The Raven's Wish

Rating:
Summary: A Great 2nd book from a First Class Author
Review: After the battle Blar-na-Le'ine (historically accurate), when only five Fraser warriors remained, a legend was born. Eighty Fraser widows are with child and legend prophesies all will give birth to fatherless sons: a new generation of Fraser warriors. However the legend also produces a welcome gift, a wee lassie, Elspeth Fraser. Raised with her male cousins at Castle Glenran, Elspeth is as wild and as free as her beloved Highlands and male cousins. She adds to the legend the gift of second sight. In a vision she sees a man in black riding a black horse circled by ravens (death). Soon after, she and her cousins confront their enemies, the MacDonalds. As luck would have it, they are observed by Duncan Macrae, dressed in black riding a black horse. Duncan is the lawyer (a lawyer you will love) sent from Queen Mary's court to present Clan Fraser with a "bond of caution" as a means to stop the feuding between the neighboring clans. Because of this mission he intervenes between Elspeth and the MacDonalds. When he touches her, Elspeth and Duncan's fate is sealed in this vision. A vision that reveals his death at the heading block and her role in it.

Duncan, absent Laird of Dulsie, begins to feel the pull of his native Highlands as well as his growing desire for the wee lass, Elspeth. In an effort to protect Elspeth, her cousins suggest she marry Duncan and in turn the Fraser Clan will sign the "bond of caution." Elspeth refuses, despite having feelings for him, because of the vision. Duncan agrees to marry her. Their marriage ceremony is one of the most humorous scenes in the book thanks to the antics of the cousins. From here Ms King takes the reader on exciting twists and turns through the Highlands and Lowlands of Scotland as Duncan and Elspeth triumph over evil to discover love and loyalty. Yet it is this love and loyalty that brings them face to face with the reality of Elspeth's vision.

Ms. King has done what few writers have tried to do. She has told an intriguing story about Scots: blending the historic character of Highlander and Lowlander. BRAVA!! This book is a must for anyone who loves a story with intrigue, magic and lasting love. It's time to dust off a space on your keeper shelf because THE RAVEN'S WISH deserves a place there but save a place for her delightful story in the Anthology A STOCKINGFUL OF JOY where she returns to the wonderfully sexy Fraser men. The story is called "The Snow Rose" and is not to be missed. It is a wonderful sequel that shows eloquently the talent that Ms King has in creating charcters that stay with a reader well after the last page.

Rating:
Summary: An exciting love/adventure novel
Review: An exciting story, quite appropriate for a movie, including love, adventure, action and a touch of magic, but I would like it better if the bad boys were a bit harder, rougher, I found them rather soft... Oh, by the way-- I am the translator into Spanish language for this novel. I've had a lot of fun!

Rating:
Summary: Original, but marred by doom plot
Review: This is a well-written, interesting novel, but I found it difficult to truly enjoy. The heroine spends much of the book pushing the hero away and predicting his doom, a great START to the novel, but it is carried on far too long and you never really feel the heady emotions that Susan King usually writes. The first sex scene feels contrived, and they all seem to degenerate into "love metaphors". King's Raven's Moon, Lady Miracle, and The Angel Knight are far superior.