Ransom

From the Jacket

In the dark days after the death of Richard the Lionhearted, lives and lands would fall in to upheaval at the hands of a power-hungry British ruler and his violent minions. One victim of the scourge is innocent Gillian, who is a mere child when the cruel and ambitious Baron Alford slaughters her father and tears her family apart. Alford, determined to recover a jeweled box for the despotic King John, is furious with the precious treasure slips through his fingers – only to be lost for more than a decade.

Now a beautiful young woman who has forged a life for herself, Gillian finds the key to resolving her past in handsome Scottish chieftains Ramsey Sinclair and Brodick Buchanan. With the cunning and courage of the daring Scotsman to aid her, and finding a bond of trust and friendship with a new ally, Bridgid KirkConnell, Gillian at last fights the unscrupulous Baron Alford, laying claim to her home, her family and her father’s reputation. But in the presence of the mighty warriors beside them, Gillian and Bridgid will discover that desire can be a weapon of conquest… betrayal can slay trust in a heartbeat… and the greatest risk of all is surrender – to the deep emotions of unexpected love.

My Thoughts

I picked up my copy of Julie Garwood’s Ransom on the discount table at Chapters. I wanted something to read and since it was cheap and sounded good, I figured I’d give it a shot. Not only was I hooked by the end of the first page, but I couldn’t for the life of me understand why I hadn’t heard of this author before. Ransom was simply magnificent – heartwarming, suspenseful, romantic & exciting – I could go on forever!

The story begins when Gillian is a child and witnesses the murder of her father by the evil Baron Alford. As a result, Gillian is separated from her sister, Christen who flees to Scotland while Gillian remains in England with her Uncle Morgan. They never see each other again. Fast forward fourteen years and Gillian’s Uncle Morgan is being held hostage until Gillian returns Christien to England, along with the treasure that he believes Christien has. During this time Gillian befriends a child, Alec, the son of a powerful Scottish Laird who was kidnapped by the Baron. When Gillian leaves for Scotland, she takes Alec with her, intent on returning him to his family and enlisting their aid in finding her sister. Our hero is Brodick, a powerful laird who is also Alec’s protector. When he and Gillian meet, sparks fly and they fall in love. Their characters are well defined. Gillian’s painful past make her strong and courageous while Brodick, although a fearsome warrior, possesses a tender and gentle soul.

Also included in the story is the romance of Ramsey Sinclair and Bridgid although it plays a disappointingly secondary role to the romance of Gillian and Brodick. Ramsey's romance with Bridgid is resolved much too quickly and a is a romance that I wish had been given its own book. Another disappointment was Gillian’s reunion with her sister. I had hoped for a much happier reunion and although I wasn't satisfied with how things were wrapped up, it did make the story more realistic.

While fun to read, Ransom was at times uneven and frustrating. I would, however, still recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good, face-paced historical romance. I now have a copy of Julie Garwood’s “The Secret” on hold at the library as it’s the prequel to Ransom. I hear it’s even better and I can’t wait to read it!

Author: Julie Garwood

Pages: 512

Publisher: Pocket Books

Year Published: 1999