Search - Captive Heart (Rivenloch, Bk 2)

- I really enjoyed Book 1 and Book 3 in this trilogy.

- Book 2 started out good but Helena, the female lead, never changes or matures. So half way through the book, it grew to be tiresome. By the end of the book - irritating. Her selfish egotistical "me, me, me- I'm the best, I'm a warrior maiden, no one can beat me, no one can tell me what to do" attitude, was a major turnoff!

- I loved this cover! It reminded me of "Callisto" from "Xena." And I think it might actually be her because in the front of the book, Hudson Leick, who played "Callisto," is listed in Ms. McKerrigan's acknowledgments. =)

In 1136, the Warrior Maids of Riveloch object to Pagan Caeliard arriving to take over the estate that they and their third sister Miriel have tended though King David sent his loyal knight to do so. Instead Helena and Deirdre plan to interrupt the nuptials. However, a drunken Helena is locked away by Pagan's top assistant Sir Colin du Lac.

The wedding goes on as planned, but a sober Helena revises her plot to prevent the marriage. She takes Colin prisoner using her wiles; she will offer him in exchange for Pagan leaving. However, her scheme further falls apart as she is attracted to her prisoner and worse he informs her that his liege wed Deirdre. As they fall in love, Helena fears for her independence if she marries the enemy.

The second Warrior Maids tale is a fine medieval romance starring a capable warrior woman and the kind knight who loves her. The story line parallels much of the time line that occurs in LADY DANGER so that readers of the first novel will see some of the secondary events take center stage in this story, but newcomers will have a stand alone tale. Sarah Kerrigan provides a wonderful historical romance that will gain her many sub-genre fans, who like this reader looks forward to the final sister's tale where the "Shadow" will hopefully be revealed (though the betting favorite is).

Harriet Klausner

first book i have read by this author i truly enjoyed it