This is a slow-burn romance between a young woman Alisa who has been taken and enslaved by the king she is responsible for taking care of the princess, but she is an utter brat and any slight infraction gets her beaten. She is "rescued" during her own escape attempt by Kallum. At first, Kallum wants to get her with the other freed slaves across the border but Alisa refuses to go, she will only travel back to her clan where she was born a free woman. So he reluctantly agrees, especially after he finally hears the truth... he has some suspicions about how she ended up with the King and why no one came looking for her.

Alisa and Kallum are drawn together during their journey back to McNeil castle, and by the time they get there, full-on feelings have developed. I really liked everyone at McNeil and while the first part of this book is kind of slower and a bit drawn out, once they make it back to the castle things the pace really picks up and the action starts.

Ailsa Connery has been trapped into slavery for three years. Now is her chance to escape and return to her Clan. Our heroine is not your normal Highland lass, but she is strong and brave.
Kallum MacNeill is the Captain of his Laird's guard and a most fearsome warrior. He also has an extra mission that nobody else knows. There are only a few like him in the Highlands and even less that ever rise to such a station.
A historical highlander romance with a twist. Our characters have many challenges to face, not the least of them being their own temperaments.
This is a steamy and action packed story from start to finish. I thoroughly enjoyed every page.
Great fun.

It took me a while to get through the first few chapters but then I was completely pulled into the story. The development of both main characters was very well done and left the reader wanting to know more. I look forward to future books!

Never Cross a Highlander was everything I was hoping for and more. Our two MCs were strong, intelligent, and fiercely independent. Their interactions were full of delightful banter and spicy tension. I would classify it as medium burn because you don't have to wait until the very end to be romantically rewarded. I loved the diversity of our characters and how their perspectives navigating the complexities of the Highlander social structure elevated the story. Never Cross a Highlander is beautiful merger of both romance and narrative which makes for an enthralling must-read story.

Content Warnings: Sexual content, slavery, sexual harassment, racism, racial slurs, kidnapping, sexual assault, attempted rape, blood/gore, violence, and death of parent(s).

I received an ARC, through Netgalley, ahead of release. All thoughts are my own.

Ailsa and Kallum... *swoons*...he's used to dealing with women who never think to question him and she's used to dealing with men that are the scum of the earth. So when he goes to "rescue" her when she was already in the process of rescuing herself, let's say shenanigans ensue.

I adored this book and getting to know both Ailsa and Kallum. Both characters are so strong-willed and stubborn. Kallum is used to things mostly going according to his plan and schedule whereas Ailsa is used to having to fight tooth and nail for her very survival.

Watching these two stubborn people learn to open up, trust, and care for the other and start to change the futures they saw for themselves... *chefs kiss* I cannot wait to read more Lisa Rayne!

I was initially intrigued by the cover, thinking it was fantasy but was surprised to realize its historical fiction. I've never had the desire to read a Scottish romance novel, let alone in this time period, particularly because I avoid stories that feature slavery in any form. That being said, I very quickly became caught up in the story and the culture. I liked the MC's immediately, especially as the tension and passion between them mounted., The climax of the story is the most engaging and dramatic thing I've read in quite some time. It was well worth the read.

I was confused when I first read this.
Contains spoilers.
This book is about a hero and heroine who have to fight racism in addition to society. The heroine is a young woman who is one of the healers of her village. The king had ordered all the clan leaders to come to his castle. The heroine was asked to go since the main healer had to stay at the clan. So she went as the healer for the contingent from her clan. She became seperated from her clan and was rounded up as a slave. Her heritage is from Africa and she us a freed woman from the Highlands. Her grandfather was in a Portuguese ship that was caught by pirates. The pirates sailed to the Hebrides and the cargo of slaves were released as freed and became integrated in the communities and clans. They were freed slaves from West Africa.
The hero had a simar background. His heritage us also from West Africa and he was raised by the brother of the current laird and considered the laird's son to be his cousin. He was fierce warrior, giant in size and honor. He can fight with two swords and is the captain of the soldiers in his clan. He is known as the "Auld Dubh Mahoun" or the Black Devil. He is also known in secret as the "Shephard". The Shepard is a man who collects black slaves and helps them escape to England where they can be free and get jobs where they get paid and not beat. It is similar to Freedom Train or Underground Railroad lead by Harriet Tubman in the U.S.
I liked the idea behind this story, whether it was real or creative priviledge, but the story had some gaps. The heroine did not want to escape with the slaves, because she is a free woman and wants to go back to her clan, not go to England. So the hero had to coerce her into joining the freedom trail. And then neither spoke up. The story went chapters before the heroine finally told the hero that she was a free woman and then refused to name her clan. The hero was trying to be secret about being the Shepard, but he is a massive person, who fights with 2 swords. No matter what type of mask and dark clothing he wears, people are going to know who he is. The main characters would talk about all sorts if things, except the most important. And this was very annoying. A lot of the story seemed drawn out and it tended to make the story hard to read and I could not fully immerse myself. It was just a drawn out story. I give this book 3 stars and read if you think you will be interested. I do not give a full recommendation to read.

This is my first time reading a historical romance but the cover got me first then the description. You will not be disappointed.
This Book follows Ailsa Connery. She is enslaved in Stirling castle and is planning an escape. After years of planning her escape, her plans are destroyed by the coming of a fierce highland warrior.

Alisa and Kallum’s chemistry was off the charts. Natural enemies to lovers. The two are headstrong and mirror each other in some ways. Of course the person you claim to not like gets under your skin until you get to know them and feelings arise. The close proximity helped to garner their relationship. I just ate it all up.

What I loved
I love the POC representation in medieval times.
I loved Kallum period. He was fierce and committed to free the enslaved people.

What I didn’t like
I didn’t like the pace of the story. It took me a couple of days to read because of that.
I didn’t like the ending because it seemed rushed.

Overall this was a 4.5 star read for me and I look forward to reading more like this in the future.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing LLC and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Alisa and Kallum MacNeill's story is something I've been waiting for in the highlands. He is a fears warrior and she is a sassy lass. She was stolen from her clan on a visit to court mistakenly for a slave. No one came to claim her, 3 years later Kullum thinks to free her onl I to find she was not corn a slave but from a Highland clan, his enemy. Why did no one try to rescue her after all this time, surly his clan would have turned every rock over, is something amiss?
I loved this story

This couples' romance is beautifully written, great buildup, creating a very heartfelt reading experience. Their predicament adds adventure and action. I enjoyed getting to know them and learning their strength, weakness and their history. Two headstrong warriors, perfectly matched. I admire Kallum's tenacity to freeing enslaved captives, very sensitive subject matter handled accordingly. Love his directness and his love for his family, Ailsa is his brave "heart"...Love this!! I look forward to reading other books by this author.

Overall, a good historical romance read. Story had some suspense, some great scenes and interesting characters. I especially enjoyed the escape! However, some parts were a little slow, and at times the story did drag. Still worth a read, especially if you enjoy strong highlanders with a different background than most.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

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

I really liked a lot of parts in this. The escape. The road trip. The fire between Ailsa and Kallum that never ended. That waterfall scene. but this book was just a bit long for me and while the plot did provide some suspense they were spaced out so far that it just felt like it dragged. I still really enjoyed it though and I loved all the parts about Ailsa and Kallum's background. I'm someone who likes a bit of a snappier read but if you like slow burn, sweepingly romantic highlanders who are a bit gruff on the outside you will for sure love this.

Never Cross A Highlander was a good read. I enjoyed it. I loved that it featured black characters as the main characters. I loved the clan dynamics as well as the dynamics between the hero, Kallum and the heroine, Ailsa. It was an interesting read although some parts of it was slow. I’m definitely looking forward to reading the next book in the series and more by this author.

Never Cross a Highlander-



✨My Opinion✨
I was intrigued seeing a black heartthrob in a kilt as cover art, especially with the setting being historical Scotland. Right away I wanted to know everything. My interest only skyrocket with the first chapter! The explanation of how the MC, Ailsa, came to be enslaved was heart breaking. And I couldn’t wait for her to meet Kallum, the broody, hero by night, whose mission in life was helping those enslaved.

I immediately liked Kallum. His backstory was compelling. His rise to commander was inspiring. His friendship with the laird’s son felt genuine. I ate up his grumpiness. Just ate it up! Some of the imagery was just flawless.

“With a battle cry loud enough to disturb the ancestors sleeping permanently below the ocean waters they had chosen over captivity…”

wow! One of my favorite lines, along with

“I’m not a warrior.”
“Aye, lass. You are.” Followed by a “You simply do not realize it yet.”

There is so much covered in this enemies to lovers story! Forced proximity with the one horse trope, enemies to lovers, kidnapping and the sweet Happily Ever After. It was a wild ride!

One of the chapter transitions didn’t sit well with me. I feel like the last two paragraphs of chapter 15 should have gone to the beginning of chapter 16. A cleaner division.

My overall opinion was that this was a great highland historical romance! I enjoyed the romance, sword fights, and heroics! I liked looking at a part of Scottish history I was unaware of. I love when I have one eye on a book and the other scouring the internet to learn more about

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

I really enjoyed both MC's and their chemistry together was just great. Always wanting to read more diverse historical romance.

However fascinating the premise, it remains fallacious, but other than that the story was cute and the two main characters had good chemistry.

Per quanto affascinante la premessa, resta fallace, ma a parte questo la storia era carina e i due protagonisti avevano una buona chimica.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

Life is hard for almost everyone in Scotland in the 1600s.

Ailsa Connery’s everyday challenges are intensified by not having a nuclear family, being illegitimate, Black, and wrongfully enslaved. She’s also smart, determined, and beautiful. Those traits and more swiftly catch the attention of Duff Kallum MacNeill when he arrives at Stirling Castle, despite his misgivings, to compete as his clan’s fiercest warrior to win funds they desperately need. The dangers he encounters include the expected politicking and physical combat, but he’s blindsided by lust and emotional connection with Ailsa who’s hiding more than one secret. So is Kallum. Will their hidden agendas mesh or clash? Following their treacherous journey together yields a love story worth reading and savoring.

Similar in narrative texture, depth, and nuance to the high caliber of historical fiction that’s romantic offered by (Ms.) Beverley Jenkins, Courtney Milan, Isabel Cooper, and J.J. McAvoy, Never Cross a Highlander organically integrates rich, immersive historical details with multifaceted characterizations and authentic pitch in each voice along with a balanced mix of angst, humor, all kinds of drama, tenderness, and super sexy encounters between Ailsa and Kallum. The supporting characters are also fully developed, and multiple story threads deftly evolve in this celebration of Black joy and love and perseverance despite often demoralizing odds against emerging whole and victorious.

The acknowledgements and author’s note are must-reads too. Readers sensitive to themes involving human trafficking, enslavement, and repeated threats of assault may want to investigate the content warnings for this story.

I wasn't entirely sure about this novel at first. It was a little slow initially, and I also found it a little hard to like Ailsa because as she planned her escape from captivity, I was worried she was skating dangerously close to TSTL territory. However, I'm glad that I stuck with it. Once Ailsa and Kallum got past the she's-an-ungrateful-hellion/he's-a-boorish-jerk stage, watching them slowly make their way to each other was lovely. As it turns out, Ailsa actually has a pretty good head on her shoulders.

I did find credulity strained a bit here and there (like no one recognizing Kallum as the Shepherd because he wears a hood), but according to the author's afterword, the whole premise of Black Scots (a highlander commander no less) is largely a "what if" work of fiction anyway. I was a little disappointed in that, to be honest, but eh, it's a fun story anyway.

The secondary characters are fun as well, and I wouldn't have minded seeing a bit more of them, at least in the context of interacting with Ailsa and Kallum. I also would've liked to see a little more of Ailsa using her healing skills. I'm a sucker for a highland healer.

Overall, this is a good story that offers a fresh twist on the Highlander trope.

I received an ARC of this book for free from the publisher and Netgalley. I'm writing this review voluntarily, and it reflects my honest opinion. Thanks!

This was my most anticipated read of 2022 and I was NOT DISSAPOINTED. The deception, the POC representation, the class divide. This book had it all, set agains the Scottish highlands. This was a really ambitious effort by Lisa Rayne and I can't wait to read more in this series.

Amateur imposing of modern ideas, behavior, and even implements in a time when none of them would have been common or accepted. These clumsy modern additions to the story clutter up the writing and are detrimental to engaging fully with the book.