Loved this whole series and this one does not disappoint. The characters are real and the story is exciting and keeps you captivated. Would recommend the whole series and the author

Clan Ross stories are so worth reading. This one is no different. The time this takes place is difficult, cruel, and brutal. A woman did not matter in the daily life of the clan, only to provide an heir. Keithen Fraser, only wants revenge for those that kidnapped and attacked his mother and friend. However, his father wants an alliance to end the fighting. But Keithen does not like the idea that he must marry the daughter of their enemy. Ava Mackenzie is a warrior in the strongest sense of the word and a healer to boot. The marriage takes place and does not last long, as Keithen sends Ava back to her clan. What a humiliation she must bear with her clan. How will this ever end? Hildie has given us believable characters and a wonderful adventure to enjoy.

Power. That is what it amounted to and the Mackenzies had brutally forced it on many clans surrounding them. The Frasers were the latest with an alliance between the Laird's daughter Ava and the son, Keithen Fraser.

A journey of brutality, forced alliances, struggle for supremacy and a building love that cannot be denied. Keithen and Ava, forced into marriage by an alliance, but as events change, so do they.

I loved this story. Seeing Keithen begin to care for Ava and she for him, amidst the turmoil and unrest. Hildie always brings the scenes alive with her descriptions and creates characters that touch the heart!

Ava Mackenzie’s life is complicated, her father the Laird is a unscrupulous man he rules by fear and killing. She’s a warrior who tries to help the people when she can without her father knowing. Her year of mourning is up when her father proposes a wedding to Keithen Fraser. Keithen has a vendetta against Laird Mackenzie for capturing his mother along with a young beautiful family friend who was severely beaten and brutalized by Mackenzie’s guardsman. He’s been stalking the men responsible as he tries holding off the marriage, but he ends up married and send her home in shame. A captivating story of two strong characters who must come to terms with their lives, marriage and learn to trust each other to have a true marriage filled with love, loyalty and honor. I have voluntarily read and review this excellent story.

When Love and Revenge Collide

She was the daughter of his enemy, but his laird ordered him to marry her. Keithen has one mission on his mind—to avenge his friend’s honor. There is too much pain and sorrow standing between Keithen and Ava. Could love ever flourish between them? Throughout her childhood, Ava only knew cruelty from her family. Could her husband’s clan be any different, or must she protect herself? I enjoyed this historical romance. There is lots of action, and several twists that will keep you reading.

His Laird tells Keithen he must marry his enemy's daughter, Ava Mackenzie. Keithen is bent on revenge against the Mackenzie clan for the kidnapping of his mother and the assault of his childhood friend. It is a marriage of convenience, but Keithen and Ava do not have an easy time of it.
Ava had only known cruelty from her family growing up. There was no laughter or friendship in her clan. Keithen's clan laughed all the time, but would Ava ever fit in?
Hildie McQueen has written a story that will pull you in and grab your attention. Ava is a warrior maiden that is strong and loyal to her family despite how they treat her. Keithen is a highland warrior who does his duty and what is best for his clan. Don't miss reading this one.

Ava, the heroine, is one resilient lass, folks. Seriously, this sassy, gorgeous girl cannot seem to catch a break. A widow from a loveless, arranged marriage set up by her soulless, power hungry father to another equally heartless man then forced to marry Keithen, the handsome hero whose clan hates her at first sight because of her maiden name. Guilt by association is the unfair burden she has to carry everywhere. All this lady wants is to be loved and part of a family that isn’t mean spirited, dysfunctional, and just plain crazyville.

I’m still reeling over what went down after Keithen and Ava were first wed. Oh, my, the humiliation! Part of me understood why that decision was made, but it still seemed unfair to Ava. I at least wanted to high five her for holding her head high as she accepted her fate.

The author did a good job of throwing enough content and drama into the plot to keep me fully engaged without feeling over or underwhelmed. The trigger content references regarding a past horrific assault of a subcharacter gets brought up and even serves as somewhat of a backdrop occasionally. So brace yourself for that along with what is revealed happened to Ava late in the story when she’s on her own for a wee, scary bit. Like I mentioned before, this lass has been through a lot. But, hey, you can’t keep a good lass down for long. She’s tougher than her family or most people gave her credit for.

Make no mistake, this title applies to both main characters. Keithen was fearless in pursuing revenge even when it was discouraged. Ava was in trying to survive the circumstances that kept being thrown at her. She had her own mind and wasn’t afraid to use it, even when, unfortunately, things didn’t go as expected.

I’m not sure my heart is going to be up for the punches in store with Catriona’s eventual love story. There is definitely a potential awesome love interest already picked out for her here. That hero (Ewan) is hinted at being ever so sweet and warrior manly all at the same time. The few glimpses of him strike me as being a person who is going to have the patience and determination to help heal Catriona’s heart and make her life right once again.

Who am I kidding? I won’t be able to stay away. In fact, last I heard, all these books are on Kindle Unlimited, so I need to do myself a favor and read them all...starting with book 1. It’s never too late to go back in time and catch up with these Clan Ross romantic tales.

Title: A Fearless Rebel, Series: Clan Ross (Book 5), Author: Hildie McQueen, Pages: 202, pub date: 1/14/21, stand-alone but part of a series, arranged marriage, feuding clans, resilient heroine, some trigger content references, romance safe enough for me, enemies to in love.

Book 1 - A Heartless Laird
Book 2 - A Hardened Warrior
Book 3 - A Hellish Highlander
Book 4 - A Flawed Scotsman
Book 5 - A Fearless Rebel

(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, or PR firm.)

A Fearless Rebel by Hildie McQueen is the newest entry into the Clan Ross series and features Keithen Fraser, the future laird of the Fraser Clan and allied with the Rosses, and Ava Mackenzie. The Mackenzies were a large clan, and bullies. They had captured Keithen's mother and his friend, Catriona. His mother was treated with the respect a laird's wife was due, but Catriona was passed among the guards and told they could use her as they wished, but to not kill her. They had and she was recovering still. Ava was a widow, her husband having been killed by her clan and now she was betrothed to Keithen, in a poorly disguised plan to absorb the Fraser Clan into their own. Things go from bad to worse when Keithen marries Ava, consummates the marriage in front of witnesses, and sends her back to her clan. It was the biggest possible insult. The, a year later, her father had been killed and her brother send her back to the Frasers.

This was an extremely convoluted story with poor Ava being used, seemingly, by everyone. She is strong, stubborn, and intelligent in a time when those traits were not necessarily appreciated. By the time she got back to the Frasers everyone there hated her because she was a Mackenzie. She was so stubborn that she refused to let Keithen help but she faced them and earned their respect on her own. He was proud of her. He appreciated a strong woman; after all he had his mother and his sister as role models. Poor Ava was never happy to be cooped up. She was out and about, sometimes for the wrong reasons, reasons which got her hurt. It was a terrifying ride, this journey with Ava. There was a great prize at the end if she could get there. It was a wondrous journey, worthy of the Clan Ross. I recommend it.

I was invited to read a free ARC of A Fearless Rebel by Dragonblade, through Netgalley. All opinions contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #afearlessrebel

Ava Mackenzie was from a hated clan. She had no love or affection from either her mother, father, or brother. She felt so lonely. There are a lot of twists in this tale. Her father is killed by someone who was extremely fast with an arrow. After a skirmish with the Mackenzie's she can't seem to find out how her brother and mother are so she heads out to see them and of course, that forces Keithen to go after her. He is caught beaten on the way back to the Mackenzie clan. He is then thrown into a dungeon, brutally beaten, and then they want to hang him. This is a complicated book but it reads so well. The characters are charismatic and like the Fraser, they want to take care of their families and the people who live on their land. I was very entertained and loved the excitement and thrill of the novel. I highly recommend it.
I received this ARC from the author and voluntarily reviewed it.

Keithen Fraser is determined to seek revenge for his childhood friend, when he is ordered by his father to marry the daughter of an enemy Laird, the same clan who brutally used and tortured his friend.
Ava Mackenzie has never had a loving and caring family. After her father murders her husband, she is made to marry Keithen, who certainly doesn't want her and adds to her hurt and humiliation.
Despite all of the obstacles in their way, Keithen and Ava are able to come to an understanding and begin to build a life together.
As usual, Ms. McQueen has me sitting up late and not wanting to put the book down. This latest Clan Ross novel, had me wishing for more.
My only complaint was the ending, there was no clear ending, leaving many unanswered questions, which has me hoping that there will be another Clan Ross book coming up....
Thank you to Netgalley and Dragonblade Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read an ARC copy.

I’m sure that all those who have read the previous books in this series, are looking forward to this new story. A book that is standalone, yet part of a series of romances where the heroes are sexy highlanders, and the heroines are brave women who will bring those men to their feet.
Hildie McQueen is one of the authors who opens the gates of the past with each new story that is similar, yet so different from the previous. With her magical gift with words she draws us into that distant world, forcing us to turn the pages, eagerly seeking to know what will happen next.
The struggle for supremacy is their daily routine .... to defeat the enemy or to accept what is offered to you, there is no other choice .... The chances of victory against the numerous enemy are non-existent, and why that offer of peace leaves a bitter taste in mouth? How can you unite in a holy union with a member of that clan that has tortured your people for years? But what will happen when the tables turn around? When the feelings start to appear and change the perspectives? When the outcast becomes the most important thing, and everyday life becomes a meaningless nonsense without that one person?
Another intriguing story in the Clan Ross series that captivates with its refreshing mix of mystery and romance. A story that gives us the opportunity to travel to a distant time when other rules and principles were respected, when the word of the stronger was the one that was obeyed and the arranged marriages were the social norm. A time when women were just ordinary pawns ... Ava Mackenzie is a character who simply captivates with her combativeness and fairness ... a woman who wants to break free from the shackles of the rules and her ruthless family, and yet hides such a vulnerability that makes readers to sympathize with her. At times defiant, at times foolish, but nonetheless a perfectly created character that makes this story an absolutely fantastic read. What I especially liked about Keithen Fraser's character is the moment when you realize that even though he looks like , he does not fully fit the highlander stereotype. Yes, honorable and proud, but vain enough and driven by a desire for revenge, he engages in activities that endanger both his life and his clan. A man whose hands have the power to kill but also enough tenderness to heal the wounds of his beloved. Their love story with all the ups and downs has all the elements that will keep the reader's attention until the very end. The descriptions, scenes as well as the dialogue between the characters are solidly balanced, so as not to burden the reader with irrelevant details or too many historical references. As in the previous books in this series, the author leaves hints and small details that indicate that in the future we will enjoy another interesting story from this series.
If you are a lover of romances that will take you on a journey in the harsh Highland, experiencing the strnght and gentleness of the mighty Highlanders then you should definitely read this book.

An alliance between clans by marriage. Ava Mackenzie and Keithen Frasier are bound to each other weather they want to be or not. Things are not as they seem. Ava has never known a day of caring or true safety with Keithen Ava see a possible future but so many things are in the way and trust is a dangerous thing. Will they except each other or will they remain enemies?

The MacKenzie Clan is not known for its trustworthiness, morality, or basic decency. The Fraser Clan has true reasons to despise them for what they did to one of their own. However, Laird Fraser is tired of the blood feud and wants to put an end to it by melding the two clans together through marriage. He proposes that his son, Keithan marry Ava MacKenzie the daughter of Laird MacKenzie.
Keithan is overwrought at the news of this decision because he is not done with his promise. Ava on the other hand is over the moon to be getting out of her father’s control.

However, as the storyline unfolds these two souls will encounter obstacles that wedded couples should never have to endure. Ava is dishonored by being returned to her clan like a soiled piece of laundry.
The turmoil that ensues is a PageTurner that only Hildie McQueen can intermingle for us to keep it engaging! The characters are strong and carry the storyline perfectly!
I positively would recommend this book!

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

A Fearless Rebel is a good historical romance, but I do think reading the other books in the series (this is book 5) maybe would have made it more enjoyable for me. As a standalone, it works, and it has its own HEA, but there are certain undertones that reading the series might help explain.

Basically, Ava Mackenzie and Keithan Fraser must marry to create an alliance between their clans. Clan Mackenzie is pretty much hated, for good reason, but Ava is not like the rest of her family. Keithan seems to realize that, but he is also not entirely her champion at first. Neither is Ava welcomed by most of Clan Fraser. Eventually, they find cautious happiness with each other, but fate keeps throwing curveballs, making up most of the storyline.

I'm not sure which one of them is the titular fierce rebel because both Ava and Keithan break the rules more than once (with unfortunate results). On Ava, the rebel looks pretty good; I like her. She's had a pretty cold life, but remains a good person. In Keithan, I like the rebel less so as his rebellions seem more foolhardy. Maybe he just has some growing up to do. It's a good thing his dad is still the laird.

The storyline is interesting, though it seems choppy at times. Not the author's writing, but the timeline of events. Also, there were a few plot points that were left hanging, but I suspect that they were left that way deliberately so they could be solved in a subsequent book (Ewan and Catriona's, I'm guessing). Even so, it felt a little messy at times, and ultimately I feel like it ended with a fizzle not a bang.

This book is a quick read--I read it in one afternoon--and I'm sure fans of historical Highland romance will enjoy it. I would suggest reading the full series in order though as it might make the overall storyline tighter.

I gratefully received an ARC of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. Thanks!

Forced into a marriage, not of his own making, Keithen Fraser refuses to bend his knee to the Mackenzies and adds insult to injury by returning his reluctant bride to her family. Keithen has no argument with Ava Mackenzie, other than the fact that she is forced to marry him. Nevertheless, when the situation escalates and Ava is returned to the Fraser keep, Keithen vows to do everything in his power to protect her, even though she is viewed as the enemy by his clan. This novel is fast-paced and at times traumatic and both Keithen and Ava endure punishment that is almost impossible to endure. Added to the distrust between their clans, it would seem that they will never find happiness. Although this romance is a standalone, the closing chapters open the way to more questions that need to be answered. I felt the pain and the humiliation suffered by both Ava and the Fraser household and wondered how it was possible for a power-hungry despot to survive as long as he did. The story is well written and my heart was in my throat for a good part of the novel. I received a copy of this amazing book as a gift through NetGalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

I liked this one quite a bit! It can be read as a standalone, but it connects nicely with the other books in the series.

Maybe because I have read the last one this one wasn't such a great surprise for me.
I enjoyed it, but for being just a likeable read I would tend to give it 4.5 stars.

This is the story of Keithen, the Fraser's clan next for the throne. As he tries to revenge the suffering his childhood friend had to go through from the hands of the enemy's clan guards, he finds himself face to face with the daughter of his enemy and soon they will have to be married. Just as Keithen, Ava is a strong and kind character and also rebellious. Their rebellious acts will make them suffer but each trial will make their love and their trust stronger.

There is a little enemy to lovers trope here, but without the usual friction that comes between the lovers, the drama and the friction is mostly caused by the other people around them and their duties. I loved both the hero and the heroine, and I loved them together. Hildie Mcquuen writes nicely their love story and their journey to intimacy as it is set in hard historical times. I also liked so much how Ava was more than just a lady, as skilled one with swords and such and how much she relied on herself in those times, while still keeping her caring heart filled with good feelings. And the masked warrior moments were a very nice touch to the whole story.

All in all, this is a very likeable read, not memorable but so very pleasant. Fans of historical romance of all kinds will probably like this, especially if the clan dynamic is something you like to read.

I could not put this book down. I read it in one sitting. It makes me want to reread the entire series and eventually I will. It can be read alone, but I recommend the series. The characters are well-written and I just want to read more about them. The book is quite emotional. I am looking forward to more books in this series. Ewan definitely needs a book.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋

Emotional journey that will have you riveted to your kindle.
I seriously could not put this down.
If it had lasted another 400 pages I would have been in ecstasy, it was that enjoyable.

Keithen and Ava were never going to have an easy time of it, coming from clans that were constantly at war with each other.
Boy did these two pay for the feelings and hate of others . They were pawns and so was their marriage.

It’s set in the Highlands and theirs is a marriage of convenience, it’s convenient to all but them it seems at first.
With battles, kidnapping, assault, and finding love in the most unlikely of places, this book has everything that you need for a satisfying read.

I received an Arc copy of this book and chose to post this review

I was given a copy of this book for my honest review via NetGalley.

I am a sucker for Highlander romances and this was knocked it out of the park. There were many moving parts, but I was able to keep up with everything. I loved the heroine, Ava, she is a rare strong character who has been treated awful in so many ways, but still is loving/ caring.