Liam Mackay journeys to Orkney to oversee the transfer of control from the Norwegian king to his grandfather, Laird Liam Sinclair, Earl of Caithness. Honored with the mission from his namesake, Liam is determined to prove to his parents, Tristan and Mairghread Mackay, he is no longer the “wee” lad they think. No one in the Sinclair or Mackay clans believed the transition would be smooth, but Liam never imagined he’d be caught in the midst of a woman’s perilous attempt to escape being ripped from her homeland.
A farmer’s daughter determined to control her future...
Elene Isbister never imagined her mother would remarry, especially not to the brutal Norwegian trader who visited their home on Orkney. Elene understands her fate if she’s forced to follow her mother and stepfather to Norway. Desperate to flee with her younger siblings, Elene turns to the one man she believes can save them. With rescue in sight, Elene believes she’s found a path to a peaceful future, but she underestimates how her life will change living amongst Highlanders.
A couple determined to follow their own path...
With an ever-present danger, can Liam and Elene overcome their cultural differences to nurture their budding relationship?
THE REVIEW
Liam is sounded by strong, fierce warriors; his father is the Laird and he has many uncles, cousins and brothers who are all worthy men. He knows he is worthy of being the future Laird, but he sets out to prove he can manage the task of telling people that his father is now Laird of their villages, not the Norse. He never expected to take care of Elene and her siblings and ensure their safety and he especially never thought to fall in love.
Liam is kind, considerate and protective of Elene. Elene has had a rough life so far. With her father dying years ago, she has been at the mercy of her alcoholic mother and, Gunter, her future step-father, a man who she spurned and is now set on revenge. He plans to sell her as a slave as soon as they move to Norway. Her mother does nothing to help her three children, so the burden falls on Elene to work the fields, cook the meals and see to her siblings as if she were their mother. Because Gunter is a prince, she doesn't trust anyone in the village to defend her and risk ending trade with the Norse or Gunter's anger. But Elene trusts Liam to treat her fairly and kindly. They spend most of the book evading Gunter and his Norse forces, which brings Liam and Elene closer together and finally admit they love each other.
This was an amazing story! I love, love, love it when stories manage to bring a believable romance, passion I can feel and a fast-paced, adventurous plot! I finished this in ONE DAY and will be starting on the next in the series this afternoon!
One thing that I found very different from most books I read is the shift in the narration perspective without letting me know. I found I had to stop many times and re-read passages once I realized I was hearing Elene's perspective instead of Liam's. But it wasn't just the two main characters; sometimes we heard Gunter's or other side characters voices narrating. It was a bit jarring at times, but I suppose I got used to it. One positive of that type of writing was that I was able to see things from random side characters perspectives that you don't normally get to see or hear. So it deepened the emotions I felt while reading the story.
TROPES
Historical Romance, Medieval Era, Scotland, Gamma Hero, Highland Warrior Hero, Protective Hero, Titled Hero, Abused Heroine, Independent Heroine, Virgin Heroine, Working Heroine, Outdoor Steam, Class Difference, Fake Relationship, Cinderella Trope, Suspense/Danger/Murder, Five Star, Three Flame
HistoricalRomance, MedievalEra, Scotland, GammaHero, HighlandWarriorHero, ProtectiveHero, TitledHero, AbusedHeroine, IndependentHeroine, VirginHeroine, WorkingHeroine, OutdoorSteam, ClassDifference, FakeRelationship, CinderellaTrope, Suspense/Danger/Murder, FiveStar, ThreeFlame
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