Isabella is outraged to find her brother's keep besieged by a renegade knight - especially one who is too handsome for his own good or hers. After a single encounter, she becomes convinced that his cause is just and decides to unveil the true thief, never imagining that their single shared kiss has launched a battle for Murdoch's very soul. As the treacherous Fae move to claim Murdoch forever, Isabella seeks to heal the knight who has stolen her heart. But will Murdoch allow her to take a risk and endanger herself? Or will he sacrifice himself to ensure Isabella's future?
©2012 Claire Delacroix, Inc. (P)2015 Deborah A. Cooke
Claire Delacroix has a gift for telling enchanting, beautiful stories that will leave the reader spellbound as the plot and characters unfold. She has a unique ability to tell stories within stories with characters whose wisdom shines through the pages of the novel. Her books are also unique in the way they transition so seamlessly between both a "real world" and an imaginary world of the fey. The Renegade's Heart is a captivating romance to be lost in.
While the Renegade Heart is the first in a new series, it continues on from the Jewels of Kinfairlie series, and readers of that series will enjoy learning more about the beloved characters from Delacroix's past novels.
In Renegade Heart, Alexander's three youngest sisters remain to be wed. Isabella and Elizabeth dream of a handsome knight to sweep them away into the wedded bliss that their older sisters have found. When such a dreamy knight appears on the keep's doorstep demanding to be heard by the laird, Isabella's curiosity leads her to following the handsome knight to learn if he's come for an offer to wed. What she overhears leaves her both startled and confused. Something's amiss in Kinfairlie and Isabella's sense of justice will demand action, even if such action can greatly put her at risk.
Murdoch Seton cannot believe his good fortune when he awakens back in the land of the living. Could it have been this easy to escape from the fairy queen? Has she truly granted his one wish to return home? On hurrying back to his family abode he learns that much has changes since his departure and more time has passed then he could have imagined. Instead of the warm welcoming he was expecting, he is shunned from a home with a quest he feels compelled to complete to help the people of his land and regain the good graces of his family. Now he will do whatever it takes to regain the family heirloom that's been stolen, but the tables turn and he's quickly overwhelmed by challenges beyond his darkest nightmares. His return to the land of the living was not without cost. With time limited, he must restore this last request for his family before all is lost. Not all of what befalls him is tragic, however. A beautiful maiden with fiery determination may just be the very thing which saves him. Now Murdoch can only hope that she won't pay the ultimate price for her assistance. For any defiance of those of the mortal and immortal realm will hold serious consequences for the naive young maiden with a heart of gold.
What follows is a love story so bewitching that it's impossible to put down. The plot is full of twists and surprises. The characters also show an unparalleled intelligence that leaves the reader well satisfied that misunderstandings will not linger and that the power of love will outweigh all the forces against it. There are many story lines in play that keep the pace exciting and the plot reveals thrilling. The chemistry between Isabella and Murdoch fairly leaps off the page. They are a pair beautifully matched that the reader cannot help but cheer for. While the addition of the fey will require a reader with an appreciation for the make-believe, the story is so beautiful and enchanting that it's a must read.
I listened to the audio version narrated by Saskia Maarleveld. Her narration is outstanding in its clarity, pace, beauty, and emotion. Maarleveld adds depth to the characters and enchants the reader with her lightly accented voice which fits perfectly with this novel. I would highly recommend the audioversion to anyone who enjoys listening to a compelling tail. This has all the delight of a tale told through time and is likely to become a long held favorite novel.
Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
Length: 11 hrs and 10 mins
Series: True Love Brides, Book 1
Release date: 9/01/2015
Publisher: Deborah A Cooke