"A Scottish Harlequin Historical that reads like a single title!!"
Revenge, misunderstandings and secret identities are
the well-plotted themes of Debra Lee Brown's latest
offering from Harlequin Historicals, THE MACKINTOSH BRIDE.
Set in medieval Scotland, Ms. Brown has created a lush
tale of deception and discovery of a past love with a voice
reminiscent of Jude Deveraux's Velvet trilogy. Ian Mackintosh is a landless laird as a result of his
father's past treachery or so the clan has been led to
believe. As a young lad Ian saw much more of the killing
than the Grants suspect, but sadly he loses not only his
father but also his birthright. This coupled with the loss
of the friendship of a special wee lass has Ian biding his
time with his mother's people, the Davidsons, as he waits
to exact his revenge on the Grants, especially Raynald
Grant. On his way a mysterious lass with an almost mystical
way with horses diverts him from his path or has she? Alena Todd, the daughter of the stable master for clan
Grant, has a very unique talent for training horseflesh;
one the Grants don't want to lose. However, when the laird
of the Grants wants to marry her, she just a lowly member
of the clan Grant, she suspects his motives; especially
when he forces himself on her. After defending herself she
flees with the Grants in hot pursuit but she is rescued by
grown-up version of the lad who meant everything to her.
Will he recognize her; can she keep her clan affiliation a
secret and why was Raynald so insistent in marrying her? When Ian rescues the lass from the band of Grants in
hot pursuit he has no clue as to who she is or what she
might mean to his plans: to take back his birthright he
must rally the clans of Clan Chatten. Alena realizes Ian is
her childhood friend, although with secrets of her own, she
is glad he hasn't recognized her. Yet, when someone in the
Davidson household does, Alena fears he will tell his laird
who he has and what it could mean to the clan. As Ian feels the pull of attraction to the lass, who
some clan members believe is a Grant spy, he wars with
himself with a heart still loyal to a wee lass from his
past. Alena with her a special gift with horses begins to
make a place for herself with Ian's family as she helps his
brother and clan unselfishly. Yet, there is always the
issue of their own clan loyalties, especially those she
keeps secret and those others keep secret from her, which
are sure to keep the expected happy-ever-after just out of
our couple's reach. Yet, when Alena must make the ultimate
sacrifice to save both her clan and Ian's life the reader
is taken on a journey through an intriguing knot of secrets
and deception as this couple triumphs. Debra Lee Brown has been a welcome new voice in
Scottish historicals at Harlequin Historicals since the
death of Susanne Barclay. In THE MACKINTOSH BRIDE, her
third book set in Scotland, she will delight readers with a
voice and splendidly plotted tale sure to remind readers of
single title authors, Julie Garwood and Jude Deveraux.
Reviewed by Jody Allen
Posted September 18, 2001
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