Rating: 
Summary: My first by this author.(...)
Review: .(...)but it certainly won't be my last. Wow, what a scorcher! You know when you read a romance novel and the author writes something like this: "And then he proceeded to tell her, in great detail, exactly what he planned to do to her." And you wish the reader was let in on the conversation? Well, in this book, you are. It has some of the most erotic dialogue I have ever read in a historical novel. Not gross or vulgar, just pleasantly explicit. Our hero, M. (that's what I call him, because he has the worst name I have come across in a romance novel. The heroine never screams out his name in passion, thank goodness, because it would sound ridiculous) is determined to help Caterine get over a trauma from her past so he woos her body and soul, and it is a tender, frustrating and very sexy process. I can only hope her other stories are as good.
Rating:
Summary: MyShelf.com Book Reviewer
Review: A lady in need of rescuing . . . Lady Catherine Keith finds herself plagued by a persistent Sassunach Earl who tries to press her into marriage. His intent is to acquire her holdings on Dunlaider Castle. Having been twice widowed, she does not want another man in her life. She tries to refuse the help that her sister has sent in the form of a battle-scarred warrior. In Sir Marmaduke Strongbow, she sees a proud and fearless warrior that is capable of solving all her problems. How will she react when she finds out that not only has he been sent to protect her lands, but to become her husband? A Warrior sworn to protect . . . Sir Marmaduke Strongbow is stunned by the request of his closest friend Linnet MacKenzie. She fears for the safety of her sister Catherine and begs him to seek her out, protect her land, and become her husband true. He reluctantly gives in to her request and pledges his loyalty to protect Catherine's land; but, he doubts once she views his scarred image she will willing agree to wed him. Or will she? Sue-Ellen Welfonder has given Marmaduke the magic that was needed to wrap this memorable character around the hearts of millions. I found this book to be the perfect ending to a character that I have grown to look for in prior novels. It was a joy to read/review such an extremely moving novel. Ms. Welfonder once again has produced another winner!
Rating:
Summary: Sir M is wonderful
Review: After reading Ms. Welfonder's Bride of the Beast I just had to write a review. I found the hero, Sir Marmaduke one of the most interesting heros I have ever read. He is not exceptionally handsome nor perfect. But how Ms. Welfonder made this wonderful love story fall into place was a work of genius. While you read this story you become so involved with wanting the two protagonists to realize how they were meant for each other and wanting to turn each page to find out how they can solve their problems. A wonderful sensual read and of course a happy ending. I can hardly wait for the next novel of this author to hit the market as I enjoy her so much.
Rating:
Summary: Sir M is wonderful
Review: After reading Ms. Welfonder's Bride of the Beast I just had to write a review. I found the hero, Sir Marmaduke one of the most interesting heros I have ever read. He is not exceptionally handsome nor perfect. But how Ms. Welfonder made this wonderful love story fall into place was a work of genius. While you read this story you become so involved with wanting the two protagonists to realize how they were meant for each other and wanting to turn each page to find out how they can solve their problems. A wonderful sensual read and of course a happy ending. I can hardly wait for the next novel of this author to hit the market as I enjoy her so much.
Rating: 
Summary: Bride of the boring
Review: An interesting hero, a premise which has been done to death but still has potential if carried through well.
In this case, it is not. We are supposed to believe that he was a wonderful lover before he got his eye gouged out and all his scars. Gratuitous titillation in this case. We have to wait until the very end of the book for even one remotely spicy love scene, and everything is so repetitive and lacking in imagination that what should be sensual ends up just silly. Them finally making love is an anti-climax (and he has already had plenty of those in the book.) Even leaving that aside, there is never any real build-up of commitment which is convincing. I want to see the couple fall in love and convince me they will livel happily ever after. In this instance, the supernatural elements of the book, weak as they are, only add to this impression of a lack of commitment. She acts most of the time as if she could not care less about him, making us wonder why he would even bother with such a self-centered woman. Marmaduke (awful name even if historically accurate) deserves a lot better. Not that she does not have issues, having been raped by the English, but it defines who she is, narrow and weak. Not feisty at all, though we are supposed to believe being nasty to everyone constitutes strength. This is the second of her books I have read. Devil in a Kilt was ok, this was a complete yawn and very repetitive.
Rating: 
Summary: Wasted Potential
Review: As angsty a character as Sir Marmaduke deserved a better, deeper story than this shallow effort. I have to agree with the reviewers who point out that the author had the characters getting unduly hung up in the sexual aspects of each other, much more so than the build up to any convincing emotional relationship. They began to come across as more like a pair of well-matched [...]than a romantic couple, by the end.
Rating: 
Summary: Boring and lacking in true love
Review: Call me old fashioned but this book was too much like the last one I read. I thought she might have change her format but I was wrong. I found myself forced to re-read lines because they were so sing-songy that they didn't make any sense. Not only that this book should definately have a rating on it! It isn't for teenagers under 18. The oral sex scenes are disgusting and so repetitive that I found myself shuddering. The plot could have been good but the lack of love between the two characters left me cold. Not only that I have a hard time believing that Caterine who was raped multiple times by soldiers doesn't have deep emotinal problems and she would need tenderness instead of constantly thinking about his groin.Marmaduke has the same problem and if I had a dollar for every time he thought about it I could buy another book. I won't be buying any more of this authors work.
Rating:
Summary: Not for me......
Review: First time I read a book by this author. I really liked Marmaduke Strongbow, who is out to woo his fair lady. The author gives you a side of the hero not normally found in romance books - she lets you see how vulnerable he feels about his scars and the use of his "beauty cream" in secret. Unfortunately I thought he should have wooed someone other than Caterine - I never warmed to her. I cared more for his first wife's ghost, Arabella, than Caterine. Only reason I gave this book 3 stars was because of Marmaduke.
Rating: 
Summary: very enjoyable!
Review: Historical writers suffer with the "shortened length" of all romance books these days. The time of the really rich sagas are sadly gone, and one can but hope they will one day come back! Welfonder is a very talented writer, but you can almost feel the "chains" her editors put on her. Some historicals come across with very little period feel, next to nothing in history. This is not the writers fault, mind you, but the editors trying to keep the word count down and to make it an "easy read". They hurt historicals by gutting them, and then wonder why sales are down.
Still, Sue-Ellen Welfonder does magic with her books that many writers today, convey with love the true spirit of the hands. This is her third Highland tale of the warring Macleans and Mackinnons. Devil in a Kilt, A Knight in My Bed come before this one, and Master of the Highlands and her newest, A Wedding for a Knight, follow in that order. Welfonder knows Scotland, and that is clear in her writing. She understands that the realm of lore and myth are not that far from the everyday mind of the Scots, that we accept things such as second sight as second nature!
This is a very lively novel with Lady Catherine Keith, twice wed, twice widowed, and in need someone to fend of unwanted suitors and protector her Scottish Stronghold. Having been raped by English knights, she wants no men near her. Only, her sister knows her being unwed makes her a target for men to try and kidnap her to force her into marriage to gain control of her lands, so she send a "make believe husband". He is an English knight, whose face had been scarred in battle. Sir Marmaduke Strongbow (sigh, I KNOW this name is very accurate for the period, but it really undermined the romance. Yes, he comes from the character in Devil in a Kilt, but just at romantic times, I kept thinking of the cartoon dog.). Sir M. comes at the request of the sister of Catherine to defend the Keith fortress, but he has plans of his own. Unlike all the other suitors, he wants her love, not her land, so he lays siege in the bedroom and teaches her there are other ways to wage war. He thinks she resists him because of his scared face, instead of her aversion to all men. So the chase is on. Sir M. is a wonderful hero, who steals her heart and yours.
The characters are well drawn and winning. I just wish the editors would keep their fingers off the history! This book, given a longer length and some care to leave in the history for the period could have been so magnificent. Let's hope Warner reverses this trend and puts history back in their writers' tales.
A delightfully enjoyable read, with authentic Scottish settings and lore.
Rating:
Summary: a gem of a Scottish Tale from a super writer
Review: Historical writers, especially the calibre of Welfonder, suffer with the "shortened length" of all romance books these days. The time of the really rich sagas are sadly gone, and one can but hope they will one day come back! Welfonder is a very talented writer, absolutely the best for historical romances of this period in Scotland. But you can almost feel the "chains" her editors put on her talent. Some historicals come across with very little period feel, next to nothing in history. This is not the writers fault, mind you, but the editors trying to keep the word count down and to make it an "easy read". They hurt historicals by gutting them, and then wonder why sales are down.
Still, Sue-Ellen Welfonder does magic with her books, conveys with love the true spirit of the Scotland. This is her third Highland tale of the warring Macleans and Mackinnons. Devil in a Kilt, A Knight in My Bed come before this one, and Master of the Highlands and her newest, A Wedding for a Knight, follow in that order. Welfonder knows Scotland, and that is clear in her writing, knows it and loves it. Not the Braveheart Scotland, but the true Scotland. She understands that the realm of lore and myth are not that far from the everyday mind of the Scots, that we accept things such as second sight as second nature!
This is a very lively novel with Lady Catherine Keith, twice wed, twice widowed, and in need someone to fend of unwanted suitors and protector her Scottish Stronghold. Having been raped by English knights, she wants no men near her. Only, her sister knows her being unwed makes her a target for men to try and kidnap her to force her into marriage to gain control of her lands. So she sends a "make believe husband" to her sister. He is an English knight, whose face had been scarred in battle. Sir Marmaduke Strongbow (I KNOW this name is very accurate for the period, and, yes, he comes from the character in Devil in a Kilt, but just at romantic times, I kept thinking of the cartoon dog. My problem I know...lol). Sir M. comes at the request of the sister of Catherine to defend the Keith fortress, but he has plans of his own. Unlike all the other suitors, he wants her love, not her land, so he lays siege in the bedroom and teaches her there are other ways to wage war. He thinks she resists him because of his scared face, instead of her aversion to all men. So the chase is on. Sir M. is a wonderful hero, who steals her heart and yours.
The characters are well drawn and winning. I just wish the editors would keep their fingers off the history and let this brilliant write do as she wants (They did in A Wedding for a Knight - and WOW)!
A delightfully enjoyable read, with authentic Scottish settings and lore.
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