Scottish/Highlander – Page 115 – Flippin' Pages Book Reviews

To Love a Highland Rogue by Collette Cameron
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Heart of a Scot, #1 (also part of the anthology The Forbidden Highlands)

Release Date: August 28, 2017

Another charming novella by Ms. Cameron! My understanding is this novella is part of the anthology titled : The Forbidden Highlands and inspired Ms. Cameron to begin a new series, Heart of a Scot.

I really loved this novella, Logan and Mayra have been betrothed since they were children, yet they have only seen each other a few times since the contracts were signed.

Logan had no desire to marry Mayra, but when he learned his father spent her dowry and they had no means to repay it, he left his home hoping to make his fortune and escape the arranged marriage. Unfortunately his hopes were not realized and he returned home shortly before his father died. He also learned that his intended had been writing to him and requesting the contract be voided – but that cannot be, he must marry her because he cannot repay the dowry.

Remembering a promise he made to her father to woo her, Logan sets out to meet his betrothed. He is stunned to find the gangly girl he remembered has blossomed into a stunning beauty. He decides that he will get to know her, but does so incognito – he pretends to be his cousin, Coburn. Logan is a bit jaded and distrustful of beautiful women. He wants to get to know Mayra to determine if she is like his spoiled stepmother.

As he gets to know her, he realizes that she is a truly wonderful person and he wants to marry her, but he has yet to reveal his true identity and fears her reaction.

Mayra has been raised knowing she will have to marry Logan, but after her father dies and the clan starts to decline, she begs Logan to release her, so she can use the dowry to help her clan. She is immediately attracted to Logan/Coburn, but knows she is not free to indulge her desires with him.

Logan declares his love to Mayra and attempts to tell her the truth, but they are interrupted and his secret is revealed before he can explain himself.

Mayra is heartbroken, she fell in love with Logan, but feels betrayed and more than a little bit angry. She listens to Logan’s explanations and even understands his position, but something has broken in her that she is not sure she can regain. She tells Logan that she needs time and will talk to him when she returns from Edinburgh.

This was a very sweet story, I really liked both Logan and Mayra and felt their connection and hoped that they would be able to overcome the secrets and lies that drove them apart. The writing was excellent and the story flowed nicely, there are not really any love scenes, but the story does not suffer the lack, there are very few secondary characters in the book, but Logan’s cousin Coburn is priceless (in the notes at the end of the book, Ms. Cameron promises the next book will be about Coburn – he was such a scamp in this book that I can’t wait to meet the woman that brings him to his knees!!).

All in all, this was a great little novella and I am happy to recommend it.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an arc provided to me by the author*

Never Kiss a Highlander by Michele Sinclair
Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Release Date: July 25, 2017

Series: The McTiernay’s, #6

Twelve years ago Hamish left his home, his love and his birthright because it was clear the woman he loved was in love with his brother Robert. Hamish left and joined the McTiernay’s elite guard and has refused to return home ever since.

Over the years his brother Robert has tried to get Hamish to return home and each time Hamish has refused. In an effort to finally cut ties with his brother, Hamish agrees to temporarily return and help his brother. Since the marriage of yet another McTiernay brother to yet another woman Hamish thought he could love, he is ready for a change of scenery. Helping his brother rid himself of his backstabbing commander Ulrick is just what he needs.

Maired is the younger sister of Selah, Robert’s wife and Hamish’s former betrothed. She is eager for Hamish’s return and is shocked by the man who arrives….alone. Maired was expecting an army of McTiernay warriors and is dismayed that Hamish has arrived alone and has made it clear that he has no intention of involving the McTiernay’s in this matter.

If Maired is shocked by Hamish, it is nothing compared to his reaction to her, she is no longer the little girl he remembered, but a fully grown beautiful, spirited woman and for the first time in months Hamish is interested, very interested. But since he has no desire to stay, he will just ignore his lust, at least that was the plan 🙂

As Maired and Hamish grow closer, the more the passion simmers between them and after a mind melting kiss – which of course they both agree will never be repeated, they begin to fall in love. It is apparent to the reader that these two are meant to be, but it takes them considerably longer to figure that out.

Hamish realizes that he loves Maired and he also realizes that contrary to what he thought, he has never actually been in love before. But he still refuses to act on his feelings because he doesn’t plan on staying and he “knows” that Maired will not leave her family.

At times I wondered if these two would ever stop making assumptions about each other and finally talk, but the slow build up in their relationship really worked in this story. And when they finally marry, I was ecstatic! Even better, the story doesn’t end there! The threat of Ulrick still has to be dealt with and Ms. Sinclair throws the reader a curve ball. I will admit, after the build up to the return of Ulrick, I thought it was kind of anticlimactic and I thought to myself – that’s it, seriously? Well it wasn’t! Ms. Sinclair still had a few surprises for her readers which include a visit from Conor and Laurel!

This book was well written, flowed at a really nice pace, had lots of twists and turns, sibling spats, multiple weddings, steamy love scenes, surprises galore, a soulmate type of love and a wonderful HEA.

This is the sixth book in the McTiernay’s series, but I think it could be read as a stand alone title with no problem, although you would probably have a better understanding of Hamish if you at least read the prior book “Seducing the Highlander”. I loved this book and would happily recommend it to anyone who enjoys a great Highlander story!

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

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