In Margaret Izard’s book, “Highlander’s Holly and Ivy”, The Stones of Iona, Stones of Love, Faith, and Hope, were the key to Scotland’s survival. The three of them make up the Brooch of Lorne. An evil Fae, Balor, has taken the Stone of Love. To gain full power he needs the other two stones. It is up to Alex MacDougall, Lord Justice Clerk of Scotland, to protect the remaining Stones of Iona, recover the Stone of Love from the evil Balor as well as bridge the gap between the Scottish people and the conquering English. To find the Stone of Love, Alex needs to find true love. As one of the leaders of the Scots he tries to balance the Scottish language and culture, while melding English and Scottish law. This is complicated by the attitudes of the English toward the Scots, thinking of them as uncivilized. In 1753 this is not an easy task. Enter Lady Iris Erskine, daughter of Lord Advocate of Scotland, Lord James Erskine, to complicate things even further!

“Highlander’s Holly and Ivy” is the latest book in the Stones of Iona series. This book can stand alone. I’m sure that had I read the other books in the series I would have had a better understanding and appreciating of some of the events in this book. Though there is some creative license used in the writing of this book, the storyline does follow the history of the time and region. There was much discrimination of the Scottish and Celtic peoples by the English that was used to move the plot along. True love must always fight for its existence! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any reader who likes historical fiction and romance.

I wish to thank The Wild Rose Press for the complimentary eARC of this book and for selecting me to review this book on NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

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I wasn’t really sure what to expect going into this book nor was I sure that I would like it. I had never even heard of this author before. However, I was craving something different and I am beyond glad I decided to give this one a try. It was so good and I felt transported to Scotland through the whole book. Bravo and thank you for the arc.

Highlander’s Holly and Ivy swept me straight into 1753 Scotland with its blend of history, folklore, and richly crafted tension between Scots and English rule. Izard does an exceptional job weaving the mythic Stones of Iona into the political struggles of the time, grounding fantasy in a world shaped by loyalty, heritage, and cultural survival. Alex MacDougall is a compelling hero—torn between duty, grief, and the weight of two nations—while Lady Iris brings curiosity, warmth, and just enough defiance to match him. Their pairing feels both fated and fraught, and the historical detail, dialect work, and vividly drawn villains (both human and Fae) make the journey gripping to the end. I went in unsure what to expect and ended up transported—beautifully written, atmospheric, and surprisingly immersive.

Thank you to The Wild Rose Press for the ARC; all opinions are my own.