Review: A ROSE IN THE STORM by Brenda Joyce

Margaret Comyn was determined to save her legacy, Castle Fyne, and retain her loyalty to her family.  Her country is in great turmoil fighting for its independence from the English. While her family acknowledges Edward I as King, many of her countrymen are fighting for Robert the Bruce to be the true king of Scotland.

Alexander “The Wolf of Lochaber” MacDonald is not only enemy to Margaret's clan, but is also refusing to accept a English ruler. Castle Fyne is and excellent stronghold that many wish to own, boarding along the clan MacDonald lands makes it that more enticing to Alexander.

When Alexander attacks the castle, Margaret is in a quandary, she's never had to make such a tough decision, yet she chooses not to surrender. Alexander places the castle under siege, expecting not to have to hold it long, and he's correct, as Margaret soon learns her mistake in challenging such a strong force. What she is surprised by is the just and fair nature of Alexander. She finds herself drawn to him, but knows that he's fighting for her enemy. How can she betray her family for a man and a cause that she is unsure of? 

*****

A ROSE IN THE STORM is written along the lines of the epic historical romances of the 1980's without the 'old skool' forced seduction/rape scenes (THANKFULLY).  I'm a HUGE fan of historical sagas, I like a romance that takes place over months and years rather than a short span of a few days or weeks.  I think it leads to a more realistic feel for the characters HEA.  There is no need for our heroes and heroines to rush to fall in love.


I like that Margaret could enjoy her desires and not feel the unnecessary doom and gloom of actually liking her new-found experiences in this modern twist of a historical saga. What she struggled with, was the choices she was forced to make between choosing Alexander or her family. The chemistry between Alexander and Margaret didn't have any real snap and pop. I felt that it was more of a fizzle rather than a sizzle. Which really disappointed me. I've always been drawn emotionally to Brenda Joyce's characters. Margaret was too indecisive, she didn't want to hurt her family and she wasn't sure if Edward 1 or Robert the Bruce would be the right leader. Finally, she let her love for Alexander make the choice for her.


Alexander was a sexy character, yet I think that he was almost too willing to let Margaret make her own choices...yes, I know that sounds silly. What I mean to say is that I don't think he fought hard enough to entice Margaret into following him over her family.


There wasn't enough angst or emotional pull in this book to make me fall in love or even hate these characters. I felt myself becoming apathetic about them, as any sort of conflict seemed to be quickly snubbed out.


I enjoyed most of the story, but without the emotional connection to the characters I'm giving this a 3.5 Rambling Hearts rating.

*Note: I received an ARC of this book through the publisher via NetGalley

November 2008 Reads

*ARC copy
1) THE WEDDING TRAP by Tracy Anne Warren ~Regency~ Rating – B

*2) SEDUCED AT MIDNIGHT by Jacquie D'Alessandro ~Victorian~ Rating – A
Jacquie D'Alessandro has spun an entertaining tale full of mystery, laughter and passion. While I was kept on my toes wondering who the real murderer was, I was also amused by the antics of Julianne trying to gain the attentions of Gideon, and his attempts to resist her. The author did an excellent job stringing along characters, leading to a sexual tension, that dang near had me screaming, please let them find some relief! Okay okay, actually I was hoping that poor Gideon would finally get some relief, as Julianne was the only one leaving the encounters satisfied, uhm mostly. I was glad that Julianne was finally able to gain the most cherished of her dreams and wishes. Though it wasn't an easy achievement. I also enjoyed seeing Sarah, Caroline and Emily, again, seeing how they're lives were moving along, without any of them being scene-stealer's. They are all very likable characters, and I look forward to meeting them again and watching the sparks fly in Emily and Logan's story.

*3) TEMPTED BY HIS KISS by Tracy Anne Warren ~Georgian~ Rating – A
Tracy Anne Warren is a welcome voice to the historical romance realm, she writes with depth and passion, bringing her characters to life. I found Meg and Cade to be both intriguing and likable. The tension between them was almost unbearably hot, Cade putting himself through a bit of torture, wanting to do the right thing by Meg, until he finally succumbs to his own desires. Cade, while trying to be aloof, is actually more open and accessible than most wounded heroes, which I liked. He was attempting to cut himself off from society, but, he voluntarily re-enters with Meg, not putting up much of a fight to close himself off again. Meg tried not to fall for Cade, but when she did, it was hard. TEMPTED BY HIS KISS introduces us to the Byron family (no relation to Lord Byron), which I eagerly look forward to meeting again, I can't wait to see what kind of women enchant Jack and Edward.

*4) SMART GIRLS THINK TWICE by Cathie Linz ~Contemporary~ Rating – A
Cathie Linz has created characters that just come to life off the pages of the book. She creates a story full of laughter, hot desire and deep unending love. Rock Creek is the type of small town that I would love to live in, with all the quirky characters that show true friendship. I loved Jake Slayter, he was absolutely delicious, and I just couldn't get enough of him! Emma was fun to get to know, and I enjoyed watching her try to resist Jake, and ultimately succumbing to the passion between them. Also, Emma's family was a hoot! They had their share of issues and then some, but I could feel the love and caring they each felt for one another.

*5) HEART OF COURAGE by Kat Martin ~Victorian~ Grade – A-
This was a very enjoyable read. I'm an absolute sucker for a Viking warrior, and though this takes place in Victorian England, the premises of Thor's tale of growing up on an island unchanged since Viking times is a bit far-fetched and a fun and unique twist to the story. Also. while the independent Victorian woman seems to be a fairly cliched character trait, Kat Martin did a wonderful job making making Lindsey likable and keeping the story fresh with Thor's unusual past. I liked watching their relationship grow while they fought off their attraction.

*6) THE HIGHLAND GROOM by Sarah Gabriel ~Scottish~ Rating – B
This was a nice read for a cold wintry afternoon. Its light-hearted whimsical tone was sweet, a pleasant story to escape reality without getting in to anything too deep. I liked both Fiona and Dougal alright, but I had a difficult time really caring whether or not they spent their lifetime together. I can't quite put my finger on what exactly kept me from being more drawn to them. Partly because the storyline was a little silly for me, I was a bit put off with the whole “you have to marry a certain type of person or you won't get your inheritance ploy” and I felt that the presence of the ferries was little more than an attempt to bring a slight enchantment to the story. I think that the book fell short of any substance, it was more of a “fluff” read for me.

7) A DANGEROUS LOVE by Brenda Joyce ~Regency~ Rating – A

8) MY FAIR MISTRESS by Tracy Anne Warren ~Regency~ Rating – A+

9) THE ACCIDENTAL MISTRESS by Tracy Anne Warren ~Regency~ Rating – B+

10) MY FAVORITE MISTRESS by Tracy Anne Warren ~Regency~ Rating – B+

*11) TEMPT THE DEVIL by Anna Campbell ~Regency (Courtesan)~ Rating – A
Anna Campbell has the wonderful knack of being able to take story lines that I don't like, and create spellbinding tales that I can't put down. I will admit that courtesans are my least favorite type of heroine, I don't mind a non-virginal heroine, but I would rather that she wasn't paid for sex, even if she didn't enjoy it. I find it quite an accomplishment for Ms. Campbell to enthrall me into such a book. I was riveted by Olivia and Julian's struggle to find love. Olivia really didn't want an emotional connection to Julian, I loved watching him woo and court her, seeing her shell brake around her heart, as she learned how to feel again.

Julian was not exactly emotionally stable himself. He'd married young, lost a wife he loved, and pushed his children away, allowing them to be raised by relatives, as he stayed abroad. The only relationships he would involve himself in was the purely physical kind. I liked seeing how he evolved from a sardonic aloof man, to a man of needing to express his love. I liked how Olivia didn't fall strait for him, but made him think about his actions, making him discover himself as he discovered the depth of his emotions for Olivia.