Highland Conquest by Heather McCollum

Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Sons of Sinclair, #1

Release Date: April 28, 2020

When Cain Sinclair’s father is killed in battle by Arabella “Ella” Sutherland, Cain decides that the only way to end the decades old feud is to marry Ella and merge the clans. Too bad Ella is not on board with that plan.

Cain is the eldest of the four Sinclair brothers who were raised by their father as the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” – a clever tactic on their father’s part to instill fear in their enemies and a strategy the brothers fully embrace. Cain captures Ella and gives her a choice, marry him or die – she chooses death – well that is not what Cain expected and decides that doesn’t work for him – instead he set out to change her mind and woo her – which is quite entertaining!

Ella not only a warrior, she is also lovely, smart and devoted to her people. But Ella was raised by a monster and wants nothing more than to protect her people – she is sure Cain is a monster too and will not subject her people to that kind of ruler again – but slowly she sees that Cain is not really the “horseman” that rumor and reputation have made him out to be and she finds herself falling for him – but Ella has made promises and has secrets that could make any hope of HEA an impossibility.

This was a well written and entertaining story. It is filled with action, secrets, some laugh out loud moments, a great cast of secondary characters, steamyish love scenes and finally a hard-won HEA. I did feel like the first half of the book dragged a bit, but it did pick up in the second half and I appreciated the glossary of Scots-Gaelic/Old English words at the beginning of the book for reference. I enjoyed this book and would be happy to recommend it. It is the first in a new series this book and am really looking forward to each of the brother’s stories.

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