Tempted by a Warrior [Mass Market Paperback]

TEMPTED BY A WARRIOR by Amanda Scott is a wonderful exciting Historical Romance set in 1377 Annandale, Scotland. It is the the third in the Dunwythie Trilogy ( Book one Seduced By A Lord, Book two Tamed By A Laird). This Trilogy is about the fourteenth-century Lord Dunwythie of Annandale, Scotland's two daughter's and his niece. The trilogy is based on "facts" from an unpublished sixteenth-century manuscript. These books can be read as a stand alone.It is well written with depth and details. You can't help but love the characters, who are enchanting and strong. This story is about Fiona, who at the age of fifteen elopes with Lord Dunwythie's enemy's son, Will Jardine. Lord Dunwythie has been dead two years when this story begins. Fiona's husband, Will, has disappeared without a trace. He was a horrid husband, cruel and has numerous affairs. His father, Lord Jardine, is dying, who is also just as cruel to the young, Fiona, who is very pregnant. Lord Jardine sends for his nephew, Kirkhill. Who is a knight and baron and is honor bound to be Fiona's guardian and her child's protector. What begins as mistrust, for Fiona has only known cruelty for the past two years, soon turns into something more. They battle humors of Fiona's guilt for the disappearance of her husband, suspicions, and a possible war with the English. This story has everything, it is fast paced and a page turner. It has deception, suspicion, wit, violence, romance, passion, intrigue, strong willed women, warrior men, love and troubling times.Ms. Scott has written a wonderful Medieval Scottish romance that makes Scotland come to life through the characters and pages of her book. I would highly recommend this book. It is a keeper and a must read. This book was received for review and details can be found at My Book Adddiction and More and Forever, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing.

I am probably going to get slammed for this review, or someone will complain and get my review removed (someone who doesn't want to see a negative review). FIRST; let me say I like Amanda Scott's writing. But... all the way through this book, though I thought it would be a good book as I liked the premise, I never really found myself connecting. Unlike many reviewers I have read, I don't need to have something in common with these people to actually enjoy the book. I can take or leave a lot of history and be just as happy either way as long as it's well written. I can read about a character I don't relate to at all, and still enjoy the book and the character as I truly appreciate that it takes all kinds and all kinds have their strengths. I am extremely open minded when it comes to characters and like wimpy or strong or obnoxious as long as it fits (to a point, sooner or later a character has to grow as we all do or it is not a true romance novel). I am a reviewer however who is willing to give 1's and 2's, otherwise we would never know which books that a writer has put out are truly worth purchasing with our hard earned cash, loaning from the library, or not even bother to read as a writer should not earn their buck if they don't put out decent work. If I read a book that is well written but I just don't like the characters or the amount of angst the author felt necessary to put in the book, then I will either not review it at all as it is a personal preference, or I will give it a middle of the road review and explain that the angst just drug on entirely to long (especially when it is one of those 600 page books with at least 100 pages too long of unnecessary angst???). Some people like angst and telling people that was my problem gives them a chance to know they will like it.

To be honest with you, the only part of the book I enjoyed was the first part where the heroine is telling a story to the children and the H/H meet for the first time. Even when she was upset that he called himself the heir I was still enjoying it. I thought for sure I was going to like this story. I liked the previous two books, though neither will stay in my personal library as they were good, but they didn't make my heart swell which is a requirement to stay in my library, I merely enjoyed the books and that is always worth the money.

Back to this book; at the end of this story I felt like not only did I not have any connection to these people, I didn't even know their personalities... I could not even tell you what they looked like as I could only see a vague picture of them in my mind. They felt no more real in my imagination as they actually were in real life. It all felt extremely wooden, as if Amanda didn't really want to write the book, but had an obligation. I could not even tell you what that villain looked like??? Even the scenes that were supposed to be tense and exciting were flat to me. The only thing I could have described for you (looks and personality wise) is his war horse, Cerberus??? To be honest, maybe I was tired of these characters?? But... I don't think that was the case.

I purposely went back and read the first book in this series just to see. Low and behold, I liked the book, the characters and had no sign of wooden cutouts rattling around in my brain and could even feel the excitement in the danger of the firth during rising tide.

I would like to say that this is a problem I have experienced before with authors and their commitments to series of books and so forth. I would prefer only to read a story of a back up character because an author has felt a strong love and affection for them and wishes to explore their personal story line but in a totally unexpected treat to her readers, not a pre-ordained trilogy type offering. But... I have read entirely too many that were obviously committed to on paper but not in the heart or mind of the writer!!!! I hope I am not being unfair as I truly do like Scott's writing, but this book is NOT one I would recommend as it felt to me to have no heart and soul, and life just never took shape.

Maybe if it had been the first one I read I might have felt it??? Maybe then I would not have been so critical as I would not have had the other two to compare to??? Just my personal opinion, please don't take offense.

In 1377 Annadale, Scotland, for the past two years, seventeen-year-old Lady Fiona Jardine has been married to abusive Will who thinks nothing of slapping and punching her. Her being pregnant with his child does not prevent Will from hammering her; he even targets her protruding stomach. When he hits her she falls hitting her head on a rock. When she regains consciousness Fiona is her bed and Will has vanished.

Will's nasty dying father Old Jardine demands justice from Kirkhill Laird Sir Richard Seyton, as he insists Fiona killed his son. He names the Laird of Kirkhill guardian of his unborn grandchild with Richard as guardian and trustee for a lad until he turns twenty-five; and to do whatever he wants if another whore like his daughter-in-law is born. Old Jardine insures everyone knows Fiona killed Will and wants her hung preferably before he dies. The odious Old Jardine dies as Fiona gives birth while Richard plans to protect the new mother and her child from those mean-spirited enough to hang a new mom based on an unsubstantiated rumor, but to do so means finding Will.

This is a great medieval romance starring an abuse victim, a kind laird, and a father-in-law who even dying abuses his power to assault the helpless woman about to give birth to his grandchild. Starting with the Scottish version of Rumpelstiltskin and never letting up with a fairy tale feel to this enjoyable historical romance (including the ogre Jardine males), fans will relish the third Dunwythie saga (see Tamed by a Laird and Seduced by a Rogue).

Harriet Klausner

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 11 reviews  3.6 out of 5 stars