Lady Cerys Kerr has had a rough life! Her mother died when she was a baby so she was raised by a very unloving father. Her father arranged a marriage and she thought she was in love with her betrothed, but he was tragically killed before their wedding…and everyone blames her! So her father and uncles forced her to be a lady-in-waiting for the queen and she was expected to spy and send them information.

Blake Sinclair is a flirt, but when he meets Cerys, he is captivated! He knows within a few days that he would like to marry her. But, being from rival clans won’t make it easy! But when circumstances force Blake to come to Cerys’s rescue, their relationship is put on the fast track! Most of the book is an epic adventure where they move from one danger to another and discover along the way that they depend and need each other.

This was just such a sweet, gentle romance. Don’t get me wrong, their was passion and adventure, but Cerys and Blake were just the cutest couple! He really was a bear and it was just what poor, abused and neglected Cerys needed! I was engaged the whole story and couldn’t put it down. Just like the first book, I devoured it in a day! Now onto the next one!

Tropes
Historical Romance, Medieval Era, Scotland, Gamma Hero, Highland Warrior Hero, Protective Hero, Titled Hero, Abused Heroine, Virgin Heroine, Outdoor Steam, Bath/Shower Steam, Friends to Lovers, Cinderella Trope, Suspense/Danger/Murder ( )

Highland Bear by Celeste Barclay
The Clan Sinclair Legacy #2

Romance and intrigue in this story set in old Scotland when King David II of Scotland lived in France and Baliol tried to take the throne. A standalone story that tells of a new generation of Sinclair men and the women then find to love forever.

What I liked:
* Cerys Kerr: queen’s attendant, spy for her family, difficult backstory, caring, warm, wise, strong, and capable - she falls for Blake
* Blake Sinclair: strong, lethal, battle-tried, caring, warrior, falls for Cerys and never looks back
* The Sinclair men and how they are battle scarred but true to their families
* The setting and era (1300’s in Scotland and a bit in France)
* That it is true to the history of the time
* The horses and how they ended up with the names they were given
* The romance that grew between Cerys and Blake
* That I could see the two together and they seemed a good match
* That the two communicated with one another well
* Thinking about how life might have been back then…and being glad I live now instead
* All of it really except

What I didn’t like:
* Exactly what I was meant not to like – Cerys’s family, the traitors, and knowing how difficult life must have been.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in tis series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Oliver Hebe for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars ( )