TEST
The MacLean Groom is very much average; it’s not horrible, but it doesn’t exactly set the pond on fire either. The endearing hero is paired with a ho-hum heroine, and the promising first half is followed by a somewhat disappointing second one. It’s also the first book in a trilogy, and it reads like one; the heroes for the next two books are introduced very obviously, and much of the ending is really a set up for the next novel.
Rory MacLean is a wealthy man who is loyal to the Scottish crown, but he’s never been a land owner. When King James IV orders him to marry an heiress from the rival MacDonald clan who owns a prosperous estate, it seems as though he may just be able to settle down and found his own dynasty. When he arrives at the estate in question, however, it is obvious that all will not go smoothly. The clan insists that the heiress, Joanna MacDonald, has run away. They figure that Rory will go looking for her, which will buy them enough time to marry her to someone else.
Joanna is actually still in the castle, disguised as a boy. Although Rory guesses her identity almost immediately, he doesn’t reveal his knowledge to anyone in Clan MacDonald. Rather, he quietly continues his preparations for the wedding and confidently informs everyone that his bride will show up in due time. In the meantime, he gets to know Joanna, who remains disguised as a serving lad named Joey. He becomes quite fond of her, and by the time the nuptials roll around, he is eager to marry. Joanna actually likes Rory too, but she still feels a strong loyalty to her clan. She is sure that a marriage to a MacLean would be wrong.
The marriage takes place, but several parties plot to keep Joanna and Rory apart. Members of Joanna’s clan take advantage of her loyalty and manage to convince her to betray Rory, even though she cares for him. With so many people ploting against them, it looks like the course of true love will never run smooth for this unfortunate pair, but in the end love does conquer all.
I really liked this book at first. Rory is a fun hero, and he falls for Joanna quickly, which endears him to the reader. Characters who pretend to be something they are not don’t always work very well, but in this case Rory’s early knowledge of Joanna’s charade made the premise enjoyable and added to the sexual tension.
The first part of the book also has a fun “Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus” sort of conflict. Joanna is presented as a starry-eyed woman who believes in chivalry and true love, whereas Rory is more pragmatic. There is a great scene where both main characters look at Joanna’s favorite tapestry. Joanna sees a handsome knight pledging eternal love to a fair maiden, and Rory sees a useless dandy whose shiny armor has no real battle scars.
Unfortunately, the book loses much of its allure once the couple is married. Joanna’s behavior starts to seem irrational and even dishonest. Several of her actions are disappointing, and suddenly she is not as likable as before. Also, the pace of the book assumes a rapid clip, and the plot rushes all over the place. Toward the end, the focus really shifts away from Joanna and Rory as Harrington sets the stage for the next novel in the trilogy. I couldn’t help wishing she would concentrate on the couple at hand before hurrying on to the next one.
It’s important to note that The MacLean Groom is firmly entrenched in the “history as wallpaper” camp. The tartan cover of the book lets you know that it has a Scottish setting, and there are lots of men in kilts, but the language of the characters is very English and modern. There are lots of anachronisms as well, and they are distracting at times.
If you just can’t resist men in plaid or the very idea of a trilogy about highland lairds, you may enjoy this book in spite of its flaws, because the first half of the book truly works well. The next two stories are about Rory’s half brothers, who are both promising characters. Perhaps their stories will be more even, building on the strengths of this one.
Grade: C
Book Type: Renaissance Romance
Sensuality: Hot
Review Date: 13/12/99
Publication Date: 1999
I've been at AAR since dinosaurs roamed the Internet. I've been a Reviewer, Reviews Editor, Managing Editor, Publisher, and Blogger. Oh, and Advertising Corodinator. Right now I'm taking a step back to concentrate on kids, new husband, and new job in law...but I'll still keep my toe in the romance waters.
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Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.