Bas and Shana's story is truly heart-melting! I loved all of it, how their relationship slowly evolved yet they were completely captivated by each other from the start. They are opposites in every way but their differences are what makes them perfectly matched. Prepare to be swept away as this fierce scot and bonny lass discover harmony, fitting all their broken pieces together to find everlasting love. I would highly recommended this historical highland romance.

Bas Sinclair has been brought up to play the part of the Horseman of Death. His father convinced him he brought death . Because of that everyone is afraid of him, even he believes it.
Shannon Drummond is a midwife on the run with her new born nephew.
This historical romance, set in the Scottish Highlands is the fourth book in the series, and to understand the back story its better to have read the other books. The brothers who have been trained as the "Four Horsemen" each have their own separate stories, but they are strongly linked.
There is a lot of emotion and action in all of them. This one in particular you will need tissues for. Death can be just as welcome as birth. Add in a Scottish king who is worried about strong armies, treason and witchcraft and it makes for a very enjoyable book.
I loved it.

Highland Beast by Heather McCollum is an enchanting and heartwarming journey featuring the last son of the Sinclairs, Bàs, and Shana Drummond, a mid-wife accused of witchcraft and murder.

Bàs Sinclair and his brothers are known as the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse. Bàs wields an ax and sword while wearing a human skull mask. He brings swift justice as the clan's executioner, dutifully keeping up the ruse that he's the mighty Horseman of Death. But he is much more than the feared harbinger of death he was raised to be. Away from his family and clansmen, he can be himself, a softhearted and gentle warrior who loves animals. Bàs is an endearing hero with plaguing insecurities who I quickly fell in love with!

As for the heroine, Shana Drummond she is a young woman in need of protection. Bàs and his loyal animals quickly become her sanctuary. Shana's bravery and compassion challenge Bàs to conquer his demons and dispel his self-hatred. She sees through the carnage to the charming highland warrior he truly is. Shana is a strong and relatable female lead who I admired.

Bàs and Shana's story is truly heart-melting! I loved how their relationship slowly evolved yet they were completely captivated by each other from the start. They are opposites in every way but their differences are what makes them perfectly matched. Prepare to be swept away as this fierce scot and bonny lass discover harmony, fitting all their broken pieces together to find everlasting love.

A highly recommended stand-alone historical highland romance by the talented Heather McCollum!! 5 STARS!!

Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for providing an advanced copy of this book due for release on April 25, 2023; all thoughts and opinions are my own. Reviews appearing publicly include safety spoilers/content warning.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for my honest review! Highland Beast comes out on April 25, 2023. Heather McCollum is a new author for me and I am 100% obsessed with how she writes!! I now need to get the rest of the books in the Sons of Sinclair series and anything else she has written. The storyline about these brothers who were raised to be the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse is such an original idea. Bás and Shana were a wonderful balance for each other and I love a good tortured loner MMC. I loved seeing all of the brothers interact with each other and even though I haven’t read any of the other books, everything was easy to follow and made perfect sense. This book had everything I could possibly want from a historical romance! There’s intense conflict, longing, conspiracy, and the romance is AMAZING! Seriously, I loved everything about this book. No negative things to say. If you’ve been wanting a fantastic historical romance read then you need to get this book!!

This is the story of death and the midwife. Well, sort of. Bas and Shana have an interesting first meeting as she sees him as her and her nephew's savior and he has grown up thinking of himself as Death, one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. The story grabs your attention from the very beginning as the dichotomy with Bas saving so many animals, yet considering himself Death is intriguing. Shana is the perfect match for him as she is strong and fierce, especially about those she loves. The story has action, suspense, love, sorrow, life, death and eventually a happy ending. And if that isn't enough to interest you, then consider Bas has a pet wolf that saves people.

4.5 rounded up to 5

I love reading Heather McCollum’s books. They are a real treat for anyone who loves reading Highlander romances.

‘Highland Beast’, the 4th in the ‘Sons of Sinclair’ series, is about Bàs, the executioner of clan Sinclair, and Shana, a brave and compassionate healer. Opposites attract, in terms of professions, is an understatement here. With an endearing love story, fun bonding and ribbing between brothers, and a dash of action and royal politics from the 16th century, Highland Beast is a must-read.

Since book 1, I’ve been intrigued by Bàs. With a name that means Death and burdened with the duty of carrying out executions, he immediately earned my sympathy. I watched as his brothers and their wives tried to coax him out of his hard shell, and I was ready with my popcorn and tissues to see that shell break finally in this book. Heather McCollum’s brilliant storytelling kept me engrossed from start to finish.

Highland Beast was a beautiful end to the Sinclair Brother’s Horseman saga. One by one, we saw how the brothers broke away from their father’s misbelief. The author did not disappoint, telling a wonderful story of Bàs as a young emotional boy broken down to become his father’s ‘Horseman of Death’ while secretly keeping his true self alive.

The plot was an addictive page-turner with great chemistry between Bàs and Shana and funny banter between the Sinclair brothers. Be warned that Shana is involved in at least two explicit childbirth scenes, which were pure comic chaos. There is mild angst as Shana has to get over the horror of Bàs almost executing her, but she forgives him eventually.

What I loved about this book was how at first, Shana tries changing Bàs’s name, but in the end, she realizes that a name, doesn’t make a person. He is still a loving, caring warrior who takes in injured animals and protects his own. The depth in that simple acceptance speaks volumes. As Shakespeare said, “What’s in a name?”

Highland Beast was a brilliant and thrilling end to the Sinclair brothers’ saga, and I can’t wait for their sister’s story next.

Book 4 of the highland brothers. This one is Bas, or better know as Death of the 4 horsemen. Liked this one, as well as the others in the series. Nice to see the way the family is growing. Look forward to reading the sister's book next. Enjoyable author, story and characters. Highly recommend.

ok hear me out, an (almost) virgin executioner who is secretly an inner softie, collects animals, is scared of holding babies and thinks he's unlovable beyond redemption. That sound? That sound is my ovaries spontaneously combusting when I met Bas, the Horseman of Death. I mean ... I need to collect myself, this gentle giant has completely undone me.

Shana is the PERFECT heroine for him, as the bringer of life (a midwife), she throws the shackles off him, convincing him he IS worthy of love and she's just the woman to do it. There are so many heartwarming scenes in this book, a death, a birth, a storming the castle. The amount of crying I did during this book was really embarrassing but beautiful because it's FOR LOVE 😩😭

I read this as a stand-alone (but you best believe I will be reading the rest of the series now) and while it can be read alone, it would probably be much easier to keep track of all the characters if you'd read those books too. I cannot WAIT for Hannah's book, she charmed me so much here.

But Bas and Shana are the stars here, and the romance is the main thing, as it should be. There is an aristocracy coup/overthrow subplot as well as some villainous types, which weren't my favorite parts of the book. If you're looking for pure soft and fluffy, this isn't it, as Shana gets into a bit of a bad situation at the dark moment. But rest assured, there is a tearjerker of a HEA.

Bas' transformation arc from feeling deeply bad and irredeemable, unlovable, to him feeling light and free and loved was just everything I love about romance. Did I mention that he takes care of injured animals and there's a scene where he beats a man for hurting a horse. He's too good for this world, y'all. 🥹 The fact that everyone is terrified touching him will cause them harm has kept him mostly a virgin (except for one time a girl was dared to) so this definitely has "losing your virginity" vibes for him and it was SO delicious and hot. The love scenes are poignant and on page and so fantastic, yes yes YES.

Loved the novelty of an earlier time period than regency for a historical and LOVE a warrior in a kilt, always. Five giant stars from me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC

I had a great time.
A very nice story.
I found the character very endearing.
I was really in to the story, the character

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

I haven't read the other Sons of Sinclair books (yet) and this novel worked well as as stand alone.

If you're looking for a steamy romance that includes highlanders, this book is a perfect read. I read this in roughly two days b.c I couldn't put it down. The characters of Bás and Shana were wonderfully written and fully developed. The chemistry, tension, and dialogue were everything you want in good romance plus there were some perfectly steamy love scenes. The plot was fast, interesting, and kept me turning the page. It's split POV which works really well in this story.

The secondary cast of brothers and wives added comic relief and didn't deflect from the plot at all. I definitely Can't to read the other novels in the series.

4.5/5 stars (rounded to 5)⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for this arc!🫶🏼

I really enjoyed this story as a whole. Bas was a very swoon-worthy hero with all his animals! Him and Shana together made a very cute couple, although some of their moments fell a little flat for. I definitely got tired of Shana always mentioning how he was Death. Like girl please get over it!!!!🫣

I liked how she was able to let Bas heal from his trauma with his father in the ending, but I felt like Shana’s trauma was brushed over. I wanted more about her past life and everything that happened.

The subplot of witch-hunting was interesting without overshadowing the rest of the story. How the third-act conflict was handled was really good, in my opinion, because there was NO MISCOMMUNICATION 🍾🥳

I am looking forward to Hannah’s book next 🤩

Highland beast is about Bas other wise known as Death who is the youngest of the Sinclair brother. In the previous books you learn more about him how they grew up. Shana who is a midwife is perfect for him. She sees the other side of him.

It's a wonderful read the sadness and grief is well balanced with humor and the hope of love. Bas and Shana are wonderful characters. Through the dual POV you can get to know more about his experience.

It can be read as a standalone but seeing as it is the fourth book in a series it would be recommended to read the other books first.

When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death…

Bas' Sinclair and Shana's story is one full of action, suspense, love, sorrow, new life, and death.

Old Chief George Sinclair loved power, wealth, and his wife Alice. He felt Scotland was his with his son's behind him, because they would represent the 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse! When his precious wife died giving birth to their 4th son, the Chief went a little mad! Declaring Bas', meaning death, as the Horseman of Death since he felt his birth killed his mother.

I'm not going to put any spoilers in my review because I don't want to ruin it for anyone, especially people following this series. But what I do have to say, is that this is the best book in this series! My emotions were everywhere. I was sad, I laughed (Especially where Joshua is concerned), I cried, and I cheered! Bas' was not Death even though that's what he grew to believe. Thanks to Shana's trust and belief in his honor, which she did question with him being an executioner, he became the person he always was inside. With his brothers and sister, and especially Beo and his beast friends standing tall beside him!

This is the 4th book in the Horsemen of the Highlands series by Heather McCollum. You get to see all of your favorite characters back in action, and maybe some new additions too!

First off, naming your child “Death” is such a horrid thing to do. He never experienced a childhood, having to learn to fight at age 5. And kids were too scared to even play with him. And he turned into such a rough, rigid man with a squishy heart that helps injured animals. He even has his own menagerie of creatures (where can I get a wolf?!)
Shanna is so strong and fierce, protecting her family to the death. When Bas rescues her, she turns from a frightened doe to a lioness. I love their interactions with each other. And how she gets to see how sweet the man really is behind his title “the Executioner.”

This was an interesting read due to the different elements that the author added to the story. I find that most historical romances follow a couple of general formats, and while this one did as well, it also threw in some different elements that made it stand out from other historical romances and will help me remember it this one when other stories details fade. That being said, it still felt like something was missing from the story to keep it from being a really good read - or maybe it wasn't what was missing, but what was added? Some details seemed slightly out of place for the time period that the story was taking place.

I give it 3 stars.

Thank you #NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and comments are my own.

I received an arc of this book. This is my opinion on this story.
I loved this book. The hero in this story was so conflicted. He is the 4th of brothers to get a story. Their dad was a little mad after his wife dies. He names his sons after the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse in the bible. The hero in this story is named after death.
The heroine is a midwife who hates to let death win. She helps him realize that he is more than an executioner. This story had it all. Romance, steam, angst, humor with a happy ever after.
Heather Mccollum writes another great story.

An excellent story from start to finish, loved the characters so much and emotionally heart lifting. Bàs and Shana are perfect together. I was immersed in this world and couldn't wait for their happily ever after.

Highland Beast
Sons of Sinclair #4
Heather McCollum
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Bàs Sinclair has always been the cold and brutal hand of justice across the Highlands. He is the horseman of death, and he has one destiny, and that is to bring fear into the hearts of men who are guilty. But when he's called to execute a midwife for her crimes, he goes but he can't do it. For Bàs already knows this beautiful woman. Considering she gave him his first and only kiss, there is no way he can lop off her head.

Shana Drummond will do anything and everything to protect her sister Ivy and her newborn son, even if it means dying for them. Now, her cruel and merciless brother in law has called upon Bàs as the horseman of death to kill Shana for crimes that she didn't commit. Shana can't reconcile the cold, lethal warrior before her with the gentle one she met and kissed only days before.

But mercy from Bàs can only lead to one thing, and that is war. War among clans that will not only test allegiances but tear families apart and challenge everything Bàs knows about himself and his heart. Once this Highlander has known love, nothing, and I mean nothing will stop him from keeping Shana safe, even if it means destroying his own destiny in the process.

Oh my gosh, this book is phenomenal. I've been waiting for Bàs's story, and it didn't disappoint. Heather McCollum is absolutely brilliant. What a book. There was never a dull moment. It's chalked full of non-stop action. Once I started reading, I was lost. You couldn't pull me out of it if you tried. I've always liked Bàs and it seems that Shana was the perfect partner for him. I also really enjoy the fact that the rest of the family is in the book. It's like re connecting with old friends. All in all, this was an amazing book, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading historical romance. Ms. McCollum, once again, you have blown my socks off and left me in love with Bàs Sinclair. I can't wait for his sisters story.

I didn't like this penultimate volume of the series at all, and in fact I don't even know if I will read the one about Hannah. Trivial characters, ridiculous story, in short, meh, and to think that I liked these four brothers of the apocalypse quite a lot at the beginning....

Questo penultimo volume della serie non mi é piaciuto per niente e infatti non so nemmeno se leggerò quello su Hannah. Personaggi banali, storia ridicola, insomma, boh, e pensare che questi quattro fratelli dell'apocalisse all'inizio mi piacevano parecchio....

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

4.5 stars

I missed out on Cain's and Joshua's stories, but I was lucky enough to read an ARC of Gideon's and really loved it. I read a lot, though, and I've logged thousands of pages since then, and I'd forgotten quite a bit. Therefore, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect here. I shouldn't have worried. What I got was a lovingly crafted novel about two fundamentally gentle people finding peace together.

I know, I know. Bás is an executioner, raised to kill when called to do so, and yes, that element of his is hard to get past at first, both for me and for Shana. Honestly, I'm not sure if I ever got fully past it. I think that's rather the point though. It would be unrealistic if we were accepting and not horrified by his profession and by the stone cold way he carries it out. Seeing his softer side--animal lover, sigh-- helps quite a bit, but it doesn't fully balance out the blood on his hands.

Instead, we need him to learn from his past and strive to do better, and I'm glad to say he definitely does so. Shana too. As a midwife, she has a hard time accepting that death can be as beautiful as life, but there's a great scene where her perspective changes.

I feel like I'm babbling (I'm blaming everything on perimenopausal brain fog these days), so I'll end with this: The blurbs the come at the beginning of each chapter are extraordinary. For the story itself, we can suspend our disbelief and accept that Bás is truly gentle and compassionate because it's fiction. But the real-life glimpses into what real people did and believed in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries made me uncomfortable, exactly as they were supposed. Executioners were brutal, but the things "regular people" accepted and even participated in clearly prove that they weren't any better.

I'm looking forward to Hannah's story because I'm not quite ready to say goodbye to the Sinclairs.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and Netgalley. I'm writing this review voluntarily, and it reflects my honest opinion. Thanks!