Mairin Stuart was hidden away for most of her life in an abbey, in disguise as a nun. She was discovered and taken away to Duncan Cameron, who wants the legacy promised to her as the illegitimate heir of former King Alexander of Scotland. On the way to Cameron, she protects a 7-year old boy from the wrath of her abductors and keeps him with her. After refusing to marry Cameron and paying the price for that, she escapes with the young boy and ends up in his father Ewan's laird. He then works to convince her to join forces through marriage to help thwart Cameron's plans to overthrow the current King David.I loved this story, especially Ewan and Mairin's characters. They both are strong-willed and principled, which made for some tense but compelling moments. The premise of the book is appealing and offers so many opportunities for subplots going forward. Ewan's brothers, the women of the keep and other soldiers all help to make this a very interesting start to the trilogy. Mairin's relationship with Ewan's son is heartwarming and her naiveté makes for some lighthearted moments. The romance is steamy and their developing relationship was fun to watch unfold.This is a good start to the trilogy and I'm excited to start the next book in the series.
