I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I had been putting this off for a long time. I was highly disappointed in the first books in the series but I do have to say this was a little better than the others. My biggest issues with the previous books they were just so long and drawn out. This one did move along faster which i enjoyed but I wasn't a huge fan of the ending I would have like to see the HEA but still better than the first two.

This is the start of a pretty unique series that combines historical + fantasy + shifter romance into one book. There's a reunited childhood friends to lovers story between Eric, who is a dragon shifter, and Toinette, also a dragon shifter, as they search for an artifact that will help Scotland's war with the English. I enjoyed the shipwreck/castaway aspect of the story, and find the island to be very creepy. I'll be keeping an eye on this author for sure!

And amazing read that has much fantasy and romance. Some readers enjoy just romance, but, I like the dash of fantasy with mine, every now and again. I recommend Highland Dragon Master.

Highland Dragon Erik MacAlasdair is on a mission to uncover an ancient artifact. Along the way, he runs into Toinette, a female dragon from his youth. Once she accepts his commission, they end up stranded on an island together that they must escape.
This was more of a historical horror/romance rather than a romance set in historical times. The plot wasn’t set around the romance at all. Rather, the romance was a minor piece to the overall story.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

As a romance I was disappointed in this book. I didn't feel any emotional connection between the two but lust. Or rather I felt that both Toinette and Erik more or less just rolled with the punches with each other because it was easier that way. The paranormal part of the book was VERY interesting, although I did end the book with a list of questions unanswered. The climax and was pretty creative. The ending was a page turner.

Overall, I enjoyed this book but found some parts sort of dragged for me. I think it would have helped a lot if I had read the previous two books in the series. Still, the book created an interesting world space and was written well.
My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I thought this book would be a quick read, but surprise! It was a rollicking adventure with treasure hunting and Scotland and an epic love story and FUN.

Once again, I am totally drawn to anything dragon related- including dragon shifters -because hey dragons are my spirit animal! And there is something that does it for me in the guilty pleasures category when it comes to Scottish men! So of course, I had to request this title the moment that I read the title and the blurb! Once again, the story fell short of my expectations and took forever to finish because I could not connect to the characters and the premise was just overrated.
Now, going into this story I knew that it was supposed to be a smutty ordeal and involve lots of romantic innuendos- cringe! Bad boy, good girl… yadda yadda! These tired story aspects are just overly hyped and used in like single every book. Why? Why can’t we just have badass men and women being celebrated for just being themselves and not needing someone else as a crutch when they seem to be living their perfect life without them fifty pages or two days ago? WHY????????? Like I said, I knew that was going to happen with this book and tried to not let it get in the way of review or my outlook on the book. Too bad the storyline was just bland and nothing sultry until the lust monster took over towards the end. **Sigh**
I did not particularly love the setting, themes, or the characters in spite of the romantic aspects. I have read better dragon shifter books with stronger premises and better character development. At its core, this book is just a reincarnation of other long-dead romance novels that are just fluffed with too many descriptions and not enough page-turning action or interest. I almost DNF-ed this book too many times to count.
I apologize that I could not find it in myself to like this book. I will probably never recommend it or think about it again when I read similar tales.

I've only read a few of books by Isabel Cooper and have liked all the ones I've read I've enjoyed this one is as good as the others. I loved Erik and Toinette. I'll definitely go back and read book 1&2 then re-read book 3

The book was well written, but I had a very hard time getting into the story line. For me, it just seemed to drag on.

Wow, what to say about this book...All three of the books in this series are SO very different from each other. This one felt more urban fantasy-paranormal over romance. Yes the HEA was there but I wouldn't call it a story of the journey to love. It was more like childhood friends on an epic quest and realize the other completes them.

Eric is the cousin to the Mac Alastair's of the first two books. He was trained in the dragon, warrior and magical arts by his Uncle Artair. He's been in the service of Artair his whole life, mostly as a warrior. Toinette, Antoinette Dechamps, is a illegitimate child he decided to foster when she arrived at his castle as an orphan dragon shifter unable to understand or control her powers. Artair took her in, trained her along with the others in his care, unknowing who her father was He sent her on her way when it became obvious she was a sexual threat to his heirs and charges. She eventually landed on her feet and in this story is a captain of her own trade vessel. Eric has been charged with finding a magical artifact that may help end what seems like an eternal war between Scotland and England. Clues to this artifact were unearthed by Sophia the alchemist from book 1, Highland Dragon Warrior. He discovers the captain of the boat and crew he hires is none other than Toinette from his childhood. And so the adventure begins.

I wish I could say this was a fabulous love story. It wasn't. It was slow and I pushed on determined. Again, it was not what I was expecting. There is more dragon shifting in this book that made that part satisfying. It did have an interesting adventure and an HEA. They were victorious in the end. I was not passionate. It was a meeting of two very strong dragon shifters who connected to support each other and lend each other the strength to overcome an ancient evil.

Thank you Sourcebooks for the unexpected ARC of this book for my honest review.

The Highland Dragon Master has readers joining in the fight against a curse in adventure that draws readers in and refuses to let go.

Toinette an Erik are two very strong and compelling characters that make it easy for readers to get know them and become captivated by the story. The romance between Erik and Toinette progresses at a steady rate as it builds from their past, it has lots of sizzling sexual chemistry that heats up the pages and they must overcome the turmoil of a perilous situation that adds lots of obstacles and emotional distress which has readers empathizing with the couple as they strive for a happy ending to the nightmare.

Suspense and anticipation builds throughout the story as Toinette, Erik and their crew sail right into the heart of an evil curse that would destroy their very lives. The adventure becomes full of danger and thrills that send chills down the reader’s spine as they try to discover just what they are up against and the path they must take to achieve that is full of surprising twists that keeps them on their toes and the readers guessing just what might happen next.

Isabel Cooper brings her brilliant world to vivid life with well written words that paint vibrant images that make it easy for the reader picture each and every scene and makes it easy for them to become part of the fascinating world of her mesmerizing dragons and their companions. Her dragons always seem life like and fit into her time frame and the events so well that I can easily imagine them being real during that time period. Highland Dragon Master held me captive from the very beginning and I can’t wait to find out what the author has it store for us next.

A definite buy book. This is a somewhat wordy and slow to start novel.... but extremely descriptive...
Now for the good news..
The slow start allows the readers to get a very clear picture of what is happening. Dragon shifters on a mission to find a relic to turn the tides of a war, fighting an unspeakable evil. The book really picks up and the action becomes riveting as you follow the hero and heroine on their perilous journey through the unknown. The author is one that is known to me and I must say her writing is just getting better with every book. I would of liked a less wordy start, but as I said it makes it well worth it. Patient readers are definitely rewarded with this read! All characters in the book are absolutely necessary and just add to the wonderful story as you read. From some grief, compassion, passion, team feeling as well as just the overall wonderful view of such a paranormal twist , this was a adventure to read. I was given this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own and expressed freely. I voluntarily wrote this review. Regards, Anna Swedenmom

The Prologue does a fine job of setting up this story and getting the reader familiar with Erik and his need to get away from the war should bloodlust finally come upon him. It also opens up the story for the readers, so they become very curious as to what is going to happen.

The authors description of the war and the happenings around Erik certainly create a reality for the reader that draws them into the story. Though battle weary he is mind is sharp and while there is a roughness around him you will get a glimpse of a kinder more caring man that existed before the war. This draws the reader into championing him and wanting him to succeed in his mission.

Toinette surprised me. There were times I felt she should be more hardened but then I had to remind myself that she is a dragon. She didn't have to worry about much with that card up her sleeve. Her reserve calm demeanor was fitting with how she formed her life after all the trials and tribulations she went through. It showed a strength most people desire in themselves.

For me the best part of the story was towards the end when Toinette and Erik went off on their own to find the answers. Up until then it dragged a little for me.

I do give it 4 STARS for its entertainment value.

This series was fantastic with its historical detail and storyline. Although part of a series, each book can be read as a standalone basically because it occurs in different time periods and the worldbuilding was great. In Highland Dragon Master, the Scots and the English are again at war. To make sure that Erik, a MacAlisdair dragon shifter doesn't lose himself to the blood lust that might occur, he is led to a sort of treasure seeking adventure. Early on he meets a childhood friend and first crush Toinette who now captains her own ship. Of course romance develops along the way plus a lot of action and adventure as well. I do love the way history is interwoven into the story giving it depth. The dialogue takes some getting used to since it remains true to the times without concession to modern english. Overall this was a great read.

Its a really good book, with lot of action and romance. An amazing adventure i want more of. This book is a reread for me. And I highly recommend this book.

What an adventure this book was! The legend was fabulous including the world building! The characters are fascinating and the romance was fantastic!

I received an ARC of this book and an voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Erik is a highlander and a Dragon. His Laird has pulled him away from the raging war with England to go on a mission. He is sending him to find the treasure that the Templer's supposedly took with them when they fled.

He finds and hires a ship to find the Captain is Toinette, a childhood friend of his. With a small crew they sail the sea to find the Island that holds the supposed treasure. Will they find that Island? The treasure?

What they do find will be beyond their wildest imaginations and could change the world....

I have read several books by this author and enjoyed them but I could not get into this book at all. I felt like the characters never connected for me and even the little bit of romance felt stilted.
I was tempted to not finish it several times but I had hopes it would improve.

An okay read. While i didn’t enjoy it others might. For me I found the mass of useless information too much. It was a hard slow read. Some of the chapters did feel never ending.

Erik MacAlasdair has to leave Scotland’s war with the English before his dragon side begins to see all humans as nothing more than prey. Sent on a mission by his clan leader to find an ancient artifact which might help stop the war, he reunites with Toinette, the lovely female dragon shifter he grew up with long ago. Now mistress of her own ship, Toinette accepts his commission, but getting stranded on a cursed island was never part of the plan.

Though it’s billed as a romance, Highland Dragon Master definitely isn’t your average shifter romance. Honestly, I felt as though the romance was more of an afterthought to the admittedly very intriguing paranormal plot, which verged over into horror at times when things got really spooky. Yes, there was a certain amount of physical chemistry between Toinette and Erik, and they worked well together to escape the island’s traps, but romance never seemed to enter the equation until some unexpected declarations near the end of the book. Despite getting both protagonists’ point of view regularly, there was never any real hint to the reader that they were emotionally involved.

This is a well-written book for the most part and the realities of life aboard ship and being shipwrecked were thoroughly researched. Although this is third in a series, there weren’t really any other characters from previous books to confuse readers who haven’t read the rest, and it can definitely be read as a standalone. Where things fell down for me was in the ‘magic’ system - nothing was really explained and there didn’t seem to be any hard and fast rules.

If you come in looking for a romance rather than a paranormal adventure, you’re going to be disappointed, and possibly a bit freaked out by the unexpected turn into horror things take. I’ll give it three stars - honestly, there’s too much wrong here for me to give it four.