There are few authors that can bring Scottish history to life like Amy Jarecki. Amy's series is set at the end of England's Queen Anne's reign and the turmoil of succession after her death. The Scots want the Stuart line to continue with Anne's brother James, in exile in France. The English refuse to let a Catholic on the throne and skip over to the Hanover cousins, and pick George. Word of Anne's death and succession comes near the end of a wedding celebration at Achnacarry Castle where many of the clan heads are assembled. They disburse all over Scotland to gather support for James.

Laird Ciar (Key-ar) MacDougall is on his way home when he stumbles upon two English soldiers who have robbed and murdered a Scot. He interviens and gets blindsided by a third soldier he hadn't noticed. He wakes in prison at the English Fort William falsely accused of the crime. News makes its way to Achnacarry Castle with all the men gone. Emma is beside herself as Ciar is imprisoned with no one to rescue him. Her sister-in-law Janet is content to send messages and let the men handle things but Emma can't stand by and let him rot in prison. Cair was the only one who ever showed her kindness and spent time with her. He didn't treat her as blind and for that she's grateful. With the help of a stable youth Sam, her dog Albert they've trained to help guide her ,and her ability to pick locks she frees him. And their adventure begins hiding from the English and proving Ciar's innocence. This journey was delightful, full of twists & challenges to overcome and overbearing protective big brothers. Writing a blind heroine was a challenge few authors could make believable but Amy Jarecki was up for the task.

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

Emma has had feelings for Ciar for years, but she believes he has only ever seen her as his best friend's little sister. When Emma gets word that Ciar is in prison for supposedly killing someone, she takes it upon herself to go rescue him. She wants to prove to all that just because she is blind, doesn't mean that she needs to be coddled.

Ciar is shocked to see Emma outside his prison cell, but is not going to turn down the gift of freedom. It is known the Emma helped him to escape, so them both end up on the run and hiding from their enemies. This means that Ciar and Emma spend quite a bit of time together.

Can they prove Ciar's innocence so the the love that is growing between them will turn into the HEA?

I really enjoyed Emma and Ciar's story. I loved that Ciar treated Emma differently than all the others. Her brother tended to coddle her and think that she couldn't be as independent as she could be, where as Ciar gave her the freedom to show how dependent she could be on herself. This was a great addition to the Lords of the Highlands series!

I absolutely loved this story! Such a beautiful love story. I enjoyed this one so much!
Emma and Ciar have so much to overcome.
Emma, blind from birth has always felt something special for Ciar. But when their paths cross and an accidental blunder puts her in his path, the kiss they share unexpectedly sends her heart on an emotional high.

Ciar has always thought Emma special. But the feelings he feels for her now are overwhelming. And he never meant to put her in any danger.
Now on the run he sees just how strong and extraordinary she is. From her secret skills to her beauty, nothing surprises him more than her grace thru it all.
They face so many dangers and trials but their steadfastness for each other shows that love can overcome any obstacle.

A highland wedding brings all the clans together, including the Grants and the MacDouglas that have been ally’s for way back. Laird Ciar MacDougal has always admired the quiet strength within Emma Grant, the sister to the Grant Laird. Born without sight she is commendable in her kind and beautiful spirit and has always brought joy to Ciar during their interactions…

Now a young lady, Emma hope for more than friendship with the one man who has always treated her with respect made her feel like a woman, not a child to be coddled. After a night-time interlude, she intends to ensure that he sees har as a potential mate…

A twist of fate takes Ciar away and finds himself wrongfully imprisoned and his life on the line… all the clansmen have been sent far and wide and Emma believes she is the only one who can now rescue her love… but how can a blind woman who has barely left her keep stage prison break?!?!

Wow! Where there is a will there is a way and nothing will stop the amazing Emma. It was such a delight reading about this heroine and hero pairing. They were an excellent match and their combined skills and compassion for their people made for a very compelling read.

An exciting story along with compelling and endearing characters makes this a must read for any fans of highlanders! Though this is book 8 in a series, (I have not read the previous books), it was easy to keep up with and I did not feel like I had stepped into the middle of a story. This can easily be read as a standalone.

The Highland Laird by Amy Jarecki is scheduled to release October 13th, 2020.

Thanks so much to Forever Romance and Grand Central Publishing for gifting me with my review copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.


#TheHighlandLaird #AmyJarecki #pinkcowlandreads

Marvelous romance with an unusual twist!

I absolutely loved Ciar and Emma in this story! He's a gruff but tender-hearted brute of a man, inconveniently attracted to the young, blind sister of his staunch ally. Set during the turbulence of the 1714 Jacobite rising, Ciar finds himself falsely accused of murder and Emma is the only one in a position to help him.

Emma is a delightful heroine, a woman who rises above her sheltered upbringing, demonstrating enormous bravery and poise despite the odds that are stacked so high against her. Ciar is truly a man of honor, and he treats Emma with all the gentleness and respect that any woman could want.

The complex plot strikes a perfect balance between the romance and the action/adventure, flowing so easy that it was impossible to put down. I was swept away by the vibrant storytelling and evocative details. Their HEA was absolutely splendid, a perfect dream come true ending. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

The Highland Laird
Book 8 in the "Lords of the Highlands" series--can be read as a stand alone
Rating: 4 stars
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC given through NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.

The Highland Laird was a very good read. I thought it was a very sweet romance between Laird Cair and Emma Grant, who was born blind. Emma's blindness caused for her brother to be a little overprotective of her but she's shown him that she can handle herself well. Cair and Emma have known each other since they were young. Cair is one of Emma's brother closest allies. She has always had special feelings for him and he has always treated her. He always saw beyond her blindness. I loved how he treated her and that her facial expressions tended to give her a way.
They found their own adventure together. Emma and Cair find it a wonderful experience in which some obstacles had be overcome in order to have their HEA.

Received in exchange for a honest review.

I love this book the most in this series. Why? i love how Ciar treats Emma like an equal and sees her beyond her blindness and as a person. I love how Emma shows everyone how she is more than just blind and how she does everything she can to help Ciar when he is blamed for something he didn’t do. I love how Ciar is placed in a tough situation and chooses the right way no matter how difficult that decision is.

The story is one that shows us how woman are strong and capable even when others think we are not. And in particular those that can’t see. Ciar sees beyond this with emma and that has you respect him more. Ciar is a good Laird-fierce, honest, loyal and fair. His affection for Emma bleeds through the pages and when she goes and helps rescue him that affection is not just felt but goes tenfold. He has a respect and admiration for Emma that grows as well in that time. Emma is sweet, determined and loyal as well.

Their time hiding had us get to know these two and see how strong and capable Emma was. How kind and sweet Ciar is and how much these two cared for one another. There was mutual admiration and respect from the two of them and also a great friendship for they didn’t hold these back from one another. As Ciar tried to find a way to prove his innocence and Emma believed in him they grew closer. Then the unthinkable happens and Ciar is left having to make decisions he shouldn’t. Your heart goes out to him as he battles so much and himself especially. This is a story of love and respect. Of belief in one another and in themselves. It has you rooting for these two the whole time and wanting to have a happy beautiful ending for them as they battle outside forces to prove Ciar is innocent, show those around them the evil of others and fall in love. A wonderful tale that keeps you in the moment from beginning to end.

📚⚔️📚⚔️BOOK🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿REVIEW⚔️📚⚔️📚

Book: The Highland Laird
by Amy Jarecki

Series: Lords of the Highlands, Book #8

Publisher: Forever (Grant Central Publishing)

Release Date: October 13, 2020


Reviewed by: Barb Massabrook (of)
1)Tartan Book Reviews
2)Purple Tulip Book Reviews
3)Celtic World of Historical Book Reviews
4)Celtic Barb’s Kilted Book Review Blog

Heat Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Book Rating: 5/5 Stars/Kilts

The Scottish Highlands
29 July 1714


“I didn’t want to kiss you goodbye, that was the trouble.” I wanted to kiss you goodnight. And there’s a lot of difference.” - Ernest Hemingway


The Scottish Highlands
29 July 1714

Emma Grant is the blind sister of Laird Robert Grant who is married to Janet Cameron. Laird Robert and her clan has always been very overprotective of Emma who has led a very cloistered life because of her blindness. Yet Robert worries and loves his sister very much. She is able to sew, dress herself, count all the steps, plus memorize where all the furniture is in her home at Moristown Hall. Her brother teaches her other hobbies, to challenge her and to pick locks, due to her impeccable hearing and brilliant mind. Yet he also worries about her safety, as some of these superstitious, fanatical, bigots fear blind people are witches and worship the devil. These fanatics also lie blaming these innocent, sightless beings for bad crops, animal deaths, a wife losing a bairn in childbirth, or any bad occurrence in their life! Some of the innocents have been committed to insane asylums, beaten, and even executed for their sightless handicap by burning them at the stake! In addition Emma is an extremely talented musician, a harpist, her family keeps this hidden too. As she can only reveal her talent in small recitals to people who know her. Fearing people who might harm her due to their cruel bigotry and hatred, her clan will do anything to keep her safe!

Emma is away from home for the first time in her cloistered life. She is attending the wedding of her sister-in-law’s younger brother, (THE HIGHLAND ROGUE, #7), Sir Kennan Cameron to his bride Divana.This is terrifying as everything is unfamiliar and Emily has to totally depend on others for absolutely everything! As Emma’s independent nature hates this, plus feeling like a burden to others. Here she so unfamiliar with the surroundings which makes her panic as she gets lost from her brother and his wife. Yet she is rescued by the one braw, swoon worthy, Scot who makes her heart go pitter-patter and makes her pulse race! It is non other than Laird Ciar MacDougall, Chieftain of Dunollie.

The one person who doesn’t make her feel inadequate, he is also her brothers best friend. The only man who actually sees Emma for the person she truly is. Not just as the blind girl. He always makes her feel special and desirable-her secret knight in shining armour and is always there when she needs him most. He makes her feel special like a fierce cable woman. He is very protective of Emma, but never allows her to put herself down or think she is not good enough due to her blindness.She doesn’t realize Ciar cares and desires her as a woman too. Seeing she is all grown up and the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. He tries to fight it, as he knows her brother Robert would kill him, but innocently the share a couple passionate kisses by accident at this wedding party. Emma is thrilled by this unexpected turn of events and Ciar is confused thinking he better fight it.

On top of this the country is in turmoil! The Queen has died and now a foreign useless King who is not even from Britain is to be crowned as King. They know it will not make things better. So all Lairds decide to split up and find support hoping to prevent this foreign King from getting crowned. Yet on his way Ciar witnesses a murder by three redcoats where they frame him for the murder. He is going to be executed at Fort William as the crooked Governor Wilcox won’t even give Ciar a fair trial! When Emma hears this she knows it is not true but when she realized no one will help her as everyone is away trying to find support to oppose George of Hanover. She decides with the help of a sixteen year old stable boy, and her dog, she will rescue her beloved from Fort William. She is unsuspecting being a blind woman who can pick locks to rescue Ciar. He is absolutely shocked but her rescue! As it is the absolute last thing he expected, now they are both fugitives wanted by the law! Yet they have a place to hide out in until Ciar can figure out his next move. This is where they fall in love except Ciar has to make a difficult decision to protect the woman he loves or his country? Which will he choose and will Emma’s knight in shining armor break her tender heart? I am also hoping Emma gets her happily ever after too. Does she? To find out the conclusion for both Ciar and Emma get a copy of The Highland Laird today!


Last book of the series definitely going out with a bang with pipers playing playing “Flowers of the Forrest.” https://youtu.be/rfsasAlICo8

**Only posting piper music on my promo spots and my blog. This is a new touch that I will be doing only on Scottish historical series of over 5 books.

This book centers on the heroine, Emma Grant, who readers met in the fifth book in the Lords of the Highlands series in (THE HIGHLAND RENEGADE). Even though this is the last book in the “Lords of the Highlands” series. If you are a fan and have read each book then you are in for a big treat! As this novel is like a family reunion, as you will see the other heroes and heroines from previous books in this book too. I have absolutely loved each and every book in this captivating series. Of course not to worry you can read “The Highland Laird” as a stand alone book too.

Amy Jarecki is an extremely talented storyteller that weaves true Scottish history into a beautiful, breathtaking, fictional, romance that readers will get swept away in. So if you are not a history nerd like me I won’t spoil and tell you who is crowned as their sovereign.

Ms. Jarecki fills the pages in this riveting, page turning, romantic adventure with all the elements that Scottish romance readers love. The multidimensional main and secondary characters both human and canine are brilliant. Though I think Albert was a bit of a stealer myself! Well I am a big dog lover so I love when dogs are in my stories. The setting was absolutely awe-inspiring, the dialogue was fantastic and the plotting was phenomenal. All in all I just loved this story so much!

I definitely recommend this exquisite book that I absolutely loved!


Buy Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Highland-Laird-Lords-Highlands/dp/153875097X

https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/amy-jarecki/the-highland-laird/9781538750971/

https://play.google.com/store/books/details?pcampaignid=books_read_action&id=Nl_ODwAAQBAJ

https://m.barnesandnoble.com/s/the+highland+laird

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-highland-laird

https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-highland-laird/id1497485443

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-highlander-s-unexpected-proposal

I wish this adventure would never end!

Really this book was great from start to finish. I loved everything about this couple as well. Emma is strong and fierce. Not everyone has the determination to rise above a "limitation". Emma has always thought of Ciar as her knight in shining armor. And he has always felt the need to protect her ever since they were young.
And when these two finally give in to their attraction, it was steamy!

Emma Grant has been sheltered her entire life because she is blind. When word comes that her brother's best friend is jailed, she doesn't hesitate to go to his rescue.

Laird Ciar MacDougall is on a mission when he witnesses a murder. Attacked from behind he awakens in an English prison accused of the murder.

Never did he think Emma would be the one to come to his rescue.

Thanks so much to Forever and NetGalley for this ARC

You can’t beat the setting of the beautiful Highlands of Scotland!

I really liked the character of Emma who is a different kind of heroine. Emma is courageous, beautiful, and blind. It was refreshing to read about a person with a disability in a romance novel. Our hero, Ciar was strong and sensitive and the perfect love interest for Emma.

The plot was interesting in that not only do we get the relationship between Emma and Ciar, there is also an element of intrigue related to Ciar’s arrest and escape. There are also interesting complications having to do with Emma learning to adapt to her new life as the wife of a Laird.

I appreciated the Author’s Notes at the end and learning some of the historical details. It is fun to think that this book is based on a real Scottish Laird.

I enjoyed the romance, setting, and characters of this book and recommend it to romance readers.

This is a book about a Scottish Laird called Ciar, of the MacDougall clan. He is a rough hewn man who is called by many a beast.
The heroine, Emma, is the daughter of a Laird and sister of Ciar's best friend. She is also blind.
They have known each other since Emma was 7. She fell in love with Ciar as only a child could when he saved her only possession from her mother, a locket.
He always had a soft spot in his heart for Emma. He admires how she deals with her disability. Of course she is also a great beauty.
These two are brought together as adults at a wedding feast and reconnect. It's a time of uncertainty and danger as Queen Anne has just died.
It's a wonderful story bringing with it a bit of Scottish history.
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I want to thank Netgalley for the chance to review this book.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

Another sweet Scottish romance. But what I loved about this story was that Emma is blind. I loved that she wasn’t a helpless lass that couldn’t do anything because she is blind. And I loved the scenes where she works at teaching a dog to help her even though I doubt seeing eye dogs was a thing back in the day.

Ciar is a sweet guy. Ok, maybe more of a diamond in the rough but still I thought he was sensitive and understanding and perfect for Emma.

I am glad we finally got their story since we have met them both before. But now they have their HEA and it was worth the wait.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

"The Highland Laird" by Amy Jarecki is a historical romance set in 1714 in the Scottish Highlands. The novel follows the story of Emma, a young woman who has been blind all her life and is keenly interested in a man named Ciar. When he is wrongfully accused of a murder and imprisoned, Emma fights against the odds and dares to try and rescue him. Will she be able to save the man who has captured her heart?

This book was the perfect fictional escape for me! It will bring readers back to the 1700's in the Scottish Highlands but it has a more female friendly approach. The author clearly creates a heroic main character in the form of Emma. She is kind, smart and extremely brave. Emma is able to navigate new surroundings and is constantly being challenged by obstacles. As a reader, I cheered for Emma and wanted all of her dreams to come true! Some of Emma's behavior did seem to align more with contemporary viewpoints, but I appreciated that and it made me identify with her character more.

I also really enjoyed the premise of the story. It definitely was not what I was expecting, but in the best way! I enjoyed seeing all of the things that Emma had to overcome. For some reason, disabilities do not often find their way into novels even though they impact so many people. I loved that this heroine was a strong woman who happened to also be blind. The plot was unique and left me eagerly turning pages.

I also loved that the love story truly started before the beginning of the book. I enjoyed that the characters had already met several times and had known each other growing up. I felt like this made Ciar's character more likeable and it made his intentions more clear and trustworthy. All in all, I enjoyed this one and would definitely recommend it to romance enthusiasts! Plus... who doesn't love a man in a kilt?

Blogger's Note: Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This may very well be my favorite Highlander romance yet.
This story features a woman named Emma. Blind from birth, she has navigated her life in a way that kept her protected and away from most people until about a year before the beginning of this novel. The only outside person she got to spend any time with was Ciar, the Laird of a neighboring clan that their clan is allied with.
Emma has had a long time crush on the rough man. Though she can't see him with her eyes, she sees him in other ways. In their touch, in his voice, and being in tune with things. So when Ciar is accused of murder, Emma stops at nothing to protect the man she loves.
Ciar MacDougall may be a Laird, but he has always had eyes for the bonny Emma. A goddess among women, he loved to escort her around, as she had a very unique look on the world. Emma falls in love with a dog, but her sister in law says it isn't feasible for the pup to come with them on their return trip. Ciar wants nothing of that, and gets the dog for her anyways.
They have the sweetest relationship I have read in a while. Ciar feels unworthy of Emma's affections, and thinks her brother will never let him have her. Emma feels like she isn't worth much because people think her a demon because of her blindness.
The way that the smut is written within this particular novel is so beautiful, and all about what you feel rather than what you see during sex, and it was written in a way that was truly moving to me.
Please go pick up this book! It's a glorious thing, and I want everyone to try it!

Due to her blindness, Emma Grant has been sheltered by her over-protective brother for most of her life. Despite her disability, she’s just as capable and brave as any warrior, so when she hears that her brother’s best friend has been arrested, and at a time when all the other men are away, she rushes to his aide.

Laid Ciar MacDougall is working to gather allies in the name of Scotland when he witnesses the murder of a Scot by English dragoons. Ciar’s conscience won’t allow him to ride on and he finds himself blamed for the act and thrown into prison at Fort William. He’s utterly shocked to be broken out by a wee lass, and now they’re on the run together. With their enemies closing in on them, Ciar must work to clear his name and keep both himself and Emma safe if he has any hope of a future with the woman he’s come to love with his whole heart.

I’m a total sucker for gentle giant, beastly heroes and Ciar certainly delivered. His belief in his own beastliness and unattractiveness due to his rugged looks just made me want to give him a hug. I loved Emma’s courage and resilience and the fact that she grew as a person and learned to stand up for herself. Her brother and sister-in-law were much too protective of her, to the point of belittling her, and I do wish her brother had acknowledged her strength and capability more and been willing to listen to her. Regardless of the obstacles they faced, these two were great together and I loved that Emma did most of the pursuing herself. The devotion these two had to each other was adorable and their sweetness together was enough to get me through the more nail-biting and suspenseful scenes against the English. This was an enjoyable, well-written book and I’d recommend it for anyone looking for a tense but romantic read.

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

OMGoodness! The combination of Emma Grant and Laird Ciar (Key-ar) Grant is phenomenal. I don’t think we could ask for a better hero and heroine. Picture this huge, gruff, powerful, craggy Highland Laird without a gentle bone in his body – except for one small, delicate, sheltered, blind woman. Ciar has known and been best friends with Emma’s brother, Robert (The Highland Renegade), all his life – and he’s known Emma almost that long as well. Everyone, especially the males, treats Emma as if she isn’t even there – everyone except Ciar that is. He always takes time to speak to her, to assure that she is listened to, and he doesn’t treat her as if she is less just because she is blind. He protects her – without taking away her independence. Is it any wonder she’s always adored him?

Emma and her family, as well as Ciar and many other Highland Lairds, are at Achnacarry Castle for the wedding of Sir Kennan Cameron and Divana Campbell (The Highland Rogue). Emma hates leaving her home at Moriston Hall because of her trouble negotiating unfamiliar terrain and layouts. At home, she can roam freely because she knows every rock, pebble, chair, and rug and can easily negotiate her way among them. Away from home, she feels inadequate and dependent and she hates that feeling.

Tensions are running high in Scotland – and in the Highlands in particular. Queen Anne has taken to her bed and isn’t expected to rise again. Without an heir, the monarchy would be in crisis. The English want the Hanoverian George, who has never even stepped foot on English soil, to become King. The Jacobite Scots want James who is of Stuart blood. The powerful Lairds stand ready to raise their armies in support of James – but will James even come?

When Anne passes and George is tapped for the succession, all of the Lairds who are gathered for the wedding head out in different directions to spread the word and to gather support for James. As Ciar is speeding on his way, he encounters murder and robbery. He can’t just pass it by. The only honorable thing to do is to stop and help. Yet, it is he who awakens, manacled, in the prison at Fort William. Governor Henry Wilcox takes great delight in having a powerful Highland Laird as a ‘guest’ in his prison. He’d hang Ciar immediately if it wouldn’t cause riots and even more unrest. He’ll still hang him – just not as quickly.

We soon learn just how smart, brave, and resourceful Emma is. She is a remarkable young woman who doesn’t let her physical limitations stop her. Breaking Ciar out of an English prison, under the noses of the English soldiers, is either the most foolhardy or the bravest thing Ciar has ever seen. Now, they are both wanted and on the run. They have to avoid the soldiers and yet manage to prove Ciar’s innocence. Oh! What an exciting adventure they have before they make it to their HEA.

I absolutely loved this book! I loved how Ciar treated Emma as a fully functioning adult rather than someone who is ‘less’. I loved that Emma didn’t let anything stop her. Add an absolutely lovely epilogue to the mix and you have a great 5-star read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Highland Laird
Lords of the Highlands #8
Amy Jarecki
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Emma Grant is blind and she has been very sheltered.She really has a thing for Ciar and has for a very long time. She's also been underestimated and shielded from life by her brother because of blindness, but this lass is just as fierce as any of her other clansmen. When she finds out that her brother's best friend and the man she has such strong feelings for is in jail this blind girl doesn't let anything stop her and she runs to rescue the Highlander.

Laird Ciar MacDougall is on a mission for Scotland when he witnesses a murder. Then he gets knocked over the head by the dragoons and blamed for the very murder he witnessed. He is then thrown into prison and left there. The last thing he ever imagined was being broken out by a blind girl and her dog, but that's exactly what happens leaving them running for their very lives as wanted outlaws. What happens next is a story that will capture your heart.

Amy Jarecki is absolutely brilliant. This author knows just how much fiction to add with history to make the perfect story. Ciar is braver then brave I just adored his character. Emma is also a tough cookie. She has a couple of episodes, but she toughs it out and becomes a wonderful character. It gave the book a more feel of reality to me to have Emma like this.I also really enjoyed visiting with Robert and Janet again as it was like we were old friends. Ms. Jarecki you did a fantastic job with this novel and I truly savored every word I read of it.

Another wonderful story set in the Highlands, It is breathtaking and it was a pleasure to read. The characters were realistic and I loved how they were together.

The Highland Laird is a wonderful addition to the Lords of the Highlands series and focuses on Emma, a blind and sheltered woman who leaves the safety of her family to rescue the man she loves. On a mission for Scotland, Cial is falsely imprisoned for murder and sentenced to death. However, when Emma, his friend’s beautiful sister, rescues him, Ciar has a chance to clear his name and be with the woman he loves. Now on the run, can Emma and Ciar evade the Redcoats who pursue them until they clear Ciar’s name?

I enjoyed this historical romance. The characters are well-developed, and the plot is filled with action, excitement, and a swoon-worthy romance. I love Emma’s fierce determination to save the man she loves, assert her independence, and have a grand adventure. She trains a pup to aid her and doesn’t back down when challenged. Her fiery spirit and kindness endear her to others, especially Ciar.

The romance between Ciar and Emma is fantastic! They’ve known each other since childhood and have wonderful chemistry. From the start of the book, it is clear they have feelings for each other, and once Emma rescues Ciar, their relationship deepens. Ciar and Emma respect and admire each other, but there is so much more to this couple.

Ciar and Emma understand each other and see each other in ways that no one else does. Ciar doesn’t see a woman in need. He sees a strong, brave woman, who looks at the world in an amazingly unique way. I love the way he supports her but doesn’t hinder her. He treats her as an equal, which is something she doesn’t experience often. Emma, in turn, doesn’t see a “beast,” as others often call Ciar. She sees a kind, brave, and honorable leader who treats everyone with respect. The depth of their feelings is immense, and it is lovely to see their relationship evolve.

The historical aspects of this story are also really interesting. Jarecki delves into the tense political situations following the death of the Queen and how it affected England and Scotland. She also examines the maltreatment and prejudice that befell blind people during that time period, who would have been persecuted and potentially murdered for their disability.

Though this is the eighth book in the series, it can totally be read as a standalone. I didn’t read all of the books in the series, and I easily followed along, as will readers who enjoy historical romance with fantastic characters and an action-filled story! Thanks so much to Netgalley and Forever for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever/Grand Central Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I Scottish Highlander romance, sign me up!

I would recommend if you're looking for

-friends to lovers
-childhood crush
-brother's friend
- a cute puppy
-a lock picking, blind heroine
-an island hideaway

I was excited to get a chance to read this book. I had not read any of the previous books in this series.

Ultimately, I have mixed feelings. While I enjoyed Emma and think diversity in heroines is important I'm not sure Cair was as sympathetic as the book wanted him to be. He still viewed her as different and someone to coddle, just not as badly as her family that had hid her away from the world. The complete naïveté and innocence about sex was also a bit much especially with how quickly they moved. The book was a bit too instalove for me. While Emma had spunk and bravery, Cair was 2 dimensional. The end of the book seemed to just resolve despite her fears about moving to a new place.

If you're looking for a light adventurous read, with some steam, I'd say consider this book. But I have real questions on the representation of the heroine. The author's note mentions only reading Hellen Keller's autobiography rather than speaking to real people or having a sensitivity reader look at the book.

Rating: 2.5
Steam: 3