Customer Reviews

Besieged (Skyes Legacy)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

In 1630, after twenty years away, Jasmine Mary Lindley returns to Ulster accompanied by her third husband Lord James Leslie and her youngest daughter Lady Fortune. Jasmine hopes Fortune finds a husband in the land where the child was born just after her second husband, Fortune's father, was murdered. Regardless of whether Fortune finds a mate or not, the lass will gain control of Maguire's Ford, an estate where Catholics and Protestants harmoniously live and work together.

The prime choice is William Devers. However, Jasmine has problems with William's biased mother, who plans to toss the Catholics from Maguire's Ford once Fortune marries her son. William immediately wants the independent and feisty Fortune. In turn, she realizes he is the perfect mate for someone as pragmatic as she is. However, her heart stirs only when she meets William's disinherited older brother Kiernan, a devout Catholic who has given up everything to be able to practice his religion. While Fortune and Kiernan fall in love, an obsessed William will do whatever it takes to make Fortune his wife.

BESIEGED is the best historical romance that Bertrice Small has written in several years. The story line centers on the historical basis of the Irish Protestant-Catholic issue in a reasonable and honest way that provides insight to the audience. The lead couple is a majestic duo and the support cast augments the plot through their prejudices or tolerances. Jasmine embraces diversity as the ultimate win-win situation to the point that Dr. Covey could use her as a role model. Though a sidebar starring William slows down the novel, Ms. Small shows why she is a sub-genre superstar.

Harriet Klausner

I agree with the previous reviews. While Besieged was not as good as The Kadin or Skye O'Mally (these are my favorite books of all time), it seemed truer to the legacy of Madame Skye. Her last few books, while enjoyable, were not her best. Additionally, Jasmine and Jamie Leslie were much better in this than their last book with daughter India. I, too, wished Fortune could some how discover that Rory was her father. Alas, I can see where that would have tormented Jasmine's memory of her beloved second husband. I enjoyed the references to the New World and would have found more of their building of a new life in Mary's Land more interesting than that silly kidnapping. I'm really hoping we get a wonderful new book from Ms Small about Autumn Rose. After all, she has the blood of both Cyra Hafise (Janet Leslie) and Skye O'Malley running in her. Now that's a Legacy!

I have just started reading Bertrice Small recently and started with the Skye O'Malley series. I have enjoyed this family series. I get hooked on all the family and eagerly await each new book to see what this active, adventurous family is doing. There is not a huge amount of references to Skye's many other kids and their activities in this book. But it is still well done. You could very easily pick up this book and read it without having read the rest of this series (however I recommend that you do so.) The history details are always very well done and interesting. Ms. Small has taken her readers to Ireland and the New World this time. The O'Malley clan will soon be worldwide. Fortune is every bit like the free spirited women in her family and wants to find that passionate, true love. Her mother and father have gotten their backbone back in this book. It was refreshing to see Jasmine to take a stand again. The only thing that I did not like was the Kidnapping scene. It seemed incomplete or maybe a last minute thought (not very well developed.) The book could stand alone without that scene. I look forward to seeing a mention of Fortune and more family moving to the New World as the colonies expand.

Bertrice Small gifts us with yet another gem...sending the great-grandaughter of one of the most beloved and unforgettable heroines of romantic fiction - Skye O'malley - into search of her true destiny and everlasting love... Walking proudly the path of her great anscestresses, Lady Fortune Lindley is a courageous beauty determined to follow her heart...Leaving her home in Scotland, she returns to her birthplace at Maguire's Ford, a large estate that she will inherit only if she marries an Irish Protestant. Being the most practical child of Jasmine Leslie, she agrees to consider a match with the Protestant aristocrat William Devers, a man suited to her wealth and status... However, it is the rebellious and unpredictable elder brother, Keiran Devers who sets her heart aflame and senses reeling with passion... While Fortune and Keiran's forbidden ecstasy explodes, jealousy and ignorance threaten their love and forces them to claim a new land and a new legacy...Through the test of destiny, Fortune realizes that she is indeed very much alike with the extraordinary women of her family...proud, independent, passionate and loyal towards those they love and cherish... BESIEGED justly stands among Ms. Small's best creations...it will remind you just why you fell in love with Skye O'Malley and could not let go... It will bring all your beloved characters back to life...let Fortune and Kerian's story carry you back in time and sweep you away in their ecstasy!

Well, well ,well the latest in the o'malley saga is another masterpeice. I am so glad she wrote about Fortune. A must read. If you have never read Ms. Small's work before start at Skye O'Malley and work your way up. They Are all magnificent! Happy Reading!

Skye's legacy deserves a better story than the one delivered in this book. As Small has become a more mainstream author her characters have suffered - and so have her faithful readers. It seems each generation after Skye got a little more "milk-toast." This is a shame since Skye O'Malley was and will probably be the best character Small could imagine.

I agree with most of the other reviewers. Small's books haven't been so hot for the last few novels, but this one is much more like some of her really good books! Jasmine is back to herself, and actually, just hearing Fortune's and Jasmine's rememberances of India's escapades gave me a better impression of that book (Bedazzled). I might give it a re-read now.

All in all, this book is much more like the other Skye O'Malley books (although there are no harems or rapes). The voice and quality of storytelling is very good.

P.S. I agree with someone else who said the little kidnapping toward the end was unnecessary.

Ms Small is back on track with this tale of Skye O'Malley'sgreat-granddaughter Fortune Lindley. Fortune is a passionate,headstrong woman who stands up for her convictions. Jasmine her mother seems to have regained her backbone in this book. The hero Keiran is not quite as exciting as I had hoped for but at least his character didn't put me to sleep. This effort was better than the previous story, Bedazzled, about Fortune's older sister India. Ms. Small you have almost got that fire back into your stories maybe a revisit to your earlier heroines might spark the flame again.

I look forward to each new Beatrice Small book with extreme anticipation. I have especially enjoyed reading the continuing saga of the O'Malley family. However, since the original character Skye has died, her decendents have become quite boring (as compared to her). They no longer have the adventrues that Skye herself once did. I was especially disappointed that Fortune never did find out that Rory was her real father. That would have been reminisent of the Skye legacy.

With each new book, I find myself to be in less of a hurry to buy the book. I do hope that if Beatrice Small does continue with the series Skye's Legacy, she puts a bit more zest into the stories.

Fortune Lindley is an interesting, fiery character who proves she is definitely Skye's descendant! The romance, the intrigue, and the twist of going to the new world is interesting. The only disappointment is in that after knowing who Fortune's "real" father is all this time, is that she, nor Jasmine ever know. Sure, he finds out, but what good does that do? But I think readers will definitely enjoy this book.