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Danger is Sweet is a Scottish historical that delves into the realms of folklore and myth, bringing to life one of the more common of the mythical creatures. A love story between a brave Scots warrior with a secret and a wild Pictish princess, it takes place when the warring factions must unite against the threats of the Vikings.
Malcolm McAlpin is the new king’s cousin and right hand man. With a dream of a united Alba, he is forced by his cousin to battle against the Picts who still oppose the a united peaceful country. At the ceremony announcing the new reign, the last Pictish earls plot against their newly appointed king, challenging him to the death in a winner take all duel. The Picts are outnumbered and easily dispatched by the Scots, leaving Malcolm’s cousin free to assume his rightful throne.
But one Pict remains. Bethoc, the daughter of one of the Pict earls, returns that evening to avenge her father after what she believes to be a devious plot against her people. Armed with a bow and arrow, she creeps in by night to assassinate the new king in his sleep. She is quickly discovered by Malcolm before she can carry out her mission.
The new king must decide what to do with the traitorous Pict. The option to put her to death would paint him a tyrant, so he forces her into a wedding with Malcolm to keep her in check, much to Malcolm’s dismay. Caught between two worlds, Malcolm is hoping to return to his new life after his cousin’s coronation, but the wedding would hamper that. Instead, he agrees to handfasting, a wedding that lasts a year and a day.
The story revolves around Malcolm’s secret and his struggle living between two worlds. His attraction to Bethoc holds him to his life with his cousin and his new wife, although the freedom and wildness of his other life beckon to him. His cousin holds the key that binds him, but in the end, he must choose between the two. Danger is Sweet is written in an old world style. The plot moves along a little too quickly, but the characterizations are true and the inner struggles help it along.
Reviewed by Karla Brandenburg
for The Road to Romance
July 8, 2004
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