Prisoner of the Flames (Leisure Historical Romance) [Mass Market Paperback]

Dawn Mactavish (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2008 | Series: Leisure Historical Romance

A horribly scarred Scottish laird goes to Paris to seek healing from the great Nostradamus, and instead finds love with a blind flower girl—and a French civil war!

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 292 pages
• Publisher: Leisure Books (November 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0843959827
• ISBN-13: 978-0843959826
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,503,592 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars great story, but too much politics, not enough romance, January 27, 2009

By 

L. Silver "SorceressDark" (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Prisoner of the Flames (Leisure Historical Romance) (Mass Market Paperback)

I love Dawn Thompson's (aka Dawn McTavish)writing. I bought this book after reading the Blood Moon series. She is a wonderful writer. I enjoyed the hero and heroine of this book very much, the scarred scottish lord and the blind French peasant girl. However, it seemed the political and religious intrigues overwhelmed most of the story, and there was very little romance between the pair. I found this disappointing, as I read romances for the ROMANCE, not so much the political intrigues. The warring religions in France took up most of the plot. I commend Ms Thompson for her tireless research on the subject, but to be honest I wanted more scenes depicting a tenderness and love growing between Robert and Violette, and it seemed that they spent too much of the book being pulled apart by the religious war. Also most of the book was from Robert's POV, only two or three scenes I recall from the heroine's, another thing I found disappointing. The book was very exciting, and I read it quickly, unable to stop. That said, I believe Dawn Thompson is one of the best writers of Romance today, and I am heartily saddened to learn that she passed away this past year. She will be sadly missed. I gave this a 3 star due to my wish for more romance being shown between the couple, although I think the writing itself is wonderful. The story ended somewhat abruptly and I wished it would go on a little more to show the couple happily together at the end after all they went through together. Instead, Robert woke up two weeks later from a very bad sword wound that nearly killed him, hugged his wife, and the end. I felt a little cheated by that, and the lack of passion in the one sex scene near the end. There are much better Dawn Thompson/McTavish books out there than this one.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very nice addition to a memorable lady's writing legacy., November 3, 2008

By 

Huntress Reviews (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Prisoner of the Flames (Leisure Historical Romance) (Mass Market Paperback)

In 1533, Scotland, an infant was harmed when his room accidently went up in flames. The nursemaid was killed for her negligence.

Twenty-nine years later, Robert Mack, the young Laird of Berwickshire, is a seasoned warrior. Few have seen his true face. Beneath the half-mask helmet he wears, the right side of his face is untouched; his left side looks as though it has melted, scar tissue narrowed the eye and pleated the corner of the mouth beneath. The young man now yearns for a wife and a family to call his own. Believing no female would ever wish to wed such as him, Robert has but one hope left. Word has reached Robert's ear of Doctor Nostradamus's healing talents. Since the doctor resides in France, Robert must seek out his uncle, Aengus Haddock, a monk of Mount St. Michael Abbey. Robert then goes, with his uncle's letter of recommendation, to seek out Michel Eyguem, seigneur de Montaigne, in Paris.

In Paris, before Robert even find Montaigne, he spies two drunkards accosting a flower girl. Of course, Robert dispatches of the men. The lovely girl is named Violette Cherier and she is blind. She has barely thanked Robert for the help when he is arrested. Returning the favor of rescue, Violette goes to Montaigne for help.

These are dangerous times in France. The king is a lad of twelve and his mother rules France. The country is in the middle of a bloody civil war between the Catholic Royalists, and the French Protestants - the Huguenots. Though Montaigne frees Robert from prison, they find that their troubles have only just begun. Doctor Nostradamus is unable to cure Robert's scaring, but is able to give some prophetic advice and a vile-tasting substance to help keep from catching the plague, which has been spreading like wildfire. The most important piece of advice is to learn to trust his instincts (senses) and that fire will always be around during any of his life-altering events.

Robert and Violette are soon being hunted by both sides of the civil war. It will take a lot of faith in God and in love for the pair to reach safety in Scotland.

**** For any fan of France's history this story will pack a punch. The author, Dawn Thompson, obviously did a lot of research about France's turbulent years. However, due to the necessity of explaining to readers why things were happening around the country, which affected the two main characters' travels, the author was unable to show the romance blooming between the two main characters as much as I would have liked. This made the romance seem very rushed to me. Yet other than that, this historical romance is full of chase scenes and rescues (much like any television drama) and will keep readers well entertained. A very nice addition to a memorable lady's writing legacy. ****

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore for Huntress Reviews.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Didn't Care for It, January 4, 2010

By 

Chelsea Marie Spencer - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Prisoner of the Flames (Leisure Historical Romance) (Mass Market Paperback)

I don't often give up on books. I abandoned this one out of shear boredom. The general premise is that Robert Mack, a Scottish laird of a boarder hold, was badly burned as a child--half of his face horribly scared. As an adult he travels to Paris looking for a healer he believes might cure him. There he meets Violet, a flower girl, when she is being harrassed by ruffians. Violet is blind and unable to defend herself. He rescues her, but ends up arrested for his trouble. Violet sets out to free him.

I didn't really care for this plotline--I suppose I was hoping for something a bit more violent or action-packed. The characters struck me as rather dull and predictable. Deformed self-hating hero meets blind, deeply loving heroine. Might appeal to some historical romance fans, just not myself.