Rowan’s Lady (Clan Graham #1)

When the Black Death crept up quietly and ravaged Rowan Graham’s clan and his own wife fell victim to it, Rowan swore two things to her: he would never let his daughter forget her and he would, one day, open his heart to another. The former is no problem at all, but the latter… he might never be capable of that.

In her third arranged marriage, Lady Arline is quite ready to live out the rest of her life in solitude. Unfortunately, she must somehow endure an entire year as the wife of the loathsome and abusive Garrick Blackthorn before the marriage can be annulled. She is but weeks away when she finds out he has kidnapped an innocent little girl!  Arline keeps her safe until Lily’s father, Rowan, rescues them and takes them both back to his home.  Arline and Rowan are terribly scarred by life and love… how is it possible they could be meant for each other?

Intrigues, castles and Highlanders, oh my! Suzan Tisdale sure knows how to weave a brutal, yet delightful tale of romance and high adventure! Wonderfully colorful and authentic, “Rowan’s Lady” keeps a reader guessing till the very end. One’s heart could hardly remain unaffected by Rowan’s pain, Arline’s loneliness and Lily’s very precociousness. Has a cuter character than Lily ever been created? The shifts in POV could have been smoother, they tend to happen suddenly, sometimes in the middle of a scene.  Also, there is one, very frustrating instance, which seems completely out of character for Arline. However, if daydreaming about a Scottish warrior isn’t in your daily schedule already, Ms. Tisdale and Rowan are sure to change that immediately!

Mimi Smith