HIGHLAND WOLF is the tenth book in the Highland Brides series. Though each will stand alone as a wonderful historical romance, I wish I had read more in the series.

This was a terrific Highland romance story with a great suspense and murder-mystery included.

One of the most endearing traits of Claray is her love for animals. Even more charming is that everyone who gets to know her, soon indulges her soft-spot for “the wee beasties.”

In two words, I would call this “Absolutely romantic.” It starts with a timeless swash-buckling rescue in the nick of time. Great family intrigue for both Claray and Conall, individually and as a couple.

As a long-time Sands fan, I have to say that this is classically her style and exactly what I hoped to read in a Highland Romance.

Note: While I received this book as a gifted ARC via NetGalley, my opinions are my own and are given freely.


Title: HIGHLAND WOLF
Series: Highland Brides #10
Category /Genre: Paranormal Romance
Recommended for: 18+ due to sexual content
Grammar/editing: received as an unedited ARC / errors excused
Received from: Avon Publishing

Highland Wolf was a very sweet highland romance novel that had some twists and turns that I did not expect. When Claray was saved from marrying a scheming man who only wanted her for her lands by "The Wolf" Connell, I knew this was going to be a book with a lot of twists and turns. The marriage between Connell and Claray happens pretty early on in the book, so the plot actually revolves a lot around the mystery about who killed his parents and might be trying to kill him, and the lingering threat of her original intended bridegroom taking revenge. This was a nice change of pace other than misunderstanding between the hero and heroine.

The one major criticism I have of the book was that Claray's character was basically Snow White incarnated. It was just unbelievable that each time she wandered into the woods that she came back with a new animal. It was a bit silly.

I received an ARC copy of this book via #NetGalley

This was a very enjoyable historical romance. The plot was interesting and the characters were very well written. I thought the animal thing was a little much, but it did tie in at the end. The romance scenes were suprising spicy, which I wasn't expecting andcwere a pleasant suprise.

Highland Wolf by Lynsay Sands is the tenth book in the Highlands Bride series. This story focuses on Lady Claray MacFarlane, who is kidnapped (actually saved from a bad situation) by a man who is actually her betrothed. The problem is that Claray and the rest of the world believed he died as a child.

This story was just ok. The mystery was really interesting. I was surprised to learn who the villain was. I also loved how the author used humor in the book. Claray being an animal whisperer was great and served as a great vehicle for light funny moments. The problem was that I didn’t really believe or feel the love/passion that the central couple felt for each other. Additionally, there was a lot of sexual guilt in this book. Not enjoying any sexual activities because of religion. I didn’t really enjoy that.

I was invited to read an ARC of Highland Wolf, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #Highlandwolf

This book was a fun and easy book to read. The character interactions didn't seem to be as developed as in past books, but I enjoyed the characters anyway.

Do you remember Annabel from the very first book? You know, the girl that was supposed to become a nun? An English Bride in Scotland An English Bride in Scotland (Highland Brides, #1) by Lynsay Sands Well, this book is about her and her husband Ross's nephew, Bryson MacDonald.

I can't believe that I have been reading this particular series for 10 books now. This book is written in a typical Lynsay Sands manner. It is comfortable to rely on how a story is going to go with every book.

You get anxiety, misunderstandings, angst, attempted murder, mystery, an adorable heroine, and a big burly hero---plus a lot of steamy scenes.
In other words, we get a typical novel from this author. And that is a relief to me. In this day and age, I need something I can rely on!

*ARC supplied by the publisher, the author, and NetGalley.

This book really put me through a ring of emotions. One moment I was happy, the next minute I was frustrated, and the next I was giggling like a schoolgirl that crush just told them they like them. This book was amazing it had the drama, action, love, and intimacy in just the right amount. You don't get the feeling of there being too many sex scenes it's just enough. It allows you to truly get to know the characters and all the stuff they overcome so deeply. I truly loved this book.

I received an advance reader copy of this from NetGalley, and I loved this Highland romance. I wanted to read it even before I realized it was part of the Highland Brides series (with which I am a little obsessed). Bringing the MacKays from Book 1 together with the Buchanan clan for a full-circle romance was such an enjoyable read that I stayed up until 2 a.m. to finish it. I cannot wait to order my own copy and will be on pins and needles until we see where the series is going next.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4242343256

Lady Claray has had a hard life. Her mother is dead and she has been taken by a rival that is old and only wants her as collateral, She is resolved to this because her betrothed is dead. His whole fa,ily murdered when they were kids. She doesn’t have many options. Wolf has been hired to break up the wedding and bring Claray back before she can wed. This is a cute romance with a hit scot and a Snow White collector of wee beasties. Can Claray charm and domesticate the wolf?

I love everything about Lynsay Sands “highland bride” series. The characters are always fresh and new and I love to see how older characters’ story also progress in the background of new stories. I liked this book a lot especially with how caring Conall was with Claray and all the animals she seemed to attract. When I first read a review about all the animal friends she had I was a little skeptical. However, Lynsay once again goes above and beyond. The way Claray is with the animals isn’t a weird retelling of Snow White or Enchanted. She cares deeply of the animals but still recognizes them as just that-animals. There are so many witty and fun things about this book that I could go on forever about it. My one complaint is that it’s not long enough!

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley for an honest opinion.

This book was great. I am a fan of Lynsay Sands Vampire series and decided to try this genre. I really enjoyed this book. The H and H were sweet, sassy, and a fun book. I didn’t even notice time passing because the book flowed. I like the supporting characters, and which added to the story. No spoilers but if your looking for a good sweet funny HEA pick this up. I would recommend this author and will be looking into her other highland books as well.

Highland Wolf is the tenth book in the Highland Brides series by Lynsay Sands, and it follows Claray MacFarlane as she is rescued before an unwanted wedding by a feared mercenary called the Wolf. While traveling with Wolf, aka Conall, Claray learns he was sent by her father and is her betrothed. As the pair and Conall’s soldiers take Claray back to her father, they must face their past and their growing feelings for each other.

Claray is a great protagonist. She has a unique connection with animals, and her gentle and kind nature endear her to animals and people alike. She has a collection of animals, all in need of extra care, that follow her wherever she goes. It’s almost like she has a sixth sense for animals in need, and she is drawn to them wherever she goes. It’s a heart-warming, if a bit far-fetched, aspect of the plot, and I love how devoted the animals are to her and she to them.

Claray is a little flaky, and she is easily distracted, but she is also inquisitive and selfless. She is a worrier, which I totally relate to, and I like how patient and understanding Conall is when talking of her worries. His gentle reassurances and uncanny ability to know when she is most anxious aren’t his only great qualities. He is protective and proud, and he has a fierce determination. He is an honorable man with good intentions, though he can be a bit domineering at times. A leader, Conall wants to reclaim the land and role he lost when his entire family was murdered. This fuels him, as does his ever-growing feelings for Claray.

Claray and Conall have wonderful chemistry, and their growing feelings for each other are lovely. Conall is a patient man, and he treats Claray and his followers well. However, he is keeping secrets from Claray, and I was curious to see how she would react when she learned them. Their connection runs deeper than Claray originally knew, which adds to the romantic nature of their story.

Threats from their present and from Conall’s past add intrigue, danger, and adventure to the story, and there are several shocking revelations in regard to Conall and the murder of his family. It’s an interesting and well-paced plot, and I was surprised by some of the antagonists and their motivations.

Something else I really like about this series is the vivid setting. The author’s descriptions of the Scottish Highlands are vivid and immersive, which really pulls you into the story. This is the tenth book in the series, but you don’t have to read the other books to follow this one. However, reading the previous books definitely provides context and explores the relationships and love stories of several characters in this book. This isn’t my favorite in the series, but it is an entertaining read, and I liked the introduction of some intriguing characters that I’m hoping will be the focus of future books. Thanks so much to NetGalley, Lynsay Sands, and Avon for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

3 stars - I liked it.

When Claray finds herself being dragged to the altar by her greedy uncle to marry a man she doesn’t know. But right at the last minute she is snatched by the Highland warrior The Wolf and spirited away to safety. But the Wolf is Claray’s real betrothed and it looks like he might finally claim her.

It has been a long time since I picked up a historical from Sands and this was a good one. Conall was a wonderful, protective hero who was determined to protect what was left of his people and rebuild his family home. I really liked him and his determination. Claray was a kind woman who was always reducing animals. I liked all of her rescues. Claray was an ok heroine. I did find her constantly worrying for her soul annoying after a while.

The mystery behind Conall’s family's death was pretty great because I couldn't figure out the real culprit until it was revealed. Overall, this was an enjoyable historical romance. I haven’t read the other books from this series but I think I might now because I do enjoy Sands’ writing style.

"He wasn't terribly surprised by the men's reactions to her rescuing a wounded rabbit. All three looked taken aback at first, and then vaguely amused."

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

Actual Rating = 2.75 stars, rounded up to 3

So let me start by saying that I was originally planning to give this book like 3.5 stars, but it lost almost a full star in the last 15%. Intrigued?

Okay, a quick summary: Highland Wolf follows our heroine Claray who is in a really crappy situation but gets rescued/sort-of-kidnapped-but-it's-a-good-thing by our hero, the Wolf/Conall. These two characters actually have a pre-existing connection she doesn't know about, but the reader learns of it long before the character does.

Let me provide the small disclaimer that, for a romance, this book is pretty hard to talk about without spoilers. I'm going to try to do so, but bear with me if I have to be a bit vague sometimes. This is also my introduction to Lynsay Sands, so I may not be aware of author-specific writing styles and details that bigger fans will pick up on.

Pros:

1) Claray is a super fun heroine. She's kind of an airhead but in a nice way, where she's not stupid so much as lives in her own little world. I thought this was a nice change from either the cranky and/or painfully quirky female MCs a lot of romances feature these days. She's also a bleeding heart for animals, which I can relate to, and added a lot of humor and warmth to the story. Claray was by far my favorite character and I don't typically root for the wholesome MCs.

2) This was pretty steamy, and the erotic scenes - while not the hottest I've ever read - were well-written and enjoyable.

Cons:

1) I have a very limited tolerance for phonetic writing - when the dialogue (or god forbid the entire text) is written in a way that displays the character's accent. In my experience, the same effect can be accomplished through word choice and vocal description, but Sands does use phonetic language here. It's limited to the dialogue and wasn't too bad but it did get old after a while. This is totally personal preference, and might not bother anyone else.

2) In terms of POV, this novel is written in a 3rd person omniscient style, so there is more head-hopping than I typically enjoy in romances. I don't have a strong preference between 1st and 3rd person limited, but I like my romances to really focus on one of the characters at a time, to throw you into the emotion. This does sort of happen here, with sections following Claray or Conall, but it hops around enough to be at least mildly distracting.

3) This book has a lot of info dumps. Like, A LOT. I get why the info is needed since the backstory of the characters is very much relevant. It did feel like kind of a cop-out on Sands' part though, as these details definitely could've been woven into the narrative better.

4) You can tell that Sands' has a little bit of a crush on Connall because he has no flaws. Like literally, none. The worst thing about him is that he gets kind of distracted when he's horny, which is often and lets Claray wander into some potentially dangerous situations. This definitely isn't an ideal characteristic, but IDK if it really counts as a flaw either. Otherwise, he's basically perfect, which I just find super boring to read. I didn't connect with him nearly as much as I have with other romance novel heroes for this reason.

5) Now to the biggest issue I had with this book, which is unfortunately spoiler-adjacent so I can't go too deep into it. Connall's backstory revolves around the mass murder of his parents and clan through the use of poisoned food. You learn this pretty early on, so I don't feel too bad including it here. The crime is unsolved and is this mystery that follows him throughout the text. I actually found this pretty intriguing at first - not many romance novels include mass murder - but the resolution was WEIRD AF. Like, the big reveal of who did it and why was such a crazy reason for murder and was so out of left-field that I was legitimately laughing out loud....presumably not what the author intended. It genuinely ruined the book for me and is the main cause for the decreased rating I mentioned above. As much as I want to rant about this, I won't because that would be unfair to future readers. That said, please feel free to message me with your thoughts since you'll absolutely know what I'm talking about.

TL;DR = this novel had potential and was an okay romance until it veered way into left-field at the end.

Unfortunately, this book is not for me; I DNF'ed at 30%. I was not engaged by the story, prose, or the characters. The main plotline was introduced via a massive info-dump from the FMC, which was confusing at best given the vast name-dropping without context. The bulk of the "action" revolved around the FMC rescuing injured baby animals each time she went to relieve herself, which was improbable and frankly a strange premise that didn't really resonate with me at all. The prose was basic, contained unnecessary exposition in some areas, while not enough in others, and the constant Scottish accent overlaid throughout the dialogue pulled me out of the story.  The dialogue between the characters wasn't believable and was often used for the sake of exposition, and there was little to no characterization among the entire group that might define them as individuals in a meaningful way.

This is an author I never hesitate to pick up. Her writting skills and her attention to details make her stories pop and come to life on each page. Her characters are unique and have alot of heart and soul. They also heat up the pages. This is a story about Claray and the Wolf. She is about to marry a man that she is being forced to until he comes to take her away. What she doesn't realize is that he is her true betrothed. What happens next with them you will want to read. They are both great characters that truly made the story for me. I loved the chemistry and their growth throughout the story. I highly recommend this book and this author.

I normally love Lynsay Sands books but I can't even get into this one. First you're not going to find animals to rescue every time you step into a forest. You're just not. Pick one or the other you don't need a bunny and a stoat. Also no way would there have been a vegetarian in that time period. Food was too precarious. You would have eaten what you had. I could get past that but combined with the fact they wouldn't have tried to mend a bull's leg they would have just had a nice big dinner and preserved the rest its too much. I feel like this just isn't on any where near the same level as her usual historical novels. I hate having to rate it so low but it's not as good as normal. Like I said I could get past the vegetarian thing but it doesn't have to be a huge thing. She rescues animals so she doesn't eat meat fine. I don't need a description of what she eats instead I really don't care. Not awfully important when you're on the run from a forced marriage and murder. I will try it again when its released hopefully better editing will make it worth while.

I'll forever read anything from Lynsay Sands! From her Highlander series to her Vampire series, I always enjoy the story and characters. I especially really loved the two main characters in this latest highlander installment, Claray and Conall, they had great chemistry and they really supported each other from the beginning. Conalls backstory was interesting and I loved that everyone had to pitch in to make themselves a new home. The only thing I could have completely done without was the motive for the villain. I found the motive weak and just too unbelievable BUT I loved everything else. The romance in this one totally makes it worth the read!

Another successful historical romance from Lynsay Sands. The main character's talent for befriending wild animals was an unexpected delight!

I really enjoyed this story. I enjoyed the general plot and the main characters. I was a little disappointed in the reasoning of one of the villains and I thought the other one resolved too easily, hut I also felt like that one is probably another book. All in all I recomend if you like historical romance.