Most people seem to love this book, and I might have too if I didn't love the author's other works so much. Heather McCollum is a phenomenal author who transports you to another world. Some of her books a tad too detailed because she does such extensive character building and plot development. This story is lacking. It often tells instead of shows. The plot is unoriginal and could have been done (and has been done) by other Highland romance authors. This story is okay but not up to Heather McCollum's usual standards.

Barbara’s rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars

The prologue briefly acquaints us with the four members of the Brotherhood and how it came to be. For me personally, I would have liked that expanded a bit to learn more about their actual escape and the formation of the Brotherhood rather than just learning their escape was successful and they had formed a Brotherhood. These were four expendable members of their clan who had been given to the English for imprisonment in place of a non-expendable member. No, these weren’t common clan members – they were sons and even heirs to the Lairdships of their clans. All were from various warring clans from the Isle of Skye – sworn enemies – who had to learn to work together so they could escape their captivity. I don’t know if we’ll learn more over the course of the series, but I would have liked to see it in this book. There are plenty of spots that could have been skipped or shortened so the Brotherhood formation could have been expanded.

This book follows Rory MacLeod and Seraphina (Sara) MacDonald, but we also learn more about Sara’s brother Kenan who was imprisoned with Rory in the English prison. We also get an interesting set-up for the second book in the series which will feature Kenan.

Rory MacLeod is the second son of Laird Alasdair MacLeod who is a mean, manipulative, hateful, deceitful man who rules his clan with an iron fist. Rory’s brother, Jamie, heir to the lairdship, is a carbon copy of his father. Both Jamie and the Laird have always taken great pleasure in tormenting and manipulating Rory – even to the point of turning him over to the English to serve in Jamie’s place. Oh! They promised they would ransom him out – but they never did. So, over a lifetime, Rory had learned to never, ever, trust anyone – and the one time he did, she was a traitor and spy.

Sara MacDonald, daughter of Laird Walter MacDonald, has grown up as the target of her father’s wrath and ridicule. While she could have grown bitter, wrathful, distrustful, and disdainful, she was a protector and peacemaker instead. Sara was truthful, always truthful, even when a lie would have saved her from harm or humiliation.

Sara has no love for the MacLeod clan because she has always been taught that they are the enemy and only want to destroy the MacDonald clan. However, she agrees to wed Jamie MacLeod to unite the clans and bring peace. Her father’s actions directly after the wedding shocked her! He locked the entire leadership of the MacLeod clan in the church where the wedding ceremony had just taken place and set the church on fire to burn them all to death. At great risk to her own life, Sara finds a way to save them – only to be met with calls for her own death.

There are spies, thieves, and murderers within Clan MacLeod and it is their mission to make Sara appear to be the guilty party. Do they succeed? They do in a way because Rory is very distrustful of anyone and everyone – especially a female MacDonald. Rory was distrustful of Sara in his head, but in his heart, he felt differently. Sadly, too many times Rory allowed his head to rule.

I did enjoy this book and I thought it was a good setup for the second book and the series. That said, I think Rory’s head ruling his heart went on for too long. Another thing was the issue of the ‘annulment’ of Jamie and Sara’s marriage. Just because the priest agreed and the marriage documents were destroyed as soon as the ceremony was over, I believe the marriage would still have been binding at that time in Scotland. During that period in Scotland, all you had to do was declare you were married before witnesses – and you were married – you didn’t even need a priest. So, the marriage was witnessed by both clans – and should have still been legal. After reading some reviews, I was surprised to find that I not only tolerated but somewhat liked Rory. Sara was my favorite character and I was happy to see her get her HEA – and the setup for the next book sounded like a fun introduction to the heroine.

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

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

⭐️ Enemies To Lovers
⭐️ Amazing Character Development
⭐️ Incredible Storyline
⭐️ Full of Suspense
⭐️ Extreme Page Turner

Summary:
Rory and Sara's story is all about how their families are enemy clans. They are supposed to hate each other but become involved after her father burns down the chapel where she is set to marry one of the MacLeod brothers, not the one she was expecting. She knew something was wrong so she ran to the door, realizing her father was attempting to murder them all, she helped them out and then was immediately treated as the ultimate enemy prisoner while she stayed at Dunvegan, the MacLeod clan castle. But her father has set her with the task of delivering the fairy flag to him, but there is one thing she hates and that is how controlling and crazy her father is. Will she survive being a prisoner and steal the flag? Will the Flame of Dunscaith fall for the Lion of Skye?

What I Loved:
This book was very romantic for a story involving Highlander men. I was swept away by how great the MC was in this book. We get a look from his perspective of how he sees Sara and the secrets both of them keep from each other which eventually lead to a bit of chaos. And hey who doesn't love that right? I loved how this book transported me back in time and gave me a hint at what each chapter would be like with the opening quotes. I can tell the author put a lot of work into the story and trying to keep the content historically relevant which was completely amazing as this was a very long time ago. This is a definite must-read for anyone who loves a complex storyline and not just a book full of steamy scenes, although this one is filled with some great moments between the 2 characters. There were many twists and turns that I was not expecting in the book which made it all the better to read. Overall, it was a very compelling read.

Want to check out my interest board on this book? Here's the link: https://www.pinterest.com/ariellereadsbooks/the-highlanders-wild-flame-by-heather-mccollum/

Special thanks to the Publisher and the Author for providing a complimentary digital Electronic Advanced Reader Copy (E-ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest, and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

What a ride. Rory MacLeod is strong, honorable, rational, and has a lot of trust issues. Sara Macdonald is passionate, defiant, smart, fiesty and caring. Throughout the story these two are thrown together and have to deal with some crazy situations. I felt that they helped better each other. There was definitely character growth, mending of the souls, and tests of faith. I was laughing, yelling, and shaking my head. There were so many twists and turns, that kept me intrigued and turning the page. Thank you for the explanation of terms at the beginning. Looking forward to the next book.

Heather McCollum is one of the best story tellers of the Scottish Highlanders. She utilizes their culture and feuds to keep you drawn into the time period as you enjoy a romance between fighting clan members. The idea of four clan laird’s sons bonding while trying to survive an English prison is too real. Weave a beautiful, strong beauty into the battles and you have a fantastic tale. In this case, Rory MacLeod falls in love with Sara Macdonald, the Lion of Dunvegan and the Flame of Dunscaith as she falls for him. The decades old treachery on both sides does not help. The spies in each other’s villages/castles do not help. The previous fights between clans do not help. But, bring together two strong people who learn to fight for each other, and you have a beautiful romance.

⭐⭐⭐⭐/6.
🌶🌶/5.

This was a good story and I very much look forward to Kennan's book.
The beginning was slow imo so I skimmed some things but once he hit the 40% mark or so, I was very much invested in Sara & Rory's story.

I loved that Sara was fierce and strong. She stood up for herself whilst in the middle of a rival clan and she wasn't afraid of using a punch or 2 to make her point. I loved her.
Rory had a lot of deep rooted mistrust since he was 18 years old so it took him a bit to harm up to Sara but their connection was inevitable because he saw Sara for who she was even when he had loud thoughts in his mind.
I loved where the story took us towards the end and how everything resolved and I look forward to seeing both clans prosper in future books.

* I read an arc of this book.*

The Highlander's Wild Flame by Heather McCollum

4.3⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Historical Romance
Format: ebook ARC (thanks @NetGalley)

Loved:
*Scottish Highlands
*Sara (FMC) and Rory (MMC)
*Prisoners' friendships
*Phoenix references

Loved Less:
*Too much drama

Description:
Fearsome Highland warrior Rory MacLeod was taken as prisoner—in place of his older brother, who’s meant to be laird—is more than any man should bear. So when the chance for escape presents itself, Rory risks everything for freedom.
Despite her betrothal to their laird, Lady Sara Macdonald has no love for the MacLeod clan. But when her treacherous father locks the entire MacLeod wedding party into the church and sets fire to it, she can't stand by and watch the slaughter. Saving them means turning traitor to her clan and becoming an enemy to her own blood…left to the mercy of her greatest enemy.
Now, her intended husband lies somewhere between life and death, and Sara’s only ally is his younger brother: the fierce MacLeod warrior she’s forbidden to want. And as hunger blazes to life between Rory and Sara—unbidden, untamed, and hotter than the fires of Beltane—they quickly find themselves caught between honor and a love that will turn blood against blood.

My opinion:
Interesting storyline with fun-developed characters who continue to grow in the novel. I always love a good Scottish Highlans romance, and McCollum never disappoints. I thoroughly enjoyed Sara as the FMC and Rory her opposite. Lots of cute minor characters who add depth and pull to the novel. The prisoners' friendships over their clans are great, and I'm looking forward to seeing this development over book series. My only complaint is that the drama between clans and certain members goes too far at times, detracting from the story instead of adding to it. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who delights in historical romance and/or Scottish Highlanders.

#bookstagram #arcreader #booklovers #booktok #romancebooks #scottishbook #netgalley #TheHighlandersWildFlame

The Highlander's Wild Flame by Heather McCollum is the inaugural installment in the captivating Brotherhood of Solway Moss series. From the moment I picked up this book, I was completely engrossed in the enthralling tale of the MacLeod and MacDonald clans. McCollum's storytelling prowess is truly remarkable, as I found myself unable to tear my eyes away from the pages until I had devoured the entire novel in one sitting. This is a testament to the author's ability to craft a compelling narrative that keeps readers hooked from start to finish.

A wonderful and hearty Highland romance filled with passion and forbidden desire. I loved every page, Rory and Sara make a worthy pairing, honour and love leads them.

I gave The Highlanders Wild Flame four ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you Net Galley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC. These are my honest opinions.

Being a history buff, I loved the history that Heather McCollum included in this book! I love historical romances set in Scotland.

This was almost a five star for me, but I didn’t care much for the MMC. He was too cynical and annoying. I realize he’s been through a lot, but I expected him to, I don’t know, just be more.

I did love the FMC and was really invested in her. The angst was phenomenal and the spice was spicing 🔥 Overall, this was a great book!

Heather McCollum consistently writes books that I devour and The Highlander's Wilf Flame was no different.

Sara and Rory have such a beautiful love story with enough twists and turns to keep me turning page after page. I was rooting for Sara and Rory the whole way, while deliciously being annoyed with Rory for being a complete derp and not realizing from the beginning how amazing Sara was. The secondary characters compliment the main story and have me eagerly waiting for the next book in this series.

The first story in the Brotherhood of Solway Moss series. Highland warrior Rory MacLeod escapes from the ones holding him a prisoner and returns home only to find chaos with his clan and a forbidden love with Lady Sara Macdonald. A story that grabbed my interest from the start and did not let go until I was finished. The characters are strong, it has a great storyline that flows smoothly across the pages. I want to read the next book. I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

The Highlander's Wild Flame is the first book by Heather McCollum I've read and I enjoyed it.

It starts out in the past and it's an important aspect to the story (and the series I expect) as it sets the stage for the Brotherhood. When Rory MacLeod is taken as a prisoner in place of his older brother, who is meant to be laird, along with highlanders from other clans, a bond is formed amongst them as they work together to gain their freedom.

Fast forward to the main story. Lady Sara Macdonald is betrothed to the new laird of the clan MacLeod and she will do her duty. Anything to get away from her father, and besides, who will want her with the marking on her back. But when her father locks the entire clan MacLeod wedding party in the church and sets the church on fire, she can't stand by and watch them burn. By saving them, she will become an enemy to her own clan - specifically her father. Unfortunately, even though she does what she can, her betrothed is injured in the fire and Sara is blamed by some from the clan even though she is the one that got them all out.

The one standing between Sara and retribution for the injuries to their laird is Rory. While he isn't sure he can truly trust Sara, he is willing to give her the benefit of the doubt but still keep a very close eye on her. He's been burned by clan MacLeod before and he will never trust a woman like he did again. The problem is that they quickly find themselves caught up in each other but can they find a way to trust each other when there are so many people around them with their own agendas?

I enjoyed this one. There were a lot of questions around who truly was behind all the things that were happening to Rory's brother and I thought McCollum did a good job of slowly revealing what was going on and who was behind it all. I like the way she built up the relationship between these two as well. The twist with the sisters was interesting and I look forward to the next book when we hopefully get to see what happens with Sara's older brother.

Highly enjoyable historical Scotland romance. I definitely could feel the writing was a bit more modern - he was written in a scottish accent, and not her so much, even though she was from a nearby clan on the isle of skye. However, it was easy to get lost in this story. Two strong characters, who fell in love and overcame obstacles to get together (cause of course we get our HEA). I loved the story and the characters and am looking forward to the next in the series.

The Highlander’s Wild Flame - Review

Rory MacLeod, a fierce warrior known as the “Lion of Skye,” is imprisoned along with three other Scotsmen in England by King Henry VIII. They work together to escape, forging a brotherhood despite being from rival clans.

Rory’s return to Dunscaith is not what he expected. After sacrificing so much for his country and clan, his arrival is less than welcoming.

Sara MacDonald harbors no love for her clan, let alone the MacLeod clan. Betrothed to Rory’s brother, the laird of the MacLeod clan, their marriage is meant to forge an alliance. Rory and Sara meet without knowing each other’s identities, sparking a forbidden romance.

A series of events lead Sara to betray her clan to save the MacLeods. Rory, knowing he wants Sara, struggles to fully trust her due to his own demons. He must forgive himself and let go of his past to be worthy of Sara.

The writing was vivid, making you feel as though you were in the Scottish Highlands. The secondary characters were essential to unraveling the main story. In the end, both Rory and Sara must rise from the ashes and fight for clan, country, and love.

After reading this story, I definitely craved a Scottish Highlander of my own.

Thank you, Entangled Publishing, LLC, and NetGalley, for this ARC to read and review.

Heather McCollum did it again.
The Highlander's Wild Flame is the first book of her new series and of course I fell in love all over again! ❤️

Rory MacLeod sees a fascinating and beautiful woman near Dunvegan Castle one day. She helps him saving his dog and... little did he know that Sara Macdonald is the woman, who has to marry his brother.
Clan MacLeod and Clan Macdonald are rivals, and marriage could be good for both clans... but not everyone has good intentions.

⚠️ Trigger warning from the author: Kidnapping, threat of burning alive, threat of rape, referral to past domestic abuse, and imprisonment scenes are mentioned in the novel. ⚠️


OH MY GOODNESS!
What a book! I... don't even know where to begin!
Well, first of all I love the stories of highlanders and how they find love! I know it wasn't all that romantic in the past... but I was able to deal with it as a reader (and I had faith in the main characters. 😉)

I absolutely devoured the story of Sara and Rory!
How they met each other... awwww... there was this special kind of chemistry right from the start.
Rory is this handsome Highlander with a good heart and Sara is the perfect fit for.
He was imprisoned in England with her brother... and her youth wasn't that easy with a brutal father.
So, both have lots in common, but are kinda different too.
The way they developed along their journey was chef's kiss fir sure! 🫠😍
I really really liked them and all the other characters!
And OMG! Theres so much going on in this book!

The Highlander's Wild Flame is soooo full of chemistry, emotions and sexy times!
There's also lots of suspense, exciting and also shocking moments, lots of drama and surprising secrets and twists and turns and many many more!

HOLY MOLY!
I actually couldn't read it fast enough! Every chapter was SO GOOD that I HAD to continue! No time for any breaks! ❤️

All in all a fantastic journey back to gorgeous highlanders with sassy women and lots of love. ❤️

I'm totally curious of this new series and can't wait for the next books because this book absolutely put me back into a nice historical romance mood.

Thanks a lot to Heather McCollum and Entangled Publishing for this ARC via NetGalley.

This is my honest review in my own words.

The Highlander’s Wild Flame
by Heather McCollum
Pub Date: Jul 23 2024

Fearsome Highland warrior Rory MacLeod has sacrificed for his clan. But taken as prisoner—in place of his older brother, who’s meant to be laird—is more than any man should bear. So when the chance for escape presents itself, Rory risks everything for freedom. But instead of returning to the welcoming warmth of home, Rory steps into a blazing trap…

Despite her betrothal to their laird, Lady Sara Macdonald has no love for the MacLeod clan. But when her treacherous father locks the entire MacLeod wedding party into the church and sets fire to it, she cannot stand by and watch the slaughter. Saving them means turning traitor to her clan and becoming an enemy to her own blood…left to the mercy of her greatest enemy.

Now her intended husband lies somewhere between life and death, and Sara’s only ally is his younger brother: the fierce MacLeod warrior she’s forbidden to want. And as hunger blazes to life between Rory and Sara—unbidden, untamed, and hotter than the fires of Beltane—they quickly find themselves caught between honor and a love that will turn blood against blood.

The Highlander's Wild Flame is filled with action, forbidden love and steam!

I went into this book thinking it was going to be another highlander romance but this turned out to be so much more. The beginning of the book was wild. I could not put the book down! I thought the clan rivalry was interesting and the conflict created a lot of drama and danger for the characters. I definitely felt the animosity between the clans.

The romance is forbidden love, not only because of the clan rivalry but Sara is betrothed to Rory's brother. This set up creates a delicious forbidden love with a lot of mutual pining, angst and, of course, steamy times! I really liked the romance between Rory and Sara. I thought it was paced well and seemed believable. Plus their chemistry was off the charts hot!

If you enjoy historical romance, I would say pick this book up!

This is the first book in a new series called Brotherhood of Solway Moss. It starts by introducing 4 men from 4 different clàns from the Isle of Skye, being held prisoner by King Henry VIII.. They were Rory McCleod, Keenan McDonald,, Cyrus MxKinnon and Asher MacNicol. They were all enemies on the Isle of Skye but became brothers in prison and worked together to escape. They plaedged to try to work to bring peace to their Isle.
This story is about Rory. He is trying to work to bring peace but his brother, Jamie , who is laird wants nothing to do with it. He is about to marry a McDonald but it is just so he can feed her false info to send back to her clan.
Sara McDonald is being used by her father ,being sold in marriage, so she can spy on the McCleods ànd try to find the Fairy Flag.
Before the marriage is set to take place, Sara and Rory meet by accident. There is a connection between them right from the start. But they are from opposing clans, so there is a lot of distrust.
At the wedding, when the McCleods are locked in the church and it is set on fire, it is Sara that saves them.
And so the story begins. Love, war , betrayal, murder, theft. Trust , honor, loyalty .
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. The action kept it flowing. There were a few twists and turns that surprised you and added another twist.
5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I want to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to review this book.

"The Highlander’s Wild Flame" by Heather McCollum is a captivating Highland romance brimming with passion and danger. Rory MacLeod, a fierce warrior, finds unexpected love with Lady Sara Macdonald amidst clan rivalries and treachery. McCollum weaves a gripping tale of honor, betrayal, and sizzling romance, set against the backdrop of medieval Scotland. With vivid characters and intense chemistry, this novel keeps readers enthralled from start to finish. Perfect for fans of historical romance looking for a thrilling journey through the Highlands.