Customer Reviews

Lady of Skye (Sonnet Books)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This rating is actually closer to a 4 1/2 star book.

Lady of Skye is an unusual romance novel. It distinguishes itself with Dr. Reilly Stanton, first known as a physician, and secondly known as a Marquis. Reilly is determined to demonstrate to his friends and the ton that he is a dedicated physician and that he treasures that title much more than his title as eighth Marquis of Stillworth.

The story opens with Reilly arriving on the island of Skye to set up a medical practice. Skye is a far cry from London and has few of the conveniences that city offers. Skye's physician has moved from the island, leaving the position of physician open. However, the former physician's daughter, Brenna, has returned to the island and is their acting physician. Brenna, within the first few pages saves the life of a drowning man (who Reilly had announced was dead), wears the breeches of a man, and swigs liquor straight from the bottle. All of this certainly gains Rielly's attention and the framework is set for a charming and humorous romantic story.

Dr. Reilly Stanton is a thoroughly charming hero with a fantastic sense of humor. One of the strongest parts of this book is our ability to read his thoughts that make you laugh and laugh. He is not a conceited man and is actually a humanitarian. He has some pretty stuffy sayings that are probably typical of 1850s England but they sometimes tear at his overall hero appeal. However, he is a strong hero that knows gentleness. Reilly is a very entertaining and his entire personality is so pleasant! Cabot certainly knows how to write attractive male leads without sticking to the old stereotypes. He does not relish his title and chooses to ignore it - even at the end of the book! Of course, he is very rich. He is one of the most likable heroes I have read.

Brenna is a good-natured heroine. She has just the right of amount of assertiveness for a woman during this time period and is an overall kind woman. I did not think it necessary to introduce her acting the man with her pants and liquor swigging. She is much the lady for the balance of the story and mostly wears dresses and drinks from a glass.

This book centers most of its plot on the romance of Reilly and Brenna. Brenna is up to some very strange things on the island of Skye and no one can figure out what it is. Her strange doings become a significant part of the book. There is no murder mystery here - thank goodness. The real enemy in this book is an illness.

The story drags a little in the middle. But once Brenna and Reilly begin a relationship, the entire book warms. Their time together is sincere and fun. We read about two very well developed characters that discover they have a tremendous amount of similarities and interests. There are few sensual scenes but they are spicy when presented. I would rate them about a 4.0 out of a 5.0 (see More About Me for rating guidelines).

This is my second Cabot book and I have enjoyed them both tremendously. It could have easily been a five star rating if the middle of the book did not drag somewhat. However, should you sense the story dragging when you read it, just stick with it. It is worth it! And by the end of the book you will be thinking as you put it down "I wish it didn't have to end".

I agree with the person that called this a "so,so read". I was disapointed after reading "Educating Caroline" which was a very good story. Now, I'm not sure I should read anymore of Ms. Cabot's books. I liked the two main charactors, but the almost constant revealing of their thoughts and thinking things out was oh so boring. When they were acturally together, it was good reading. I started skipping paragraphs frequently in order to get to the good parts of them being together. The intimacy was well done.

I've loved this author ever since reading Educating Caroline. I found this book not as entertaining but still very enjoyable. The plot is a bit unbelievable though, but it's a fun ride once you've accepted it. It's about Dr. Reilly Stanton, a London gentleman and a marquis, after being jilted by his fiancee, was determined to show her that he is not a loser. Therefore he accepted the job of being the physician in the harbor village in the Scottish highlands. There he meets Brenna Donnegal(the heroine and object of Reilly's love), the daughter of the town's ex-physician, who is the acting town healer/doctor. Brenna is strong, out-spoken, boy-like attitude, beautiful, independent, etc. However, she is of the opinion that all men with titles are unfit to become doctors, at least not good ones. Therefore Reilly has kept his marquis identity a secret to everyone in town. He also meets various interesting characters in the town. The dialogue is very humorous at times. Since the story takes place mostly in the rural town, don't expect any lush ballroom scenes and London formalities. The historical medical reference to cholera is interesting, but I had to search it up and several other medical terms to understand the story better. An overall good read.

The plot for this book may not be intricate, but Ms. Cabot's writing style, the characters, the romance make it one of the better escape books. Certainly equal to Ms. Cabot's other books which are all must-reads. Lady of Skye may have some historical flaws in it (who cares, really) but the witty, bouncy dialogue and the delightful characterisations of the main protagonists as well as the secondary players put a smile on my lips throughout the book. I was very sad to see it end and even sadder since there are no more Patricia Cabot books left for me to read. During a difficult, miserable economy and a stressful job, books like these lift me up and out and the escape, though momentary, is welcome. I don't know why everyone didn't love this book. I guess that's what makes horse racing - a difference of opinion.

After reading Cabot's recommended book "Educating Caroline", I was anxious to read more by this author-"Lady of Skye" proved to be as witty and entertaining as I had hoped. Not being a romance reader, I proceeded with caution as I took on this book. Cabot has managed to take a genre of writing and give it a life of her own. Her female characters are equally intelligent, independant and sexual to the male characters. The dialogue is sharp and the circumstances of the romantic interactions leave the reader wanting more. Cabot has mastered the skill of making these usually dull stories into ones of high humor and social commentary. While this book is considered a historical romance the characters could just as easily be our friends, neighbors or lovers (one could only hope!)

While Cabot has not turned me into a romance reader-She has turned me into a Patricia Cabot fan. I look forward to her furture publications.

I just love Patricia Cabot's books. She never fails to deliver a great, rolicking adventure with warm, delightful characters, and in Lady of Skye she might have outdone herself. If you are looking for a book to read slowly, over time, this is not the one--once you start learning about Brenna and Reilly, you won't be able to tear yourself away from their company until you've reached the last page. Definitely a keeper!

I cannot dispute the reviews of other customers who have found this to be an entertaining book with well defined characters. I would rate it more highly but for the fact that the author overlooked some simple research facts. The author refers to a British marquis when the British use the term marquess. In addition, she asserts earls out rank marquesses. This is not so. A marquess outranks all peers except dukes. This seems like a petty point, but from that point in the novel I no longer had much trust in her research. This limited my enjoyment.

Still, I cannot fault the story itself which is indeed entertaining.

In 1847 Marquis Dr. Reilly Stanton leaves London and a lucrative practice to accept the job of physician in Lyming on the Isle of Skye off the Scottish coast. Reilly needs to prove to his former fiancee Christine King that he is not a worthless chronic drunk. On the isle, Reilly meets the local amazon Brenna Donnegal who has provided medical services in the absence of her father, a physician.

Lord Glendenning wants to marry Brenna and tries to force Reilly into helping him. The debauched aristocrat simply wants Brenna so impoverished, she has no choice but to wed him. Instead, Reilly not only admires his rival, he falls in love with her.

LADY OF SKYE is an entertaining Victorian romance that readers of historicals will fully enjoy. The story line is crisp, tense, and often amusing. Except for a wee bit too much to drink, Reilly is a heroic individual and Brenna is a role model of the assertive woman not afraid to compete with males (perhaps a century and a half before her time but only a purist will care). Patricia Cabot provides her audience with a delightful novel that brings the mid nineteenth century vividly alive.

Harriet Klausner

Not one of Cabot's best. Both main characters in the medicine field were blah. The plot was weak and the hero was on the rebound. The story was too focused on healing and was not entertaining. Since Improper Proposal, her books have been down hill.

Cabot has again proven that her characters are more than just pretty faces. She has redefined the romance genre by allowing her characters to be thinking, feeling, intellegent and progressive. Lady of Sky is a no holds barred tale of suspense, humor, and social commentary, beautifully woven through the lives of the most colorful characters to come about in a long time.

Here's to Cabot and her endless supply of ideas.