Monday, November 10, 2008

"The Bride"



Synopsis From B&N.com:

By edict of the king, the mighty Scottish laird Alec Kincaid must take an English bride. His choice was Jamie, youngest daughter of Baron Jamison...a feisty, violet-eyed beauty. Alec ached to touch her, to tame her, to possess her...forever. But Jamie vowed never to surrender to this highland barbarian.

He was everything her heart warned against—an arrogant scoundrel whose rough good looks spoke of savage pleasures. And thought Kincaid's scorching kisses fired her blood, she brazenly resisted him...until one rapturous moment quelled their clash of wills, and something far more dangerous than desire threatened to conquer her senses...





After hearing raving reviews about Julie's work over the past four or five years, I finally found two of her books in my local bookstore and quickly grabbed them up. The covers on the books, well, on the newest reprint of the books at least, are breathtakingly beautiful and that alone made me love the book. Plus, it is set in my favorite country and time period: Scotland in the medieval times. I wasn't surprised that I ended up loving the book as much as I did, not after all the recommendations and the perfect story written by Garwood.

The story was amazing, brilliantly written and delivered. Garwood knows how to write a story that is both interesting and romantic, sensual and sexual, depending on the specific scene, funny and sweet, witty and charming. The characters were well developed and dynamic, and before you got half way through the book you find yourself falling in love with them. I can't wait to read more of her books, and I hope that some of the beloved characters we met in this book will return in one of her other books.

One of the things I loved the most about Alec and Jamie's story was the fact that while Alec was very possessive and strong *A total Highland Larid, of course!*, he also proved to be caring, funny, tender and loving. When he started to fall for Jamie, and she started to fall for him in return, I almost had to wipe away a few tears, their story and connection were that strong and intense, almost gut-wrenchingly so. I wish that I had a man like Alec. He accept Mary even though she wasn't his child, and he proved to be a wonderful father. He loved to rouse Jamie's spark and passion, which is also something I enjoyed: Both the fact that he was so intrigued by having such a strong woman as his wife and the fact that she wasn't a wimpy heroine, which I cannot stand in a romance novel *or any book, really*.

Their love scenes were both tender and intense, passionate and steamy, and even playful at times. It showed the emotional and physically side of their relationship nicely, which is something that is sometimes lacking in other romances. I can now say that I am a proud Julie Garwood fan. :)

5/5 STARS! A wonderfully exciting tale of medieval love and adventure in the highlands, told by an amazing author. The characters and their story will stick with long after the book is over.

~TBQ~

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