Secrets of a Highlander’s Heart (Return of the Highlanders 1) by Julie Johnstone-review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date April 25, 2024

Will the truth of the past destroy the hope of their future?

How far will he go for vengeance?

Brus Stone remembers nothing of his life before he was rescued at the age of five summers and brought to live as part of the Northern Watch. Having been told his mother abandoned him, he’s about as willing to give his trust to a woman as he is to hand his sword to his enemy during battle. So when he’s tasked with accompanying a group of highlanders through the treacherous lands he helps patrol and he encounters a bonny lass who proves to be as brave as any warrior he’s ever met, he’s surprised by his pull to the lass and more than wary because of it. He steels himself against lowering his guard, but her open nature bemuses him, and her caring heart entices him. Each time he touches her he finds himself further drawn to the warmth she exudes and the possibility that believing in her will not result in betrayal. But a shocking revelation about his past obliterates everything he holds true and leaves him with a choice—give unwavering faith to the daughter of the enemy he didn’t know he had or raise his guard once more and secure the ultimate revenge.

How much will she lose for love?

Grace MacDonald is starting to wonder whether she’ll ever meet a man who sees her as an equal and not simply a potential wife to do as he bids. To complicate matters, her father wishes her to wed her childhood friend and fortify an important alliance between their clans. Though she wants to please her beloved father, her friend does not stir her heart or her desire, so she’s reluctant to accept his offer of marriage. When the party she’s travelling with is attacked and a Scottish warrior rescues her, she’s immediately drawn to the powerfully compelling man. Not only does he display a gentle caring side, but he also listens to what she says and seems to value her opinions. His every look, touch, and kiss ignite her in the way she’s been waiting for all her life. But Brus will not completely let her in. He has erected a barrier between them, and the harder she tries to breach it, the more withdrawn he becomes. She’s determined to prove to him that he can count on her, so they can grasp the glorious love she’s sure awaits them. Yet when a devastating secret comes to light, she must decide whether her loyalty remains with the father she’s always trusted or whether it belongs with the man she’s certain is her destiny.

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REVIEW:With Julie Johnstone, you can always rely that a good story waits for you. And this one did not disappoint.

Brus has a huge grudge where women are concerned! Well, I suppose you can’t really blame him.(His mother abandoned him as a baby.) So trust with women doesn’t come easily. And when he’s given the job of guarding a group of highlanders as they pass through this patrol area…..

Grace isn’t a meek and mild young lady! She knows her own mind! But that doesn’t mean a thing in this era! And to top it off, her father wants her to marry her friend! What Grace wants is an equal, she’s wanting passion and fire, and she doesn’t see her friend in that way!

There is an attraction between Brus and Grace, but he’s not going to fall, he’s adamant that it’s a job, and once she’s out of his sight, he won’t think about her again…..Grace is soooooo frustrated with Brus! She knows they would be good together, he just won’t let her in!

And the secret that is brewing between them? (I guessed it practically straight away 😉) it’s going to test both of them!

Can Brus really overcome his hate? Will Grace be the one to help him? Or will it all end on heartbreak?

Good plot, great main characters, and really great secondary characters. Which I’m hoping will get books 😉 the descriptions of the lands had me clearly seeing them, the castle in all its majestic glory. This could have been a series/film. And I would have watched it.

Think Poldark or Outlander (without the time travel)

Another really good historical read. 👍🏻

Copy  supplied for review

Reviewed by Julie B🦋

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Author Julie Johnstone first fell in love with romance fifteen years ago when she picked up her first romance novel in an airport gift shop on the way to Conroe, Texas for a family reunion and spent her whole weekend reading rather than water skiing, which up until then was one of her favorite things to do.

Julie is staying up way too late and typing furiously on her keyboard to finish her next book or blog with her fellow authors at Ladyscribes. Julie is married to an amazing lawyer and when she is not running her two precocious children to one activity or another she is trying to seek out some time to stay in shape and see her dearest friends.