My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing
In the Scottish Highlands, 1761
Nineteen-year-old artist Katherine Mercer dreams of selling her paintings to help support her struggling family. Before she has the opportunity, Katherine learns she is to be sold—or practically so—given in marriage to a lord she has never met or even heard of. In return, a much-needed settlement will be made upon her mother.
Katherine’s situation goes from frightening to surreal when her husband-to-be Laird Collin MacDonald arrives with an entourage of men, each heavily armed and speaking with a thick brogue. As if leaving all she knows behind and traveling to another country with strangers isn’t bad enough, Katherine soon discovers a Scottish heritage she knew nothing of, a brother-in-law who wants her dead, and far more at stake with her paintings than she had ever imagined. Forced to turn to her reclusive husband for answers, comfort, and even her very survival, Katherine begins to unravel the mysteries of her past and what it is to love and be loved.
My Review
Wow. I was not prepared for how much I would love this book! I had heard that it was the first book in a two-part series, and normally I don't like when a book ends on a cliffhanger and then I have to wait several months for the second book to publish in order to finish the story... but this one is so well-written that I can't help but give it 5 stars! It actually does pause in a natural place, so even though the full tale will conclude in the second book, I felt satisfied when I finished reading this book. It definitely helped that I was prepared for the type of ending it has, and the good news is that the second book, A Promise for Tomorrow, releases only a few months later- this fall- so the wait won't be long.
All the characters really come to life and practically jump off the page! I was fully immersed the entire time I was reading and it was too hard to put down! The introduction and the beginning of each chapter is told from Collin's point of view, flashbacks to his youth and earliest interactions with Katherine. The present day narrative is from Katherine's perspective, and I really liked her personality and determination. She doesn't remember her childhood experiences in Scotland so we got to learn along with her the complex dynamics and history between the different clans and the English. Despite the harsh traveling circumstances she thrives in the beauty of her homeland, and her relationship with Collin blossoms gradually and wonderfully. I loved the give and take between them, the devotion and loyalty, and hesitant feelings maturing into full romance. There are deep layers to Collin that Katie seeks to uncover and know as she falls in love with him and wants to support him and his burdens. There is an element of intrigue as Katherine sorts out political loyalties and where her place is in all the drama and hopes for the future. I am *so* looking forward to the second book and seeing how she confronts her enemies and becomes a leader in her clan.
(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)
