Customer Reviews

The Heather Moon

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a beautiful story of love between a wonderful man and a woman who has been emotionally scarred by the reaction of others to her physical deformity. Will accepts Tamsin's deformed hand without question and often holds and kisses it. He shows her a passage in a book stating that those with deformities "are not to be pitied or suspected . . . but should be regarded as healthy beings . . . as part of the wondrous and endless variety of Nature in all her aspects." Both Will and Tamsin have guarded hearts, and their attraction to each other is beautiful.

Will is the perfect hero: a man with a pure heart and soul. He is strong, passionate, devoted and honorable, as well as sensitive, compassionate, tender and gentle. Here is a beautiful man loving a less than perfect woman in whom he sees only beauty (except, perhaps, for her temper!).

With its perfectly-paced character development and lyric dialog, I read every word of this story. The rhythm of the story is disturbed only once, during the climax, but it brought a smile to my face, so I thought I'd mention it. (I could hear an editor saying, "But where'd that branch come from, hey?")

Ms. King does it again. Within the first few pages I was captivated. Tasmin, the half gypsy- half Scottish girl takes your heart. She has a deformed hand and a very low self-esteem. Everyone thinks she is bad luck.. but there is one person who doesnt.... William Scott. He has been raised with the King of Scotland but never has forgotten his heritage. When a no good English lord requests his assisstance he has no choice but to help and uncover the secret reguarding threats to the baby Queen. Tamsin also gets mixed up with the bad englishman and now must stay with Will for two weeks under constant supervision...Together they have many adventures and there are many funny parts. This story was so interesting to me i went out and purchased a book on palmistry. The details are wonderfully written and you can even smell the flowers. This is a book a lot of people can relate to. A must read for anyone who loves Scotland or needs a little reassurance in the love department.

Ms King has done it again with a story that is intensly satisfing for the reader. She has created wonderfully developed characters who the reader will care about and who become more real as each page is turned. Ms King's become a leader in writing historical set in Scotland and Heather Moon is a classic example of her extraordinary talent. When others are clamouring to write about the Highlands she can give the reader a story set in the turbulant southern Borders of Scotland that is rich in detail with historical twists and turns that satisy the most synical reader. HEATHER MOON is a keeper to be sure for any serious romance reader who wants a story that is well researched but at no time does the history take over the story. Never does she use the often trite meaningless sex scene to move her story along. The sensual scenes are done with taste and within the context of the story. No romance author today weaves a more vivd tapistry of history, intrique, magic and love with all its many hues than MS. King. You can't be a serious romance reader if you don't read Ms King.

This is the first of this author that I have read and I was very disappointed. I found it difficult to get into the book because there is so much superfluous text. There isn't a lot of interaction between the hero and heroinne until about halfway through the book. The plot moved slowly and was hard to stick with. At times, I found myself skimming sections just to get on to the interesting parts. It seems like you are waiting forever to find out what happens and then it all happens right at the end of the book. I did find the historical content to be very good. If I was looking for historical novel as opposed to a historical romance novel, this would be it.

In 1543 Scotland, William Scott rescues half-gypsy Tamsin Armstrong, accused by her English gaolers of thieving, because of the friendship between their Scottish fathers. William takes Tamsin into his home to provide her protection. However, she soon reads in her Tarot cards, a dastardly plot against the infant Mary, Queen of Scots.

Abruptly Mary's mother places her safety in the hands of William and Tamsin. As they struggle with unknown assailants in order to keep their charge alive, the intrepid duo fall in love. However, he is a widow with a child to raise, while she feels love could only be found in fairy tales. Though he proposes, both have their doubts even as they contend with a terrorist plot to eliminate Mary.

Very few writers describe sixteenth century Scotland as well as Susan King seems to effortlessly do. Her latest historical romance, THE HEATHER MOON, demonstrates why she is highly regarded by fans of the sub-genre. The story line is filled with interesting tidbits about the lifestyle of the Gypsies, Scots, and border English of the era. The subplots against the Queen and the budding romance are enticing. However, readers who want non-stop action need to realize that the infusion of the historical nuggets tends to slow down the pace of the tale even though this never disrupts the absorbing story line.

Harriet Klausner

I am very picky about history and about Scotland, my two loves, and I nearly cringe when I read some romance writers' tales about Scotland. It's clear they have never set foot on the soil and have to real idea of what Scotland is. I am glad to say this is NOT the case with King. Her Scottish historicals are rich in detail, well researched and so true to the heart of a Scot.

I loved her Angel Knight and Raven's Moon and this one is nearly as perfect as those two. In this tale, Tamsin Armstrong was the daughter of William Armstrong and a gypsy. She is raised with a taint against her because of her gypsy blood, so she has felt unloved. Tamsin is captured with her father while raiding the lands of their hated English enemy, Jasper Musgrave, and thrown into prison.

William Scott's father was friends with Archie, reived with him, so when Tamsin comes to the aid of the ailing King James V, William agrees for old times sakes to marry Tamsin, thus saving her from an unwanted marriage. But it's a fleeting promise, giving by a man with no intentions of carrying through on it. Tasmin craves the notion of a husband to love her, so she accepts William's proposal, not seeing it as false.

As their attraction grows, so does the danger not only to Tamsin, but the Queen as Musgrave has evil intentions.

Another first rate tale from a true storyteller!!

This was a well written, interesting book. It is about two people who start out in totally different circumstances. The first time they see each other, she is a half gypsy girl with a deformed hand, that is going home with the father she had just met. He is a boy that is going to prison, who had just seen his father brutally murdered. This was a well written book, with a few surprises in the story line that keeps you reading. The explanation they give for palm reading is very interesting. When they finally do get together, they have some trials and tribulations that they must deal with. I haven't read many of King's books, but I will be looking for them now. Enjoy!

Susan King is a story teller par excellence and The Heather Moon only proves this true! Don't miss this incredible tale and its most memorable characters

The author did a great job describing the characters' feelings. Both characters wrestled with serious issues; Tamsin - her deformed hand and half-breed status and William his father's cruel death followed by his imprisonment and his feelings of unfulfilled love. The author skillfully writes of the gradual ability each character develops to overcome their fears and problems. I was especially impressed with the way the author writes of Tamsin's handicap. William loves her so much that he doesn't even see her as handicapped, only as the beautiful person she is. She, in turn, begins to believe she is beautiful. The Heather Moon is a heartwarming story of how fate intervenes in the lives of these two characters and they come to believe they not only love each other, but are destined to be together.

Susan King's books never fail to impress me. She brings history alive within her well-crafted stories and timeless elements of loyalty, bravery, and of course, the power of love. In Heather Moon, I was especially impressed with secondary characters like the heoine's feisty father Archie. I wouldn't mind a romance centered around him someday, Susan!