The Briar and the Rose

Rating:
Summary: Excellent historical romance debut
Review: I admit I looked forward to this book's release after reading a couple teaser chapters online. I love books with Ireland settings because it's one of my favorite places to visit and read about. I also admit I wished it had been paperback, because then I wouldn't have had to wait until after the holidays were over to order it! But now I'm glad I got it in hard cover because I know I'll be reading it again. It's a classic.

The story starts with the Marquess of Castlereagh returning to his home in Ireland after the death of his fiance in London. Shortly after his return, he meets a woman that's been taken in as a member of his staff, and to his shock, she looks exactly like the woman who died. He calls her to his library, hoping he's been granted a miracle, but he soon realizes this woman, Raven, is just a common Irish girl, who's suffered a tragedy so awful that she can't remember her past before the day she came to his estate.

After meeting Raven, Devan (the marquess) is freed from the dreams of the fire that took his fiance that he's had ever since the night in England when she died, only to begin having strange dreams of Raven, who calls out to him for help in these dreams.

Devan soon realizes that the only way to put an end to the disturbing dreams is to solve the mystery of Raven's past.

It's just beautiful how the author lays out the clues throughout the story and then ties up every loose end, and through it all Devan and Raven discover a precious love.

I loved this story! I could feel every heartache and victory these characters experienced. Devan and Raven are wonderful characters, but I also fell in love with the whole cast of characters, which I don't normally do. This book made me feel just about every emotion imaginable. There's passion and humor and drama. It's just a beautiful story all around.

Not only is it written very well, but the story is so original that I consider it the best historical romance I've read in a long time, and I read a lot of them. I think other readers who love historicals set in Ireland and England will love it too.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book
Review: I was surprised a debut book captured me as completely as this one did. If you love historical romance, especially those set in the Regency, then you won't want to miss this book. Lovely writing, steamy love scenes, and a story that will haunt you long after you've finished reading. Readers of the historical romance genre will appreciate this book's original plot. This book had its funnier moments and also its more dramatic moments. One pivitol scene in particular, where the hero finally learns the truth of the heroine's past, made me actually weep. There were a couple scenes that I thought could have been a little bit longer and more fleshed out, but even so it didn't detract from my overall enjoyment. Excellent book and a must for readers who love historical romance.

Rating:
Summary: strong historical paranormal romance
Review: In 1827 Devan feels consumed with grief and guilt because he failed to save his beloved Katherine from the fire. Drink fails to help so unable to cope, Devan flees London for his Irish home. When he arrives in Ireland, Devan sees a ghost as he observes an urchin uncannily resembling Katherine. Devan brings Raven into his home though her tale is peculiar as she suffers from amnesia. In exchange for room and board, Devan asks Raven to tell him if she recalls any of her lost memories. As he watches his guest act, he wonders if he might be the victim of a clever con or the recipient of a second chance at love.

Raven dreams of a life, but it is not her nineteenth century existence. Instead she relives the seventeenth century life of Mairead, the secret lover of aristocrat Seamus. Mairead believed he betrayed their love, so she cursed him, but once she learned the truth failed to free their souls before they died. How their tragedy connects to Raven and Devan requires reading the novel.

The Briar And The Rose is a strong historical paranormal romance that brilliantly uses nineteenth century tidbits (and to a lesser degree from the 1600s) to anchor the otherworldly elements into a warm tale that readers of both sub-genres will relish. Devan and Raven make a delightful couple and through her dreams the audience will see what happened to the secret love between Mairead and Seamus without slowing down the plot. Laura Mills-Alcott provides fans with a memorable story that will make its audience demand more haunting love stories like this one.

Rating:
Summary: Absolutely unforgettable!
Review: Set in the year 1827. Devan, Marquess of Castlereagh, lost his beloved Katherine in a great fire the night of the ball at Dakshire. They were to elope that very night. Devan leaves London for his home in Ireland to drown his grief in the bottles. Shortly after settling in at home, he looks out this library window to spy a servant tending the roses. When he sees her face, he is startled. She is the exact image of his Katherine.

Raven has no memory before being found on the lawn of Dahlingham near death. The housekeeper, Mrs. Captain, probably would have turned her out as a crazy person, but Collette, her daughter, begged to be allowed to nurse the girl back to health. By the time Lord Castlereagh returns home from London, Collette has named her Raven, nursed her to health, and Raven has a position tending to the laundry and the garden.

Since Katherine's death, confusing nightmares tortured Devan. He knows that Raven and his is connected. He decides that by bettering Raven's life and helping her learn to be a lady, he would ease his nightmares of failing to save his love from the flames. Raven, somehow, held the key to it all.

Unknown to Raven or Devan, Raven walks in her sleep every night. Raven plays out the dreams of being a lady from two hundred years ago named Mairéad. Devan follows Raven's nightly treks, not realizing she is not awake or in some sort of trance. When questioned about the outings at a later date, Raven insists HE dreamed it all. He is left to wonder why she is lying.

Through it all, Devan's friend, Victor, Duke of Brookshire, visits almost daily. He adores Raven and even courts her. As Victor comes to understand that love has bloomed between Devan and Raven, he decides to give them a helping hand. After all, someone has to known some sense into the pair.

***** Fans of Kathleen E. Woodiwiss, HEADS UP! You do NOT want to miss out on this author! Laura Mills-Alcott is quickly rising to stardom with her magical historical romances. This one will touch your heart and linger in your memory forever! I cannot urge you strongly enough to rush out and get your copy of this story. Best get hardback. You will not be able to read it only once in your life. This one will win awards! Absolutely unforgettable! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding and Mesmerizing Debut Novel
Review: Setting - England and Ireland 1827 --- Devan, Marquess of Castlereagh, had fallen in love with the very beautiful Katherine from the moment he saw her, a mutual attraction, some would say that was pre-ordained. Moments before they were to run away and elope to Gretna Greene a great fire erupted that trapped Katherine, and no amount of heroic effort on the part of Devan could save her. Totally devastated, suffering the nightmares of Katherine's screams to save her, Devan left London for the tranquility of his Irish estate, Dahlingham. Days after his arrival he gazed out to the gardens and spied the mysterious new maid his housekeeper and her daughter had found unconscious on the grounds days before. The young woman had no memory of who she was, or where she had come from, and had been nursed back to health by his housekeeper and her daughter Collette who would name her Raven. When Devan finally sent for her, he saw the very image of the woman he had loved and lost, his beloved Katherine. Soon, she was installed in the upper floors, and treated as his guest while he tried to discover who she was. A mystery as her speech switched back and forth from an Irish peasant brogue, to a `lady' with precise and correct English speech.

Almost immediately, Devan's nightmares of Katherine stopped only to be replaced by dreams of Raven who invaded his consciousness both night and day. Raven had nightmares and dreams as well, of a time, people, and places from long, long ago, until soon the face of her dream lover became the face of Devan. Terrified that she was losing her mind, as well as her heart, Raven did her best to distance herself from Devan by using the friendship of his friend Victor, Duke of Brookshire. Was it reincarnation, a foul trick, or was it madness? History would almost repeat itself, if not for the interference of Devan's wonderful friend Victor, who would save the day for Raven and Devan and give them the chance to right a wrong that had torn the two apart 200 years before. But wait, the story does not end there, as another more surprising twist will stun the readers in this amazing sensual tale of reincarnation and second chance at love.


In this, her debut novel, the author admits being inspired by the tragic folk ballad of Barbara Allen and Sweet William. She has crafted an amazingly intense and totally sensual tale, so complex and riveting that it will simply take your breath away with emotions her vivid words evoke in the readers mind. Filled with memorable visual imagery, and stimulating dialogs you will find your emotions engaged with scenes of passion, love and betrayals. This is an outstanding, debut novel by a very talented writer that should not to be missed, and should have fans of historical and supernatural genres immediately looking to find a copy that they'll want on their `keeper shelves'. --- Marilyn Rondeau, Official Reviewer for www.historicromancewriters.com ---