Ransom

Title: Ransom

Author: Julie Garwood

Type: Historical Fiction/Romance

Publication Date: November 1999

Pages: 546

Synopsis: Gillian is only a 5 year old child when the cruel and ambitious Baron Alford kills her father and tears her family apart. Alford is determined to recover a famous jeweled box that once belonged to King John and is furious when he doesn't recover the box at Gillian's home. Gillian and her sister Christen are unfortunately separated in the chaos and grow up not knowing what happened to each other.

Now a grown woman, Gillian devises a plan to resolve the past turbulance in her life with the unexpected help of Scottish Chieftains Ramsey Sinclair and Brodick Bucanan. Life among the "savage" Highlanders is more different than Gillian could have imagined. In the end, Gillian gets to come face-to-face with the unscrupulous Baron and fight for her home, family and her father's reputation with the King.

My Thoughts: This was a good 'escapist' kind of read. The plot is fast-paced and moves a long well for a 400+ page book. Set in one of my favourite places for historical fiction ... Scotland!! Who doesn't love a man in a kilt?!? I would have preferred if Garwood would have written the Scots' lines in a brogue (a la Gabaldon) so you can 'hear' them roll their R's but alas she did not. There is somewhat cheesy romantic parts in it but it's an overall good read. Garwood is one of those authors whom I can trust to give me a good read when I'm in a reading drought.

My Rating: 4/5 (great book)