Barabel arrives in the village of Clan Graham just in time for Beltane, having moved from clan to clan with no real roots. Her tough, guarded exterior might push most people away, but Seoc and the rest of the clan welcome her with open arms. As she slowly lets her guard down, Barabel begins to realize that this place—and the people in it—might offer her more than just temporary shelter: perhaps friendship, even love.

I really wanted to love this story. The setting and time period are both right in my wheelhouse, and I was eager to get swept up in the atmosphere of historical romance. Unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite work for me. Barabel’s resistance to connection, while central to her character, was so strong and persistent that it made it difficult to root for her or become emotionally invested. I found the pacing uneven, especially in the beginning, which made it hard to stay engaged. Additionally, the supporting characters didn’t stand out enough to make a lasting impression, leaving the world around Barabel feeling a bit flat.

That said, there were moments of warmth and potential, and I appreciate the attempt to portray a hardened character learning to trust again. Readers who enjoy slow-burn emotional journeys and rugged Highland settings might still find something to enjoy here.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I will start off with, I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I will try to be vague as to not ruin a great story.

The book is a bit of a slow burn with a good storyline and characters that you become attached to at the end. Both main characters (and even some of the minor characters) had realistic flaws. The war hero with a tortured soul and an equally tortured heroine, both struggling to find their place in the world. Which I feel gives this book a lot of depth. It was easy to identify with the characters’ mental obstacles but it did have me yelling at them both- due to their inability to communicate with each other. Sometime you want to reach through the pages and shake them. But that is the sign of a great book, its ability to take you to another place.

My only complaint is that this book left me wanting more. It felt like an abrupt ending. It has a happy ending but I wanted more. I will have to wait an see if there are more books to the series.

I want to say that I loved it, but I can't. I could get myself to like the heroine, she was such a shrew towards ALL the characters.