Title: Falling for the Highlander
Author: Lynsay Sands
Series: Highland Brides #4
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Historical romance, Scottish romance
Dates read: 9th – 12th February 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Avon
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: Saidh had spoken often about her brothers, claiming they were, every one of them, fine men with good heads on their shoulders and true hearts.

New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands welcomes readers back to the Scottish Highlands, where a gallant warrior vows to protect a beautiful runaway…

Lady Murine Carmichael has known her share of bad luck. But when her debt-ridden half brother tries to sell her off in exchange for a few Scottish horses, it’s the final straw. If keeping her freedom means escaping through harsh countryside alone, so be it. She has barely begun her journey when she lands an unlikely escort – the brawny Highlander who just refused to buy her virtue.

Dougall Buchanan was disgussted by Lord Danvries’ shameful offer, but Murine tempts him beyond measure. Even bedraggled and dusty, the lasst glows with beauty and bravery. Dougall wants to do more than just help her flee. He wants to protect her – with his life and his heart – if she’ll only let him. For Murine may be pursued by a powerful foe, but nothing compares to the fiery courage of a Highlander in love.

This Scottish romance is the first in the series which feature the Buchanan brothers. Ever since they were mentioned in To Marry a Scottish Laird, I’ve been fascinated by Saidh’s mention of them. And, then, when she features in the next novel and her brothers come in to steal the show… I just wanted to know everything I could about each of the brothers! So when Dougall featured in this, with three of his brothers as a sidekick… I got seriously excited! The fact that Murine was also introduced previously and is such a sweetheart… it was hard to stop thinking about this book whenever I put it down.

It’s true that opposites attract. Just look at most partners that I know… so having Murine as this sweet, beautiful and tender-hearted woman. Against Dougall who is kind of communicationally broken, tough and independent… it works. She is kind of reckless and definitely won’t be cowed by a strong, dominant alpha, and he just kind of gets swept along in whatever adventure occurs.

I also love that he quickly recognises that Dougall has feelings for Murine and wants to marry her. There isn’t any trickery or forcing into the wedding in some way to take the decision out of the silly mans’ hands like most historical romances. He actually acknowledges his feelings early on and makes moves to be who he wants to be. Nothing like most of the lead males I read, they’re normally kind of annoyingly thick-headed to be honest.

Every story thus far in the Highland Brides series has somebody out there trying to do damage to the lead female. It’s a nice, different mechanism to use to create a problem in the relationship. I’m enjoying that it’s normally an external stressor, not an internal one. Sometimes I’ve been able to guess just who and why they’re acting as they are, sometimes I don’t. For this story, it was obvious of the motives fairly early on. And the danger was a lot more overt, I loved the variation in the story and the power of this tale.

Image source: Goodreads

Title: The Highlander Takes a Bride
Author: Lynsay Sands
Series: Highland Brides #3
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Historical romance, Scottish romance
Dates read: 5th – 9th February 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Avon
Year: 2015
5th sentence, 74th page: Saidh let loose with a string of curses that would have made even her brothers blush, though they were the ones she’d learned them from.

A bold, seductive laird meets his passionate match in a scintillating Highland romance from New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands.

Sword fighting, swearing, and riding astride come naturally to Saidh Buchanan. Simpering and holding her tongue – definitely not. Raised alongside seven boisterous brothers, Saidh has little interest in saddling herself with a husband… until she glimpses the new Laird MacDonnell bathing naked in the loch. Though she’s far from a proper lady, the brawny Highlander makes Saidh feel every inch a woman.

She has an angel’s looks, a warrior’s temper, and seeks out his kisses with wanton eagerness. Little wonder that Greer is intrigued by his comely guest. When reckless desire overtakes them, he’s more than willing to make an honest woman of her. But Saidh is the target of a hidden enemy, and Greer faces the battle of his life to safeguard the woman he wants above all others.

Saidh has intrigued me since I met her in To Marry a Scottish Laird. After all, a Scottish lady who is a little more course, with seven brothers who she frequently beats up? I’m going to be in love with that kind of woman from the very mention. The fact that the next book is all about her… well, I loved it even more. She refuses to conform to expectations, and, even when her brothers are pushing the issue a little, she still maintains her own sense of identity and self.

Greer’s acceptance of Saidh and his love for her because she is different is kind of glorious. It’s also the kind of love that I’ve always wanted. An acceptance for everything you are, not what you could be shaped into. The fact that he’s just as coarse and intense just made the chemistry and relationship between these two that much better. And more amusing. Plus, Saidh doesn’t try to change Greer and his ways either…

As I’m discovering with this series, there is always an evil being lurking somewhere, causing havoc. And now, when I open a book in the series, I’m keen to see what shape and form they’ll take. And just why they’re trying to destroy the new couples’ happiness. I didn’t expect the villain in this story. Where the other villains have been bad people and a little insane, the culprit in this just seemed WAY worse. I’m not entirely sure why. But I was so uncomfortable at the explanations for the motives at the end.

Finally, the other part of this story that I seriously, and dearly loved was Saidh’s brothers. They are everything that I wanted, and I can’t wait to read Falling for the Highlander, which features one of them as the leading man! I’ve always dreamt of having brothers, so now I’m just going to pretend that these seven belong to my family…

Image source: Amazon

Title: To Marry a Scottish Laird
Author: Lynsay Sands
Series: Highland Brides #2
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Historical romance, Scottish romance
Dates read: 24th January 2020
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Avon
Year: 2014
5th sentence, 74th page: And then it was as if something snapped inside her, some string she had never known existed, and in snapping it released a wave of pleasure so strong she briefly shimmied and convulsed under it.

New York Times bestsellig author Lynsay Sands returns to the Highlands of Scotland in her hottest new historical romance yet!

Highlander Campbell Sinclair is no stranger to battle, so when he sees a lad attacked by bandits, he jumps into the fray. He didn’t count on being stabbed. Grateful to the boy for nursing him back to health, Cam offers to accompany Jo safely to his destination. But when he accidentally comes across the lad bathing in the river, Cam discovers that Jo is actually Joan… with the most sinful of curves.

Joan promised her mother that she would deliver a scroll to the clan MacKay. But traveling alone is dnagerous, even disguised as a boy. When a Scottish warrior lends his aid, she is more than relieved… until he surprises her with lingering kisses and caresses that prover her disguise hasn’t fooled him. As their passion ignites, will the secrets of the scroll force a wedding… and lead to a love she’s never known?

I wasn’t expecting 20 years to have passed between An English Bride in Scotland and To Marry a Scottish Laird. But it did work perfectly. Not only is this yet another brilliant, fun, easy to read romance (as shown by the fact that I read this in just one night), but I also got to revisit Annabel and Ross to see if they got their happily ever after. They did. It made me incredibly happy. To Marry a Scottish Laird had that same gorgeous sense of innocence and sweetness as the first one that made it completely impossible to put down. It also had a bit of a mystery going on that completely intrigued me.

A woman masquerading as a man seems to be a fairly typical plot line. Which, why wouldn’t it be? Many women, especially in history were subjected to some serious atrocities when their gender was discovered. What better way to keep themselves safe? The fact that the couple then falls in love when he discovers he gender is pretty predictable. Yet, I still love that fun predictability. Especially if its in a book that I’m going to sit up reading until 1am…

As with An English Bride in Scotland, this storyline is a great reminder of how important it is to actually communicate with your significant other. There were a few moments in this that could have been fixed if Campbell and Joan had just actually spoken to one another. Although, they did eventually find their way back to one another and find a way to make their relationship work. Even when someone was hell bent on destroying their new found happiness.

I did guess who the culprit was this time (unlike in An English Bride in Scotland). But what I enjoyed the most was the fact that it introduced Saidh (the heroine in the next novel) and just generally embraced women’s kinship. Yes, there is a lot of nastiness and bitterness with some of the women… but ultimately, even Kate’s daughter is forgiven for the past and entered into the loving fold. Definitely made my heart skip a beat.

Image source: HarperCollins Australia