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Border #1

Border Lord

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A Lady's Desperate Mission

The lush Scottish hills stretched before Lady Miriam MacDonald, brilliant diplomat from Queen Anne's court. She had come seeking peace between the Scots and English - and won the admiration of two special men. The kindly, awkward laird of Kildalton Castle became a trusted friend. But the Border Lord, a dashing, tartan-clad legend disquised by black midnight, swept her into his arms... and claimed her innocence.

A Lord's Unbreakable Vow

A lifetime of anguish lay behind this disguise of Duncan Kerr, laird of Kildalton by birth, Border Lord by choice. If the queen's emissary, flame-haired Lady Miriam, unmasked him, he would lose the prize he held most dear. He had meant to seduce and compromise her.. not to cherish and desire her.

A Passion That Sealed Their Destiny

By day, Miriam strove to establish harmony in the realm; by night she surrendered to forbidden pleasure with the mysterious Border Lord. Only he knew the truth, as elusive as the mists of the hills: whether he loved her passionate soul, or the promise of peace she brought to his beloved land...

336 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 1, 1993

55 people are currently reading
750 people want to read

About the author

Arnette Lamb

19 books66 followers
Arnette Lamb was an American writer of 13 romance novels from 1995 to 1998. She was born in 1947 in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. and she died prematurely from cancer on September 18, 1998. Her funeral service was held in the Rothko Chapel in Houston, Texas.

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5 stars
246 (31%)
4 stars
262 (33%)
3 stars
193 (24%)
2 stars
67 (8%)
1 star
21 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
Profile Image for Ann Keller.
Author 31 books112 followers
July 9, 2012
To most, a romance between Lady Miriam MacDonald and the Earl of Kildalton seemed most unlikely. Miriam was a seasoned diplomat from Queen Anne’s court, on a mission to bring peace to the border lands. On the other hand, the earl was merely a bumbling, awkward nobleman, who apparently spent most of his time fishing and designing unique fishing lures. Or was he?

Over the weeks, Lady Miriam begins to see some inconsistencies in the bumbling earl. For one thing, he resembles the handsome adventurer, the Border Lord, a nobleman who attempts to right every wrong inflicted upon the local populace. By any chance, could they be one and the same man? Miriam sets out to discover the truth and, in the end, gets more than she bargains for. Worthy reading for a lovely Saturday afternoon filled with historical romance and intrigue.
Profile Image for Mojca.
2,132 reviews168 followers
August 31, 2008
I usually like Scotland based stories with gorgeous brawny lairds as heroes, but this one did absolutely nothing for me. It seems it whole story was comprised of blind idiots that couldn't see what was just in front of their noses.

The whole disguise ruse could've been much better executed, the plot was rather hole-y, especially since the resolution was rather lacking, and the characters were too one-dimensional for me to even bother liking them.
Profile Image for Zoe.
766 reviews202 followers
March 17, 2017
a re-read from my youth. it was just an ok read then and is just an ok read now. characters almost comical, not exactly dream material. unusual plot but the comical feel was too strong for me to enjoy the story. my next re-read, if ever, won't be anytime soon.
Profile Image for Regan Walker.
Author 31 books823 followers
May 25, 2015
Fanciful but Delightful Tale from the Scottish Borderlands

Set in 1713 in the Scottish borderlands, this is the story of Lady Miriam MacDonald, diplomat for Queen Anne who is being punished by the queen and sent to the Scottish borderlands to negotiate a peace between Duncan Kerr, the Earl of Kildalton and Baron Sinclair, who have had a running feud for years involving more than stolen cattle.

By day, Duncan dons the disguise of a bumbling nobleman with a wig and spectacles, hoping to fool Miriam about his night raids. By night, Duncan is the infamous “Border Lord” who raids the baron’s English lands to reclaim what is his.

Miriam befriends the earl and falls prey to the seduction of the Border Lord, never knowing they are the same man. She is determined to negotiate a peace but she doesn’t know the truth of the feud. And she doesn’t know the Border Lord is falling in love with her.

It’s a fanciful but clever story that, at times, reads more like a Regency with its witty banter and female diplomat, but it is also well-written and very entertaining. Lamb has created a wonderful cast of characters, including Duncan’s son who changes his first name each day and takes on the personality of the person whose name he bears.

This unlikely but delightful tale will hold your interest. It’s the first in the Border series:

Border Lord
Border Bride
Chieftain
Maiden of Inverness
Profile Image for Vicki.
2,721 reviews112 followers
October 26, 2019
I love historical fiction! I think it's quickly becoming my favorite genre, but it's definitely one of my favorites now.

The story is set in Scotland in the borderlands, 1713. I'm not super familiar with Scottish history (or not at all really), and I was intrigued with Lady Miriam MacDonald, a diplomat for Queen Anne. I thought I'd get turned off when I realized that the plot involved politics because the Queen sent Lady Miriam to the borderlands to punish her. Part of that punishment was to mediate a way to create peace between Duncan Kerr and Baron Sinclair.

I loved the mysterious nature of Duncan. During the day he was simply a nobleman; by night he is the Border Lord. He pulls off a darn good disguise because Lady Miriam becomes friends with Duncan as the Earl of Kildalton, but she doesn't realize that he is also the Border Lord who is falling in love with her.

This book needed my attention as most of it was new to me. I loved the relationship development between Lady Miriam and the Border Lord. It was hot in its own way and I loved it.
Profile Image for L..
1,498 reviews74 followers
October 23, 2016
Duncan Kerr is a bumbling fisherman by day, the dashing Border Lord by night. Lady Miriam MacDonald is sent by Queen Anne to broker a peace between feuding clans.

I had no real problems with Border Lord but then I didn't like it enough to give it a good rating. Duncan was an O.K. character. Miriam, however, never got around to impressing me. Arnette Lamb's writing style was too much Tell and not enough Show. All the characters were constantly having to comment, "Gosh, that Miriam is so smart!" because Miriam herself doesn't do anything particularly intelligent. Jumping right into bed with a man you just met and whose face you can't see and not taking any precautions shows me right there you're pretty dumb.
Profile Image for Cassandra.
45 reviews33 followers
July 11, 2008
This was one of the first romance novels I ever read and is the specific one that started my love of the genre. If I'm remembering correctly (it's been over a decade), the heroine was independent and intelligent, the hero was actually nice and considerate, and the plot was engaging. I'll have to re-read it soon!
Profile Image for Chris.
111 reviews4 followers
September 15, 2007
This is a tricky case -- I enjoyed it when I first read it, so I kept it. Then I went back and reread it a year or so later and wondered "What on earth was I thinking? This is ridiculous!" Do I give it a four for the amount I enjoyed it the first time, or a two for after I came to my senses?
Profile Image for Shadow Jubilee.
734 reviews46 followers
August 20, 2015
Modern, same-old deception romance in historical trappings. Heroine was too easy on him. Hero didn't grovel enough. Silly plot and while parts of the heroine impressed, she was so blind in other things that it was a little difficult to believe.
Profile Image for Shelly.
485 reviews
February 9, 2016
2.5 This book was just okay. It had an interesting plot, but some parts were a little slow, especially at the beginning. I liked the characters and I thought they were well developed. The end felt a little rushed for me.
Profile Image for Marajean.
102 reviews9 followers
March 21, 2022
I read this after reading Border Bride and I feel like it made me like this book better.

Half of the enjoyment in this one was probably seeing the main characters, though mostly Malcolm, as children.

Usually kids are horrible plot moppets, or honestly the worst things that ever happened in a book but Malcolm, and Alpin for what little she was there, really rang true.

Basic story is Miriam is a Scot who's clan was slaughtered by decree of the previous king when they didn't swear fealty to him fast enough. She wants revenge from the crown against the clan that did it, but the Queen doesn't take orders from anyone. Miriam is supposedly the smartest and most clever woman to ever exist and a brilliant negotiator.

Eh, it's really just something you have to take on face value here.

Either way, as punishment, she's sent to Scotland to negotiate peace between a Scottish clan and an English lord on the border.


Alright, So Duncan rules over the clan and he pretends to be a rather doddering man interested in making fishing lures and only fishing and caring for nothing else. He's got all his people to help out. Secretly he goes out as a mysterious figure known as the Border Lord to steal back the things that are stolen from the raids of the English guy across the border.

They previously had a magistrate and however many other people try to settle the feud but they were ultimately corrupt people taking bribes. So he's jaded on this one as well.


Of course Miriam falls for this Border Lord that she never actually sees, but she also finds herself kind of falling for Duncan as well. And his son Malcolm, who goes on to be the hero in Border Bride is funny as heck. Every day he shoves a new piece of paper under the doors of everyone at the castle with his new name, because he hates his given name.

The story is a bit unlikely but ultimately just nice. The reread value is probably even lower than Border Bride, but maybe once every other year.

The unlikeliness of the story is also tempered with the fact that it's probably closer to reality of the times as well. No one was looking for a sweeping romance, marriage was practical and people were looking for stability and someone they could get along with.

It's not epic, but it is a nice little book.
Profile Image for Cherie.
1,153 reviews20 followers
March 21, 2018
Really, really good. The heroine was quite intelligent and stayed that way. The hero was clever and a good leader. The two of them spent a lot of time trying to outmaneuver each other. I loved that it was never negative, just clever. She was a diplomat sent to solve a dispute and I liked that the solution, though it seemed there was none, was clever rather than a miracle. At times I thought the author had written herself into a corner, but no, she very cleverly wrote herself out without, again, creating a miracle. The hero's son was a joy to read about. He didn't like his name, Malcolm, so he tried out a different name from an historical character and dressed up and play acted the character. It was charming.

4.5 stars
Profile Image for Tonileg.
2,243 reviews26 followers
March 3, 2017
Historical romance set on the Scottish English border where a famous lady diplomat comes to bring peace in the area, but finds romance mixed in to her politics even as she tries her best to find peace for the Scottish border.
Lady Miriam MacDonald shows up at the Scottish/English border to find peace between two titled lorders and she does find it in a way, but not without digging into the dirt that both have created.
The 'geek' laird of Kildalton Castle, Lord Duncan Kerr is the first that Miriam meets and she promptly falls in friendship with while finding love with the Border Lord and finding peace with Baron Sin.
I thin the best part of the romance/book is the young Malcolm's search for a name.
There is some twists and turns in this romance but the HEA is sweet with a secret baby.
314 pages and kindle freebie
3 stars
Profile Image for Jacqulin Gipson.
493 reviews11 followers
September 17, 2022
Duncan and Miriam were so hilarious in this story. The way the booth kind of hiding themselves and so busy doing that they didn't see the very poor disguises they other wore. Granted Miriam wasn't in a physical disguise but non the less she was hiding from herself. I loved their banter and over all story.
Profile Image for April Symes.
5,013 reviews447 followers
July 5, 2014
Pages: 314
Genre: Romance
Overall Rating: Great
Reviewed For: NetGalley
Reviewer: April
This is a story that I remember from when I was in middle school. The author, Arnette Lamb, had such a way with words that they just jumped out from the pages at you and put you right there in the book, in the scene with the all the characters.

The Hero, Duncan Kerr is out to reclaim his birthright from the treacherous Baron Sinclair . By Day, Duncan is laird of Kildalton and by Night, he is the Border Lord, fighting injustices to his clan.

Lady Miriam was sent to try to broker a peace treaty with Duncan but the only thing that ended up happening was that Duncan and Miriam couldn’t broker anything. Arguments happened. Misunderstandings Happened. Slowly they fell in love and that is when the real fireworks happened. Because by day Duncan was the Laird of Kildalton but by night, he is the Border Lord.

Duncan is hilarious, while Miriam is splendidly BEDEVILED as she is swept off her feet by Duncan's "alter ego." The author, Arnette Lamb, had such a way with words that they just jumped out from the pages at you and put you right there in the book, in the scene with the all the characters. I truly love this story. I cant wait to read next up in this series, which is Border Bride… I give this story 5 stars. It is a story of heartache, of loss yet at the same time, it is a story of new love, of seduction
Profile Image for Diana.
1,746 reviews
April 23, 2009
Lady Miriam is a famous mediator for Queen Anne, sent to negotiate peace between an English baron and a Scottish laird. Her time at Duncan Kerr's castle is split between her exasperation at the eccentric laird and her infatuation with the mysterious Border Lord who avenges the injustices perpetrated by his clan's rival.

This wasn't as funny as I expected, and fell a little short. Miriam is an odd character, scathingly brilliant but also quite socially adept. She had all the right components, but she never felt quite real to me. Duncan is the same way. His charade and his actions struck me as being quite cruel at times, and I wasn't happy about the easy way Miriam was just suddenly okay with it. I also never really understood the resolution of the feud--that storyline seemed to exist just to set up the plot and to throw up some random roadblocks. This could have been done better.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2014
This was a re-read for me. I have this book in hard copy from back when it was first released and have read it a few times. I enjoy my Scottish heroes. Arnette Lamb has always been one of my favorite authors from back in the day.

Miriam McDonald is an interesting heroine. She is sent by Queen Anne to the Border to form a peace treaty between the Scottish laird Duncan Kerr and the English Baron Sinclair.

Duncan disguises himself as a bumbling fool to keep Miriam from discovering the fact that he is also the Border Lord. the man who has been raiding Sinclair to get back the property the Baron keeps stealing from him.

Miriam finds herself attracted to both the Border Lord and later to the Earl.

A sweet story.
Profile Image for Artemiz.
933 reviews33 followers
July 7, 2014
Border Lord by Arnette Lamb is a good romance story. It's no bodice ripper story. There is a strong (read: head strong :)) heroine and strong (read: tricky, loyal and loving) hero.

There is no swooning, no sulking, no storming off in this book. There are two educated adults who a playing a complicated game of chess without even realizing it. The stakes at this game are high and one wrong move can bring devastation to either one of them. When they realize the stakes, it might be already to late, but it wouldn't be a romance novel, if the ending would not be happy. So our leading lady and lord dance their complicated dance, show their cards little by little and at the end they find the ending that is satisfying to all the parties involved.

It's a good book!
Profile Image for Maria .
2,486 reviews23 followers
September 13, 2014
In this story, Lady Miriam MacDonald was a seasoned diplomat from Queen Anne's court, on a mission to bring peace to the border lands. There is the Earl of Kildalton who appears to be a very subdued nobleman by all appearances.

Lady Miriam starts to realize that the Earl looks a lot like the sexy and handsome Border Lord. The Border Lord is a vigilante of sorts who tries to right all of the wrongs. Miriam is coming to suspect that there is something going on with these two nobleman and sets out to discover the truth. Will she possibly get more than she bargains for?

At times this made me laugh, I wish there would have been more to the ending.
Profile Image for Maggie Hesseling.
1,368 reviews13 followers
August 27, 2016
I loved malocom... I loved his father, who was the hero and the head-butting he did with the queen's diplomat, but Malcom was adorable! Changing his name every day and writing an assignment on it while he chooses a name for himself- Brilliant! I can't wait to read his story.

This novel on the other hand was a good and solid HR. I liked the characters, even if they were a little strange on purpose, and I loved the novel and writing. I did see everything coming, but I didn't mind. I was just swept away in the whole Duncan/Ian charade!
Profile Image for Jade Lauron.
264 reviews
June 30, 2014
When I saw that one of my fave historical romance novels was suddenly available on Kindle, and FREE, I snatched it up immediately. I haven't read this one in ages. Seems they've put her stuff online to push the sequel, which got horrible reviews, and may have been published posthumously (Lamb is with us no more).

I did, however, pick up the other book Chieftain, and am hoping it proves as engaging.
Profile Image for Brittany.
3,525 reviews27 followers
July 14, 2014
I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I just did not love it. The story was okay but I just did not enjoy the heroine. Her views of making a peace might be good in theory but it she just comes across as naïve. Other than that it was a different take on a highland romance.
Profile Image for Sally Hannoush.
1,882 reviews27 followers
August 20, 2016
I felt this was a comedy/mystery/adventure/drama ... and whatever else thrown in. It seems to have everything. It let me feel too many emotions and shed a few tears as well. I was actually surprised it was a freebie.
Profile Image for Stephanie Johnson.
155 reviews
August 18, 2014
Love in the dark

Love in the dark

never forget that love heals all. just because you can make peace between countries doesn't mean you can heal yourself - the love, trust and honor of someone heals all
Profile Image for Sophia Sterling.
78 reviews1 follower
June 8, 2015
Love it

The synopsis really did not capture my interest, but as I started to read the book, it captured me wholly. I could just imagine it in a mini series. I would buy it for sure. Love your book. Well done.
Profile Image for Marielle.
210 reviews
June 23, 2014
From hatred, to sadness, to acceptance and love in all of 3 pages... Dont bather, even if its free
Profile Image for Shelley  .
65 reviews1 follower
June 23, 2014
Very good

I could hear the burr in their voices. I love reading especially when the story makes a movie in my head as this book did. I recommend reading this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews

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