The Highlander’s Untamed Tempest by Heather McCollum

Tracy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Brothers of Wolf Isle, #5

Release Date: September 30, 2024

With all his brothers happily married, Eagan Macquarie is getting sick of everyone looking to him to marry and finally breaking the curse cast on his clan. He has nothing against love or marriage, but he isn’t sure if that is his destiny, he wants to broaden his horizons and travel before he has to think about that. In fact, his bag is packed, and he plans on leaving in the morning following tonight’s Samhain celebration. But when he is asked to row over to Wolf Island to collect Grissell to help with a difficult birth – all his plans go awry when he meets Claudette “Tessa” Tempest Ainsworth, and soon more than just his plans change when her connection to the Macquarie’s great enemy is revealed.

Tessa has been living on Wolf Isle for the last year. Her father found her in Paris barely getting by after the death of her mother and brought her to Wolf Isle with the promise to return for her soon. Tessa believes he will return her to France, and they will live on his family’s estate and she will finally have the security that has been missing in her life. But for now, she waits, and as an accomplished midwife, she is sent in Grissell’s stead to help with a birth on Mull and feels an immediate connection and attraction to Eagan. Soon the two become lovers, and at first neither is willing to change their future plans for the other. But the more time spent together, the deeper their connection grows, and she isn’t sure what she will do when/if her father returns. But when he does, everything she thought she knew is challenged and it becomes clear that heartbreak will be inevitable.

This was a very good end to the Wolf Isle series; it is well-written and ties up all the story lines that have been ongoing throughout the series. It did start a bit slow and took a couple of turns that made me wonder where the author was going and how it was going to all work out – but it does, and it is very satisfying. This book has a bit of everything; intrigue, insta-lust, great characters, witch hunters, old enemies, impossible choices, steamy love scenes, the entire Macquarie family, a centuries old curse, twist and turns, shocking revelations, heartache, and a happily ever after that didn’t seem possible as well as an epilogue. This is the fifth and final book in the series and while it could be read as a standalone title, I would strongly recommend reading the series in order for the best reader experience. It also should be mentioned that there are some scenes that might be upsetting to some readers, and I would suggest checking out the content warning before reading this book.

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