Sunday's Oldies but Goodies......

And the pick this week for the Oldies But Goodies review is......

Ransom
by Julie Garwood

Released in 1999

Ransom begins at the home of the Lady Gillian and her sister, Christen. Their father’s estates are under attack, and Christen is able to get away with the help of her father’s soldiers. Gillian is not so lucky. Gillian witnesses her father’s murder, and is forced to go live with her uncle in the northern wilds of England.

Forward 14 years later, and Gillian is summoned back to her father’s home, where Baron Alford, the man who murdered her father, has been keeping house. It would seem that Alford has reason to believe that Christen is in possession of a jeweled box that he covets, and he charges Gillian to find her sister and bring him back the treasure. Alford has also kidnapped a small boy from the highlands – the youngest brother of the Laird he believes is hiding Gillian’s sister.

Gillian manages to escape, taking the boy, Alec Maitland, with her, and she is able to get word to the boy’s godfather that she is in need of his assistance. She gets his attention by claiming to be his betrothed, hoping it will bring him quickly.

Alec’s godfather is Brodick, Laird Buchanan, and he is stunned by the audaciousness of the Lady Gillian. He is also in danger of falling for this very English Lady, and he doesn’t quite know how to deal with that.

I do not want to go into too much more of this story, because there are quite a few twists and turns to it. They make the story that much more enjoyable. Ransom is the second book in a two-book series – the first being ‘The Secret’. Both Brodick and Ramsey are introduced as minor characters in that novel.

There is a side story happening in this book as well. Gillian befriends a sassy Scottish lady while in the Highlands by the name of Brigid KirkConnell, and Brigid has been secretly in love with Brodick’s best friend, Laird Ramsey Sinclair since she was a little girl.

Julie Garwood does a beautiful job describing the surroundings of the characters. There were times that I would swear I could describe Ramsey’s holding, down to the front steps, and everything inside the great hall. I love a good story that can pull me in with such beautiful detail, and Ms. Garwood definitely delivers.

The heat level in this book is very sensual, with all of the love scenes taking place…well, I can’t tell you, because it would give away the story too much! I will just tell you that the scenes are very appropriate to the story, and are not just thrown in for the heck of it.

Julie Garwood has a beautiful website as well. Please visit her at http://www.juliegarwood.com/ for a complete list of books, links to order, and some fun, interactive stuff!


Happy reading!