Highland Salvation by Lori Ann Bailey
Tracy’s rating: 3/3.5 of 5 stars

Series: Highland Pride #4

Release Date: April 22, 2019

Maybe 3.5

This story picks up shortly after the climatic events of Highland Temptation, Finlay Cameron, the bastard son of the English Earl of Middlesbrough and Catriona, the aunt of the Cameron laird is arriving at the McNab keep to deliver some bad news to Blair. Finlay has admired Blair from afar for years, but she was promised to Henry Graham and far above his touch. Finlay has to deliver this news and quickly ride to England and let the King know what is happening with the Covenanters in Scotland. He wouldn’t even be here if his friend John (Blair’s brother) hadn’t convinced him that Blair would handle the news better from him.

Blair has no desire to marry Henry, he is abusive and took far more than he should have from her, but she has no say in the matter, so when she learns that he is dead, she is relieved. That is until Henry’s vile cousin Bruce tries to blackmail her into marrying him. Salvation comes in the form of Finlay – he proposes marriage and she accepts. They leave the next day for the Cameron holding to get his laird’s blessing and then they marry and set off for England with several Cameron retainers in tow.

Finlay is happy to marry Blair, he knows Henry ruined her and he thinks she is pregnant, he can’t bear the thought that her child would be a bastard and he hopes that she can be his life partner and they can have the family he always hoped for. But when an attempt is made on his life, he wonders if Blair is trying to stop him from bringing news to the King – her father is known far and wide to support the Covenanters – could Blair be working on his behalf? For her part, Blair feels a little guilty for not telling Finlay about Bruce – especially when she spies him in the village, she worries that her marriage to Finlay may spark a clan war, but she hopes that Bruce will just give up now that she is wed. She wants to be happy with Finlay and hopes that he will let her be a partner.

But doubts, suspicions and secrets lay heavy between these two and more than one threat conspires to tear them apart.

This is the fourth book in the Highland Pride series and I would recommend reading the books in order – at minimum, read Highland Temptation before this story. The book is well written, but it is busy with numerous story lines, it is also a bit repetitious and the assumptions and doubts drag on for too long and make the ending feel rushed. Both Blair and Finlay are likable, the story lines are interesting and the epilogue ties up almost all the loose ends. I am glad I read the book, but I don’t think I would re-read it.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*