| Title | : | Brennus (Immortal Highlander, Clan Skaraven #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 388 |
| Publication | : | First published March 26, 2018 |
Althea Jarden’s botanical fieldwork keeps her happily busy, but it has kept her from relationships as well—by design. Because deep passions can overwhelm her, she concluded long ago that a conventional life was not for her. She’s learned to depend on herself. But all the self-reliance in the world can’t prepare her for being taken to ancient Scotland and what she finds there.
Chieftain Brennus Skaraven would like nothing better than to remain dead, his legendary clan buried and forgotten. Anything would be preferable to suffering the manipulations of the druids. But when a strange lass comes crashing into his life, he discovers more than a reason to live. He finds the one thing that had always been denied to him and his kind—love.
Brennus is the first book in the Immortal Highlander Clan Skaraven series. If you love hard-bodied heroes, a mythic world, and a brave heroine, then you’ll love this sizzling series. Join the romantic realm of the Immortal Highlanders by picking up a copy of this book today. Mature readers comfortable with dark themes only please.
Brennus (Immortal Highlander, Clan Skaraven #1) Reviews
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3+ "Druid" stars!
This book was interesting, but it could have been a little better executed. I felt like I jumped in, in the middle. But even saying that, I am very tempted to try the next book. Like I saaid, it was interesting and entertaining. Happy reading! -
I made it to 61%.
It's a good story. It has excellent PNR/Fantasy elements including druids, immortals, time-travel and magical powers. All set in Scotland.
Personally, I thought the writing needed a bit of finesse. Major reveals and climaxes were carelessly thrown out with no foreshadowing or build up. The relationships between the characters were not constructed with any clarity. They mostly went from strangers to friends or from strangers to enemies without much notice.
I felt like I was expected to take a lot of things for granted as they were exposed by a line or two of text. I needed some of the bigger things massaged into being with more words so I could see them coming instead of getting whiplash when they appeared out of nowhere.
That's the best I can explain how I felt about the book. But, again, I have to admit that the plot is an interesting one.
2.5 stars for me -
When I started this book I thought it was more of a continuation of the clan the first 5 books revolved around but I was a bit surprised to see that it actually began a new slant of a series within a series as we have mostly new characters while keeping a similar plot to the first 5 (unsuspecting 21st century woman pulled into the 14th century).
We have several significant differences though since Clan Skaraven pretty much hates the druids (reasons will be forthcoming) and they are not exactly chick magnets, they pretty much had next to nothing to do with women and were warriors almost without equal.
There are new bad guys (I still am curious as to exactly what happened to our vampires) and the very basic plot is not that different from the other books but different enough to make them still original stories.
The bad: We have plots and sub-plots, who can you trust, and an ending that falls just short of being a cliffhanger but you probably realize that there are at least 3-4 more books in the works after the first few chapters but enough of a frustration to subtract 1 star from the review. We felt like we knew (and liked) the druids in the last 5 books but this book seems to cast a small bit of a sinister light on them or at least enough to make you confused.
Bottom line: I enjoyed it a lot but comparing Brennus (Immortal Highlander, Clan Skaraven Book 1): A Scottish Time Travel Romance to the original series Lachlan (Immortal Highlander Book 1): A Scottish Time Travel Romance I have to say I was feeling better at the end of Lachlan and enjoyed it more but we shall see where this series goes and I can't wait to read the next one. -
Fun fluff with a twist! Hunky Highlanders, magic and more!
I’ll probably continue with the series when I’m in a slump 👍🏻 -
What started out as a great premise soon gave way to sloppy writing. I got lost more times than I can count and the ending left me feeling, well, unsatisfied. I love a good highlander time-travel romance but the execution was flat. Too bad, because the cover is stunning.
My Rating: 3 stars -
As usual, Hazel Hunter does a thorough exploration of the times that she writes about. The language is right and even shows how it evolves during the several thousand years the Skaraven tribe has laid 'dead'. For instance, the Skaraven tribe called the highlands Caledonia and were told that it is now - in the fourteenth century - called Scotland. Even the name druid-kind had an earlier name of tree-knower. We were introduced to druid-kind in the first series. In today's language they are just referred to as druids. In this book they still often use the earlier name that the warrior slaves were familiar using. Yes, throughout history, there have been slaves, These 100 warriors were specially bred for height, strength, and endurance. Each was trained in additional skills.
I never really liked history that much, but with Hazel as my professor, I could see myself really getting into word origins and history. She fully researches what she is about to write. I find that unique and most welcome! Other strange words like caraidean, facking, and henge. In addition, the names she uses for her characters if said a few times can be seen in their modern forms. Oh, how I dearly love the detailed care Hazel has put into not only the exciting, steamy story, but for me the details that make the past come alive in such vividness.
I came to appreciate how difficult it must have been for those specially bred to be slaves born to be warriors to fight the battles of the tree-knowers, to never be trusted around women, isolated from them to suddenly find themselves free men. They have good reason to hate the druid-kind that did that to them, but they are more than honorable and once again take up the battle, this time as free men who make the decisions and battle-plans.
There is one, just one woman brought back into their stronghold, Althea Jarden. The men, other than the first introduction of their name and function, do not speak to her for quite a while. What a delight to see her try to slowly socialize these 100 dour men.
As you might guess, the romance between Brennus and Althea builds with a slow burn to a blaze.
If you like multiple evil villains who are a match for our cleaver Skaravens. If you like a bit of time-travel and magic. If your fond of Scottish highlands, then I highly recommend this book to you. I LOVED IT! Looking forward to book #2.
** I received this book as an ARC, but the choice to read and review it were my own, as are the opinions expressed here ** -
By Hazel Hunter
(Immortal Highlander, Clan Skaraven # 1)
Althea Jarden's botanical fieldwork keeps her very happy and busy, but it has also kept her from having any romantic relationships becuase she figured out long ago that a conventional type of life just wasn't for her. Born to a father and mother that were to busy to care she was raised by her beloved Uncle. Now that he's gone she's only got herself to depend on, but nothing can prepare her for being abducted and taken back in time to ancient Scotland and what she finds there.
Cheiftan Brennus Skaraven would like to stay dead with his legendary clan buried and forgotten. For him anything would be better then having to suffer the manipulations of the druids however when a strange lass comes crashing into his life, he discovers more than a reason to live. He finds the one thing he's never had and has always been denied to him and his kind and that is love.
Hazel Hunter did such an amazing job writing this book. I was hooked right away and couldn't stop reading it. There are some great surprises in store for you that you just won't see coming. I'm going to read the next one because I've really come to like most of these characters. -
I was hoping this was an extension of the Immortal Highlander McDonnel Clan but it is not exactly that. It is a sort of spin-off but the only repeating character is Bhaltair Flen, the druid. This series has a whole new feel to it.
The Scaraven are a clan who were bred to be warriors to the Pritani and druids. They were slaves who were never allowed to speak to women and who went to their deaths protecting mankind from two crazy druids and their creatures called famhairean, immortals shaped like humans but made from trees.
He famhairean and the crazy druids were trapped for thousands of years but have now escaped and abducted five women with druid blood to travel back to medieval Scotland to get revenge on the druids who imprisoned them and kill all mortal kind.
The only ones who can stop them are the Scaraven so they are awakened and given immortality.
After I got over my disappointment of this being a new series, I became caught up in this story. It's different from the previous series which is good because I would have been annoyed if it was the same with different characters. I'm going to continue reading it. -
2.5 🌟 it was ok. I’m intrigued enough to continue the series.
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🎁 FREE on Amazon today (8/14/2019)! 🎁
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I enjoyed this book and there will be more of a review to go here later.
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Very good. A series. Interesting twist on time travel.
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Althea and Brennus
It took a little bit for me to get into this book. The first several chapters were world building. I read the previous Immortal Highlander series so maybe I was expecting to read something similar. But this is definitely different than that. I became enthralled with the story the further into the book I read. Until I didn't want it to end when I read the last page.
Althea and four other women are brought back to the fourteenth century by immortal creatures made of wood with a human appearance made by magic. The magic was from two evil druids who were imprisoned in the past but set free in present time due to a solar flare. The two want revenge on other druids for not helping them get revenge. So now they are out to kill anything mortal.
Althea escapes and Brennus finds her. She has to save him when two of the creatures attack him. She discovers that she has power to freeze things.
Come join the adventures of the Skaraven clan! -
I enjoyed reading this book. Brennus is a strong Scottish highlander and he meets Althea who was taken with some other women back in time by a bad people. Brennus and his clan with Althea fight the bad guys and so if you want to know if the bad people are lose than you need to read the other books too. I recommend this it is a good storyline.
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*2.5 stars*
This is fairly unique! It was all kinds of time travel - we’re talking 21st century women, 1st century warriors, and 14th century Bonnie and Clyde. And they all converge in 14th century Scotland. I mean, this is a major production, and the fact that so much is going on is impressive.
It definitely kept my interest, but I do feel like there was something major missing that I can’t put my finger on. Maybe Althea felt too glazed over? We knew about her abused childhood, but she literally never has that conversation with Bren, and that kind of matters. We were told this affected her, but we were never shown that.
Then they somehow make this radical shift from her trying to escape twice after telling him she wasn’t going to do that to her hoping to cure him of his super sad, super disturbing sexual past as a dangerous warrior-slave. I mean, BTW, that was a seriously messed up way to treat these guys since there was never any mention of one killing whores or being violent with women AT ALL. It just left me with a bad taste in my mouth because it felt like they were basically victims of ritual rape and I couldn’t get past that.
The sex scenes were randomly vulgar, so reading them felt like I accidentally sat on the remote and changed the channel in my brain, leaving me scrambling to find the right one again. The use of the words “pussy” and “cream” and “cock” just grate on me for some reason and pull me completely out of the story. I legit hate when these words are used in romances because there’s nothing romantic about them. Thankfully, the sex scenes aren’t long even if they are cringe-worthy.
The end made no sense to me because of what Althea did. I mean, what was the point? IT DIDN’T HELP. I kept shaking my head, wondering why nothing changed. I don’t know. This book is really interesting and the whole plot line a kind of a cool concept, but there might be a little too much going on for me. -
***** Brilliantly written Time-Travel Romance *****
Wow!! What an incredibly imaginative tale, I was wholly impressed and immersed from the start right to the end. It's cleverly written with incredible world-building. Hazel Hunter has done an impressive job captivating the readers/listeners with her creativity. This time-travel romance has it all, magic, passion, intensity and action, hero and heroine that you root for, and pitiless villains that you loathe. The icing on the cake is the superhot, immortal Scottish warriors with amazing abilities. Kudos to Ms. Hunter.
The main characters are, Brennus, the chieftain of Clan Skaraven, he is from 2000 years ago, and Althea a Ph.D. Scientist is from our time. The two meet in 14th century Scotland. They have a passionate connection, and their chemistry is charged. I relished listening to every minute of their story.
The various characters that were introduced, and will appear throughout the series, are all intriguing and complex. Honestly, I can't wait for more of the Immortal Highlander Clan Skaraven series. I can just tell from the first book the series is going to be loaded with twists, turns, mystery, and intrigue.
William Macleod's performance is outstanding; his telling with his Scottish brogue will sweep you away and draw you into this story. I was delighted to hear him bring the book to life.
Overall, Brennus is an engaging story; it's well-plotted with fascinating characters and incredible narration. It was thoroughly enjoyable; I highly recommend the audiobook to all time-travel romance fans. I was given a free copy of this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. -
I read the other Immortal Highlander series over a year ago, but darned if I can recall enough to write a review. I think I still have 'Gavin' to read,so I'll go back and finish that up before I review those.
In the meantime, I have to say, I admire a big, handsome Highlander as much as the next female, from Sean Connery as James Bond to Charlie Hunnam as Jax Teller. But a thousand years ago? In those days, the healthiest of men were considered tall if they passed 5 foot, six inches in height. And immortal? They were lucky if they lived to their thirtieth birthday before dying of old age.
But whatever--this is fiction. The hero of this story is a big, beautiful, intelligent, commanding personality. And the premise of this book, that five modern women descended from the ancient druids are captured and taken back in time as prisoners, is a catchy one.
So despite the author's irritating and indiscriminate use of such contractions as 'tis, 'twill and 'twas (you know--as in 'twas the night before Christmas...), she tells a pretty good story, if you can buy into it. I did, and was entertained, for the short term, though my memory of the story is fading fast. But never fear--with five kidnapped women, there are sure to be four more books! -
This is a new series and it's amazing I got pulled in fast and I never wanted it to end! It's epic
Althea is a women from our time she may look like Scottish with her red hair but as soon as she spoke everyone knew where was American. She is a field botanist and came to Scotland to study the plants for meds.
Murdian and Hendry are both evil druids they were made immoral so they could not be reborn into another body. Then they were imprisoned in the storr by Bhaltair Flen a Drud. Only after 1000s of years they got freed then freed their evil army. Kidnapped 5 women with druid blood to take them all back in time
Chieftain Brennus of the clan skaraven and his men have been brought back to life again
Fantastic story amazing action full of mystery, intrigue, suspense, betrayal, and so much more it is mind blowing. I love the characters so easy to connect to and fall in love with! I couldn't put it down. I can't wait for the next book in the series. If you love scots, time travel, amazing twists and turns then this is your new favorite story.
Voluntarily reviewed a copy and I honestly loved it. -
>Book Review – Brennus
>I am an independent reviewer. This book is the 1st in the Immortal Highlander: Clan Skavaren series and ends in an HEA. Five druidesses from the future are kidnapped and brought to the past. Althea discovers she has the power to freeze things. Brennus is the newly awakened clan leader of the immortal Clan Skavaren. His clan was bred and raised to be soldiers for the druids. The druids haven’t treated the clan very nicely, so the clan no longer will fight on behalf of the druids.
>Althea saves Brennus and they fall for each other. The Skavaren clan has never been allowed to have a relationship with a woman. The men were told they would harm the women. Brennus has a lot to overcome when he falls for Althea. I thought the scene where some of the men were outside of Brennus’ bedroom to make sure Althea wasn’t hurt was really funny.
>The bad druids and their tree army are still around by the end of the book, but Brennus and Althea do get their HEA. This book is appropriate for an adult audience. I am giving this story 5 stars. The romance was sweet and the new clan characters were all fun to get to know. -
I found Brennus by Hazel Hunter while I was looking through the reads list on a goodreads account and thought it sounded interesting.
Botanist, Althea Jarden is doing fieldwork in Scotland when she is suddenly grabbed and pulled through the ground by an unseen person. She awakens to find herself no longer in the 21st century. If she is to believe her surroundings she is in 14th century Scotland, held captive with four other women from her time. Althea escapes to get help and runs right into the arms of Chieftain Brennus Skaraven, an immortal Highland warrior. Althea, Brennus and his clan of warriors must work together to rescue the other captured women and defeat their common enemy. Along the way, Althea and Brennus give in to the undeniable attraction between them.
The story was good but I feel like not a lot happened. I know it was the first book in the series, and therefore the story is still building, but I feel like that’s all that happened; building. Don’t get me wrong, some things took place but I was expecting more of a resolution I guess. I am intrigued enough to continue with the series and see how it plays out. Plus, its free on kindle unlimited, LOL. -
Loving this new spin on Immortal Highlanders. They're resurrected from a time when they were created for one purpose...to serve the druids and kill the bad guys. Only they were enslaved until they were all killed and the druids let them fall since the bad guys were imprisoned. Well that didn't last and so the druids called upon the Skravenians once again bringing them back as immortal warriors only to find they wanted nothing to do with the druids and their cause. And so it begins with Brennus and Althea (who gets pulled from the future and imprisoned). You have action, suspense, overwhelming destruction of life both mortal and druids. Along the way you'll get heat and a HEA that will lead to another story in the making. Kudos to Hunter for her excellence as a storyteller.
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Brennus & Althea
The Skaraven clan was bred to be large warriors that fought and protected the Scottish people. They died doing that against magical beings. Now they've been awakened as immortals to fight against the beings that killed them.
Five women from modern times with druid ancestry are captured and brought back in time. Althea is a Dr in botony and was studying ferns in Scotland when she was time nabbed. She escapes the first confinement into the arms of Brennus the chieftain of the Skaraven. They fall for each other and she convinces him and his clan to rescue the other women. Thus the adventure begins..... Love the magic, hunky highlanders and the story line. This is a can't put down book !!!! -
This is an enjoyable spin-off of Hunter’s Immortal Highlander series; it does not need to be read first in order to enjoy it but you should if you love time travel romances. I liked the powers of the women from the future and lore used to flesh out the story; it is not like other books in this genre out there. The romance was unique with both Althea and Brennus having issues that one does not always see. She wanted control of her emotions and he did not know how to deal with women, literally. Adding an interesting twist to things was the scheming of the “good” druids.
Llaph
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More
Full Review @ Coffee Time Romance & More -
Strange but a pretty good tale
PET PEEVE: If you intend to provide a glossary age-old a pronunciation guide, have the courtesy to locate it BEFORE the story, not after it when I've already assigned my own pronunciations to words I might see in sequels. -- Found this to be a pretty good story only very loosely based on legends and folklore. The Girls left behind seemed to share one personality with not much to differentiate one from another. The men's motivations were mostly too obscure to understand and many of the "historical" references made no sense at all. Enjoyed what I was able to understand but would not pay to read more of the tale. I had too much trouble making myself believe in this fictional world long enough to become absorbed in it. -
Truly unlike any time travel book I've ever read. Althea is grabbed by something and dragged down-way down into the earth. When she becomes aware again--she is in ancient Scotland with all the attendant magic and druids. She ultimately finds out that she has some magic within her as well!
Brennus--who is now an immortal along with his entire clan but is only now knowing true freedom. He and his clan were slaves. They have also acquired some strange powers--they were taught that they were never to go near a woman or they would hurt them--
Can Althea convince Brennus that he won't hurt her--can they save the other 3 woman who were taken at the same time Althea was?
Obviously this is mostly fantasy but truly a read that you may enjoy! -
Complicated Time Travel Romance
Ok. so there is so much in this book to unpack. The romance seemed like an afterthought to the bigger story. There were so many view points: the girls, Brennus, the Druids, the villians. It took a bit to get oriented in the book as the time travel aspect left me a bit confused of who travelled into whose time line. This is the reason for three stars.
I would give it 4 stars for Althea alone. She is resourceful, willful and Stubborn and still manages to be graceful when needed. She takes Brennus by the hand and leads him on a merry chase.
Overall, give it a shot. This is a start of a new series so I picked up the next book and I hope all the groundwork laid in this book will keep the story going. -
I can't get enough of these Scotland Highlanders. New series spin-off from the last collection where we met the Pritani, this one is the Skaraven and hey seem just as hot and dominant as the Pritani. This one is Brennus and his red-haired lady Althea. She was pulled into this world of the 14th Century with other ladies, but you know what, I am not a spoiler of a great book, so you just have to find out what happens by getting the book and reading it. Looking forward to the next book in the series. Great setting and story-line. Loved the characters and what they represent as a whole.
I voluntarily received an ARC copy of this book for review. -
I liked this book quite a lot. I only rated it 3.5 stars because I had a hard time getting into the authors style. By the end of the book I wasn't struggling with sentence structure and word choice. I'm hoping I'll be able to hop right in and enjoy the next book in the series and able to give it a higher rating now that I'm familiar with the style.
That being said. I liked the characters and the setting and plenty of plot. I enjoyed that there was a lot more background story given and I wasn't just reading about two people as they fell madly in love really fast and couldn't keep their hands off each other... which is what a lot of these short romance reads are.
