Lord of the Black Isle by Elaine Coffman

Title: Lord of the Black Isle

Author: Elaine Coffman

ISBN: 978-1-4022-5-9494

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Format: Mass Market Paperback

$7.99 U.S.

How I Read It: Mass Market Arc from publisher

Rating: 4 Crowns

WHAT HE NEEDS MOST…

David Murray, Earl of Kinloss, never wanted to be the laird. But the title is thrust upon him, and now the well-being of his clan weighs heavily on his shoulders. He had never felt so alone, until a beautiful healer from another time is brought to the Black Isle…

IS WHAT SHE DOES BEST…

When Dr. Elisabeth Douglas is thrown back in time to sixteenth-century Scotland, she decided to use her modern medical knowledge to save lives. In a time when a healer may be accused of witchcraft, she must keep her secret closely guarded, especially from David, whose uncanny curiosity could destroy them both… (from the back of the arc)

My Thoughts:

Lord of the Black Isle is the third book in the author’s Black Douglas series and the second one that I have read. Each book does read as s standalone, although in Lord of the Black Isle you receive a condensed version of how Elisabeth and her twin sister, Isobella, are transported to the 16^th century.

Elizabeth leaves Clan MacKinnon to head to Soutra Aisle to learn more about the art of 16^th century healing after the man she is about to marry is ordered to marry someone else. Afraid that she is going to be recaptured by the MacLeans, she stumbles upon David Murray, Earl of Kinloss.

David Murray finds himself in a position that was never meant to be his yet he is laird and there is little he can do about it. When he stumbles upon the healer, Elizabeth, he escorts her to the hospital on Soutra Aisle, only to retrieve her when his sister, a nun, falls ill.

After his sister dies, David uses it as an excuse to keep Elizabeth by his side then ultimately gives her a hospital of her own. And while the two are drawn to each other certain events keep them apart.

While I liked the character of David and the way that he is thrust into becoming the laird, I found that I could not become invested in Elizabeth, which thoroughly surprised me seeing how I loved Isobella.

For me, I felt that the plot made up for any problems that I had with Elizabeth and I was unable to put the book down.

However, I will say that you may want to read the second book, The Return of Black Douglas, so you will have a bit of the backstory.