This book falls far short of her early efforts that romance readers have come to love. The story set in the Borders of Scotland feels more like a story set in the Highlands: there were no clans (these were riding families, their culture wasn't Gael) nor were there family tartans in the Borders of the 15th century Scotland. She also has problems of consistency in her story: the hero telling his heroine his father and mother's marriage was one of anger and his mother being distant and cruel and then later telling her of his mother's love. What?
The real crime is the ending of the book, the final events were not needed to make this a better than average read. The actions of the once likable hero made this reader feel the author was deceptive and "the" event was so unnecessary made worse by the quick way the h/h recovered from the devastating sadness in just two pages. Then she expects the last paragraph of the book make up for it all, talk about short changing the reader. Shame on you MS Small for such an unnecessary ending. This was historical romance not historical fiction, and her loyal romance readers were cheated.
Also this offering is considered part of her Border series, yet it appears to be an earlier period than her last book that was part of this series, which was a disappointment to this reader. Additionally, I haven't really found the connection to her A DANGEROUS LOVE, which by the way is a far better book and should be read if you enjoy this period of Scottish/Anglo intrigues. Usually a series will have a connecting element and it appears in this book that element is location, which this reader feels her knowledge fell far short of the actual culture of the area. For those of us who read historical romance for the history we want more than just knowing the history of the events we want our characters to reflect the history/culture of the period/people. She fell short on this one, it read like so many other average books.
Disheartening to readers is this wasn't a mass market offering but a trade size book with the added cost. Ms Small has many fine offerings with her Skye O'Malley books as well as many books set in Scotland such SPITFIRE, which is a full bodied story of intrigue, angst and love. If you have to read this one wait for it to come out in mass market or buy it used.