Title: Surrender to the Highlander
Author: Lynsay Sands
Series: Highland Brides #5
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Historical romance, Scottish romance
Dates read: 29th March – 11th April 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Avon
Year: 2018
5th sentence, 74th page: The mud was sucking at her feet, sapping her strength.

In New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands’ captivating romance, a lass targeted by an unknown foe is saved – and seduced – by a bold Highlander

Edith Drummond owes her life to Niels Buchanan and his brothers. Waking after an illness to a castle overrun by rugged Highlanders is disconcerting, but so is learning that she’s slowly being poisoned. Niels insists on staying by her side, and Edith soon discovers that even more dangerous is her wild attraction to the fierce warrior.

Niels has never met a more courageous – or enticing – woman than Lady Edith. The idea of such a bonny lass being forced to enter a nunnery is more than any red-blooded Scotsman could bear. He’ll gladly marry her himself. But while sweeping her off her feet is easy, it’ll take all his skill to defeat her family’s relentless enemies and convince her to surrender to his sweet embrace…

Each time I pick up one of the Highland Brides books, I just fall a little more in love with the writing. It’s amazing. It’s beautiful. And they’re just so damn cute and sweet. Plus, I just love the interactions between the Buchanan brothers. Starting this story with Saidh being ridiculously pregnant and sending her brothers to check up on one of her best friends was just brilliant. Not only did I get to revisit characters that I kind of loved, but it just continued to tie in everything so damn neatly. It’s a great universe that Sands has created here.

Niels and Edith have had the least difficult and insane courtship of all the relationships so far in this series. Really, although there was danger to Edith, there was nothing in the way of them getting married. There was no attempts at love, difficulties in the formation of their attachment or really anyone trying to argue against their marriage (themselves included). It was kind of nice to not have to worry about one or the other making stupid decisions in an attempt to be “good”. After all, that does get a little old after a while.

From the beginning, I guessed that the villain in this story was probably going to be a woman. After all, it starts off with Edith being poisoned, and that tends to be a woman’s method of murder generally. Yet, it was really difficult to figure out exactly who that was going to be. Particularly when the red herring was so obviously a red herring and I just couldn’t figure out who else would have a motive… it was intriguing. And I seriously loved the moment of big reveal at the end of the story.

One of the things about this series that I love the most is that the person who is normally being horrible, running around killing everyone isn’t inherently evil. They’re jealous, or prejudiced, or in the case of the villain in this… kind of insane and seriously selfish. Actually, they’ve all been selfish so far. It’s a little bit more human and makes the final moments when the good guys win not such a great, amazing moment of joy, but just a little bit tragic and all the more intense.

Image source: Goodreads

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

Title: An English Bride in Scotland
Author: Lynsay Sands
Series: Highland Brides #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Historical romance, Scottish romance
Dates read: 29th December 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Avon
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: Annabel supposed this was how ladies were treated… when they weren’t oblates in a nunnery.

She never expected to marry

Annabel was about to take the veil to become a nun, when her mother suddenly arrived at the abbey to take her home… so that she can marry the Scottish laird who is betrothed to her runaway sister! She knows nothing about being a wife, nothing about how to run a household, and definitely nothing about the marriage bed.

He never expected to fall in love

From the moment Ross MacKay sets eyes on Annabel, he is taken with his shy, sweet bride… and the fact that she’s blessed with lush curves only makes him utter his own prayers of thanks. But when an enemy endangers her life, he’ll move the Highlands themselves to save her. For though Annabel’s not the bride he planned for, she’s the only woman he desires…

This was my first full-length Lynsay Sands novel. I’ve now read a few of her novellas which were absolutely brilliant. Plus, I’ve been a little obsessed with historical fiction in the last month or so, so it was kind of a perfect fit. Which is quite obvious, since I read the whole thing cover to cover in one night. It only has a different start and finish date because I read it overnight when I should have been sleeping… should probably stop doing that.

There is something that seriously draws me into Scottish romance. Yet, like Lynsay Sands, this is my first ever full length Scottish romance. I’m probably so incredibly drawn in because my ancestors were Scottish. Finally something I connect to a little more strongly. Having said that, I have never been to Scotland, and most likely never will. This story just reminded me how much I want to discover more about my past. How much I love stories like this. They’re easy, cute and give me a weird hereditary nostalgia.

Although this story was primarily about the love between Annabel and Ross, it was also very much about discovering who was stalking her. Normally in stories like this, it’s kind of obvious, or even known by the characters. And the tale is more about getting revenge and escaping the evil creature. Not so much in this. I honestly had no idea who was the culprit, and, more importantly, why they were trying to kidnap the English bride. It made an interesting point of conflict. And not one that I often find in romances.

Normally in romances, the central point of conflict comes from some misunderstanding in the relationship. I thought the whole nun thing would be a point of contention and that would definitely show itself in the sexual relations. Not so. The main issue for the leads in this was the stalker. I loved that there was an external point of conflict and that neither character was unbelievably stupid. It’s great in stories, but a departure from this trend is also brilliant.

Image source: Goodreads