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52 of 57 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enthralled, July 22, 2006
Margaret MacDonald was a young girl when a seer told her of her future. The old woman said that she will have to choose the right man or she will perish. Although confused and slightly afraid, Margaret listened and remembered those words as she grew older.
Margaret had been betrothed to Lachlan Ross since she was a babe. She is very pleased with the match and Lachlan seems to be pleased with her as well. On the verge of marrying Lachlan, Margaret is betrayed by him and she now refuses to go through with the marriage. Her father gives her a choice; either marry Lachlan or be sent to a convent. Attempting to break her betrothal through the King, Margaret journeys to England with her sister Nell and her brother Rignor. Her pleas are ignored though. Margaret meets the seer again there and both she and Nell are told of their futures. Margaret feels helpless and lost. She doesn't know which path to take and the seer's visions just confuse her even more.
Returning form their journey Margaret and her siblings find their home in Somerstrath destroyed, the people either slain or missing. Their young brother Davey is among the missing. As they struggle to comprehend their loss, warriors arrive to help them. Gannon Magnusson is one of these warriors. Gannon and Margaret find themselves drawn to each other, which makes Margaret wonder if Gannon is the man the seer prophesied about.
They travel to a neighboring land after burying the dead and Gannon and Margaret get the chance to know each other while the men try to determine the name of the man responsible for the attacks at Somerstrath, and to other lands, including Gannon's home in Ireland. A Norseman is brutally destroying homes and killing innocents in his quest for power.
While the Norseman continues his savagery, the battle that Gannon and Margaret must wage to be free to love one another becomes increasingly more difficult. Lachlan will not give up his betrothed without a fight and Margaret refuses to be used as a pawn for uniting the clans through this farce of a marriage to him. Unfortunately, their search for Davey has been fruitless so far as well.
When the war is once again at their door, Gannon, Margaret and those left from their clans descend on the Vikings and fight for all they are worth. Will it be enough to stop this madman from destroying what's left of their people and their lands?
On A Highland Shore is breathtaking. Margaret is magnificent. She followed her heart and never faltered even under pressure. I admire her determination and strength. Gannon is a true hero. He is noble and strong. They make a glorious couple. The villain is perfect. He is ruthless and cold. His evil deeds captivated me. On A Highland Shore is both romantic and tragic. Nell`s and Davey's stories could turn this wonderful story into an epic series. I was enthralled with On A Highland Shore and I highly recommend it.
Nannette
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed
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19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
this book depicts with startling clarity the raw beauty as well as brutality that existed throughout 13th century Scotland., January 27, 2007
Margaret MacDonald is all set to marry her betrothed, Lachlan. The contracts have been signed, and the whole village is celebrating the match of their laird's daughter to the cousin of King Alexander. Until Margaret discovers that Lachlan has been indulging his carnal desires with her best friend Fiona. Margaret refuses to marry Lachlan despite her parents insistence that she will. Given the choice of joining a convent or marrying Lachlan, Margaret chooses a third option, she requests that the King dissolve the betrothal agreement.
Lachlan has the King's ear and convinces him to allow the contract to stand. Margaret barely gets to plead her case before she's whisked out of the King's presence. She's failed and the marriage contract stands. While residing at court, waiting to speak with the King, Margaret is approached by the old woman whom she had met as a child and had foretold her future. She still speaks in riddles that make no sense to Margaret. With her mind full of the old woman's words, Margaret along with her little sister and brother, Nell and Rignor returned home to Somerstrath. Their home and surrounding villages have been decimated, there's not a single person alive anywhere and their eight-year-old brother Davey is missing.
Gannon MacMagnus, a half-Irish, half-Norse warrior, arrives soon after Margaret finds the bodies of their parents and two brothers. Margaret, Nell, and Rignore mistake Gannon and his warriors as Vikings. Once they established that Gannon and his men are not there to do harm, they search the village for survivors but find none and don't find any sign of Davey anywhere. Gannon mentions that the Norse Vikings are known for selling women and children as slaves overseas. Margaret is determined to find her younger brother, but can she possibly trust Gannon to help her or is he responsible for the death and destruction that's befallen her home?
Fans of Kathleen Givens KILGANNON series will love her newest book, ON A HIGHLAND SHORE. It contains all the passion, mystery, and heartache that have made Ms. Givens books so popular. While I've tended to over romanticize Scotland in my mind, this book depicts with startling clarity the raw beauty as well as brutality that existed throughout 13th century Scotland. The characters are bold and stand up for what they believe in - no matter what it costs them. I'm very impressed with ON A HIGHLAND SHORE. I'm thrilled that there will be books to follow which will depict two of the siblings and their adventures as they find their way in life in a land full of turmoil.
Chrissy Dionne (Courtesy of Romance Junkies)
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An enthralling story rich with intrigue, war, and romance, November 25, 2006
A seer told Margaret MacDonald that she would fight dragons. She stands on the brink of violent change; one that could destroy her clan and maybe all of Scotland. The man she must choose to marry is a golden man, one who would bring life after death to her and her people.
Margaret at first discarded the old woman's words because she had bigger problems to solve. She is trapped in a betrothal to a man who has betrayed her with her best friend, and her family, friends, even her King wants her to go through with the marriage regardless of his deception.
While she's busy trying to break the betrothal contract, her home is attacked and ravaged by Vikings, her family murdered, and her clan devastated by tremendous loss and unspeakable cruelty. It's while she's trying to pick up the pieces of her life that she meets Gannon MacMagnus, a half-Irish, half-Norse warrior from Ireland.
The Vikings have attacked settlements in Ireland and Gannon, his brother and Uncle are in Scotland to request help to go after the raiders. There's a lot of intrigue that occurs here as Gannon and Margaret fight to stay together, to keep their clan together and defend themselves against the Vikings and traitors from within their ranks.
On A Highland Shore was woven with sheer brilliance. The prose is absolutely mesmerizing, the setting thoroughly magical and the characters, even the minor ones, are written with such depth, such richness that they just jump out of the pages.
I can't wait for the next installment.
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