On A Highland Shore

by Kathleen Givens.

I loved this book. Loved it. It was definitely a book that I had a hard time putting down, and I'm looking forward to see if the author continues the stories that haven't been told yet.

In the beginning of the book, we meet Margaret MacDonald, a young Scottish woman who is preparing for her marriage. She is to be wed to a relative of the King, helping tie families together. She is excited about her marriage, until she finds her betrothed in bed with her best friend. Tempers flare, and Margaret attempts to have her marriage arrangement forfeited, going as far as seeking an audience with the King to settle the matter. She is told to honor the betrothal and heads for home, determined to figure a way out of her fate. Upon her arrival at home, she meets with disaster, and she is flung into the politics of the Scottish Highlands while still trying to find a way out of her marriage.

I was surprised to learn that this was a romance novel. I am not one to typically pick up a romance novel, and while this did indeed have romance in it, and some fairly accurate bedroom descriptives, it wasn't overwhelming. The romantic part of the story was expertly entwined with actual historic events of 1263. I love reading historic novels that have a little bit of fact and a little bit of fiction expertly woven together, and this is just such a story. I found myself rooting wholeheartedly for the Scots and their Irish allies who come to their aid when needed.

This book read like a movie. I could see the grey skies and the mountainous terrain as they were described. I could see Margaret standing on the shore, the wind swirling her hair and dress around her as she lamented her coming marriage. Overall, it was wonderful. And with a slight warning that there is one "bedroom encounter" in the book, I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a fun book to read. Something to get lost in for a few hours...