THE REIVER'S PASSION

Author: Mariah LeGrand ISBN: 1590883705 6/2004 HISTORICAL Publisher: Wings ePress, Inc.
Time Period: 1305 Scotland

Candelyn Comyn was a strong willed lass that rode the moors of Scotland with no fear except the clan MacBaron. Once she had met the Laird of the clan, however she could not get him out of her mind. In war strife Scotland there was no way Angus MacBaron could court the lass in the regular fashion.  So he decided to take her like a common reiver and keep her in his castle.  With time she would surely grow to love him.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

THE REIVER'S PASSION takes place in 1305 Scotland, during the fight for independence between Robert de Bruce and the clans of Scotland against the great Hammer of the Scots, King Edward I of England. Rich in background and tapestry, Mariah LeGrand takes her readers on an exciting and adventurous journey into the Highlands, in this, her debut historical romance.

Candelinn Comyn and her brother, Fergus, steal away from the watchful eye of their hated uncle to visit Candelinn's best friend, Helena, who is soon to marry. Arriving safely at the home of Helena's parents, Candelinn soon encounters Angus, the handsome and mighty laird of the MacBaron Clan, who also happens to be deadly enemies of the Comyn's.

Unbeknownst to Candelinn, Angus has watched her from afar for the last two years. But now seeing her up close and in the flesh turns what was once a simple fascination into a full-fledged obsession. Determined to have her as lover and mistress, Angus sets out to win the heart of this fire-haired beauty.

There are several things I really enjoyed about this story. For one, Ms. LeGrand's prose and dialogue were both very well written; the story flowed seamlessly and kept my attention from wandering. Secondly, her narratives of the Scottish landscape were descriptive enough to help me visualize the land and put me there. And the secondary characters were all well-drawn, adding much to the storyline including several light-hearted moments of humor.

Although I did enjoy THE REIVER'S PASSION and thought it very well-written for a debut book, I did have a few problems with it history-wise. At one point, Candelinn becomes mad enough at Angus to tell him that if she had had a musket she would shoot him. Since muskets were not part of the weapons scene until the late 16th^th century (originating in Spain), I'm afraid she would have had a hard time locating one in order to make good her threat. Also, some of the costume descriptions in TRP (i.e. the use of lace as opposed to embroidery or needlework adornment for trimming) had me switching in my mind to the 1500s, rather than medieval Scotland where I was supposed to be, and at times it became a bit confusing.

Barring the historical errors, though, I feel Ms. LeGrand shows great promise as a romance author. I certainly wouldn't hesitate to read any future stories she might decide to offer readers of historical romance.

Nancy Davis