Review: The Bride by Julie Garwood

The Blurb

By the king's edict, Alec Kincaid, mightiest of the Scottish lairds, must take an English bride. And Jamie 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 her senses.

My Review

Reading this novel was like falling in love all over again. When I first read Julie Garwood’s The Bride, I loved it. I've recently desired to read a work of  “classic” romance. Oh my goodness. I didn’t remember the story at all which turned out to be the best because I think I enjoyed it more the second time around than I did the first.

It surprised me how many writing guidelines this book broke, or perhaps they weren't the guidelines of her day.

• Adverbs aplenty
• Loads of echoes
• Head hopping to a lot of characters

All of the things my editors tell me not to do made this book a huge success. Well, those plus a brilliantly written novel , strong engaging characters with a wonderful story-line. Re-reading The Bride reminds me of why Julie Garwood rose to the top of the romance genre.

Five chocolate bars for The Bride. I wish I could give more.