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Publisher:
Avon (Harper Collins) |
Release
Date: June 2004 |
ISBN: 0060098120
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Awards:
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Format
Reviewed: Paperback |
Buy
it at Amazon |
Read
an Excerpt |
Genre:
Historical Romance [1558, Scottish Highlands] |
Reviewed:
2004 |
Reviewer:
Rachel A Hyde |
Reviewer
Notes: Sexual Content |
Copyright
MyShelf.com |
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The Sweetest Sin
By Mary Reed McCall
The
MacDonell clan has a secret treasure that protects them; a magical
amulet. It is Aileana’s task to guard it, but there is somebody
who wants to snatch it away and for good reason. Duncan MacRae has
suffered greatly at the hands of the MacDonells and only wants back
what used to belong to his own clan, namely the amulet. However,
he hasn’t reckoned with Aileana who will do everything in
her power to keep the treasure, or his own fate to fall in love
with her.
There are several praiseworthy points
about this book that set it above most of the other books in the
sub-genre of Scottish historical romances. Firstly, it is not set
during any of the most predictable periods - no Bonnie Prince Charlie
hiding in the heather and Butcher Cumberland nowhere in sight. Secondly,
it is not replete with dialect words and strange speech, which tends
to make the dialogue in some books like this hard to read. There
is a villainess instead of a villain, who is unusual indeed, and
the light touch of fantasy adds to the charm. There is nothing new
about the scenes between the two lovers as Aileana chafes against
Duncan’s initial cruelty, although basically he is a good
man who has suffered just too much. Nevertheless, the author handles
this well enough, and the result is an enjoyably readable novel.
I don’t usually care for this sub-genre for the reasons given
above, but this is better than the average Highland romantic fling.
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