Abducted at the Altar: Crowns & Kilts, Book 3

I’ve read or listened to author Cynthia Wright’s books for a long time. I always start a read knowing I’ll be entertained with fully-developed gentle, honorable characters who end up taking part of my heart when the tale is complete. Her diabolical antagonists are wily and devious — a pleasure to see them fail with their schemes. This tale is not the exception. Narrator Tim Campbell makes the listen a page-turner with his fantastic flexibility between French accented English and the Scottish brogue. He positively takes the characters Wright creates to a higher level! Fiona MacLeod is a dutiful child, particularly to her family. She loves her mother and father very much. When her mother dies, she has only her father, who is devastated by her mother’s death. He is a man who can’t seem to let go of his daughter and plays right into the hands of the antagonist. He seems to be a weak man, but with a good heart. Fiona has her dreams, perhaps more than the average highland lass, thanks to her mother teaching her how to read and write and the hours of reading together. When she meets St. Briac she is intrigued with him, spending time questioning him about the places he’s lived. The antagonist whom we find has reasons to do what he does, is misguided with some mistruths. He is quite the unsavory sort, but Fiona’s father doesn’t see his bad character for he hides it with smiles and a lordly demeanor. Her father betrothes her to him without her consent. Should she do as her father wishes? Afterall, many highland marriages are made for alliances and not love. But Fiona wishes for more. She wants to be loved and to love her husband. Christophe St. Briac is every bit the rogue – women in his bed, but leave them before morning. His passion is to create beautiful buildings. As an architect, he had grand plans for Le Louvre and had been given a promise to work on that dream when he’d done a little favor for the King. I enjoyed getting to know the man behind the work-driven one. He is attracted to wee Fiona, and she to him. But Christophe doesn’t consider himself a marrying man. Will his love to her be strong enough to keep him from returning to France? Wright’s tales leave a smile on my face and a light heart. She entertains with conflicted characters, humor, and passionate, determined heroes and heroines who struggle to reach their happy ever after–all the while cheered on by the reader/listener!

I loved it, great read.

flowed smoothly kept my interest