Shadow Music: A Novel

Shadow Music: A Novel By Julie Garwood

For Princess Gabrielle of St. Biel, Scotland is a land of stunning vistas, wild chieftains, treacherous glens, and steep shadows–skullduggery, betrayal, and now murder. Prized for her exquisite beauty, the daughter of one of England’s most influential barons, Gabrielle is also a perfect bargaining chip for a king who needs peace in the Highlands: King John has arranged Gabrielle’s marriage to a good and gentle laird. But this marriage will never take place.

For Gabrielle, everything changes in one last burst of freedom–when she and her guards come upon a scene of unimaginable cruelty. With one shot from her bow and arrow, Gabrielle takes a life, saves a life, and begins a war.

Within days, the Highlands are aflame with passions as a battle royal flares between enemies old and new. Having come to Scotland to be married, Gabrielle is instead entangled in Highland intrigue. For two sadistic noblemen, underestimating Gabrielle’s bravery and prowess may prove fatal. But thanks to a secret Gabrielle possesses, Colm MacHugh, the most feared man in Scotland, finds a new cause for courage. Under his penetrating gaze, neither Gabrielle’s body nor heart is safe.

A gripping novel that delves into the heart of emotions–unyielding passions of love, hate, revenge, and raw desire–Shadow Music is magnificent gift from Julie Garwood and a crowning achievement in her amazing career.

If you read the reviews for this book on Amazon, you'll find many people who didn't like this book. Personally, I loved it. The reason people read authors like Julie Garwood and Nora Roberts, who have been in the book business a long time and have written countless books isn't because their ideas are fresh and original, its because they like the author's writing style.

In Shadow Music, Gabrielle's a princess, rich, beautiful and comes with 4 bodyguards. She's bethrowed to a Highlander by the King. 2 English barons seeking her for their own, kill her bethrowed, she's embroiled in their machinations and becomes an outcast of the crown. She's taken in by Colm MacHugh, laird of the fiercest clan. Love blooms and ... you know the rest. That's it in a nutshell.

There's lots going on in the book that makes the pages fly past but Ms. Garwood has a unique ability of concentrating on the important things that make a romance fun and not getting sidetracked. Moreover this is one of her first historical romances in quite a while and it was worth the wait, in many way's its a throwback to her earlier books like The Clayborne Brides. If you like historical romances, highlanders, and are a fan of Ms. Garwood's earlier works this is a must read.

My only complaint is that this is a hard cover book, but then again, that seems to be the trend for all authors of at least moderate fame these days doesn't it?

Overall Score: 4.5 / 5