Accused of murder, Declan fights for honor—and finds love with Isabella, a bride who must brave the Highlands. Bride Takes a Scot is the first book in the Highland Vows & Vengeance series. You can read each book in the series as a standalone.
Romance Snapshot:
- Emotional Intimacy: 5/5 The romance builds from trauma, caregiving, and mutual protection.
- Physical Intimacy: 4/5 The sensual scenes are detailed and more frequent.
Overview
Rivals accuse Declan of murder. The court releases him for lack of evidence, and the king orders him to return after healing to compete in an event that will select a Lowlander bride. A few months later, Declan returns, meets Isabella, and resolves to marry her. So he wins the first round to ensure he gets the first pick.
Back in the Highlands, the newlyweds try to find their new normal. Declan is determined not to let his people down and to provide safety and security for his growing family. This leaves Isabella to maneuver his complicated family and community on her own in a foreign culture.
Positives
This story felt so realistic. The growth of the relationship and the character development are perfectly timed and executed. There was a point where I wanted to slap Declan upside the head and say, “You moron,” as he learned another lesson in his emotional development.
The heart of it for me was Isabella’s development. When she arrives in the highlands, she has to adjust to a new way of life. Her mother prepared her for marriage to a lowlander, so she isn’t as prepared for it as she hoped. Declan’s stepfamily is borderline cruel to her, and Declan keeps putting off telling her things about his past that she ends up finding out about from other people. Isabella handles this uphill battle with grace.
Negatives
The parts where Declan is trying to find the real murderer who framed him fell a little flat for me. The scenes in the community were excellent, with intense emotion and vivid description. I didn’t get any of that when Declan was out tracking down leads.
Recommendations
I give Bride Takes a Scot four stars. It’s equal parts emotional and physical. There is a vague whodunit that was on the back burner throughout the book. Isabella’s character is my absolute favorite thing about this book.
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