This book relates the story of Daniel and Anna and shows how they met and formed an immediate love/hate connection. Both fiercely independent, they each wanted their own way in life more than they wanted each other. Anna was a woman ahead of her time, studying to be a doctor against the wishes of her parents and the norms of society. Daniel was a consummate businessman, who had begun to build a business empire which would only grow in the future. Anna wanted a career and Daniel wanted her to be his non-working wife. How they worked out their differences is the crux of this first story. The second story tells of Daniel's ancestor, Ian, who had a history as a rebel in his native Scotland and who brought that rebellious spirit to America where he continued to fight the British. The first story is longer and does a better job of developing the characters, while the second one is almost too short to tell the story properly. For The MacGregor Family fans, however, this book fills in some information about the history of the family.

While not as captivating as some of the other books in Nora Roberts' fabulous MacGregor series, this book is important because it provides some history into the MacGregor clan, and lets us see the irrascible patriarch Daniel MacGregor as a young man courting "his Anna."

Tall and imposing with a bright red beard, young Daniel MacGregor is already a prominent businessman-about-town when he meets Anna at a soiree. He takes one look at her, and in the way of many MacGregors to come, he knows she is the one for him. But Anna is no easy catch. At a time when women were expected to be quiet and acquiescent, Anna is attending medical school, one of the few of her gender to do so. And she had no time for the brash, very outspoken, often embarrassing Daniel MacGregor. Or so she thinks. Anna and Daniel's courtship changes them both. He learns to be more humble. She learns to be more giving. And so a great dynasty is born.

The second story harkens back to a stalwart and brave MacGregor ancestor, Ian, who is fighting for the survival of his beloved Scotland against England in the bloody Culloden wars. This segment is written in the way of all good historical romances, with plenty of adventure thrown in. The battle scenes are particularly good, and we learn just what drove Ian and his beloved bride Serena to America, where the MacGregor clan took permanent root. Along the way, there is plenty of danger for Ian, Serena, their newborn child, and all their family. A good, dashing romance.

I would characterize this story as the weakest in the MacGregor series, but very important to those afficionadoes, like me, who want every single tidbit of information about the clan that Roberts is willing to provide.

I thought that Daniel and Anna's story was great. I really enjoyed going back to when women weren't allowed to do anything and how Anna showed them wrong. I was a bit confused on the second story because I thought that Daniel was a full-blooded Scot. Did his ancestors move back to Ireland? Confusing and a little too short to bring out the characters. The Alan and Serena stories were my favorite and I enjoyed hearing about Daniel's grandchildren.

I truly enjoyed both the stories in this book. I have noticed a lot of criticism regarding Daniel's chauvanistic ways, but I thought it was an important part of the story to show that Daniel had to change his views and grow as a person in order to find happiness with the feisty Anna Whitfield. "For Now, Forever" is a lovely romance and I found it to be both touching and amusing. "In From the Cold", the second story in this book, goes back a few hundred years to tell the story of one of Daniel's ancestors, Ian MacGregor. I thought this story was wonderful! Ian and Alanna made a great pair and I really enjoyed the historical aspect of it. I would have happily read a much longer story about these two, but as it was it was still great!