Rating: 
Summary: The Jacobite Uprising And Passionate Romance! A Great Read!!
Review: Although "The Blood Of Roses" is a sequel to Marsha Canham's "The Pride Of Lions," this novel can stand on its own. I would suggest reading the prequel first, however, as it is also an excellent book and details the beginnings of Scotland's Jacobite uprising along with relating the story of how the principle characters meet.English Lady Catherine Ashbrooke Cameron and her beloved Scottish husband, Alexander Cameron, the "Camshroinaich Dubh," (Black Cameron), met and married in the whirlwind novel "The Pride Of Lions." Now, with a price on his head, wanted by the English and his many enemies, and the target of at least one paid assassin, Alexander takes Catherine to his home in the Highlands while he and his clan plan to wage war on the English and place Prince Charles Edward Stuart, (Bonnie Prince Charlie), on the thrones of Scotland and England. The story of the rebellion is meticulously researched, as are the conflicts between the clans, the Prince and his general. This is an extraordinary period in history and a tragic one. There is plenty of romance here - between the once spoiled young English noblewoman and Alexander Cameron, the man she gives up her wealth and home for. A second intense and passionate romance comes into play also between Catherine's lady's maid Deidre and Alexander's best friend, Aluinn MacKail. As usual, Ms. Canham writes with style and captures the 18th century time period, the strife, battles and the intensity of the relationships with realism and passion. Her characters are three dimensional and seem to leap right off the page. It is also difficult not to feel terrible sorrow for the doomed Scots with the foreknowledge of the Battle of Culloden Moor and its horrific aftermath. I highly recommend this page-turner.
JANA
Rating:
Summary: The Jacobite Uprising And Passionate Romance! A Great Read!!
Review: Although "The Blood Of Roses" is a sequel to Marsha Canham's "The Pride Of Lions," this novel can stand on its own. I would suggest reading the prequel first, however, as it is also an excellent book and details the beginnings of Scotland's Jacobite uprising along with relating the story of how the principle characters meet. English Lady Catherine Ashbrooke Cameron and her beloved Scottish husband, Alexander Cameron, the "Camshroinaich Dubh," (Black Cameron), met and married in the whirlwind novel "The Pride Of Lions." Now, with a price on his head, wanted by the English and his many enemies, and the target of at least one paid assassin, Alexander takes Catherine to his home in the Highlands while he and his clan plan to wage war on the English and place Prince Charles Edward Stuart, (Bonnie Prince Charlie), on the thrones of Scotland and England. The story of the rebellion is meticulously researched, as are the conflicts between the clans, the Prince and his general. This is an extraordinary period in history and a tragic one. There is plenty of romance here - between the once spoiled young English noblewoman and Alexander Cameron, the man she gives up her wealth and home for. A second intense and passionate romance comes into play also between Catherine's lady's maid Deidre and Alexander's best friend, Aluinn MacKail. As usual, Ms. Canham writes with style and captures the 18th century time period, the strife, battles and the intensity of the relationships with realism and passion. Her characters are three dimensional and seem to leap right off the page. It is also difficult not to feel terrible sorrow for the doomed Scots with the foreknowledge of the Battle of Culloden Moor and its horrific aftermath. I highly recommend this page-turner.
JANA
Rating: 
Summary: Emotional, heart rending sequel to the Pride of Lions
Review: Although I have gotten a little teary eyed over certain stories over the years, this is the first and only time that I actually openly wept while reading a book. After I finished reading this book I felt as if my heart had been physically snatched out of my chest, wrung out and then hung up and left to rot. I know that's a little dramatic but the emotional upheaval that this book has caused in me calls for a little drama. This is the continuing epic love story of Alex and Catherine Cameron two seemingly star crossed lovers who are repeatedly torn apart by the events that take place during and after the doomed Jacobite rebellion of 1745. The author's vivid descriptions of this dark period in Scotland's history brought to vivrant life a bit of history I knew nothing about. Through Ms. Canham's flawless writing I was able to feel Catherine's despair at having to see her husband go off to war without knowing if she'd ever see him again. Also, I was able to comprehend her inability, at first, to understand what drove her husband and the other Highlanders to fight agaisnt such insurmountable odds. On the other hand, Alexander's desperate attempts to shield his wife from the ugliness of war and to keep her safe from the repercussions that would surely some after the debacle was over were equally vivid. His attempts to keep her safe were met with derision by Catherine who now considers herself a Scot and is determined to take her place by her husband's side even if it means giving up the gilded world of the aristocracy and putting her life on the line. Catherine's believable evolution from a selfish, self centered girl to a mature, strong woman who will do anything for the man she loves is a testament to this author's skill as a writer.While this is very much Alex and Catherine's story, it is also the story of a people who will fight to the death for honor. A people who are driven by a sense of loyalty so strong that they are willing to pay the ultimate price for what they believe is right. This is not an easy book to read and it is almost impossible to summarize and review in an objective manner while I'm still so emotional over it. Suffice it to say that it's an epic love story; one that I know will haunt you long after you've turned the last page. This is not say there isn't a happily ever after, there is but it is a bittersweet one.In short, I highly recommend this book to those who love historical romances but be warned that this author does not wallpaper her book with history as so many others do she uses it heavily to immerse the reader into this time period and she does it brilliantly. Highly recommended. :)
Rating:
Summary: Not your typical romance......
Review: Don't get me wrong, this is a GOOD book but..... I found myself skipping quite a few pages that seemed to be bogged down with too many details about war etc. etc. The central story of Alexander and Catherine was terrific. It was heartwarming, exciting and passionate, all the elements I look for in a romance novel. I normally like my romance novels to be "light" & "entertaining". As I stated, this book is GOOD, (O.K., maybe better than good)and I commend the author for her historical accurancy, but some parts were slow and I found I just wasn't interested. I do hope there will be another book with these characters. They spent too much time apart in this one and I'd like to read about their time together,as they were in The Pride of Lions.
Rating:
Summary: A Historical Romance, Heavy on the History Side
Review: First of all, before you read this book, get "The Pride of the Lions." Not only will you be missing out on some great moments between the main characters by heading straight to the prequel, you will also be a little confused by what is going on even if Ms. Canham explains everything very well. The romance between Alex and Catherine is too amazing to miss, though, and you should see how it all started. Here's the thing about this romance: there is a LOT of historical information--so much that I too ended up skipping over some of the longer, more boring bits that did nothing to support the love story I was so eager to return to. The love story itself is beautiful. There has never been a hero so strong, so gentle, so magnificent than Alexander Cameron, and in Catherine we find the ultimate heroine--the strong and brave woman who would defy anyone and everyone for her love. Be prepared for a lot of details, but don't let that deter you from reading this book. You will get to know some wonderful characters and you will cry and laugh and smile and get all hot and bothered as you go through this wonderful novel. Don't miss it.
Rating:
Summary: A Historical Romance, Heavy on the History Side
Review: First of all, before you read this book, get "The Pride of the Lions." Not only will you be missing out on some great moments between the main characters by heading straight to the prequel, you will also be a little confused by what is going on even if Ms. Canham explains everything very well. The romance between Alex and Catherine is too amazing to miss, though, and you should see how it all started. Here's the thing about this romance: there is a LOT of historical information--so much that I too ended up skipping over some of the longer, more boring bits that did nothing to support the love story I was so eager to return to. The love story itself is beautiful. There has never been a hero so strong, so gentle, so magnificent than Alexander Cameron, and in Catherine we find the ultimate heroine--the strong and brave woman who would defy anyone and everyone for her love. Be prepared for a lot of details, but don't let that deter you from reading this book. You will get to know some wonderful characters and you will cry and laugh and smile and get all hot and bothered as you go through this wonderful novel. Don't miss it.
Rating:
Summary: A gut-wrenching conclusion to PRIDE OF LIONS.
Review: From the first page the reader is again "sucked in" to the saga of Alexander and Catherine Cameron. Bonnie Prince Charlie et al are on the march and are heading for London. Catherine hasn't seen Alexander for three months and is beginning to wonder if she has been fooled by the physical impact of their union into thinking her marriage is a cut above that of others. Enter Alexander to quell such thoughts. But now that he is in England (in the midst of an encampment of Dragoons lead by none other than his nemesis, Hamilton Garner)how can he rejoin BPC? Will the two lovers live long enough to celebrate their first anniversary? Of course, Catherine doesn't want to be left behind either. Ms. Canham has again used the historical foil of the Rising of the '45 as a backdrop to her story of the star-crossed couple. The details include many historical facts that are usually left out of the recent flow of romantic novels written about this era. Her inclusion of t! hese facts serves to make the novel of even greater interest than the normal swash buckler. Hats off again to Marsha Canham!
Rating:
Summary: Passionate!!!
Review: I have never read a book that I felt exhausted after reading it. It made me wonder how Ms. Canham felt after she was finished writing it??? I loved the book. I have read as many of her books as I can find and found that, even though I loved them all, this one, and the one before: "Pride of Lions", are truly unmatched. I have read many books by many authors since then and no one can truly compare. However, I have just finished reading "Rebellion" by Nora Roberts that also was place at the time of the Battle of Culloden. In a way I wished I would have read that one first because the historical characters in that book correlate to the historical characters in this book. However, that book I would consider to be "Battle of Culloden 101" for historical facts, and this book, "Battle of Culloden 401". It is very intense, very passionate, very bloody and very real. I could feel the swords biting into me, I cried the tears of the women waiting for words, and I could smell the blood on the various fields. Mostly, though, I can grieve over the loss of their land and their country. Even today, though they are now called the "United Nations" England reigns over the country and they live under the ruler of Queen Elizabeth. I wonder what those who died in that last battle would say today if they could?
Rating:
Summary: This book moved me more than any book I've ever read.
Review: I have read both The Pride of Lions and The Blood of Roses. From the moment Alexander Cameron was introduced, I loved him. I cried when he and Catherine were seperated. I cheered when the were reunited. While reading the books, I went through every emotion know to man. I absolutely treasure both books.
Rating:
Summary: Hot Scot!
Review: I love all things Scottish and this novel utterly satisfied me. I know there are lots of Scottish-themed romance novels out there, but this one was different. I can only think of one other (Willing Captive by Leah Brown) that thrilled me as much. I would recommend this novel to anyone just starting out in romance novels or those that have read them for years.
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