Friday, March 20, 2015

A Shadow’s Kiss By Kirsten S. Blacketer




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Blurb:
Torn between duty and desire, a knight and his lady must decide if their love is worth the price of treason. 

Madeline Campbell has been whisked away from her uncle's barony to be reunited with her family in the Scottish Highlands. Her happy reunion quickly sours when she realizes her father intends to present her as a bride to the winner of the Highland Tournament. With no one to turn to for comfort or guidance, Madeline chooses to do her duty to her clan as well as her father and marry the winner. 

An English knight has no place on Scottish soil, but Alexander must complete the mission with which he was tasked. Find Madeline and ensure her safety. When he finds her, he must decide between his honorable duty and his love for Madeline. 

No one can deny their attraction and their desire for one another, but when it sparks jealousy in the other clansmen, they have no alternative but to run.
Secrets emerge from the shadows of the past and threaten to tear their happiness apart. How can one choose between their duty and their heart?

Publisher & Release Date: Breathless Press July 3, 2014

Time and setting: Medieval, England

Genre: Historical Romance

Heat Level: 2 Scorching Flames

Rating: 3.5 Gold Crowns

Vikki’s Musings

This book picks up where An Irresistible Shadow ends, so it’s actually a continuation of that book. However, it isn’t necessary to read An Irresistible Shadow before you read A Shadow’s Kiss, although I do recommend reading it first. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it was well worth the time it took to read. Both books have some sterling moments that are sure to delight readers that enjoy a good medieval romance.

Madeline Campbell’s brother, Angus, shows up during a tournament, takes her away and carries her back to her home in the Scottish Highlands. Her heart aches for the loss of her cousin Evelyn, her uncle and of course, Sir Alexander, the solemn English knight who rarely smiles, yet has won her tender heart.

It has been ten years since she left her home to foster at Baron Rayne’s Keep, and when she arrives her other brothers, her father and her ten year-old sister, Heather, are waiting on the steps of the castle to greet her. This is the first time she has seen Heather since she lost her mother when the child was born. While she wants to embrace this sweet, lively child, it is bittersweet since she caused her mother’s death.

Before she even has a chance to settle in, her father tells her that he is holding a tournament and that the victor of this event will win her hand in marriage. While Madeline is outraged and feels that she is being used as a pawn in the political games of the highlands, she feels her duty belongs to her family and a marriage with one of her father’s rivals will hopefully bring peace between the clans.  

Concerned when Madeline disappears during the Baron of Rayne’s tournament, he sends Sir Alexander after her to make sure she is safe. When Alexander arrives at the castle, he meets Angus, Madeline’s brother, and he agrees to participate in the upcoming tournament sponsored by Madeline’s father, in hopes of winning Madeline’s hand. Every chance encounter ignites the passion between the couple, and their love for each other grows. Alexander is determined to win the tournament and marry his fair lady. When tempers get out of hand, the couple runs. Can their love survive, or will duty and honor keep them apart?

This story has plenty of plot twists, which kept me turning the pages, wanting to know what comes next. It’s a fast read with deep emotion and good character development. I do wish Ms. Blacketer had included a few more historical details. Robert the Bruce dies during her story, and she could have played on that a bit more. Personally, I like a bit more history intermingled with my romance. The other issue I have with this book is that some of her terminology is a bit too modern. However these minor issues did not take anything away from my reading pleasure.


Nonetheless, I enjoyed the book and will read Angus’ story, which I’m sure is next in the series. Ms. Blacketer gives the reader just enough interesting details regarding Angus and his possible ladylove to keep her readers coming back for more. Happy reading!

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