Ransom, Julie Garwood

Book Review (By Ayla): I started reading this book and couldnt even get past the second chapter because it was boring.

Book Review (By Mimi): First let me say that this book was originally reviewed by Ayla, and for a while a considered simply commenting on her post with my review, it seemed easier to insert it into the body so it's all together! Love you Ayla! lol:O)

After reading her review on Ransom, I HAD to read it for myself! Simply because I ADORE Historical Fiction and its counterpart Historical Romance. In my opinion they should go hand-in-hand! Yes, I'm a romantic at heart!

Now, when most people think of Historical Romances, they wouldn't be necessarily wrong if they lumped it all into the Harlequin Romance genre. But a well-written Historical Romance or HR for future reference, can be a beautiful thing! I never read an HR for the sexual content, as is the first comment I get when I tell them I'm reading this genre. The sexual content is least of what interests me, if at all! A well written HR explores much more! It is usually a study in period norms which includes dress, habits, transport, architecture, literature, art, lifestyle, fashions, speech, vocabulary, historical facts and characters loosely or not so loosely based in fiction, etc.!!!
I'm also into the traditionally dashing, debonair, heroic gentleman of the romanticized Renaissance and the burly, demanding knight of the middle ages...not necessarily in that order! Coupled with the equally romanticized intelligent yet feminine, strong-willed yet delicate heroins of the traditional HR! Escapism right?

Julie Garwood captures these features in her characters with Ransom! She has a truly refreshing take on the dashing knight and the princess-in-need-of-rescue theme! Some of the key elements in Brodick Buchanan (a Scottish Highlander) and Lady Gillian's story, in a nutshell:
- Her father is murdered by an evil Lord Alford.
- The story centers around Arianna's Box, a stolen jewelled box that belonged to King John's mistress.
- An evil plot is hatched by a Highland traitor to murder the laird of a Highland clan whereby his young brother was set to be kidnapped.
- Lady Gillian rescues the unfortunate boy and so meets Brodick.

What I thoroughly enjoyed about this book is the utter chivalry of the male characters. In the modern day and age where women are portrayed as liberated and equals of men it is indeed refreshing to see an author with a different view of the female-male relationship. The female characters in Ransom are far from shrinking violets! They are strong, brave, resourceful and in this is their beauty. The male heroes are far from overbearing and ogre-like, but instead they value the women they are portrayed with, they are quick to sing her praises, protective to a fault, respectful, and sincere.

As for the adult content in this novel, I was glad to see that the author upheld a Christian-like and indeed old-fashioned outlook on intimacy. For all the novels in this genre that I have read which contain a more 'modernized' narration of sexual intimacy, this book was refreshingly old-fashioned.

I would definitely recommend this novel for any reader who is not only interested in the Historical Romance genre, but also for anyone who is looking to escape to the realm where knights wear shining armor...or kilts(!) and women who are in need of rescuing!

Book Synopsis:In Ransom, New York Times bestselling author Julie Garwood returns to her beloved Highlands and the dark days of the despotic rule of King John to reacquaint readers with Scottish chieftain Brodick Buchanan, first introduced in The Secret. Brodick finds himself playing protector to Gillian, an exquisite English beauty, who is desperate to find her long-lost sister and a treasure of incalculable worth--one for which many already have died, including Gillian's own father. Coerced by the fiendish Baron Alford, who murdered her father before her eyes and usurped her birthright 14 years earlier, Gillian must return to England with Arianna's Box, a bejeweled golden box commissioned by King John, or her beloved Uncle Morgan will be tortured to death. In spite of Gillian's fragile looks and her loathsome English bloodlines, Brodick encounters a woman of immeasurable courage and determination, one not at all intimidated by his legendary temper or imposing size. And as he realizes that he has met his match in Gillian--whose sense of honor and duty equals his own--their passion for each other grows ever stronger in this thrilling historical. --Alison Trinkle --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.


For more information or purchase:http://www.amazon.com/Ransom-Julie-Garwood/dp/074347418X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241634055&sr=8-1