DNF @34 %.
This was a very nice story in the beginning but then it turned out too insta which just isn't my cup of tea and felt weird for a historical romance.
Also, waaaaay too many names and people were introduced, describing everyone in detail (I really don't want to know how every child looks).
Not to mention more than 2 POV's which I don't like as it felt confusing.

What more can we ask for in a historical romance but a sexy highlander falling in love? A wonderful story full of great characters, lots of romance, and a happily ever after!
Recommended.

📚Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from the author/publisher via Netgalley. All thoughts, opinions, comments, and interpretations of the story are my own and bias free. I did not receive any money in exchange for this review. Thank you to the publisher/author for allowing me the opportunity to review. Reviews are usually cross-posted to social media, goodreads, Bookbub, and blog. 🦄

While reading this story I found myself really rooting for the book to pick up speed after Brodie and Shinea return to the castle to marry. The first few chapters has a lot of information about characters that have no main enter action with Brodie and Shianes story. As I read the story, I could feel the passion of romance between the characters through the wording of the book. The romance is sweet with a high school romance to it. The action in the beginning was awesome. Having the opening scene with a woman slinging the blade and knocking down villains was superb. The questioning of why this battle is taking place definitely held my attention, but it seems like the main reasons why Shinea was found in the situation that she’s in with Brodie was not addressed at all in the cottage.

they had me a Highlander. That did it for me. Historical romances are my jam. They are good and bring a bit of romance and loved it. this one was a good one.

This was a really unique historical romance that I enjoyed reading! I would definitely recommend it to anyone who thinks it sounds interesting!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

I recieved a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I wanted to like this book as the premise was interesting. Ex nun turned spy who ends up married after almost dying.
But I feel like the book didn't spend enough time on Brodie and Shinae. There were so many random cjacter POV about things that has nothing to with our main characters.
I feel like we didn't really truly get to know them outside of a couple of info dumping dialogue poorly disguised as Brodie and Shinae getting to know one another.
There were too many secondary characters and it was hard to keep track.
The secondary romance had potential but it too got lost is all of the other plot lines.
The overarching spy mystery was rushed and poorly done.
This just wasn't that strong of a story but it had potential.

DNF at 35%.

There are a lot of things about this book that got me excited. First of, the writing. It's the first time I've read a book that was written like this. I'm not sure if it has a literary name, but the best I can describe it is: the point of view switches to the person's thoughts and feelings at the exact time you want to know what they're thinking and feeling. That cottage scene between the MC's was amazing to read because of that constant switch. It gives an insight into each characters state of mind, and honestly, it's an amazing way to show why mentalization is so important.

I was very excited about the story, I liked both MC's a lot and was impatient to see their story unfold. I even did a happy dance when the forced marriage trope was introduced. To then feel it all come crashing down when it became an instalove trope... The joys about the forced marriage trope is the characters resisting it, and each other. Them having to live together, figure each other out, the fights, the tension... Instalove takes all of that away. I didn't feel like reading on, which is why I stopped reading initially in December when I first started reading this one. I picked it back up a week ago and thought I'd continue on, but I couldn't get into it, because as much as I liked the characters, there was nothing that kept me going, not even the mysterious subplot.

Another amazing thing that has to be said, is the way every character was introduced, even though this was book 9 in the series. This was the first book I read, so it was nice to be introduced to everyone, along with Shinae. It was also done in a way that wasn't overwhelming, which couldn't have been easy with the amount of McTiernay brothers!

So, I would recommend this book to historical romance lovers who like the instalove trope in combination with a forced marriage and a little mystery to tie it all up.

Brodie Dunstan left his position as one of the top commanders of the McTiernay clan to aid one of their allies. That assignment wound up taking eight years, and now that he’s returned to the McTiernays of Lochlen Castle, Brodie isn’t quite sure where he belongs anymore. When he encounters a freezing young woman on a stormy night outside the castle, he thinks he might have at last found some direction.

Shinae Mayboill’s quiet life as a nun has turned out to be anything but as attacks on her abbey have forced her to put her knife throwing skills to use. Now her mission is to ferret out a traitor for the Scottish king, which means finding her sister at Lochlen Castle. When she is found in a compromising position with her rescuer, Brodie, Shinae is given little choice but to agree to their hasty marriage, though she finds herself pleased with this turn of events. She feels a true connection with Brodie and that relationship only deepens rapidly, but things are rapidly complicated when Shinae finally reveals all the truths of her past to Brodie and their new relationship may not survive.

I’m still not quite sure what to make of this book on the whole. I enjoyed the romance between the main couple, Brodie and Shinae, mostly because of its fast pace and their obvious chemistry and attraction. Each was able to give the other a feeling of love and belonging they’d never experienced, and I always love that. What I was less enchanted by was the lack of communication between these two and the easy way serious issues were glossed over with physical attraction rather than being discussed and worked out. By the end, I was sure these two loved one another, but I think they definitely still had a way to go in terms of getting to know one another. Regardless, I still liked them as a couple. My greater annoyance here was the abundance of supporting characters getting in the way of the main couple. We also had a secondary romance going on with Shinae’s friend and a friend of Brodie’s, which was fine, it was just another distraction. These extra storylines combined with abrupt scene changes made some scenes and threads feel incomplete and I still felt this way by the end. The McTiernays weren’t always the kindest to Shinae or to Brodie and their children collectively were just awful and none of that ever really had a satisfactory resolution. In fact, sometimes I got so bogged down in the descriptions of the family and how everyone was related that I forgot that there was meant to be a dangerous threat to the clan, and I was supposed to be feeling suspenseful. The story started off very strong and engaging, but after Shinae and Brodie are married, things began to veer off course in too many different directions to do any of them justice. Ultimately, I think Shinae and Brodie were mostly ill-treated by the McTiernays and deserved at the least a better apology than they got, and this book really just made the clan seem not that likable. So, overall, though I liked Shinae and Brodie for the most part, the storyline as a whole didn’t do it for me quite so much, though it did keep me interested. I always love Highlanders and a Scottish setting so it's hard for me to truly dislike a Highlander book, I’ve just read ones I preferred more, but I think this is still worth the read.

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

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

What a fierce warrior woman - I loved Shinae and how she didn't need a man but when she encountered Brodie, she didn't say no!

This romance was a bit different than the typical McTiernay romance - there was not a lot of fighting going on between Shinae and Brodie. Things almost seemed a little to easy going until they hit some bumps in the road and realized that they needed to work things out together.

Along with their romance, there was the danger of a hidden threat to the family and Shinae was there to figure out who would be a traitor and want to hurt one of the family.

Lots of drama, action, laughs, and romance as we see the whole McTiernay clan gathered and are there a lot of them. Some times, I was disappointed in the actions of the McTiernays and I wouldn't go into detail. It was also really sad the mess that the children caused.

I really loved that we were able to see other couples again and how their family had grown so was a fun read for me!

In The Arms of a Highlander was quite an interesting read and I was really excited to read this as I have enjoyed this series (the books I have read so far) and so I instantly grabbed at the opportunity to read this one. I did switch between the ARC and the Audiobook, and even though I found this one to be an enjoyable read, I definitely had my struggles with this one. It definitely has very strong accents in the audiobook, so fair warning for audio listeners upon grabbing this one up. I do think I probably would have enjoyed this one much more if I had physically read it more than I did. The narration, while I really this narrator, I think I just wasn’t in the right zone to enjoy this one like I really wanted to. There was a lack of investment that I had in the story and I think I just wasn’t in the mood for this historical. I do think it had some great potential but didn’t quite make it out for me personally. I do think if you love highlander romance, then this one will work for you. Just make sure you are in the right mood for this one. I was intrigued by the setup of the romance. Which was a marriage of convenience. Our heroine, is escaping the nunnery and with her friend, they come across two highlanders from the McTiernay clan who offers them refuge but through a turn of events, our heroine Shinae becomes married to Brodie. Their relationship starts off sweet and passionate but then turns into an angsty-filled tension. I quite didn’t understand the length of the angst, to be honest, and maybe it’s just a plot point that many authors will use, but I just wanted to see more focus on the plot building outside of the relationship. Some of the reasons for the tension between Brodie and Shinae just didn’t quite fit and I did feel in some moments it was just used as a filler. There were many things about this story that I quite enjoyed. I love the gentle sweet way that Brodie and Shinae fall in love, they embrace their attraction to each other pretty quickly. I also found myself fascinated with the suspense elements of the plot and the ways the intrigue and danger were introduced to it. It was such a blast to see some of my favorite characters play a role in this story.

Overall I found myself having a ball of fun and adventure within the realm of this story this author has created. It offers such creativity, endearing passion, and strong characters that capture your attention from the beginning.

Brodie has been helping another clan and is returning home. He feels out of place until he rescues a woman from the road. Shinae is a royal spy due to her skills. She is on the way to meet up with her sister and brother in law when the weather turns bad. The couple end up married shortly after meeting and are dynamite together. Be prepared for lots of characters in this story. An all together decent read.

In the Arms of a Highlander by Michele Sinclair is the 9th installment of the McTiernay’s series. It is an enjoyable story with a new romance and a lot of past characters. This is Brodie and Shinae’s romance story and it is a good one. This is a great historical romance that draws you in from the beginning. The characters and storyline were well written. I recommend this story.
Thank you NetGaley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

In the Arms of a Highlander by Michele Sinclair starts off with an exciting fight between Shinae Mayboill and English soldiers. A nun trying to fend the enemy off so her fellow nuns can escape is definitely not a damsel in distress. She then becomes a royal spy with the task of figuring out who is the one betraying their king.

As Shinae makes her way to her destination, she meets Brodie Dunstan, a commander, who was helping an ally clan for several years. Since they were both caught in a compromising position, the only solution was to get married. Though it was a marriage of convenience, Brodie and Shinae entered into it willingly and only if they agreed on certain terms when exchanging their vows.

The relationship between Brodie and Shinae has rocky moments, however, their romance is very sweet. Also, the secondary characters played huge roles in providing reasonable advice whenever there was trouble in paradise.

"I never thought you were out there. Before I met you, I was happy but lonely. Even when around lots of people or those I call friends, I felt alone. I had become accustomed to it. Then I met and miraculously married you, and suddenly life changed. I had a companion for life, and it scared me. What frightened me the most was the idea of losing you and that kind of fear I have never known before. You fill up places in my heart I never knew were empty. You are everything I ever wanted in a partner and more than I dared hope for." ----DUNLOP – IN THE ARMS OF A HIGHLANDER – MICHELE SINCLAIR

While this is the ninth instalment in the McTiernays series, it could be read as a standalone. A lot of the characters from previous novels feature in this so it might be a bit confusing to some. I recommend this to those who love their historical romances with a bit of action, mystery, and romance.

This installment of the McTiernay series starts with a bang – Shinae Mayboill, a nun and sister to Conan’s wife Mhairi, is singlehandedly defending Dryburgh Abbey in the lowlands from attack by the English and she is holding her own. She thinks she has everything under control when another warrior enters – but Cyric Schellden is there to help and is very impressed by Shinae’s skills, so much so that he convinces her to work as a spy for the king. And her first mission will be to travel to the McTiernay seat at Lochlen castle and not only warn her sister and brother-in-law of the danger they are in but also ferret out the traitor to the king! So Shinae renounces her vows and sets out with another ex-nun, Isilme for Lochlen.

Former McTiernay commander Camdyn “Brodie” Dunstan is back at Lochlen after spending the last eight years working for Laird Mahon Donavan under the misassumption that he would be named the Laird’s heir. But without warning, Mahon dismissed Brodie and sent him back to the McTiernay clan. So now Brodie is trying to find his purpose and has escaped the castle walls for some much-needed peace and quiet, now that most of the McTiernay brothers and their families have descended on Lochlen for the Lammas celebration. But despite wanting to be alone, his friend Dunlop joins him and as they venture out they come across a woman on the verge of collapse, just as a storm hits. Brodie takes the woman to a nearby cottage and Dunlop goes to find her traveling companion.

While waiting out the storm, Brodie and Shinae get to know each other and share an instant attraction, so when they are discovered alone and barely dressed by Laurel McTiernay, neither objects when Laurel proclaims they will have to marry. But can instant attraction be enough for near-strangers to find a HEA, especially with the secrets Shinae is keeping?

As I said, this story starts with a bang, and the first 25% is chocked full of action, adventure, and attraction, but I am sorry to say after they marry, the book slows down and has so many characters all actively vying for page time, that the story seems to veer off track and becomes murky, add to that a secondary romance and what seems to be an episode of “The Real Housewives of Lochlen” and I almost forgot what Shinae had come to Lochlen for in the first place. It isn’t until almost the end of the book that secrets are shared and the original purpose of Shinae’s mission comes to light, at which time, the author throws in a twist that does give the ending a bit of excitement. Overall, the book was OK but is not one of my favorite installments and I wouldn’t read it again. I think I would have enjoyed it more if it had been a novella and had a lot less McTiernay cameos.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.*

Scotland 1322
Shinae was forced to fight off the invaders in order for the nuns to escape. Her fighting skills came back quickly and she was able to make short work of several warriors.

But she was not going to stay with the nuns and she and her friend set off to find her sister and husband at McTierney castle. The weather got bad and she ended up being rescued by Brodie.

Brodie was at a crossroads in his life. A warrior, he had been away from the McTierney Clan for eight years with another clan in the hopes of working up the ranks. But he was suddenly let go so came back to what he knew. Now he felt without a purpose and home.

When these two meet, the sparks begin to sizzle pretty quickly and the journey begins.
Action, adventure, secrets and a love that will hopefully stand the test of time. Good addition to this series!

Michele Sinclair's McTiernay's series is an absolute delight, and this the the 9th installment. Overall, this is a really enjoyable installment with a delightful new romance with lots of past characters and an underlying murder plot. Sinclair starts this novel out strong with high action and an interesting hook surrounding the heroine. The majority of the book is decently plotted and the romance is delightfully sweet and sensual. I really enjoyed being back in the McTiernay world. I would definitely recommend that you read this series in order, they are fun and fast paced highlander romances and reading them in order will help you keep all of the characters in order.

This romance is between Brodie, an honored McTierney Commander who has been gone for eight years in service of an ally clan, and Shinae, a nun who became a killer to survive. When Brodie and Shinae are caught in a compromising situation after she is rescued, they enter into a marriage of convenience. Tenderness leads to passion that only deepens through out time and both Shinae and Brodie find an unexpected love.

Shinae is such a fun heroine, she is strong, resilient and a protector. Brodie is also strong and protective and perfectly soft=hearted when he needs to be. Watching Shinae and Brodie learn to work together, trust each other and support the other is a perfect and wonderful balance between them. I found their romance to be sweet and sensual, Michele Sinclair is able to weave a steamy romance between two bold characters. Overall, the romance was really the driving force of this novel to me. The overall plotting of the murder mystery and all the additional characters could at times be a bit much to follow and keep track of. I really enjoyed watching Shinae's interactions with the other women of the clan and I love watching them all train together, work with each other and be just as strong, smart and independent as the men as they all work together to uncover the mystery and keep each other safe.

Michele Sinclair's writing is very enjoyable and swiftly engaging, and I would definitely recommend picking up with book if you love a fun highlander romance and enjoy the McTiernay series. This is an interesting addition and a lovely romance to add to the many happily ever afters of Michele Sinclair's world.

After a few years we finally get Brodie Dunstan's story for those who have followed this series. If you haven't read the previous books this is a lot of history to take in. I think Michele does a good job to filling in important details. There is A LOT of family in this book. It's a McTiernay family celebration with just about everyone in attendance. I gave up trying to keep straight who was who after a while as I'm behind in the series and jumped in this book. I'm assuming we've met or know about Shinae Mayboill the heroine of this story. Her sister Mhairi is married to Conan. The family is awaiting their arrival and they are late as usual. Shinae has been entrusted with a secret from the King's attaché and is anxious to be relieved of that duty. I found this an interesting but slow to develop story.

Shinae Mayboill finds fulfillment by helping others. She has no deep spiritual reason to be a nun except it allows her to help others. Her father is a traveling merchant and it was no longer safe for his girls to be with him after Shinae was accosted by a man. After her aunt passed while they were serving with nuns she and her sister stayed. Mhairi ended up marrying Conan but Shinae stayed finding helping others gave her joy. When they are attacked by English soldiers she, being adept with knives, she stood and fought to give time for the nuns to get away. Cyric Shellden, the King's attaché came to her rescue. He knows Conan & Mhairi and gave her the warning that Conan's life was in danger from an English plot. Shinae and fellow nun Isilme both decide to leave the nuns and forge off to the McTiernay's. Ultimately she's found by Brodie and taken to shelter overnight in a storm.

Brodie Dustan has been is a McTiernay commander. The last few years he's been head commander for Laird Mahon as he had no second or heir. After years with Mahon, he tells him Brodie he won't pick him as his heir and dismisses him. Now Brodie is back home with the McTiernay's and at loose ends as to what he should do and his place within the clan. When McKenna McTiernay finds they've been alone in a cabin overnight she declares they will be married immediately. Neither fight it and their relationship has to work out kinks as they get to know each other. Things hit the fan when Conan & Mhairi finally make it home.

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

In the Arms of a Highlander is the ninth book in The McTiernays series by Michele Sinclair. A captivating historical romance that pulled me in from the beginning. I could not put this one down and had to know what happens next. The characters are well-written with an intriguing storyline that does not disappoint. I look forward to reading more in The McTiernays series.

Shinae has always wanted to help people and she hoped to be able to do it as a nun. But her life in the nunnery was not what she expected it to be, so when the place is attacked by English soldiers, she puts her skills with daggers to use and then flees with a secret mission of her own… Only to find herself in the arms of a very handsome, but sweet Highlander!
Brodie Dunstan is a capable warrior who’s just come back to the McTiernay clan after having served in another clan for eight years. He doesn’t really know what to do with his life now, but when he rescues a beautiful former nun from a storm he feels he has finally found a purpose…
The book is somewhat chaotic and people like me who have not read the previous books of the McTiernay Brothers series can be left quite confused. There are way too many characters and clans and interwoven stories and I had to skim through some of the parts because they were really too difficult for me to follow. The action takes place during a reunion of a sort of the characters of the previous books and I usually appreciate these things, but since there were eight books and all couples have had children… And what’s even more confusing is that we get to read the POV of many side characters as well.
Anyway, I loved the author’s writing and her character development. Shinae and Brodie are two strong and lovable people who experience an instantaneous attraction and decide to take a risk and marry. I enjoyed watching them getting to know each other and overcoming their difficulties. The abundant love scenes are emotional and not gratuitous at all, but useful to character development. So, all in all, a very good book, but not really a standalone…
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Kensington Books via Netgalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have gone and done it again, clicked on a book that is part of a series, and number 9 no less, of the The McTiernays without realising it. I wish it was clearer on the site that it is part of a set. Whilst it didn't stop my enjoyment of the book as each one I assume is about different characters, there was lot of background I wasn't aware of that would have been helpful to the story. It left me feeling a little confused as there were just so many characters and plots that the book wasn't really about Brodie and Shinae in the end but the whole clan. I also wouldn't say it is strictly a romance which is what I assumed when I decided to download the book its more action.

I did love Shinae's character the synopsis states - From nun to killer to royal spy, Shinae Mayboill has had little choice in her life’s path so far. Now, caught in a compromising position with Brodie after her rescue, she’s ushered into a hasty marriage. To her surprise, Brodie is unlike any man she has ever met, with a tenderness that belies his powerful persona. Their passion deepens every day. But when Brodie learns the truth about her past—and the real reason she has come to Lochlen Castle—will there still be room for her in the Highlander’s heart?

The opening scene of the book shows Shinae the nun, taking on English soldiers with the knives she keeps strapped to her legs. She manages to take on five and kill them before she comes face to face with Bodie. Upon hearing she is Sister to Lady Colin McTiernay he vowed to return her to her Sister. Not knowing that she has promised to deliver a message to her Sister about an imminent attack by the English.

I did enjoy the book but there was just too much going on and far too many other characters and plots that I kept getting distracted and didn't know what was going on.

I really like the cover and would possibly read other books by the author as I love a historical romance, especially involving a Kilt wearing highlander. But for me this one just did not hit the spot, probably because I haven't read the previous book in the series.