Adventures of a Scottish Heiress

This is a cute story that reads quickly.

Whoever said this was a sadly overlooked book was right on the money. I rank this with some of the best books I've ever read. And that has a lot to do with the characterization. You can have a great plot but if you don't 'feel' and 'know' the characters it won't matter much.And this is one of those stories that is as much the story of the hero as the heroine. The plot is simple and sounds predictable. Ian Campion, Irish brawler, is sent out to bring Lyssa, the runaway daughter, home to marry the man picked for her by her father. Her father is a wealthy man of trade obsessed with getting his family into the right circles. What really sets this story apart is that CM does a great job of letting us hear and feel for Ian Campion. I've read books where the hero or heroine grew up poor, but almost never where I really believed it so much. You can hear from Ian's words and thoughts just what his social status is and it's not anywhere near the ton though he has had more education than some. You can feel how weary he is and how sorry he is for the circumstances of his life and those of his family. How desperate he is to change their lives. And conversely you can see how Lyssa has been spoiled and how it has led her to a sometimes unrealistic outlook on life. We see how she looks at Ian with a prejudice that is inborn and you can still feel sympathy for her while hating the way she was raised. And we see her coping and using her brains that god gave her and learning. Then Maxwell lets us see how both of these two wildly different individuals gradually get to know each other and then eventually come together with so much love. It's not easy, but it's believable. I thought the ending was great, even if I wasn't completely convinced about her father's change of heart. It wasn't a very big change of heart and I could see him changing his mind in the next minute. It's good they ran. *g*And, just as an aside, I was so affected by the prejudices' against the Irish at that time that I made a point to do some research to find out why this was so. Any story that can affect me that much is #1 in my book.

In this sadly overlooked piece of romance extravaganza by Cathy Maxwell, rollicking adventures and tender passion galvanizes the bouncy momentum of the tale. Irish mercenary Ian Campion is employed by merchant Harrell to find his daughter Lyssa who wanders off to Scotland Amelth Hall which promises acceptance from her demised mother's relatives. She jumps from masqueraded gypsies to fending off anonymous bounty killers whom she suspects that they were deployed her stepmother Frances - along with Ian. The journey is a romp with loud banters and humour especially when they visit the native village and run for shelters. Each new adventure offers a glimpse into their characters with insight and introspection - as Lyssa begins to respect and love Ian when he reveals his buried past as an anarchist on the run for treason. Ms. Maxwell sculpts the hero with her accurate portrayal of Irish heritage and renders earthy sass to the enlightened Lyssa. The tale, often poignant with buried regrets and lost hope, is a beautiful exploration of love and its bittersweet triumphs.

London and Scotland in the year 1816 is where this very lively tale by Cathy Maxwell takes place. It tells the story of Ian Campion, an Irishman who supports his two widowed sisters, nephews, and niece by whatever means he can, lately by bare fisted fighting for money. He is approached by one of the wealthiest men in England, Dunmore ?Pirate? Harrell with an offer he cannot refuse, namely to find his daughter Lyssa, whom he thinks has been kidnapped, even though no ransom has been requested. After being introduced to Viscount Gorssett, the man Dunmore had betrothed Alyssa to, Ian believes she ran away from home to elude her snobbish fiancé.Lyssa is a rather spunky lead character, who has effected her own escape by hiring a family of ?gypsies? to escort her to Scotland, and the ancestral home of her deceased mother. Ian catches up with Lyssa, and her band of ?gypsies? who he quickly routs out for the imposters that they are, but before he can return with her, ruffians attempt an ambush kill her. During Ian and Lyssa?s flight, they overhear the leader speaking and know that the road back to London will be watched so, Ian agrees to travel in the opposite direction of the road to London and complete her trip to bring her to Scotland. Along the way, the pampered wealthy heiress learns a few lessons of survival, human dignity and love, from the Irishman sent to bring her home. This delightful Regency romance has two very likeable lead characters, who discover true love along the way. The chase through the countryside was not without the authors characteristic enjoyable dialog and sensual awakenings to new love. Toss in a little excitement of the chase, suspenseful escapes and fights and you have a wonderfully enjoyable read for a rainy afternoon! This has it all and I most definitely recommend this for fans of this genre.

In 1816, Irishman Ian Campion uses his fists to earn money to support his two widowed sisters, two nephews, and niece. When Dunmore "Pirate" Harrell offers him an opportunity to make a fortune, he is interested, as Ian knows he can move his family to a safer locale than the London slums they currently reside in. Pirate has made a fortune in business and has married a duke's widow, but is willing to spend a large sum to bring safely home his missing daughter Lyssa. Pirate thinks someone kidnapped Lyssa, but Ian believes she ran away from home to elude her snobbish fiancé Viscount Grossett.After a few days on the trail, Ian catches up with Lyssa, being escorted by a group masquerading as Gypsies. However, before he can return with her, thugs try to kill her. Ian escorts Lyssa to her deceased mother's Scottish family while struggling to keep her safe. They fall in love, but Ian feels he is not good enough for the heiress, who must persuade her rescuer that he is that and more to her.This Regency romance stars two delightful lead characters that the audience will enjoy watching fuss, fight, and their efforts to stay alive. Though the reason for the assault seems strange (perhaps this reviewer is too baby boomer middle class to comprehend), the story line is fun to follow anyway because Cathy Maxwell always provides a fun tale good to the last word. Sub-genre readers will appreciate this fine historical It Happened One Night romantic suspense.Harriet Klausner