Customer Reviews

Beloved Impostor (Berkley Sensation)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Setting - Scotland, 1511 --- Felicia Campbell could not believe the letter she held in her hands. Her guardian uncle had arranged, by order of the king, her marriage to wed a brutal man three times her age, whose last wife had died under mysterious circumstances. She knew she wasn't pretty, and didn't expect much in the way of matrimony but this was beyond the pale. With the help of her beautiful friend, Janet Cameron, betrothed to her beloved cousin Jamie, they devised a plan to help her escape before being escorted to her doom. The escape from her escort went well, that is, until a neighboring clan that mistook her for the beautiful Lady Janet abducted her. Worse still was the fact that her abductors were from Clan Maclean - a clan that was a bitter enemy of Clan Campbell.

Rory Maclean, after an absence of ten years sailing the seas had come home at the summons of the clan. His father dead, his older brother missing, he had hopes of making peace and putting a stop to the bloodshed then return to his beloved sea. With good intentions, the elder clan members felt that if they could find him a comely bride to produce an heir, they just might convince him to remain at home and provide the leadership they sorely needed. A curse had been thrown down years before when the laird of the MacLeans had tried murdering his infertile Campbell wife - the curse prophesized that no bride of the Macleans would ever live long or happily. After losing two wives, Rory had sworn that he would never marry again.

His reaction to the woman his clan mistakenly brought home to him was that he would take her back to the Camerons immediately but he hadn't figured on her igniting the passions he'd thought to have buried long ago. Felicia, realizing she was on borrowed time before her real identity would be discovered, was ready to grasp whatever happiness she could, from the divinely attractive and Laird. Before being sacrificed for her people she would fulfill her passionate dreams with the man who made her heart sing.

This was a very well paced story of mistaken identity with a nice amount of historical court intrigue thrown in at the end to cap off this delicious period romance. Rory was a truly great hero who truly didn't want the leadership of the clan but a good and honorable man who shouldered the responsibilities thrust upon him. While Felicia was not penned as a beauty, Rory recognized the inner beauty of Felicia thru her strengths and beautiful heart. With beautiful and intelligent dialogs, Potter has crafted an exciting adventure, rich in historical background and with a sensual laden story line. Bottom Line - I plan to look for and will anxiously await the next volumes of the rest of this planned trilogy. --- Marilyn Rondeau, for www.historicalromancewriters.com ---

Nothing happened in the first 300 pages. How many ways can you write that Felecia couldn't fall in love with Rory because their families were in a fued. Likewise, Rory couldn't love Felecia because he was afraid to lose a 3rd wife. They hardly even conversed - I couldn't understand how they developed fellings for one another. Felicia had so much character but she never used it until the last 50 pages. The book had potential but Patricia must have been on a tight schedule. The editing was horrible also. Don't bother with this one.

In 1420 Scotland, Lord MacLean ties his wife Mary to a rock to die when the tide comes in. Nurse Siobhan Campbell curses the MacLeans insisting no woman will ever replace Mary.

In 1511 Uncle Ansys Campbell informs his orphaned niece Felicia that the King demands she marry brutal Morreth. She refuses, but acts compliant because she knows her only way out is to flee.

Rory MacLean has returned home after years at sea because his clan needs him. His men decide he needs a wife so they abduct a woman they think is Janet Cameron. Felicia realizes what has happened and pretends to be her friend Janet because she does not want to be returned to her uncle. Rory is irate with his men for the kidnapping especially since he has vowed to never marry again since his first two spouses died because he believes of the curse. Felicia works every ruse to stay until she can escape, but soon she and her host fall in love. She knows she owes him the truth that she is a member of his enemy clan while he rejects marriage because he refuses to place the woman he loves in jeopardy.

This is an engaging historical romance with a touch of the supernatural or perhaps a belief fostered by coincidence (read to learn which). Rory is a terrific hero who feels like a fish out of water, but finds wanting to become a landlubber. The support cast adds depth, but the fun sixteenth century novel belongs to the courageous Felicia who refuses to let a monarch, a guardian, a stubborn beloved, or a curse stop her from obtaining her desire.

Harriet Klausner

This romance delivers exactly as it should: a well-developed plot, motivated characters and sensual chemistry between the hero and heroine. Felicia, both fearing and despising her betrothed, escapes into the 16th century forested Scottish country side under the guise as Lady Janet, her best friend. The political plot abounds at this point... as "Janet" is betrothed to a particularly important man named Jamie who is crucial as an asset to ending/ winning a century old feud between neighboring clans. So when Felicia is scooped up by their enemy clan and absconded... she is forced into an intriguing plot where she must be "Janet" or fear for her life and safety. Rory Maclean is the acting leader of this enemy clan, and turns out to be a sweet, tortured soul and just doesn't want to fight anymore. He has buried two wives and blames their death on the century-old, rather romantic "curse" that has befallen his family, since his ancestor attempted to horrifically murder his wife, who is Felicia's ancestor. This is the introduction, and the novel will sweep you away after that on a rather interesting and romantic tale. This novel would have earned 5 stars if not for a lackluster overemphasis on Felicia's beauty (or lack of it) and Rory's cliche understanding of the "beauty within" - for a novel so ripe with intrigue and chemistry, it seemed a rather unnecessary addition to an otherwise worthy tale. Some weakness in the plot here and there solidifies the 4 star rating: Rory is so plainly honorable and good-hearted that you will feel the plot hole widen as Felicia holds so stubbornly to her "disguise."

This was a great start to her Beloved series. The story is believable, the characters are real and the conflict is the strongest element in the enjoyment of this book and series. Ms Potter knows how to tug on the heart strings of her readers and provides them with a tale that is rich in conflict and adventure. This may be the first of the trilogy ( Beloved Stranger, and Beloved Warrior) but she sets a tone that will be hard to improve on and yet she does with a deft hand. For those readers who love their Scottish romances set in the highlands with enough love and intrigue, one shouldn't miss this first one in her Beloved trilogy.

Hello I loved all of the characters from the Beloved triology. Would recommend them. However, I wanted to know if Jamie Campbell has a story and the title of the book or if Patricia Potter is planing on writing his story?

There was already a hero named Rory in The Black Knave, so I don't understand why the author couldn't come up with another one for this guy. Anyway, this book was very interesting to me. I thought Rory and Felicia were wonderful. Rory was a handsome, loyal man and deserved happiness. I don't know if Jamie Campbell has his own story, but hopefully he'll shine in it, as he was a little dull here.
This was a very good book.

Pat Potter's latest offering, BELOVED IMPOSTER, is another fabulous entry in her growing list of evocative romances. You can't help but root for heroine, Felicia Campbell. Rory Maclean is the kind of hero we all long for. If you adore Scottish romance with characters who creep into your heart, you'll love BELOVED IMPOSTER.