It is a thoroughly enjoyable read; exciting, sweet and surprisingly unpredictable. You'll want to read it twice in one sitting because you just won't want it to end.

Our hero, Douglas Kerr, has had a difficult week. First his father orders him to marry. Then he finds his fiancée in bed with two lovers. He stops home to find his father on his deathbed. Then his father tells him that his mother was kidnapped on their wedding day and he isn't even really his father's son. Worse than that, his biological father is their worst enemy.

Our heroine, Lady Isabella Calvert, has had it pretty rough too. Her older brother, Nigel, is vile and depraved. His friend, the good Friar, has turned Fairview Asylum into a brothel for the types of men who have unusual appetites. Nigel usually leaves his lovers to die after he is done with them. He wants Isabella in his bed. Worse than that, their father is inclined toward giving her to him, but decides instead, to send her to an asylum because victims of incest have been known to go mad. Too bad it happens to be the one her brother patronizes.

Isabella's best friend, Candace Kerr, is Douglas' younger sister. She is very much in love and about to be married. Her fiancé, Wills MacIver, disappears without a clue to his whereabouts. His father, Laird MacIver, is found murdered and Wills seems to be the only logical suspect.

Brendan MacKinnon, Douglas' cousin and best friend, is called home to his brother Collin's keep to lead the clan and protect his sister-in-law and nephew while Colin is in London searching for his missing daughter, Bonnie. She was abducted and has disappeared without a trace.

Ellic McFie, the MacKinnon's ally and good friend to Brendan and Douglas, has had thirty head of oxen slaughtered. He has no enemies and it is shocking that anyone would harm his property since he is allied with the MacKinnons. Brendan cannot leave his keep to investigate, so he sends a missive asking Douglas to look into the situation for him. They find no clues. There aren't even any signs that anyone has ever been there.

As Douglas prepares to leave for home he is shot by an arrow that seemed to come from nowhere. There were no clues to this crime, either. Douglas is very close to death and not expected to live. Isabella refuses to give up on him. She gathers her healing herbs and refuses to leave Douglas until she has nursed him back to health.

Isabella is attacked by a man within the Kerr walls. She stabbed him in the shoulder so they are eventually able to identify him. Douglas is having him watched hoping he will lead them to the answers to some of these riddles.

These are just some of the threads of the many different plot lines running through this Scottish tale. It is plaited through with laughter and passion. There is so much going on in the story that I can't summarize it for you and give you the rich flavors that come with reading it. This is a steamy erotic story of lust and love; a tale of chivalry and honor, of friendship, brotherhood, redemption and justice. The characters come alive and share their hopes and dreams with us. Their world is so real, it draws us in so we experience it right along with them. Ms. Griffin has made magic and makes it all look effortless.

CLAIMED BY A CHARMER is such an enjoyable read it isn't possible for me to do it justice within the space I have. But don't just take my word that five hearts doesn't seem a high enough rating. You've got to read this one.

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Mildly sensual

Reviewer: Karen H.
April 8, 2006