Sunday, September 03, 2006
**** Highlander Unbound by Julia London. Historical romance.
The story starts with a statue of a "beastie": an ugly thing passed down through the Lockhart family. Over the generations, its story has been turned into a curse on the statue. But when the Scottish branch of the Lockharts are on the verge of losing their land and livelihood, the money they could get for it becomes very appealing, and they decide to retrieve it from the English branch.
Older brother Liam, a captain in the Highland Regiments, goes to London to commit some espionage and larceny. While there, he meets and falls in love with Ellie, the daughter of his landlord.
Ellie and her daughter Natalie are virtual prisoners in her father's home--a result of the youthful love affair that left Ellie with a broken heart, a ruined reputation, and a highly imaginative daughter. She's falling in love with Liam, but her first concern is for Natalie, and she'll do anything to give her a better life.
I very much enjoyed Liam's fish-out-of-water antics in London. He was right on the verge of being too comical to be real, but never crossed the line--mostly because we're in his POV when he's doing something odd, and he makes perfect sense, given his character.
I likewise understood Ellie quite well: her fears for her child, and being torn by what she saw as a decision between Liam and Natalie.
What really interfered with my enjoyment of the story was the back cover blurb. I know, I know--I usually make it a point to avoid reading them, but for some reason I read this one. It gives away a plot point that happens well into the second half of the book, and as if that's not bad enough, it misrepresents it, so I spent over half the book waiting for an event that wasn't what I'd expected. Not that I wanted the story to go the way I was expecting--I love it when books surprise me--but if it's on the back of the book, you pretty much expect it to be true. Argh.
Anyway, I'll likely look up the next book in this trilogy. I'm not a big historical romance fan, but I do enjoy Julia London's writing.
...more
Categories: Books, 4stars, HistoricalRomance
Labels: 4 stars, books, HistoricalRomance
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I really enjoy Julia London's contemporary romances - much more than her historicals. Doesn't stop me from buying her historicals though!!
I enjoy Julia's contemporary too - thank to Darla who recommend Julia to me :) I have try one of her historical but never finish it. I just couldn't get into it, but I promise that I will finish it - someday :)
Marg, I feel exactly the same.
And Julia, don't knock yourself out or force yourself to read the historical if you don't like it. Too many other books out there, right?
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And Julia, don't knock yourself out or force yourself to read the historical if you don't like it. Too many other books out there, right?
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