Heart's Desire

by Marialyss McKinley

Isabel Comyn is despised by her uncle Comyn for being orphaned and illegitimate--until he learns the truth of her parentage. She’s the daughter of Scotland’s Regent and her parents were actually married, which makes her a potential Queen of Scotland. Seeing his chance to claim the throne, Comyn plans to marry his beautiful niece.

But when Isabel learns of his plans, she flees. Pretending to be her cousin, Isabel presents herself at the home of her cousin's intended groom, Douglas, and marries him instead. Upon discovering she's escaped, Comyn abducts her from her husband's home. When Douglas rallies his clan's allies and rides out to rescue his beloved, more than just his heart's desire is on the line--it's the potential future of Scotland too

280 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 24, 2011

About the author

Marialyss is a true believer of romance. She is an avid reader of history and "Heart’s Desire" is her first historic romance novel. She shares her home with her two dogs and big black cat. She is currently working on her second historic romance.

Reviews

[Addictive Passions · Rating 5 out of 5]

When two young girls flee their childhood home in search of protection, they never thought they would find their heart’s desire in the wilds of Scotland.
Isobel Comyn’s mother died without telling anyone save her maid Agnes of who really fathered Isobel, and now her maid has succumbed to death without telling anyone the long buried secret. Isabel Comyn has no one left in this world. No one save her cousin Daracha Comyn, who has been like a sister to her. But when Daracha overhears her father, Isabel’s uncle plans to marry his niece, they realize their uncle Lachlan is more evil than they even thought.
In the company of her cousin and the stable hand Rory Macpherson who happens to be from a warring clan, the three of them concoct a plan to keep Isabel safe. Masquerading as Daracha, Isabel marries the second son of Clan Leslie. Douglas Leslie. When they begin to fall in love immediately after meeting, it just makes it that much harder for Isabel to tell Douglas the truth of who she really is. But how can she tell him something when she does not understand all of it herself? Why on earth would her uncle who has loathed her since birth want to marry her?
When Lachlan learns of his daughter’s treachery, he fashions a union with a neighboring clan to get his intended bride back. After learning Isobel’s true parentage, that she stands to inherit the whole of Scotland, he intends to marry the future Queen of Scotland and have all and more that was ripped away from him years ago.
Heart’s Desire is full of warring Scottish clans dating back to Robert the Bruce, dashing clansmen in tartans, and above all a sensual, sweet love story of two people who will stop at nothing to be together again. I thoroughly enjoyed reading these 268 pgs., in fact I really couldn’t stop. There is nothing like a good old fashioned Scottish love story. I really did not want it to end; it had the perfect dose of everything a romance story should have.

[Val · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. Isabel was sometimes to timid and soft I tend to like stronger women. I also thought, at times it was a bit silly. But overall I enjoyed it and would read it again.