This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

So many emotions and so much heart break throughout this story. Dugan and Adanel were kind of doomed from the start and it didn't help that they were from clans that hated each other. Kind of a highlander version of Romeo and Juliet, but with a HEA instead of them both dying.

The road to their HEA is filled with a lot of anger, hurt feelings, and love. They not only have to overcome their anger toward each other, they are trying to bring back a struggling clan with some who do not want them there.

It was great to see all the McTiernay men and their women when they gathered for Conan's wedding. Had to wait for a bit to find out if Conner was really dead from the assassination attempt.

It was great to see the way that so many people just did not give Dugan enough credit and thought that they could bend him to their way of thinking and then were flabbergasted to find out that there was no bending!

I have loved this series and can't wait for the next book in the series!!

I absolutely loved this!
Dugan and Adanel can’t seem to get out of their own way long enough to see what’s right in front of them. I wanted to strangle them both numerous times. I could feel the crushing blow every time he would say something hurtful or she let him have it with one of her speeches.
But love should always win and I wanted this story to go on and on. I was truly sad when it ended. Hopefully, we get a little glimpse in future installments.
5 stars!!

How to Marry a Highlander by Michele Sinclair
The McTiernays #8

Idyllic swim in a loch turns into so much more when Dugan finds Adanel swimming one day. One thing leads to another and with passions running high the two do more than swim when they get together weekly. With Adanel’s father promising her to someone she doesn’t want she has hopes Dugan will take her away but instead...she ends up locked away hoping for Dugan to save her.

This book has compelling characters and an intriguing plot. The evil are truly wicked and the main characters often conflicted. Trust is in short shrift and communication lacking between the male and female leads. I did find the twist at the end interesting, enjoyed the eventual HEA for Adanel and Dugan and hope that some of the supporting characters will get stories of their own. I do have to say that Dugan seemed a bit full of himself and unwilling to bend and I wondered why Adanel put up with it but as it all worked out for the two of them I was happy in the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington-Zebra for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

Adanel Mackbaythe and Dugan, a commander in the McTiernay clan met one night at a (not so well known) loch. They are instantly attracted to each other and for months meet in secret.

Adanel keeps her identity from Dugan because of her father’s cruelty and representation. She hopes that her lover can help save her from her father. While Dugan (in the beginning) did not want any relationship commitments. He soon realises that he could not live without her and wants to marry her.

Unfortunate events, miscommunication and stubbornness from both characters - particularly Dugan - causes the lovers to feel anger towards each other and feel betrayed.

The ease and flow of the writing, historical genre and war retelling were nicely written. However I still prefer a slow burn romance. The characters “jumped into bed” too quickly and emotionally fall hard when there was a suggestion of betrayal.

Star rating: 3.5

** I received a copy of “How to marry a highlander” (The McTiernays #8) by Michelle Sinclair via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

#HowToMarryAHighlander #NetGalley

Another great addition to the McTiernays series. This time with commander Dugan who is a fierce warrior and master seducer and Adanel who is not all she appears as they first meet.
All Adanel wants is to escape her evil father who has treated her cruelly and had killed the man who was her first love. She sees Dugan as that oppotunity to get away but she hides some secrets.
Dugan is enchanted by her and they quickly falls in lust and they begin a secret affair. But he does not want to settle down and does not trust easily. When he finds out her secrets, he distances himself.
Of course that is not the end and all heck breaks loose!
Full of angst, some steamy romantic scenes and two stubborn people who just do not communicate well when it is needed!!
Looking forward to next in the series although this can be read as a stanalone, do not miss any of the previous books!

Exciting and thrilling page turner that I could not put down, the characters are fabulous and the setting awesome, I love me a highlander and Michele Sinclair has written an excellent story.

I received a copy and I am voluntarily leaving my own honest opinion

This was not the first and won't be a last book by Michelle Sinclair.
It was not my favorite, but it was a good read.
If you like highlanders, Scotland and historical romance with alpha super handsome male - this is a book for you.
I am in love with all highlanders and this book became a recommended book to my family and friends who read this genre.
I liked everything in in!

Adanel is such a unusual name but so right for the character that Ms Sinclair has created for her latest romance. Daughter of a Scottish clan chief who guards one of the only deep water ports in this part of Scotland and a horrible person to boot so that she leads a life too miserable to imagine. One of the highlights of her week is escape to a small isolated loch where she can swim and enjoy the natural beauty. When her idyll is interrupted by a brawny soldier she thinks life is perfect until……..As the two become lovers she starts to dream of an escape and a future with her lover even if he is a McTierney soldier, a member of an enemy clan who might afford a rare opportunity to escape her miserable life. As it turns out Dugan is not an ordinary soldier and when she finds out who she is, he suspects he's been taken for a fool and leaves to nurse his anger into a festering hatred while she poor thing has her own cross to bear and a rescue that never materializes.
Imagine when the two come together again. Not only are they on opposite sides of a clan war, her brother just knifed the McTierney chief and she is a prisoner of Dugan while betrothed to the son of a rival clan with whom her father wants an alliance. If it isn't complicated enough the McTierney wives who really rules the roost create an opportunity for Dugan and Adanel to hand fast.
As they take over her father's clan holdings the two will be challenged in may ways but of course the one constant is the red hot chemistry between them. Will this be enough to create a smooth sailing relationship? Dugan is a great hero who provides the perfect foil for feisty Adanel and I enjoyed their story playing out with a nice touch of gentle curves and twists.
At one time historical romances were one of my favorite genre which I had left behind for fantasy and contemporary suspense but lately I seem to be reading a lot more of them again. I truly did enjoy this story and am tempted to read the back list since this is the 8th book in a series and a lot of the other couples seemed interesting with interesting back stories.

A commander in the McTiernay clan, Dugan is known far and wide for his skills with a sword—and his skills in seduction. His rugged countenance and arrogant swagger are a lethal combination for the women who try to tame him and fail. All Adanel Mackbaythe knows about her Highland lover is that he is a McTiernay soldier and a means of escaping her cruel father.
Overall I enjoyed the book but I found it hard to relate to the characters & I’m not a fan of instant sex in a historical romance, I much prefer a slow burn. Apart from that I was drawn into the story & my enjoyment grew in the first half only for the second half to fall flat & many questions raised were not answered & glossed over. This is the first book I’d read by the author & whilst I was disappointed I’ll certainly try another of her books in case this was a blip.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Not my favorite in the series. No romance buildup and I felt the hero was too much of a jerk and the redemption was long in coming. I love this author and will read more from her. Just didn't care for this installment.

When I first started this book wasnt sure how I would feel about it but the more I read it the more I liked it even though I wanted to smack the crap out of Dugan and Adanel both. Dugan was a straight up ass at times but glad in the end he wised up. This is the first book in this series I've read and didn't feel too incredibly lost but will likely go back and read the others I would definitely like to see more of this world and see how Dugan reacts to Adanel's news in the end

This is the first book I’ve read by Michele Sinclair. I was immediately pulled into the story and I enjoyed Dugan and Adanel individually. Together though, their lack of communication was tiresome. I felt there was a bit too much fast forwarding and things that were made out to be important were skipped over at times. Some times the fast forward was apparent and other times it was just sort of slid in randomly, I felt if it would have been more apparent I wouldn’t have minded it as much. I never felt that Dugan and Adanel ever really talked out their issues either, it too was sort of brushed aside. I really wanted to love this book because I think the overall story was pretty good, but there were a few too many issues for me to give it a higher rating

I thought I would enjoy this read since I had the previous books I read from this author.

This book started out very quickly but then seemed to bog down. What started out as a well written and interesting read quickly became just the opposite. Frankly I found it difficult to read. It was a book I put aside hoping that when I started reading again I would find it as compelling as the opening chapters were.
I gave this book 3 of 5 stars for story line and characterization.
Although I have previously read and enjoyed this author's books this one did not keep my interest.
I received a complimentary ARC of this title to read. This in no way affected my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

I am still trying to decide how I feel about this book...

The book starts out well, but Adanel is portrayed as a bit of a wanton, not that I have a problem with women knowing what they want and going for it - but it was a bit surprising. They meet while Adanel is bathing in a loch and Dugan, the McTiernay's commander is checking on their outlying property. Dugan is a rake, he enjoys women, but trust none and has no desire to settle for one. He and Adanel quickly fall into lust and a secret affair begins.

Adanel's father is cruel, evil man who killed her first love in front of her and since that time, she has wanted to escape. She begins to think Dugan might be the man to free her, but when her secrets come to light, Dugan is furious. When their affair is exposed and causes a clan war, he burns for vengeance.

The writing is good and the first half of the book is great, but then it just fell apart for me. These two had so much potential, but miscommunication or rather no communication paired with Dugan's stubborn insistence that he was wronged, just wore me out. Yes, the love scenes are smokin' and yes, there are some interesting storylines, but by the end of the book, I still wasn't sure if these two had what it takes to be life-partners, because they still seemed to have a hard time actually talking to each other. Bottom line, I didn't hate the book, but I wouldn't read it again.

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

❤️❤️❤️❤️
💋💋💋
So amusing, tense , emotional, loving , and in places Hot!
A great addition to the series, more McTeirneys than you can shake a stick at , they’re all in this one to some extent.
This is Dugan and Adanel’s
HEA , it’s a great read , so unputdownable it’s wonderful.
I’ve adored the whole series and can’t wait for more.
I received an advance copy of this book and chose to submit a review

Author Michele Sinclair has continued to bring adventure and love to the McTiernay Clan. The Eighth installment in the series has the commander of the McTiernay clan, Dugan, not only fighting for his life, but his heart, as well. Adanel MackBaythe seizes the opportunity to play with Dugan's emotions to aid in her escape from her father and his cruel ways. Suspicious of Adanel's motives, Dugan cannot control his heart, and forgoes the danger that a relationship will cause. After the couples romantic trysts are discovered, a war between the clans will be ignited. Only love can win this war! I can't wait to see what author Michele Sinclair has in store next!

I enjoyed this book and the main characters. I'm guessing that its part of a series because all of the names and side stories got pretty confusing. There were many unnecessary details that probably dealt with the series that didn't really have that much to do with the story. 3.5 stars.

Highlander adventure and romance. Secret lovers, misunderstandings, battles. Revisiting old characters. Worth a read.

Yeah this book wasn't for me. I didn't see it as a love story, more like a lust story about two people who wouldn't trust the other they claim they were falling for. They meet in a loch and have sex, yup first time. I didn't particularly like Dugan and found him to be hypocrite. Here he is upset that Adanel was keeping something from him and when he finds out what it is he leaves her which was exactly the reason that she didn't tell him, yes she should have but if he cared at all he should have listened instead of being a big baby, I mean he didn't trust anybody why should she. Now Adanel is heartbroken and left with her miserable father and she feels betrayed and I got it...Not my type of story..

Sometimes a very rapid connection in the beginning can be good and at times it may be a disappointment. Adanel and Dugans story took off like a rocket. Their chemistry was explosive and just like jumping right into the loch they were swimming in, they jumped into a relationship based pretty much on sex. No need to know each other backgrounds, no names, try not to give any hints.

Just as fast as their relationship progressed and not progressed, we quickly find Dugan accusing her of betrayal. I was difficult to keep pace and difficult to embrace these two characters.

Their story fell short for me and I kept pushing myself to try to finish it.