Title:  Sutherland’s Secret
Series:  Highland Pride #1
Author:  Sharon Cullen
Genre:  Historical Romance
Published:  January 19, 2016
Publisher:  Loveswept
My Rating:  4 stars
Source:  NetGalley
Cover Description:

Terror reigns in the aftermath of the Battle of Culloden. As British troops obliterate the last traces of the Jacobite cause, Brice Sutherland, the Earl of Dornach, risks everything to arrange a covert escape route to Canada for his fellow Scots. But when he encounters a dying Englishwoman, hauntingly beautiful though scarred by manacles and unable to speak, Brice’s true courage is put to the test. Nothing but ruin could result from helping her, or worse: falling in love.

The pampered daughter of a marquess, Eleanor Hirst was the talk of the London season when she wed the Earl of Glendale. Little did she know that his posting as an officer in Scotland would be their undoing. Now her husband is dead and Eleanor is a fugitive in a hostile country. Desperate for help, she throws herself on the mercy of Brice Sutherland, a handsome Scottish warrior who should be her enemy. Instead, he cares for her tenderly, reviving her shattered spirit—and awakening urges unlike any she’s ever known.

Read on for my thoughts on Sutherland’s Secret.  No true spoilers, promise.

Brice and Eleanor’s story is a tender and solid start for the Highland Pride series.  Eleanor’s pampered and privileged world comes crashing down when the man she married travels to Scotland and is accused of being a traitor to his country.  Her husband’s death by hanging is only the beginning of the unspeakable horrors in store for Eleanor.  When she rebuffs her husband’s executioner she is beaten, tossed into a dungeon cell to await her own death.  When escape is possible she takes the risk believing she would rather die free, under the open skies than in this hole at the hands of evil incarnate.

Brice has done everything he can in order to arrange safe passage for his people into Canada, far away from the terrors overtaking their own country.  As he and his men are traveling home he spots what appears to be a pile of discarded clothing at the edge of the road.  In fact, that heap of clothing was Eleanor.  Brice believed this badly beaten young woman was close to death, and in his attempt to comfort her in her dying moments stayed beside her sending his men on home.  He didn’t have the heart to leave another human to die alone with no one to mark their passing.

To his surprise, the young woman did not pass during the night.  And he made the decision to take her home to allow her to heal in relative comfort.  He never expected that when she did awake she’d be unable to speak or that she would attack him in fear and desperation.

And so begins Eleanor and Brice’s romance.  A most unwise coupling for the times as each should be the other’s sworn enemy not their loved one.  After all the horrors that Eleanor had already suffered, it really is no wonder that she believed herself in more danger when she awoke to have this handsome, huge male at her side.  Slowly and gently, Brice helped her to heal, physically and emotionally.  And as compassion turned into more powerful emotions, Brice had to keep Eleanor safe and hidden, as her captors were searching the countryside for her, placing himself and his people in even more danger by harboring an escaped prisoner.

I enjoyed Sutherland’s Secret very much.  It is filled with rich historical details, a strong and believable couple and an excellent secondary character cast full of people that I’m hoping will soon have their own tale to tell.  If you love Historical Romance, especially Highlander styled romance then this one is perfect for you.  The first novel in a series will often set up the coming stories, and based on this first story the rest will be equally captivating.

*I received an e-ARC of Sutherland’s Secret from the publisher, Loveswept and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. That does not change what I think of this novel.*

Available for the Kindle