Defiant Bride

Rating:
Summary: Fierce & Flaming
Review: Defiant Bride is a coarse, sometimes outrageous, novel comparable to Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, only with a crueler plot. The heroine, Cathryn Campbell, is alternately irritating and pitiable, while her Scottish Highland outlaw of a suitor, Revan MacLinn, is an infinitely more appealing, though erratic, character. After he kidnaps the prudish young Cathryn, a prim Lowlander, on her wedding night, he rides her by horseback to his towering castle, Wolfcrag, hidden deep beyond the dense forests of Scotland. Once there, he tries to woo her in numerous ways, which categorically fail. Much of their time is spent arguing about their very much opposed codes of law, hers being dictated by the King and his indulging in pure anarchy. The middle of the book hurls some satisfyingly unexpected twists at the reader and the story accelerates at a strong, adventurous speed all the way to the clever, surprising ending that will leave you yearning for a sequel.

If you are looking for a sugary sweet romance novel, this is not it. There is more than one scene of rape and other details that might displease the feminist reader (such as Revan's bastard child, Meg, being neglected by both him and the child's mother, Darroch, whom Revan refuses to marry). But if you keep an open mind and prepare for a very rough ride through crude yet fascinating literary territory, then this is an enjoyable book, a guilty pleasure if you will.

For collectors: Defiant Bride is the first book in a 2-part series about the Clan MacLinn. The second title, Highland Hearts, features Meg all grown up and ready for a romance of her own. Having read both of them, I recommend reading them in order.

Rating:
Summary: Fierce & Flaming
Review: Defiant Bride is a coarse, sometimes outrageous, novel comparable to Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, only with a crueler plot. The heroine, Cathryn Campbell, is alternately irritating and pitiable, while her Scottish Highland outlaw of a suitor, Revan MacLinn, is an infinitely more appealing, though erratic, character. After he kidnaps the prudish young Cathryn, a prim Lowlander, on her wedding night, he rides her by horseback to his towering castle, Wolfcrag, hidden deep beyond the dense forests of Scotland. Once there, he tries to woo her in numerous ways, which categorically fail. Much of their time is spent arguing about their very much opposed codes of law, hers being dictated by the King and his indulging in pure anarchy. The middle of the book hurls some satisfyingly unexpected twists at the reader and the story accelerates at a strong, adventurous speed all the way to the clever, surprising ending that will leave you yearning for a sequel.

If you are looking for a sugary sweet romance novel, this is not it. There is more than one scene of rape and other details that might displease the feminist reader (such as Revan's bastard child, Meg, being neglected by both him and the child's mother, Darroch, whom Revan refuses to marry). But if you keep an open mind and prepare for a very rough ride through crude yet fascinating literary territory, then this is an enjoyable book, a guilty pleasure if you will.

For collectors: Defiant Bride is the first book in a 2-part series about the Clan MacLinn. The second title, Highland Hearts, features Meg all grown up and ready for a romance of her own. Having read both of them, I recommend reading them in order.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful
Review: Defiant Bride is lustful and exciting! I could not put it down. The sexual tension between Revan and Cathryn kept my eyes glued to the pages. This book will appeal to those readers who lean more toward erotic romances. The in depth romance and detailed plot make for a well rounded book that will leave you both satisfied and yearning for more.