The Secret Gift [Paperback]

Jaclyn Reding (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 4, 2003

Jaclyn Reding's first steamy novel in the Highland Heroes series brought us "a hero who is a heartbreaker-ruthless, dangerous, and so sexy you'll want him for yourself" (Catherine Coulter). Now the series continues with a young American woman out to find her mysterious heritage in the Scottish Isles-and the handsome earl who stands in her way...

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Graeme, the Viscount Kintail and the Marquess of Waltham, doesn't trust women who resort to all sorts of trickery to make his acquaintance. Manhattan bookseller Libby's life is transformed when she inherits her mother's Victorian house and an unusual crystal necklace accompanied by a photograph of a man labeled only "Wrath Village, Scotland." Determined to discover her mother's secret, Libby goes to Scotland, where Graeme is ensconced in a remote Highland castle to escape wife wanna-bes and the paparazzi. He isn't thrilled when Libby gets lost and ends up on his property, and he shoos her away with his shotgun. But when Libby discovers that the castle holds the key to her past, there's no keeping her away. Although hundreds of years separate Reding's latest characters from their predecessors in the first two books of her Highland Heroes trilogy--The Pretender (2002) and The Adventurer [BKL O 15 02]--Reding similarly endows this new generation with courage, resourcefulness, and determination in a deliciously detailed story of an inheritance lost and found. Shelley Mosley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

Jaclyn Reding is a rising star! (Catherine Coulter) [She] has it all. A writer to watch. (Linda Lael Miller)

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Signet (November 4, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451209567
• ISBN-13: 978-0451209566
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,161,967 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jaclyn Reding is the award-winning author of numerous historical and contemporary romances, including the RITA award nominee, THE SECRET GIFT. Since first publishing in 1993, Jaclyn has seen her stories translated into nearly a dozen languages around the world.

When she isn't writing, Jaclyn can often be found making a spectacle of herself cheering at her son's hockey games. Jaclyn lives in New England and loves hearing from readers. You can visit her on the web at www.jaclynreding.com, or email at [e-mail].

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Secret Gift, February 20, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Secret Gift (Paperback)

Very enjoyable book! This was an easy read with characters I liked and a plot that kept me coming back to find out what would happen next. I highly recomend this book!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fine contemporary village romance, November 7, 2003

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Secret Gift (Paperback)

Isabella Hutchinson takes a leave of absence from her job in Manhattan's oldest antiquarian bookstore Belvedere Books to bury her beloved mother Matilde. In Ipswich by the Sea, Massachusetts, Isabella reads a letter from her mother that leads her to a hidden box containing a family secret. Inside are a crystal and a B&W photo of a man with the phrase Worth Village, Scotland.

Unable to resist, Isabella travels to the remote village in search of her roots, but she becomes lost. A person in the road holding a gun yells at her to go back, which she does, finally finding her B&B. Though friendly towards her, the townsfolk deny knowledge of Isabella, but she manages to locate a birth record with a different last name. Isabella meets that crazy guy (who had the gun) again. He turns out to be wealthy Graeme Mackenzie, new owner of Worth Castle. He does not trust her as he hides since every single woman in the country wants to marry him due to his loot, title, and looks. Still Graeme and Isabella fall in love.

Readers will take immense pleasure from the delightful THE SECRET GIFT. The mystery of Matilde hooks the audience as much as it grips Isabella as readers will want know what is going on past and present in Worth. Graeme is an intriguing protagonist who finds fame and fortune is not worth the price of his freedom. Fans of a contemporary village romance with a touch of intrigue will find this novel is just the gift for them.

Harriet Klausner

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Take a trip to Wrath Village, Scotland, February 1, 2007

By 

cb (Minot, ND) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Secret Gift (Paperback)

The Secret Gift by Jaclyn Reding is modern romance with a flavor historical romance. Libby's mother dies and leaves her mystery that can only be solved in Scotland. Graeme is the recent the Viscount Kintail and the Marquess of Waltham and is being hunted by the Paparazzi and therefore doesn't trust Libby. Very fun romance - makes me want to travel to Scotland.