his checked off everything I look for in a book. Was not disappointed. Really enjoyed this book. I will read more from this author. Must read. Historical fiction oh yeah. Love me some Highlanders.

4.5 stars rounded up.

As his grandfather’s representative on Orkney, Liam Mackay is tasked with ensuring a smooth transfer of power from Norse rule to that of Scotland under the leadership of Laird Liam Sinclair, the Earl of Caithness. Liam is determined to uphold the honor of the man he was named for and prove that he is a true man now and a leader in his own right. Liam didn’t anticipate a warm welcome from everyone in the Orkneys, but he is still caught off guard to find himself smack in the middle of an Orcadian woman’s struggle to keep herself and her younger siblings from being kidnapped away from their home and either killed or sold into slavery.

With her father gone and her mother overly fond of drink, Elene Isbister has had the raising of her younger siblings and the working of their small farm. She’s made do with her lot as best she can, but when her mother announces plans to remarry a Norse trader, Elene knows she’ll be forced to Norway along with her siblings, as little more than property of the Norseman. Elene is desperate and Liam seems like the only potential for rescue from their situation and the key to a new life in Scotland, but she’s unprepared for her reaction to him or the challenges such a change will bring.

The attraction between Liam and Elene is almost immediate when they first set eyes on one another. When they officially meet, it becomes readily apparent that their connection is something much deeper than mere physical attraction. Elene feels safe and protected for the first time since her late father’s passing and Liam feels a fierce need to keep her with him always, though he is torn by his perceived duty to make a strong marriage alliance for his clan. There’s also Elene’s scorned would-be lover to contend with, but the element of threat and looming danger made this book a real page turner. I loved the mature manner in which Elene and Liam went about their relationship with lots of honesty and open communication, and it was pretty adorable that the nature of their attachment and feelings for one another was blatantly obvious to those around them even before it was clear to them. Even with the elements of danger, this book held my attention without overwhelming me with angst and nerves, which I was a little afraid it might at first, and I’m so happy that Celeste was able to toe that line so perfectly. Liam was also one of the most delightfully and openly affectionate heroes I’ve read in some time, and I was so here for it. The growth of their relationship felt very natural, despite the pressure they were under and the rapidity of their connection. I haven’t read the original series that this book is a spinoff from, so I did struggle to keep all the characters straight, but I don’t think that detracted from my enjoyment of Liam and Elene’s story, and I loved the clan and Sinclair and Mackay families coming together to rally around Elene and make her and her siblings feel welcome. I usually am not much of a fan of spinoffs, but I really enjoyed this story and I’m hopeful for a strong series to follow.

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

Thank you to netgalley and Celeste Barclay for the chance to read this novel in exchange for an honest review.

First let me say this novel was a completely different genre than I usually read but I was instantly hooked. The characters were very well written and I quite enjoyed the strong and competent women. I was happy that the love didn't feel forced like it has in other books I've read. Celeste also obviously puts countless hours into being historically accurate with the clans, kings, and names of the buildings, boats. I also liked the Gaelic phrases, it's always nice to learn new words especially in other languages.

Definitely recommend Highland Lion if you want to go on an adventure and watch the characters fall in love

Readers, if you love historical romance, you won't want to miss this one. "Highland Lion" is the first book in Celeste Barclay's new series, Clan Sinclair Legacy. Liam is no longer the young child that we met in an earlier series, but a man that is the laird's heir, and now takes part in missions assigned to him. When he meets Elene, a woman on the run with her siblings, he steps in to do what he must to protect them. No matter if this is your first read or you have read them all, each book is a standalone read centered on the characters in the story. As a lover of historical romance, this was a read for me that was hard to put down until the last page was read. "I was gifted "Highland Lion" leaving my review based on my reading." 5 Stars!

This is the first installment of a new historical series by Celeste Barclay, The Clan Sinclair Legacy. The story is full of action, drama, and romance and captured my attention from the start. Elene is a brave a d strong young woman and is desperate to escape from her evil stepfather, Gunter and protect her younger siblings and Liam is the one to help her. Gunter, wanted her for himself and when she rejected him, he takes revenge by marrying her mother and making her life miserable. Liam and Elene along with the siblings must over come many hurdles and challenges as they run from Gunter, making for an action-filled, suspenseful story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. These two had an attraction from the start and it was wonderful to see their connection grow into something more. I really enjoyed following their journey, so many twists and turns keeps you guessing at their fate till the end. An enjoyable and entertaining read! A great start to the series and I look forward to reading more!

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Wow, great start to a new series by Celeste. If you have any of the Sinclair books, we now get to meet and fall in love with a new generation. It was great to see what happen to all the characters we loved in the previous books. If you have not read any of Celeste's books not to worry all of her books can be read as stand alone.
This is such a great story between Laim, a young man trying to show his family he is a man now.
Elene is a young woman trying to save herself and her brother and sister. When their worlds met both feel the attraction, like sparks. Neither understand how they can have such strong feelings so soon.
Elene only knows she feels save with Liam every though she has never felt that way with any man.
Laim knows Elene and her sibling are in trouble, but he has a mission to do for his father and doesn't see how he can help. Fate has other plans for these two. There is so much heart, emotion, bonding and doing what you know is right. Laim and Elene journey teaches them both about caring and loving and trusting others. This is a story that will have you laughing out loud, crying, holding your breath to see what happens next. The first page draws you in and you have to keep reading. Celeste has done it again with making one feel you are there in the village, on the ship, hiding, fighting all of it.
This is fast-moving story with some really nasty men you really want to get what's coming to them.
I would advise all to read this story by yourself away from others so when you're yelling out loud
others will not think you nuts !! You get so wrapped up with the H and h, the kids, all of it.
Another book I will be reading over again. I have read so many of Celeste's series and most of them
twice or more. I can't wait for the next one. I hope this is a long series like The Highland Ladies.
I received and ARC from the author and wish to thank her. This is my honest opinion and am freely giving it .

What I enjoyed:
An enjoyable story with great characters including characters from the authors previous books. I can tell a lot of research went into this story and I felt like I was traveling the seas with the characters. I really can’t imagine what life would have been like back then but reading a story that is very descriptive & well researched gives me a glimpse.

What I didn’t Enjoy:
I did have some trouble following all of the POV shifts throughout the story. One paragraph you are experiencing the story via a particular character and the next it shifted to a totally new character. It would have made the reading much more enjoyable had the shifts been more organized and labeled.

I also felt like the plot either raced too quickly or was repetitive in some areas. For a romance it would have been nicer to have more relationship building & less travel details.

Overall 3 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 3 Flames 🔥🔥🔥

Step back in time to when men were warriors, and women had to fend for themselves at times.
With the author's research and historical knowledge, you will feel as if you are there and on the edge, waiting to see what will happen next!

Wonderful characters, adventure, angst, loyalty, a cruel villain, fight for power and a slow building romance that will only grow bring this story full circle.

A Highlander on a mission for his grandfather, meets a young women who is desperate to get away from a brute of a man, trying to force her to join with him. She has two smaller siblings she has raised and has to protect them as well.

Such a spectacular start to this new series and cannot wait for more!

Highland Lion by Celeste Barclay
The Clan Sinclair Legacy #1

This Sizzling story, set in a place I would love to visit someday, introduced me to an author that I have been curious about for a while. Though a spinoff from a previous series, I did not feel lost and felt I knew the other characters already…no idea why, though.

What I liked:
* Liam Mackay: young man leading his clan on behalf of his father and grandfather, eager to prove his capabilities, calm under pressure, capable, kind, and caring. I liked him.
* Elene Isbister: eldest child caring for younger siblings, alcoholic sometimes abusive mother, looking for an escape, hard worker, beautiful, threatened by a Viking prince. I liked her
* Johan and Katryne: younger siblings of Elene and equally in need of a way to escape
* The reason why Liam was on the journey – the history of it all
* The setting – I am planning a trip to Scotland this summer and doubt we will get to the islands of this book but would love to go someday
* The chemistry between Liam and Elene
* That the couple took their time and gave some thought to the relationship
* The conflict provided by Gunter the Viking Prince…easy not to like him but also have a bit of empathy for him…though not much
* Thinking about what it would have been to live in a place where the country/power in charge was changing
* Thinking about the idea of female warriors and wondering how they trained and were chosen to be warriors
* The way the situation that Elene and her siblings feared was finally resolved
* That the bloody bits were not totally glossed over
* Wondering what the ships looked like – think I need to do more research on how horses might have been taken on the ships mentioned.
* The tie-in to the title…puts a smile on my face thinking of it now.
* Knowing that there will be more books in the series.
* Everything really…except…

What I didn’t like:
* Exactly who and what I was meant NOT to like
* Thinking about how difficult it must have been to live in that time period…

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

I have a love/hate relationship with next generation stories. I'm always excited when they're announced and I just can't wait to read them. Then the first book is released and blah, it's nowhere near as good as the stories from the original generation. This has caused me to be very cautious when reading next generation (the children of the original generation) books.

To be honest, I was expecting a let down from this book because most authors let me down. A few do a marvelous job (Kathryn le Veque generally does it the best) at the next generation book but most really fall short. So, not expecting a lot I read Highland Lion and Celeste Barclay blew me out of the water. She had excitement, passion, adventure, family loyalty, and a HERO (yes, he deserves an all caps hero) who is just awesome shopping with a heroine who is a pretty amazing hero herself. Watching these two fall in love, feeling their emotions and what they were forced to endure left me emotionally spent. This book not only surpassed expectations but blew them completely out of the water. I cannot recommend this book enough!

I just reviewed Highland Lion by Celeste Barclay. #HighlandLion #NetGalley

A great historical romance for people who love historical details! Such a cool delve into this time in history, and you can tell the author really did her research and is familiar with the area, history, cultural practices, etc.

Highland Lion is a fantastic start to a new historical romance series. The story is filled with action, adventure, and romance, as Elene tries to escape from the evil clutches of her potential step-father, and Liam swears to help her. Liam Mackay and Elene Isbister are complex and richly developed protagonists, and I loved their journeys, both individually and as a couple. Liam, wanting to prove himself to his family, travels to Orkney to oversee the transfer of control over to his grandfather. Unfortunately, this transition isn’t completely amicable, and Liam must face the angry and potentially dangerous opposition. Liam is an honorable, just, and brave man with a strong commitment to his family, as well as a strong sense of duty and responsibility. When he sees how Elene is being treated, he struggles not to intervene.

Elene is equally brave and strong. She knows her mother’s fiancée Gunter is only marrying her mother for revenge. Gunter really wanted and was rejected by Elene, so he now plans to sell her into slavery. Elene has no one to depend on and knows she has to save herself. She not only fears for her future but also the future of her younger siblings, who only have Elene. Elene and Liam both face so many obstacles, yet they also have a wonderful, slow-building romance, and I like how their relationship and connection grew. Their feelings for each other run deep, and even when they can’t quite verbalize how they feel, their love for each other is clear. They have so many swoon-worthy moments, and I loved them all!!

Liam has a wonderfully loving family, all of whom were characters in several of Barclay’s previous series. Though they’re initially a bit intimidating and overwhelming for Elene, this close-knit family is everything Elene wished for in her family. This family is so large and welcoming and supportive, and the unconditional love and respect they have for each other is everything!! You learn a little bit about all of Liam’s aunts and uncles, as well as his parents, and I’m really interested in going back and reading their stories. Each is so compelling, and though they have secondary roles in this story, their characters are dynamic and well-developed.

I also really like Elene’s younger siblings. They are so brave and sweet, and they go through so much throughout the book. Like Elene, they are survivors, and they have such a lovely relationship with their big sister. Elene is really more like their mother than their sister though. Their love for each other is beautiful and very much resembles the deep love the MacKay’s have for each other. All of these wonderful characters stand in sharp contrast to Elene’s horrible mother and her mother’s fiancée, who prove to be vile in their words and actions.

Elene, Liam, and Elene’s siblings go through so much as they run from Gunter and try to avoid capture. It makes for a suspenseful read, and there are several nail-biting scenes as they risk everything to stay together and stay alive. Some parts are really emotional too, especially when Elene struggles and stresses and worries. She desperately clings to her failing hope, even when her future seems bleak. Her story highlights the fact that women, especially young unmarried women did not have much choice or control over their lives. Liam’s story, though not as intense as Elene’s, is very relatable. He is a bit insecure in his family, who calls him Wee Liam, and he is so determined to prove himself. He wants to feel worthy of these amazing people in his life and make them proud. I think a lot of people can relate to these feelings, and it definitely endeared me to his characters, as did his treatment of Elene and her siblings.

This is such a great start to The Clan Sinclair Legacy series, and though it’s a spin-off of several other series by the author, you don’t need to read them to enjoy this one. I didn’t read the other series, but I think I need to now! All of the stories sound fantastic. I would definitely recommend the book to readers of swoon-worthy and action-packed historical romance and am so thankful to NetGalley and Oliver Heber Books for providing a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

What an adventure between the Norse and Scottish in Orkney!

I really liked how this book started with Liam getting involved with helping protect Elene from Gunter even though he was on a mission for his Clan. The middle part of this book was the beating my opinion since it involved traveling all over the various islands, but not for leisure that's for sure.

The characters were very likeable from Liam's honor and respect for woman as equals to Elene's bravery and determination. Accepting a love match was definitely not the norm of the time, but the abundance of love (even love for family) made all of the characters more likeable.

This book definitely had the right amount of romance and adventure!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing a copy of this ARC for an honest review.

Orkney is passing from Nordic to Scottish hands and Liam is there to accept it on behalf of his grandfather. He should be focused on reminding the Orcadians that he is one of them and not the plight of Elene, who faces a terrible future in Norway. Liam wants to save her, take her back to his home. But there's a lot of water between Orkney and Scotland. And Elene's pursuer is not giving up.

What I really liked about this was how natural the romance was - it didn't feel rushed or contrived. It flowed and felt real. And of course I loved the setting, because Orkney is fascinating on and off the page. I did find the POV shifts a bit startling (they occurred in between breaks and without warning) and there wasn't as much tension as I'd have liked. That said, this was a nice way to escape for a while.

This story of a Scot, Liam McKay, and a Norse woman, Elene Isbister, brings together the worlds created in Celeste Barclay's previous series. Liam deeply admires the men in his family and is trying to emulate their leadership and courage. Unfortunately, he has a bad case of imposter syndrome. As much as there is to admire about those heroes, anyone who has read the Clan Sinclair series knows that those men were also dogs. They hurt the women they loved, and Liam's father, Tristian, has advised him to learn from those mistakes. This is exactly how what I would hope for from romantic heroes, that, through loving relationships, have become better men and that they are guiding their sons accordingly. Liam embodies the ideal modern romantic hero and is perfect for Elene.

The plot is fast-moving though a little repetitive at times. The story includes all of Liam's aunts and uncles, who had their own books. The author fills the reader in on their plotlines, but this may be a little overwhelming for someone who is unfamiliar with the previous series. Those who are familiar with it will enjoy revisiting these characters. I can't wait to read the stories of this generation of Sinclairs.

4-4.5 Stars! My ancestors are supposedly from the Orkney Isles, specifically the island of Hoy, and that’s why I picked this book to read. I’m glad I did! Reading this book felt like looking back at my Viking and Scottish ancestors. This is my first time reading this author but it definitely won’t be the last! I really enjoyed this book. A strong man, an easy to hate bad guy, a strong damsel in distress, a loving and accepting family and a problem that needs solving. Both main characters are lovable and the bad guy was easily hate-able! Plus some steamy ‘sexy times’ and some manly fights makes for a great book! This is the first in a new series and can be read as a standalone.
*I received this book at no charge & I voluntarily left this review.*

📚⚔️📚Book🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Review 📚⚔️📚
Book: Highland Lion
By Author Celeste Barclay
Series: The Clan Sinclair Legacy, Book #1
Release Date: 2/8/2022
Publisher: Oliver Heber Books
Number of pages: 305
Overall rating: 4 Stars
Blog Rating: 4 Saltire Flags

Orkney

Liam MacKay travels to Orkney to delegate for his Grandfather, the Laird Liam Sinclair, Earl of Caithness for the change of power from the Norwegian King. Liam also wants to show them he is not that immature wee lad, but a grown man ready for important responsibilities. He wants his family of both MacKay and Sinclair clans to respect him and see him as the intelligent, honorable man he has grown to be. Now everyone knew this would not be an easy change of power, but Liam also didn’t foresee trying to save a woman who might be abused or sold into slavery! It is because the King’s brother is obsessed with this woman who rejected him!

Elene Isbister, is surprised that her drunk mother is remarrying a man who is only using her-because he wants Elene. This Norwegian trader, named Gunter who is also the King’s brother and can have his revenge for her betrayal! He is furious Elene rejected him, so he thinks he can make her jealous of her own intoxicated mother! It is obvious to Elene, Gunter plans to either forcing himself on her or selling her as a slave. Now all Elene cares about is her younger brother and sister who she has been raising since they were born, as she is more like their mother than their older sister. That is until she meets the very attractive highlander Liam MacKay-who turns her world upside down!

Liam sees this Norwegian trader as a total nightmare if Elene’s mother marries this man, she will be forced to go with them to Norway and leave the home she has always known. Gunter has bullied and threatened all other suitors and even other families of Orkney not to give her aid. He wants to completely dominate Elene and have her under his control! Now Liam wants to help her, but is not ready to totally commit with a marriage offer after just meeting her. He does not want a marriage of convenience or one because it will help Elena out of a hopeless predicament! He wants a love match just like his parents marriage! However, he does see the desperate situation she is in. All Elene wants to do is escape with her two younger siblings to safety. Liam knows he must protect her, but he also has a promise to help his Grandfather transfer the power from Gunter’s brother the Norwegian King.

Will Liam open his heart and admit he loves Elene or will his family obligations take over? This would force Elene to go live in Norway with a monster of a step-father who can have his revenge on the woman who rejected him! Will these star crossed lovers find a rainbow at the end of the tunnel or darkness and despair? Read and be swept away in this exciting, captivating, highland adventure.

This is my first book by this author which was a fascinating, fast-paced, page turning, highland-adventure, that historical romance readers will enjoy. You can read as a stand alone book, even if you haven’t read the previous books connected to this series. You will still love this story from start to finish. I look forward to future stories by this author and excited to see what comes out next!

Disclaimer: I received an advanced readers copy from Netgalley. I voluntarily agreed to do an honest, fair review and blog. All thoughts, ideas and words are my own.

Buy Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Highland-Lion-Clan-Sinclair-Legacy-ebook/dp/B09DWK9DRP/

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/highland-lion-celeste-barclay/1140267976

https://oliver-heberbooks.com/our-books/highland-lion-the-clan-sinclair-legacy-book-1/

https://www.booktopia.com.au/highland-lion-celeste-barclay/ebook/9798201047740.html

https://books.apple.com/us/book/highland-lion/id1585869557

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Celeste_Barclay_Highland_Lion?id=vnFYEAAAQBAJ

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/highland-lion-1

A warrior determined to step out of his family’s shadow...
Liam Mackay journeys to Orkney to oversee the transfer of control from the Norwegian king to his grandfather, Laird Liam Sinclair, Earl of Caithness. Honored with the mission from his namesake, Liam is determined to prove to his parents, Tristan and Mairghread Mackay, he is no longer the “wee” lad they think. No one in the Sinclair or Mackay clans believed the transition would be smooth, but Liam never imagined he’d be caught in the midst of a woman’s perilous attempt to escape being ripped from her homeland.
A farmer’s daughter determined to control her future...
Elene Isbister never imagined her mother would remarry, especially not to the brutal Norwegian trader who visited their home on Orkney. Elene understands her fate if she’s forced to follow her mother and stepfather to Norway. Desperate to flee with her younger siblings, Elene turns to the one man she believes can save them. With rescue in sight, Elene believes she’s found a path to a peaceful future, but she underestimates how her life will change living amongst Highlanders.
A couple determined to follow their own path..
Elene and .Liam are determined to follow their own path to be able to make their own way.
Celeste Barclay has written another book which makes me think.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

This was just not speaking to me at all. The relationship was too insta-lust. The writing was not my liking, so shallow and telling without much showing. I also did not appreciate the POV jumping. One second we're inside Liam's head, the next we're inside Elene's and immediately following that we're inside Gunter's. It was just too garbled for me.

Every time I finish reading one of Celeste Barclay's books, I feel like I've actually been transported back into time and become a part of the whole story! Her characters are so realistic, the plots are always exciting and page after page bring on emotions to a high level. One can also tell the author has done a lot of research and mixes it in with her imagination. Simply put, I love how this author writes and I, for one, will never tire of her stories. I'm so excited with this new series, The Clan Sinclair Legacy, and I thoroughly enjoyed the mention of the ancestors from previous books!!

This is Liam and Elene's story and I absolutely adored both characters. I thought is so refreshing that even though it was instant attraction, time was taken to get to know each other and then decide if they had a future together. Elene hasn't had an easy time of it, with a drunk mother, two young siblings to take care of and trying to hide from a cruel Norseman. Wee Liam, as his family lovingly calls him, is trying to prove to his family that he can be depended on to do what's right by his clan and the last thing he expected was to fall in love with a young lass when he lands on Orkney for clan business. Nothing comes easy, though, and as they struggle to evade the cruel Norseman, a dangerous adventure follows! In quite a few scenes, my heart was in my throat!!

Definitely recommend this book and I so look forward to the next books in this new series! I was given an ARC via NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.