The Border Lord's Bride (Border Chronicles) (Paperback)

by Bertrice Small (Author) "But I dinna want to leave Lochearn," Ellen MacArthur's ser-vant and companion wailed, and she began to cry..." (more)
Key Phrases: yer grandsire, laird nodded, border lord, Sir Roger, Duncan Armstrong, James Stewart (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Small's second Border Chronicles novel (after A Dangerous Love) opens on the disruption of the Scottish highland home-and happiness-of pretty, 16 year-old Ellen MacArthur: cousins want her grandfather, Ewan, to change his marriage and inheritance plans, and marry her to rough young Balgair. "Grandsire" Ewan sends Ellen to King James's court to wait out the crisis. Ellen gains the friendship of the king and his aunt, and when word comes that she's to return, she's given border lord Duncan Armstrong, the laird of Duffdour, as an escort home. The two return to find Balgair has murdered her grandfather and fiancé, and plans to make her life miserable in marriage. As a vicious border war and an assassination attempt by the Tudor Henry VII on James's life ensue, the pace is slower than most readers will want, and the sex may be more graphic than some will expect. But Small's vivid characters are worthy of her first-rate plot.
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Product Description
Next in the Border Chronicles from the New York Times bestselling author of A Dangerous Love.

New York Times bestselling author Bertrice Small, no less than, "the reigning queen of the historical genre" (Romance Junkies) continues her Border Chronicles with this sweeping tale of an imposing laird forced to marry the woman he rescued. He never could have anticipated that she could be the love of a lifetime.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: NAL Trade (October 2, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451222148
• ISBN-13: 978-0451222145
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #366,050 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not really a Romance, October 26, 2007

By	Misuzmama (New York, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This is not exactly a romance book. That's the problem. Oh, don't get me wrong, there is romance here. Just very little. I agree that its mostly a history lesson. So if you like to know a bit of history about the Scottish/English border in the 1490's then this may be for you.

I just can't recommend this as a romance. Its basically a story about a highlander lass is who forced (by the Scottish King) to marry a Border Lord (a lowlander). I was hoping for more of a book similar to Garwood's The Bride. This isn't it. There is no sexual tension what so ever here. And what is the point of the H/H telling each other I-love-you in the middle of the book? I didn't want to read after that. Whats the point? There is no great climax and most of the characters were irritating to me. Why oh why are 'ladies' using the f-word when they speak to each other? Men maybe but women? And a fourteen year old wh*re? ACK! That maybe what was normal for the time period, but I don't read romance for reality. This was more like reading a diary of daily activities than a story with a beginning, middle and end. Lags a lot.

Chock full of history which, unfortunately completely overshadows the romance.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Ready for a History Lesson?, October 25, 2007

By	Cecilia Sheppard (Atlanta, GA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I love Bertrice Small's books, but I haven't loved her latest series. As one reviewer said, Ellen is fairly unremarkable, and Duncan is not nearly as memorable as some of her other heroes. This is your fault, Ms. Small--you've spoiled us by creating Skye O'Malley, Geoffrey Southwood, Adam de Marisco... I don't mind a bit of history with my escapism, but unfortunately, these books seem like a history lesson with a little romance tossed in. Still, it was a good read and kept my interest.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fabulous late fifteenth century romance , October 6, 2007

By	Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

In 1494, the unprotected are pawns for the more powerful to obtain greater strength. That is why elderly Lochearn Laird Ewan MacArthur sends his beloved orphaned granddaughter Ellen to King James for her safety. Two weeks after her departure, their cousin Gavin demands Ellen marry his son Balgair instead of the heir Donald McNab as he plans to make his offspring Laird of Lochearn even if it means turning Ellen into a teenage widow.

Border Laird of Duffdour Duncan Armstrong visits King James to ask a favor of his liege. In return James assigns him to safely escort Ellen home so she can wed Donald as the monarch believes it is Ewan's decision. When they reach her home, they quickly learn what Balgair and his sire have done as he has her grandfather's signed document making him heir and her spouse; he explains that he held Donald hostage, but once signed slit both their throats. However, Balgair made one mistake as he asks Duncan to witness the ceremony, he failed to understand the escort is an honorable loyal person, who takes this into his own hands by wedding Ellen although that means giving up his hope to marry for love; or does it.

The second Borderlands Chronicle historical romance (see A DANGEROUS LOVE) is a fabulous late fifteenth century tale filled with intrigue and treachery much greater than that described above. The lead pair struggles with her odious extended family and with the machinations between the rival Kings James and Henry VII. Readers will cherish the heroic Duncan as their own as he risks his happiness and ultimately life to keep Ellen safe; fans will also admire the spunky female protagonist, whose tasted violence and death with her parents already gone and now her betrothed and beloved grandfather were murdered; yet she keeps her with and takes a chance on the unknown rather than the devil she knows. Bertrice Small provides a great read.

Harriet Klausner