i don't know what it is about 14th-century highland romances, but i love them. there's something about the setting, the time period that really appeals to me. all the alpha posturing by the clansmen should put be over the edge, but it rarely does. i think because the heros are usually super progressive and the women they fall in love with are always so clearly ahead of their time. it's funny to me that sometimes that same progressiveness will drive me batty in a regency romance, but in these renaissance-set novels i have no problems with it.

anyway, the bride chooses a highlander finds katherine mackenna with the unusual chance to make her own choice for a husband. when she chooses hamish drummond, she's determined that they get along pleasantly enough and it should all work out for the best. when she finds him in another woman's arms at their betrothal celebration, she's quickly disabused of that notion. electing to run away, she quickly falls into the hands of aiden mctavish, who bears a grudge against her family.

against his brother's orders, he takes katherine prisoner, and when she escapes it's his brother, lachlan who must deal with the consequences. from the moment these two characters appear on the page together, it is clear that they fit one another perfectly. lachlan is calm and steadfast and katherine fiery and headstrong, but the way these two characters can speak openly with each other, it's just perfect. they have to navigate clan politics and rivalries, and their own disparate upbringings to make things work, but they have the commitment to do it. and how it all comes to pass is just lovely.

**the bride chooses a highlander will publish on december 18, 2018. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/kensington books (zebra) in exchange for my honest review.

The path to true love is often rocky. Well, yes we all know that, but Katherine McKenna hoped that she could grow to love Hamish Drummond. Allowed to choose her husband, she thought she had made a good decision, only to find Hamish loved another! Of course she will not marry him now so she becomes the runaway bride and takes off!
Laird Lachlan MacTavish is head of a clan that had been disgraced and punished for taking the wrong side in battle and his lands where taken by the king. He has been working hard to redeem his family and people and keep them from staving. Asked to retrieve his brother Robbie, he sends his brother Aiden instead.
But Aiden comes upon Katherine and takes her captive. Fleeing she winds up in the woods nearly frozen and sick when Lachlan finds her. The adventure begins with several twist and turns as the two form an attachment as she heals.
Katherine, with her sweet, spirited nature and Lachlan, who is strong and honest as he opens up to her about how his clan is struggling are a perfect match. But going back to face her father, there are several surprising turns and I could not wait to see what happens!
I really enjoyed this story and the author did an excellent job with making the characters seem real and filling the story with action and intrigue as attraction grows. Oh yes, there is a villain too! Although part of a series this can be read as a standalone book. But I cannot wait to go back and read the others! Well done!

Lady Katherine McKenna is the only daughter of Laird McKenna and has been granted the right to choose her own husband. This is not a normal situation for that time, but she is a 22 year old spinster who wants to marry for love. There's no one that she cares for so she picks a man who she thinks she can grow to love. Just before she marries, she finds out that he is in love with another. Katherine runs away where she is kidnapped by another clan. She escapes and is rescued by Laird Lachlan MacTavish. They are attracted to each other but Lachlan's clan is small and on the verge of war. When Katherine and Lachlan marry, they think it will put an end to many of their problems.But there are many underlying intrigues and secrets. How can a marriage solve so marry problems? You have to read it to find out. I loved the book and the story. Katherine and Lachlan are a great couple with a lot of chemistry. Scottish men, what can I say? I received this book from Net Galley and Kensington Books for a honest review for a honest opinion. The opinions are my own.

A splendid historical romance by Ms. Basso - good solid romance with an intriguing and solid storyline. Loved it.

4.5 stars

Katherine McKenna is the only daughter of Laird Brian McKenna and still unwed at 22, much to her father's dismay. But Katherine has finally agreed to a match, Sir Hamish Drummond. Overjoyed, her father quickly makes plans to visit the Drummonds and sign the contracts. Katherine had hoped to find love like her parents and older brothers, but she is sure she will be content and grow to love Hamish. But when she learns that Hamish is in love with another woman, nothing will make her marry him and she bolts.

Lachlan MacTavish is Laird of the MacTavish clan, a poor, disgraced clan that was punished for choosing sides against the Bruce. He has tried hard to redeem his family and has worked twice as hard to keep his people from starving. He has petitioned the king for the return of his lands and hopes that he service to the crown has been enough. If Lachlan didn't have enough problems, his younger half brother Robbie has been missing for almost a year, his other half brother Aiden thinks he should be leading the clan and his step-mother wants him to go to the McKenna's and retrieve Robbie. Lachlan refuses to go after Robbie, so Aiden says he will go - Lachlan forbid him from doing anything to upset the powerful McKenna laird - they cannot afford to offend the man.

As luck would have it, Aiden comes upon Katherine fleeing and takes her captive. But when she escapes him, Lachlan knows they must find her and return her to her father - untouched and unharmed. He finds her in the woods, nearly frozen and ill, he plans to take her to a nearby convent, but the weather prevents it. He finds a hut and nurses her back to health himself. They only exchange first names, but she feels safe with him. When they share a kiss, Lachlan tells her the truth of who he is. She is upset, but understands his dilemma and agrees to try and calm her father.

They travel back to his castle and encounter Archibald Fraser - sworn enemy of the McKennas, thankfully Lachlan is able to convince Archibald that Katherine is just a cast out serving girl and they go on their way. When they reach his home, she is shock at the condition of the keep and the people. As she spends more time with Lachlan, the more she likes him and want to help him. But not everyone is happy that Katherine is there and a betrayal by Lachlan's kin brings Archibald back looking for Katherine. Lachlan defeats him and makes a powerful enemy. Convinced he can no longer wait to return Katherine to her family, they make plans to leave, but before they do, Katherine's younger brother Graham and her spurned betrothed show up.

Hamish demands Katherine marry him, she refuses and marries Lachlan behind his back to prevent her father from forcing her to marry Hamish. They arrive at the McKenna keep and will have to stand up to her father. The McKenna is not happy and tries to bribe Lachlan into setting aside the marriage and when that fails, he throws him in the dungeon.

Katherine has never been at odds with her father, but when she learns what her father has done, it doesn't seem like they will ever find peace again. Katherine confesses her love to Lachlan and he to her, they vow they will find a way to be together, but they will still have a lot to overcome before they get their HEA.

This was a very good read, I loved Lachlan and Katherine! The book is well written and flows perfectly, there is action, betrayal, steamy love scenes, great secondary characters, a villain who finally gets his comeuppance and a very, very sweet epilogue. This is the third book in the McKenna series, but this book could easily be read as a stand alone title.

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

This is my fair and honest review in return for this ARC. Och and isnae it a fine and proper Scottish tale! You have feuding lairds, bonnie lassies, braw highland manly men and so much love it is everywhere! Good tale!

I really enjoyed Katherine and Lachlan's story!

Katherine has been given the rare opportunity to choose her groom. She has finally made her decision and the families are celebrating the betrothal, when she learns that her betrothed is in love with someone else. Katherine flees back home, only to be kidnapped by Aiden MacTavish. He wants to hold her for ransom in exchange for his brother who is working in the McKenna quarry as punishment. Katherine manages to get away from Aiden, only to be rescued by his brother, Laird Lachlan MacTavish...although at the time she doesn't know his identity.

Having gotten ill during her escape and with a snow storm coming, Lachlan takes Katherine to a hut to wait out the storm. They get to know one another while there and he finally tells her who she is. When the weather clears, Lachlan attempts to take Katherine home. Unfortunately, they run into an enemy and are forced to go back to Lachlan's home. When they eventually make there way to Katherine's family, she proposes to Lachlan, feeling this is the only way to won't be forced to marry her former betrothed. Can they make a go of this marriage when is was brought about by unusual circumstances?

I really enjoyed watching these two come together. With all that was against them, I was really rooting for them! There is one more McKenna left! I can't wait to see what Basso has in store for him!

The Bride Chooses a Highlander is the third book in her McKenna family series. I have had such a fun time with this highlander family. Each member brings something new to the series and now we have the only girl of the family who has her story. And boy I really got a kick out of this book. It was so fabulous and even though I wish there was more romantic feels, the plot and the characters make up for it for the most part.

Our brilliant story begins with our hero, Lachlan, who is Laird of the MacTavish clan. But his people are slowly dying, they are barely making enough to survive and he knows that something needs to change. His clan was once prosperous but then they were punished when fighting on the wrong side of the war of independence in Scotland and now they are barely making it. His youngest brother is missing caught by the McKenna's and his middle brother wants to do something drastic and Lachlan is the reasonable brother and wants to find a peaceful way to work with the McKenna's to get his brother back but with no funds he has no idea how until his brother Aiden does something rash that could bring war upon them.

Katherine is the only daughter of the McKenna family and she is one of the few women that has a choice in the man she can marry. She is getting older than most girls to marry and she has made her choice. She hopes that she can have a marriage like her parents and her older brothers who have love and affection. But when she arrives to meet her betrothed, she finds that he is in love with another woman and so feeling betrayed she leaves with a few guardsmen knowing her father wouldn't support her because he wants her married and an alliance. But she finds herself kidnapped by Aiden but then his older brother rescues her and she forms an attachment to Lachlan and decides that he is the man that she wants but will she have to fight her family for the man she loves?

This was such a fun filled story that I had a blast reading. Now I will admit that the actual romance I had a hard time feeling for most of the book until the very end. But I had such a fun time getting into this story and man the plot was seemly pretty superbly written. I love the way that this author writes her historical romances, there is always something that tugs at the reader as you pick one of her books. What I really liked about this book was seeing a heroine fight for what she wants even against her own family. And boy the family DRAMA was simply epic in this book and I loved every single moment of it.

The romance that develops between Lachlan and Katherine was so sweet and likable. They really are such a good match for each other. Lachlan is honest with Katherine about everything, he doesn't keep what her brother did to her from her or anything like that. He is open with her and so there is a strong level of honesty between them. Lachlan is a loveable hero, he is strong and capable, a strong warrior and very loyal and honest. He is the type of person you could see yourself marrying, he just has strong values he lives by. Katherine is spirited, sweet and kind. She knows what she wants and won't settle for less. I love how she battles with her family, most especially, her father to keep the man that she loves instead of the man they already made an agreement with. We see what great sibling relationships she has with her brothers especially her younger brother [spoiler]And seeing what her youngest brother does for her at the end, where he offers himself to be married to the daughter so that his sister can marry the man of her choosing and prevent a war was so SWEET!! You see how much this family loves and sacrifices for each other. And our villain from book two is finally killed in this book YAY!!! He was horrid. [/spoiler]

Overall I found this book to be a fabulous addition to the series. The Bride Chooses A Highlander is a tale packed with action, intrigue, deception and fighting for what is right....MAGNIFICENT!!

I wonder what her mom has on her dad to make him do this.

Be careful what you wish for, I guess.

Poor Hamish's mother.

Oof. Wrong move, MacTavishes.

I'd lock Aiden up in his room.

Oy.

If you're going to do something, do it right.

Don't be a pervert, Lachlan.

Awkward.

Aiden is the lesser of two evils in this case.

Aiden and his mother do know she is not a prisoner, right? She only wanted to pick some flowers!

Morag, what the heck are you doing?

Thank goodness, Graham. For a second I thought you had been invaded by pod people.

Sorry, Katherine. That kind of ceremony was definitely still going on. Now it's called porn.

The McKenna is crazy.

This the nicest prison cell ever.

I hope your wife is a good person, Graham.

Huh. I guess her dad isn't always a butthead.

Sheesh, Graham, go and get your wife!

This book was set in the medieval ages, and I so rarely get to read books whose focus is in Scotland during that time. A rare treat for me! I have read this author's work before, and I have always enjoyed the way she sets up the story with historical facts. It makes me feel very comfortable reading about this time period, because she explains what has happened in the past, what's going on now, and why any conflicts exist. If you like true history with your romance, this is the book for you.

At the advanced age of 22, Katherine McKenna is a rare breed of woman in medieval Scotland. Allowed to choose her own husband due to a promise her mother extracted from her father, she has turned down many suitors in hopes that she could find love. But so much time has passed that she has decided that she would rather marry an amiable man she does not love than to remain unmarried, without children or a home of her own. Unfortunately, the man she chooses turns out to be hiding a big secret, and she flees soon after the betrothal agreements are signed. Captured by another clan before she can reach her home, she finds herself in the company of a man who evokes feelings in her she has never felt before. But things aren't easy, and it's going to take all her persuasion to convince her father that Lachlan MacTavish is who she truly wants to marry.

While I do think you have to suspend belief a bit to imagine a woman choosing her own husband during that time, I really enjoyed reading about Katherine and her family. It was lovely to imagine a medieval family who appreciated and respected their women as much as their men, and Katherine held her own well When she realizes who Lachlan is and what her kidnapping might mean for him and their future, she doesn't cower or leave it to him to solve. She tries to help herself and refuses to act the victim. A very strong character! Lachlan was, unfortunately, not as strong as her, so I did feel their pairing wasn't as aligned as I would have liked. It seemed to me that he allowed his mother and brother to get away with a lot, and his level of anger didn't seem to reach the height it should have, particularly with what his mother did later in the story. I understand family loyalty and all, but his reaction didn't seem believable. He redeemed himself towards the end, but I definitely felt like Katherine was the stronger of the two, when I would have rather had them be equal in strength.

This book peaked my interest in this time period, and I am eager to read what comes next in the series! Hopefully Katherine's brother gets a book next, as it seemed to be the most interesting teaser in the book.

The Bride Chooses a Highlander
By Adrienne Basso

The marriage of a laird’s daughter is a matter of property received as well as alliances made. At age 22, Lady Katherine, thanks to the intervention of her mother has the privilege of choosing her own husband.

This author always enters some type of nuance to make her Highlander books stand alone as clever and heartwarming.

She weaves a difference in her characters, a human so to speak. Katherine and Lachlan find themselves in an unusual way and carefully crafted scenes by this author make you cheer them on.

I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend this read.

Lachlan and Katherine show us that choice is everything, and Adrienne Basso shows us that characterization is also everything.. From the two amazing main characters to every supporting cast member, each one is uniquely his own. Then she adds a wonderful plot that stirs them all together. So well written! Loved every page!

With a strong romantic attraction, Lady Katherine McKenna and Laird Lachlan MacTavish together face challenges, danger, villains, and conflicts amongst various Scottish clans. All of this and more in a fast-paced plot filled with unexpected complications that challenge the ups and downs of their slow-growing relationship.

This is the third book I've read in The McKennas series. Adrienne Basso writes truly engrossing historical romance novels and I'm looking forward to reading more of her books!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an ARC of this delightful romance.

❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋
After holding out for what seems to her father ,way to long , Katherine finally decides on who she will marry , and when that falls through she leaves in the night to return home .
The best laid plans however never run smoothly.
After being kidnapped by Aiden McTavish she escapes, and Is found by Lachlan his brother and Laird .
The adventure and love story that follows is classic Adrienne Basso .
As always her books are riveting and you can’t put them down .
I really enjoyed this read it had so much life and the characters were excellent.
I received an advance copy of this book and Chose to submit a review

This was a great highlander novel, I am anxious to read Graham's story. I always know I am enjoying a book when I start looking for other books by the author and that was the case here. Lauchlin and Katherine were great characters and I loved the secondary characters as well. A 5 star read!

Lady Katherine McKenna is one of the rare women during her time who has been allowed to choose her own husband.. When she finally does gives in to the pressure put upon her by her father and chooses the man he thinks is right for her, Katherine finds out that her fiancee is in love with someone else, she flees but is captured by several members of the MacTavish clan.. Using her wits, she manages to slip thru the fingers of her captors and hides just when a snow storm descends upon the land.. Laird Lachlan MacTavish finds out about the abduction, helps in the search and finds her hiding beneath a log sick with fever.. He nurses her back to health and the story takes off from there..
I totally enjoyed reading this book with its twists and turns, treachery all around, not knowing who is friend or foe! Ms. Basso never fails to keep me entertained...

ARC provided by Netgalley, Kensington Books and Ms. Adrienne Basso..

Thanks to her mother's persistence, Katherine McKenna has been allowed to have her own choice of husband. But when she hasn't done so by the age of 22, her father, the laid of their powerful clan, begins to grow impatient. Katherine agrees to marry the neighboring laird's son, Hamish. But when she catches her new betrothed in a compromising situation with another woman, things quickly devolve, leading Katherine to flee back to her own home with a small contingent of guards. Things turn further south when she is captured by a man intending to hold her to ransom in exchange for the release of his brother, who he believes is being held prisoner by the McKenna clan. When Katherine escapes her kidnappers, she winds up alone and ill in the snoy woods and is rescued by Lachlan, none of than the brother of her kidnapper. Lachlan, laid of the impoverished Clan MacTavish is doing his best to keep his people fed by selling his sword to fight with the powerful Lowland lairds, thus earing their respect, which he hopes to use to regain his clan's old lands and favor with the king. All the while there is treachery from all sides and this book kept me in some suspense the whole time with not knowing who can be trusted and rooting for Lachlan and Katherine to be together.

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Given the unusual option of choosing her own husband, Lady Katherine McKenna agrees to marry a man from a neighboring clan. Before the wedding can occur however, she finds out that her betrothed isn't the honorable man she thought he was. Unable to tell her parents, Katherine she flees and is captured by several members of the MacTavish clan. Through sheer determination Katherine escapes her captors just as a fierce snowstorm descends. Becoming gravely ill in the storm, Katherine is rescued by Laird Lachlan MacTavish. After being nursed back to health and getting to know Lachlan, Katherine proposes that they instead marry, A mutually beneficial arrangement so to speak. After several twists and turns Katherine and Lachlan marry and overcome the obstacles and forces trying to keep them apart. If you're a fan of the Scots romance genre this is a definite winner.

This story is the third in a series of the McKenna clan. This is about their only daughter, whom her father let have the rare ability to choose her own husband in a time where women were little more than property. It’s got all the best parts of a highland love story; the fighting, the making up, the challenges and the sweet ending of true love. This was a great lighthearted and sweet story, and a must for someone who loves true love. I received a copy for review from Netgalley for an honest review.

Lady Katherine Mckenna is ready to decide who her husband will be. A rare chance for a lady since most marriages of the time are decided by the parents. Her mother fought for her right to be able to decide who she wanted to marry. Unfortunately, she chooses wrong and she discovers her betrothed is less than perfect. She dares to escape before she is married and on her way to her home she is kidnapped. Lucky for her Laird Lachlan MacTavish comes to her rescue, though he is the brother of the person who kidnapped her in the first place.
Though there still are forces that are working to drive them apart, a marriage between them will save the clans from war. It was a very compelling story, and I was very much impressed by Katherine bravery and determination.
ARC generously provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.