Category: Scottish/Highlander

The Highlander’s Destiny by Mary Wine

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

The Highlander's Destiny (Highland Rogues, #2)The Highlander’s Destiny by Mary Wine

Tracy’s rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series: Highland Rogues, #2

Release Date: November 3, 2020

After waiting years for Cormac Grant, her betrothed to claim her, Cora Mackenzie is restless and jumps at the chance to ride out with her brother’s men to deliver a message to Rolfe Munro. She is aware by doing so, her brother is letting her know that she is free to follow her heart rather than marry Cormac. Cora likes Rolfe, but he doesn’t inspire feelings anything deeper than friendship. She and the party are returning to Mackenzie land when a vicious storm breaks and Cora is washed away. She fights for her life and amazingly survives, but drenched and freezing, she won’t last long, so it is nothing short of miraculous that she sees a man standing just a few feet away.

Faolan McKay is stunned to see a beautiful woman cursing the sky, but he quickly realizes that she is not a mythical siren, but a flesh and blood woman in danger of freezing to death. He helps her to the tower and gets her out of her wet clothes, tucks her into bed and climbs in to share his heat. When she wakes, he is gone. She dresses and ventures out of the tower. She soon discovers that the tower is part the construction of a look out for the McKay clan. There are no women at the site and she rolls up her sleeves and cleans the kitchen and prepares a meal. She is intrigued by Faolan and feels the spark that she has been hoping for, she can see that he returns her regard, but he holds himself at bay and when a maid named Brynna shows up from the McKay Keep, Faolan immediately has her act as chaperone and takes Cora to the Keep.

Things at the McKay Keep are tense and Cora soon learns that Faolan is the half-brother of Malcolm, the laird of the McKays and that he used to court Malcolm’s wife Noreen – who happens to be the half-sister of her betrothed. Tensions escalate and Faolan and Cora end up married, but when Faolan fails to consummate the marriage, believing he will seek an annulment to free Cora, Malcolm gets involved and things turn deadly. Soon Faolan and Cora find themselves as Laird and Lady of the clan with the possibility of HEA within reach, but plots to destroy them abound and they will have to root out a traitor before they can even think about their future.

This was a very good, well written, fast-paced story with very likable characters. The book has action, betrayal, warm to steamyish love scenes, multiple villains, accusations of witchery, traitors, some amusing banter, great secondary characters, a very sweet, romantic declaration of love and finally a very, very, very hard won HEA. As much as I enjoyed this book, there were some things that left me baffled and some minor inconsistencies and typos, that didn’t ruin the book for me, but that did rob it of a five-star rating. This is the second book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone title with no problems. Overall, I did enjoy this book, I am happy to recommend it and I will definitely be looking forward to the next installment in the series.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested from NetGalley and the Publisher. All opinions are my own.*

Tempted By Her Viking Enemy by Terri Brisbin

On By TracyIn Ancient Britain, Middle Ages / Medieval (476-1454), Scottish/Highlander, Tracy's Reviews, VikingLeave a comment

Tempted by Her Viking Enemy (Sons of Sigurd #5)Tempted by Her Viking Enemy by Terri Brisbin

Tracy’s rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Series: Sons of Sigurd, #5

Release Date: November 1, 2020

Warning!  Might be a bit spoilerish!

After years of running; hiding and being branded an outlaw, Brandt Sigurdsson, the eldest son and his father’s heir, believes he will finally have justice for the murder of not only his father Sigurd, King of Maerr, but also his beloved wife and unborn son, along with countless others. In the years since that fatal night the brothers have searched for answers, from their home in Norway to England, Ireland and Scotland. All the information they have each gathered have led Brandt to Castle Wik in Alba (Scotland) to confront his father’s friend and his Aunt’s husband – Thornfinn Bjornsson. Brandt challenges Thornfinn and is gravely wounded and taken prisoner – surprised that his life spared by Thornfinn.

Thornfinn sends his widowed daughter, Katla to tend Brandt, telling her he wants him alive to be taken to King Harald once the winter passes. His injuries are serious and due to a beating she endured for disobeying her father – Brandt was left untended for days. She is not sure she can save him, but refuses to give up without a fight and even in her own injured state, she works diligently to save him. After days of care and many prayers offered to the gods – Brandt shows signs of surviving. He slowly heals and comes to respect the quiet, caring woman who tends him. Katla and Brandt form a friendship and when her father announces she will be remarried to her step-mother’s commander, she asks Brandt to help her escape, he agrees but plans to return to enact his vengeance on her father – but when he realizes his quest may cost him a second chance at happiness, will he give up his desire for justice?

This was a very well written, smoothly paced novel that neatly ends the series. Set in ancient Scotland, the book is filled with emotion, warm love scenes, action, betrayal, surprising revelations, twists and turns that lead to more revelations, closure for Brandt and his brothers and HEAs for all. I really felt Brandt pain, but the ongoing reminders of his deep love for his dead wife Ingrid – including a detailed dream of making love to her and memories of her during love scenes with Katla was a bit off-putting in a romance. I am not a huge fan of second romances, I did feel that he loved both women dearly and in the end was able to devote himself to Katla – but I wish it was done with less detail of his love life with Ingrid. This is the fifth and final book in the series, but it could easily be read as a standalone title with no issues. I enjoyed this story and would happily recommend.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested from NetGalley and the Publisher. All opinions are my own.*