Rating: 
Summary: Very entertaining Scottish/English romance
Review: Julie Garwood has a way of drawing in you in to her story -on the first page or so, I was already hooked. The first half of "The Secret" was so engrossing that I stayed up into the wee hours of the night to keep reading, only stopping when I could no longer keep my eyes open. The basic plot is (Scottish Laird)Iain, has gone to fetch (half English/half-Socttish) Judith from England so she can be present for the birth of her best friend's child (and Iain's sister-in-law), Frances Catherine. Along the journey, our hero and heroine rather quickly develop an attraction, portrayed very convincingly by the author. By the time they arrive at the Maitland holdings, Iain has decided to wed Judith, even if she doesn't realize this yet. Of course - there are several "secrets" that cause problems for the couple and their friends. There are many humorous moments that had me laughing out loud, and just as many tender,romantic moments. Unfortunately, while this was still a very good, fun read, I felt that things tended to get very crazy towards the last quarter of the book - silly complications and plot twists that interfered with the flow of the story. I could have done without the entire chunk of discussions about "Sunday" holidays for women, for example. There is a return to the humor and more imprtantly - the plot- at the very end and everything gets tied up quite nicely. Worth reading, just not a keeper for me.
Rating: 
Summary: A must read in one setting book!
Review: This book takes the line of hatred for one another and lets readers see that love is blind to it. Ian is such a typical stubborn hero--and will only admit physical feelings--but it gets better. Judith is a intelligent and motivated heroine. She knows the consequences and keeps going anyway. Moves quick and keeps your attention the whole way.
Rating:
Summary: Great book A++++
Review: This was a great book my sister loaned it to me and now I want to buy all of Julie Garwood's books the first book that I read from her was Ransom I know I did it backwords but they both were so well written. The Author has a great style and you can tell while you read it that both of the books that I read were written by the same person. If you like Julie Garwood than you know that this book will be good and if you haven't read this book read this one first then read Ransom and expect it to be better than this book I promise!
Rating: 
Summary: I love Julie Garwood, but this wasnt her best.......
Review: This book was ok....I think what bothered me most about it was the fact that we didnt really get to know the characters all that well. I felt that the begining of their relationship, when they were just getting to know each other, was rushed. To me, that was a crucial time..... because this is when they would have been getting to know one another....I felt that we lost out on getting to know them ...and because of this...it was hard to really get into their relationship...they seemed 2 dimensional to me. I adore Julie Garwood, and this certainly wasnt a bad book...it just wasnt my favorite.
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Summary: How to overcome prejudices...
Review: What a wonderful book showing how prejudices are taught and how it is possible to keep them from being taught. 2 girls who at a very young age don't know they are supposed to not like each other become fast friends, though they only meet once a year. Wow imagine what it was like before telephones, girls writing and email. These two become very fast friends so many years later when Frances Catherine is to have her baby she does the unthinkable and sends for her childhood friend Lady Judith to be with her (ack an English woman in the Scottish Highlands...). Well to everyone's surprise (especially to the 4 Scottish warriors sent to get her) she is more than ready to make this trip. She even manages to win over all of the warriors. Especially the clan leader (what do you expect this is a romance you know). But, the book is well written and the research that was done was evident to all.If you want a story about true friendship, family love this is a great one for you. You will see how Judith adapts to the Scottish Highlands and wins everyone while "standing up to the Laird". I would love to see Ramsey and Brodrick's storys - Hint hint
Rating: 
Summary: Feelings of Déjà vu no secret for this reader
Review: I'll not dispute that Ms. Garwood is a talented author, but I've noticed that in several of her books, the characters seem to evolve in essentially the same patterns. The female protaginist marries a man she hardly knows, either by force or choice, all the while hiding her rebellious temperment from view. The males all seem to be unyielding in their beliefs that their wives will follow every order dictated without question; refusing to admit they have fallen in love until some act of violence is perpitrated on their wives and they fall to their knees and openly confess love as if having committed the gravest of sins. Unfortunatly, "The Secret" seems to be no different. Overall, the book was ok; given the quirks of the characters beyond the norm. But while reading this novel, I couldn't help but feel as though I'd read this before. It was as if the same basic story line I had read in "The Bride" or "The Wedding" was being repeated with different names and places. I recommend you pick up a book by Lisa Kleypas or Jo Beverly if you want to read a good Historical novel; especially one that won't leave you with a sense of déjà vu.
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Summary: Sweetly Romantic.............
Review: Judith Hampton and France Catherine Kirkclady became friends before they knew they were supposed to hate each other. They were born enemies. Judith was English and Frances Catherine was Scottish. But that never stopped them from meeting every year at the border festival, which was where they met. Over the years their friendship became stronger and unbreakable. Judith made a promise when she was 11 years old to come to Scotland when Frances Catherine was about to have her baby. Frances Catherine believed she would die in childbirth like her mother and grandmother before her. Now several years later it's time for Judith to fulfill her promise. Iain Maitland, Frances Catherine's brother-in-law, comes to escort her to Scotland. He's a very quiet, intimidating man, but Judith never lets herself feel intimidated by him, even in the beginning. Iain, Brodick, Gowerie, and Alex are shocked that this Englishwoman keeps her promise to Frances Catherine. They believe the English never keep their promises. During the long trip to Scotland Judith and Iain find themselves becoming more and more attracted to each other. Iain tries to distance himself from her, but he can't ignore the soft feelings she produces in him. And she can't help herself from falling in love with the brave warrior. When they finally get there it's obvious to everyone that their laird has lost his heart to the sweet Englishwoman. Even though, he himself, won't admit it. As their loves begins to blossom Judith worries about what the identity of her father will to to their new love. A secret so horrible it could destroy that love. . . I found this book very refreshing. It wasn't at all like I expected it to be. The plot sounded familiar, but I went ahead and read it anyway. I'm glad I did. This story is one of the most original I have ever read. And the plot flowed smoothly. I find no flaws with any of it. The characters were absolutely lovable. Their flaws made them charming. The secondary characters really made this story more enjoyable and realistic. Like Graham and Gelfred(two elders on the council), Patrick and Frances Catherine, and Brodick. Frances Catherine and Judith's friendship was so inspiring. Most people wouldn't stick by their friends, the way those two did. And Iain and Judith's love was so sweet. Most romances I've read revolved around sex and lust. They fall in love, but you never really see the emotional connection. But you do in this book. Their love scenes are so sweet and you can tell that they belong together. That's a rare thing to find in a romance, nowadays. The witty dialogue and child-birthing scenes will make you laugh. Judith does a lot of things in this book to make you laugh, but you never stop admiring her kind spirit or her boldness. I also liked how Iain never became a "milksop." Most macho guy heroes turn into gushing idiots, which is usually out of their character and really annoying. You'll love the love, friendships, loyalty, and trust in this book. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll smile, and you'll wish to find a love like that. This book is perfect for anyone who loves to read.
Rating:
Summary: A pleasure to read
Review: This was my first Garwood book but it won't be my last. I loved everything about it. There was just enough conflict between the hero and heroine, the hero was just arrogant enough, the heroine just independent enough. Judith Hampton was an English woman who had been lied to all of her life. Her mother and uncle had told her stories about her father being a dead English hero. When she was eleven years old, her aunt told her the truth. Judith's mother had married a Scottish warrior who kicked her out when he found out she was pregnant with his child. For this reason her mother had very little to do with Judith and was usually not around while Judith was growing up. Left with her uncle who was crippled in an accident, Judith learned to stay out of his reach when he was drunk and feeling mean. She lived with him six months of the year and another aunt and uncle the other six. While a four year old child staying with her aunt and uncle, she met a Scottish girl, Frances Catherine, who became a lifelong cherished friend. While they were children, Judith promised Frances Catherine she would come be with her when she had her first child. When Frances Catherine's brother-in-law goes to England with his warriors to get Judith, she is met with their disdain for England and its people. It is also the first time she lays eyes on Iain Maitland, lord of his clan. The attraction between the two is instant. Used to being ignored and considered insignificant, Judith isn't surprised by the hostility she is met with by her escort or the citizens in Scotland. It was fun reading how she dealt with all of them and especially Iain, a man who had never been in love and thought it a weakness. I am going to read the sequel now and hope it is as good. This book is a keeper for all lovers of romance.
Rating:
Summary: Do I hear 10 STARS??
Review: I would give this book 10 stars if possible. The story of Judith and Iain is wonderful. I finally re-purchased this book after the 17 layers of tape could no longer hold it together. If you have not yet read Garwood this is a perfect one for you to start with. The story is touching, funny, romantic did I mention funny? It really is a love story between two people and a love story about a family. After you read this one pick up the sequal "The Ransom" you won't be disappointed I promise!
Rating:
Summary: pretty damn good
Review: after having read about a million reviews gushing over this book with every other person declaring this the best book ever written or "their all time favorite" i decided to check it out. romance books are to often just plain awful. dialouge and plot more often then not take a a back seat to implausible relationships. you will never hear me complain about garwood's dialouge. honestly she is one of the best authors to deal with this difficult topic. getting written dialouge to sound natural is a hard task but mrs. garwood masers it superbly. this book is another one of mrs. garwood's english/scottish crossovers. iain maitland is laird of his clan and when his brother's wife requests that her english best friend be allowed to come to their home to assit when she has her child iain reluctantly agrees and sets off to fetch this englishwoman. sexual tension abounds from the beginning which was nice change from many novels where two characters just suddenly decide they want each other desperately. judith, the english friend, and iain's relationship is complex and full of plenty of laughs. though garwood seems to have a fascination with blonde hair, violet eyed heroines that are so beautiful men trip over themselves staring at her that's what romance novels are all about. i read this book directal after i read "the bride" and was a bit annoyed to see that it followed the same basic pattern but there were enough changes to make this book worth the read. this is one work i think i'll hang on to and i know i will be check out "ransom" the sequel to the book as well as the rest of garwoods works. in short this book is worth the time to read it!
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