What do you think?
Rate this book
Highland Warrior Chronicles #1
Her Savage Scot
Scots warrior Connor will do anything to protect Aila from the Vikings. But to save her he must defy his king, betray his country, and forsake his honor…
When tough Scot warrior Connor MacKenzie rides into the barbaric lands of the Picts on a mission for his king, he never expects to be captivated by a beautiful Pictish widow. Drawn under her spell, yet unaware of her true identity, he risks everything for one passionate night in her arms.
Aila, princess of Pictland, swore, after watching her husband die, that she would never marry again. But after meeting Connor, her frozen heart thaws and once again she imagines a future filled with love and passion.
When Connor delivers the message from his king, Aila becomes a pawn in a deadly game of politics. Her heart belongs to Connor, but she must marry the prince of Dal Riada – Connor’s half-brother. But as dangerous secrets unravel, both Connor and Aila must find a way to outwit their enemies if they want a chance of surviving, together, in this fractured new world..
Previously published in 2013
When tough Scot warrior Connor MacKenzie rides into the barbaric lands of the Picts on a mission for his king, he never expects to be captivated by a beautiful Pictish widow. Drawn under her spell, yet unaware of her true identity, he risks everything for one passionate night in her arms.
Aila, princess of Pictland, swore, after watching her husband die, that she would never marry again. But after meeting Connor, her frozen heart thaws and once again she imagines a future filled with love and passion.
When Connor delivers the message from his king, Aila becomes a pawn in a deadly game of politics. Her heart belongs to Connor, but she must marry the prince of Dal Riada – Connor’s half-brother. But as dangerous secrets unravel, both Connor and Aila must find a way to outwit their enemies if they want a chance of surviving, together, in this fractured new world..
Previously published in 2013
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 20, 2013
264 people are currently reading
325 people want to read
About the author
Christina Phillips
78 books459 followersChristina grew up in England and spent her childhood visiting ruined castles and Roman remains and daydreaming about Medieval princesses and gallant knights. When she wasn’t lost in the past, she was searching for magical worlds in the backs of wardrobes and watching old Hammer Horrors from the safety of behind the sofa. She now lives in sunny Western Australia with her high school sweetheart and their two cats who are convinced the universe revolves around their needs. They are not wrong.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
![Profile Image for ᑭᑌᑎƳᗩ [Punya Reviews...].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1572968006i%2F3840999._UX200_CR0%2C33%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
August 16, 2017
My review contains spoilers and they're mostly my thoughts... for more, visit Punya Reviews...
Her Savage Scot, book 1 of The Highland Warrior Chronicles, had been in my TBR for a while now. Recently, when I felt the urge to check out some medieval Scottish-Highlander romance, I thought why not?. This was my first novel by Christina Phillips and it definitely won’t be my last because I enjoyed the book more than I thought I would.
Her Savage Scot is set during the time of Kenneth MacAlpin, arguably the first king of the Scots, around 843. He makes his appearance here too, but not really as someone I cared much about. You’ll find out the reasons in my review. He was also the king of now extinct Pictland. The author’s website has a short intro about the Picts and Pictland which I found fascinating.
Princess Aila, the eldest daughter of the current King of one Pictish segment called Ce, is introduced almost at the beginning of the story. A widow since 17, Aila’s life had not been the same when her young husband Onuist died saving her life from the marauding Vikings. At least that’s how the story is told all around Ce, where Onuist is revered as a hero. Just as her maternal grandmother and maternal cousin Elise, Aila has the same power of seeing visions and sensitive towards a coming incident through their Goddess Bride’s blessings. However, on that fateful day, Bride didn’t come to her rescue or Onuist’s for that matter. Since then, Aila had decided to abandon Bride and embrace the ‘new’ religion AKA Christianity. She’s also become a recluse, so much so that people outside of her closest kin aren’t allowed to see her. She doesn’t go out much unless the very close circuit of the castle and she has no interest in being introduced to the strangers who come to visit Ce. Hence no one sees her in attendance of any feast or celebration. She’s become some sort of a myth. It’s been 9yrs. but she’s not going to forgive Bride for her betrayal.
Recently though, Bride has been coming to Aila once again, showing her pictures of bloodied war, laughing children and bringing in a foreboding that she has been hating to acknowledge. She hates that Bride never gives her a complete picture, leaving her utterly miserable when something bad happens and she can’t do anything to prevent it. Even with her grandmother’s patient counseling, Aila wasn’t prepared for what was to come next, incidents that would alter the course of her life once again. This time the changes will be permanent.
Connor MacKenzie is the second son of a Laird, hence not the heir and no chance of inheriting his father’s legacy. Indeed, it was all going to his eldest half-brother Fergus. Connor’s mother was the second wife, though she had been loved by both her husband and her sons. Even Fergus, generally an a$$hole to women, reveres Connor’s mother. He had no memory of his own since her Royal mother passed on when Fergus was pretty young.
Though they are bothers, Connor and Fergus are worlds apart in their looks and temperament. Fergus has no respect or love for women, reason unknown, and had a penchant for slave girls. He’d rape them regularly to get what he wanted as his ‘right’ as their lord or a noble in general. He had bastards running all around Dal Riada, and had no interest of getting married soon. Fergus is tall, blonde and blue-eyed with the body of a warrior and the women mostly love him, except for the slaves. You can only imagine why. On the other hand, Connor, though tall and muscular, had dark hair and eyes. He’s in his late 20s, once married but sadly, lost his wife to childbirth; an incident that still haunts his dreams. Connor doesn’t wanna marry anytime soon either, mostly because he was scared of putting another woman through the same torture as Fearchara had to suffer before her death. Connor was at some war, fighting for his king when this happened and the guilt of not being with her at her last moments was enormous, at time suffocating. For now, Connor was happy with his mistress of some years, Maeve, in a very convenient and comfortable arrangement. On that regard, Connor believed in fidelity whereas Fergus didn’t. Though it distinctly felt like Maeve—whose own marriage wasn’t even remotely a happy one—was already in love with Connor, he had no interest of marrying her even if he hated her husband and was glad for her when the bastard recently died. This is something that didn’t sit well with me cause Maeve seemed like a nice lady. But new developments were on the way, and I was soon diverted there alongside Connor.
Connor was working for his king MacAlpin. One day, MacAlpin begins suggesting that he should be the king of the other segments of Pictland as well since his mother was a Pictish princess. The Pictish rule of Royal inheritance doesn’t follow the general rule of Patriarchy. Picts heirs are chosen through Matriarchy, and so, MacAlpin had every right to demand to be the King. But he knew it won’t be an easy task to convince the Picts who already saw him as an upstart. To subdue them, and clear out his path of any ‘thorn’, he had a plan too. As the first part of that plan, MacAlpin started working to further their relationships by marrying any Scots under his rule possessing Royal blood with Pictish princesses. However many he can manage would only make his stand stronger. On that note, MacAlpin asks Connor and some of his subordinates to visit Ce and take the message to the King. King’s eldest daughter, though widow, happen to still be around childbearing age. Someone will have to marry her and set his plan in motion ASAP. This time, Fergus is chosen due to his own Royal lineage. Connor wasn’t unhappy about it, though he pitied the Princess knowing what an a$$ his brother was. Hell, Fergus had been an a$$ to him too all of his life. But Connor had a job to do and he’d see that his King gets his wish fulfilled. Fergus will just have to do his job, no matter how it’s rumored that the Princess is so ugly that she’s become a recluse in embarrassment. Yep that’s how far the rumors went about Aila and her reclusiveness. *eyeroll*
Connor thought his job will be easy, until he met Aila accidentally and begins falling for her. Not his fault cause he had no idea about her identity and Aila wanted it to remain that way. She wanted to be as less encumbered by her title as possible. Like her own mother, the Queen, her grandmother and everybody else, Aila was also wary of the Scots visit, most especially because they refuse to state their mission to anyone but the King. At that time, the King, with his only son Talargan, were dealing with the Vikings at some faraway part of Ce. Aila suddenly understood that the visions she’d been having must have something to do with the arrival of the Scots. No matter how much she tried to dispel Bride’s message, she couldn’t push the bloody bodies out of her mind. Only her grandmother could make her feel calm because she also felt the same things and Aila could rely on her guidance.
Aila, of course, looked nothing like a hag as rumored. She had a head full of red-gold hair and green eyes. She looked just like grandmother when she was young. No wonder Connor fell for her, mainly when he found her to be rather distant...almost elusive. The attraction was instant. So far, Aila didn’t have any interest in any type liaisons, even when most noblewomen around her, married or widowed, loved sporting with different lovers. Even now many of them were vying for the attentions of the tall and burly Scots, succeeding in most cases. Her cousin, Elise, was also one of them. Beautiful and quite flirtatious, Elise never lacked for admirers. Knowing her horrible marriage to a man triple her age, Aila couldn’t blame her cousin. Still, seeing Connor with her didn’t sit well with Aila. She was already feeling jealousy rearing its ugly head, though she had no reason to feel that way. Thankfully though, Elise doesn’t take her flirtation that far since she knew Aila was attracted to Connor.
Despite all the warnings and misgivings, Aila decides to finally give into Connor’s invitation. She was long overdue for a bit of fun anyway and no other man has made her feel this insane with need as Connor’s presence and kisses have. Aila needed a release and Connor was more than willing to offer her just that. But Aila never has a chance of revealing her real identity to Connor. The reason why Connor couldn’t confide in Aila about their visit to Ce comes back to haunt him the next day. I knew it would cause both of them were keeping secrets from each-other. When the time comes and the King finally introduces Aila as the eldest Princess, it was Connor’s time to have an almost heartattack. Aila had already regretted it, yet there was always some excuse or the other before she could tell him who she was. And now Connor is left to contemplate about Aila’s fate with his a$$hole of a brother. The King of Ce agrees when this match when the lure is put in that MacAlpin and the Scots will help them keep the Vikings at bay. Aila was given a choice to refuse, but she was determined to do her ‘duty’ to her country as the Eldest Princess Devorgilla. If not her, then it’d be her younger sister Finella. The thought horrified Aila because Finella was only 11.
When they return to Dal Riada, Connor was looking for a way to break off this betrothal. Aila had refused, though I can’t say Connor’s way of asking her was the best. He wanted HER to break it off, so he won’t have to betray his King. :/ Aila was also sure Connor didn’t love her, so why would she not do her duty to Ce? After her refusal, Connor panics. Approaching both MacAlpin and Fergus doesn’t work so Aila is forced to marry while MacAlpin send Connor and his men to stave off some Viking attack somewhere in Dal Riada to clear his way to execute his next ‘plan of attack’. Quite literally. What happens next is a betrayal of such huge proportions that made Connor and the men who worked for him reel in horror when they return to find Dal Riada bloodied by the corpse of the nobles of Pictland. Some were held hostage to make sure Ce and other Pictish states do as told. You can only imagine Aila’s state of mind. MacAlpin denied Connor’s plea cause obviously all he cared about was how to claim what he deems is his. Fergus was just a bully, so he only threw it all on Connor’s face with every taunt imaginable. The reason behind Fergus’s childish behavior and strong dislike for Connor is revealed later, and I may have felt a bit of pity for him but that was that. He had no chance of redeeming himself.
Soon it became apparent to Connor that MacAlpin’s entire plan was to remove as many direct claims as possible so he can become the reigning King of the Pictland. Connor and any men working under him were left unawares because MacAlpin already suspected his affinity for Aila. Aila and her countrymen didn’t know either so her hatred for the Scots was understandable, because one of the nobles murdered was her father. It took quite sometimes for her to begin trusting Connor, believing in the fact that he had no hand in this.
Personally, at that point, I was thoroughly hooked! I was very interested to find out how this mess of monumental proportion was going to be resolved. There have been many ups and downs in Aila and Connor’s relationship but it all worked out in the end one way or the other. Not a short book by any means with almost 400 pages but I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I was sure Her Savage Scot will get more than 4+ stars from me because I loved the author’s writing style too. So why didn’t it make over 4 stars? Let me explain... IMO, one of the things the author overused here, was the trope of misunderstanding between Aila and Connor to create tension in their relationship; even sometimes to add intrigue to the plotline. Whether it was by evasion or plain dumb misinterpretation didn’t matter. I hate when this trope is misused that frequently. After a while, it gets old, as simple as that and you begin to question the H and h’s intelligence. There were times where I thought things could’ve been solved IF ONLY they talked to each-other.
BUT, trust me on this, the frustration was shot-lived. There were enough thrilling moments in the book to keep me distracted, and the author did a great job of tiding things up in the end which was to my absolute liking! If she didn’t resolve all that in a very neat package I’d be a really unhappy reader. 4 stars and recommended. You may not feel as vexed about the misunderstandings part as I had felt.
I’m now off to read book 2, Her Vengeful Scot, which is one of Connor’s men, Cameron’s and Elise, Aila’s cousin. I didn’t think Cam was going to get the next book but Ewan (another of Connor’s men) who had more mention in book 1 than Cam. But this guy absolutely hates the Picts so I’m really interested to see how he gets entangled with Elise. ;) There are some other characters I hope get their stories, which includes Maeve because I really think she deserves to find love and happiness. I thank the author for not using the seriously overused trope of eeeevail mistress in this story.
Her Savage Scot, book 1 of The Highland Warrior Chronicles, had been in my TBR for a while now. Recently, when I felt the urge to check out some medieval Scottish-Highlander romance, I thought why not?. This was my first novel by Christina Phillips and it definitely won’t be my last because I enjoyed the book more than I thought I would.
Her Savage Scot is set during the time of Kenneth MacAlpin, arguably the first king of the Scots, around 843. He makes his appearance here too, but not really as someone I cared much about. You’ll find out the reasons in my review. He was also the king of now extinct Pictland. The author’s website has a short intro about the Picts and Pictland which I found fascinating.
Princess Aila, the eldest daughter of the current King of one Pictish segment called Ce, is introduced almost at the beginning of the story. A widow since 17, Aila’s life had not been the same when her young husband Onuist died saving her life from the marauding Vikings. At least that’s how the story is told all around Ce, where Onuist is revered as a hero. Just as her maternal grandmother and maternal cousin Elise, Aila has the same power of seeing visions and sensitive towards a coming incident through their Goddess Bride’s blessings. However, on that fateful day, Bride didn’t come to her rescue or Onuist’s for that matter. Since then, Aila had decided to abandon Bride and embrace the ‘new’ religion AKA Christianity. She’s also become a recluse, so much so that people outside of her closest kin aren’t allowed to see her. She doesn’t go out much unless the very close circuit of the castle and she has no interest in being introduced to the strangers who come to visit Ce. Hence no one sees her in attendance of any feast or celebration. She’s become some sort of a myth. It’s been 9yrs. but she’s not going to forgive Bride for her betrayal.
Recently though, Bride has been coming to Aila once again, showing her pictures of bloodied war, laughing children and bringing in a foreboding that she has been hating to acknowledge. She hates that Bride never gives her a complete picture, leaving her utterly miserable when something bad happens and she can’t do anything to prevent it. Even with her grandmother’s patient counseling, Aila wasn’t prepared for what was to come next, incidents that would alter the course of her life once again. This time the changes will be permanent.
Connor MacKenzie is the second son of a Laird, hence not the heir and no chance of inheriting his father’s legacy. Indeed, it was all going to his eldest half-brother Fergus. Connor’s mother was the second wife, though she had been loved by both her husband and her sons. Even Fergus, generally an a$$hole to women, reveres Connor’s mother. He had no memory of his own since her Royal mother passed on when Fergus was pretty young.
Though they are bothers, Connor and Fergus are worlds apart in their looks and temperament. Fergus has no respect or love for women, reason unknown, and had a penchant for slave girls. He’d rape them regularly to get what he wanted as his ‘right’ as their lord or a noble in general. He had bastards running all around Dal Riada, and had no interest of getting married soon. Fergus is tall, blonde and blue-eyed with the body of a warrior and the women mostly love him, except for the slaves. You can only imagine why. On the other hand, Connor, though tall and muscular, had dark hair and eyes. He’s in his late 20s, once married but sadly, lost his wife to childbirth; an incident that still haunts his dreams. Connor doesn’t wanna marry anytime soon either, mostly because he was scared of putting another woman through the same torture as Fearchara had to suffer before her death. Connor was at some war, fighting for his king when this happened and the guilt of not being with her at her last moments was enormous, at time suffocating. For now, Connor was happy with his mistress of some years, Maeve, in a very convenient and comfortable arrangement. On that regard, Connor believed in fidelity whereas Fergus didn’t. Though it distinctly felt like Maeve—whose own marriage wasn’t even remotely a happy one—was already in love with Connor, he had no interest of marrying her even if he hated her husband and was glad for her when the bastard recently died. This is something that didn’t sit well with me cause Maeve seemed like a nice lady. But new developments were on the way, and I was soon diverted there alongside Connor.
Connor was working for his king MacAlpin. One day, MacAlpin begins suggesting that he should be the king of the other segments of Pictland as well since his mother was a Pictish princess. The Pictish rule of Royal inheritance doesn’t follow the general rule of Patriarchy. Picts heirs are chosen through Matriarchy, and so, MacAlpin had every right to demand to be the King. But he knew it won’t be an easy task to convince the Picts who already saw him as an upstart. To subdue them, and clear out his path of any ‘thorn’, he had a plan too. As the first part of that plan, MacAlpin started working to further their relationships by marrying any Scots under his rule possessing Royal blood with Pictish princesses. However many he can manage would only make his stand stronger. On that note, MacAlpin asks Connor and some of his subordinates to visit Ce and take the message to the King. King’s eldest daughter, though widow, happen to still be around childbearing age. Someone will have to marry her and set his plan in motion ASAP. This time, Fergus is chosen due to his own Royal lineage. Connor wasn’t unhappy about it, though he pitied the Princess knowing what an a$$ his brother was. Hell, Fergus had been an a$$ to him too all of his life. But Connor had a job to do and he’d see that his King gets his wish fulfilled. Fergus will just have to do his job, no matter how it’s rumored that the Princess is so ugly that she’s become a recluse in embarrassment. Yep that’s how far the rumors went about Aila and her reclusiveness. *eyeroll*
Connor thought his job will be easy, until he met Aila accidentally and begins falling for her. Not his fault cause he had no idea about her identity and Aila wanted it to remain that way. She wanted to be as less encumbered by her title as possible. Like her own mother, the Queen, her grandmother and everybody else, Aila was also wary of the Scots visit, most especially because they refuse to state their mission to anyone but the King. At that time, the King, with his only son Talargan, were dealing with the Vikings at some faraway part of Ce. Aila suddenly understood that the visions she’d been having must have something to do with the arrival of the Scots. No matter how much she tried to dispel Bride’s message, she couldn’t push the bloody bodies out of her mind. Only her grandmother could make her feel calm because she also felt the same things and Aila could rely on her guidance.
Aila, of course, looked nothing like a hag as rumored. She had a head full of red-gold hair and green eyes. She looked just like grandmother when she was young. No wonder Connor fell for her, mainly when he found her to be rather distant...almost elusive. The attraction was instant. So far, Aila didn’t have any interest in any type liaisons, even when most noblewomen around her, married or widowed, loved sporting with different lovers. Even now many of them were vying for the attentions of the tall and burly Scots, succeeding in most cases. Her cousin, Elise, was also one of them. Beautiful and quite flirtatious, Elise never lacked for admirers. Knowing her horrible marriage to a man triple her age, Aila couldn’t blame her cousin. Still, seeing Connor with her didn’t sit well with Aila. She was already feeling jealousy rearing its ugly head, though she had no reason to feel that way. Thankfully though, Elise doesn’t take her flirtation that far since she knew Aila was attracted to Connor.
Despite all the warnings and misgivings, Aila decides to finally give into Connor’s invitation. She was long overdue for a bit of fun anyway and no other man has made her feel this insane with need as Connor’s presence and kisses have. Aila needed a release and Connor was more than willing to offer her just that. But Aila never has a chance of revealing her real identity to Connor. The reason why Connor couldn’t confide in Aila about their visit to Ce comes back to haunt him the next day. I knew it would cause both of them were keeping secrets from each-other. When the time comes and the King finally introduces Aila as the eldest Princess, it was Connor’s time to have an almost heartattack. Aila had already regretted it, yet there was always some excuse or the other before she could tell him who she was. And now Connor is left to contemplate about Aila’s fate with his a$$hole of a brother. The King of Ce agrees when this match when the lure is put in that MacAlpin and the Scots will help them keep the Vikings at bay. Aila was given a choice to refuse, but she was determined to do her ‘duty’ to her country as the Eldest Princess Devorgilla. If not her, then it’d be her younger sister Finella. The thought horrified Aila because Finella was only 11.
When they return to Dal Riada, Connor was looking for a way to break off this betrothal. Aila had refused, though I can’t say Connor’s way of asking her was the best. He wanted HER to break it off, so he won’t have to betray his King. :/ Aila was also sure Connor didn’t love her, so why would she not do her duty to Ce? After her refusal, Connor panics. Approaching both MacAlpin and Fergus doesn’t work so Aila is forced to marry while MacAlpin send Connor and his men to stave off some Viking attack somewhere in Dal Riada to clear his way to execute his next ‘plan of attack’. Quite literally. What happens next is a betrayal of such huge proportions that made Connor and the men who worked for him reel in horror when they return to find Dal Riada bloodied by the corpse of the nobles of Pictland. Some were held hostage to make sure Ce and other Pictish states do as told. You can only imagine Aila’s state of mind. MacAlpin denied Connor’s plea cause obviously all he cared about was how to claim what he deems is his. Fergus was just a bully, so he only threw it all on Connor’s face with every taunt imaginable. The reason behind Fergus’s childish behavior and strong dislike for Connor is revealed later, and I may have felt a bit of pity for him but that was that. He had no chance of redeeming himself.
Soon it became apparent to Connor that MacAlpin’s entire plan was to remove as many direct claims as possible so he can become the reigning King of the Pictland. Connor and any men working under him were left unawares because MacAlpin already suspected his affinity for Aila. Aila and her countrymen didn’t know either so her hatred for the Scots was understandable, because one of the nobles murdered was her father. It took quite sometimes for her to begin trusting Connor, believing in the fact that he had no hand in this.
Personally, at that point, I was thoroughly hooked! I was very interested to find out how this mess of monumental proportion was going to be resolved. There have been many ups and downs in Aila and Connor’s relationship but it all worked out in the end one way or the other. Not a short book by any means with almost 400 pages but I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I was sure Her Savage Scot will get more than 4+ stars from me because I loved the author’s writing style too. So why didn’t it make over 4 stars? Let me explain... IMO, one of the things the author overused here, was the trope of misunderstanding between Aila and Connor to create tension in their relationship; even sometimes to add intrigue to the plotline. Whether it was by evasion or plain dumb misinterpretation didn’t matter. I hate when this trope is misused that frequently. After a while, it gets old, as simple as that and you begin to question the H and h’s intelligence. There were times where I thought things could’ve been solved IF ONLY they talked to each-other.
BUT, trust me on this, the frustration was shot-lived. There were enough thrilling moments in the book to keep me distracted, and the author did a great job of tiding things up in the end which was to my absolute liking! If she didn’t resolve all that in a very neat package I’d be a really unhappy reader. 4 stars and recommended. You may not feel as vexed about the misunderstandings part as I had felt.
I’m now off to read book 2, Her Vengeful Scot, which is one of Connor’s men, Cameron’s and Elise, Aila’s cousin. I didn’t think Cam was going to get the next book but Ewan (another of Connor’s men) who had more mention in book 1 than Cam. But this guy absolutely hates the Picts so I’m really interested to see how he gets entangled with Elise. ;) There are some other characters I hope get their stories, which includes Maeve because I really think she deserves to find love and happiness. I thank the author for not using the seriously overused trope of eeeevail mistress in this story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2022
A sweeping romance with plenty of conflict, misdirection, lack of communication, and a very satisfying ending.
October 29, 2022
Apparently I am in the minority here, but this was not the story for me. I finish every book I read and for the first time, I almost did not finish one. I had to force myself to get through it. I did not connect with the characters or the storyline at all. I am pretty sure this genre did not use the language presented and the modern swear words either.
It just never came together for me. I was hopeful because there were a few enjoyable moments, but I spent 90% of my time wanting it to be done and when it was done, I felt like the author left us hanging. Overall this just wasn’t for me. ⭐️
It just never came together for me. I was hopeful because there were a few enjoyable moments, but I spent 90% of my time wanting it to be done and when it was done, I felt like the author left us hanging. Overall this just wasn’t for me. ⭐️
April 16, 2020
Christina Phillips weaves an exquisite tale of political intrigue and sizzling romance in this wonderful new Highland Warrior series. I'm such a fan!
June 10, 2023
Scottish warrior Connor MacKenzie was sent by the king to deliver a message to Princess Alia of Pictland’s family of the marriage of Prince of Dal Riada to Princess Alia. Prince Dal Riada is Connor’s half-brother and this marriage would bring a political bond between the two kingdoms. But the widowed Princess Alia does not want to marry again. Once Connor had set his eyes on Alia they both were destined to be together. I really enjoyed this wonderful medieval historical romance novel.
November 26, 2022
3.5
I found the first half to be extremely slow and it took forever to read, but it got interesting after that. There were a lot of misunderstandings between the 2 main characters, and I wish thy would have just talked it out like they did in the end. The end felt unfinished. What’s going to happen to them with the king? Idk if I’ll be reading the next book to find out.
I found the first half to be extremely slow and it took forever to read, but it got interesting after that. There were a lot of misunderstandings between the 2 main characters, and I wish thy would have just talked it out like they did in the end. The end felt unfinished. What’s going to happen to them with the king? Idk if I’ll be reading the next book to find out.
May 27, 2020
Terrible
Okay is he story plot with some romantic ideas which is completely spoilt by the use of crass words used to describe the beautiful acts of love between the main characters. That just spoiled the whole effect for me as a reader.
Okay is he story plot with some romantic ideas which is completely spoilt by the use of crass words used to describe the beautiful acts of love between the main characters. That just spoiled the whole effect for me as a reader.
November 11, 2020
fantastic
the first book I've read by this author a great read . kept me completely hooked from start to finish .
the first book I've read by this author a great read . kept me completely hooked from start to finish .
November 4, 2022
This is a good story but there's too much miscommunications and misunderstandings going on. The characters are very interesting and definitely have great personalities.
September 4, 2023
A wonderfully involved medieval Scottish/Pict story. (And a review that does not give it the justice it deserves.)
July 3, 2025
massive miscommunication trope in the second half but surprisingly didn't make me too mad
December 16, 2013
Political Intrigue, Innocent Deception and Blinding Passion
OMG! If you thought that Christina Phillips’ Romans and Celts were hot in her Forbidden series, then check out her passionate Picts and sexy Scots in her Highland Warrior Chronicles. The author once again combines a spellbinding historical romance with a superb erotic read, which will keep you panting for more. She writes in a way that transports you to the time period and creates truly memorable heroes and heroines.
Her Savage Scot involves a combustible mix of political intrigue and violence, innocent deception and blinding passion. The first part of the novel sees Aila innocently conceal her identity from the Scots Warrior Connor. She is assailed by a strong and unexplained visceral attraction and feelings that she has not experienced since her husband’s death nine years ago. Connor, mindful of her widowed status and despite their undeniable connection, decides not to pursue her. However, their mutual attraction is such that they engage in a slow sensual dance of seduction, before coming together in a maelstrom of fiery and erotic passion.
Once Aila’s true identity as Princess is revealed and her political role in marrying Fergus, Connor’s half-brother, becomes clear, their nascent love is sacrificed to the need for their two peoples to unite against a common enemy, the Vikings. The remainder of the plot contains misunderstanding between the lovers, tension, drama and treachery and deceit on the part of others and my heart was truly pounding as their safety and HEA hung in the balance!
Christina Phillips has a real skill for penning addictive storylines and creating credible and memorable characters. Aila and Connor are just so perfect for each other! Aila is a proud, yet vulnerable woman, with a traumatic past, who lives a reclusive life. For reasons which become clear in the novel, she has rejected the old pagan religion in favour of Cristianity, in a society where the old religion is still revered. However, as the attraction between her and Connor intensifies, the goddess Bride once again calls to her and she cannot ignore her true destiny.
Connor is a man that every red blooded woman would ache to possess. He is a strong alpha hero, with an innate sense of honour. He soon realises that Aila is his and wants no other and he does all he can to protect her from others and even from herself, as she becomes a political pawn at the mercy of others. The romantic scenes between the couple are truly beautiful and Christina Phillips combines sexual tension with scorching erotic love making scenes and a credible historical narrative with great finesse. She writes in such a way that the reader gets inside the characters’ heads and feels every nuance of their thoughts, feelings and sensations.
I enjoyed all the characters in the novel, the good guys and the bad guys, but particularly Cameron MacNeil and Ewan MacKinnon, the Scots warriors who will encounter their own Pictish princesses in the other two novels planned in this series, Her Vengeful Scot and Her Defiant Scot. I was also fascinated by the different cultures of the Picts and Scots. If like me you adored the author’s last historical erotic romance series, Forbidden, then you will also love Her Savage Scot. I also recommend it to readers who like their historical romances to sizzle with erotic love making scenes, alpha males, strong heroines and have a strong page turning plot and romance.
A copy of this novel was given to me by the publisher for the purpose of a fair and honest review.
OMG! If you thought that Christina Phillips’ Romans and Celts were hot in her Forbidden series, then check out her passionate Picts and sexy Scots in her Highland Warrior Chronicles. The author once again combines a spellbinding historical romance with a superb erotic read, which will keep you panting for more. She writes in a way that transports you to the time period and creates truly memorable heroes and heroines.
Her Savage Scot involves a combustible mix of political intrigue and violence, innocent deception and blinding passion. The first part of the novel sees Aila innocently conceal her identity from the Scots Warrior Connor. She is assailed by a strong and unexplained visceral attraction and feelings that she has not experienced since her husband’s death nine years ago. Connor, mindful of her widowed status and despite their undeniable connection, decides not to pursue her. However, their mutual attraction is such that they engage in a slow sensual dance of seduction, before coming together in a maelstrom of fiery and erotic passion.
Once Aila’s true identity as Princess is revealed and her political role in marrying Fergus, Connor’s half-brother, becomes clear, their nascent love is sacrificed to the need for their two peoples to unite against a common enemy, the Vikings. The remainder of the plot contains misunderstanding between the lovers, tension, drama and treachery and deceit on the part of others and my heart was truly pounding as their safety and HEA hung in the balance!
Christina Phillips has a real skill for penning addictive storylines and creating credible and memorable characters. Aila and Connor are just so perfect for each other! Aila is a proud, yet vulnerable woman, with a traumatic past, who lives a reclusive life. For reasons which become clear in the novel, she has rejected the old pagan religion in favour of Cristianity, in a society where the old religion is still revered. However, as the attraction between her and Connor intensifies, the goddess Bride once again calls to her and she cannot ignore her true destiny.
Connor is a man that every red blooded woman would ache to possess. He is a strong alpha hero, with an innate sense of honour. He soon realises that Aila is his and wants no other and he does all he can to protect her from others and even from herself, as she becomes a political pawn at the mercy of others. The romantic scenes between the couple are truly beautiful and Christina Phillips combines sexual tension with scorching erotic love making scenes and a credible historical narrative with great finesse. She writes in such a way that the reader gets inside the characters’ heads and feels every nuance of their thoughts, feelings and sensations.
I enjoyed all the characters in the novel, the good guys and the bad guys, but particularly Cameron MacNeil and Ewan MacKinnon, the Scots warriors who will encounter their own Pictish princesses in the other two novels planned in this series, Her Vengeful Scot and Her Defiant Scot. I was also fascinated by the different cultures of the Picts and Scots. If like me you adored the author’s last historical erotic romance series, Forbidden, then you will also love Her Savage Scot. I also recommend it to readers who like their historical romances to sizzle with erotic love making scenes, alpha males, strong heroines and have a strong page turning plot and romance.
A copy of this novel was given to me by the publisher for the purpose of a fair and honest review.
December 15, 2013
http://www.blue-moon.fr/spip.php?arti...
Christina Phillips est une auteure un peu à part, spécialiste dans la romance historique des époques très anciennes et oubliées. Pour une fois, elle ne va retourner qu’au neuvième siècle, elle qui parle souvent d’antiquité. Elle nous conduit en Ecosse, qui n’existe encore pas alors que les Highlands sont attaqués par les Vikings et que les Ecossais et les Pictes se font aussi la guerre, rendant leur situation plus difficile encore. Ne nous voilons pas la face, ce contexte ancien n’aide pas à suivre l’histoire. Même les noms ont des consonances exotiques très lointaines et ce contexte de guerre et n’est pas facile à appréhender. Toutefois, il en est de ces combats comme ceux plus contemporaines, les enjeux demeurent les mêmes, les grandes lois aussi.
Connor McKenzie est un guerrier écossais. Il reçoit la mission d’aller chercher une princesse picte, réputée âgée car veuve depuis des années pour la ramener et la faire épouser son demi-frère. Seront ainsi unis les deux peuples et cela pourrait être le début d’une unification des Highlands contre leurs ennemis mutuels vikings. Connor part et à peine arrivé va rencontrer auprès d’un ruisseau la belle Aila. Il est immédiatement séduit par cette jolie jeune femme et une tendre idylle va commencer entre les deux jeunes gens. Les évènements extérieurs vont alors les rattraper.
Les qualités de cette romance sont multiples. L’histoire entre Aila et Connor est douce, très romantique, nimbée d’une impression de mystère, de magie très caractéristiques des romances Highlanders où les esprits ne sont jamais loin, les rêves sont prémonitoires. Dans cette Ecosse très ancienne, les peuples ne sont pas tous chrétiens encore et les croyances contribuent aussi à cette ambiance. Il faudra beaucoup de temps et de nombreuses péripéties pour joindre nos deux héros. Car leur histoire est liée très étroitement aux manipulations politiques et à la guerre. Aila est une princesse fière et qui cherche à préserver son indépendance. Elle a des raisons pour cela qui ne se dévoileront que très progressivement. Nous comprenons tous les éléments qu’à la fin du livre dans une scène particulièrement réussie où toutes les pièces trouvent leur place. Connor, loin du mâle alpha dont on a l’habitude n’est pas un guerrier sans foi ni loi. Patient, amoureux, il fera tout pour convaincre Aila qu’il est digne d’elle. Si leur union est très romantique, elle très sensuelle aussi ce qui ne gâche rien.
Leur histoire s’appuie sur l’histoire et l’intrigue se révèle, elle aussi très solide, tirant ses éléments des manipulations du roi que sert Connor. Là aussi, c’est un sans faute avec des allusions aux royaumes pictes et leur complexité.
L’intrigue est peut-être un peu lente et longue à se dessiner.le livre est long et complexe à la fois dans son contexte et les rebondissements. Mais il mérite vraiment que l’on prenne son temps et qu’on le découvre ?
Christina Phillips est une auteure un peu à part, spécialiste dans la romance historique des époques très anciennes et oubliées. Pour une fois, elle ne va retourner qu’au neuvième siècle, elle qui parle souvent d’antiquité. Elle nous conduit en Ecosse, qui n’existe encore pas alors que les Highlands sont attaqués par les Vikings et que les Ecossais et les Pictes se font aussi la guerre, rendant leur situation plus difficile encore. Ne nous voilons pas la face, ce contexte ancien n’aide pas à suivre l’histoire. Même les noms ont des consonances exotiques très lointaines et ce contexte de guerre et n’est pas facile à appréhender. Toutefois, il en est de ces combats comme ceux plus contemporaines, les enjeux demeurent les mêmes, les grandes lois aussi.
Connor McKenzie est un guerrier écossais. Il reçoit la mission d’aller chercher une princesse picte, réputée âgée car veuve depuis des années pour la ramener et la faire épouser son demi-frère. Seront ainsi unis les deux peuples et cela pourrait être le début d’une unification des Highlands contre leurs ennemis mutuels vikings. Connor part et à peine arrivé va rencontrer auprès d’un ruisseau la belle Aila. Il est immédiatement séduit par cette jolie jeune femme et une tendre idylle va commencer entre les deux jeunes gens. Les évènements extérieurs vont alors les rattraper.
Les qualités de cette romance sont multiples. L’histoire entre Aila et Connor est douce, très romantique, nimbée d’une impression de mystère, de magie très caractéristiques des romances Highlanders où les esprits ne sont jamais loin, les rêves sont prémonitoires. Dans cette Ecosse très ancienne, les peuples ne sont pas tous chrétiens encore et les croyances contribuent aussi à cette ambiance. Il faudra beaucoup de temps et de nombreuses péripéties pour joindre nos deux héros. Car leur histoire est liée très étroitement aux manipulations politiques et à la guerre. Aila est une princesse fière et qui cherche à préserver son indépendance. Elle a des raisons pour cela qui ne se dévoileront que très progressivement. Nous comprenons tous les éléments qu’à la fin du livre dans une scène particulièrement réussie où toutes les pièces trouvent leur place. Connor, loin du mâle alpha dont on a l’habitude n’est pas un guerrier sans foi ni loi. Patient, amoureux, il fera tout pour convaincre Aila qu’il est digne d’elle. Si leur union est très romantique, elle très sensuelle aussi ce qui ne gâche rien.
Leur histoire s’appuie sur l’histoire et l’intrigue se révèle, elle aussi très solide, tirant ses éléments des manipulations du roi que sert Connor. Là aussi, c’est un sans faute avec des allusions aux royaumes pictes et leur complexité.
L’intrigue est peut-être un peu lente et longue à se dessiner.le livre est long et complexe à la fois dans son contexte et les rebondissements. Mais il mérite vraiment que l’on prenne son temps et qu’on le découvre ?
November 29, 2013
Heartbreak and treachery find Aila at every turn in her life. She’s finally accepted her fate and found peace with herself and others in the monastery. Then Conner Mackenzie enters her life. Conner makes her want things she hasn’t wanted in years. But again, things are never as they seem.
I found myself drawn to the sexy and gentle warrior, Conner. He was tough enough to fight and save those who needed it, yet gentle enough to win over Aila.
Aila’s story broke my heart. I wanted her to find love, happiness, but it just didn’t seem she would ever get it.
Conner is stubborn and pig-headed and proud. I wanted to smack him on the head so many times. All he had to do was open his mouth and tell Aila what he was thinking, feeling. But instead of doing that, he let her suffer. Of course, he didn’t exactly know what was going on. He is a guy after all.
Aila could have as easily said something to Conner. But in her defense, she didn’t know he could be trusted. She had already been betrayed and she wasn’t certain where Conner stood. She was fierce and brave. She was willing to risk everything to save Conner.
The first part of the book moved a little slow for me. But soon I was drawn into the intrigue of the Scots versus the Picts. This was a new time period for me. Most of the highlander stories I’ve read are later in time. So, part of the dragging for me could have been me learning more about this time period.
I will definitely be reading more on this series and from this author!
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 11, 2013
Phillips is off and running with this daring, romantic & erotic tale. It’s very well written with a solid storyline. As always Phillips brings her story to life with brilliantly vivid descriptions and a storyline to die for. Her intricate descriptions are packed with allusion and metaphors that really bring this story to life. Myth and reality combine in this unforgettable tale to create a captivating whole. Not only does Phillips tell a lovely story, but she also doesn’t hesitate to throw more than a few kinks into this story. More than once she had me completely shocked with the turn that the story took, however it always fit within the story. There was a bit of a comedy of errors going on for a while that turned into a sweet, perfect ending. She also stays completely in the realm of history while telling a love story that transcends time.
The characters in this novel are fantastically realistic. Each individual who played a major role in this novel was individually developed to create a solid cast to propel this story forward. To top that off, the main characters were not only approachable but down to earth and hold true to themselves and to each other. It was refreshing and tear-jerking at times.
Although this novel is set well back in history this story is very easy to immerse and lose yourself in. it was a brilliant read that I’d definitely recommend. I, for one, cannot wait for the next story in this series.
Please note that I received this novel free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.
The characters in this novel are fantastically realistic. Each individual who played a major role in this novel was individually developed to create a solid cast to propel this story forward. To top that off, the main characters were not only approachable but down to earth and hold true to themselves and to each other. It was refreshing and tear-jerking at times.
Although this novel is set well back in history this story is very easy to immerse and lose yourself in. it was a brilliant read that I’d definitely recommend. I, for one, cannot wait for the next story in this series.
Please note that I received this novel free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.
March 20, 2022
This Story Deserves More Than 5⭐️stars:
This has got to be one of the best stories I have read in a very long time.
I think this would make a great movie. I was totally captured by this thrilling romance story.
This is a new author for me, and I absolutely loved her in depth writing skills.
You always wish for a story that will capture your heart and soul and take you on a thrilling journey and this one did it for me.
The characters were outstanding, intense, romantic along with many heart pounding situations. The plot was filled with humor, romance, politics, a gamut of emotions, and more.
Plain and simple this is an amazing story that I hated to see end. I can hardly wait to read another of the authors stories.
Adult Content:
This has got to be one of the best stories I have read in a very long time.
I think this would make a great movie. I was totally captured by this thrilling romance story.
This is a new author for me, and I absolutely loved her in depth writing skills.
You always wish for a story that will capture your heart and soul and take you on a thrilling journey and this one did it for me.
The characters were outstanding, intense, romantic along with many heart pounding situations. The plot was filled with humor, romance, politics, a gamut of emotions, and more.
Plain and simple this is an amazing story that I hated to see end. I can hardly wait to read another of the authors stories.
Adult Content:
September 12, 2021
Connor MacKenzie is sent by his King to bring the Pictish Princess Aila and her family to marry his brother to ensure political bonds between the kingdoms. While there he meets a widow who in their brief encounter stirs a connection he’s never felt before. This is book 1 in the Highland Warrior Chronicles. A passionate historical romance masterfully blended with mystic intrigue. I love how you lose yourself in this story. The many plot twists keep you turning the pages as the adventure unfolds. A sexy Scottish hero, deceptions, political motivations but will true love win in the end? An epic, steamy HEA that will leave you breathless for the next book in the series!
February 3, 2014
Excellent book. Ending was good. Historical content is excellent. Looking forward to book 2.
April 16, 2020
This is book blew me away. The author's use of description and story telling pulls you into the world, as she weaves a compelling love story. I thoroughly recommend it.
Want to read
August 13, 2024🎁 FREE on Amazon today (8/17/2022)! 🎁
May 29, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews