This is the seventh book of the series, and although I have not read any of the other books, I had no trouble following the story. I listened to this as an audiobook and really enjoyed the narration. The narrator did a great job of bringing each of the characters to life. The story was well-written and intriguing and held my attention from start to finish. Lachlan and Mailie were a wonderful couple and they had such a great connection and sparkling chemistry. There was plenty of drama and excitement, with plot twists that kept me wanting to listen to more. The characters were interesting and well-developed and I enjoyed following their story. Glad to have had the opportunity to listen to this!
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and Hachette Audio and am leaving my voluntary review.

I came for the Highlander romance and stayed for the Beauty and the Beast retelling! I was in the mood for an exciting historical romance, and the Laird of the Black Isle was exactly what I needed. (I love a grumpy highlander!)

Lachlan and Mailie made me so happy! I was grinning as they fell in love and Lachlan's heart warmed. And just when I thought the story was over, I got one more thrilling event that ended with such a beautiful happily ever after!

The narration was outstanding. She brought each character to life and her Scottish accents were perfect.

I will absolutely be reading more from this series!

*Thank you Netgalley and Hachette Audio for the audiobook ARC*

The Laird of the Black Isle is your standard Highlander romance. It’s part of a series, but you can easily jump in and read this as a one off. Featuring plenty of kidnapping and feisty females, there’s plenty of action as these two enemies fall free each other within their marriage of convenience.

The narration by Carrington MacDuffie was more suited to a contemporary romance featuring Scottish characters. I didn’t feel that she provided a great historical vibe with her narration. That being said, her narration was very clear and easy to listen to, even as she used her accent to characterize the different character voices. Personally, I found her voice took me out of the historical element of the story more than I would have liked.

Thanks to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for this audio review copy.

Hot highlanders are usually my thing and I did enjoy this story. I listened to this as an audiobook. I am just not sure the narrator was a good fit for this story. The narrator was good but just not right. The story was wonderful mix of both main character's feelings and I enjoyed listening to it. This had a little Stockholm Syndrome feel about it but I think the love between the two main characters was believable. The spice was wonderful if maybe a touch unbelievable at the start but it was lots of fun to read.

Big thanks to NetGalley, Hatchett Audio and Paula Quinn for an early release copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I listened to the audiobook of Laird of the Black Isle narrated by Carrington MacDuffie, who did an admirable job. When I started listening to this book, I didn't realizing it was part of a series until after I finished it. I don't feel like I missed anything at all not having read or listened to the prior books in the series, which means a lot as it is a complete story without any missing plot points.

The story begins with the Laird, Lachlan MacKenzie, living an isolated life in his huge castle alone after his wife and little girl were killed two years ago in a fire. When an emissary for an evil man reveals that his daughter might still be alive, Lachlan is persuaded to abduct Mailie MacGregor for an "exchange" - Mailie in exchange for the whereabouts of his daughter. After Lachlan kidnaps Mailie, he regrets it almost immediately. Rather than being a helpless victim, Mailie eventually wears Lachlan down with her kindness and reasonableness. She also valiently helps him heal from the heartbreak by adopting two young children whose mother dies unexpectedly (she convinces him that as laird, he is responsible for the children, and if won't accept responsibility, she will take them back with her to the MacGregors). Of course, throughout the remainder of the book, he learns to love the children as his own and will fight tooth and nail to protect them.

While at times I thought Mailie's thoughts were a bit drawn out and repetitive (will she run away or won't she), there is plenty of action, adventure, and touching moments in this story. I highly recommend this book and look forward to listening to other books in this series.

This is the 7th book in The MacGregors: Highland Heirs series by Paula Quinn.

I have not read the first 6 books in the series, so I was worried that I would miss out on some crucial backstory. I was pleasantly surprised this book can be read as a stand-alone. However, now that I've gotten a taste for the characters, I'd like to go back and read more stories about the other MacGregors.

This is a not-so-typical enemies to lovers story set in the Scottish Highlands. Lachlan MacKenzie thinks his daughter has been killed until a messenger comes to his home on the Black Isle and reveals his daughter may still be alive. The messenger promises to give Lachlan more information about his daughter if he abducts and delivers Mailie MacGregor from her family.

Mailie is a fiery character for the time period, and Lachlan becomes enchanted by the young lass. What ensues is a slow burn romance as Mailie learns that Lachlan is not the brute she initially perceived and Lachlan remembers what it's like to be a part of a family again.

There was a decent amount of spice for a historical romance, and I really enjoyed how Paula Quinn progressed the character development of Mailie and Lachlan. I would highly recommend!

This review is based on a complimentary book I received from NetGalley. This review is honest, my own opinion, and completely voluntary.

Thanks #NetGalley for the advanced copy of the #audiobook version of #LairdofBlackIsle by Paula Quinn in exchange for an honest review.

This book was very entertaining and made me want to delve deeply into Quinn's Highlander Romances! I can't wait to read more of her books because her characters are compelling, her plots are fun and full without being too much, and her writing style flows easily which makes for a quick and entertaining read. The narrator was different and took me a little bit to get used to it but once I did, I didn't have any problems with her narration of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. I listened to the audio and liked the narrator very much. Her accent was easy to understand and set the mood. Paula Quinn writes a great story. Her characters have heart and the banter is so on point. Can't go wrong picking up this book.

Loved this sweet story but my review will be only on the audiobook! This book was fantastic on audio! The narrator did a truly wonderful job. I enjoyed the consistency between the characters voices, the inflection, the emotion (not over done), the heat and the depth she gave to the characters. This was a very enjoyable experience

This book was just okay for me. The narrator was also just okay for me. I did get through it. I just don’t think it was for me. Huge thanks to Netgalley and the audiobook publisher for allowing me to listen and review.

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I wasn’t a huge fan of this book. Parts of the story and plot, while certainly far fetched, were very enthralling but I didn’t find that the author was able to flesh out the story and make me care about or relate to the characters during the time I had with them.

A solid 4.5. I enjoyed Laird of the Black Isle very much and was surprised that I hadn't read Paula Quinn's work before. When we first observe Mallie MacGregor, she comes across as a "put me down, you villain!" innocent, destined only to serve as an expendable pawn in a desperate gamble Lachlan MacKenzie's made in an attempt to find his missing daughter. But Mallie proves to be made of sterner stuff, just as Lachlan proves to be far softer than his chiseled frown and gruff demeanor would imply. At heart, Laird of the Black Isle is an exploration of the meaning of family and kinship as well as a romance, and the tender bonds formed among Mallie, Lachlan, and eventually an entire community left me with a feeling of happy contentment.

Laird of the Black Isle is book 7 in The MacGregors: Highland Heirs series. I have read most of the books in this series and I have been loving what I have read.

An engrossing tale set in Scotland, just after the Jacobite rebellion. Lachlan has no choice but to kidnap Mailie, in the hopes of getting his long lost daughter Annabelle returned. Mailie is feisty and independent for her time and initially detests Lachlan for taking her to a man she doesn’t wish to marry. As she gets to know him and finally understands his rationale, things obviously change. It’s a great romance, which pulled me in right from the start. At the beginning, I was dubious about the obviously older narrator, but once I got used to her voice, I appreciated her skill at portraying both male and female characters in an authentic Scottish accent - not easy for most American narrators!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Let me preface this review by saying that my comments about the narrator do not reflect her talent whatsoever. I believe Carrington MacDuffie to be very talented and versatile with her voices. That being said, this was not the book for her. At first, I thought that my main issue with the narrator was the maturity of her voice. To put it frankly, it felt like my mother/grandmother was reading this book to me, which made me dread the intimate scenes for their presumed cringeworthiness. Once I realized my secondary issue, my disconnect made even more sense. MacDuffie’s voice sounds much more suited to the audiobooks of Louis L’Amour and the like. I played a clip for my husband without context and then asked him if he picked up on the same sort of speech pattern I had. He is an avid listener of L’Amour audiobooks and readily agreed. There was a section in the book where the female protagonist “rode him hard” and I started to chuckle because all I could imagine was Chick Bowdrie riding to the rescue.

As for the stories, it was advertised for people who were fans of Outlander. They were both based in Scotland, but that is mostly where the parallels end. I hate to give this a single star because I don’t think the story is necessarily reflective of one star but the narration ruined it for me. I would not not recommend the paperback version.

This was one of the most beautifully narrated audiobooks I have listened too. I loved the narrator and the way she brought the characters and story to life. It was so well done I found myself lost in the story and was able to perfectly see the story happening around me! I loved everything about this narration! It was perfection!!

The story was well written and kept me hooked from start to finish. I loved the plot and the characters. The story was well paced and made me feel every emotion along the way!!

I highly recommend this story and definitely recommend it as an audiobook!!

I really liked this book.

We are involved by the words and taken to Scotland, on a journey that brings together the two characters and then, we go on a journey of emotions.
The characters gradually open up to each other and they develop emotions and themselves slowly over the pages.
It's so funny how she begins to impose herself on his life, on an area that he wants to close. It's a super loving book. And I really liked their interactions and the connections between the characters, they jump off the page to the reader.
And having them and the children living together, gives the idea of their life together, them being parents. Is so cute.

I think the narrator was really the right choice for this book. The accent took us more into the story and gave the characters more personality. It involved us.

Okay, this book historical romance was just too long and complicated for my taste. At some moments it felt like too many things were going on and the narrator was just awful.

It was my second Beauty and the Beast retelling in a shot time. I just enjoyed this.

Thank you NetGalley for the audio-arc version of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Romance: 3/5
Chemistry: 3/5
1st kiss: +- 47% in
Spice: 3/5
Humor: 2/5
Cry factor: 1/5
Drama: 4/5
Suspense: 2/5
Audio: 4.5/5

I listened to the audio for this book and it was amazing. We have a single narrator - although she did the MMC's voice so well I really thought it was another narrator - and she did all those different tones remarkably. It was such an enjoyable book to listen to.
I didn't give the audio a 5/5 because you could hear the added sections here and there. You can here they have a different
The story itself was a great one. I really enjoyed how the FMC started to have feelings for the Dragon and how he softened his crushed heart. It was amazing how he longed for a family and she was all he needed to start one.
I love the drama and angst with his loss and how he heals with the children.
His love for our FMC is a beautiful, he goes all caveman when she's in danger - just the way we like our heroes!

I was given an ALC for this audio by NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first Paula Quinn book I have read. It was a typical enemies to lovers story. Mailie was strong willed and fiesty and was a very likable character and Lachlan was sexy and strong and a gentle giant. However I didn't find the book exciting. I found it predictable in many ways. The writing was simplistic. Unfortunately I doubt I will read another book by Ms Quinn