A decent read
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Set in 17th century Scotland, this book tells the tale of Callum MacGregor and Kate Campbell, enemies that fall in love. Kate Campbell gets caught up and abducted in the schemes of Callum MacGregor, as part of the animosities between the Campbells and the MacGregors, although Callum also has a very personal vendetta as the outcome of the continuing strife. In the course of a raid gone wrong, Kate is abducted by Callum and his men, and taken back to his headquarters, where he holds her for ransom with the aim of taking personal revenge on her uncle. Slowly, they put their differences and the prejudices against one another's clan aside and fall in love.
I liked this book, so why the three stars? The story was interesting enough to keep me reading, and Ms Quinn did a decent job showing how both protagonists slowly put aside their prejudices to grow to appreciate one another on the basis of personal merit. The writing was competent, although not entirely my cup of tea. (I'm one of those people who like long-winding sentences.) And some descriptions of the scenery did pull me in. However that's one of the reasons I'm not quite blown away. In some parts of the book, descriptions that would have helped me to create an atmosphere, and allowed me to visualize the scenes, seemed to be missing.
What is more is that while I liked the conflict between Kate and Callum as they're trying to overcome their misconceptions of one another, I found Kate first casting Callum as a monster and then comparing him to Sir Galahad irritating, as going from one extreme to another. Callum, on the other hand, remained tortured for most part of the book, with good reason (won't give spoilers), and remained a little more nuanced in his changing feelings about the Campbells. Still, I found it difficult to care for him after a while, since he remained a little too dark and tortured for my liking.
For anyone who likes a tortured hero in romance novels that's surely good news, but the trouble with it was that for me, to truly be blown away by a romance novel, I need to fall a little in love myself, and I didn't with Callum. In the way of escapism, I like to identify with the heroine and fall head over heels. I didn't identify with Kate and didn't fall for Callum. So while it remained an interesting story about two people falling in love, my involvement with the protagonists remained detached. On the other hand Ms Quinn did create a character whom I would have loved to learn more about - Brodie. I liked him, and enjoyed the all too few scenes in which he had a talking and acting part. His married life, impending fatherhood and friendship with Angus made him fun to read about. But that's me.
Overall, I found 'Laird of the Mist' to be a decent read, which kept me entertained, and I certainly would read more by her, especially since she's writing Graham's (Callum's best friend and right-hand man) story next, but this one isn't quite a keeper for me.
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A heart rendering story, a real keeper!
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He never showed mercy to a Campbell, until he met her...
Scotland, seventeenth century, a long standing feud between the MacGregor clan and the Campbell clan is tearing up the land and divides its people. After he has suffered great injustice by the Campbell's laird, Callum MacGregor has vowed to avenge his clan and spare no Campbell lives. He is called the Devil because he shows no mercy, the mere sight of him has most of his enemies run for their lives, but not Kate Campbell. This spirited and bonny lass defies him, speaks her mind and shows him no fear though she is his hostage. He finds himself intrigued and attracted to her, but he can never love her without betraying his clan or himself, for she is a Campbell and he is the MacGregor...
She hated him all her life, until she caught sight of him ...
Kate Campbell finds herself in a delicate situation, for she is captured by her clan's most hated enemy, the Devil MacGregor himself. She is determined not to give in to this so-called madman, the man who has taken many Campbell lives. She was taught to hate him, but the madman turns out to be a feral handsome warrior with a fierce gaze and he has every reason to hate her and her clan. His gentle touch sets her on fire and the more she gets to know Callum the more she realises that he is not the madman she thought he was, she finds herself very attracted to him. Still, to him she is only a means to an end and she can never ever love him for they are sworn enemies...
If time-travelling by means of a book would be possible then this book would be the way to do so! From the moment you read the first line of this story you fancy yourself in medieval Scotland and you don't return to the here and now till you have finished the very last sentence on the very last page. So make you sure you have plenty of time to read this story because once you start you won't be able to put it down, this story will keep you spellbound!
The hero of this story is Callum MacGregor, he is this fierce, tormented warrior who protects his people against the gruesome deeds of the Campbell clan, but in doing so he cannot make peace with his own past and he cannot let go of his hatred. Kate Campbell is the heroine, she is very bold, outspoken and independent. She always sees the good in people and knows how to defend herself, nonetheless she is also a bit too trusting for her own good. The second the two meet you can feel their hatred for one another but you can also feel the chemistry that starts to burn between them, it sizzles of the pages. Their interaction and bickering heats up your skin like a hot summer's day.
The plot is basically simple, it speaks of trust, survival, chivalry, the power of forgiveness and healing, but it still keeps you devouring the pages. The reason for this is that Paula Quinn is not only capable of creating a divine hero and heroine but she also creates a secondary cast of family and friends who come alive due to her sublime writing skill and that makes you crave for more. Who would not like to know more of Graham or young Jamie who made me smile with his immature remarks, or the ever honourable Robert and there is definitely so much more to Maggie, Callum's sister, then meets the eye!
With characters you will cherish forever and a passion that is blazing through the pages Paula Quinn has written once more a classic medieval love story that sweeps you away and keeps you captivated until the very end and I cannot wait to read the sequel so I can return to the wonderful medieval world she has created. This heart rendering story has certainly earned its place on my keepers shelves!
Paula Quinn never fails to deliver!
5 stars
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5+ Stars: An intense captivating Scottish romance read!
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Set in 17th century Scotland, LAIRD OF THE MIST is a historical romance full of passion in which the historical clan background lays a solid foundation for Paula Quinn's riveting characterization and romance. In her fourth book, Paula Quinn moves away from the medieval period into a later period of history that gives readers a window into a more obscure slice of Scottish history as it might have been experienced by the men and women in their hearts, passionate and torn by past loyalties and even written law.
Kate Campbell is a strong, feisty woman not afraid to stand up for herself but when raiders arrive, a Highlander whisks her away on his stallion. Imagine her horror when she discovers that her rescuer is none other than the man they call the Devil....a man known for his brutality, a man whose name cannot even be spoken under penalty of law. Those who sympathize with the bloodthirsty MacGregor clan receive no sympathy but risk branding or hanging. When attraction and passion would unite them, can romance stand against centuries of clan history and law?
Callum MacGregor, a handsome but fierce warrior has given up everything, even his very name in the bloody feud between the Campbells and the MacGregors and the resulting proscription. As an outlaw and murderer, Callum is the ultimate wounded soul hero bent on revenge. With Kate in his hands, the granddaughter of the Earl of Argyll, the very man who imprisoned him in a dark dungeon in his youth, Callum knows he has the means to the ultimate vengeance in his hands. With even his very name wiped out of existence and hatred laying ruin to his soul, Kate's beauty and inner fire brings a glimmer into his heart. Will Callum deny the one hope he has to enter the world of living men again in his bid for retribution? With Kate and Callum now forced together in such close quarters, will the untold secrets and lies once come to light?
In LAIRD OF THE MIST, the passionate romance that characterizes Paula Quinn's romance is coupled with a new and more mature precision in her writing style. Whereas her debut novel LORD OF DESIRE uses descriptive prose and emotion to set the scene and passion, LAIRD OF THE MIST has both the intensity of her earlier works plus more subtle variations in style that show her true skill as a narrative artist. The addition of more secondary characters and the addition of more historical details creates a romance that expands outward, allowing the reader to feel the time period in a way that heightens both passion of the romance and the reader's desire to know more about the history between these two clans. Paula Quinn use of focused description and a carefully unfolding plot in the theme of the name and the unspeakable name creates an elegantly built narrative structure that intensifies the emotional depth of her characters. In LAIRD OF THE MIST, everything works together ---- characterization, plot, historical research that becomes a lived reality of her characters, writing style and thematic structure ---- to create an unforgettable romance. LAIRD OF THE MIST is a beautiful, intense romance, marking Paula Quinn as a wonderful new voice in historical romance, a new voice that has truly found her niche. LAIRD OF THE MIST is quite simply an awesome captivating romance!
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