A short and sweet second chance historical romance!

Though there were some politics and deception, overall, it was mostly a very cosy story and I most enjoyed reading about Frida's quiet and simple life as she tries to navigate an independent life as the Lady of Ember Hall.

I absolutely love second chance romances but this one, unfortunately, fell a bit short for me. It moved quite quickly so I felt like there wasn't enough time spent between Callum and Frida at the beginning for me to believe the strong emotional connection they shared and nurtured for years.

The plot was well-paced and there some good twists that kept the story engaging overall and I'd recommend this for lovers of sweet, cosy romances with a touch of tension and intrigue!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Not your typical Scottish Historical Romance. Love that it was a second chance as well as second chance. And that it wasn't just the romance there was a little bit of adventure and a bit of mystery.

Book: The Scot’s Secret Love
Author: Elizabeth Heights
Series: Sisters of Ember Hall, Book One
Length: 293 Pages
Publisher: Dragonblade
Overall Rating: 4 Stars

This is short Scottish historical that was so much fun to read! Lovers of swoon worthy heroes and independent heroines will love this book’. This is Frida and Sir Callum’s story which was a total delight! It is filled with all the elements Scottish historical readers love . This is non stop action adventure with so many twists and turns that head my head spinning. A story that immediately drew me in with bated breath! A story I highly recommend everyone!

Thank you to Dragonblade and Netgalley for this advance readers copy. All words, thoughts and ideas are my own.

Second chance romance✔️
Enemies to Lovers ✔️
Scotland ✔️
England✔️
Politics✔️
Betrayal ✔️
Borderlands✔️
Deception ✔️
Romance✔️
Spice✔️
Plot twists ✔️
Amnesia✔️
Responsibilities ✔️
Honorable ✔️
Secrets✔️
Swoon worthy hero✔️
Feisty Heroine✔️

The Scot's Secret Love
by Elizabeth Heights
Pub Date: Jul 10 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


He’s a spy with a secret love. She’s the lady who has forgotten him.

Lady Frida de Neville has learned that love makes fools of us all.

Just once, her head was turned by a handsome knight. Amidst the pulse-pounding excitement she suffered a terrible accident that changed her life, forever. Now she has turned her back on romance and riches, choosing to live a simple life in the northern hills.

A life free of men!

Sir Callum is half Highlander and half English, making him the perfect spy for Scotland. In recent years, he has hoped for peace between the two countries, but a devastating raid on his Highland home ignites his desire for vengeance. When he receives orders to infiltrate a powerful English family, Callum does not hesitate to ride south. The name Ember Hall means nothing to him – the last person he expects to find guarding the gates is his lost love.

Callum’s faux allegiance with Frida’s brother is enough to secure him a welcome, but with his band of men baying for blood – and suspicion mounting against him on all sides – he faces an impossible decision. Should his loyalty lay with kin and country? Or with the beautiful woman who has haunted his dreams since a Twelfth Tide Ball more than two winters ago?

A woman who claims to have no memory of the last time they met.

As tensions rise in the borderlands, the spark between Frida and Callum quickly rekindles and soon they must answer the most important question of all; can their second chance.

Absolutely Addictive 📖🤎🫶

This historical romance is a rollercoaster of emotions from first to last page. Misleading information can make a huge difference in people's lives. When you have two battle hardened warriors from opposite sides fighting for their families, every action can be deadly. One woman whose heart and mind pull her in so many ways, must make a decision.
It was a fascinating story all the way through.
This might be a historical tale but the underlying story could still be playing out in many parts of today's world.
Give peace a chance.

Sweet and quick read, I enjoyed this from start to finish. Equal parts spicy and sweet with a hint of danger, Frida and Sir Callum were an intriguing coule to read about.

Frida de Neville has left her former life behind and retired to a remote castle on the border of England and Scotland during the time of Robert the Bruce. After an accident crushes her ankle and turns her hair completely white, she settles into a quiet life with her best friend—until Callum reenters her world.

There’s much to enjoy in this novel, especially the medieval setting and the nods to real historical events. However, I found the story caught between two genres—at times aiming for historically grounded fiction, and at others leaning heavily into romance tropes. The miscommunication trope is used repeatedly and feels somewhat forced, and the sibling dynamics are underdeveloped and at times confusing.

Frida’s decision to move to a remote piece of land and “swear off men” is presented as a major plot point, but the logistics and social norms surrounding this choice don’t quite ring true, even in a fictionalized historical setting. That said, readers who enjoy medieval settings and a light touch of romance may still find this a satisfying escape.

A good fit for those looking for a soft-focus historical romance with just enough grit to evoke the era.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Frida, a lovely lady, has the gift of sight. Callum, a young knight, gets to dance with Frida during a yuletide festival and the romance was on. Or was it? Events that neither could foresee separated them, yet fate intervened and brought them back into each other's lives. Now we all know that fate is fickled, so nothing was going to be easy for these two. England invading Scotland, misunderstandings, prison, accidents, spies, and more. This author has us on the edge of our seats all the way to the end. The first in the series, that will cover all the sisters and maybe the brothers. These are the children of another series " the earls of the north", so if you like following a family, this is definitely one to pick up.

I did not love the romance in this. The two main characters had chemistry with one another but I wish it was expanded upon more in flashbacks through the book. Because of this, I did not love the second-chance that they had because I don't really know why they fell in love with one another. I also did not mind the amnesia/memory loss troop because it is a lie on the fmc's part for no real reason. I wish more problems were created for them to deal with outside of the main problem because they just immediately were fine with being together. I still. like the writing style and setting/vibes of the book. I do still want to read more by this author but I think that this just wasn't for me.

This is a feel good story about a woman who had given up on love, but is given a second chance. Frida and Callum were very sweet together. I'm glad she decided to let Callum in. She was doing fine on her own but they both are better together.
Thank you to Dragonblade for the copy of this book. Opinions are my own.

Peace between England and Scotland seems impossible in this romance, fraught with suspense as Callum is sent on a mission to eliminate the man who was rumoured to have destroyed his home. Callum did not expect to find the only woman who has ever touched his heart to be the Lady of Ember Hall, and he has to rethink his strategy. Unfortunately, events get out of hand, and before Callum knows it, he is a prisoner, and Lady Frida is heartbroken once again. Fortunately, there is always a choice and another chance to put things right, bringing the novel to a good conclusion. I received a copy of this book as a gift through Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley, and this is my honest and voluntary review.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.

I went into this book with assumptions. I thought it would be action packed, sword fighting, secretive spies, and a whirlwind romance. However, it really surprised me with it being more of a cozy historical romance. There is just enough drama to keep it interesting. The romance itself is sweet and tender, while also providing just enough spice as a tease. And, he was not the best spy. I expected more sneaking around, passing notes, gaining intel. This book grazes the fact that he is a spy.

I enjoyed it. Would recommend!

Scottish men have never been so attractive. A heartwarming romance amid drama and politics- a book made for me and every other girl who has dreamed of being taken away from responsibility by a handsome man.

This was a short, sweet, and satisfying happily-ever-after read. I really enjoyed Frida’s “no man’s land” lifestyle—her independence and determination to keep her estate running without relying on anyone set a great tone. That is, until Callum strolled in and shook things up.

While I appreciated all the help he offered around the property, I have to admit, he wasn’t the most effective spy 😅. As someone who reads a lot of fantasy, I expected more intensity or violence during his capture scenes, but this was a softer historical romance, and I think it delivered well on that front.

I loved the fast-forward at the end showing how their lives turned out after four years, such a rewarding epilogue! I do wish we had gotten more closure between Callum and Tristan, though. That final conversation felt like a missed opportunity to tie up some threads with emotional weight.

If this were on Kindle Unlimited, I’d definitely recommend it as a breezy palate cleanser between heavier reads.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review The Scot's Secret Love.

There were many good components in this story: the characters were likeable, the description of the landscapes and backdrop to the story gave you ample information to build the story in your mind. However, for me, it felt like something was lacking, mainly in how the drama developed. I would have liked to see the last part of the book develop further in order to build on the love story between Frida and Callum.

Having said this, The Scots Secret Lover is a enjoyable romance. I would describe it as a curl-up-on-the-sofa type of book where you feel relaxed and can read at your own pace. I would recommend to book lovers of sweet childhood romances with a historical twist.

If you are a fan of
medieval times
Scotland
The English and Scottish rivalry
Enemies to Lovers
Childhood acquaintances to lovers
spies and assassination attempts
this may be the book for you

This story will tug on your heartstrings. Frieda has always been headstrong and determined. When she was injured, she pretty much gave up on the life she longed for and settled on a simple life. When visitors arrive at her home things start to change her mind. Maybe she can have the life she longed for not so long ago. Will she fight for that or return to the sad and lonely life she has lived for the last two years? I was given an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars.

An enjoyable historical romamce with enough twists and turns to keep you wondering how things are going to turn out.

Thanks to Dragonblade Publishing and NetGalley for prociding this ARC.

The Scotts Secret Love will keep you spellbound as it takes you on a rollercoaster ride that weaves a tangled web forged of pride and anger from beginning to end with threads of intrigue, suspense but also family unity. Elizabeth Heights characters in this romance are amazingly crafted, with her characters traveling a tension building path full of twists and turns, passion, secrets, trials and tribulations, with plenty of emotion and uncertainties through out this story makes this a very captivating read.

I received a free ARC from NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

I wanted to read this because I normally don’t read historical romances and this one sounded interesting. I loved the relationship between Frida and Callum. Well written and well thought out book. Enjoyed it.