This is a quick read, as part of the series of the Brothers of Wolf Isle which follows five brothers who have a family curse on them that they can never father any bastard children or their entire clan will die out. Obviously this brings about complications.

My main takeaway from the book is that it's short and could use a bit more time to really develop the relationship between Lia and Drostan, who seem to come together very fast and without much buildup. They're fun to read together but you never really get the sense that they know much about each other or fall in love through any particular deep feelings on their parts.

I also didn't fully understand why Lia went to such lengths to seek revenge on Drostan and his family in the first place. Her running away was completely understandable, but everything after that is utterly confusing.

What I did like was the interplay between the characters, the fun element of the curse, and the sense that all of this is leading towards something bigger.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Brothers of Wolfe Isle series is absolutely wonderful. In this 4th book of the series, Drostan and Lia each must find the fortitude to learn to love and be loved. Drostan is wonderful. Very caring even though he feels he will doom his clan. He is constantly a protector. Lia is a very strong woman who has come from a bad situation. Lia becomes a different and stronger person as this journey goes on and learns to navigate through the lies and treachery of her awful family. I love the continuation of the curse. I also thoroughly enjoy how McCollum has thought out every detail and doesn’t leave loose ends. The storyline is so original in the series but also in each individual book. Even though I received an advanced readers copy of this, I will still purchase the book. The angst, storyline, wonderful characters and the emotions portrayed by McCollum is top notch! I own all of them in this series and I love the Macquarie brothers. I would definitely recommend that you read this series in order to fully understand all the brothers and the curse. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Be still my heart! Those five Macquarie brothers are all large, handsome, brawny, intelligent, honorable, and determined to break the curse on their clan while reclaiming their home – Wolf Isle. The outward manifestation of the curse – an ancient willow tree – is showing more and more signs of life as each brother finds his true love. Will Drostan find his HEA or will he seal the fate of the Macquarie clan? You’ll just have to read this exciting, well-paced, excellently written story to see!

Amelia MacLeod has been sorely mistreated by her family – especially her two brothers. Since her mother died, Amelia has no protection at all and is being offered up as the prize to win an alliance with the powerful MacLean clan. Well, she’ll have none of that – she’ll prove how valuable she is to her clan by single-handedly defeating her clan’s biggest enemy, the Macquarie brothers. She knows the curse – and she knows how to use it. She just has to seduce one of the Macquarie brothers. Then – one of them rescues her and perhaps they aren’t the monsters she’d been told they were. OOPS!

Drostan Macquarie has always known he would be the one to bring his family down – the one who would allow the curse to come to fruition. Knowing this, he took measures to circumvent it, but – can the curse be circumvented by trickery? He may find out because the young woman he just rescued is definitely tempting. Sparks fly when he sees her – he cannot stop himself. Uh Oh!

What will happen when Drostan finds out about Amelia’s betrayal? Can he stand by and let her go? Then, there is the dastardly Jandeau who seems to have more lives than a cat – what will he do?

This was a lovely, fast-paced, exciting read and whets the appetite for the next, and final, book in the series. Yes, Eagan is the last man standing, and, to completely break the curse, he must find his true love. I wonder which lady will snare him.

I can definitely recommend this book; however, I would recommend reading the entire series in the order they were released to get the full enjoyment and understanding of the curse and Jandeau who is the overarching villain of the series. Happy reading!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5 Stars
** I received an advanced readers copy to read and review from the publisher **

In this fourth book of the wolf isle series we get to see the fourth Macquarie brother fall in love, only this time it's unknowingly with the sister of their rivals the McCleods, Lia, who has taken it upon herself to destroy the Macquaries by any means necessary.

Pros: Really great hero and heroine, I really enjoyed bother Drostan and Lia in this and while I felt like maybe a little deeper dig into Drostan's backstory for why he was so concerned about being the one to cause the curse would have been nice it was still covered enough that his actions made sense. I really liked Lia, I felt like she had a lot of depth that I've seen missing in some of the female characters in these books and I think as a reader you're able to empathize with her. I felt like the plot for this one was interesting as well and obviously ties pretty heavily into the first book of the series.

Cons: it's not so much of a con in the plot but maybe the marketing? The series states these can be read as stand alones and while I think you technically could manage that and still understand the plot I don't believe it would be nearly as enjoyable of a read with out the depth of knowledge from the previous books since there is an over arching villain throughout the series. I was a little upset with some of the actions of side characters (I'm looking at you McClean ladies) that resulted in very negative consequences but were never mentioned in the end of the book, I guess everyone was just happy to be alive and so were forgiving.

Overall I felt this was a pretty good read and if you've read the previous books in the series you'll for sure enjoy this one, if you haven't but are interested in this one I would suggest starting at book 1 because it's just more enjoyable that way and they are quick reads.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Spice-3.7/5

This book, while part of the great Brothers of Wolf Isle series, can be read and enjoyed as a standalone. With that said, I would recommend not skipping the first three books. They are all such a fun read!

Written with all of the great components for a highland romance....hottie highlander, bonnie lass with a feisty streak, a bit of spice and a great villain...The Highlanders Secret Avenger follows the love story of Drosten and Lia. Both have secrets that they hesitate to share which almost costs them everything. Can they find their way to each other and overlook the secrets that burden them?

As I have come to expect from Heather McCollum Drosten and Lia are well developed characters and the storyline is well thought out and makes for a fun read. The spicy seasons are spicy but not enough to be off putting or prompt the need for trigger warnings.

Looking forward to the next book in the series!

The story behind Wolf Isle is fantastic. Each story in the series is unique and interesting. Drostan is the brother that is totally against marriage. He is the one who is always helpful and rescuing anyone in distress. Amelia comes to the island bent on revenge. The story is a fun read with plenty of opportunity to laugh. There are great characters that make the story an awesome page turner. Readers will love the story and will want to keep it on their shelf.

Drosten, whose instinct is to protect, and upon meeting Lia that’s exactly what he does.

Enjoyed the banter between Lia and Drosten and the situations they find themselves in. You are hooked from page one until Lia and Drosten find their happy ever after,

I received an advance reader copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

A wonderful highland romance filled with adventure, mystery and danger. I became totally engaged with Drostan and Amelia's story, lots to like about them and lots of desire and an undeniable burning love to last a lifetime.

3.5/5. Releases 8/21/2023.

For when you're vibing with... Big scary men who are actually soft, heroines recovering from trauma, two houses, both alike in dignity--

Drostan Macquarie's clan is cursed--if any member of their family sires a bastard, the Macquaries will die out. As a result, he lives in isolation... until he meets Amelia (Lia) MacLeod. Lia's family is the sworn enemy of the Macquaries, and she's in a perfect position to take Drostan down. But she's much more inclined to fall in love with him.

I was drawn in by the concept of the curse, and you do get a lot of what I like about McCollum's books in this: a touch of magic, a lot of burly man-ness, and a unique (for current historicals) setting. I do think it could have gone a bit farther, but you'll enjoy it if you like your darkness tempered with the soft (and a bit of cheese).

Quick Takes:

--So, I do love this curse, and it is a focal part of the book and Drostan's decision making processes. But... I felt a little lost. I think this book can stand alone, but it's kind of a lot of lore to get plunged into, and there are a lot of references to past heroes and heroines. Which makes sense; I just think that it could've been written in a way that felt a bit more isolated, a bit more independent. Highland Warrior is a book of hers that I think worked very well on its own, despite being the second in a series, because the hero was a bit more disconnected from his brothers. Here, Drostan was in theory, but in reality he felt very linked still.

--This my fifth McCollum book, and I will say that she definitely has tropes she falls back on a lot. Brothers, a bit of a paranormal touch, gruff warriors who are actually incredibly sweet and prone to cuddling kittens. It can get repetitive, but if you know that her offerings are your sweet spot, it will work for you in a way that is comforting and relaxing.

--Lia is introduced in a "oh, that young boy is actually an adult woman" way, which I... unabashedly love. It's very old school, and gratifying in that sense.

--This is a pretty short book, which I'm fine with. However, I do think there could have been more build up in the love story. I didn't fully feel the chemistry between the leads, and I think that took away from my overall enjoyment of the story.

--I do really appreciate that McCollum goes for a non-standard setting, and while the Scottishness of her characters definitely veers into camp.... that's not a bad thing. Like, I kind of think that's the brand.

The Sex Stuff:

McCollum writes a good, emotionally emphatic sex scene. There's never a ton of sex in her books, and nothing super out of the box happens in them. But they're solid and have an earthiness to them that emphasizes the sense of world, somehow? Like, they don't feel like the types of sex scenes you see in more standard Regency books.

I do wish I'd read the previous books before this one (and maybe I will later) but if you like Heather McCollum, you'll be pleased with it.

Thanks to Entangled: Scandalous and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5-5 Stars! Such a fantastic, entertaining and enjoyable read! This is the 4th book in ‘The Brothers of Wolf Isle’ series and can be read as a standalone. I read the first book in this series but unfortunately missed books 2 & 3, which I now have to go back and read since I can’t stand not knowing how they got their HEA ending. This book has everything required for an amazing historical Scottish romance… multiple villains, a witch, a buff & brawny Highlander, a strong female main character, action, ‘sexy times’ action, betrayal, love, hate, secrets, danger, pirates, cats, possible pregnancy, a family curse with a bleeding, cursed tree, family and a HEA ending. I love how Heather McCollum connects her other series ‘Highland Isles’ main characters to this series as secondary characters. It makes it easier to follow along, keeping names straight and I love getting the life updates of characters I’ve read and fallen in love with before. But you can still understand and enjoy if you haven’t read her other books. The main characters in this book were Lia/Amelia and Drosten and I absolutely loved both of them. Yes, Lia didn’t have the best intentions at first but she was still likable. Drosten is a protector and he’s so sweet. Not sure men, especially those in power, were really this kind back then but it’s a nice thought. I’m not crazy with how fast the sexy times happened but other than that, I loved this book! Heather McCollum is the most talented writer and whenever I see a new book from her, I HAVE to read it A.S.A.P! She always writes winners that I highly recommend. Trust me, you won’t be sorry!
*I received this book at no charge & I voluntarily left this review.*

We are one step closer to ending the curse that has followed the Macquarie brothers and the inhabitants of Wolf Isle.
Amelia expects the worst from the Macqueries, but her first meeting with Drostan saving her kitten is definitely making her question what she thinks she knows, and what she has planned. Drostan is immediately intrigued by Amelia and even though he absolutely knows she is hiding things he wants to help her in any way he can.

I flew through this in just a few hours! I loved every interaction between Amelia and Drostan. You could feel their chemistry jumping off the page! There are plenty of twists and turns and moments that keep you on the edge of your seat.

We are down to the last brother and while I'll be sad to see this series end, Im equally as excited to see how everything is going to end!

Swooning for the kitten rescuer!

Oh my, get out your smelling salts - Drostan is One Hot Hero! I was half in love with him just from the cover (yes, I'm shallow like that) but I was not prepared for how sweet and tender he would be! His meet-cute with Lia is the first time he rescues her kitten, but certainly not the last. And then - when it turns out she's highly allergic to kittens - he has to rescue her from the tiny beast! After that scene, I was a total goner for him.

Lia is trying to reconcile herself to her brother's death - she knows she should grieve his loss, but her relief at having her tormentor gone is giving her serious guilt issues. So, she sets out to avenge his death to assuage the guilt, instead finding out a whole lot more of the truth than she was told.

Just as it looks like everything is worked out, it's all blown up by a jealous woman and a ruthless neighboring clan leader. This is just the kind of testing circumstances that I love to read about, how each of our lead characters have to reach down deep into their hearts and trust their feelings for the other, even when a HEA looks absolutely hopeless.

The curse on the Macquarie brothers is much more of the focus of this story than it has been in the earlier books, and I am really enjoying reading about the willow tree's progression in showing that the clan is on the right track. Just enough of a supernatural aura to add a bit of the "fated mates" touch. I absolutely love this series and this book especially, and highly recommend them for anyone who enjoys historical romances. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this novel.

I devoured this novel in a few hours. It was a short read that was fast, engaging, and easy to get lost in. Although part of a series I read it as a stand alone (I've only read one other novel from this series). Drostan Macquarie was the perfect grumpy but kind highlander. Amelia Macleod was equally lovable and brave (and as always it's nice to see heroines that can save themselves at times). The tension between these characters could have built up more before they finally admitted their feelings for one another. It seemed like they fell for each other kind of fast -- which is better than it getting annoying which often happens if it drags on too much, but also, given this situation, I think it could have been a bit more. My only other criticism is that the story ended a bit abruptly. I was expecting another chapter or epilogue.

This is story was just a perfect escape and just what I needed. I'm excited to read the other novels in this series and get the full stories of the other brothers and wives.

Really loved this book! Heather McCollum has yet again delivered a wonderful historical romance full of adventure, danger and mystery. The story of Drostan and Lia immediately pulls you in and from their first meeting you are hooked. I haven’t read the other books in this series, but now I absolutely have to! I can’t wait for the final book to see what happens with the curse, but in the mean time, I’ll get all caught up on the rest of the series. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC of this book so that I could give my honest review.

Another brother has to contend with the Macquarie curse! Heather McCollum does a great job of pulling in different parts of different series in this book. Lots of visits from past characters that happen organically. I hate when author's beat you over the head with details from past books. That doesn't happen here. McCollum focuses on the current story, which is exciting and well-paced. I wished for a little more connection between Droston and Lia. McCollum usually does a better with this. In this case, the romance was a bit underdeveloped. When the I love yous come, no one seems to believe it, including the characters. Still, this was a fun story, and I'm looking forward to the final brother's book. Hopefully, a new series with Meg is up next!

The Highlander's Secret Avenger by Heather McCallum is such an amazing read. The book got me hooked up from chapter 1. The book got a plenty of hot and spicy scenes, a little of angst and suspense, a little of thrilling action, a heart breaking moments and a beautiful happy ending.

Lia is such a strong female character, who run to escape her past. Drostan, handle his family curse with his own way.

This book are well written story with an interesting storyline. I'll definitely be reading more from Heather McCallum which is my favorite author and I'm looking forward to read the next story, Eagan.

While I had really enjoyed the first Heather McCollum book I read, Highland Beast, this one didn't have the same impact. And I'm really not sure. It feels like the main couple should've had chemistry. Something just felt off. For some reason, I wasn't able to connect with the characters or storyline. By the end, I was reading just to read, not because I actually enjoyed what I was reading. I may give McCollum's books another chance, but they're not at the top of my priority list.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review

I could not stop reading this book because it was so interesting and made me want to read on. The characters were mixed, some brave , some bad and all different. I could picture the places that were being described as l have visited this area on holiday many times. I have no hesitation in saying that l enjoyed this book.

This is a great continuation of The Brothers of Wolf Isle! There is action and adventure, twists and turns, revenge and rescues, and of course there was family and romance. The Highlander's Avenger also has a kitten with a love/hate relationship with heights and a heroine who can really use bow.

Around the 1/3 to 1/2 point I thought I knew exactly how the rest of the book would pan out but I couldn't have been more wrong. Heather McCollum through in some twists that completely changed the course of the book and kept me hooked.

I can't wait for the next book!

A great addition to a wonderful series. Love the characters and the suspense kept me hooked. I can't wait to read more and definitely recommend reading this book.