The Captive Heart (Border Chronicles) (Paperback)

by Bertrice Small (Author)
Key Phrases: good priest, good brother, laird chuckled, Sir Udolf, Malcolm Scott, The Captive Heart (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Predictability, contrivance and flat dialogue abound in this historical romance by acclaimed author Small. In 1461 war-torn England, Alix Givet is forced to marry a baron's cruel son in order to find refuge for her dying father. When her husband commits suicide, Alix's relief soon turns to horror as her father-in-law announces that he intends to marry her. On foot, Alix runs across the border to Scotland, where she's rescued from a wintry storm by Malcolm Scott, a gruff laird who vowed never to marry again after his first wife betrayed him. A few graphic sex scenes later, the two have fallen in love and married; the rest of the novel they spend dealing with the English baron–cum–raving madman who is convinced that Alix is rightfully his. Two-dimensional characters—either without flaw or completely unredeemable—and hastily dispatched political/historical background sink the story, but Small's included enough steamy scenes that fans should find what they're looking for. (Oct.)
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Product Description
From the New York Times bestselling author—the third passionate romance in the Border Chronicles series.

The year is 1461, and the winds of war rage across England, uprooting Alix Givet, the daughter of Queen Margaret’s physician, and the rest of Henry VI’s court. Alix’s plight becomes bleaker still when, out of duty to her queen, and to her ill, widowed father, she’s locked into a loveless marriage to a cruel Northumbrian. But when her luck changes, Alix has another chance to flee—this time to save herself. Escaping north over the border into Scotland, she throws herself at the mercy of a dark and brooding laird who might provide the everlasting love of her dreams—if she can warm his cold heart.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 403 pages
• Publisher: NAL Trade (October 7, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451225023
• ISBN-13: 978-0451225023
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #78,570 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 5 blue ribbons from Romance Junkies, October 7, 2008

By	C. Dionne "Chrissy Dionne" (Cloverdale, OREGON USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

1461
The war in England has forced Henry VI, his family and all their loyal retainers to become fugitives. They've traveled from place to place seeking shelter from anyone still loyal enough to aid them. Alix Givet is the daughter of Queen Margaret's physician and she's also the Queen's goddaughter.

With the weather getting colder it's become obvious that Alix's father is very ill and can't continue traveling. Alix is willing to do whatever must be done in order to make her father's final days comfortable but the marriage arranged by her father and the queen is more than a little worrisome.

Hayle's disdain for Alix is immediately apparent. He has a mistress whom he would like to marry but because she's of low birth and he's a future baron such a union would never be accepted. Despite Alix's misgivings and Hayle's abusive attitude, they go through with the wedding and bedding but it's definitely not the love match Alix's parents shared. Alix vows to do her best to make her marriage bearable for as long as her father lives.

When Alix's father passes away she's devastated, but even more stunning is the fact that Hayle's mistress and child died in childbirth. When Alix could have used some support instead she is faced with a surly child-man who blames her for everything that's gone wrong in his life and attempts to kill her. Hayle commits suicide to `be with his true love' and Hayle's father proposes a shocking idea. He believes that since his only son is dead, Alix should marry him and he's willing to buy the church's agreement.

Alix's only hope is to leave England for Scotland where she hopes to find Queen Margaret. Before reaching her destination or even a suitable shelter a winter storm sets in and she falls asleep between a couple of great horned shaggy cattle. The following morning she's found and quickly brought to the attention of Laird Malcolm Scott.

Malcolm's been through a disastrous marriage of his own and has no intention of marrying again. There's no denying he's attracted to Alix and his young daughter certainly becomes attached to the young woman. As time goes on, it's an attraction he's finding it harder to ignore but Alix's experience has her leery of any sort of sexual interaction.

CAPTIVE HEART is the third book in Bertrice Small's series THE BORDER CHRONICLES. Filled with memorable characters, stunning situations and historical facts entwined throughout the storyline this is a book that promises to satisfy readers' desire for a believable storyline that speaks to your heart. I found it extremely easy to empathize with the characters and was completely enchanted by Malcolm's five-year-old daughter Fiona. There are even a few twists to the plot that stunned me and even broke my heart. Bertrice Small has been one of my favorite authors for many years and her books will always have an honorary place on my bookshelves.

While this book is a part of THE BORDER CHRONICLES series, you do not have to read the other books in the series in order to fully enjoy this one.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, October 12, 2008

By	Jody Allen (Wisconsin, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book falls far short of her early efforts that romance readers have come to love. The story set in the Borders of Scotland feels more like a story set in the Highlands: there were no clans (these were riding families, their culture wasn't Gael) nor were there family tartans in the Borders of the 15th century Scotland. She also has problems of consistency in her story: the hero telling his heroine his father and mother's marriage was one of anger and his mother being distant and cruel and then later telling her of his mother's love. What?

The real crime is the ending of the book, the final events were not needed to make this a better than average read. The actions of the once likable hero made this reader feel the author was deceptive and "the" event was so unnecessary made worse by the quick way the h/h recovered from the devastating sadness in just two pages. Then she expects the last paragraph of the book make up for it all, talk about short changing the reader. Shame on you MS Small for such an unnecessary ending. This was historical romance not historical fiction, and her loyal romance readers were cheated.

Also this offering is considered part of her Border series, yet it appears to be an earlier period than her last book that was part of this series, which was a disappointment to this reader. Additionally, I haven't really found the connection to her A DANGEROUS LOVE, which by the way is a far better book and should be read if you enjoy this period of Scottish/Anglo intrigues. Usually a series will have a connecting element and it appears in this book that element is location, which this reader feels her knowledge fell far short of the actual culture of the area. For those of us who read historical romance for the history we want more than just knowing the history of the events we want our characters to reflect the history/culture of the period/people. She fell short on this one, it read like so many other average books.

Disheartening to readers is this wasn't a mass market offering but a trade size book with the added cost. Ms Small has many fine offerings with her Skye O'Malley books as well as many books set in Scotland such SPITFIRE, which is a full bodied story of intrigue, angst and love. If you have to read this one wait for it to come out in mass market or buy it used.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Mixed Feelings, December 13, 2008

By	Mrs. Ferguson "Frisky" (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews

The entire book was phenominal until the ending! I was thrilled to finally read this book and the ending was horrible!!! This is not typical Bertrice Small. It reads towards the end like she was in a rush to finish and just threw something together. Very disappointing!!!