Welcome again to the Romance Garden, where some romance aficionados from the Library Staff bring you the books that made their hearts skip a beat…and offer your mind a little dirt in which to grow…
As the days grow shorter and chillier, it seems even nicer to have even a mental garden around which to wander, and we hope some of these selections will catch your eye and tempt your fancy!
Bridget:
Last Chance Llama Ranch by Hilary Fields
I have come to realize, in the course of writing these monthly posts, that I tend towards darker romances, with angst and emotions that stick to everything, and challenges that the protagonists must overcome. This book, however, has very little of any of those things, and that precisely one of the reasons that I so enjoyed it.
Hilary Fields’ debut isn’t a romance in the strictest sense of the genre–it’s more about the heroine, Merry, and her coming to terms with her life and what she wants from it. Merry is over six feet tall, and was an Olympic ski champion…before a collision with a tree ended any dreams she had of athletic competition. Now, she is a travel writer, which might sound like a nice job, until you consider that she is assigned a blog piece called “Don’t Do What I Did”. Much to her bewilderment, Merry is sent to a llama ranch in a tiny town, stuck with a cantankerous owner who wants nothing to do with her, and no idea how to escape. Slowly, though, Merry finds not only the llamas, but the whole of Last Chance Lllama Ranch growing on her…
Fields’ is one of those rare authors who can make even the most mundane of scenarios seem funny, so when she sticks her big, awkward, outspoken heroine in the middle of a pack of llama and alpaca, she is positively hysterical. This doesn’t obscure, however, the real emotional power of Merry’s journey, thankfully. This is, ultimately, a woman who has lost everything she once was, and has no where to belong. Though this llama ranch is the last place she ever thought she’s discover herself, watching Merry find a home–and love–at Last Chance Llama Ranch was a genuinely delightful experience!
Kelley:
The Stolen Mackenzie Bride by Jennifer Ashley
When Malcolm Mackenzie, better known as Mal, makes a decision to do something, you can be sure that it will happen, so when Mal decides that Lady Mary Lennox is the only woman for him, he is willing to overcome any obstacle to make their dream of a future together a reality. And, in this case, the obstacles are quite significant. First, Lady Mary is English, and her father is fiercely loyal to the Crown. Second, Lady Mary is already betrothed to a powerful Englishman. And, third, this book takes place during the time of the Jacobite uprising and Mal is a Scottish warrior, so war is a constant threat to Mary and Mal’s plans to marry.
With Mal and Mary, Ashley brings together two complex and engaging characters, and the result is a tale that will please any fan of Scottish historical romance. Mal is charismatic and passionate, but driven to dangerous extremes when it comes to the protection of those he loves. Mary also places duty and the people she loves above herself, but as her character develops, she uncovers her bravery and a fire she didn’t know she had inside of her. The couple comes together more than once only to be separated, so the title of the book is apt as Mal does indeed need to steal his bride. More than once.
For those of you familiar with Scottish historicals, expect to see some familiar conventions. For instance, Jacobite uprising books love to cite two battles in particular: Prestonpans and Culloden. There are nods to both in this book, and the chapter where Mary searches for her husband’s body on the field in the aftermath of Culloden made me think of a very similar scene in The Blood of Roses by Marsha Canham. However, Ashley balances history and romance well, and offers a book that is light enough to satisfy those focused on romance and adventure, but dark enough to add weight and depth to the story for those looking for something more. A prequel to Ashley’s Mackenzies Series, The Stolen Mackenzie Bride works well as a stand-alone novel, but I’m certain it will make you want to read more about the clan in the previously published books.
Bonus Pick!
Firelight by Kristen Callihan
In honor of our gloriously ghoulish month of All Hallows Read, I also wanted to recommend one of my favorite paranormal romances of all time. The opening of Kristen Callihan’s wonderfully clever and sumptuous Darkest London series is a lushly romantic, and genuinely creative tale full of terrific historic detail and two protagonists who are utterly irresistible.
Miranda Ellis was born with a mysterious power, but up ’til now, it has caused her and her family nothing but disaster. When she attracts the attention of the reclusive Lord Benjamin Archer, Miranda finds a man who sees beyond her quirks. But Archer himself is a man of many secrets, not the least of which is the mask that he wears over half his face…and the shadowy villains who begin to track their every moment, and threaten the fragile happiness they have discovered together.
The fact that this story is a direct homage to The Phantom of the Opera endeared it to me almost immediately, but Callihan makes the truth of Archer’s past (and face) so much more twisted and so much more interesting. In addition, she is a master at building tension between her characters along with an enormous amount of respect, ensuring that her characters are equal partners in nearly every step of their journey together.