Tag Archives: Heather McCollum

Highland Justice by Heather McCollum – a Review

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Highland Justice by Heather McCollum – a Review

 

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Description:
As the new chief of Clan Mackay, Gideon Sinclair knows the importance of maintaining order at any cost. To keep the conquered clan in line, Gideon must mete out ruthless justice or risk losing their precious new peace. But from the moment he meets Cait Mackay—aye, from the moment the sweetness of her lips captures his—all of Gideon’s careful objectivity is well and thoroughly compromised.

Cait knows that kissing the brawny Highlander is a dangerous game. It was bad enough she picked his pocket to feed the children in her care, but sometimes a desperate woman must disguise her crimes any way she can. Only her act of deception has made things worse… Because one kiss with the Highland’s most brutal chief leaves her breathless and out of her depth.

Now Gideon must choose between his duty and his heart when his lovely thief is accused of treason against the king himself. 

Each book in the Sons of Sinclair series is STANDALONE:
* Highland Conquest 
* Highland Warrior 
* Highland Justice

 

 

Review: 

Highland Justice by Heather McCollum is the third book in her Sons of Sinclair series, but easily enough read without reading the previous books. 

Gideon is the third Sinclair brother. Known as Justice (his father named them the horsemen for fear/respect purposes) so Gideon has been trained to judge and dispense justice. And it’s been that way for as long as Gideon can remember, to him there is either wrong or right, nothing in between. That is until he has to judge the one person he kissed!!! The thief has to be judged and the sentence carried out….. What’s the new Chief to do, if he hesitates then his clan won’t respect him! 

Cait is sick and tired of the rich feeding off of the poor. So she might take a few things now and again. (But only to help her cause). A strong and independent person, Cait will give Gideon a run for his money. Surviving a previous marriage has made Cait wary of becoming involved with another man, so her time and effort is put to good use looking after children who have no one. 

And as they become closer, Gideon will have to make the hardest decision he’s ever had to make! Cait is accused of stealing from the king! Did she? Or is it someone out to discredit her? 

Romance with mystery thrown in is fast becoming a favourite of mine. 

I love this series, and the ones before them too ? the descriptions will have you wishing to visit Scotland as soon as possible. The emotions this author writes about will have you cheering and crying along with the characters. I can’t usually put this authors work down, it’s a long night reading ? 

A few steamy scenes, a few scenes where secondary characters steal the limelight. And a love story that will change the lives of not only Gideon and Cait, but the whole village too. 

If historical romances are your thing (and they are mine) don’t delay, grab your copy. A recommended read ? 

Reviewed by Julie

Copy provided by Publisher

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The Highlander’s Pirate Lass by Heather McCollum – a Review

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The Highlander’s Pirate Lass by Heather McCollum – a Review

 

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Description
Beck Macquarie, captain of the Calypso and second brother to the Macquarie chief, can’t stop himself from helping out the less fortunate. So of course, when a beautiful woman frantically waves him down, begging for his help, he stays true to himself and rescues her. What he isn’t expecting is for her to go full pirate on him — exposing the sailor’s breeches under her skirts and commandeering his ship.  

When Eliza Wentworth learns her pirate family has been captured by the English, she’ll do anything to save them, even taking over an unsuspecting Scotsman’s shi. When he offers to help her after not apprehending her, she agrees. Besides, he is brawny, kind, and the perfect man to teach her about the pleasures that can be found in and out of his bed… Spending some time on shore with him won’t be too much of a hardship. Until she ultimately has to betray him and risk losing everything she didn’t know she wanted. 

 

 

Review:

The Highlander’s Pirate Lass by Heather McCollum is the 2nd book in her Brothers of Wolf Isle series. Reading the description did have me chuckling. A female pirate, and one that isn’t afraid to go after what she wants. It sounded like quite a ride. 

Eliza was brought up with seawater flowing through her veins. She loves the sea, and she absolutely adores her family. But it wasn’t always that way, her parents her brutally murdered by the pirate Jandeau!

Being rescued by a Privateer (A privateer is a private person or ship that engages in maritime warfare under a commission of war)  John Pritchert  gave Eliza a new family to love and care for, they continue to hunt Jandeau and rescue as many as they can from his clutches! So when she finds out that John has been taken and held by the British. Eliza will do whatever it takes to free them. 

Beck is brother to Adam Macquarie (Chief on Wolf Isle) second son and probably more of a gentleman than his brother. The curse of the Isle and his clan is still in force ….. So he’s left the isle to find love (all his clansmen have to find love to break the curse!) 

Chemistry is almost instant, but Eliza is wary, and Beck knows that it’s hopeless to fall for this fiery beauty!! She won’t give up the sea, so entertained her would just be a waste of time…..Spending so much time with the gorgeous captain is going to cause heartbreak for Eliza, but it’s her family that has to come first. 

A really great way to spend an afternoon, and it’s nothing less than what I’ve come to expect from this author. She brings whatever world we are in at the moment come to life. Very descriptive and beautifully written. 

This is the second book in the brothers of Wolf Isle Series. It’s not necessary to read book one in this series, but there are a few things that will make this book make a little more sense. 

So can Beck convince Eliza to give up the sea and her family? Can Eliza rescue her adoptive father John? and what will she do if she ever comes face to face with her hated enemy Jandeau? 

A highly enjoyable read. Plenty of action and adventure with enough romance to keep me happy. 

Reviewed by Julie

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

 

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Highland Warrior by Heather McCollum – a Review

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Highland Warrior by Heather McCollum – a Review

 

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Description:
Joshua Sinclair was once the fiercest and most notorious warrior of the mighty Sinclair clan of Northern Scotland. But now there’s nothing and no one that can make him take up arms again. Except a beautiful woman, it seems.

When Kára Flett, daughter of a fallen Norse chief, finds herself unexpectedly sheltering the strongest, most brutal warrior in the land, she throws together a risky and outrageous plan to bring him to her side. Threats of violence bounce right off him. Offers of gold seem to entice him even less. Desperate enough to use the pleas of the village children to sway him, she’s shocked when he’s completely unmoved. There’s only one tactic left for her: seduction.

Her hasty proposition falls completely by the wayside, though, as she and the Highlander come together in a carnal inferno. But bringing him into her life also brings his enemies to her clan’s doorstep—the very clan Kára is trying to protect. And as their feelings deepen, Joshua will have to decide between duty and love once and for all.

 

Review:

Highland Warrior by Heather McCollum is the 2nd book in her Sons of Sinclair series. This is the second book in the Sins of Sinclair Series. I’ve not read the first one and I don’t think you miss anything

Kara needs a champion, someone to teach the men of her clan to fight, and the clan needs a protector. Seizing her chance, she attempts to seduce and woo Joshua to her cause!! 

Joshua has had enough of fighting, he wants a quiet life now, he needs to atone for the many things he’s done in the name of war!  

The scenes with the rolling hills and the smell of the heather, are so well written you can imagine yourself there. Nothing is superfluous, there isn’t anything there that doesn’t need to be there. Strong characters, a great cast of supporting characters too. 

I like Joshua, he’s no nonsense attitude had me smiling and agreeing with him. Kara on the other hand! She came across as a little immature! Not wanting to listen to anyone and their thoughts! Joshua has to pick a side. His eyes are opened to the way the people are being used and exploited! He can train and protect this new clan, or he can walk away…. And when people he thought were friends turn against him, it has Joshua looking at the bigger picture! 

Having been married before Kara never expected to meet and fall for anyone else, a widow and a parent, she has more than enough on her plate, oh and avoiding the advances of an unwanted suitor. She thought she would utilize Joshua’s skills, but spending time with him, she sees more than just a warrior. 

So can Joshua train the men he now calls clansmen? Can he forgive the way he was tricked into helping? And how much longer will he be able to stay away from the woman who’s captured his heart? 

I love the mixture of history and romance in these books. I like the fact the women that the author writes about aren’t weak and mild, they have a mind (and a mouth) and aren’t afraid to use it. 

I’m still not sure how I liked the way the end of the book finished! But it’s still a really good read, and I’d happily recommend the book, and grab the next one. Another really well written from an author I’ve got on my “automatic to buy” list. 

Reviewed by Julie

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

 

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The Highlander’s Unexpected Proposal by Heather McCollum-Review

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The Highlander’s Unexpected Proposal by Heather McCollum- Review

 

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Description:
A lass begging to marry him might top the list of “oddest things to happen,” but Chief Adam Macquarie is desperate. And no matter how much he hates to do it, he’s not above lying to get what he wants. Starting with the fact that he just omitted the truth about the situation back at his home—where there are no women and only a handful of other people. Because he has a secret need for a wife himself, one she won’t be too happy about when she finds out.

Lark Montgomerie is thrilled the brawny chief agrees to save her from her drunken father’s machinations of wedding her off to the first fool that agrees. He’s easy on the eyes and no one can be worse than her current options. Now a new life awaits her, on an exciting Scottish isle no less, and nothing will dampen her spirits. That is, until she arrives in her new homeland and realizes more than a few things are amiss…

 

 

Review:

The Highlander’s Unexpected Proposal by Heather McCollum is the first book in her new Brothers of Wolf Isle series.

“A curse upon thee, Chief Wilyam Macquarie, and your land. 

For ripping my daughter, Elspeth’s, heart in two after getting her with child and not wedding her, killing her as if ye wrapped the noose around her neck yourself… 

Until your clan ceases creating bastards, turning them out into the cruel world alone…until the day when your clan learns what love is, your land and all those upon it will be barren. Your crops and livestock will wither, illness will spread, and sorrow will prevail.” 

The witch clutched the dagger, stained with blood, and stabbed it into the tree. From that moment on, the tree bled, weeping for the Macquarie clan of Ulva. 

Witnessed by Chief Wilyam Macquarie Randall Maclean, Dawy  Macquarie, Flora Macquarie

With a description like that I had to chuckle. Reading the book had me laughing out loud/ shaking my head / not really what I’d thought, it was so much more. 

Lark is an old spinster in bygone days, but she won’t settle for a drunk and a liar, so her shrewish nature keeps the idiots at bay, until her father has had enough and says at the next Beltane festival she’s to be wed, the only thing Lark has a say in is who. And that’s why Adam found her in a tree! 

Adam is a desperate man, his clan needs new blood and women are the best way to attain it, his brother Beckett is the best bet to marry, but when he hears of a father with five daughters, fate must surely be smiling down on him, his brother can have his pick, and who knows, maybe he can persuade her sisters to come for a visit (plenty of suitors) 

That is until he meets the fiery eldest daughter Lark! His brother is going to have his work cut out trying to tame that one!! 

Set in 1548 the story actually goes further back to 1422, it seems the lusty chief wanted the fun but not the responsibility. Making a young girl pregnant and then abandoning her brought down a curse that still haunts the Macquarie clan. Slowly the land died and people left the island, only a few remain, and now it’s Adam’s duty to bring the clansmen home, to return it to its former glory. 

Adam gets a shock when it’s in fact he who comes home with a bride and not his brother!! He’s a Chief now, his responsibility is to his clan, he doesn’t have time for a bride!! But she is a bonnie lass, maybe she can help the clan to grow. 

It did remind me a little of a film “seven brides for seven brothers” where the poor unsuspecting bride is taken home as is expected to cook, clean and care for her husband and his brothers! 

Now poor Lark isn’t expecting six brothers, but she certainly wasn’t expecting a barren isle, people may have lived on it once, but it’s going to take more than sweeping out cottages and hanging lucky Heather! There is a vibe that causes Lark to worry, what if she isn’t the good luck charm Adam thinks she is? Maybe she should have told him about her own plight before wedding him! 

The romance is slow burning , but when we get there it’s hot and steamy. The bond growing between Adam and Lark is all about trust, and the trust may turn into love, but with both of them hiding secrets, you have to hope trust will see them through it! 

We have a few mystery’s to solve, the characters also have a few skeletons to reveal and exorcise!! There is also the fact that other clans don’t think the Macquarie clan will be able to live on Wolf Isle (it’s curse will see the extinction of the Macquarie clan) and the usual clan squabbles. So can the Chief break the curse? Or will his clan be cursed forever? 

I loved the banter between the Macquarie brothers, you get the sense of love and loyalty. Their prowess at the games did have me rolling my eyes, a typical male chest pounding scenario. It was great seeing old MC’s from previous books, that was a nice surprise. 

And as it’s book one of a new series I’m hoping all the sisters get stories, it would be handy if they all found love on the island with the Macquarie brothers ?

I’ve read a few books from this author and I’ve loved the scene she sets for you. The descriptions have you whisked back to Scotland, the laughter and smells of the campfires, the musty smell of unused homes, it’s all given great detail. 

The mystery only adds to this story, the heartbreak a mother feels when a child is tossed to one side, a curse uttered in a moment of anger, and over a hundred years of misery. Can the curse be broken? Or is it simply not giving the muttering of a grief stricken mother the power? But you have to remember that in the period of time, curses, witches and god were believed in greatly, so if you give that curse the power, then it works….. 

Reviewed by Julie

Copy provided by Publisher

 

 

 

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The Highland Outlaw by Heather McCollum – a Review

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The Highland Outlaw by Heather McCollum – a Review

 

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Description:
Shaw Sinclair, chief of the outcast clan of Sinclairs of Caithness in northern Scotland, has made a deal with the devil. Despite his strength and lethal skills, he needs help—specifically from a woman—to accomplish his mission to bring a bairn to safety to the coast. When he meets the brave and beautiful Alana Campbell at a Samhain Festival, he decides she’s the one. Alana Campbell is ready to show the world she’s just as skillful with a sgian dubh as any man. Attracting the attention of the brawny chief who coerces her to join him on his journey to the coast of Scotland gives her that very opportunity. Sparks flash between them as they’re forced to act as husband and wife to accomplish the deadly mission. However, when secrets threaten to tear them apart, they have to decide if their differences outweigh the reality of their feelings…

“To Laird Shaw Sinclair, 7th Earl of Caithness The infant who journeys under the protection of this letter is of strong health yet might succumb to an assassin’s poison. Therefore, she must be taken to safety shielded by the fierce Sinclair clan. Take the child to the ruins of St. Andrews castle, where a ship will ferry her over to France to be raised in secret until such time as she can be claimed. In return for your service, Castle Girnigoe and the lands historically kept by the Sinclair Clan will be retaken from Edgar Campbell of Glenorchy to be returned to Clan Sinclair. The child must arrive, alive, to the ship before the winter snows blanket the Highlands. May God in his ultimate wisdom and power guide you and see that you protect this very important child.”

 

Each book in The Campbells series is STANDALONE:
* The Scottish Rogue
* The Savage Highlander
* The Wicked Viscount
* The Highland Outlaw

 

 

Review:

The Highland Outlaw by Heather McCollum is the 4th book in her Campbells series.  It starts out with the premise of a small child being taken to safety. The missive charges Shaw Sinclair the job of delivering the baby girl.  Shaw is Laird of the Sinclair Clan and whilst promising to deliver a baby to safety, the wet nurse (a woman employed to breastfeed another woman’s child) he employs dies on the journey, spotting his chance he uses every trick in the book to persuade Alana to join him…… 

Alana is sick of being under appreciated, No one takes her seriously!! And finding out her mother is alive (in previous books it was thought she had died) spurs Alana on to find and rescue her. Her help comes in the form of charming if not slightly rude Shaw Sinclair. 

Their journey is fraught with danger, people are after the child, and will stop at nothing to achieve it. 

But lies have a habit of surfacing, Campbell’s and Sinclair’s are sworn enemies, but as the journey progresses, it’s getting harder and harder to remain enemies, and pretending to be husband and wife is blurring the lines. 

Double dealings, treachery, betrayal and lots of action keep this book going at a great pace. 

So why does Shaw have to deliver this baby? And to whom? Is she special in anyway? What happens if the baby doesn’t get delivered? And will Alana find her mother? And these secrets that Shaw and Alana have, will it really spell the end of this Laird and his feisty lass? 

Another good book by Heather McColllum in The Campbell series. We’ve met a few of the characters in this book in previous stories, so it was nice to add a little more background to it all. 

Reviewed by Julie B

Copy provided by Publisher

 

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A Protector in the Highlands by Heather McCollum – a Review

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A Protector in the Highlands by Heather McCollum – a Review

 

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Description:
With few other options, Scarlet Worthington flees from her home in England to the wild Highlands of Scotland to help her sister run a school for ladies. There, Scarlet begins to rebuild her own shattered confidence by recruiting a fierce Campbell warrior to teach her and the students how to protect themselves from villains and scoundrels. The intimidating Aiden Campbell both infuriates Scarlet and ignites a fire inside her as she works closely with him to hone her new skills.

Burned in a fierce fire, set by English soldiers, Highland warrior, Aiden Campbell, has finally healed enough to take temporary command of his clan. That’s where his focus should be instead of dealing with the feisty, beautiful Sassenach who asks him to teach her students.

When Scarlet’s past stalks her up into Scotland, her nightmares come alive, and Aiden’s lessons are put to the test. With his own ghosts from the past making him despise English women, Aiden fights the inferno of passion that’s grown between them, a different kind of wild fire that could prove just as deadly.

Each book in the Highland Roses School series is STANDALONE:

* A Rose in the Highlands
* A Protector in the Highlands

 

Review:

A Protector in the Highlands by Heather McCollum is the 2nd book in her Highland Roses School series.  This book starts where the last book ends.  You don’t need to read the first one, but a little background info on the characters always helps (you find out why scarlet is running, and his Aidan gets his scars) 

Aidan hates the English with a passion. He holds them responsible for everything, and there is no way he is going to help a fiery English woman teach women to fight and defend themselves, but there is something that keeps draining Aidan back. 

Scarlet is running from her past, her saviour comes in the form of her sister (A rose in the highlands) she travels to Scotland to help her run a school for young ladies. But running from your past is sometimes easier said than done, and when it comes back to haunt her, she ya too sure of her options. 

The banter between Aidan and Scarlett is at first more enemy than friends, then realising the attraction between them, it turns, but both of them are fighting it, Aidan wants nothing more to do with the English, if she were a lass from Scotland, then there would be no issue, but trust is hard for Aidan. 

It’s another nice read, I find the enemy to friend a little boring and predictable, but I love the characters that the author has created. The highlands of Scotland come to life whilst reading it. 

It’s a fun afternoon read, and if you like your hero’s with trust issues and heroines with a shady past, then I’d recommend this one to you ?

Reviewed by Julie B.

 

 

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A Rose in the Highlands by Heather McCollum – a Review

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A Rose in the Highlands by Heather McCollum – a Review

 

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Description:
1684, Scottish Highlands Englishwoman Evelyn Worthington is resolved to build a school for ladies in her brother’s newly purchased Scottish castle. But when she arrives, not only does she find the castle scorched by fire, but a brawny Highlander bars her entry.

 Clan chief Grey Campbell would rather die than see his family home, Finlarig Castle, fall into English hands, so Grey must win the battle of wills with the beautiful Sassenach who flashes a bill of sale before him.

 When the war between Evelyn and Grey escalates, passions flare. But outsiders have their own plans for Finlarig. After secrets are revealed, and muskets are lit, the fates of the Campbell Clan, the school, and a possible future for Grey and Evelyn are in as much jeopardy as their lives.

 

 

Review:

Evelyn doesn’t want to marry and do needlepoint…. she doesn’t want just to provide heirs for her would-be husband. Evelyn wants a life, and although her father is still dictating her life (even from the grave) she plans with her brothers help, a way to get round this. She plans to build a school for young ladies, and with her brothers permission she is going to use the castle that her brother had recently brought, so she sets off …. only to find a large angry Scotsman barring her entry !! She wants that castle and no man, however good looking he is, isn’t going to deter her from her path.

Greyson “Grey” loved and lost his home, and now plans to retake it, so in order to restore it to its former glory, he is going to “allow” the interloper to return his beloved castle to its former glory. And he’s not going to let the pleasant looking young lady stand in his way, he’s going to use all his charm to keep her from discovering his plans !!

We also have the subplot of Evelyn’s would be suitor, and person or persons unknown who want the castle destroyed and not rebuilt.

And what will Evelyn do once she finds out that Grey has duped her into rebuilding the castle for his own purposes ? And what about the clause …. the one stating Evelyn has only so long to prove herself, or she has to marry ? Can she do that in time ?

The chemistry between the characters is sizzling, the direction the author takes Evelyn and Grey is a little predictable, but the fun is getting there ? it’s well written, the graphic descriptions of the scenery had me imagining myself in Scotland with no problem whatsoever.

And the secondary characters were very likeable and I can see books possibilities ?

So if you like your historical romances, then I’d happily recommend A Rose in the Highlands by Heather McCollum

Reviewed by Julie B.

Copy provided by Publisher

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The Devil of Dunakin Castle by Heather McCollum – a Review

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The Devil of Dunakin Castle by Heather McCollum – a Review

 

The Devil of Dunakin CastleAmazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM

Description:
Englishwoman, Grace Ellington, has made a home in Scotland, but to escape from the meddling people around her who seem to think she needs to wed right away—because women need saving, right? —she volunteers to journey north to aid a friend in childbirth. 

Keir MacKinnon, the younger brother of the MacKinnon clan chief, has been raised to strike fear in people, on and off the battlefield. Trained to uphold MacKinnon law, he has hardened into a lethal warrior. Caught in a Highland blizzard with the feisty Grace, Keir realizes the beautiful woman who saved him can also save his nephew’s life. 

Sparks fly when he takes her against her will to his home, and Grace’s courage is put to the ultimate test. Is Keir MacKinnon the passionate, kind man she saved in the Highland blizzard, or is he truly the cruel executioner who seeks to solve all issues by the sword? 

Each book in the Highland Isles series is a STANDALONE story that can be enjoyed out of order. 
* The Beast of Aros Castle
* The Rogue of Islay Isle
* The Wolf of Kisimul Castle
* The Devil of Dunakin Castle

 

Review:

I’ve read and enjoyed the previous book “Wolf of Kisimul Castle.” So I was looking forward to reading The Devil of Dunakin Castle by Heather McCollum, and I wasn’t disappointed.  They are all standalone books, so don’t need to be read in order (but I may just have to go back and read the other two) 🙂

Grace is a feisty and independent woman (we meet her in book 1), she needs no man to complete her life (even though other people seem to want to marry her off). She goes to help her friend (Miari )to give birth. Along the way she meets “The Devil”,  Kier MacKinnon

People wear masks to hide their true selves and Kier is no exception, brought up from an early age, he was taught to be a warrior and then the sword hand of his brother, his job is to uphold the law (even if Keir doesn’t like it) he’s done things he hasn’t liked, and so it’s hardened this man into an unfeeling monster, but like beauty and the beast, the beast is tamed by beauty. 

Kier has been told he needs to bring back a great healer Miari (from book 3) to help his ill nephew, but gets caught in a storm and ends up rescuing a woman from wolves. 

The feelings that both Grace and Kier feel for each other are soon over shadowed when he realizes that he can’t take the pregnant Miari, but Grace could save his nephew, and with that, he takes her against her will to the castle. It doesn’t go down well with Grace

Once Grace helps the clan, other things start to happen and she wonders if the illness wasn’t an illness! 

As with the previous book, Heather McCollum brings the characters to life. The scenes were very well written and I could imagine myself easily in Scotland . 

Reviewed by Julie B.

Copy provided by Publisher

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