Family First and Always Family

If you're like me, you can't resist a mountainous Highlander with a heart of gold, an overabundance of protection instinct, a chivalrous nature, and enough passion to set the entire castle on fire. Blake, our Highland Bear, is all that and a whole lot more. Cerys is a sweet yet determined young lady whose family is nothing like the Sinclairs, but she proves to be more than a match for Blake.

I was totally charmed by Blake and his honor-bound brand of courtship. Cerys is a wonderful character who really comes into her own as she matures through the events of the book. There's a lot going on here - political and court intrigue, murderous plots, swashbuckling heroes, and back-stabbing villains. The action is virtually non-stop, making this an exciting, unputdownable book that was instantly captivating and ultimately very satisfying.

The author's attention to historical detail is superb, and as a fan of history I really appreciated the seamless way she wove historical figures and events into her fictional narrative. This is one of the best medieval Highlander romances I've ever read, and I highly recommend it. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Highland Bear by Celeste Barclay is the second book of the Clan Sinclair Legacy. Blake Sinclair is fresh from the battlefield after fighting alongside his family. He has been sent to accompany Sir Andrew of Moray back to Stirling. He finds the royal court is even more unwelcoming to Highlanders than he imagined. Cerys Kerr is serving as a lady-in-waiting to the absent queen exiled in France. Cerys meets Blake, a Highlander who is related to her by marriage. The two soon find themselves absorbed in a plot that could undo the freedom Blake and his family have spent generations fighting for. The couple are determined to protect Scotland’s independence. And each other.

There was definitely a lot going on in this book. There was plenty of intrigue and romance. I enjoyed the family dynamic a nice bit.

This is the second installment of Ms. Barclay's delicious new series The Clan Sinclair Legacy, and it is just as captivating and exciting as the first. When you pick up a book by Ms. Barclay, you can be sure you will be getting your fair share of action, drama, intrigue, passion, and romance. This latest installment definitely delivered! Blake and Cerys meet at court and are instantly drawn to each other. They face danger together to foil a plot to overthrow the Scottish king. Their story and the intrigue and danger surrounding them kept me on my toes, anxiously turning the pages to find out what happens next. Both were strong, well-developed characters who stole my heart from the beginning. I enjoyed seeing them work together and grow closer and the chemistry was amazing, off the charts! The story flowed smoothly and the plot twists kept me guessing till the end.
Another great addition to the series and I am excited to read the next one!

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

This is good book filled with treachery, murder and love.
My thoughts about the book are not meant to be the best case of this series.

Blake Sinclair is fresh from the battlefield having fought alongside his father, Magnus, and his uncles and cousins.
Sent to accompany Sir Andrew of Moray back to Stirling, Blake intends to avail himself of the various entertainments the town offers. But he finds the royal court, absent its exiled king, Forced to navigate the uncharted waters of royal politics, Blake soon finds himself in over his head.
Cerys Kerr is making the best of being relegated to serving as a lady-in-waiting to an absent queen exiled in France. Underestimated by the men swarming throughout Stirling Castle, Cerys is both observant and shrewd. When she meets the towering Highlander amidst courtly intrigue, Cerys realizes more than familial ties by marriage bind them as they work together to uncover subterfuge at the highest level.
This book by Celeste Barclay questions the existence of love.
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.

The second book in The Clan Sinclair series, Highland Bear is an entertaining historical romance that follows Cerys and Blake as they meet and work together to uncover a plot that could destroy their futures and the future of their country.

I enjoyed the romance between Blake and Cerys, though it did have some insta-love vibes. The enemies-to-lovers aspect of their story is interesting, as their families have been feuding for longer than either can remember. Long-standing feuds and general distrust as well as a ton of political intrigue and danger prove difficult obstacles for the pair. There are some nefarious plots underway, and the more Blake and Cerys uncover, the more dangerous their lives become. But through it all, their feelings for each other deepen, and their chemistry is great.

I love how Blake feels about Cerys. He is a bit awe-struck by her and is pretty open about his admiration for her. He, unlike most, sees her – her strength and intelligence, her compassion and bravery, her desire to be free of her family. There are so many romantic scenes and lovely moments between the couple, and some of the things Blake says to Cerys are super swoon-worthy.

Blake’s family is the other highlight of the novel. They are so honorable and kind, and I really love their feelings about family, honor, loyalty, and more. They are such a fantastic support to each other, and they trust in and believe each other implicitly. They’re so different from what Cerys is used to with the men in her life who have abused, threatened, dishonored, and disrespected her. The Sinclair’s treat her as an equal and show her respect. It’s interesting to see how she changes as her words and life suddenly matter to those around her.

Overall, I thought this was a great addition to The Clan Sinclair series. It has great characters, a wonderful and large family, a ton of political intrigue and danger, and lovely romance. Special thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Oliver Heber books for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

I had a hard time getting through this book, and it came close to a DNF more than once. I prefer to avoid DNFing if possible, especially if the author and publisher have been kind enough to grant an ARC, so I pushed through. And it ended up okay if not stellar.

This book is the bajillionth in a series, which posed the first problem for me. Far too many pages were dedicated to biblical descriptions of who was married to whom and subsequently begat which children, punctuated with assurances that everyone is still hale and hearty, can swing a claymore, and enjoy sexy times with their spouses. Sometimes these reminders are necessary in series, but I'm not entirely sure that the volume of it was needed here. I just got lost and ended up skimming those parts.

The other big problem for me was not feeling any chemistry between the main characters. Blake goes from "gimme wenches and ale" to "gimme that particular wench" at first glimpse of Cerys, and Cerys only demurs briefly before being cool with being the wench. That particular type of meet-cute is not uncommon and can actually work sometimes, but it didn't do it for me here. Telling me a couple is attracted to each other and dedicating pages to tingly girl parts and hardening boy ones isn't a substitute for believable connection.

The story improves somewhat in the last third or so when court intrigue picks up, though a real connection between Blake and Cerys is still missing. Fans of this series will probably be thrilled to see so many past protagonists make cameos, and the epilogue, which comes quite a way in the characters' future, will please them too. For me, it was all just okay.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. Thanks!

Reading a story written by Celeste Barclay is always so satisfying. You can always be assured there will be plenty of action filled with history and plenty of heated passions. I'm thoroughly enjoying the Clan Sinclair Legacy series so far, I love getting immersed in stories such as these.

This is Blake and Cerys' story and oh how I loved these two characters! So much danger surrounds them, you never know what's waiting for them around every corner but together they get through it all and their HEA is definitely earned. So many scenes had my stomach churning and yet other scenes had my heart flip flopping. This new generation of Sinclairs is definitely awe inspiring:)

I received an ARC of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

I'm really loving this new generation! Blake Sinclair, Magnus' son, and Cerys Kerr, Siusan's niece, meet at a very empty court. The young royals are in France, and there's no one to keep the peace. Blake and Cerys' families have been at odds for decades, but despite this, they find themselves drawn to each other and into danger. The plot is fast-moving and full of interesting bits of history. It was not as romantic as some of Barclay's other books, but the couple forms a strong bond, and you'll root for their HEA. I can't wait for the next book in the series, which features another Sinclair and Mackenzie who fate determines belongs with each other! Barclay writes great stories, and there are many more to tell with these families.

An ARC was provided by Netgalley for an honest review.

It's hard not to adore a Celeste Barclay novel, I'm coming to realize.

Highland Bear follows Blake and Cerys who, after meeting at court, find themselves drawn to each other as they fight off castle intrigue and a plot to overthrow the Scottish king. I won't get into spoilers because to delve much further into the plot would reveal too much, but one thing I've found you can depend on in Celeste Barclay's novels is a lot of plot twists and a solid amount of romance, which is the perfect combination for a romance lover.

Blake is a gentle giant who can easily fight off a group of men, but who longs for a love match and protects the people he loves with a ferocity. One of the most endearing things about him is how much he loves both his family, and eventually Cerys. This is no instant love connect, but rather the feelings they have for each other grow and blossom the longer the two spend together and get to know each other. And just as they learn to love each other, the book allows us to love both Blake and Cerys. They are both fierce in their love for each other and their faith in each other is one of the highlights of the novel.

It also helps that the backdrop against their love is the conflict going on between their clans, their histories, and a plot against the king. The book moves fast and while a lot is going on and ever changing beliefs in who can be trusted, the one thing both characters know is that they can depend on each other.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.