Secrets of a Highland Warrior
The key to his past…

…lies with the enemy sharing his bed!

Part of The Lochmore Legacy: a Scottish castle through the ages! Rory Lochmore had expected to wage battle, to claim land and finally secure his standing within his clan… Instead he won a wife. A McCrieff wife. Their convenient marriage could unite the two long-feuding clans forever. But can a political alliance give way to a passion strong enough to stand the secrets of the past?

Purchase Links
AMAZON UK ~ AMAZON US ~ Mills and Boon UK ~ Harlequin ~ BN

Author Bio:

Nicole is the author of Harlequin’s #LoversandLegends series and co-author of the #LochmoreLegacy series. Currently, she lives in Seattle and can be reached via Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. If you don’t hear from her, she’s eating Haribos and drinking copious amounts of tea while frantically trying to find a happily ever after.
Connect with Nicole: Instagram ~ Facebook ~ Twitter

Tracy’s Review:

Secrets of a Highland Warrior by Nicole Locke

Tracy’s rating: 3.5/4 of 5 stars

The Lochmores and the McCrieffs have been feuding for years, so when Rory Lochmore goes to meet with the McCrieff’s Tanist, Fredrick McCrieff to discuss the surrender of the lands awarded to the Lochmores by King Edward, he doesn’t expect to be welcomed and he certainly doesn’t expect to be offered the Tanist’s daughter’s hand in marriage!!

Ailsa McCrieff is not only the daughter of the clan’s Tanist, but she is also their healer and currently her primary patient it Hamish McCrieff, the chief of the clan who is dying. She is shocked by her father’s offer to marry her to Rory, but for the sake of peace, she is willing, but when Paiden, one of Rory’s men is poisoned and it appears that treachery is at hand, Rory marries Ailsa, but refuses to make it a true marriage until Paiden is healed and he learns who is responsible. The investigation into finding the would-be assassin brings to light many secrets, secrets that Rory may have suspected, but never knew for sure until marrying Ailsa.

This was an interesting story, I found it a little wordy, somewhat hard to follow and honestly didn’t really “get it” – but I have not read the previous books in the series and I don’t know if that makes a big difference. I thought it was interesting and I liked Rory and Ailsa and was happy that they found true love amid all the hate and deception going on around them. I didn’t really understand the significance of the epilogue, but I attribute that to not having read the entire series.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an e-ARC that was provided to me by the Publisher.*

GIVEAWAY

Giveaway to Win 5 x copies of Secrets of a Highland Warrior (Open INT)
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EXCERPT

“Are you jealous?” He’d meant to provoke her the way she was provoking him, but the question came out wrong. It came out like he wanted her to say—

“Yes.” Her gaze didn’t waver from his. “I’ve no right to be. You don’t belong to me.”

No, he didn’t. But he wanted to. If only for a short time.

There was just the two of them. He wanted her. Desperately. He was growing more and more certain she wanted him too. And there was a bed right behind her.

Oh, this was not right or honorable or acceptable. Nevertheless, he said, “I do right now.”

The air around them crackled with electricity as if a hundred lighting strikes had touched down in the room. There was searing heat and a constant thrum of energy, of desire.

He surrendered to all of it and took her in his arms, his lips descending madly on hers. She clasped her hands around his neck and stood on her toes to meet him. Her mouth met his eagerly, and the ensuing kiss became the very best moment of his life.

Barbara’s Review

We first met our hero, Graham Kinsley, in the final book of The Untouchables series. Graham was the secretary of the Earl of St. Ives and he handled all of the betting on the races featured in the last few books of the series. Graham has now, very unexpectedly, inherited a title, Duke of Halstead – and that is all there is – a title. The estate is totally insolvent with the last Duke having been swindled out of a huge sum of money. The only way to begin to salvage anything is to either marry an heiress or sell Brixton Park. There is no contest with that – his great-great-grandfather designed and built Brixton Park and Graham just can’t let it go.

Arabella Stoke’s family is in the same situation as Graham. Her father was swindled by the same man and their family situation is now dire. They have sold off almost everything they own and Arabella is remaking her ballgowns in order to hide their penury. The family’s only salvation is for Arabella to marry someone who has a LOT of money.

So, of course, fate will intervene and have those two impoverished people meet and fall in love. Each of them hopes the other has money. What a rude awakening it was. Their road to a HEA isn’t an easy one and there are no fairy godmothers to show up and save them.

I liked Graham in the previous book he was in, but I didn’t really understand him in this book. He has a number of highly titled friends who are accustomed to running large estates, managing investments, etc. but when he inherits a destitute estate – through absolutely no fault of his own – he won’t ask these very good friends for advice or money. I can see not wanting to borrow money from them – but not seeking advice just didn’t make sense.

I’m so glad that there wasn’t a lot of angst in the book as page after page of angst just makes me insane. There was a bit of introspection and darkness, but not a lot.

It was an enjoyable read and I hope you’ll give it a try.