I loved the whole series of these books and this one does not let you down. Well written, characters are very engaging Would recommend it whole hearted

I received a copy of the book from Netgalley to review. Thank you for the opportunity.
A sweet historical romance that will will even the most hard heartened reader.
A good read.

Clan Alliance
Laird Fraser asks for an alliance with the bigger Clan Ross when he offers his daughter, Esme, in marriage. Cousin of Laird Ross, Ruari accepts the offer of her hand sight unseen. On his way to Fraser, Ruari finds a wounded woman. The woman is Esme. The powerful attraction between Esme and Ruari will be tested many times. A lass who fights for her choice to stay with with her husband or not, will prove that love is the strongest alliance. My only complaint is how long it takes.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book.

Book 4 in the series about Clan Ross.
I liked the premise of the book and the historical feel. Esme runs away from marriage only to meet it with her rescuer Ruari Ross, her intended. Good characters and story. Enjoyed it immensely.

I liked the book, but at times it was slow going. I was excited to read Ruari's book. I have liked him since reading the previous books. He has many internal battles to fight. Esme was not what I expected. In the beginning I felt she was strong and independent, but when she did not learn from her mistakes I lost interest in her. She seemed a little spoiled and childish at times.
I am looking forward to the next book in this series. I am incredibly interested in Ewan and Keithen's stories.

Rating: 2.5 stars

The explosive, “Oh, my, gosh! Did that just happen!” perilous beginning set my hopes sky high as it set the stage for some dramatic, highlander romantic drama. However, for me, the rest of the book seemed to trudge along at a such a snail’s pace I became bored and impatient for plot progress to be made. I believe I lasted until Chapter 13, when I decided to chalk it all off to a likely conclusion in my own head and move on.

I wish this author continued writing success and sincerely hope others truly enjoy this book. I’m hoping to find time to backtrack and delve into the previous three books of this series. Book 1 looks especially intriguing. Thankfully they are currently on Kindle Unlimited, which increases the odds I’ll be able to do just that. This one just didn’t stay consistently riveting enough for me to see it to the verra likely predictable conclusion.

Title: A Flawed Scotsman, Series: Clan Ross, Author: Hildie McQueen, Pages: 225, pub date: 10/8/20, stand-alone but part of a series, one very steamy scene by chapter 13, more likely more after they are wed.

Book 1 - A Heartless Laird
Book 2 - A Hardened Warrior
Book 3 - A Hellish Highlander
Book 4 - A Flawed Scotsman

(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. There is no affiliation or relationship between this reviewer and the author/publisher/NetGalley.)

When Love and War Collide

It is a time of clan alliances. Who can find allies to help them defeat their foes? This is how Esme and Ruari find each other. He goes to form an alliance through marriage, but he finds a woman near death in the forest. She is the laird’s daughter and the woman he seeks to marry. Esme might survive her injuries, but will she survive falling in love? Ruari is a complicated man, hardened by life. Esme is a strong woman that does not follow the rules. Will they be able to meet in the middle? Esme wants love, but Ruari is only seeking companionship. Then, there is a powerful chief that seeks to prevent this marriage at all costs. Will there be love between Esme and Ruari, and could they survive the attempts to separate them? If you like medieval Scottish romance, you might enjoy the story.

This collection is always full of excitement and adventure, loss and love. This often brutal life is portrayed in Rauri Ross's story. He is the next to wed but is given the choice to accept or deny the union. While traveling to purchase horses, he finds his intended, Esme Fraser. Esme has been shot with arrows and is hidden and close to death. Once Rauri delivers her to her family and sees the predicament her clan is in, will he make a decision to stay or leave them to fight on their own?

Ruari Ross, cousin to the laird has been sent to Clan Frasier with a show of support and the possibility of an alliance. On the way to Clan Frasier he encounters a severely wounded Esme Frasier, the laird’s daughter. She awakens to discover her rescuer is none other than the Clan Ross relative who could become her new husband if an alliance is in everyone’s best interest. I love these tow, there’s an instant attraction between and Ruari can’t help but be intrigued by her beauty and her independent and stubborn nature. Esme want to marry for love, or at least not as an obligation or duty to her clan, but she definitely has feeling for the handsome young Ross gentle warrior. I have voluntarily read and reviewed the excellent book.

Ruari Ross never felt the love of his real mother and father. His father left the family and his mother abandoned him to his uncle to raise. He loves his cousins as brothers and his uncle as his father. But he still missed the real family bond. Ruari was horse trainer for his uncle, as he trained the war horses and healed them when they were injured. Esme Fraser’s clan was vulnerable, and she was out traveling in the woods by herself. Trying to find her pet fawn that had escaped its pen. As she searched, two men she did not know shot her twice with arrows and left her to die in the woods. She was a feisty lass that had the heart of a warrior. She would need that to survive the cruel actions that felled her. This is an action-packed historical romance with wonderful characters, plenty of emotions to keep you on the edge of your seat. Thank you Hildie, for a great escape from everyday life and a book where I kept turning the pages.

Ruari Ross, cousin to the laird, ponders a marriage arrangement that would ally Clan Ross with Clan Fraser. After a lonely youth, Ruari wants the companionship of a wife without the complication of a love match. When he stumbles upon an injured woman in the forest, he not only saves her life, but changes the course of his entire future.

Strong-willed daughter of Laird Fraser, Esme has avoided all her parents’ matchmaking attempts. Above all else, she wishes to avoid marrying a Ross. During a jaunt in the forest, she is mortally wounded and left for dead. When she awakens, she realizes her courageous rescuer is not only a Ross, but the man who would be her husband.

As Esme recovers beneath Ruari’s watchful eye, an unexpected love blossoms, and Ruari soon discovers his betrothed is not only a fiery beauty, but the best archer he’s ever seen. But when a massive enemy army attacks, Clan Fraser faces hopeless odds. With the shadow of war looming, will these reluctant hearts find love, or will a brutal attack end it all? There is only one outcome to this battle which will prompt readers to sit on the edge of their seat awaiting if the clan triumphs or is met with death.

An unbelievable start, ‘A Flawed Scotsman’ started off strong with the riveting writing style that drew me into the dynamics of that time, characters and the relations they had with their family, friends, and clan members. Despite this edition being the fourth installment of the bestselling series ‘Clan Ross’, it can be considered a standalone. This is the first that I am reading from this author and surely enough, I am impressed. But if I am so impressed, why the three stars? One word: Esme.

She is a strong character that fits perfectly with Ruari. They complimented each other well but some of her actions throughout the read were reckless and literally put herself and loved ones at risk. To add on, when suspicions arose that there was a traitor among their ranks, she nearly put the blame on another clan member who traveled north to see a relative the same day she was found despite her interactions with the real traitor who left her with ‘shivers of apprehension’ and was widely known for his strong opposition to the alliance. It was quite obvious who the traitor was and it nearly baffled me on how it flew right over everyone's head.

All in all, I will continue on with this series and hope I am not as annoyed with the heroines as I was with Esme.

Tempestuous and fast-paced, Esme Fraser could try the patience of a saint. Fortunately, Ruari Ross is well known for his quiet patience in training wild horses and knows that a firm hand is needed to bring about the required result. Sent to the Frasers to broker an alliance against the power-hungry Mackenzie, Laird Fraser wants to arrange a marriage between his daughter Esme with a Ross warrior, but it is up to Ruari to find a way to settle the matter. This novel is well written and suspenseful with plenty of action, some of which is horrifying, and through it all the attraction between Ruari and Esme grows. Despite his dependence on the larger Ross clan, Laird Fraser is hotheaded and full of pride, almost costing him the alliance he needs to keep his stronghold safe. Whilst I enjoyed this novel, I did get frustrated with Esme who vacillated between being caring and compassionate and strong-willed. I received a copy of this novel through NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately, I wasn't able to connect with the story or characters. The book started off engaging, I liked the little backstories we get of the hero and heroine, but then as soon as they meet....there was ZERO chemistry. And I mean nothing, nada, zip. Both were indifferent about getting married, a lot was mentioned how it didn't really matter what the heroine wanted (even though the hero said he did care). She just went along with it because of her family. She did mention he was handsome, but it seemed in a clinical way rather than a lustful way, which is what I would expect in romance novels. It really didn't improve from there in my mind, because the first meeting is so important in establishing the relationship. He saved her life, but he could have been saving anyone. Emotions just weren't high at all. And so while I'm sure others would probably like this book, it's not my cup of tea.

As the abandoned child of the Laird's brother, Ruari grew up as the beloved fourth son of the Laird and his wife, feeling as if the Laird's three sons were his brothers instead of his cousins. He had all of the training and opportunities that they had., and now as a grown man he is a trusted member of the new Laird, his cousin Malcolm's council. So when an alliance is suggested by Laird Frazier, it is Ruari who is sent to negotiate the alliance and possibly marry Laird Frazier's daughter.
Esme is the outspoken, confident much loved only daughter of Laird Frazier. On his way to Frazier lands, Ruari saves Esme's life, not knowing who she is after she is shot with arrows by person unknown. From there, it it a fast paced ride as Ruari tries to help Laird Frazier to stop the MacKenzie clan from taking over their lands, find out who tried to kill Esme and uncover the spy in the clan.

Both hero and heroine were likeable, the storyline entertaining and full of twists and turns as I have come to expect from Hildie McQueen.

the only downside? While Ruari and Esme find their happy ending, I am hoping there will be another book in this series to answer all of the unanswered questions.... does Ruari ever tell his cousins the real secret of his parentage? What happened to Esme's friend Catorina and her brother, last seen hiding on MacKenzie land.

i was given the opportunity to read this book as an ARC by Netgalley in exchange for a review.

A Flawed Scotsman by Hildie McQueen is another in the Clan Ross series. Ruari Ross is a determined man. Determined to not marry and to care for his mother, no matter how much she seemed to hate him. Clan Fraser wants to cement their alliance by marriage, but Ruari wants no part of it until he reaches the Fraser keep and sees Esme. Even then, he has not idea she is changing his mind, but change it she does. Esme is brace, strong, and willful. She does not think before she acts and does not follow instructions well. They are less than a perfect match and during the first weeks of their marriage it is a tug-of-war to see who will best whom. Clan Fraser is in trouble. The much larger Clan Mackenzie is determined to absorb them and apparently will stop at nothing. Battles, kidnapping, rape, murder. Betrayal, truth, love, and passion all make for a complicated story that is all over the place. Suffice it to say, it works out.

Esme is a good character who grows into herself over the course of the book. Her loyalty is an endearing quality, even if she has trouble making up her mind to whom to be loyal. Ruari is so stubborn and damaged from his parents that he doesn't recognize love and that makes him a difficult character to deal with. They are a good match, once they have learned to communicate and have adjusted to one another. They overflow with passion for each other. It is an entertaining story, if somewhat discombobulated. I recommend it.

I was invited to read a free ARC of A Flawed Scotsman by Dragonblade, through Netgalley. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #aflawedscotsman

Delightful!

This is the story of Ruari Ross and Esme. Her clan is fearing they will be invaded by a larger, stronger, enemy clan and seek alliance with the Ross clan. They propose a marriage between the daughter of the ruler, Esme, and one of the Ross clan's best men. And so the story follows Esme and Rauri as they first get together, little by little and become in love, navigating the complicated political issues of their clans' situations.

This is a nicely paced book, full of different moments and little unexpected turn of events. There is a little drama as it happens when the heroine wants to get her way but all in all this was a well written book and a pleasant read. I would have given it 4 stars, but the ending was too funny and perfect. And I loved how Esme herself was a true heroine, fighting for her people with no fear and how beautifully Rauli was always attentive and understanding, always respectful towards her. A winner!

Ruari Ross was abandoned by his mother and left in the care of his uncle and brought up as if he was one of that family. He loves his cousins as if they were his brothers. His job as horse trainer for the clan gives him freedom and responsibility. A message from a small clan nearby could change his life forever. Our hero's clan has had enough of war and are enjoying peace as a strong and respected clan. How easily that could change is scary.
Esme Fraser knows her clan is vulnerable, and it's dangerous to be out on her own but her pet fawn could be in trouble. Our heroine is definitely one who puts everyone above herself when thinking about safety. She has a warrior's heart in a female body. Unfortunately for those who love her, that can cause problems.
This is an action packed historical romance with wonderful characters. There are several times you will feel sorry for our hero's battle with unfamiliar emotions.
It's part of a series but easily read on it's own. I have read most of the series and must now go back and pick up the one I missed.
I have loved each one.

This is a typical bodice-ripping type romance, but set in Scotland a bit before the Battle of Culloden, as the clan structure and frission are in full swing in this story. Also, there is a ton of "ye" and lass, etc in the verbiage of the book.

The story is about a Lairds nephew in Clan Ross who is asked to marry a Laird's daughter in Clan Fraser to strengthen ties against the savage and aggressive Clan Mackenzie.
The story moves along quickly enough and is fun to read, with some silly steamy passages.
It was a fast read for me, and I enjoyed letting the yarn spin out.
Although it is sort of historical fiction, there was less about everyday life and how things were different than in some of the best examples of HF (like Outlander). Also, some themes and thoughts were repeated unnecessarily, as though we forgot what we read in the beginning of the book. For example, Esme (the daughter) must mention that her mother thinks women should not involve themselves outside of home duties at least 4x.

Overall, as long as you understand the type of book this is going to be it can be fine to read, and I enjoyed it.
I received an ARC of this book at NC from NetGalley in exchange for this honest review.

Hildie McQueen never seems to fail at providing a strong storyline especially when it’s a man in a kilt!
Ruari Ross is a thinker with a body to die for and a smile that would break any lasses heart if you could get him to smile!

Esme the only daughter of Clan Fraser is a contradiction in one moment she is soft as a kitten and then claw like a lion!

Read this hypnotic book as the author takes you on a journey of trust and romance to discover how these two will end up meeting and if they clash and get together or split apart because of their opinions & choices!

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone!

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions!

❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋

Very enjoyable read and some great characters.

The story was good and quite tense in places, in others harrowing, it also had some wonderfully tender and reflective moments added to the mix, in all this makes for a good read, one that keeps you turning pages to find out what’s happening next.
Great characters in Ruari and Esme, strong full of life and passion and great fun too.

My only problem was I got frustrated with the back and forth of the two, constantly running away from each other, considering it’s a two day ride, at best, from one keep to the other, I worked out they must have spent almost as much time on the road as they did together.
On the whole I enjoyed the book and my niggle is only a small one.

I look forward to reading more from the series.
I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review