Full review at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books 
 Alas, all good things come to an end. The Ghost by Monica McCarty is the 12th and final book in the Highland Guard series. I loved this series and The Ghost does not disappoint. 
 A couple of notes: this series does not need to be read in order although characters reappear throughout the series (this book ties in closely with The Viper, Lachlan and Bella's book). This book also contains an attempted rape scene and mention of a prior rape that some readers may find triggering. 
 This book has a lot of action, which I appreciated. I also love me a spy heroine. Alex was initially a little irritating, but then he stopped judging Joan and started loving her and it made me love him. He's kind of like medieval Captain America-he's almost too good and pure, but also very muscular and shirtless so it works. 
 The conflict is also great. Both Alex and Joan are ideologically on the same page: they want peace. Alex is conflicted about his betrayal of Bruce and the other Highland Guard for what he thought were the right reasons. Joan has been lying to everyone about her loyalties for a long time. They love each other but they aren't talking to each other or being honest. Also despite the kilt on the cover, this book is blessedly free of dinnae and doonae and brogue dialect. Really the hero on the cover should be wearing armor but eh. 
 Overall this is a great wrap-up to the series: it left me bittersweet that it was all coming to a final happily ever after. 
 - Elyse