Kathleen Givens, On a Highland Shore

On a Highland Shore

Kathleen Givens

Pocket, Jul 2006, $14.00

ISBN: 1416509909

In 1263 in Somerstrath, Scotland, Margaret MacDonald, the daughter of the Laird, looks forward to her upcoming wedding to Lachlan Ross in a few weeks. However, her euphoria is crushed when she catches Lachlan with her sister Fiona. Their fathers insist Lachlan and Margaret wills still marry and her future spouse swears this was an aberration and he will be a faithful husband Not long after that her newly formed doubts turn to rage and sorrow when marauding Norsemen attack her family's keep, killing everyone except her and her younger brother taken prisoner by the invaders.

Not long after the massacre, Gannon MacMagnus comes across the shocked Margaret and provides her with aid. Needing any help she can get if she is complete her quest to rescue her sibling, she accepts his help though the kind stranger is obviously of Viking blood. Though Gannon doubts her brother can be rescued by them, he agrees to help her try even as they fall in love one step at a time.

ON A HIGHLAND SHORE is a fine medieval romance that runs on two subplots for the first third of the novel before the separate strings of Margaret and Gannon tie together. The story line emphasizes the Norsemen impact on Scotland, but not just the typical invades that kills, rapes and plunders. Instead the audience also sees the positive impact on society especially through Gannon and his kin. Kathleen Givens gives her readers a delightful thirteenth century romance starring two likable characters in love who must overcome their respective heritages especially the recent massacre if they are to forge a permanent relationship.

Harriet Klausner