The Highlander’s Tactical Marriage by Jenni Fletcher

Tracy’s rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Highland Alliances, #2

Release Date: February 22, 2022

Six years ago Coira Roy and Fergus MacMillan were supposed to marry to forge a clan alliance, but Coira ran away the night before their wedding and married Nevin Barron, nephew to the MacWhinnie laird. Now six years later, Nevin is dead and the banished Campbell clan is attacking, so once again, Fergus and Coira are ordered to marry for an alliance and for Fergus to be guardian to Coira’s young son, the new laird of Castle Barron.

Coira is terrified to marry Fergus, but with no options, she agrees. Her marriage to Nevin was not the love match people believe, she married him on orders from her brother and soon came to regret the decision, she hated breaking her word to Fergus, but since he didn’t seem happy to marry her, she figured at least she wasn’t hurting him. But little did she know that beneath his stern looks and taciturn demeanor, Fergus was smitten by Coira and heartbroken when she fled. He swears he will do his duty and then be done with her. But there are things that neither of them knows and betrayals that run deeper than either could imagine. Will they figure out the truth and rekindle what could have been the love of a lifetime, or will old hurts and bitterness make them unwitting pawns for their enemies?

This was a was well-written, nicely paced, great second chance love story. The book has wonderful characters, misunderstandings, secrets, betrayal, murder, great secondary characters, steamyish love scenes, villains getting their due, and a very lovely ending. There was one villain who seemed to slip through the cracks and I felt the storyline about her brother seemed a bit underdeveloped, but overall, this was a very enjoyable read, and I highly recommend it. It is the second book in a series, but it could easily be a standalone title with no problems at all.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*