The Laird (Captive Hearts Book 3)

More like three and a half stars but I'll round up. The story overall was good, some of the details and devices only okay. Brenna particularly was interesting as she clearly had been a victim but turned herself into a survivor. Another author would have had her in perpetual hysterics every time she sees her abuser. She certainly is affected by their confrontations and interactions but she has found ways to protect herself and others and stands her ground. I was also impressed by Burrowes understanding that it is safer to manage a pedophile's behavior where at least some people know what he does than to send him to somewhere unknown with a whole new group of potential victims. Of course it would also have been a whole different plot and story if the abuser had been sent away. Michael is not as strongly or well drawn a character. Despite the title this really is Brenna's story - not Michael's. He is kind, understanding, patient, a little useless around the castle because he hasn't been there for years. While he occasionally mentions memories, he displays not a fraction of a character trait one would expect from a very young man who went to a murderous war and spent a decade fighting the enemy and protecting someone considered a traitor. That "traitor," Sebastian, and his wife Milly, show up in this book and are entirely one dimensional. I can't really fault Burrowes alone for this because that is how previous main characters included in later series stories are generally treated by romance writers. It one of the reasons I have limited liking for series.I'll forgive the improbable story about how Brenna comes to be hated by the towns people. She was very young and it is entirely possible she was that dumb and/or over confident at the time. Since Burrowes seems to need to have both her hero and heroine suffer from similar traumas (in "The Traitor" for example both Sebastian and Milly suffer from abandonment issues) Michael has his own disturbing story about child abuse to tell - because war, carnage, massacre and deprivation aren't enough. It really would have been enough explanation to say that a very young man was eager to go to war, didn't want to leave his very young wife pregnant and left the morning after the wedding. Done. That the abuser had another victim is rational. Having the hero even peripherally aware of it so he and Brenna have similar traumas is overkill. Leaving his young wife the day after their wedding and staying away for a decade is sufficient reason for his guilt. Having introduced the element of child sexual abuse Burrowes doesn't seem to know when to stop. Having said all this, none of it is fatal to the story - it just doesn't all fit well. There are a few moments reading this book of "oh here we go again."My two biggest problems with just about any of her stories are: 1) The incredibly long plodding build up followed by a compact, quick and sometimes shallow resolution. This was better than most in that the build up really was appropriate to the story and the characters' building relationship. 2) I have also come to the conclusion that Burrowes owns stock in some big food companies. She continues to write about food and food consumption in ridiculous detail. I have begun to think is an attempt to subliminally suggest that when you read her books you should be snacking. If someone had made one more cup of tea and shared it, buttered one more scone and shared it, popped one more strawberry in someone else's mouth, complained one more time about how someone makes shortbread, I thought I would give up. Of course food only takes the place of sex. Once the principles start having sex the importance of food declines substantially. Main characters are either eating or having sex. I'm waiting for the day she has them doing both at the same time.Generally this has been a good series especially when compared to the horrible "Lonely Lords" market saturation novels. It needs to stop here however and I'm afraid I see indications that it will spawn further books about peripheral characters and new generations. Please don't.

First off, may I say - "Read Danker's Review." It is very well written and covered a lot more than I will cover in my own review.I put off reading this book for at least a year because I wasn't absolutely sure that I could enjoy reading about Michael based on his decision to stay away from his wife for nine long years, at first fighting in the war against France and then the last two years hanging out in London doing Lord knows what while the young wife he left behind worked endlessly on behalf of his "Lairdship" and his tenants.But, on occasion, the bits and pieces I had read would crop up in my mind, I would be intrigued by the book's description, so last night I finally decided to search the book out and read it for myself. I couldn't remember the name of the book or the author, but a question posed on the Romance Forum brought an answer in about five minutes. It's amazing how well some folks remember what they've read.What to say except that even if I had not known who the author was, I would have recognized it as a Burrowes' book. Michael was straight from the stereotypical male hero types that Burrowes writes about over and over and over - tender, caring, considerate of his woman, putting her emotions and well being ahead of his own desires. Except, how could such a caring man leave his young wife without the marriage being consummated and go off to war, barely writing her any letters during that time and then spend two years in London after he returned without visiting his wife and home in Scotland? At all? Even after his father died and he became Laird?The backstory takes the entire length of the book, but of course we are given bits and pieces early on and we know there's a villain but exactly what may be laid at his feet? Surely, not even this villain could be part of the reason Michael stayed gone so long with hardly a letter? Some answers are not given until the last few pages of the book. And yet, I agree with another reviewer who mentioned that a few more details might have provided the reader with more reason to let bygones be bygones. Still, I was never fully reconciled to some of the behaviors based on the reasons given. This book kept my attention, both Michael and Brenna were great characters. The St. Clairs were a plus and now I'll need to read their story as well.

I'm going to post an honest review with spoilers for those readers, who like me, have had issues with some of Ms Burrowes other books. A friend recommended this Captive Hearts series to me when I was seriously disillusioned with the author and had vowed not to read any more of her work. I'm glad I took a chance because I've loved these books, in fact I'd go as far as to say it's my favourite series of hers. I'm not sure where I picked up the idea that there would be a love triangle in this book but there isn't. Basically we know from the other 2 books (this can be read as a stand alone though) that the H has been away from his home in Scotland for 9 years. We also know that he left a wife behind to manage his castle. In his absence she did what she could but had problems with the H's uncle and his management of the tenants. Some of the clan hold an incident that happened 2 years after the H left, against her even though it wasn't her fault at all. The h has not had an easy time of it whilst the H was away and she also doesn't understand why he didn't come home for 2 years after the war ended. The story starts when the H comes home. I loved the relationship between the H and h and this author did what she does best by developing their story slowly throughout the book. I loved the honour of both characters. It was a beautiful love story.+++Spoilers+++I feel I must say there was child abuse in this book because I know some readers are particularly sensitive about this topic. The author does a great job of handling the topic in my opinion. It was real but she didn't 'kill' us with the gory details.I deducted half a star because I did put the book down from time to time as it dragged in some places.

Have you ever read a book so keenly that you have to go back over paragraphs because in your haste you realise you've missed something? Then scolded yourself because you know you have to read the whole book to get to the endWell this is one of those books.Tackling some very difficult subjects but doing it in period is artfully done.Speaking on emotional insecurities in men and women is difficult enough. Add guilt to the mix and you make an art form.Once again, very strong character, a plot worthy of any classic and sensitive dealing with sensitive issues not uncommon of the period but rarely addressed in books of this nature so well.You must read this book. Since I've told you nothing about it. Just how brilliant it is.A sparkling end to a fabulous series.

I pre-ordered this book as it was part of The Captive Hearts series but I really do wish I hadn't bothered - unfortunately I found the book totally boring, repetitive and distasteful.. From the beginning it was clear that the heroine had suffered from child abuse and it was clear who was the villain, the only person who didn't or wouldn't see what had happened to her was the hero! The authors note says the characters must "wade through issues from Brenna's childhood", wade is the correct word for me, 19 chapters of wading is too much though. I shall think very carefully before ordering any more of this authors books.

This one is grim in parts because of the subject matter but once again the characterisation and the progress of the central relationship make it gripping. Some aspects of the plot are more unbelievable than is usual for Grace Burrowes but one is so caught up in the entirely believable characters that it hardly matters. A happy ending for the main characters but with undertones of continuing grief.

As usual I read this book very quickly,it was easy to read and enjoyable

The three books in this trilogy are some of the best I have read. I took them on holiday and could not put them down. A must read.