By Fire and by Sword

Lady Kenna Lennox is a strong heroine whose bravery is ahead of her time. She meets Colin and they have an instant attraction. Througout the story he appears unexpectedly, and I loved the element of suprise. Other reviewers viewed it in a negative light, but it gave the story suspense. The only reason I did not give the book 5 stars is because the villian, Lord Walter was a threat in the background, and we saw very little of him.

In 1746 Lady Kenna Lennox needs to flee the Highlands before she is murdered by her family enemy Lord Walter, who killed her brothers and tortured her sister. She pleads with American privateer Captain Colin Montgomery to take her to America, but he refuses. Instead she sails to France on the Danish vessel Aethelred II. Kenna becomes a student of a master swordsman Monsieur Le Comte. Meanwhile feeling guilt and desire Colin journeys to France on his ship Dancing Water to insure Kenna is okay. When tragedy strikes, Colin escorts her back to Scotland where she must ignore her need for the handsome colonist as diverting her from her objective to challenge, defeat and kill Walter in a sword duel. Kenna is the focus of this fine eighteenth century romance in which vengeance is what keeps her breathing. The story line is character driven as she flees to Calais and then Paris to learn how to fight before retuning to challenge her greedy adversary. Though Walter never fully comes across as more than an avaricious SOB, fans will enjoy this fine tale starring an intrepid champion trying to ignore love as a detractor to her life's goal, but Colin refuses to go away. Harriet Klausner