How does one write about perfection? I absolutely adored this story. When I think of Highlander Romances, I think of Lynsay Sands. From the start the story and romance had me hooked. Perfect for readers impatiently waiting for Outlander.

This one started slowly. I thought it was going to be a miss, but boy was I wrong. It picked up in just the right spot and I was hooked through to the end. This was my first Lynsay Sand and, honestly, my first highlander and medieval in a hot minute. I enjoyed the building relationship between Graeme and Annella. The obstacles placed in their path felt realistic and not formulaic. Although, the mystery that twines its way through the book was itself fairly predictable. I will definitely be reading more Lynsay Sands and recommending this as a medieval read to friends!

My thanks to NetGalley and Avon for access to an eARC in return for an honest review.

This was a wonderful, adventurous read, with strong and well fleshed out characters. Giving my honest review, it did seem to drag out in a few areas for me, repeating information previously stated. Having said that, I appreciated the strong character of Annella MacKay. Just a side note, coming from the Morgan Clan myself, the Morgan's were the ancient clan of what is today the MacKay Clan. The Morgan/MacKay women are just like Annella!
I'm not sure if this is a one off book or not, but there are enough good characters to make a series. I would love to see what becomes of Payton specifically. At any rate, I would highly recommend this read to anyone that likes Romance reads, particularly about Highlanders!

Disclaimer: I would like to note that I received this ARC with the mindset that I would provide an honest review.
I do not think there are enough words in the English dictionary to explain the excitement that I feel about getting to read and review this book. I have been reading Lynsay Sands books since the very beginning. I have read every single one of her books and she is an instant buy author for me. So thank you thank you thank you for the opportunity to read and review this arc.

If you have read any of Lynsay’s books before you will learn that they are interconnected standalones. Yes, they technically could be read out of order but I personally feel that you get the most enjoyment from these books by reading them in order. You really connect with the characters because they always seem to pop up in the other books.

In this story we learn more about Graeme, the warrior, as he returns home after learning that his brother is dead. When he left home, it was during the wedding of William and Annella and it seemed as though everyone would be happy. However, we learn very early in the book that this was not the case and the marriage between William and Annella is not what he believed. William abandoned his home and new wife the morning/night after his wedding and had not returned home. William was also suppose to be the clan chief, a title that Graeme was happy to have left to him, but instead, left Annella to serve as both lord and lady of their clan. This background is important to the development of the story as Graeme now has a choice to make.

I love it when the FMC can surprise the MMC when forced to recognize that their assumptions and opinions were wrong. He believes her to be a soft and sweet lady who was quiet and withdrawn. However, when we they are reintroduced she is putting a large man into his place and shows the readers how strong her character truly became in the 6 years they last saw one another. And with this strength, she is about to engage him in a battle of wit throughout this book as she challenges everything he thought he knew.

Lynsay write spicy stories with fun and engaging characters. There is humor throughout this book that makes this book all the more enjoyable. I absolutely love reading Lynsay Sands books and wish everyone had the opportunity to read them. I highly recommend this book to everyone!

Thank you so much to Avon and Harper Voyage, Lynsay Sands, and NetGalley for this opportunity! It was a wonderful book!

Oh man, this was such a fast and fun read. This is the 3rd of the Highland Brides series that I have read and they continue to delight and not disappoint. The chemistry between these two Annella and Graeme was smoking and how they couldn’t keep their hands off each other even long enough to talk whenever they were alone together. Graeme comes back home with Annella's brother because they located her 6 years missing husband that has been gone since their wedding night so now she is a widow and looking forward to going back home. Graeme takes one look at her and realizes she is the one for him and proceeds to try to get her to agree to marry him by whatever means necessary. I love that there is always some danger and conflict which is usually someone trying to kill both of them and in this one someone different is trying to just kill Graeme and they of course catch both of them by the end. I love a little danger in the midst of my fluffy romance. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series since they are always a delight to read.

Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

I found this book to be an enjoyable and easy read. Once I started it, I couldn't put it down. It was both a romance and a mystery. Although the mystery was easy to figure out, it was the getting there that was enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced readers copy.

I wanted to give highlander romances another chance, and I've decided that they're just not my thing. I'm sure there is a reader for this, but it's not me. I just can't handle writing phonetically in accents. It's really distracting. But like I said, there is a reader for this, and it just isn't me.

Mystery, Family, Discovering Love:
An eye-opening beginning to a very intriguing bunch of characters who take us on a twisting whirlwind romance story that is quite shocking and just plain fun.
Both Graeme and Annella were enjoyable and exciting characters that kept the story moving at fast pace.
There are many surprises that I didn't see coming, some humous angst, swoon worthy passion, a diabolical morally bad villain, along with a very joyous and rewarding conclusion.
👩‍⚕️Special Mention: Lady Annabel (healer) for her innovated ideas for the handicapped person.
👵Mature Advisory🌶🌶🌶
💋Loved the cover:

I'm obsessed with anything set in Scotland and have loved every book in this series and in her other Scottish series. I enjoyed the dynamic between the characters immensely - always a fan of enemies to lovers! Recommend for a fun, escape read.

Graeme Gunn is a warrior through and through. Content for his brother William to hold the title of clan chief, he left home years ago, battling his way through Scotland as a mercenary. When news arrives of William’s death, Graeme is forced to return to everything he left behind, including his brother’s shy young widow, Annella Mackay. But the beautiful, determined woman he finds at the keep is nothing like the quiet virgin he remembers…

Annella Mackay once had hopes for a loving marriage, a dream that shattered when her husband abandoned her. Hiding her pain, she took on the responsibilities of both laird and lady for the Gunn clan with spirit. But when she learns her husband is dead, she realizes she finally has a chance at a new dream, and she won’t let anything deter her plans. Not even Graeme, no matter how strong her attraction to the gruff and stubborn warrior…

Annella is happy to finally have an answer about what happened to her husband and is looking forward to returning home to her parents. Then enters Graeme who immediately decides she would make a wonderful wife and is determined to make that happen. Through some very comedic errors they are finally married.
I love Lynsay Sands historical books. They always have wonderful characters and some comedy along with the romance. I highly recommend these books to anyone who like historical romance.

A light read that brings Annella and Graeme together.

Annella, is abandoned on her wedding night by Graemes older brother. She is ready to return to her clan, except Graeme returns and is dumbstruck by her and wants her as his wife. He plots, she deters, he tries to help, she's offended and then you have the nasty Gunn family. Oh and the attraction.
This is all forms a basis for a story that's funny, has an element of mystery and definitely a lot of romance.

Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

I am not usually one for historical romance, but the summary for this one got my attention right away, and I am very glad I gave it a chance! I really enjoyed reading about Anella and Graeme. Anella became the lady of the house and took up most of the laird's duties when her husband disappeared, and was not about to give it up to some stranger who had no clue how to run a household, much less a clan. As for Graeme, it was highly entertaining to read just how dumbfounded he was by Anella. He was the definition of idiot-in-love, and he was so not ready for her!

The writing style for the book was well-done. It had a nice pace/flow, and was descriptive without being overly so. The mystery of her husband's disappearance - and the attempts on their lives - melded well with their romance, and I was pleasantly shocked by the ending.

I’m such a sucker for historical romances. I can’t get enough of them. This was another I really enjoyed. It was a nice break from all the adult fantasy I’ve been reading lately.

Plus there’s just something about them highlanders that I REALLY like. This is a super fun series.

While I enjoyed the story as a whole there were elements that just didn’t work for me. I think the storylines are becoming redundant. I’ve loved the series as a whole but this book was a weak link for me.

Annella gets the word her husband, Laird of the clan, (and who took off immediately after they were married, without consummating the marriage) has died and wants to return home to her family (the couple from the first book of this series 🙂) when the new Laird arrives - her late husband’s younger brother and he doesn’t want her to go, he wants to marry her.

Though a little predictable in parts this had good characters, chemistry, and pacing. I enjoyed The Highlander’s Return and found it a well written and highly fun read.

This was my first time reading Ms Sands and it definitely won’t be the last. Although this is number twelve in the series, I never felt lost during my reading and also have eleven more books of this series to read.



Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the DRC

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC.

I found this book to be an enjoyable and easy read. There were some twists and turns which came to a satisfying conclusion. As I moved through the book, I did find that the “twist” at the end was predictable, however, it did not decrease my enjoyment of the story.
We see the heroine, who’s taken over the running of the keep in her husband’s absence – and managing it successfully – having to deal with several hits. The death of her husband, the return of his brother and the changes in leadership all affect her and how she’s managed over the past several years. As it will be no surprise, the heroine and the brother get together and sparks fly.
I’ve always enjoyed books by this author and this was no exception. Please keep them coming!

TW: abandonment, parental death, sibling death, loss of a spouse and child (off page)

Well! I think the cover of this book is pretty deceiving. I went into The Highlander’s Return thinking it would be about a rough and gruff Scotsman returning home and in actuality it’s about a golden retriever of a man and his wildly insane family.

I did love Annella’s backbone and gumption. The way she immediately took over responsibilities of being Laird because the people of their clan needed someone was very admirable. Graeme was a sweet man who was struggling with transitioning from a mercenary to being a laird with a wife but he was still so kind.

I found it quite silly how long it took Annella to finally give in and marry Graeme even after all the beddings but it was the type of silly you just chuckle about and roll your eyes and accept it. What was really wild was Graeme’s family. Spoilers ahead:

honestly the mother just trying to kill him and Annella so blatantly and the brother killing the mother and no one is taking a second to be like OMG was weird. And the brother being so cal lol and chill about killing the first brother and wanting to kill Graeme? BIG OL YIKES! What a messed up family!

I probably wouldn’t read this author again but it was an okay read and I’ve definitely read worse. You might like it if you’re looking for something Scottish and fluffy but you have to take it with a crazy ass family trope.

Thank you so much to Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lynsay Sands’ books were my original gateway into highland romances and this newest edition of the Highland Brides series does not disappoint. Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced readers copy.

I adore Lynsay Sands “Highlander Brides” series and this book was no exception.

Annelle is ready to leave back to her home as soon as she gets the blessed news the husband who abandoned her is dead, but the new Laird, Graeme, doesn’t want her to leave. He wants her to teach him the run of the castle and maybe stay and be his own bride…

This is an instant “I want her” book that gets to the sexy stuff right away. It hits all the spots. Sexy, comedy, danger. I loved it. If you like any of the previous books you'll like this one.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the ARC.

This book was, in the grand tradition of this series, completely bonkers and hard to put down. I will say sometimes, some of the stuff in this series has become repetitive from head injuries and stabbings to being shot by an arrow to evil family members BUT, one thing I really enjoyed about this one is that it does kind of bring us back to the very first book in the series: the heroine of this book is the daughter of the couple featured in the very first book in the series. She's widowed in this book and shockingly still a virgin (!!) and falls for the brother of her late husband who left her. before consummating their marriage. It was fun and silly and hysterical at some points and all in all, a good read.