Taming the Heiress (Paperback)

by Susan King (Author) "A home," Sir John Shaw said, sniffing as he peered down his bulbous nose, for young women of questionable morals?..." (more)
Key Phrases: wee lain, watching lain, sea fairy, Sgeir Caran, Sir Frederick, Dougal Stewart (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Evocative prose and an alluring setting fail to offset the awkward plotting in King's newest Scottish romance (after The Sword Maiden). In 1850, Meg MacNeill and aristocrat Dougal Stewart meet on a storm-swept rock, where Meg's superstitious family sends her to win the heart of a magical kelpie. According to legend, the kelpie will appear disguised as a man. Instead, she finds and seduces Dougal, believing him to be the kelpie. Afterward, however, Dougal's friends fetch him in a manner that convinces Meg she was tricked. Seven years later, she has secretly borne a son and unexpectedly inherited a vast fortune and a title, but she has never forgiven the man who deceived her. She's also fighting (and losing) a legal battle against an engineer who intends to build a lighthouse on the same prominent rock. When Meg meets Dougal again and realizes he's the engineer, she disguises the fact that she is the baroness who has been trying to thwart his construction plans. The plot contrivances pile up as Meg continues to conceal both her identity and the fact that they have a son, while fending off a villain intent on blackmailing her into marriage. Though the story falls short in conflict and credibility, King's smooth prose and dynamic characterizations will please her fans.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
*Starred Review* According to Scottish legend, the kelpie of Sgeir Caran is a magical sea creature who comes looking for his bride on the sea rock. If he discovers a young woman waiting for him there, he grants good fortune to his beloved as well as the Isle of Caransay and all its people. The night Meg waits alone on the rugged rock, as local tradition demands, she finds a man as handsome as the gods themselves, and as tradition also mandates, they make wild, passionate love, and then he disappears. Seven years later, Dougal is trying to build a lighthouse on Sgeir Caran, where he was washed ashore that memorable stormy night, but the mysterious Baroness of Strathlin is blocking his efforts. He's rediscovered Meg, but little does he know that the barefoot beauty is actually the baroness and that the fair-haired boy she seems so fond of is really his son. Once again, King, author of The Stone Maiden and The Swan Maiden (2000) and The Sword Maiden (2001), has spun an exquisite and magical Highland romance. Shelley Mosley
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Signet (July 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451209559
• ISBN-13: 978-0451209559
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,290,519 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The PERFECT Historical Romance, July 31, 2003

By A Customer

Meg was beautiful and defiant, Dougal was strong and dashing, Iain was sweet and innocent, Sir Erik was dastardly and plotting...all combining to make the PERFECT historical romance read. This is the best read of the summer! It made me dream of going to the beach to find my own kelpie/silkie.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars truly excellent romance, July 15, 2003

By A Customer

I could not wait for this trilogy to come out, and I am not disappointed!!! TAMING THE HEIRESS is a wonderful story!! It's full of charm and romance, passionate and charming, with great touches of humor, mixing Celtic legends with a nineteenth century setting. I loved it, as I have loved all of Ms. King's other books, which are medievals. Once again she treats us to her warm poetic writing style, and she draws us into a wonderful world where the characters are so real you wish they were your own family. Great start for a great Victorian trilogy! If you love Scotland and nineteenth century romances, or if you love Sootland for its legends and its magic--you will love this story.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Hit the Snooze Button, February 16, 2004

By	RJRo20 "caligurl" (California) - See all my reviews

I was eager to purchase this book, because it was receiving such rave reviews by Amazon customers. Unbeknownst to me, this book turned out to be a complete SNOOZE! This was my very first Susan King book, and sadly, it might be my last.

King is a wonderful writer, but this book quickly drowns my interest. The plot labors on too much circumstantial evidence; the pacing is very slow; the intellectualized issues detract from the romance (large part for my frequent snoozing); and the characters are all tiresome and dull--with exception to Evan, Dougal, and Norrie. Meg, the female protagonist of this novel, does not get my vote for best leading lady of the year. Reason: She constructs a lousy syllogism about her first sexual encounter with Dougal. Most of her arguments are ridiculous and they are generally unfounded and based on poor assumptions.

The only highlights I found in the book were the rare peaks of sexual tension between Meg and Dougal, which happened early on in the story. Yet, after skimming thru the rest and finally reaching the 'cliffhanger ending,' I was actually glad... yes, GLAD... to see a romance novel end!