Highland Treasure

**** 4.5 Stars!!!!*****<br /><br />This Scottish historical romance series is fabulous! Lyndsay Sands is such a talented author and I have always loved how she adds humour into all of her stories! Her words never fail to get me laughing, and on top of that being able to throw love, loyalty, and a great adventure into the mix!<br /><br />Highland Treasure is Rory Buchanan’s book! Out of all his brothers, Rory was the one who concentrated on his job as a healer rather than seducing the ladies! That is up until he meets Elysande... Her Mother has requested that Rory help get Elysande to safety!<br />The story is their journey from England into Scotland!<br />I was highly entertained by their travels and attractions to each other! <br /><br />I did dock a half a star for this instalment because I felt a bit cheated that we didn’t get to have scenes with Rory around his family. In past books, I have loved the Buchanan brothers banter, and add all their new wives into the mix made it even more better. That was missing in Rory’s book because he was traveling. It would have been nice for the couple to have arrived at their destination sooner! <br />Other than that I still loved this addition to an amazing series!!!

I heard Mara talking very highly about this series and this entry in particular so like a true chaos monster, I jumped into Book #9. It's fine. It's romance. <br /><br />I really enjoyed this! It's such a good example of a romance with an excellent balance of internal and external conflicts, and I was equally invested in both. I also loved Rory and Elysande. I mean, I love me a soft on the inside mountain man and Rory is a healer to boot. Yes please. Elysande is wonderful. She's brave when she needs to be and capable within her limits and as much as Rory wanted to protect her, I was also yelling at him to protect her at all costs. <br /><br />This truly is a shining example of a Highland romance and now I guess I should go all the way back to book 1...

I rarely read historical romance anymore, but this book was a reminder as to why I used to only read them. There is nothing better than a good highlander historical romance novel. What I wouldn't give to go back in time for a day and meet a few of these highlanders.<br /><br />I've not read any of the other books in the series so I can say without a doubt that you can read this as a standalone. I was never once lost, character wise. They do mention some of the other Buchanan's and I gotta say, I am going to have to go back and start this series from the start. I think I will enjoy reading about Rory's siblings. Great book!

In her imaginative, quirky, and witty style, Lyndsay Sands delivers the next installment in her ‘Highland brides’ series with a tale of true love and belonging. Rory’s older brothers have all fallen prey to the charms of love and marriage, urging him and Alick to take brides, settle and experience the bliss and happiness of the marriage union. But between his studying, traveling, and healing, Rory hasn’t had the opportunity to meet ‘the one’ The lass who will manage to stir his emotion and separate the healer from the man. <br />Eager to return home after spending some time in the hostile territory, he receives a message, a cry for help that his noble heart cannot ignore. Escorting a treasure to Scotland, to the Sinclaire lands seems like a straightforward task, but is it? What will happen when he realizes that the so-called treasure is a mysterious girl, who manages to confuse him like no other? A girl whose strength and determination equals the bravest warriors? A girl who went through hell survived real torture inflicted by human hands and yet stayed kind-hearted and generous towards everyone… The only girl who captured the attention of Rory- the man, not Rory-the famous healer…<br />This suspenseful and charming story which will take you to medieval Scotland, conveying the courage, perseverance, and chivalry of the handsome warriors will delight all fans of this genre. Complete standalone, yet part of a series, this book is full of richly developed characters, detailed descriptions, complex and clever plot. The transition from the calm and logical Rory into this jealous and possessive man is a real boon to read. His new way of reasoning will make you laugh, while you will sigh from his emotionality and possessiveness. And her perseverance and sacrifice will delight you. A woman who manages to show mercy after so much pain and suffering, who manages to smile when hope slowly disappears is the perfect choice for our hero. And the chemistry between them is simply electrified and simply can not be ignored Moreover it contains the perfect blend of mystery and romance to keep you hooked and on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. <br />The author firmly adheres to all those details that run through all the books in this series, at the same time adding enough novelty and freshness for each work to be similar and yet so different from the previous ones. And each story fits perfectly into the overall series.<br />The balance between the internal and external conflict as well as the dynamic of the romance was almost perfect. Nothing felt rushed or dragged for the better part of the book, which couldn’t be said for the end. It seems like everything felt in place too quickly and somehow felt a bit out of the concept and overall pace of the book. It would be fantastic if the end of this whole adventure was captured in more detail, where we would have a brief insight into the lives of the other family members we read about in the previous books.<br />However, this book is really interesting and contains enough elements to keep your attention until the very end. If you are interested in an unforgettable trip with a sexy Highlander and a brave heroine, you must not miss this book.<br />

<b>DNF @76%</b><br><br>Not sure what was up with me or this book. I just couldn't get into it.<br>I was bored with all their traveling and traipsing through the Highlands and disappointed by the little romance or worse even, the lack of chemistry between the hero and heroine on page.<br>Nothing to entice and make me turn the pages. Their forced proximity even failed to inspire any sense of yearning between them, the repeated wolfsbane liniment applications and need for the heroine to disrobe for the hero didn't help one bit either. Nothing to see here.<br><br><i> <b>More reviews and book talk at : </b> </i><br><a href="http://alleskelle.com" rel="nofollow noopener"> <img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1531392914r/25962167.jpg?v=1531392917324" width="400" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </a><br><b>You can find me here too ☞ </b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/alleskelleblogs" rel="nofollow noopener"> <img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1443083387r/16316545.png?v=1443083391071" width="20" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </a><a href="https://twitter.com/alleskelle" rel="nofollow noopener"> <img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1443083534i/16316589.png" width="20" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </a><a href="https://www.pinterest.com/wonderallesk/b-o-o-k-s-f-a-n-a-r-t/" rel="nofollow noopener"> <img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1443083992r/16316647.png?144308399229879" width="20" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </a>

This review was originally posted on<a href="http://addictedtoromance.org/book-review-highland-treasure-by-lynsay-sands/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"> Addicted To Romance</a>I received this book for free from Avon in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.<br><div> <img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1551095556i/27115635._SX540_.png" alt="" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </div><br><br><br><br><br><br>Highland Treasure is the latest release of the Highlander series by Lynsay Sands or the series also known as the "Highland Brides" and I always seem to get a kick out of these books, there is a humor in these books that you don't always find in historical romances and most especially highlander romances. I read this one its a ARC from the publisher so I give thanks to Avon but also I put it in as a book to read as part of the #historicalromancereadathon and I have to say that I have read more historical's in a row than I normally do and I am thrilled to be immersing myself in these historical periods once again. I really had no mood for them last year so I am hoping I can fully get into them again. <br><br><br><br>Highland Treasure starts off with a kick, with our heroine who is being abused by her tormentor. Her family, trusted by the King, are attacked by a friend and traitor who plots against the king. When he suspects that her parents have information he murders her father, and brutally damages her mother and abuses Elysande to the point where she can barely move. But her mother who is barely alive, manages with the trust of her guards and servants to smuggle Elysande out of the keep and on the road to safety towards a clan that she knows will protect her no matter what. Elysande with her body bruised to the point where her skin is black and blue, is determined to survive despite seeing her life crumble around her. But then she meets her rescuer and healer of his clan...Rory. Rory is shocked when he learns of what Elysande has gone through and is determined to get her to safety to his family's land but along their journey a beautiful love and passion beckons between them...<br><br><br><br>Highland Treasure is a story that I was completely on board with and I fell so hard for it. Now is it my favorite of the series? No I wouldn't say that...the earlier books still are gold in my eyes, but don't disregard this book because I had so much fun with it and quite frankly I was in the mood for a road trip adventure and this gave me everything that I wanted in that concept of a trope. This book definitely starts off strong so this author doesn't ease you into it LOL nope she goes full steam ahead and that is what will pull you into the story. I did feel like the flow of the story wasn't quite as smooth as I wanted but I was drawn to this couple and their troop always being in danger from these traitors. <br><br><br><br>My heart broke for this heroine, her story was so sad in the beginning, because she has lost everything and is on the run for her life now. Knowing her parents are dead and everything she had has been taken brutally from her. I admired her strength and resilience to what has happened to her. She doesn't let it break her, but keeps moving forward to what she needs to do. She has a open trust with others that I liked, some may view it as her being naive, and in some aspects she can be perceived in that fashion, but I felt her character was so relatable. Now the hero...Rory. is a lead in the story I had so much fun with. He is a character we have seen in so many books so I was so happy to see him finally get his book. And we even see his vulnerabilities at times and I like seeing him have some flaws and seeing the way he vows to protect Elysande but also support her in any way he can. <br><br><br><br><blockquote>“You are a man worthy of love.” Tilting her head, she added, “People may need a healer, but they do not love them. They love the man."</blockquote><br><br><br><br>The plot of the story is the style of "on the edge of your seat" and I adored that feel in every way. I didn't know what to expect from this book and heck this is such a auto read author for me that I didn't even look for the blurb at all, I just knew I wanted to be part of this fun filled family and it was a wonderful adventure that Lynsay Sands takes us on. I really found the traitor plot against the king to be so intriguing and the ending had me laughing (and those who have read this know exactly what I am talking about) But definitely this one kept me entertained. <br><br><br><br><blockquote>Elysande's mother might have called her a treasure in the letter she'd sent to Rory, but the truth was her brave handsome Highlander husband was the treasure, and he was all hers. </blockquote><br><br><br><br>Overall I found Highland Treasure to be a stunning addition to this lovely series that has captured my heart over the years. Its a story of adventure, intrigue, danger and fighting for the one you love. <br><br><br><br><div> <img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1611088770i/30724340.png" alt="" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </div><br><br><br><br><br><br><div> <img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1611088770i/30724339._SX540_.jpg" alt="" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </div><br><br><br><br><div> <img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1561506897i/27726693._SX540_.png" alt="" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </div><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><div> <img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1550917203i/27106640._SX540_.png" alt="" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </div><br><br><br><a href="http://addictedtoromance.org/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"> <img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1499527757i/23242699.jpg" alt=" photo Addicted To Romance Reviews 2_zpsplp8m0tb.png" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> </a>

Series: Highland Brides #9<br />Publication: 1/26/21<br />Number of Pages: 384<br /><br />The inimitable Lynsay Sands has just delivered another exciting Highland tale filled with wit, cross country chases, love, honor, and betrayal. It is unusual for me to love both of the main characters equally, but, this time, I loved both of them. I normally love one of the leads and will, at best, like the other. Of course, I’ve loved Rory throughout the series and have really looked forward to him finding his special lady – and I am so happy that she really was special. While this is the ninth book in the series, you can totally read this as a standalone without being the least bit lost. That said, it is a wonderful series and I highly recommend all of the books.<br /><br />Brutally beaten, shaken, kicked, and locked in a dungeon, Lady Elysande de Valance has just barely managed to escape the castle in which her parents and all of their soldiers were murdered by de Buci, someone thought to be a friend. Just before her mother died, she gave Elysande a letter to take to Rory Buchanan who just happens to be in England. The letter asks Rory to deliver a treasure to her Sinclair relatives in the Highlands of Scotland.<br /><br />As a gifted healer, Rory is being paid a small fortune to travel to England to heal Baron Monmouth. Normally, Rory wouldn’t charge for healing, but the Baron asked him to travel all the way to England – and he offered the payment – and he is English … Just as Rory is taking his leave of the Baron, Rory’s brother, Alick, delivers a note to him. The note asks Rory to deliver a treasure to the Sinclair’s in the Highlands.<br /><br />When Rory and his men reach the clearing to which the note directed them, all they saw was an abandoned cart. No horse attached to the cart, nobody around at all – just some bags piled on the cart. What? Then, three riders appeared at the edge of the woods. When the riders tell their tale, Rory immediately agrees to help.<br /><br />As they all head out for the Highlands, de Buci and his soldiers are in hot pursuit. Rory and his men have to keep the badly injured Elysande safe, figure out how to save the English King along with his son, and manage to make it back to the Highlands in one piece. Of course, along the way, love happens as well.<br /><br />I loved Elysande because she was smart, savvy, brave, honorable, witty, and stubborn as the devil himself. Sometimes she was a bit too stubborn, but she was also faithful and loyal to her people and her king. What she endured, without complaint, lets you know how resilient she was.<br /><br />This was a lovely, exciting, couldn’t-put-it-down read and I can hardly wait for Alick’s story. I hope you’ll give the story a try and that you’ll enjoy it as much as I did. BTW – the epilogue is absolutely priceless – you should read the book just for that if nothing else.<br /><br />I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 stars -- Insofar as such things can be "objectively" measured, I have to say that I think this is one of the highest quality books from this author I have read (and I am a lover of all things Lynsay Sands, as you know :)). The balance of romance and adventure/suspense, as well as the internal vs. external conflict, were very well balanced, which made for a perfectly paced read. Added in a fantastic heroine with a lot of courage and the hero we've been waiting for for SO long... yeah. This hit all my favorite parts of Sands' writing, and it's probably my second favorite entry in the series. We've only got one brother left... I will be so sad to leave the Buchanans behind!<br /><br />CW: Frank depictions of physical abuse/violence, murder, &amp; suicide

<br />⭐⭐?<br /><br />2 ½ stars.<br /><br /><br /><br />An OK but somewhat repetitive read .<br /><br />Minor issues with anachronism.<br /><br />The hero was an interesting character … but could/would have been even more interesting if he was more fleshed out as a character.<br /><br />The heroine was foolish and stubborn.<br /><br />Somewhat lacking chemistry between the main characters.<br /><br />Verbose.

I bought this book as a joke because the man it wearing a kilt and it was 5 dollars. I have hereby learned my lesson and promise not to do it again.