I loved this book! When I read Flame, I wasn't sure if I liked the writing style of these authors, but I did like the story and I wanted to read John's story. I am so glad I did. The issue I had with the authors referring to the characters by different names was not a problem in this book. John Stewart, the Earl of Athol has his hands full. His lands are being ruthlessly raided by an outlaw named Adam of the Glen, his mother is "dying" and he is getting married. Catherine and her sisters are on the run from King Henry's henchmen. Her father has be executed and her mother has gone into hiding and has sent each of her girls into the highlands, where she grew up, to hide. Catherine is on her way to the Earl's estate to be his ward and to start a school. On the way she meets up with the Earls intended brideAnd they are traveling together to meet the Earl. They stop overnight at the Earls hunting lodge and Ellen (John's intended) asks Catherine to switch rooms with her. A very sleepy Catherine does as she is asks and is woken by the Earl kissing and caressing her. The Earl quickly decides they will marry, despite Catherine's very vocal objections. This is the start of a really wonderful story of two people finding the love of a lifetime. The way to this love is not a smooth path. They face betrayal, secrets and villains looking for treasure. I loved many things about this book, but I think what I loved most was John's turnabout regarding Catherine. At the beginning he thinks she is plain, prim and prudish. By the end of the book he thinks she is the most beautiful woman he as ever seen and can't believe he didn't think so when they first met. I am really looking forward to read the other books featuring Catherine's sisters and finally solving the mystery of the treasure.
AUTHOR: First time reading a book by May McGoldrick. I really did not like this book. WHY? I felt that I was the script of a play. While there was ROMANCE, it was pretty blazay. The book did nothing to make my romantic juices roar.SYNOPSISStory takes place in Scotland. John Stewart is about to marry Ellen, but instead forces Catherine Percy who is only interested in starting a school. Catherine is a very proper and well educated English woman. John finds out he has a half brother, Adam of the Glen, who has a grudge against John and therefore raids his lands and properties. Sir Arthur Courtenay is running around trying to find a treasure of which Catherine and 3 other women are aware of the location. SEX SCALE: Of the following (5) : (NOT very descriptive and requires imagination); (WILL make you wiggle a little); (WISH it was me); (OH boy, do not have to use my imagination at all); (EROTICA and well over the top) ****** **************this book gets a BARELY MAKES YOU WIGGLE A LITTLE rating because while there is passion, it really lacks ROMANCE except for a man's desire for a woman's passionLEAST FAVORITE PART: Monks being torcheredFAVORITE PART: Sex on the window ledge YOU WILL LIKE THIS BOOK IF YOU LIKE: A book of circumstances. A book that reads like the script of a play. Romance is mostly about a man who falls in love with a woman because she is passionate (although written to me in a blazay manner.)TWO STARS because there was no real fire in the book. This is book 1 of a "trilogy". I'll pass thank you very much.
What do You think about The Dreamer (2000)?
I loved the couple but felt it was rushed because of all the mischief that is jam packed in the book. Family secrets, sluts, bastards, virgins, villains, monks, bitter old woman, forgiveness and love are bulging from the pages. The love builds but the surrender comes sooner and in non traditional manner but variety is the spice of life. The couple marries early on which I liked as well as communication between the two. So there is not long drug out misunderstandings and although determined not to fall in love our couple fail miserably. There is plenty going on so the story jumps from character to character and there are some detailed love scenes. For more details my full review can be found on Amazon.
—Elizabeth Bennet
We met John Stewart, Earl of Athol in Flame. Now he's back with problems of his own not only does his future bride cheat on him, he ends up marrying the person who had no entention of marrying,he also finds that he has a half-brother. It seems that things couldn't get any worse....or so he thought.Catherine Percy was on a mission and that mission was to stay away from those who wish to do harm to her, but when she finds herself in the arms of a man she has never met but is attracted to she knows that nothing good can come from it. When John Stewart announces that they will marry Catherine tries everything she can to keep the Earl away from her in hopes to annule the marriage, but things have a way of destroying plans and thats what happens to them.When things being to heat up between them some so does the danger around them, with Johns brother raiding his lands, men attempting to kill Catherine, and mothers, mistresses and other things begin to show up.
—Lady Darcie Guenon
