Wyldwood: A Novel of the Scottish Borders

by Tava Baird

September 1746, the Scottish Borders. In a country still reeling from the Jacobite uprising, Saorsa Stuart, a practicing Celtic Witch and Bonnie Prince Charlie's niece, has escaped imprisonment and must find her way west in search of her father and safety. Escorting her on the journey is Alexander Scott, a veteran of the Battle of Culloden who struggles with a dark supernatural secret. Part Faerie Tale, part romance, part adventure novel, and at its core the story of a young woman finding her own power, Wyldwood is a love story to the heritage of the Scottish Borders and the ancient tales of Scotland.

340 pages, Paperback

Published May 5, 2022

Reviews

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the story. It’s utterly fascinating. I was compelled to finish it.

However, it meanders a lot, and the pacing is uneven. The hardest thing for me to get around was the constant anachronistic language. Colloquialisms of today in America are used in 1746 Scotland in both the narration and dialogue. But also a lot of Gaelic without any translation.

This felt like an amazing first draft of a masterpiece. Ordinarily I would not finish a book with these issues, but the idea of the story is just so mesmerizing that I couldn’t put it down.

[Jennifer Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating story and characters, Magnificently written, an expertly crafted multidimensional book that will draw you in from page 1; I cannot say enough good things about it- read it and see for yourself

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love Outlander and Discovery of Witches, then meet your next series to binge. Tava Baird is a magical storyteller that spellbinds the reader. Her attention to detail while also maintaining such a freely flowing narrative is brilliant. The plot, the dialogue, the action, the romance - all moves so fluidly, I could not help but be swept away. Plus - you can tell how deeply she researched the history, the language, and the culture of 18th century Scotland (especially in the oft neglected borderlands). I stayed up way too late to finish the first two books and am biting my nails for the third!

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful, detailed romance brimming with drama, humor, adventure, and magic. The opening scene when Saorsa Stuart escapes her captors on horseback is spectacular. Alexander Scott, the love interest, is charming and kindhearted, and he holds secrets that kept me guessing. The accented dialogue is fantastic. And the bad guys are really nasty.

[Christene · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I thought the writing was wonderful. I was immersed in the world and it grabbed my attention but the romance? Not for me. I like strong women. Not falling all over the MMC, excusing the MMC sleeping with other women while he’s escorting her, constantly chasing the MMC to get attention. Saying she loves him first and he doesn’t say it back. This was just not my cup of tea and it ended up annoying me so much, I couldn’t finish the book and that’s a shame because the story and premise was good. I want to stress though that this writer is very imaginative and she writes really well. She just doesn’t write romance the way I like to read romance.

[Kimberly Starrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this via a Goodreads Giveaway, and sadly, I didn't get to it very quickly. But I think I enjoyed it more than others I have won in Giveaways. It's definitely very similar to Outlander, but it's still enjoyable. I loved getting the chapters from Mother Agnes's perspective and learning more about the Abbey. I wasn't a fan of the format of not having chapters, but that could just be the format of an arc. I'm not sure, but I was able to get past it to enjoy Sorsha and Alexander's adventures.

[Kathleen Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mesmerizing

Wow, I started reading this book and I got so enthralled by the characters. What is Alex? Is he a devil, an angel, a fae? Whatever he is, He's a mixture of Very bad and very good. His bad side Is very Disturbing, but one can't help but believe in his good side. Saorsa Is definitely truly a good and white light. The slow burn of their romance is exciting to read about. I'm looking forward to the next installment.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating and intricate

First, the bad: there were a few anachronistic words or phrases, but those are easily overlooked.

The good: the whole story. It is the story you were always looking for but could never find. Magic, love, war, and finding your strength. I want to go stand in the middle of a stone circle now.

[Jennifer Jurlando · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning and magical. I cannot wait to read the next books! Love these characters and this author so much!