Clans, Castles, and Clashing Swords

The Warrior by Margaret Mallory
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Okay, here's the story on this one. While at my first RWA national conference (my first writer's conference ever, actually), I stumbled into the literacy book signing event after killing a little time in the bar across the way . . . and basically just walked around feeling totally overwhelmed. There were so many authors, so many books! Where to begin? So, I just started walking around, talking to people who weren't otherwise engaged--and one of those people was Margaret Mallory. I'm all about Scotland and like historicals, tho', admittedly, I've read only a handful in the genre. Most of my logged reading has been with Diana Gabaldon. No half-naked men with glistening chests on the cover. I read what wins the Pulitzer or the National Book Award. Anyway, I bought Mallory's book (which she very kindly signed for me) and took it home with a mountain of others both purchased and acquired by what was called ... booty? Scat? No, something else. Dang. Can't remember now. Free stuff, basically. Giveaways. RWA was fabulous. Gave me a whole new respect for the romance genre and turned me on to lots of wonderful people who happen to write books (or authors who happen to be great people--whatever floats your boat).

So, getting to the point. I just finished THE WARRIOR and really, really liked it. The characters were quite lovely, the sexual tension good and tense, the sex pretty hot, and the plot a nail-biting adventure. Can you ask for more than that in an escapist read? I never groaned, rolled my eyes, or threw the book across the room once. Praise indeed--despite the bare chested lad on the cover. And, to the publisher's credit, this photo actually resembled the romantic hero!

Bottom line: I enjoyed the book, would recommend it to others who enjoy Scottish historicals, and would definitely read something else by Margaret Mallory.

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