Amanda Scott, Border Moonlight

Border Moonlight

Amanda Scott

Forever, Jan 2009, $6.99

ISBN: 0446541354

In 1386 Edinburgh, at the altar, fourteen years old Sibylla Cavers says no to a marriage to ancient Lord Galston. A year later she is at the altar where she meets her latest groom for the first time, but says no again when he cannot even smile; he vows vengeance for her impudence. Two years later she informs her irrate frustrated father Sir Malcolm she will not marry his third choice who spends all his time with his men. Her father writes her off and plans to arrange his next oldest daughter's marriage, praying she is more biddable.

In 1391, Sibylla is riding alone when she hears a child's scream. She sees the lass drowning in the nearby river and makes a gallant attempt to rescue the young lass from the current, but is hurt in the unsuccessful process. Laird Simon Murray returning home accompanied by a small contingency saves her while his men rescue the child. He takes the injured Sibylla home even as both recognize one another from her jilting him at the altar over three years ago. As they become better acquainted with one another, they fall in love, but trouble on the border appears ready to divide clans in a potentially ferocious war.

This is an exciting Border romance with plenty of action as strife seems everywhere starting with an abduction. The storyline is fast-paced from the opening moment when the intrepid Sybilla says no to the priest in front of her father and others and never slows down until the final clan confrontation. Amanda Scott fans will enjoy her latest medieval romance starring a brave female and the arrogant laird in a terrific historical gender war.

Harriet Klausner