8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
15th century Sco'ish idyll of adventure, mystery, & romance, January 12, 2012
Ye found yerself a new author lass in Jennifer Hudson Taylor, I tell meself. This obvious sequel is a clan continuation but ye can read it as a stand-alone. Highland Sanctuary follows Highland Blessings, with the newer sportin' a bit more brogue (nothing so heavy its meenin's not understood mind). Fun readin' and both hold an equal mix of adventure/mystery and Christian romance. It took me back to book memories of Ian Maclaren & Geo MacDonald fiction. Preachers/writers & Gender-proof. A small glossary would be a nice future addition for novice brogue readers' benefit including words like burn (river), bairn (child), kirk (church), & sennight (week).
`Tis a story of many violent acts that shake villagers and castle guests near Braighwick, northern Scotland, in 1477 (after a turbulent 1457 day in Chap.1). One, then `nither, and more `n more. A lass of the Village of Outcasts, with her own secret impairment, has gentlemen suitors of a station she's well beneath. Can/Will love prevail? Or murderous death? There's romance ta go `longside the villainous events in this highland mystery. There's an underlying premise of grace and acceptance of others as God desires of us.
The protagonist MacKenzie brothers of `Sanctuary' are kin to the protagonist & kidnapped highland sister in `Blessings'. MacKenzie's Clan continues in ye second action-to-romance adventure. Fear naught, ye gentile lasses, `tis a good romance tale where not all ends as ye might predict, or desire, but ye get enough joy under a plaid of Christianity that ye'll hanker fer anither idyll soon.
Bonny fine book. Should be read `neath a bough o' pine.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An Enjoyable Read of God's Protection, December 9, 2011
Do you like stories of romance, mystery, and the love of God? They can be wonderful tales to read and give us encouragement and adventure. Jennifer Hudson Taylor gives you that in Highland Sanctuary.
This is a beautiful story that many could relate to easily. A young baby is born and begins having seizures not long after her first breath is drawn. Quickly proclaimed to be evil and possessed, her own father plans her immediate death. The love of a mother quickly saves her and gets to a sanctuary in the Highlands.
Twenty years pass in safety and security among others who are outcasts from society. In this community that is more family than just neighbors, the love of God is strong and all have put their lives in His hands. Their faith and their bonds are tested as a new laird takes over after the old one's mysterious death and strange things begin happening in the village. Not even murder is out of the question for whoever is behind all the problems that have arisen out of the blue.
The new laird, calls in men from another clan to help rebuild the castle and increase protection for the whole area. The future head of the McPherson clan, Gavin, is secretly looking for who is the culprit. During his investigations, he meets and falls in love with Serena, a girl with a secret. She is willing to go to her death to keep her seizure problem a secret as she knows she will be burned at the stake as being an agent of the devil.
The stakes grow higher as they fall in love and the hunt for evil approaches her door and everyone turns to God for help.
This is not a fluffy book. I use that to describe books that have no depth. It is also not a very long book to allow extremely deep exploration of any topic. It is an enjoyable story that shows the love God has for those that society shuns and how they are accepted by Him with so much love. It is a story of love that can be found through the work of God.
Why is it not getting a 5-star rating? I felt that more depth could have been given to the characters just because I saw so much potential in Gavin. To have the strong faith he had would not have been that common during those days in the Highlands. I would love to have known how it came about and more of his own character. That's just something I feel personally, but others might not even think of that. If I could do a 4.99 rating for Highland Sanctuary, I would.
Note: This book was provided by the publisher at my request.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
What future do you have when you got a problem you can do nothing about?, October 23, 2011
You do have a future (when Jesus is in the middle and when you trust Him at all times) and this story is about Serena Boyd who thinks she is not good enough to be the wife of Gavin MacKenzie. Serena's condition does not matter to Gavin. I enjoy this story and feel sorry for the people in those days when they thought that when you get a "fit" you are demon possessed and need to die.... The end was beautiful and sad at the same time. The story does not focus so much on the Scottish history as it was the case with Jennifer's first book, which I absolutely adore!
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