Please see all of my reviews on my blog at https://www.robinlovesreading.com.

Above all else, Captain Reid MacKenzie, Earl of Seaforth, is a man of honor. He was at a battle at sea and he made a promise to act as Guardian to a dying man’s daughter. He figures at most he would be settling the child into a boarding school. However, when he meets her, he discovers that she is hardly a child. Instead, she is a beautiful young woman, one that he wouldn’t mind having for himself.

Miss Audrey Kennet is devastated by the news that her father has been killed. Then, when the stranger tells him that he is now her guardian, and that it is his decision that she marry, she is none too pleased. Reid begins to look for a suitable mate for her. No one suits Audrey’s fancy, except Reid. Reid has a very busy agenda. Despite the fact that he is drawn to Audrey, there are reasons that they will not suit. His life is headed into a direction in which Audrey simply will not fit.

As with the previous stories in this series, Amy Jarecki has incorporated historical facts and blended it with fiction. This lends itself into a well developed, exciting story. The is no shortage of action, drama and deep emotion that turned into a consuming love.

As always, the conflict and danger abounded. Along with this, the character development was just wonderful. Although only nineteen, Audrey made a delightful heroine. I enjoyed Reid as well. Part of him did want to rush Audrey into a marriage, but the better part of him really wanted her to be happy. The story rounded up quite nicely with a delightful conclusion.

This is the second book in the Lords of the Highland series. The other books that have been released are, The Highland Duke, The Highland Commander and The Highland Chieftain. The Highland Renegade and The Highland Earl are due for publication in 2019. ( )

This series is one of Amy's best. It gets better with every new book! Excellent series. Excellent storyline. Excellent characters.
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A sacred vow and complications!

When Scotsman Reid MacKenzie, Earl of Seaforth promises a dying companion to become guardian of his child, Reid's thinking a young lass who could be placed in Boarding school. Imagine his shock when then lass transmorphs into a young, attractive Sassenach woman of marriageable age. Reid's fall back plan is to marry her off quickly so that he can continue down the path his responsibilities lead.
When a devastated Audrey Kennet learns of his plans for her, she decides she has plans of her own. Not so easy! Especially as the air fairly crackles between Reid and herself.
On the sidelines, yet significant, the players are an English officer who revels in torment and cruelty and an illegitimate, somewhat deranged cousin of Audrey's who is eyeing off her inheritance.
When these two join forces both Audrey and Reid are in danger.
Threats from outside of Jacobite involvements and thwarted plans play a part.
Audrey and Reid's mutual attraction escalates. Yet it cannot be. Reid has other plans!
I enjoyed both these characters. Reid for his somewhat distracted championship of Audrey and Audrey for the quiet determination she exhibits. Both are strong characters but together they just don't quite have 'it'. Reid really annoyed me occasionally, although to give him his due he was a man of his word to the nth degree.

A NetGalley ARC ( )

The Highland Guardian by Amy Jarecki
Lord of the Highlands #3

Reid MacKenzie, Earl of Seaforth, was having a nice sail back home from France when everything went to sh*t in a handbasket. Finding his ship sinking, his friend mortally wounded and all on board swimming for their lives it was perhaps one of the worst days of his life…well…till that point…I do believe one later day in the book may have been quite a bit worse. Bidden by Nicholas Kennet to become guardian for his daughter Audrey what can Reid say but, “sure” thinking Audrey would be a little tyke…uh…nope, no way, no how. She was a woman full grown and rather tempting.

Audrey claimed to be clumsy and shy but as time went on some of the words I wrote down related to her included: young, smart, naïve, stupid (very stupid sometimes), emotional, caring, capable, calming, stimulating, healing, stalwart…and she loves with a big heart. She is nineteen.

Reid is a man with a purpose. He wants to ensure who will be the next king of England, has an earldom and all of its responsibilities, is part of a clan, has…well…had his own ship and is only twenty-three. He is sure he is too young to settle down though he knows he must someday.

Throw into this story an evil man or two, a romance, a ball, a gorgeous red dress, an escape, time on the run, old expectations and promises to deal with, new love to figure out, evil dragoons, a sadist and more and you have a thrilling story from beginning to end. I will say that Audrey seemed weak and rather pallid at first and her idea of doing things for herself usually fell flat on its face BUT she did grow as the stories pages accumulated and I thought she and Reid made a good couple.

Did I like the story? Yes
Did I like the main characters? Yes
Were the villains evil enough? Yes
Were there characters I want to know more about? Yes
Who are these characters? Well, I wonder if Chieftain Dunn Macrae and Mairie might have a book of their own at some point in the near future ;)

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and the Author for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars ( )

Series: Lords of the Highlands #3
Publication Date: 12/19/17

Romantic! Exciting! Suspenseful! This book reached out, grabbed me by the heart and dragged me back in time to Scotland during the early stages of the Jacobite movement. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. While this is the third book in the lords of the Highlands series, you can easily read it as a stand-alone. However, all of the other books are so good I know you’ll want to go back and read them as well.

Amy Jarecki has captured the feel of the time superbly. The English are riding roughshod over the Scots. They consider the Scots to be barbarians and see no reason not to mistreat and maim at every opportunity. You feel the tension in the air and feel the cruelty of the English. Is it any wonder that the Scots rebelled? The characters are fully developed, the writing outstanding and the story is well planned, well-written and very exciting. You'll fall in love with both Audrey and Reid.

Reid MacKenzie, Earl of Seaforth is a Highlander through-and-through. He’s also a Jacobite. Not because he’s a religious zealot, but because he is concerned about the sovereignty of Great Britain and doesn’t want to be ruled by ‘outsiders’ upon the death of Queen Anne. He wants Anne’s brother, James, from the Stuart line to become king. He’s the leader of the Highlanders support of ‘the cause’ and has little time for other things in his life – especially NOT a young ward. When he and his crew are returning to England from a visit to James in France, their ship is fired upon and sunk off the coast. His whole crew escapes unharmed – except for Nicholas Kinnet. As Kennet lays dying, he extracts a promise from Reid. Reid promises that he will see to the care and well-being of Kinnet’s daughter. Reid has no time to care for a child, but he’s a man of his word and will see to her care. How long can it take to find a good boarding school for her?

Audrey Kennet has always been excruciatingly shy and awkward. She’s a wallflower of the first order – or so she thinks. So, what is she to do when an unkempt stranger shows up at her door and announces that her father is dead and he is her new guardian? Well – she certainly isn’t going to trust him! Then, he announces that he will be marrying her off as soon as possible. NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! She has no intention of marrying just to suit her new guardian. She finds she has strength and courage she never existed within her and manages to keep Reid off-kilter at every turn.

There is a first-class villain, of course. He sets many bad things in motion – just so he can have Audrey and her estate. I won’t mention all of the treacheries he sets off, but it takes us on a wild ride of a story. It is fast-paced, chilling, heart-wrenching and – yes – romantic. What a ride! You wonder right up to the end if they’ll survive and get their HEA! Great read!

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"I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher." ( )