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Macolm McNair is determined to claim Beaumont in the name of his king, Robert the Bruce. Having never lost a battle yet, Malcolm is certain that the prize of Beaumont will be an easy mark. For, hadn't it been said that Beaumont's lord was only a young man, unseasoned in battle and unprotected by a large army? However, taking the prize is harder than he thought, especially when Beaumont's young lord insists on fighting dirty.
Lady Rosalind of Beaumont is not about to let her beloved home fall into the hands of filthy Scots - even if it means disguising herself as her dead brother and employing less-than-savory battle tactics. She would willingly do everything in her power to keep them from taking Beaumont, especially since they had already taken so much from her. The death of her mother, brother and father, in a fire set by the sneaking, murdering Scots, had taught her enough about their character to know that life under their hand would be unbearable.
But, what is she to do, her defenses are weak, and she had no real army to speak of? Although Rosalind uses every tactic she can think of, the battle is still lost, and she is made a prisoner in her own home. But, although the leader, Malcolm McNair, had claimed her home, he shows no inclination to raid or destroy Beaumont, and even shows mercy to Beaumont's people. How can this be when Rosalind has seen, first hand, the atrocities committed by his fellow Scots?
Although both are secretly attracted to the other, they must keep their distance - emotionally at least - because of their different loyalties. Thrown together in an untenable situation, both realize that this may be harder than they'd thought.
Author Joanne Rock has created quite a tale in THE LAIRD'S LADY. A good, solid storyline encourages readers to follow along, even through a few dry passages, and reach the happy ending that is a must for all good romance novels. Main characters Malcolm and Rosalind seem to come to life on the page, and underlying plot twists adds just a hint of mystery to the tale. All in all, THE LAIRD'S LADY was an enjoyable read.
Reviewed by Janean Nusz
for The Road to Romance
October 16, 2005
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