Category: Medieval (1066-1540)

The Highlander’s Fallen Angel by Heather McCollum

On By TracyIn Check Content Warning/Triggers, Medieval (1066-1540), Non-Traditional Romance, Part of a Series, Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Highlander's Fallen Angel (Brotherhood of Solway Moss #2)The Highlander’s Fallen Angel by Heather McCollum

Tracy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: The Brotherhood of Solway Moss, #2

Release Date: April 29, 2025

Widow Tierney MacNicol’s father betrothed her to Ranulf Matheson, and now that her father has gone missing, her cousin Asher MacNicol has left and her clan has been decimated by war and sickness, Ranulf is insisting that she marry him, but lucky for Tierney there was a clause in the betrothal contract stating that the contract would be void if Tierney marries another clan chief. To save herself and her daughter from another brutal man, Tierney needs Kenan Macdonald, and desperate times call for desperate measures! During the wedding for Kenan’s sister Sara and Rory MacLeod, Tierney steals Kenan’s flying machine and crashes it into the ocean, which leads to Kenan saving her and ultimately leads to her taking him captive. She needs to convince Kenan to return with her to Scorrybreac and pretend to be her husband. But nothing could have prepared her for Kenan Macdonald…

Kenan Macdonald has the weight of the world on his shoulders, he was held prisoner for 18 months by King Henry after the Battle of Solway Moss and returned home only to lose his father, be betrayed by his own brother, watch his castle burn and now have his flying machine stolen – again! All Kenan wants is a united Scotland and the bonds he made in prison with his fellow captives are a good start to that, in fact he is on the brink of making an alliance with the powerful Mackinnon clan by marrying Cyrus Mackinnon’s sister Grace. Things are finally looking up, until Tierney MacNicol crashes into his life – literally. She threatens everything he has been working for and her interference could drag his clan into a war, but there is something about her that intrigues him and question everything he has planned.

I am not sure how I feel about this story – I loved Kenan and Tierney, but I didn’t really care for the inequality of the characters. Both Kenan and Tierney have suffered at the hands of others and have been subjected to life-altering horrors that reforged both of them. Overall, this was an interesting story with a strong heroine, a hero who really is a hero, a lot of action, emotion, heartache, betrayal, warm love scenes, wonderful secondary characters, evil villains, redemption and finally a HEA. The problem I had with this story is that while their experiences have changed them both, the reader is still urged to believe that Tierney’s needs and wants are more important than Kenan’s – I just don’t care for stories where one character surrenders their desires to make the other character happy rather than coming to a mutual compromise. This is the second book in the series and could be read as a standalone title, but I would recommend reading the series in order for the best reader experience. It should also be noted that readers with sensitivity to spousal abuse, imprisonment, and spousal rape should read the content warnings 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. *

The Laird’s Guardian Angel by Eliza Knight

On By TracyIn Medieval (1066-1540), Middle Ages / Medieval (476-1454), Part of a Series, Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Laird's Guardian Angel (Highland Lairds Book 3)The Laird’s Guardian Angel by Eliza Knight

Tracy’s Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Series: Highland Lairds #3

Release Date: January 28, 2025

When Lady Calliope Ramsey was a little girl, her English mother left Scotland and took Calliope with her. Now fifteen years later, her mother has died under mysterious circumstances and the man Calliope believed to be her stepfather, is returning her to her father in Scotland. Her father, the Chieftain of the Ramsey clan is overjoyed at her return and welcomes her with open arms. But their reunion is cut short when English soldiers attack the castle and Calliope sees her father cut down. Terrified, she flees the castle and is found by Alistair Sinclair and his men. They take her to his castle and promises to help her retake her home. As much as Calliope admires Alistair, she still isn’t willing to standby while he retakes her castle, she defies his orders to join the battle and proves that she worthy to lead her clan. Once she has regained control of Castle Ramsey, she should be happy, but her feelings for Alistair complicate her plans to take her father’s place as Chieftain, will love find a way or are they doomed to be star-crossed lovers?

Alistair Sinclair is the only unmarried brother of the Sinclair triplets. He has devoted himself to protecting Scotland and is returning from a skirmish on the border when he finds Calliope. She tells him of the attack on the castle and demands that they return immediately to take the castle back. Alistair is enchanted by Calliope and wants to help her, but he needs time to regroup and plan, something she doesn’t agree with. She is unlike any woman he has ever known and the only woman who has made him think of marriage. But there are bigger things at play, and with Calliope determined to lead her clan, their feelings, though intense, cannot take precedence over the safety of Scotland.

This was a fast-paced, quick read with wonderful characters and lots of action. This book has something for everyone, action, adventure, great characters, family reunions, a bit of mystery, steamy love scenes, a heroine with the heart of a warrior, a hero who is pretty much perfect, wonderful secondary characters, surprises, and finally a hard-won HEA. Overall, this was an enjoyable read, and one that I am happy to recommend.

*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. *