With her brain whirling and her heart pounding with anger,
Lady Gabrielle, the much beloved daughter of Baron Geoffrey
of Wellingshire, England and Princess Genevieve of St.
Biel, a small but wealthy country now belonging to England,
still couldn't fathom how she got trapped in such a
nightmare.
In the short space of the day, she had gone from being the
beautiful and prospective bride of Laird Monroe of Scotland
traveling under the strong protection of King John to being
accused of being a harlot by a vindictive woman she had
never met before and a monk. Before Gabrielle could even
ponder that situation, the galloping hooves of the most
feared man in the Scottish highlands, Laid Colm MacHugh,
and his brawny clansmen, surrounded her and her small
troupe of guards and forced them to ride at a fast pace for
two hours until they arrived on Buchanan land.
Furious at his gall, but, with few options, Lady Gabrielle
finally agreed to go with him to his ancestral home, but
vowed under her breath, she would get away from this
ruggedly handsome, but brute of a highlander at the first
opportunity she had. While she knew that Brodick Buchanan
was an ally of the infamous MacHughs, she was still in
shock that he had turned down her pleas for help,
especially as she was distantly related to his wife and
wanted to find out why. How could it have come to this?
You too will want to find out how things got so tangled as
you immerse yourself in this gripping medieval highland
tale. Julie Garwood had created an unusual historical
romance, part suspense, part romance, filled with
intriguing and unusual characters that together create a
believable and colourful tapestry of the times. Linking the
story with her previous modern story in Shadow Dance,
Garwood effectively recreates the moods and concerns of the
English barons as well as the passions and customs of clans
and their feuds in Scotland. Interspersed through the
story are lots of humourous interplays and double
entendres, especially between Gabrielle and the strong
hearted, but not as quick with words Colm as they gradually
discover their feelings for each other. The repartee
between Colm and Gabrielle's guards is almost as fun and
bound to bring a quick laugh as you enjoy this fast paced
read.
While I quite enjoyed this unusual historical romance, I
did find some of the writing uneven in tone with brilliant
spots then other sections that seemed more slapped together
as if done in a rush and with no thought for getting the
right tone. For example, Gabrielle proves to be a highly
skilled archer, yet she never tries to find the time to
practice as her guards do which is strange. A totally
missed opportunity for a great scene! Nonetheless, it is
still a fun and satisfying read for a winter's night!
One of the most popular novelists of our time proudly
returns to her beloved historical romance roots -- in a
thrilling tale of love, murder, adventure, and mystery set
against the haunting landscape of medieval Scotland.
For Princess Gabrielle of St. Biel, Scotland is a land of
stunning vistas, wild chieftains, treacherous glens, and
steep shadows -- skullduggery, betrayal, and now murder.
Prized for her exquisite beauty, the daughter of one of
England’s most influential barons, Gabrielle is also a
perfect bargaining chip for a king who needs peace in the
Highlands: King John has arranged Gabrielle’s marriage to
a good and gentle laird. But this marriage will never take
place.
For Gabrielle, everything changes in one last burst of
freedom -- when she and her guards come upon a scene of
unimaginable cruelty. With one shot from her bow and
arrow, Gabrielle takes a life, saves a life, and begins a
war.
Within days, the Highlands are aflame with passions as a
battle royal flares between enemies old and new. Having
come to Scotland to be married, Gabrielle is instead
entangled in Highland intrigue. For two sadistic noblemen,
underestimating Gabrielle’s bravery and prowess may prove
fatal. But thanks to a secret Gabrielle possesses, Colm
MacHugh, the most feared man in Scotland, finds a new
cause for courage. Under his penetrating gaze, neither
Gabrielle’s body nor heart is safe.
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