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Celtic Nights #4
Laird of the Wind
The medieval Scottish warrior known as Border Hawk is called upon to protect beautiful and injured Isabel Scott, famous for her gift of prophecy, from the border wars, but the warrior and prophetess soon discover their love for Scotland is surpassed only by their love for each other. Original.
96 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 1998
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381 people want to read
About the author
Susan King
64 books110 followersSusan King, née Longhi, is a multi-published, bestselling, award-winning author and a former art history lecturer. She holds a B.A. in art and an M.A. and most of a Ph.D. in art history, with postgraduate work in medieval studies. Her books are widely praised for historical detail and a lyrical writing style, and she has won multiple honors and awards for her novels written as Susan King, Sarah Gabriel, and Susan Fraser King. Susan visits Scotland as often as possible for research and relaxation, and lives in Maryland with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
October 8, 2014
Worthy Hawk-Themed Medieval Romance
This was my first by Susan King and I really enjoyed it. She paints rich visual images of the times and the places and the characters are well described and memorable.
Set in Scotland in the early 14th century, this is the story of Isobel of Aberlady who has a gift of visions that describe events to come. Her father and the family priest guard her gift and take notes when she has the visions as she remembers nothing afterwards. Believing he will protect her, her father betroths her to a strong knight, Ralph Leslie, but Ralph is not a man she would choose. One of her visions is of a man she calls the Laird of the Wind...a hawk of the forest...who will betray William Wallace.
James (Jamie) Lindsay, who was once a Scottish knight and laird, is now living as an outlaw and has lost his lands because he was accused of betraying Wallace. It seems Isobel's vision, which has become widely known, had something to do with that. He has become known as "the Border Hawk" who with a few of his men lives in the forest and raids the English. When Isobel's castle is besieged by the English because the King wants Isobel for her visions, the Border Hawk comes to her rescue, but he does so only because he wants to exchange her for his cousin Margaret who is being held captive.
It is in the forest where Isobel and Jamie recognize each other as soulmates. Ah love....
The story is "hawk themed" in many ways, not only the hero and villain both being described as hawks, but there are two hawks prominently featured, a red tailed hawk kept by Jamie's aunt and the goshawk that Jamie trains with Isobel while they are living in the forest.
The story held my interest and the characters were both likeable and believable (some quite delightful). The love between Jamie and Isobel develops naturally, though I was a bit disappointed in the love scene.
The others in the Celtic series:
THE SWORD MAIDEN
THE SWAN MAIDEN
THE SWORD MAIDEN
LAIRD OF THE WIND
This was my first by Susan King and I really enjoyed it. She paints rich visual images of the times and the places and the characters are well described and memorable.
Set in Scotland in the early 14th century, this is the story of Isobel of Aberlady who has a gift of visions that describe events to come. Her father and the family priest guard her gift and take notes when she has the visions as she remembers nothing afterwards. Believing he will protect her, her father betroths her to a strong knight, Ralph Leslie, but Ralph is not a man she would choose. One of her visions is of a man she calls the Laird of the Wind...a hawk of the forest...who will betray William Wallace.
James (Jamie) Lindsay, who was once a Scottish knight and laird, is now living as an outlaw and has lost his lands because he was accused of betraying Wallace. It seems Isobel's vision, which has become widely known, had something to do with that. He has become known as "the Border Hawk" who with a few of his men lives in the forest and raids the English. When Isobel's castle is besieged by the English because the King wants Isobel for her visions, the Border Hawk comes to her rescue, but he does so only because he wants to exchange her for his cousin Margaret who is being held captive.
It is in the forest where Isobel and Jamie recognize each other as soulmates. Ah love....
The story is "hawk themed" in many ways, not only the hero and villain both being described as hawks, but there are two hawks prominently featured, a red tailed hawk kept by Jamie's aunt and the goshawk that Jamie trains with Isobel while they are living in the forest.
The story held my interest and the characters were both likeable and believable (some quite delightful). The love between Jamie and Isobel develops naturally, though I was a bit disappointed in the love scene.
The others in the Celtic series:
THE SWORD MAIDEN
THE SWAN MAIDEN
THE SWORD MAIDEN
LAIRD OF THE WIND
February 6, 2011
Okay, so I ran a marathon of Susan King novels in my trip to Europe. Sorta. And I've discovered a few things.
First, that my most 'critical' reviews are often of books I end up rating 5 stars. I guess that's probably because I find more stuff to critizice when I'm actually paying attention to/caring about the book.
Secondly, that Susan King has a strict formula to make these books. So far I've only read The Sword Maiden, Black Thorne's Rose, and Laird of the Wind and I had to admit, they are all very similar. They all have a princess or damsel in distress who is often very delicate-looking but with a strong heart, and who's family and/or home is in danger (usually no mother and a captive father/brother who she has to save). Then, there's her new fiancé (or whatever, the guy she is forced to marry) who is always the bad guy but who can always somehow save her family so she consents. Third, the hero. Dropdead sexy and an outlaw with two 'mandatory' characteristics: a love for the forest and a hobby which he can after teach to the heroine in special and sometimes tiring detail, but which then leads to some hot scenes (See: swordmaking, archery, hawk training, etc). Change the names, the hair colour, the hobby, the setting (switch forest for waterfall or cave) and that's about it. The circumstances are usually the same. So, I decided these were three versions of the same book. But the thing is, I love that book, lol. And every version of it.
It's got no weird twists or it is not that kind of book you find yourself gripping to see what happens, you can often tell what's gonna happen but still, it's a fun ride. Susan King's novels are simple, yet fun and sweet. Perfect if you have some spare time and are craving for some romance that you know will leave you smiling.
First, that my most 'critical' reviews are often of books I end up rating 5 stars. I guess that's probably because I find more stuff to critizice when I'm actually paying attention to/caring about the book.
Secondly, that Susan King has a strict formula to make these books. So far I've only read The Sword Maiden, Black Thorne's Rose, and Laird of the Wind and I had to admit, they are all very similar. They all have a princess or damsel in distress who is often very delicate-looking but with a strong heart, and who's family and/or home is in danger (usually no mother and a captive father/brother who she has to save). Then, there's her new fiancé (or whatever, the guy she is forced to marry) who is always the bad guy but who can always somehow save her family so she consents. Third, the hero. Dropdead sexy and an outlaw with two 'mandatory' characteristics: a love for the forest and a hobby which he can after teach to the heroine in special and sometimes tiring detail, but which then leads to some hot scenes (See: swordmaking, archery, hawk training, etc). Change the names, the hair colour, the hobby, the setting (switch forest for waterfall or cave) and that's about it. The circumstances are usually the same. So, I decided these were three versions of the same book. But the thing is, I love that book, lol. And every version of it.
It's got no weird twists or it is not that kind of book you find yourself gripping to see what happens, you can often tell what's gonna happen but still, it's a fun ride. Susan King's novels are simple, yet fun and sweet. Perfect if you have some spare time and are craving for some romance that you know will leave you smiling.
January 8, 2014
I think I'm actually being generous with 3 stars. The book moves real slow but my biggest complaint is the amount of information we get on hawks. Falconry, hawks, what they eat, how they sleep, sizes, colors, shapes, everything you can imagine about hawks in medieval times. It was a manual for hawk owners, paragraphs and paragraphs of useless info on hawks. There is a metaphor about the hero being like a hawk (hence he is the Laird of the Wind) so the hawk references were supposed to be relevant. But it got tedious after a while. The romance was ok, not amazing either. The historical stuff I liked but the story didn't grab me. I think there are many highlander books out there that are much more entertaining IMO.
June 6, 2021
Of the series, I enjoyed this book the most. However, as with the rest of the books, the plot moves slowly, and more attention is put on one of the main character's skills than in developing the story. In this case, it is the training of a goshawk. James Lindsay is a strong hero and although Isobel is a fairly strong woman, her visions and prophecies have made her emotionally fragile and dependent on the people around her. If those people are less than honorable, she is put in jeopardy. This romance is a standalone and comes to a very successful conclusion. I was quite gleeful at how it came about! Although I purchased and read this novel about 10 years ago, I also received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily post this review. This is my honest review.
January 11, 2014
3.5 Stars! Book of the month in Western and Medieval Romance Lovers group for January, my nomination won! It'd been years since I read anything by Susan King, though I have read a couple by her in the past and remember really enjoying them. Never read this one though, so wasn't real sure what to expect.
Right away though, I was drawn into the medieval setting. This book is no 'wallpaper' historical. To me, the author put a great amount of work into the research. I felt like I was there, the characters were very believable for the time period, as were the things that happened. I liked that very much. The heroine managed to be strong of will without being all feminist and feisty. She managed to stay soft and gentle without being overly weak as well. It was actually somewhat nice to have a heroine who isn't feisty and independent for a change. The hero was well-made as well. I could feel for the things he believed in. I liked his strength and honor. Yes, I even liked his 'hawk' stuff. I've always had a bit of a fascination with hawks and falconry. It's always a thrill to spot one flying or perched on a wire. So I actually enjoyed all the bits about the bird, and how they cared for him, slowly gained his trust. Plus, the darn bird had me giggling a few times with his temper tantrums, his bating. I never knew hawks would/could do that. I learned quite a bit about hawks in this story. Maybe more than is really necessary for a romance novel, but hey. The romance here was definitely a slow burn. Like, slow. Which, to me, was also a nice change. The last few roms I've read had the H/h lusting for each other super-quick, making out quite frequently, doing it like rabbits... This book was kind of refreshing in its focus on the plot rather than the lust. Sure, he thought she was beautiful, and she was drawn to his strength and caring, but the lustful thoughts were mellow, subdued. The few kisses they shared were sweet and tender rather than tonsil-honkey and drool. The love scene, when it came, was sweet, and did not use any crudeness at all. I liked how their connection was a slow build-up, until neither one could resist. The secondary characters added to the whole as well. I didn't get that feeling that every one of them was being built up to get a book of their own, like so many authors do nowadays. They all had roles to play, and they stayed true to them. The villain wasn't even psychotic, he was just a normal guy, doing the wrong things, for the wrong reasons.
I'm actually very pleased with this read. If it wasn't for it winning as book of the month, who knows how long it would've been hanging on the TBR awaiting my attention. I didn't even know I was in the mood for a story like this until I was immersed in it. Kinda makes me want to go dig out the other couple books I have by this author and give them a re-read. I just might make that a mission for this year, to read at least one more. 3.5 Stars!
Right away though, I was drawn into the medieval setting. This book is no 'wallpaper' historical. To me, the author put a great amount of work into the research. I felt like I was there, the characters were very believable for the time period, as were the things that happened. I liked that very much. The heroine managed to be strong of will without being all feminist and feisty. She managed to stay soft and gentle without being overly weak as well. It was actually somewhat nice to have a heroine who isn't feisty and independent for a change. The hero was well-made as well. I could feel for the things he believed in. I liked his strength and honor. Yes, I even liked his 'hawk' stuff. I've always had a bit of a fascination with hawks and falconry. It's always a thrill to spot one flying or perched on a wire. So I actually enjoyed all the bits about the bird, and how they cared for him, slowly gained his trust. Plus, the darn bird had me giggling a few times with his temper tantrums, his bating. I never knew hawks would/could do that. I learned quite a bit about hawks in this story. Maybe more than is really necessary for a romance novel, but hey. The romance here was definitely a slow burn. Like, slow. Which, to me, was also a nice change. The last few roms I've read had the H/h lusting for each other super-quick, making out quite frequently, doing it like rabbits... This book was kind of refreshing in its focus on the plot rather than the lust. Sure, he thought she was beautiful, and she was drawn to his strength and caring, but the lustful thoughts were mellow, subdued. The few kisses they shared were sweet and tender rather than tonsil-honkey and drool. The love scene, when it came, was sweet, and did not use any crudeness at all. I liked how their connection was a slow build-up, until neither one could resist. The secondary characters added to the whole as well. I didn't get that feeling that every one of them was being built up to get a book of their own, like so many authors do nowadays. They all had roles to play, and they stayed true to them. The villain wasn't even psychotic, he was just a normal guy, doing the wrong things, for the wrong reasons.
I'm actually very pleased with this read. If it wasn't for it winning as book of the month, who knows how long it would've been hanging on the TBR awaiting my attention. I didn't even know I was in the mood for a story like this until I was immersed in it. Kinda makes me want to go dig out the other couple books I have by this author and give them a re-read. I just might make that a mission for this year, to read at least one more. 3.5 Stars!
August 13, 2016
This book consisted of Scottish history, falconry, and adventure with a little bit of romance (and even a paranormal element, as well). I would have preferred the romance to be a bigger part of the story. Overall the story line wasn't that compelling and I could have easily not finished it.
This is the first book I've read from this author and not sure I want to read any others, based upon this experience.
This is the first book I've read from this author and not sure I want to read any others, based upon this experience.
May 20, 2012
From the look of the book cover, you would think this is a hot & heavy romance novel...not so! It is Scottish historical fiction from the time of William Wallace & Robert the Bruce.
April 28, 2025
**MINOR SPOILERS**
This is the first book in the Celtic Hearts trilogy. I bought it during a 99c sale on amazon in order to try a new author. In the preface, the author mentions that the book was originally published under the title “Laird of the Wind” but was revised and updated with new content for this release. The preface also says that the author has won awards, and her books are best sellers. In addition, the author publishes under the name Sara Gabriel and Susan Fraser King.
William Wallace and a few other historical figures were mentioned. It was interesting to get a peek into the First War of Scottish Independence.
Isobel, the female main character, has a prophetic gift. When she has a vision, she does not remember what she saw, or if she does, just flashes. It also causes her to go temporarily blind. At the beginning of the story, she has a vision which implies that James Linday, the male main character, is guilty of treason and betrayal. Spoiler, later you find out that her father and a priest interpreted her dreams. It opens up the possibility that they massaged the message that she gave. In addition, there is an interesting development and explanation about her blindness that I thought was well done.
James is an outlaw and in hiding. To rescue his relative, he takes Isobel hostage and wants to make an exchange for her. The English king wants Isobel in order to use her ability to have visions.
Isobel is 26 and James is over 30. It was very surprising that Isobel had not married, but this was ascribed to the fact that she had visions. Her father wanted to keep her and protect her. She is now engaged to an older man whom she does not want to marry.
The relationship develops between James and Isobel with a few nice moments. I particularly liked the moment that James realizes he loves her.
They have a lot against them – he is an outlaw, she is wanted for her visions, the overall context of the Scottish/English conflicts, and the betrayals that come in a war situation. I thought it was navigated well and had a good pace.
The book seems formulaic in spots.
The references to falconry were interesting and informative. There were the inevitable comparison of taming the hawk to James’ relationship with Isobel.
The POV switches between Isobel and James.
There are a few minor editing mistakes.
I probably will not continue reading the series or the author.
This is the first book in the Celtic Hearts trilogy. I bought it during a 99c sale on amazon in order to try a new author. In the preface, the author mentions that the book was originally published under the title “Laird of the Wind” but was revised and updated with new content for this release. The preface also says that the author has won awards, and her books are best sellers. In addition, the author publishes under the name Sara Gabriel and Susan Fraser King.
William Wallace and a few other historical figures were mentioned. It was interesting to get a peek into the First War of Scottish Independence.
Isobel, the female main character, has a prophetic gift. When she has a vision, she does not remember what she saw, or if she does, just flashes. It also causes her to go temporarily blind. At the beginning of the story, she has a vision which implies that James Linday, the male main character, is guilty of treason and betrayal. Spoiler, later you find out that her father and a priest interpreted her dreams. It opens up the possibility that they massaged the message that she gave. In addition, there is an interesting development and explanation about her blindness that I thought was well done.
James is an outlaw and in hiding. To rescue his relative, he takes Isobel hostage and wants to make an exchange for her. The English king wants Isobel in order to use her ability to have visions.
Isobel is 26 and James is over 30. It was very surprising that Isobel had not married, but this was ascribed to the fact that she had visions. Her father wanted to keep her and protect her. She is now engaged to an older man whom she does not want to marry.
The relationship develops between James and Isobel with a few nice moments. I particularly liked the moment that James realizes he loves her.
They have a lot against them – he is an outlaw, she is wanted for her visions, the overall context of the Scottish/English conflicts, and the betrayals that come in a war situation. I thought it was navigated well and had a good pace.
The book seems formulaic in spots.
The references to falconry were interesting and informative. There were the inevitable comparison of taming the hawk to James’ relationship with Isobel.
The POV switches between Isobel and James.
There are a few minor editing mistakes.
I probably will not continue reading the series or the author.
June 13, 2020
Qué bien escribe Susan King. Qué delicia el conocimiento que tiene de la historia medieval y de sus detalles. Qué maravillosa experiencia leer un libro en donde se detalla de forma tan entretenida el arte de la cetrería, y qué héroe tan maravilloso es James Lindsay. Un hombre fascinante y lleno de talentos, de pasiones, de virtud y de dolor. Isobel La Negra no pierde brillo a su lado, los dos se complementan. Como si el amor auténtico surgiese no solo del mutuo conocimiento sino del propio.
De aprender a reconocerse y valorarse uno mismo.
Si estás buscando una novela rápida que te entretenga, no es la tuya. Si deseas disfrutar sin prisa y perderte de lleno en otro mundo, narrado con todo tipo de detalles (la comida, la ropa, la música, las leyendas), este es el tuyo.
Es el primero que leí de la serie, y con el que más disfruté. Pero es que siempre, desde niña, me han fascinado las aves rapaces, los señores del viento.
Hay que reconocer que Susan King se repite en sus esquemas y que sus siguientes novelas parecen cortadas por un mismo patrón. Como si los personajes fuesen una excusa (aunque no tratados de modo superficial precisamente) para adentrarnos en una leyenda, una artesanía, un personaje histórico real...
Susan King no parece querer sorprendernos: al fin y al cabo, somos lectoras de romántica y sabemos jugar a ese juego. Lo que parece querer es que nos subamos a su nave del tiempo y nos dejemos llevar.
Junto con Flores en la Tormenta, de Kinsale, y de forma muy personal, es sin duda mi libro favorito, al que le sigue muy de cerca "La doncella de piedra".
De aprender a reconocerse y valorarse uno mismo.
Si estás buscando una novela rápida que te entretenga, no es la tuya. Si deseas disfrutar sin prisa y perderte de lleno en otro mundo, narrado con todo tipo de detalles (la comida, la ropa, la música, las leyendas), este es el tuyo.
Es el primero que leí de la serie, y con el que más disfruté. Pero es que siempre, desde niña, me han fascinado las aves rapaces, los señores del viento.
Hay que reconocer que Susan King se repite en sus esquemas y que sus siguientes novelas parecen cortadas por un mismo patrón. Como si los personajes fuesen una excusa (aunque no tratados de modo superficial precisamente) para adentrarnos en una leyenda, una artesanía, un personaje histórico real...
Susan King no parece querer sorprendernos: al fin y al cabo, somos lectoras de romántica y sabemos jugar a ese juego. Lo que parece querer es que nos subamos a su nave del tiempo y nos dejemos llevar.
Junto con Flores en la Tormenta, de Kinsale, y de forma muy personal, es sin duda mi libro favorito, al que le sigue muy de cerca "La doncella de piedra".
June 10, 2021
Isabel Scott is the daughter of a laird that has kept her safely hidden within the walls of their home because of her gift of prophecy. So when she is kidnapped to be traded off she gets a taste of the outside world. And in her captivity with the outlaw she has more freedom than she has ever had. Her “fiancé” wants her to make prophecies for the Kind and wants them to be for the King of England.
The Border Hawk, Jamie Lindsay is trying to get his cousin back so he kidnaps Isabel as a trade because her “fiancé” is the one who is keeping his cousin. He ends up rescuing her before he tells her that she is a captive. They have many adventures and several personal struggles that they both have to overcome. Both end up realizing things that completely opened their minds up to new possibilities.
I enjoyed this book. I was rooting for the main couple because they seemed too bloom as people together. As always Ralph was the villain you love to hate. I like that her father realized the error in his ways. There were a couple other secrets that I never managed to guess. I enjoyed the length of the book it let me know the characters more and let me get more of a story.
I got this book for free to review from ebook discovery in exchange for an honest review. The opinions in this review are 100% my own
The Border Hawk, Jamie Lindsay is trying to get his cousin back so he kidnaps Isabel as a trade because her “fiancé” is the one who is keeping his cousin. He ends up rescuing her before he tells her that she is a captive. They have many adventures and several personal struggles that they both have to overcome. Both end up realizing things that completely opened their minds up to new possibilities.
I enjoyed this book. I was rooting for the main couple because they seemed too bloom as people together. As always Ralph was the villain you love to hate. I like that her father realized the error in his ways. There were a couple other secrets that I never managed to guess. I enjoyed the length of the book it let me know the characters more and let me get more of a story.
I got this book for free to review from ebook discovery in exchange for an honest review. The opinions in this review are 100% my own
June 2, 2024
This is the fist book of the series Celtic Hearts and my first time reading something by this author. I think she did a really nice job of bringing the story and the characters to life. Isobel has the gift of visions. Her father wants to protect her and betrothed her to a strong night. But Isobel sees a different man in her visions, a man called the Laird of the Wind who was once a laird but is now an outlaw. When he comes to her rescue after her castle is attacked by the English, he has only one goal in mind. To use her as a bargaining chip to have his captured cousin released. But James soon realizes that although he loves his cousin dearly, Isobel has also taken up space in his heart. He no longer wants to trade Isobel, but how will he save his cousin?
A well-written story that captured my attention from start to finish. Both Isobel and James were strong characters and I enjoyed watching their relationship develop. The story was entertaining and enjoyable and I look forward to reading more by this author.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing and am voluntarily leaving my review.
A well-written story that captured my attention from start to finish. Both Isobel and James were strong characters and I enjoyed watching their relationship develop. The story was entertaining and enjoyable and I look forward to reading more by this author.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and Dragonblade Publishing and am voluntarily leaving my review.
May 27, 2024
We have Lady Isobel gifted with prophesy that also results in temporary blindness when the gift comes over her!
Her father Lord John Sefton has used a priest and Sir Ralph to “guard” her and the gift! Isobel is promised to Sir Ralph believing in her sheltered ignorance she and her gift will be safe.
Sir Ralph has his own agenda and has bartered her to an English King to say what he wants to hear!
When Jamie hears of Isobel he believes she is a merciless prophetess using others! He quickly realized she is a genuine person that is much older than he thought and beautiful but unaware of her attraction!
When Jamie rescues Isobel from a siege brought on by the English King who would posses her and her gift things change dramatically!
While on the run Jamie and Isobel rescue a hawk but also find that love can’t be ignored!
With Jamie’s and others life on the line Isobel makes an impossible choice!
All bets are off when she is forced to wed! It seems there is no hope for a HEA!
This story contains several highs and lows against impossible odds. Can love win? Bravo
Her father Lord John Sefton has used a priest and Sir Ralph to “guard” her and the gift! Isobel is promised to Sir Ralph believing in her sheltered ignorance she and her gift will be safe.
Sir Ralph has his own agenda and has bartered her to an English King to say what he wants to hear!
When Jamie hears of Isobel he believes she is a merciless prophetess using others! He quickly realized she is a genuine person that is much older than he thought and beautiful but unaware of her attraction!
When Jamie rescues Isobel from a siege brought on by the English King who would posses her and her gift things change dramatically!
While on the run Jamie and Isobel rescue a hawk but also find that love can’t be ignored!
With Jamie’s and others life on the line Isobel makes an impossible choice!
All bets are off when she is forced to wed! It seems there is no hope for a HEA!
This story contains several highs and lows against impossible odds. Can love win? Bravo
September 24, 2019
The story is loosely based on the betrayal of William Wallace and the loyal Scots who followed him. Isobel has the Gift of Prophesy and has been guarded by her parents like the fairytale princess in a castle ever since she was 13 when her Gift manifested itself. Whenever she had visions, she turns blind afterwards plus she cannot remember what she saw so a scribe must be present (as well as her father to listen) to note down her prophesies and both ask clarifying questions while she is still in a trance. Her Gift is valuable to the future of Scotland and of special interest to the King of England. This also maps out Isobel's awareness and rude awakening to the politics of men and her passive role as a woman in a manipulative world of men in that particular timeline. I think this is well~written with just the right amount of pathos and a balance of the characters' being not caricature~like with regard to their sense of right and wrong so that they can be relatable and real.
January 30, 2022
Esta magnifica novela de romance escocés, transcurre entre el asesinato de William Wallace y la coronación de Robert de Bruce; una se encariña con los personajes que tienen muchas facetas y aprende junto a Isobel el arte de la cetreria. El relato es clásico, el desarrollo de los sentimientos es medido pero arrollador..
.Isobel tiene el don de la profecía, pero no es libre: su padre, su confesor y posteriormente su prometido abusan de su don obligándolo a mantener secciones que la dejan agotada y ciega... Cuando predice la muerte de William Wallace, Ralph Leslie su prometido- y traidor a escocia- y su confesor targiversan sus dichos para cubrir sus propia traición. Es así como Jamie Lindsay, antiguo señor de Windows, rebelde, proscrito y gran guerrero decide raptarla para averiguar porqué lo ha difamado y para pedir rescate y salvar a su prima, prisionera de los ingleses... Pero nada resultará tan simple ; y curiosamente raptandola Jamie le dará libertad.
Me gustó.
.Isobel tiene el don de la profecía, pero no es libre: su padre, su confesor y posteriormente su prometido abusan de su don obligándolo a mantener secciones que la dejan agotada y ciega... Cuando predice la muerte de William Wallace, Ralph Leslie su prometido- y traidor a escocia- y su confesor targiversan sus dichos para cubrir sus propia traición. Es así como Jamie Lindsay, antiguo señor de Windows, rebelde, proscrito y gran guerrero decide raptarla para averiguar porqué lo ha difamado y para pedir rescate y salvar a su prima, prisionera de los ingleses... Pero nada resultará tan simple ; y curiosamente raptandola Jamie le dará libertad.
Me gustó.
February 29, 2024
Betrayal, magic, and love abound in Susan King's novel, the Hawk Laird.
Black Isobel is the prophetess of Scotland in this fantastical story set in the 1300's. Scotland is on the brink of war with the English, rebels of Scotland fighting from every nook and cranny of this savagely fierce country. Isobel is known for her glimpses of this battle's future, yet she pays a terrible price in exchange. Her freedom. Her father and her betrothed, along with a priest who has forsaken God, have locked her away in her family castle for her "protection." To defend her, "feeble female mind." But when her castle is under siege by the English, her father has been arrested for treason, and her fiance has apparently abandoned her, Black Isobel knows she is going to die. Until a handsome, dangerous laird with a broken past comes to her rescue if only to use for his purposes. James Lindsay, otherwise known as the Hawk Laird, plans to trade Black Isobel in exchange for another woman dear to his heart Isobel's fiance has been holding hostage. Janet. But as James and Isobel grow closer, the Hawk Laird is forced to decide. Is it revenge he wants? Or his one chance at love?
While this novel was decent, I have to say, that several parts of this book annoyed and disgusted me. First off, the characters were ridiculous and underdeveloped. Isobel frustrated me, and the chapters dragged on so much. The author seemed to need to use her thesaurus for everything. She actually used genuflecting in chapter one, and actually misused a word. [bemused] Normally, when I'm reading romances, time flies by and I'm devastated when I reach the end. The Hawk Laird had me constantly checking the chapter I was on to see how close I was to the end, and I was relieved when I finished it. Isobel was so weak and had the maturity of a fifteen-year-old girl. And the same under-developed brain to match. In Chapter Two, she thought, "Isobel rose boldly to face the embrasure gap, sure the English would stop when they saw her there." She was then immediately shot by an arrow. What sort of person stands on an embrasure when it is being fired at because they thought they were immune? The only decent parts of this book came from James's perspective, especially when he thought, "And he waited, silent and still, while a slender, ebony-haired girl cradled a pale rose amid destruction." But even he was unfortunately cringe as well. Let me list the worst lines from this book, by chapter.
"I trust you, Isobel Seton of Aberlady, or I would not tell you that." He smiled again and winked." -Chapter Six
"She watched him go, glad to have found a friend among outlaws." - Chapter Six [She was talking about a boy she met three seconds ago who smiled at her and gave her an oatcake. She's clingier than Real Housewife of Chicago.]
"Ah. I thought you sang it because you longed for the peace of the monkish life." - Chapter Fourteen. [She is not sarcastic, this idiot is actually 100% serious.]
"Seeing the gentle swell of his lips." - Chapter Fourteen [That is the WORST possible way to describe a mouth ever]
"I became cold inside. Fierce." - Chapter Eighteen [Well that's not cringey at all.]
"You are the man who took my heart" - Chapter Eighteen [How. My only question. HOW]
"Saint Ursula, patron of virgins, ran away from the marriage she protested. She took her female companions with her. Eleven thousand of them."- Chapter Nineteen [...if you don't mean for that to be gay, don't make it sound so gay]
"Isobel swallowed back a sob, but she could not reveal any feeling to the outlaw." - Chapter Twenty-Five. [TWO SECONDS AGO YOU WERE SCREAMING FOR THEM TO SAVE HIM HOW ARE YOU SHOWING NO EMOTION? I need explanations.]
"I only said what you wanted to hear," Leslie interrupted." - Chapter Twenty-Six [Wow, who doesn't love the complete villain-fession.]
Ahh, who doesn't love lines that just REEK of cringe? It gets worse, but I refuse to share spoilers, so you just get to wait and see! Now that you can see why Isobel and James annoyed me, I can explain about side characters that made me scream inside. In a bad way.
#1- Janet.
Who doesn't love the good old-fashioned whore? Janet, the woman who her cousin is venturing so courageously to save! Who is being missed by a man who loves her beyond measure! A woman who decided to sleep with her captor in exchange for better conditions! You know, someone who exchanges sexual favors for payment is the definition of a prostitute. The whole book kept talking about how brave she was, how daring, and yet when she needed to show courage, she chose to go the coward's way. When she meets her lover's betrothed, Janet is cold to her and ignores the betrothal so she won't have to face the fact she is sleeping with a man who will marry another. "I came to tell you Janet was waiting for you in your chamber." - Chapter Twenty-Seven. Nope.
Not cowardly at all.
#2- Sir Ralph Leslie
The villain! The evil character we have to hate! I didn't hate him though, I was...apathetic. Ralph was stereotypical. He has a side chick while he's engaged, betrays his country in exchange for money, and locks up his soon-to-be father-in-law. Oh, and he also treats his betrothed like an animal! Real lovable. ain't he? He was underdeveloped, given the worst lines, and I honestly felt nothing for him.
Yay! I finished the book! That's the first thing I have to say at the end. While the characters were RIDICULOUS and the language could get a little too purple-y, it was still a book with a very decent plot, a few sweet characters I loved [Sir Gawain, I'm talking to you!], and a feel-good ending you can't help but smile over. While I wouldn't find this book a serious read, or a new favorite, it would still be a nice go-to if you need a light-hearted book that'll just give you some smiles and laughs. A 3/5 read that I would recommend to fans of Manda Collins and Virginia Heath.
Black Isobel is the prophetess of Scotland in this fantastical story set in the 1300's. Scotland is on the brink of war with the English, rebels of Scotland fighting from every nook and cranny of this savagely fierce country. Isobel is known for her glimpses of this battle's future, yet she pays a terrible price in exchange. Her freedom. Her father and her betrothed, along with a priest who has forsaken God, have locked her away in her family castle for her "protection." To defend her, "feeble female mind." But when her castle is under siege by the English, her father has been arrested for treason, and her fiance has apparently abandoned her, Black Isobel knows she is going to die. Until a handsome, dangerous laird with a broken past comes to her rescue if only to use for his purposes. James Lindsay, otherwise known as the Hawk Laird, plans to trade Black Isobel in exchange for another woman dear to his heart Isobel's fiance has been holding hostage. Janet. But as James and Isobel grow closer, the Hawk Laird is forced to decide. Is it revenge he wants? Or his one chance at love?
While this novel was decent, I have to say, that several parts of this book annoyed and disgusted me. First off, the characters were ridiculous and underdeveloped. Isobel frustrated me, and the chapters dragged on so much. The author seemed to need to use her thesaurus for everything. She actually used genuflecting in chapter one, and actually misused a word. [bemused] Normally, when I'm reading romances, time flies by and I'm devastated when I reach the end. The Hawk Laird had me constantly checking the chapter I was on to see how close I was to the end, and I was relieved when I finished it. Isobel was so weak and had the maturity of a fifteen-year-old girl. And the same under-developed brain to match. In Chapter Two, she thought, "Isobel rose boldly to face the embrasure gap, sure the English would stop when they saw her there." She was then immediately shot by an arrow. What sort of person stands on an embrasure when it is being fired at because they thought they were immune? The only decent parts of this book came from James's perspective, especially when he thought, "And he waited, silent and still, while a slender, ebony-haired girl cradled a pale rose amid destruction." But even he was unfortunately cringe as well. Let me list the worst lines from this book, by chapter.
"I trust you, Isobel Seton of Aberlady, or I would not tell you that." He smiled again and winked." -Chapter Six
"She watched him go, glad to have found a friend among outlaws." - Chapter Six [She was talking about a boy she met three seconds ago who smiled at her and gave her an oatcake. She's clingier than Real Housewife of Chicago.]
"Ah. I thought you sang it because you longed for the peace of the monkish life." - Chapter Fourteen. [She is not sarcastic, this idiot is actually 100% serious.]
"Seeing the gentle swell of his lips." - Chapter Fourteen [That is the WORST possible way to describe a mouth ever]
"I became cold inside. Fierce." - Chapter Eighteen [Well that's not cringey at all.]
"You are the man who took my heart" - Chapter Eighteen [How. My only question. HOW]
"Saint Ursula, patron of virgins, ran away from the marriage she protested. She took her female companions with her. Eleven thousand of them."- Chapter Nineteen [...if you don't mean for that to be gay, don't make it sound so gay]
"Isobel swallowed back a sob, but she could not reveal any feeling to the outlaw." - Chapter Twenty-Five. [TWO SECONDS AGO YOU WERE SCREAMING FOR THEM TO SAVE HIM HOW ARE YOU SHOWING NO EMOTION? I need explanations.]
"I only said what you wanted to hear," Leslie interrupted." - Chapter Twenty-Six [Wow, who doesn't love the complete villain-fession.]
Ahh, who doesn't love lines that just REEK of cringe? It gets worse, but I refuse to share spoilers, so you just get to wait and see! Now that you can see why Isobel and James annoyed me, I can explain about side characters that made me scream inside. In a bad way.
#1- Janet.
Who doesn't love the good old-fashioned whore? Janet, the woman who her cousin is venturing so courageously to save! Who is being missed by a man who loves her beyond measure! A woman who decided to sleep with her captor in exchange for better conditions! You know, someone who exchanges sexual favors for payment is the definition of a prostitute. The whole book kept talking about how brave she was, how daring, and yet when she needed to show courage, she chose to go the coward's way. When she meets her lover's betrothed, Janet is cold to her and ignores the betrothal so she won't have to face the fact she is sleeping with a man who will marry another. "I came to tell you Janet was waiting for you in your chamber." - Chapter Twenty-Seven. Nope.
Not cowardly at all.
#2- Sir Ralph Leslie
The villain! The evil character we have to hate! I didn't hate him though, I was...apathetic. Ralph was stereotypical. He has a side chick while he's engaged, betrays his country in exchange for money, and locks up his soon-to-be father-in-law. Oh, and he also treats his betrothed like an animal! Real lovable. ain't he? He was underdeveloped, given the worst lines, and I honestly felt nothing for him.
Yay! I finished the book! That's the first thing I have to say at the end. While the characters were RIDICULOUS and the language could get a little too purple-y, it was still a book with a very decent plot, a few sweet characters I loved [Sir Gawain, I'm talking to you!], and a feel-good ending you can't help but smile over. While I wouldn't find this book a serious read, or a new favorite, it would still be a nice go-to if you need a light-hearted book that'll just give you some smiles and laughs. A 3/5 read that I would recommend to fans of Manda Collins and Virginia Heath.
May 25, 2024
One of the best medieval-set historical romances I've read for a long time. I loved the effortless immersion in history and research this tale was, while yet remaining beautifully written and undeniably romantic. I was impressed by the depth of research into hawking and the way in which themes of hawking wove through the story and even influenced the hero's character. Yet the historical underpinning never intruded or turned into info-dump. Another delightful aspect of this Scottish romance was the refreshing absence of fake Scottish lingo. If I open a Scottish novel to find it peppered with "ye", "dinna", and "wee lassies", I generally slam it shut pretty quickly. Susan King wisely avoided putting me through this pain.
Highly recommended for depth of characters, research, and historical setting!
Highly recommended for depth of characters, research, and historical setting!
June 2, 2021
The Prophetess and The Rebel
Laird of the Wind is an engrossing stand alone novel with lots of passion and intrigue. Susan King is a good writer with a flair for historical details integrated into a vivid, if not brutal, backdrop. The lead characters are honest and deep, and the supporting characters are essential to the action. The story is tightly woven with several plot twists. Finally, the ending is happy, but the epilogue could have been better.
Content 411: This book contains little to no swearing, some passionate kissing and one mildly described sexually intimate scene.
Disclosure: I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
Laird of the Wind is an engrossing stand alone novel with lots of passion and intrigue. Susan King is a good writer with a flair for historical details integrated into a vivid, if not brutal, backdrop. The lead characters are honest and deep, and the supporting characters are essential to the action. The story is tightly woven with several plot twists. Finally, the ending is happy, but the epilogue could have been better.
Content 411: This book contains little to no swearing, some passionate kissing and one mildly described sexually intimate scene.
Disclosure: I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
April 21, 2021
I needed something quick and light to read after a long arduous day. So I picked this up. The story was fine, I am a big fan of Scotland and for the most part the historical aspects were correct. But, the hawk I did not understand. The hawk really added nothing to the story and was ridiculous. I got really tire of reading the work BATE. the characters were shallow and not well developed. Oh, wait, I forgot, the reason for the hawk was Gawain, right.
May 27, 2021
A wonderful historical piece.
Is the Border Hawk a good guy or not? He did rescue Isobel but will it only be a means to an end? Susan King’s writing was so good her descriptive words painted an outstanding vision of the places, emotions, and characters I got lost in the pages of the book. I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
Is the Border Hawk a good guy or not? He did rescue Isobel but will it only be a means to an end? Susan King’s writing was so good her descriptive words painted an outstanding vision of the places, emotions, and characters I got lost in the pages of the book. I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
April 5, 2025
good read
The time when English kings thought they could conquer the Scots. One man and women’s fight to prevent it. A man with a price an his head and a women that has visions work together to fight the wrong. Neither wants love but it finds them at the worst time of their lives and gives them courage.
The time when English kings thought they could conquer the Scots. One man and women’s fight to prevent it. A man with a price an his head and a women that has visions work together to fight the wrong. Neither wants love but it finds them at the worst time of their lives and gives them courage.
May 20, 2021
Really good story. I enjoyed the characters and the plot, while common, was completed in a very cool way.
I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily review this book. This is my honest review.
March 24, 2022
Me ha encantado. Tiene una muy buena trama, con un buen final. La narrativa no se hace pesada y los diálogos son ágiles y amenos. Los personajes están muy bien creados, encantadores unos, odiosos otros, pero todos consiguen despertar en el lector algún sentimiento. La recomiendo.
June 2, 2024
This was a well written book and the plot was interesting. There were some parts where the dialogue was a bit cringe. And personally I didn’t think there was much romance. But overall I would read more from this author!
April 11, 2025
The Hawk Lord and his Lady
This was a wonderfully written historical novel of the Scottish and England war. It's a rewrite of another version of the tale the author wrote many years ago. Very well worth reading again.
This was a wonderfully written historical novel of the Scottish and England war. It's a rewrite of another version of the tale the author wrote many years ago. Very well worth reading again.
May 22, 2024
new author
This is the first book I have read by this author but assure you won’t be last! Although I found it somewhat wordy in place love the storyline and the characters
This is the first book I have read by this author but assure you won’t be last! Although I found it somewhat wordy in place love the storyline and the characters
April 19, 2025
The Hawk Laird
Great book, I loved the great Characters. The adventures
swept me away and kept me fascinated. I didn't want it to end.
Great book, I loved the great Characters. The adventures
swept me away and kept me fascinated. I didn't want it to end.
April 26, 2025
Love
I loved this story. I did find more errors than I expected. Send notices, but never know what happens then.
I loved this story. I did find more errors than I expected. Send notices, but never know what happens then.
July 3, 2025
rewritten as Laird of the Wind
December 31, 2020
Una lectura dulce y profunda, qué libro más bonito.
July 6, 2024
Book:’’ The Hawk Laird” formerly ‘’Laird of the Wind”
Author: Susan King
Series: Celtic Hearts, Book #1
Publisher: Dragonblade
Length: 340 Pages
Overall Rating: 5/5 Stars
Blog Rating: 5/5 Saltire Flags
Scottish Lowlands, 1305
This book starts with Lady Isobel of Alberlady who is a prophetess and tells the future, also known as Black Isobel due to her long, dark, raven hair. As could see the future: she saw a vision of William Wallace being betrayed by people he thought he could trust and would die because of the hawk! Now one of the men who betrayed him is trying to get himself out of prison but goes to William to warn him not realizing he had been betrayed too! Except this vision was not absolutely accurate as most of her visions were metaphors. When Jamie realizes William has been caught he knows the English will torture him and give him an agonizing death! Jamie tries to give his friend a quick, painless, death, unfortunately his arrow missed his mark! He is accused of betraying him which is not the truth!
Now it turns out the Hawk is Jamie Lindsay the former Laird of Castle Wildshaw who is misinformed about this prophetess, thinking she has helped ruin his name unfairly plus she is also betrothed to his enemy Sir Ralph Leslie! He was given his castle by the wicked English King, since Jamie is a hunted Scottish outlaw and Leslie is a Scottish turncoat who sides with the English betraying his own people! Jamie had expected Black Isobel to be an elderly crone, not a beautiful goddess forced to accept Leslie’s marriage proposal by her father and their Priest! However everyone is using Isobel for her abilities and she knows it too. Furthermore Lady Isobel’s castle is under siege where she and her people are starving! She is also a Scot and very kind and caring too which was very unexpected to Jamie.
Isobel has been misinformed her entire life by men saying she is protected and not able to leave her own castle due to her godly gifts. This was because she was a prophetess and because she is also just a feeble, weak, woman! She realizes now she had been held captive not protected as even her own father was being advised by their priest. Isobel was expecting James “Jamie” Lindsay who she thought was her champion and savior since he saved her from dying as the English attacked her castle burning to the ground. She soon discovers he only came to make her his captive to trade her for his cousin Janet who was taken as a captive in his place. Ralph Leslie is a man she detests and only wants her for her supernatural abilities, to make him more respected and wealthier by the English nobles. Soon Jamie reveals he lives in Ettrick Forest but takes Isobel to his secret lair where only a special few outlaws like Wallace knew of its existence. He realizes he had been wrong about Isobel and feels truly torn. They also discover a Hawk where Jamie had been a falconer as well as Isobel’s father so she is no stranger to the birds. They train the bird together and fall in love.
However soon time goes on as Jamie hates her heartless betrothed Sir Ralph Leslie, a turncoat Scot who sides with the English as Jamie wants to save his cousin Janet. He wants to trade captive for captive. The problem is he is in love with Black Isobel! Except he has nothing to offer her being on the run, being hunted and living as an outlaw in the forest. He feels Ralph can give her a peaceful existence except Isobel refuses to go! She rather be on the run with Jamie as he has given her first feel of freedom and rebels against all of those who had tried to keep her hidden because of her abilities where she was truly captive. On top of that Jamie does not know what to do as he loves his cousin like a sister but is madly in love with Isobel. What will Jamie do to trade Isobel to a man that only wants to use her or leave his cousin as a captive?He is between a rock and a hard place and does not know what to do? Read and find out.
Susan King has always been a favorite author of mine. I read this under ‘’Laird of the Wind’’ many years ago and I love Scottish history. I loved revisiting this book again number one when I read it the first time I had not been to Scotland yet. Now I have been to Scotland and been to specific sites she described in this book like Dunfermline Abbey. I too have been to the thorn tree where allegedly William Wallace’s mother was buried where it is still marked today.Also King Robert the Bruce’s body rests at Dunfermline Abbey. Furthermore I am so excited Susan King is with Dragonblade Publishing now being one of my favorite publishers too! I can’t wait to read The Falcon Laird next!
Celtic Hearts
Book 1 - The Hawk Laird
Book 2 - The Falcon Laird
Book 3 - The Swan Laird
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy and an advance reader copy from Dragonblade publishers. I voluntarily agreed to do a fair review and blog through netgalley. All thoughts, ideas and words are my own.
Author: Susan King
Series: Celtic Hearts, Book #1
Publisher: Dragonblade
Length: 340 Pages
Overall Rating: 5/5 Stars
Blog Rating: 5/5 Saltire Flags
Scottish Lowlands, 1305
This book starts with Lady Isobel of Alberlady who is a prophetess and tells the future, also known as Black Isobel due to her long, dark, raven hair. As could see the future: she saw a vision of William Wallace being betrayed by people he thought he could trust and would die because of the hawk! Now one of the men who betrayed him is trying to get himself out of prison but goes to William to warn him not realizing he had been betrayed too! Except this vision was not absolutely accurate as most of her visions were metaphors. When Jamie realizes William has been caught he knows the English will torture him and give him an agonizing death! Jamie tries to give his friend a quick, painless, death, unfortunately his arrow missed his mark! He is accused of betraying him which is not the truth!
Now it turns out the Hawk is Jamie Lindsay the former Laird of Castle Wildshaw who is misinformed about this prophetess, thinking she has helped ruin his name unfairly plus she is also betrothed to his enemy Sir Ralph Leslie! He was given his castle by the wicked English King, since Jamie is a hunted Scottish outlaw and Leslie is a Scottish turncoat who sides with the English betraying his own people! Jamie had expected Black Isobel to be an elderly crone, not a beautiful goddess forced to accept Leslie’s marriage proposal by her father and their Priest! However everyone is using Isobel for her abilities and she knows it too. Furthermore Lady Isobel’s castle is under siege where she and her people are starving! She is also a Scot and very kind and caring too which was very unexpected to Jamie.
Isobel has been misinformed her entire life by men saying she is protected and not able to leave her own castle due to her godly gifts. This was because she was a prophetess and because she is also just a feeble, weak, woman! She realizes now she had been held captive not protected as even her own father was being advised by their priest. Isobel was expecting James “Jamie” Lindsay who she thought was her champion and savior since he saved her from dying as the English attacked her castle burning to the ground. She soon discovers he only came to make her his captive to trade her for his cousin Janet who was taken as a captive in his place. Ralph Leslie is a man she detests and only wants her for her supernatural abilities, to make him more respected and wealthier by the English nobles. Soon Jamie reveals he lives in Ettrick Forest but takes Isobel to his secret lair where only a special few outlaws like Wallace knew of its existence. He realizes he had been wrong about Isobel and feels truly torn. They also discover a Hawk where Jamie had been a falconer as well as Isobel’s father so she is no stranger to the birds. They train the bird together and fall in love.
However soon time goes on as Jamie hates her heartless betrothed Sir Ralph Leslie, a turncoat Scot who sides with the English as Jamie wants to save his cousin Janet. He wants to trade captive for captive. The problem is he is in love with Black Isobel! Except he has nothing to offer her being on the run, being hunted and living as an outlaw in the forest. He feels Ralph can give her a peaceful existence except Isobel refuses to go! She rather be on the run with Jamie as he has given her first feel of freedom and rebels against all of those who had tried to keep her hidden because of her abilities where she was truly captive. On top of that Jamie does not know what to do as he loves his cousin like a sister but is madly in love with Isobel. What will Jamie do to trade Isobel to a man that only wants to use her or leave his cousin as a captive?He is between a rock and a hard place and does not know what to do? Read and find out.
Susan King has always been a favorite author of mine. I read this under ‘’Laird of the Wind’’ many years ago and I love Scottish history. I loved revisiting this book again number one when I read it the first time I had not been to Scotland yet. Now I have been to Scotland and been to specific sites she described in this book like Dunfermline Abbey. I too have been to the thorn tree where allegedly William Wallace’s mother was buried where it is still marked today.Also King Robert the Bruce’s body rests at Dunfermline Abbey. Furthermore I am so excited Susan King is with Dragonblade Publishing now being one of my favorite publishers too! I can’t wait to read The Falcon Laird next!
Celtic Hearts
Book 1 - The Hawk Laird
Book 2 - The Falcon Laird
Book 3 - The Swan Laird
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy and an advance reader copy from Dragonblade publishers. I voluntarily agreed to do a fair review and blog through netgalley. All thoughts, ideas and words are my own.
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