I received an advanced readers copy through NetGalley and volunteer my review.

Highland Salvation by Lori Ann Bailey was definitely a fun story to read. It had lots of intrigue, people living secret lives, family loyalty, family treachery, misunderstandings, blackmail, love, devotion, and so much more.

Lori Ann Bailey did a beautiful job bringing Finley and Blair together. I will definitely recommend this story and add it to my read again pile.

I really liked Finlay and Blair’s relationship dynamic, especially in the first half—the circumstances that brought them together show an excellent level of understanding and care in a hero. A mix of danger, politics, family, and marriage make up the pivotal concerns of the book, and they mesh together well.

My main problem is that there were considerably too many times that Finlay either doubted Blair or disregarded her, which got a bit painful to read after a while, especially since it continued through so close to the end. Overall, though, this was a sweet relationship and an enjoyable highland story.

Blair MacNab has always tried to earn her father's affection by proving herself capable, but he's only ever cared about what her good looks can do for him in a marriage alliance. When her cruel betrothed is killed in battle, his even more despicable cousin, knowing they had already slept together, attempts to blackmail Blair into marrying him. She's left with little recourse but to marry her brother's friend Finlay Cameron. Blair can't believe she's never noticed Finlay before but she believes him to be the right choice, though her judgment was grievously wrong before and she's unsure if she can trust herself now.

As the illegitimate son of an English earl and a Scottish woman, Finlay Cameron is caught in a dangerous position between Royalists loyal to the English crown and Convenanters who want to force the Presbyterian religion on everyone. With her father eager to play both sides of the fence, marrying Finlay is Blair's best option for staying safe and Finlay finds her to be everything he's ever wanted in a wife.

Finlay has never really felt at home at his English estate and is relieved to be on Cameron lands, even if only for a short time. He's afraid that Blair will not want him once she learns of the essentially double life he leads, but that may well be the least of his worries when he has reason to question where his wife's loyalties lie and he begins to wonder if she may be behind the incident's in which his life has been threatened whilst he's on the road delivering an urgent message to the king.

Blair longs for a husband who'll treat her as an equal, but after what her original betrothed did to her, she is distrustful of men and unsure that's a possibility. She's afraid to confide in Finlay and tell him she's being blackmailed and Finlay is no good with words so communication between them reaches a virtual standstill. With miscommunications, secrets, and distrust, these two may never move their relationship beyond simple physical chemistry. Blair is so focused on being seen as useful that she can be blind to the feelings of others around her.

Poor Finlay is the strong and silent type. He's adorably sweet and caring, but has no clue how to express himself. After struggling through Oxford with dyslexia while being ridiculed for being a Scot and a bastard, he thinks he's stupid and undeserving of Blair so he tries to hide his perceived faults. Blair wants to establish a partnership with her husband, but she's not sure how to go about that either so they seem to consistently take two steps forward and one step back.

This book gave me a feeling of danger and suspense that kept me engrossed and just waiting for the other shoe to drop. We're still left with some lingering intrigue with other characters at the end that I hope will be visited in future books. This was a great read full of intrigue that kept me suspicious of everyone and not knowing who to trust. I've never read this author before but will be looking for the other books of this series now.

I voluntarily read and reviewed and advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This novel was a good read. The main characters each have their secrets and afraid they will be judged harshly for it. Blair Macnab wanted to prove herself useful, unlike her mother, who cowered under her father. She did things because her father said she could not. When her betrothed is killed, part of her is relieved but knows her father will give her to the next highest bidder. Blair’s brother asks if Finlay Cameron would marry Blair. Findlay the bastard son of an English earl, who loved his mother and supported Finlay. However, his half brothers were cruel to him and he also had difficulty with reading and math. Finlay does not want others to know. Finlay agrees to marry Blair, for healesys thought her to be kind and beautiful. Both have their reasons for marrying the other. As they enter their marriage, they begin to see a future with the other. However, things have been happening and Finlay cannot help but wonder if his wife is a traitor. Blair was honest with Finlay from the beginning, but fears he will see her as most men see women. They need to overcome their own insecurities to have a love they both need and to discover the truth about what is happening on their travels and their home.