A lush setting and memorable characters lift this novel a notch above most tales of romance.
Sakwa begins the Highland Lairds of the Crest series with a romance set in the modern day and 15th-century Scotland.
Gwendolyn Reynolds is a skilled medical practitioner who resides in the modern world. She leaves her familiar life to move to Scotland, led by an unexplainable feeling of fate. The story alternates between Gwen’s modern-day problems and the historical experiences of Greylen MacGreggor, who lived as a Highland laird in 15th-century Scotland. Greylen has lived under the shadow of a prophecy foretelling that his future and his heart are bound to a woman from another time (“The prophecy foretold that these souls would find each other one day. And once they touched, they’d be joined forever, soothing the male’s lonely heart”). A violent storm carries Gwen through time to his world. The romance between Gwen and Greylen is both fiery and tender; Gwen’s contemporary independence frequently conflicts with Greylen’s protective instincts, which produces intense moments that deepen their relationship. The story includes secondary characters, such as Greylen’s first-in-command (Gavin), and Isabelle, Greylen’s sister, who add depth to the narrative through their relationships with the main characters. The novel’s atmospheric setting contributes greatly to its success—the author’s descriptions of Scottish castles, rugged coastlines, and storm-laden skies are vivid enough to transport the reader right alongside Gwen. The tension grows progressively from Gwen’s choice to abandon her life until the critical point when Greylen saves her in a thrilling rescue that combines danger with intense passion. This first book in Sakwa’s series will meet the expectations of historical and time-travel romance readers; the author introduces a determined hero and a noble yet brooding romantic interest whose love endures despite the challenges they face. The narrative advances swiftly while delivering genuine emotional depth. Sakwa’s epic romance shows how love transcends time, prophecy, and reason, and readers will want more of Gwen and Greylen in upcoming books. The novel is both escapist and heartfelt, inviting readers to surrender to the pull of destiny and believe, at least for a while, in the possibility of forever.
A lush setting and memorable characters lift this novel a notch above most tales of romance.Pub Date: July 16, 2019
ISBN: 9781733617215
Page Count: 410
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Aug. 25, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Entertaining and thoroughly engrossing.
Another reboot of Jane Austen?!? Hadlow pulls it off in a smart, heartfelt novel devoted to bookish Mary, middle of the five sisters in Pride and Prejudice.
Part 1 recaps Pride and Prejudice through Mary’s eyes, climaxing with the humiliating moment when she sings poorly at a party and older sister Elizabeth goads their father to cut her off in front of everyone. The sisters’ friend Charlotte, who marries the unctuous Mr. Collins after Elizabeth rejects him, emerges as a pivotal character; her conversations with Mary are even tougher-minded here than those with Elizabeth depicted by Austen. In Part 2, two years later, Mary observes on a visit that Charlotte is deferential but remote with her husband; she forms an intellectual friendship with the neglected and surprisingly nice Mr. Collins that leads to Charlotte’s asking Mary to leave. In Part 3, Mary finds refuge in London with her kindly aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner. Mrs. Gardiner is the second motherly woman, after Longbourn housekeeper Mrs. Hill, to try to undo the psychic damage wrought by Mary’s actual mother, shallow, status-obsessed Mrs. Bennet, by building up her confidence and buying her some nice clothes (funded by guilt-ridden Lizzy). Sure enough, two suitors appear: Tom Hayward, a poetry-loving lawyer who relishes Mary’s intellect but urges her to also express her feelings; and William Ryder, charming but feckless inheritor of a large fortune, whom naturally Mrs. Bennet loudly favors. It takes some maneuvering to orchestrate the estrangement of Mary and Tom, so clearly right for each other, but debut novelist Hadlow manages it with aplomb in a bravura passage describing a walking tour of the Lake District rife with seething complications furthered by odious Caroline Bingley. Her comeuppance at Mary’s hands marks the welcome final step in our heroine’s transformation from a self-doubting wallflower to a vibrant, self-assured woman who deserves her happy ending. Hadlow traces that progression with sensitivity, emotional clarity, and a quiet edge of social criticism Austen would have relished.
Entertaining and thoroughly engrossing.Pub Date: March 31, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-250-12941-3
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: Dec. 22, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A lively, quirky gothic romance for readers who like ghost stories as much as love stories.
The fourth wife of a dreadful lord finds intrigue in the Scottish Highlands.
Nobody wants Genevieve to marry Lord Burnsby, “England’s most boring peer.” He’s almost 70 and has three dead (possibly murdered) wives in his past. But Evie isn’t looking for love; she’s just looking for some stability at her “august age” of 25 and a dowry for her younger sister. Through their hasty wedding and long trek north to his estate in Scotland, she’s determined to make the best of it—until they arrive at the dreary, cold abbey where he resides. Lord Burnsby, it turns out, has been keeping his mistress there, and generally terrorizing everyone around him. Evie also meets the handsome Sir Godric Everley, a lawyer friend of Burnsby’s heir, whom she initially counts as another villain but soon discovers is surprisingly interesting and kind. Faced with a situation for which her years of perfect behavior have left her utterly unprepared, Evie realizes she will have to take charge even if it means acting unladylike. And though her growing confidence brings many good things to the abbey and its residents, it also brings danger, as Evie and Godric begin to uncover decades of secrets. This historical romance is technically a Regency, but more than anything, it’s a gothic tale. Told in the first person from Evie’s perspective, the book stands apart thanks to her dry, knowing voice combined with the haunting yet whimsical nature of Burnsby’s abbey. It’s a moody ghost story, full of plot twists, but it’s also the tale of a strong heroine with a quick wit and a piglet for a pet. There’s plenty of chemistry as Evie’s relationship slowly develops with Godric, but Evie’s personal development is almost as compelling. Though the story takes some time to find its feet, this book is likely to be enjoyed by James’ fans, as it’s one of her best in years.
A lively, quirky gothic romance for readers who like ghost stories as much as love stories.Pub Date: May 12, 2026
ISBN: 9781668200056
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
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