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.

Heather Graham’s ONDINE – A Great 17th-Century Romance!

Ondine is right up there with Heather Graham’s best historical romances. Set in England in the reign of Charles II in the late 1600s, Graham masterfully weaves in history that makes the era come alive.

It is a complex tale of Ondine, the young and very beautiful Duchess of Rochester, whose father is slain by jealous relatives who want his lands—and Ondine—while they also attempt to make it look as if Ondine and her father were trying to slay the king. Ondine, fearing the fate of a traitor, flees into the forest where she joins up with the poor just trying to stay alive. Arrested with them for poaching, she ends up facing the gallows. But in a quirk of history that really happened, she is saved from the noose by an offer of marriage by a passing nobleman, Warrick, Lord Chatham.

Warrick is looking for a woman to be his wife as bait to trap the murderer of his first wife. Both Ondine and Warrick have mysteries to solve and neither confides initially in the other as they soon fall in love without admitting it. Warrick had no intention of consummating the odd marriage to the commoner he saved from the gallows, but then he finds his new wife irresistible. Her name “Ondine” represents a mythical mermaid who is given mortal life by the love of a man.

I loved how Drake wove the mythology into the story. The romance held my interest throughout and one thing I really liked is that the hero was never mean or cruel to Ondine (though he did pretend it out of concern for her life). There were no disturbing elements, only splendid writing, a well-woven plot and incredible characters you will come to love. I highly recommend this one!

Heather Graham’s WHEN WE TOUCH – Jack the Ripper, Queen Victoria and romance…Oh my!

Set in Victorian England after the death of Prince Alpert, this is the story of Maggie, Lady Graham, an independent woman. Though she had her pick of the men in the ton, she fell in love with a police officer and married him. After two years of wedded bliss, he was killed in action. Now the still young and beautiful Maggie lives with her brother Justin and her friend the author Mireau. Maggie’s passions are helping the poor women of the East End, mostly prostitutes, and exposing the spiritualists who would fleece the poor in spirit. But her brother's gambling debts force her to accept her uncle's plan for her to wed the old but very illustrious Lord Charles Langdon, friend of the Queen, who has coveted her since her first Season.

Prior to the wedding, murders have begun in London that are causing panic everywhere. No woman is safe and certainly not one like Maggie who goes to the unsafe parts of the town for her work among the poor. Meanwhile, she and Lord Charles’ nephew, Jamie Langdon, have found they cannot resist each other. Though she is falling in love with Jamie, to save her brother and the family, she intends to wed the old but kind Lord Langdon and to make him a faithful wife. Before they are wed, she and Jamie know a night of passion. All of the characters become absorbed into the melee that is Jack the Ripper.

The story is well told though at times I did find myself skipping over some of the historical parts that seemed to take too much away from the romance between Jamie and Maggie. Shannon Drake (the early pen name for Heather Graham and the original author of the book) does a good job of capturing a turbulent time in London's history and giving us an insight into what it must have been like. Her work is well researched, well written and her romance compelling. This is the 7th in her “Graham saga” though less related that the earlier ones. Still, it’s Graham and I love her stories!

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.

Review: 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.