There is nothing better than a yummy highlander and a strong heroine to keep me reading and add Lynsay as the author…it’s a win. I feel like I am transported back in time when I read her books. It has passion, chemistry and so much more. You feel like you are fighting right along with them.

Awww, this book is about the daughter of the first couple in the series :)

Sands' Highlander series is great. I find it so ffunny, especially this one. In this book Annella has been serving as Laird and Lady Gunn since she married at 16 and her husband William left her right after the wedding. Her mother in law has been treating her horribly but otherwise the rest of the people think she's done a great job.

Once Wiliam's body is disovered and Annella is a widow, she starts thinking about going back home to Mackay. Meanwhile William's brother Graeme comes back from being a mercenary to take his place as the next Laird. He decides he wants to marry Annella but has to convince her to stay. The hilarity ensues when he decides that his friends and her brother need to find them together so that she can be compromised. Annella keeps foiling their plans by taking him to other random locations.

There is also an overarching mystery, as happens in all of the books in this series, which gets solved a bit early but in this book the mystery seems to be not as important as their relationship as in the previous books. It really could be the end of the series, which would be sad, but it's had a good run - 12 books and 11 years. Can't wait to see what Lynsay Sands has coming next.

I recieved an advanced copy and am giving an honest review.

A Lynsay Sands Highlander novel is one of the reasons I adore this sub genre of historical romance so much. From her brawny (quite often cinnamon role) MCs and strong FMCs, I am always, always, always drawn into the story. She brings the perfect amount of drama, sibling shenanigans, and we know someone is inevitably going to be poisoned or possible shot by an arrow.

I loved how Annella was painted as the sweet demure sister Payton described and the moment Graeme sees her she is sewing up a knife wound and hitting the man over the head with a pot in order to get him to stop squawking. I couldn't stop laughing at Annella deciding to seduce Graeme, when he was attempting to woo her. And after a successful seduction she would not marry him out of honour because she had been the one doing the seducing. Setting Graeme to try and get them caught in a compromising enough position to get Annella to marry him. And her poor brother Payton was dragged into it and promised that he would only be catching them part way to a full compromising. It made me actually giggle when the attempts were foiled more than once.

Lynsay Sands was the first highlander romance author I read and since then few authors have come close to the level of joy reading her novels brings me. I truly hope this is a series that keeps going and going because we definitely have some characters who I would love to see have books. I am looking at you remaining single Buchanan brother Alick and Payton MacKay!

I have really enjoyed Lynsay Sands' highlander series, so I am delighted to be able to read The Highlander's Return early. Although book twelve in a series, this can be read as a standalone.

This book is filled with mystery, sexy highlanders, a strong FMC, humor and a hot romance. This had one of the most hilarious opening scenes that I've read in a book. Annella was such a spitfire! I loved her so much. Graeme is a warrior returning home for the first time in six years, and from the moment he meets Annella he's a goner. I loved how Graeme fell first because he sees how awesome Annella is. I love that! These two had great chemistry. Their romance was hot, hot, hot! The spicy scenes were really good.

I liked the mystery of who was trying to kill Graeme. It added excitement and suspense. I thought it had a satisfying conclusion as well.

A great historical romance that readers won't be able to put down!

Book REVIEW: The Highlander's Return

This might be one of the funniest openings of a Lynsay Sands Highland Bride series. I couldn't stop LOLING!

Annella is the daughter of the hero Ross MacKay from A Highlander Takes a Bride and she is a spitfire. I enjoyed watching how she entered the clan as a scared young woman and then took over managing the clan so well to the point that everyone loves and cares for her in return. It was so wholesome to see the dynamics between Annella and her people. Her husband left her on their wedding night and fled the COUNTRY never to be seen again, until his body was found six years later by his younger brother Graeme.

When Graeme returns, he is instantly impressed with Annella and knows she will be his wife, because she is strong, competent, and knows the ins and outs of being a laird. What else could a man ask for? However, Annella absolutely loathes all of the Gunn family. Her husband abandoned her, her mother in law is completely abusive, and the youngest brother keeps calling her an annoying nickname that she asks him frequently to stop. Because of all of this, Annella just wants to go home. The second she finds out her husband is dead she is thrilled and immediately begins packing…in such a perfect and humorous scene.

Which is soon followed by many more humorous scenes of Annella and Graeme hooking up because Annella wants to have a good time, only every time Graeme plots with her brother that he will catch them and force her to marry him and they are in a different location than Graeme and Payton planned for.

This has all of the classic Lynsay Sands moments: getting caught in compromising positions, arrow wounds, sick beds, the need to be carried about, secret passages, and the overall same shenanigans as all of the others.

But the plotting is also where the book began to fall apart for me. Sands books have previously had such strong family dynamics and the fact that Annella is raised by the hero and heroine of previous books made me think that those familial bonds in this one should be even stronger. That absolutely was not the case.

Graeme manipulating Annella is one thing, especially with all of the chaotic ways his dumb man logic advised him to go about it. But what hurt was seeing how Payton immediately sided with Graeme OVER HIS SISTER. He was in on the plans to force Annella to marry Graeme, as opposed to supporting his sister, who has been miserable for six long years and just wants to go home to her mom and dad. I get that he is a side character, but this really had a huge impact in my enjoyment of the story. Whereas his parents felt the opposite!

Even though Annella was enjoying the pasties and finally got to see her parents again, who then cared for her and nursed her back to health, I was really just rooting for her to go home. Annella is never NOT trapped at Gunn Castle even after six years. Graeme literally would not let her go home.

I'm also not sure why her parents came to visit and immediately asked Annella if she wanted to leave, and she said she couldn't because she was married and her mother and father, both, separately, said it didn't matter, they would get her out. That was incredibly endearing. Though, I'm not sure why they never wrote to her nor visited IN SIX YEARS. They only showed up after her second time trapped in an awful marriage.

This did not feel like the same romance in earlier books, but it was interesting because the hero had ALL of the work to do and Annella needed to heal and experience her sexual awakening.

4.5 stars - Once again, snaps to the cover design artist for understanding the vibe correctly & channeling it so well. This is campy, this is fun, this is murderous - just all around a great example of this flavor of book from LS

Another great installment in this series. Can they be a bit formulaic? Sure but what series romance like this isn’t? Doesn’t keep them from being enjoyable and entertaining.

The Highlander's Return (Highland Brides #12) by Lynsay Sands
I enjoy these books and have read most of them. Graeme and Annella are both very strong H/h with lots of baggage. There is angst, mystery, murder, deception, discovery, meanness and kindness, laughs and tears, wonderful and evil friends and family and some steam all to get us to a HEA.
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Tragic Unpredictable Happily Ever After Scary Witty Steamy Great world building Wonderful characters Romantic Easy-to-read Tear-jerker Action-packed Page-turner Entertaining.

I’ve been on a Highland Brides journey over the past year, and Lynsay Sands’ newest addition, The Highlander’s Return, is such a vibe! ARC courtesy of Netgalley, this book brings all the over-the-top escapades we love from the series.
The story revolves around a warrior returning to lead his clan after his brother’s death, only to find himself enamored with his widowed sister-in-law. Naturally, he decides to marry her, but she has other ideas that involve everything but the marriage bed.

Just as bonkers as the other books in the series, it’s filled with plot twists and shadowy figures lurking in the dark. If you love historical romance with off-the-rails plot lines, silly dialogue, and simping heroes, this one’s for you!

I highly recommend this story and although it’s part of a series it’s easily read as a standalone. Both main characters were full of personality and there was a bit of intrigue thrown in to keep turning the pages. The epilogue was fantastic! It’s been a long time since I’ve read a highlander book and reminded me how much I love them.

Loved! Loved! Loved! Everything I was hoping for and more!main character, Annella, was married to William Gunn eldest Gunn son. Believed to become the next family Laird of the castle. He marries Annella but leaves her on their wedding night for a pilgrimage without consummating the marriage. She is told he is dead. She becomes the temp laird since Williams father has had an unfortunate accident is still alive but broke his back and can no longer perform the duties. Youngest son, David, thinks he is a shoe in for the job his sister-in-law has assumed the responsibilities despite the mother in laws constant criticism for six years has done a great job. At any rate the Highlander son, Graeme, is home to become the new laird. As happens, he is also to become Annella’s husband. I highly recommend this romance/ murder Special thanks to the following for allowing me to review early and give my own honest opinion:
#NetGalley
#HarperCollinsPublishers
#LynsaySands

Found interesting to read and kept my attention
I thought I had it figured out but then I was given a twist

enjoyed

Although this is book 12 in this series, you will have no need to read the others first. I do hope you choose to read because all of them are pretty darn good light reads!

As I said, this was a light and quite funny read with an excellent mystery added. All of this series has a mystery, and in this one, I found it a little harder to figure out the red herring than I usually do.

Poor Annelle. Her husband deserts her on her wedding night to go on a pilgrimage; several weeks later, her father-in-law suffers an accident, which forces her to take care of the keep and all of the responsibilities attached to it. Six years later, she is still doing all that and being the healer for everyone. Add to this her mother-in-law actively hates her, and there you have a miserable Annelle.

Graeme, Annelles brother-in-law, suddenly arrives home after being a mercenary for ten years and searching for William or his body. He is also bringing her husband William's bones.


But never fear; soon, passion rears its wonderful head, and things proceed from there. And yes, even after a lot of injuries and accidents, we do get a happily-ever-after!

This is a very fast read, heavy on "romance" and mystery. Annelle is a wonderfully strong woman, and of course, Graeme is a wonderfully sexy Scot.

*ARC was supplied by the publisher Avon/HarperCollins, the author, and NetGalley.

I loved this - the chemistry, the humor, the mystery, the hot romance! Both Graeme Gunn, the returned middle brother of her deceased husband, and Annella Mackay, the widow who acted as laird and healer, were likable characters. I also enjoyed the secondary characters - her family and his mercenary brother-in-arms. I highly recommend for anyone who enjoys a sexy Highlander story.

☀️ARC REVIEW☀️

3.5⭐

After reading 3/11 books from this interconnected series (not including this one). I was really excited to start this book! And it did not disappoint.

Graeme our hero is back home after learning that his brother left and died on a pilgrimage. Annella the FMC had to quickly grow a backbone and act basically as laird after her husband left shortly after being wedded to her. Like literally right after the ceremony.

The last time Graeme saw Annella she was a young timid bride so imagine his surprise when upon setting his eyes on her again she was knocking a man out. He had to leave so he could laugh! I really liked Graeme. You'd think he'd be a cold soldier type after being at battle for so long but really he was laid back and just a little naive when it came to women specifically Annella's emotional and intellectual needs but the physical stuff he had it down packed!

I loved Annella's character. She was tough as nails, independent, but she was also kind, and considerate of others. Not only did she feel lonely and insecure after her husband left but she had to deal with a monster in law. Still she pushed through it.

I really liked how the romance was set up however I wish it stayed that way. I feel like once he actually got married to her it stayed surface level compared to their first "date" where he laughed and actually listened to her thoughts. It just kind of stalled in the middle. My favorite thing about this series is how every MMC so far has a love at first sight type of reaction and Graeme is no different. He was already calling her wife in his inner monologue 🥰

This was a quick and fun read and I'll definitely be reading more from the series

✨tropes✨
🩶 Virgin FMC
🩶 He falls first
🩶 He takes care of her when she gets sick

I want to give a special thank you to the author and the publisher for an early ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and review.🩷

Lynsay Sand's Highland Brides series is a knockout Highland Romance series that always leave me eagerly waiting for the next one. The Highlander's Return was no different. It was absolute perfection for this type of book and yet again an amazing page turner. All of these books are interconnected so beautifully together, yet they can be read as a stand alone.

Graeme is a warrior, a man's man, and back to be laird after years of mercenary work. Annella had a bad hand dealt to her with her marriage but managed it with grit and integrity taking on the responsibility of running everything after her loser husband, Graeme's brother, deserts her on their wedding night.

Through a series of incidents Graeme and Annella find each other but will they be able to navigate whomever is set to see them dead? I love that Graeme falls first. I love that Annella is a strong FMC. I love that they find each other. In short, I just loved this book.

Perfectly spicy highland romance at it's best. I am eagerly awaiting the next one already!

I love a Lynsay Sands highlander novel, they're always fun, engaging, and filled with action, so much so that even the weaker entries in the series are still more fun than a lot of other romance novels. Unfortunately, for me, this did end up being one of those weaker entries. While I really enjoyed the set up of the main couple, with Annella as the widow of Graeme's brother who was abandoned six years ago but has been running the family holding for the entire time, the pacing between the two just feels slightly off. Annella instantly is okay with sleeping with Graeme but balks at the concept of marriage, while Graeme mostly just sees her as convenient and you never really sense the evolution between the two into an actual love match. This is especially glaring when it's constantly pointed out that they never really have any conversations. The more action filled aspects are also pretty predictable, which was somewhat disappointing.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received an arc of this book from netgalley for an honest review.

I have grown up reading Lynsay Sands Highland romances, I have yet to read one that I did not devour and love. I loved Annella, she is a strong FMC who was dealt a pretty crappy hand, and then in comes Graeme a swoony hard headed Laird with instant hearts in his eyes.....Swoon...If you love highland romance with some mystery and lots of romance please check out Lynsay, all of her books are equally awesome!

When I read a Lynsay Sands, it’s because I’m in the mood for a Lynsay Sands. I know exactly what I’m going to get.

The Highlander’s Return really hit that lazy-Sunday easy-read spot:
Smart, capable, take charge woman? Check!
Gruff, teddy bear, in-over-his-head Scotsman? Check!
Suitably evil villain? Check!
Low stakes mystery? Check!
HEA? Yep!

Plus 10/10 for that cover. Well done.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for an eARC. Opinions are my own.

I’ve been waiting for another Lynsay Sands Highlander romance novel! It was a wonderful read and I enjoyed the plot of the story. We have our heroine Annella and our hero Graeme, I enjoyed their little love story. It has mystery, plenty of romance, and some small action scenes. Annella is a hardworking woman who had to take care of business once her husband abandoned her on their wedding night. Graeme hasn’t been home in 6 years, last time he saw Annella, she was a timid young woman that had married his brother. Now he’s in for a rude awakening once he sees this woman who’s not the delicate girl anymore. Annella doesn’t know what to do with this Highlander who’s come to tell her news about his brother, the husband who left her all those years ago.

This wasn’t my favorite book out of the series, but it was still very fun to read. There were a couple times that I felt like the story wasn’t progressing as fast as I wanted it too. Also, the little plot twist was a great addition!