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A review by emmalb1984
Secrets of a Highland Warrior by Nicole Locke
5.0
“The McCrieff-Lochmore Great Feud continues between us. Except…we could end it. Between us.”
The fourth and final instalment of the excellent Lochmore Legacy series finds Nicole Locke taking the reader back to 1293 and the story of Rory Lochmore and Ailsa McCrieff’s marriage of convenience that becomes a beautiful romance.
Readers of the previous instalments of this series will be familiar with Rory and Ailsa and their part in the wider Lochmore story, and here, we find out the origins of their relationship amidst an intriguing sub-plot of poisoning, and yet more history of the centuries old Lochmore-McCrieff feud which, as we know, is destined to continue through the generations.
In Rory and Ailsa, Nicole Locke has created two likeable and interesting characters who, despite their mistrust of each other, also have an almost instant connection, and from the moment a convenient marriage is suggested by Ailsa’s father, there is a strong sense the marriage could become something much more than convenient if the two could learn to see beyond the feud. Indeed, Rory’s reaction to Ailsa catches him off guard from the outset, and, somewhat surprisingly, he finds that he quite likes her strong-willed and outspoken nature as they navigate their way through unexpected circumstances.
Furthermore, Rory is also a complex character in that he wants his people to see him as a strong leader, but beneath this, there is an air of vulnerability and sensitivity which Ailsa soon sees, and uses to help her understand her new husband. The fact that both of them soon begin to look beyond the feud and think about a future together propels the story forward, and there is a strong, believable romance which develops as the plot progresses.
Aside from the romance, there is an intriguing sub-plot involving the poisoning of Rory’s friend Paiden which adds to the sense of mistrust between the clans, and also a mystery regarding Rory’s origins which Ailsa begins to unravel, and adds weight to why events that will later take place (in Elisabeth Hobbes excellent ‘A Runway Bride for the Highlander’) happened in another element of the feud. The poisoning adds an element of danger to the plot as the reader starts to wonder who can be trusted, and moreover, who does not want the feud to be settled.
As with the previous books in the series, there is a nice symmetry that, once again, the main characters have a key scene in and around the Lochmore Castle crypt, and, for Rory and Ailsa it leads to a powerful conclusion to their story.
An excellent, powerful romance with a strong air of mystery and intrigue, this is a fitting conclusion to the Lochmore Legacy.
Finally, special mention must go to Janice Preston who concludes the series with an excellent, tear-jerking epilogue that takes the series full circle. It would spoil the contents to say any more, but, tissues at the ready, it provides a fitting end to this excellent series.
Thank you to Nicole Locke for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The fourth and final instalment of the excellent Lochmore Legacy series finds Nicole Locke taking the reader back to 1293 and the story of Rory Lochmore and Ailsa McCrieff’s marriage of convenience that becomes a beautiful romance.
Readers of the previous instalments of this series will be familiar with Rory and Ailsa and their part in the wider Lochmore story, and here, we find out the origins of their relationship amidst an intriguing sub-plot of poisoning, and yet more history of the centuries old Lochmore-McCrieff feud which, as we know, is destined to continue through the generations.
In Rory and Ailsa, Nicole Locke has created two likeable and interesting characters who, despite their mistrust of each other, also have an almost instant connection, and from the moment a convenient marriage is suggested by Ailsa’s father, there is a strong sense the marriage could become something much more than convenient if the two could learn to see beyond the feud. Indeed, Rory’s reaction to Ailsa catches him off guard from the outset, and, somewhat surprisingly, he finds that he quite likes her strong-willed and outspoken nature as they navigate their way through unexpected circumstances.
Furthermore, Rory is also a complex character in that he wants his people to see him as a strong leader, but beneath this, there is an air of vulnerability and sensitivity which Ailsa soon sees, and uses to help her understand her new husband. The fact that both of them soon begin to look beyond the feud and think about a future together propels the story forward, and there is a strong, believable romance which develops as the plot progresses.
Aside from the romance, there is an intriguing sub-plot involving the poisoning of Rory’s friend Paiden which adds to the sense of mistrust between the clans, and also a mystery regarding Rory’s origins which Ailsa begins to unravel, and adds weight to why events that will later take place (in Elisabeth Hobbes excellent ‘A Runway Bride for the Highlander’) happened in another element of the feud. The poisoning adds an element of danger to the plot as the reader starts to wonder who can be trusted, and moreover, who does not want the feud to be settled.
As with the previous books in the series, there is a nice symmetry that, once again, the main characters have a key scene in and around the Lochmore Castle crypt, and, for Rory and Ailsa it leads to a powerful conclusion to their story.
An excellent, powerful romance with a strong air of mystery and intrigue, this is a fitting conclusion to the Lochmore Legacy.
Finally, special mention must go to Janice Preston who concludes the series with an excellent, tear-jerking epilogue that takes the series full circle. It would spoil the contents to say any more, but, tissues at the ready, it provides a fitting end to this excellent series.
Thank you to Nicole Locke for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.