The Marsh Hawk

The Marsh Hawk (Leisure Historical Romance) Dawn MacTavish takes our breath away when events take an unexpected turn. Set to become betrothed to a man she doesn't love, Jenna instead finds herself betrothed to the Earl of Kevernwood, Simon Rutherford. But Jenna has a secret, as does Simon. Secrets that threaten to destroy their newfound happiness. Dawn MacTavish's captivating writing held me spellbound, and her characters - both main and secondary - were characters to fall in love with. I particularly loved Robert Nast and hope MacTavish pens his own story! The hero and heroine fall in love without knowing anything about each other. What happens after the wedding when the truth of their secrets is revealed? The book is a true page turner, and you won't want the story to end. Kudos to the author for a job well done!!!

The Marsh Hawk is a wonderfully written romance with an intelligent heroine and sigh-worthy hero, not to mention secondary characters you come to care about. Lord Kevernwood marries Lady Jenna after a very brief acquaintance, this against the advice of his oldest friend, the Vicar Robert Nast. Robert cautions them to wait and get to know one another before they wed, but to no avail. Both deeply in love with each other, they wed. But it's after the wedding night that Jenna suspects her husband might be The Marsh Hawk, the highwayman who murdered her father. When she sees her suspicions proved true, she follows the only path she believes open to her, returning home to her mother. She leaves posthaste. Lord Kevernwood is devastated his bride could believe him a murderer. Nor does he know if she'll reveal what she knows to the authorities. He fetches her back to his home, but not before Jenna makes another startling discovery. They agree to an arrangement, to live together and give the impression of a happy couple until after the come-out ball for his niece. Both love the other, but believe too much distrust, too many lies prevent the marriage from working. Lady Jersey makes an appearance, learns a shocking truth or two, and stays on, determined to find out the veracity behind some outrageous accusations. I say no more, but leave it to the reader to learn what happens to The Marsh Hawk. You won't be disappointed in the twists and turns of the story. I loved this book.

Take one devilshly handsome highwayman, add one beautiful lady on a crusade, along with a dash of skullduggery, and you have one terrific Regency-set story that breaks the mold. Who knew Jenna Hollingsworth's night of revenge, resulting in the wounding of the Marsh Hawk, would mark the beginning of a new life filled with romance, passion, and intrigue. Little did Simon Rutherford, Earl of Kevernwood, know that once he laid eyes on Jenna, he would fall crazy in love. Can Simon's love carry them through Jenna's suspicions concerning his character? Will Jenna's need for revenge spoil a beautiful romance? The Marsh Hawk is a smooth, compelling read that takes you away to another time and place. What a page-turner! Dawn Thompson writing as Dawn MacTavish certainly proved that she can hold her audience captive with straight historical romances just as well as she can with her award-winning paranormal books. You can't go wrong with this book!

True lovers of Regency romances will sigh in bliss at this detail-rich saga of one couple destined for a dark, treacherous road. Set in Cornwall, England, 1812, Jenna Hollingsworth has sworn vengeance on the notorious highwayman that killed her father. The Marsh Hawk, as he calls himself, may have escaped the authorities, but she'll make sure he does not escape justice. When she encounters the man on a dark stretch of road, the time for her brand of justice is at hand. Now, she can move past the death of her father and concentrate on her coming nuptials. Only, killing a man's not as easy on the mind and heart as she'd hoped. When the enigmatic Simon Rutherford, Earl of Kevernwood, appears on the weekend of a ball to announce her engagement to another, she quite loses her head, and heart over the dashing man. Against the wise council of a close friend, Simon pursues Jenna after the disastrous weekend party and he finds he cannot dismiss the alluring woman. Before either realizes it, they're ensconced in a relationship that will either bring about lasting happiness...or utter despair. Simon's actions don't always ring true and before long, Jenna begins to suspect him of some misdeeds. When secrets come to light, will they be able to set aside their differences? Or will suspicion and doubt plunge them headlong down the dark, treacherous road, from which there may be no return? Only time will tell, but there may not be enough time. As this wonderful author continues to release books, I've grown more used to, and now expect, the wonderful level of anticipation and suspense that is drawn forth in each book. The Marsh Hawk is no exception, and I literally had to keep myself from chewing my nails as I turned the pages. This is an interesting perspective for a romance; rarely do we get to see through the eyes of the Robin Hoods of romance. If masked men and hidden intrigues are your bag, this one dishes it out in spades. The characters, beginning with Jenna and Simon, all possess a rather intriguing level of roughness, for their situations hinge on desperation more than once. Once again, the author had me on the edge of my seat, truly wondering if happily ever after was in order. As surely as we all read romance for the happy endings, this author makes us and the characters work for it instead of giving the easy ways out. An interesting subplot involving Simon's best friend and his ward adds to the forbidden edge of the novel and we're introduced to another character that leaves me wondering at a possible sequel. Packed with emotion and rich, historical detail, The Marsh Hawk offers up a rich, satisfying feeling by The End.

With her debut of THE MARSH HAWK, author Dawn MacTavish (who also writes paranormals and fantasy as Dawn Thompson) has gifted true Regency lovers with a jewel of a story that will find its way to a multitude of keeper shelves. She'll capture you with her vivid story telling, impeccable historical research, and thrilling love story from the very first pages till the splendid end and leave you breathless for more. Frustrated with lack of response from authorities to catch the notorious Marsh Hawk highwayman whom she believed killed her beloved father, Lady Jenna Hollingsworth takes matters into her own hands when she stalks him in order to bring him to justice. Instead she accidentally shots him and thinking she'd done murder, she quickly rode away. Months later at a masked ball to announce her engagement to Viscount Rupert Marner, she is instantly taken with a stranger whose brilliant blue eyes found hers. During the masked ball a man dressed in a highwayman's costume approached her and caused Jenna to faint when she thought it was the ghost of the man she thought murdered. During the course of the festivities, after seeing her intended show his cowardly true colors, Jenna ran off with and was married to Simon Ruutherford, the Earl of Kevernwood. Unfortunately, both kept dangerous secrets from one another that would threaten their marriage and passionate love affair. In the meantime the jilted Viscount Marner waited to unfold an evil plan for revenge against them both. MacTavis has woven an adventuresome regency set in Cornwall, England that the reader is sure not to forget. Pairing two wonderful protagonists together who fell in love at first sight before getting to know one another helped to show and define the areas where their lack of trust caused such angst. As Jenna uncovered clues that pointed to secrets Simon was keeping she was mortified to think she had married the man who had killed her father. Their love was so palatable that the reader could feel the emotional dismay Jenna felt upon discovering the man she'd fell so deeply in love with could be her fathers murderer. The reader could also feel the deep hurt and anger Simon felt that she hadn't had enough trust in him and confided to another instead. Filled to the brim with a complementary cast of secondary characters you will find yourself totally engrossed in the adventure and the romance. Bottom line is that this is a full-bodied and riveting historical tale full of multi-dimensional characters you'll remember long after the last page is turned. Be prepared to savor every word from this fresh new voice in this genre. Marilyn Rondeau, RIO - Reviewers International Organization