Beloved Stranger (Beloved Series) [Paperback]

Patricia Potter (Author)

Book Description

Series: Beloved Series | Publication Date: February 7, 2006

With Beloved Impostor, Patricia Potter launched a trilogy of three Scottish brothers bound by a dark destiny. Now, she returns with the story of Lachlan Maclean, a man who has lost his past and faces an uncertain present of peril--and an impossible love.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The second in Potter's trilogy about three brothers in sixteenth-century Scotland, following Beloved Imposter (2004), this tale focuses on Lachlan Maclean, who is injured in a battle fighting for the king. Suffering from amnesia in addition to his wounds, he is rescued by Kimbra Charleton, an English widow and border thief. At first she thinks she can get a ransom for him, but as their attraction grows, she just wants to keep him safe and alive. But the king has ordered that all Scots be killed, and every attempt Kimbra makes to protect Lachlan is thwarted. Betrayals, greed, and violence abound in a complex plot, but there's more than just action here as tenderness and attraction grows between Lachlan and Kimbra. Potter displays her usual competent style, providing a backdrop of foreboding as the reader waits for the hero to remember who he is, for the English to find out that he is a Scot, and for Kimbra to stay strong. In all, a very good read. Mary K. Chelton
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (February 7, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425207420
• ISBN-13: 978-0425207420
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #819,848 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Splendid Romance - Sensual, March 3, 2006

By 

M. Rondeau (West Springfield, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beloved Stranger (Beloved Series) (Paperback)

Setting --- Flodden Field, September 1513 --- Lachlan Maclean never wanted to be a soldier. Guilt ridden and blaming himself for his father's death when he refused to kill an enemy, he sought to restore his honor by taking the place of his brother Rory and standing at the side of King James to battle the English. Fighting valiantly and severely wounded Lachlan was cut down, pinned beneath his horse.

As the widow of an English reiver after his untimely death, Kimbra Charleton supported herself and daughter by joining with her husbands thieving family in scavenging the dead of their valuables. Instructed to kill any Scots still breathing, Kimbra hesitated after noting the fine Scots plaid and jeweled brooch of the injured soldier. Assuming him to be a noble and ripe for ransoming, she planned to restore him to health and ransom him for herself and daughter. When after some days he awoke with no memories of who he was Kimbra was disappointed. Though he presented a danger to both her and her daughter should the Charleton discover him to be a Scot, feelings Kimbra had never felt before and her determination to not let him die compelled her to keep him alive.

Little by little, Lachlan's returning memories were of violence and great sorrow, unfortunately, NOT of who he was. It seemed to be an impossible situation, but the passion both felt just might be the medicine that would heal both their broken lives as Lachlan laid claim to Kimbra's heart.

--- This is an absolutely stunning read, rich in historical details, fast-paced and riveting in suspense as both Lachlan and Kimbra skirted danger as the smoldering attraction between sworn enemies ignited. It's an emotional tale that will leave you with a lump in your throat and a tear or two in your eyes. Potter brings together a cast of new and fascinating characters as well as old friends from the first book (BELOVED IMPOSTER) in this wonderful historically set series of the Maclean family. Stories from Patricia Potter are jewels to treasure - gather some for yourself!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars 2.5 stars. Typical Scottish historical. Not different enough to stand out from the rest. Not enough emotional appeal., March 22, 2009

By 

Jane (Chicago, IL, United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Beloved Stranger (Beloved Series) (Paperback)

STORY BRIEF:
Lachlan is one of the nobles fighting alongside the Scottish King James. They are just over the border in England fighting King Henry's army. Most of the Scots are killed. Lachlan is wounded. After the battle, the reivers (thieving communities living near the border) go through the dead soldiers to take valuables. Kimbra is a widow trying to support her daughter. One of her duties as part of the community is to take valuables from the soldiers. While there, she discovers Lachlan, and she wants to help him. She covers him with leaves to hide him and returns later with a horse to take him to her cottage. She nurses him back to health, they start to fall in love. Lachlan has amnesia and doesn't know who he is. She coaches him on how to speak and what to say so her community will think he is English. The English king wants all Scots killed. When the Charleton (the leader of the local Charleton clan) learns about Lachlan, he insists that Lachlan stay at his residence/compound in a locked room, until more is known about him. Cedric is the Charleton's evil nephew. Cedric causes conflicts throughout the story. He wants to marry Kimbra and get rid of Lachlan.

REVIEWER'S OPINION:
This was ok as a typical historical romance, but I wasn't pulled in enough emotionally, either by the events or the characters. Throughout the story there was not much of a romantic relationship happening. Most of the time Kimbra and Lachlan were afraid and at risk. They both could be killed if someone learned the truth about what was going on. There was nothing wrong with the story. I just wanted something a little different or that had an interesting effect on me. One event bothered me. Someone discovered Lachlan was a Scot and reported it to the local leader. The author did not explain how this person learned Lachlan was a Scot. It felt like the author couldn't think of anything interesting so she just skipped it and moved on to the next conflict.

DATA:
Story length: 341 pages. Sexual language: none. Number of sex scenes: 2. Total number of sex scene pages: 2. Setting: 1513 along both sides of the English/Scottish border. Copyright: 2006. Genre: Scottish historical romance.

OTHER BOOKS:
To date, I've read one other book by Patricia Potter. My 4.5 star review of "Behind The Shadows" copyright 2008 was posted 1/29/09.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pleasant Read, January 3, 2007

By 

Alicia Dixon "AliciaK" (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Beloved Stranger (Beloved Series) (Paperback)

This was the first historical romance from Patricia Potter that I have read (I have read several of her romantic suspense books) and I was pleasantly surprised with it. I have found that although many of the romantic suspense authors started in historical romance, their story-telling there is not as full. This is not the case with Patricia Potter. Beloved Stranger was a good book that I would recommend to anyone looking for a pleasant read on a quiet day.