Thank you to @netgalley and @dragonbladepublishing for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts. 

I grew up reading historical romances and when I saw this one come available it felt like a blast from the past and I couldn’t wait to dive in. PLUS it’s set in Scotland which was my prime reading material when I was younger, so I felt like I couldn’t go wrong. 

This book gives off Merida vibes from brave and I really enjoyed every time our FMC Margaret was on the page. She is such a strong character with an amazing moral compass. She is compassionate and loves with all her heart, even staying true to a man who rejected their arranged marriage when they were young despite thinking he was dead. 

The pacing of the book was overall decent. It kept the story going without any unnecessary lulls. However, some parts did fall a bit flat. I’m not sure if it was the dialogue or just the overall writing, but it felt like we kept being TOLD instead of SHOWN. I feel like this is a n issue for a lot of authors so I can’t reallly fault this one. 

I do like that this is technically part of a series but it’s a stand alone. You don’t have to read the one before it to understand what’s happening, but it is nice to see mentions of the previous couple. It makes the world feel more fleshed out and well rounded. 

Overall, a decent read that gave major nostalgia vibes!