My True Love (Loved, Book 2)

If you remember conjugating verbs in Latin class, dust off your Latin dictionary and wander into the world of Stephen and Anne. Latin never sounded so delicious!Although this book has its own characters and personality, the story references events from MY BELOVED. So, if you have not read that poignant story, go there first and come back to MY TRUE LOVE because you will enjoy it so much more.Underlying the enchantment of TRUE LOVE are the principles of duty, honor, loyalty. Anne is a strong character with a mission to find the boy of her childhood dreams. When she finds Stephen, the reader feels their connection immediately and yearns for more connecting moments...Karen Ranney provides them in abundance...amo, amas, amat, amamus, amatis, amant...

Sensuality rating: NC-17 To most women, meeting the man of their dreams occurs only figuratively. Not so with Anne Sinclair, daughter of the Laird of Dunniwerth. As a child of eight, Anne caught her first glimpse of a boy she knew only as Stephen, hailing from some unknown place called Langlinais. No mere dream, her vision came as a glimmering, fishbowl-like window into his world. For the next 15 years, Anne glimpses through this weird portal Stephen's anguish and joy, his triumphs and defeats, his interests and a few of his secrets as he grows to manhood. With each new vision, Anne's heart grows inexorably closer to his. Never once does Stephen seem aware of her presence, but Anne knows that she must one day embark upon a quest to find this mysterious man. Their predestined meeting would forever change the course of both their lives, as well as the lives of those around them. Stephen Harrington, 17th earl of Langlinais and commander of the "Blessed Regiment" cavalry squad, has grown weary of supporting his king, Charles I, in what he secretly considered a losing cause. Defying the king's command, Stephen returns home after a battle to bury his dead and nurse a festering wound. Stephen doesn't count upon meeting the woman of his dreams -- in the figurative sense -- as Anne flees across his own lands from an enemy patrol. Rescuing her proves far easier than divining her secrets, such as why Anne traveled onto English soil to seek him out. Falling in love with her seems only natural at first, until the king's Parliamentarian enemies threaten to drive a wedge between them that even love cannot hope to surmount. The first 90 percent of My True Love tells an engrossing tale of forbidden love amidst the uncertainty of war. Then, inexplicably, the dramatic tension slackens for a while, only to be artificially heightened by the inadequately explained actions of Anne's father -- almost as if to pad out the novel to the requisite length. A couple of other plot elements, such as the fate of a secondary character, suffer from similar mishandling. Otherwise, Ms. Ranney delivers an enjoyable read. Just be careful the hot spots don't singe your fingertips.

As a young child Anne Sinclair began having visions of a young boy named Stephen. These visions stayed with her throughout her entire life. Now at 23 years old she is determined to find Stephen.Anne convinces a friend and two others to leave her Scottish castle home and head for England. England's Civil War is raging but Anne is still determined to find Stephen.When the two finally meet Stephen is enthralled with Anne. How does she know so much about him? His secrets, his castle and home, his hiding places? Love blossoms between the two, but will Stephen have to return to war?Karen Ranney's sequel to My Beloved is a touching and moving story, set amist war-torn England. I did find the story hard to understand at times and slow, but don't let that deter the reader, the historical aspect is sure to please.

Karen Ranney *knows* how to tell a beautiful story... And MY TRUE LOVE is no exception. Ms. Ranney weaves a magical tapestry about a Scottish young woman, named Anne Sinclair, who falls in love with a man... that she's only seen in her mystical visions. Stephen Harrington, the Earl of Langlinais, is the man of her dreams, literally. And when he finds her in peril on his land, he not only rescues her but also finds himself absolutely enchanted by her... Thus begins the love story so powerful and unexplainable.. that even defies time and space. A tale of true love that began in MY BELOVED comes full circle.I thought the story of Juliana and Sebastian was good! And have been anticipating the release of this book for months! And I surely was not disappointed by Karen Ranney. She sucks you in by her lyrical and almost poetic writing, making you a part of the character, plot... even the magical castle Langlinais. Ms. Ranney's words and sentences are packed with so much meaning and depth... creating a mystical ambience throughout the book. I enjoyed and savored Anne & Stephen's story. Two people in the midsts of a civil war, drawn by forces they don't even understand. It's an amazing love story with a great ending.I can't wait to see what Karen Ranney comes up with next.Julianne