I love a nice and steamy highlander historical romance and Heather McCollum writes some of the best!

This is the first in a new series and it started out very strong. The setup is that four sons of different clans are imprisoned by the nasty English. They escape and declare a brotherhood oath between them. This book is the Brotherhood member Rory MacLeod’s story.

Rory MacLeod is a fearsome highland warrior who has sacrificed for his clan. Lady Sara Macdonald does not care for the MacLeod’s but her father forces her to marry the head of the MacLeod Clan, Rory’s brother. Rory meets Lady Sara by chance and doesn’t realize she is his betrothed to his brother. A great setup for an enemies to lovers romance!

I liked the setting and the steamy scenes, however the latter parts of the book were a mixed bag for me. I know this is the first of a new series, so it is necessary to introduce several characters. Because of this, I thought the characters lacked depth. Even our hero and heroine made decisions that are head-scratchers, possibly because we didn’t fully get to know them.

I am looking forward to more books in the series because I like the premise of the Brotherhood so much.

3.75 rounded up

First in Heather McCollum’s Brotherhood Of Solway Moss series, The Highlander’s Wild Flame is set in 1545 on the Isle of Skye, mostly in and around Dunvegan Castle. Imprisoned by the English in Carlisle Castle a year earlier, Rory MacLeod has formed a close bond of friendship with three other warriors from Skye whose families are sworn enemies of Clan Macleod. These four men have vowed to work for peace between their clans. Rory is a fierce warrior and protector of his clan but he’s also gentle with his sisters and loyal to his troops and clan. Not only is he striking to look at but Rory, The Lion of Skye, is admirable and easy to both like and respect. Sara Macdonald is to be wed against her will to Rory’s older brother Jamie in move that was meant to forge a bond of peace between their families, though it is soon clear that the wedding is a ruse by her father to kill the senior Macleod can members, seize the fairy flag and take over the remaining clan members. Despite the rising suspicion shefaces, Sara is always truthful, loving to both her brother Keenan and her little sister Eliza, neither of whom are like their sire. I loved Sara’s kindness and her quiet dignity as well as her strength and her fighting spirit. She’s a perfect match for Rory. Theirs is a romance filled with passion but they face many dangers separately and together as greed, madness and deceit plague them. For the most part, I really enjoyed this story though one or two secondary characters didnt really ring true for me. Nonetheless, this is a good start to the series.

Rory MacLeod knows all about betrayal. Trapped in an English prison he had to unite with three other warriors from rival clans to escape. After he returns home to heal, he catches sight of the enemy’s daughter, who happens to be intended for his brother. Sara Macdonald isn’t anyone Rory should want, but he’s drawn to her like a moth to flame. Then on her wedding day Sara’s father sets the church on fire, trapping the MacLeods inside. Only Sara’s quick actions save them, but leave her unable to return home and untrusted by the clan she’s at the mercy of. Now Rory will have to decide what to do as threats abound and he begins to fall for a woman he doesn’t know if he can trust.

Heather McCollum kicks off her Brotherhood of Solway Moss series with a forbidden romance that’s easy to fall into. Rory and Sara are both survivors; Sara from an abusive family and Rory from a horrid upbringing and an even worse time imprisoned in England. They know loyalty from one’s family isn’t ever assured but they’re still torn between wanting to protect their clans and the call to do what they know is truly right.

Rory is a strong Highland warrior who leads with skill. He’s got trust issues, that’s for sure, and it makes him unsure whether he can follow his gut and believe in Sara. Sara is independent and fierce in her own way, as equally protective as Rory. When she’s taken prisoner by the MacLeods (even after having helped them escape) she has to stay on her toes to survive. While Rory would protect her, his elder brother is as nasty and brutal as Sara’s treacherous father. Both Sara and Rory have their work cut out for them if they hope to achieve peace between the two clans.

At the heart of The Highlander’s Wild Flame is the romance between Sara and Rory. I liked them together and thought they had good chemistry. Rory makes mistakes due to his aforementioned trust issues, but overall they are a solidly entertaining couple. They are both kind, compassionate, and willing to fight for what’s right. I was rooting for them every step of the way even as I was unsure of how McCollum would make things work out with constant treachery afoot.

The Highlander’s Wild Flame is the start of a series that features four men who were imprisoned together after Soloway Moss. While only one other of the men (Sara’s brother) played a supporting role in this book, I’m very much looking forward to seeing how things come together over the course of the series. All in all I really enjoyed Sara and Rory’s romance. It’s sensual, sweet, and both Sara and Rory work to earn their happily ever after.

My first Heather McCollum but definitely won't be my last! Sara is a strong, proud, and fearless heroine, the book starts off essentially with her going against her father and clan to do the right thing and save their enemies after her clan breaks their truce! Rory is kind and a natural leader, his family treats him poorly but his love for his clan shines through! They start off as enemies then friends and eventually more... the spice is fantastic! There's lots of plotting and treachery as you would expect in a historical Scottish romance, the action held me until the very end!

I would like to thank netgalley and Entangled Publishing for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

An entertaining highland romance. I loved that it focused on little known history and had just the right amount of action and romance. The setting was lovely, however the some of the quotes used at the start of the chapters were not needed especially considering how unreliable some of the sources were. It would have been better to just stick to quotes about fire and the phoenix. Can't wait to read more of the series.

I was given a copy of The Highlander's Wild Flame by Heather McCollum in exchange for an honest review. The book starts out strong and has a plot with great potential. We begin with four highland warriors imprisoned together in England that form a brotherhood despite being from rival clans. The book then follows one of them back home and his relationship with our heroine, with later books in the series following the other men. Unfortunately, from there we have a rather round robin repetitive story that goes: Sara is accused of wrongdoing, Rory doesn't want to believe it, but becomes suspicious of her. She convinces him of her innocence and he then defends her to the clan so they don't execute her. This happens FOUR times. A fire, a theft, a poisoning and a murder. He then sends her away only to change his mind and go after her. All with a background plot of imminent war with her clan- more specifically, her father. Believe it or not, I enjoyed the story over all. I thought the brotherhood in prison leading to strong clan bonds was a great jump off and following their relationships later. I thought this one, however, spent at least two too many cycles in the "is it Sara?" loop. I am giving it 3 stars, but will still check out book two.

I adored Rory and Sara's story! It was so much fun watching these two go from enemies to lovers! I can't wait for the next one in the series!

Oh my! This was a super, fantastic, amazing story. Filled with history from the first page to the last, it provides is with an awesome view of the warring clans on the Isle of Skye. Set in the 1500's after the battle between England, Henry viii and Scotland, James v, four warring clans have left their four greatest warriors prisoners of England. This is the first of the series and the first time I've read this author. Each chapter begins with an amazing quote that not only sets of the chapter but educates the reader. Brilliantly written, a full compliment of excellence characters as well as drama, steam, deceit, lies, betrayal and more. A worthy series not to be missed. Can't wait for book #2.

3.5⭐️
3 🌶

This is the first book I’ve read by Heather McCollum. It was good. Entertaining and a light read. You can tell it’s a series by the lead up which was fine. The story was twisty and turny with some interesting revelations. The spice was decent..

I like a strong MMC and Rory teetered just a bit for me in that department. Yea, he’d been hurt but I felt Sara had proven herself by the end and he was still questioning everything up until the finale.

I loved the ending reveal when she showed the flag and everyone was in awe of her.

There were some parts of the book that were repetitive and often restated themselves which paused the flow for me.

The plot of this story is interesting and has some wonderful twists that will surprise readers. Rory is a warrior who only wants to protect and serve the people of his clan. Sara is a young lady trying to find a way to bring peace among the clans. The story is set in the Scottish Highlands which the author describes beautifully. The characters are well developed and come fully to life on the pages. The dialogue fits with the people and time period and is easy to read. This is a wonderful book to read and you want to get a copy.

Fearsome Highland warrior Rory MacLeod has sacrificed for his clan. When he along with three other Lairds’ second sons are taken prisoner & held in Carlisle Castle they forge a bond & The Brotherhood of Solway Moss is formed So when the chance for escape presents itself, they risk everything for freedom. Despite her betrothal to their laird, Lady Sara Macdonald has no love for the MacLeod clan. But immediately after her marriage to Jamie, her treacherous father locks the entire MacLeod wedding party into the church and sets fire to it, she cannot stand by and watch the slaughter. Saving them means turning traitor to her clan and becoming an enemy to her own blood. Now her intended husband lies somewhere between life and death, and Sara’s only ally is his younger brother Rory.
The start of a new series & what a starter! Wonderful characters whether you love them or hate them they have depth, a story which starts as a walk & ends at a run. The author doesn’t hold any punches & draws a vivid picture of sixteen century Scotland. I loved both Rory & Sara who were perfect for each other but their clans are enemies & there’s a traitor in the Macleod stronghold who’s out to murder the Laird & suspicion falls on Sara. I loved their journey to a HEA with all of its twists & turns. Just when things are going well for the couple another spanner is thrown into the works. A very well written engrossing romance, I look forward to the rest of the series
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

Set in 1544 on the Scottish Isle of Skye, this is such an immersive reading experience of the war between the clans McDonald and MacLeod. There’s an age-old feud, plus plenty more going on - heroes and villains, toxic parenting, a fairy flag, a witch (maybe), double crossing, subterfuge, and some crazy plot twists - even a flying attempt!

This is a big romance: Highland warrior Rory and Lady Sara have so much to fight about, to overcome, to endure as they learn to trust each other (and of course, fall in love). It’s a slow burn and their love is so hard won - such a rewarding read!

There's a large cast of characters, with plots and subplots that centre around Sara and Rory. I loved the historical note about the Battle of Solway Moss - how the author was serious about the historical context. And the Gaelic language glossary - and the quotes setting the scene for each chapter - author Heather’s hard work is so obvious.

The writing is impressive, with a Scots turn of phrase that sounds authentic, especially for Rory. I was transported to this fully realised 16th century world. Sara is beautiful and brave and has so much to navigate, even while she is drawn to Rory. I loved having my suspicions confirmed as the plot unfolded...

If I had a quibble, it’s a shame about the cheesy title. It doesn’t do justice to this historical romance that has big ideas. Pity it couldn't be The Lion of Skye to celebrate all things Rory 😄

Thank you NetGalley, Heather McCollum and Entangled Publishing for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Rory is the Scottish Highlander of my dreams. He cured all of my Outlander hangovers and then some.

Sara is to be given to a rival clans leader as his bride in an effort to unite the clans. But when her father has ulterior motives on her wedding day, she has to make a quick decision about where her loyalties lie— with her clan, or with her groom and his extremely handsome brother.

The Highlander’s Wild flame is full of rivalry, betrayal, lust and spice. Can’t wait for the second novel in the series.

The only thing more dangerous than his sword is the flame-haired enemy who’s stolen his heart. This is a gripping romantic story full of love and violence. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book.

After the Solway Moss battle and spending a year as a prisoner of the English King Henry along with three other sons of Scottish clan leaders from the Isle of Skye, Rory MacLeod realizes that it is time to stop the Scottish in-fighting and to band together against the true enemy – England. When he finally escapes with his fellow captives, they swear an alliance, and a brotherhood is formed between these men from feuding clans. He arrives home to learn that his father has died, and his brother Jamie is set to marry Seraphina “Sara” MacDonald, the daughter of their clan’s greatest enemy and the sister of one of the men Rory was held with at Carlisle. He doesn’t expect to be attracted to her, nor does he expect the betrayal of her father, when he attempts to trap the MacLeods in the chapel and burn them alive. If not for Seraphina’s help, they all would have died, and despite her help, Jamie is gravely injured. Furious, Rory declares the marriage void and takes Seraphina prisoner when her father and his men escape and leave her behind. As he gets to know her, he questions everything he believes about her, but mistrust of her clan runs deep, and he has been betrayed before by a pretty face. He wants to believe her, but when his clan’s most prized possession is stolen and his brother is murdered, with all the evidence pointing at Sara, he isn’t sure if he can trust his heart.

Seraphina “Sara” MacDonald never expected to marry, since she was born with a disfiguring mark on her back which her father proclaimed made her unmarriageable. So when her father declares that she is to marry the MacLeod chief, she is shocked, especially as they are her clan’s greatest foe, she is also worried about leaving her younger sister Eliza, but she is committed to making the best of it and hopefully foster peace between the two clans. She is horrified when her father locks the MacLeods in the chapel and sets it afire, she puts herself in great danger to save them and is labelled a traitor by her father for her efforts. And things don’t get much better for her after he leaves. The MacLeods don’t trust her, and she learns some disturbing information about her own family. But through it all, Rory is kind to her, and she believes they are forming a true bond of friendship and even love. But when his clan’s prized possession disappears and Jamie is poisoned and then murdered, he turns his back on her, leaving her to return to a father who left her in the hands of his enemies. Sara is heartbroken, but is determined to prove her innocence, but the cost may well be more than she expected to pay!

I loved the idea of this series and the author’s notes about Solway Moss are gripping and informative, so I started this book with high hopes. I liked the story, but I really had a hard time liking Rory – I understood his past shaped him, but I felt that by constantly refusing to trust Sara, he made it impossible for me to believe he loved her. I really dislike the “once burned, never trust” trope and Rory is the poster boy for this plot device. He didn’t grovel nearly enough to make me forgive him and, in my opinion, his reliance on his past experiences to make decisions about Sara made him appear to be weak. Overall, it was a good story and I loved Sara as well as many of the secondary characters, I enjoyed the steamyish love scenes and the final confrontation between the clans was very well written. So, while this book didn’t WOW me thanks to Rory, I would definitely read the next book and recommend this title to fans of the Scottish Reformation era.

*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. *

It was an excellent Highlander romance novel! Romance, mystery, and of course some sword fighting! I couldn’t put the book down I had to find out the ending. This book kept you on your toes, I was guessing the entire time! I would highly recommend this novel to people who adore a rugged Scottish man who will fight for a sweet lass.

Most people seem to love this book, and I might have too if I didn't love the author's other works so much. Heather McCollum is a phenomenal author who transports you to another world. Some of her books a tad too detailed because she does such extensive character building and plot development. This story is lacking. It often tells instead of shows. The plot is unoriginal and could have been done (and has been done) by other Highland romance authors. This story is okay but not up to Heather McCollum's usual standards.

Barbara’s rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

The prologue briefly acquaints us with the four members of the Brotherhood and how it came to be. For me personally, I would have liked that expanded a bit to learn more about their actual escape and the formation of the Brotherhood rather than just learning their escape was successful and they had formed a Brotherhood. These were four expendable members of their clan who had been given to the English for imprisonment in place of a non-expendable member. No, these weren’t common clan members – they were sons and even heirs to the Lairdships of their clans. All were from various warring clans from the Isle of Skye – sworn enemies – who had to learn to work together so they could escape their captivity. I don’t know if we’ll learn more over the course of the series, but I would have liked to see it in this book. There are plenty of spots that could have been skipped or shortened so the Brotherhood formation could have been expanded.

This book follows Rory MacLeod and Seraphina (Sara) MacDonald, but we also learn more about Sara’s brother Kenan who was imprisoned with Rory in the English prison. We also get an interesting set-up for the second book in the series which will feature Kenan.

Rory MacLeod is the second son of Laird Alasdair MacLeod who is a mean, manipulative, hateful, deceitful man who rules his clan with an iron fist. Rory’s brother, Jamie, heir to the lairdship, is a carbon copy of his father. Both Jamie and the Laird have always taken great pleasure in tormenting and manipulating Rory – even to the point of turning him over to the English to serve in Jamie’s place. Oh! They promised they would ransom him out – but they never did. So, over a lifetime, Rory had learned to never, ever, trust anyone – and the one time he did, she was a traitor and spy.

Sara MacDonald, daughter of Laird Walter MacDonald, has grown up as the target of her father’s wrath and ridicule. While she could have grown bitter, wrathful, distrustful, and disdainful, she was a protector and peacemaker instead. Sara was truthful, always truthful, even when a lie would have saved her from harm or humiliation.

Sara has no love for the MacLeod clan because she has always been taught that they are the enemy and only want to destroy the MacDonald clan. However, she agrees to wed Jamie MacLeod to unite the clans and bring peace. Her father’s actions directly after the wedding shocked her! He locked the entire leadership of the MacLeod clan in the church where the wedding ceremony had just taken place and set the church on fire to burn them all to death. At great risk to her own life, Sara finds a way to save them – only to be met with calls for her own death.

There are spies, thieves, and murderers within Clan MacLeod and it is their mission to make Sara appear to be the guilty party. Do they succeed? They do in a way because Rory is very distrustful of anyone and everyone – especially a female MacDonald. Rory was distrustful of Sara in his head, but in his heart, he felt differently. Sadly, too many times Rory allowed his head to rule.

I did enjoy this book and I thought it was a good setup for the second book and the series. That said, I think Rory’s head ruling his heart went on for too long. Another thing was the issue of the ‘annulment’ of Jamie and Sara’s marriage. Just because the priest agreed and the marriage documents were destroyed as soon as the ceremony was over, I believe the marriage would still have been binding at that time in Scotland. During that period in Scotland, all you had to do was declare you were married before witnesses – and you were married – you didn’t even need a priest. So, the marriage was witnessed by both clans – and should have still been legal. After reading some reviews, I was surprised to find that I not only tolerated but somewhat liked Rory. Sara was my favorite character and I was happy to see her get her HEA – and the setup for the next book sounded like a fun introduction to the heroine.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

⭐️ Enemies To Lovers
⭐️ Amazing Character Development
⭐️ Incredible Storyline
⭐️ Full of Suspense
⭐️ Extreme Page Turner

Summary:
Rory and Sara's story is all about how their families are enemy clans. They are supposed to hate each other but become involved after her father burns down the chapel where she is set to marry one of the MacLeod brothers, not the one she was expecting. She knew something was wrong so she ran to the door, realizing her father was attempting to murder them all, she helped them out and then was immediately treated as the ultimate enemy prisoner while she stayed at Dunvegan, the MacLeod clan castle. But her father has set her with the task of delivering the fairy flag to him, but there is one thing she hates and that is how controlling and crazy her father is. Will she survive being a prisoner and steal the flag? Will the Flame of Dunscaith fall for the Lion of Skye?

What I Loved:
This book was very romantic for a story involving Highlander men. I was swept away by how great the MC was in this book. We get a look from his perspective of how he sees Sara and the secrets both of them keep from each other which eventually lead to a bit of chaos. And hey who doesn't love that right? I loved how this book transported me back in time and gave me a hint at what each chapter would be like with the opening quotes. I can tell the author put a lot of work into the story and trying to keep the content historically relevant which was completely amazing as this was a very long time ago. This is a definite must-read for anyone who loves a complex storyline and not just a book full of steamy scenes, although this one is filled with some great moments between the 2 characters. There were many twists and turns that I was not expecting in the book which made it all the better to read. Overall, it was a very compelling read.

Want to check out my interest board on this book? Here's the link: https://www.pinterest.com/ariellereadsbooks/the-highlanders-wild-flame-by-heather-mccollum/

Special thanks to the Publisher and the Author for providing a complimentary digital Electronic Advanced Reader Copy (E-ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest, and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

What a ride. Rory MacLeod is strong, honorable, rational, and has a lot of trust issues. Sara Macdonald is passionate, defiant, smart, fiesty and caring. Throughout the story these two are thrown together and have to deal with some crazy situations. I felt that they helped better each other. There was definitely character growth, mending of the souls, and tests of faith. I was laughing, yelling, and shaking my head. There were so many twists and turns, that kept me intrigued and turning the page. Thank you for the explanation of terms at the beginning. Looking forward to the next book.