Married to woman after a scheme, what good can come from it?

Synopsis

She’s the best wife…

…he never wanted!

Ross MacMillan lifts his bride’s veil…and discovers it’s not the woman he’d agreed to marry but her beautiful younger sister, Ilysa MacDonnell! The new MacMillan chieftain must accept Ilysa as his wife, for retaining his clan’s lands depends on her father’s support. But why is she there? Are her aims to help him or her father? Drawing out Ilysa’s secrets will kindle an alliance more powerful—and passionate!—than Ross ever imagined…

Highland Alliances: Convenient marriages to save their clan!

Book 1: The Highlander’s Substitute Wife by Terri Brisbin
Book 2: The Highlander’s Tactical Marriage by Jenni Fletcher

Book 3: The Highlander’s Stolen Bride by Madeline Martin

My review

Ilysa MacDonnell is living a quiet life in the nunnery of Iona as a lay sister. So when her father brings her back home, she has no idea what the reason behind is, although she is happy to see her sister Lilidh again.
Only after being wed to the new MacMillan chief Ross, it’s clear that her father swapped the sisters on purpose, for his own schemes.
Ross also has no other option to accept Ilysa as his wife, to have the MacDonnell’s support, even if now he is married to a woman rumoured to be disfigured.
But why did MacDonnell make Ilysa marry Ross? Is she part of a bigger plan? And Ross didn’t surely expect that this innocent woman would be carrying hurtful secrets, wanting him to protect her every way that he can, igniting a passion neither one of them expected…

So, those who have read my previous reviews, know I can truly enjoy reading a historical romance, even if the outcome isn’t that very surprising. But sometimes a girl just needs some positive vibes while reading!
And this book, well it may be one of my favourite of this type!

It’s clear from the start in what way Ilysa is ‘damaged’. But it’s not only physical that she is scarred, also the way her father, and even her sister, bullied her, made Ilysa turn into a scared woman, ready to be punished for every time she has been doing something wrong in their eyes.

However, despite the fact that she has been used by her own family for their devious schemes, I loved reading how she managed to turn a bad situation into a good one. She shows several times her strength, as she manages to make the people of the village truly love her by just being her, and adding her own bits to make the place a nice place to be living in.

But if there is one character that stole my heart, it was Ross (except in one occasion, I despised him, but when you get there you’ll know when that is).
Even if his wife is not who he expected to be, he show a very gentle side I didn’t expect.
He sees how frightened Ilysa is, and he does not push her, he knows that giving her time and space is the only way to make her trust him.

I found it somehow even adorable to see how these two people, forced together, both having trust issues, start to bond together and see each other’s weaknesses but mostly important, strengths and how they can stand as an united front.

Ilysa’s family, without any exception, is a despicable one, only thinking about themselves and not afraid to betray a made alliance. And I could, I would have entered the book and kicked seriously some a**es!

I truly enjoyed reading this story, about people who finally deserve some good in the world, and finding it with each other.
If the next parts of the series will be as good as this first new instalment, I am sure that there will be more characters that I will fall in love with!