Highland Conquest

The Sons of Gregor MacLeod #2

by Alyson McLayne

HE WAS LOOKING FOR VENGEANCE

Laird Lachlan MacKay never planned on leading his clan, but when his older brother was murdered, he was left with no choice. His vow to avenge his brother has led him to the MacPherson clan—and their bewitching healer, Amber.

INSTEAD HE FOUND HER

Amber MacPherson is desperate. Dressed as a boy to escape her clan's treacherous leader, she runs right into Lachlan—who orders her detained. At first she causes him nothing but frustration, especially when she blackmails him into helping her clan. But when she's threatened by the same man who murdered his brother, Lachlan will do whatever it takes to keep her safe—and by his side.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Medieval, Fiction, Audiobook

355 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 6, 2018

About the author

Alyson McLayne is a mom of twins and an award-winning writer of contemporary, historical and paranormal romance. She’s also a dog lover and cat servant with a serious stash of dark chocolate. After getting her degree in theater at the University of Alberta, she promptly moved to the West Coast of Canada where she worked in film for several years and met her prop master husband.

Alyson has been nominated for several Romance Writers of America contests, including The Golden Heart, The Golden Pen, The Orange Rose, Great Expectations, The Molly’s and The Winter Rose.

Her debut historical romance, Highland Promise, will be published by Sourcebooks in October, 2017. Highland Promise is the first of five books in The Sons of Gregor MacLeod series. Highland Conquest will come out in February, 2018.

Alyson and her family reside in Vancouver with their sweet but troublesome chocolate lab puppy named Jasper.

Please visit her at www.alysonmclayne.com and look her up on Facebook (www.facebook.com/AlysonMcLayne) or Twitter (@AlysonMcLayne). She loves chatting with her fans!

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alyson McLayne has brought romantic history to life with HIGHLAND CONQUEST and if you have never been drawn to the genre, trust me, you will be now! Men in kilts, powerful warriors, women made of the sturdy stock needed to stand toe to toe or side by side with their men, you will find no shrinking violets or dashing dandies here.

Lachlan MacKay is a man on a mission of vengeance. Amber McPherson will be a prisoner no more. Their meeting was one of chance as Lachlan scouts the fortress of his enemy, the same monster who held Amber captive after defeating her clan. Disguised as a boy, Amber literally bumps into Lachlan and so begins their sometimes unusual relationship that centers on helping their clan, dancing around their growing attraction and their ability to drive each other to distraction.

Pages of action, beautifully detailed scenes and characters that are both humorous at times and deadly at others. It is easy to imagine the world they live as well as the strength and clan loyalty it took to survive. It was also easy to imagine how dangerous any injury could be and how “healers” were either suspect or heroes. And the romance? Priceless! Sure, there was that “something” from the start, but it grew slowly as Lachlan and Amber continually danced around the truth. Amber has her own fears that were completely believable and Lachlan, well, a man in his position had to be careful when choosing a wife, and besides, he wasn’t ready…or was he?

Ms. McLayne’s world is a wonderful escape into another time filled with adventure, danger and, of course, romance. ALMOST makes me want to go back in time … almost…

Highly recommended, for this standalone or better yet, the entire series!

I received a complimentary ARC edition from Sourcebooks Casablanca. My review is voluntary!

Series: The Sons of Gregor MacLeod - Book 2
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (February 6, 2018)
Publication Date: February 6, 2018
Genre: Historical Romance
Print Length: 384 pages
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Samantha · Rating 1 out of 5]

⭐
1 star.

👎



DNF @ 35%.


OTT.

Boring.

Slow-paced.

Formulaic and unoriginal.

Anachronistic.

Jumbled.

Flat main characters.

Unlikable heroine.

[Lover of Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review was originally posted on Addicted To RomanceI received this book for free from Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I have recently become such a huge fan of this author, the first book just blew me away so I will admit that I was a bit nervous to see how book two would do in comparison and quite honestly I think I liked it even more than book one!! It had all the elements that I love seeing in a highlander romance. A sexy highland laird, a sweet but sassy healer for our heroine and a plot packed with intrigue and suspense and I honestly never knew what was going to happen next, this author just had me going on a roll here and I can't recommend this book enough especially if you are fans of medieval highlander romances.

The story sets off when our heroine is in danger. She is a healer for her clan, but when her father is murdered, and a new clan chief takes over, killing all the seasoned warriors, and trying to force her to his bed, she escapes with some help of her clan. But she is looking to help her clan get free of their newest cruel laird. But then she runs into someone even more dangerous but a man that can become her aid and save her clan.

Laird Lachlan MacKa, has vowed for vengeance ever since his brother and his wife was murdered, and has come to the MacPherson clan to kill their laid for justice for the crimes against his own. What he didn't expect was to see a boy running toward them just as they are about to swarm the keep and the "lad" is about to give away their position. So he captures the lad and takes him to a cavern to be kept away not realizing that this lad is actually a woman who has her own need for vengeance. 

But when the enemy escapes while overtaking the keep, both Lachlan and Amber join forces and soon realize that they have more in common than just a man that has harmed them both, but they discover a love they never expected. But their enemy is crafty and it will take Lachlan and Amber and all of Lachlan's adopted brothers and father to bring their enemy down and finally have the justice they have been waiting for.

This was one hell of a story and I honestly picked it up last night intending to only read "a few chapters" but turned out it kept me awake all NIGHT long because I just didn't want to put their story down. I had such a blast with these fun characters. And I loved getting to know more of the Gregor boys, and seeing the father more. We do see more of him in this story than in book one and I loved the relationship this family has with each other. And how well Amber fits among them. Amber was a hoot, she is a healer of course, but her father taught her how to fight and boy can she pack a punch. I love how cunning she can be and at the same time is full of kindness and compassion.

The romance was simply so sweet and sexy, with enough sass and humor that keeps you entertained all throughout the story. I was so endeared by this story because of the connection that Lachlan and Amber have to each other. And man the feels in this book was to die for.....from making me laugh to making me ball in tears. Yep....this author surely knows how to work my emotions when I least expect it to happen!!

Well worth the read...a romance full of adventure, a sexy setting of the highlands, with passion and zest to make you crave more of this author's work!! SPLENDID!!





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

Highland Conquest by Alyson McLayne is book Two in "The Sons of Gregor MacLeod" series. This is the story of Laird Lachlan MacKay and Amber MacPherson. I haven't yet read the previous book, so for me this was a standalone book.
Lachlan is looking to avenge his brother's death and is getting close to doing that. Lachlan and his men are close to attracting Machar Murray but they happen to see a 'young boy' sneaking away from the Castle that they are watching. So they grab him but find out pretty soon that it is women and not a boy. Amber is trying to escape Machar Murray the man that killed their laird, her father and several other people of her clan. Machar has taken a liking to Amber. Machar wants her but Amber has been smart about keeping him at arms link but using the man's superstition of witches to her advantage. But when he ended up locking her up in a room she was helped to escape only to be caught by Lachlan. Amber and Lachlan has a lot in common and both have a mind set to never marry but the closer they become the more impossible it is to ignore their growing feelings.
This was an exciting story and I will be looking for more books fro this author!

[Linda Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

This book is absolutely awesome I've read her first book in the sons of Gregor McLeod and it was awesome this one about Lachlan is more awesome I know that's poor grammar but it is this is the type of book you are so sad that it ended I want it to go on and on you just fell in love with Lachlan he was just adorable so cute and Callum I can't wait to read his story I've already pre-ordered his story you got to write faster Allison because I can't wait I was laughing out loud I felt so stupid but it was funny really funny in some parts but the whole book was just awesome the storyline was different but very good her characters are so well-defined you feel like you know them they're like a friend you also feel like you're in the book with them I just can't say enough I can't find the perfect adjectives to describe how wonderful this book is I know I'm going to read it over again because the first book I've read three times but anybody reading this I'm serious this is one of the best books I have ever read she is an awesome awesome writer

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was decent. It had a lot of the elements that I like and few of the ones that I don't. I finished it in a day and never felt like the story dragged, which is all good stuff. And yet, I find myself decidedly unmoved at the end. There's nothing about the story that will stick with me, either for better or worse. Everything was just a bit too superficial and insubstantial. As one of the other reviewers said, this book isn't high drama or suspense or even really romance but a weak mix of all three. There's nothing that really digs into your psyche and grabs you so that you feel like the house would have to be on fire before you stopped reading. We spend time with the characters in Highland Conquest but don't really get to know them or get invested in their romance. It was all fine while you were reading it but only because you had the illusion that before the ending you'd reach that deeper place. Once you turn the last page and realize that you'll only ever be skimming the surface of these characters, you become retroactively disappointed by the whole thing.

But still, it wasn't a BAD story by any means. It's competently written and I liked the hero and heroine and the supporting characters. I'll certainly pick up other books by this author in the hopes that one of them has the deeper connection I always hope for. So all in all, 3 stars.

Full summary of the story in the spoiler.


The story begins with the heroine, Amber, cutting off her hair so she can dress as a boy and escape the rapey machinations of the evil villain Murray.

The backstory is that 5 years ago Murray tried to take over Lachlan MacKay's clan by killing Lachlan's brother and attempting to kill Lachlan himself. When that failed, he escaped and made his way to Amber's clan and killed their Laird instead, along with Amber's father and most of the warriors. He's been ruling Amber's clan ever since and is, of course, evil. He's also obsessed with Amber, who is possessed of the kind of good looks that make every man she meets instantly fall in love with her. She, along with her elderly grandmother, are the clan healers. The grandmother tells Murray that they're witches and will cast spells on him if he raises a hand against them and the allegedly superstitious Murray believes this enough to resist his all-consuming lust for Amber, even after the grandmother dies...until the day the book starts when he's finally apparently gotten over it and is preparing to rape her.

All of this was a bit weak for a setup. I mean, 5 years he's been there within riding distance of Lachlan, who has been supposedly scouring the countryside for him, and yet Lachlan couldn't find him? Seriously? And it's not like Murray was hiding out as a stable boy under some assumed name. He was the notorious and heartless ruler of a whole clan, living in a castle! And likewise, 5 years of this oppression and no one on Amber's side thought to reach out for help? Seriously? There's one throw-away line in the book about the steward trying to write to Gregor MacLeod, Lachlan's adopted father and the famous champion for good, to come rescue them but that the evil priest tore up the letters. You're asking me to believe that it never occurred to anyone to try to take the message there personally? For 5 years?

And on top of that, the evil Murray is obsessed with Amber to the point where he literally spends the whole rest of the book putting himself in danger again and again just to get his hands on her when he could have just cut and run and been fine....and yet he didn't give in to the urge to rape her for 5 whole years? Just because of a little superstition? If he was all that superstitious, why wasn't he still afraid of her during the course of this book? I just didn't really believe this. I mean, Amber and her grandmother threatened to curse him so that his dick would fall off if he raped Amber...but here's a question; why wouldn't they do that ANYWAY if they had the power? Why wait for him to rape Amber? Why not just make his dick fall off now so he can't rape anyone? That's what would make sense. Obviously the answer is because they CAN'T do that because this isn't a paranormal romance but my point is, why did it take 5 whole years of having his dick not fall off before he finally figured out they were bluffing? I mean, Amber even admitted that she'd frequently mumble garbled words at him to make him think she was casting a spell on him....but then nothing ever happened to him because of it. So why didn't he figure things out for 5 whole years?

This is especially hard to believe when for the whole rest of the book we're beaten over the head with examples of and conversations about how incredibly smart Murray is. So on the one hand, he's smart enough to have planned a frankly staggering number of fail-safes, booby traps and hidden tunnels in case Lachlan ever found him, even willfully desecrating a church and even a BIBLE in order to accomplish these things....and yet on the other hand we're expected to believe that he's so superstitious and stupid that he'd buy this weak "I'll cast a spell on you" nonsense from Amber? And that he’s ultra-superstitious about witches but not at all about God?

So yeah, I just don’t buy the backstory on this one. It doesn’t match up with what happens during the course of the book and who our characters are supposed to be. Amber is touted as this super-strong, “I’ll do anything to protect my people” chick who isn’t afraid of anything. So…why didn’t she do something about Murray? With her knowledge of herbs, she could have found a way to drug him. Maybe she wouldn’t kill him because she’s a healer (although I always find that to be something of a cop-out when you’re talking about a villain who kills other people for sport) but she could have given him a sleeping potion and then the guards could have tied him up and tossed him in the dungeon while someone rode for help. Especially since we’re told that Murray only had 3 soldiers who were loyal to him. Referred to throughout the book as Murray’s “dogs” though they never appear on-page. So it’s not like Murray could have kept himself guarded and protected at all times for 5 whole years. This wasn’t an insurmountable problem Amber and her clan were facing.

And here's another question: was Murray celibate during this whole five years because he was so obsessed with Amber but afraid to take her? I'm betting not. So what other poor girl was he raping in Amber's place? And all while Amber and everyone else did nothing to bring an end to the situation? Like I said, the backstory is weak. And a lot of it centers around the fact that it takes place over 5 years. You could buy Murray maintaining a stranglehold on the clan for a couple of months maybe, but not five whole years. Not without him having either a ton more soldiers or something to use as leverage. Like if he had the previous clan leader’s wife locked in a cage and threatened to kill her if anyone made a move against him, etc. But the way things are described, he was just sitting in the keep on a throne for 5 years, while staring lustfully at Amber and letting the rest of the clan go about their business. Not really that threatening.

Getting back to the story, Amber escapes from the keep using the first of many, many secret tunnels. Lachlan and his men are there scoping out the castle, ready to make their attack and see her. They think she’s a boy because of her short hair and clothes and worry that she’ll raise the alarm if she sees them so Lachlan grabs her. He’s then impressed with how hard the “boy” fights, even after it’s clear that Lachlan has already won. They take Amber back to their camp and tie her up in a convenient cave behind a waterfall and leave her there until the fight is done. Although Lachlan is already showing signs of being attracted to the lad, it doesn’t really get explored. They also discover that Lachlan’s 10-year-old niece has stowed away in one of the wagons so she’s there too. They leave both females behind with a single guard to watch them.

Amber just immediately gives up on the whole charade about being a boy and reveals herself to the niece so she’ll untie the ropes. Which made me wonder why the author had included this whole part in the first place. The back of the book makes it seem like this is going to be a genderbender book but Amber was only a “boy” for the space of a few pages. It made things feel a little…misleading? Like the author had pulled a bait-and-switch. And I didn’t see a reason for cutting Amber’s hair off either. There’s a lot of emphasis put on how amazing her hair is, even when it’s all hacked off, but it doesn’t really serve any purpose, especially when she was only a “boy” for five minutes. Why not just tuck the hair up under a hat like every other genderbending heroine?

Amber knees the guard in the groin while he’s busy ogling her cleavage and rushes back to the castle, sure that there will be mass casualties from the invasion. She’s stopped at the gate by one of Lachlan’s men but just flashes him a look from her amazing eyes and promises him a kiss later so he lets her in. This was another thing I didn’t really like. We’re told quite frequently that Amber dislikes the way men follow her around like lovesick puppy dogs, even though she never gives them any encouragement. That her exquisite beauty is nothing but a pain because the men are annoying and care only about her looks, not who she is on the inside…and then she does things like this where she uses her beauty to manipulate those same lovesick fools into doing her bidding. Yeah, my heart is breaking for you Amber…

Once inside, Lachlan figures out right quick that Amber is the “boy” he left tied up back at camp and he’s just as enamored of her as the rest of them, though he does a better job of maintaining his self-respect. There are a couple of injured people who Amber tends and Lachlan does a lot of growling about how she should rest and eat food and take better care of herself instead of always putting everyone else first. It was decently done. It’s always nice to see the big tough hero trying to take care of the feisty heroine. Murray has escaped, of course, along with his 3 men but he shows back up at the keep almost immediately so he can fire arrows at Amber. Next thing we know, Lachlan’s niece is brought in. The 3 men apparently found her and the lone guard who was left with her. The guard is okay but the niece got stabbed. Amber fixes her up and tells Lachlan that he’s the new laird so he’d better take care of her clan.

For the middle part of the book not much is happening. Amber if very prickly and she snaps at Lachlan a lot but he doesn’t mind. The steward tries to set the two of them up to be caught in a compromising position so that Lachlan will be forced to marry her – something they both claim to never want to do for basically no reason. Lachlan gives some very vague info about how his mother was a manipulative bitch and somehow that’s supposed to explain why he never wants to get married or have children? I didn’t get it because it wasn’t explored in this book. Maybe it’s discussed in another book in the series but the little we got here didn’t justify to me him never wanting to get married. It’s not even like he distrusted all women because of his mother. He was perfectly nice to Amber and all the other women the whole book, so what exactly was his issue here? Amber also didn't explain her issue for 80% of the book. She just vaguely said that she didn’t think she’d ever want to marry and also wasn’t at all sure she wanted children. Eventually after almost the whole book has passed we find out that this is allegedly stemming from her being terrorized these last 5 years with the threat of being raped by Murray. But that didn’t really make sense to me since she doesn’t ACT like she’s afraid of sex at any other time. And she definitely doesn’t act like she’s afraid of Murray. I just didn’t buy this hang up. It took too long for it to be revealed and when it was it was immediately belied by all her previous behavior.

They have one steamy encounter when Lachlan accidentally walks in on Amber getting out of the tub and she was so in to this first encounter that she was ready to go all the way. So it really didn’t match up with her alleged fear later in the book. After Lachlan does the noble thing and calls a halt to things, she ignores him for a while and he wishes he’d pressed his advantage when he had it. Amber spends a surprisingly large amount of time masturbating while thinking of Lachlan too. I’ve actually never read a historical romance novel that involved female masturbation before so that was….interesting. But there again, she was so sexual and so hot for Lachlan throughout most of the book that I just didn’t buy her sudden claims of being terrified of sex when they finally got to that part. It just felt like a flimsy attempt to amp up the drama that wasn’t supported by the narrative.

Elsewhere, there’s a stereotypical priest like the guy from Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame who very loudly decries the heroine as being a witch in order to hide the fact that he lusts after her himself (just like everyone else). His parts of the story were all pretty meh. He didn’t really play much of a part in the over-arching plot with Murray and that made his portions feel kind of like filler.

Lachlan and his brother decide that Murray must be so obsessed with Amber that he’ll keep coming back for her so they decide to use her as bait. Amber agrees and they use her cottage as the trap. They want word to get out that Lachlan is banging Amber so that it’ll make Murray so pissed he’ll come try to get them. Except the same steward who set it up so that they’d be caught in a compromising position now decides that he needs to protect Amber’s honor and arranges for them to have chaperones every night when Lachlan visits her. This apparently goes on for 3 weeks but we don’t see it in real time. We’re told after the fact that during this time Amber and Lachlan grew closer and shared a lot of unspoken communications because they could understand with just a simple eyebrow raise or quirked lip what the other was thinking. And that’s part of why the relationship feels so superficial. We don’t get to experience this developing friendship, we’re just told about it later.

Finally one day they’re unchaperoned and Lachlan is all set to have sex, even though he knows that Murray will most likely strike that night. They get off on the wrong foot, mainly because Amber is a prickly woman who takes unwarranted offense to everything, but things get worse when she says she doesn’t want to have sex. That she doesn’t want to just warm his bed for a few months and then have him leave her never to return. Or even worse, to come back and visit whenever it’s convenient for him. He asks if she’s trying to get him to propose and she says no, that she doesn’t want to be married….but she also doesn’t know what she DOES want from him. They fight and Lachlan goes outside. Murray then appears out of nowhere and only THEN are we told that there’s a secret passage leading to Amber’s cottage. This is what TV Tropes has dubbed an @ss pull and it was lame.

Lachlan starts to come back in but Amber throws herself at the door to keep him from getting shot in the face. She takes an arrow to the back instead and Murray gets away, again. Amber gets over her injury really quickly and mostly off-page. In something like a week she’s not only walking around without even a sling for her bad arm, she’s actually teaching the 10-year-old niece self-defense moves. But during her very brief convalescence, she wakes up with Lachlan by her side and gets all hot and bothered for him. They start making out and then there’s a knock on the door, but they don’t stop. They proceed to have several minutes of sexy time culminating in Lachlan getting her off, all while someone is pounding on the door asking to be let in. It was weird.

When they do open the door it’s the interfering steward again with 18 of the clan’s most eligible bachelors who are all in love with Amber. They insist that she pick someone to marry because it’ll “keep her safe” and also free up all the other lovesick idiots so that they’ll finally go ahead and propose to their second choice girls. Amber tries to say no but gives in very quickly when they threaten to force her to leave the clan because they “can’t keep her safe” otherwise. Which was obviously a total bluff since everyone loves her and she’s their healer and she's safer now with Lachlan there than she has been the last 5 years while they all sat around doing nothing to help her, the jerks... Amber agrees to pick someone under the condition that if the man says no, she won’t be forced to pick again. Then she picks Lachlan, expecting him to say no since he’s assured her repeatedly that he doesn’t want to marry. Except he has suddenly changed his stance on this and says yes.

A couple of days pass where Lachlan keeps catching Amber in dark closets and such and doing sexy things to her, which she’s powerless to resist. Lachlan’s adopted father and all his adopted brothers show up to help with the hunt for Murray and they’re decent characters and there's a good chemistry between them and Lachlan. Murray is spotted in the keep in the company of the priest so there’s a showdown at the chapel that results in the eeeevil priest dying. Murray gets away AGAIN because he had the place rigged with booby traps and escaped out of yet another hidden tunnel.

Then we’re at the wedding feast and Amber is suddenly so terrified of bedding the man she’s been panting after the whole book that she decides to make a run for it…when she knows there’s a rapey psycho lurking around trying to grab her. Sure. I totally believe that she was more afraid of sex with Lachlan than she was of being raped by Murray….when supposedly the only reason she’s afraid of sex with Lachlan in the first place is because Murray spent 5 years threatening to rape her….yeah, that totally makes sense. Lachlan catches her and is unbelievable understanding about the whole thing. They sleep naked together but don’t do anything else on their wedding night. Then suddenly in the morning as she’s watching him wash himself in the basin, she’s so turned on by his hot body that she starts masturbating again and just tells him she’s totally over being scared now and they have sex. Okay….so, what was the point of all that?? It was pretty weak sauce.

They spend two full days in bed. When they finally emerge, Amber is pulled aside by a boy named Ian who reveals that Lachlan's niece has been kidnapped by Murray who will only release her if Amber offers herself in exchange. Apparently NO ONE was watching this girl or noticed she was missing for the 2 days Lachlan and Amber were busy. Amber of course has to do the TSTL heroine thing of not telling the hero what’s up. She instead sends him on a wild goose chase back to the waterfall cave from before. She then takes the time to write 3 letters with a quill, which must have taken ages, before going to save the girl who has already been held for 2 days.

Of course Murray doesn’t intend to let either female go and finds one of the knives Amber hid on her person. He cuts her on the tushie twice and threatens to shove a dagger right up her hoo-ha but then turns all soft and wheedling like he’s trying to get her to like him. She attacks him when he’s not expecting it and the niece gets free. Lachlan shows up and finishes the guy off and everyone lives HEA.


So all in all, it was an okay story with okay characters. Not great, but not awful either.

Oh and P.S. I found it a little distracting that the author used periods to try to give words emphasis. Like. I'm. Doing. Now. That seems just a tad middle-schoolish.

[Corinne Michaels · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lachlan was absolutely my favorite brother in book 1. I was so freaking excited to read about him and Amber was the perfect heroine for him. I smiled, laughed, and fell head over heels for their love.

What I love most about Ms. McLayne's writing is how seamlessly she woven the brothers together. We get glimpses of the past couple but more than that, we really get to know the next one, leaving it impossible to not continue on with the series.

The stories have action, love, loyalty and I enjoyed them immensely.

[Barbara Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Series: The Sons of Gregor MacLeod #2
Publication Date: 2/6/18

You are in for a wild ride with this wonderful book. The heroine is strong, smart and sexy without also being stupid and reckless as you see in so many books. The hero is also strong, smart and sexy without being overly domineering. He tries to be domineering, because he wants to protect her and her clan, but is smart enough to know that, ultimately, the decision is hers.

This is my first read by this author, but it will definitely not be the last. I look forward to going back and reading the first book in the series. I didn’t feel left-in-the-dark when I read this book without having read the first one, but I did feel as if I missed a lot of the history of how these men came to be ‘brothers’. I want to know them better and I think that first book will provide that ‘knowing’.

Laird Lachlan Mackay’s brother was murdered at the hands of Machar Murray and after five years of searching, Lachlan has found him. Lachlan’s men are in place and they are ready to lay siege to the castle. Suddenly, they see a man – maybe a boy – slide over the castle wall and take off on an old nag. They can’t let him go because he could give away their positions. The only thing they can do is grab him off his horse and take him back to their camp. The prisoner may be small, but he’s determined and fights to escape.

Amber MacPherson has spent five long and dangerous years protecting her clan from Machar Murray – who has taken over as Laird of their clan. He’s murdered the old Laird and all of the warriors of the clan, including Amber’s father. Murray also has an obsession with Amber and he fully intends to have her. So far, she’s managed to escape by pretending to be a witch because Murray is very superstitious. That all ended tonight – she found herself locked in his bedchamber – awaiting his return. Niall, the aging steward is helping her escape – through a secret tunnel – dressed as a man. Then, she’s caught, tied, and imprisoned in a camp of warriors intent on attacking her clan stronghold, MacPherson Castle. They are going to attack her people – her clan. She MUST escape and help the injured since she is their healer.

The siege of the castle goes well, with few injuries, but the villain escapes. As Lachlan and his men settle in, Machar continues to try to get to Amber and to murder Lachlan. As the weeks pass, they find more and more of the villain’s hidey-holes, but not the villain. Amber nor her clan will be safe until Machar is caught!

Lachlan and Amber become closer and closer even though each of them has vowed not to marry. Each has their own deeply held reasons for not marrying and for denying that they care for each other. Actually, they don’t even recognize that they do for a very long time. Everybody else can see it, but not them.

The villain is crafty and sly and he could have done so much to help the Highlands if he’d only turned to that instead of villainy. Machar digs hidden tunnels, uses poisoned arrows, sets traps for Lachlan’s men, kidnaps children and whatever else he can do to create havoc and get Amber.

Lachlan’s description (to himself) of Amber is that she is honest to the point of being rude, loyal to the point of putting herself in danger, funny to the point of being outrageous and so clever she made every other person in her vicinity look addlepated. WOW! Her clan simply calls her The Pride of Clan Macpherson and they all love her.

The entire book is exciting, well written, well-paced and the love story is heart pounding. The characters are very relatable, likable and fully developed.

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"I requested and received this e-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."

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tough Highlander and a fiery healer created the prefect combination of animosity and passion. From their first intense meeting I was all in. This was an awesome story with drama and heat and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Amber and Lachlan had an unconventional first meeting and I was excited about where it would all go. I loved Amber and her strength, doing everything for everyone. She was fierce. I really liked Lachlan too, he was so sweet yet commanding. I enjoyed their chemistry and the build to their relationship. They both have things they believe they want from life and it makes things fun, complicated, and heated all rolled into one. I enjoyed all their ups and downs.

I liked the plot, the main characters, and the time period and challenges the characters faced. I liked the secondary characters as well adding a lot of fun to the mix. There were nice details and a good build. I thought there was a really good balance of heat, emotion, and humor, and thanks to a bad guy, quite a bit of drama.

This was an awesome read! I love a strong heroine that can stand her ground. Amber and Lachlan had a fantastic story. From the animosity to the heat, this was incredibly entertaining!

Complimentary copy received for honest review.

[arabia · Rating 3 out of 5]

** 3 stars**
slight spoilers


Whew, these two characters were so hot together!



I thought Amber and Lachlan were pretty cute together, and his inevitable cluelessness as to how to handle her was entertaining. The suspense wasn't over the top or weak, and even though I had gotten a different impression of the story based on the blurb, it wasn't a bad surprise.

I didn't want to put this book down!

Overall the story started off strong and kept pace throughout, but the final arc, however, is where it seemed to falter.

Like any TV show where the chemistry between the two main protagonists powers the show, quality seems to take a nosedive as soon as the pair gets together; this book was no different. I'll say it: I don't like waiting for the sexy scenes. But Amber and Lachlan didn't get together 'til about the final quarter of the book. And once that happened, Amber began feeling a little out of character for me. She'd spent five straight years terrorized by the villain with the fear of being raped, paving the way for her associating sex with violence. Lachlan seems understanding of this, yet two seconds later it all goes out the window when she throws herself at him. It just felt... unbalanced.

[Britt; footnotes+whimsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ overall loved it, but got annoyed a few times. Since this story includes my dry humping origin story, I forgive it.

[Celia Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! A highland Laird winner.

A reluctant Laird (gorgeous, sexy, independent), a fierce Healer (gorgeous, sexy, independent), an evil Murderer (brilliant, inventive, persistent) - what could go wrong in this romance -? I simply could NOT put this story down until both Lachlan and Amber were more or less safe... And married. Whew!! Highly recommended! In fact I've already pre-ordered the next story, I'm definitely hooked on this Highland series!!

[Lady Tea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.1 / 5

After how much I loved Highland Promise, in which Lachlan was a charming wingman for his foster brother Darach, I fully expected to love Highland Conquest just as much.

Except I didn't.

At first, I thought it was Lachlan who was the problem, as he has commitment-phobia. For those of you who don't know, let me give you the cookie cutter definition:

commitment-phobia: (1) when a hero or heroine in a story can only focus on sex or wanting sex, to the complete inconsideration of putting forth any emotional effort, stakes, or meaning into their relationships; (2) when those involved in a sexual relationship do not want to put "labels" on their relationship that require having and actual heart, brain, or soul.

Ahem, I believe that covers the territory pretty well.

Anyway, at first I thought that it was just Lachlan who was the problem, as he's anti-marriage because his own mother was a manipulative monster, but...

N-O-P-E.

It's actually Amber who's got bigger commitment issues, not only with the whole marriage/non-marriage debate, but also with how far she wants a sexual relationship and just what that means. Spoiler: She's fine with masturbation and touching and badly wants oral, but she kind of just wants to ignore the fact that Lachlan's cock even exists. WTF and how fucking selfish can you get?!

Amber is going to be the first addition to what I am deeming my "contrary heroines" shelf. Let me give the definition here as well:

contrary heroine: when the heroine in a story makes up a significant portion of the conflict in the plot of a story, due to the fact that she is either a) overly difficult, b) astronomically high-maintenance, c) stupidly undecided, d) prone to making stupid decisions (for she is stupid), e) generally unlikeable, f) makes the hero work WAYYYY too hard for too little a reward, g) takes way too long to make a commitment to the hero (or any relationship), or h) is adverse to sex because of convoluted and contrived reasons.

It's all as annoying as it sounds, and having it be present in this book was a big annoyance, especially since it was an ongoing problem right up until the very end.

Unfortunately, the "action" and the "villain" of this book weren't anything to get hyped about either, and left me with an overall meh feeling by the end of it all.

I'll still be continuing the series overall, rest assured, but...

...let's just say that Lachlan and Amber's love story leaves a lot to be desired, and is quite a few steps down from Darach and Caitlin's romance.

Next, please!

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

The Sons of Gregor MacLeod #2, This can be read as a stand alone. This is my first Alyson McLayne book and it won't be my last, I want to read the first book in the series because that brother sounds just my type of hero. Lachlan McKay is a good character, I love how he got awkward around Amber when he would give her little trinkets to try and win her over. Lachlan is the second born son he wasn't supposed to become the Laird to his people but then his brother and sister in law were murdered, Lachlan has never given up looking for the murderer and now it seems he finally tracked him down. Amber is smart and stubborn and hates to her own beauty, it's caused her nothing but trouble. She's even more so stubborn when it comes to Lachlan because she's trying to guard her heart. Amber Macpherson has spent the last five some odd years protecting her clansmen and herself from the evil Machar Murray who killed their Laird, all his lieutenants, and anyone who stood against him; including Amber's father. For the first couple of years Amber had her grandmother there to help her thwart off Murray's unwanted attention, pretending to a witch and threatening to curse Murray kept him away from Amber. After her grandmother's death Amber was only able to fend him off for so long and now she's faced with leaving her clansmen or Murray finally getting his hands on her.

Amber cuts her hair and dresses like a boy and manages to escape over the keep's walls. Amber's escape is waylaid by a group of big highlanders who were getting ready to storm the keep and kill Murray, Amber has no problem with that she just doesn't want them to either hurt or kill her people. Still thinking she's a boy and a risk to their mission leave her tied up. That doesn't hold her she gets back to the keep just in time to learn Murray's escaped. Lachlan feels oddly protective over the woman who dressed as a boy, he admires her skills as a healer and how she treats people and he wants her more than anyone else. With Murray gone the MacPherson's finally have their home back but no laird, Amber kind of bullies Lachlan in to the job, but since he is still trying to kill Murray and Lachlan knows Murray's obsession with Amber is going to keep him close so he becomes the MacPherson's new Laird. They devise a plan to lure Murray back but Murray is smart and sneaky and has had five years to make an escape plan, and all that just makes you hate him more.

The romance between Lachlan and Amber is kind of funny, the attraction is there and Amber almost doesn't know what to do with it after fighting off Murray she has started to view intimacy as a form of abuse, she's scared of it. Lochlan sees how she treats her other men in the compound when they give her things and so Lochlan tries to be smart about it and just ends up acting like a teenager with his first crush, it's adorable. They can't help but fight with each other and it really build up the sexual tension between them. Lochlan little by little shows Amber by action and by words that she can trust him with everything even her heart.

Overall, it really was a great read. It was funny and romantic, and there were some scenes in there involving Murray that were pretty intense. I loved the writing, the active setting was well done the character building really brought them to life and the dialogue was witty.

[LInda L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love these Highland stories -- this one had some humor, and I especially liked that Amber wanted a man who could make her laugh. I agree. There was an awful bad guy, a beautiful heroine, a handsome hero, adorable children, strong handsome relatives -- what else do we need? Just the beautiful Highlands, a little history, a bit of a story -- that's enough. Amber was a healer, which added another twist to the story -- especially when she does surgery, etc. I'm guessing there will be more of these -- right, Alyson??

[Brandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amber is so strong and intelligent and I love her! She does everything to keep her clan safe but then she is the one that needs protection. Lachlan is bound and determined to get justice for the death of his father. I really enjoyed the fierceness of them both and how they clashed and came together. A great story!

Trigger warning: there is a lot of talk about rape. None is actually shown, but it is talked about.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s more 3,5 stars. This second book was not so good and fluent written as was the first.Even I as a not native speaker noticed the edit errors.But still the wit and banter is hilarious

[A Klue · Rating 4 out of 5]

This main couple had great chemistry, folks. I enjoyed seeing their relationship unfold amidst the threat of a lurking villian that they and their posse of great sub-characters were sure to put an end to. That being said, this bad guy was an OTT stealthy, evil genius in invading and setting traps. It was eyebrow raising, surprising with so many people searching for him he had the time/means to do what he did.

Though I did enjoy seeing Amber and Lachlan dance around each other and finally get their HEA, I took exception to both of them being wishy-washy at times. As an avid romantic at heart, I prefer a main couple who fight for love from the get go. A hero who plans to never marry/have children but decides to pursue the heroine and keep her as a convenient side piece he’ll visit every chance he gets didn’t sit well with me. Sure, I chalked it up to him temporarily being a knucklehead and realized his love for the leading lady would eventually save him from himself and cure him of that stupidity. But that mentality had me grinding my teeth and wanting to slap him upside the head a time or two. Fortunately, it was his simmering love for her he had yet to admit to himself that kept me reading.

Amber did always stand up for herself and was strong willed enough to resist Lachlan’s empty offer of a lusty affair. She made this guy work for it, folks. However, to finally have her man exactly where she wants him then be afraid to go all the way. Well, I just wasn’t a fan of how that was scripted. It lead to uncomfortable conversations and kind of ruined the mood for me. I found myself skimming over what should have been, a “finally, at last” romantic moment.

Here’s to hoping handsome, lethal hands, killer eyes, Kerr is next in line to get this HEA. Gavin’s got a missing kid, so his future lady love will have her hands full with his doubts/insecurities about trusting OW.

Book 1 - Highland Promise (Darach & Caitlin)
Book 2 - Highland Conquest (Lachlan & Amber)
Book 3 - Highland Betrayal (Callum & Maggie)

Two more to come! Gavin and Kerr are the two remaining brothers to get their HEAs.

Title: Highland Conquest, Series: The Sons of Gregor MacLeod (Book 2), Author: Alyson McLayne, Pages: 355, stand-alone but part of a series, alpha protective good guy laird hero who is slow to come to his senses, beautiful healer heroine every man is in love with, crazy OTT evil villain who wants to rape her, some steamy scenes, some violence. Rating: 3.5 stars

(These comments are based on a library edition. This is not a detailed ARC review.)

[J.A. Kenney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lachlan MacKay came seeking vengeance but found love instead. Amber was desperate for any escape but found a hero.

The romance is a good one without being too fast or unreasonable. Lachlan and Amber find themselves working together for the good of their clan. Both characters were very good, the powerful warrior laird meets the protective clan healer. Neither was weak or cliched which added to the complex relationship between them.

Highland Conquest was action packed and fast paced. For certain sections is seemed more a historical adventure novel than a romance. The tension caused by the almost thriller like conflict with the evil Laird Murray made it unique in this genre.

Overall it was a very good read, and a pleasant introduction for me to both a new series and a new author.

This is my first foray into this series and Alyson McLayne. However, the story is stand alone and there was sufficient backstory to follow the links and references to the larger series.

[Danielle Urban · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highland Conquest by Alyson McLayne is out of this world good! I have never been more excited to a historical romance. This Highlander tale was deeply engaging. Danger, risks, and romance all in one captivating read.  A strong female character took me by surprise. Amber MacPherson is both a lady and a warrior. She can make men listen to her demands. I loved how tough she was. Amber was also a caring sweet woman.  Her only worry was rape...a bad man, who is obsessed with her, has scared her from wanting to be intimate with any man, including her fiancé. Her fear was so strong it felt like it was my own fear. Amber is a lady who stands up for women to fight just like their men. Last but not least, is the sexy warrior, Laird Lachlan MacKay. He is attracted to the stunning yet fierce beauty, Amber. Lachlan does not want to marry but he ended up falling for a woman in every way possible...but first they must survive the danger chasing after them. Overall, I highly recommend Highland Conquest to all readers.

I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.

[Reading In Pajamas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review, Guest Post & Giveaway: HIGHLAND CONQUEST by Alyson McLayne https://wp.me/p3d0RZ-aCn
Publication Date: February 6, 2018
Genre: Historical Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Cori
Rated 4.5 Stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this highlander romance. HIGHLAND CONQUEST is the second book in Alyson McLayne’s The Sons of Gregor MacLeod Series, but it can be read as a standalone. I’m a huge fan of highlander heroes and this book definitely satisfied my obsession. HIGHLAND CONQUEST captured and held my attention. It was a good mix of danger, passion, humor and romance. This is the first book I have read by Alyson McLayne and I’ll definitely be reading more. I have the first book on my kindle and I added the next release to my TBR. I recommend this series for historical romance lovers looking for their next highlander fix.

*Review copy provided by Sourcebooks in exchange for an honest review.

Kindle http://amzn.to/2EstvaK | Amazon Series Link http://amzn.to/2Co1gEm

[Moonlight 🌸 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first book I read in the series before Highland Betrayal and then Highland Promise.
I love this book. I love Lachlan’s personality! He’s thoughtful and funny and hot! I also liked how he was straightforward with his thoughts and actions!

When he brought her a ribbon so they would stop fighting?! *dreamy sigh* His character was refreshing.
Amber was cool too, kinda regular stubborn heroine but with a fear of penises lol.

Nice book, the action and suspense was nicely written too and I love Lachlan’s Brothers!

[Cree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just what I needed.

[Nextbookaroundthecorner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I hadn't read the first part of the Sons of Gregor MacLeod, the Highland Conquest is very easy to read without having met Lachlan, Darach, Callum, Gavin and Kerr beforehand. You'll meet them in this book as well.

The story starts with Amber, who is helped by her clan members to escape Laird Murray, the leader of her clan, since he has taken over their clan. Laird Murray is a cruel man and he threatens to take Amber as his wife in every sense of the word. As the clan's healer, Amber felt obligated to stay. By claiming she is a witch, she was able to keep Laird Murray away from her for two years. But growing into a wonderful young woman, Murray's lust seems to overcome his fears for Amber.

So, she sees no other option then to flee, dressed as a boy. But her escape is noticed by Lachlan and his army, who were on their way to avenge his brothers death. Lachlan takes her into custody, because he thinks she is part of the treacherous clan, who is responsible for the death of his brother. But Amber convinces him that her people have nothing to do with Laird Murray and she asks him to save her people by defeating Murray.

Lachlan is able to scare Murray away, so Amber declares him their new leader. But Lachlan doesn't want to be the new head of the clan and he certainly doesn't need a healer who is strong willed and has a mind of her own.

However, together they try to rebuild the life for the clan. But while Amber stays weary of man altogether and while Lachlan doesn't want to be married, they still dance around each other in a continuous attraction. When the other MacLeod's brothers arrive to help find the escaped Murray, we learn the reason behind Lachlan's fear of marriage.

But then, a series of incidents happen. Murray seems to be the culprit, but he turns out to be a sadistic character. A dangerous cat-and-mouse game begins between Murray and Amber. And soon Amber realizes she needs Lachlan to survive. Will they succeed in capturing Murray? Found out for yourselves in this wonderful historical story of Alyson McLayne.

Four out of five stars from me with a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.

[Jas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book much better than the first in the series. Probably because Amber is a much better heroine, and also I love stories about healers. She's got a lot on her plate, practically sticking up for everyone in the clan. Lachlan is cool too. Overall Enjoyable read.

[(betts) ⚜ · Rating 4 out of 5]

these books are such a guarantee 🤌
although I did not laugh as much as the first one, I've expected to be more banter between Lachlan and Amber, one being a cocky rascal and the other a fire cracker. 'Twas good nontheless

[Nina C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Verra good too.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book two of the series. In this there is a strong female heroine that’s more on the masculine rough and tumble side. Overall the book flows well, although there are some parts that seem almost rushed to me. Some point could use more elaboration or even just a the other characters point of view in the even but seems to be left out.

Contributions to the series as a whole would be more character development with the step father of the five foster sons. You begin to see more characteristics shine through which is really nice and helps build up the bond we are told about.

As always Alyson incorporates a healthy dose of humour to the book which I always enjoy! Overall great series & this book is a great second instalment.

[Barbee · Rating 5 out of 5]

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿⚔️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿⚔️BOOK📚REVIEW 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿⚔️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿⚔️

Book: “Highland Conquest”
by Alyson McLayne

Series: The Sons of Gregory MacLeod, Book #2

Reviewed by: Barb Massabrook (of)
Tartan Book Reviews
Purple Tulip Book Reviews
Celtic Barb’s Tartan Book Review Blog

Heat Rating:🔥

Overall Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

MacPherson Castle
Loch Eireachd, Scotland, 1452

The series of The Sons of Gregor McLeod, who turned his enemies heirs into his foster son’s. This was after beating their fathers in a raid against him, also to honor his wife’s last death request to bring peace and harmony to the Highlands. Gregory MacLeod lost his wife and biological heirs to death and never remarried or got over his wife’s death . This makes his foster sons his only true heirs.

Amber, the MacPherson Clan healer is running from her clan’s evil leader, she has no choice or she will end up dead! So with a little help from her close friends-she escapes after chopping her beautiful locks off and dressing like a lad. Unfortunately timing could not be worse as it is when Laird Lachlan MacKay was ready to take his revenge on his brothers murderer. The murderer is Machar Murray, laird of the MacPherson Clan though through force. The only reaason Amber had remained was to protect her clan. As Machar Murray has murdered many including her own father! Now her life is on the line and she has no choice but to escape!

Laird Lachlan MacKay never expected to become Laird, it was his elder brother who had been trained for this duty. Yet while on a pleasant fishing expedition his brother was brutally murdered. It was by a poisoned arrow by Machar Murray. Machar was hoping to over take the MacKay Clan. Luckily that never happened for he did not have to power or stamina to overpower the MacKay Clan! It has taken Lachlan five years to locate his brothers murderer! Now a young lad (Amber) he wasn’t expecting is an added complication!

This story is riveting, fast paced, romantic, adventure that readers will absolutely love. The murderous villain is obsessed with the beautiful healer, Amber MacPherson. A treacherous evil man who killed her Laird and second in command , which is Amber’s own father. The only way she can hold this evil Laird at bay is to use his fear of witches and supernatural. This is to her advantage since she is a healer.

Lachlan also did not have the best childhood from an abusive step-mother. He has trust issues too and never wants to marry. So this novel has many challenges to overcome. Amber and Lachlan bump heads a lot and both oppose marriage! Will they ever open their hearts and learn to trust and love?

You must read this spectacular novel and find out the conclusion? The secondary characters like his brother Callum, young cousin Adaira are both entertaining and endearing. Adaira, is a lass Amber instructs in self defense as her father taught her.

This book has all the elements romance readers love. The setting is breathtaking, the plotting is brilliant and the characters are unforgettable! A brilliant story from start to finish! I highly recommend both “Highland Promise” book #1 and “Highland Conquest”, book #2. You can also read as a stand alone book too. I find I want to know about each of Gregory MacLeod’s foster son’s. As I find this serie just both captivating and fascinating!

Alyson McLayne is a new voice in Scottish Historical romance that is amazing and magnificent. Each book in the phenomenal series, The Sons of Gregory MacLeod has been total page turners that I could not put down. I can’t want wait until the next Gregory MacLeod’s sons story is released!

I highly recommend “Highland Conquest” by Alyson McLayne. Another exhilarating book that historical readers will just adore! It is both phenomenal and extraordinary as I can’t recommend it enough!

I received this book From Sourcebooks Casablanca publishers for a fair and honest review. I voluntarily agreed to read, review, blog and promote through netgalley. All words, ideas and thoughts are my own.


Amazon Buy Link:
https://www.amazon.com/Highland-Conqu...

[Tracy Emro · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Amber MacPhearson is desperate, years ago Machar Murray took over her clan and has been pursuing her ever since. It was not so bad when her father and grandmother were alive, but since their deaths, Murray has escalated his attacks, going as far as to break into her cottage, she has kept him at bay by pretending to be a witch, but now even that is not working. So with the help of a clansman, she cuts her hair, dresses as a boy and escapes. Only to be captured by Laird Lachlan MacKay.

Lachlan has spent the last five years hunting the man who killed his brother and tried to kill him and he has finally found him, Machar Murray is finally in his sights and he will finally have his justice. He is scouting the castle, when he sees a boy go over the wall and head straight for them, he grabs the boy and takes him back to his camp. Once there he learns his young cousin Adaira has stowed away in one of the supply wagons, so he ties up the "boy" and deals with Adaira. He and his foster brother Callum then leave to take the castle and kill Murray.

Amber is glad that Lachlan is going to kill Murray, but she is worried for her clan and as a healer, she wants to be there to take care of the injured. She tricks Adaira into releasing her and then overpowers her guard and returns to the castle.

Murray bolts, but not before he takes aim at Amber, she runs from him, right into Lachlan. Lachlan is floored to realize the "boy" is actually a woman, the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. Desire flares between them, but before they can act on it, Earc (the guard) shows up with Adaira, she was stabbed by Murray and left for dead. Amber uses the situation to her advantage, she promises to heal her, if Lachlan will take over the clan. He agrees and Amber immediately takes over, she tends Adaira and all the injured. Lachlan is both impressed and annoyed by her and worries for her health and does little things to ensure she is taken care of, including diverting the castle priest, who hates her and calls her a witch.

Once all the injured are tended, Amber rests and then goes up to a chamber to bathe. Lachlan walks in and they realize that Niall, the castle steward is trying to compromise them, there is an amusing scene with Lachlan trying to hide from him, so he doesn't end up wed to Amber.

Lachlan is frustrated that Murray escaped and they find several tunnels and bolt-holes, they have had no sightings of him. Callum speculates that he will not have gone far, he is obsessed with Amber and won't leave until he has her. Callum suggests setting a trap, with Amber as bait.

When Amber is injured during an ambush by Murray, the clan decides that she must marry, Amber agrees, but has rules, she chooses Lachlan, thinking he will refuse and is shocked when he agrees to marry her.

Lachlan cares for Amber and despite his best efforts, he has not been able to run Murray to ground or keep her safe. Murray is an incredibly intelligent villain, so Lachlan hopes with the aid of Gregor and his foster brothers, they will be able to outwit him and finally be free of his reign of terror.

This is a very well written book and is filled with non-stop action from the first page until the last, there are steamy love scenes, wonderful secondary characters, amusing moments that keep the book from being too dark, an amazingly brilliant and supremely evil villain and finally a very touching and sweet HEA.

I really enjoyed this book and while it is not necessary, I am glad I read the first book in the series before reading this one. This book can be read as a stand alone, but if you want to learn more about Gregor and how he ended up with his foster sons, I would recommend reading Highland Promise.

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