Smitten by Books

Love and Scandal
Author: Claire Robyns
Publisher: Carina Press
Pub. Date: July 5, 2010
ISBN-13: 978-1426890314
Retail: $6.29

Two Feuding Families

Amber Jardin has no taste for the bitter feud started before her father’s banishment. But now that he’s passed, she’s had to return to Scotland and his barbaric people. After her bloodthirsty uncle kidnaps one of the family’s rivals, Amber is in turn captured by Krayne Johnstone, the enemy laird. Despite their enmity, their attraction is immediate—and unfortunate, as Amber has sworn to escape.

One Lusty Temptation

Krayne is amazed at the wildcat’s repeated attempts to flee. He should steel himself against her beguiling ways—yet with time, he is driven more witless with lust. When the ransom exchange fails and Krayne is left with Amber, he finds he cannot tolerate the thought of her with another man—and she cannot tolerate the thought of returning to her uncle’s home.

Will passion and love win out over mistrust and betrayal in time to prevent an all-out war?

~*~*~

Claire Robyns delivers complex characters along with an intricate plot in this medieval set in Scotland.

If Claire Robyns’ debut release from Carina Press were to bear a different title, it might be called The Truth and the Perception of Truth. Thankfully, its title is the much catchier Betrayed, but the story’s theme still stands.

Much of the conflict–not only between the hero and heroine but the wider plot as well–revolves around what the characters perceive as the truth. They learn that their perception of feelings and events is not always how things actually are. The hero and heroine also suffer from a healthy dose of men-are-from-Mars-women-are-from-Venus syndrome, which only adds to the conflict.

Readers wary of the big mis might suspect it lurks in the e-pages of this novel. It does, to an extent. On several occasions throughout the story Amber and Krayne suffer from a lack of communication, or perhaps more accurately, a lack of listening before one of them jumps to conclusions (usually Amber) and flounces off. It never got to eye-rolling level for me, but readers who are annoys by such plotting might want to approach with caution.

The external plot revolves around an ongoing feud between two families. In retaliation for the capture of a family member, Krayne captures Amber. In spite of her attraction to her captor, she makes numerous escape attempts because she is sure her uncle has no intention of ever exchanging his prisoner to get her back.

This is only one of her misconceptions, because her evil uncle’s plans go beyond her imaginings. Their full extent is not revealed until the end, so to say more would be a spoiler. Suffice it to say that the entire history of the feud is based on a misconception.

The circumstances which lead to Krayne and Amber’s marriage are also based on a misconception. In a fit of desperation, Amber leads Krayne to believe her raped her (her motivation is too complicated without going off on a tangent, but her actions are motivated). As a result, Krayne offers to right the situation through their marriage, in the hopes that their union will also bring the feud to an end. Now Amber is stuck, because Krayne never raped her, and he’ll know she duped him the moment he tried to consummate their marriage.

These are but two examples of how characters’ false perceptions of the truth play out in the course of the intricate plot. All in all, this story was a solid read. If you like medievals and don’t mind a little Highland burr coming from your characters, check this one out.

Rating: 7.5 (Very Satisfactory)

Heat-Level: 3.5 (Very Sensual)

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