This is the first volume in the new Royal Highlander series by May McGoldrick which takes place in Scotland during the 1820’ insurrection. We follow Isabella, a rare female physician, wanted by British soldiers who want information about her late husband’s reformers accomplices, and Cinaed, a Scotsman smuggling all sort of illegal products including weapons.

Isabella is a heroine stronger than she believes, quite obstinate, straight, and who couldn’t lie even to save her life. She’s very worried about her stepdaughter and her sister from whom she’s been separated during their escape, but the only moments she puts herself in danger is when people need her talents as a physician. She’s always thinking that seeing her life and her past she can’t impose herself in the hero’s life, and after a while it became annoying.

Cinaed is a typical hero, brave, intelligent, and protective. He’s instantly attracted to Isabella – while she’s treating him for a bullet in the chest – to the point of not being willing to leave her the next day. Both are interesting characters separately but I didn’t really like them as a couple.

I thought the historical context original. I hadn’t read any book taking place during that time yet and I found interesting to be thrust in this troubled time where people were requiring, through general strikes, more equality and institutional reforms, and found themselves opposite to the British army charged with maintaining order no matter the amount of blood shed.

But all in all I still thought the story too slow and not really gripping, to the point it took me 10 days to read it because I wasn’t motivated continuing it. The revelation about Cinaed’s origins in the synopsis – which is in reality at the very end of the book – is unfortunately not enough to make me wish to read the next development. Too bad.

dnf at 61%

This is my first May McGoldrick book. First off, I love the cover, but it will fool you thinking this is a romantic historical fiction. Either that or its a real slow burn and I never made it that far to really find out. This book was just dry, boring, and dragging majority of the story. I wasn't really falling in love with the characters either. I couldn't even figure out what the story was about aside from them being on the run. I won't let this one prevent me from reading more of the duo's work, but Highland Crown wasn't for me.

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I really tried to get into this book but I just couldn't. I did read 50% of it but I just got bored with this book. I liked the characters but the plot just didn't keep my interest.

I give this 2 out of 5.

Rich with history, I enjoyed this tale. Isabella and Cinead were both strong and formidable characters, each driven by their pasts and circumstances. I held my breath every time a situation arose. Would they succeed? Would they be caught? Their attraction brought a softness to the story. I recommend this story.

I received an ARC through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.

This was a great story with a great blend of romance and historical fiction.

I loved Isabella right away. Her achievement of becoming a physician in the 1800s already speaks to her intelligence and strength of character. She is on the run from both the British government for alleged treason and the Scottish rebels who believe she will spill their secrets if she was caught. From the start of the book, we are caught up on the intrigue of her attempting to escape Scotland to find safety.

Her first encounter with Cinaed was to use her skills to save his life. He quickly becomes enarmoured by her and not just because of her beauty. He acknowledged her bravery and the risks she took to nurse him back to life. Their connection of savior and saved eventually propels into a beautiful love.

Cinead and Isabella's love story is centered around the political unrest in Scotland during this time period but I never felt like the history was too much. Rather, I enjoyed watching this romance grow in a time of danger with a looming threat to both of their lives. The strenght of their love is seen as they sacrifice and risk everything for each other.

I didn't realize this was the first book in the series so there is definitely more to come with these two. However, I didn't feel this was a cliffhanger. You can certainly appreciate their HEA at the end of this book.

4 Stars
Historical Romance
Heat Level: Mild
POV: 3rd person
HEA

Isabella Drummond, a trained physician, is wanted by both the British government and the Scottish rebels. John Gordon has taken her to his Aunt Jean’s house trying to protect her. She has a high price on her head so if anyone knows who she is, they will turn her in for the money. Cinaed Mackintosh, a sea captain, is someone that wouldn’t ask anyone to do something he wouldn’t do himself. For that reason, when his ship was sinking after being shipwrecked in a storm, he was the last to leave the ship. As they were approaching shore, he was shot. Isabella saved him and from there, they worked to try to protect and support each other. I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

What a gripping read! There were certainly some very tense moments when I was on the edge of my seat and left me quite breathless but also some lovingly tender moments. The two main characters, Isabella and Cinead were very engaging and I enjoyed their connection. There is also a mystery surrounding Cinead’s banishment from his clan and the significance of his mother’s ring. Some are explained near the end but others continue into the next book, a book I will be looking forward to reading. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Well written, with engaging characters and a good grasp of the history of the time. There is violence, ill-treatment and protest marches, as well as intrigue and romance. We have the female physician/surgeon being persecuted by the authorities and surrounded by those wanting her demise and the charismatic wounded hero, whose strong spirit enables him to fight for those needing his protection, even whilst dangerously ill.

This is a trilogy and the story continues on, though I guess you could call the ending of this part as HFN. It is however difficult to see how the future bigger (rather than personal) story can end happily. Set during a shameful period in British history when fear of revolution led to heavy handedness on the part of the Government and Army; and landlord greed led to the Highland Clearances, the fate of the poor, the uneducated and landless is unenviable.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I originally requested this due to the gorgeous yellowish/gold cover and that it was set in Scotland. Unfortunately I stopped reading as quickly as I started. This is a me and not a you issue. I did not like the tone of the book or the way it was written, and I became bored quickly. The style threw me off. That isn't the author's fault.

I won't be reviewing this on GRs or Amazon.

A meeting in a period of wars, runaway and necessities ...

Isabella Drummond was a physian who finds herself in the middle of a battle that was not hers.
She ends up helping an injured man, Cinaed, and he, as a British military, takes on the responsibility of defending her from the troublemakers.

Their relationship was not meant to happen. She had become a widow a short time ago, but the strong attraction, mixed with danger, made Isa and Cinaed fail to deny the strong feeling that was born.
Beautifully described, the plot brings interesting and well researched passages, as well as showing in the romance between the couple how love can be born in times of tragedy, strong and rapturous.
Amazing cover!!
4,5 stars

Great start to what is going to be an amazing series, this is a fast paced and thrilling story and is Cinaed and Isabella's story, she is being chased by both the English and the Scottish rebels when she saves Cinaed's life, she is a healer, when he is well he takes her to the home he had been cast out of when younger hoping to keep her safe, but the past always catches up, can they find the life and love they deserve.

I received a copy via Netgalley and I am voluntarily leaving my own honest opinion..

Isabella Drummond is not like most women of her time. She is being hunted by both sides, the British and Scottish, for what she may know, she is in terrible danger if her identity is discovered.

Cinaed Mackintosh is loyal to only himself after he was cast out from his village and family as a child. When Isabella saves his life he finds himself indebted to her and determined to protect her, even if it means doing something he hasn’t done since he was cast out - return to his family lands.

I loved Isabella and Cinaed. She is a fierce leading lady battling gender roles in her own way on a time period that didn’t appreciate her skills. Cinaed may not have typically been protective, but her fierceness pulled him in as none had before. It was her different that drew him to her and brought out the protector in him.

The setting and period are developed wonderfully. The highlands came to life in the descriptions. But a large part of the plot deals with period politics and though it was very detailed and descriptive, I found myself wanting more of Isabella and Cinaed rather than the politics that were driving their lives.

I was looking for a change when I picked up Highland Crown and I found what I was looking for. I haven’t read this author duo before but will keep them in mind when I’m looking for historical romance, and will certainly watch for more from this series. A great mix of romance and history kept my mind and heart interested in equal measure.

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. Highland Crown is the first book in what looks to be an epic new series Royal Highlander by May McGoldrick (the pseudonym used by Nikoo and Jim McGoldrick). The story takes place in Scotland in 1820 a time of great unrest. Doctor Isabella Drummond is fleeing for her life, not only has the Crown put a bounty on her head but the political group her husband belonged to before his death has too afraid that she will betray them to the Crown. While on the run she saves Cinaed Mackintosh when his ship is run aground during a storm and the nearby villagers shoot him. With a villain reminiscent of a cross between Inspector Javert and Black Jack Randall on their trail they struggle to find safe harbour and retrieve Isabella’s younger sister and stepdaughter. Their story will continue in the books that follow. I found this one to be so engrossing that I devoured it in less than 24 hours. The authors paint a very vivid picture of the time which somewhat parallels what is happening in today’s world. Medium Steam. Publishing Date April 30, 2019. #NetGalley #HighlandCrown #MayMcGoldrick #StMartinsPress #StMartinsPaperbacks

Isabella is not a typical historical romance heroine. She is a physician with a compassionate heart and she would heal foe or ally. I like her personality.

Wow Cinaed is a great man. I am amazed at how physically strong he is and his strategy in saving Isabella and the people was absolutely incredible.

I am fascinated where the title came from and I'm looking forward to the next royal highlander story because Cinaed would finally meet a special person.

Thank you always to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this lovely ARC.

Loved this one! New author for me and I couldn't wait to read more. Highly recommend but please note, the only downside is that the story will be continued so when it ends you cant wait to read the rest! Wonderful and well written H and h. Go get it!

3.5 stars rounded up.

Isabella Murray Drummond is a woman on the run. A gifted doctor, she was content to administer aid to those in Edinburgh at her husband Archibald's practice, but Archibald led a double life - doctor by day and radical reformer by night - when the weavers strike and all hell breaks loose - Isabella takes her younger sister and step-daughter and flees with the help of Sir Walter Scott. Now Isabella has been labeled an enemy of the crown and a bounty has been placed on her head by the surviving radicals. With no options, she places her trust with Sir Walter's friend, John Gordon - he hides her in the highlands with his Aunt Jean and takes the girls to an unknown location.

Cinead MacKintosh aka the "Son of Scotland" is a smuggler and unknown enemy of the crown. He was cast out by his clan at the age of 9 and lived in Inverness with a kinsman, until he too sent Cinead away. He spent 20 years at sea and captains his own ship, the Highland Crown. But his latest mission has ended in tragedy - and he is forced to blow up his ship the Highland Crown in order to prevent his cargo from falling into the wrong hands. But the scavengers don't take kindly to his plan and Cinead ends up shot and barely makes it to shore. Isabella heard the explosion and ventured out of the cottage to see what is going on - she finds Cinead, barely alive and saves his life - much to the disgust of Jean. When a villager learns that Jean is hiding outsiders, they have no choice but to flee to Inverness and hopefully find John and leave Cinead in his kinsmen's care.

The arrive at the inn where John is staying and prepare to part ways, the ladies go inside and Cinead knows he should go, but he can't seem to walk away from Isabella. Isabella just wants get the girls and leave Scotland and the nightmare of the last few weeks far behind her. But things do not go as planned and the innkeeper betrays them to the English. If not for Cinead's quick thinking - Isabella would have been arrested and hanged as a traitor. But as they escape, Cinead is shot again and Isabella cannot leave him. The travel to his kinsman Searc MacKintosh and tell him they are married. Searc is something of a crime lord and trusts no one - so Cinead warns her to stick to their story and stay by his side.

This was a good story, filled with a lot of intrigue, secrets, betrayal, warm love scenes, nail-biting moments, wonderful characters as well as the heartache and horrors of the Radical Wars in 1820 Scotland. This book is the first in the Royal Highlanders series and sets up the series nicely.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher.*

Romance - History - Adventure - Danger...all this words describe this fabulous historical highland romance. These two take the best of their author voices and combine it into a rich historical adventure.

Isabella Drummond is a widow running for her life. The British want her because she kn0ws the names of the Edinburgh rebels working to restore Scottish independence. The rebels want her because she knows too much and don't want her to give them away. She's a female doctor trained by her father and very good. Unfortunately woman can't practice medicine outright in this time period. She wants to disappear and find a measure of peace. The twist in this story is she's being aided in her escape by Sir Walter Scott, the famous Scottish poet and favorite of the English queen. Cinaed MacKintosh is a privateer ship captain, shipwrecked off the scottish coast of her hideaway. Isabella finds and saves his life. The town's scavengers want him as he blew up their prize when he crashed. He was carrying arms for the Scottish rebellion. The both are running for their lives.

Both characters are strong survivors and I fell for them both. Cinead defied physics many times by surviving and saving Isabella. She in turn used her skills and cleaver mind to keep him alive. These two are larger than life and embody the best of highland romance. I am so glad I stumbled onto this author duo. They offer the best stories in the genre.

:I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Highland Crown by May McGoldrick
Royal Highlander #1

In 1820 life in Scotland for the Scottish was one of oppression and being under the yoke of an occupying force. Having lived in such a situation I know that what the occupier and those being occupied experience is not the same. It is true of Scotland and many other countries that have been occupied in the past. There are atrocities perpetrated, freedom-fighters heroes of the country considered terrorists by the occupiers and...anyway...it has not changed in centuries and no doubt will remain the same for centuries. Anyway, this book is set in Scotland when England is occupying it. The English feel they have valid reasons for being there and doing what they are doing BUT that is definitely up for debate. The people that suffer most in situations like this are often the poor who are without means of any sort to deal with the political shenanigans and horrors they face but...they do often survive against the odds.

So...I digressed but in doing so perhaps set the stage.

There is a woman with a bounty on her head. She is wanted by the English and also by others. She believes she has found a place to hunker down and hide till she can move on to Halifax with her half-sister and step-daughter but while she waits to move on events are set in play that change her life entirely. A ship founders on the rocks of the bay near where she is hiding and when her skills as a physician are put into play saving the ship’s captain both her life and the captain’s are changed forever.


This book contains a fair bit of politics and history but not to the detriment of the romance and the wonderful introduction to the books that will follow. We meet Isabella: physician, widow, step-mother, guardian of her half-sister, forward thinking female who is being hunted for treason. We also meet Captain Cinead MacKintosh: orphan, man of the sea, ship’s captain, man of honor, charismatic leader, superb lover, and more. That Isabella saves Cinead’s life is not lost on him and when he is able to return the favor he manages to do so even when not at his physical best.

What I liked:
* Isabella’s strength, intelligence, skills, calm demeanor, passion and so much more.
* Cinead...I really liked him and how he managed to do what was needed even when he should have been laid flat on the floor PLUS he was a swoon-worthy book boyfriend – at least in my opinion.
* Searc (though I think his name is said Shark) – his cunning and ability to play both sides for the benefit of all...especially himself.
* Jean: for an older woman she is a great role model
* Carmichael: the physician didn’t get a lot of time in the book but his role really supported Isabella’s abilities and character
* The relationship between Isabella and Cinead and how the two grew together and as individuals.

What I didn’t like:
* Hudson the Hussar and his buddies – talk about people who deserve to be roasted on a spit over a fiery pit!
* Habbie – and his village companions out to glean what they could from the ship that crashed on the rocks...I mean...really? Sure...the sea takes and it gives but it also gives not only goods from shipwrecks but also human lives that should be saved and not squandered!
* The historical times – I hate reading about injustice...in the past or in the present and yet...sometimes the story has to have mention of these injustices to give them the setting and impact they need to solidify the story.

What am I looking forward to in this series? (yes, I do want to read more in this series)
* Finding out how Isabella and Cinead move forward now that they are a couple
* Finding out more about Cinead’s background
* Seeing who Maisie and Morrigan end up with
* Finding out whether or not John Gordon survived his time under torture and finds a HEA.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Team May McGoldrick has settled into a beautiful rhythm when it comes to their historical romances.  Well-researched pieces involving dering-do and hidden treasures and love that grows slowly between two equals are hallmarks of their work, and Highland Crown is no exception.You have to love a romance novel that starts with an emotional tribute to the heroine from Sir Walter Scott, who, on his deathbed, reminisces about meeting Isabella Murray Drummond.  A surgeon and a marvel of the ages trained as such among the best of her peers at Wurzburg (where her father held a directorial chair), Isabella was stuck in a marriage of convenience to an older man whom she admired and liked but had no romantic or sexual chemistry with.  Isabella saved Scott’s life after he was in a carriage accident, and he never forgot her.  When her husband is murdered and Isabella is targeted by both the British government and Scottish rebels, Scott gives Isabella, her sister Maisie and stepdaughter Morrigan money for passage on a ship to Canada, and as the three women wait for transport from the Scottish coast to North America, there begins the tale.So far, arms smuggler Cinaed Mackintosh’s true love is his ship, and now that’s been lost to him. The Highland Crown has run aground on the Scottish coast in a storm, and now he must destroy it to protect himself and what’s left of his crew. An orphan cast out by his clan with no other attachments in life beyond the sea and loyalty to his crew, Cinead has no idea what will happen to them when they reach the hostile shore they row towards.  The result is more violence - Cinead is shot by one of the villagers seeking to loot any cargo floating free from his explosion.While waiting to take passage to Canada, Isabella and her companions are staying with Jean, a family friend.  Wakened by the noise of the blast, Isabella rushes to the shoreline against the protests of her host rescues Cinaed from the waves and he – insensible from pain and nearly drowning and not knowing what he’s doing – tries to choke her.  Jean saves her life with a well-placed rock, and on Isabella’s insistence they take the man to her home so that she can treat his wounds. Cinead lives – restoring some of the faith in her skills Isabella had lost when she proved unable to save her late husband - and Isabella and Jean find themselves nursing him back to health. Soon, Cinead applies himself to protecting the women against one of Jean’s mercenary neighbors – killing him when he threatens their lives.A strong mutual respect develops between Cinead and Isabella as they run together from the law with Jean in tow, forcing them to eventually pose as a married couple in front of his grudgingly welcoming relatives.  Gradually, their respect turns into love.  But can they outrun the past and make it into a brighter future?Highland Crown is a rip-roaring little bit of action-adventure. Isabella is stalwart and unshrinking, tough for much of the novel’s running time and quite practical, if self-conscious about her age; I love that she was a lady doctor.  Cinead – once he surfaces from a more mercenary state that reminded me of a misplaced Stallone hero from an eighties movie – proves to be sensual and humorous as well as skilled at deadly violence.  Jean, with her immediate suspicion of Cinead’s occupation and her generally tough demeanor made a good foil for them both - Jean, Cinead and Isabella make a great comedy team, and actually, and I wished more of the novel was dedicated to their road trip to the home of Cinead’s relatives.  The romance is a very slow burner; it takes around a hundred pages of banter and fleeing from the law for these two to have a minute of quiet to speak about their feelings.  I loved how immediately Cinead brushed away Isabella’s worries about being older than him by four years, how he approved of her learning self-defense, and that he was fascinated by but not threatened by her medical career.I had three problems with the book that meant I couldn’t award as high a grade as I’d hoped. The romance takes around a third of the book to really kick in; much as I enjoy a slow burner, that was pushing things just a bit too far. And although the central characters are nicely rounded, the overall tone of super-duper pro-Scottish patriotism doesn’t allow for anything beyond one-note red-coated English villains; to be fair though, there are some mercenary Scots to balance that picture out. And then there’s the fact that the novel has one of McGoldrick’s classic unsolved plots that won’t reach its climax until Maisie and Morrigan find their heroes, so although our two leads find their HEA together, there’s still more story to be told.Nonetheless, Highland Crown works because of its winning hero and heroine and their rather adorable relationship.Buy it at: Amazon/Apple Books/Barnes & Noble/KoboVisit our Amazon Storefront

Isabela Drummond a lovely young widow is hunted by both the British government and Scottish rebels, she’s traveling to the Highlands in search of survival. British think she can name the rebels and the rebels who fear she will do just that. She hides until it’s safe to travel when one night she pulls from the sea the ship’s captain Cinaed Mackintosh, a smuggler who just blew up his ship and barely escaped with his life. Isabela is an excellent doctor who save his life, these two chemistry neither can deny and Cinaed is not a man without secrets of his own. The two of them are soon forced to flee into the night in a bid to outrun their pursuers. A captivating look into the world of the Scottish rebellion as Isabela and Cinaed fates are intertwined in this action packed grand adventure with sizzling passions where one must earn trust, loyalty and have the courage to love to find their HEA!!! I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.