Jen Holling

A-MAZ-ING! The heroine, a gifted healer, sets out on a quest to find the hero who's rumored to possess divine healing powers after she's unable to heal her dying father. The hero, a recluse in self exile, is tortured by his guilt and hunted as a demon by his towns folk. At first he refuses to see her but she's stubborn and desperate and finally she gains audience with him. He has good reason to deny her pleas along with everyone else's, but he's lonely and develops a kinship toward the show more beautiful woman. He's not selfish, nor evil but his gifts have brought him nothing but loathing and heartache. He agrees to help her and they set off towards her keep. The way the characters spoke to each other and acted around one another was nothing short or brilliance. They possessed such chemistry and spark and balanced each other out so perfectly that I don't think I've read about two characters who I've loved more. I'm a sucker for a man with grey hair and the hero, though young, has peppered silver streaks thanks to his healing gifts. The heroine, though betrothed to another, falls in love with him the first time she's meets him as he poses as a servant, though she doesn't know it. As the reader, you're taken on a spectacular journey as two lost and damaged souls find each other at the most desperate times of their lives and struggle to keep their passions from having dire consequences. I can't even express how much I loved this book and am counting down the days until I can read it again. show less

During a turbulent time in Scotland, full of witch hunts and burnings, Alan MacDonell sent his three beautiful and “gifted” daughters away for safekeeping. A dozen years later, he sends a trusted friend to retrieve his eldest daughter from England.

Sir Philip Kilpatrick is immediately intrigued by but wary of the enigmatic Isobel MacDonell, but his mission is not to be intrigued - he is only to escort her to the safety of her father’s keep. But the more time spent together, the more show more fascinated they are by each other; and the more Philip is upset by Isobel’s impending marriage - especially to an earl he neither respects nor trusts.

To complicate matters further, as Philip continues to see overwhelming evidence of Isobel’s power, he becomes hopeful that she may be able to help him right an old wrong. When they are diverted from their course, opportunity arises for them to learn to trust one another with their secrets and perhaps even their hearts.

This was a nice medieval Scottish romance with a psychic twist. Philip is the classic “knight in shining armor” hero (except in a kilt), though he may need a rescuer of his own at some point, with a couple of entertaining sidekicks. Isobel is a willful and heartwarming damsel, who uses her powers to help people despite the danger to herself. Nothing epic here, but a good addition to the genre and I look forward to the sequels about her two sisters. show less

The hero, crippled with terrible back pain after his spine healed crooked spends his life proving that he is a capable, if not whole, man. The heroine started out just a spoiled whiny girl. She even leaves the poor guy behind in the woods one night because she thought he would have problems keeping up with her. But as the story went on you could tell that she went from pitying him to loving him. When the hero died after being tortured, I cried right along with her. My only objection was how show more many times the villain could have been killed and they let the chances pass by. The heroine wouldn't have had to become a vampire if they'd have just killed the bastard. show less

A witch that can talk with animals, a gift she hates and tries to block from her life. An evil man that considers himself a servant of god hunts her and burns "witches" through out Scotland. He has hunted and taunted her since she was twelve, she can't live with the constant fear. She searches for the mythical Blood Witch, who may be able to remove her "curse". She travels far and meets up with a drunken handsome crippled man (in more ways than one) from her childhood that will change her show more life. They embark on a journey filled with terrors, triumphs and awakening hearts.
I picked this book up at a book sale not knowing the author. I am so glad I did I found the story engaging and was unable to put it down. It is a light quick read with "real" characters. show less