I was happy to see Logan and Donella’s story. Donella is trying to find her self worth and Logan is trying to get over his wife’s death and comfort his son. I really enjoyed it! I received an ARC from NetGalley and Kensington Books for my honest review.

DNF at 15%. This book is just not working for me at the moment so I'm going to drop it. The cast of characters is overwhelming (haven't read other books in the series) and the banter between the MCs is underwhelming me.

Just call her Maria.

Who wants to marry their cousin?

Ah, sexual tension disguised as loathing.

The Great Silence sounds nice in theory.

So much intrigue.

Who the heck is Mungo?

Jeez, good thing she was awake!

I guess chamber pots were useful, but ew.

Oh, his wife was Native?

All that fuss for nothing. There is no way he is going to get turned on by that foot.

From being a nun to sharing a bed with a man, all in less than a week.

You stink, Papa.

Ouch. I can see why that would be a kick in the pants for Nick.

He's six, Angus.

So, basically, Mungo was butt-hurt, and that caused a feud? Men.

I can't imagine not celebrating Christmas.

Pouring it on a bit thick, Eden.

We have Duck, Duck, Goose and Tag. Same thing.

Take that, witch.

Er, what's so bad about the widow?

Alec and Edie are a fun couple.

She doesn't play. I love it.

This is the best dinner party ever.

Like she put his thing in her. Oh, boy, what a daddy's boy.

What a brave boy.

Plot twist.

Oy, Roddy gives me a headache.

A very nice ending.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Highland Christmas Bride. Poor Donella, thrown out of the convent and trying to keep all her secrets under wraps. Logan isn’t having a good time either. He thinks he’s just escorting Donella home from the convent but ends up helping her escape a kidnapping. He has his own troubles, a son who seems afraid of him and a few scandals and secrets of his own to hide. They are meant for each other... if all these hurdles can be overcome. This is a sweet Christmas tale, well written, sympathetic characters, a little bit sexy but not too explicit.

I would recommend this book for my patrons

This is my first read by Vanessa. The writing was good. While this was a good start, its a bit long for me in which things slowed down too much for me a few times in the story. I also found how many characters there were to be a bit overwhelming. I have the first book in Clan Kendrick "The Highlander Who Protected Me" but I haven't read it prior to reading this one. Although even though this is a standalone, I'm sure some the characters popped up from the first book, I might have understood better who was who. I'm still willing to check out more of Vanessa's work.

I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Donella Haddon has been kicked out of the convent. Is it any wonder since she's rebellious and can't stay quiet. Now she has to go home in disgrace. As favor to her clan, Logan Kendrick offered to pick her up at the convent and take her home.
Once on the road their carriage is stopped, not to rob, but to kidnap Donella. Why? What's Donella not saying? Constant banter between Donella and Logan, family interference, clan disagreements and Donella wanting to find another order to take her as a nun keep the ball rolling. A rousing Scottish romance with lots of shouting!!!

3 stars!
This is the second book in the Clan Kendrick series.
I liked both Logan and Donella, but the story was just an okay read for me. It didn't wow me. Unfortunately, I found myself skimming some parts at the beginning even though the book starts of in its first chapters with an adventure for our two MCs. They suffer through some failed kidnapping attempts, yet it still felt underwhelming. There was a lot of bantering and clashing of wills between them that at some point I was bored with their behavior. She insisted that she did not need any help or that she could take care of herself when in reality she was putting both of them at risk.
Half way through the book there's a misunderstanding between them, which I thought would add more drama to their relationship, it was resolved too soon.
The amount of characters, which I understand are from other books, were a little overwhelming. At moments I had a hard time keeping track of who was married to who and how where they related to Logan or Donella.
I will continue with the series, because I loved the first book of this series.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC given through NetGalley for an honest review.

This title moved along rather slowly for me, but I did like both Donella and Logan. I do wish I had read the previous title as sometimes I felt a little lost.

Another excellent book in the series. Donella and Logan were perfect! I loved Joseph who is so sweet. I loved that this was a bit of an adventure at first but then It slowed down and was just two people getting to know each other and falling in love! Perfect! Can’t wait for the next one!

I look forward to Christmas book season every year so I was really excited to be able to read Vanessa Kelly's The Highland Christmas Bride as my first one this year. From the moment Logan and Donella meet the sparks are flying. Donella's fire and sass balances out Logan's apparent gruffness perfectly. The first scene in which you meet Donella had me thinking and singing (laughingly in my head) of that song in The Sound Of Music by nuns about the problem that was Maria. The nuns trying to figure out how to turn Maria into a nun was very reminiscent of the nuns and Donella's interaction. Even though there is no singing it was a great , and fun, way to introduce the character.
I did have the feeling that this book belongs in a series. The characters, aside from Logan and Donella, all seem to know each other and, from hints given, have amazing stories of their own. Those hints make me want to search out their stories on Ms. Kelly's back list (which I will be doing as soon as I finish this review!). That being said it was fine as a stand alone book.
The Highlander's Christmas Bride is well written, witty and with a page turning action that will keep you entertained this Christmas season and far beyond. The characters are well fleshed out, interesting and very like able.
If you like hot Highlander's and ladies who are fearless, cute little kids and interfering families that 'just want to help' then I suggest you read The Highlander's Christmas Bride. You won't be disappointed.

God I Love myself a highlander historical romance and I love christmas books so this was just beautiful to me.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher for an honest review. I adored this book; it captured my interest from the beginning and kept it throughout. Donella has spent the previous 3 years in a convent and is about to take her final vows when she is called before the convent's Mother Superior; Donella is shocked when she is informed that not only will she not be allowed to take her vow, but also is being sent home. Donella's great-uncle's business partner, Logan agrees to escort her home hoping to deepen his business relationship. The pair are shocked when their carriage is attacked and they are forced to take an alternate route that leaves them spending time alone.

During their short time alone, Logan finds himself surprised by Donella's strength and resilience in the face of adversity. After making it back to civilization, Donella becomes a guest of Logan's family and stays at their house until her cousin and his wife travel to their house; Logan's son arrives unexpectedly and Logan finds himself struggling to reconnect with the boy he hasn't seen in months. Will Logan find out why for Donella's attempted kidnapping? This book isn't a perfect book, but I just adored the relationship between Logan and Donella and the all the interactions with Logan's family. The extended family are so entertaining and Logan's son is just a sweetheart. I look forward to the next book in the series featuring one of Logan's brothers.

I was given an ARC of this book from Netgalley. Vanessa Kelly has created yet another beautiful Kendrick love story. The wit, the humor, the banter is spectacular. The blossoming romance between Donella and Logan is exquisite. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this next installment in the series and can't wait to read the future stories.

This is book 2 in the Clan Kendrick series. I was so excited to see Logan's story. I couldn't wait to get started reading it.
It started off great with the heroine, Donella, in a convent, being told she could not stay to take her vows because she wasn't meant to be there (ala the Sound of Music).
Who's to escort her home? Logan if course. The attraction is instantaneous. The adventure starts right at the beginning with someone attempting to kidnap Donella on her way home. You realize there must be some mystery here, possibly explaining why Donella is in the convent.
Logan, caught off guard, handles the situation, but decides to split up in order to protect Donella.
This begins the romance of the two with adventures and twists thruout.
My only criticism is I thought the book bogged down in the middle. It left the story of the H and h and went into a history of the Kendricks. Having read the previous 2 books I was already familiar with most of it. I felt you lost a little of the connection between the H and h there.
What I loved was the connection as well between Donella and Joseph (Logan's son). It was so sweet.
All in all the book was good and I enjoyed reading it and would recommend it.
Thanks to Netgalley for the chance to review this book.

Logan Kendrick has suffered heartache and loss with the death of his beloved wife and he's not looking to marry again. When he volunteers to escort Donella Haddon, a young woman who was kicked out of the convent, back home to her great uncle, the Earl of Riddick, he never suspects to get caught up in a clan war involving an incident that happened years ago. Donella fears that she'll never fit into the world. Everything she touches turns to ash including her attempt to become a nun. When Logan Kendrick shows up to escort her home, she wants to ignore him, but it's not all that easy to resist the sexy Highlander.

This was such a good story. Ms Kelly is a master storyteller who slowly teases out the backstory for both Logan and Donella. Just when you think you've figures out the story, there's another twist. Both Logan and Donella make mistakes, but they keep coming back to each other. Fans of Scottish romances will definitely enjoy this one.

This book was geeat!
Romantic full of chemistry between the leads.
Good storyline.
Good ending.
Feel me good book with a twist!
Loved it.

I really really enjoyed this book. I haven't read any of the other connected books - but I can say, reading it as a standalone worked too! I'm guessing I would have loved it more if I had read the other books. Logan and Donella were extremely sweet together. I will say, Donella did drive me a bit nuts with her seemingly hot/cold behavior - but I truly think she was very mixed up between how she felt and how she thought she should feel.

There were a couple of things that kept this from being a four star read for me:

- I think I needed to read the other connected books to have a deeper understanding of Donella and Logan's character and personality. They both had a very vivid backstory that is fully explained, but I think isn't given a lot of depth because it is covered in other books. That being said - reading this as a standalone it didn't give me as much depth as I would have liked. I understood what was happening just fine - but I like the depth
- I don't doubt their love for each other - but it definitely wasn't mad, passionate love. It was a more warm love - and maybe that makes sense given their background. I felt a little unsure of Logan's feelings right along with Donella!
- <spoiler> I felt cheated out of a marriage scene when they reveal that they've been married for some time at the end. I was confused when all of a sudden Logan is climbing in the window and they were having sex - because it seemed out of character. That they were married earlier in the day kind of explains things - but I felt a bit cheated by it.

The story was engaging and full of big characters and interesting people. I really enjoyed it as a lighthearted story.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review! I liked the book a lot and plan to read more in the series and author's world!

Can two persons who are running away from their troubled past find a second chance together.

It is my first read by Mrs Vanessa Kelly, and even if it is second in a series, it can be read as a standalone. After for what I understand, the side characters are part of a grander story, going further than the first installment of this series.

It was such an entertaining and delightful read, with aplenty of witty banters, meddling characters, non-stop actions and a slow-burn romance.
After three years in a couvent, Donella finds herself thrown out just one month before taking her vows. This is one too many more failure for her. Between her failed betrothal, this new shortcoming and her past behavior, she is now unable to decide what she will do. Nothing appeals her really.
Still she is no meek lady nor damsel-in-distress. She gives as much as she takes. Although she voices loudly her discontent, she is not one to act stupidly. She knows when she is overtaken.
I loved her feisty personality, she is no charming miss, she fires quips and snarks as a bow darts. But she is a caring woman, who immediately take under her wing a lost little boy.
Logan Kendrick reshaped himself in a different man when the tragedy of his past forced him to leave everything behind. He loved and lost. Now he is a wealthy man, back to Scotland to conduct his business.
If not for the would-have-been a nun he must convey back to her family’s home.
This almost-nun awakens desires he buried long ago, but the more they banter the more he can’t shake her out of his mind. Worse, his own son is soon taken under her spell.
I loved Logan, he is a good man but he can’t stop from making a muddle of things, trying to do the right thing but almost every time it backfires to his face.
It is their inability to handle their relationship rightly that makes them so lovable, each of their meetings is a challenge, when it goes well, something comes in to derail everything or their temper flares, and sparks fly.
It was not a rushed romance, they get time to know each other, to question their own purposes.

Mrs Kelly gave to her characters so much sparks it brought them to life. They act and react, not always the right way but they do not bend. Donella’s secret was easy to figure out, I do think it was a lot of fuss but I do understand too, because of the time period, it caused Donella many worries. Logan’s answering to its revelation was the perfect one of a man caring about her.

5 stars for this clever and enjoyable tale with two strongly stubborn and ill-adapted for society’s life characters.
I was granted an advance copy through Netgalley by the publisher Kensington, I also prior to it preordered my own copy. Here is my true and unbiased opinion.