"A wonderful historical romance"
Lady Maude Darnley is known for her sharp temper and
often, harsh treatment of others. What no one, save her
father and an old healer know, is that she lived through a
terrifying act of brutality seven years previously... one,
that were people to find out about, she'd be scorned by
all. She had once been a happy young lady who went out of
her way to extend kindness to others. That traumatic event
changed her in such a way that she was an entirely
different person. Ronan Fitzgerald is a roaming minstrel and healer who
loves his lifestyle. He'd never be happy confined to one
place all his life. When he made a promise to his dying
mentor, he never realized how much that would change his
life. When he headed to Aylsford Keep, all he had been
told was to serve Lord Darnley and help Maude, with no
idea of what that would entail. Ronan discovered, upon arrival at Aylsford, that he may be
getting more then he bargained for. He knew nothing of
what he would be doing or how to help. Upon meeting Maude,
he knew something was different about this woman, and that
underneath her harsh demeanor, she held some dreadful
secret. He did what he could to help her, until she felt
able to trust him with her secret horror. Now, they can
begin the real work of her healing, out of which grows a
tender love that turns to a fiery passion neither can
deny. As the feud grows strong once again, can their love
be enough to overcome treacheries of the past? Once again, Ms. English has proven her skill at weaving a
complex story full of passion and adventure, with
characters the reader will love. This reviewer was
doubtful as to whether or not Maude could be redeemed
enough to become a believable heroine, but as it turns
out, there was no reason to wonder. Maude's portrayal is
beautifully rendered, and the reader can't help but
understand and feel for this emotionally scarred woman. It
was also delightful to see Ronan finally get a story of
his own, after the role he played in Laird of the Mist.
These two people are fated to be together, for only then
could they both reach their full potential. Of course, as to be expected in a story by this author,
the plot is rich and full of depth. It progresses at a
good pace, and every character plays an important role in
the tale. It was nice to see the heroes and heroines from
the previous two stories in this series as well. They too,
add to the story, and one never feels as though they were
just added for the sake of a cameo or two. Emotions of every kind are brought into play. Readers will
feel Maude's terror as she lives the horror of that
fateful day, and her frustration when she tries to finally
remember, but can't. There will be happiness as she comes
into her own again, passion as Ronan and Maude discover
their love, and finally peace when all is resolved and
calm returns to the characters. One thing that this reviewer felt was never resolved was
Maude's recurring dream and why she has it. It plays an
integral, though minor part in some scenes, and Ronan
tries to interpret it for her, telling her the reason for
bringing it to its natural conclusion. Although the dream
is finally fully realized, the final interpretation is
never explained. This could be because Ms. English wanted
the readers to put their own spin on it, but this one
would have liked to hear it from the character's
perspective, rather then her own. As always, this tale by Ms. English will satisfy readers.
Hopefully, this is not the final story in the series, as
there is yet potential for more beautiful romance to be
found for assorted members of both the Darnley and
Kirallen families. This is one fan who will keep coming
back for more, as long as there are stories to tell. © Kelley A. Hartsell, June 2004. All rights reserved.
Reviewed by Kelley Hartsell
Courtesy Love Romances
Posted August 15, 2004
SummaryOn the deadly border between Scotland and England, the
ancient feud between the Darnleys and the Kirallens
threatens the love between a woman trapped by fear and the
man determined to free her.
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