Retro Review – The Bride by Julie Garwood

Greetings, here at The Book Pushers we have decided to add an occasional feature. While we enjoy discovering and sharing new authors we also have authors and books that bring back fond memories of yesteryear. These are going to be older romances. Some authors are still writing in the same genre or series. Other authors have retired from writing, from that pen-name or that genre. Sadly others are no longer with us. One thing they all have in common is that they provided us with hours of enjoyment or trips to different worlds. We decided that since we have fond memories of them that we wanted to share them with you so we hope you enjoy our trips back in time with our younger more innocent selves. Whenever you see the image centered above you will know that we are taking you on that journey.

Publisher: Pocket Star
Publish Date: Out now
How I got this book: Purchased

By the king’s edict, Alec Kincaid, mightiest of the Scottish lairds, must take an English bride. And Jaime the youngest daughter of Baron Jamison, is his choice. From his first glimpse of the proud and beautiful English lady, Alec felt a burning hunger stir within him. This was a woman worthy of his fearless warrior’s spirit. And he aches to touch her, tame her, possess her…forever.
But with the wedding vows, Jamie pledges her own secret oath: She will never surrender her love to this Highland barbarian. He was everything her heart warned her against — an arrogant, brooding scoundrel whose rough good looks and seductive embrace fire her blood. But when strange accidents begin to threaten Jamie’s life and an old rumor that Alec killed his first wife spreads anew, something far more dangerous than desire threatens to conquer he senses.
This blurb came from Goodreads.

The Bride is one of the first two adult romances I ever read and they started me on the path I haven’t left yet. I can still picture seeing the pinkish cover on my parents’ bookshelf with this beautiful girl in the perfect white dress. I was curious so I picked it up and started reading and I couldn’t stop. The start of the book with a funeral and the thoughts of the murderer set it up perfectly. Then jumping straight from that to the rather dysfunctional Jamison family I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen next. As events continued to unfold I was introduced to what I later found to be trademark Ms Garwood skills. Her heroines had character, they were spunky, determined to get their own way, yet still soft and feminine. They refused to settle for what society dictated they should and in refusing they were able to make a positive change for their family and others around them. They were able to soften the toughest, gruffest, most uncivilized men and yet allow them to still be men, not emasculated former men. They never depended on being rescued by someone else but they never felt threatened by accepting help either. Their heroes knew that they had found a partner who could and would take care of home and hearth while the men-folk were away fighting.

Jamie didn’t fit into any stereotype that I knew of at the time. She could ride a horse, shoot a bow and arrow, was known as a healer and practically held her father’s estate together. She was always willing to help yet when her future husband told her to wear white for their wedding she showed up in black and I died laughing. Along their journey to the Highlands both Jamie and I were introduced to Scottish culture and how beautiful the unspoiled wilderness could be. Yet hidden in that same beauty were roving bands of marauders and deadly feuds between different clans. I thought I could hold a grudge, boy was I wrong. “She started three wars the first week.” The amazing thing was that she, Jamie, did not intend to start any of them, she was just trying to find her place as the wife of the laird. Along the way she had to deal with wild beasts, the murderer, the direct politics of that era, mistrust and a need to feel valued.

Alec and his people also had to make adjustments as Jamie started incorporating some English ways into their well-established life. It was a lot of fun to see Alec deal with realizing that Jamie didn’t fit into what he thought was the typical Englishwoman mold. She kept surprising him with her ideas, resourcefulness and refusal to let anyone walk all over her. Every time Alec thought he had Jamie figured out, she would present him with yet another facet of her personality.

I have found that The Bride is one of those historical romances whose magic continues to live on every time I re-read it. As a result Ms Garwood has provided me with the standard for which I measure all other historical romances.

I give The Bride an A+

Links to purchase

Barnes & Noble | Amazon Book
| Kindle eBook