WOW! Forbidden Alliance was one of those book I couldn't put down. Read it all the way until the end late into the night.

Cosby weaves a perfect tale where we see Elspet surviving in the forest after her family is slain and her home is seized. Then she meets Sir Cailin who becomes her protector and ally. What she doesn't know is that he's the rightful heir to the earldom of Dalkirk who was rumored to have perished at sea.

This book has so many things in the plot - I loved it for that fact itself! Elspet endured so much and Cailin has helped her and rescued her so beautifully. The story makes you turn pages and pushes you to finish so you will see what the ending will be like. A lot of twists and turns, tragedies and romance here. Well done!

Elspet's first meeting with Sir Cailin is under less than stellar circumstances however he quickly turns the tables on her only to find that she is the means to him fulfilling his mission. With their goals aligned the two work together to rescue her brother held captive by the Earl of Dalkin even as Cailin finds a way to take the Earl down for his own reasons. A nice addition to the series with two strong characters.
Cailin is the rightful heir to the earldom. When his parents were killed his uncle seized the earldom and sent Cailin off to sea to be killed. Fortunately Cailin was rescued by Knight's Templar, and is now on a mission to restore the Earldom to his rule and hold this part of Scotland for his liege Sir Robert Bruce. Elspet's father is the person who the king's contact who us supposed to help Cailin. Now with her father betrayed and killed it's fortunate that Elspet has the means to connect Cailin to other people who can support his quest.
There are some nice surprise along the way some good and some bad. As it turns out Elspet's brother is not quite the loving sibling but there are others in the Earl's garrison who are there for them. Against a backdrop of violence and battle the two fall in love. Elspet is convinced that their love has no future given Cailin's blue blood versus her more common blood. Clearly Cailin will have to educate her on that front.
I love how these knights templar turned noblemen struggle with accepting love. I can't wait to see where this series will take us next.

The Forbidden series has some common themes. The heroes are Templar Knights with no intentions of giving up their vows to find love and a wife. They are devoted to Scotland and it's king, Robert the Bruce. The heroines are strong, stubborn, independent women, who also have no intentions of marrying. Unlike the first three series books, the king did not have an active role as matchmaker in this book four. Sir Cailin MacHugh ( introduced in previous books) is the legitimate Earl of Dalkirk. When he was a youth his uncle murdered Cailin's parents and sought to kill him as well by selling him to a ship's captain who was to cause his death. Fortunately for Cailin that led to his becoming a member of the Templar Knights. Elspet McReynolds has witnessed the murders of her stepfather and mother and the capture of her stepfather by Cailin's uncle. When the two meet, Elspet is desperate to save her stepbrother. Although Fall in saved her, she repays him by stealing his sword to sell. The adventure starts them, bringing them close together in obtaining their goals. This is a wonderful read, full of danger, intrigue, and one setback after another keeping them from reaching what they want. I thought the previous book was my favorite, but this series just gets better and better. I was so happy to see an excerpt from the next book featuring Ronan O'Connor. Looking forward to reading it.

After her family is slain and her home seized, Elspet McReynolds flees into the forests surrounding Tiran Castle, where she resorts to thievery to survive and save her sole remaining kin. There she finds an unexpected protector and ally in Sir Cailin MacHugh, rightful heir to the earldom of Dalkirk—a noble rumored to have perished at sea . . .
This story was ok. I had a problem really getting in to it from the beginning. It just wasn’t for me.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

Thank you netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I thought this was a decent highland romance. Both characters are strong and I admire the heroines' determination to save her stepfather but other than the mildly interesting plot this novel could not hold my attention. The story lagged and the romance lacked passion.

Scottish historical romance, with nice historical detail, and a standard plot about reclaiming a stolen inheritance with some unusual touches. Elspet’s mother and father have been killed by the unlawful Earl of Dalkirk, and he has imprisoned her stepbrother and tried to ravish her. She is desperate to rescue him, and is caught stealing money from a couple of travellers, who try to assault her. Cailin is back in Scotland, his parents have been killed by his uncle, and he was abducted and thought dead years ago, sold to pirates, he was eventually rescued and became a Templar Knight. After King Phillip of France’s betrayal of the Templar’s, he is keeping his allegiance secret, and coming back to Scotland to claim his birthright, get rid of his uncle and support Robert the Bruce to become king of Scotland.

He rescues Elspet from her assailants, and tries to take her to safety, she however is desperate to rescue her brother and steals his sword to sell to get the money to rescue him, she hears the buyer of the sword planning to send word to Cailin’s uncle that he is back, and she realises she must warn him.

She rushes back and Cailin is forced to work together with a woman who he distrusts but is attracted to. He knows he has to swear fealty to the Bruce, and he will need to return in service to him, and he has no time for a wife, however, as they work together they grow closer and ever more attracted to each other. Can they work together to achieve their aims and can Cailin embrace a future with Elspet or not?

Enjoyable, would like to have more about the Romani characters, I liked that part of the plot, the history was well done and interesting and some of the secondary characters were interesting and I would like to know more about them.

I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

Also posted on goodreads

When I downloaded this book I didn't realize it was a series, but I still found it enjoyable. Sir Cailin and Elspet had a good if somewhat unrealistic romance. There was a good balance of danger and romance in the novel and I did enjoy it.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for the eARC!

Elspet and Cailin, the main couple, join forces then eventually their hearts and lives as they fight to bring down a mutually hated villain who has taken everything from them. Elspet’s feistiness and determination certainly came in handy at times though on a few occasions caused her to leap before she looked. Cailin seems to always be the calm in the storm/noble voice of reason but has some knucklehead moments of his own, especially in regards to his duty and his attraction towards Elspet.

Fans who like references to Scottish history will appreciate the attention to detail in that area. If you are not one of them, no worries. It is not overly bogged down with it, folks. Just a couple detailed conversations among characters who are wrapped up in the ongoing fighting and politics of the time.

Overall, I enjoyed this addition to the series. The writing flows and stays on the formal side, with not a lot of brogue intermixed. Ronan gets his HEA next in Forbidden Realm. There is a couple teaser chapters at the very end here to give you a brief introduction to his soon to be leading lady love.

Title: Forbidden Alliance, Series: The Forbidden (Book 4), Author: Diana Cosby, Pages: 215, stand-alone but part of a series, good guy hero, feisty/sassy heroine, a few steamy scenes near the end, romance safe, fighting against the same bad guy, reference to previous rape attempt.

Book 1 - Forbidden Legacy
Book 2 - Forbidden Knight
Book 3 - Forbidden Vow
Book 4 - Forbidden Alliance
Book 5 - Forbidden Realm (not yet released)

(I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not given any payment or compensation for this review, nor is there any affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author/publisher/NetGalley.)

Tension and distrust dog our leading characters!

Having a soft spot in my heart for the mythical and romanticized view of all things Knight Templar, I was excited by the premise. "The wrongful accusations and slaughter of warriors who’d vowed to protect the innocent, men who’d given their lives to serve the Brotherhood’s cause ... sacrificed without hesitation by the duplicitous French monarch' King Philip." The Templars have been secretly disbanded, and the brotherhood lives on to support new causes.
Out of this understanding rises the Forbidden series stories.
I the was captivated! I adored the Knights Templar connection.
It's 1308 in the snow covered Scottish Highlands. Elspet McReynolds, of Tiran Castle, in naught but the clothes she stood in is fleeing the treachery of the Earl of Dalkirk as he murdered her stepfather and mother and dragged away her stepbrother Blar, is confronted by two ragged brigands degenerate laden intent on her! Not good!
A woman's scream in the depths of the quiet forest galvanizes Sir Cailin MacHugh into action. A fabulous beginning!
My Knight Templar, Cailin, is definitely meeting my romantic expectations, the rescuing of a damsel in distress!
Unfortunately that damsel has her own agenda that runs counter to Cailin's and the two will find themselves going toe to toe at almost every turn.
Here's Cailin, whose the real heir to Dalkirk, the current Earl being his treacherous uncle, attempting reclaim his inheritance, following Robert the Bruce's instructions without attracting attention to himself, and he rescues the woman who will turn all that upside down. Why? Because she's absolutely focused on her own path without thought for how she impacts others.
I grew exasperated with Elspet and her inability on important occasions to just think before she acted. I wanted to adore Cailin but in the end his interactions with Elspet were just too wooden. Sure there was some chemistry happening between the two, but I just wasn’t convinced.
So three stars for the first parts of the story. I'm truly sad that for me, the story didn't have the Aha! resolutions it's beginning promised.

A NetGalley ARC

Forbidden Alliance by Diana Cosby is book 4 in the Forbidden Series. This is the story of Elspet McReynolds and Cailin MacHugh. I have read the previous books but feel you can make this a standalone book if you wish to do so.
Elspet mother and step-father where killed when they were accused of things they didn't do, her step-brother placed in the dungeon all because of the Earl of Dalkirk. Now she is on the run but still working to save her step-brother. When she meets Cailin who helped her but she due to her issues steals from him but then moves forward to try and work with him. Cailin parents where killed by accident he first thought and his Uncle sent him off to help with his education but he soon learned that his Uncle had hired someone to kill him too. But they sold him to pirates where he stayed until the Knights Templar came and helped him. Cailin now is loyal to them and has stood by them until they were attacked. Cailin was instructed to return to claim back his rightful seat as the Earl of Dalkirk which leads him to meet Elspect when he is trying to learn about what is going on there to take it back.
But these two start having more feelings than they can ignore.
Exciting story for me.

This immediately reminded me of the tv show Outlander. The Scottish highlander with red hair, seeking his birthright. The strong, independent woman on her own. Ok, minus the time travel. But still, I knew who my imagination was conjuring up for the hero!
This was definitely a must read. It has everything you’re looking for: hero, heroine, evil uncle, heartbreak, betrayal, even a happy ending!
I’m excited for more from this series!!! 5 stars!

Scotland 1308 Knight Templar, Sir Callen was determined to oust her vile uncle posing as the Laird of Dalkirk, and take back his home. His uncle had killed his father and mother and tried to have him killed. But fortunately he had survived and joined the Templars who really had saved him. Now he wants what is rightfully his and justice done.
Elspet McReynolds had watched her stepmother and father murdered by the hands of their Laird, the Earl of Dalkirk. Burning her house and taking her stepbrother, he almost ravished her but she was lucky to escape. Desperate to get her brother out of his clutches, she ends up robbing a man who helped her of his broadsword and tried to sell it for coin.
Wow, this was a great story tht held me from the beginning. Murder, betrayals, angst and a journey to a happy ever had a few twists and turns.
I highly recommend this exciting tale and cannot wait for more in this series! I read this through NetGallery and the publisher!!

This is a story of two evenly matched people, both fighting for what they believe is right when destiny decides their paths to cross.

Elspet seeks to free her brother from the Earl of Dalkirk. The earl is a wicked man and will not stop to get all he wants, yes, even his earldom. Elspet lost her mother and father by his hands. Desperate and naïve she trusts a guard of Tiran Castle to help her free her brother. Her problem? She hasn’t coin to pay him. She turns thief.
Elspet doesn’t have luck stealing. Her first forage ends very close to rape. Her second she pulls off, but has a change of heart. That change of heart changes her life.

Sir Cailin, still very much a Templar Knight, even after the knighthood was dissovled, seeks his birthright, to regain his claim as the Earl of Dalkirk. His uncle has taken the title after killing Cailin’s mother and father and got rid of Cailin.

He meets a fiery lassie with an agenda of her own. His Templar instincts kick in -- to protect her when he finds her fending off some men. Elspet doesn’t need to be protected as much as he thinks. She's quite the warrior. Keeping her out of his bed, however, becomes increasingly difficult as they work together, she to achieve her goal to save her brother and he to regain Tiernan castle.

Author Diana Cosby wields her pen as deftly as Sir Cailin does his sword. She interlaces a historical setting of danger with tender, blossoming love. Her characters and their challenges drive the power of the telling.
Scenes of love making don’t get in the way of the story, rather they contribute to the understanding that flows between Sir Cailin and Elspet. Cosby’s choice of words describing the feelings between the two was poetic.
I loved the read with its fast-paced and meaningful dialogue, its boldly descriptive scenes, and its characters, each with difficult and very believable inner conflicts, pulling at my heart strings.

I liked the characters by the end of the book. In the beginning... Not so much. Cailin is great but a little too forgiving. Elspeth was hard headed if not determined.

Even though it starts out on the _eh_ side it does pick up. It was Cailin's side of the story that kept me reading, not Elspeth.

I received a copy for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Take a Scottish knight, a stubborn and willful lass, an evil uncle, heartbreak, battles, twists and turns, betrayals and loyalty and add a whole lot of steamy passion and you've got a story that grabs your attention from start to finish!

I must say I thoroughly enjoyed Cailin and Elspet's story! So much action throughout and a few surprises thrown in for good measure. I thought it was well written and I now look forward to reading more books by this author.

I was given an ARC of this book via NetGallely and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

A Templar Knight returns to Scotland to take back his home from his evil uncle,
He carries his father's broadsword to backup his identity. When a young lady drugs him and steals it, what else can he do, but get it back.
This book has a horrible, vile villain, a young lady needing a Knight, whether she wants him or not and a Templar Knight seeking justice and revenge. Mix in romance and the politics surrounding King Robert and you can spend the day and/or night reading as if you're in Scotland. A free copy from Netgalley for an honest review.

Determined to reclaim his birthright from his conniving, murderous uncle, Sir Cailin MacHugh has returned to his ancestral home to fight for the Earldom of Dalkirk. After his uncle ordered his death at sea, Cailin was saved by, and subsequently joined, the Knights Templar. Now with their support and that of King Robert the Bruce, Cailin can defeat his uncle once and for all. What he doesn't count on is the beautiful girl who has also demanded his help.

Elspet McReynolds has seen her parents murdered, her home burned, and her stepbrother imprisoned. When she tries to rob the wrong man in an attempt to gain coin to save her stepbrother, she finds an unconventional protector.

But as Elspet and Cailin are betrayed at every turn, it seems likely they won't even survive, much less be together. Even if they were to succeed, Cailin must still return to fight for Robert the Bruce, leaving them in a dismal situation indeed.

I didn't care for Elspet much at first, but she grew on me eventually. I loved Cailin and his struggles with his sense of honor and the unfamiliar feelings he develops for Elspet. This one was full of danger and betrayal, plus some great romance, and I enjoyed it.

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

Elspet McReynolds’ life has drastically changed since Gaufrid MacHugh, the Earl of Dalkirk executed her mother and stepfather, seized her stepbrother, Blar, tried to rape her and torched her home. Desperate to save Blar, Elspet turns to friends for her, but is betrayed. When a guard at the castle offers to help her for coin, she turns to theft, but instead of getting what she needs, she ends up needing to be rescued.

Sir Cailin MacHugh is ready to claim his inheritance – a legacy that was stolen from him by his uncle, the man who claims Cailin is dead and has assumed the title of Earl of Dalkirk. He has King Robert’s blessing to reclaim his title and his home, Tiran Castle. But on the way to meet with one of the king’s trusted men, Sir Angus McReynold, he is sidetracked by a woman’s scream and finds Elspet being attacked. He saves her and insists on tending her injury and getting her shelter for the night. Elspet uses his kindness against him, drugging him and stealing his sword.

She finds a merchant known for buying stolen goods and haggles with him, but she overhears him telling his assistant that the sword is proof that Cailin is the rightful Earl of Dalkirk and that the merchant intends to turn him over to Gaufrid – she thinks that he may be able to help her save Blar – she takes the sword and goes looking for him.

The tale that follows is filled with action, betrayal, twists, turns, kisses, evil villains, surprise revelations, life and death moments and of course a HEA. I thought the story was alright, it did drag in places, there were a lot of inconsistencies and I personally found the end to be somewhat anticlimactic and I struggle with these heroes who have been with the Templars since they were children and taken vows as Templars - yet are so sexually experienced – but that is just me  This is the fourth book in the series, but it can definitely be read as a standalone with no issues.

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

3.75 stars

Cailin McHugh, the rightful heir to the Earldom of Dalkirk, has returned from the dead... His treacherous uncle sent him off as a child under the guise of providing him with an education following his parents' death in a "hunting accident;" though Cailin soon learned that was a ruse to have him killed so that his uncle would be uncontested. But instead of murdering him, the cutthroat hired to carry out the task sold Cailin to pirates. A few years later, the pirates lost a battle to a group of men that Cailin quickly enlisted with: the Knights Templar. While serving with the Brotherhood, Cailin honed his fighting skills and embraced their religious beliefs; however, King Richard of France (whom the Knights Templar had assisted many times) betrayed them which lead to the death of many of his comrades and branded the remaining men outlaws. Cailin accompanied a group of his "brothers" to Scotland where he pledged his fealty to Robert the Bruce. Encouraged by the king of Scotland to return and claim his rightful place, Cailin has arrived in secret on his home land with a plan to usurp his uncle and return peace to his region. What he doesn't anticipate is encountering a woman who would dare rob him after he saves her life.

Elspet McReynolds is desperate. Only the day before, she saw her home stormed and burned to the ground, her beloved stepfather and mother accused of crimes she knows they did not commit and executed, and her stepbrother thrown into the Earl of Dalkirk's dungeons. She barely escaped herself from certain rape and imprisonment. But now she is intent on saving her stepbrother - her only choice is to bribe a guard to release him, but she has nothing. Though she despises what she must do, she urgently needs to obtain the funds however she can, including robbing the man who came across her being assaulted and saved her. When she learns his true identity after trying to hock the distinctive sword that could only belong to the son of the former earl, she changes her mind as she believes he may be able to save her stepbrother and returns his prized possession to him.

Cailin is unsure what to do with this woman who intrigues and angers him in equal measure, but he knows he cannot be distracted from his mission. He has no time or plans for a woman in his life as he knows once he regains Dalkirk, he must return in service to the Bruce and cannot promise anyone a future under those conditions. But the more they are forced together, the greater the attraction and affection grows. Will Cailin sacrifice his dreams of revenge for Elspet? Can Elspet be with the man she loves even if he must leave her for the uncertain future of a warrior?

What I liked:
--- The story was very engaging and kept me interested throughout to see what would happen next
--- Elspet was a strong heroine with strict convictions which made her very likeable; Cailin was a swoon-worthy hero who appreciated Elspet for who she was and while he tried to be her protector, he respected the skills and intelligence she brought to the table

What I didn't like as much:
--- There were some unanswered questions for me, especially as it relates to a couple of the characters in the story <spoiler>The whole stepbrother situation felt very underdeveloped... Was Elspet's stepbrother in cahoots with Cailin's uncle before their home was raided and parents murdered? It was speculated on but never answered. His motive was never revealed as to why he joined up with the earl so that made it difficult to understand. And why did Elspet have such a devotion to him and not realize he was a douchebag? His character seemed to lack any form of depth, so it didn't seem that he would be a good enough actor to pull off caring about people he betrayed. It just kind of hung out there. I also felt the Romini group's leader Toag was not explored much either for the type of role he ended up playing in the book.</spoiler>
--- While there was some steam, it was very high-level, and I tend to prefer more heat in my romance novels

Overall, an interesting story that kept me hooked, though I could have used a little more ancillary character development and heat.

Plot --- 4/5
Main Characters --- 4/5
Supporting Cast --- 3/5
Steam Level* --- 2.5/5
Violence --- nothing graphic (descriptions of the parents' deaths and battle scenes were high-level)
Language --- none
POV --- 3rd

*Note that steam level is not a rating so much as a how hot was it: 0/5 - clean; 1/5 - mild; 2/5 - sensual but nothing descriptive; 3/5 - now we're getting somewhere; 4/5 - yes please! ; 5/5 - they did EVERYTHING in this one, y'all