A horribly scarred Scottish laird goes
to Paris to seek healing from the great Nostradamus, and instead finds love with
a blind flower girl--and finds himself drawn into a French civil war!
MY
REVIEW:
An
appealing hero and a fascinating historical setting elevate the story line of
"Prisoner of the Flames", by Dawn MacTavish. Robert Mack, Laird of Berwickshire,
ruled Hume Castle and his Scottish lands with a keen mind and a just heart.
Brave in battle, and a seasoned warrior, he was tall and strong. However, one
side of his face had been horribly scarred by fire when he was a babe in his
cradle. As he grew, the burned skin marred and pulled that side of his face, but
the other side was untouched and quite handsome. He wears a helmet which covers
his twisted visage, and few have actually seen his real face. As he nears his
thirtieth year, he is lonesome and feels the need to marry and produce an heir.
Due to his disfigurement, the only female company he has known has been that for
which he has paid. With a letter of sponsorship from his Uncle Aengus, a
respected monk, Robert travels to Paris, France to seek the healer, Nostradamus.
Hoping that the mysterious physician can help his damaged face, Robert dreams of
a future free of the oppressive helmet. Robert's journey will one not just of
the body, but also of the heart and mind. He will rescue a beautiful, blind
young flower girl, Violette, not once, but numerous times, and she will change
the course of his life forever. He will meet the great and wise Nostradamus, who
cannot heal the flesh burned so long ago, but who will guide Robert toward the
destiny of his heart. In sixteenth century France, religion, politics, and
superstition are ever at war, and, against his will, Robert becomes embroiled in
the deadly, devastating conflicts of the times. With his personal mission
greatly changed, and a chance at last for happiness, Robert must fight with all
his might to protect those he loves and return to his home in Scotland. The time
and place in history, the use of the mystical Nostradamus as an integral
character, and the very worthy Robert as the main character made this an
enjoyable read. The story line would have been much improved with more
development of the character of Violette, who remained almost one-dimensional
throughout the story. Robert deserved better.
Review Copy Gratis Amazon Vine
Dawn Thompson-aka-Dawn MacTavish (March 28, 1937 - February 8, 2008)
Historical/Paranormal Author for Dorchester Books/ Now published by Montlake/Amazon Publishing - The Ravencliff Bride (2005 RIO Award Winner), The Waterlord & The Falcon's Bride. Highland Press - Blue Moon Magic and Blue Moon Enchantment. Historical Fiction - Odin's Daughter (2005 RIO Award Winner) & Children of the Wind. She also wrote for Kensington books, doing The Elementals - Lord of the Deep, Lord of the Dark and Lord of the Forests, as well as several anthologies. She also wrote under the penname of Dawn MacTavish.
Dawn was primarily a Regency Romance novelist, writing both traditional Regencies, and Regency-set historicals. Some of her other works include historical paranormals, and Celtic and Norse Medievals, incorporating the history, theology, legend, and lore of her heritage, which was the ongoing focus of her research for over thirty-five years.
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