Tag: Madeline Martin

Leila’s Legacy by Madeline Martin

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Medieval (1066-1540), OtherLeave a comment

Leila's Legacy (Borderland Ladies #5)Barbara’s Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Borderland Ladies #5
Publication Date: 10/15/19
Number of Pages: 284

Proper preparation is a requirement for reading this book – you need a comfy chair, a full box of tissues and your bottle of digitalis to revive you after your heart stops. This is a story that stays in your heart and on your mind long after you’ve read the last word and closed the book. I think this was my favorite book in the series and was the perfect wrap-up. Everything was tidily completed with no loose ends. All of the villains got their just desserts, all of the heroes and heroines got their Happily Ever After and the reader gets a wonderfully sweet and contented feeling to last a long, long time. The epilogue – OMGoodness – the epilogue – heart palpitations! We even got a couple of wonderful nuggets that I had hoped for but didn’t actually expect.  I don’t usually gush over books – but – gush, gush, gush!

Lady Leila Barrington has always known that she was different from her sisters in more ways than one. She looks different – they are very blonde and fair and she is small and dark-haired – and – she has visions – terrifying visions usually. She sees the past on occasion, but usually it is the future she sees. All of her life, she has been plagued with visions of her death at the hands of the man she loves. Now, the pestilence that Leila had long foreseen is spreading across the land and the people are dying. Leila knows her time is coming nearer, but she cannot hide in the castle, she has to help nurse her people as long as she can. Once she meets the man, The Lion, can she stop herself from falling in love with him? How could she possibly love someone who will take her life?

Niall Douglas, Deputy to the Keeper of Liddesdale, hates witches. He has hated them since one caused the death of his father – and now one is bringing death across the land. It is his job to find her and bring her back to Liddesdale for trial. Niall is the honorable man that Lord Armstrong, Keeper of Liddesdale, and his son Alban are not. Niall is fierce, loyal, steadfast, and determined. He is determined to find the witch and to see her tried for the damage she has caused. Then, when he does find her, he cannot believe this small, beautiful, kind, and caring creature is a witch. How can he save her? Surely the priest who is coming from Edinburgh to try her will be able to see that she isn’t a witch.

Niall is in for some rude lessons about his employer. He’d always believed the best of the man and thought that one of the reasons Armstrong employed him was that he was honorable and Armstrong would listen to him. Niall quickly learns that everything he thought he knew isn’t so. Now, he isn’t sure he can save Leila or himself.

I highly recommend this book and this series! However, I wouldn’t read the book as a stand-alone. You really need to read the other books in the series to understand the full impact of the series. If you don’t read the other books, at least read the first one, Marin’s Promise. BTW – we met some of the Armstrong’s in Ella’s Desire, and I was a bit unhappy that the Armstrong’s didn’t pay a high price for what they did.

I absolutely cannot think of one thing that would have made this book better – it was perfect just as it was. The author gave us some beautiful memories and some heart-stopping suspense and a romance that was to-die-for (literally). The only thing I wonder about is how things went at Liddesdale in the aftermath of everything. There were some good people there and I had to wonder if Lady Davina married and she and her husband took the lead there – that is how I’m going to think about it anyway.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Catriona’s Secret by Madeline Martin

On By TracyIn Middle Ages / Medieval (476-1454), Top Pick - Highly Recommended, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

Catriona's Secret (Borderland Ladies #4)Catriona’s Secret by Madeline Martin
Tracy’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Borderland Ladies, #4

Release Date: August 27, 2019

Lady Catriona Barrington reveled in her time at court, as a younger sister in a family of beautiful women, Cat often felt overlooked and gloried in the attention she received from the courtiers, but when one flirtation goes too far, Cat is eager to return to Werrick Castle and try to keep that awful night a secret.

But now that she is home, she soon learns her secret is even bigger than she thought and will not remain that way for long. But in the midst of her despair, her dearest friend Geordie returns after four long years away on campaign with the King. But the man who has returned is no long the young boy she has always loved as a friend, no this is a man who inspires deeper feeling, feelings that she has no right to feel for him. So when he is called to court by the king, she thinks may have found a solution to her woes, by returning to court with him, under the pretense of meeting a suitor.

Geordie has loved Cat for as long as he can remember and that love prodded him to “prove” himself worthy of her, first by earning his knighthood and hopefully soon, by being awarded a holding of his own, then he will declare himself and ask for her hand, but his dreams are crushed when she makes it clear that she hopes to marry the son of a Baron and asks Geordie to take her to court when he goes.

As they travel, Cat knows that her feeling for Geordie are true love, but deems herself unworthy, especially after Geordie’s contempt for unvirtuous women is made known. And when he learns her secret, she is sure she has lost him forever. But when they reach court, she realizes she underestimated Geordie’s love for her and just when it seems like HEA is within reach – the unthinkable happens and Cat only has a matter of days to save the man she loves from death and dishonor.

This was my favorite book in the series (so far), and as much as I loved James (and still do) Sir Geordie Strafford embodies everything a hero should be and he is exactly what you would picture a knight in shining armor to be – handsome, heroic, honorable, brave, self-sacrificing and steadfast – my heart broke for him so many times in this book and while it is technically Cat’s story, Geordie has been such a vital part of the series, that I felt like it became “their” story. The book has a bit of everything, some action, some heartache, some steamy love scenes, bad guys getting their due, wonderful secondary characters, both old and new, a heroine who saves the day and a hero who’s love has no equal and finally a HEA. This story touches on some sensitive/trigger issues and I think Ms. Martin handled them with both empathy and compassion, none of the traumatic events actually take place on page and when they are recounted it is done mildly and without overly graphic detail.

I just loved this story and can’t recommend it highly enough. This is the fourth book in the series and while I suggest reading the books in order, this book could easily be read as a stand-alone.