Flowers Under Ice [Paperback]

Jean Ross Ewing (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1999

Winner of RT Best Historical Romance of the Year and the Colorado Book Award, described by Mary Jo Putney as "one of the most powerful voices in historical romance:" A Regency adventurer challenges a Highland lady to explore the seven deadly sins, one for each day of a passionate and dangerous journey to Scotland in search of a lost child and a seemingly impossible love.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Set during the terrible land clearances in the 19th-century Scottish Highlands, this darkly passionate historical takes place as Scots are burned out of ancestral homes and deported to Canada so that their land can be turned into profitable sheep enclosures by the English. Catriona MacMorrin, desperate to keep her clan together, convinces war hero and spy Dominic Wyndham to help her find the boy who could be the clan chieftain's heir by fabricating a tale concerning his late wife's baby. There's a rival claimant, however, bent on undermining their efforts and backed by ruthless, powerful forces. Dominic (a secondary character in Ewing's Illusion) is a complex hero, a handsome, dissolute libertine who is beset by demons. Intrigued by Catriona's single-mindedness and fresh beauty, he attempts to seduce her; proud and defiant, Catriona proves his match. Mutual antagonismAcomplicated by conflicting notions of honor, truth and dutyAturns to fierce passion and, ultimately, deep love. Not a mere historical bodice-ripper, this tale will surprise readers with its intelligent plot and complex themes.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Shocked to learn that his fugitive wife is dead and has left a son in Scotland, jaded, thrill-seeking libertine Dominic Wyndham agrees to go with highlander Catriona Sinclair to claim the boy on one conditionAthat they explore, in depth, each of the seven deadly sins on the week-long journey north. Although somewhat contrived, the premise is unusual, and it effectively places a determined heroine with an ulterior motive and a hero who can't resist a dare in a tantalizing, provocative situation as they work to unravel the mysteries and deceptions that are part of this sensual, intricately plotted, exceptionally well-written tale. Linked to her earlier Illusion, this story will appeal to readers who enjoy Scottish settings, a complicated, not always predictable storyline, lively dialog, and appealing, memorable characters. Ewing, a former Regency writer and a Rita winner, lives in Ridgway, CO.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 371 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (September 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425170365
• ISBN-13: 978-0425170366
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #419,796 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Romance & Intrigue in the Highlands, December 1, 1999

By 

Nancy Zierfuss - See all my reviews

This review is from: Flowers Under Ice (Paperback)

I've just read "Flowers Under Ice", by Jean Ross Ewing, which packs some of my favorite romantic elements into a rich and vividly drawn story. Ms.Ewing has combined a strong and intelligent heroine, a devastatingly attractive but tormented hero, and a wonderfully despicable villain into a romance that covers every mood from serious lust to sweet tenderness. Dominic Wyndham first meets Catriona minutes after he's climbed to the top of a church spire and back down to win a bet. He appears at first glance to be an aristocratic wastrel with a scandalous reputation and nothing better to do than risk his life in reckless wagers. Or at least that's the impression Catriona, a spirited young woman from the Scottish Highlands, first forms. Dominic is at a truly low moment in his life; having just been callously informed him that his estranged wife is dead. Catriona lands another blow by telling him that his wife has had a baby by another man, and that Dominic's duty is to journey to Scotland to take charge of the child. Dominic agrees, but adds two outrageous conditions: that Catriona will accompany him unchaperoned, and that she will agree to explore one of the seven deadly sins for each day of their journey. Bit by bit, however, Dominic's true nature and the reasons behind his pose of careless indifference are slowly revealed, while the reader discovers more about Catriona's real mission. Along the way they are pursued and harassed by a variety of villains, and it soon becomes apparent that even more is at stake than a child's life. Catriona is a challenging heroine, dauntingly strong in her purpose, but her reasons are selfless, and due to her strong sense of honor and duty. I liked those qualities, and also the way Catriona fell under Dominic's spell, despite herself. Under Ms. Ewing's skillful hands, their love affair progresses gradually from a sensuous physical attraction to a soul-deep need for each other that really rang true for me. If you enjoy reading Jo Beverley, Edith Layton, or Anne Stuart, I think you will also enjoy Jean Ross Ewing. I definitely did!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars disappointing, September 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Flowers Under Ice (Paperback)

Still one of the most literate voices of the genre, but did not meet expectations with this one after her beautifully conceived Illusions. The heroine was not very sympathetic and was not fully developed as a character; she did a better job with Dominic Wyndham but I was hard pressed to see why he was falling in love with Catriona. Still, a welcome change from most of the pulp out there.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Much more than your average romance, December 6, 1999

By 

S. Raines - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Flowers Under Ice (Paperback)

This is a wonderful book. I've haven't seen a writer bring Scotland to life like this since Gabaldon. Ewing's descriptions of the country and people brought them to life.

And let's not forget the romance<g>. Dominic is my favorite kind of hero, the embittered veteran of the Napoleonic wars who comes home to deviltry and drink because he's unwilling to face his past. He's not ready to allow himself to become attached to anyone, until a Highlander woman drags him to Scotland to save a child. The journey there is one filled with mystery, passion, and self-discovery for both the hero and heroine. Don't miss this one!