The Depths of Her Soul by Rebecca Ruger

Marianna Sinclair has lived years in England, separated from her family and regarded only as an unpaid servant to her aunt and uncle, waiting for something better to come along. She is overjoyed when her brother comes to collect her, returning her to Scotland. Yet, her thrill is quickly diminished when she learns she’s to wed the son of a local landowner, the detestable Walter Ramsay. But even this is overshadowed as her traveling party is pursued by a fierce Highlander army. Her dismay becomes outright fear when her own brother abandons her to the coming army while he makes his escape.

Lachlan Maitland spent seven months as a prisoner of the English and bears the scars of their brutality, inside and out. He wants only to be at King Robert Bruce’s side, winning Scotland’s freedom, not chasing the bandits terrorizing the Highlands. His pursuit leads him to the half-English Mari Sinclair, and once he discovers she is betrothed to the Maitlands’ longtime enemy, he eagerly kidnaps her, hoping to trade her to the Ramsays for peace in the Highlands.

He quickly decides that she is the most confounding captive he has ever known, sweet and beyond brave, with kisses that raise long-dead hope inside Lachlan. She will challenge every bit of rage that he’s clung to over the years, one smile and one kiss at a time. Soon, he regrets that he’s made any deal with the Ramsays to trade her for peace, for Lachlan is not sure he can ever let her go.

As with all the Highlander Heroes Series, The Depths of Her Soul is a stand-alone novel. The characters from different books do sometimes interact, but these can be read in any order.