Book Review: Highland Surrender by Heather McCollum

About the Book:

Title: Highland Surrender

Author: Heather McCollum

Series: Sons of Sinclair #5

Page Length: 400

Publication Date: Oct. 24, 2023

Publisher: Entangled

Synopsis: With his family’s honor on the line, Norse warrior Erik Halverson has no choice but to follow the orders of the royal house of Denmark. Now he must follow his destiny—and royal command—to sail to Scotland, find his enemy’s weakest link, and abduct her. Their mistake, of course, was thinking the Sinclair lass wouldn’t fight back.

From the moment her four brothers took control of their clan, Hannah Sinclair has learned to stand tall and defend herself. So when a big, brawny, and admittedly handsome warrior tries to abduct her, she isn’t about to give in. And the more he tries, the more she’s determined to make it as hard as possible…and enjoy it all the while.

Now Norway’s greatest warrior has a Highland hellcat on his hands, and Odin help him, he can’t resist her. But with the brutal Sinclair brothers coming after them, Erik is out of options. War is inevitable. And when a man is forced to choose between duty and passion, only one will win…

LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon

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My Review:

I’ve really enjoyed the Sons of Sinclair series, and I was so happy to see Hannah get her own story. Hannah is the sister of the fearsome Four Horseman, warriors who were the MMCs in the first four books of the series. Hannah loves her brothers and is so happy each has found love, but something is missing in her life. Surrounded by family but still feeling alone, Hannah wants a child of her own, and with no marital prospects in sight, she decides to take matters into her own hands.

When solver trader Erik Halverson arrives at her clan, Hannah decides to seduce him, but she is instead kidnapped, as Erik is not a trader but a warrior sent on a mission by the Dowager Queen. By holding Hannah, the Dowager Queen believes she can keep the Four Horseman under control. But the Dowager queen has severely underestimated Hannah and her family, and Erik has met his match.

The chemistry between Hannah and Erik is fiery, and their love story is filled with angst, danger, and sexual tension. At first, Hannah is furious when she realizes Erik and his men have kidnapped her. But when they encounter a storm, and they have to make repairs to their ship, Hannah learns a lot about Erik’s motivations and the impossible situation he is in. It definitely makes her more sympathetic to him, and she understands him more. They are such a great match! Both feel alone, both have suffered trauma in the past, and both are loyal and family-oriented. There is nothing these two won’t do for the ones they love.

I also loved that the main characters from the first four books had dominant roles in this story. There is so much love between the brothers and Hannah, and the way that they, their spouses, their children, Hannah, and many other members of the clan have grown so close is so lovely, especially after knowing of the trauma they experienced when they were younger. I also really love how the story highlights the strong bond between Hannah and Bas. They are such supportive and loving siblings, and they share a special connection. And when the family is all together, the teasing and banter are spot on, and seeing these fearsome warriors joking around and loving their family is so heart-warming.

I also love that the women take leadership roles throughout the story. The wives of The Four Horseman are fierce, especially when it comes to protecting their family. They go into total mama bear mode, and it is a delight to see. There are also two young stowaways that completely stole my (and many of the characters) heart. Libby and Trix are a delight, and though they have the best of intentions, they cause so much trouble. lol

Like the other books in the series, I inhaled Highland Surrender. It’s a fun, exciting, and romantic love story and a great conclusion to the series. Special thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.