Nora Roberts’ REBELLION – Superb Storytelling of the Rising of 1745 and a Love That Would Not be Denied – A Keeper!

It begins in 1735 when Serena MacGregor’s home in the Highlands is invaded by British dragoons and her mother is raped by their leader who wants to shame a Highland’s chief’s wife. And that night hatred for the English was born in Serena. Ten years later, in 1745, her brother Coll brings home his friend, Brigham Langston, whose mother might have been a MacDonald but he is English.

 

Serena means to hate Brigham but ends up falling in love. Brigham wants the fiery tempered lass and means to have her. But there is a matter of the Jacobite Rising of 1745 that will interfere. I loved these two characters.

 

It’s a time of rebellion in the Highlands as the Scots, sick of English oppression, long for their Bonnie Prince Charlie, their “king across the waters” to return and reclaim his throne. The Germans may reign in England but the Scots want their true king restored.

 

When I read about the Battle of Culloden that took place in 1746 and see the images that represent that fateful day, I am always deeply saddened. Not just for the battle that was lost or the thousands of Scots slain, but for the cruelty of England inflicted thereafter on a generation of Highlanders. The English destroyed a way of life.

 

Roberts brings this time in Scotland’s history to life with superb storytelling, wonderful characters and brilliant dialog. Rich in historical detail and passion-filled love, this is a keeper. I fell in love with Brigham whose heart beat to the Highlands though he was an English lord. And I cheered on Serena as she finally decided to claim the man her own heart could not deny.

 

First published in 1988, this is the story of the historical roots for Roberts’ contemporary MacGregor series. I am so sorry she gave us only two historical romance novels before moving on to other genres as her historicals are very, very good.

 

Nora Roberts’ LAWLESS – Superb suspenseful storytelling from the Old West!

 

Set in 1875 in Arizona Territory, this is the story of Sarah Conway, who was raised in a convent school in Philadelphia where her father left her when he went west to discover gold. He loved his daughter and saw Sarah had everything but the one thing she really wanted—her father. So, when she was nearly 18, she traveled west to Lone Bluff where her father had settled and built them a fine home. She is shocked to see how stark the land was and to discover her father has been killed in an accident in his mine and there was no fine home. Instead, she finds a one-room shack with a dirt floor.

 

Jake Redman is half Apache and all gunslinger, a hardened man but with a kind, noble heart. Jake thinks the girl he calls Duchess won’t last a day in Lone Bluff. But he was wrong. And for some reason, he wants to protect her.

 

Sarah is a stubborn, determined woman with little respect for the prejudice of others. She falls hard for Jake and befriends a young prostitute—all the while she is making a home of the cabin her father left her and building a seamstress business. Jake is the perfect hero, steel and ice outside and fire inside. Sarah has a steel backbone but is all lady inside.

 

Roberts brings the Old West to life creating vivid images of the rough life on the frontier with lots of action to keep you biting your nails. There are wonderful secondary characters, too, including Lucius, the kind old soldier who Sarah hires to look after her place; Alice, the young prostitute who thought the sun rose with Sarah; Sam Carlson, the smooth rancher who was more snake than gentleman; and Carlotta, the madam of the local whorehouse who wants gold and Jake and doesn’t take kindly to the proper young lady from Philadelphia who has captured Jake’s attention. Great storytelling!

 

I recommend this one!

Nora Roberts’ IN FROM THE COLD - Brilliant Story of a Scot and an Irish Lass on the eve of the American Revolution… A Keeper!

 Set at the outset of the American Revolution, beginning in December 1773, this is the story of Ian MacGregor, who was wounded by a British soldier after participating in the Boston Tea Party. Ian fled to the wilderness of Massachusetts where he ended up in the barn of the Murphys and in the care of the young Irish widow, Alanna Murphy Flynn.

Alana is immediately attracted to the red-haired rebel but she fears his talk of revolution, not just for herself but for her brothers. Ian has fallen in love with Alana and means to have her as his wife. But he’ll need his aunt in Virginia to help him.

Brilliant descriptions and beautifully developed characters bring this story and the MacGregors to life. Revolution is coming to America and while Alanna would resist, Ian knows America must fight for her freedom. Roberts adroitly weaves the conflicting emotions of the time into a love story between two strong-willed people.

It’s a well told, fast-paced novella and so good one could only hope for more. The first story in the MacGregor series is Rebellion and I highly recommend it. However, all of the others that follow In From the Cold are, sadly, contemporaries. Would that Roberts would have continued writing historicals as it would have been fascinating to see her tell the history of America along with the MacGregor love stories. She did historicals so well.

Nora Roberts’ IN FROM THE COLD – Brilliant Christmas Story of a Scot and an Irish Lass on the eve of the American Revolution… A Keeper!

Set at the outset of the American Revolution, beginning in December 1773, this is the story of Ian MacGregor, who was wounded by a British soldier after participating in the Boston Tea Party. Ian fled to the wilderness of Massachusetts where he ended up in the barn of the Murphys and in the care of the young Irish widow, Alanna Murphy Flynn.

Alana is immediately attracted to the red-haired rebel but she fears his talk of revolution, not just for herself but for her brothers. Ian has fallen in love with Alana and means to have her as his wife. But he’ll need his aunt in Virginia to help him.

Brilliant descriptions and beautifully developed characters bring this story and the MacGregors to life. Revolution is coming to America and while Alanna would resist, Ian knows America must fight for her freedom. Roberts adroitly weaves the conflicting emotions of the time into a love story between two strong-willed people.

It’s a well told, fast-paced novella and so good one could only hope for more. The first story in the MacGregor series is Rebellion and I highly recommend it. However, all of the others that follow In From the Cold are, sadly, contemporaries. Would that Roberts would have continued writing historicals as it would have been fascinating to see her tell the history of America along with the MacGregor love stories. She did historicals so well.

Nora Roberts’ IN FROM THE COLD – Brilliant Christmas Story of a Scot and an Irish Lass on the eve of the American Revolution… A Keeper!

Set at the outset of the American Revolution, beginning in December 1773, this is the story of Ian MacGregor, who was wounded by a British soldier after participating in the Boston Tea Party. Ian fled to the wilderness of Massachusetts where he ended up in the barn of the Murphys and in the care of the young Irish widow, Alanna Murphy Flynn.

Alana is immediately attracted to the red-haired rebel but she fears his talk of revolution, not just for herself but for her brothers. Ian has fallen in love with Alana and means to have her as his wife. But he’ll need his aunt in Virginia to help him.

Brilliant descriptions and beautifully developed characters bring this story and the MacGregors to life. Revolution is coming to America and while Alanna would resist, Ian knows America must fight for her freedom. Roberts adroitly weaves the conflicting emotions of the time into a love story between two strong-willed people.

It’s a well told, fast-paced novella and so good one could only hope for more. The first story in the MacGregor series is Rebellion and I highly recommend it. However, all of the others that follow In From the Cold are, sadly, contemporaries. Would that Roberts would have continued writing historicals as it would have been fascinating to see her tell the history of America along with the MacGregor love stories. She did historicals so well.

Nora Roberts’ REBELLION – Superb Storytelling of the Rising of 1745 and a Love That Would Not be Denied – A Keeper!

It begins in 1735 when Serena MacGregor’s home in the Highlands is invaded by British dragoons and her mother is raped by their leader who wants to shame a Highland’s chief’s wife. And that night hatred for the English was born in Serena. Ten years later, in 1745, her brother Coll brings home his friend, Brigham Langston, whose mother might have been a MacDonald but he is English.

Serena means to hate Brigham but ends up falling in love. Brigham wants the fiery tempered lass and means to have her. But there is a matter of the Jacobite Rising of 1745 that will interfere. I loved these two characters.

It’s a time of rebellion in the Highlands as the Scots, sick of English oppression, long for their Bonnie Prince Charlie, their “king across the waters” to return and reclaim his throne. The Germans may reign in England but the Scots want their true king restored.

When I read about the Battle of Culloden that took place in 1746 and see the images that represent that fateful day, I am always deeply saddened. Not just for the battle that was lost or the thousands of Scots slain, but for the cruelty of England inflicted thereafter on a generation of Highlanders. The English destroyed a way of life.

Roberts brings this time in Scotland’s history to life with superb storytelling, wonderful characters and brilliant dialog. Rich in historical detail and passion-filled love, this is a keeper. I fell in love with Brigham whose heart beat to the Highlands though he was an English lord. And I cheered on Serena as she finally decided to claim the man her own heart could not deny.

First published in 1988, this is the story of the historical roots for Roberts’ contemporary MacGregor series. I am so sorry she gave us only two historical romance novels before moving on to other genres as her historicals are very, very good.

Nora Roberts’ IN FROM THE COLD – Brilliant Story of a Scot and an Irish Lass on the eve of the American Revolution… A Keeper!

Set at the outset of the American Revolution, beginning in December 1773, this is the story of Ian MacGregor, who was wounded by a British soldier after participating in the Boston Tea Party. Ian fled to the wilderness of Massachusetts where he ended up in the barn of the Murphys and in the care of the young Irish widow, Alanna Murphy Flynn.

Alana is immediately attracted to the red-haired rebel but she fears his talk of revolution, not just for herself but for her brothers. Ian has fallen in love with Alana and means to have her as his wife. But he’ll need his aunt in Virginia to help him.

Brilliant descriptions and beautifully developed characters bring this story and the MacGregors to life.

Revolution is coming to America and while Alanna would resist, Ian knows America must fight for her freedom. Roberts adroitly weaves the conflicting emotions of the time into a love story between two strong-willed people. It’s a well told, fast-paced novella and so good one could only hope for more. 

The first story in the MacGregor series is Rebellion and I highly recommend it. However, all of the others that follow In From the Cold are, sadly, contemporaries. Would that Roberts would have continued writing historicals as it would have been fascinating to see her tell the history of America along with the MacGregor love stories. She did historicals so well.

Nora Roberts’ REBELLION – Superb Storytelling of the Rising of 1745 and a Love That Would Not be Denied – A Keeper!

The story begins in 1735 when Serena MacGregor’s home in the Highlands is invaded by British dragoons and her mother is raped by their leader who wants to shame a Highland’s chief’s wife. And that night hatred for the English was born in Serena. Ten years later, in 1745, her brother Coll brings home his friend, Brigham Langston, whose mother might have been a MacDonald but he is English.

Serena means to hate Brigham but ends up falling in love. Brigham wants the fiery tempered lass and means to have her. But there is a matter of the Jacobite Rising of 1745 that will interfere.

It’s a time of rebellion in the Highlands as the Scots, sick of English oppression, long for their Bonnie Prince Charlie, their “king across the waters” to return and reclaim his throne. The Germans may reign in England but the Scots want their true king restored.

When I read about the Battle of Culloden that took place in 1746 and see the images that represent that fateful day, I am always deeply saddened. Not just for the battle that was lost or the thousands of Scots slain, but for the cruelty of England inflicted thereafter on a generation of Highlanders. The English destroyed a way of life.

Roberts brings this time in Scotland’s history to life with superb storytelling, wonderful characters and brilliant dialog. Rich in historical detail and passion-filled love, this is a keeper. I fell in love with Brigham whose heart beat to the Highlands though he was an English lord. And I cheered on Serena as she finally decided to claim the man her own heart could not deny.

First published in 1988, this is the story of the historical roots for Roberts’ contemporary MacGregor series. I am so sorry she gave us only two historical romance novels before moving on to other genres as her historicals are very, very good.