A Highland Bride Forgotten by Maddie MacKenna

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Engaging Highland Romance Loaded with Mystery
Archer begins as a cold Laird who promises his new bride, River, that they will never have children. Banished to the far wing of the castle, River spends a year in isolation with only the loyal servants her father provided. Everything shifts when an accident leaves Archer with amnesia. Finding himself married to a woman he cannot believe he left untouched, he sets out to woo her back over seven nights.
Archer’s harsh behavior stems from a grim reality: someone has spent years trying to murder him through botched poisonings and staged "accidents." The story moves quickly with continuous threats on his life, building to a climax when the villain targets River once she is carrying Archer's child.
I enjoyed the characters, though River felt naive for shutting herself off from her clan entirely rather than building allies. Still, the brisk plot and high-stakes courtship make for an engaging read. 

Crime, Conpiracies and Courtship by Aubrey Wynne

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Entertaining, Messy, and Full of Missteps
This story has a bit of everything. Harry works as a spy for the Home Office while taking on work for an Earl. Lady Matilda, the Earl’s sister, finds her confidence in Harry, a Peeler who saved a young girl from a swan and needed his wound tended after the encounter.
The two meet secretly and enjoy each other’s company. By night, Harry keeps watch over the Earl’s townhome while the Earl is out of London. As Harry tracks a target for the Home Office, he uncovers and stops conspiracies against the Crown.
Along the way, Harry and Matilda fall in love. An Earl’s sister cannot simply marry a Peeler, but fate intervenes. With solid historical background, mystery, intrigue, and crime, the hero still manages to win his lady.

The Highland Laird’s Virgin Bride by Keira McCain

 

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Action-Packed Highlands Drama
Let’s be honest: Lucas is being utterly ridiculous. If he genuinely believes every woman who bears his child is cursed to drop dead, someone needs to hand the man a medical textbook—or at least a reality check.
To make matters worse, he’s harboring a deep-seated terror of pirates that the book conveniently forgets to mention until we’re already halfway through the story. Ultimately, he agrees to marry simply to appease his formidable grandmother, heading off to a literal bride auction to do the deed. Naturally, he picks his grandmother’s top choice, only to immediately regret it when she turns out to be everything his fragile peace of mind can't handle: loud, unapologetically bright, and—worst of all—utterly irresistible to him.
And honestly, what’s not to love about Katherine? She is vibrant, fiercely loving, and magnificently stubborn—the exact kind of woman needed to tame the violent Highlands. She slides right into estate life, takes his daughter under her wing, and somehow becomes absolute bosom buddies with Brimstone, the single worst-tempered horse on the property.
The plot is delightfully action-packed, though I’ll admit Lucas’s brooding routine started severely testing my patience about three-quarters of the way through. Still, Katherine carries the day and makes the whole ride worthwhile.

The Laird’s Reckless Claim by Juliana Wright

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

More Than a Bargain in the Highlands

An arranged marriage for her father’s money and trade routes leaves Sile expecting nothing from her union. Ambushed en route to her groom, she certainly never expects rescue at the hands of her intended.

Torin is a hard man, focused solely on clan survival. He did not anticipate a woman as fierce—or as captivating—as Sile. Her spirit matches the Highlands themselves. Yet, an enemy Laird plots to snatch Sile, aiming to claim her father's fortune and trade routes for himself.

The trouble for his enemy? The tighter Torin holds on to Sile, the more possessive he becomes, ultimately realizing he loves her. On his wedding day, nothing will stop Torin from claiming his bride—least of all a thieving rival.

This story delivers intrigue and Highland action. Driven by one man’s obsession for power and another’s fight for his clan, one will lose everything while the other gains his whole world.

An Orphan to Mend Two Hearts by Eliza Cartwright

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Don't Let the Mystery Fool You—A Strong Western Suspense
This story is excellent in its delivery. It develops strong characters with difficult backgrounds.
Nora comes to Montana at the invitation of an aunt she never knew. She brings Beth, a girl who shares Nora's tragedy in silence. Grant is a man who walked away from an villainous father, while his brother stayed behind. Helena, the aunt, is not the welcoming woman her letter suggested. She seems aloof and unwilling to get to know her niece.
The mystery comes together after Nora falls for Grant. The betrayal by her aunt and Grant's father threatens to overwhelm Nora, but Grant proves his priorities and shows where his heart lies. Beth serves as a catalyst for the villain and brings warmth to the story.
When Nora uncovers the full truth, the villain tries to force her to sign over the land. The ranch troubles and attacks on Nora build tension straight to an action-packed final showdown.

Wedded to the Loveless Duke by Emma Linfield

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Don't Let the Misleading Description Fool You
Is the Duke truly loveless?
This story centers on a father's scheme to get his daughter to the altar so he can mark his paternal duty complete. He tells her nothing and forces her into the marriage. Yet, despite his methods, he chooses well. Phillip only wishes he had been granted a proper courtship instead of a few business visits with her father.
What follows is months of courting after the wedding. Phillip must convince Eleanor that he will not clip her wings or force her to submit to his will.
The book description is misleading. It suggests the Duke cannot love, but he fell for her spirit long before Eleanor realized she loved him. Even her father proves less villainous than he appears, and Eleanor eventually forgives him.
The plot is sloppy, but a strong climax and ending pull it off.

Four Doubt: A Silas McKay Suspense Book 4 of 5 by Luana Ehrlich

 

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Great Action, Puppy Training, and a Relationship I’m Still Not Sold On
When DCSS is hired by a murdered CEO’s widow, Silas gladly takes the case—mostly because the police are wasting time chasing gang members. While the widow is convinced a rival corporation ordered the hit, Silas looks at every angle, including those closest to the family. The investigation soon uncovers another target on the assassin's hit list, leading to a heart-stopping climax where survival relies entirely on having friends who watch your back.
Alongside the high-stakes investigation, the story does a great job balancing Silas’s personal life. As he brings a killer to justice, he’s also guiding a spiritually lost friend back to God, realizing his new puppy needs some serious training, and finally admitting he is actually in a relationship with Ashley.
I still don’t like her.