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Scottish Medieval #2
Róża Szkocji
W Szkocji trwa wojna domowa między Bruce’ami i Comynami. Jedynie aranżowane małżeństwo Margaret Comyn z angielskim lordem może zakończyć wieloletni konflikt. Zanim jednak dochodzi do ślubu, Margaret trafia do niewoli Aleksandra Bruce’a, osławionego Wilka z Lochaber. Wkrótce staje się dla niego kimś znacznie więcej niż tylko cennym zakładnikiem…
źródło opisu: http://www.harlequin.pl/
źródło opisu: http://www.harlequin.pl/
384 pages, ebook
First published June 25, 2013
57 people are currently reading
832 people want to read
About the author
Brenda Joyce
106 books1,298 followersBrenda Joyce is the bestselling author of forty-one novels and five novellas. She has won many awards, and her debut novel, Innocent Fire, won a Best Western Romance award. She has also won the highly coveted Best Historical Romance award for Splendor and Two Lifetime Achievement Awards from Romantic Times BOOKreviews. There are over 14 million copies of her novels in print and she is published in over a dozen foreign countries.
A native New Yorker, she now lives in southern Arizona with her son, dogs, and her Arabian and half-Arabian reining horses. Brenda divides her time between her twin passions—writing powerful love stories and competing with her horses at regional and national levels. For more information about Brenda and her upcoming novels, please visit her Web sites: www.brendajoyce.com, www.thedewarennedynasty.com and http://mastersoftimebooks.com.
A native New Yorker, she now lives in southern Arizona with her son, dogs, and her Arabian and half-Arabian reining horses. Brenda divides her time between her twin passions—writing powerful love stories and competing with her horses at regional and national levels. For more information about Brenda and her upcoming novels, please visit her Web sites: www.brendajoyce.com, www.thedewarennedynasty.com and http://mastersoftimebooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
February 20, 2022
Very well done! The story takes place when Robert the Bruce stole the crown from Red Comyn. Bruce stabbed him in the back during peacetalks in a chapel. A MAJOR NO NO!.
The h (Comyn) has to marry an Englishman because her castle is in a STRATEGIC place in the war. Her family has now sided with the English against King Robert. After returning, her castle is attacked by Alexander MacDonald. Instead of surrendering she chooses to fight. Of course she lost but showed a rare strength.
The two MC started to develop a friendship. They both fight the attraction bc their families are enemies. The story is told through Margaret's POV. That makes Alexander a mystery. At one point she does escape but regrets soon after.
At one point Alexander offers her castle , one of his, and a bag of gold to her uncle for his blessing to marry Margaret. If that's not love I don't know what is!!! Margaret finds away back to him without him sacrificing himself. She refuses to ever leave him and TG she finally matures!
For me, the part I loved is that they included Isabella, Countess of Buchan. A personally hero for me. She disobeyed her husband to crowned King Robert. Every member of her family has always crowned a king. In Englush laws she committed treason. She was hung in an open cage outside so all could gawk at her. She never saw her son again . After Scotland won, after 7 years in a cage, she was released into a convent In this book the author makes her love sick for King Robert and a little clueless. I think you have to just go with the craziness
The whole book comes down to loyalties! Can you abandon your family for a better cause? I also love how Alexander never forces her. Personally, I'd take him home ... so dreamy!!!
I highly recommend this book if you enjoy rich Scottish history and a well developed romance!
The h (Comyn) has to marry an Englishman because her castle is in a STRATEGIC place in the war. Her family has now sided with the English against King Robert. After returning, her castle is attacked by Alexander MacDonald. Instead of surrendering she chooses to fight. Of course she lost but showed a rare strength.
The two MC started to develop a friendship. They both fight the attraction bc their families are enemies. The story is told through Margaret's POV. That makes Alexander a mystery. At one point she does escape but regrets soon after.
At one point Alexander offers her castle , one of his, and a bag of gold to her uncle for his blessing to marry Margaret. If that's not love I don't know what is!!! Margaret finds away back to him without him sacrificing himself. She refuses to ever leave him and TG she finally matures!
For me, the part I loved is that they included Isabella, Countess of Buchan. A personally hero for me. She disobeyed her husband to crowned King Robert. Every member of her family has always crowned a king. In Englush laws she committed treason. She was hung in an open cage outside so all could gawk at her. She never saw her son again . After Scotland won, after 7 years in a cage, she was released into a convent In this book the author makes her love sick for King Robert and a little clueless. I think you have to just go with the craziness
The whole book comes down to loyalties! Can you abandon your family for a better cause? I also love how Alexander never forces her. Personally, I'd take him home ... so dreamy!!!
I highly recommend this book if you enjoy rich Scottish history and a well developed romance!
June 9, 2014
On one end you have the wallpaper historical romances. The history is just a pretty set for a romance between people with very modern mindsets. The history is often non-existent, poorly researched, or just plain wrong. On the other end there is historical fiction, which ideally seeks to tell things as they were with lots of historical context and detail and make the fictional part seamlessly fit in. Personally I prefer my romance to be somewhere between the two extremes, leaning toward more historical accuracy. However, I come for the romance. I just want to feel like I'm immersed in that time/place and not be thrown out of the story by a lot of anachronisms or people acting/thinking like they live in the 21st century. But, I don't want to be given a history lesson either. A neat fact here or there, an appearance of a historical person, etc is enough for me. I don't want a textbook. I want the main source of conflict to be the H/h relationship and the history to fit into that.
This book was the opposite. The main source of conflict was the Scottish War for Independence. Lots and lots of name/fact dropping. I'm not saying it was 100% accurate, for one thing I don't think there was ever any proof Countess Isabella was manipulated/had an affair with Robert the Bruce. My point is that the tension between the H/h was nearly non-existent.
It started out promising with the H putting the h's castle under siege and promising all sorts of dire consequences if she doesn't surrender. Then he prevails and the dire consequences never quite materialize. Alexander was sadly a cardboard character when he could have been very memorable. Joyce had him do things/say things at times that hinted at the ruthless nature of a warlord of his time, but she always pulled her punches. The worst he did in this book was sleep around with the h's maids and that was only because he couldn't get the h to be his willing mistress. I'm also still not believing he actually let the h go into the castle that was held by her evil betrothed where she was almost raped. Yeah, that's what she wanted to do (her brother was in there) but since when did medieval men care what women wanted to do? I can't believe he allowed her to put herself in such danger. She was only 17! Aside from screwing around with maids and making some very sexist comments about them, Alexander was surprisingly pro-feminist for the early 1300s. Don't get me wrong, I love a man who is obviously smitten from day 1, but that doesn't mean he isn't still a man of his time.
Margaret was highly frustrating at times. She was 17, so she ran off into danger like the idiot teenager she was. But, the whole clan/family loyalty thing got old. I tried to be more open minded than some of the other reviewers. Her mindset would have been totally different from ours, which is more limited to loyalty to immediate family and doesn't include always sharing the same beliefs. My dad loves to bait me about my opposing political views, it's a game not a matter of treason/disloyalty. I think it was just the fact that Joyce repeated the theme too often when she could have come up with a million other sources of conflict that would have been much more exciting.
Also, I was surprised after reading some of her earlier novels that the sex was almost fade to black. No passion and certainly not the bawdiness of The Conqueror. Honestly, I think Joyce has lost interest in romance and wants to write historical fiction. Just my uninformed opinion.
This book was the opposite. The main source of conflict was the Scottish War for Independence. Lots and lots of name/fact dropping. I'm not saying it was 100% accurate, for one thing I don't think there was ever any proof Countess Isabella was manipulated/had an affair with Robert the Bruce. My point is that the tension between the H/h was nearly non-existent.
It started out promising with the H putting the h's castle under siege and promising all sorts of dire consequences if she doesn't surrender. Then he prevails and the dire consequences never quite materialize. Alexander was sadly a cardboard character when he could have been very memorable. Joyce had him do things/say things at times that hinted at the ruthless nature of a warlord of his time, but she always pulled her punches. The worst he did in this book was sleep around with the h's maids and that was only because he couldn't get the h to be his willing mistress. I'm also still not believing he actually let the h go into the castle that was held by her evil betrothed where she was almost raped. Yeah, that's what she wanted to do (her brother was in there) but since when did medieval men care what women wanted to do? I can't believe he allowed her to put herself in such danger. She was only 17! Aside from screwing around with maids and making some very sexist comments about them, Alexander was surprisingly pro-feminist for the early 1300s. Don't get me wrong, I love a man who is obviously smitten from day 1, but that doesn't mean he isn't still a man of his time.
Margaret was highly frustrating at times. She was 17, so she ran off into danger like the idiot teenager she was. But, the whole clan/family loyalty thing got old. I tried to be more open minded than some of the other reviewers. Her mindset would have been totally different from ours, which is more limited to loyalty to immediate family and doesn't include always sharing the same beliefs. My dad loves to bait me about my opposing political views, it's a game not a matter of treason/disloyalty. I think it was just the fact that Joyce repeated the theme too often when she could have come up with a million other sources of conflict that would have been much more exciting.
Also, I was surprised after reading some of her earlier novels that the sex was almost fade to black. No passion and certainly not the bawdiness of The Conqueror. Honestly, I think Joyce has lost interest in romance and wants to write historical fiction. Just my uninformed opinion.
May 20, 2013
4.5 amazing historical romance stars!!
I received this book from Netgalley for my honest review.
I admit it has been a good number of years since I have read a Brenda Joyce book and right now I am kicking myself wondering why?
This author has true talent with words. She set the scene for this book, engaged my emotions, retained my interest and truly I was sitting on the edge of my seat right up to the end.
A Rose in the Storm is set at a time in Scottish history when everything is in turmoil. Men rule, they are either warriors or politicians or common soldiers but they play the game.... and women are a disposable commodity.
In this story we have Margaret who is going to home to her mothers Castle and her dowry home. It has been arranged for her to marry Sir Guy, and English Knight. When she arrives at her home, it is besieged by Alexander " The Wolf" MacDonald.
Alexander has to admire Margaret for her bravery in not backing down and admitting defeat, she stands and tries to fight to keep what is hers. Unfortunately they are outnumbered and she is soon his prisoner and from there they have fight on their hands.
From her, the battle of not falling for her lifelong enemy and trying not to be a pawn in the battles of men.
She said, very slowly, and choosing her words with great care, " I cannot wish you well, Alexander." He did not make a sound, but she thought she saw disappointment flaring in his eyes.
She added," But I do not wish you ill."
You could tell it was a hard thing for her to swallow, as her loyalties were with her family. I admired her standing her ground.
Alexander's fight was with his emotions and trying to get a girl to understand that what he offered her was real and that he wanted her and not her castle.
Alexander? Last night changes nothing. You go to war-- as does my family-- and we fight for different kings."
"Last Night," he said quietly, "changes everything."
I adored Alexander, he was an admirable man with the patience of a saint with Margaret. He was the perfect combination of lethal warrior and honourable man.
This was a fantastic historical romance. Brenda Joyce had done her research, because although I am sure these characters where of her own making. Names, places and battles all had a ring of familiarity to them. Names that I have heard in textbooks and history classes. It made the book and the characters all the more real in my mind, I felt totally swept back in time. A Rose in the Storm was a pure pleasure to read, if you are a historical romance fan I guarantee you will love this book.
I received this book from Netgalley for my honest review.
I admit it has been a good number of years since I have read a Brenda Joyce book and right now I am kicking myself wondering why?
This author has true talent with words. She set the scene for this book, engaged my emotions, retained my interest and truly I was sitting on the edge of my seat right up to the end.
A Rose in the Storm is set at a time in Scottish history when everything is in turmoil. Men rule, they are either warriors or politicians or common soldiers but they play the game.... and women are a disposable commodity.
In this story we have Margaret who is going to home to her mothers Castle and her dowry home. It has been arranged for her to marry Sir Guy, and English Knight. When she arrives at her home, it is besieged by Alexander " The Wolf" MacDonald.
Alexander has to admire Margaret for her bravery in not backing down and admitting defeat, she stands and tries to fight to keep what is hers. Unfortunately they are outnumbered and she is soon his prisoner and from there they have fight on their hands.
From her, the battle of not falling for her lifelong enemy and trying not to be a pawn in the battles of men.
She said, very slowly, and choosing her words with great care, " I cannot wish you well, Alexander." He did not make a sound, but she thought she saw disappointment flaring in his eyes.
She added," But I do not wish you ill."
You could tell it was a hard thing for her to swallow, as her loyalties were with her family. I admired her standing her ground.
Alexander's fight was with his emotions and trying to get a girl to understand that what he offered her was real and that he wanted her and not her castle.
Alexander? Last night changes nothing. You go to war-- as does my family-- and we fight for different kings."
"Last Night," he said quietly, "changes everything."
I adored Alexander, he was an admirable man with the patience of a saint with Margaret. He was the perfect combination of lethal warrior and honourable man.
This was a fantastic historical romance. Brenda Joyce had done her research, because although I am sure these characters where of her own making. Names, places and battles all had a ring of familiarity to them. Names that I have heard in textbooks and history classes. It made the book and the characters all the more real in my mind, I felt totally swept back in time. A Rose in the Storm was a pure pleasure to read, if you are a historical romance fan I guarantee you will love this book.
January 14, 2014
I received this book from Netgalley for my honest review.
It's actually 3 and 1/2 stars, but for the research and historical value I've gladly upped it to 4 stars.
The book is very, very well written and historically accurate, even if (I think, but I'm not a historian) the MCs are BJ's invention.
Still, I couldn't connect with them. There was too much politics (and I don't like nowdays politics, so... *shrug*), too much war strategy...
I prefer to have a bit more romance in my romace books.
I understand that this is a medieval romance, so Alex is supposed to be a man of his time... but I hate when the hero makes love to another woman. What kind of hero is that? For me he slipped more than sevral steps down in my esteem.
But that's not the only thing... I didn't like Margaret's stubborn attachment to her brother, even when it became obviously pointless.
The book definitely is worth reading!
It's actually 3 and 1/2 stars, but for the research and historical value I've gladly upped it to 4 stars.
The book is very, very well written and historically accurate, even if (I think, but I'm not a historian) the MCs are BJ's invention.
Still, I couldn't connect with them. There was too much politics (and I don't like nowdays politics, so... *shrug*), too much war strategy...
I prefer to have a bit more romance in my romace books.
I understand that this is a medieval romance, so Alex is supposed to be a man of his time... but I hate when the hero makes love to another woman. What kind of hero is that? For me he slipped more than sevral steps down in my esteem.
But that's not the only thing... I didn't like Margaret's stubborn attachment to her brother, even when it became obviously pointless.
The book definitely is worth reading!
February 19, 2016
2.5*
What happened here?!?!?!?!? This book started as a 5* medieval romance, only to plummet down to 2* due to droning on and on like a boring history book !!!
What's not to like:
17-year-old Lady Margaret's awaiting her arranged marriage, only to have her castle sieged and herself imprisoned by, none other than, Alexander - The Wolf of Lochaber. While her loyalties are to her clan and king, Margaret can't help falling in love with her strong captor.
Sounds great, right?! For Medieval Scotland romance lovers (me), I thought I was in heaven when I started reading this book.
But...
- About 150 pages into this 500 page book, I started getting confused - did I open up a history book or a historical romance?! Towards the end of the book I felt like I was in the middle of a never-ending history lesson, that had been taking place over the last 400 pages!!! There was almost NO romance! The hero and heroine were apart for most of the book !! I really wish they had more on-page together time, and for a pretty long book, too!!
- First of all - for such a long book, why are the characters so underdeveloped?! We know next to nothing about anyone except our leading lady Margaret! We know that Margaret is - above all - loyal! However, I am not quite sure why she believes it is better for her (a Scotswoman) to marry an Englishman, than to marry The Wolf (a Scot), even if he is from an "opposing" clan!?! And her brother is even stricter in where her loyalties should lay - he doesn't want her to marry the Englishman, because -duh- he's English...but he doesn't want her to marry The Wolf either, because he doesn't like his clan. Oh come on!! Anyways, despite the 500 pages, we know very little about The Wolf, even less about lady Isabella (why does she act the way she does and is there a reason for her betrayal?!), Margaret's brother William, Margaret's best friend and maid Peg (who betrays her, but this is forgotten towards the end of the book), etc... Why were none of these characters fleshed out or their actions at least explained!?
- Secondly - the conflict between the hero and heroine is due to a war. There is no real emotional conflict or connection between the two of them - in fact, they spent so little time together in this book that readers can't even tell if there is anything between them at all!! They would be together, if not for the Scottish war and her being pulled (tirelessly for her, quite tiresome for us) by her family loyalties. She kept repeating that her loyalties have to lay with the other side - a million times! And 400 pages of this! Of battles, broken loyalties, war treasons, evil king, annoying king, a completely random countess who leaves her loving husband to be the mistress of the annoying king (the point of this was as random, as it was unexplained and uneccessary. Since it was written as a history book, maybe this really happened...but we still got no explanation as to why it happened or how it was important to OUR story.)....... Really - the relationship between hero and heroine didn't just take the backburner, it was non-existent!
- Thirdly - the sex scenes?! What the heck was that?! Fade-to-black stuff!! Brenda Joyce?! Really?! The author of "Captive"?!... Literally, the love scenes were also non-existent and read something like this!
"....He placed her on the grass, burning with desire. She couldn't wait to feel his strength.
And after their lovemaking, she lay in his arms..."
What?!? Where was the lovemaking?!?!?!?!?
- Finally, what was with the ending?! It felt like a door was left wide open for a sequel! The king's story just seemed so unfinished and unsatisfactory! Another unsatisfactory tidbit, was that Margaret's great friend, Isabella, was imprisoned and being tortured. Margaret pretty much shrugs this off at the end... It feels so untrue to her character so far. Even just a fact that the heroine's friend is left caged and tortured at the end of a romance novel, with no hint at salvation, makes this a VERY strange "romance novel"!
So overall, great potential...I'm assuming well researched... But - ZERO romance ! Come on woman - if you want to write Historical Fiction, go for it! But don't call it Historical Romance and sell it with a long-haired, muscly chested dude, ripping off a girl's gown on the cover!!!! Go write history books and sell them to those who care to read about bloody battles and wars lost!
I.e. the cover looked like this:
, while it should have looked like this:
!
What happened here?!?!?!?!? This book started as a 5* medieval romance, only to plummet down to 2* due to droning on and on like a boring history book !!!
What's not to like:
17-year-old Lady Margaret's awaiting her arranged marriage, only to have her castle sieged and herself imprisoned by, none other than, Alexander - The Wolf of Lochaber. While her loyalties are to her clan and king, Margaret can't help falling in love with her strong captor.
Sounds great, right?! For Medieval Scotland romance lovers (me), I thought I was in heaven when I started reading this book.
But...
- About 150 pages into this 500 page book, I started getting confused - did I open up a history book or a historical romance?! Towards the end of the book I felt like I was in the middle of a never-ending history lesson, that had been taking place over the last 400 pages!!! There was almost NO romance! The hero and heroine were apart for most of the book !! I really wish they had more on-page together time, and for a pretty long book, too!!
- First of all - for such a long book, why are the characters so underdeveloped?! We know next to nothing about anyone except our leading lady Margaret! We know that Margaret is - above all - loyal! However, I am not quite sure why she believes it is better for her (a Scotswoman) to marry an Englishman, than to marry The Wolf (a Scot), even if he is from an "opposing" clan!?! And her brother is even stricter in where her loyalties should lay - he doesn't want her to marry the Englishman, because -duh- he's English...but he doesn't want her to marry The Wolf either, because he doesn't like his clan. Oh come on!! Anyways, despite the 500 pages, we know very little about The Wolf, even less about lady Isabella (why does she act the way she does and is there a reason for her betrayal?!), Margaret's brother William, Margaret's best friend and maid Peg (who betrays her, but this is forgotten towards the end of the book), etc... Why were none of these characters fleshed out or their actions at least explained!?
- Secondly - the conflict between the hero and heroine is due to a war. There is no real emotional conflict or connection between the two of them - in fact, they spent so little time together in this book that readers can't even tell if there is anything between them at all!! They would be together, if not for the Scottish war and her being pulled (tirelessly for her, quite tiresome for us) by her family loyalties. She kept repeating that her loyalties have to lay with the other side - a million times! And 400 pages of this! Of battles, broken loyalties, war treasons, evil king, annoying king, a completely random countess who leaves her loving husband to be the mistress of the annoying king (the point of this was as random, as it was unexplained and uneccessary. Since it was written as a history book, maybe this really happened...but we still got no explanation as to why it happened or how it was important to OUR story.)....... Really - the relationship between hero and heroine didn't just take the backburner, it was non-existent!
- Thirdly - the sex scenes?! What the heck was that?! Fade-to-black stuff!! Brenda Joyce?! Really?! The author of "Captive"?!... Literally, the love scenes were also non-existent and read something like this!
"....He placed her on the grass, burning with desire. She couldn't wait to feel his strength.
And after their lovemaking, she lay in his arms..."
What?!? Where was the lovemaking?!?!?!?!?
- Finally, what was with the ending?! It felt like a door was left wide open for a sequel! The king's story just seemed so unfinished and unsatisfactory! Another unsatisfactory tidbit, was that Margaret's great friend, Isabella, was imprisoned and being tortured. Margaret pretty much shrugs this off at the end... It feels so untrue to her character so far. Even just a fact that the heroine's friend is left caged and tortured at the end of a romance novel, with no hint at salvation, makes this a VERY strange "romance novel"!
So overall, great potential...I'm assuming well researched... But - ZERO romance ! Come on woman - if you want to write Historical Fiction, go for it! But don't call it Historical Romance and sell it with a long-haired, muscly chested dude, ripping off a girl's gown on the cover!!!! Go write history books and sell them to those who care to read about bloody battles and wars lost!
I.e. the cover looked like this:
, while it should have looked like this: ! 
April 8, 2024
3.8stars.
It's a good book, engaging,absorbing. Not giving more stars due to lack of romance and POV from H. Not much romance here if you are looking for one. Steam level low. HEA
It's a good book, engaging,absorbing. Not giving more stars due to lack of romance and POV from H. Not much romance here if you are looking for one. Steam level low. HEA
June 6, 2018
3 to 3.5 stars. It took me a while to read this one. It's quite long (a little TOO long IMO), but the writing style is appealing and very readable.
I really liked the H, the Wolf of Lochaber. He's gorgeous on the cover of my paperback copy. Rawr! A very traditional medieval HR type hero. Alpha male to the max. A brave and fearless soldier to the core. OK, before he hooked up with Margaret, he did tend to bounce from bed to bed, with any willing 'wench'. But once they were together, he became loyal to her.
I also liked Margaret, Lady Comyn. Aged seventeen, which in those times was a lot 'older' than a seventeen-year-old of today. But still young and fairly innocent. Daughter of a great family, but now all of her closest family members except one brother are dead. Margaret fights desperately to hold onto the family castle, but it's a time of war and the castle falls to the enemy.... the Wolf of Lochaber. Da na na na......
But somehow, these two enemies fall in love. It's genuine, and real. But here is my problem with this book. Waaayyyyy too much of the book was then spent in the to-ing and fro-ing between them, especially on Margaret's part. Yeah, of course it was admirable that she was so loyal to her own family, but hey, let's cut to the chase. It seemed like there were about 300 pages where Margaret would be with Alexander, then she would leave him and go back to her (extended) family. Then she would be back with him again. Then not. etc....... Margaret took soooo long to make up her mind to finally commit to Alexander. Alright, already. I just got tired of the will-she-won't-she stuff. It was too much, and it detracted from the book IMO.
There was too much stuff about the back and forth of medieval Scottish politics too. If I didn't have some interest in this, I wouldn't have read this book, but I felt the balance needed to swing more towards the romance and away from the wars and politics. Sigh......
So, overall, I really liked the writing style, and the romance, such as it was. But I would hesitate before reading another book by this author because I like my romance more front and centre. But if you're a history buff, then this writer might be for you.
I really liked the H, the Wolf of Lochaber. He's gorgeous on the cover of my paperback copy. Rawr! A very traditional medieval HR type hero. Alpha male to the max. A brave and fearless soldier to the core. OK, before he hooked up with Margaret, he did tend to bounce from bed to bed, with any willing 'wench'. But once they were together, he became loyal to her.
I also liked Margaret, Lady Comyn. Aged seventeen, which in those times was a lot 'older' than a seventeen-year-old of today. But still young and fairly innocent. Daughter of a great family, but now all of her closest family members except one brother are dead. Margaret fights desperately to hold onto the family castle, but it's a time of war and the castle falls to the enemy.... the Wolf of Lochaber. Da na na na......
But somehow, these two enemies fall in love. It's genuine, and real. But here is my problem with this book. Waaayyyyy too much of the book was then spent in the to-ing and fro-ing between them, especially on Margaret's part. Yeah, of course it was admirable that she was so loyal to her own family, but hey, let's cut to the chase. It seemed like there were about 300 pages where Margaret would be with Alexander, then she would leave him and go back to her (extended) family. Then she would be back with him again. Then not. etc....... Margaret took soooo long to make up her mind to finally commit to Alexander. Alright, already. I just got tired of the will-she-won't-she stuff. It was too much, and it detracted from the book IMO.
There was too much stuff about the back and forth of medieval Scottish politics too. If I didn't have some interest in this, I wouldn't have read this book, but I felt the balance needed to swing more towards the romance and away from the wars and politics. Sigh......
So, overall, I really liked the writing style, and the romance, such as it was. But I would hesitate before reading another book by this author because I like my romance more front and centre. But if you're a history buff, then this writer might be for you.
June 16, 2013
3.5 stars
This review is for a free copy courtesy of Harlequin via NetGalley
This book was full of history. Familiar historical names are interwoven with the fictional characters to produce a solid historical setting.
It is the year 1306, Robert the Bruce is at war with England, he has proclaimed himself King of Scotland. He is on the march to Scone capturing castles and gathering
supporters as he go.
Alexander MacDonald known as the Wolf is at the gates of Castle Fyne capturing it to gain its support for Bruce's cause.
But Castle Fyne is Margaret Comyn's inheritance, left to her by her much beloved mother, it's her dowry for her marriage to Sir Guy, an English Nobleman, a marriage arranged by her uncle to strengthen the relationship with the English now that King Edward rules Scotland.
Margret tries to defend her inheritance but fails and Alexander takes Castle Fyne, making Margret and her brother Will his prisoners. Alexander is obviously interested in Margret, despite the fact that their families have feuded forever, but Scotland is at war and he must follow the Bruce. And Margret escapes but to what fate?
Both Alexander and Margret are closely involved in the struggle and war, which brings them together and divides them many times.
The history was as accurate as I can tell, which had me wondering about our main characters fate till the end. I really enjoyed reading this book, history comes alive as you read, and realistic too, which i think was the best part. Margret had to make a lot of hard choices, sometimes I agreed and sometimes they were necessary and realistic.
But the book fell short on relationship development.
Margret and Alexander fell in love despite all the circumstances. You read about how passionate she feels towards him, but you don't actually feel it!
I also think Alexander's character was very well written.
Overall a good historical read and I really enjoyed it.
This review is for a free copy courtesy of Harlequin via NetGalley
This book was full of history. Familiar historical names are interwoven with the fictional characters to produce a solid historical setting.
It is the year 1306, Robert the Bruce is at war with England, he has proclaimed himself King of Scotland. He is on the march to Scone capturing castles and gathering
supporters as he go.
Alexander MacDonald known as the Wolf is at the gates of Castle Fyne capturing it to gain its support for Bruce's cause.
But Castle Fyne is Margaret Comyn's inheritance, left to her by her much beloved mother, it's her dowry for her marriage to Sir Guy, an English Nobleman, a marriage arranged by her uncle to strengthen the relationship with the English now that King Edward rules Scotland.
Margret tries to defend her inheritance but fails and Alexander takes Castle Fyne, making Margret and her brother Will his prisoners. Alexander is obviously interested in Margret, despite the fact that their families have feuded forever, but Scotland is at war and he must follow the Bruce. And Margret escapes but to what fate?
Both Alexander and Margret are closely involved in the struggle and war, which brings them together and divides them many times.
The history was as accurate as I can tell, which had me wondering about our main characters fate till the end. I really enjoyed reading this book, history comes alive as you read, and realistic too, which i think was the best part. Margret had to make a lot of hard choices, sometimes I agreed and sometimes they were necessary and realistic.
But the book fell short on relationship development.
Margret and Alexander fell in love despite all the circumstances. You read about how passionate she feels towards him, but you don't actually feel it!
I also think Alexander's character was very well written.
Overall a good historical read and I really enjoyed it.
October 9, 2013
3.5 stars.
The setting of this story is Scotland, 1306. A Rose in the Storm narrates the story of Margaret Comyn and Alexander "The Wolf" MacDonald, who are caught in opposite sides of a war. Alexander is a warrior of Robert the Bruce, and Margaret's family opposes Bruce and favours England. When they meet, Alexander is attacking Margaret's castle. They start off as enemies and remain that way for most of the book.
The major conflict is Margaret's unwillingness to betray her family. She is caught between doing what is honorable, and following her heart.
The historical details are rich. This is my favorite time period in Scotland and I truly enjoyed the historical background. The romance was secondary at times. Margaret's character is a blend of courageous and weak; she spends a lot of the time crying, complaining about how much she hates war, and obsessing about what to do.
The best part of the story was Alexander. He was a warrior, strong, brave and he truly loved her almost from the start. Sadly, the entire book is written in 3rd person strictly from Margaret's POV. We never get to see what's going on in Alexander's head, so we don't really get to know him. We don't know what really motivates him, why he falls in love with her, why he follows Bruce. He would've been a much richer and more developed character if we had gotten a glimpse of his thoughts. And the romance would've been more believable.
Overall, an enjoyable story that felt more like historical fiction than romance. We do get a great HEA, the story is very well-written and researched.
The setting of this story is Scotland, 1306. A Rose in the Storm narrates the story of Margaret Comyn and Alexander "The Wolf" MacDonald, who are caught in opposite sides of a war. Alexander is a warrior of Robert the Bruce, and Margaret's family opposes Bruce and favours England. When they meet, Alexander is attacking Margaret's castle. They start off as enemies and remain that way for most of the book.
The major conflict is Margaret's unwillingness to betray her family. She is caught between doing what is honorable, and following her heart.
The historical details are rich. This is my favorite time period in Scotland and I truly enjoyed the historical background. The romance was secondary at times. Margaret's character is a blend of courageous and weak; she spends a lot of the time crying, complaining about how much she hates war, and obsessing about what to do.
The best part of the story was Alexander. He was a warrior, strong, brave and he truly loved her almost from the start. Sadly, the entire book is written in 3rd person strictly from Margaret's POV. We never get to see what's going on in Alexander's head, so we don't really get to know him. We don't know what really motivates him, why he falls in love with her, why he follows Bruce. He would've been a much richer and more developed character if we had gotten a glimpse of his thoughts. And the romance would've been more believable.
Overall, an enjoyable story that felt more like historical fiction than romance. We do get a great HEA, the story is very well-written and researched.
May 2, 2014
1.5/5 stars
Uhh yes, this book could have been WAY better. The story started with a promising love story but then it got drowned out by the war. There was also TONS of spelling and grammatical errors which really irked me. Once I saw more than 3, I was done, I only finished it because I hate leaving books unfinished. I'm giving this book 1.5 stars because of Margaret since she was SUCH a strong female character. I really didn't like how we spent no time with Alexander when the novel moved into a standstill. For example, when the readers are with Margaret and she's just lamenting about her position. It made the book boring and if we were going to spend time with the war then we should have been in it when the book was slow. I don't know if I will be reading another Brenda Joyce book for awhile.
Uhh yes, this book could have been WAY better. The story started with a promising love story but then it got drowned out by the war. There was also TONS of spelling and grammatical errors which really irked me. Once I saw more than 3, I was done, I only finished it because I hate leaving books unfinished. I'm giving this book 1.5 stars because of Margaret since she was SUCH a strong female character. I really didn't like how we spent no time with Alexander when the novel moved into a standstill. For example, when the readers are with Margaret and she's just lamenting about her position. It made the book boring and if we were going to spend time with the war then we should have been in it when the book was slow. I don't know if I will be reading another Brenda Joyce book for awhile.
February 2, 2015
This medieval Scottish historical romance is breathtaking. Mixing fact with fiction, Brenda Joyce tells the story of the rivalry between clans describing their battles, their passions, and their loves with amazing detail. Orphaned Margaret Comyn falls captive to the Wolf of Lochabar fighting to restore Robert the Bruce to the Scottish throne. As she gets to know 'the wolf' she begins to question the right of her family/guardian alliance the Comyn/MacDougal clans who are fighting against 'the Bruce'. Warfare, lifestyle, and countryside become so real one can imagine being there.
This book sent me rushing to the history books to find out the facts. Sometimes it's hard to believe how people in this time period survived. The fighting was intense, betrayals severely dealt with. I am anxious to read the next book in this series.
This book sent me rushing to the history books to find out the facts. Sometimes it's hard to believe how people in this time period survived. The fighting was intense, betrayals severely dealt with. I am anxious to read the next book in this series.
July 11, 2013
Dissapointed, truly and thoroughly ... and I'm a big fan of Brenda Joyce's medieval works ... Conqueror and mostly the Promise of the Rose are among my all time favorite of the genre and I have to say, I was expecting it this to be as well ...
Now, don't get me wrong, it's very well written, the text flows and the depictions are great, but, MY GOD, it's terribly boring ... there's more politics and strategy here than romance ... it somehow seems inconsistent to me, I guess I better liked the old school Brenda Joyce, rather than the contemporary one ...
Now, don't get me wrong, it's very well written, the text flows and the depictions are great, but, MY GOD, it's terribly boring ... there's more politics and strategy here than romance ... it somehow seems inconsistent to me, I guess I better liked the old school Brenda Joyce, rather than the contemporary one ...
July 20, 2018
This book is filled with action and intrigue. My only complaint is the lack of romance between the main characters. Also, I had difficulty with how stupid the heroine behaved. She wasn't a coward, but her foolishness was jaw dropping.
November 15, 2013
Lady Margaret, has returned to her mothers home, at Castle Fyne, which is now part of her dowry. With Margaret betrothed to a Englishman, she knows she has little choice in the matter. She only hopes she will have a good match like her parents did. Right before she heads south to get married, she wants to visit her lands, remembering her childhood there. She and her brother arrive, and get a welcome she hoped they would receive. But shortly thereafter a army of hundreds come upon the Castle, and their leader Alexander MacDonald, "The Wolf" demanding she surrender herself in order to save her people which are few and don't stand much chance. However Margaret, knows her mother would defend it with her life, so Margaret knows she has no choice but to defend it herself. After battling and fighting, her people are injured and dying, so she raises the white flag and surrenders herself, her people and the Castle Fyne into the hands of Alexander MacDonald, knowing she doesn't have any choice. Her people are her top priority. When she meets Alexander face to face, a beautiful specimen of a man, she is intrigued by his manner toward her. He is hard, and unrelenting, but there is a certain desire that builds between them. Margaret feels herself slowly switching loyalties, when she begins to give her heart away to this warrior, who is fierce and protective, and wants only her.
A Rose in The Storm is the most recent release from Brenda Joyce, and is the first in her newest series, which is set in the medieval era in Scotland. I have enjoyed Brenda Joyce, and she has done fabulous work, and I do love it when she does historical's, especially with the Medieval sub genre. When I saw that this was finally available at my local library, I snatched it up. I have been reading quite a bit of regency's so its refreshing to read something different and from a different time frame. A Rose In The Storm is set in the early 1300's in Scotland, when amidst fighting the English, the different clans were having to decide where their loyalties lie. This story does involve Robert Bruce, whose goal was to take over the Scotland throne. In the beginning it starts with Bruce building up his army and followers, and Alexander is one of his top warriors. Alexander is well known for never having lost a battle, a fierce warrior and passionate lover. His goal is to capture the Lady Margaret but more importantly seize the Castle Fyne, due to its strategic location. He has no wish in harming Margaret, just the opposite. Even though in the beginning they are enemies, and Margaret will do anything to escape or try to find information that would be useful for her family. We see that Margaret starts to develop feelings for Alexander, and he returns them, both are a bit stubborn in being fully honest with each other, although Alexander is more upfront with Margaret. There is quite a bit of conflict that rises up in this story, and the more you progress in the story, the higher the intensity level.
The characters both the main and sub characters were vividly etched into the story, and written in such a way, that you can't help but feel enthralled by these in depth characteristics that captivate you. Alexander was a wonderful hero, tough, masculine, sensual yet very protective and passionate. He was great to get to know, War is life for him and he loves a good battle. It is a part of who he is and Joyce definitely writes him well into the story he comes to life in the readers eyes. Margaret I had no complaints about. I think I enjoyed her tenacity and strong willed personality from the first chapter. At first you see that she doesn't seem to be a fighter in any way, since she just accepts a match she doesn't want. But when she refuses to surrender to the "Wolf" and fights and works with her people to save her home, you can see that although she is stubborn and doesn't think things through, she will fight for those she loves at any cost. I really enjoyed how this story turned out in the end, even though there were a few sub characters I really fell in love with, and didn't like their ending, it does go with the history books. You can tell that Joyce has definitely done her homework, and I love how she brings this era of Scotland to life with the details and intensity of the time period. So if you are a history buff like myself, this type of book is one of the reasons I adore historical romances. You learn so much about the history and life of these people who had a passion for life and to fight for what they believed in, and there is much evidence of it in this story.
Overall I fell in love with the drama and passion of the time setting, the lively character, the escalating intensity of the plot that seemed to carry you away back in time. There was so much packed in this story that it overwhelms your senses, guaranteed to require a tissue or two or three. It will enthrall you from the first page to the last. EXTRAORDINARY!!!
A Rose in The Storm is the most recent release from Brenda Joyce, and is the first in her newest series, which is set in the medieval era in Scotland. I have enjoyed Brenda Joyce, and she has done fabulous work, and I do love it when she does historical's, especially with the Medieval sub genre. When I saw that this was finally available at my local library, I snatched it up. I have been reading quite a bit of regency's so its refreshing to read something different and from a different time frame. A Rose In The Storm is set in the early 1300's in Scotland, when amidst fighting the English, the different clans were having to decide where their loyalties lie. This story does involve Robert Bruce, whose goal was to take over the Scotland throne. In the beginning it starts with Bruce building up his army and followers, and Alexander is one of his top warriors. Alexander is well known for never having lost a battle, a fierce warrior and passionate lover. His goal is to capture the Lady Margaret but more importantly seize the Castle Fyne, due to its strategic location. He has no wish in harming Margaret, just the opposite. Even though in the beginning they are enemies, and Margaret will do anything to escape or try to find information that would be useful for her family. We see that Margaret starts to develop feelings for Alexander, and he returns them, both are a bit stubborn in being fully honest with each other, although Alexander is more upfront with Margaret. There is quite a bit of conflict that rises up in this story, and the more you progress in the story, the higher the intensity level.
The characters both the main and sub characters were vividly etched into the story, and written in such a way, that you can't help but feel enthralled by these in depth characteristics that captivate you. Alexander was a wonderful hero, tough, masculine, sensual yet very protective and passionate. He was great to get to know, War is life for him and he loves a good battle. It is a part of who he is and Joyce definitely writes him well into the story he comes to life in the readers eyes. Margaret I had no complaints about. I think I enjoyed her tenacity and strong willed personality from the first chapter. At first you see that she doesn't seem to be a fighter in any way, since she just accepts a match she doesn't want. But when she refuses to surrender to the "Wolf" and fights and works with her people to save her home, you can see that although she is stubborn and doesn't think things through, she will fight for those she loves at any cost. I really enjoyed how this story turned out in the end, even though there were a few sub characters I really fell in love with, and didn't like their ending, it does go with the history books. You can tell that Joyce has definitely done her homework, and I love how she brings this era of Scotland to life with the details and intensity of the time period. So if you are a history buff like myself, this type of book is one of the reasons I adore historical romances. You learn so much about the history and life of these people who had a passion for life and to fight for what they believed in, and there is much evidence of it in this story.
Overall I fell in love with the drama and passion of the time setting, the lively character, the escalating intensity of the plot that seemed to carry you away back in time. There was so much packed in this story that it overwhelms your senses, guaranteed to require a tissue or two or three. It will enthrall you from the first page to the last. EXTRAORDINARY!!!
January 6, 2016
J'ai décidé de le lire sur un coup de tête, alors que j'avais dit que j'arrêtais les historiques d'Harlequin. Oui mais voilà, c'est Brenda Joyce, qui a déjà prouvé son talent (la saga des de Warenne !).
Et donc, ce livre a tout pour me déplaire : une héroïne qui se met dans des positions pas possibles, au mépris du bon sens, des scènes de sexe qui se limitent à 2 phrases à chaque fois ("et il l'aima") et une situation historique assez instable, où la sécurité du couple n'est pas définitivement acquise à la fin du livre.
MAIS, je ne sais pas, ça a fonctionné chez moi.
Beaucoup d'aventures car l'histoire est bien documentée sur un épisode de l'histoire écossaise et le couple y est parti prenant, à travers une bonne partie de l'Ecosse (ça change du huit-clos systématique du "Oh, il a pris mon château, et 250 pages après, il n'en n'a toujours pas bougé"). Un héros pas vraiment démonstratif, mais qui est sûr de ses sentiments, très tôt.
Bref, on retrouve la touche Harlequin, mais c'est de la bonne, et c'est assez rare !! :))
Et donc, ce livre a tout pour me déplaire : une héroïne qui se met dans des positions pas possibles, au mépris du bon sens, des scènes de sexe qui se limitent à 2 phrases à chaque fois ("et il l'aima") et une situation historique assez instable, où la sécurité du couple n'est pas définitivement acquise à la fin du livre.
MAIS, je ne sais pas, ça a fonctionné chez moi.
Beaucoup d'aventures car l'histoire est bien documentée sur un épisode de l'histoire écossaise et le couple y est parti prenant, à travers une bonne partie de l'Ecosse (ça change du huit-clos systématique du "Oh, il a pris mon château, et 250 pages après, il n'en n'a toujours pas bougé"). Un héros pas vraiment démonstratif, mais qui est sûr de ses sentiments, très tôt.
Bref, on retrouve la touche Harlequin, mais c'est de la bonne, et c'est assez rare !! :))
March 15, 2024
4 stars
12/10/23 re-read, It wasn’t a fluke, I enjoyed this book as much as I did the first time, one update Isabella was the most annoying, reckless, side character.
3.75
It’s almost a 4 because Joyce writes very well. It is not a solid 4 because the content was weak. It had a good start, faded in the middle, and a slight pick up at the end. The H/H - he was honorable and loyal but she was single minded and reckless; together they were a relatively passive couple, there was more steam with OW.
For me the romance/history was unbalanced, too much of the latter (accurate or not) and not enough time and steam on the H/H themselves. A number of incomplete storylines left me hanging and the heroine’s naïve blind loyalty was frustrating. However, whether you prefer more romance or more history, I’d still recommend this book for HR fans.
12/10/23 re-read, It wasn’t a fluke, I enjoyed this book as much as I did the first time, one update Isabella was the most annoying, reckless, side character.
3.75
It’s almost a 4 because Joyce writes very well. It is not a solid 4 because the content was weak. It had a good start, faded in the middle, and a slight pick up at the end. The H/H - he was honorable and loyal but she was single minded and reckless; together they were a relatively passive couple, there was more steam with OW.
For me the romance/history was unbalanced, too much of the latter (accurate or not) and not enough time and steam on the H/H themselves. A number of incomplete storylines left me hanging and the heroine’s naïve blind loyalty was frustrating. However, whether you prefer more romance or more history, I’d still recommend this book for HR fans.
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May 29, 2013
05/28/2013 --
Overall Rating = 3.5
Book Cover / Book Blurb = 4 / 4 = 4 Stars
Writer’s Voice = 3.5 Stars
Character Development = 4 Stars
Story Appreciation = 4 Stars
Worth the Chili = 3 Stars [ARC, but will be $7.99 when released on Amazon June 25]
I remember reading and enjoying Brenda Joyce years ago. I came across this ARC and the blurb sounded really good. The cover was intriguing. I was in a mood for some Highland historical romance. This was a really good choice.
There were placed in this story where it dragged along for a bit. I thought the flow a bit problematic, but the characters kept me engaged. The history pulled me. Overall, I was satisfied with my choice.
What things worked for me?
1 -- A Highland romance. A bit of historical intrigue. A tough as nails soldier and a beautiful political pawn. The stuff of Scottish legends. I think the author did a decent job of creating the story, planning the plot, incorporating enough history so the reader wasn't bored and adding a good dose of romance. Very nice.
2 -- The characters made this one. They are beautiful people. Tough, but living in these times and in this place, they have to be. There were a few moments, like Margaret's writing notes to Alexander that didn't ring true, where the author took a bit too much license for complete believability that gave me some angst, but overall, loved the characters.
3 -- I remember now why I liked this author so much. She has a unique way with romance. She really builds the tension. The interactions between Margaret and Alexander weren't frequent, but when they occurred, they counted. It makes me want to look for more by her to read or find old ones I've read before. I like her style.
A few things didn't work well enough:
1 -- I like to read history in my historical romances, but this one didn't always flow well. It jumped around a bit and there wasn't enough detail for the reader to put the pieces together without knowing a bit of the background on this slice of history. This could have been smoother.
2 -- There were places where I found myself skimming a bit. I think it was due to the jumping around in the story, as mentioned before. Not often, but it did happen.
3 -- I really liked everything else. I could have been longer. I think this may have helped to smooth all the rough edged and would have made the story flow a bit better. There was quite a bit of story / history covered and she did it quickly in places. Too quickly.
4 -- I think the $8 asking price when released may be a bit much. I think a better price point would be in the $4 to $5 range.
Overall, a very nice Highland romance told by an old master. I was so glad I still found I liked Brenda Joyce as much as I did when I read her 25 years ago. She continues to write an enjoyable story.
Happy Reading!!
ARC provided by Harlequin from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Overall Rating = 3.5
Book Cover / Book Blurb = 4 / 4 = 4 Stars
Writer’s Voice = 3.5 Stars
Character Development = 4 Stars
Story Appreciation = 4 Stars
Worth the Chili = 3 Stars [ARC, but will be $7.99 when released on Amazon June 25]
I remember reading and enjoying Brenda Joyce years ago. I came across this ARC and the blurb sounded really good. The cover was intriguing. I was in a mood for some Highland historical romance. This was a really good choice.
There were placed in this story where it dragged along for a bit. I thought the flow a bit problematic, but the characters kept me engaged. The history pulled me. Overall, I was satisfied with my choice.
What things worked for me?
1 -- A Highland romance. A bit of historical intrigue. A tough as nails soldier and a beautiful political pawn. The stuff of Scottish legends. I think the author did a decent job of creating the story, planning the plot, incorporating enough history so the reader wasn't bored and adding a good dose of romance. Very nice.
2 -- The characters made this one. They are beautiful people. Tough, but living in these times and in this place, they have to be. There were a few moments, like Margaret's writing notes to Alexander that didn't ring true, where the author took a bit too much license for complete believability that gave me some angst, but overall, loved the characters.
3 -- I remember now why I liked this author so much. She has a unique way with romance. She really builds the tension. The interactions between Margaret and Alexander weren't frequent, but when they occurred, they counted. It makes me want to look for more by her to read or find old ones I've read before. I like her style.
A few things didn't work well enough:
1 -- I like to read history in my historical romances, but this one didn't always flow well. It jumped around a bit and there wasn't enough detail for the reader to put the pieces together without knowing a bit of the background on this slice of history. This could have been smoother.
2 -- There were places where I found myself skimming a bit. I think it was due to the jumping around in the story, as mentioned before. Not often, but it did happen.
3 -- I really liked everything else. I could have been longer. I think this may have helped to smooth all the rough edged and would have made the story flow a bit better. There was quite a bit of story / history covered and she did it quickly in places. Too quickly.
4 -- I think the $8 asking price when released may be a bit much. I think a better price point would be in the $4 to $5 range.
Overall, a very nice Highland romance told by an old master. I was so glad I still found I liked Brenda Joyce as much as I did when I read her 25 years ago. She continues to write an enjoyable story.
Happy Reading!!
ARC provided by Harlequin from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 22, 2013
This is a story about a woman who is tested in her loyalties between a family she loves and supports and a love that she fights, but cannot deny. In a time when a country and a people are being torn apart by a war for a king and a kingdom. A time of political alliances and clan disputes when women were used as political bargaining tools and war was a way of life.
This is a great historical romance. The romance is plot driven and one aspect of the story, but not THE STORY. History is the story and the characters and romance are woven into history. A Rose in the Storm is the best historical romance I have read in many years.
I've gotten away from reading this genre because often times they are written as modern people set in a historical time setting. I like a historical that makes characters true to the time, and yet still manages to give brave, courageous women and strong, but caring men. I don't know that any one does it better these days than Brenda Joyce!
I was definitely googling to see what actually happened historically and how much liberty had been taken with the known history of the time, and for the most part Joyce stuck to the actual events, while telling a compelling love story.
September 1, 2013
Didn't care for this book at all. More of a historical novel than a romance novel. Way too much politics. The most interesting character was neither of the main characters, it was a real historical figure I looked up after finishing this book and found the reality much more interesting.
At the end, when Margaret has everything she wants and is happy, she basically throws aside a person she championed through the whole book as someone she really cared about, finding the person has been imprisoned publicly in a cage for for life, and she shrugs it off and goes to have sex with her man.
At the end, when Margaret has everything she wants and is happy, she basically throws aside a person she championed through the whole book as someone she really cared about, finding the person has been imprisoned publicly in a cage for for life, and she shrugs it off and goes to have sex with her man.
October 31, 2015
Honnêtement, un Harlequin historique... j'avançais un peu à reculons pour cette lecture. Mais, la période abordée est vraiment celle que j'aime dans les RH qui se situent en Écosse, alors je me suis lancée et je n'ai pas regretté un seul instant.
Si vous aimez la série A Highlander Guard de Monica McCarty, ce livre devrait vous plaire tout autant. Il mêle avec brio l'histoire et l'Histoire et c'est d'ailleurs plus un roman historique que véritablement une romance historique.
Le niveau est très bon, comme quoi, les préjugés parfois risquent de nous faire passer à côté d'un excellent moment !
Si vous aimez la série A Highlander Guard de Monica McCarty, ce livre devrait vous plaire tout autant. Il mêle avec brio l'histoire et l'Histoire et c'est d'ailleurs plus un roman historique que véritablement une romance historique.
Le niveau est très bon, comme quoi, les préjugés parfois risquent de nous faire passer à côté d'un excellent moment !
Read
December 29, 2014A new historical romance series!
"Scotland's complex history is as strong a character as the hero and heroine, and Joyce seamlessly merges the historical details of Robert the Bruce's rise to power with a captive/captor, forbidden love story. Highland history sings on the pages through Joyce's potent prose." RT Book Reviews, rated 4 stars
"Scotland's complex history is as strong a character as the hero and heroine, and Joyce seamlessly merges the historical details of Robert the Bruce's rise to power with a captive/captor, forbidden love story. Highland history sings on the pages through Joyce's potent prose." RT Book Reviews, rated 4 stars
January 4, 2015
Usually I love everything BJ does but this book fell a bit flat. It was too long and the main characters were not people I connected with. Margaret spent the entire book a bundle of nerves only showing spine during the siege at the beginning. She was immature and wishy-washy. Not my fave.
I hated knowing everyone else's age and never learning Alexander's. That just bugged me.
I hated knowing everyone else's age and never learning Alexander's. That just bugged me.
April 11, 2015
Did Brenda Joyce really write this?
Boring story. Terrible "love story". Fictional characters set among historical events. I won't be reading any more of this "new" fiction from her. I am VERY disappointed
Boring story. Terrible "love story". Fictional characters set among historical events. I won't be reading any more of this "new" fiction from her. I am VERY disappointed
March 2, 2017
Love this book.. It breaks my heart that theirs not a sequel about this couple, I want to read more about it! :)
June 26, 2013
This review and more can be found on my blog: The Muses Circle
It's been ages since I've read a historical romance novel and I am almost ashamed to admit it since I owe my love of history, romance, and even reading to this genre. I was recently searching for the perfect book to jump back into my first love when I came across A Rose in the Storm. When I learned that Brenda Joyce, one of my favorite authors back in the 90's, was the one who wrote this historical romance (set in Scotland during the Wars of Scottish Independence against England led by Robert the Bruce) I just couldn't resist. What better way to get back into the genre then to start off with her new novel.
The historical accuracy and writing of the story was beautifully executed. You can tell that Brenda Joyce took the time to do her research and was quite dedicated to intricately weaving history and romance. She also nailed the accents which I am a huge stickler on. Who wants to read a historical romance with the characters sounding like they are from modern times? So I give her major credit for that, especially the Scottish brogue. It definitely gave the story that extra authenticity. All of these things combined made the novel almost feet like a sequel to the Academy Award winning movie BRAVEHEART. After all, the book does take place after the death of William Wallace...
Let me say this now that A Rose in the Storm is a little less conventional than some of your older historical romances. I figured this out when the hero's name was mentioned but he himself didn't actually enter the story until 45 pages in. Usually if the hero hasn't made an appearance within the first 10-15 pages, I get impatient. But somehow Joyce made it work. Actually, I think this was a genius idea because she used this time for character development. The first 45 pages was for her to paint us a very clear picture of our heroine, Lady Margaret. We learn all about her arranged marriage to Sir Guy, an Englishman, her loyalty to her beloved late parents, especially her mother and the Comyn name. Even though she is a Scottish lady, her uncle arranged her marriage to an Englishman to keep the peace and to take her rightful place at Castle Fyne, which meant so much to her mother. She is barely within Castle Fyne's gates when she is alerted that Alexander MacDonald, also know as the Wolf of Lochaber, and hundreds of his men are outside the castle walls. The Wolf wants her to surrender. She refuses. The battle of wills and passion begins. This was all great build up to the scene where Margaret finally lays eyes on Alexander MacDonald and it is quite explosive. I kept thinking to myself, if Brenda Joyce is this good at building the suspense up to their first meeting, I could only imagine how amazing the sexual tension would be between the two.
While the story is written in third person, it is solely in Margaret's point-of-view which also doesn't quite fit the traditional historical romance formula. I'm not going to lie, I was a little bummed at first because I've always been the kind of reader that likes to see things through the eyes of both the heroine and hero. But again, Brenda Joyce made it work and here's why. The Wolf of Lochaber is dark, dangerous, and mysterious and not being able to see things in his perspective actually added to his allure. Seeing him only through Margaret's eyes added a sense of excitement and anxiety, emotions she herself probably felt, wondering when she would see him again, what he would say, and what his next move may be.
Since we are on the topic of our mysterious hero, I really love how the author realistically portrays him. On the one hand he is quite noble. Alexander accepted Margaret for who she was and found her to be courageous for standing her ground and not surrendering to him. Unlike most men of that time period, he liked that she spoke her mind. He also believed her intended husband, Sir Guy, was unworthy of her and feared if she went through with the marriage he would eventually crush her spirit. On the other hand, Alexander is just as fierce as his name suggests. He does kill people. And he does sleep with 2 of Margaret's handmaidens (not necessarily while they were together). The latter did bother me at first but I had to face the facts: Alexander is a warrior and it was quite common in those times.
Although it was sometimes hard for me to stomach, I commend Brenda Joyce for painting such vivid images of women's roles during that time period. It was truly a man's world, where a woman's worth depended solely on her dowry, and was expected to bear children and obey her husband. Margaret was a brave woman that risked many things in order to stay loyal to her family name. She tried to obey her uncle and not question her upcoming marriage to Sir Guy. I can only imagine how hard it must have been for her to be Scottish yet accept an English King and marry an Englishman when deep in her bones she couldn't help but admire Robert the Bruce. But for anyone that allied themselves with Robert the Bruce and got caught ended with devastating consequences. What truly gave me chills was when Margaret learns of King Edward's royal proclamation: all women who sided with Bruce were considered traitors, therefore any man may rob, rape, and murder them. Absolutely terrifying!
So here is what kept me from giving A Rose in the Storm a perfect 5 star rating. Let me start with the minor problem which is more of an uncharacteristic response then an issue. It's during the scene where Margaret is about to meet Sir Guy for the first time. Her intended husband and Alexander are speaking heatedly within earshot. When Sir Guy starts coming towards her, she suddenly, "...dropped her hood and released her braid, finger combing her hair into a mane..." What?? Is she primping??? Right in front her intended and Alexander??? This was not only an uncharacteristic response (I could maybe see someone from modern times do this) but it just didn't work for the scene at all.
Now to my major issue. As I predicted, Brenda Joyce builds amazing sexual tension between Margaret and Alexander, just like she did in the beginning when they first meet. But when they finally decide to give into their desires, the scene is a PARAGRAPH! He picks her up, puts her against the wall, thrusts into her, and then...Margaret wakes up the next morning in his bed. WTF!!!! All the love scenes were like this! They were not the hot, steamy scenes I remember Brenda Joyce writing years ago. Maybe she didn't want to get completely explicit which I can respect, but there are ways she could have done that and still given us fulfilling love scenes. Maybe it would have helped if this novel had been written by an author I was unfamiliar with. But since I've read Joyce's novels in the past, I had certain expectations.
Despite being disgruntled over the diluted love scenes, A Rose in the Storm was well written and came together on so many other levels that I still give this book a 4 star rating.
Mia @ The Muses Circle
http://themusescircle.blogspot.com/
It's been ages since I've read a historical romance novel and I am almost ashamed to admit it since I owe my love of history, romance, and even reading to this genre. I was recently searching for the perfect book to jump back into my first love when I came across A Rose in the Storm. When I learned that Brenda Joyce, one of my favorite authors back in the 90's, was the one who wrote this historical romance (set in Scotland during the Wars of Scottish Independence against England led by Robert the Bruce) I just couldn't resist. What better way to get back into the genre then to start off with her new novel.
The historical accuracy and writing of the story was beautifully executed. You can tell that Brenda Joyce took the time to do her research and was quite dedicated to intricately weaving history and romance. She also nailed the accents which I am a huge stickler on. Who wants to read a historical romance with the characters sounding like they are from modern times? So I give her major credit for that, especially the Scottish brogue. It definitely gave the story that extra authenticity. All of these things combined made the novel almost feet like a sequel to the Academy Award winning movie BRAVEHEART. After all, the book does take place after the death of William Wallace...
Let me say this now that A Rose in the Storm is a little less conventional than some of your older historical romances. I figured this out when the hero's name was mentioned but he himself didn't actually enter the story until 45 pages in. Usually if the hero hasn't made an appearance within the first 10-15 pages, I get impatient. But somehow Joyce made it work. Actually, I think this was a genius idea because she used this time for character development. The first 45 pages was for her to paint us a very clear picture of our heroine, Lady Margaret. We learn all about her arranged marriage to Sir Guy, an Englishman, her loyalty to her beloved late parents, especially her mother and the Comyn name. Even though she is a Scottish lady, her uncle arranged her marriage to an Englishman to keep the peace and to take her rightful place at Castle Fyne, which meant so much to her mother. She is barely within Castle Fyne's gates when she is alerted that Alexander MacDonald, also know as the Wolf of Lochaber, and hundreds of his men are outside the castle walls. The Wolf wants her to surrender. She refuses. The battle of wills and passion begins. This was all great build up to the scene where Margaret finally lays eyes on Alexander MacDonald and it is quite explosive. I kept thinking to myself, if Brenda Joyce is this good at building the suspense up to their first meeting, I could only imagine how amazing the sexual tension would be between the two.
While the story is written in third person, it is solely in Margaret's point-of-view which also doesn't quite fit the traditional historical romance formula. I'm not going to lie, I was a little bummed at first because I've always been the kind of reader that likes to see things through the eyes of both the heroine and hero. But again, Brenda Joyce made it work and here's why. The Wolf of Lochaber is dark, dangerous, and mysterious and not being able to see things in his perspective actually added to his allure. Seeing him only through Margaret's eyes added a sense of excitement and anxiety, emotions she herself probably felt, wondering when she would see him again, what he would say, and what his next move may be.
Since we are on the topic of our mysterious hero, I really love how the author realistically portrays him. On the one hand he is quite noble. Alexander accepted Margaret for who she was and found her to be courageous for standing her ground and not surrendering to him. Unlike most men of that time period, he liked that she spoke her mind. He also believed her intended husband, Sir Guy, was unworthy of her and feared if she went through with the marriage he would eventually crush her spirit. On the other hand, Alexander is just as fierce as his name suggests. He does kill people. And he does sleep with 2 of Margaret's handmaidens (not necessarily while they were together). The latter did bother me at first but I had to face the facts: Alexander is a warrior and it was quite common in those times.
Although it was sometimes hard for me to stomach, I commend Brenda Joyce for painting such vivid images of women's roles during that time period. It was truly a man's world, where a woman's worth depended solely on her dowry, and was expected to bear children and obey her husband. Margaret was a brave woman that risked many things in order to stay loyal to her family name. She tried to obey her uncle and not question her upcoming marriage to Sir Guy. I can only imagine how hard it must have been for her to be Scottish yet accept an English King and marry an Englishman when deep in her bones she couldn't help but admire Robert the Bruce. But for anyone that allied themselves with Robert the Bruce and got caught ended with devastating consequences. What truly gave me chills was when Margaret learns of King Edward's royal proclamation: all women who sided with Bruce were considered traitors, therefore any man may rob, rape, and murder them. Absolutely terrifying!
So here is what kept me from giving A Rose in the Storm a perfect 5 star rating. Let me start with the minor problem which is more of an uncharacteristic response then an issue. It's during the scene where Margaret is about to meet Sir Guy for the first time. Her intended husband and Alexander are speaking heatedly within earshot. When Sir Guy starts coming towards her, she suddenly, "...dropped her hood and released her braid, finger combing her hair into a mane..." What?? Is she primping??? Right in front her intended and Alexander??? This was not only an uncharacteristic response (I could maybe see someone from modern times do this) but it just didn't work for the scene at all.
Now to my major issue. As I predicted, Brenda Joyce builds amazing sexual tension between Margaret and Alexander, just like she did in the beginning when they first meet. But when they finally decide to give into their desires, the scene is a PARAGRAPH! He picks her up, puts her against the wall, thrusts into her, and then...Margaret wakes up the next morning in his bed. WTF!!!! All the love scenes were like this! They were not the hot, steamy scenes I remember Brenda Joyce writing years ago. Maybe she didn't want to get completely explicit which I can respect, but there are ways she could have done that and still given us fulfilling love scenes. Maybe it would have helped if this novel had been written by an author I was unfamiliar with. But since I've read Joyce's novels in the past, I had certain expectations.
Despite being disgruntled over the diluted love scenes, A Rose in the Storm was well written and came together on so many other levels that I still give this book a 4 star rating.
Mia @ The Muses Circle
http://themusescircle.blogspot.com/
September 16, 2023
Lady Margaret har lovats till den engelske sir Guy av sin förmyndare, och morbror, earlen av Buchan.
Hon är en Comyn och en MacDougall och de har alltid varit emot engelsmännen, men nu har morbrodern anslutit sig till kung Edward mot sir Robert the Bruce.
När lady Margaret befinner sig på slottet Fyne, hennes arv från modern, blir de anfallna av Vargen av Lochaber, Alexander MacDonald - en av sir Roberts anhängare och klanfiende till klan Comyn. Lady Margaret försöker hålla stånd, men måste snart se sig besegrad och blir hållen som fånge.
Medan kriget om Skottland närmar sig märker lady Margaret att hon dras till Alexander, men hon får inte svika sin familj - lojalitet är viktigt. Men till vilket pris?
***
En historisk romance som utspelar sig under en intressant tid (jag googlade namn och platser rätt rejält), men den hade vunnit på att kortas en hel del. Att bestämma sig för om den är en romance eller en krigsroman... Precis som lady Margaret hade vunnit på att inte älta sin lojalitet riktigt så mycket... 🙃
Hon är en Comyn och en MacDougall och de har alltid varit emot engelsmännen, men nu har morbrodern anslutit sig till kung Edward mot sir Robert the Bruce.
När lady Margaret befinner sig på slottet Fyne, hennes arv från modern, blir de anfallna av Vargen av Lochaber, Alexander MacDonald - en av sir Roberts anhängare och klanfiende till klan Comyn. Lady Margaret försöker hålla stånd, men måste snart se sig besegrad och blir hållen som fånge.
Medan kriget om Skottland närmar sig märker lady Margaret att hon dras till Alexander, men hon får inte svika sin familj - lojalitet är viktigt. Men till vilket pris?
***
En historisk romance som utspelar sig under en intressant tid (jag googlade namn och platser rätt rejält), men den hade vunnit på att kortas en hel del. Att bestämma sig för om den är en romance eller en krigsroman... Precis som lady Margaret hade vunnit på att inte älta sin lojalitet riktigt så mycket... 🙃
October 18, 2016
Brenda Joyce con questo libro mi ha portato nelle Highlands scozzesi, in mezzo alla guerra per il trono di Scozia.. Ancora una volta tra cotte di maglia, cavalieri, barbacani, ponti levatoi che salgono e scendono e donne che anche se Signore del castello erano costrette a essere comunque merce di scambio tra famiglie per sancire alleanze improbabili. Robert Bruce raduna uomini e forze per rivendicare la Scozia e in questo scenario Margaret intreccia il suo destino con Alexander. Personaggi storici e fatti realmente accaduti si intrecciano perfettamente nella trama dell'autrice. Ottima ricerca storica, personaggi forti e carismatici. Il libro è pieno di azione e battaglie, le troppe pagine dedicate a quest'ultima però fanno si che la storia d'amore un pò ne risenta, senza contare la cieca lealtà (mal riposta) della protagonista verso il suo clan, che a un certo punto ho trovato un pò snervante. Nel complesso è una lettura molto piacevole, che mi ha lasciato comunque la voglia di continuare con il resto della trilogia.
January 2, 2018
The love between protaganists was delicious and sexy, and the history while not entirely accurate (author says she took some liberties and hidtory has many different accounts) rekindled my love of scottish history. Because I enjoyed the characters so much I went in a research frenzy to discover the true history and am now on a deep dive into the scottish highlander fiction and non fiction. Very much enjoyed this book 😁
April 1, 2021
Although I like historical romance this had way too much political intrigue for my taste.
I enjoyed the beginning of the book, the rest I found tedious. Alexander is a great hero but the book would have been much better if he'd stayed around more. Margaret was only 17. She was brave but not realistic so she made incredibly stupid decisions which got tiresome.
This book was not my cup of tea.
I enjoyed the beginning of the book, the rest I found tedious. Alexander is a great hero but the book would have been much better if he'd stayed around more. Margaret was only 17. She was brave but not realistic so she made incredibly stupid decisions which got tiresome.
This book was not my cup of tea.
July 8, 2022
Loved the beginning. h started out strong but then she got pretty pathetic.
This was all h’s pov, different from other Joyce’s other works that I’ve read. Never knew what the H was thinking.
Other books by Joyce that I’ve read had more Heat and steam. In the beginning H slept with both h’s maids while h listened to their moans and lovemaking. It felt like more passion when H slept with her maids. Love scenes with the h were pretty much one or two lines.
This was all h’s pov, different from other Joyce’s other works that I’ve read. Never knew what the H was thinking.
Other books by Joyce that I’ve read had more Heat and steam. In the beginning H slept with both h’s maids while h listened to their moans and lovemaking. It felt like more passion when H slept with her maids. Love scenes with the h were pretty much one or two lines.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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