If you'e a fan of historical Highlander romances
This is book worth more than some chances!
With a free Highland lass enslaved by the King
Determined to escape and do her own thing.

When she decides to try to escape once again,
She didn't anticipate a Highlander being a pain!
Mind you, he's leading a secret double life and so
Who he is, he doesn't want others to know.

So starts an adventure for this stubborn pair,
Neither giving way or fearing to dare.
With the lack of trust between Clans as well
How it will all work out you need to read it to tell!

A story of duplicity, daring and loyalty, too,
Of being brave enough to trust and challenges to do.
With surprises in store as well as romance
This feisty pair are on a merry dance!

A story packed with adventures and more
With a champion determined to even the score-
And an independent young lady who
Is determined that it is the looking after that she'll do!

For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
It is a historical romance worth giving a chance - and this is my honest review.

Kallum helps free enslaved people and is also a commander in his Scottish clan. He gets stuck on a journey with Ailsa who is on the run back to her clan after being forced into service by the crown.
These two are matched by their passion and by their fiery tempers. He’s really attracted to her until he finds out she is from his enemies clan.
This is a close proximity and one horse situation.
This does use historical settings with serious topics FYI. It’s not a fluffy romance. Check CW.
This is the first in a new series, excited to read more!

This book kicked off my Historical Black Romance era this year. I enjoyed this book so much!

First get into the cover!!😍
To know that one of the main characters is a Black Highlander &&& he lives a double life freeing the enslaved?!? I couldn’t put this book down.

Kallum is such a man of honor.

Ailsa wants her freedom & she’s going to get it by any means necessary. Kallum has loyalty to his Clan and loyalty to his lineage, While he could look the other way as other Black people are enslaved—he does not. He is firm in his hatred of slavery. & firm in actions to free as many as possible.

Ailsa is strong willed and I love every minute of it because WHY SHOULDN’T SHE TRUST HERSELF OVER ANYONE ELSE. She’s been on her own for a long time, she doing her best. What I love most about Kallum, is how much he values Ailsa—her mind and willpower. He didn’t try to control her, even when she’s getting on his last nerve.

READ THE BOOK.

I feel like this book will be misunderstood not because it is confusing—but because the Black experience is complex. I don’t want to see non-Black readers trash this book in the reviews because they “can’t relate”. I sincerely hope that this Black Romance story gets the love that it deserves.💜

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022. There is just something about a brute with a heart of gold, saving a lass while sporting his clan tartan. And it was finally going to be a Black hero loving a Black woman, I've been waiting for that Highland fantasy since I was 13!

You can imagine how broken-hearted I am, now that my love has died on the vine.

A certain amount of misogyny can come with Highland romances, while it's a trope I could live without, it is common for the genre. I can even handle a bit of attempted rape or sexual assault if I must, but 3 ATTEMPTED RAPES???? All by different individuals? Does the author hate the FMC that much, or is she just that lacking in imagination?

Honestly, I think it's a bit of both, but heavy on the lack of imagination. From the main conflict to the romance, this story was underdeveloped, strange for such a loooong romance book. Oh wait, that's because everything was so REPETITIVE! Please do not get me started on how awkward the lead up is to the first love scene.

I realize I wanted a lot from this book, but to find NO enjoyment from it is wild. I wish I'd never heard of it, so I wasn't so harshly disappointed.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Never Cross A Highlander by Lisa Rayne is the first book in the Shadow Laird series. Full of intrigue, action, and passion, this is a fantastic start to a new series. This is my first book by Lisa Rayne, and I was impressed with the quality of writing and depth of characters. Ailsa was enslaved to the King’s castle three years ago and finally devised an escape plan. Kallum MacNeill is an adopted son to the brother of the laird of the MacNeill clan. Feared and respected, MacNeill has a secret double life rescuing enslaved servants. Ailsa accidentally becomes embroiled in Kallum’s plan to save enslaved people in her castle. The two personalities clash, and the couple must face their fiery connection and deceit around every corner to survive.

Kallum and Ailsa both have enormous personalities. Kallum is a warrior dedicated to his laird and his secret alter-ego, who helps escape enslaved people. Ailsa is all fire and grit. She has survived three years of enslavement. I loved Kallum and Ailsa’s dynamic. Kallum is brute force, and Ailsa is fierce and spunky. The couple has an electric connection from their first meeting.

This was an entertaining page-turner. The plot was medium-paced. The sensuality between Kallum and Ailsa was palpable. There were plenty of secrets and intrigue to keep the story interesting. This was an excellent way to start a new series. Lisa Rayne captured my attention on the first page. Kallum and Ailsa’s adventurous romance is own I won’t soon forget. If you’re looking for a new highlander romance, I advise picking up this book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book through Netgalley and the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Never Cross a Highlander is the first book in the Shadow Lairds series by Lisa Rayne. This exciting new series is perfect for readers who love Scottish Highlander romance. A fascinating story features a slow-burn romance between two unique, unforgettable characters as they fall in love and overcome many obstacles on their journey to find their HEA.

Gorgeous cover and story really couldn't keep up... Read like a freshman novel that was afraid of real angst. Will try their work again but this one was a miss for me.

Lisa Rayne did a great job melding historical romance with heavy topics of social injustice. Our leading lady Ailsa is the epitome of independent women. She has waited three years to finally make her escape from slavery and find her way home. Kallum is our dark night in shining armor. Living the double life of night by day and revolutionist by night. The relationship between Ailsa and Kallum is a fiesty one; some might say too fiesty. (It’s me. I am someone) I understand making an enemies to lovers treponema but this was more of argumentative for the sake of being argumentative. This story is definitely a slow burn. So be prepared to be in it for the long haul.
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This was a really fun read by this author who is new to me. I loved the beautiful cover and the inside was just a fantastic romance. Ms Rayne writes a story of excitement and adventure that held my interest from start to finish. The characters seemed real with thoughts an feelings of their own.
In the time of the 1700's you meet a black woman who has been a servant to the King's daughter and is a healer. Her name is Alisa who was born free in the highlands and is trying to escape her confinement. There have been times during her stay when she has been treated with disrespect and physical abuse. Now she is determined to leave the hated place and return to her beloved clan in the Scottish highlands. Her destiny and future is about to change.
Kallum MacNeil is called the Black Devil who rescues enslaved captives from circumstances that were not very good to their well being. Kallum wears his hair in braids and is a renown leader who is fearless in battle. But once he meets Alisa, who balks at being kidnapped by the man who makes he blood boil. She can take care of herself and doesn't need a "man" to help her thank you very much!
So goes the heated discussion on who will win the battle of the sexes. It will take a trust and loyal heart to bring these two together in a wonderful happy ever after.
I appreciate Net Galley for this ARC title in which I gave an honest review.

Aisla was a free, black woman, a healer and member of the Connery clan. But having been separated from her clan, she finds herself enslaved and serving as maid to the King's selfish, spoiled daughter. For three years she has been planning her escape from Stirling Castle. Twice she tried and was caught. She's determined this, her third try, will end in success and see her united with her clan.

Kalum McNeill is a free black man, head of the guard of Clan McNeill. But by night he dons mask and cape and is the Shephard, working to free his enslaved people and get them to safety. While assembling just such a group and preparing to lead them from the King's lands, he encounters the obstinate ladies' maid he had spotted on a balcony of the castle. Aisla has her own plans for escape and will not be deterred by the big, brawny masked man who is determined to lead her opposite to the direction she wants to go. Kallum cannot understand Aisla's reluctance, but will not leave her behind. Ultimately, Kallum and Aisla forge a shaky deal - she will behave and he will see her home.

Trust grows between the two as they travel and Aisla opens up enough to share her story with Kallum. Upon hearing the story, he grows suspicious of the circumstances of her captivity. Determined to save her from herself, he takes her not to her home, but to his. There they discover there is much more to Aisla's story than she is aware.

In choosing this book I expected a lighter read than what I found. Aisla's circumstances certainly account for her forceful, independent demeanor, but it made it difficult for me to connect with her character. I had a hard time getting through the first two thirds of the story, though I'm not sure I can say why. Every three or four chapters, I found myself needing to put the book down and take a break, something that rarely happens when I'm reading. However, things moved much faster in the last third of the story and I have to say I did enjoy the way it all came together. All that being said, it's noted that this is the first in the Shadow Lairds series. There were some secondary characters I found intriguing and would be willing to give coming books in the series a try.

Love seeing black characters in y romance, but the writing and the hero weren’t for me. DNF’d pretty early.

Ailsa Connery has waited three long years to finally escape her enslavement at Stirling Castle and reunite with her clan. But her carefully laid plans are completely destroyed by the arrival of the infamous Highland warrior known as Dubh Mahoun, the Black Devil. Kallum MacNeill's fearsome reputation has long allowed him to keep hidden his secret double life as he's also known as The Shepherd. It's only when he kidnaps a servant lass that he finds himself facing a wee predicament. He must accompany the lass home or risk her exposing his true identity. As they make their way to the Highlands, the perils the two must face are surpassed only by their constant sparring.
A new author to me & a new series & it was an interesting read. Not your run of the mill Highlander story by any means, the characters were brilliant & I loved Kallum & Ailsa & their slow burn romance, I loved their verbal banter & how the chemistry between them grew. I found the book to be slow paced & wordy for the first half, then the pace increased until the ending seemed rushed. I did enjoy their fraught journey to a HEA & look forward to more in the series. I'm glad the author added a note at the end explaining the inaccuracies.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

I am in love with the dedication of this book.

I noticed pretty much in the first chapter that I may not be the target audience for this book (as I’m white and this centers around black characters). Lisa Rayne is a skilled and sensitive writer who effortlessly adjusts her language to that of the time (and place), but I recommend looking up the content warnings for the book, listed below, before reading it.

The book starts out slow as the characters are introduced to the audience and then picks up pace after their first encounter. I liked the representation a lot, and I felt like Lisa Rayne put a lot of care into the backgrounds of the characters. On that note I wondered how much of this had actually happened in real history like that and how much was added for plot purposes, but the author made me believe this could’ve happened like that for real (and who am I to know). I enjoyed Ailsa as the main character a lot. Kallum… not so much; he represent that group of men I do not like to read about: F-boys. The interactions between our two main characters, who both have their own POV, were often spent bickering in true “enemies” to lovers, but didn’t quite work for me.

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

Note: I did not manage to finish the book due to the misogynist undertones that represent the way of thinking during the time the book takes place. DNF at 45%.

—

Trope: enemies/ rivals to lovers

CWs: racism, slavery, kidnapping, violence, misogyny, sexual assault (off page/ memory) and sexual harassment

I found there is not much of a spark between the two main characters and could not get there the book yet. I am still working on it

3.5 stars
Ailsa has been enslaved for the last 3 years after being a free highland lass most of her life and she finally see's her way to escape during a competition but her plans are foiled when a man in a mask appears to free all the enslaved black people at the castle and she's forced to travel with them. Kallum has been running what is essentially the Scottish version of the underground railroad for many years now but when he realizes Ailsa knows who he is he caves and takes her with him rather than send her over the border with the others. After their perilous journey they must still figure out what happened to Ailsa and how to get her home if it's safe for her to be there.
While this was a super interesting story I found the characters spent to much time daydreaming instead of acting or reacting to each other, which bugs me but is likely fine for others. Other than this one flaw, the characters where interesting and so were the various plot twists and turns and I look forward to the next book.

Ailsa Connery's escape from enslavement is complicated by the arrival of Dubh Mahoun, the Black Devil. Kallum MacNeill's reputation lets him hide that he frees captives, but during one trip he inadvertently kidnaps a servant he assumed strayed from the group. Ailsa plans to head in the opposite direction, but he can’t let her travel alone or expose his true identity. Traveling together is dangerous, especially if neither wants to get emotionally attached.

The slave trade hadn't just impacted the Americas, but also England and Scotland. The people saved from slavers would wind up there, either set free, indentured or "gifted" to nobility. Ailsa and Kallum are both Black, but Ailsa had been essentially kidnapped from a tournament and assumed to be a slave even though she's a Freeborn Scot, and Kallum also is a Freeborn Scot adopted into the MacNeill clan. Of course, escaping with slaves is difficult, but especially when it's in opposition to the English king. The tension between the Scottish clans is another factor, which Kallum must keep in mind. All of this poses a conflict for Ailsa and Kallum, though they're attracted to each other physically and find the prickly personality of the other to be intriguing. The dangers of their journey bring them closer together, and the Highland tropes are very well done here.

I LOVE that the author found ways to include Black characters very seamlessly into a Scottish historical. Great plot with lots of exciting moments and very fierce characters with great conflicts. My two hesitations are 1) that the writing style is very "mayhap" and whatnot, which doesn't provide a deep point of view, making it harder to get to know the characters and 2) the euphemisms in the sex scenes are very old school and deeply unsexy to this reader. I would still highly recommend this book, though.

Good. Lord. This. Cover. Though.

I am not a Historical Romance reader. Ever. But this cover seriously tempted me and I'm glad my horniness paid off! NEVER CROSS A HIGHLANDER is a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers, super steamy, love story and I was here. for. it.

Ailsa was a total badass. She is smart, fiery, and also kind-hearted. I loved her fire, but I sometimes found her refusal to listen to reason/advice frustrating. Know your mind, but also know when to take directions from someone who can help you.

And Kallum...gahhhhh. The man is just all growly, sexy f*ckboy-finds-love hotness. He is so damn honorable and protective and hot. May I please be banged under a waterfall by this fictional man already?

NEVER CROSS A HIGHLANDER had a bit of a slow start. It's unnecessarily wordy in stretches, especially at the beginning. But it really gets going after a while and the pace picks up.

I absolutely loved the dynamics of the clans and how the main characters' race was portrayed in this story. Ailsa is mixed and Kallum is black. This author found the perfect balance of making their minority status in their world an important part of the story without it becoming the ONLY part of the story.

I'm not sure I'm about to dive into non-stop historical romances, but NEVER CROSS A HIGHLANDER was definitely a great read and very worthy of my cross over from contemporary romances. Strong thighs peaking out from under a kilt definitely didn't hurt.

𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟: Rated R
𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗦: enslavement, attempted sexual assault, physical assault, racism, lots of sword-fighting violence
𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟𝗦: 3/5 - You will definitely feel some feels.

It was a good book, but I was not able to connect with the main characters as much. It had a lot of good points to it, but I just wasn’t able to get thrilled with the storyline.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

Ailsa Connery was born and raised in the Highlands, the daughter of a freewoman of African descent and a Scottish warrior. Prior to her death, her mother was a healer, a role that Ailsa had been trained to take over. But three years ago, while at a gathering she was mistaken by a guard for a slave purchased for the King, and ignoring her protests, she was pressed into service as a maid to Princess Elizabeth. And despite previous failed attempts to escape, Ailsa is sure her new plan is foolproof. Or it was until an interfering highlander decided to “rescue” her.

Kallum MacNeill is also of African descent and was raised as the son of the Laird’s brother but is known to many as the infamous Highland warrior known as Auld Dubh Mahoun, the Black Devil. But unbeknownst to most, this fearsome warrior is also known by another moniker, The Shepherd, who for the last five years, has been secretly liberating enslaved people across Scotland and helping them escape to England. Which is exactly what he thinks he is doing for the woman who saved his life, but it won’t be long before the lovely and feisty lass sets him straight and demands to be returned to her clan!

This was a fascinating story, featuring a slow-burn romance between two amazing, unforgettable characters as they fall in love and overcome many obstacles on the journey to find their HEA. I thought the writing was good, although a little wordy, the real issue was the pacing, the book was a slow read, until the halfway mark, where it leveled out until the rush to the ending. In addition to that, I was concerned about the inaccurate historical facts until I read the Author’s notes where she explains that this book is a work of fiction and that she did manipulate some historical facts to work with her story, stressing that this book was for the purpose of entertainment. I also appreciated her book suggestions to further educate readers on the issue of slavery in this era. Overall, this was a Highland adventure unlike any that you have ever read, touching on some sensitive issues as well as incorporating the problems that all people have when falling in love, with an added touch of danger and a dash of steam.

*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.*