Bryce MacKinlay Campbell is forced into a marriage with Dorie McCurdy for the sake of gaining access to a seatport for the MacKinlay clan. He lost his wife and child ten years ago, still grieves for them, and resents being forced into this. He doesn't want her and certainly doesn't want to ever marry again, but he did his duty.

Dorie...oh, this poor girl. She hasn't spoken to anyone in nine years and she refuses to speak to anyone at the castle, including her own husband. She thinks her words are too harmful and has kept her silence all this time just to be sure she never says anythings she shouldn't again. Her father and brother kept her locked in a room with the window boarded up and a few books to read for these nine years and when she was taken to MacKinlay castle to be married to Bryce, she was determined to make the best of it. She arrived somewhat clean with a tattered old dress that was too short, no shoes, and ratty hair. That angered Bryce. Her family wasn't taking care of her at all, but he knew nothing of her living situation or her life with the McCurdy's.

Nobody wanted her and now her husband doesn't want her, either. It was so sad. Bryce knew he had to take care of her and made sure she had food and some clothes and shoes, but he lived at the castle while she lived in his cottage above the village. Her only companion was a dog she named Rascal.

But things aren't always what they seem. Bryce was angry over the treatment his new wife received from her brother while she was being dumped at the castle for her wedding, but had no idea just how far it had gone or how long it had been going on. He promised her protection. He promised to provide for her, but he was never going to love her. He'd loved his first wife and their child and there was no room for anybody else.

My heart ached for Dorie. All she wanted was for someone to want her and maybe even love her. She hadn't had that since her mother died. After that, the only companionship she had was a maid who'd come to her room once a day to drop off food and that was brief. That was it. And now Bryce didn't want her and set her up to live away from him without realizing she didn't have any life skills.

Then my heart ached for Bryce. The opening scene in the book is him on top of the battlement wanting to take that last step to his death only to back down. How many times had he been up there doing that in the last ten years? And what kept him from taking that fateful step? I think he was doing the best he could do with what he had. It took him so long to come around, but it wasn't easy for him at all. His lack of will to move on with his life almost cost him more than he ever thought possible.

I like angst in the books I read and this filled the bill. I loved all of the characters I was supposed to love, especially Dorie and Bryce, and despised the antagonists. There were some pretty steamy scenes, too that added even more to this fantastic read. The story was solid and to watch these two broken souls come together and strive for something neither of them thought was possible was so satisfying.

I loved this book. Just everything about it.

This is the second book of a series, but I didn't read the first book and got along just fine with this one. This can be read as a stand-alone novel.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Her Reluctant Highlander, byAllison B. Hanson. I found this historical romance novel a joy to read. Allison supplies her readers with action and betrayal that will have you shocked and perhaps angry. I liked the slow build up of the romance between Dorie and Bryce, but once Bryce was able to let down his walls, the passion and love that blossoms between to gets a little to hot for the castle. Alison did a great job of writing this romance story and I look forward to reading more from her. I am also pleased to give this book a awesome rating.

Bryce and Dorie's story was very sweet in Allison B. Hanson's Her Reluctant Highlander Husband. The two main characters are both very damaged by their respective pasts and need each other to heal. This book held a wealth of emotion that will touch readers' hearts.

Bryce lost his wife and baby daughter about a decade ago. He has never moved on and let himself love another woman. When his cousin and laird order him to marry Dorie, he reluctantly agrees to a marriage in name only. He will take care of her because it's his duty, but he won't let her under his skin. But he slowly becomes more and more intrigued with the silent woman who is his wife.

Dorie has been held as a prisoner in her rooms for nine years. She is forced to marry Bryce but can only hope that he will be kinder than her family. At least she has some freedom and some friends. She doesn't speak because she has first hand knowledge how words can harm or kill someone she loves.

When outside forces conspire to harm Dorie, Bryce may just realize that Dorie is a woman who can release him from his past hurts and help him start a new life. This was a very good read and such a sweet story of two people who were perfect for each other and needed each other, The love story was a slow burn romance that I loved.

I'm a total sucker for Highlander romances, and this story did not disappoint. It follows the relationship of clan MacKinlay war chief Bryce MacKinlay Campbell and Dorie McCurdy, a young woman who spent nine years a prisoner in McCurdy castle. Bryce's heart remains with his first wife and their daughter, who died a decade earlier. Will Dorie recover from her ordeal at castle McCurdy? Will Bryce find room in his heart for Dorie? Of course they will; it's a romance. How they get there, though, is the story. Not gonna lie...I may have shed a tear or two.

Yes, I did have to willfully suspend my disbelief a few times, mostly relating to how well adjusted (more or less) and mature Dorie was in spite of spending half her life locked up and almost entirely in isolation. It did not detract overly much from the story though.

This book is the second in the series, I believe, but it very much works as a stand-alone book. This book was the first book of this author's that I've read, but hopefully it won't be the last!

I received a copy of this book from Entangled and Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

After nine lonely years locked in her room as her father’s prisoner, Dorie McCurdy is forced to marry the new war chief of clan MacKinlay. Terrified and unwilling to speak, she imagines the worst of her handsome, imposing new husband. Bryce MacKinlay Campbell’s wife Maggie and child were taken by illness years ago, and all he’s wanted since is to be alone. Unfortunately, he is ordered to marry the McCurdy laird’s daughter for an alliance between their clans. He’s appalled by the way his bride is treated by her family when she shows up looking like a ragged, homeless waif. Bryce can provide for her needs, and offer his name, but not his heart.
The second book in this enjoyable series, it could easily be read on its own, however we do catch up with the characters from the first book. My heart went out to Dorie for how she's suffered for almost a decade & I applauded her for how she wasn't bitter. Bryce was still grieving & full of guilt not wanting to move on. I loved the road to their HEA which wasn’t easy but it was an emotional,enjoyable Read & I was routing for them all the way through
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

After nine years imprisoned in a single room by her father, Dorie McCurdy is forced to marry the new war chief of clan MacKinlay. She is terrified and unwilling to speak because speaking is what caused a tragedy and for her to be imprisoned. Bryce Mackinlay Campell lost his wife and child years ago and had no plans to ever wed again, but he has been forced into this arrangement by his laird. The marriage will bring them a much needed alliance.

While Bryce feels protective of his new wife he is constantly pulled into the past by thoughts of the wife and child that he lost. Dorie does begin to blossom and grow while being away from her family. Unfortunately, her family will not cease torturing her. A decision must be made about whether they will stay together or go their separate ways.

This book was very good and takes you through many emotions. I personally enjoy a bit of a roller coaster when reading a romance. There was some action packed sequences as well. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy the Scottish romances of Lynsay Sands and Julie Garwood.

I was provided a copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved the first book in this series, so I was really disappointed that this book didn't hit the mark for me. I think the main issue is the glaringly obvious one from page one - the hero is still in deep, deep mourning for his dead wife and child. Completely understandable, given the circumstances, but not exactly a hero for a romance novel? At least not for me. The man is literally suicidal, I am not kidding - the book opens to him standing on the edge of the battlements, thinking about stepping off. So then he marries this woman who has been traumatized her whole life by a family who hates her, and he sees that she is settled in a home outside the castle and then abandons her. Barely acknowledges her at all. Until people point out to him that she doesn't know how to cook, has hardly any clothing to speak of, and then he decides he needs to put in more effort. Soon he starts to have feelings for her, but he is guilty the entire time. When they do finally have sex, it feels so uncomfortable for me as the reader that I am cringing the whole way through. Then he actually thinks about his dead wife while he is preparing to take the heroine's virginity, and I really....I can't handle this type of conflict in a romance. The hero needs to be more ready that this one was, it was so painful to read, and I felt so bad for the heroine. I felt bad for the hero too, it just grossed me out how much he thought about his former wife when he was making love to his new wife. There needs to be more separation. At the end of the day, I could not enjoy this book and was eager for it to end. Hopefully the next book will be more like the first!

Love in a hopeless place of sorts....I loved meeting Dorie. Wow--where do I start? She was held prisoner for 9 years by her father (reasons come to light as the story unfolds). Obviously, she suffers a lot of trauma from this experience. Nevertheless, she is married off in an arranged marriage to a neighboring clan's war chief, Bryce. We met Bryce and the clans in the previous books in the series, however this book can stand alone. Bryce is still in mourning and dead inside due to the loss of his wife and only child years before. It looks so hopeless for these 2, but what a well-written story unfolds. I am waiting for the next in this series!

Pairing two people who have both suffered traumatic situations takes care and great writing. Ms. Hanson achieved both. Dorie suffers from being, not only a prisoner, but for being the cause of her mother’s death. Bryce struggles with guilt and the loss of his wife and daughter. Dorie and Bryce fight a hard fight to find acceptance and love. Each go about it in a different way, yet, they find their way back to each other.

I loved this book. Ms. Hansen is able to help Bryce and Dorie keep their humanity and self-respect even as they struggled with their situation/s. It seemed to take Bryce a lot longer to realize what everyone else already knew. I enjoyed the close connection with Her Accidental Highlander Husband, first book in the Clan MacKinley series. I felt like I already knew the ‘neighbors’ as the book began. I think my favorite character besides the H/h was Rascal, Dorie’s adorable dog.

Her Reluctant Highlander Husband
Book 2 in the "Clan MacKinlay" series
Rating: 5 stars
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC given through NetGalley for review. All opinions are my own.

I loved it! This is the story of two people who have had their heart broken by different reasons, but yet found with a each other a second chance at happiness. They are joined in a marriage of convenience. For her this marriage a chance to escape the prison in which she has been held for years by her brother. For Bryce is more of a business arrangement that his laird has done. He refuses to open his heart again to falling in love. He was previously married and suffered the death of his wife and child. For years he has carried the guilt of not being there when they died. This is what mostly over shadowed his new marriage. He constantly reminded himself that he didn't deserve to be happy again. I felt bad for Dorie because she found happiness since the day she married Bryce. She brought joy and light to his life. It just took him a while to come to the conclusion that he deserved to be happy again.

I look forwards to the next in the series!!

Dorie is bartered to Clan MacKinlay as though she is nothing but a servant. Bryce MacKinlay Campbell is the War Chief and the lucky husband, but he looks like he just swallowed a lemon as he is pronounced man & wife!

Seems as though nobody wants Dorie and she remains mute because she is to afraid to speak and doesn’t want to be locked back up! Can Bryce ever love his wife and will Dorie ever speak?

This book is truly captivating and a PageTurner! The author just put enough information in to keep you wanting more so you keep interested and reading!
I love this series and these are a stand-alone, but they are all fantabulous!

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a great read!

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and these are my willingly given thoughts and opinions .

This is my fair and honest review, voluntarily given and in my own words, for thos ARC. When one suffers from fear and heartbreak how do you get through to them? For 9 years she was locked away from the world and stopped speaking for fear of causing harm. Suddenly she is brought to marry a stranger who doesnt want her because he has never been able to get past losing his wife and child. How will they move forward?

Bryce Mackinlay Campbell is the war chief of Clan Mackinlay. He lost his wife and daughter ten years ago. And the only thing he can think about is to be reunited with them.
But the laird of the clan who is is cousin, too, has another plans for Bryce. He must get married.
Dorie McCurdy is not happy about the wedding either. But she knows that her life will be better with Bryce. Little by little she falls in love with Bryce. But he has told her that he will never be ablo to love her back. Is that enough for Dorie?
Will they be happy together? Will Bryce learn to love Dorie?
I liked this book. It easy to read. And I loved how Bryce changes throughout the book.

Bryce MacKinlay Campbell lost his wife and child to illness many years ago and struggles to go on without them. Now his Laird is forcing him to marry for the sake of the Clan.

Dorie McCurdy has been locked away by her father since a childish tantrum caused tragedy years ago. Her brother has decided he can sell her off for his benefit.

This is a shockingly realistic look at just how powerless some women were all those years ago. A very emotional story that will require a box of tissues. There is also a lot of joy and excitement.

This book is part of a great series, but easily read on it's own.

I loved every page.

Strong characters and vivid historical details. A very enjoyable romance with a few surprises for the reader. I will definitely seek more books from this author.

I just discovered Allison B Hanson in September with the first book in this series, and she has quickly become a new favorite. Her Reluctant Highlander husband follows Bryce who we met in the first book ( you don't have to have read that one, but I think you should as it was excellent) Bryce and Dorries story a marraige of convience and is beautiful and heartwrenching. Their chemistry is on fire. I was yelling kiss her already!!
You can see how much Bryce is coming to love her, but he is fighing so hard not to. Dorrie doesn't want to ask for more than Bryce can give her, her life is already so much better that it was before. but her feelings are growing and she wants more.


I absolutely can't wait for more books in this series!!!

Her Reluctant Highlander Husband by Allison B. Hanson entertained from the start. The story held strong characters that depicted vulnerability, and conversely portrayed apparent vulnerable characters who showed much strength. Twists and turns in a story that didn't dissapoint.
Review copy received from Entangled Publishing via Netgalley

This author is slowly becoming a favorite, especially with these Highlander books. In book one, we got a little hint about this book being about Bryce, and I was seriously looking forward to it. Poor Bryce had lost his wife and baby girl years earlier, in a somewhat traumatic way for him. I have to say, the way this author describes how he feels is quite beautiful. She gives such a great analogy using a warrior's scars that just makes sense. You basically spend the whole book just wanting him to find happiness, because he's not a bad guy at all. Dorie was a bit harder for me to like at the start. I mean, I get it, but yeah, I was seriously starting to get annoyed by her. However, to see her find the strength to have a very difficult conversation with Bryce and ask for what she wants and deserves? Oh yeah, she redeemed herself. I loved that these books don't really have unnecessary, childish drama. It all comes across in a way that makes for a very solid book. I didn't give it 5 stars because the end felt, I don't know, rushed in a way, almost incomplete. We're left wanting to know what Kenna had, was it a girl ? What about Dorie ? Did she have a boy ? I mean come on !!! I'm hoping that the next book will be Liam's story, because he sounds like a great character too.

Her Reluctant Highlander Husband is the second book in the Clan MacKinlay series. A lot of what I liked from the first book is found here: a marriage of convenience (family alliance), a fast-paced beginning that grabs you into the story, and an emotional read that has characters dealing with real loss and trauma but yet the book was never too angsty for me to take.

This book pairs Dorie, the abused daughter from the terrible clan McCurdy, with Bryce, the war chief of clan MacKinlay. Bryce had lost his first wife and child 9 years ago and says he cannot love again. He reluctantly agreed to the marriage as his duty but makes sure Dorie never expects more than protection and safety from him. After a time, and events forcing them together, they come to care for each other. Then they are offered a chance at annulment, and they each have to decide whether this forced marriage could be one of their own choosing.

I like that the men in this series are not two dimensional alpha types. The struggle Bryce faces reconciling his past with his future adds a lot of depth to his character. I liked the additional characters of Dorie's real father and stepmother. Dorie herself was a great heroine though she made some really bad choices at times. But I do see how the additional drama helped move the plot along.

While I didn't like this one quite as much as the first book, I really appreciate the entertainment value. It's fast paced, and full of drama and love. If you're looking for a fun and emotional Highlander book, this series fits the bill.

Her clan doesn't care for her but when they need a bargaining chip? Dorie is their answer. But her groom is more than a little reluctant to be married - in any way, shape, or form - after losing his wife and child to a fever. Can they come together and find the courage to love?

While I enjoyed this book, I was really not sure why it had so many storylines... I sort of forgot about one in the middle and then it came back with a vengeance. The heroine was SOOOOO innocent and naive that it actually made me cringe at different moments. And the hero was... alright in the end. He definitely grew but was sort of an emotional coward for so much of it that I got bored with him.

Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Steam: 🔥🔥

Tropes: marriage of convenience, secret baby (sort of), widower, enemies daughter, forced proximity, hurt/comfort

Subgenre: historical (1600s), Scottish/ Highlander

CW/ TW: toxic family, grief, domestic violence (not by hero)

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.