Juliana Mackay leaves home to fulfill her mother’s dying wish to repay Duncan MacKenzie, who gave the family much-needed assistance. Juliana believes that Duncan is at least partly responsible for the poor conditions in which her family has lived, but she undertakes the journey at her mother’s request.

Duncan’s son, Robert (Robbie) MacKenzie, is returning home after a long absence when he comes across a beautiful woman who jumped into a river to save a sheep. She is completely soaked, and she injured her head during the rescue. Her head injury results in a loss of memory; she remembers that her name is Juliana but remembers little else. Robbie decides to bring her with him to his family’s holding, Eilean Creag Castle.

Juliana doesn’t remember much, but she has an ominous feeling about going to Eilean Creag. During the journey, Robbie falls in love with her. However, he is betrothed to another woman, and his father insists that he live up to the long-term marriage agreement that will unite two rival clans.

The problems begin early in the book. Robbie’s lust for Juliana is obvious — in fact, readers are treated to his lustful thoughts at regular intervals. It’s also understandable that Juliana would be attracted to Robbie. The transition from lust to love isn’t as credible. Robbie is described as a man of the world who has known and been with many women. For this reason, it’s difficult to understand why he falls in love so quickly, especially since he knows so little about Juliana. Juliana and Robbie’s love for each other is more believable toward the end, but it takes a long time to reach that point. By then, my interest in the story had long since waned.

Much of the story is overly dramatic. Robbie’s betrothed is described as stick thin with few curves. She’s also engaging in skanky sex with another knight. Does she have to be such a stereotype? In addition, there is a journey toward the end of the book; its only point seems to be to prolong the happily ever after and ensure a dramatic reunion.

I reviewed another book by Welfonder, Wedding for a Knight. If you want to read a Scottish romance, you’ll find that story is more enjoyable than this one.

--Alyssa Hurzeler