Dorsey has crafted a splendid trilogy that features three heroes, a Scot, an Irishman and an
Englishman, who cross paths on Drummossie Moor at the battle of Culloden in
Scotland in 1746 when the Scots experienced the defeat that would forever scar
their homeland.
This first story tells of Keegan MacLeod whose father
summoned him home to stand with his three brothers at Culloden in the hopes of
restoring a Stuart to the throne. But the battle of Culloden was lost from the
beginning and Keegan’s brothers are killed. Sheltering his wounded father, Keegan
hands over his sword when British officer Foxworth Morgan assures him that his
father will be spared. But, instead, his father is tortured and killed and
Keegan is jailed and sentenced to hang. Keegan uses his time in goal to nurture
his hatred of the Englishman who denied him and his father a warrior’s death.
With the help of his French valet, Keegan escapes from prison, and decides to
take hostage Lady Zoe Morgan, the sister of Foxworth Morgan. Zoe has lived the
life of an invalid since a childhood illness, convinced by her nurse she is
weak and frail. She is shocked when the Scot takes her hostage and leaves word
for her brother to come for her in Scotland.
As they begin their arduous journey north, it appears to Keegan that despite her constant haranguing about her ill health (and, yes, that was annoying), the girl he has taken hostage is quite braw. So much so, she is able to escape Keegan, but then falls into the hands of a notorious smuggler who takes Keegan captive as well, hoping for a large ransom for both the girl and the Scot when he delivers them to the English in Scotland.
As they begin their arduous journey north, it appears to Keegan that despite her constant haranguing about her ill health (and, yes, that was annoying), the girl he has taken hostage is quite braw. So much so, she is able to escape Keegan, but then falls into the hands of a notorious smuggler who takes Keegan captive as well, hoping for a large ransom for both the girl and the Scot when he delivers them to the English in Scotland.
Well written and cleverly done, Dorsey
was able to make me believe Keegan could fall in love with an Englishwoman even
after he lost his family to the cruel English at Culloden. And she also made me
feel Keegan’s pain at losing the castle that had been the seat of the MacLeods
for centuries. Zoe is a woman who changes much once she is free from those who
would coddle her, thriving on the adventures she and Keegan have. She
encourages the Scot to look to the future and not to the past.
The other two stories in the trilogy are set in Ireland and Scotland (The Rogue is a time travel) and describe what happens to the men who met on Culloden Moor that fateful day. I recommend them.
The trilogy:
The Renegade (First
published as The Renegade And The Rose)
The Rebel
(First published
as The
Rebel and the Lily)
The Rogue
(First published as The Rogue and the
Heather)
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| The Rebel, #2 |
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| The Rogue, #3 |
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