Intimate Enemies: A Novel [Mass Market Paperback]

Shana Abe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 28, 2009

From Shana Abé, author of The Truelove Bride and A Kiss at Midnight, comes this exquisitely emotional, beautifully written novel about two warring clans on a Scottish isle united by a fragile pact... and the hearts of two unforgettable lovers.

Lauren MacRae is only a woman. But her father's death has left her the leader of the Clan MacRae. Now it is up to her to defend her beloved Isle of Shot from the invading Northmen, even if it means going to her clan's sworn enemy, the powerful English overlord, Arion du Morgan, for help. But Arion's raven hair, green eyes, and smoldering sensuality soon make Lauren forget just why she turned to him—as he awakens within her a wayward desire....

Like Lauren, Arion risks the mutiny of his soldiers by forming this risky alliance. But he was brought up to believe that the Isle of Shot belongs not to the Clan MacRae, but to England—and he will defend it to his dying breath. Once, when they were children, Arion saved Lauren from a tortuous fate. Now, the copper-haired beauty has somehow found a way to banish the emptiness in his soul. And as they join forces to fight for the land they both love, he will risk everything—even his very life—to claim what is his.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Setting: Scotland, 1177

Sensuality: 7

Beautiful Scotswoman Lauren MacRae first met the Englishman Arion du Morgan as a child, when he saved her life. Years later, they meet again as adults when she repays the debt by saving his life during battle with a common enemy, the Vikings. Their families have always been fierce enemies, each claiming ownership of the Isle of Shot. As leader of Clan MacRae, Lauren risks the anger of her clan when she accepts Arion's proposal to join forces in a desperate attempt to save the island from being conquered by the Northmen. The uneasy alliance forces them into each other's company, and Lauren and Arion find themselves falling in love. There are huge obstacles, however, for Lauren is promised to another, and her sense of honor and duty to her clan and absent fiancé compel her to deny her feelings for Arion. Their sacrifices may be for naught, for someone Lauren trusts schemes to betray her, and both she and Arion may die if they don't find a way to meld the forces of Scot and English against the powerful traitor.

This is an intense novel with a heroic hero willing to give his life and all he owns for the love of one woman. What's unusual is that Shana Abé has created a heroine who matches the hero not only in honor and inner strength, but also in her power and control as leader of her clan. The setting of a wild, unsophisticated island off the coast of Scotland is vivid, the secondary characters interesting, and the villain chilling in his betrayal. Intimate Enemies is classic historical romance at its best. --Lois Faye Dyer --This text refers to an alternate Mass Market Paperback edition.

Review

"Historical romance at its finest." —Jill Marie Landis

"Shana Abé writes with intense, unforgettable emotion."—Jane Feather

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (July 28, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553592769
• ISBN-13: 978-0553592764
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1.1 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #198,221 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Shana Abé is the author of Queen of Dragons, The Dream Thief, and The Smoke Thief. She lives in Denver, Colorado.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional Writing--A True Ten, March 9, 2001

By 

Edith Morgan (Colorado) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Intimate Enemies (Mass Market Paperback)

A strong, sexy hero and an intelligent, resourceful heroine. Abe takes what might have been a standard plot and turns it into something truly special, primarily though her terrific writing. The two main characters are boldly drawn. So much so that feeling what they were feeling was effortless and seductive. You understand why Lauren cannot love Arion, and why he loves her so much. You rejoice when they get together. You are thrilled when they defeat the true enemy of the story. Hot love scenes, again using beautiful language without the silliness that mars some historicals. Great setting. Easy to feel you were there on the Scottish island with the mists and the forests and the winter snow. Very believable. All in all, a VERY worthwhile read, and I understand why Amazon.com named it one of their ten best romances of the year.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Scottish Clanswoman, June 6, 2000

By 

Xeneri - See all my reviews

This review is from: Intimate Enemies (Mass Market Paperback)

Lauren and Arion make an unlikely couple, to say the least. She is the leader of the Clan MacRae (thanks to her father's death) and he is a powerful english overlord -- and her clan's sworn enemy.

Neither can allow themselves to trust the other. But a defining moment in their past (once, when they were children, Arion saved Lauren from a tortuous fate), combined with their shared love for the land bring these two lovers together, against all odds. To keep safe everything they believe in, they must become allies and the two headstrong leaders form a risky alliance. This of course causes strife not only with Lauren's clan, but with Arion's soldiers. You can probably guess the rest.....

Ms. Abe writes with a touch of the mystical and has a deft hand at describing the beauty and wildness of the time period. This is an emotional book, with strong sensual characters. Lauren and Arion are striking figures and a well-matched couple who stay in your mind long after you finish the book.

I think the only reason I didn't give it higher stars is that I don't normally enjoy serious historical romances, prefering instead a light, comic approach. Also this book can be predictable and I saw the ending coming a mile away, but I still enjoyed the beautiful way it was written. As historicals go, this one is lyrical and filled with deep emotions. Pick it up especially if you have a love of Scotland.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredibly Exciting as well as Romantic, June 13, 2002

By 

M. Rondeau (West Springfield, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Intimate Enemies (Mass Market Paperback)

Whew! I just finished this book and I think I was holding my breath the last few chapters - it was that exciting and oh soooo romantic.

Beautiful Lauren MacRae was kidnapped as a child and held hostage by the English and it was in a dungeon she would meet the Englishman Arion du Morgan who would save her life. Years later she would return that favor on a battlefield against a new enemy and save his life.

He was now the Earl of Morgan and she the leader of the Clan MacRae. Both of these wonderful people were raised to hate one another but they were intelligent enough to realize they needed the strength of an alliance to fight a more vicious and common enemy. It made sense to form an alliance, but it also forced them into each other's company, finding themselves drawn to one another in spite of the history that taught them to hate and despise one another. Lauren was betrothed since childhood to Payton Murdoch, a powerful laird of Clan Murdoch and she would do her duty to her people for the honor of Clan McRae, even if it meant denying a love she thought never to feel.

This was such an amazing story, there were so many obstacles to overcome between these two people but Ms. Abe writes with such intensity that you can feel the passion drawing them to one another. This is a historical romance, but one that has a tremendous amount of bite and so much action that you will have trouble putting it down. Ms. Abe is definitely on my `buy' list!