اسوار واسرار

by Flora Kidd, فلورا كيد

When Sandy first set eyes on the dark, unsmiling Lymond Caldwell, she was reminded of a knight of olden days. And like a chivalrous knight, he seemed to be constantly rescuing her from some predicament or other. But she must beware of being too grateful to him-for to fall in love with him would be disastrous!

Genres: Romance, Harlequin, Harlequin Romance

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Flora Mildred Cartwright was born on 1926 in Liverpool, England, UK. The youngest of four children, Flora and her family lived in the same house until she was a teen. In 1949, she graduated from Liverpool University, where she met Robert Kidd, her husband. They moved to her beloved Scotland, where she began teaching, writing, and raised their four children: Richard, Patricia, Peter and David.

Flora Kidd published her first novel, Visit To Rowanbank, in 1966 at Mills & Boon. In 1977, the family moved to Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, where she continued her romance career with Mills & Boon until 1989, when she retired. In 1994, she published the first of the The Marco Polo Project novels, to support a project to build a replica of the 19th century ship Marco Polo.

Flora Kidd passed away on March 19, 2008 at Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.

Reviews

[Iris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty cover by Don Besco, it really captures how this couple is described in the story.

Sayeth our hero:
"Come on, continue with the history lesson...I'm really very ignorant and had no idea this place existed."

Now was that so hard?

A low-angst story which takes place in Scotland where a lot of porridge of the just-right variety is consumed. Intellectual Goldilocks shows up and disrupts things. Taciturn farmer hero grumbles but he's also a bit of a lad with a sense of humor; he mixes his rough kisses with some tender ones. The story plays upon the idea of a Knight continually saving fair maiden except here he not very chivalrously keeps padding the numbers with very minor things which seems to be the joke. Sandy doesn't get turned into an idiot and as indicated by the quote above Lymond is secure enough to not have to know everything. It's nice and the smell of pig keeps it from becoming too sweet.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic trip down memory lane. This 1977 Harlequin absolutely rocks, with great characters, a romantic setting, a crumbling castle, an archaeologist heroine and a hero that's tall, dark, handsome (and a knight to boot)! Lymond Caldwell is as much a yummy Harley hero as he was for me at 14 years old, and the fact that he's a dirt poor, too proud, farmer-knight makes him even yummier. The interactions between him and our heroine Sandy are sprinkled with humor, intelligent dialog and some squee-worthy romantic moments played out against the Scottish countryside. This one is definitely ranks high on my romantic wish fulfillment meter.

A perfect re-read 30+ years later, and one that makes me smile and go all gooey again :)




***
2012 personal reading challenge for the month of February:
RO-mance - the good, the bad, the turgid manhoods straining to break free...

[Last Chance Saloon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather interesting heroine (21ish) who has just graduated from university with a history degree goes up to Scotland to help her newly widowed cousin look after her son. The hero (33ish) is the cousin’s BIL and he, too, is interesting. It’s great when a hero is not just tall, dark and handsome with lots of money. This one is dark, not much taller than the heroine and somewhat handsome, but a poor landowner/farmer trying to pay off his father’s debts. The cousin wants him to sponsor the nephew with school fees, and initially looked to him to replace her husband. The heroine is capable in her field, but not awakened to men. The hero ‘rescues’ her a few times, and the kisses become more fervent as the book progresses. There is an undercurrent about his reputation, but whilst he was something of a ladies man, it seems his brother was the local lothario (using his name). The heroine has faith in him, which I think is what makes him fall for her. She is rather oblivious to his interest in her, as both the cousin and his brother’s/his old flame/neighbour are presented to her as the hero’s choice.
I did enjoy the story, but I think more engagement between the main characters would have made the HEA more believable. But towards the end, you definitely get the impression that he’s so hot for her and that she’s won over by desire.
3 1/2 stars

[Annarose · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sandy Phillips travelled to Scotland to help her widowed cousin, Martha, in her current situation with her brother-in-law, Lymond Caldwell, by trying to help little Dermid settle in in his new house. She presumed Martha had taken Lymond's permission before she sent her an invitation to stay all summer in Duncreggan castle. Therefore, she was shocked to know that not only did he not know she was coming till the last minute, he had no idea she was to take resident in his deteriorated house for a whole summer! Sandy eventually persuaded him to let her stay for two weeks only and lived to regret it later when she discovered her cousin was scheming to get Lymond to marry her after his twin brother, Crawford, left nothing for her and their son!

It started fine and promising, but it lost so much in the middle that the last two chapters lost their significant meaning. The heroine was more interested in archeology and the hero's castle than in him. There was never a hint in all the chapters that she was attracted to him or even interested accept in the tales surrounding his black family's name! Therefore, her confession to herself at the end that she loved him more than herself came as a complete shock to me! Especially when she kept thinking of a fellow archeologist she presumed was suitable to be her husband in future for most of the story!

The hero is interesting at times, yet he kept to himself till the very end!! He did nothing but care for his farm till the end! Pity, really, because if the personalities of both the main characters were played upon and sharpened, it would have been one of the hit stories.

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love love love it so much. There is something magical about this story may be the mideval vibes in Scotland, the castles and knightes..I love when the heroine and hero are living in same house to enjoy everyday actions haha. The heroine is the Queen of this book she sweet,innocent and smart. I love the great respect she has for the hero and how she believe deep in her heart he is a good man and never allowed anyone to play between them. His bad reputation didn't prevent her from loving and supporting him. She is the one who deserved him.😍😍😍😍

[Lynn Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this. Number 7 favourite book written by Flora Kidd. I prefer the 1977 UK Mills & Boon book cover edition.

[StMargarets · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heroine is a ninny but she's the hero's ninny and it's going to be okay. The cover art for this is perfect. Heroine is a history major who is entranced by the medieval castle ruins on the hero's farm in Scotland.

She's traveled there to watch her cousin's young son while her cousin recovers from the death of her race-car driving husband. The hero is the identical twin to the dead husband, but he's very different in temperment. Heroine's cousin's first plan was to seduce the hero into marriage so her son will have the family legacy, but she's switched tactics to the local doctor in the district. He has money and prestige and a house that isn't falling down.

The wide-eyed heroine believes whatever version of a story she heard first, so she is convinced her cousin and the hero will marry. Even though the hero keeps rescuing her and kissing her and challenging her and never speaks to the cousin.

There are a lot of lovely descriptions of Scotland and its history. Heroine is a sweet girl and hero is really nice to her in his brusque way. I just wish the author had them together more often and didn't clutter up the landscape with so many minor characters.

Heroine's cousin was the least interesting character and didn't deserved heroine's concern. Hero was on the right track with locking her in a tower until she realized how he felt.

A sweet vintage - with typical vintage drawbacks.

[Victoria Trevino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author tried to be very descriptive about some things, but it ended up boring in some places. Easy to read. Simple plot and everything falls together like a typical romance. Good book to read if you're bored.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story that draws you in. That’s why you pick up a book to read it.

[Gabriela Chacana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet book.

[هدى خورشيد · Rating 1 out of 5]

it's boring story about history and it wasnt have sense or romantic reactions just alittle and poor love .. limand and sandy ..damn

[Sarah]

i didn't like it..

[Youmna · Rating 5 out of 5]

واحدة من قصصي المفضلة ..بحبها

[Amira · Rating 3 out of 5]

حلوة بس حكاية إن البطلة بتقع والبطل ينقذها دايماً بتقلب ضحك جامد وبتفكرني باللقطات الهندية الشهيرة بس طلع إن الغرب مبتكر السذاجة دي ...