was great to read Callie telling him how mad she is for him and showing him not only by making love but in other ways too. And, of course, Sin returning the feeling in his own way only made it all sweeter. :)
Ah, Sin you're great! I'm a very simple person, so I'd like to talk about you in simple paragraphs. But, I assure you there's nothing simple about you babe and never you feel down because of how people treat you! They're just cowards, you know? And your mother (though I have hesitations calling her that)? She's a shallow, self-centered, pitiful thing; just don't let her get to you dear. Trust me, I'm here for you, so is Callie. I believe that girl is the one for you and you both are made for each-other. I'm waiting for you to realize it darling.
I had to write something personally to Sin. I love this man. He has to be my most favorite KM hero so far (though there is Draven and Jack ... Also, can't wait to read about Ewan). I feel so much for him and his bad, messy life that I don't even know if I'll be able to express myself adequately. His life as a Saracen slave and before that (I had no idea about it), as a squire to Harold of Ravenswood ( hero Draven's father) was just sad. In MoD, there was no hint about Sin; I didn't know Sin, Draven and Simon grew up together, at least before Harold sold him to some Saracen trader. I'm not going to talk about that life since it's all in the book and too sad for me to discuss. I'd rather talk about him and Caledonia and how fate brought them together.
Well, whatever it was that brought them together, I don't care but I really really like Callie. She's brave and smart, kind, generous and so far I've seen nothing TSTL about her. Not a single thing! And, I adore it! As king Henry's captive, she was scared for her and her little brother's life so she made several attempts to flee, all of which were really commendable. Meantime, Henry threatened, wheedled and manipulated Sin to marry her so that he can command her clan. Callie still didn't know this is her man when she met Sin while fleeing for the first time (yah, there were more attempts). The whole process was such fun to read! I loved how Sin was acting besotted and then, was disgusted about it.
Sin fascinates Callie. Even after knowing many things about him, she cares for him. And, I applaud that. She doesn't judge him, condemn him on spot. I wish she flayed the woman, that is his mother, after that incident when they married. I kept on seeing parts of her and liked her more and more for it. The way she cares for her half-brothers, her step-mother (who deserves praise too), her clan and most of all Sin; she is simply great! Now, she wants to know this man better who's trying everything to ignore her.
But, Sin's confused and thinks he isn't deserving of a life full of care, love and acceptance and I don't blame the poor babe one bit! You just have to read to know how people treat him and how his parents blamed and cast him away for their own sins. I was speechless! Even his step-mother, Braden-Lochlan-Ewan's mother Aisleen, I was disgusted by her words/actions. She won't get any respect from me in any other book for sure! Don't even wanna talk about his dad! Callie is so different, so adorable and beautiful all over, Sin wants her with all his being but just can't make himself vulnerable anymore. He tried in the past and was spurned. But, he wants her and there's no denying it.
Now, they're in highlands where Sin is supposed to take Callie's clan the MacNeely in hands. Trouble's brewing there that needs to be taken care of. Callie still doesn't know that Sin is half-Scot so she's afraid of his well-being. There's every chance of seeing the other MacAllisters again. I loved the reappearance of Simon. I liked him from MoD, even though I didn't approve of his dalliance with Emily's lady's maid. Here, when they visit Ravenswood, these two seen together (though if someone hadn't read MoD before, won't know about their past). Simon is, again, helping Sin and Callie to bond. I loved visiting Draven and Emily, since they're my other favorite KM couple. Callie's brother Jamie was an adorable kid. There are funny scene aplenty in this book and no matter what some say, this book is great!
PS: I've read in some reviews that Sin is supposed to be a virgin! Really? So far, whatever I've read, gave me this impression that he has this almost inhuman ability to supress his physical desires. If so, then it'll be my first novel where the h/h loses their virginity to one another. Interesting!
PPS: They haven't consummated the marriage yet, that wedding night scene was hot yet kinda funny but eitherway, it wasn't done. Again, Callie doesn't know ... why? Read the book! :p I like that Callie isn't a squeamish miss when it comes to sex. She's bold and knows what she wants and she wants Sin bad! ;)
***
Och Sin, lad, ye're killin' me! That's right. I love you, trust me. So, even when Callie thought things like:
Och, she could strangle him.
Och, but the man was insufferable.
Och, the man was exasperating.
Och, the stubborn oaf.
... I can't but love you more. You Are Adorable!
Again, great minds think alike, see?
Och, but the man was handsome.
Och, but he was the finest-looking man she'd ever beheld...
... I absolutely agree with Callie and trust her judgement! ;) Then again, she was worthy of my praise. But, Sin dear, you were more worthy of my kisses. I adored you throughout the book; I was saddened, overwhelmed, a bit exasperated at times but mostly, I was amazed by your capability of compassion, caring for the ones you love, your yearning for Callie and of course, the love you felt for her. Your past and the way you suffered in the hands of the others, the way they used you ... I'm in awe that you still had these inside you. And, that's what made you the man I simply admired.
I enjoyed this book so much, I gulped it down faster than I thought I would. Sin, I've already mentioned, stole my heart completely. Callie, an incredible heroine, I adored too. This book had much angst, specially concerning Sin's life and the way he was just was resigned that his life's always be like this; all sufferings and pain, being the scapegoat. He'll never be worthy of a better life, be a better man whom a woman like Callie could love. I cried a lot for the man because it seemed so unfair. His sufferings in life was just so. Already mentioned, I'm amazed that he was able to feel love and give it in such abandon that in the end, he decided to sacrific himself to save Callie's clan.
It was a pleasure to read how their relationship grew and Callie's perseverance on seeing that this man is well-loved and never hunger for the soft touch was exquisite! The trouble with Henry and her clan, created by someone very close to her, was a bit unexpected but not entirely unusual. In the end, it was heartbreaking to see how Sin decided that he would sacrifice himself instead of that person, so that Callie wouldn't have to choose and ultimately, her clan has the peace she always dreamed of. He even donned the MacNeely plaid to show Henry he belonged to the clan, but mostly, to Callie. For a proud man who always made sure he's never owned by anyone (not even Henry), never belongs to anyone [ref: his past with his father], it was a huge step! It was also incredible. But, these are just a few examples of the man I couldn't but love. Some might find his 'ordeals' a bit too much and I did too at some points but there wasn't any real moment of frustration for me.
The way Callie rescued Sin from Henry's forces was marvelous to read. I was so happy, can't explain. Loved reading the MacAllister brothers and the way they all came together with men from both the clans to help Callie. Then, the epilogue. It was Christmas and the poor babe never knew a real Christmas in his life. I believe if Sin can, I'll forgive Lochlan's mother Aisleen, too. I think I understood the reasons behind her cruelty, though nothing excuses the way she treated him. Loved that she gave Sin a fitting Christmas gift; the MacAllister clan banner, which had four golden swords stitched in it before (one blackened after Kieran's death), now had five. It was beautiful. I was teary-eyed and had this big idiotic grin on my face, just knowing that Sin knew he's loved and admired by people around him and he was accepted just as he is. Finally, he was at peace.
A great big 5 star! :D
PS: My words on Sin being a virgin were correct and I believed the reasons behind it. Pretty compelling but admirable nonetheless. Love scenes were sweet. It was great to read Callie telling him how mad she is for him and showing him not only by making love but in other ways too. And, of course, Sin returning the feeling in his own way only made it all sweeter. :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2010
Another typical "Kenyon" tortured hero. As one of her earlier works, I definitely recognized later characters in Sin -- my boyfriend (Acheron), as well as pretty much every hero from the "Born In" series under the Kenyon name, and so forth.
Did that stop me from enjoying it? Of course not lol I'm a Kenyon/Macgregor/etc. fangirl, so of course I eat that crap up with a spoon ;) It can get overwhelming if you've decided to glom her writing though, so I find they're better read with a few other books in between.
What worked for me:
*I actually went back and forth on whether this was a pro or con for me, and settled on pro -- I like how our heroine didn't really fight the marriage to Sin past the inital "WTF you can't tell me who I have to marry!" reaction
*Two words: Virgin Hero :D
*This was a heavy book, what with all of the mess Sin had gone through, but it had a lot of hidden humor that rather took me by surprise
What didn't work for me:
*Did NOT like the epilogue -- I found it hard to believe and just too bloody "tidy" for my tastes.
Overall? A very angsty read with a lot of references to lifelong rejection and abuse, but with a sweet love story and just enough "intrigue" to keep things interesting. Solid 4 Stars
Did that stop me from enjoying it? Of course not lol I'm a Kenyon/Macgregor/etc. fangirl, so of course I eat that crap up with a spoon ;) It can get overwhelming if you've decided to glom her writing though, so I find they're better read with a few other books in between.
What worked for me:
*I actually went back and forth on whether this was a pro or con for me, and settled on pro -- I like how our heroine didn't really fight the marriage to Sin past the inital "WTF you can't tell me who I have to marry!" reaction
*Two words: Virgin Hero :D
*This was a heavy book, what with all of the mess Sin had gone through, but it had a lot of hidden humor that rather took me by surprise
What didn't work for me:
*Did NOT like the epilogue -- I found it hard to believe and just too bloody "tidy" for my tastes.
Overall? A very angsty read with a lot of references to lifelong rejection and abuse, but with a sweet love story and just enough "intrigue" to keep things interesting. Solid 4 Stars
June 11, 2020
It was ok, enjoyed reading it. Was very unrealistic in many regards, even more so than it's usual for romance novel.
March 27, 2016
Re-read from my youth.
This book was the only book from Kinley MacGergor that I read and liked back when I was a teenager. When I started reading in this genre again, I read other books in the series and couldn't really say that I liked any of them. But I postponed re-reading Born in Sin because I did not want to destroy a favorable impression of a book I liked.
Now I have finally reread this book and I am glad to say that I still like it today, and like it much better than any other books I have read from the writer. Sin and Callie were special. The bastard half Scot and his Scottish bride who wouldn't let the devil have him. Sin stood out from all the MacAllister brothers and he really wore the "tortured hero" name well. Shunned by everyone except for a handful few, Sin was a truly noble man, who wore pride and shame well.
Kinley MacGregor has my gratitude for not writing Callie to be some highland shrew. Callie was a breath of fresh spring air, loyal but not blindly so. She was the perfect heroine for Sin, she was accepting and generous, understanding and wise. She did not let her loyalty to her family stand between Sin and her. You cannot imagine my relief at finding Callie so. I was so afraid that I would be subjected to yet another "brave and loyal" woman who did not recognize the faults of those she loved.
That being said, while I really enjoyed reading the story, I feel that the book could have been more emotional. Sin and Callie did not spend enough time together to share enough scenes for that purpose. And Sin's reluctance got old. I mean it is alright to be reluctant but then a few more scenes where Sin couldn't help but feel, where Sin shared the scenes with Callie, would have made his reluctance more touching. Sin's foster brother Simon was a rare treat. I laughed whenever Simon was in the story. He probably wouldn't be a very good hero, not dark enough. But as a secondary character he was great, bringing some much needed humor into the story.
I thought the final reconciliation in the epilogue between Sin and his step-mother very touching. A son forsaken and regained.
One thing that some readers may find interesting but could be spoilerish?
This book was the only book from Kinley MacGergor that I read and liked back when I was a teenager. When I started reading in this genre again, I read other books in the series and couldn't really say that I liked any of them. But I postponed re-reading Born in Sin because I did not want to destroy a favorable impression of a book I liked.
Now I have finally reread this book and I am glad to say that I still like it today, and like it much better than any other books I have read from the writer. Sin and Callie were special. The bastard half Scot and his Scottish bride who wouldn't let the devil have him. Sin stood out from all the MacAllister brothers and he really wore the "tortured hero" name well. Shunned by everyone except for a handful few, Sin was a truly noble man, who wore pride and shame well.
Kinley MacGregor has my gratitude for not writing Callie to be some highland shrew. Callie was a breath of fresh spring air, loyal but not blindly so. She was the perfect heroine for Sin, she was accepting and generous, understanding and wise. She did not let her loyalty to her family stand between Sin and her. You cannot imagine my relief at finding Callie so. I was so afraid that I would be subjected to yet another "brave and loyal" woman who did not recognize the faults of those she loved.
That being said, while I really enjoyed reading the story, I feel that the book could have been more emotional. Sin and Callie did not spend enough time together to share enough scenes for that purpose. And Sin's reluctance got old. I mean it is alright to be reluctant but then a few more scenes where Sin couldn't help but feel, where Sin shared the scenes with Callie, would have made his reluctance more touching. Sin's foster brother Simon was a rare treat. I laughed whenever Simon was in the story. He probably wouldn't be a very good hero, not dark enough. But as a secondary character he was great, bringing some much needed humor into the story.
I thought the final reconciliation in the epilogue between Sin and his step-mother very touching. A son forsaken and regained.
One thing that some readers may find interesting but could be spoilerish?
April 21, 2021
3.5 stars. I wanted to love this book, I really did. But here’s the thing...
I can no longer handle Sherrilyn Kenyon’s obsession with torturing her heroes!
As an author, SK (this book is written under a pen name btw) is really talented. She has written many books that I have enjoyed. But after a while, it just becomes too much. Why the hell does every hero have to have such an awful backstory? Each of them beaten, mistreated, betrayed, etc. I can’t figure out her motivation. Does she hate men? 🤷🏻♀�
This book actually could have been a prequel to her Dark Hunter series. All of the dark hunters are betrayed and are brought back to life after. If Sin had died at the end, he would have made the perfect Dark Hunter.
In this book, Sin (the hero) literally was so shocked by the heroine’s smallest kindness that it was painful to read. She would smile at him and he would think “no one has ever done that for me.� If only I had the will power to go back and count the number of times that he had that same thought. I would guess it would be near 20.
The best part of the book is that they were both virgins. I bumped my rating up for that. But unfortunately, their first time together really didn’t feel like a realistic first time for two virgins.
Safe; both virgins, no others.
I can no longer handle Sherrilyn Kenyon’s obsession with torturing her heroes!
As an author, SK (this book is written under a pen name btw) is really talented. She has written many books that I have enjoyed. But after a while, it just becomes too much. Why the hell does every hero have to have such an awful backstory? Each of them beaten, mistreated, betrayed, etc. I can’t figure out her motivation. Does she hate men? 🤷🏻♀�
This book actually could have been a prequel to her Dark Hunter series. All of the dark hunters are betrayed and are brought back to life after. If Sin had died at the end, he would have made the perfect Dark Hunter.
In this book, Sin (the hero) literally was so shocked by the heroine’s smallest kindness that it was painful to read. She would smile at him and he would think “no one has ever done that for me.� If only I had the will power to go back and count the number of times that he had that same thought. I would guess it would be near 20.
The best part of the book is that they were both virgins. I bumped my rating up for that. But unfortunately, their first time together really didn’t feel like a realistic first time for two virgins.
Safe; both virgins, no others.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2020
With everything happened to Sin and his love for the heroine, I couldn't give this book less than 5 stars.
July 25, 2019
First I’d like to say there was a lot I really loved about this book. The first half of the book I was sure it was going to be 5 stars. So I do highly suggest you give it a try if you haven’t yet, because you might love it.
Caledonia, or Callie, is captured by the English and presented in marriage to Sin, who is almost like a right hand man to King Henry II. First thing I liked about this book was this time frame, as I don’t find as many books taking place during this reign.
Callie is a Scot and she loves her clan and homeland. I really enjoyed the spunkiness of her character in the beginning and her good heart. She tries to understand the hero and break through with him and keeps trying to make her marriage what she dreams it can be. She doesn’t allow her new husbands standoffish attitude and cold shoulder get to her. I did feel her character rather plateaued though and became redundant.
Sin. Ahhh. I read in another review he was a 5 star hero in a 2 star book and I can totally see why that person would think this. I just loved him. Those black eyes, that tortured past, his connection to the heroine who is his only bright spot in the world...yet I believe the author just took it a bit too far in trying to established how crappy his life was. I usually love drama and angst but this was just getting repetitive with the non stop stories of all the horrible things he went through.
It was ever so dramatic.
If you haven’t read the book yet and plan to, I recommend you stop reading my review now. Spoilers ahead with specifics I didn’t like.
Ok?
Ok.
The hero has never been loved. And it was beyond overdone. The author was so repetitive just over and over how horrible his life has been. He’s a bastard child. His mother hated him. His stepmother hated him. His father hated him. The English hated him. The scots hated him. His dog hated him. His great great great grandfather hated him from the grave. He was a slave. He was sold by his father. He was an assassin forced to slit people’s throats for food. Everyone got presents on Christmas except him. Everyone got presents on birthdays except him. He didn’t have a birthday. He didn’t have a name. He was named Sin when he was 6 because everyone hated him. Someone throws a cabbage at his head. Someone shoots him with an arrow. Someone tries to poison him. Someone tries to stab him in the back...my GOSH. I got it about 1/3 of the way through (if not the first chapter, because it was pretty well established) and I wish she would have then focused on Sin and Callie growing together instead of finding out more horrible things every chapter and Callie trying to soothe him and Sin pushing her back. She definitely established his pain but then didn’t really move on from that.
Also this author loved the word moan. I overall enjoyed her kisses and scenes but the fact that everyone moaned so much the first few times it dimmed my enjoyment for future scenes. She moaned, he moaned, they moaned.
I really struggled with what to rate this. I loved it, yet it annoyed me. I give 3 stars I guess. I think if I read this 5 years or so ago I would have loved it. I’m just so extra picky now 😭
Caledonia, or Callie, is captured by the English and presented in marriage to Sin, who is almost like a right hand man to King Henry II. First thing I liked about this book was this time frame, as I don’t find as many books taking place during this reign.
Callie is a Scot and she loves her clan and homeland. I really enjoyed the spunkiness of her character in the beginning and her good heart. She tries to understand the hero and break through with him and keeps trying to make her marriage what she dreams it can be. She doesn’t allow her new husbands standoffish attitude and cold shoulder get to her. I did feel her character rather plateaued though and became redundant.
Sin. Ahhh. I read in another review he was a 5 star hero in a 2 star book and I can totally see why that person would think this. I just loved him. Those black eyes, that tortured past, his connection to the heroine who is his only bright spot in the world...yet I believe the author just took it a bit too far in trying to established how crappy his life was. I usually love drama and angst but this was just getting repetitive with the non stop stories of all the horrible things he went through.
It was ever so dramatic.
If you haven’t read the book yet and plan to, I recommend you stop reading my review now. Spoilers ahead with specifics I didn’t like.
Ok?
Ok.
The hero has never been loved. And it was beyond overdone. The author was so repetitive just over and over how horrible his life has been. He’s a bastard child. His mother hated him. His stepmother hated him. His father hated him. The English hated him. The scots hated him. His dog hated him. His great great great grandfather hated him from the grave. He was a slave. He was sold by his father. He was an assassin forced to slit people’s throats for food. Everyone got presents on Christmas except him. Everyone got presents on birthdays except him. He didn’t have a birthday. He didn’t have a name. He was named Sin when he was 6 because everyone hated him. Someone throws a cabbage at his head. Someone shoots him with an arrow. Someone tries to poison him. Someone tries to stab him in the back...my GOSH. I got it about 1/3 of the way through (if not the first chapter, because it was pretty well established) and I wish she would have then focused on Sin and Callie growing together instead of finding out more horrible things every chapter and Callie trying to soothe him and Sin pushing her back. She definitely established his pain but then didn’t really move on from that.
Also this author loved the word moan. I overall enjoyed her kisses and scenes but the fact that everyone moaned so much the first few times it dimmed my enjoyment for future scenes. She moaned, he moaned, they moaned.
I really struggled with what to rate this. I loved it, yet it annoyed me. I give 3 stars I guess. I think if I read this 5 years or so ago I would have loved it. I’m just so extra picky now 😭
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2016
I was easily transported back to this world within the first paragraph of the much maligned and damaged Sin MacAllister's star turn. King Henry is holding both Laird's daughter, Callie MacNeely, and her young brother hostage. Callie has unsuccessfully tried to escape with her young brother to her beloved highlands and Callie's latest attempt brings her to the attention of the ferocious warrior, Sin. Sin both intrigues and fascinates Callie and she immediately wants to explore the tender and the lustful feeling she can't control when he's near. The King believes a union tying Scotland to his most loyal warrior who is strong enough to hold the land is an excellent solution to a few problems. Henry decrees that Sin should not only marry Callie and secure Scottish lands for the crown but also capture the notorious outlaw known as Raider, who is causing havoc along the Scottish/English border. Sin, who has only known abuse, hatred, insults and fighting his whole life finds his plan to not marry anyone, ever, thwarted at every turn. Resigned to the marriage, Sin has been looking for a solution to performing the Kings command and not alienate the people he will be set to rule over once the marriage is performed. Since marriage to the fearsome Sin is both Callie's ticket home and a husband she believes she can love, Callie's believes she's broken through some of his barriers and happily agrees to the marriage. Only Sin seems to be aware and to care about the precarious position he's been placed.
Callie and Sin made a great couple and surprisingly had a good chemistry. The vivacious Callie was so vividly drawn, she practically jumped off the page and projected her presence even when she wasn't around. Stoic Sin was just as well developed with his pain radiating in ever widening circles. I completely loved this couple. Callie patiently, gently and utterly melting the ice around Sin's heart and soul was ROMANCE. The action and suspense threads were also well done but for this reader the romance read's secondary characters Simon & the MacAllister brothers bound the previous installments to this story, strengthening the series foundation. The was no shortage of villains here as Sin's past unravels and the task before him becomes clearer to all. Superb writing and a seamless flow ensured the story's healthy romance, action and suspense threads skillfully wove together for a book I just didn't want to let go. This is definitely a new favorite series for me.
Original Read: January 28, 2014
Rating: 4.75 Stars Actually
Callie and Sin made a great couple and surprisingly had a good chemistry. The vivacious Callie was so vividly drawn, she practically jumped off the page and projected her presence even when she wasn't around. Stoic Sin was just as well developed with his pain radiating in ever widening circles. I completely loved this couple. Callie patiently, gently and utterly melting the ice around Sin's heart and soul was ROMANCE. The action and suspense threads were also well done but for this reader the romance read's secondary characters Simon & the MacAllister brothers bound the previous installments to this story, strengthening the series foundation. The was no shortage of villains here as Sin's past unravels and the task before him becomes clearer to all. Superb writing and a seamless flow ensured the story's healthy romance, action and suspense threads skillfully wove together for a book I just didn't want to let go. This is definitely a new favorite series for me.
Original Read: January 28, 2014
Rating: 4.75 Stars Actually
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2012
I’m going through Sin withdrawal! The end of a book I love is always bittersweet for me…I was sad to see it end.
Sometimes I have a really hard time separating my love for a character from my love for a book/story. This is one of those times because as much as my head is telling me that the story was just good (a 3-4 stars, and not a 5) I have to give this book 5 stars (more if I could) because I LOVE Sin MacAllister’s character and I felt a 5-star worth of enjoyment from this book. I laughed out loud and cried (the ugly sort of cry too!) more than once! My sister looked at me funny and thought I was crazy!! But I don’t care! Not since reading Derek Craven from Lisa Kleypas� Dreaming of You have I fallen in love with such a tortured hero. Again, KM/SK created my favorite kind of hero..strong, handsome, commanding, and tortured. Best of all is that even though he pushes the heroine away (thinking that he is undeserving of love) he is never disrespectful towards the heroine. I know he had a rough childhood from Master of Desire and Claiming the Highlander, but we get the whole picture here in his own book…and it’s about time he gets a HEA with a heroine deserving of such a great man. Callie is a lucky lady!
Other than the romance, there are plenty of other factors that made this a 5 star book for me. Sin’s sarcasm/unlikely humor was awesome! I appreciate KM/SK’s humor so much! As well as the tender moments --Those damn childhood flashbacks and in the end when they defended Sin…OMG! Heartwrenching! I’m an easy sucker for these scenes.
Again, I loved Simon here - he and the brothers are hilarious! I can’t wait to read Ewan’s story.
Did anyone notice that King Henry strikes again as a matchmaker? First with Draven in Master of Desire (although that wasn’t his purpose) and here again with Sin.
Sometimes I have a really hard time separating my love for a character from my love for a book/story. This is one of those times because as much as my head is telling me that the story was just good (a 3-4 stars, and not a 5) I have to give this book 5 stars (more if I could) because I LOVE Sin MacAllister’s character and I felt a 5-star worth of enjoyment from this book. I laughed out loud and cried (the ugly sort of cry too!) more than once! My sister looked at me funny and thought I was crazy!! But I don’t care! Not since reading Derek Craven from Lisa Kleypas� Dreaming of You have I fallen in love with such a tortured hero. Again, KM/SK created my favorite kind of hero..strong, handsome, commanding, and tortured. Best of all is that even though he pushes the heroine away (thinking that he is undeserving of love) he is never disrespectful towards the heroine. I know he had a rough childhood from Master of Desire and Claiming the Highlander, but we get the whole picture here in his own book…and it’s about time he gets a HEA with a heroine deserving of such a great man. Callie is a lucky lady!
Other than the romance, there are plenty of other factors that made this a 5 star book for me. Sin’s sarcasm/unlikely humor was awesome! I appreciate KM/SK’s humor so much! As well as the tender moments --Those damn childhood flashbacks and in the end when they defended Sin…OMG! Heartwrenching! I’m an easy sucker for these scenes.
Again, I loved Simon here - he and the brothers are hilarious! I can’t wait to read Ewan’s story.
Did anyone notice that King Henry strikes again as a matchmaker? First with Draven in Master of Desire (although that wasn’t his purpose) and here again with Sin.
October 19, 2013
An enjoyable 4 star read for me. The 'extremely damaged man finds love' scenario was enjoyable as well as the historical aspect with the Scot's and King Henry. The romance was pretty steamy. The sub plot with the raider was well done. Points off for excessive length, repetitive internal dialogue ('no, I can't possibly trust that she loves me' for 400 pages) and a tendency towards purple prose. It's clear this book was written some time ago. Still, obviously a romance classic and worth a read.
December 30, 2011
for readers
THIS book was so... good Sin is like the man you just wanna get to know if he really exist There is a part in the book that was SHOCKING, breath taking and just so so times infinity sweet that you rarely will find in Historical romance novels..this book will not disappoint, get the series start with the MASTER OF DESIRE the first book and the BROTHER HOOD OF THE SWORD series you will know the characters more.
THIS book was so... good Sin is like the man you just wanna get to know if he really exist There is a part in the book that was SHOCKING, breath taking and just so so times infinity sweet that you rarely will find in Historical romance novels..this book will not disappoint, get the series start with the MASTER OF DESIRE the first book and the BROTHER HOOD OF THE SWORD series you will know the characters more.
July 14, 2022
4.5 out of 5 rounded down to 4 stars
This is a book I first read years ago now and is a genre I love but confess to neglecting for years now and that's a Medieval Romance. Kinley MacGregor wad a very prolific author who also wrote under the name Sherrilyn Kenyon. Her Dark Hunter series were very popular as were her medievals and she also wrote a few SciFi romances. I’m not sure if she’s still writing or not. I haven’t kept up with many traditionally published authors since I started reading ebooks and many more independent authors. In many cases publishers would charge MORE for ebooks and this infuriated me and I just refused to play.
But of all the books this author wrote, this one stuck with me the most and the desire to reread it overwhelmed me and it gave me no choice.
I don’t think there’s another author who can write a damaged hero as well as this author. She’s a master at it and Sin, our hero is no exception. He had such a tragic upbringing. Born a bastard, he was rejected by his mother and sent to live with his father. But his father was a harsh and cruel man who treated Sin horribly. What made things worse was had four younger step brothers but their mother, Sin’s stepmother hated him; he was a constant reminder of his father’s infidelity. Eventually he was sent to foster somewhere else and again treated like dirt. He was eventually given as some kind of payment, to a Saracen master and trained by painful methods to be an assassin. He is sent to kill the king of England but instead offers to serve him. This all happens in the prologue.
When the book starts Sin is still with Henry and hated by all those around him. He is blindly faithful to Henry and impossible to kill. But Henry is asking something of him he doesn’t think he can do. Henry is having trouble with Scottish raiders attacking English villages close to the English and Scottish border. Henry has captured a young Scottish lass and her young brother and Henry wants Sin to marry the young woman, Caledonia or Callie, go to her village, find the ringleader and bring him back to Henry for punishment.
But Sin is adamantly opposed to this. He knows nothing of women and believes it would be a great punishment for any woman to marry him. He believes himself to be evil and a monster. And Callie doesn’t want to marry Sin, though for different reasons. She knows her Scottish kin would never accept her marrying a hated Englishman and she doesn’t want to live in England. Her father was Chieftain before he died and Scotland is her home.
But she finds herself very drawn to Sin. She can see underneath his hard exterior is a good but lonely man and she begins to develop feelings for him. And the more he comes to know Callie, the more his feelings grow but he is filled with self loathing and refuses to give into his growing attraction.
Reading this book again years later, I can see why it’s stayed with me across time. My heart hurts so much for Sin and all he has gone through. And I love Callie for seeing who he truly is and becoming his ardent supporter. They do marry and her clansmen do treat him the way she feared they would but her love and admiration for him just continues to grow and Sin longs for a life he’s convinced he doesn’t deserve.
This book comes oh so very close to a 5 star read and although I strongly recommend it, there are a couple of things that kept it from being a complete 5. The author went just a tad too heavy on the darkness that was his life. She was relentless on him and I wished she had allowed just a tiny ray of lightness in. But what bothers me the most is a scene at the end when he is confronted by his stepmother, the woman who was responsible for much of the evil that befell him. I didn’t like that scene at all, to the point it made me angry. I had the same reaction both times I read it and you don’t want to finish a book with that lingering annoyance. But that’s me. The next person who reads it might appreciate how it was written. So my well earned recommendation of this book stands. But for that one scene, my grade would still be 4.5 but rounded up to 5 instead of down to 4.
This is a book I first read years ago now and is a genre I love but confess to neglecting for years now and that's a Medieval Romance. Kinley MacGregor wad a very prolific author who also wrote under the name Sherrilyn Kenyon. Her Dark Hunter series were very popular as were her medievals and she also wrote a few SciFi romances. I’m not sure if she’s still writing or not. I haven’t kept up with many traditionally published authors since I started reading ebooks and many more independent authors. In many cases publishers would charge MORE for ebooks and this infuriated me and I just refused to play.
But of all the books this author wrote, this one stuck with me the most and the desire to reread it overwhelmed me and it gave me no choice.
I don’t think there’s another author who can write a damaged hero as well as this author. She’s a master at it and Sin, our hero is no exception. He had such a tragic upbringing. Born a bastard, he was rejected by his mother and sent to live with his father. But his father was a harsh and cruel man who treated Sin horribly. What made things worse was had four younger step brothers but their mother, Sin’s stepmother hated him; he was a constant reminder of his father’s infidelity. Eventually he was sent to foster somewhere else and again treated like dirt. He was eventually given as some kind of payment, to a Saracen master and trained by painful methods to be an assassin. He is sent to kill the king of England but instead offers to serve him. This all happens in the prologue.
When the book starts Sin is still with Henry and hated by all those around him. He is blindly faithful to Henry and impossible to kill. But Henry is asking something of him he doesn’t think he can do. Henry is having trouble with Scottish raiders attacking English villages close to the English and Scottish border. Henry has captured a young Scottish lass and her young brother and Henry wants Sin to marry the young woman, Caledonia or Callie, go to her village, find the ringleader and bring him back to Henry for punishment.
But Sin is adamantly opposed to this. He knows nothing of women and believes it would be a great punishment for any woman to marry him. He believes himself to be evil and a monster. And Callie doesn’t want to marry Sin, though for different reasons. She knows her Scottish kin would never accept her marrying a hated Englishman and she doesn’t want to live in England. Her father was Chieftain before he died and Scotland is her home.
But she finds herself very drawn to Sin. She can see underneath his hard exterior is a good but lonely man and she begins to develop feelings for him. And the more he comes to know Callie, the more his feelings grow but he is filled with self loathing and refuses to give into his growing attraction.
Reading this book again years later, I can see why it’s stayed with me across time. My heart hurts so much for Sin and all he has gone through. And I love Callie for seeing who he truly is and becoming his ardent supporter. They do marry and her clansmen do treat him the way she feared they would but her love and admiration for him just continues to grow and Sin longs for a life he’s convinced he doesn’t deserve.
This book comes oh so very close to a 5 star read and although I strongly recommend it, there are a couple of things that kept it from being a complete 5. The author went just a tad too heavy on the darkness that was his life. She was relentless on him and I wished she had allowed just a tiny ray of lightness in. But what bothers me the most is a scene at the end when he is confronted by his stepmother, the woman who was responsible for much of the evil that befell him. I didn’t like that scene at all, to the point it made me angry. I had the same reaction both times I read it and you don’t want to finish a book with that lingering annoyance. But that’s me. The next person who reads it might appreciate how it was written. So my well earned recommendation of this book stands. But for that one scene, my grade would still be 4.5 but rounded up to 5 instead of down to 4.
January 30, 2025
Born in Sin by Kinley MacGregor
.
Cover (stepback): 4/5
Story: 5/5
Steam: 🔥 🔥 🔥 (+kissing)
Ending: HEA with epilogue
Publication: 2002
.
England, High Middle Ages (early 1180s)
Shunned Notorious Warrior
Compassionate Healer Woman
Forced Arranged Marriage
Scottish Hero & Heroine
Former Captive Hero
Scarred Hero
High Angst
Family Difficulties
Secrets & Betrayal
Emotional Turmoil
.
It has been a while since I read this book, and I should have taken better notes. However, if you adore a tortured *truly tortured* hero who believes he can't love or be loved, just pick this book up now.
It was a solid 4-4.5/5 for me until the very end. Cali was a perfectly likable heroine throughout the book, but it was not until the tail end of the book that the reader got to witness just how strong of a character she is. Her refusal to back down when faced with losing everything she holds dead in life was breathtaking.
Sin is definitely in the top five most damaged heroes. Unlike, say, Valentine Napier.... he is totally deranged and unhinged. Rather, Sin is... nothing. He has turned off all feelings for many, many years to survive. Sin has simply been doing what he was supposed to do to avoid the haunting past. Is his traumatic past mentioned over and over and over again? Yes, and it's a little over the top, but I DO NOT CARE.
Cali is a ridiculously kind-hearted person. She is SO good that it makes me feel like a real shit. She accepts that he will be married to Sin, so she best makes the best of her life. Unlike everyone around Sin, Cali sees the man he could be/is actually, not just the "monster" he has become. For all of the hardness Sin gives out, Cali matches in softness.
"Can you teach me what love is?" -Sin "Mr. McSappy" Tortured Hero. K*LLED ME.
As for steam, MacGregor uses non-explict terms in her steam scenes. Scenes are lengthier and contain a variety of actions.
Read as a physical copy. Honest review left voluntarily.
.
Content Warning (spoilers likely)
.
.
.
.
.
De*th- on and off page
M*rder
Attempted m*rder
Ab*se of child- physical, mental, emotional
Political hostages
Near de*th experiences
.
Cover (stepback): 4/5
Story: 5/5
Steam: 🔥 🔥 🔥 (+kissing)
Ending: HEA with epilogue
Publication: 2002
.
England, High Middle Ages (early 1180s)
Shunned Notorious Warrior
Compassionate Healer Woman
Forced Arranged Marriage
Scottish Hero & Heroine
Former Captive Hero
Scarred Hero
High Angst
Family Difficulties
Secrets & Betrayal
Emotional Turmoil
.
It has been a while since I read this book, and I should have taken better notes. However, if you adore a tortured *truly tortured* hero who believes he can't love or be loved, just pick this book up now.
It was a solid 4-4.5/5 for me until the very end. Cali was a perfectly likable heroine throughout the book, but it was not until the tail end of the book that the reader got to witness just how strong of a character she is. Her refusal to back down when faced with losing everything she holds dead in life was breathtaking.
Sin is definitely in the top five most damaged heroes. Unlike, say, Valentine Napier.... he is totally deranged and unhinged. Rather, Sin is... nothing. He has turned off all feelings for many, many years to survive. Sin has simply been doing what he was supposed to do to avoid the haunting past. Is his traumatic past mentioned over and over and over again? Yes, and it's a little over the top, but I DO NOT CARE.
Cali is a ridiculously kind-hearted person. She is SO good that it makes me feel like a real shit. She accepts that he will be married to Sin, so she best makes the best of her life. Unlike everyone around Sin, Cali sees the man he could be/is actually, not just the "monster" he has become. For all of the hardness Sin gives out, Cali matches in softness.
"Can you teach me what love is?" -Sin "Mr. McSappy" Tortured Hero. K*LLED ME.
As for steam, MacGregor uses non-explict terms in her steam scenes. Scenes are lengthier and contain a variety of actions.
Read as a physical copy. Honest review left voluntarily.
.
Content Warning (spoilers likely)
.
.
.
.
.
De*th- on and off page
M*rder
Attempted m*rder
Ab*se of child- physical, mental, emotional
Political hostages
Near de*th experiences
July 17, 2022
Bu kitapla biraz mutsuzum.
Tam olarak istediğim şey değildi.
Kinky cluba gidip foreplayle dönmüş gibiyim.
Sin, benim tarçınlı çöreğim.
Hayat hikayesi kalbimi parçaladı. P A R A M P A R Ç A L A N D I M. Çocuk yaşta babası tarafından reddedilmek mi dersiniz, üvey anne zulmü mü, yoksa tüm yeteneklerine borçlu (!) olduğu serazenlere satılıp orada yaşadığı hayatta kalma mücadeleleri mi? Yoksa hâlâ papalar tarafından şeytan tohumu olarak görülmesi ve herkesin ondan tiksinmesine mi? Gururla taşıdığı adın savaşçılığından değil doğumuyla ilgili oluşundan mı? Çalmak, dilenmek, öldürmek gibi yapmak istemediği tonla şeyi yapmasına mı?
"Leaning down, he rubbed noses with her, then dipped his lips to kiss her."
Şimdi bu ikisi, İskoçlarla İngilizler arasında barış gelsin diye Kral Henry tarafından aranje edilerek evlilik fermanı veriliyor çünkü herif kralın kankası kızsa kuzeni. Bunlar bu karardan önce tabii tanışıyor ve şahane bir diyalog yaşıyorlar.
İskoçlarda da bir isyancı var. Kim olduğunu tahmin etmek güç değil.
Benim gıcık olduğum şey kızın fazla ailem de ailem oluşu. Başlatma ailenden diye tokatlayasım geldi. Tam diyorum aradığım heroine aşkının ve erkeğinin arkasında duran, bizim Sin kız üzülmesin diye kendini parçalarken bu sikko benim aslanımı suçluyor.
Ayıca MacGregor aka Kenyon "bu ne şehvet bu celal"lerin efendisi normalde bu biraz yavan kaldı. Üstelik herif bakir aq. Bi de tamam sevmeyi falan bilmiyor da rasyonel odun ile hassas öküz arasında fark var :(
Ewan oç'unun kitabını okuyacağımı sanmıyorum. Olan durumu ne kadar olumlayabilirldi yazar bilemediğimiz ne var masum gösterecek bilemiyorum ama fuck no benim için.
Tam olarak istediğim şey değildi.
Kinky cluba gidip foreplayle dönmüş gibiyim.
Sin, benim tarçınlı çöreğim.
Hayat hikayesi kalbimi parçaladı. P A R A M P A R Ç A L A N D I M. Çocuk yaşta babası tarafından reddedilmek mi dersiniz, üvey anne zulmü mü, yoksa tüm yeteneklerine borçlu (!) olduğu serazenlere satılıp orada yaşadığı hayatta kalma mücadeleleri mi? Yoksa hâlâ papalar tarafından şeytan tohumu olarak görülmesi ve herkesin ondan tiksinmesine mi? Gururla taşıdığı adın savaşçılığından değil doğumuyla ilgili oluşundan mı? Çalmak, dilenmek, öldürmek gibi yapmak istemediği tonla şeyi yapmasına mı?
"Leaning down, he rubbed noses with her, then dipped his lips to kiss her."
Şimdi bu ikisi, İskoçlarla İngilizler arasında barış gelsin diye Kral Henry tarafından aranje edilerek evlilik fermanı veriliyor çünkü herif kralın kankası kızsa kuzeni. Bunlar bu karardan önce tabii tanışıyor ve şahane bir diyalog yaşıyorlar.
İskoçlarda da bir isyancı var. Kim olduğunu tahmin etmek güç değil.
Benim gıcık olduğum şey kızın fazla ailem de ailem oluşu. Başlatma ailenden diye tokatlayasım geldi. Tam diyorum aradığım heroine aşkının ve erkeğinin arkasında duran, bizim Sin kız üzülmesin diye kendini parçalarken bu sikko benim aslanımı suçluyor.
Ayıca MacGregor aka Kenyon "bu ne şehvet bu celal"lerin efendisi normalde bu biraz yavan kaldı. Üstelik herif bakir aq. Bi de tamam sevmeyi falan bilmiyor da rasyonel odun ile hassas öküz arasında fark var :(
Ewan oç'unun kitabını okuyacağımı sanmıyorum. Olan durumu ne kadar olumlayabilirldi yazar bilemediğimiz ne var masum gösterecek bilemiyorum ama fuck no benim için.
kuruduk kaldık yine
xoxoxo
iko
Displaying 1 - 30 of 546 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.