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The Border Chronicles #4
The Border Lord and the Lady
From the New York Times bestselling author - the fourth passionate romance in the Border Chronicles series.
Lady Cicely Bowen, daughter of the Earl of Leighton, is sent away by her father when her jealous stepmother threatens her safety. Soon the exiled Cicely becomes best friends with Lady Joan Beaufort, the king's cousin - and when Joan is married to King James I of Scotland she chooses Cicely as one of the ladies accompany her north.
At the Scot's court Cicely finds herself pursued by two men - elegant Andrew Gordon, the laird of Fairlee, and Ian Douglas, the laird of Glengorm, a rough-spoken border lord. When Ian kidnaps Cicely just as Andrew is about to propose, the royal court is sent into an uproar. The queen is demanding the return of her friend and the Gordons are threatening to set the border on fire. But the border lord is difficult to tame - and the lady's heart is even harder to claim.
Lady Cicely Bowen, daughter of the Earl of Leighton, is sent away by her father when her jealous stepmother threatens her safety. Soon the exiled Cicely becomes best friends with Lady Joan Beaufort, the king's cousin - and when Joan is married to King James I of Scotland she chooses Cicely as one of the ladies accompany her north.
At the Scot's court Cicely finds herself pursued by two men - elegant Andrew Gordon, the laird of Fairlee, and Ian Douglas, the laird of Glengorm, a rough-spoken border lord. When Ian kidnaps Cicely just as Andrew is about to propose, the royal court is sent into an uproar. The queen is demanding the return of her friend and the Gordons are threatening to set the border on fire. But the border lord is difficult to tame - and the lady's heart is even harder to claim.
432 pages, Paperback
First published October 6, 2009
66 people are currently reading
726 people want to read
About the author
Bertrice Small
216 books1,125 followersBertrice Williams was born on December 9, 1937 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA, the daughter of Doris S. and David R. Williams, both broadcasters. She studied at Attended Western College for Women and Katharine Gibbs Secretarial School. On October 5, 1963, she married George Sumner Small, a photographer and designer with a History Major at Princeton. They had a son Thomas David. She lived on eastern Long Island for over 30 years. Her greatest passions were her family; Finnegan and Sylvester, the family cats; Nicki, the elderly cockatiel who whistles the NY Mets charge call; her garden; her work, and just life in general.
Published since 1947, Bertrice Small was the author of over 50 romance novels. A New York Times bestselling author, she had also appeared on other best-seller lists including Publishers Weekly, USA Today, and the L.A. Times. She was the recipient of numerous awards including Career Achievement for Historical Romance; Best Historical Romance; Outstanding Historical Romance Series; Career Achievement for Historical Fantasy; a Golden Leaf from the New Jersey Romance Writers chapter of Romance Writers of America; an Author of the Year (2006) and Big Apple Award from the New York City Romance Writers chapter of RWA, and several Reviewers Choice awards from Romantic Times. She had a "Silver Pen" from Affair De Coeur, and an Honorable Mention from The West Coast Review of Books. In 2004 she was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by ROMANTIC TIMES magazine for her contributions to the Historical Romance genre. And in 2008 she was named by ROMANTIC TIMES along with her friends Jennifer Blake, Roberta Gellis and Janelle Taylor, a Pioneer of Romance.
Bertrice Small was a member of The Authors Guild, Romance Writers of America, PAN, and PASIC. She was also a member of RWA's Long Island chapter, L.I.R.W., and is its easternmost member on the North Fork of Eastern Long Island.
Published since 1947, Bertrice Small was the author of over 50 romance novels. A New York Times bestselling author, she had also appeared on other best-seller lists including Publishers Weekly, USA Today, and the L.A. Times. She was the recipient of numerous awards including Career Achievement for Historical Romance; Best Historical Romance; Outstanding Historical Romance Series; Career Achievement for Historical Fantasy; a Golden Leaf from the New Jersey Romance Writers chapter of Romance Writers of America; an Author of the Year (2006) and Big Apple Award from the New York City Romance Writers chapter of RWA, and several Reviewers Choice awards from Romantic Times. She had a "Silver Pen" from Affair De Coeur, and an Honorable Mention from The West Coast Review of Books. In 2004 she was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by ROMANTIC TIMES magazine for her contributions to the Historical Romance genre. And in 2008 she was named by ROMANTIC TIMES along with her friends Jennifer Blake, Roberta Gellis and Janelle Taylor, a Pioneer of Romance.
Bertrice Small was a member of The Authors Guild, Romance Writers of America, PAN, and PASIC. She was also a member of RWA's Long Island chapter, L.I.R.W., and is its easternmost member on the North Fork of Eastern Long Island.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
May 13, 2020
Captivating and Unique!
Once I got past the realization that Bertrice Small historical romances are very different than others, the things that at first distracted (long narratives, repeated scenes told through different characters’ eyes, and “head hopping” from one character’s perspective to another in rapid succession) became a rich background for a captivating story. Then, too, one has to love the historical part of historical romance as Small gives you a lot of what was going on at the time, including the food they ate. Finally, her stories do not all have one hero and one heroine who live happily ever after. The Border Lord and the Lady is just such a book. Oh, there is a happy ending, don't get me wrong, but it won’t be what you expect. Nevertheless, it is very realistic for the time (15th century) and the place (the border between Scotland and England). And it's a wonderful story.
Lady Cicely Bowen was the much-loved daughter of her widowed father, the Earl of Leighton. But when he remarries, his new wife is so jealous that the earl has to send Cicely away to foster at court to ensure her safety. There, living in Queen Joan’s household, she becomes a lady and the best friend of the king's cousin, Lady Joan Beaufort. When her cousin marries the young James Stewart, King of Scots, Cicely follows her to Scotland. There Cicely expects to have her choice of husbands, as promised by her father and agreed to by King James. But one of the border lords, Ian Douglas, laird of Glengorm, is smitten with her and decides she is the only one for him. Tired of fighting her other suitors for access to her, he engages in a bit of bride stealing, practically a tradition in Scotland.
To say this is the love story of Cicely and Ian is only part of the story. This tale goes on for several years and much happens in the lives of all those in Scotland who are a part of Cicely's life. I won’t spoil it for you but I will say I was a bit shocked when certain events happened. But I did recognize it as reality and got over it very quickly as the story continued to intrigue me. I highly recommend this one.
Also, I recommend reading Small’s Betrayed with or before this romance. It is the story of Fiona Hay, introduced in The Border Lord and The Lady, and it’s a worthy read.
Here’s the Border Chronicles series:
A Dangerous Love
The Border Lord's Bride
The Captive Heart
The Border Lord and the Lady
The Border Vixen
Bond of Passion
Once I got past the realization that Bertrice Small historical romances are very different than others, the things that at first distracted (long narratives, repeated scenes told through different characters’ eyes, and “head hopping” from one character’s perspective to another in rapid succession) became a rich background for a captivating story. Then, too, one has to love the historical part of historical romance as Small gives you a lot of what was going on at the time, including the food they ate. Finally, her stories do not all have one hero and one heroine who live happily ever after. The Border Lord and the Lady is just such a book. Oh, there is a happy ending, don't get me wrong, but it won’t be what you expect. Nevertheless, it is very realistic for the time (15th century) and the place (the border between Scotland and England). And it's a wonderful story.
Lady Cicely Bowen was the much-loved daughter of her widowed father, the Earl of Leighton. But when he remarries, his new wife is so jealous that the earl has to send Cicely away to foster at court to ensure her safety. There, living in Queen Joan’s household, she becomes a lady and the best friend of the king's cousin, Lady Joan Beaufort. When her cousin marries the young James Stewart, King of Scots, Cicely follows her to Scotland. There Cicely expects to have her choice of husbands, as promised by her father and agreed to by King James. But one of the border lords, Ian Douglas, laird of Glengorm, is smitten with her and decides she is the only one for him. Tired of fighting her other suitors for access to her, he engages in a bit of bride stealing, practically a tradition in Scotland.
To say this is the love story of Cicely and Ian is only part of the story. This tale goes on for several years and much happens in the lives of all those in Scotland who are a part of Cicely's life. I won’t spoil it for you but I will say I was a bit shocked when certain events happened. But I did recognize it as reality and got over it very quickly as the story continued to intrigue me. I highly recommend this one.
Also, I recommend reading Small’s Betrayed with or before this romance. It is the story of Fiona Hay, introduced in The Border Lord and The Lady, and it’s a worthy read.
Here’s the Border Chronicles series:
A Dangerous Love
The Border Lord's Bride
The Captive Heart
The Border Lord and the Lady
The Border Vixen
Bond of Passion
April 25, 2022
A good comfort read that was hard to put down for most of the book
I think this is my third Bertice Small book of the month. You could say I was hooked. After not loving this one like I did "To Love Again", I think my craving to read a BS (lol) novel at the moment is appeased.
I started to get bored after the first 50 pages when we still hadn't met the love interest. Then it got more exciting.
There are technically three love interests, though Cicely only marries two of them. I think I liked Ian a little more than Kier, though I don't think Ian was her soulmate. She loved Ian but not nearly as much as he loved her, which is a little sad if you think of it. (Bertrice Small didn't mention if Kier or Cicely loved the other more.) I had tears in my eyes when
I was totally fine with the book ending at page 408. That's why I started (and finished) another novel in the meantime before coming back to finish this one. I didn't need the extra drama with Bethia, a lousy servant Ian had fired who wanted revenge on Glengorm.
In the Afterwards, BS mentions how Queen Joan, Cicely's best friend, remarried after the assassination of King James. She married another James Stewart. Seriously, what are the odds?
I think this is my third Bertice Small book of the month. You could say I was hooked. After not loving this one like I did "To Love Again", I think my craving to read a BS (lol) novel at the moment is appeased.
I started to get bored after the first 50 pages when we still hadn't met the love interest. Then it got more exciting.
There are technically three love interests, though Cicely only marries two of them. I think I liked Ian a little more than Kier, though I don't think Ian was her soulmate. She loved Ian but not nearly as much as he loved her, which is a little sad if you think of it. (Bertrice Small didn't mention if Kier or Cicely loved the other more.) I had tears in my eyes when
I was totally fine with the book ending at page 408. That's why I started (and finished) another novel in the meantime before coming back to finish this one. I didn't need the extra drama with Bethia, a lousy servant Ian had fired who wanted revenge on Glengorm.
In the Afterwards, BS mentions how Queen Joan, Cicely's best friend, remarried after the assassination of King James. She married another James Stewart. Seriously, what are the odds?
April 2, 2013
This story could have been so good up until the half way point. That said, it took me a lot in the first instance to get past the heroines father and evil step-mothers story at the start - a 100 or so pages that did nothing but bore me. Then the hero is killed off (wtf?) before another hero is introduced. And worse off the heroine is comparing lovers (not in a good way) during sex with the new husband that she doesn't even like! Pa-lease! Not my kind of romance story - not at all!
October 10, 2013
I'm a big fan of Bertrice Small's books, and especially enjoy The Border Chronicles series. This is the 5th book in the series that I have read (I read some of them out of order), and while I could see some similarities in the plot to other books in the series (mostly A Dangerous Love), the story line was still engaging and interesting enough to keep my attention and offer some elements of surprise.
Ms. Small's books have a lot of historical information packed into them, and that is one reason why I have a special place in my heart for her romance novels over those of other authors. To some, all of this information may seem like a distraction from the story, but I do feel that Ms. Small weaves the plot and historical facts together in a way that it only adds to her books. It was really interesting to finally read a story that took place during the rule of King James I of Scotland, since she included some historical information about him in previous books and it was always something that caught my attention.
I enjoyed following Cecily's story and seeing her evolve throughout the book, going from the close companion of Queen Joan and her life in the Scottish court to a simple border lord's wife and dealing with the everyday tasks that involved. My one complaint with the story was the ending with the Grahames and their raid. That small story line started out well, but the final raid was pretty predictable and not very strong. I was expecting it to happen for chapters, and once I realized how close to the end of the book I was I knew it wasn't going to be more than a small bump in the whole story line. Still, it wasn't enough of a disappointment for me to give the book a lower rating.
Ms. Small's books have a lot of historical information packed into them, and that is one reason why I have a special place in my heart for her romance novels over those of other authors. To some, all of this information may seem like a distraction from the story, but I do feel that Ms. Small weaves the plot and historical facts together in a way that it only adds to her books. It was really interesting to finally read a story that took place during the rule of King James I of Scotland, since she included some historical information about him in previous books and it was always something that caught my attention.
I enjoyed following Cecily's story and seeing her evolve throughout the book, going from the close companion of Queen Joan and her life in the Scottish court to a simple border lord's wife and dealing with the everyday tasks that involved. My one complaint with the story was the ending with the Grahames and their raid. That small story line started out well, but the final raid was pretty predictable and not very strong. I was expecting it to happen for chapters, and once I realized how close to the end of the book I was I knew it wasn't going to be more than a small bump in the whole story line. Still, it wasn't enough of a disappointment for me to give the book a lower rating.
November 9, 2013
Small doesn’t simply describe specific scenes, but rather lays out entire towns and regions. She describes everything in detail while making it part of the action. The tale has many suspenseful moments, while remaining romantic in oh so many ways. She throws twists and turns at the reader, many of which are quite surprising yet all of which add greatly to the growth of the characters and of the storyline itself. Small also does a brilliant job of covering a large amount of time quickly without the reader feeling rushed or that they’re lacking important details.
The characters in this tale are such an intriguing contrast to one another that you can’t help but love them. Each is individually developed in a manner that suits both the historical time period in which they find themselves and their lot in life. A few of the characters stand out as paradoxes, yet are such real people that it heightens the story itself. I love how some of the characters are larger than life. It’s quite apparent that their station in life stokes their egos. Overall, Small shows a deep understanding of the human condition through her brilliant character development.
By the end of this tale the main character definitely has gone through the mill when it comes to love. That said, she has also found the thing we all want in life. The love she has at the end is the kind of love that every girl dreams of. It’s hard fought, hard to come by, hard to accept, yet impossible to live without once you have it. This is a tale of love and loss, and of loving again. Small embodies the time period while keeping you entertained and wanting more.
The characters in this tale are such an intriguing contrast to one another that you can’t help but love them. Each is individually developed in a manner that suits both the historical time period in which they find themselves and their lot in life. A few of the characters stand out as paradoxes, yet are such real people that it heightens the story itself. I love how some of the characters are larger than life. It’s quite apparent that their station in life stokes their egos. Overall, Small shows a deep understanding of the human condition through her brilliant character development.
By the end of this tale the main character definitely has gone through the mill when it comes to love. That said, she has also found the thing we all want in life. The love she has at the end is the kind of love that every girl dreams of. It’s hard fought, hard to come by, hard to accept, yet impossible to live without once you have it. This is a tale of love and loss, and of loving again. Small embodies the time period while keeping you entertained and wanting more.
September 23, 2013
I really enjoyed this story. In fact, I liked it so much I finished it in one weekend and it's over 400 pages.
My only problem with Small's work is her descriptions of genitalia. Phrases like "steel rod", and "love bud" just seem ridiculous to me. Particularly since even in the 1400's they had actual euphemisms for penis, vagina and clitoris and she could have used those, since the rest of the book is fairly accurate to the period.
Other than that, this book is a great example of the genre -- A Highland border lord kidnaps an English gentlewoman (a member of the Queen's court and her best friend) and eventually marries her. What happens to her after that is very interesting and enjoyable reading. And in a detail that I appreciate, at the end of the story Small takes the trouble to tell the reader what historical events in the book were true and what happened to the actual characters in real life.
A worthwhile read -- don't miss this one!
My only problem with Small's work is her descriptions of genitalia. Phrases like "steel rod", and "love bud" just seem ridiculous to me. Particularly since even in the 1400's they had actual euphemisms for penis, vagina and clitoris and she could have used those, since the rest of the book is fairly accurate to the period.
Other than that, this book is a great example of the genre -- A Highland border lord kidnaps an English gentlewoman (a member of the Queen's court and her best friend) and eventually marries her. What happens to her after that is very interesting and enjoyable reading. And in a detail that I appreciate, at the end of the story Small takes the trouble to tell the reader what historical events in the book were true and what happened to the actual characters in real life.
A worthwhile read -- don't miss this one!
November 15, 2009
This is such a hard one to rate. I loved it and hated it. I love the story of Cicily as we follow her life. I love that it is historically correct while staying interesting. I love that it helped me understand the challenges a woman faced during the 15th century. I hated that Ms. Small felt she needed to use crude, base language whenever she described sex. While not completely averse to its use within some contexts, this story flowed in such an elegant way that the repeated F-word (among others)and graphic descriptions of sex was like a splash of cold, dirty water each time it came up and totally distracted from the story.
December 28, 2010
A disappointing book. The language is stilted and immature. The characters are undeveloped, thus you can't relate to any of them. I am very bemused at how a book like this managed to get published.
August 10, 2025
There’s a lot of historical accuracy as far as ailments and healing, kings and their subjects, and general patriarchy. I wasn’t expecting there to be sexy scenes in here, but there were quite a few. I love that the author wasn’t afraid to shy away from killing off important characters, and bringing in newer, better ones. Good read if you’re into historical romance.
There is a lot of point of view switches, which I really liked, since you get a full picture of the story, like a movie.
There is a lot of point of view switches, which I really liked, since you get a full picture of the story, like a movie.
August 13, 2010
Blah... This one made me more angry than the third one! I can't say much without giving the plot away... But it's sad. I started to hate the heroine halfway through the book... She's a little bit of a brat and extremely fickle. I was happy with the ending but the good does not outweigh the bad in my opinion.
May 29, 2017
i never read for this Author ...this was my first book ...and to be honest my last...her description is full of details to the maximum. ..I bought it to read romance in historical era...not a detailed history book, and what about the death of the hero, really in the middle of the book she killed the hero, I am really disappointed
January 14, 2016
First time reading a Bertrice Small book. And my last. It was boring. I can never keep track of all the Kings and who they marry, and Which son is legitimate or a bastard. I just don't care. The hero bride-naps the heroine. And I think "Finally!" Then the hero is killed. Wtf!!!! I'm done at 64%.
February 16, 2016
this is the book where hero dies halfway in the book, seriously WTF? barely got through to the end, skipping heavily
January 7, 2021
by and1515
Cicely's father needed a male heir to carry-on his title and lands so he acquired himself a rich foreign bride.
However her stepmother wouldn't have anything to do with her and was a complete cow at the mention of her existence.
And when she finally saw her half brothers for the first time poor Cicely was punished by her stepmother for simply being there.
Her father could no long keep her safe in his own home so he found her the perfect opportunity to foster her in the home of the King's own beloved stepmother.
Life seemed to sped by and before long she was off to another country with her dearest best friend the Lady Joan.
Cicely knew her worth after all she'd been legitimized and had a fantastic dowry that would make any family happy to have her.
She definitely made quite an entrance into the Scottish court with plenty of men flocking around vying for her attention.
The moment Ian Douglas saw the English lass he was so taken with her that he was determined to have her one way or another.
She'd been kidnapped and if these two idiots honestly thought she was going to behave or any such nonsense.
He knew once they reached the safety of his home he needed to woo her as he'd never had before in hopes she'd fall for him.
No one said the road to wedded bliss would ever be easy but he wasn't about to give up.
Victory never tasted so sweet as his beautiful wife did.
However there were those who felt slighted by Ian's act but Cicely was the one who truly felt the sting of the Scottish King's temper.
Life in the borders has never been easy or even safe from rival clans wishing to relieve you of anything worth keeping.
The raids against them came with terrible high price leaving
Cicely's world completely turned up-side down.
Keir Douglas' arrival was meant make them feel safe as they all waited for Cicely to birth her and Ian's child.
Nevertheless with the birth of her daughter she felt like a complete and utter failure.
Keir truly thought the woman was going to shread his poor father to the bone and he was supposed to undo all the damage with a few pretty words.
Success had been so good but then she kept denying his request for a repeat tasting and insisted on observing the nicities that were expected and only agreed to marry after the anniversary of Ian's death.
Everyone knew life went on it didn't stop no matter how much someone wanted it too.
Keir had been doubly blessed he had the raising of Johanna Ian's and now he had a son.
Cicely prayed like she never had before her home under attack and the he appeared like a guardian angel to defend them and totally destroy their brazen enemy.
Keir had come so close to losing everything and he never told her; but he was going to rectify that mistake.
Cicely's father needed a male heir to carry-on his title and lands so he acquired himself a rich foreign bride.
However her stepmother wouldn't have anything to do with her and was a complete cow at the mention of her existence.
And when she finally saw her half brothers for the first time poor Cicely was punished by her stepmother for simply being there.
Her father could no long keep her safe in his own home so he found her the perfect opportunity to foster her in the home of the King's own beloved stepmother.
Life seemed to sped by and before long she was off to another country with her dearest best friend the Lady Joan.
Cicely knew her worth after all she'd been legitimized and had a fantastic dowry that would make any family happy to have her.
She definitely made quite an entrance into the Scottish court with plenty of men flocking around vying for her attention.
The moment Ian Douglas saw the English lass he was so taken with her that he was determined to have her one way or another.
She'd been kidnapped and if these two idiots honestly thought she was going to behave or any such nonsense.
He knew once they reached the safety of his home he needed to woo her as he'd never had before in hopes she'd fall for him.
No one said the road to wedded bliss would ever be easy but he wasn't about to give up.
Victory never tasted so sweet as his beautiful wife did.
However there were those who felt slighted by Ian's act but Cicely was the one who truly felt the sting of the Scottish King's temper.
Life in the borders has never been easy or even safe from rival clans wishing to relieve you of anything worth keeping.
The raids against them came with terrible high price leaving
Cicely's world completely turned up-side down.
Keir Douglas' arrival was meant make them feel safe as they all waited for Cicely to birth her and Ian's child.
Nevertheless with the birth of her daughter she felt like a complete and utter failure.
Keir truly thought the woman was going to shread his poor father to the bone and he was supposed to undo all the damage with a few pretty words.
Success had been so good but then she kept denying his request for a repeat tasting and insisted on observing the nicities that were expected and only agreed to marry after the anniversary of Ian's death.
Everyone knew life went on it didn't stop no matter how much someone wanted it too.
Keir had been doubly blessed he had the raising of Johanna Ian's and now he had a son.
Cicely prayed like she never had before her home under attack and the he appeared like a guardian angel to defend them and totally destroy their brazen enemy.
Keir had come so close to losing everything and he never told her; but he was going to rectify that mistake.
May 17, 2018
The Border Lord and the Lady
Bertrice Small has woven an excellent take of fiction interlaced with Scotlands proud and stories history. Clan land must stay in clans possession. Therefore when Laird Ian died another member of the same family or as near in blood as could be found was appointed Laird. That the clan didn't want to loose the widow, a match was made to keep everything as it had been,, except for the laird.
Bertrice Small has woven an excellent take of fiction interlaced with Scotlands proud and stories history. Clan land must stay in clans possession. Therefore when Laird Ian died another member of the same family or as near in blood as could be found was appointed Laird. That the clan didn't want to loose the widow, a match was made to keep everything as it had been,, except for the laird.
July 31, 2020
The book started out promising - but I knew it wouldn't be as good as the Sky O'Malley saga. 2.5/5
October 28, 2019
What a great book I picked this book up at a rummage sale and didn't know it was a set of six when I picked it up I have this one which is number four and I still have to read the other one which is number five now I have to find book one, two, three and six this was such a great book can't wait to find the rest of them and read them
June 6, 2024
This author does a great job at writing more-real, less-fluffy historical romance (relative to most). But I really struggle with her habit of killing off characters who are very precious to the main character. In this case, I was totally blindsided and cried. Which I guess means she’s a good writer, but still… not usually what I want in my romance novels.
March 30, 2020
Wonderful characters, incredible history, love and heart break. That is a Bertrice Small book. They never disappoint. This one is no different. Men whose hearts are as big as they are and women whose spirits are as strong as the stone their keeps are made of.
July 19, 2018
Great!
Worth the time to read. I highly recommend this series to anyone who lives a good romance. You won't be disappointed.
Worth the time to read. I highly recommend this series to anyone who lives a good romance. You won't be disappointed.
February 16, 2021
I feel like this book had potential to be a "choose your own adventure" type theme... Definitely not one of my favorites.
June 6, 2024
Cicely was whiney and didn't deserve Ian.
February 9, 2017
This book pulled me in from the beginning and intrigued me. I felt the characters depicted had amazing depth and challenged some conceptions I had about that particular time period. This was what you want a historical fiction book to be: a cross between reality and fiction. The scenery was depicted in rich, vivid detail. I felt as if I was a part of the story from the very beginning.
The struggle and joy Cicely found in her life throughout the novel was so honest. She was a passionate, outspoken, and proud woman who deserved the best. She somehow found a way to live that was satisfying despite all the obstacles she had to tackle. I enjoyed the plot twists and turns in this book. Every time I thought I had it figured it out, something shifted or changed. The ending of this book was good. It fit the story and the characters well.
The struggle and joy Cicely found in her life throughout the novel was so honest. She was a passionate, outspoken, and proud woman who deserved the best. She somehow found a way to live that was satisfying despite all the obstacles she had to tackle. I enjoyed the plot twists and turns in this book. Every time I thought I had it figured it out, something shifted or changed. The ending of this book was good. It fit the story and the characters well.
July 9, 2015
No jo, občas si nějakou tu zaláskovanou slátaninu chci přečíst i já. Proto spoléhám na Smallovou. Četla jsem od ní pár knih a pokaždé to mělo hlavu a patu a dokonce i slušný děj, což se o jiných podobných knihách říct nedá. Avšak tahle kniha? T_T Čekala jsem více, možná jsem dokonce chtěla udělat re-read jedné knihy, kterou už jsem od ní četla. Avšak nějak jsem to popletla - nejspíše to nebyl Pán z hranice, ale Paní z hranice... nebo Nevěsta z hranice? Hraběnka z hranice? Ta jména jsou si všechna podobná... T_T'
No, děj za nic nestál, postavy byly ploché a mám pocit, že o něčem dost podobném už jsem dokonce u samotné Smallové četla. Takže jen 2*.
No, děj za nic nestál, postavy byly ploché a mám pocit, že o něčem dost podobném už jsem dokonce u samotné Smallové četla. Takže jen 2*.
August 24, 2013
Having never read a Bertrice Small novel but had heard that they were full of sex, I was pleasantly surprised with this wonderful story of a lady who finds love twice. Yes, there was sex, but not to the extreme.
Lady Cicely Bowen is raised in the royal household and becomes friends with Lady Joan Beaufort who marries King James I of Scotland. When the entourage travels to Scotland, Ian Douglas falls head over heels in love with her, resorting to kidnapping her because of her other suitor. She comes to care for Ian after putting up a struggle. Ian is killed but the man, Kier Douglas, sent to replace Ian, wins her love.
Lady Cicely Bowen is raised in the royal household and becomes friends with Lady Joan Beaufort who marries King James I of Scotland. When the entourage travels to Scotland, Ian Douglas falls head over heels in love with her, resorting to kidnapping her because of her other suitor. She comes to care for Ian after putting up a struggle. Ian is killed but the man, Kier Douglas, sent to replace Ian, wins her love.
May 22, 2015
A typical Bertrice Small historical romance set in Scotland in the 15th century during the reign of James I. I feel like Small is most at her element when setting her stories during this time period and country. It was a satisfying story in the style that Small fans have been accustomed to: a sweeping saga, a strong heroine, meddling Royals, a bit of a history lesson, and of course her purple prose. Added to it is a wink at her previous novel Betrayed, whose characters make an unexpected cameo. Small is a master storyteller and the tale of the Border Lord and the Lady moves at a swift pace, with some enchanting moments, albeit a predictable, tried and true format.
August 7, 2010
This historical romance was so good it kept me up reading throughout the night. Cecily grew up in the Queen court along with Joan who married Scotland's King James I. Laird Ian falls instantly in love with Cecily and kidnaps her just before she was to receive another proposal. A plot development I didn't like about 3/4ths of the way though kept this from being on my favorite’s shelf. I've read all Bertrice Smalls books because I like her style of writing with constant action and very steamy. Like many of her stories this was rich in historical detail.
August 15, 2013
worst book of the series...
This book felt like a roller coaster, and not a good one.
This book started off bad, then slowly got better... and just when it was good, it got very bad again... by the end it had gotten a little bit better, but was still not great.
The "Anal" scene was tasefully done, but don't think it was necessary in this book. I know it happens, but was it necessary to put it into this book, especially since the other 3 books have not involved that.... did it make it better, no.
This book felt like a roller coaster, and not a good one.
This book started off bad, then slowly got better... and just when it was good, it got very bad again... by the end it had gotten a little bit better, but was still not great.
The "Anal" scene was tasefully done, but don't think it was necessary in this book. I know it happens, but was it necessary to put it into this book, especially since the other 3 books have not involved that.... did it make it better, no.
May 10, 2016
Good enough to pass the time by - I felt that Ian really got the short end of the stick as far as story goes, and then Kier wasn't introduced until the last bit of the book and even that it felt pushed together.
I find it a common theme in Bertrice Small's book that if a woman (or man) has multiple lover's, they always claim that 'oh, I have never been loved like the way you do it'' or something similar (love being the emotion or physical kind, it applies to both) . There is always a comparison between lovers and it's kind of cheap.
I find it a common theme in Bertrice Small's book that if a woman (or man) has multiple lover's, they always claim that 'oh, I have never been loved like the way you do it'' or something similar (love being the emotion or physical kind, it applies to both) . There is always a comparison between lovers and it's kind of cheap.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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