Seduction of a Highland Warrior by Sue-Ellen Welfonder

Alasdair is a fierce warrior with a love for the glen that runs deep and he's sworn to protect the peace at all costs. His honor is everything to him and he soon finds himself challenging everything he holds dear when his greatest enemies sister captures his heart. Even a year away hasn't diminished his need for her. 

Marjory has loved Alasdair from the moment she first saw him and has set her mind and heart to having him. She's as fierce a woman as he is a warrior so there is bound to be some head butting here. Yet her brother is determined to see her wed to a Viking, anyone but Alasdair, and she does everything in her power to shoot down each suitor. 

These two are constantly needling each other even as their hearts are begging them to give in to the love they feel. Just as soon as they do, treachery strikes and threatens the peace in the Glen of Many Legends. It all comes to a head and where Alasdair thinks the trouble lies turns out to be his salvation. There are several scenes that stand out to me. One had me howling with laughter and involves a spider outside of the joy woman tents. One is the entire 4th chapter in the book where I was on the edge of my seat with anxiety as I read it and I'll leave that to you to find out when you read the story. The other is the moments in the caves both when they're alone and when there is a celebration. The caves are simply amazing and were brought to life through Sue-Ellen's wonderful writing.

This has been another fantastic read with touches of legend and a ghostly couple who made my heart cry for them as they found their peace. Sue-Ellen painted medieval Scotland so clearly for me that my senses came alive while reading. There were many a scene that had me laughing loudly leaving me with lingering smiles. I will miss the Glen of Many Legends and the people who play a part in this series whom I came to love. I'm sure I'll get a glimpse of them in the future and look forward to that day. This series of highland warriors and the women they love will stay with me for a long time to come!

ARC provided by publisher

**Reviewed by Leah**

Highland Warriors series

Temptation in a Kilt by Victoria Roberts

Royal Court, England, 1603

Laird Ciaran MacGregor of Glenorchy spots Rosalia  in the great hall as her mother is disparaging her and then pinches her before flying off across the room. Their gazes meet as she slips off to go find her father. Her father introduces her to Lord Dunnehl but she can't seem to concentrate on the conversation they are having. Her eyes keep going back to Ciaran. When she asks her father who the man is, her mother berates her telling her it doesn't matter who he is, they will be leaving for home to prepare for an important guest, the Lord Dunnehl. 

Once home she is informed that she is to marry Dunnehl who is pure evil itself. This marriage will fill the family coffers again and when she refuses, she is beaten badly by her mother. She decides to run off in the middle of the night and make her way to her grandmother's home in the Highlands.  She binds herself and cuts her hair to look like a boy and then gathers just enough to get her out the door and onto her beloved horse, Noonie, and although she is in intense pain from the beating she takes flight. After several hours she stops for a rest and passes out from the pain. She's found by Ciaran's men in a clearing in the woods. They take what they think is a lad back to camp and it's only when Ciaran is checking for broken bones that he finds she is a lass. He sends his brother, Aiden, on ahead and talks her into letting him take her to the closest village to see a healer. While there, she accepts the fact that she can't make it to her grandmothers this time of year. He takes her home to Glenorchy with him and promises to take her to her Grandmother in Glengarry as soon as the weather permits. In the meantime, Dunnehl arrives for his bride to find she's gone and his men take off along with one of her father's men, James who is like a brother to her, to find her. They are found on the way to Glenorchy and James and Ciaran stage it as if James was overtaken along with the others and left tied so as to throw off Rosalia's escape.

When they arrive at Glenorchy, They find that Aiden's wife, Aisling, has had her baby. Beathag, his leman, is dismissed after she shows herself in front of Rosalia and she vows vengence upon Ciaran. They are finding themselves drawn to each other but Ciaran refuses to admit the love he feels for her because of a vow he made to his father to see his brother Declan settled before he turns to his own needs. Those feelings are put to the test as Rosalia and Aisling and her son are kidnapped by the Campbells who have sworn to destroy the MacGregors. A rescue is planned and a clan fight ensues where help comes from an unexpected source. After the rescue they both find they cannot deny what is in their hearts and plan to marry. 

Rosalia is a woman who has been beaten and mistreated by her mother her entire life while her father sat back and watched it happen. Trust does not come easy for her and I enjoyed watching as she grew to trust and to love. To accept herself for who she is and that what she considers her imperfections are actually what makes her beautiful. Ciaran is a man bound by duty who has it in his head that a vow he made to his father can only be accomplished one way. I loved watching him realize that life isn't always a straight path and it made me smile when he veered from that path just a little to include his own happiness. Choices are never either black or white, there are varying shades in between that make each of our journeys worthwhile. I'm anxious to read Declan's story, X Marks The Scot. I fell hard for this man. He's such a rogue and I'm totally head over heels for him! Victoria Roberts writes beautifully about the Highlands and I felt as if I were seeing it through Rosalia's eyes. It is well written and truly took me out of this world and into theirs. 4 Stars

**Reviewed by Leah**

The Chieftain by Margaret Mallory

Prologue - Dunscaith Castle, Isle of Skye, Scotland 1496....

Conner and his mother, Catriona, are very close. He watches one night as she circles the fire chanting and cursing his father, Donald Gallach Chieftain of the MacDonalds, for betraying her. A friend, Anna, comes upon the scene and begs her to take the curse back. Catriona swears her husband will pay when she leaves him for another man. She leaves her children with Anna to look after them as the children always stay with the father, the Laird. She sneaks out one night never to return alive. One day a galley returns with her drowned body, Donald turns his wrath on his son and speaks for him to never be in his sight again. Conner and his sister Moira grow up with Anna's  children Duncan and Ilysa. 

1516 - 20 years later....

Conner is now Chieftain of the MacDonalds. His father and step brother are dead. Duncan has married Moira. Conner asks Duncan to stay at Dunscaith while he travels to Trotternish Castle to hold his lands firmly out of the hands of the MacLeods. Ilysa, who has the sight, goes with him to help run the household. The clan's future depends on Conner wedding the right lass and he plans on looking into several clans to find the best alliance. On the way out, they stop by the old seer, Tearlag. She tells him that his lass will pick him and to look to the fairies.

It seems nothing but treachery lies in wait for him at Trotternish Castle. Ilysa keeps seeing visions but can't understand them. Lachlan is sent in to gain the trust but kill Conner. She keeps seeing good in Lachlan but also sees a darkness that she begs him to let go of so the good can come through. Each day brings Lachlan closer to putting his allegiance with Conner and pulling back from what he was sent to do. Ilysa has been in love with Conner forever and he just can't seem to see past his nose. She continues to speak to him of her visions but he refuses to listen so she locks him up for several days to prevent him going to his death. He is furious with her when she releases him and speaks of sending her away. He later changes his mind but finds her gone and he feels the loss. They meet again at a gathering where Conner has gone to make plans for a marriage alliance. She has changed from the drab clothing and into beautiful gowns and he's amazed at her transformation. He falls hard but keeps talking himself out of it. The gathering is where Alastair Macleod comes into play. He finds Ilysa alone outside and makes a discover about her that he keeps to himself but watches over her none the less to Conner's dismay. 

There are several attacks that happen, one that severely wounds Conner, and they are all coming from information from someone within his own walls. As he lay wounded in the woods, he dreams of a fairy dancing around a fire chanting only to awake the next morning with the strength to make it home. Conner and Ilysa are drawn to each other so deeply that they let their hearts take over and this only brings heartache to both when his intended arrives. Before the final confrontation between the MacDonalds and the MacLeods, he follows her to the fairy glen and watches as she dances and realizes that it was she he saw the night of his wounding. He then watches as she meets with Alasdair who has walked into the light of the fire. He refuses to ask out right what happened and jumps to conclusions that it is she who is betraying the clan. The final confrontation is smack full of sit on the edge of your seat suspense as Ilysa brings the MacDonald and the MacLeod together in a small kirk for a truce that neither find they can ignore because of their love for her.

My heart felt warmth as I read the epilogue. I enjoyed watching their love come to fruition and talk about HOT!! I loved the mystical parts of this story. Tearlag and Ilysa and their sight, the fairy glens and the chants..... the ghostly sightings and the legends surrounding them all call to my heart. Scotland is full of lore and Margaret Mallory does an excellent job of bringing it to life. She left me aching to walk the fairy glens, graveyards, and hills with standing stones.

5 Stars!

* Reviewed by Leah Weller*

Review copy provided by publisher

Return of the Highlanders series