What do you think?
The Highland Lords #2
When the Laird Returns
In order to gain control of his ancestral Highland estates, Alistair MacRae must marry Iseabal, the daughter of Magnus Drummond, the unscrupulous and cruel neighboring laird who has seized the MacRae lands. Original.
375 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
About the author
Karen Ranney
101 books951 followersI’m a writer who’s been privileged to have attained the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller Lists.
Although I've primarily written historical romance, I've also written contemporary romantic suspense, a murder mystery, and I'm having a wonderful time writing about a vampire who is being challenged by her new state of being. (The Montgomery Chronicles: The Fertile Vampire and The Reluctant Goddess coming March 12, 2015.)
I believe in the power of the individual, the magnificence of the human spirit, and always looking for the positive in any situation. I write about people who have been challenged by life itself but who win in the end.
Newsletter: http://karenranney.com/subscribe-warm...
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WriterKarenRa...
Website: http://karenranney.com
Email: karen@karenranney.com
Twitter: @Karen_Ranney
Although I've primarily written historical romance, I've also written contemporary romantic suspense, a murder mystery, and I'm having a wonderful time writing about a vampire who is being challenged by her new state of being. (The Montgomery Chronicles: The Fertile Vampire and The Reluctant Goddess coming March 12, 2015.)
I believe in the power of the individual, the magnificence of the human spirit, and always looking for the positive in any situation. I write about people who have been challenged by life itself but who win in the end.
Newsletter: http://karenranney.com/subscribe-warm...
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WriterKarenRa...
Website: http://karenranney.com
Email: karen@karenranney.com
Twitter: @Karen_Ranney
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
February 11, 2018
2.5 Stars
This one had some clumsy story telling, and I just couldn’t get in to it. The Hero took some missteps toward the beginning that needed redeeming in my book, and that didn’t happen. They could be seen as minor missteps, but they didn’t help with the confidence of the downtrodden heroine, who was used to a tyrant father. The heroine was the best drawn character, and overall sympathized with her. The plot was kind of slow until the last quarter, and by then I didn’t care much and was skimming. As a reader, when you cannot buy into the romance, love scenes and other moments of tenderness become tedious, and that is what led to the skimming.
Oh, and I forgot to add my favorite line
Normally, I really like Ranney. She can have such lovely prose, but I think the problem with her style is when it doesn’t work for you, it starts to feel ridiculous. I will continue with this author, but maybe not with this series.
This one had some clumsy story telling, and I just couldn’t get in to it. The Hero took some missteps toward the beginning that needed redeeming in my book, and that didn’t happen. They could be seen as minor missteps, but they didn’t help with the confidence of the downtrodden heroine, who was used to a tyrant father. The heroine was the best drawn character, and overall sympathized with her. The plot was kind of slow until the last quarter, and by then I didn’t care much and was skimming. As a reader, when you cannot buy into the romance, love scenes and other moments of tenderness become tedious, and that is what led to the skimming.
Oh, and I forgot to add my favorite line
Normally, I really like Ranney. She can have such lovely prose, but I think the problem with her style is when it doesn’t work for you, it starts to feel ridiculous. I will continue with this author, but maybe not with this series.
June 26, 2015
I have one word for this book: BLAND. Both characters are boring. The relationship has no sparks. The plot is plain. If books are beverages, this book would be just water.
August 3, 2019
With this second book in the Highland Lords series, Ranney jumps forward a generation, to Ian and Leitis’s sons. Thirty years after the clan fled their homeland for Nova Scotia, Alisdair, the eldest, sails back to Scotland on business and finds himself offering to buy back his land from the unscrupulous laird who claimed it after the war. The man will only agree to sell if Alisdair also marries his daughter. Iseabal has no interest in marrying a stranger, but sees the opportunity to get away from her abusive father.
Despite the serious tone of this book, it was still more hopeful than the previous one. I really believed that the main characters were falling in love, and they were well matched.
Despite the serious tone of this book, it was still more hopeful than the previous one. I really believed that the main characters were falling in love, and they were well matched.
April 29, 2025
Yet another poignant tale of Homecoming
The events of this book take place some 30 years after Book 1. The characters are all descendants of the Gilmuir Clan that escaped with help from The Raven, Alec Landers/Ian MacRae & Leitis MacRae.
The MMC is the eldest son of five sons born to Ian & Leitis. Alisdair returns to Castle Gilmuir and is forced into marriage with a Drummond, the long-standing enemy of Clan MacRae.
When Alisdair begins to rebuild the Castle, the Drummond plans to have him killed or at the least, sold into slavery.
With surprising plot twists and turns, the MacRaes return to Gilmuir. The MFC is a bit on the lacklustre and insipid side though she does eventually become a woman of spirit and courage.
The events of this book take place some 30 years after Book 1. The characters are all descendants of the Gilmuir Clan that escaped with help from The Raven, Alec Landers/Ian MacRae & Leitis MacRae.
The MMC is the eldest son of five sons born to Ian & Leitis. Alisdair returns to Castle Gilmuir and is forced into marriage with a Drummond, the long-standing enemy of Clan MacRae.
When Alisdair begins to rebuild the Castle, the Drummond plans to have him killed or at the least, sold into slavery.
With surprising plot twists and turns, the MacRaes return to Gilmuir. The MFC is a bit on the lacklustre and insipid side though she does eventually become a woman of spirit and courage.
October 14, 2019
Oh how I loved this book. I usually have the tendency to become bored with long books, however this book was well worth it. OMG! When the Laird Returns, was a page turner after page turner. It had romance.
It had passion. It had steamy romance and passion. Although, I would have liked for those scenes to be extended more, rather than short lived. It had action, mystery, thievery, deceit, and humor. Alisdair and Iseabel were great together.
Ha, I finally got that... Alisdair a sea Captain and Iseabel(sea). Anyway, great book. I have others to read from this series. My book reading adventure journeys on.
It had passion. It had steamy romance and passion. Although, I would have liked for those scenes to be extended more, rather than short lived. It had action, mystery, thievery, deceit, and humor. Alisdair and Iseabel were great together.
Ha, I finally got that... Alisdair a sea Captain and Iseabel(sea). Anyway, great book. I have others to read from this series. My book reading adventure journeys on.
January 31, 2023
She Swore to Hate Him...
He was her enemy, a British colonel in war torn Scotland. But as a youth, Alec Landers, Earl of Sherbourne, had spent his summers known only as Ian, running free on the Scottish Highlands—and falling in love with the tempting Leitis MacRae. With her fiery spirit and vibrant beauty, she is still the woman who holds his heart, but revealing his heritage now would condemn them both. Yet as the mysterious Raven, an outlaw who defies the English and protects the people, Alec could be Leitis's noble hero again—even as he risks a traitor's death.
But He Knew Her Heart Was His
Leitis MacRae thought the English could do nothing more to her clan, but that was before Colonel Alec Landers came to reside where the MacRaes once ruled. Now, to save the only family she has left, Leitis agrees to be a prisoner in her uncle's place, willing to face even an English colonel to spare his life. But Alec, with his soldier's strength and strange compassion, is an unwelcome surprise. Soon Leitis cannot help the traitorous feelings she has when he's near... nor the strange sensation that she's known him once before. And as danger and passion lead them to love, will their bond survive Alec's unmasking? Or will Leitis decide to score her beloved enemy?
He was her enemy, a British colonel in war torn Scotland. But as a youth, Alec Landers, Earl of Sherbourne, had spent his summers known only as Ian, running free on the Scottish Highlands—and falling in love with the tempting Leitis MacRae. With her fiery spirit and vibrant beauty, she is still the woman who holds his heart, but revealing his heritage now would condemn them both. Yet as the mysterious Raven, an outlaw who defies the English and protects the people, Alec could be Leitis's noble hero again—even as he risks a traitor's death.
But He Knew Her Heart Was His
Leitis MacRae thought the English could do nothing more to her clan, but that was before Colonel Alec Landers came to reside where the MacRaes once ruled. Now, to save the only family she has left, Leitis agrees to be a prisoner in her uncle's place, willing to face even an English colonel to spare his life. But Alec, with his soldier's strength and strange compassion, is an unwelcome surprise. Soon Leitis cannot help the traitorous feelings she has when he's near... nor the strange sensation that she's known him once before. And as danger and passion lead them to love, will their bond survive Alec's unmasking? Or will Leitis decide to score her beloved enemy?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
did-not-read
December 1, 2020decided not to read
March 7, 2021
Good. Will look for the next in the series
January 25, 2015
If Goodreads had half stars, I'd rate this around 3.5.
It wasn't bad, but it wasn't something that would keep me on the edge of my seat the entire book. I picked this up today at the library to give my brain a break--- between reading Oscar Wilde, Nabokov, and other classics, it needed some downtime with one of my favourite genres of book- historical romance. Especially the scottish variety.
I mean who doesn't love a dark laird? Really.
This book started out as quite a few have done. Adventurous, but shy heroine ruled by a domineering father in a castle seeks something and falls into a trap, gets into danger, etcetc. If you're going to use this method of introducing your female characters.. PLEASE do something to keep me hooked. I've read this sort of story so many times, and I find that a lot of authors simply gloss over details, in order to progress the story. There was -a- scene in which her father was cruel, but not enough to establish this as a long-term pattern, or simply a short term one.
Introduce the male protagonist Alisdair. A laird of scottish descent coming to reclaim his lands in Scotland which, coincidentally happen to belong (legally or not) to the heroines' father. Kind of cheesy, but lets roll with it. I'm kind of reminded of Robert the Bruce, thinking about it. Reclaiming Scotland from the English. It works, right? There are so many ways the author could have gone about this, but we got the always cunning 2 for 1! Can you guess what two he got for the price of one?
Well, if you guessed the land and an unwanted bride, you may have won what's behind door #1!
No seriously. There should have been one of the biggest points of tension in the story, and it seemed over before it really even began to happen! Which man would be totally accepting to this? I mean honestly. If you were presented with a spouse tomorrow, would you not put up a fight? Gah.
Throughout the rest of the story, there really wasn't a lot to keep me continually hooked. I felt highly sympathetic that Patricia, a guiding, compassionate force towards both of the protagonists was swiftly extinguished as a character, instead of living longer. I also wonder at the point of Fergus coming back--- extra fluff? Not sure.
Either which way. Not the best I've ever read, but certainly not the worst.
It wasn't bad, but it wasn't something that would keep me on the edge of my seat the entire book. I picked this up today at the library to give my brain a break--- between reading Oscar Wilde, Nabokov, and other classics, it needed some downtime with one of my favourite genres of book- historical romance. Especially the scottish variety.
I mean who doesn't love a dark laird? Really.
This book started out as quite a few have done. Adventurous, but shy heroine ruled by a domineering father in a castle seeks something and falls into a trap, gets into danger, etcetc. If you're going to use this method of introducing your female characters.. PLEASE do something to keep me hooked. I've read this sort of story so many times, and I find that a lot of authors simply gloss over details, in order to progress the story. There was -a- scene in which her father was cruel, but not enough to establish this as a long-term pattern, or simply a short term one.
Introduce the male protagonist Alisdair. A laird of scottish descent coming to reclaim his lands in Scotland which, coincidentally happen to belong (legally or not) to the heroines' father. Kind of cheesy, but lets roll with it. I'm kind of reminded of Robert the Bruce, thinking about it. Reclaiming Scotland from the English. It works, right? There are so many ways the author could have gone about this, but we got the always cunning 2 for 1! Can you guess what two he got for the price of one?
Well, if you guessed the land and an unwanted bride, you may have won what's behind door #1!
No seriously. There should have been one of the biggest points of tension in the story, and it seemed over before it really even began to happen! Which man would be totally accepting to this? I mean honestly. If you were presented with a spouse tomorrow, would you not put up a fight? Gah.
Throughout the rest of the story, there really wasn't a lot to keep me continually hooked. I felt highly sympathetic that Patricia, a guiding, compassionate force towards both of the protagonists was swiftly extinguished as a character, instead of living longer. I also wonder at the point of Fergus coming back--- extra fluff? Not sure.
Either which way. Not the best I've ever read, but certainly not the worst.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 17, 2026
A sweet romance that made good use of the usual tropes in historical romances but spicier!
December 30, 2010
Book 2 in the Highlands Lord's series, has the son of Ian and Leitie, who has never been to Scotland, coming to claim his inheritance. It has been claimed by the Laird Drummond, who says he can have it for a large sum and by marrying his daughter, Isebeal. Planning to leave her in England and have the marriage annuled, MacRae finds that this woman has a lot to offer, and does not want to be left. Another good read in this series. Recommended.
May 12, 2016
Good, but predictable
I liked being made aware of Scottish history. Sad. Man.'s inhumanity to man, indeed. The outcome was predictable, however, with characters being assembled too conveniently in the same locale. I see the introduction of characters for future books. A little too obvious.
I liked being made aware of Scottish history. Sad. Man.'s inhumanity to man, indeed. The outcome was predictable, however, with characters being assembled too conveniently in the same locale. I see the introduction of characters for future books. A little too obvious.
May 29, 2011
Another strong one from Ranney
November 2, 2011
Loved this book. Can't wait to read the next one!
August 10, 2012
Neither the story nor the characters engaged my interest, so I finally gave up on it about half-way through.
April 4, 2013
Great book. I gave 5 stars to the first book but this one deserves 4 for sure. Great books! I would recommend.
October 17, 2014
loved the scottish series could not put down
October 22, 2014
3.5/5.
November 18, 2015
Loved this story. 2 people thrown together who fall in love.
October 4, 2016
A good mushy story when you need one
December 23, 2016
I enjoyed reading.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews