Spotlight & Giveaway: Hunting For A Highlander by Lynsay Sands

Today it is my pleasure to Welcome author Lynsay Sands to HJ!

Hi Lynsay and welcome to HJ! We’re so excited to chat with you about your new release, Hunting For A Highlander!

 
Hi Sara… happy 2020!
 

Please summarize the book for the readers here:

Geordie’s story, Hunting For The Highlander, is an action-packed thrilling romp across the Scottish Highlands!

Geordie’s story is pretty hot and we get a chance to catch up with characters we haven’t seen in a while…

After spending months helping out his brother Conran and his new bride Lady Evina, Geordie returns home to find Buchanan full of people. After spending a night in the garden and a pleasant interlude in a tree with a maid named Dwyn, Geordie discovers the reason the castle is full of women…

They’re there as potential brides for the still single Buchanan men!

Dwyn, being harassed by some particularly nasty women, disappears up a tree effectively escaping her pursuers. Geordie witnesses it and goes up after her thinking she might need a hand down. She doesn’t but Geordie decides to keep her company anyway and is pleasantly surprised by how much he enjoys spending time with her.

What he soon discovers is the charming woman he met in a tree is Lady Dwyn Innes, a potential bride for any one of them. It’s just too bad Geordie’s not interested in getting married anytime soon… Or is he?
 

Please share your favorite line(s) or quote from this book:

“I suppose ye noticed that most o’ our guests are female,” his brother started as they dismounted.
“Aye,” Geordie agreed as he tied his mount’s reins around a low-lying branch.
“How could he not notice?” Uncle Acair growled as he took care of his own mount. “We’ve got women crawling out of the woodwork just now. There’s no’ a room in the keep that a man can find a moment’s peace without giggling females following to ask questions.” Speaking in a high voice meant to imitate the women, he asked, “Which o’ the three brothers is most handsome, do ye think? Who is strongest? What kind o’ woman do ye think this one would like? Or that one? Do they have all their teeth? Which one is best at battle?” Shaking his head, he said in his own voice, “’Tis damned annoying.”
Finished with his horse, Geordie turned to his brother, one eyebrow raised.
Grimacing, Aulay avoided his gaze and muttered, “It appears you, Rory and Alick have become somewhat sought after.”
“Sought after?” Acair hooted with amusement. “They’re being hunted, the three of them.” Turning, he speared Geordie with a look and said, “I’d run like the devil if I were you, lad, else ye’ll find yerself run to ground and shackled to one o’ those lasses back there.”

Please share a few Fun facts about this book…

In Book #4, Falling For A Highlander, Geordie was one of the brothers who, out of concern for the lady’s welfare, would have offered to marry Lady Murine to save her from her brother’s cruelty. Luckily Dougall, who was already half in love with her by then, smartened up and married her before it was necessary for someone else to step up.

What first attracts your Hero to the Heroine and vice versa?

Geordie returns home after helping out his brother Conran, but upon finding the keep full of people, decides to sleep in the keep’s gardens and is bewitched by a lass he sees disappear up a tree to get away from a couple of ladies pursuing her. He finds her extremely fetching, especially the way she keeps fidgeting as she tries to realign the bodice of her dress constantly, but he also appreciates how different she is from other ladies he’s met before. He likes her blunt honesty, her sweet expressive nature, and her cleverness.
Lady Dwyn knows she doesn’t stand a chance in catching the eye of one of the still-single Buchanans, so having had enough of the catty women she seeks refuge up a tree. However, she finds the blue-eyed, broad shouldered Scot who offers her a hand down from said tree quite attractive. She refuses his help and discourages any further conversation, but the Scot’s persistence pulls her into one anyway and she finds herself enjoying it. And then the moment he first pulls her into his embrace, she’s completely smitten.

Did any scene have you blushing, crying or laughing while writing it? And Why?

Geordie’s unconscious reaction to anyone else showing an interest in Dwyn had me laughing… We know Geordie likes Lady Dwyn right from the start, but he’s much slower to acknowledge this openly. A part of his hesitation is because he’s been so busy helping his sister and brothers with their lives that he feels like he hasn’t lived his own yet. The thing he eventually comes to realize is he’s already lived a better, more fulfilling life than most people do in a lifetime because of that very thing he’s resenting a little, his family.

“Have ye had a chance to meet any of the ladies since arriving?”
A small sound of distress drew his gaze back around to Dwyn. She’d obviously heard the question and was afraid he might disclose what had happened between them that morning. Geordie gave her a reassuring look and then turned back to his brother. “Nay. Although I did see Lady Catriona and Lady Sasha in the orchard. They were chasing after one of the other women, taunting her, and then stopped to sneer at me when they saw me sleeping under a tree.”
“Oh?” Aulay eyed the women briefly. “Good to know.”
“They’re Lowlanders,” he pointed out with disgust. Lowlanders were nearly as bad as the English to his mind. You couldn’t expect much from them.
“Oh, now, there’s nothing wrong with Lowlanders,” Uncle Acair said. “Just look at our lovely Dwyn here. She’s a Lowlander too and a fine figure o’ a woman.”
Geordie frowned as he realized that was true. Innes was in the flatlands to the east of the mountains that made up the Highlands.
“Aye, and Innes is on the North Sea. Surely that makes up for not having our lovely mountains,” Aulay suggested, offering Dwyn one of his rare smiles. Although they’d become much more common since the arrival of Jetta in his life, Aulay was still not used to company in his home. This was no doubt a trial for him, but he was making an effort, Geordie thought, and then glanced around as a maid responded to his uncle’s wave and rushed over with a platter of food.
“Here ye go, lass.” Uncle Acair turned to take the platter and held it in front of Dwyn. “What will ye have? Or shall I feed ye?”
When Dwyn’s face flushed with embarrassment, Geordie scowled at his uncle. “Can ye no’ see ye’re embarrassing the lass? She can feed herself.”
“Young men today, eh, Dwyn?” his uncle said lightly. “No romance in their soul. You stick with me, lovey. I’m a man who kens how to treat a woman.”
Geordie glowered at the man, and then glanced around with a frown when he was suddenly elbowed in the side. Seeing that Aulay had shifted over into Jetta’s empty spot and that he was the one who had jabbed him with his elbow, he raised his eyebrows. “What is it?”
“Ye growled,” he murmured, keeping his voice down.
“What?” Geordie asked with disbelief.
“Ye did,” Aulay assured him with amusement. “Ye growled at Uncle Acair like a dog whose bone is threatened. Are ye sure ye do no’ ken Lady Innes?”
Mouth tightening, Geordie stood up.

Readers should read this book….

Hunting For A Highlander is a fun, sexy romp that will keep you warm on those cold winter nights to come! And of course because it’s about the Buchanans, the story will involve meddling, boisterous and overprotective family members who will always be there to lend a helping hand, but may make things hilariously more complicated.

What are you currently working on? What other releases do you have in the works?

As for what I’m working on…

I just handed in the next Highland Brides story. Many of you have asked for it and it’s finally here…Rory Buchanan got his story! And I think this story contains the largest subset of secondary characters yet, it involves an entire town!

I’m currently working on the next Argeneau after Immortal Angel. I won’t go into any details on who it’s about yet (no jinxes!) but I will say it has a kick ass heroine.

As for new and upcoming releases…

Vampire Valentine, Tiny and Mirabeau’s novella, was just released in audiobook format on January 28th.

Book #1 of the Argeneau series, A Quick Bite, will be reissued with a new cover on March 31th.

Love Is Blind, one of my older hysterical historicals, will be reissued on June 30th.

The next chapter in the Argeneau series, Immortal Angel, will be released in September. This book’s about everyone’s favorite mortal, G.G., and Vasco’s boldest and angriest crew member from Vampires Like It Hot, Ildaria.
 

Thanks for blogging at HJ!

Giveaway: Two signed copies of Hunting For A Highlander!

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and Post a comment to this Q: I mentioned in fun facts that in Falling For The Highlander, Geordie had been willing to wed Lady Murine to save her from her brother’s cruel plans if necessary. Do you remember the name of the other brother that would have also wed lady Murine had it been necessary? (I’m not talking about Dougall!)
OR
Buchanan keep is full of potential brides for the still single Buchanan brothers but some of these ladies are nasty and conniving. Tell us about your worst date or set up.

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

Excerpt from Hunting For A Highlander:

“Are we waiting for— Oh!” Dwyn gasped when he lifted her into his arms, his seat on the horse making him hold her high enough he could have licked and kissed her breasts were they not covered with the plaid.
“Hold on to me, Dwyn,” Geordie instructed gently, and waited until she’d wrapped her arms around his neck before lifting his left leg over the horse and saddle and then dropping to the ground. He managed the landing without too much of a jolt, but the plaid Dwyn had been holding on to fell to the ground.
“I’ll get it fer ye, m’laird,” Drostan said as he reached them, and rushed to his side to snatch up the fallen plaid. The boy’s eyes went to Dwyn’s feet as he straightened though, and he paused, clutching the cloth as his eyes widened. “Gor, m’laird. The lady’s feet are cut up something awful.”
“Aye, Drostan,” Geordie agreed solemnly. “Dwyn, this is Drostan, a fine young man who works in the stables. He’s going to be stable master one day when old Fergus retires.”
As Drostan beamed at the prediction, Geordie continued. “Drostan, this is Lady Dwyn Innes. The finest lady ye’ll ever rescue a plaid fer.”
Drostan turned his attention to Dwyn and gave an awkward half bow. “M’lady. ’Tis a right pleasure to meet ye.”
“Thank ye, Drostan. I’m right pleased to meet you too,” Dwyn assured him.
Geordie smiled at the pair of them, and then glanced to the plaid when Drostan held it out. After a hesitation, he said, “Can ye bring it along and come with us fer a minute, lad? I promised Lady Innes she could rest in the orchard fer a bit and enjoy the sun, but I canno’ hold her and lay out the plaid at the same time. I’m thinking I’ll need some help to get her safely situated.”
“O’ course, m’laird,” Drostan said eagerly, and fell into step with him as Geordie turned to head around the keep.
They hadn’t gone far before Drostan tugged at his plaid to get his attention. Once Geordie glanced to him in question, he asked, “Can I ask how the lady got her feet so cut up? Or does it pain her to talk about it?”
“Asking is fine,” Dwyn assured the boy before Geordie could respond. “Ye canno’ learn anything if ye do no’ ask, right?”
“Right,” Drostan agreed, smiling.
Dwyn grinned at him, and said, “I fear ’twas naught but a silly accident. Someone broke a goblet in the upper hall and I stepped on the pieces o’ glass when I came out o’ the garderobe.”
“They did no’ warn ye or anything?” the boy asked with dismay.
“There was no one there to warn me when I came out into the hall,” she explained.
“Oh. Well.” Drostan scrunched up his eight-year-old face with disgruntlement. “What kind o’ bampot leaves broken glass on a floor and does no’ clean it up, or stay to warn others o’ its presence?”
“Someone as silly as I was when I left me chamber in me bare feet,” Dwyn said wryly.
“Going barefoot is no’ silly,” Drostan assured her. “I am always barefoot. Unless ’tis winter,” he added. “But I’m always barefoot when ’tis warm like now. I would ha’e got cut up too had I no’ seen the glass and walked into it. Nay, ’tis no’ you who were silly, m’lady. Whoever did it was though. Or mean enough they just did no’ care if someone got cut up walking through the mess they’d made.” He tsked with disgust and shook his head. “I do no’ ken what Scotland is coming to with that kind o’ goings-on takin’ place.”
The boy had sounded like an old woman when he’d said that and Geordie felt a smile split his lips, even as he saw Dwyn grin. They shared their amusement with a look, and then Drostan said, “Well, I’m sure sorry ye’re suffering fer someone else’s folly, m’lady, and I’d be pleased to help in any way I can while ye’re healing.”
“Ye’re helping right now by agreeing to bring the plaid and lay it out fer us,” Dwyn assured him solemnly.
“Speaking o’ which,” Geordie said now, coming to a halt. “This is the spot, lad. Go on and lay out the plaid fer us, please. But try to make sure the bottom quarter of it is outside the shade cast by the tree—Lady Dwyn’s feet need sun.”
“Aye, m’laird.”
Geordie noticed the way Dwyn glanced around as Drostan quickly shook out the plaid and spread it on the ground. She seemed surprised that they’d reached the orchard already, but she smiled when she took note that he’d chosen to have the boy lay out the plaid beneath their tree.
“There ye are, m’laird,” Drostan said, stepping back once he’d finished his task.
Geordie turned to inspect the lad’s work and nodded with approval. “Thank ye fer yer help. Now ye’d best go see to me horse ere he wanders off to the stables on his own and upsets Fergus.”
“Oh! Aye,” Drostan gasped, and whirled around to hurry off.
Dwyn chuckled as she watched the boy rush away, and then turned her head up to Geordie. “Drostan is an adorable lad.”
“Aye,” Geordie agreed as he stepped forward onto the plaid, and then knelt before setting her down. “But do no’ let Fergus hear ye say that, else he’ll have a fit.”
“Why?” she asked with amazement as she watched him settle on the plaid beside her.
“Because Drostan drives him mad,” he admitted on a grin. “He says the lad talks from sunup till sundown and is like to drive him to drink does he no’ cease his incessant chatter.”
Dwyn threw her head back on a laugh at that, and Geordie found himself searching for something else to say to keep her laughing. He loved her laugh. It was so honest and open, not the silly twitters most ladies employed in an effort to appear ladylike. Dwyn laughed from the belly, or perhaps the heart. It was a sound full of life and joy, and made him want to wrap her in his arms and squeeze tightly. And if her breasts popped out during the squeezing, all the better.
That thought made Geordie smile again, and he wasn’t surprised when his face muscles complained about the action by aching a bit. They were not used to the workout they’d been getting the last day or two, but especially today. Geordie knew for a certainty that he’d never in his life laughed or smiled as much as he had since meeting Dwyn.
“Oh, m’laird, I shall miss ye,” Dwyn said with a shake of the head as her laughter began to ease.
Geordie stiffened, a frown tugging at his lips as her words raised alarm in every inch of his body. “Why would ye miss me, lass? I’m no’ going anywhere.”
“Well, nay,” she agreed with amusement. “But once you and yer brothers pick brides from the selection Lady Jetta arranged, or reject all o’ us, I and my sisters and father shall return to Innes.” Shrugging, she added, “Much as I love me home, I have never laughed so much there as I do in yer company. I shall miss that, as well as talking to ye . . . and yer kisses,” she admitted on a sigh. “Thank ye fer making this all so much more enjoyable than it started out. I shall look fondly on the memories ye’ve given me.”

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
 
 

Book Info:

Four Buchanan brothers have found their brides…only three more to go in this scintillating romance from New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands…

Lady Dwyn Innes feels utterly out of place among the eligible women who’ve descended on Buchanan Keep, vying for the attention of the last unmarried brothers. She isn’t long-legged and slender like her sisters, or flirtatious and wily like other lasses. Since her betrothed died, Dwyn has resigned herself to becoming an old maid. Yet a chance encounter with a stranger in the orchard awakens her to a new world of sensation and possibility…

After weeks away, Geordie Buchanan returns to find his home swarming with potential brides, thanks to his loving but interfering family. But one lass in particular draws his attention from the moment he spies her climbing a tree. Lady Dwyn is not nearly as plain as she thinks. Her lush figure and eager kisses delight him, as does her honesty. But the real test lies ahead: eliminating a hidden enemy, so that he and Dwyn can seal their Highland passion with a vow.
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Meet the Author:

My name is Lynsay Sands and I’m the author of the Argeneau series and many hysterical historicals (as my readers tend to call them). I have written over fifty-eight books and twelve anthologies, which probably tells you I really enjoy writing. I consider myself very lucky to have been able to make a career out of it.
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