What do you think?
Rate this book
Highland Brides #6
The Highlander's Promise
In a spellbinding new Highlands story from New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands, the laird of the Buchanans finds the one woman who is his equal in passion and courage...
Aulay Buchanan has retreated to his clan’s hunting lodge for a few days of relaxation. But the raven-haired beauty he pulls from the ocean puts an end to any chance of rest. Though he christens her Jetta, she knows nothing of her real identity, save that someone is trying to kill her. As she recovers, it will not be easy for Aulay to protect her and keep her honor intact when she mistakenly believes they are man and wife.
Jetta sees beyond Aulay’s scars to the brave, loyal warrior she’s proud to call her own. But as the attempts on her life grow more brazen, Jetta realizes that not all is as she believes. And if Aulay is not her husband, can she trust the desire flaring in his eyes, or his promise to defend her with his life?
Aulay Buchanan has retreated to his clan’s hunting lodge for a few days of relaxation. But the raven-haired beauty he pulls from the ocean puts an end to any chance of rest. Though he christens her Jetta, she knows nothing of her real identity, save that someone is trying to kill her. As she recovers, it will not be easy for Aulay to protect her and keep her honor intact when she mistakenly believes they are man and wife.
Jetta sees beyond Aulay’s scars to the brave, loyal warrior she’s proud to call her own. But as the attempts on her life grow more brazen, Jetta realizes that not all is as she believes. And if Aulay is not her husband, can she trust the desire flaring in his eyes, or his promise to defend her with his life?
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 26, 2018
826 people are currently reading
3562 people want to read
About the author
Lynsay Sands
125 books12.2k followersLYNSAY SANDS is the nationally bestselling author who is known for her hysterical historicals as well as the popular Argeneau/Rogue Hunter vampire series. With her witty and charming personality, Sands describes books as, “Waking dreams or stories, tales to amuse, entertain and distract us from everyday life.” She’s been writing stories since grade school and considers herself incredibly lucky to be able to make a career out of it. Her hope is that readers can get away from their everyday stress through her stories, and if there are occasional uncontrollable fits of laughter, that’s just a big bonus. Visit her official website at www.lynsaysands.net.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 465 reviews
July 18, 2018
Another fabulous read! This was the 6th book of the series and I have enjoyed it most of all! Aulay Buchanan is the oldest brother of the 7 handsome men; but he’s the one with the scarred face that everyone scowls at. No one can look at him with out disgust until he saves a lady’s life... when Jetta looks at him it’s with love and awe. He’s her angel saviour and she thinks he’s her husband! Jetta was in a bad boating accident that has caused her memory loss, and when she finally wakes up, she thinks Aulay is her beloved husband! To keep her comfortable the whole Buchanan family goes along with her beliefs so they don’t upset her!!!
Of course like all of Lyndsay Sands books, there are a ton of humorous situations that happen throughout the book! Also, there is an enemy going around trying to kill Jetta too. This read kept me hooked to the pages and I devoured it like the rest of the books in the series!
Now I have to wait until the next instalment comes out in January... It makes me sad but gives me something to look for! What an awesome series this has turned out to be!!!
Of course like all of Lyndsay Sands books, there are a ton of humorous situations that happen throughout the book! Also, there is an enemy going around trying to kill Jetta too. This read kept me hooked to the pages and I devoured it like the rest of the books in the series!
Now I have to wait until the next instalment comes out in January... It makes me sad but gives me something to look for! What an awesome series this has turned out to be!!!
March 31, 2019
3 1/2 stars
This is the 6th book in Lynsay Sands' Highland Brides series, and the story creatively unfolds in this adventure featuring Clan Buchanan's chieftain Aulay and a mysterious, beautiful woman who quite literally sails into his life.
Aulay is the eldest of the current clan generation which includes 7 brothers and 1 sister (Sidhe who was the subject of an earlier book in the series). While Aulay was briefly introduced in earlier stories in this series, we don't much about him beyond his love of his family; his abilities as a leader; and the large, fear-inspiring scar that mars his once flawlessly handsome face. Following a battle several years ago that left him broken in spirit and body, his fiancee rejected him and said she could not bear to be with a monster; thus, Aulay resigned himself to the fact that he would never find anyone who would love him and has focused his attentions almost solely to the role of chieftain.
During a brief respite to the hunting cabin to clear his head, Aulay sets off to go fishing one morning only to find a most unusual sight: a woman tied to the mast of a boat that is slipping under the water. Given the intensity of the storm the night before, Aulay is certain she must be dead; as he seeks to free her from the mast, she opens her eyes, looks at his face, and calls him her "angel." She slips into unconsciousness after cryptically telling her rescuer that she is in danger and cannot go back from whence she came. Following an almost 2-week coma state, the woman awakens, but the head trauma has led to amnesia. When she wakes to find Aulay in the room with her alone, she assumes he must be her husband. Given her precarious health, the clan healer (one of Aulay's brothers) suggests that he not correct this misunderstanding as that stress may lead to a relapse. Meanwhile, the unknown dangers in the life of the woman Aulay has named "Jetta" (because of the shade of her hair) threaten to not only destroy the relationship developing between the two of them, but to end Jetta's new life before it can even begin.
What I liked:
--- The story line was a little more fresh and original than the typical, over-done amnesia plot
--- The characters from earlier books were present in the story, and we got to know a little more about the subjects of future books
What I didn't like as much:
--- Since this story was about Aulay, I thought we would get more info on his background and more specifics about how he got the scar, what happened in the battle, etc., but that was all glanced over which was disappointing because I didn't feel like I got to know his character as intimately as I would have wanted to
--- It all felt a little rushed at the end, and the "villain" was a little out there in terms of motive, especially since we didn't have any background about that person before everything came back to the h just before the "finale"
--- While there were some steamy moments, this one wasn't as juicy as I am accustomed to getting from a Sands romance
Overall, an enjoyable read with a creative twist on the amnesia romance.
Plot --- 3.5/5
Main Characters --- 3.5/5
Supporting Cast --- 4/5
Steam Level --- 2.5/5
Violence --- nothing gory/overly descriptive
Language --- mild
POV --- 3rd
This is the 6th book in Lynsay Sands' Highland Brides series, and the story creatively unfolds in this adventure featuring Clan Buchanan's chieftain Aulay and a mysterious, beautiful woman who quite literally sails into his life.
Aulay is the eldest of the current clan generation which includes 7 brothers and 1 sister (Sidhe who was the subject of an earlier book in the series). While Aulay was briefly introduced in earlier stories in this series, we don't much about him beyond his love of his family; his abilities as a leader; and the large, fear-inspiring scar that mars his once flawlessly handsome face. Following a battle several years ago that left him broken in spirit and body, his fiancee rejected him and said she could not bear to be with a monster; thus, Aulay resigned himself to the fact that he would never find anyone who would love him and has focused his attentions almost solely to the role of chieftain.
During a brief respite to the hunting cabin to clear his head, Aulay sets off to go fishing one morning only to find a most unusual sight: a woman tied to the mast of a boat that is slipping under the water. Given the intensity of the storm the night before, Aulay is certain she must be dead; as he seeks to free her from the mast, she opens her eyes, looks at his face, and calls him her "angel." She slips into unconsciousness after cryptically telling her rescuer that she is in danger and cannot go back from whence she came. Following an almost 2-week coma state, the woman awakens, but the head trauma has led to amnesia. When she wakes to find Aulay in the room with her alone, she assumes he must be her husband. Given her precarious health, the clan healer (one of Aulay's brothers) suggests that he not correct this misunderstanding as that stress may lead to a relapse. Meanwhile, the unknown dangers in the life of the woman Aulay has named "Jetta" (because of the shade of her hair) threaten to not only destroy the relationship developing between the two of them, but to end Jetta's new life before it can even begin.
What I liked:
--- The story line was a little more fresh and original than the typical, over-done amnesia plot
--- The characters from earlier books were present in the story, and we got to know a little more about the subjects of future books
What I didn't like as much:
--- Since this story was about Aulay, I thought we would get more info on his background and more specifics about how he got the scar, what happened in the battle, etc., but that was all glanced over which was disappointing because I didn't feel like I got to know his character as intimately as I would have wanted to
--- It all felt a little rushed at the end, and the "villain" was a little out there in terms of motive, especially since we didn't have any background about that person before everything came back to the h just before the "finale"
--- While there were some steamy moments, this one wasn't as juicy as I am accustomed to getting from a Sands romance
Overall, an enjoyable read with a creative twist on the amnesia romance.
Plot --- 3.5/5
Main Characters --- 3.5/5
Supporting Cast --- 4/5
Steam Level --- 2.5/5
Violence --- nothing gory/overly descriptive
Language --- mild
POV --- 3rd
January 2, 2022
So after 3 years, I am listening to this series again since my library has the ebooks and audiobooks. I stopped reading after book 4 when I noticed that each book was pretty much the same and I got bored with it. One thing that I didn't notice in the first four books is that there is so much exposition and so many family members. Do they ALL truly have to be there? And the way they try to solve these mysteries (who is trying to murder the heroine?), it's just aggravating to read.
The heroine has amnesia because someone tried to kill her but she survived but got a head injury. I like how she naturally remembers a thing or two about her identity from conversing with the hero and/or his family. There is a death of a dog (mostly off-page) 😭😭😭 because he
While I dislike the same recipe for each book in this series, I do enjoy the comedy in Lynsay Sands' books. For instance, the heroine accidentally 🤣
I don't like the narrator though. 😒
The heroine has amnesia because someone tried to kill her but she survived but got a head injury. I like how she naturally remembers a thing or two about her identity from conversing with the hero and/or his family. There is a death of a dog (mostly off-page) 😭😭😭 because he
While I dislike the same recipe for each book in this series, I do enjoy the comedy in Lynsay Sands' books. For instance, the heroine accidentally 🤣
I don't like the narrator though. 😒
April 19, 2023
Rating: 4.5 stars
I really enjoyed this book! It's been one of my favorites in this series. I listened to this one fully on audio and thought the narrator did a great job. I haven't read a lot of the amnesia trope, but this one was well done. I liked Aulay and Jetta's characters. I loved how protective Aulay was of Jetta. I liked that this was a pretend marriage, but with a twist. This book was very well done and definitely recommend it!
I really enjoyed this book! It's been one of my favorites in this series. I listened to this one fully on audio and thought the narrator did a great job. I haven't read a lot of the amnesia trope, but this one was well done. I liked Aulay and Jetta's characters. I loved how protective Aulay was of Jetta. I liked that this was a pretend marriage, but with a twist. This book was very well done and definitely recommend it!
July 26, 2018
This review was originally posted on Addicted To RomanceI received this book for free from Avon in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Highlander's Promise is the latest release in the Highlander series by Lynsay Sands. This is number six in the series, and this book features the oldest of the siblings, Aulay. For those new to this series, its a series set in Medieval Scotland, which is set around this one family, eight siblings and all of these books are badass fun and always seem to have some mystery/suspense to the plot in some way. And boy the villains here will give you the shivers. I have really had a blast with these books, and the wit is just right on. What I found most impressive about this book is that it was SO sweet and tender. There was a softer feeling to this book that I was just in the mood for. And what a page-turner, I stayed up all night reading it.
Aulay is the oldest of his siblings and is the Clan Chief and Laird of Buchanan. Aulay has had a rough time of it especially when it comes to women. Aulay was scarred in a battle on his face, and his betrothed spurned him cruelly because of it and ever since no woman has come anywhere near him. He has nearly lived a life of a monk and has chosen to devote his time to the protect of his family and his clan. Aulay is a bit different from his siblings, he likes to be alone and have his solitude.
Aulay is out fishing with his brother when they are out in the sea when they find a lone mast of a ship and a woman tied to it. Aulay rushes out to save her before she drowns, and finds her with a severe head wound and mumbling about her family trying to kill her and then she passes out in his arms. So he returns her to his home, where his brother, a doctor, can heal her. When she wakes up again, however, she is a bit delirious and asks him if he is her brother when he says "no" she assumes that he is her husband and then she passes out again. His brother, advises him to keep up with the charade that they are married so that she can recover or she might not make it if she doesn't believe she isn't in a loving environment.
So he keeps up the charade of being Jetta's husband. When she fully wakes up after three weeks of being asleep, there is a sizzling chemistry between Aulay and Jetta. Aulay is trying his hardest to do the honorable thing and not take advantage of her before she knows the truth, but she is willing and eager for bedroom play and its hard to resist her sweet and beautiful body especially when she is the first woman since his scarring to admire him as a woman does a man. She isn't fearful of him, instead, she finds him even more sexy with his scar.
He finds himself on very unfamiliar territory with Jetta and their timing are always bad since his brother keeps stumbling on them when things are getting heated. Aulay's family welcome Jetta fully into their arms, but there is a danger, a danger that Jetta doesn't remember, and when there are moments when it's proving that someone is out to kill Jetta, Aulay and his siblings work together to find the culprit and bring peace back into their clan and their homes.
The Highlander's Promise was simply pure delight while reading, I soaked up every page like a sponge and wow I blew threw this book so quickly. When I am really into a story I can read so fast, and it was so engaging with all the feels and the plot just keeps you on the edge of your seat. I mean really....I stayed up super late to read it, it didn't matter that I was dead tired, I just couldn't put my kindle down and I am so glad that I didn't because I was immersed in Aulay and Jetta story fully.
I found this pairing to be quite unique, even for Lynsay Sands. There was something different about this pairing in a way that I don't think that I have read from this author before and I LOVED it. I mean really, sometimes, it's nice to have a sweet and light love story and that is what this book was. It didn't have heavy drama or complex tropes that keeps this pair apart. Of course, we do have the scenario of them which can cause some conflict, but instead, it brings them together and they fall in love because of the intimacy that builds between them.
Our heroine is suffering from a severe case of Amnesia, she doesn't even remember her name. All she assumes is her name is Jetta and that she is lucky to be married to a sexy and rakish highlander who is sweet and tender and treats her so gently. So she assumes that the sex is hot considering how much chemistry flares when they are in close proximity near him. At first, she doesn't understand why he puts her down when things get too heated (because of course, she believes their married) and gets a bit creative when waking him up *wink wink*. And in these intimate moments between them, what I really respected was seeing how focused the hero was on the heroine's pleasure and her sexuality. He always puts her needs first and *sigh* that was hot as hell....at least until the brother keeps running in on them and boy it was so FUNNY because he is not approving of it. Aulay realizing that he is taking advantage of her when she doesn't know the truth, but his brother is adamant that she isn't healed enough to know the truth. But when one of his clanswoman is shot in the back with an arrow, he is forced to leave the cottage they are keeping Jetta in, and seeing to the situation at the keep. But when his siblings come to see him and meet Jetta, things get even more complicated when they try to put Aulay and Jetta together. They see the connection and they see how highly Jetta views Aulay. When Saidh intervents, Aulay knows he is in big trouble, because nothing except mother nature can stop her when she wants something. Saidh is protective of her family, but when she sees how much Jetta loves Aulay, she knows they belong together.
There is such sweet affection between Aulay and Jetta, and of course, they really know how to make flames in the bedroom. I don't think I have read a historical with such HOT scenes, and it's not like they were super super blazing, but the emotion and the connection were so well written that you find yourself immersed and boy did I almost go up in flames from these interactions. It had such a sex-positive feel to the book that I just fell in love with.
But just as their relationship is being more cemented, and Jetta learns the real truth and they are planning they get married for REAL this time. Things take a challenging twist when Jetta is pushed down the stairs and Aulay and his siblings are all witnesses but somehow the villain vanished in the secret tunnels which only a handful of people know. Aulay has no idea who would want to kill her, except for the fact that it could be someone from her family. Then the villain is revealed and Jetta's memory comes swirling back and it takes Aulay and all of his siblings and their spouses working together to save her life and learn the truths and what someone desperate and jealous and vain will do to win.
This book was simply FABULOUS!!! I fell hard for Aulay and Jetta together, they were so wonderful and sweet and had a charming feel to the romance that keeps you fascinated and intrigued and not wanting to let the book down until the end. A TRULY EMOTIONAL ROMANCE THAT GIVES YOU ALL THE FEELS.
[foogallery id="25838"]
The Highlander's Promise is the latest release in the Highlander series by Lynsay Sands. This is number six in the series, and this book features the oldest of the siblings, Aulay. For those new to this series, its a series set in Medieval Scotland, which is set around this one family, eight siblings and all of these books are badass fun and always seem to have some mystery/suspense to the plot in some way. And boy the villains here will give you the shivers. I have really had a blast with these books, and the wit is just right on. What I found most impressive about this book is that it was SO sweet and tender. There was a softer feeling to this book that I was just in the mood for. And what a page-turner, I stayed up all night reading it.
Aulay is the oldest of his siblings and is the Clan Chief and Laird of Buchanan. Aulay has had a rough time of it especially when it comes to women. Aulay was scarred in a battle on his face, and his betrothed spurned him cruelly because of it and ever since no woman has come anywhere near him. He has nearly lived a life of a monk and has chosen to devote his time to the protect of his family and his clan. Aulay is a bit different from his siblings, he likes to be alone and have his solitude.
Aulay is out fishing with his brother when they are out in the sea when they find a lone mast of a ship and a woman tied to it. Aulay rushes out to save her before she drowns, and finds her with a severe head wound and mumbling about her family trying to kill her and then she passes out in his arms. So he returns her to his home, where his brother, a doctor, can heal her. When she wakes up again, however, she is a bit delirious and asks him if he is her brother when he says "no" she assumes that he is her husband and then she passes out again. His brother, advises him to keep up with the charade that they are married so that she can recover or she might not make it if she doesn't believe she isn't in a loving environment.
So he keeps up the charade of being Jetta's husband. When she fully wakes up after three weeks of being asleep, there is a sizzling chemistry between Aulay and Jetta. Aulay is trying his hardest to do the honorable thing and not take advantage of her before she knows the truth, but she is willing and eager for bedroom play and its hard to resist her sweet and beautiful body especially when she is the first woman since his scarring to admire him as a woman does a man. She isn't fearful of him, instead, she finds him even more sexy with his scar.
My husband is the kindest, most considerate man live, and the scar does not take away from that. He is handsome. The scar merely adds a rakish air to his good looks. If I was too blind or foolish to see that ere hitting my head, then I was a stupid, shallow child.
He finds himself on very unfamiliar territory with Jetta and their timing are always bad since his brother keeps stumbling on them when things are getting heated. Aulay's family welcome Jetta fully into their arms, but there is a danger, a danger that Jetta doesn't remember, and when there are moments when it's proving that someone is out to kill Jetta, Aulay and his siblings work together to find the culprit and bring peace back into their clan and their homes.
The Highlander's Promise was simply pure delight while reading, I soaked up every page like a sponge and wow I blew threw this book so quickly. When I am really into a story I can read so fast, and it was so engaging with all the feels and the plot just keeps you on the edge of your seat. I mean really....I stayed up super late to read it, it didn't matter that I was dead tired, I just couldn't put my kindle down and I am so glad that I didn't because I was immersed in Aulay and Jetta story fully.
I found this pairing to be quite unique, even for Lynsay Sands. There was something different about this pairing in a way that I don't think that I have read from this author before and I LOVED it. I mean really, sometimes, it's nice to have a sweet and light love story and that is what this book was. It didn't have heavy drama or complex tropes that keeps this pair apart. Of course, we do have the scenario of them which can cause some conflict, but instead, it brings them together and they fall in love because of the intimacy that builds between them.
Our heroine is suffering from a severe case of Amnesia, she doesn't even remember her name. All she assumes is her name is Jetta and that she is lucky to be married to a sexy and rakish highlander who is sweet and tender and treats her so gently. So she assumes that the sex is hot considering how much chemistry flares when they are in close proximity near him. At first, she doesn't understand why he puts her down when things get too heated (because of course, she believes their married) and gets a bit creative when waking him up *wink wink*. And in these intimate moments between them, what I really respected was seeing how focused the hero was on the heroine's pleasure and her sexuality. He always puts her needs first and *sigh* that was hot as hell....at least until the brother keeps running in on them and boy it was so FUNNY because he is not approving of it. Aulay realizing that he is taking advantage of her when she doesn't know the truth, but his brother is adamant that she isn't healed enough to know the truth. But when one of his clanswoman is shot in the back with an arrow, he is forced to leave the cottage they are keeping Jetta in, and seeing to the situation at the keep. But when his siblings come to see him and meet Jetta, things get even more complicated when they try to put Aulay and Jetta together. They see the connection and they see how highly Jetta views Aulay. When Saidh intervents, Aulay knows he is in big trouble, because nothing except mother nature can stop her when she wants something. Saidh is protective of her family, but when she sees how much Jetta loves Aulay, she knows they belong together.
In truth, you are probably more than I ever dared hope for. I would consider myself lucky to be your wife, bear your bairs and die an old woman in our arms. I see a happy future with you.
There is such sweet affection between Aulay and Jetta, and of course, they really know how to make flames in the bedroom. I don't think I have read a historical with such HOT scenes, and it's not like they were super super blazing, but the emotion and the connection were so well written that you find yourself immersed and boy did I almost go up in flames from these interactions. It had such a sex-positive feel to the book that I just fell in love with.
I find you very handsome, husband. I also like your kisses and touch....And the idea of you having your way with me sends shivers all through me and leaves me wanting.
But just as their relationship is being more cemented, and Jetta learns the real truth and they are planning they get married for REAL this time. Things take a challenging twist when Jetta is pushed down the stairs and Aulay and his siblings are all witnesses but somehow the villain vanished in the secret tunnels which only a handful of people know. Aulay has no idea who would want to kill her, except for the fact that it could be someone from her family. Then the villain is revealed and Jetta's memory comes swirling back and it takes Aulay and all of his siblings and their spouses working together to save her life and learn the truths and what someone desperate and jealous and vain will do to win.
It did me a world of good. Jetta is mine now. And archers, attackers and fires be damened. I'm a happy man.
This book was simply FABULOUS!!! I fell hard for Aulay and Jetta together, they were so wonderful and sweet and had a charming feel to the romance that keeps you fascinated and intrigued and not wanting to let the book down until the end. A TRULY EMOTIONAL ROMANCE THAT GIVES YOU ALL THE FEELS.
[foogallery id="25838"]
dnf
June 28, 2018I DNF'd this at 15% because I was getting major gross creepy vibes from the male lead, Aulay. Like, creepy to the point that I found myself highlighting passages because of the super high ick factor. He basically finds a woman unconscious tied to the mast of a ship floating in the ocean, and he brings her back to his lodge to get her medical help from one of his many (MANY) brothers. While she's unconscious he keeps noticing her breasts and and fantasizing about her. It was these two lines that finally made me yell "Gross" and mark this book as DNF:
"...her breasts were now directly in front of his mouth. Aulay closed his eyes at once and counted to ten... twice... and then again. It had been far too long since he'd enjoyed the company of a woman and this was just... well, it was like a starving man having the finest ale waved before his nose." ...Women are not meat, Aulay. No. He does resist his urges to suck on this unconscious woman's boobs, so... good job, I guess?
And then on the very next page: "As ashamed as he was to admit it, Aulay didn't think he could look at all that perfect white flesh and those hard nipples again without touching and possibly tasting them as he dressed her. There was only so much temptation a man can handle and the devil in him was already arguing that it would not hurt to just give them a quick lick or suckle. She'd never know." Nope! Nope nope nope.
And then she wakes up from her coma and has no memory and decided Aulay must be her husband, and Aulay's brother says to play along so they don't upset her, and just nope. Nope nope nope. And now I see in another review that there's a lot of talk about rape at the end of the book, whatever that means, so I'm just DNFing this rather than sticking it out and hoping it gets less ucky.
This is a bummer because the book itself is really well written, and I loved the previous book in this series, Surrender to the Highlander, as well as several other books by Lynsay Sands.
"...her breasts were now directly in front of his mouth. Aulay closed his eyes at once and counted to ten... twice... and then again. It had been far too long since he'd enjoyed the company of a woman and this was just... well, it was like a starving man having the finest ale waved before his nose." ...Women are not meat, Aulay. No. He does resist his urges to suck on this unconscious woman's boobs, so... good job, I guess?
And then on the very next page: "As ashamed as he was to admit it, Aulay didn't think he could look at all that perfect white flesh and those hard nipples again without touching and possibly tasting them as he dressed her. There was only so much temptation a man can handle and the devil in him was already arguing that it would not hurt to just give them a quick lick or suckle. She'd never know." Nope! Nope nope nope.
And then she wakes up from her coma and has no memory and decided Aulay must be her husband, and Aulay's brother says to play along so they don't upset her, and just nope. Nope nope nope. And now I see in another review that there's a lot of talk about rape at the end of the book, whatever that means, so I'm just DNFing this rather than sticking it out and hoping it gets less ucky.
This is a bummer because the book itself is really well written, and I loved the previous book in this series, Surrender to the Highlander, as well as several other books by Lynsay Sands.
December 6, 2025
Re-read: Nov 2025
Audio: 4 stars
Story: updated to 4 stars. I think I liked the story more this time around. 😍
3 stars! 😊. It was ok.. I think I was disappointed because I had such high expectations for Aulay's story.. I wanted a Beauty and the Beast type of story and got a soapy dramedy instead.. 🙄 I really like Ms Sands books.. but now that we're onto the 6th book in the series I'm seeing a lot of repetition of similar plot-lines from the previous books, the same types of attacks over and over on the h, the h losing her clothes in some way or the other, the h making rash decisions or trusting someone close, someone from the family (a women) being the main villain.. 😳🙄. Not that it's not fun because the interactions and humor in the stories is quite enjoyable and worth all the crazy story-lines... but it is becoming predictable and I skipped a lot of pages in this one.. 😝.
However, I am looking forward to reading the latest one (recently released)... the premise sound promising for sure. 😁.. but a short break from the Lairds and Ladies is essential for now. 👍
Audio: 4 stars
Story: updated to 4 stars. I think I liked the story more this time around. 😍
3 stars! 😊. It was ok.. I think I was disappointed because I had such high expectations for Aulay's story.. I wanted a Beauty and the Beast type of story and got a soapy dramedy instead.. 🙄 I really like Ms Sands books.. but now that we're onto the 6th book in the series I'm seeing a lot of repetition of similar plot-lines from the previous books, the same types of attacks over and over on the h, the h losing her clothes in some way or the other, the h making rash decisions or trusting someone close, someone from the family (a women) being the main villain.. 😳🙄. Not that it's not fun because the interactions and humor in the stories is quite enjoyable and worth all the crazy story-lines... but it is becoming predictable and I skipped a lot of pages in this one.. 😝.
However, I am looking forward to reading the latest one (recently released)... the premise sound promising for sure. 😁.. but a short break from the Lairds and Ladies is essential for now. 👍
February 8, 2021
Although the story is exactly as the same as the previous five books, I enjoyed this one more than all save the first, when it was fresh. Of course, some crazy deranged woman was trying to kill the heroine. I already knew that. What I enjoyed was the scarred hero who was vulnerable and the sweet amnesia girl who was attracted to his kindness and caring.
October 30, 2025
Rating: 5+++ / 5
My Official Ranking of the Highland Brides Series
1. The Highlander's Promise (Book 6)
2. The Highlander Takes A Bride (Book 3)
3. Hunting for a Highlander (Book 8)
4. Falling for the Highlander (Book 4)
5. The Wrong Highlander (Book 7)
6. To Marry A Scottish Laird (Book 2)
7. An English Bride in Scotland (Book 1)
8. Surrender to the Highlander (Book 5)
To-be-updated moving forward (2024).
I kind of expected this, but boy oh boy do I love Aulay and Jetta together!
Considering Aulay's difficult past and how he's a scarred hero, I think there's been a buildup to this character for quite a while. For one thing, he's the oldest of all the Buchanan brothers, which means that he's also Laird of Buchanan, and really holds a lot of prestige even among all the highlanders in this series so far. Also, the fact that he is a scarred hero makes for a nice Beauty and the Beast touch, and makes his romance far less obvious than his brothers' romances.
What I LOVE though is also the amnesia element that is brought in with Jetta. Like...scarred heroes and amnesia are some of the most interesting tropes in romances, so to have them BOTH be present was just a treat, let me tell you!
And then, of course, just having Aulay and Jetta together was oh-so-sweet! I just enjoyed all the scenes with these two and was rooting for them all the way. Now that's a good romance and a good book to read! Overall, it was just a lovely experience and I enjoyed the journey every step of the way!
My Official Ranking of the Highland Brides Series
1. The Highlander's Promise (Book 6)
2. The Highlander Takes A Bride (Book 3)
3. Hunting for a Highlander (Book 8)
4. Falling for the Highlander (Book 4)
5. The Wrong Highlander (Book 7)
6. To Marry A Scottish Laird (Book 2)
7. An English Bride in Scotland (Book 1)
8. Surrender to the Highlander (Book 5)
To-be-updated moving forward (2024).
I kind of expected this, but boy oh boy do I love Aulay and Jetta together!
Considering Aulay's difficult past and how he's a scarred hero, I think there's been a buildup to this character for quite a while. For one thing, he's the oldest of all the Buchanan brothers, which means that he's also Laird of Buchanan, and really holds a lot of prestige even among all the highlanders in this series so far. Also, the fact that he is a scarred hero makes for a nice Beauty and the Beast touch, and makes his romance far less obvious than his brothers' romances.
What I LOVE though is also the amnesia element that is brought in with Jetta. Like...scarred heroes and amnesia are some of the most interesting tropes in romances, so to have them BOTH be present was just a treat, let me tell you!
And then, of course, just having Aulay and Jetta together was oh-so-sweet! I just enjoyed all the scenes with these two and was rooting for them all the way. Now that's a good romance and a good book to read! Overall, it was just a lovely experience and I enjoyed the journey every step of the way!
June 13, 2020
Hard one to rate. Porous quality plot/ ridiculous villain, though it’s quite enjoyable throughout (if some cringe-worthy, huge creep factor, consent violations were put aside).
Genuinely nice characters and great family dynamics. Funny at times, though at many points things were shoved way over the line.
As mentioned, I had a major problem with the way the author had him lusting after her so excessively while she was unconscious. Any normal person would be more concerned about her injuries, less so about her breasts. He took that way too far in the thoughts ascribed to him. Particularly the "she’ll never know" thought. Like F U.
Also on another, oft repeated note, it’s 2018, can authors please stop having virgins do it three times in a row, their first ever night of sex with no pain on entry, multiple orgasms and no soreness after (blush, blush, lets go again, round four, straight away the morning after).
I’m sure somewhere a Virgin reader will be severely disillusioned later because that’s always what these books purport happens straight out the gate. Can we have one day of buildup? Seriously can these book virgin vixens have a 4-6 hour first-time soreness recovery gap? It’s not a lot to ask.
The fellatio scene was downright ridiculous. Seriously that sequence was the most explosively silly scene I’ve ever read anywhere. Besides being unlikely for any female of that era and seriously violating. It did not amuse me. Reminded me of a crude Will Ferrel style movie joke that just falls flat.
And Yo, how many times was it necessary for the heroine to get conked on the head for this plot to work? Excessive much? I was a bit tired of her being bruised, battered and bashed by the end. How much abuse does one character need? Her brain should have been mushy soup that’s how much Sands bounced her around.
Flaws aside, it was an easy read with engaging characters that I would have rated higher were it not for said factors. Glad Sands is doing medievals again. This lacks the bellly laugh charm of her old ones which had great slapstick plots and oodles of fun but it’s definitely engaging and less tired than her vampire rinse-and-repeat tendency.
Genuinely nice characters and great family dynamics. Funny at times, though at many points things were shoved way over the line.
As mentioned, I had a major problem with the way the author had him lusting after her so excessively while she was unconscious. Any normal person would be more concerned about her injuries, less so about her breasts. He took that way too far in the thoughts ascribed to him. Particularly the "she’ll never know" thought. Like F U.
Also on another, oft repeated note, it’s 2018, can authors please stop having virgins do it three times in a row, their first ever night of sex with no pain on entry, multiple orgasms and no soreness after (blush, blush, lets go again, round four, straight away the morning after).
I’m sure somewhere a Virgin reader will be severely disillusioned later because that’s always what these books purport happens straight out the gate. Can we have one day of buildup? Seriously can these book virgin vixens have a 4-6 hour first-time soreness recovery gap? It’s not a lot to ask.
The fellatio scene was downright ridiculous. Seriously that sequence was the most explosively silly scene I’ve ever read anywhere. Besides being unlikely for any female of that era and seriously violating. It did not amuse me. Reminded me of a crude Will Ferrel style movie joke that just falls flat.
And Yo, how many times was it necessary for the heroine to get conked on the head for this plot to work? Excessive much? I was a bit tired of her being bruised, battered and bashed by the end. How much abuse does one character need? Her brain should have been mushy soup that’s how much Sands bounced her around.
Flaws aside, it was an easy read with engaging characters that I would have rated higher were it not for said factors. Glad Sands is doing medievals again. This lacks the bellly laugh charm of her old ones which had great slapstick plots and oodles of fun but it’s definitely engaging and less tired than her vampire rinse-and-repeat tendency.
May 16, 2024
3.5/5 hmmmm not my favorite in the series, could probs be rounded up to 4 stars but the end wasn’t my fav. Also the narrator wasn’t great.
July 26, 2019
3.5 stars -- Again, I have to caveat that this series has a disturbing trend of using horrific sexual assault/violence as plot contrivance or way to catalyze "crazy" behavior from villains, and that is a very sour note in books that are otherwise quite charming
That said, I love the hell out of this series. I love the family dynamics, I love how light & silly these usually are, and I love that they are super low angst-- almost all conflict is external in some kind of mystery plot and it is just a warm hug of a book
That said, I love the hell out of this series. I love the family dynamics, I love how light & silly these usually are, and I love that they are super low angst-- almost all conflict is external in some kind of mystery plot and it is just a warm hug of a book
March 19, 2020
cheesy and crazy fluffy romance
June 19, 2018
Laird Aulay Buchanan's day is not going as expected. He felt a black mood coming and set out to his hunting lodge for some time alone, but his younger brother Alick has tagged along. Aulay reiterates that he is going fishing - nothing more. Alick is disappointed (he was hoping fishing meant drinking and wenching), but decides to stay for a couple of days anyway. They take a boat out on the ocean and Alick spots something - it looks like a ship mast. They get closer and discover a woman tied to the mast. They cut her free and are shocked that she is alive. She wakes and looks at Aulay, he prepares himself for the inevitable scream of horror when she sees his scarred visage. But she surprises him by asking if he is an angel. He asks if she has family they should notify and she gets upset and babbles about a cat, a white lady and betrotheds who are not her betrothed killing their first wife and now will kill her. Aulay promises to keep her safe and will not alert anyone until she is well. He asks her name, but she has passed out. That is when he sees the blood. They rush back to the lodge and he sends Alick to get Rory and a few of his other brothers.
She is wounded and Rory doesn't expect her to live, he shaved part of her head to treat the wounds and leaves her in Aulay's care. He spends the next few weeks nursing her back to health. He has been calling her Jetta, because of her beautiful black hair, but he longs to know who she is, because she is the first woman to look upon him without horror since he got the injury in the same battle that took his twin brother Ewan. She wakes and believes that Aulay is her husband, she has no memory of her past and when she tries to remember, it causes her extreme pain and she passes out. Rory tells Aulay to play along, he doesn't want her to get upset or be frightened. Aulay agrees, but his attraction to her makes it hard to keep his distance. Especially when Jetta doesn't understand why her "husband" won't bed her.
Slowly, Jetta heals, but has not remembered much more than a few trifling bits of her previous life. She and Aulay spend a lot of time together and she tells him how lucky she is to have him for a husband. When he is called back to the castle to investigate the shooting of a maid, Jetta learns more about his past. Aulay longs to return to Jetta, but he owes Katie, the maid justice. His attempts to discover who Jetta really is have turned up nothing and he wonders what will happen if she learns they are not really married. Will she leave him? His uncle points out that his family has descended on the lodge and she will soon be brought to the keep - if she calls him husband and he calls her wife, they will be in fact married. But Aulay doesn't want to trick her, he will have to tell her the truth.
Jetta and Mavis are at the lodge and are upset over the death of Robbie's dog when Saidh, Edith, Murine and Jo all converge on the lodge. The ladies wanted to meet Jetta and they all love her - they want her to be married to "her sweet Aulay" and if Saidh has anything to do with it - she will. They take her back to the keep and Aulay is worried that she will inadvertently announce they are married and takes her right up to their room. He leaves her to rest and goes back to his family. They all think he should keep her and the ladies go up to get her dressed. When she finally comes down, she is pushed and tumbles down the stairs. They are unable to find the person who pushed her, so Aulay orders a guard on her. Later over dinner, she remembers more and Aulay's secret is out. She is upset, but when he very sweetly proposes, she accepts.
They marry and when they slip away to consummate their vows, another attempt is made on her life. Worried for her, he confines her to their chamber. But later sees her sneaking into his brother Niels' room and propositioning him - Aulay is devastated, he believed her words of love and feels like a fool. But soon he realizes, not all is as it seems but can he save her before the viper in their midst gets to her!
You just can’t go wrong with a Lynsay Sands Highlander novel, they are a perfect blend of humor, action and steamy love scenes. I loved this book and cannot wait for the next installment in the series. Even though this is the sixth book in the series, but it can absolutely be read as a stand alone title with no problems and I can't recommend it highly enough.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an UNCORRECTED eARC that was provided to me by Edelweiss and the publisher*
She is wounded and Rory doesn't expect her to live, he shaved part of her head to treat the wounds and leaves her in Aulay's care. He spends the next few weeks nursing her back to health. He has been calling her Jetta, because of her beautiful black hair, but he longs to know who she is, because she is the first woman to look upon him without horror since he got the injury in the same battle that took his twin brother Ewan. She wakes and believes that Aulay is her husband, she has no memory of her past and when she tries to remember, it causes her extreme pain and she passes out. Rory tells Aulay to play along, he doesn't want her to get upset or be frightened. Aulay agrees, but his attraction to her makes it hard to keep his distance. Especially when Jetta doesn't understand why her "husband" won't bed her.
Slowly, Jetta heals, but has not remembered much more than a few trifling bits of her previous life. She and Aulay spend a lot of time together and she tells him how lucky she is to have him for a husband. When he is called back to the castle to investigate the shooting of a maid, Jetta learns more about his past. Aulay longs to return to Jetta, but he owes Katie, the maid justice. His attempts to discover who Jetta really is have turned up nothing and he wonders what will happen if she learns they are not really married. Will she leave him? His uncle points out that his family has descended on the lodge and she will soon be brought to the keep - if she calls him husband and he calls her wife, they will be in fact married. But Aulay doesn't want to trick her, he will have to tell her the truth.
Jetta and Mavis are at the lodge and are upset over the death of Robbie's dog when Saidh, Edith, Murine and Jo all converge on the lodge. The ladies wanted to meet Jetta and they all love her - they want her to be married to "her sweet Aulay" and if Saidh has anything to do with it - she will. They take her back to the keep and Aulay is worried that she will inadvertently announce they are married and takes her right up to their room. He leaves her to rest and goes back to his family. They all think he should keep her and the ladies go up to get her dressed. When she finally comes down, she is pushed and tumbles down the stairs. They are unable to find the person who pushed her, so Aulay orders a guard on her. Later over dinner, she remembers more and Aulay's secret is out. She is upset, but when he very sweetly proposes, she accepts.
They marry and when they slip away to consummate their vows, another attempt is made on her life. Worried for her, he confines her to their chamber. But later sees her sneaking into his brother Niels' room and propositioning him - Aulay is devastated, he believed her words of love and feels like a fool. But soon he realizes, not all is as it seems but can he save her before the viper in their midst gets to her!
You just can’t go wrong with a Lynsay Sands Highlander novel, they are a perfect blend of humor, action and steamy love scenes. I loved this book and cannot wait for the next installment in the series. Even though this is the sixth book in the series, but it can absolutely be read as a stand alone title with no problems and I can't recommend it highly enough.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an UNCORRECTED eARC that was provided to me by Edelweiss and the publisher*
February 20, 2025
Оли, леърд на Бюканън и Джета
📣🚨🛑РЕВЮ СЪДЪРЖАЩО СПОЙЛЕРИ🛑🚨📣
Оли Бюканън, леърд на клана Бюканън иска да остане поне малко насаме със себе си, да се отдалечи от клана и задълженията си, да се отдалечи от щастливите двойки и семейства които го заобикалят, защото виждайки щастливите хора около себе си, той се чувства все по-самотен. Преди години в битката, в която загива близнака му, лицето на Оли е обезобразено от ужасна рана. Виждайки го, годеницата му отказа да спази годежа и да се омъжи за него. Всички жени го гледат с погнуса и отвращение и макар негов дълг е да има наследници, тъй като е леърд на клана си, той се е примирил с мисълта, че никога няма да има своя жена, деца и семейство.
Решавайки да си почине в хижа на брега на морето, Оли е очаквал всичко, но не й да види в морето да се носи самотна мачта на кораб, а към него в безсъзнание да е привързана най-красивата жена, която е виждал. Оли и братята му спасяват жената и в продължение на няколко седмици се борят за живота й, докато тя е безсъзнание, и тъй като нямат идея коя е, заради черната й коса, Оли й дава името Джета.
Джета се събужда на непознато място и с ужас осъзнава, че не помни нищо от миналото си. Когато заварва непознат мъж в стаята си, тя решава, че вероятно е неин съпруг, защото не е достатъчно възрастен да й бъде баща, а трепетното вълнение, което събужда в нея й подсказва, че определено не й е брат. Всеки път, щом опита да си спомни коя е, ужасни пристъпи на болка я повалят буквално на колене, затова Джета започва да се възстановява, под нежните грижи на съпруга си и братята му, и с всеки изминал ден прекаран с Оли, тя все по-вече разбира, защо се е омъжила за него и защо го обича.
Оли от своя страна, няма идея какво да отговори на красивата жена, която го мисли за свой съпруг. По съвет на брат му Рори, който е лечител, Оли подържа лъжата, че са съпрузи, защото според Рори, Джета ще се възстанови по-бързо, ако вярва, че е в безопасност обградена от семейството, което я обича. Оли не иска нищо друго освен това да е самата истина и тази страстна, красива и смела жена, която го гледа с обожание, сякаш не забелязва обезобразеното му лице, да бъде негова жена. Въпреки силното си привличане към нея обаче той се старае да стои далеч, така че да не я принуждава да бъде с него, ако не го желае наистина.
Скоро обаче, няколко мистериозни инцидента ще го принудят да разкрие истината, тъй като им предстои да заловят един много ловък и зъл убиец.
Началото ми тръгна бавно. Признавам, докато Джета се възстановяваше и бяхме свидетели на това как Оли се лута между своите страхове да не бъде отхвърлен и копнежа му да бъде обичан и да има семейство, реших, че героят ни ще бъде бета герой. Без гръбнак и лидерски наклонности. Мислех, че ще е лигав и скучен, а от предишните 3 книги със сигурност не бях останала с такова впечатление. За щастие скоро Оли си стана пак страхотния алфа, който познавахме от предишните книги. Силен, мъжествен и непреклонен, той бе готов на всичко, за да опази жената, която обича. Вярно дразнех се, че гледаха на различните опити за убийство, като "нещастни инциденти" като си беше очевадно, че някой иска да пречука главната ни героиня, но с тези хормони и емоции бушуващи в Оли предполагам, че му е позволено да изгуби част от логиката си.
Джета от своя страна също беше чудесна героиня. От самото начало смяташе, че Оли й е съпруг и буквално го побъркваше и правеше решението му да страни от нея напълно неосъществимо. Хареса ми това колко е добра, съобразителна и факта, че буквално не виждаше белега на Оли. Тя го смяташе за красив, мил, добър, дори го наричаше "Моя сладък Оли" и за един герой, толкова наранен да намери толкова прекрасна героиня, беше наистина чудесно.
Като към прекрасните ни герои добавим всички 4 двойки от 4те предишни книги, които бяха забавни, сладки и прекрасни, четенето на точно тази книга ми достави истинско удоволствие. 5 звезди от мен и горещо я препоръчвам на всеки, който харесва творчеството на Линзи, тази книга бе напълно в неин стил. С една дума, прелестна. <3
📣🚨🛑РЕВЮ СЪДЪРЖАЩО СПОЙЛЕРИ🛑🚨📣
Оли Бюканън, леърд на клана Бюканън иска да остане поне малко насаме със себе си, да се отдалечи от клана и задълженията си, да се отдалечи от щастливите двойки и семейства които го заобикалят, защото виждайки щастливите хора около себе си, той се чувства все по-самотен. Преди години в битката, в която загива близнака му, лицето на Оли е обезобразено от ужасна рана. Виждайки го, годеницата му отказа да спази годежа и да се омъжи за него. Всички жени го гледат с погнуса и отвращение и макар негов дълг е да има наследници, тъй като е леърд на клана си, той се е примирил с мисълта, че никога няма да има своя жена, деца и семейство.
Решавайки да си почине в хижа на брега на морето, Оли е очаквал всичко, но не й да види в морето да се носи самотна мачта на кораб, а към него в безсъзнание да е привързана най-красивата жена, която е виждал. Оли и братята му спасяват жената и в продължение на няколко седмици се борят за живота й, докато тя е безсъзнание, и тъй като нямат идея коя е, заради черната й коса, Оли й дава името Джета.
Джета се събужда на непознато място и с ужас осъзнава, че не помни нищо от миналото си. Когато заварва непознат мъж в стаята си, тя решава, че вероятно е неин съпруг, защото не е достатъчно възрастен да й бъде баща, а трепетното вълнение, което събужда в нея й подсказва, че определено не й е брат. Всеки път, щом опита да си спомни коя е, ужасни пристъпи на болка я повалят буквално на колене, затова Джета започва да се възстановява, под нежните грижи на съпруга си и братята му, и с всеки изминал ден прекаран с Оли, тя все по-вече разбира, защо се е омъжила за него и защо го обича.
Оли от своя страна, няма идея какво да отговори на красивата жена, която го мисли за свой съпруг. По съвет на брат му Рори, който е лечител, Оли подържа лъжата, че са съпрузи, защото според Рори, Джета ще се възстанови по-бързо, ако вярва, че е в безопасност обградена от семейството, което я обича. Оли не иска нищо друго освен това да е самата истина и тази страстна, красива и смела жена, която го гледа с обожание, сякаш не забелязва обезобразеното му лице, да бъде негова жена. Въпреки силното си привличане към нея обаче той се старае да стои далеч, така че да не я принуждава да бъде с него, ако не го желае наистина.
Скоро обаче, няколко мистериозни инцидента ще го принудят да разкрие истината, тъй като им предстои да заловят един много ловък и зъл убиец.
Началото ми тръгна бавно. Признавам, докато Джета се възстановяваше и бяхме свидетели на това как Оли се лута между своите страхове да не бъде отхвърлен и копнежа му да бъде обичан и да има семейство, реших, че героят ни ще бъде бета герой. Без гръбнак и лидерски наклонности. Мислех, че ще е лигав и скучен, а от предишните 3 книги със сигурност не бях останала с такова впечатление. За щастие скоро Оли си стана пак страхотния алфа, който познавахме от предишните книги. Силен, мъжествен и непреклонен, той бе готов на всичко, за да опази жената, която обича. Вярно дразнех се, че гледаха на различните опити за убийство, като "нещастни инциденти" като си беше очевадно, че някой иска да пречука главната ни героиня, но с тези хормони и емоции бушуващи в Оли предполагам, че му е позволено да изгуби част от логиката си.
Джета от своя страна също беше чудесна героиня. От самото начало смяташе, че Оли й е съпруг и буквално го побъркваше и правеше решението му да страни от нея напълно неосъществимо. Хареса ми това колко е добра, съобразителна и факта, че буквално не виждаше белега на Оли. Тя го смяташе за красив, мил, добър, дори го наричаше "Моя сладък Оли" и за един герой, толкова наранен да намери толкова прекрасна героиня, беше наистина чудесно.
Като към прекрасните ни герои добавим всички 4 двойки от 4те предишни книги, които бяха забавни, сладки и прекрасни, четенето на точно тази книга ми достави истинско удоволствие. 5 звезди от мен и горещо я препоръчвам на всеки, който харесва творчеството на Линзи, тази книга бе напълно в неин стил. С една дума, прелестна. <3
June 24, 2018
I had read a few of the other books in this series, so I was interested in this one.
I liked Jetta and Aulay well enough. They’re both good people and loyal and I liked their spark together. Both of them seemed to fall into their spouse roles quickly and there was chemistry. Of course there are loads of brothers and sisters and wives, but I gave up trying to keep them straight.
Plot wise, it was interesting. I don’t think I’ve ever read amnesia in a romance book before and I’m not entirely sure how I feel about it. Of course it made sense to not be honest with Jetta from the start, but it was also pretty shady. The villain was interesting and not what I expected.
Overall, it was a quick and mostly fun read. I do like this cast of characters, so even though I have no idea who is who, they are the reason I keep reading.
FYI: There is a lot of talk of rape towards the end.
**Huge thanks to Avon Books for providing the arc free of charge**
I liked Jetta and Aulay well enough. They’re both good people and loyal and I liked their spark together. Both of them seemed to fall into their spouse roles quickly and there was chemistry. Of course there are loads of brothers and sisters and wives, but I gave up trying to keep them straight.
Plot wise, it was interesting. I don’t think I’ve ever read amnesia in a romance book before and I’m not entirely sure how I feel about it. Of course it made sense to not be honest with Jetta from the start, but it was also pretty shady. The villain was interesting and not what I expected.
Overall, it was a quick and mostly fun read. I do like this cast of characters, so even though I have no idea who is who, they are the reason I keep reading.
FYI: There is a lot of talk of rape towards the end.
**Huge thanks to Avon Books for providing the arc free of charge**
July 22, 2018
This was another good addition to the Highland Brides series. I'd been looking forward to reading Aulay's story after meeting him in the previous books and I was not disappointed. And while this was yet another girl who has people trying to kill her and needs the protection of the Buchanan clan, this one changed up the formula quite a bit by having Jetta have amnesia and be away from the castle for a large part of the story.
All in all, it was a good book. I liked the relationship between Aulay and Jetta and that the book was a bit different from the rest of the series. As always, the bond between all the members of the Buchanan family was well done and felt very natural. The book ran a bit long and we could have gotten to the part where Jetta was told the truth a bit sooner, in my opinion. The resolution with the villain also could have been more complex than it was portrayed to be, if LS had wanted to explore things more deeply. Still a good story though.
All in all, it was a good book. I liked the relationship between Aulay and Jetta and that the book was a bit different from the rest of the series. As always, the bond between all the members of the Buchanan family was well done and felt very natural. The book ran a bit long and we could have gotten to the part where Jetta was told the truth a bit sooner, in my opinion. The resolution with the villain also could have been more complex than it was portrayed to be, if LS had wanted to explore things more deeply. Still a good story though.
June 26, 2018
Series: Highlanders #6
Publication Date: 6/26/18
It isn’t turning out to be a good day in the neighborhood for Laird Aulay Buchanan in this lovely, well-written new book in the Highlanders series. The story is delightful, the characters are wonderful and relatable and the romance is sigh-worthy. You’ll giggle and laugh-out-loud at Aulay’s brothers and sister and their families. They are in-your-face, interfering and wildly loving and supportive of each other. It is a family we’d all love to have as our own.
The anniversary of the death of Aulay’s twin brother and Aulay’s wounding/scarring is fast approaching. Aulay always goes into a weeks-long black funk depression around that time, so he’s decided he’ll seek solitude at his hunting lodge so he doesn’t have to deal with people trying to cheer him up. He really wanted to be alone, but his younger brother, Alick wanted to tag along. Alick’s version of resting and relaxing was wenching and drinking and was surprised to learn that Aulay’s version was fishing and relaxing. Alick decided to go anyway, but only for a couple of days.
As they head out into the ocean on their fishing boat they see something large floating on the surface. As they maneuver the boat toward the object, they determine it is the main mast and the crow’s nest from a ship – and – wait – there is a body roped to the mast. Aulay groans inwardly because he really doesn’t want to remove a bloated dead body and then have to take care of burial, etc. Then, the woman opened her eyes, showing she was very much alive and – she thinks Aulay is an angel.
Aulay questions the lass trying to determine who she is so he can notify her family. Then she says “Nay, he’ll kill me.” Then she mumbled something about a cat, a white lady, a betrothed who wasn’t a betrothed but she was being forced to marry and that he had killed his first wife. Some of that will become clear as you read the book, but other parts will remain muddy. I never like muddy, I always think if you are going to say it, explain it. You are left to infer a number of things. The important stuff is clear – and the rest, while it bugged me, certainly didn’t detract from my enjoyment. I’d tell you more about it, but it would give too much away.
The woman slips into unconsciousness again and Aulay and Alick take her to the hunting lodge to care for her. Aulay sends for a maid and his brother Rory who is a healer. She is beautiful – raven hair, green eyes, and alabaster skin. She needs a name, so Rory decides to call her Jetta after her jet black hair. Aulay cares for Jetta himself – something about her calls to him. Then, weeks later, when she regains consciousness, she has no memory – none – she doesn’t know who she is, where she came from or why she was on that ship. When she believes that Aulay is her husband, they let her continue thinking that.
Aulay and Jetta draw closer and closer and things start to happen – a young maid is shot with an arrow, a dog is poisoned and Jetta is pushed down the stairs. Are they separate unrelated incidents?
There are twists, turns and surprises galore in this book. You couldn’t ask for a better read with a delightful, funny and engaged family and a heroine who is sweet, intelligent and brave. Then, there is Aulay – he is the sweetest, most caring wonderful hero I have read in a very, very long time.
I highly recommend the book.
Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/flippinpages...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlippinPagesRev
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbBookReview
"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."
Publication Date: 6/26/18
It isn’t turning out to be a good day in the neighborhood for Laird Aulay Buchanan in this lovely, well-written new book in the Highlanders series. The story is delightful, the characters are wonderful and relatable and the romance is sigh-worthy. You’ll giggle and laugh-out-loud at Aulay’s brothers and sister and their families. They are in-your-face, interfering and wildly loving and supportive of each other. It is a family we’d all love to have as our own.
The anniversary of the death of Aulay’s twin brother and Aulay’s wounding/scarring is fast approaching. Aulay always goes into a weeks-long black funk depression around that time, so he’s decided he’ll seek solitude at his hunting lodge so he doesn’t have to deal with people trying to cheer him up. He really wanted to be alone, but his younger brother, Alick wanted to tag along. Alick’s version of resting and relaxing was wenching and drinking and was surprised to learn that Aulay’s version was fishing and relaxing. Alick decided to go anyway, but only for a couple of days.
As they head out into the ocean on their fishing boat they see something large floating on the surface. As they maneuver the boat toward the object, they determine it is the main mast and the crow’s nest from a ship – and – wait – there is a body roped to the mast. Aulay groans inwardly because he really doesn’t want to remove a bloated dead body and then have to take care of burial, etc. Then, the woman opened her eyes, showing she was very much alive and – she thinks Aulay is an angel.
Aulay questions the lass trying to determine who she is so he can notify her family. Then she says “Nay, he’ll kill me.” Then she mumbled something about a cat, a white lady, a betrothed who wasn’t a betrothed but she was being forced to marry and that he had killed his first wife. Some of that will become clear as you read the book, but other parts will remain muddy. I never like muddy, I always think if you are going to say it, explain it. You are left to infer a number of things. The important stuff is clear – and the rest, while it bugged me, certainly didn’t detract from my enjoyment. I’d tell you more about it, but it would give too much away.
The woman slips into unconsciousness again and Aulay and Alick take her to the hunting lodge to care for her. Aulay sends for a maid and his brother Rory who is a healer. She is beautiful – raven hair, green eyes, and alabaster skin. She needs a name, so Rory decides to call her Jetta after her jet black hair. Aulay cares for Jetta himself – something about her calls to him. Then, weeks later, when she regains consciousness, she has no memory – none – she doesn’t know who she is, where she came from or why she was on that ship. When she believes that Aulay is her husband, they let her continue thinking that.
Aulay and Jetta draw closer and closer and things start to happen – a young maid is shot with an arrow, a dog is poisoned and Jetta is pushed down the stairs. Are they separate unrelated incidents?
There are twists, turns and surprises galore in this book. You couldn’t ask for a better read with a delightful, funny and engaged family and a heroine who is sweet, intelligent and brave. Then, there is Aulay – he is the sweetest, most caring wonderful hero I have read in a very, very long time.
I highly recommend the book.
Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/flippinpages...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlippinPagesRev
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbBookReview
"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."
April 18, 2018
I had a hard time from the get-go with this book. When the heroine suffers from amnesia and comes to the mistaken conclusion that the man sitting in her room is her husband, she just seems to accept that "fact" much too easily. She does not question it or hesitate to jump right in to the role of wife. That made me have a hard time identifying with her and believing what was going on in the story. If she had some doubts or reservations about being the wife of a completely unfamiliar man this book would have been much better.
August 12, 2018
Source: paperback
“I have a wonderful shelter, which is my family. I have a wonderful relationship with my brother and sister; this makes me feel that I know always where I belong.” –Jose Carreras
I was already familiar with the Buchanan brothers, their sister and their friends. I love this series. I read them years ago and I hope to re-read them so I can write a review.
Personal note: I was shopping in a brick and mortar store when I found Lynsay Sands’ latest book ‘The Highlander’s Promise’ on discount. I was already familiar with the author and the series… and since I had not read it… I grabbed it. Back at home, I discovered the discount wasn’t all that great. When I signed in to Amazon, I saw they had it at a cheaper price… dang, I hate that. Lesson learned… check Amazon prices first… or just shop Amazon in the first place.
Rating: MA: mature audience due to violence, fight violence and sexual content.
The books in the Highland Brides series are as follows according to their publication dates: Some in the lineup straddles more than one series. Each can be read as a standalone but characters from each book will often visit with each other. They can be read out of order but it would be best to read them as the characters are introduced. I jumped about as I read them and that was what made me want to read about the characters that visited the book I was reading.
Book 1: An English Bride in Scotland: [Annabel Withram & Ross McKay] pub 6-25-13
Book 2: To Marry a Scottish Laird: [‘Cam’ Campbell Sinclair & ‘Jo’ Joan Charter] pub 6-24-14
The Highlander Takes a Bride: [Saidh Buchanan & Laird Greer MacDonnell] pub 7-28-15
Falling for the Highlander: [Lady Murine Carmichael & Dugall Buchanan]: pub 1-31-17
Book 3&5: Surrender to the Highlander: [Edith Drummond & Niels Buchanan] pub 1-30-18
Book 6: The Highlander’s Promise: [Aulay Buchanan & ‘Jetta’] pub 6-26-18
The Wrong Highlander: [Lady Evina Maclean & Conran Buchanan] expected pub 1-29-19
Aulay was laird to the Buchanan keep and had gone to the family hunting lodge near the beach to get away from his responsibilities for a few days. It was the anniversary of the battle that killed his twin brother and left him horribly scarred and he simply needed to get away from people for a few days. Once he and Alick, his youngest brother, were on the water they found a broken ship mast floating in the waves. They figured it must have been lost during a horrible storm the previous day. When they drew closer, Aulay noticed a woman tied securely to the mast. When he cut her loose, she opened her eyes and called him her angel before passing out again.
The next time she opened her eyes, she was in a bedchamber with a man sleeping in a chair… near her bed. She studied his scared face and determined it made him look rugged. She didn’t recognize him nor could she remember her own name; however, she did know that a man would not be in a woman’s bedchamber unless he was her father, brother or husband. As she studied him, he was too young to be her father, and she didn’t think he was her brother, so she assumed he must be her husband.
When Aulay awoke and heard her call him husband, he was fearful to correct her assumptions. If she tried to concentrate, in order to force her memories… she would grab at her head in severe pain or she would pass out completely. Because she didn’t remember her name, Aulay decided to call her Jetta, since he had fished her out of the ocean.
The story revolved around Jetta coming to terms with her life as the wife of the Laird and her place in his society. Only one problem… someone was trying to kill her. Aulay and his brothers, along with his people, were determined to protect Jetta and Aulay. If they lived through it, as they too were in danger.
This was a delightful story of family, connections, loyalty, and betrayal. It was fascinating as I tried to figure out the evil person behind the assassination attempts. Who was after her and why did they want her dead? I can’t even discuss certain things as it will give it away. The author did a most excellent job in bringing previous characters forward from the other books. These brothers were amazing as were their wives. I remembered them from their own stories and if someone had not already read of them, they certainly would want to after encountering them in this book. There were subtle hints as to their back story and it piqued my interest all over again. This was a fun read, a steamy romance as Jetta began to fall in love with Aulay. It was a mystery and a story of loyalty and bravery. There is nothing like a Scottish Highlander in protection mode. Just saying.
“I have a wonderful shelter, which is my family. I have a wonderful relationship with my brother and sister; this makes me feel that I know always where I belong.” –Jose Carreras
I was already familiar with the Buchanan brothers, their sister and their friends. I love this series. I read them years ago and I hope to re-read them so I can write a review.
Personal note: I was shopping in a brick and mortar store when I found Lynsay Sands’ latest book ‘The Highlander’s Promise’ on discount. I was already familiar with the author and the series… and since I had not read it… I grabbed it. Back at home, I discovered the discount wasn’t all that great. When I signed in to Amazon, I saw they had it at a cheaper price… dang, I hate that. Lesson learned… check Amazon prices first… or just shop Amazon in the first place.
Rating: MA: mature audience due to violence, fight violence and sexual content.
The books in the Highland Brides series are as follows according to their publication dates: Some in the lineup straddles more than one series. Each can be read as a standalone but characters from each book will often visit with each other. They can be read out of order but it would be best to read them as the characters are introduced. I jumped about as I read them and that was what made me want to read about the characters that visited the book I was reading.
Book 1: An English Bride in Scotland: [Annabel Withram & Ross McKay] pub 6-25-13
Book 2: To Marry a Scottish Laird: [‘Cam’ Campbell Sinclair & ‘Jo’ Joan Charter] pub 6-24-14
The Highlander Takes a Bride: [Saidh Buchanan & Laird Greer MacDonnell] pub 7-28-15
Falling for the Highlander: [Lady Murine Carmichael & Dugall Buchanan]: pub 1-31-17
Book 3&5: Surrender to the Highlander: [Edith Drummond & Niels Buchanan] pub 1-30-18
Book 6: The Highlander’s Promise: [Aulay Buchanan & ‘Jetta’] pub 6-26-18
The Wrong Highlander: [Lady Evina Maclean & Conran Buchanan] expected pub 1-29-19
Aulay was laird to the Buchanan keep and had gone to the family hunting lodge near the beach to get away from his responsibilities for a few days. It was the anniversary of the battle that killed his twin brother and left him horribly scarred and he simply needed to get away from people for a few days. Once he and Alick, his youngest brother, were on the water they found a broken ship mast floating in the waves. They figured it must have been lost during a horrible storm the previous day. When they drew closer, Aulay noticed a woman tied securely to the mast. When he cut her loose, she opened her eyes and called him her angel before passing out again.
The next time she opened her eyes, she was in a bedchamber with a man sleeping in a chair… near her bed. She studied his scared face and determined it made him look rugged. She didn’t recognize him nor could she remember her own name; however, she did know that a man would not be in a woman’s bedchamber unless he was her father, brother or husband. As she studied him, he was too young to be her father, and she didn’t think he was her brother, so she assumed he must be her husband.
When Aulay awoke and heard her call him husband, he was fearful to correct her assumptions. If she tried to concentrate, in order to force her memories… she would grab at her head in severe pain or she would pass out completely. Because she didn’t remember her name, Aulay decided to call her Jetta, since he had fished her out of the ocean.
The story revolved around Jetta coming to terms with her life as the wife of the Laird and her place in his society. Only one problem… someone was trying to kill her. Aulay and his brothers, along with his people, were determined to protect Jetta and Aulay. If they lived through it, as they too were in danger.
This was a delightful story of family, connections, loyalty, and betrayal. It was fascinating as I tried to figure out the evil person behind the assassination attempts. Who was after her and why did they want her dead? I can’t even discuss certain things as it will give it away. The author did a most excellent job in bringing previous characters forward from the other books. These brothers were amazing as were their wives. I remembered them from their own stories and if someone had not already read of them, they certainly would want to after encountering them in this book. There were subtle hints as to their back story and it piqued my interest all over again. This was a fun read, a steamy romance as Jetta began to fall in love with Aulay. It was a mystery and a story of loyalty and bravery. There is nothing like a Scottish Highlander in protection mode. Just saying.
November 3, 2020
How to write a highlander historical romance:
1. Create a heroine...er...lass. She should probably be in distress.
2. Make sure your lass in distress is saved by the heroic machinations of a strong, muscly highlander
3. Make sure your lass STILL HAS HER INNOCENCE INTACT (for a few chapters, anyway)
4. Make sure your highlander does not...(highlight this with animalistic sounds he makes at the sight of her lithe and limber body - less successful, show him dallying with a "lightskirt" he has no intention of marrying, gently allude to the double standard, but you know, HISTORICAL ACCURACY DICTATES SOMETHINGSOMETHING)
5. Contrive some happenstance by which the most convolutedly simple solution is for the lass to marry the highlander
6. Consummating the marital bed may or may not happen before the wedding
7. Establish a hidden villain (but probably villainess, but the occasional derelict brother/uncle/neighbor also works) who works tirelessly to try to slay the lass
8. After MANY, MANY attempts on the lass's life, make sure the two main characters have a conversation about "likin'" each other but not really knowing what love is.
9. Add at least one scene where one protagonist convalesces in a bed (bleeding, probably stitched up by a healer who may or may not be related to them) while the other besottedly stays by the bedside, hoping for a swift recovery (and a glimpse of their pink bits because NEEDS MUST)
10. Use the words "globes," "tarse," "pleasure," "molten," "softness," "wetness," "nipple," "suckle," "groan," "growl," "roar," "hungry," etc. whenever the mood strikes (and it strikes your protagonists...often...)
11. Make sure the killer is revealed around the same time the lass and her highlander figure out what love really is.
12. Add a humorous interlude with a dog or small servant child/squire. Or both. Live a little. It's Scotland.
13. Make sure a wizened old maid is around to be like "YEAH, SURE YOU WERE JUST...HAVIN' A PICNIC, ME LAIRD!" I live for those scenes.
14. Giving a character a scar or identical twin is totally fair game in this world. Or, you know, both.
15. A hint of past trauma is hot; a vat of it? Too complicated for the genre. Tread lightly on the sad bits - you want enough to give a gentle whiff of credibility but not so much your inner empathy demon emerges.
16. Fashion of the era be damned - include at least one scene where the lass's magnificent breasts spontaneously pop out of her dress to the delight of her highlander beau.
17. Add a randy maid into the mix for giggles (or red herring or, you know, to be the villain if the spirit moves you)
18. Make sure to give your hero PLENTY of siblings to have an entire series offshoot from your first in the book - because I, for one, believe a healthy sexual appetite should get passed down like the Buchanan nose or coloring.
God bless the romance genre. It's the only thing getting me through this election cycle.
1. Create a heroine...er...lass. She should probably be in distress.
2. Make sure your lass in distress is saved by the heroic machinations of a strong, muscly highlander
3. Make sure your lass STILL HAS HER INNOCENCE INTACT (for a few chapters, anyway)
4. Make sure your highlander does not...(highlight this with animalistic sounds he makes at the sight of her lithe and limber body - less successful, show him dallying with a "lightskirt" he has no intention of marrying, gently allude to the double standard, but you know, HISTORICAL ACCURACY DICTATES SOMETHINGSOMETHING)
5. Contrive some happenstance by which the most convolutedly simple solution is for the lass to marry the highlander
6. Consummating the marital bed may or may not happen before the wedding
7. Establish a hidden villain (but probably villainess, but the occasional derelict brother/uncle/neighbor also works) who works tirelessly to try to slay the lass
8. After MANY, MANY attempts on the lass's life, make sure the two main characters have a conversation about "likin'" each other but not really knowing what love is.
9. Add at least one scene where one protagonist convalesces in a bed (bleeding, probably stitched up by a healer who may or may not be related to them) while the other besottedly stays by the bedside, hoping for a swift recovery (and a glimpse of their pink bits because NEEDS MUST)
10. Use the words "globes," "tarse," "pleasure," "molten," "softness," "wetness," "nipple," "suckle," "groan," "growl," "roar," "hungry," etc. whenever the mood strikes (and it strikes your protagonists...often...)
11. Make sure the killer is revealed around the same time the lass and her highlander figure out what love really is.
12. Add a humorous interlude with a dog or small servant child/squire. Or both. Live a little. It's Scotland.
13. Make sure a wizened old maid is around to be like "YEAH, SURE YOU WERE JUST...HAVIN' A PICNIC, ME LAIRD!" I live for those scenes.
14. Giving a character a scar or identical twin is totally fair game in this world. Or, you know, both.
15. A hint of past trauma is hot; a vat of it? Too complicated for the genre. Tread lightly on the sad bits - you want enough to give a gentle whiff of credibility but not so much your inner empathy demon emerges.
16. Fashion of the era be damned - include at least one scene where the lass's magnificent breasts spontaneously pop out of her dress to the delight of her highlander beau.
17. Add a randy maid into the mix for giggles (or red herring or, you know, to be the villain if the spirit moves you)
18. Make sure to give your hero PLENTY of siblings to have an entire series offshoot from your first in the book - because I, for one, believe a healthy sexual appetite should get passed down like the Buchanan nose or coloring.
God bless the romance genre. It's the only thing getting me through this election cycle.
June 26, 2018
Highlander's Promise by Lynsay Sands is book Six in the Highland Brides series. This is the story of Aulay Buchanan and Jetta. I have read (and Loved!) the other books in this series, but feel you can make this a standalone book.
Aulay has visible scar on his face that turns women and children away from him. Aulay received the scar the same time his twin brother was killed. Even though Aulay has several other brothers and one sister he still feels the lost. When he goes to be by himself to fish and relax he finds his little brother has tagged alone. They happen to find 'Jetta' who has no memory and is in bad shape. Since the brother's don't know her name they nickname her "Jetta' because of her jet black hair. When Jetta wakes up she assumes that Aulay is her husband and his other brother who is a healer tells him to not say anything to upset her so he lets her assume its turn. Aulay is quickly drawn to her beauty but more so in the fact that she looks at him as a man and does not see the scar. But danger is after Jetta and Aulay will do anything to protect her.
Books like Ms. Sands make you wish that you can give it a rating of 100 stars instead of just 5 stars. Ms. Sands brings romance, humor and a great story together with her writing.
Loved this book!
Aulay has visible scar on his face that turns women and children away from him. Aulay received the scar the same time his twin brother was killed. Even though Aulay has several other brothers and one sister he still feels the lost. When he goes to be by himself to fish and relax he finds his little brother has tagged alone. They happen to find 'Jetta' who has no memory and is in bad shape. Since the brother's don't know her name they nickname her "Jetta' because of her jet black hair. When Jetta wakes up she assumes that Aulay is her husband and his other brother who is a healer tells him to not say anything to upset her so he lets her assume its turn. Aulay is quickly drawn to her beauty but more so in the fact that she looks at him as a man and does not see the scar. But danger is after Jetta and Aulay will do anything to protect her.
Books like Ms. Sands make you wish that you can give it a rating of 100 stars instead of just 5 stars. Ms. Sands brings romance, humor and a great story together with her writing.
Loved this book!
April 27, 2019
I love this series. The Buchanans are a sweet bunch. Sweet, but dumb as rocks sometimes.
Auley, the head of the clan, rescues a beautiful young woman he found tied to a ship’s mast in the ocean. She has serious injuries and when she finally awakes, she has no memory of who she is, not even her name. So Auley names her Jett, because of the color of her hair.
When Jett woke up and found Ailey in her room, she assumed that he was her husband. To to save her anymore shocks or trauma, he pretends to be just that.
It soon becomes clear to the reader that someone is out to harm Jett. But it took Auley and his brothers a while to figure the obvious out. Thankfully, they are all beauty and brawn cause they’re a little light on the brains.
Regardless of the Buchanan’s short comings, their lives and lives make for a good read and will keep you entertained and chuckling. I was also thrilled to have all the siblings and r significant others make an appearance in this book. It added to the outrageousness.
A very enjoyable read.
Auley, the head of the clan, rescues a beautiful young woman he found tied to a ship’s mast in the ocean. She has serious injuries and when she finally awakes, she has no memory of who she is, not even her name. So Auley names her Jett, because of the color of her hair.
When Jett woke up and found Ailey in her room, she assumed that he was her husband. To to save her anymore shocks or trauma, he pretends to be just that.
It soon becomes clear to the reader that someone is out to harm Jett. But it took Auley and his brothers a while to figure the obvious out. Thankfully, they are all beauty and brawn cause they’re a little light on the brains.
Regardless of the Buchanan’s short comings, their lives and lives make for a good read and will keep you entertained and chuckling. I was also thrilled to have all the siblings and r significant others make an appearance in this book. It added to the outrageousness.
A very enjoyable read.
June 13, 2018
This is not the book I wanted for Aulay. God almighty, but I absolutely loathe amnesia tropes. They are #1 on my Shitty Romance Tropes list. Consent issues run rampant. This one wasn’t as bad as most - they don’t do the nasty before Aulay breaks it to her they aren’t married but they do get RUL handsy - but it walks some really fine lines. This is still a very readable, bananapants Sands Scottish historical. They even make a joke about how the Buchanans seem uniquely able to attract women with murderers after them.
February 16, 2020
I enjoyed this historical romance where another Buchanan brother falls in love. I particularly liked how the heroine sees beyond hero's scar and her openness as their relationship developed. It was nice including the siblings and their families from previous books in the series. Laird Aulay rescues a woman from the sea who has amnesia and calls her Jetta.
July 10, 2022
Loved this book! Couldn't figure out who the killer was until one of the final scenes! Only thing I felt was lacking was more of that Scottish charming scereny explained. At least for me it's a charming scenery even if it's mostly cold and wet.
April 17, 2023
I’ve been looking forward to Aulay’s book and it didn’t disappoint! The drama starts when Aulay and his brother pull a half drowned woman out of the ocean. They nurse her back to health but when she wakes she has no idea who she is, how she ended up on a ship or that Aulay isn’t actually her husband 😏
I will forgive this book for being such a tease in the beginning and then giving me nothing for like 150 pages. I’m over it I swear, the drama was delicious. I don’t think I’ve read an ending so quickly in my life.
Gosh I love this series!
I will forgive this book for being such a tease in the beginning and then giving me nothing for like 150 pages. I’m over it I swear, the drama was delicious. I don’t think I’ve read an ending so quickly in my life.
Gosh I love this series!
Read
July 9, 2018Miniseries: Highland Brides
March 12, 2019
Good book. I've been looking forward to Aulay's story, and it did not disappoint. Aulay is the oldest of the Buchanan's and laird of the clan. Several years earlier he was badly scarred in a battle that also killed his twin brother. On his return, his fiancée refused to marry him because of the scar. Since then, Aulay has resigned himself that no woman would want him and instead devoted himself to caring for his family and clan. As the anniversary of the battle approached, Aulay planned to get away for a few days where his black mood wouldn't affect others, and his well-meaning family wouldn't try to cheer him up. He wasn't able to escape completely, as youngest brother Alick decided to tag along. I had to laugh at Alick's dismay when he discovered that Aulay's definition of relaxing was fishing, not drinking and wenching.
Aulay's plans to relax went out the window almost immediately. While out fishing on the ocean, he and Alick came across a woman tied to a ship's mast and floating in the water. In a brief moment of consciousness, she called Aulay her angel and muttered something about someone who wanted to kill her. When she finally regained consciousness, she could not remember who she was or anything about her life. However, she believes that she and Aulay are man and wife.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Aulay and Jetta. He was caught between a rock and a hard place for most of it. His brother, the healer, insisted that Aulay go along with the deception, believing that telling her the truth could hinder her recovery. But the growing attraction between them made it difficult for Aulay to do the honorable thing. I liked Jetta. Aulay's scar never bothered her from the very beginning; she actually believed that it made him better looking. Instead of the monster he believed himself to be, Jetta thought he was the kindest, most considerate man in the world. I ached for Aulay. Underneath the surface of the laird was a vulnerable man who wished for a woman who wanted him for himself. He wanted what he had with Jetta to be real. I loved the time they spent together, which was sometimes sweet and simple, and other times hot enough to scorch the pages. Aulay also knew that he had to tell Jetta the truth before she learned it on her own, but he was also afraid of how it would affect them. When the truth did come out, I loved how the less-than-eloquent Aulay tried to find the words to tell Jetta how he felt.
There was some suspense added to the book by the question of who wanted Jetta dead. When a look-alike Buchanan clanswoman was shot, it became clear that Jetta was in immediate danger. I loved how the Buchanans rallied around her, joining forces to protect Jetta and discover who was behind the attacks. The tension increased as the attacks escalated and Jetta had flashes of memory return. The final confrontation had several unexpected twists, as the villain made their move. I especially enjoyed how Aulay figured out who it was, though it took him a few minutes longer than it should have. The intensity of the final scene was incredible and had me glued to the pages until it was over. I loved that it was Saidh who saved the day.
Aulay's plans to relax went out the window almost immediately. While out fishing on the ocean, he and Alick came across a woman tied to a ship's mast and floating in the water. In a brief moment of consciousness, she called Aulay her angel and muttered something about someone who wanted to kill her. When she finally regained consciousness, she could not remember who she was or anything about her life. However, she believes that she and Aulay are man and wife.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Aulay and Jetta. He was caught between a rock and a hard place for most of it. His brother, the healer, insisted that Aulay go along with the deception, believing that telling her the truth could hinder her recovery. But the growing attraction between them made it difficult for Aulay to do the honorable thing. I liked Jetta. Aulay's scar never bothered her from the very beginning; she actually believed that it made him better looking. Instead of the monster he believed himself to be, Jetta thought he was the kindest, most considerate man in the world. I ached for Aulay. Underneath the surface of the laird was a vulnerable man who wished for a woman who wanted him for himself. He wanted what he had with Jetta to be real. I loved the time they spent together, which was sometimes sweet and simple, and other times hot enough to scorch the pages. Aulay also knew that he had to tell Jetta the truth before she learned it on her own, but he was also afraid of how it would affect them. When the truth did come out, I loved how the less-than-eloquent Aulay tried to find the words to tell Jetta how he felt.
There was some suspense added to the book by the question of who wanted Jetta dead. When a look-alike Buchanan clanswoman was shot, it became clear that Jetta was in immediate danger. I loved how the Buchanans rallied around her, joining forces to protect Jetta and discover who was behind the attacks. The tension increased as the attacks escalated and Jetta had flashes of memory return. The final confrontation had several unexpected twists, as the villain made their move. I especially enjoyed how Aulay figured out who it was, though it took him a few minutes longer than it should have. The intensity of the final scene was incredible and had me glued to the pages until it was over. I loved that it was Saidh who saved the day.
July 2, 2018
Lynsay Sands' Highlanders series has been one of my favorites over the last year or so. I love the big rambunctious and loyal Buchanan family, and have enjoyed seeing each brother (and sister) meet their matrimonial end so to speak. But when I saw the blurb for this book and realized it was about Aulay, I got grabby hands. I feel like this may have been my most anticipated installment of the series.
Aulay Buchanan is the eldest of the Buchanan brood, and arguably the most vulnerable. Losing his twin brother in battle and being horribly scarred in the process has taken quite the toll on our laird. People cringe when they see his face, and he was jilted in a most cruel way by his former betrothed, a vile woman named Adaira. So I have had a soft spot in my heart for Aulay throughout the series. He leads his clan, but because of his insecurity, he's not loud and boisterous with his authority (unlike his unruly brothers and sister).
Jetta comes to us as an enigma, fished out of the sea by Aulay and Alick, without a memory of who she is or how she came to be there. But her first response to Aulay was so sweet and heartwarming, that I instantly liked her. Having no memory means Jetta had no pretense and we got to see her natural personality shine through. She took the Buchanans and memory loss in stride, leaning on Aulay when she was unsure of something. I found her to be endearing and resilient given her injuries.
The relationship between Aulay and Jetta was so sweet it gave me a toothache (in the best way). I have wanted the best for Aulay all along, and it seems he found someone who was not only not bothered by his scar, but thought it gave him a rakish air. But interspersed in the sweetness was some great chemistry between our couple, and they steamed up my kindle screen quite a few times. I loved how Aulay treated Jetta, both before and after her memories were back. He was not accustomed to flowery words and feelings, but it was fun watching him try to express them.
As in the other Buchanan tales, the story had a secondary storyline of suspense. Someone is trying to do away with our heroine, and its up to the family to try to keep her safe. I would say that the suspense plot in this story was not quite as strong as some of the earlier tales, but it was a good diversion all the same and helped advance the plot along in between our bouts of romance.
If you enjoy historical romance, particularly Scottish historicals, I urge you to give this series a try. I would start at the beginning so you get the entire back story on all the other characters.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the publisher, Avon.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 465 reviews