BELOVED STRANGER

Author: Patricia Potter ISBN: 0425207420 2/2006 HISTORICAL Publisher: BERKLEY
Time Period: 1513 England

Once Kimbra Charlton rode side by side with her bandit husband. But after his untimely death, she has lived at the mercy of his thieving clan. To protect her daughter and keep her home, she must follow their wishes, even if it means scavenging from the bodies of the dead on a battlefield. But when she comes across a wounded Scottish warrior, she cannot leave him to die... Unable to remember anything about his past, Lachlan Maclean is haunted by fleeting images of violence and betrayal even as he is nursed by the spirited English widow, who hides him in her cottage and heals his wounds. The feelings that Kimbra stirs in his broken soul give him the will to survive. And though Lachlan is her sworn enemy, Kimbra slowly warms to his quiet strength. But a Scotsman killed her beloved husband—how can another claim her heart?

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Patricia Potter's second book in her Scottish brothers trilogy is called BELOVED STRANGER. I loved this book! It had Scottish history and an incredible love story all in one.

BELOVED STRANGER begins with the tragic battle at Flodden Field, or Battle of Branxton as it has been known for centuries. I did a little internet research and found the history of that bloody battle between the invading Scottish Army led by King James IV, and the English Army led by Thomas Howard. Over 10,000 Scots were killed during that battle on September 9, 1513. How very sad it was to learn that many of the Scots weren't skilled with their artillery, and while they were missing their shots, the English were not! Soon they had most of the Scottish army laid to rest, including many high ranking officials and their own King. Hopefully I've set the stage for the beginning and the undertone of Miss Potter's BELOVED STRANGER.

English widow Kimbra Charlton sets out to steal whatever of value she can from the dead at Flodden Field. With her husband deceased, she is the sole provider for herself and her young daughter, Audra. She stumbles upon Lachlan Maclean, on the verge of death himself. She realizes he is still alive and decides to come back for him at night, to save him but also to see if there is a ransom for his return. What she doesn't expect is how deeply she would come to care for him, even though doing so could bring harm to herself and her daughter. Lachlan, glad to be alive, cannot remember who he is. All he knows is the gentleness Kimbra has shown to him. As he heals, he starts to remember bits and pieces of his life, but little does he know that Kimbra may hold the final clue to help him remember—a jeweled family crest she stole from him the day she saw him at the battlefield.

BELOVED STRANGER was just one of those books that I didn't want to put down. Not only was Kimbra and Lachlan's romance filled with danger and love, I loved Kimbra's daughter, Audra, too. She was just as much a primary character as the hero and heroine. The love that Lachlan showed to Audra was just heartbreaking. Don't get me wrong; BELOVED STRANGER had its fair share of sexy scenes! If this book would ever be turned into a movie I know just the actor to play Lachlan (ahem—Gerard Butler).

When I get the chance I'm going to go to my nearest bookstore and get a copy of BELOVED IMPOSTER, the previous book in Miss Potter's series. If you love Scottish history, a sexy romance story, fantastic characters and some danger, I would definitely recommend reading Patricia Potter's BELOVED STRANGER!

Julie Kornhausl