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 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!
Publisher: Warner Forever (December 2007)
Reviewed by Merrimon,
Merrimon Book Reviews
