Falling for the Highlander: Highland Brides

The romance between Murine and Dougall is quite exciting. Murine, who is always fainting, turns out to be quite the heroine. She is one of the group of for best friends: Joan, Saihd, Edith, and Murine. In Joan's story, Murine ended up saving Joan and Saihd. In this book, she saved Dougall, his six brothers, and their uncle.
This book has a lot of twists and turns which makes the plot very exciting. Dougall falls madly in love with Murine and is overprotective. Is funny to see how all his brothers also protect and admire Murine. Dougall is Saihd's brother so two best friends end up becoming sisters by marriage. As usual, there are some parts of the story that are hilarious. Hope the final friend, Edith, ends up saving Auley?

This book has no romance, no wooing, just a damsel in distress who has more problems than you can imagine. All the characters are idiots or else they would have figured out that someone was following them on their journey and that someone had snuck into their hunting lodge. I am having a hard time believing that someone hasn't started writing under the name Lynsay Sands that wasn't the original writer. This is a book written on the level of 12 year olds.

I loved Murine and Dougall's story for it had everything you could want and so much more. This story is so very well written love story.It is a highly charged love story with passioniate characters and historical details. A really marvelous emotion packed story that holds the reader spellbound from the beginning to the end. A real keeper and treasure for me and it will be for you also. I bought a Hardcover. 10 stars please. Debi Allen

Dont let ratings fool you! I have found lately that alot of verteran authors are not writing good books any longer. The positive reviews seem to be from die hard fans. This heroine is so silly that I could not make it through this novel. It is talked about how brave she is from appearances in a previous novel but I could not buy that. She lierally faints Every Scene! The hero has to save her from her faints every single time and an hour later she is stubbornly arguing to go off on her own again. The hero and his brothers are great characters but the heroine does not have depth and is boring and silly.

4.5 Stars
All Dougall wanted to do was sell some horses. He expected coins, not to be offered one of the most beautiful women he’d ever seen. He’s even more shocked to find out that she’s Murine, the woman who’d saved his sister’s life. Loyal down to the bones, he and his brothers don’t have to think twice about helping her when they find her trying to escape her half-brother who’d planned to sell her virtue.

Along their journey they get to experience her bravery first hand. She’s quite a handful, and her fainting spells don’t mesh well with her independence, especially when she decides to bathe in the river near a waterfall. Trouble seemed to follow Murine, and I couldn’t help but to love her. She never behaved like a damsel in distress; and although she does resist sometimes, she knows her limits, and quickly learns Dougall’s. He’s just as stubborn as she is, and the two of them together made me smile.

Dougall and his band of brothers also brought a curve to my lip. It’s obvious that Dougall’s the leader…on the road, that is. Aulay (the eldest brother) is the true leader of the clan. They’re all very honorable, sweet, brave gentlemen, and they are all so grateful to her for saving their sister (not to mention taken with her personally) that they fuss over her like a mother hen. They want to make sure she’s safe.

A scene or two seemed rather lengthy, NOT BORING, just lengthy (don’t take this as an insult, but an observation). Each scene appeals to the five senses, and that fact, along with the entertaining dialogue, kept me turning the pages. A phrase or two blinked me back to this century, and that made me smile. By no means did it take anything from the story.

I felt a little detached from the antagonist and one of the characters that just sorta popped up close to the end. Not completely, just a little. Nonetheless, the story ended well (it’s a romance, so of course it did ? ). The brothers took hold of my heart, and I’d love to read about their love matches.

I really enjoyed the story (and I’ll admit I crushed on Dougall and his brooding ways).

I've heard a lot about this author but this is my first book by her. She's well known for her vampire series and I was hoping some historical Scotts were going to be just as good. Dougall is definitely good.

I'll admit that it takes a bit to get into the cadence of reading the Scottish accent but I soon learned to enjoy the words. And the kilts? Oh so much fun. I loved the setting. The book starts in England but quickly moves to Scotland. It's very much Scottish. And the highlanders are an interesting lot.

The characters are well rounded and intriguing. This is the fourth book in a series but my first book. I didn't have any issues catching on to the dynamics of the characters. I want to go back and read Saidh's book (The Highlander Takes a Bride) for sure. I enjoyed her as a secondary character and would love to hear her story. One can hope that some of Dougall's brothers will get a book as well. I loved how they all were eager to help Murine and they were so much fun. A certain brawl about the floor was a hoot.

Of course the stars of this book were Dougall and Murine. Dougall is adorable. He's always sweeping her up into his arms to fix things but she does a lot of fixing herself. Both are strong willed and capable in their own right. And together they are combustible. The waterfall scenes were bursting in heat. But I loved their character the most. Both are willing to risk everything for the other. Both fall quickly for each other and become protective. Both are concerned for the others wants and needs. They were good together.

As for the story, it's enjoyable. In the worst of bad luck streaks, Murine is in one fine mess. She takes it upon herself to try and fix it and ends up in more trouble. Enter Dougall to save the day. I will admit to wanting to smack them both for not paying attention to what felt like huge clues as to what was really going on. And the "twist" was no twist to me, I had it all figured out by the end. But it's a good read. I wanted things to work out for them and I enjoyed watching things play out.

It's satisfying and sexy, this is just the right choice when you want good historical.

This was a fun little story and I enjoyed it. Both Dougall and Murine were likeable and their relationship is a good one.

<Spoiler>
Murine is a character from earlier books in the series, which I haven’t read but probably will now that I liked this one. Apparently in one of those earlier books, Murine saved the life of one Saidh Buchanan, which ends up being pretty fortuitous when Murine herself needs rescuing and she happens to bump into 4 of Saidh’s 7 brothers.

The story begins at the home of Murine and her half-brother. The brother is English and was raised by his nasty English grandfather after his abusive raping father was killed by Murine’s father in a bid to save Murine’s mother from his abuse. Murine’s parents went on to marry and have a great life together and had several children but the mother always mourned the loss of her English sons, who were both raised to be nasty, undisciplined whiners. Murine’s father never liked these English sons because they were always whining to their mother for money instead of standing on their own two feet. So it was with some amount of shock that Murine found herself orphaned and left with her half-brother, Montrose, as her guardian. Montrose quickly burned through her dowry paying off some of his gambling debts and then ignored her, though he for some reason took the time to stop her letters to and from her friends.

When the book opens, Dougall and 3 of his brothers are at the house to sell Montrose some horses, though they don’t know Murine lives there because her last name is different from Montrose’s. But when the time comes to pay for the horses, Montrose doesn’t have the cash so he offers to let Dougall have Murine to use in the bedroom for as long as it takes for Dougall to feel he’s gotten his money’s worth for the horses. Dougall refuses and Montrose desperately asks him to wait, saying that there’s a neighbor who has always coveted Murine and will happily pay cash for the use of her. Dougall and his brothers refuse and leave. Murine, having overheard all this, realizes that her brother will still try to sell her to the neighbor as a way of making money, now that he’s hit upon the idea. So she packs a bag and makes a run for it on the back of a bull of all things.

Dougall and crew end up coming across Murine along the road and, still not knowing her real name, agree to help hide her from her brother’s men when they come looking for her. When they do eventually learn who she is, they’re overjoyed to meet their sister’s savior and vow to do whatever it takes to keep her safe from her brother.

The next part of the book was kind of slow and irritating. Murine has this problem of fainting that was apparently discussed in previous books, and she spends a big chunk of the first half of this book passing out for 12 hours or more, then waking up and needing to pee, wandering off into the woods, and then getting in some kind of trouble, passing out again, and needing to be rescued. Multiple times we went through this cycle and it really slowed the narrative down and got annoying. For one thing, I didn’t understand how, if this was a problem that had been plaguing Murine for years, she hadn’t adjusted her behavior to keep from doing the things that typically triggered her faints. For example, several of her faints were brought on by her standing up too fast or whipping her head around. It seems like it would have been second nature for her to avoid these things. Heck, one time she did this while in a river. If Dougall hadn’t been there watching her for specifically this reason, she’d have drowned. How has she not died already if she’s this stupid about her fainting?

For another thing, the way the fainting was talked up, I expected the source of it to be a lot more interesting. Like that Montrose or someone had been secretly poisoning her all this time. We eventually find out that someone had systematically killed all of Murine’s other family so that they could inherit the lands so it wouldn’t have been that far-fetched for them to have been trying to take her out as well. We’re told that Murine has barely eaten more than a few bites of food in the two years since her parent’s died because of grief, but even that I’d assumed was part of this poisoning thing. That the fact that she’d been eating so little had actually saved her life because she’d never ingested too much of the poison at one time. But none of that proved to be true. The only reason she faints is that she just doesn’t eat enough. Lame. And on top of that, this suggestion is a complete revelation to Murine. She’s been passing out at the drop of a hat for 2 years and it never crossed her mind that it could be connected to the fact that she was trying to exist on like 300 calories per day. Seriously? That makes her sound kind of stupid.

But even so, this explanation didn’t really ring true because, aside from the fainting, Murine was totally fine. She wasn’t lethargic or exhausted all the time. She didn’t suffer from headaches and her stomach didn’t rumble. Basically, she didn’t exhibit any of the other signs you’d expect from a person who was essentially starving herself to death. Then, Dougall starts forcing her to eat more and almost overnight her fainting disappears. This didn’t seem realistic either. If she was really that depleted that she was passing out, her body would need more than two days’ worth of meals to recover. So all in all, I could have done without the fainting business altogether.

Another thing that bugged me about Murine is that she kept seeing a strange man lurking around them and yet never reported it to Dougall and the rest. She was on the run from her brother and desperate not to be found, and yet she doesn’t get suspicious of this stranger? And even after she’s bashed over the head on one occasion, shot with an arrow on another, and nearly burned alive with all the Buchanan brothers, she STILL doesn’t think to mention the man she’s seen twice, or that she heard someone come into their cabin and go upstairs but never come back down? Yeah, that’s a level of plot-convenient stupidity that I can’t really get behind.

And while I like a good “the heroine is injured/in danger so that the hero can go out of his mind with worry/rage and rescue/take care of her” plot, it did start to get a little over-the-top in this book. By the end, Murine has been hit over the head twice, nearly drowned twice, shot with an arrow, almost burned alive, kidnapped, and almost run through with a sword. Not to mention narrowly avoiding being sold into prostitution and fainting all the time from lack of food. So yeah, it got to be a bit much.

<End Spoiler>

When she was awake and not being unbelievably stupid, I liked Murine. And her relationship with Dougall built believably and was sweet. So the above issues didn’t ruin the story for me, but they did keep it from being perfect.

As an aside, I HIGHLY recommend getting the audiobook version of this. The narrator did a great job of bringing the Scottish accents to life and it definitely added to the story.

Review by Jennifer for North of Normal Book Reviews
* Recommended for readers aged 18+ due to content

I laughed, I cried, and I spent the entire book rooting for Murine and Dougall to find love and happiness.

FALLING FOR THE HIGHLANDER by Lynsay Sands is a historical Scottish romance, the fourth in the Highlander series, and it can be read as a stand-alone. I’ve been a big fan of Lynsay Sands for years and have come to expect a quality love story with exciting twists and turns that leave readers breathless and ready for more. This book’s summary promised a tale of rotten luck, despotic guardians, a powerful love story and gave as good as promised.

In FALLING FOR THE HIGHLANDER, Murine Carmichael has had enough of her half-brother when he attempts to sell her to pay for horses. She runs away and falls into the arms of Dougall Buchanan, a highlander whose sister she had once saved from being branded a murderer. Along with Dougall’s brothers they travel from one castle to another, dodging attacks and trying to keep Murine from destroying any more gowns.

FALLING FOR THE HIGHLANDER offers a beautifully crafted world with interesting and engaging characters, though a few seemed rather one-dimensional: Alick and Geordie seem to be simply humorous characters used to offset some of the serious aspects of the book, and a few others seem to only be present to move the plot forward. However others like Aulay, Conran, Dougall, and Murine have fully fleshed back stories that work to make the funny, brave, flawed, and eminently human characters that are sure to stick with readers well after the story ends. My favorite aspect of the book is probably the accents; every Scottish character sounded and felt Scottish in my head. It’s details like this that make characters come to life, and Sands does a wonderful job of it. Happily ever after comes earlier than expected for the couple, but there are still a few twists and turns to go before the story ends. Sands ties up the loose ends of the story, but readers will no doubt want to know what happens to the rest of the Buchanans, leaving the possibility of more books to come.

There is no real cursing, and the romance gets steamy with some R-rated scenes, so I would recommend this to ages 18 and older. Readers who like Stephanie Laurens historical romances or hot men in kilts will love this series. I’d rate this book 4 stars, good enough to read again and recommend to friends.

I received an earc from the author via edelweiss for purpose of honest review.

I can’t believe it has been quite a while since Sands released her last highlander novel and I was introduced to Joan, Saidh, Murine and Edith a group of ladies who became fast best friends after some interesting situations. In the last book we saw Saidh fall in love and Murine have a helping hand in that . So I was over the moon to see it was Murine’s book despite her problems.

Fast forward to the present times of this story, Murine is living with her English half –brother Lord Danvries who has tested her patience. He gambled away her dowry and cut off her friends she believes as she hasn’t received any news for home. Sands paint a pretty bleak picture for Murine and you have to wonder what Buchanans who have just arrived to sell some horse are going to do . As the Lord has no money at all….

However not all is lost . the Buchanans in question happen to be Sadih’s brothers and when they are offered Murine as a trade they are horrified as any good highlander would be and leave without out a sale. Leaving Murine at breaking point and decides to escape as well to Sadih’s house knowing she will help.

Unaware of each other’s connection the two parties set on their journey to Buchanan land , however things don’t go to plan and they discover each other and their connection. Dougall the leader of the party agrees to help knowing her history with his sister despite his brother’s hesitance.

The Bunchans never back down and soon the author shows how Sadih’s brothers live up to their reputations. They may have had hesitance at first but I loved how it played out. Murine was endearing from the start and I knew she would win them over and she sure did. It was poor Dougall who had to deal with problems even though it was Murine who was the cause because of her family.

A highlander who lived up to the reputation he was all man but his heart shone. I loved how he took Murine under his wing and was determined to the right thing. He may of done it out of duty at first, I loved how he was slowly won by Murine even before he realised it fully.

Whilst the romance is of the slow burning kind, there plenty there otherwise to keep us occupied until everything comes to breaking point. The author wrote a sound novel and it was worth the wait. I loved how she tied everything together and whilst the ending felt flat on certain areas. It was enjoyable and what I expected from Sands. Now I wonder where next as there still one friend unmarried and this series has become revolved around these woman.

I am in love with Lynsay Sands. I have been since I found a certain Argeneau vampire, or in this case, a handsome Highlander.

Though Lady Carmichael would be what one my call, a bad omen, or unlucky, Sands has a knack of writing her characters real. Just as you may find any Argeneau in your grocery store, I am positive there is a Highlander or two walking around as well. We definitely know what is beneath the kilt in this tale and wow, shouldn't there be a sword-wielding man of honor for us all?

Murine has lost everyone she loves and is left to the care of her half-brother when she was distraught. Now that she has become less depressed, she finds herself at the mercy of his good graces or the length of her fortune. Unfortunately, Lord Danvries has already spent her fortune and intends to sell her to the highest bidder. With nothing else to do, Murine would rather die at the hands of bandits than to succumb a slow death at the ends of the man who should care for her and runs from the castle.

Dougall Buchanan is not a man to be toyed with. His brother is Lord and he is afforded the ability to do some of what he would like. As one of the oldest, he takes charge of his younger siblings and he raises horses. Fine steeds he sells to the bloody English for their gold. After realizing he and three of his brothers had traveled to Danvries for no reason because the young Lord had squandered away his fortune, he turns down the verra fine offer to bed the Lady Carmichael, knowing the girl was a virgin and he was an honorable man.

Yep, you guessed it. The Buchanan's find Lady Carmichael all due to a cow, which when I stopped to think about it, would be hysterical in this day and age. What should have been an easy trip, turned harrowing trying to keep out of Lord Danvries way. In that time, Murine and Dougall became friends and more. Let's face it ladies, when those hormones start calling the shots we are done for; gone. Lost to the girl parts calling all of the shots. So was Murine. It was love, true love.

I won't give away all of Sands secrets, but there is a subplot along with the love story which makes the book even more interesting. In the end, the girl gets the Highlander, but it's the path getting her man which always makes the best read.

This book was received from edelweiss in return for an honest review.

A great addition to the Highlander series!This one focuses on one of Saidh's brothers - Dougall Buchanan and Murine Carmichael.
Lady Murine has lost a lot in her life and is currently staying with her half brother, who enjoys gambling way too much.He has gambled away her dowry and almost all of his fortune.
But she knows its the end of the straw when he tries to sell her off in exchange of horses!
Dougall and his brothers are disgusted by the offer.They wouldn't end up giving their prized horses to him anyway.He feels sorry for the beautiful sister who has to put up with such a brother.
They leave the castle soon, but are quite surprised when they come across a woman fleeing on a cow on their way back!
And guess who it is?Yep!Murine!
They're even more surprised when they find out that she is Carmichael's daughter and the Scottish lass who saved their sister.

Dougall decides to help her and take her back to Saidh.But, he wants to do more than just protect her and as they spend more time travelling together, the attraction between them gets too hard to resist.
Will he let her go once they reach home or find a way to keep her forever?

I loved the development of the relationship between Murine and Dougall.It wasn't too slow nor was it too fast.And the attraction between them was palpable! I loved the way the brothers treated Murine!So cute!And Dougall's jealousy if she got too close with them!Lol
Murine was a normal heroine.Not too Mary Sue-ish, but not like a warrior either.She tries her best to get out of situations on her own, but if that doesn't work out, she admits she needs help.
Dougall was an awesome Scot.He wasn't written as if he was a commitment phobe.His falling for Murine felt natural.

I also loved how the author mixed the mystery in with the romance.Sometimes, it felt weird that the characters ignored the warning signs right in front of them, as they were too occupied with their relationship or something else!But its understandable.
I also don't understand what happened to Murine's fainting issue?It's alright now that she eats well and has that tincture?I'd been thinking it was some kind of vertigo.

The last few chapters were wonderful with the action and culmination of the mystery.Things are resolved neatly.
The Buchanan brothers are an awesome bunch and I hope we get to read more stories about them ,especially the eldest!
If you love Highlander romances, you should really give this book and series a try!You might end up loving it!

We met Murine in the last book, as a friend (and surprising savior) of Saidh, sister to the Buchanan brothers. When Dougal Buchanan and his three brothers travel to make a deal with Murine’s half-brother and guardian Lord Davies for the purchase of horses. But, Lord Davies has gambled away the family money and is less than an admirable guardian, he offers his half-sister for trade. Horrified with the offer – the Buchanan brothers leave, and unbeknownst to them, so does Murine.

Dougall Buchanan, on discovering Murine has fled, agrees to escort her to his sister Saidh’s new home for safety, despite the arguments and kick-back from his brothers, and the potential for conflict with her guardian.

For me, Dougall was the standout character in this story. He’s gruff and a bit rough with a heart of gold, determined to protect those he feels need his protection, and always striving to do the right thing. While he’s not out their pounding his chest and screaming notice me and my brilliance, he does command respect by virtue of who he is. There’s a curious tender he has for Murine, much like the one for his sister, although the two couldn’t be more different. Murine, for me was little more than a typical pampered woman of the age: reticent, prone to fainting, seemingly weak and easily manipulated, she lacked the sparkle and presence of Saidh. There is little I remember about Murine in this story, it was all Dougall and his simmering regard for, and moments between his time with her.

A bit slower to develop in terms of the romance and the connection than I expected, the first half of the story moved nicely with intrigue, where the second fell off noticeably when compared to the thread of mystery that leaves us questioning if Dougall is under threat, or is it some attempt by Lord Davies to reclaim his ward and thus improve his potential future earnings with a match made for her. While not my favorite from this author, I am curious to see what comes next.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

>>>>>My synopsis: (review follows)>>>>>>

To say Murine Carmichael is not in an ideal position would be an understatement. Most of her family is gone and she is now in the care of her one surviving brother, and he has just made an indecent proposal to a horse breeder. In exchange for one of the man's prize horses, he's offering to look the other way while the man spends a few pleasurable nights with her. No marriage required. If the horse trader had not been a gentleman, she may very well have lost her virtue, but thankfully he was. Now, desperate to get away, she'll attempt to escape to her friends. Hopefully they can help her.

Dougall Buchanan comes from a long line of honorable men. After seeing what Murine's brother tried to do, and then finding her trying to make a desperate escape, he and his brothers can't help but assist her to safety. With a long journey ahead, the most ideal situation would be for her to marry. While both of his brothers acknowledge they wouldn't be opposed to being shackled to the beautiful young lass, there's something about Murine that makes that idea unsettling...

>>>>> My review: >>>>>>

This was the fourth book of the Falling for the Highlander series and while you can read this one as standalone, be forewarned, these reads are highly addictive and you may find yourself reading them all. It's like those potato chips, you can't stop with just one. lol

Dougall is a formidable figure who's just a big teddy bear at heart. He's strong, protective, honorable, loyal, and sexy as all get-out. He's also trying his darnedest to resist the feelings he's starting to have for Murine, and that is what makes this story so fun. He doesn't feel he's ready to settle down, but there's just something about Murine that makes him think maybe...

Murine is strong, determined, and in need of all the help she can get. In the precarious position of being dependent on her no good brother, she has few resources of her own to get her safely to one of her friends. As details are slowly revealed as to what led to her being in her brother's care, something about her predicament doesn't sit right with Dougall. As time goes by, he becomes convinced there's more to the situation than meets the eye, and he'll do what he can to get to the bottom of it.

Overall, I gave this one 4 1/2 out of 5 roses (on my rating scale). It was a delightfully fun and sexy read with a healthy dose of mystery added into the mix. Dougall was all you'd hope for in a Highland Warrior and then some. This one left me with a cat who swallowed the canary type grin and an appetite for more. Thankfully, this is not the last in the series so there's more to come. *Does a little happy dance* On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed. Definitely one you'll not want to miss.

I have a lot of fun with Lynsay Sands' historical romances. The characters are engaging and likable, and she throws in enough laugh-out-loud moments to keep me amused, without being over-the-top or trying too hard. The Highlanders series has followed four friends, marriageable young ladies who are a bit unconventional and unique. While you can likely read these books out of order without much problem, you will have more fun following the characters from the first book, An English Bride in Scotland.

The heroine of Falling for a Highlander is Murine Carmichael, who you will remember saved Saidh Buchanan's life in an earlier book. Murine suffers from fainting spells, keeling over when she gets excited or stands up too fast... or any number of other things occurs. After the death of her beloved father, Murine went to live with her half-brother Danvries in England. Her life went decidedly downhill from that point, living with a wastrel brother with no marriage prospects and things are not looking to get better for her in the near future. I didn't remember much about Murine from the earlier books, but I did recall her fainting spells so at least that helped jog my memory. She has experienced a lot of death and tragedy of late, and my heart went out to her. But she was otherwise an "easy" heroine - likable and lacking drama, but just goofy enough to make her relatable. She was a bit obtuse wandering off into danger at times... but that as balanced out by her quick-thinking resourcefulness when it really counted.

Dougal Buchanan is one of the many Buchanan brood... older brother of Saidh, but younger than Aulay, the head of the family. Dougal was traveling with his brothers to sell some horses to Danvries... and he never expected to come away rescuing a female. All of the Buchanan brothers were excited to meet Murine, the girl who saved their sister's life. It was the least they could do to help Murine get away from the fate Danvries had in store for her. Dougal was not in the market for a wife, but he was drawn to Murine from first sight. As the journey progresses, Dougal's attraction and possessiveness grows. I liked Dougal but his character wasn't quite as developed as Murine's - so I can't say exactly why I liked him... other than the fact that he was a big gruff highlander, which usually tickles my fancy.

The story's laugh-out-loud moments were balanced by mystery and danger, which helped the plot advanced quite nicely. Dougal and Murine cement their relationship while the entire Buchanan family works to keep Murine safe. I love all the Buchanan brothers, but I am continually drawn to Aulay. The scarred eldest brother is sure to appeal to my nurturing side, so I really hope he gets his own story.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the publisher, Avon.

OMG, classic Lynsay Sands. For some unknown reason (ha,ha) I love the writings of Lynsay Sands. I love her sense of humor, her characters, her storylines. She makes reading fun, even when there is danger. I started and couldn’t stop reading this story. It was just so much fun and I found myself thinking with a Scottish Brogue when I was finished.

I absolutely, positively fell in love with Dougall. He can pleat his tartan in my presence anytime. I am not sure what it was about him. The way he cared about a woman he just met. The way he fretted over her well-being. The way he denied falling in love with her. The way he denied his lust for her. There were just so many things about him that made him interesting and fun.

Murine was a woman after my own heart. Strong, strong-willed and brave. Fleeing her half-brother on a bull was one of the strangest things I’ve read in a long time. I love how she picked herself up, dusted herself off and took matters into her own hands. I loved how she saved everyone from the fire. I loved how she finally faced how she truly felt for Dougall.

They were a wonderfully written, highly funny and just so damn cute.

Lynsay Sands just knows how to write a story and bring it to a happy ending. Her characters are bright, vibrant and fun. She knows how to take us away to a far-off land and bring it to life for us. She instills humor and suspense in her stories and never lets us down. The story of Dougall and Murine was a bright spot in a very dreary winter.

Review copy provided for a voluntary review.

Lady Murine knows that her half brother is seriously in debt and not a good person. But even she is astonished when she overhears him trying to sell her in exchange for some horses. So she plans her escape alone so that none of the servants are punished. But when the Scottish men who were offered her come upon her riding a cow, things began to change for the better. The men vow to protect her at all costs. Dougall, one of the Scottish men, was horrified at a lady being offered for sale. He refuses to do business with the man. But he doesn't plan on finding the lady alone on a country road or plan on falling in love with her.

This plot begin with loads of suspense and drama and it continued through the entire book. The characters were well defined and easy to differentiate, something that is often the case when telling a story with such a large number of characters. The plot was well done and kept me entertained through the entire book. The romance was sweet, but had some definite heated moments. The story was well written and ended with me wanted to read more by this author.

I received a copy of this book from Goodreads. All thoughts expressed are my own.

Lady Murine Carmichael hasn't had the best of luck: her brothers murdered and herself barely escaping. Her father succumbed to his illness and she's now alone while her inheritance passed to her more able cousin because of her weakness—her fainting affliction. She's now the ward of her heavily indebted half-brother who doesn't hesitate to sell her virtue to gain horses from the Brawny Highlander, Dougall Buchanan.

Dougall Buchanan was taken with the beautiful woman at Lord Danvries and appalled when he mentioned that it was his sister and willing to exchange her favours for the horses he had brought. Refusing, he departs. When he comes across the fleeing Murine, he offers her his protection. A villain is after Murine and with her life in peril, can Dougall protect her without losing his heart? Will Murine be saved by the Highlander to whom she's surrendered her heart?

A sensational story with lots of intense moments and a plot for murder with some sensual moments. Be prepared to laugh out loud with the antics of the couple and make sure a fan is near when the temperature spikes! The reader is in for a treat. Lynsay Sands won't disappoint—she's written another great read.

"I reviewed this book for Books & Benches. There was no expectation by the author or publisher for a review of any kind. All opinions are my own."

Dougall Buchanan never could have expected to encounter Lady Murine, sister of the odious Lord Danvries riding along the road on her docile bull, Henry. [Really no one but the imaginative Lynsay Sands could dream this up!] Taking Murine under their protection, the gaggle of braw Highlanders are soon flapping about Murine like mother hens. Dougall’s overprotective stance is more fierce than fretting, and his quiet strength quickly help he and Murine form a bond. His powerful body, handsome face, and gentle smile don’t hurt the cause either.

There are perils and adventures along the ride to Buchanan castle –– including a very sexy stop at a waterfall. *swoon* More danger and sexy times followed for Dougall and Murine before they could overcome their formidable obstacles.

As much as I enjoyed the novel’s overall plot, by the end I felt sort of … meh. Dougall and Murine were find characters but I felt like I really didn’t know them any better at the end of the book than I did at the beginning. Maybe there were too many characters around (so many Buchanan brothers!), that I didn’t connect to the main couple on a more intimate level.

Falling for the Highlander is great fun, will excellent adventure and an amazing heroine who is capable and strong and who has the support of a man who admires her for those qualities and lets her shine.

"Falling for the Highlander" by Lynsay Sands. What an enjoyable read! This story tells the tale of Dougall and Murine. Murine is on the run and meets up with Dougall who decides to help and protect her. I really liked Murine. Throughout she had me chuckling as she certainly found herself in some predicaments. Dougall was a bit perplexed by her, which in turn, had me smiling at him as well. Even though there is a sense of danger and mystery in this story, it was not overwhelming or filled with an overabundance of angst. I did enjoy the chemistry between the two main characters and there are many secondary characters involved as well. At times, I found that keeping track of all of Dougall's brothers did get a bit confusing for me but didn't take away from Murine and Dougall's story. The story takes place over a short period of time and I really, really would have loved to have it lasted longer so I could have gotten to know both of these characters more in depth. Overall, this is a fun and fairly light read that I enjoyed and would recommend if you enjoy Scottish historical romance. )

Yes, yes, yes. I am back for more of this particular brand of HIGHLANDER mojo. I love highlanders. Their alpha dominance. The hot-headed temper. The deeply ingrained protectiveness. The gaining of a highlander’s heart brings the security of feeling protected, desired, and cherished. Dougall and Murine have much to get through and escape.

This highlander journey was not overflowing with action and epic battle, but it does have a villain, a beautiful fiery tempered young woman, a sexy grumpy delicious highlander, and fun, witty comebacks, delicious banter, a few familiar faces (previous reads in this series), a beautiful countryside that depicts the time period, and of course Lynsay’s flair for making it all wrap together.

I have loved this series since book one. I will say it now and again. I love highlanders. They spark a slow burn that just grows and builds the more I read. There are the kind of hero that makes dreams seem the best place to be. The fantasy of a man that will love, honor, and protect you till the very end of it all. Lynsay Sands has done it again for me.

For me, Lynsay Sands is a comfort read. I know when I read one of her stories may it be historical or paranormal I'm going to love it. Her stories are full of laughter and at times you'll also find yourself tearing up too!

I'm so glad we finally have Murine's story. I liked how the author handled her fainting. Now you can find all about why she faints in Falling for the Highlander but you'll get more impact from it if you start at the beginning of the series.

I really love Dougall and his brothers. They cracked me up more then once. But what drew me to Dougall is the fact that not only was he there when Murine needed him he's a real caring man. There love story might have started out bumpy but soon you'll see just why they are meant for each other.

I'm so glad we were able to visit with some past characters from this series. I really hope that Sands gives us the other Buchanan brothers. I liked them.

Like with all of Sands books Falling for the Highlander has a great mystery in it and a wonderful love story!

Before I had started reading this book, I had only been familiar with this authors paranormal romances and while I had enjoyed her paranormals, now that I have read a historical romance book by her I got to say that I love her historical romances so much more. This book was absolutely amazing! I loved it so much and couldn't get enough of the world that the author presented us with in this book. The characters all had my undivided attention from start to finish and the great characters paired with an exciting plot and a passionate and swoon-worthy romance made this book everything I wanted and needed from a historical romance. Overall, this book was an outstanding historical romance and I, of course, really recommend it.

*Review originally posted on my book blog, Sammi's Bookish Reality.

Review: Falling for the Highlander by Lynsay Sands
Publication Date: January 31, 2017
Genre: Historical Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Cori
Rated 4.5 Stars

I loved this book! Falling for the Highlander is the fourth book Lynsay Sands' Scottish Highlander Series, but each book is a standalone so you do not need to read the previous books before picking this one up. Falling for the Highlander was a fun and sexy historical romance that kept me flipping the pages. I loved it! Lynsay Sands is one of my go to authors for great historical romances because she always delivers a great story with plenty of hot romance and some humor. Whether she is writing about Highlanders or Vampires I always fall in love with her heroes and get swept up in the worlds she creates. I highly recommend this series for historical romance lovers looking for some hot Highlander heroes. Go grab the series!

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

~*~*~*~

Lady Murine Carmichael resigned herself to a life of spinsterhood after her greedy half-brother gambled away her dowry, but that wasn’t the worst of it. When a Scot comes to their castle with horses for sale and her half-brother has no coin, he offers Murine in place of money.

Dougall Buchanan is a Scot with horses for sale. When the buyer tells him he has no money, Dougall is shocked and appalled to be offered the use of the man’s sister instead. Disgusted, he and his brothers set off, only to stumble upon a runaway riding a bull. The fact that said runaway is the beautiful Lady Murine obligates him to offer protection.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and won’t be the last. I loved the chemistry between the characters. Each was well developed and kept me reading. The plot had enough twist to keep me interested. I did find a couple spots with slower pacing, but they were short lived. Overall, this was a good read and I would love to read more by this author.
Four stars.

This was my first time reading a book by Lynsay and I loved it. Her cover was spectacular a hot man wearing a kilt is eye catching for all readers so look no further. I love that her heroine Murine was a lady that might seem weak since she has spells of passing out. But she truly is a women who will fight for her freedom and love. She was wonder woman. She saved the highlanders life and survived many attacks. There were some funny parts through out the book, couldn't get over her choice of animal to escape from her horrible brother. Dougall was exactly how I portrayed a highlander very protective, loving and sexy. The romance will have all the readers in search of a very cold drink to cool off after. If you love highlanders then this is the book to read.

Heiress escapes evil brother. Runs into honorable men. Escorted to 'safe' house. Adventures ensue. I loved the descriptions of the highlands and the fact that the rescuers were outraged on her behalf. They treated her with respect, as if she was their beloved sister. The sex scenes were unnecessary to the story, and rather detailed, so 17 and up recommended. Good story. A few twists. The Hero and his brothers were men I like to meet. =)

Passionate highland romance. The hero rescues the heroine from her irresponsible brother who is willing to sell her to the first man available to cover gambling expenses and buy some horses without benefit of marriage. As the heroine flees with the hero and his brothers, they learn that she has lost her entire family within the last several years over suspicious circumstances and that an inheritance that should have been hers, was given to someone else. While trying to keep the heroine safe and discover the truth behind her family members' recent deaths, the two fall in love and share some entertaining, humorous banter. Enjoyable read.

A solid 4 star book. Good plot, good characters, steamy romance, mystery and more. My suggestion would be to read the other books in the (HIGHLAND BRIDE SERIES) first and in order. That way you know what is going on and why.
#1.ENGLISH BRIDE OF SCOTLAND, #2- TO MARRY A SCOTTISH LAIRD, #3- HIGHLANDERS TAKES A BRIDE, #4 FALLING FOR A HIGHLANDER.
All 4 books were very good. My favorite being The Highlander Takes a Bride. I highly recommend reading them if you like highland romance stories. Two of the books were a little steamy at times.

*sigh* Sexy highlanders. What's not to love about that. I so love the Buchanan clan. I really hope each brother gets a story because I can't get enough of them. Dougall and Murine were great together. They were so cute. Loved how their relationship developed. She's had some bad luck come her way in the past couple of years and it looks like she just can't catch a break. But the little mystery in this story keeps it going and I didn't want to put it down until I figured out what happened. Can't wait to read more in this series.

Ms. Sands offers a wonderful romance with just enough suspense to keep the reader enthralled. I thought the character development allowed the reader to fully immerse themselves in the story despite the story being a continuation from another book. The pace of the book was perfect and the twist in the plot at the end wrapped up the story perfectly. The talent of Ms. Sands shines through each word and I recommend reading Falling for the Highlander.
Delane
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Falling for the Highlander by Lynsay Sands
Book Four of the Highlanders series
Publisher: Avon
Publication Date: January 31, 2017
Rating: 3 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

Lady Murine Carmichael has known her share of bad luck. But when her debt-ridden half-brother tries to sell her off in exchange for a few Scottish horses, it’s the final straw. If keeping her freedom means escaping through harsh countryside alone, so be it. She has barely begun her journey when she lands an unlikely escort—the brawny Highlander who just refused to buy her virtue.

Dougall Buchanan was disgusted by Lord Danvries’ shameful offer, but Murine herself tempts him beyond measure. Even bedraggled and dusty, the lass glows with beauty and bravery. Dougall wants to do more than just help her flee. He wants to protect her—with his life and his heart—if she’ll only let him. For Murine may be pursued by a powerful foe, but nothing compares to the fiery courage of a Highlander in love.

What I Liked:

There was nothing absolutely wrong with this book, but I just didn't feel satisfied with it. Three stars is not a bad rating but certainly not the best rating either. I don't feel particularly negatively towards this book, but I don't think it's worthy of four stars. I like Sands' historical romance novels and will continue to read them, but I wasn't really impressed with this book.

Dougall Buchanan and his three brothers have traveled to Danvries to settle a deal with Lord Danvries, who wants to buy their horses. But when they get there, Danvries has no money. He offers his sister instead. Dougall refuses and the party leaves... and so does Murine. Murine flees when she hears Montrose (Lord Danvries) offer her to another man (besides Dougall), but she finds herself rescued and protected by Dougall and his brothers. They agree to take her to the MacDonnell stronghold, where their newly married sister Saidh (who is good friends with Murine) lives. Dougall doesn't expect to fall for Murine in the process... and vice versa.

I liked The Highlander Takes a Bride a lot, and so I was pretty excited to see that the series would keep going. It would be awesome to read about each of the Buchanan siblings. Dougall is definitely one of my favorites.

Dougall is gruff and a little grumpy, protective and quietly alpha. He has an air of command and dominance to him, and everyone stops and listens to him. He comes off as prickly, but he's very kindhearted and considerate, selfless even. When the Buchanan men find Murine trying to escape from her brother, Dougall takes her in immediately and does not allow for any argument. He is willing to risk the wrath of her brother (who is her guardian) to see her safe and not forced into doing anything she does not want to do. Dougall is so noble and protective, and I adored him.

Murine was an okay character. She isn't like Saidh; she's not a warrior or a physical fighter. She's prone to fainting and she isn't a violent person. Still, she is a fighter in her own way. I didn't love her, but I didn't hate her. I didn't feel much towards her either way.

The story is pretty interesting and I was never bored. I couldn't want for Dougall and Murine to address the simmering chemistry between them - which was bubbling through the journey, and well after they reached the MacDonnell lands. There is also a bit of a mystery to the story - who is after Dougall? Or is it Murine they are trying to harm?

Sands always knows how to write a hot, steamy romance novel. The chemistry in this book is fairly fan-worthy. I wish there were more, ah, sexy times, and I wish Dougall and Murine got together sooner (the plot of this book is slooooow), but Sands always does a great job with building tension and creating chemistry.

Overall, this was not a bad novel, and definitely not a bad continuation of the series. I was hoping to feel more towards the book, but I don't mind that I didn't totally love it.

What I Did Not Like:

Like I said above, I didn't like but I didn't hate Murine. She was okay, not too annoying but also not extremely lovable. I feel like she could have had a little more intelligence? Also I don't see what the big deal about her was - as soon as everyone realized who she was, they started fawning over her. I get that she has done a great deed for Saidh (in the past), but I didn't see anything special about Murine in general. She got a lot of attention from everyone and I didn't really get it.

Also, her fainting issue seemed to fade into the background after a while... I thought that would be more of a thing? I expected the author to dig deep and explore why Murine was fainting, besides the fact that she never ate much. It must have been more than that.

I also don't really understand the resolution at the end, in terms of Murine's father's will. So... it DID declare a certain thing? It didn't? Sands was not clear, at the end, as to what was going on with the Carmichael will.

I really wish Sands wouldn't fade to black, in terms of some of the sex scenes. You could see that Sands was setting up for a really hot scene, but then she would fade to black. OR, she would open a chapter with what was probably the end of a really hot scene... so not satisfying, in a romance novel. This book could have done with many more steamy times. Beginning, middle, and end.

Speaking of, I felt like there could have been more teasing/tension-building, initially, between Dougall and Murine. I also didn't really understand how their feelings for each other developed, because it seemed way too quick and not developed each. The lust, I get, but it seemed like they fell for each other (like, really fell) within two days of knowing each other. Romance novels aren't typically insta-love-y (again, insta-lust, maybe).

The plot of this book is slooooooooow. Oh my goodness, this book was slow. Don't get me wrong, I was never bored and kept reading. But I felt like the story stuck in one certain place for too long. Sands could have added more tension/teasing (in terms of the chemistry/romance), more development of the romance, and more conflict at the MacDonnell holdings, which all would have helped the story progress faster. In my opinion!

Would I Recommend It:

Overall, I didn't totally love this book, but I also didn't totally dislike it either. I do enjoy Sands' books (for the most part - I suppose at this point, it's hit or miss), and I won't stop after this one. But this book... it's not the best. I recommend you read it if you love Sands' books and have been dying to read this one. But if you're new to the series, or author, don't necessarily try this one! I could list a bunch of Scottish romances that are better than this one. Not that this book was bad! Just a bland, and possibly formulaic.

Rating:

3 stars. I am still looking forward to reading more books from this series. But I have low expectations and I'm not expecting to be wow-ed. The previous book in the series, The Highlander Takes a Bride, was so good! This one, meh. Not bad but not great.

Hunky Highlanders, a murder plot and a spicy and exciting romance – what more could I ask for?

First, this is easily a standalone read. It wasn’t until I was a quarter of the way into the book that I recognized some of the names and realized this is part of a series! Eventually, Ms. Sands had me visiting with Greer, Alpin and Saidh again and it made me want to read their story once more. As it is, they were instrumental in helping Murine and Dougall and his many brothers in solving a mystery and correcting a wrong that was perpetuated upon Murine. They didn’t distract or undermine the romance between the hero and heroine at all, but definitely enhanced it. Well, they brought some humor too, especially Saidh and her bread lesson. That cracked me up.

The slow romance that built between Dougall and Murine was delightful, fun and entertaining. I actually enjoyed her fainting spells and Dougall’s responses, I liked the waterfall scenes, well, most of them, I liked his reaction to her wearing pants, and even though the arrow wound was a serious matter, I liked what happened in the story after that. I even giggled when Dougall’s brothers gave him a hard time because they knew before him what was going on.

When the great plot resolution occurred, I actually started feeling bad for one of the bad guys. I thought he might be redeemable because he wasn’t a total lost cause but unfortunately, the plot had to take its due because he was mostly a lost cause. Poor Murine.

And for those readers who enjoy sensual build up and Scottish seduction, I think they’re going to be very pleased. Dougall is no slouch out of his kilt.

Falling for the Highlander is a totally and completely wonderful romantic adventure. I like a strong heroine and Murine proves herself time and time again. There’s so many parts of this novel that are enjoyable it was hard to pick just a few to share. Ms. Sands always makes me feel good about her characters and they’re usually easy to fall in love with. She has once again succeeded in delivering an exciting and well written journey as Murine escapes a dire fate only to discover a love she’d given up hoping for. I’m so happy I read this book and I have no doubt many readers are going to snap up this novel too. It’s great fun.

originally posted at long and short reviews

Lord Montrose Danvies had gambled away the family fortune, leaving his half-sister, Lady Murine Carmichael, without a dowry. Murine had always dreamed of getting married and having a passel of children, but now all her hopes are dashed. The last straw is when Montrose wants to trade her to Dougall Buchanan in exchange for two horses! That’s when Murine opts to escape, alone. Dougall was appalled, and refused, but thought that then Murine would be “sold” to Lord Muller, which would be a fate worse than death. But not long after, Dougall travelling with three of his brothers, encounters the fleeing Murine sitting atop her pet bull. The Buchanan will protect her. S

The first half of FALLING FOR THE HIGHLANDER is typical Lynsay Sands: wonderfully drawn characters, delightful banter, amusing sequences, such as the perils as relieving oneself in the wild, and Murine’s propensity to faint. Ms. Sands also recaps a bit, as some of the characters have appeared in previous books, and it is skilfully done. Murine is a wonderful heroine, Dougall is charming and kind, everything was lovely, in spite of the lurking danger, until the first three sex scenes, which I thought were of questionable taste. Not because of what happened, but because of the circumstances under which they did. The first time grated a bit, but had it stopped there, I would have been able to brush it aside. But when sex happened the second and third time, I couldn’t take it. I thought Dougall was insensitive and selfish, although Murine didn’t seem to mind at all. I couldn’t even tell you if the scenes were good or not, because of I was cringing too much; strangely enough, the Buchanan brothers shared my opinion.

In the second half, the mystery that had been slowly building concluded in quite exciting fashion. The romance, apart from my above-mentioned issue, was sweet and believable, the Buchanan brothers are all very engaging, and Ms. Sands’ writing is delightfully effortless; she is, as always, such a pleasure to read. I wonder if we will see more of those darling Buchanan brothers, I certainly hope so!

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

oved
I had forgotten about Murine's tendency to faint, sometimes it was just hilarious. but then when it would have been a good thing, she didn't. it shocked everyone.
As weak as she seems, she is so brave and strong.
Dougall, well he's your typical Highlander hero!
Everything about this book is wonderful, and keeps you interested in reading.
*I received my copy from edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't like the narrator!!

Falling for the Highlander is the first Lynsay Sands story I didn't like. Lady Maurine Carmicheal the heroine was weak, stubborn and she keep fainting. There was to much of her going to the potty too. This was a disappointment on all levels. I don't want to read about the heroine hiking up her skirts to relive herself and each time she gets in some weird situation.
Sorry!!

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss, this does not affect my opinion of this book or the content of my review. GIVEAWAY

This is my happy-go-lucky, light and sappy, happy place. Lynsay Sands is almost always good for a few laughs and a sappy romance, and I have been digging on this series for a while now. In fact, I moved this ahead on my queue after reading a truly angst inducing series, after which I was compelled to go back to the angst which prompted a reread of this whole series. They are that light, happy, and fluffy. The perfect counterpoint to angst.

We had met both Murine and Dougall in the previous books, and Murine had already proved herself to be kind, loyal, and brave. So I was predisposed to like her. She didn’t necessarily exhibit the extreme competence levels of previous heroines, but she was cute and likeable so I was happy to go through her story to happily ever after. And while Dougall was really just one of a bunch of big brash Buchanans, well I enjoy that sort of character, so he worked for me as well. And needless to say I enjoyed seeing the rest of the brothers again too and will look forward to the rest of their stories as well (particularly that of the scarred eldest brother). And while this story itself stands alone, I think it is one where it is best if you have read the series, especially books 2 & 3.

The story itself was a series of pratfalls, misadventures, and misunderstandings (albit small ones which were mostly talked out in quick order-I HATE the BIG Mis). Murine has had horrible disasters befall her, and a really hard life of late, but her stepbrother’s latest betrayal was just one step too far. Escape was in order. And so our fainting heroine rides forth on her trusty steed…a bull. Seriously! That is just the start of the ridiculousness in store if you pick up this book.

Poor Murine and Dougall. They stagger from one calamity to the next, eventually finding love and a life together. It was sweet and left me feeling happy. Though I’ll admit, I saw the bad guy coming from YEARS away, literally, I saw it coming from book 2. But even so, I enjoyed the story.

Now I’ll admit, this isn’t the most earth shaking and moving or memorable story. In fact in probably a week or two I’ll probably remember very little of it except the bull (and maybe the plumber’s crack above that kilt…how odd is that cover?). But that is fine, it is great even. Because that isn’t why I read these books, I read them for that happy little moood lifting buzz, and it provided that in spades. So it not being the most memorable book every just means I’ll be even happier when I go back and re-read it, which I guarantee you I will! I finished it with a big old sloppy/sappy grin on my face, and if you like a good wallpaper highland historical complete with brogue, Sands put out another winner.

Ya'll know I love historical romances and I loved Scottish heroes (there's just something about a guy in a kilt - YUM), so I jumped at the chance to read this one from Lynsay Sands. She always writes a book that is light hearted and entertaining. This was no different. Dougall was great and Murine was perfect for him.

*thanks to Tasty Book Tours for sharing a copy of this with me*

Writing was rushed and scenarios were not resolved. The first few chapters held interest then just became boring. The "fire scene" was terribly written. I really thought all the males and lead lady were on the idiotic side. Not one of Sands best, sad to say.

This is a five star read for me. The story kept me captured through the whole story. The only thing I disliked about the book was the ending felt a little abrupt, but didn't leave any questions unanswered. Lynsay Sands is one of my favorites and this didn't disappoint.

DNF'ed for consent issues - the heroine gets drunk unintentionally, so the hero decides to kiss her for the first time while she's drunk *specifically* so that she won't remember it. whether he goes through with it or not, i'm appalled. that's assault, and his reasoning makes it even worse.

This book was a lot of fun to read..thoroughly enjoyed it and couldn't put it down until the end. I definitely have to read the prior books, because I feel like I missed out on a lot of real entertainment.

I loved the love story between the two main characters...the brothers relationships and the way they treated murine was heartfelt, funny, cute and very well done. The plot was well executed and the ending left me smiling. Highly recommended

I loved Murine and Dougall's story for it had everything you could want and so much more. This story is so very well written love story.It is a highly charged love story with passioniate characters and historical details. A really marvelous emotion packed story that holds the reader spellbound from the beginning to the end. A real keeper and treasure for me and it will be for you also. I bought a Hardcover. 10 stars please. Debi Allen

Lady Murine Carmichael hasn't had the best of luck: her brothers murdered and herself barely escaping. Her father succumbed to his illness and she's now alone while her inheritance passed to her more able cousin because of her weakness—her fainting affliction. She's now the ward of her heavily indebted half-brother who doesn't hesitate to sell her virtue to gain horses from the Brawny Highlander, Dougall Buchanan.

Dougall Buchanan was taken with the beautiful woman at Lord Danvries and appalled when he mentioned that it was his sister and willing to exchange her favours for the horses he had brought. Refusing, he departs. When he comes across the fleeing Murine, he offers her his protection. A villain is after Murine and with her life in peril, can Dougall protect her without losing his heart? Will Murine be saved by the Highlander to whom she's surrendered her heart?

A sensational story with lots of intense moments and a plot for murder with some sensual moments. Be prepared to laugh out loud with the antics of the couple and make sure a fan is near when the temperature spikes! The reader is in for a treat. Lynsay Sands won't disappoint—she's written another great read.

"I reviewed this book for Books & Benches. There was no expectation by the author or publisher for a review of any kind. All opinions are my own."

A solid 4 star book. Good plot, good characters, steamy romance, mystery and more. My suggestion would be to read the other books in the (HIGHLAND BRIDE SERIES) first and in order. That way you know what is going on and why.
#1.ENGLISH BRIDE OF SCOTLAND, #2- TO MARRY A SCOTTISH LAIRD, #3- HIGHLANDERS TAKES A BRIDE, #4 FALLING FOR A HIGHLANDER.
All 4 books were very good. My favorite being The Highlander Takes a Bride. I highly recommend reading them if you like highland romance stories. Two of the books were a little steamy at times.

DNF'ed for consent issues - the heroine gets drunk unintentionally, so the hero decides to kiss her for the first time while she's drunk *specifically* so that she won't remember it. whether he goes through with it or not, i'm appalled. that's assault, and his reasoning makes it even worse.