Rivals for the Crown

In 1290, trouble begins between Scotland and England when the 7 year old girl Queen of Scotland dies, and two rival factions, those of John Balliol and Robert Bruce, vie for the title of King of Scotland. England's Edward 1, known as Longshanks, seizes the opportunity to step in and demand that whichever candidate wins, he would be subservient to Edward and would rule, only as his vassal. English soldiers flood into Scotland, plundering, raping, destroying and abusing the Scots, until a rebel faction under the lead of William Wallace, known as Braveheart, manages to unite the warring clans, to defeat the English. Isabel deBurke was a lady in waiting to Edward's Queen Eleanor but was threatened and menaced by a corrupt and venal bishop, who sought her compliance by expelling the Jewish family of her childhood friend, Rachel deAnjou. Valiant Highlanders, Rory MacGannon and Kieran MacDonald, who love the girls, are thrown into many dangerous situations while trying to keep the girls safe at the same time as they are fighting the English. It's a great read for lovers of Scottish history.

This book was spectacular, ranking right up there with Phillipa Gregory. With the historical conflict as a background, the love story is riveting and the characters leap off the page. I could hardly put the book down--Givens is a master storyteller. If you haven't read On a Highland Shore, the prequel to this, be sure and get it too. They are both truly excellent historical sagas.

The characters are so well-drawn as to feel real and comfortably familiar, making the time period come to life. Isabel and Rachel are both incredibly strong women and the author offers a compelling portrait of a lasting female friendship. Plenty of court intrigue, a truly stomach-turning bad guy, heart-stopping conflicts, and a burning romance will keep you on the edge of your seat. Beautifully written, gripping historical fiction.

Rivals For The Crown was an intense and riveting saga depicting just a piece of Scotland's tormented history and battle over the land. Kathleen Givens has a way of bringing the reader into the story and keeping you there she pulls no niceties as she tells the tale of these four people caught between two countries and loyalties. In particular the two female characters Rachel and Isabele endured personal tragedy and torment that saw both of these ladies forever changed as the novel concluded. Rachel in particular questions everything that she holds so dear. While novels depicting William Wallace in them have been told before, Kathleen Givens used him as a plot point to tell the story of people around him whom his plotting and scheming across Scotland in the hopes of saving her affected. The novel made me cry, terribly angry at the injustice of it all and finally smile as all characters overcame their battles and personal torment with heavy hearts but able to move forward and start anew in some cases start anew again to an uncertain future. Rivals For The Crown is a novel that historical enthusiasts will enjoy and read again.

Once again, Kathleen Givens proves herself a gifted writer of historical fiction with Rivals for the Crown. I like a good romance, but a burning bedroom scene on every other page is a bit wearing and Givens doesn't do that. Instead she creates believeable characters and a true love story within real history. You never find yourself thinking, they'd never do that or speak that way with her books. A ripping good yarn within historical fact (and she does her research well), I highly reccommend this book and the first book in this series, On a Highland Shore. I can't wait for the next one!