Royal Reviews: Legacy by Jeanette Baker

Title: Legacy
Author: Jeanette Baker
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN: 978-1-4022-5583-0
Format: Trade Paperback (Special Release)
$9.99
How I read it: Trade Paperback from the publisher
Rating: 4 Crowns

THE LAST OF THE MURRAYS………….

Christina Murray is elated to inherit her family’s ancestral home in Scotland. But upon her arrival she is confronted by her breathtakingly handsome new neighbor, Ian Douglas…and an ancient family curse that comes with the castle.

A VIOLENT LEGACY OF PASSION

Seduced by Ian’s easy Scottish charm by day, Christina dreams at night of three raven-haired beauties, ancestors who fell victim to the curse one generation after another: Katrine, the fiery Jacobite supporter who lost her heart to an Englishman; Jeanne, an accused witch; and Mairi, who shared a forbidden passion with the King of England.

Now it’s Christina’s turn to lie in that cursed bed… and loving Ian might just cost her life.
(from the publishers)

My Review:
Christina Murray has been summoned to Traquair House and after the death of Lady Maxwell, Christina now finds that, she has inherited this piece of history. Little did she know she has also inherited the curse that comes along with the house. It seems that Christina has also fallen under the spell of her gorgeous neighbor, Ian Douglas. Although, it is not the handsome that haunts her dreams, instead she is plagued with vision of the past. Visions of three women who look exactly like Christina and who have suffered greatly for the men they chose to love.

Each one of the three women fell victim to the curse, first it was Mairi. She suffered at the hand of the Bruce for her forbidden love of an English King. Next in line is Katrine, a loyal Jacobite supporter who fell hopelessly in love Richard an Englishmen in the Kings Army. The third woman to share this ill-fated destiny is Jeanne; once again, she marries only to find that the stars are set against her. Now it is Christina’s time to fall in love, will she escape the curse and change her destiny? Or, will loving Ian Douglas cost Christina her life?

My Thoughts:

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It reads as four books in one, each one taking you on a journey throughout Scotland’s history, and each one more intriguing than the next. The characters were intriguing as well, and I found that I could not put this book down; if I would have had the time, I could have finished this book in one sitting. Although I should warn you this book has its share of heartbreak as the curse is explained, it also has its share of twists and turns that I did not see coming. I also enjoyed the plot.

While I enjoyed the story, I would have enjoyed a deeper look into the storyline especially when the plot reverted to the past. I felt that bits and bobs of the story rushed from one point to the other. Although I did find that I truly enjoyed this book, and I highly recommend it to those of you who like Scottish history.

For a romance book, it was light on the romance, of course it was still there it was just tuned down allowing the focus to be on the story itself rather than the falling into bed aspect of it.

Cover Thoughts:

I am not sure what to think of the cover, I like that it gives off an air of mystery although I think it fails to covey the story. In addition, I would have liked the strip of tartan that is down the side of the book to have either been a Maxwell, Murray, or Douglas color rather than a Stewart tartan.

Overall:

This was one of my favorite books. I thoroughly enjoyed the stories of the four women, although I believe that my favorite would have to be the story of Katrine, the Jacobite supporter and her doomed love. Not that the others fail in comparison, I just have a soft spot for the Jacobite cause and those who have suffered for it. Jeanette Baker also conjures up a gripping account of Culloden Moor.