Catriona is the oldest of three sisters and in a precarious financial and social situation, with smugglers trying to attack her home and the local village accusing the sisters of witchcraft. And then Hamish makes everything worse by seeking some treasure that her father supposedly has stashed somewhere. Except there is no treasure, and Cat certainly doesn’t trust Hamish. It’s a wild goose chase mixed with a tentative truce, which will surely get worse when Cat finds out Hamish is responsible for that first boat of smugglers. While the romance is resolved at the end of the book, the plot is still at a cliffhanger. I’m hoping that there’s two more books in the series, since there’s two more sisters, and isn’t it convenient that Hamish has two best friends, too?

Hamish, Marquess of Ballantyne wants his share of the treasure that his father's business partner Rory kept at Cairncross Castle. Unfortunately, Rory's daughters Kat, Freya, and Sorcha have a different point of view. This is an odd mash of romance and magic (are they witches?) but the setting is good. It's also the first of a series, each presumably featuring a different sister, and so it ends on a sort of cliff hanger. How much you enjoy it will depend on how you feel about the Hamish-Cat relationship. I liked it. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

What Happens in the Highlands
by Anna Bradley

This book marks the beginning of the new series, "Cairncross Castle", and unfortunately, it didn’t resonate with me as much as I had hoped. The pacing felt slow and somewhat drawn-out, especially in the early chapters, which made it challenging for me to stay fully engaged. Additionally, I found the lack of dialogue a bit boring, leading me to skim through parts of the pages. However, it's worth noting that the story does gradually gain momentum towards the end. Be prepared, though—the conclusion comes with a cliffhanger that leaves several questions unanswered, setting the stage for the next book.

This book starts out a bit slower with world building, but once it gets going, it really delivers. Cat and her two sisters live in a castle and some of the townfolk believe they are witches. Their father recently died and everyone thinks he had buried treasure somewhere. Hamish is one of the guys looking for the treasure.

Cat and Hamish end up on a roadtrip wherein there's only one bed (!!!) They slow burn their way through several inns until they end up in the town of Tongue, Scotland, where things start to really heat up. The owner of the inn, Mrs. Geddes, wins the award for best side character, for being a master story teller.

I can't wait to hear her sisters' stories!
Thank you to Kensington for the copy of this book. Opinions are my own.

In the months since their father, Rory, died, the three MacLeod sisters have had to contend with bands of smugglers convinced he left a treasure buried within the walls of their home at Castle Cairncross. Only the most mystifying occurrences have foiled the thieves—stirring whispers that the sisters are sorceresses.
Hamish Muir, the charismatic Marquis of Ballantyne and son of Rory’s business partner, has come to claim his share of the treasure. When he spies fiery-haired Cat in the village, he follows her. Persuaded the castle harbours no treasure, Hamish remains certain Rory hid it somewhere. Cat offers a proposal: She will help Hamish decipher her father’s notes if he takes her on the treasure hunt with him and her sisters are not left alone. Reluctantly, Hamish summons two Lairds to the castle.
The start of a new series, which I thoroughly enjoyed, it was well written with strong characters, witty banter & the chemistry between Hamish & Cat grew hotter throughout the book. I did find it began as a stroll & the pace didn’t pick up until well into the book but pick up it did & the last two thirds of the book flew by. Hidden treasure, smugglers, one bed at the inn all made for an engrossing book. The ending was a surprise & now I’m impatiently waiting for the next book
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own

Set in the Scottish Highlands, What Happens in the Highlands follows Cat as she navigates danger, mystery, and unexpected love. The rich historical backdrop and atmospheric setting weave seamlessly into her journey.

Cat is strong-willed and resourceful, her fiery dynamic with Hamish shifting from tension to reluctant partnership as they search for the missing treasure. Her interest in apothecary adds depth, threading another layer into the story.

The pacing dips midway, but as the mystery unfolds, the intrigue picks up again. The looming threat from smugglers in the luggers and the watchful townsfolk keeps the stakes high. Bradley’s writing remains engaging, with well-woven historical references adding further depth. The ending comes abruptly, leaving some threads unresolved - I’ll be watching for the next book.

A compelling historical romance with layered characters and immersive storytelling.

Thank you Kensington Publishing for the eARC. Opinions expressed are my own.

This book starts out with the three sisters, Catriona, Freya and Sorcha protecting their castle from treasure hunters. Rumor has it that their father Rory, who was a smuggler, has hidden treasure.
All of the sisters are smart, one good with birds, one with predicting the weather and Catriona an herbalist.
The village, believing they are witches has turned away from them. Hamish Muir, the Marquess of Ballantyne, whose father knew Rory has traveled to the village in search of the treasure.
He meets Catriona and they form an uneasy alliance.
There is a slow burn romance, lots of interesting secondary characters, some secrets, and mysterious twist.
All in all, it is an enjoyable read.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review, and these are my opinions.

3 Stars! This is the first in a new series, ‘Cairncross Castle’, and I did like the book but I didn’t love it. It was a bit slow and drawn out, I started skimming through. The ending has a bit of a cliffhanger which always annoys me. Cliffhangers should be illegal! The main characters are Cat & Hamish and I liked them, even though Hamish was a bit of a ‘Richard’ in the beginning. This book has smugglers, hidden treasure, poisoning, enemies to lovers, HEA ending, attack birds, possible witch craft, light ‘sexy times’, a surprising ending and so much more.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

This was a good adventure. Three sisters accused of being witches, a treasure hunt for gold coins and a mystery of family connections. The three sisters are strong-willed, kind, and incredibly smart and resourceful given their situation. I had hoped for a slower burn between the FMC and MMC, but still a cute story!

After the death of their father, Catriona “Cat”, Freya and Sorcha MacLeod are left to deal with the onslaught of treasure hunters trying to find the stash they believe Rory hid in Castle Cairncross. The way they dealt with the first invaders cost them severely, with the villagers turning on them, whispering of witchcraft and making their lives miserable. But it isn’t until a stranger follows Cat home from the village and is accidently poisoned that they agree they can no longer protect themselves from the rumors and may have to abandon their home. But when the stranger wakes and tells Catriona his story, she agrees to consider the possibility that the treasure is real.

Hamish Muir, the Marquess of Ballantyne, traveled to Castle Cairncross to reclaim the treasure his father told him of before his death. Originally, he sent his cousins to get the treasure, but they were thwarted by the sisters. So he has come himself and does a bit of reconnaissance before and learns from the villagers that the sisters are rumored to be witches and are recluses, barely ever leaving the castle since Rory’s death. Hamish sees Cat in the village and follows her home – admittedly a bad idea, but he is out of options. When they tussle and he is touched by a poisonous plant, he is lucky that Cat is knowledgeable about herbs and healing. When he recovers, he realizes that he might be wrong about the sisters. Cat agrees to help him find the treasure and they go through Rory’s papers, leading them to believe that Rory, Archie Muir (Hamish’s father), Malcolm Ross & Angus Dunn most likely found Bonnie Prince Charlie’s lost fortune and made a pact and that Rory as the last living member of the pact was most likely retrieving the treasure when he was shot. Hamish sends for his best friends Callum Ross & Keir Dunn – Malcolm and Angus’ sons to protect Freya and Sorcha, so he and Cat can find the treasure. But he never expected to fall for her and knows that if she ever learns that he started the treasure frenzy, there will be no chance for a HEA.

I was so excited for this book – I love a good treasure hunt / road trip romance, and this story seemed to check all the boxes, but unfortunately, it didn’t really work for me. It wasn’t bad, Cat and Hamish are both likable and relatable, but it was slow moving and lacked that true treasure hunt thrill. It does pick up a little at the end and the story ends in a bit of a cliffhanger, but it didn’t leave me excited for the next book. Overall, it was an OK read with great characters, and I am not sorry I read it, but it is not a book I would read again.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

A story and romance with heart and adventure. Cat and Hamish have plenty of sparks between them and a treasure hunt that turns from undeniable attraction to an undeniable love. A wonderful start to a new series.

This was an adventure story with a great premise. Three sisters struggling to guard their home from smugglers who believe they have a hoard of treasure.

However, I struggled a bit with the execution. This series will obviously have a book focussing on each sister. And, being this first, this book needed alot of the world building. But this felt a little clunky to me.

Cat and Hamish are great together and the banter is excellent. This is very slow burn and fairly low steam.

The characters of the sisters are great. I'm really looking forward to Freya's and Sorsha's stories.

Cat and Hamish had such great chemistry, and I was hooked by the mix of mystery, adventure, and slow-burn romance. The sisters' unique abilities added a fun, almost magical twist, and the Scottish setting was vivid and atmospheric. If you enjoy historical romance with a touch of intrigue and strong, clever heroines, this one’s for you!

The story centers on Cat MacLeod, the eldest of three red-haired sisters and the daughter of a notorious smuggler and a suspected witch. Cat is a skilled healer living in isolation—feared and resented by the villagers after her parents’ deaths. Her quiet life is upended when Hamish Muir, a half-English, half-Scottish outsider, arrives claiming her late father stole a priceless family treasure. Naturally, he believes the MacLeod sisters are hiding it.

Cat and Hamish are reluctant allies—mistrustful, prickly, and full of unresolved tension. Their romance unfolds slowly, with a steady burn rather than immediate sparks, which works well given the novel’s emphasis on world-building. With a dark undertone—hostile villagers, family curses, buried histories—the book creates a vivid setting and carefully lays the groundwork for the series.

Supporting characters, especially Cat’s sisters, are intriguing and clearly set up for their own stories—Freya and Sorcha (renamed Saoirse in some versions) offer hints of drama and secrets yet to come. The ending gives Cat and Hamish their happily-ever-after, but leaves the broader mystery and family legacy dangling just enough to pull you into the next book.

With moody landscapes, family secrets, and a simmering enemies-to-lovers romance, it delivers both intrigue and heart. If you like historical romance with strong heroines, slow-burn tension, and a dash of gothic mystery, this book is a strong opener to what promises to be a compelling series.

What Happens in the Highlands is the first book in Anna Bradley’s new historical romance series, set in Georgian-era Scotland on the Isle of Skye—and it’s got atmosphere in spades.

The story follows Cat MacLeod, the eldest of three red-haired sisters, daughters of the infamous smuggler Rory MacLeod and a woman from a family of healers (read: suspected witches). Cat herself is a gifted healer, though the villagers she serves are increasingly hostile now that both her parents are gone.

Living in a crumbling castle outside Dunvegan, Cat keeps to herself—until Hamish Muir arrives. Half English, half Scottish, and entirely determined, Hamish believes Rory MacLeod stole a legendary treasure from his father and is set on recovering it. Naturally, he assumes the MacLeod sisters know where it is. Cat doesn’t trust him. He doesn’t trust her. But, of course, they end up having to work together.

This book is definitely laying the foundation for the series. There’s a lot of world-building—sisters with secrets, family histories, village tensions, and a hidden treasure that ties everything together. Because of that, the romance takes a while to properly spark. There’s chemistry between Cat and Hamish from the beginning, but it simmers slowly, not reaching boiling point until later in the story.

That said, I was engaged the whole time. The writing is strong, the premise is intriguing, and the Scottish setting adds a wonderful sense of place. There’s a slightly darker tone through much of the book, with Cat increasingly isolated and threatened by the villagers—especially Bryce, the local bully and brother of her friend Glynnis. But just when things start to feel too grim, some lightness creeps in, especially in the final third. Hamish, for all his mixed signals and occasional pompous flair, clearly enjoys riling Cat up, and their dynamic adds some much-needed humour and warmth.

Cat’s sisters, Freya and Sorcha, don’t get much page time, but when they do appear, they bring energy and depth. It’s pretty clear they’ll be the focus of future books, especially since the story ends with a gentle cliffhanger—though Cat and Hamish do get their HEA (sorry for the spoiler but this is a romance, after all).

Cat is smart, self-reliant, and fiercely protective of her home and sisters. Hamishharder to get a read on initially, struggling with his prejudices and secrets, but watching his walls come down is part of the charm. The treasure hunt really kicks into gear toward the end, and the emotional payoff is satisfying—even if poor Cat spends much of the book wondering if Hamish is actually interested in her or just deeply confusing.

I’m giving this four stars—mainly because the first half felt a little slow while everything was being set up—but I’m absolutely in for the rest of the series. Bring on Freya and Saoirse’s stories!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I love Scotland and want so so badly to love every highland romance I read, but most of the time I end up not loving them as much as I wanted to. I think this was a quick, cute read, but the writing felt a little stilted to me. Still love a HEA in the highlands though

Anna Bradley, storyteller extraordinaire, has outdone herself again with What Happens In The Highlands. I was extremely fortunate to receive an ARC via Netgalley and voluntarily read and reviewed the story. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Catriona MacLeod, botanist and chemist, is more than just the eldest of three daughters of a recently deceased smuggler father, she is also thought to be a witch with her red hair and knowledge of natural healing remedies. Hamish Muir, Marquess of Ballantyne, is the son of a possible partner of a treasure found by Catriona's father, and now wants his share of the loot. The dialog and vivid descriptions are exemplary. I could see and feel the emotional upheaval of Catriona and her sisters as well as the anger and anxiety of Hamish for being neglected in the sharing of the bounty. I thoroughly enjoyed reading and experiencing an attachment develop between the main characters as well as the angst and upheaval they felt at secrets kept and revealed. An amazing beginning to a new series and I can't wait to read what happens next.

After their father died, Cat and her sisters had to defend their castle from people who are convinced there was a stolen treasure there. Hamish comes to find that treasure and is very attracted to Cat. Together they travel to find what happened to the treasure. While they get some substantial information, they come back empty handed, only to find no one at Cat's castle. I look forward to reading the next in this series to see what has happened to her sisters. I received an ARC from NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for my honest review.

—Scottish (Georgian!) historical

—commence with the banter

—light witchy vibes

The Basics:

Ever since their father died, the MacLeod sisters have had to contend with those who think he left a secret treasure hidden in Castle Cairncross. A series of coincidences foiling potential thieves has led many to believe the girls are witches, and while they aren't that, they do have their special gifts—Catriona, for example, being a healer and alchemist. When Hamish Muir comes to claim his rightful part of the treasure, Catriona strikes a deal with him: She'll help Hamish decipher her father's notes... as long as she can come along on the treasure hunt. Oh, and as long as her sisters are protected, of course.

The Review:

The pros for this book center around the fact that it has a cool setting and a tribute to magic, which make it fun. The cons for this book center around the fact that its writing style, for me, dragged. While it's a nice read, I really couldn't personally get super into it because of that. This is truly a personal taste thing—if you're a fan of a slow burn, then you may feel quite differently.

There are books that I think exist as, essentially, comfort food. This hits a lot of the beats that people want in a Scottish historical romance. The banter, the leads not liking each other for reasons that really aren't at all serious enough to call "enemies to lovers", the general cuteness. As comfort food, I think this works.

But, I don't know—the first Anna Bradley book I read, Give the Devil His Duke, gave me more than comfort food. It gave me spark and oomph. I feel like the books of hers I've read since then have sort of decreased in spark. This is not only a slow burn, but lower heat than GtDHD (not that her books have ever been super high heat, but more than this).

Yes, there is adventure. Yes, there is whimsy. But it all feels kind of distant because of the pacing. I never really felt like the stakes were that high. Which, again, works for a lot of people. But it doesn't really work for me.

The Conclusion:

This is a solid romance novel, but it's not my kind of solid romance novel. Would recommend to those who are indeed looking for their comfort food, and I'm sure that's a lot of y'all. If a lower heat, slow burn book that hits a lot of historical romance beats sounds right for you, then check this out.

Thanks to Kensington and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

What Happens in the Highlands is a slow-burn Scottish romance with heart, history, and just enough heat.

Set against the brooding beauty of the Scottish Highlands, this one has all the right ingredients: a fiercely independent heroine, a charming aristocrat who learns to not be the worst, and a road-trip-style treasure hunt filled with tension, longing, and—of course—only one bed.

Catriona MacLeod is a smuggler’s daughter and the oldest of three sisters. She’s strong, guarded, and used to caring for everyone else. She’s also an apothecary who knows her way around healing plants—and a village that treats her like a witch because of it. Her only goal is to protect her sisters and their home now that their father is gone.

Enter Hamish Muir, the Marquess of Ballantyne. He’s charming, rich, and a little too used to getting his way. He’s on a mission to fulfill a promise to his late father, but when he meets Catriona, everything changes. He’s surprised by her strength and slowly starts to open up.

The treasure isn’t really the point. It’s about family, loyalty, and finding freedom. Catriona’s motivation carries the story, and Hamish’s transformation adds depth.

The pacing builds like a Highland storm—steady and tense, with bursts of action and emotion. The romance grows slowly because there’s a lot of mistrust between them, but the payoff is worth it. The spice is low, but it fits the tone of the story.

This one has themes of sisterhood, legacy, and love built on trust. The historical details feel real and important to the plot. It ends with a cliffhanger, but in a good way! Looking forward to the next book in the series!