November is Romance Trilogies month on my blog. It takes talent
to write a great historical romance novel, but it takes even more to write
three in a row and make them all worthy reads. Of course, I recognize this
omits some wonderful single titles and some great multibook series, but I
started focusing on trilogies some time ago and find it helps readers find the
ones to read in a group.
I'm starting
with a truly great trilogy, Laurie McBain’s Dominick trilogy: Moonstruck Madness, Chance the
Winds of Fortune and Dark Before The Rising Sun. Today I review the first but I’ll show you
the covers for the others.
Laurie McBain’s MOONSTRUCK MADNESS – A Classic Keeper
with a Scottish Heroine Masquerading as a Highwayman and a Scarred English
Duke!
Set in 1746
in Scotland (prologue), and 1751 in England, this is the story of Sabrina
Verrick, the Scottish noblewoman, who along with her sister and brother survive
after their grandfather, Laird of the MacElden clan, is brutally slain by the
English at Culloden Moor. They escape to England where they live in the country
at the rundown estate of their father, an English marquis who abandoned them as
children. To feed her family, Sabrina becomes the highwayman “Bonnie Charlie,”
robbing the rich to feed the poor, including her family.
One man she robs, Lucien, Duke of Camareigh, a gambler
and a rogue, is no English fop as are most of Sabrina’s victims. A self-made
man, he decides to trap the wily bandit and have his revenge. Once he captures
“Charlie,” the duke realizes the highwayman who has been plaguing him and his
friends is a beautiful young woman. When she won’t reveal who she is, he
decides to try seduction.
Superbly written, you’ll find this one hard to put
down. I love the logic of McBain’s intricate plot…no improbable moments here.
No contrived black moments. Just great storytelling and suspenseful action. The
dialog is clever and the characters wonderfully developed. Sabrina is
courageous, good hearted and rebellious to the end and Camareigh is a tough
alpha male, just the kind we like to see fall to love’s power.
McBain paints vivid pictures of Culloden (to start
with) and then the English countryside thereafter, putting you right in the
scene. It is so well done. Reading this just reminded me that a 5-star classic
never goes out of style.
Buy on Amazon
And the other two...
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| Chance the Winds of Fortune |
 |
| New Cover |
 |
| New Cover |
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| Dark Before the Rising Sun |
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