A Scottish Highlander romance with Alisa and Kallum.
Alisa is running away from the king when she is rescued byKallum on there journey toKallum Clan they developed a steamy romance.
A ggod romance eith some drama.
Voluntarily reviewed.

Never Cross a Highlander by Lisa Rayne
This is a romance between a young woman Alisa who has been taken and enslaved by the king she is responsible for taking care of the princess. She is "rescued" during her own escape attempt by Kallum, he reluctantly agrees to take her back to her clan - especially after he finally hears the truth... he has some suspicions about how she ended up with the King and why no one came looking for her.

Alisa and Kallum are drawn together during their journey back to McNeil castle, and by the time they get there, full-on feelings have developed. While the first part of this book is kind of slower and a bit drawn out, once they make it back to the castle the pace really picks up and the action starts.
Reasons I enjoyed this book:
Wonderful characters Page-turner Happily Ever After.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

Never Cross a Highlander caught my attention from the moment the cover was revealed. While I’m not super into Highlander romances, I love stories set outside the Regency and historicals following nonwhite characters, and this book promised both.

The politics of the period this is set in is so interesting, what with it being set early on in the 17th century and early into the Union of the Crowns. I’ve read a bit about it from the English perspective (like the Gunpowder Plot), but I was intrigued to read an albeit fictional portrayal of Scotland during the time that their king had also accepted the throne of England for comparison.

And the role Black people played at this time was also well-explored, with the text touching on the role of the slave trade at the time, and being inspired by the presence of Black people in Scotland (as well as the British Isles, and Europe more generally) at the time that many mainstream historians don’t talk about.

Kallum and Ailsa are both compelling characters. Kallum in particular is interesting in his mission to help captured enslaved people escape and find freedom in a similar manner that he did. He is well intentioned and believes Ailsa needs his help, even though she insists she doesn’t.

While Ailsa was planning her own escape, she does have opportunities of her own she is already pursuing, and I like that she wasn’t a persecuted victim, in spite of her circumstances, but was resourceful with a mind of her own.

The tropes included here could have been very hit-or-miss, depending on how they were handled, especially as he kidnaps her (albeit accidentally). But she retains her agency, and I like how the narrative sees them at loggerheads on their journey together initially, with it developing into a romance over time as they travel together and get to know each other.

This is a refreshingly original story, and I’d recommend it if you’re looking for Black characters in historical romance.

It was enjoyable reading this book & getting to know Ailsa & Kaelyn. The strong, brooding Highland warrior has met his match in the fiery Highland woman that has been enslaved for 3 years. The development of their stories & connections is a great read. The romance is steamy as well. Highly recommend if you’re looking for an entertaining historical romance.

Thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

This is one of the books I've been looking forward to reading, so you could only imagine my excitement when netgalley approved my ARC request. I didn't care too much for the political intrigue, but that wasn't what I came for anyway. I came to read a book about a brawny, badass, no holds barred highlander who would protect his lady from anyone who even dared to look at her sideways, and his equally resilient, headstrong lass and I ultimately got what I came for. Also, the steamy scenes gave what they were supposed to give. Long live romance!

This book is so clearly well researched and I love that in a historical romance. I really liked the characters of Ailsa and Kallum. They definitely had great chemistry.

For me personally, there was not enough dialogue and too much description. At some points I found myself skimming because there was just so much detail and I couldn’t focus on it.

4/5. Releases 12/27/2022.

Gird your fucking loins, because this is a Highlander Highlander novel.

Kallum MacNeill (otherwise known as Dubh Mahoun/the Black Devil) is a badass. There is no finer way to put this is. He kicks ass, he takes names, and he is frankly so intimidating that everyone else is essentially looking the other way as he frees enslaved people across Scotland. He is connected, he is powerful, and he knows what he's about.

So when he sees Ailsa Connery at Stirling Castle, clearly in need of his help, he does the natural thing and kidnaps her. The issue here is that Ailsa, while definitely in trouble, did not necessarily want to be kidnapped, and has a much more complex background than Kallum initially assumed. And she is in fact heading in the opposite direction from him. But he can't let!!! A lass!!! Travel alone!!! OBVIOUSLY!!! So what was a good kidnapping turns into a roadtrip between two people who get on each other's nerves, while also wanting very desperately to get her under him (or vice versa, depending on the moment).

First off, disclaimer--I'm white, and I can't speak to the effectiveness of the rep in this book. This is my first Lisa Rayne book, and I don't plan on it being my last. To say that this gives a totally different perspective on Highland romances would be an understatement. It's all old world, it's all Scottish, and it's also Black. Both leads are Black (as a note, Ailsa does have a white father) and this isn't something that's just peppered into the story to be a little garnish or to make the world seem more diverse. Kallum and Ailsa's Blackness is key to their characters, their backstories, and their motivations. It's certainly not all they talk about or the only reason why they relate to each other, but it's obviously something that they can connect over, in, again, old world Scotland, in a way that they can't with most people.

At the same time, there are things that I won't give away that up-end what I think some will expect of this book. Kallum and Ailsa are not stereotypes. They are not here to just suffer. This book does not skirt over the racism they face at all, but it also gives them agency and power and revels in it.

So this book is doing the work on that level... while also giving you kind of old school Scottish adventure romance. There is much lass-ing. There is a lot of brawn. There is much och, much aye, and there is a lot of like, "oh we are traveling together, must get very close to one another now". There is a moment I mentioned earlier on the blog where Ailsa hits this man's dick so hard that he literally can't pee right for a while, and yet when he sees her eyeing said dick later is STILL GETTING IT UP. Now that's a hero. That's what I want out of an och aye book.

Things I Liked:
--Very romantic in a way that I feel like we don't see as much of anymore? Not just romantic in terms of kissing and tension, but also like... the romance of adventure. The romance of being under threat and finding love and humor and fun while up against pretty steep odds.

--If you're into the kind of dynamic where a big man is convincing himself he's the boss while actually she's the boss, you will enjoy this. At points, I was mildly reminded of Key and Peele's "MEEGAN (you forgot your jacket tho!!!)" sketches, and I won't even lie to y'all... That shit is an archetype, and it's one I enjoy so much, and I do love to see it.

--There is a scene... under a waterfall... And it felt so like, 90s romantic historical movie, so like, First Knight (which I... also mentioned recently on the blog, the most play First Knight has been getting in forever probably), and so sensual. And I just appreciated that Lisa Rayne went "this is happening in a fucking waterfall" because why the fuck not.

Things I Wasn't As Sure About:
--This is really a minor thing, but the language can get a bit euphemistic at times, and as much as I'm not calling that inaccurate (I genuinely don't know for this era)... At points I could've used a little more explicit language. But that's honestly personal preference, and the euphemisms did make it feel more old school, which I appreciate.

--It does take a little while to get the pace up, at least for me as a reader. So do hang in there! Once this one gets going, it gets GOING.

Trigger warnings for enslavement, human trafficking, racism, and discussions of all the above, as well as threat of sexual assault. I'm not going to call this one heavy for me to read, but of course your mileage may vary, and I advise taking that into account before you read. To me, this book balanced the adventure and romance with the serious subject matter very well, but it's not going to work that way for everyone--and again, I can hardly be the judge there.

One thing I do advise, though--read the author's notes at the end. Lisa Rayne has done her research, and the insights there are great.

If you're looking for Scotland and a great 90s vibe, I think you could find your match here. And truly, seriously--more of this, less "give me points for casting a person of color in this period piece while centering the white characters anyway" content.

Thanks to Netgalley and Entangled for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Let's get the basics out of the way. This is a book about a Black Highlander with a mixed race love interest, written by a Black author. As a consequence, this story was written with care. It is a romance with mildly steamy scenes and lots of good romantic tension. If you grew up reading these books and wished for diversity, this is the book for you.

Sometimes, you just need to read a piece of romantic Scottish history and this one did not disappoint. Well devopled plot and characters made the novel come to life. A fun escapist read.

Never Cross a Highlander by Lisa Rayne was so fun. I don't read very much romance but if you ever get bug to read some, I highly suggest this adventure! It was definitely sexy and exciting. Who doesn't love a Scottish man??

I was excited to read Never Cross a Highlander after seeing the cover. I love a good Highlander romance and I’ve never seen one centering people of color before. While it doesn’t contain my favorite tropes, it was really refreshing to read a Highlander romance with Black characters. The beginning is a bit slow to start but it’s definitely worth sticking through to the end. It ends up being quite eventful. I definitely recommend to any fan of Highlander romances. I would love to read whatever’s next in the Shadow Lairds series.

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

I'm sad and disappointed because this book is one of my anticipated reads. However, it is so boring! First, I think that was because it is overly descriptive and there are lots of sentences that could've been cut. As I am reading the first chapter, I thought it will be better as the chapters progressed, but NO, it is still overly descriptive until the very end and I hated every second of it. My most hated chapter is the very first one because really? Is this how we're going to start the book? Oh, hell no. Lastly, I couldn't root for our hero and heroine because they don't feel like a well-fleshed out characters to me and they don't have any chemistry at all. They feel more like a side character or a random background character to me.

Never Cross a Highlander by Lisa Rayne

This was a fantastic story of redemption with Alisa Connery and Kallum MacNeill on the run from the King James but for different reasons. But when Alisa finds that she's heading for England not Scotland where her Clan is she'll try to escape after 3 years of being the hand maiden for the princess. But will she find the MacNeill's Clan welcoming because they find out who her Clan is? How will both Kallum and Alisa convince the King and the two Clan's to find out why she'd been a servant and who her true identity is or will it cause a fight that both will lose the only family they've ever known?

I receive a copy of this book from Entangled Publishing and Net Galley in exchange for a honest review.

I found her! Oh, the thrill of a new Highland Romance author! Kallum and Ailsa’s story was so unique. Oh, I’ve read many love stories of feuding clans, but this one is a feud not only of clans, but of societal bias. Beautiful portrayal of what it takes to overcome that prejudice. Of course, the protective hero had my heart swooning and the heroine made me proud—all the elements of perfection!

I saw this ARC and had to request it because BIPOC characters in a Scottish romance novel?!
This dude slinging Scottish endearments?! Yes please and thank you lol!

This was a different and very cool story about a freeborn Highlander who was wrongly enslaved by the king, and the route to her escape ended up in the hands of this particular benevolent Highlander. Their clashes were epic but so was the chemistry and heat they created.
Some of the historical Romance language makes it period appropriate but a bit awkward, but nonetheless I really enjoyed it and it was a really good read!

An exciting, steamy and action packed story of finding live where you least expect it. Quick read as well.

4.25 ⭐️
2.5 🌶

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

I enjoyed this book a lot. I love a good historical Highlander romance but then add in that he is a black highlander and the heroine is a bi-racial character I thought that was just amazing.

The female character is so strong and I loved that she did not forgo her strength for him. He accepted all of her. The waterfall scene - fan me now because wow just wow incredible.

This is a very action packed book and the parts that were harder for me was just seeing how much the female main character has to deal with. I also think I just wanted more tender moments. The action is great but I love the tender moments more.

CW: slavery, abuse, sexual assault and violence, sexual content, blood, fighting, death

This was my first ever highlander romance, and I have to say...I'm pleasantly surprised!

The plot was probably the most intriguing to me. I loved how intricate it was and the slight mystery of Ailsa and who she really was. The payoff at the end was also super well done!

The romance was somewhat hit-or-miss for me. Sometimes I enjoyed watching the two main characters interact, and other times I felt like Kallum was 1-dimensional and didn't have enough depth for me to root for him truly.

Overall, this was a fun read! I'd definitely read more from this author, especially if there are going to be spinoff books following other characters from Never Cross a Highlander!

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

*Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: 4/5 Stars
Publishing: December 30, 2022
Series: Shadow Lairds #1
Pages: 448

This was an exciting read by Lisa Rayne, new author to this read. I love different takes on highlander romances and "Never Cross A Highlander" was one of those slow burn romances that you can’t wait to get to the end. Alisa and Kallum are likeable characters who are pulled together during as he heads back to the McNeil castle.

While I didn’t know what to expect from looking at the cover, I was quite amazed at the well-written story. Although there were some slow parts in the chapters, but when it picked up it was a very nice read. Both characters are strong-willed and stubborn. I loved the banter and smiled quite a bit throughout. A heartfelt story that I enjoyed very much.

This is a slow-burn romance between a young woman Alisa who has been taken and enslaved by the king she is responsible for taking care of the princess, but she is an utter brat and any slight infraction gets her beaten. She is "rescued" during her own escape attempt by Kallum. At first, Kallum wants to get her with the other freed slaves across the border but Alisa refuses to go, she will only travel back to her clan where she was born a free woman. So he reluctantly agrees, especially after he finally hears the truth... he has some suspicions about how she ended up with the King and why no one came looking for her.

Alisa and Kallum are drawn together during their journey back to McNeil castle, and by the time they get there, full-on feelings have developed. I really liked everyone at McNeil and while the first part of this book is kind of slower and a bit drawn out, once they make it back to the castle things the pace really picks up and the action starts.