The Lady and the Highlander

Highland Fairy Tales #3

by Lecia Cornwall

Laire MacLeod’s father has married a mysterious widow who is a vain beauty that deals with potions and spells. Laire does not drink them with the rest of her family and is the only one who could see through her stepmother’s games. When Laire flees to find help from her Uncle, the Lady’s huntsman follows her with orders to kill. Laire must survive in a dangerous new city and find the antidote to a poisonous potion before it is too late.

Iain Lindsay is cursed. He is bound for seven years to be the hunter of a Lady who uses him to bring back birds to use in her potions. When Laire MacLeod escapes the Lady’s nets, Iain tracks her to Edinburgh, where she’s found shelter with an unusual band of thieves, but he cannot bring himself to harm her. Instead, he finds himself falling in love with the MacLeod beauty.

But a Highlander’s oath is his bond, and the price for helping her is death, both his own, and of those he loves.

Genres: Historical Romance, Historical, Romance, Fantasy, Fairy Tales, Retellings, Scotland

277 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 4, 2017

About the author

Lecia Cornwall writes historical romance and historical fiction. She lives and writes in Alberta, Canada, amid the beautiful foothills of the Canadian Rockies, with five cats, two adult children, a crazy chocolate Lab, and one very patient husband. She is hard at work on her next book.

Reviews

[Lover of Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance Summary
Laire Macleod's father, has remarried again, a elusive widow. But what shocks her is that upon the arrival of their new step mother. How obsessed her father is, or the strange way her sisters are acting. Laire discovers a plot, and its taking over her whole family but she is not affected. She is the only one that can save her family and she refuses to give up on them. But she is being hunted by her stepmothers huntsman, Iain Lindsay. But she has a goal in mind...reach her uncle who has knowledge of poisons and can release her family from the spell her step mother has placed on them before its too late. Iain Lindsay, has had to serve for seven years, and is contract is almost up. But for the first time, he wants something more than what "The Lady" desires, he wants to protect and love Laire Macleod. Even if its at the cost of his own life...
Plot and Story Line
The Lady and the Highlander is the most recent work in the Highland Fairy Tales. Now this book takes the place of the fairy tale of "Snow White" and man this was fun. And Snow White is the more rare of fairy tales that I have read, you rarely find a romance retelling of this one, and so I had such fun with this book and Cornwall did a splendid job creating this story and there are many similarities with the real story. Our Laire---is beautiful and caring. Our hero is the huntsman for the "Evil Lady and Stepmother" who desires to be the most beautiful out of all the land. And wants the 'heart' of Laire and demands her huntsman go after her and get it. Then we have a journey that Laire takes to find an antidote for the curse placed on her family. She stumbles upon the "seven dwarves" or a group of thieving children who aid her in helping her find her uncle in return of her cooking and cleaning for them.  So there are some really strong connections to the actual fairy tale that I enjoyed quite a bit. And this story really is the "edge of your seat" kind of book. It can get pretty intense at times. Our hero starts out as a bit of a anti hero, or a hero that is torn. He has had a rough time of it, and we see him go on a inner journey of his own, where he looks at himself and decides to go against our evil stepmother at a very pivotal moment in the story. The timing of everything just fits right and I really liked how everything plays out in the end. The romance that develops between Iain and Laire was quite interesting. In the beginning of the book, we see them have a "moment" of chemistry and connection. So that connection plays a part especially with Iain and his struggling with his inner demons. But the moment he decides to help and save her, changes everything between them. I really enjoyed seeing them build their relationship despite the dangers and conflict that surround them. I have to say that I had a blast reading this book, and it does have a slightly darker theme than the previous two books, but than our villain of the story deals with dark magic...so it is expected but this author created a beautiful retelling of Snow White and I can't wait to see which fairy tale she does next.
The Cover
I love this cover, with the red cape and the forest in the backdrop. However, I do feel like it has a more "Red Riding Hood" feel to it than Snow White.
Overall View
The Lady and the Highlander, is a truly magical and thrilling fairy tale retelling that takes you across the wilds of Scotland and into the heart and passion and mystery of this people....MAJESTIC AND BEEAUTIFULLY TOLD!!
Click To Buy On Amazon
[foogallery id="24012"]

[Anna's Herding Cats · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup.
Amazon: https://alexa.design/2oS1fX6

I totally thought this was going to be a little red riding hood retelling. But! The Lady and the Highlander is all about snow white and...is set in the Scottish highlands. Oh...my word. Yes, please!

The quick of it is that Laire's dad is getting married and, well, his new wife is a crazy sadistic witch...quite literally. But she's oh so lovely! Things come about and with her whole family bewitched it's now up to Laire to save her entire clan from her stepmother's evil clutches. She'll just have to escape the Huntsman first!

An innocent heroine with a backbone of steel, fierce determination and a caring heart. And a hero who's soul is dark after many acts of evil over the years-- he's had his reasons--but that has some kindness deep below the layers. Oh yeah. Laire and Iain captured my attention. The romance was interesting since Iain's been tasked with hunting Laire and killing her and, well, goes for it. Yeah. That makes all those romantical feelings a spot pesky! Right? But it was neat seeing their transformation, his redemption, her will to live and intelligence. And, aw, in the end I was like yes!!!! YES!!

I've really loved this series so far. This one was a spot darker than the previous two books but it was a very good read. Dark magic, lust, the highlands. I'm ready for more from Cornwall. She's spun such interesting takes on fairytales and I've loved every second of it.

[Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a SUCKER for fairytale retellings and highlander romances. They are two of my guilty pleasures, and now this series is one of my guilty pleasures. I am so happy that each book in this series continues to get better and better! The Lady and the Highlander was actually my favorite book in this series so far! There was something so enchanting and addicting about this book. I really enjoy it!

Laire, the main character, was brilliant. She had all of the qualities of the classic Snow White and made them even better. She had the classic black hair and fair skin, she was also very kind and thoughtful. However, she was SO much more than that. Laire was brave, resourceful, smart, determined and fiercely loyal. I loved how she never gave up on herself or on the people she loved. I also admired how kind she was to those around her. She also never let herself become a total damsel in distress. Laire was always trying to figure out how to solve the issues that came up, and I really admired that. Laire was a great main character!



The fairy tale elements in this book were great. I loved seeing classic storylines from Snow White and I also enjoyed the new spin the author put on some of the plot points. The magic elements within this book were extremely interesting, and I thought the author did a great job at developing the magic and explaining it. I loved getting to know the villain, her wicked plans, and how her magic was corrupting her.



The romance in this book was steamy and full of passion. Laire and Iain made a great couple! Iain was broody and dark, and I ate it up. He made me swoon SO HARD. I thought his personality worked really well with Laire's. I loved watching them start to trust each other and start to fall in love. Of course, they had an instant connection, but I was glad that it didn't result in instant love. I felt like their relationship developed at a pretty believable pace, even though some of their feelings developed a little quickly. However, they still had a lot of swoony, delicious, and adorable moments. I definitely ship them!

Overall, I thought this was an entertaining, romantic, and magical book. There definitely were some slower moments in this book, but I thought it was a very quick read. This book isn't perfect, but it was a lot of fun! I would recommend this to fans of historical romances and fairy tale retellings!



4 / 5 Fangs

*This ebook was given to me in exchange for an honest review. *

MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
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[Brittney Andrews (beabookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know, sometimes I just need to a read a good ol' adult romance novel. I love YA don't get me wrong, but every now and then I need a little bit more of those sexy scenes that are only offered in adult books. It sucks because while I prefer the premises in YA books, they also lack in the romance department. And unfortunately, NA fantasy is hard to come by, which is probably why I enjoyed the ACOTAR series so much - it was the perfect balance of romance (with explicit scenes), fantasy elements and plot twists.

So, every now and then I find myself reaching for books such as this one in order to satisfying my craving for romance.

I highly, HIGHLY recommend this book if you're looking for a fast-paced romance that isn't insta-love - it's a wonderful retelling of Snow White (think more along the lines of Snow White and the Huntsman).

[Blodeuedd Finland · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last one felt like a tale with no magic, even if people believed in things. But here, well I do not really know how I could explain the things happening. Totally magical!

Laire's dad gets married to a witch who enchants him and the whole castle. All except for Laire who runs away. Which makes this to a Snow White fairytale. The wicked step mother, the fair princess, the Seven Thieves and the Hunter. The one who has to kill her, and the one that is the prince in this story. So there is poison, a wicked witch, magic and of course romance.

Laire runs away. She is strong, fierce and can handle a dirk. She wants to save her family and I liked her.

Iain, yes what to say about him. I mean he serves Viviana for reasons we do not know (and some of those reasons, well another thing that he had not done well in his past.) He kills birds for her and he sets after Laire for her. So how am I supposed to like him when he is all must kill her. But of course he has doubts, of course he wants to save her (and we all know the fairy tale.) So yes I did like him, he was all dark and broody and then, he had to be saved. Laire could save herself, but who would save him...

I enjoyed this tale and I do wonder what the next book will be about. I sure hope there is more, I mean there are a LOT of sisters after all.

Narrator Ruth Urqhart
I like her Scottish accents and her male and female voices. She never makes the male ones too dark and the female ones are light and nice. It's a joy listening to her narrate.

[Krista · Rating 3 out of 5]

A retelling of the classic Snow White (or more like Snow White and the Huntsman) set in the Highlands of Scotland, and during the time of medical science advancement in the country. Here, we don’t read about the Seven Dwarfs or the poisonous apple given to her by a witch; instead, we are introduced to seven thieves that live in an abandoned house in the city, and a huntsman out to murder her.

Snow White is Laire MacLeod, the prettiest of the MacLeod sisters. Her father has remarried to a widow who—she would later learn—uses potions and spells from birds’ blood to retain her youthful beauty. She realizes a sinister plot being brewed by her stepmother after her father and sisters start acting strangely, and escapes to Edinburgh to seek her uncle’s help. There she gets into trouble, until she finds herself in the company of young thieves who have become her steadfast allies later on and helped her find the relative she is looking for.

Iain Lindsay, who lost his wife because of a curse, is bound to serve the Lady MacLeod as her huntsman for seven years. He hunts birds for her magic potions, but when Laire escapes the MacLeod fortress he is hired by his Lady to pursue and kill her. He tracks her easily, but her strong will and resilience astound him, and the more he learns good things about her the more he finds it difficult to execute his task.

Having read a number of Scottish Highland historical romance stories in the past, this story doesn’t set apart from the rest really in terms of romance or anything related to historical Scotland. But this is the first time I’ve read about a fairy tale retelling in an 18th century Scottish Highlands backdrop, and I was entertained by it. The story was carefully fleshed out in the beginning, and character-building was executed well. I was off to an engaging start and enjoyed it. Unfortunately, I think the promising narrative was not sustained when it progressed with sappy romance and needless—if not unrealistic—turn of events. Honestly, I would’ve enjoyed it more had Iain continued being his enigmatic self, like the Huntsman in the movie, even after falling in love with Laire. I also thought the use of plants and herbs in the medical field, which the author said she enjoyed researching in as part of the story, was not explored well—or maybe it was, but it seemed too dry for me to take in. But overall, The Lady and the Highlander is a charming little read. I might check out the other books in the series.

[Bambi Unbridled · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Lady and the Highlander is a recognizable retelling of Snow White. The Highland setting gave the story a unique twist, as did the villainous scheme of our heroine's evil stepmother. As this series has progressed, I have noticed more of a magical nature to the stories. While When a Laird Finds a Lass only had a touch of magic, this installment of the series was infused with magic and poison and a truly evil villain.

Laire Macleod is one of the twelve daughters of the Fearsome Macleod of Glen Uhler. When Laird Macleod marries again, strange things start happening. Laire's sisters are drinking all night and sleeping all day, and acting oddly birdlike. Her father is so besotted with his new wife than he can't spare a glance for his beloved daughters. And there is definitely something scary and unnatural about Laire's new stepmother (Bibiana) and her servants, even the intriguing huntsman. When Laire realizes what is happening, she has no choice but to flee the danger and find help from someone more experienced. Laire was a good heroine, determined to help her family no matter the danger to herself. I admired that. She was also able to see beneath the facade erected by our hero to see the good and honorable man beneath.

Laird Iain Lindsay has made some mistakes in his life, one of which found him bound for a period of servitude to a ruthless witch. Iain is so ashamed of the things that he has done that he has abandoned his family, clan and even his name, and is now known only as the Huntsman (Sealgair?). When Bibiana demands Laire's heart, Iain sets off to carry out his order, distasteful as he finds it. So Iain definitely starts off as an anit-hero, but we see him struggling with his actions from the beginning. I knew it wouldn't be long before Iain's true nature won over and he went from killer to rescuer for our heroine.

The romance between Laire and Iain was a slow burn given that he started off trying to murder her. I understood his guilt and disgust with himself, and got why he thought he needed to push everyone away and disappear. I was glad that Laire was able to thaw his frosty nature and make him see that he could be redeemed.

Bibiana and her servants made for good villains and gave the story a darker theme than the previous books. The way the magic and poisons were being used were unique and interesting. Our seven dwarves representation were a ragtag group of child thieves hiding out and risking their lives in Edinburgh to make a living. I really liked the children, particularly Magpie and Young Kipper.

Given that this is a relatively short book, the audio was really long. I don't think the narrator did a bad job, and I have enjoyed her work. But the audiobooks in this series seemed to drag for me. The performance was slow, and it didn't sound right when I tried to speed up the narration. So I listened at the pokey pace and found myself losing interest from time to time as I tried to rush to the end. So I think to the extent there are future books in the series, I will be reading those in print.

I voluntarily listened to an reviewed an advanced copy of this audiobook that I received from the publisher, Tantor Audio.

[Maria11 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was ok. It was not what I was expecting at all. Lots of mystic and witches. It was basically Snow White on steroids and in a kilt. I just couldn't really get into it for some reason.

It was great writing and she did weave the tale well, it just wasn't for me.

Received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press Swerve for the ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.

This is the first Lecia Cornwall book I've read but I will most definitely go back and read the first 2 books in this series as well as some of her other novels. And yes, this is the third book in a series but you don't have to have read the other two to pick this one up.

When I requested to read this book I expected the typical historical romance but this book actually had a decent plot line to it which was a very pleasant surprise. There were points in the book (like when she meets the Thieves Clan) that were a little slow but overall for being a historical romance this book was really good and I think I've discovered a new favorite author.

[Bri Martinez · Rating 4 out of 5]

A retelling of Snow White with a dash of Highlander romance? Sign me up!

Just to note, the Highlander/Huntsman, Iain Lindsey, looked like this in my head the whole time:


Ohhh Chris Hemsworth, you sexy, sexy man....

This is the first novel I've read by Lecia Cornwall, and I enjoyed it! The Lady and the Highlander is actually the third book in a series, so I have some catching up to do.

I think The Lady and the Highlander is what Poison tried to be, a fairy tale retelling with a slight twist and some added sexual content. And TLATH exceeded where Poison did not. I was pleasantly surprised with how engrossed I became in the romance, which I enjoyed very much. It was a slow-burn kind of love, and towards the end, it got fiery. There was depth to the characters, baggage they were carrying from past occurrences which they ultimately shared and learned from, and emotions that felt real and sincere throughout the novel. There was no angsty feelings to weigh things down; it was a refreshing read of two people falling in love while figuring out how to defeat a mutual enemy.

The seven dwarves were actually more like the Lost Boys in Peter Pan.

They were a small group of child thieves struggling to survive, and their relationship with Laire was adorable. All 7 of the children had some role to play in the story, and I appreciated how even the side characters had a hand in the overall outcome.

In terms of sex, the scenes were pretty bland. There were a few sprinkled in at the end, but the scenes and descriptions were cut and dry and nothing special. As a reader, I enjoyed the emotional development of the romance more than the physical aspect, so the unimaginative sex scenes didn't bother me.

Overall, this was an entertaining read that I enjoyed more than I thought I would. Finally, a good sexy retelling of some fairy tale favorites!

*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this novel.*

[Sissy's Romance Book Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review For: The Lady and the Highlander 'The Lady and the Highlander' by Lecia Cornwall is book Three in the "A Highland Fairytale' series. This is the story of Laire MacLeod and Iain Lindsay. I have read the previous books but this is easily a standalone book. Laire's father has married for the 8th time in attempts to get a son. His new wife Bibiana and her servants seems to posing Laire's family. They are trying to make her drink this red wine that her father and sisters have been drinking which is making them act funny. Laire only drinks water so now they are trying to force her to drink this wine. Laire goes on the run to try to find help. Iain is one of Bibiana's servants but we learn that he is cursed with a bargain to be in her service for 7 years...which is ending soon. Iain has seen what Bibiana does with the other 13 husbands she has had. Iain tries not to look the victims in the eye and waits his time to be over. But right from the start Laire is one he can't ignore and goes forward to try to help her. We learn that a past issue is what has brought Iain to be in the hold of Bibiana but will be able to get away from her power? Can Laire save her family and help Iain to live happy again?"My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/A2H... https://www.facebook.com/RomanceBookR... https://twitter.com/soapsrus68https:/... https://www.tumblr.com/blog/romancebo...

[Debra Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE LADY AND THE HIGHLANDER is a retelling of the Snow White fairytale. Ms. Cornwall crafts an excellent story adapting many of the characteristics of the original story into this book. Her portrayal of Iain Lindsey as Bibi's hunter was well-written and showed great depth. I especially loved the twist involving his dead wife. Laire MacLeod was the epitome of the lovely and kind Snow White, but she had the Highlander fierceness about her. That was a great twist and Laire used her inner strength to overcome great obstacles. Of course, how could you not hope root for the love story between Iain and Laire? I thoroughly enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more in this series.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Cathy Geha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lady and the Highlander by Lecia Cornwall
Fairy Tale #3

Fairy Tales have been a favorite of mine for decades so finding a rewrite of Snow White, a childhood favorite, that held my attention, hit the main points and was a delight to read provided me with an enchanting way to spend the day! Dark and delicious with an evil stepmother bordering on being a Borgia, or perhaps a vampire, bent on sucking the MacLeod family dry and with only one of twelve daughters to take her evil plot on and save the family – well – I found this enthralling! I loved the hunter’s backstory, the way the dwarves were children in need instead and the love story of Ian and Laire as it unfolded. This book is one that I thoroughly enjoyed and am eager to recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

[Barbara Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written, well paced and well developed characters. I'm giving it four stars because it is well written and is actually a well done story. It doesn't appeal to me because I don't care for dark magic, etc. That is just a personal thing though and doesn't take away from the fact that the story is well done - and -- after all -- there is a happy ending! I have never actually read the story of Snow White and am only familiar with the Disney version, so I wasn't expecting the story to be quite as dark as it was.

"I requested and received this book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."

[Monique · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mirror, mirror on the wall…

Bibiana had been the fairest of them all for a very, very long time. She is getting married for the thirteenth time to Donal MacLeod, who has been married eight times before, and has twelve daughters, twelve lovely daughters. Bibiana is as vain as she is beautiful, and as even more malevolent. Bibiana hates Laire MacLeod on sight: how dare this insignificant girl be so lovely! Laire doesn’t like the dark, doesn’t drink anything but water, is afraid of poison, wine and bloody meats because of a past incident.

At the wedding party, Laire senses that something is very wrong. Everyone but she partake in the special wine that Bibiana brought, and they’re acting strangely. Laire also notices Bibiana’s entourage: her old servant, Terza, her bodyguard Frenchman Rafael, and Bibiana’s huntsman, her sealgair, Iain Lindsay, a Highlander. Iain feels something that he had long forgotten when glancing at Laire, and soon becomes afraid that Bibiana has nefarious plans concerning the MacLeod lass. Within a few days, nothing is as it was at Glen Iolair, and Bibiana is even more scared than she was on her father’s wedding day. Iain has less than a year of servitude, out of the seven he owes Bibiana. Iain would like to protect the young Scotswoman, because he admires her courage, but will he? Dare he? Laire MacLeod is in mortal danger because she is the fairest of them all…

Iain is not a good man, but Laire makes him remember that everything was not always so bleak and hopeless, she makes him feel. He sees what Bibiana has in mind for Laire, and it makes him angry, but he is conflicted, torn; he feels powerless, and Bibiana has him in her clutches. Is there any good left in Iain, or has Bibiana destroyed his ability to care forever?

Right from the indescribably chilling prologue, Lecia Cornwall had me in her grasp, and completely enthralled. THE LADY AND THE HIGHLANDER is based on Snow White, and as I have not read or seen any adaptation of the classic fairytale in ages, I can therefore review this book objectively, based solely on its own merit. Ms. Cornwall has created an unforgettable atmosphere: at one point, I had to look away from my reader, and I was actually startled to notice that it was daylight and that I was not amidst thedark, foreboding forest of the story! I felt as oppressed by the dark as Laire was, I felt the danger as acutely as she did, always afraid that something wicked this way was coming. The prose is stupendous: the author conveys every little nuance, whether of colour, of emotion, of feeling, of danger. Iain has done terrible things, but can he redeem himself? He is a fabulously intriguing character; very charismatic, and mysterious. Bibiana is seductively cruel, and merciless; she is the devil herself. Every character, down to minor ones are extremely well drawn, I loved the delightful Clan of Thieves, the dialogues are superb, and Ms. Cornwall offers a vibrant picture of Scotland.

THE LADY AND THE HIGHLANDER is so captivating that I would recommend that you plan good chunks of time, because I found it extremely difficult to put the book aside and then pick back up. Not because I lost track of what was going on, but because it is so mesmerising, I just did not want to stop. This book is filled with action and adventures, and I couldn’t help but wonder how the author would make a romance between Iain and Laire believable, and it worked up to a point: the sex scenes, although well done, felt totally out of place, and completely out of character for Laire. Still, THE LADY AND THE HIGHLANDER would be worth the read if only for the astounding mood created by Lecia Cornwall.


I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

I give 4 1/5 stars.

[Tracy Emro · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher*

This installment of the Highland Fairytale series is about Laire MacLeod, the fairest of the MacLeod sisters, so it is fitting that her story is Snow White like.

Laire's father has remarried and Bibiana, her new stepmother is breathtakingly beautiful. She has arrived at the castle with her three servants and has already bewitched everyone. Everyone except for Laire.

Laire is dismayed that her father and sisters seem to be under a spell, they have all partaken in the wine that the new Lady MacLeod has brought and they dance all night and sleep the days away. Laire refuses to drink the wine, she only drinks water due to a tragic event in her past. She realizes that the wine is the reason her family is bewitched and believes that they are being poisoned.

Desperate to save them, she escapes the castle and hopes to find her uncle, a renown botanist to help her find a cure.

Iain, Laird Lindsay is Bibiana's huntsman aka sealgair, and indebted to her for seven years. Iain has been charged with tracking Laire down and bringing her back. Iain feels nothing, he just wants to repay his debt to Bibiana and then disappear. He refuses to form attachments and believes he no long is able to feel emotion, but Laire has changed all that. She makes him feel for the first time in years and she has brought forth emotions he has never felt. But guilt and bitterness have a strong hold on him and he refuses to let the Laire affect him. However when he has the chance to capture her, he instead helps her escape.

When he returns to the castle empty handed, Bibiana issues a threat that Iain cannot ignore and he vows to find Laire and bring her back. But Bibiana no longer wants Laire, she just wants her heart.

Iain sets out after Laire and catches up to her pretty quickly, but he doesn't count on the beauty being a fearsome MacLeod, he underestimates her and she escapes again.

Laire is totally unprepared to survive on her own and is thrown into one horrifying event after another. She finally reaches Edinburgh but has no idea where her uncle lives and she is once again thrust into danger. This time she is saved by some abandoned children - seven of them to be exact - they take her back to their lair and she agrees to cook and care for them in exchange for their help in finding her uncle.

When Iain finally makes his way to Edinburgh, he is injured when he confronts some men he believes have found Laire's body. He convinces them to give them the heart and sends it to Bibiana hoping to make her believe that Laire is dead, thus saving her. Being in Edinburgh forces Iain to confront his past and when he and Laire are reunited, makes him long for a future.

But as it goes in fairytales, the path to true love is not easy and these two have many more hurdles to jump before they can even begin to hope for a HEA.

I liked this book, I thought it was well written, but it did drag a bit in the middle and I had a hard time with Iain's complete change of heart. I believed he loved Laire, but for me, it just didn't develop at a believable pace. However, the final chapters of the book had me on the edge of my seat and I thought the ending was fantastic.

I would recommend this book, it is part of a series, but it can easily be read as a stand alone title.

[Ronnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free ebook copy of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Lady and the Highlander is a clever Snow White retelling with a Scottish twist that lends new charm to the well-known tale.

I’m not very keen on fairy tales in general, but the change of the setting really made a difference in this case. Part of the story takes place in Edinburgh, Laire runs that far from home to escape the Sealgair – aka the huntsman – and she goes through all kinds of adventure in the city while she tries to save her family from afar. Compared to the original fairy tale there is a variety of settings here, not only the forest and that’s an improvement, I think.

The book keeps the eerily dark undertone of the Grimm tale – who wants a cup of fresh bird blood? :) – and at the same time adds a romance that is much better developed than ‘the Prince sees the girl, they kiss and decide to marry’ script. I mean, in the first half of the novel Iain, the Sealgair, is out on a mission to kill Laire. From this alone you can see that their romance is a tiny bit problematic and that’s what makes it interesting.

They have the spark from the beginning, but there are reasons why Iain can’t just give up his task easily. I loved how it all started with desire and then Iain slowly began to feel protective of Laire. The fine mix of want and worry made the romance very real to me.

As you read Lecia Cronwell’s words you can sometimes forget you’re reading a fairy tale retelling, because it is a tale that can stand on its own with its many details and lovely characters. When you remember for a moment that it is a retelling after all, you can be surprised by the parallels. At least that’s what happened to me.

I think it dawned on me a little late that Laire’s new friends in the city are the dwarves to Laire’s Snow White, but when it did, it made so much sense! It was a great idea to include The Clan of Thieves in the story. Little, innocent Wee Kipper was my favourite, I guess he was Dopey’s alter ego and he was a sweet one.

The Queen was scary enough with her bird and blood mania and she also had a crush on Iain, which made me uncomfortable. Iain had quite a lot of secrets only the Queen knew about. That made it difficult for him to break loose and follow his heart and I sympathized with him.

As you see, I enjoyed The Lady and the Highlander very much. Why didn’t I mark it a 5-star read then? I have two reasons:

Unfortunately some of the erotic parts didn’t live up to my expectations. I haven’t read many books in the genre, but I think it is a common thing that sometimes the foreplay goes out the window. I’m not happy for that, ‘couse foreplay is important y’all.

Another thing that bothered me a bit was that the writer used the word ‘sex’ to refer to sexual intercourse. It was stated in the Author’s Note that the story was set in 1809. Now, I made a quick research on the internet about the etymology of the word sex and I found that it didn’t take on the meaning ‘sexual intercourse’ until D. H. Lawrence started using it with that meaning in his novels. It felt out of place to me, that’s why I had to check.

Reading the Author’s Note it is obvious that Lecia Cornwall had made her research before she wrote her book and I’m not writing all this down to contradict her, my point is that I would have preferred to see synonyms of ‘sex’ that fit the time period better (love-making, carnal pleasures etc…)

Despite these two tiny bumps on the road, I loved the experience pretty much and I would recommend The Lady and the Highlander to everyone who loves fairy tales or Scottish tales. This story is truly worth your time.

[Carmella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Laire's father has returned home with a new bride to be, Bibiana. Laire , her sisters and father have always been close so she has hopes that her new mother will embrace them all.

Bibiana arrives and changes start soon after. Laire becomes concerned but it is too late because the rest of her family is clearly under Bibiana's influence...with the help of her "special" wine. Bibiana now realizes that Laire will be a problem for her and her plans.

Ian is Bibiana's hunter only because he is paying a debt he owes to her. He is steeped in guilt by past actions, which incidentally, Bibiana was somewhat involved. Even though he has locked his emotions away, somehow Laire affects him. When Bibianna is intent on Laire's demise, Ian encourages her to run as far as she can.

Laire leaves to find her Uncle, hoping he can help her father and sisters....

Will Laire find her Uncle and get his help? Will she be in time? What will Ian's involvement be?

The writing in this story is well done and I feel like the characters are well developed. You can feel the evilness of Bibiana as well the tortured soul of Ian and his guilt. Laire's trip to find her Uncle has her experiencing situations a young lady of her station would never have had. I loved the "Clan of Thieves" also and their involvement in this story.

While we see the total evilness of Bibiana, I also saw Laire as a healer. She never gave up in her fight to save her family and those she loved.

[Lori Meehan · Rating 5 out of 5]

O. m. G! This is a fantastic book! I loved everything about it. I don't think I can write a review that will do this book justice. There's so many things that go on and so many secondary characters that I loved. I will give you the story summary but I suggest that you read it. I could hardly put it down and it's the best book I've read in a long while.
The characters were strong and complex and so very likable. Well except for the villain Bibiana. Laire MacLeod and Iain Lindsay meet when Laire's father marries Bibiana and she brings her own servents. Iain is her huntsman, always clad in black and always standing in the back never speaking or participating. Laire doesn't understand the power Bibiana has over her father, its as if he only has eyes for Bibiana not seeing anything else. Her sisters sleep all day and dance all night and nothing is as it was before. One day she catches the eye of the huntsman and finds a connection she's never felt before and Iain feels something for the first time in seven years looking into Laire's eyes. Nothing can come of these feelings because Iain's a bad man and has no soul.
Laire escapes the castle to find help for her family. Iain is sent to bring her back if he can find her. A long the way she runs into a menagerie of people some helpful and some very dangerous. When Iain does catch-up with Laire will he killer and save himself or help her and save his soul?

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided by NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.

Any mention of a Scottish Highlander and I'm in! This was my first book by Lecia Cornwall and even though it's the third in a series, I didn't feel like I was missing anything since it'a a complete story for Laire and Ian. I wasn't sure how a retelling of the Snow White story would work but it really did! I enjoyed the "dwarfs" as a clan of young orphans that are thieves but only for things they need to survive.

Laire's father has remarried and her new stepmother, Bibiana, is breathtakingly beautiful. She has arrived at the castle with her three servants and has already bewitched everyone. Everyone except Laire who is also the only one who refused to drink the wine that Bibiana brought with her. Laire realizes she needs to escape to get help for her family. Surprisingly, Bibiana's huntsman, Ian, helps her to escape but is then sent to kill her and he can't refuse due to his debt. When Laire arrives in Edinburgh to ask for her uncle's help, she's drugged, robbed and left for dead when the clan of thieves find her and take her in. Within days the huntsman shows up and Laire is desperate to save herself and her family.

I loved the romance, adventure and surprise twists of this story.

[Artemiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

This new version of a classical fairy tale is pretty brilliant, where the well known version is in cahoots with romance novels. The classic has got modern spin but not too steep spin and the love story is not insta, but a slow burn with secrets that threaten to destroy the lovers happiness.
This time the mirror loving stepmother comes to Scotland, to marry Laird with ten daughters. This stepmother does not just want to be the fairest of the world, she also has evil plans with all the family.
Laire is the only one who does not fall under the stepmother’s spell, and she is the only one who could save them. She will flee, but a huntsman is sent after her. Laire is a strong willed and crafty young girl. Iain has been with the Lady for almost seven years and this is the first time he is not willing to follow the orders. He will follow Laire, will observe her from afar and his feelings are more and more confused, as are Laires, who knows that huntsman is after her.
Just when I thought this fair skinned, raven haired and ruby lipped girl will rescue herself and her family, the Edinburgh’s urchins join her. And after this the story becomes more romance novel-like and less suitable for kids.
It's good entertainment and a thrilling read.

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a huge Snow White fan, I adore all things snow white and when I saw this was a retelling I was pretty excited. I really wanted to like this a lot more but it was slow and I just wasn't interested in the characters enough to really continue with the story. Sadly I just don't think this book was for me.

I would still give it a try, it's mostly likely a me not the book kind of thing.

[eyes.2c · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haughty evil stalks the land!

A highland version of Snow White and the Hunter.
Present is the wicked stepmother of Laire MacLeod. A darkly cold woman who beguiles and enchants men, using their female offspring to ensure her own continued beauty.
Laire is the young daughter of the bewitched laird who fights for her family and her love.
We have seven young people, thieves bonded together to form a clan whom Laire seeks shelter with. Then we have the Hunter, Iain Lindsay, bonded to Lady for seven years, whose gain saying of his Lady will come at a terrible price.
From a highland perspective, a take on an old age story of evil and the purity of love freely given.
A breathtaking read of a fairytale reimagined.

A NetGalley ARC

[J.A. Ironside · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Many thanks to the publisher who invited me to read this book.

Cards on the table this kind of novel is a guilty pleasure and a good one like this allowed me a few hours of complete brain candy. Thouroughly enjoyed it. This is a take on Snow White but set in Scotland. I imagine that the Outlander fan crowd and those who've enjoyed the rest of the spin off Scottish highland romance genre will like this. There is in my opinion a bit of a pace sag in the middle but the rest of the book gallops towards a satisfying conclusion. Good fun (if not for those who prize historucal accuracy).

[Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun read. I am a sucker for fairytale retellings. Especially ones where the author keeps the magical element of the fairytale while adding their own unique elements to the story. Cornwall does an awesome job of doing that with her Snow White inspired Highlander story.
............
The Lady and the Highlander is my kind of romance. There's plenty of danger, intense moments, action, and of course some sizzling character chemistry. I love that it's a fairytale retelling mixed with so much more. There's substance to this book. I love it when romances have that. I'm a sucker for history, a good story, and great characters. This book definitely has that, along with a romance that will leave you wishing there was more to this story.

FULL REVIEW http://grownupbookreviews.blogspot.co...

[Lita · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting retelling of the Snow White fairytale. However, it is only loosely based on that famous tale. The things the two have in common are an evil stepmother (a witch) who wants to be the "fairest of them all" and who is insanely jealous of her stepdaughter Laire and a huntsman who is told to kill Laire but doesn't. That's about all the similarities. Laire has several sisters and her father has been married a few times. The stepmother is a crazy old bird (possibly literally) who drinks a potion made from the blood of birds to keep her perpetually young. She has a crazy old witch named Terza, a French assassin who is in love with her, and her "sealgair" (huntsman) who hunts her birds. She goes from place to place marrying men who have daughters or sisters that live with him. She seduces the man, drugs him and drugs all the girls with a highly addictive "wine' that makes them all senseless. Eventually she kills the women to make their blood into a potion that will keep her young forever. The men are turned into useless shells of their former selves. Laire refuses to drink the "wine" and escapes the witch to seek help from her uncle to break the spell of the poison that's making her family nuts. The witch sends the huntsman to find and kill Laire and bring her heart back in a special box. Adventures abound with Laire being drugged and kidnapped by common thieves, left to freeze to death and then being found (and saved) by a ragtag bunch of thieves who are children. They take her back to their hideout which just happens to be in the basement of the huntsman's estate in Edinburg. Yes, the huntsman is really a Laird himself who sold himself into servitude to the witch for seven years for a potion to make his wife love him but it ended up killing her. Like all good fairytales, this one ends with a HEA and I enjoyed it very much.

[Sportochick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow a great fairy tale romance that is a little on the dark side with lots of love and light shining through. Author Lecia Cornwall puts together a brilliantly written plot in this book that was so involved and detailed that I was in awe.

There is so much to this book that I can't talk about because I don't want to ruin it for those who will read it. So a few things I will share is that there are truly evil people in the world such as Bibiana, Laire's new stepmother, and Babiana's servants the French manservant, Rafael, old Terza, and her dark and dangerous sealgair, Iain. The reason for their deception and what they intend to do is stuff out of fairy tales.

Another this about this book is that not all evil people are truly evil, are they? I just couldn't believe that Iain was as evil as he was coming across. and I kept wanting him to redeem himself as he hunted Laire to kill her.

How the innocent Laire goes about trying to save her family while running for her life still makes my heart skip a beat. I was on the edge of my chair praying she would get away and find help to save her family.

There is a whole cast of surprising secondary characters that will warm the readers heart when they read this book. I want to tell everyone about them but then that will really spoil the story. I am sorry but this is a book you should read to get the full flavor of it.

I give this 4 STARS for the authors ability to show the darkness and the light of people with hope, redemption, the desire to survive and love as its main theme.

Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

Visit my blog for more reviews: Sportochick's Musings

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A surprisingly dark book, but nevertheless a romantic and exciting recreation of the classic fairy tale, Snow White! I was actually pretty fooled by the title, thinking this would be a Beauty and the Beast tale. The synopsis should have been a clue to the contrary, but what can I say - I have Belle on the brain. I especially liked how Lecia Cornwall took the concept of the seven dwarves and morphed it into seven orphan thieves. I loved the creativity. One of the things I love about the best fairy tale retellings is when I can spot the original elements of the story and how the author twisted it to suit the new tale. Leica does this very well!

The evil witch Bibiana is no longer the fairest of them all. Her new stepdaughter, Laire McLeod, has unknowingly claimed that title, and the witch means to make her pay. When Laire realizes her father and sisters are being entranced by Bibiana, she tries to escape to find help. Knowing that Laire could ruin her plans, the witch sets her Hunter, Iain Lindsay, after her, with explicit instructions: Come back with her heart in a box. But she doesn't anticipate that the Hunter may be her weakest link of all, for he has fallen under a different sort of spell and will do all in his power to keep Laire safe.

Laire and Iain were such complicated characters! I liked Laire's resourcefulness despite her privileged upbringing, and she really held her own against Bibiana and her ilk. Iain took a bit of warming up to, simply because he took a while to decide if he was actually going to kill Laire or not. A bit frustrating, that, because I wanted to hop on board the Laire/Ian train sooner. Once they both came together, though, it was magical.

Fantastic book by Lecia, once again! I can't wait for the next book in this series, if there are more planned.

**I received a free copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laire MacLeod is one of the many lovely daughters of Laird MacLeod.

He has come home with a new bride, Bibiana. Bibiana is a very beautiful woman. She brings a staff of 3 with her. She has a very old woman who cooks for her and makes up the special concoction she drinks and gives to others. She has a Frenchman who seems to who do whatever is most important to Bibiana. And she has a hunter. The hunter, Iain Lindsey, is tasked with providing Bibiana with birds. They must be shot in the heart and they must have suffered when they died. That makes their blood sweeter.

In case you did not recognize it, Bibiana is not your average nice woman.

Because Laire, the most beautiful daughter, refuses to drink the special wine, Bibiana considers her a problem. To solve this problem, Iain is told to kill Laire.

Laire is more intelligent and able than Iain expects her to be. At first, he takes pity on her, but then when he receives a threat to his life, he searches for her in earnest.

Laire escapes to Edinburgh where she hopes to find her Uncle Hamish. She hopes he can help her find an antidote to the terrible poisonous drink being given to her family.

But Laire is waylaid on her way to her Uncle and she finds herself among a clan of thieves. They are children who for one reason or another have found themselves on the streets. They have become a family and they absorb Laire into the family.

The children are entertaining characters who add a great deal to the story. Each of them have different skills. For a couple of them, being tiny is what makes them valuable as a thief.

Laire is amazed when within the deserted house where the clan lives, Iain appears. In order to protect the children she has come to love, she runs away. She does not want them to be in any kind of danger because of her.

This is a Scottish adventurous version of the story of Snow White. And it is very well done.

There were times I felt that things moved slowly, but generally there was fast moving action.

Laire and Iain become attracted to one another and each of them are willing to sacrifice themselves to save the other. Both of them are willing to protect and save the children in any way available.

Family is where you find it. That sense of family can provide the warmth and love a child needs. This story is a good illustration of that.

This is the first book I have read by Ms Cornwell. I enjoyed her writing, especially her character development. Everyone in this story is easy to recognize for who they are.

I received this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I am voluntarily writing this review and all opinions are my own.

[Justine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Originally posted to I Should Read That

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is a spoiler-free review.

Scottish romances were once my ultimate guilty pleasure. It has been years since I picked one up. I spotted The Lady and the Highlander on NetGalley and snatched it up. A retelling of Snow White in the Scottish Highlands, I knew I couldn’t resist it.

Laire MacLeod’s father has married a mysterious widow who is a vain beauty that deals with potions and spells. Laire does not drink them with the rest of her family and is the only one who could see through her stepmother’s games. When Laire flees to find help from her Uncle the Lady’s huntsman follows her with orders to kill. Laire must survive in a dangerous new city and find the antidote to a poisonous potion before it is too late.

Iain Lindsay is cursed. He is bound for seven years to be the hunter of a Lady who uses him to bring back birds to use in her potions. When Laire MacLeod escapes the Lady’s nets, Iain tracks her to Edinburgh, where she’s found shelter with an unusual band of thieves, but he cannot bring himself to harm her. Instead, he finds himself falling in love with the MacLeod beauty.

But a Highlander’s oath is his bond, and the price for helping her is death, both his own, and of those he loves.*

I was sadly really disappointed by this book. There were issues with the plot and pacing as well as the characters. It felt like a first draft of a novel with potential, but needed serious work. The basic plot was decent: I liked the idea of the evil Queen/stepmother Bibana enchanting and destroying the MacLeod family. But the finer parts of the plot just didn’t appeal to me. There’s the chase from Laire’s home to Inverness, then Edinburgh, which is fine and suits the story, but then there’s this whole cast of child thieves thrown in midway through. They don’t seem to add much – they feel like a cheap way to add a bit of conflict, show the hero isn’t a terrible and broken man, and not much else. It felt like such an odd choice, almost like two plots of two different books were thrown together — and surely there was a better way of creating and resolving conflict without the children.

The beginning is very slow to start. Their first interaction in the book is on the night of her father’s wedding to Bibana. Laire does not drink alcohol, therefore she does not consume to poisoned wine that enchants her family and clansmen, and she is free to observe the scene. Her eyes fall on Iain, the witch’s sealgair, and they gaze at each other. A lot. There is a lot of gazing.

Follow this up with various descriptions of each other’s bodies, and you have the first 20% of the book. The pair have so little chemistry, which does the book no favors. They don’t even kiss until 68% of the way through, which I think goes against all the rules of romance.

The characterization of the couple themselves was problematic as well. I actually liked Iain, the fallen laird who is bound to the witch after he makes a terrible and tragic mistake. He’s dark and threatening when he’s playing the part of the sealgair, or huntsman, but undergoes an instantaneous transformation when he decides to help Laire instead of hunt her. He becomes a completely different man in what feels like a matter of paragraphs — like a switch in his head has been flicked on. Although there was some build up to this transformation, I felt the execution was slightly off and it just wasn’t believable.

My main problem is with Laire. She’s part of a fierce family of fighters and strong women. Sometimes she displays these traits, but more often than not she’s crying, fretting, or frozen in terror. In the beginning, she goes from gazing at Iain and being frozen in terror to kicking, screaming, cursing, and wielding a knife with some serious finesse. A strong heroine can do and feel these things, but again the execution was off. It’s almost like a major edit was done on her character, but some parts were overlooked. She was two different characters in one and I honestly couldn’t see the strong and fearsome woman that Iain saw. She doesn’t quite strike the believable balance of strength and softness.

Iain gets more of a fleshed out back story, which is tragic and helps explain his actions and motivations. Laire gets a build up to her back story, but when the reveal comes it just feels so anticlimactic. Similarly, there are a fair few throwaway lines that don’t really make much sense or act as unnecessary deux ex machina. When considered with the lack of chemistry, poor characterization, slow pacing, questionable geography, and a shaky plot, The Lady and the Highlander is a book I wouldn’t recommend. It showed potential, but needed some serious work before that potential could be achieved.

Rating: 1.5/5


*copy courtesy of Goodreads