Cynthia Breeding has crafted an emotionally charged, briskly paced adventure featuring determined characters entangled in a rivals-to-lovers narrative. Nevertheless, I must acknowledge that the romantic aspect, while passionate, appears somewhat rushed and lacks thorough explanation. Despite this, my overall enjoyment of the book was high, and I look forward to exploring more works from this author.

This was a delightful Highland read. It is a great start to a new series and I look forward to #2
Many thanks to Entangled and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

It was a good book but it was the same plot as other highland books. It didn’t really have anything that made it different to me.

Book: Highland Renegade
By Cynthia Breeding
Series: Children of the Mist, Book #1
Publisher: Entangled
Book Length: 322
Release Date: April 20, 2023
Book Rating: 5/5 stars
Blog Rating: 5/5 Saltire Stars

Scotland, 1774

This book centers on the heroine, Emily, the Dowager Countess of Woodhaven who comes from a very abusive first marriage. She now has inherited a title and lands in Scotland and feels this is her second chance at life with her two sisters. Now after her horrible experience with men she never wants to marry again! As she is determined to make this grand opportunity work for her and her siblings to stop but how wrong she is! As Ian MacGregor is not what she expected, a man who hates the English and feels his home is being stolen from him by the hated English! After all It hadn’t even been twenty years since the Battle of Culloden, especially when his lands and title it has been in the MacGregor family for generations! So he plans to make this old Sassenachs biddie regret attempting to take his home and making her visit as unpleasant as possible! Ian intends to send her home packing from the cold highlands that will freeze her old bones as quickly as possible without servants and all the niceties of London! Ian is very shocked she was a young, beautiful, widowed lass. Still his plans have not changed for him or his clan as he still planned to make her stay as difficult as possible!


Even as the attraction between Emily and Ian grew and he begins to see how his impression of her was so very wrong. Emily is a kind, intelligent, strong, woman who has survived many struggles in her young life. Yet his clan members still only see her as the enemy and want her gone. Yet soon Emily’s very life is in danger and Ian will do everything he can to save the woman who owns his heart.

So the woman Ian MacGregor planned to freeze out is warming his heart! Therefore, which will Ian choose, his clan or his heart? Read in this delicious story and find out. An absolutely fabulous start to a brilliant series that I highly recommend!

Children of the Mist Series
by Cynthia Breeding
Highland Renegade
Highland Hero
Highland Champion

Disclaimer: I received an advance reader’s copy from Entangled Publishing. I voluntarily agreed to do an honest, fair review and blog through netgalley. All thoughts, ideas and words are my own.

Highland Renegade are the first book from the Children of the Mist series. Emily, the Dowager Countess of the Woodhaven had to bring her sisters to the Highlands- MacGregor lands-which she has received title to the lands. After her abusive husband dead, she determined to make a new start without a man. However, the scottish laird who has lives there for centuries are hard to win over.

Ian MacGregor figured to scare the widow away by showing her the hardships living in the highlands when he heard the Sassenach Countess laying claim to the land. By scaring the widow, he thought the Countess would leave before the first snowflake fell but he doesn't know the young and beautiful widow was very territorial than a she-wolf. He was certain a fragile, London woman like her would unable to survive the highlands life without her servants if he give her the coldest, and remote room in the old part of the castle.

This book got the element of sweet romance, the thrilling of suspense scenes and the mystery of murder. With a lot of accusations among the highlands family, the widow's life was threatened and the laird come for the rescue.

I read this book for the first time in 2020 before it was released but never left a review. So I listened to the audiobook and found out that I remembered a lot more of it than I thought I did.

I really liked this historical romance a lot and if you like a murder plot, a very sweet romance, three young English ladies(Sassenachs) in distress, Highland clans in a restricted way after The Battle of Culloden and how to run a whiskey distillery in 1771 this is definitely a story for you.

I loved how Cynthia Breeding interwove history, a murder mystery and romance together but I felt like she wanted too much with this book at times and there was a lot of characters mixed together and I got a little confused with the names and who was who.

I found it very funny that Ian and his brothers thought that it would be an old sassenach dowager countess who would overtake their grounds and instead these three very young women turn up.
He doesn’t expect Emily to be very bright or inquisitive but nothing is what it seems and the more she asks questions the more dangerous her situation becomes.

I was very intrigued by the history that Cynthia Breeding writes about and that she mixes it together with some of the history of whiskey making. Scotland is very well known for their whiskey distilleries.

There is a lot of good things in this book and I can definitely recommend it.

I got this book from Entangled publishing and Netgalley and this is my honest opinion and my voluntary review.

I just loved getting to enter this world. It was just so easy to get lost in and I just had so much fun with these characters. I look forward to reading more wonderful stories in this series.

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

After marrying young following the deaths of her parents, and suffering in her marriage, Lady Emily Caldwell, Dowager Countess of Woodhaven, finally has found her feet again. Left basically penniless because of her dissolute husband, she and her younger sisters have been given a life line, when the king grants her the estate of the proscribed MacGregor clan, Castle Strae. However, when she and sisters, Juliana and Lorelei, arrive at the estate, it's clear that the MacGregor family, and especially their laird, Ian, were not expecting a young widow, nor two younger sisters, and 5 carriages full of belongings. The MacGregors are a proud clan, and though proscribed, they are hoping the former Prime Minister, Lord Bute, will be able to petition the king for them to have their rights restored. Having a group of Sassenach women come to their land, their home, claiming to own it all, and want to be involved, is hard for them, but Ian is finding it doubly difficult, with how attracted he is to Emily. And Emily is facing the same struggle too, but also her marriage has made her want to ensure she never comes under a man's 'protection' again. But when it seems Emily is at risk, and someone is actively trying to kill her, will she relent, and allow Ian to keep her safe?

I've had this book on my NG shelf for a while, and kept forgetting about it, until I was approved for book 2, and decided to spend the bank holiday weekend reading them back to back. I really enjoyed it too. Both of the main characters, Emily and Ian, had their backstories so well thought out, and reading their chapters was fantastic. Neither of them were expecting the other when they arrived, nor were they expecting the attraction between them either. I loved how both of the characters, strong willed in their own right, never gave up too much of themselves for the other, but still grew and developed, in a positive way. The dynamic of the clan, and the three Sassenach women who descend on them, was a joy to read, and seeing the banter between them all - but especially Juliana and Rory (who will be the protagonists of book 2) - and the sense of found family that grew as the book progressed, made the book wholly enjoyable.

The added sense of mystery and danger surrounding the death of Ian's stepmother all those years ago, the capture of Devon by the dragoons, and who was out to get Emily, kept us on our toes, and I honestly hadn't guessed at who the culprit was. It was woven so exquisitely into the fabric of the main plot, the recovery of MacGregor name and land, that it just improved the entire story no end. I'm so glad I've read this book now, and can't wait to read Highland Hero asap!

Entertaining story with characters that buck the traditional regency romance expectations. The storyline was well written and keeps you wanting to read more.

I received a copy of the book from Netgalley to review. Thank you for the opportunity.
An interesting read, perfect for romance lovers. The characters are likable and engaging. The romance is quite rushed through which takes away some credibility.
Overall a good book.

I'm not usually one to term a book a "romp," but if ever a historical romance was a fun, fast-paced romp, this might be it.

When a young dowager countess has no financial choice but to pack up her sisters and stake a claim on Scottish lands deeded to her family by the king, the outlawed MacGregor laird is in for quite a surprise at who he is dealing with. Emily might be a little modern for 1774, but she's a smart and feisty heroine. And the author manages to draw Ian as appealing and not cartoonish, as many Highland heroes tend to be. The mystery of who is trying to kill Emily actually surprised me--I had pegged someone else entirely--and usually I see the villain coming from a mile away.

I look forward to more in this series.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for a digital ARC for the purpose of an unbiased review.

Cynthia Breeding has delivered an emotionally thrilling, fast paced adventure with strong willed characters and a rivals to lovers storyline. That being said I must admit that the romance portion while steamy, doesn’t seem as believable as it seems kind of rushed and not fully explained. However I really did enjoy this book and hope to read more from this author. I received an advanced reader copy of this work from netgalley. All opinions expressed here are my own. Regards, Anna

A fun, flirty novel with a mysterious twist. If you enjoy historical romance novels, this will be a great addition to your bookshelf. The mystery and murder attempts keep you hooked while watching the main characters fight their attraction.

The premise for Emily and Ian's romance has all the ingredients for a great rivals-to-lovers romance, but somehow, their chemistry ended up falling short of my expectations. Perhaps in part because Ian came across as immature in his approach to the situation, especially as the reader becomes increasingly aware of Emily's background, rendering Ian's approach at best callous and at worst cruel.

There were a lot of pieces introduced in this book, with siblings and side characters and a whole mystery of attempted murder, but unfortunately, these pieces didn't click together particularly well, and also took focus away from the romantic arc of the main characters, who could've used more room on the page to develop their relationship.

Still, I'll check out future books to see if they may be more my jam.

I received a digital advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Really enjoyed this emotionally thrilling and action packed journey filled with witty and engaging charters, heart racing twists and exciting turns. A great read from beginning to end.

Not what I was expecting unfortunately.

While there are some great points about this book, I was disappointed that none of those parts were about the main characters. Emily Woodhaven, a young English widow is forced to move to Scotland with her younger sisters due to financial circumstances. It endeared her to me that she wanted to make the best of the situation and not be depended on a man any longer. Of course it comes as no surprise that she ends up falling in love with the Larid (Ian MacGregor) of the land to which she has been given the deeds. This is a romance novel after all.

Unfortunately however, the chemistry between Emily and Ian is hard to believe and feels forced. Comparatively, the chemistry between Emily's younger sister Juliana and Ian's brother Rory is a lot more believable and fun to witness. Honestly they are the only reason that kept me going since I want to see their relationship develop in the next book.

There is also the mystery element of who is trying to kill Emily, I felt was a bit to ambitious seeing as there's already quite a lot happening in the book with English and Scottish prejudices and Ian feeling torn about his feelings for Emily. I seemed unnecessary to add another element, when the book could have been (in my opinion) a lot better if the author focused on one main topic.

While i personally did not enjoy this book, I would like to thank author Cynthia Breeding, Entangled Publishing, and Net Galley for providing me with an ARC of this book as I am looking forward to Juliana and Rory's book - I have a feeling that will be much better

Highland Renegade is sensual, romantic story steeped in Scottish history. An interesting plot situation creates natural conflict. The author clearly did a great deal historical research about the conflict between England and Scotland in 1774, nearly 30 years after the Jacobite Rebellion. It is the first book in a new series, Children of the Mist.
Emily, Dowager Countess of Woodhaven, was a young widow that married to provide for her two younger sisters. After paying off her husband’s debts she received title to a castle and lands in the Scottish Highlands and set off to form a new life. Upon arrival she encountered the large MacGregor clan who had lost rights through English politics and were struggling to re-establish their clan and lands. Emily was determined to live amicably with the clan (she and her sisters had no where else to go), but the MacGregors, led by Ian, were suspicious and hostile.
I enjoyed both the hero and heroine. The conflict was genuine and there was a mystery about someone trying to kill Emily. The secondary characters were less satisfying. Ian had so many brothers it was difficult keep them and straight, especially in conversations. Emily’s sisters were somewhat annoying, but they will probably improve in subsequent books in the series. The overall pacing was slow and contained some unnecessary information and descriptions, however, Highland Renegade was a pleasant read and I enjoyed the historical detail.
ARC provided by the publisher.

Emily, Dowager Countess of Woodhaven, survived marriage to her abusive husband to be left with nothing when he died. She was given some land in the Highlands and since she and her sisters had nowhere else to go, they decided to move to the Highlands. The land had belonged to the MacGregor clan and they were trying to petition the king to have it returned. Laird Ian MacGregor was not expecting the countess to move to the Highlands or be so young. His plan was to show her how rough life in the Highlands was so she would return to London, but Emily was stronger willed than he thought. When Emily’s life is in danger, Ian must face that he has fallen for Emily and he needed to keep her safe. Highland Renegade is the first book in the new Children of the Mist series. It was full of intrigue, mystery, humor, and Highlanders. It was well written, fast-paced, and a great way to start the series. The characters were interesting, and the future books should be just as exciting if these characters are in them.

When Emily and her sisters show up at Ian's doorstep, she is the last thing he was expecting. But the attempt on her life was not a part of his plan to get rid of the sisters. Emily proves to be much more than the superficial woman Ian though and has quite a head for business. The two can find love but first they must find out who wants her dead. This was a great book that I couldn't put down.

Oh my holy stars, I had the best time ever with this book! (I should probably enter a more appropriate Scottish slang here. Yer bum’s oot the windae? Awa’ an bile yer heid? In the name of the wee man! There, I think that one might work.)

This book was just so much fun to read, Friends. I tend to spend my time in some of the more intense historical fictions; making my way through various palaces in the Tudor Era, listening in on Revolutionary War strategy, or more recently walking down cobblestone drives while trying to solve a whodunnit. So jumping into an historical romance with an intriguing plot was just what my bookworm heart needed.

First of all, can we just talk about Ian for a second? I literally spent the whole book resenting Emily for catching Ian’s eye. I’m sorry, but the man is literally strength with legs. And a kilt. And a sense of a humor. And a wicked accent. You can’t help but love the human that he is and his fierce loyalty to his clan, his lands and his way of life.

Emily, despite the fact that she stole my man (sorry, real-life Husband! I’ll make your favorite dinner tonight) was so incredibly easy to love. She survived a difficult past, was navigating a scary present, and had to somehow conquer an unknown future. The MacGregors’ attempts at chasing her off of their land (hers, but theirs. Read the book, you’ll see what I mean) would quite possibly have succeeded in deterring me, were I in Emily’s shoes. But the more that Emily had to endure, the deeper her resolve became. And while the growing relationship between she and Ian was obviously a central theme to the plot, the storyline itself moved seamlessly around their romance, giving the novel a fuller, wider feel. I enjoyed it immensely.

Bottom Line: You’re going to need to start a “Cynthia Breeding Books” change jar, as Highland Renegade will be the first of many in your library.