Virginia Henley’s THE HAWK AND THE DOVE - A Privateer to Love, a Sea Hawk, and a fiercely independent Irish lass...oh yes!

I love Henley’s attention to historic detail and her ability to weave a captivating tale. This one is no different. The story is set in 1586, when Queen Elizabeth ruled England and her sea hawks ruled the seas, robbing the Spanish fleet to fill her coffers. Captain Shane Hawkhurst was Queen Bess' favorite. She named him “the sea god.” He was, in fact, not the son of Lord Hawkhurst, but the son of an Irishman named O'Neill, the Earl of Tyrone. But his English father claimed him as heir, and when Shane’s father died, Shane became Lord Hawkhurst.

 

Shane had promised his father he would marry, and to stave off Queen Bess’ jealousy and because he did not really want a wife, he had his solicitor find a country lass who had some land in Ireland he wanted and married her by proxy. Little did he know his new wife was the red-haired Irish vixen, Sara Bishop, referred to by her jealous half siblings as “Sabre Wilde” after her dead father and his sword. Shane planned to have his brother Matthew take Sara to one of his estates and dump her there, never wishing to meet her. Ah, but Sara—as Sabre—has a different plan. She intends to go to Court and seduce her husband and become his mistress, making him her love slave and having her revenge.

You have to love this heroine. She is fiercely independent, courageous, feisty and smart. Just the woman to tame a wild man like Shane Hawkhurst. And Shane is a man worthy of taming. Both have Irish blood running through their veins—at a time when Queen Elizabeth feared the rebellious Irish. So the sparks fly continuously. It’s one of the things Henley does so well—excellent characters and a plot with great twists and turns!

Henley’s love scenes are unique and fit the people and the story, so very well done, very sexy, tasteful and not contrived. It is so worth it to dive into one of her complex, winsome tales.

 

In addition to wonderful characters, a great plot and interesting history, she has included some great one-liners. One of my favorites was: “...to be Irish is to know the world will break your heart before you are thirty”. So true.

 

Penelope Williamson’s BELOVED ROGUE - A great 16th century Scottish Romance

This was Penelope Williamson's first romance and while it might not rise to the level of her later ones, which are exceptional, I thoroughly enjoyed it and believe it is worthy of your time.

 

Set in Scotland in 1584, Beloved Rogue is the story of the Scottish-English borderlands where feuds and rivalries went on for hundreds of years. When she is only 14, Alexia Carleton, a high-spirited proud English girl, meets Jamie Maxwell, a Scot whose clan has been the enemy of the Carletons for generations. With one kiss, she is captured by his love forever.

 

Years later, when she is 19 and betrothed to an English nobleman, Jamie comes to her home, Thirlwell Castle, to rescue one of his brothers. While in the process, he takes her as a hostage, ostensibly to ransom her for his family's sword and gold. He takes her to one of his family's castles and in the weeks that follow, they become lovers and he confesses he loves her. But he can never wed her because she is English and he a Scot and while they share great passion, there is also great mistrust between them.

Will he give her back?

 

I did love this story and particularly the way Williamson brought it all to a close that had me teary eyed. If you’re a Williamson fan, this one is worth your reading even if not as mazing as some of her other ones.

 

While it's a debut novel, it reflects her attention to detail, a great story with lots of side plots, her wonderful ability to make you feel along with her well-developed characters, and her creation of a lovable hero and heroine as well as endearing secondary characters. The historical setting is accurate as are the place names and geographical features she so well describes.

 

 

Iris Johansen’s THE WIND DANCER - Amazing Love Story in Renaissance Italy...Masterfully Told Tale! A Classic!

This is the first in the Wind Dancer trilogy and it is amazing, a "keeper".

Set in early 16th century northern Italy (1503), it tells the story of Lionello Andreas, oldest son of an Italian family that has held as its most treasured possession a small golden statue of the winged horse Pegasus that, according to legend, was given to their family at the fall of Troy.

 

The statue, known as the Wind Dancer, has been stolen from their city state of Mandara by Lion's enemy, Francisco Damari. In his effort to recover the statue, Lion decides to hire a thief and travels with his erstwhile companion, Lorenzo, to Florence where he buys a 16-year-old slave girl, Sanchia, who is known an expert at lifting men's gold. Lion quickly realizes he wants more from the brave and clever young woman than her thieving talents and takes her as his mistress.

 

Believing she has no ability to resist, Sanchia complies, as any slave would. In the process of helping Lion to steal the key to where the statue is kept, and in an act of great courage, Sanchia leads Damari away from Lion only to be captured by the demented and sadistic man. By the time Lion recovers her, she has been tortured and believes Lion did not honor his promise not to leave without her. As a result, she now believes her debt to Lion has been paid and demands her freedom. But Lion, whose feelings for her have grown into an obsession, will not let her go.

This is a story of passionate love in an unlikely place and, once found, denying it. The story is well told, the dialog gripping and the twists and turns complex. You will feel like you are there in Renaissance Italy. The physical relationship between Lion and Sanchia is explosive and sensual and Johansen does a superb job of describing it.

 

Like a tapestry with many threads coming together, Johansen has woven many lives into the story in a convincing manner. She has also created a great cast of secondary characters with their own passions and unique qualities. Lorenzo Vasaro, Lion's stalwart friend is an assassin with a jaded past and a wisdom that insists reality be pursued even if costly. He adds richness to the tale. I highly recommend this one.

 

Wind Dancer trilogy:

 

The Wind Dancer

Storm Winds

Reap the Wind (a contemporary )

 

Dorothy Dunnett’s CHECKMATE – A Scottish Hero Like None Other and the Woman who Loves Him, a Keeper in a great series!

 

Set in 1557, this is book 6 in a most exceptional series. Our hero, Francis Crawford of Lymond, is now back in France, thanks to the actions of his friends and his unwanted wife, Phillipa Somerville. To get the annulment he seeks for his marriage that will free both him and Philippa to marry others, Lymond agrees to serve France for one year, leading an army against England and Spain.

 

Lymond succeeds brilliantly on the battlefield, and his wit, wisdom and charm win over the French court, but his mysterious past becomes an issue. Powers in Scotland want to use it to destroy him and Lymond wants to protect the story he discovers before others that will shame the family that raised him. Philippa makes this her quest. If she cannot have him, at least she can protect him.

 

Brilliantly told, you won’t even mind the long passages and poems in French that are not translated. I just let the story drag me on. There were nights I had to keep reading after my bedtime just because I could not bear to leave it. There were mornings I rose from my bed with the story fresh in my mind. The dialog is amazing, the characters beguiling and the twists and turns something to behold.

 

More than the others in the series, this one is the love story between Francis and Philippa, which I relished. Philippa is Lymond’s soulmate, the only woman who is his true equal (or at least close to it) and every man who meets her wants her. Lymond holds her away feeling unworthy of her for he has lived a jaded life.

 

As the end nears, courage triumphs, and love sacrifices. If you, like me, want a happy ending, you will get it so hang in there. This series of six novels is a triumph of adventure, history, great characters in a time of war and love that conquers all. The royal courts are well pictured and history of four countries in the 16^th century laid bare. In the midst of it all, one man rises a hero inspiring all around him, even his enemies. Only Philippa, who loves him with her heart and soul, was his worthy match.

 

I recommend reading the first five books before this one. They are all connected and you can’t really understand this last one without the others.

 

“There is nothing of me that does not belong to you.”

~ Philippa to Francis

 

“My son took many years to learn the simple truth. You cannot love any one person adequately until you have made friends with the rest of the human race also. Adult love demands qualities which cannot be learned living in a vacuum of resentment.”

 

Sybilla, Dowager Countess of Culter,

Francis Crawford of Lymond’s mother

 

 

The Lymond Chronicles:

 

The Game of Kings

Queens’ Play

The Disorderly Knights

Pawn in Frankincense

The Ringed Castle

Checkmate

Dorothy Dunnett’s THE RINGED CASTLE – Lymond is in Russia and Philippa is in England, worlds apart.

 

This 5^th in the Lymond Chronicles takes our hero, Francis Crawford of Lymond, from Queen Mary’s Catholic England to the Russia of Ivan the Terrible, a rather erratic and cruel leader. In Russia, Lymond proves his worth as he forges a new army for the Tsar and becomes the general above all.

 

The winter scenes in Russia with its vast white wilderness are stunning. Lymond acquires an eagle that tests his strength and he plays a dangerous game of chess with the Tsar. His desire is to civilize Russia but he knows they need a strong defense first. Honing their skills, his army conquers the Tartars. Meanwhile, England and her rulers have not forgotten him and would use Phillipa, his bride of convenience, for their own purposes.

 

One has to love Phillipa. She is smart, witty, courageous and inventive—the perfect wife for Lymond. Not that he can see it, of course. Forced to come to England on a mission for the Tsar to acquire weapons for the army, Lymond becomes involved in the plots surrounding the English throne. And he comes up against his bride’s inner beauty and the fact men in Queen Mary’s court desire her above others. But Phillipa us still Lymond’s wife. European politics will delay their annulment.

 

I have to say that I liked Lymond less in this of the 5 stories I have read thus far. He was more cruel, more indifferent to his family, his young son, his men and to Phillipa. But we shall see.

 

The writing is brilliant and engaging even if Dunnett did lose me in a few places. Lots of names to remember and parts in other languages not translated. But the adventures never stop.

Another wonderful installment in the Lymond Chronicles: 

The Game of Kings

Queens’ Play

The Disorderly Knights

Pawn in Frankincense

The Ringed Castle

Checkmate

 

Dorothy Dunnett’s PAWN IN FRANKINCENSE – Adventure in an Exotic Locale…Topkapi!

Pawn in Frankincense is book 4 in the Lymond Chronicles. This one takes us to the Ottoman empire where a young child is hidden and the evil Gabriel, thought dead, still lives, serving the sultan. Francis Crawford of Lymond, soldier of fortune and the exiled heir of Scottish nobility, is now the Ambassador to the King of France, and searching for the child he believes is his by his Irish mistress. He would ransom the child with his fortune but the sultan refuses. And another child emerges to confuse things. Each child is a pawn and Francis struggles to save them both while staying alive.

 

Philippa emerges as a smart, witty heroine, courageous in her defense of one of the child pawns. Her lift will be bound up with Lymond’s as he seeks to save her honor after she has been in the sultan’s harem.

 

An adventure with many twists and turns and authentic in its history, details and descriptions. This one culminates in a masterful chess game where the pieces are real people and, if taken, will die. Lymond, drugged by Gabriel, plays for his life and the lives of his friends—and the two young children, the pawns.

 

Dunnett, once again, delivers the heart of a brooding heroic figure. For all he suffers unjustly, Lymond will again triumph.

 

A great installment in the Lymond Chronicles.

 

The Game of Kings

Queens’ Play

The Disorderly Knights

Pawn in Frankincense

The Ringed Castle

Checkmate

Dorothy Dunnett’s THE GAME OF KINGS – Brilliant Storytelling in a Complicated Plot!

December is Favorites Month and I’m starting with one that is not only one of my favorites but that of many authors.

 

It’s set in 16^th century Scotland when the country’s future was at stake and the young Queen Mary was a sought after bride by both England and France. This is the story of Francis Crawford of Lymond, a nobleman who, through unfortunate events, ends up on the outside of the law, the head of a band of broken men. He has a sharp, witty intellect and is capable of dangerous endeavors.

 

In 1547 Lymond returns to his native Scotland, which is threatened by an English invasion. Accused of treason, he takes a risky path seeking to bring the truth to light, redeem his reputation and save his land. A hero in disguise, mistrusted by most, Lymond has many supporters still willing to rise to his defense.

 

Lymond is a charming, noble soul you will not be able to resist. Though often blamed in error for others’ crimes and treason, he rises above it all. Dunnett presents him an undefiled hero to be loved. And so he is.

 

This is an exceptionally well-told tale with passages that made me stand back in admiration. Even so, there were several places where I wasn’t at all sure what was going on or who was speaking. But these were minor detractions in light of the overall brilliant writing and great story. I couldn’t stop reading and am now on book 2 in the wonderful Lymond Chronicles. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction with a charismatic hero.

The Lymond Chronicles:

 

The Game of Kings

Queens' Play

The Disorderly Knights

Pawn in Frankincense

The Ringed Castle

Checkmate

Iris Johansen’s THE WIND DANCER - Amazing Love Story in Renaissance Italy...Masterfully Told Tale! A Classic!

This is the first in the Wind Dancer trilogy and it is amazing, a "keeper".

Set in early 16th century northern Italy (1503), it tells the story of Lionello Andreas, oldest son of an Italian family that has held as its most treasured possession a small golden statue of the winged horse Pegasus that, according to legend, was given to their family at the fall of Troy.

 

The statue, known as the Wind Dancer, has been stolen from their city state of Mandara by Lion's enemy, Francisco Damari. In his effort to recover the statue, Lion decides to hire a thief and travels with his erstwhile companion, Lorenzo, to Florence where he buys a 16-year-old slave girl, Sanchia, who is known an expert at lifting men's gold. Lion quickly realizes he wants more from the brave and clever young woman than her thieving talents and takes her as his mistress.

 

Believing she has no ability to resist, Sanchia complies, as any slave would. In the process of helping Lion to steal the key to where the statue is kept, and in an act of great courage, Sanchia leads Damari away from Lion only to be captured by the demented and sadistic man. By the time Lion recovers her, she has been tortured and believes Lion did not honor his promise not to leave without her. As a result, she now believes her debt to Lion has been paid and demands her freedom. But Lion, whose feelings for her have grown into an obsession, will not let her go.

This is a story of passionate love in an unlikely place and, once found, denying it. The story is well told, the dialog gripping and the twists and turns complex. You will feel like you are there in Renaissance Italy. The physical relationship between Lion and Sanchia is explosive and sensual and Johansen does a superb job of describing it.

 

Like a tapestry with many threads coming together, Johansen has woven many lives into the story in a convincing manner. She has also created a great cast of secondary characters with their own passions and unique qualities. Lorenzo Vasaro, Lion's stalwart friend is an assassin with a jaded past and a wisdom that insists reality be pursued even if costly. He adds richness to the tale. I highly recommend this one.

 

Wind Dancer trilogy:

 

The Wind Dancer

Storm Winds

Reap the Wind (a contemporary )

 

Georgette Heyer’s BEAUVALLET – Lively Elizabethan Swashbuckler set in England, France and Spain

Set in 1586 in England, France and (mostly) Spain and the waters off their coasts, this is an early work of the classic author, Georgette Heyer, a swashbuckler with an English aristocrat, Sir Nicholas Beauvallet. “Mad Nicholas” prefers sailing his ship and troubling the Spanish galleons to enjoying the wealth he had gained and the family estate in England.

On one of his excursions, Nick captures a Spanish galleon carrying Doña Dominica de Rada y Sylvan, a young maiden returning to Spain with her ailing father. Instantly he is in love with Dominica, who is quite a brat at first, and vows to return her and her father to Spain. But Nick tells Dominica he will reclaim her within a year. She protests but is secretly thrilled. The man to whom her aunt would wed Dominica is loathsome to her.

Nick was well-loved in England. Queen Elizabeth adored him and his friends included many notables, such as Sir Francis Drake. But to his enemies, he was the "Scourge of Spain".

This story is all about the hero and his noble (and quite funny) valet, Joshua. Though Nick is quite full of himself, he is charming in his conceit, and apparently, his conceit is justified.

Enjoyable romp with Heyer’s unusual witty banter.

Shannon Drake’s THE QUEEN’S LADY – Get Swept Away to 16th century Scotland!

This Scottish historical by Shannon Drake (aka Heather Graham) is set in 16th century Scotland and England during the rise of Mary Queen of Scots and her clash with her cousin, Elizabeth, reigning as Queen of England.

Lady Gwenyth MacLeod is one of Mary's ladies in waiting. Gwenyth’s Scottish background and knowledge allow her to provide unique insights to her new Queen, who is returning from France after the death of her husband, King Francis.

Very soon into her time with Mary in Scotland, Gwenyth encounters Lord Rowan Graham, laird of Lockraven, who is also serving Queen Mary. The attraction is mutual and strong though there is an initial clash of wills. Still, once he realizes he loves her, his love for her never fails. I think that's what distinguishes this romance for me from so many of Drake's (Graham's) other historicals. The hero never treated the heroine badly and never stopped loving her. How novel, eh?

I loved the hero's consistency and his faithfulness to his woman. Here is a man worth the wait. Their times were tumultuous and they faced many challenges including the inconsistency of the Queen they both served. You can imagine how difficult it would be in such times to find real love. This is a wonderful trip through the history of Scotland and England, too. I so appreciate Heather’s research. It’s a tale of two Queens and a story of a great romance between two people trying to do what is right. Along with the history is Heather’s usual good job of storytelling, great character development and a true love fought for and won. I loved it.

Virginia Henley’s THE HAWK AND THE DOVE - A Privateer to Love, a Sea Hawk, and a fiercely independent Irish lass...oh yes!

I love Henley's storytelling, her attention to historical detail and her ability to weave a captivating tale. This one is no different. 

The story is set in 1586 when Queen Elizabeth ruled England and her sea hawks ruled the seas, robbing the Spanish fleet to fill her coffers. Captain Shane Hawkhurst was Queen Bess' favorite. She named him “the sea god.” He was, in fact, not the son of Lord Hawkhurst, but the son of an Irishman named O'Neill, the Earl of Tyrone. But his English father claimed him as heir, and when Shane’s father died, Shane became Lord Hawkhurst.

Shane had promised his father he would marry, and to stave off Queen Bess' jealousy and because he did not really want a wife, he had his solicitor find a country lass who had some land in Ireland he wanted and married her by proxy. Little did he know his new wife was the red-haired Irish vixen, Sara Bishop, referred to by her jealous half-siblings as "Sabre Wilde" after her dead father and his sword. Shane planned to have his brother Matthew take Sara to one of his estates and dump her there, never wishing to meet her. Ah, but Sara—as Sabre—has a different plan. She intends to go to Court and seduce her husband and become his mistress, making him her love slave and having her revenge.

You have to love this heroine. She is fiercely independent, courageous, feisty and smart. Just the woman to tame a wild man like Shane Hawkhurst. And Shane is a man worthy of taming. Both have Irish blood running through their veins--at a time when Queen Elizabeth feared the rebellious Irish. So the sparks fly continuously. It’s one of the things Henley does so well—excellent characters and a plot with great twists and turns!

Henley’s love scenes are unique and fit the people and the story, so very well done, very sexy and not contrived. It is so worth it to dive into one of her complex, winsome tales.

In addition to wonderful characters, a great plot and interesting history, she has included some great one-liners. One of my favorites was: "...to be Irish is to know the world will break your heart before you are thirty." So true.

Get this one; you won't regret it!

Shannon Drake’s THE QUEEN’S LADY – Get Swept Away to 16th century Scotland!

This Scottish historical by Shannon Drake (aka Heather Graham) is set in 16th century Scotland and England during the rise of Mary Queen of Scots and her clash with her cousin, Elizabeth, reigning as Queen of England.

Lady Gwenyth MacLeod is one of Mary's ladies in waiting. Gwenyth’s Scottish background and knowledge allow her to provide unique insights to her new Queen, who is returning from France after the death of her husband, King Francis.

Very soon into her time with Mary in Scotland, Gwenyth encounters Lord Rowan Graham, laird of Lockraven, who is also serving Queen Mary. The attraction is mutual and strong though there is an initial clash of wills. Still, once he realizes he loves her, his love for her never fails. I think that's what distinguishes this romance for me from so many of Drake's (Graham's) other historicals. The hero never treated the heroine badly and never stopped loving her. How novel, eh?

I loved the hero's consistency and his faithfulness to his woman. Here is a man worth the wait. Their times were tumultuous and they faced many challenges including the inconsistency of the Queen they both served. You can imagine how difficult it would be in such times to find real love. This is a wonderful trip through the history of Scotland and England, too. I so appreciate Heather’s research. It’s a tale of two Queens and a story of a great romance between two people trying to do what is right. Along with the history is Heather’s usual good job of storytelling, great character development and a true love fought for and won. I loved it.

Patricia McAllister’s SNOW RAVEN – Scottish Laird Falls for an English Lady in Waiting to Elizabeth Tudor

This is the third in McAllister’s excellent “Raven series.” Set in 1578 in the Highlands of Scotland, it is the story of Ranald, Laird Lindsay and Earl of Crawford, also known as the Wolf of Bandanlock, and Meredith (“Merry”) Tanner, a half Irish Englishwoman who is a lady in waiting to Elizabeth Tudor. Merry is betrothed to Sir Jasper Wickham, who she has never met when she leaves her sister in Wales to return to court.

Merry’s coach is attacked by Ran’s brother, Gilbert, who is out for some fun. Though no one is seriously hurt, the coach is ruined and Ran offers to see Merry to her betrothed. Little does she know that Sir Jasper is Ran’s enemy, who he believes responsible for the death of his much-loved wife. Ran plans to hold Merry as his captive to get to the truth, but his plans go awry with an unexpected result.

A great tale reflecting much research into the historical events of the period, McAllister has obviously taken great care to give you the feel of the Scottish culture and the characters’ accent come across as very real and add to the feeling you’re in Scotland. She also portrays the tension between the Scots and the English at the time. The characters are richly drawn and the plot intriguing. Caught in the middle between Ran’s anger and Sir Jasper’s treachery, Merry will accept her fate but she brings more to the arrangement than Ran bargained for.

The Raven trilogy:

Sea Raven (Irish heroine, Bryony O'Neill, Merry’s mother)

Fire Raven (Morgan Trelane, a Welshman, the Devil of Falcon's Lair and Kat, Merry’s sister)

Snow Raven (Ranald Lindsay, the Highland laird known as the Wolf of Badanloch and Merry)

Carmen Caine’s Heather House: Witch of the Moors – Well-Written Story of Scotland at the time of King James’ Witch Hunting

Set in Scotland in 1589, this is the story of Sorcha Cunningham, a girl gifted with the second sight, who is sent by her guardian (a witch if there ever was one) away for her own safety. Sorcha flees to her relative, Margaret Cunningham, who has wed Robert Montgomery, Earl of Eglinton, per the king’s command.

At the center of the story is an old feud between the Montgomery and Cunningham clans that the marriage of Robert and Margaret was intended to end. Alas, it did not. Margaret plots to get rid of her husband.

Robert’s younger brother, Alec Montgomery, free of the demands of the title, is the peacemaker in the family and spends his time having fun. But as the story begins, a mysterious old hag tells Alec he will one day be the earl and the last of his line, but how can that be when he has many brothers?

Sorcha has dreams that foretell coming horrors, but her guardian tells her she must face her destiny, for happiness lies on the other side. Meanwhile, King James begins a witch-hunt and Sorcha’s terrible fate draws ever closer while she’s melting in Alec’s arms.

The story reflects solid research and Caine is meticulous in detail, which put me in the setting. It’s well written, which I so appreciated, however, there are some dark aspects with Sorcha’s dreams providing an evil foreboding through much of the tale.

Alec is charming, falling for Sorcha the first time he sees her, no matter she is a commoner and a maid. His cousin, Taran, is an interesting fellow who adds the brooding Scot aspect to the pair. I must say King James comes over like a dolt, his changeable nature explained away by his fear of the Highland clans. Now that sounded interesting but perhaps it’s coming in a future story.

All in all, it’s a great read if the subject of witchcraft and evil perpetrated on innocent women doesn’t scare you off.

Penelope Williamson’s BELOVED ROGUE - A great 16th century Scottish Romance

This was Penelope Williamson's first romance and while it might not rise to the level of her later ones, I thoroughly enjoyed it and believe it is worthy of your time.

Set in Scotland in 1584, Beloved Rogue is the story of the Scottish-English borderlands where feuds and rivalries went on for hundreds of years. When she is only 14, Alexia Carleton, a high-spirited proud English girl, meets Jamie Maxwell, a Scot whose clan has been the enemy of the Carletons for generations. With one kiss, she is captured by his love forever.

Years later, when she is 19 and betrothed to an English nobleman, Jamie comes to her home, Thirlwell Castle, to rescue one of his brothers. While in the process, he takes her as a hostage, ostensibly to ransom her for his family's sword and gold. He takes her to one of his family's castles and in the weeks that follow, they become lovers and he confesses he loves her. But he can never wed her because she is English and he a Scot and while they share great passion, there is also great mistrust between them. Will he give her back?

I did love this story and particularly the way Williamson brought it all to a close that had me teary eyed. If you’re a Williamson fan, this one is worth your reading even if not as mazing as some of her other ones.

While it's a debut novel, it reflects her attention to detail, a great story with lots of side plots, her wonderful ability to make you feel along with her well-developed characters, and her creation of a lovable hero and heroine as well as endearing secondary characters. The historical setting is accurate as are the place names and geographical features she so well describes.

Ana Seymour’s MAID OF KILLARNEY – A Worthy Tale, Well-told Irish Love Story

While not strictly a part of Seymour's Irish historical trilogy (THE BLACK SWAN, ROSE IN THE MIST and THE IRISH GYPSY), which tells the love stories of the three Riordan brothers from County Meath, this should be a part of the series. While I liked the second one very much, this 4th may be the best. It includes some of the same characters from ROSE IN THE MIST, and the hero, Dr. John Black, is also featured in that one.

John Black is a 45-year-old doctor/politician/warrior when this story opens in 1576. He's taking some time off to relax and visit the daughter of the woman he loved as a youth. Catriona ("Cat") is now wed to Niall Riordan (their story is told in book #2 of the trilogy) and living in Killarney. On his way to visit them, John saves a young girl named Daphne from an attempted drowning by bullies and discovers she lives in the woods with her mother, Lily, known as the Witch of Whistler's Woods. Lily is hiding from a past of shame and her family's rejection, but she is increasingly concerned her lame daughter wants more people in her life than just her mother. John offers to help Daphne walk better but Lily is hesitant. She's been hurt by trusting a man before...

This is a story of second chances...the story of a man who lost his first love and a woman who was betrayed by hers. I loved the more mature man that was John Black though there was a time in the story when I questioned his less than honorable intentions toward Lily. Lily was a survivor as only a single mother who loves her child can be. It's a worthy tale, well-told and I can recommend it.

Georgette Heyer’s BEAUVALLET – Lively Elizabethan Swashbuckler set in England, France and Spain

Set in 1586 in England, France and (mostly) Spain and the waters off their coasts, this is an early work of the classic author, Georgette Heyer, a swashbuckler with an English aristocrat, Sir Nicholas Beauvallet. “Mad Nicholas” prefers sailing his ship and troubling the Spanish galleons to enjoying the wealth he had gained and the family estate in England.

On one of his excursions, Nick captures a Spanish galleon carrying Doña Dominica de Rada y Sylvan, a young maiden returning to Spain with her ailing father. Instantly he is in love with Dominica, who is quite a brat at first, and vows to return her and her father to Spain. But Nick tells Dominica he will reclaim her within a year. She protests but is secretly thrilled. The man to whom her aunt would wed Dominica is loathsome to her.

Nick was well loved in England. Queen Elizabeth adored him and his friends included many notables, such as Sir Francis Drake. But to his enemies, he was the "Scourge of Spain".

This story is all about the hero and his noble (and quite funny) valet, Joshua. Though Nick is quite full of himself, he is charming in his conceit, and apparently, his conceit is justified.

Enjoyable romp with Heyer’s unusual witty banter.