5 Hearts Review for One Snowy Knight - from Medieval Book Reviews

One Snowy Knight
by Deborah MacGillivray

A moving medieval Christmas romance that peers into a lesser seen side of history

Widow Lady Skena MacIain struggles to protect her own. The battle at Dunbar has left her without a husband and her keep without a force to defend them against the English. In the midst of war, providing for the basic needs and welfare of the community becomes even more urgent and equally difficult. Skena has seen much hardship. Intelligent and inventive, she thinks up ingenious ways to protect those around her but even someone as noble of heart as Skena needs sustenance for body and soul. Anxious to reach his new home at Craigendan Keep, Noel de Servian journeys across a relentless snow-blinding landscape. Weather and temperature bring him to the point of death. When her two children find a lifeless warrior freezing in the snowstorm, they speak of a magical gift. Skena has lived through too much to believe in wishes and easy answers, but as Skena nurses him back to health, she and Noel begin to know one another. This handsome knight kindles a warmth in her heart. Skena touches a place in Noel's heart but will fate deprive him again of his deepest longings? Or will Cailleach, the Queen of Winter, work magic? This Christmas, will Noel bring Skena her deepest wish?

Third in the Dragons of Challon series, the medieval Scottish romance ONE SNOWY KNIGHT is set in 1296, shortly after the Battle of Dunbar and the sack of Beriwick. Deborah MacGillivray gives readers an inside look at these historical events, not only in the heart of her hero Noel, a man tortured by the bloodshed he has witnessed but also in the poverty experienced by Skena and her keep. Deborah MacGillivray does an exceptional job at integrating Celtic knowledge into the heart of this Christmas romance. Darker than her previous romances, ONE SNOWY KNIGHT brings alive an aspect of medieval history not often seen in medieval romances that medieval lovers will cherish for its authenticity. Deborah MacGillivray does an exceptional job in combining historical setting and artistic vision in her creation of the landscape of her romances. From the first scene of the snow-stranded knight and throughout the romance, Deborah MacGillivray creates stunning imagery that makes the physical and emotional landscape come alive in the reader's imagination. Not only can a reader easily visualize the landscape, but one also hears it in the very language of the dialogue and narration. Here, as in her previous Medieval romances, the reader is not so much given a history lesson but taken straight into the heart of the medieval times through the imagery, the conflicts, the characters, the landscape and above all by the artistry of language itself.

As Deborah MacGillivray turns her vision to the darker aspects of medieval Scottish history, the romance itself has a deeper emotional impact. From the darkness and deprivation emerges a love that resonates in the heart with its realness and substance. A light superficial Christmas romance, ONE SNOWY KNIGHT is not. Rather, ONE SNOWY KNIGHT is a romance that resonates deeply precisely because Deborah MacGillivray dares to look at the less often corners of history and of the soul. Despite the darker tenor of this romance, Deborah MacGillivray brings relief with these wonderful precisely-placed magical moments, from the innocent belief of children to the wonderful cadence of Skena's dialogue to joyous intimate moments experienced between Skena and Noel. ONE SNOWY KNIGHT is also a romance touched by magic, love and even a delightful sense of humor. As a sequel to the previous two books, A RESTLESS KNIGHT and IN HER BED, this third romance expands the scope and breadth of the series --- and makes this reader anxiously await what this author has in store for the series as it develops. Readers of the series will enjoying seeing characters from the previous romances as well as the author's ability to expand her vision to new areas, but ONE SNOWY KNIGHT also works as a stand-alone for those readers new to the series.

If you are a medieval junkie, like myself, Deborah MacGillivray's romances, and ONE SNOWY KNIGHT in particular, are not to be missed With language and every multi-layered detail, she takes a reader right in the period. Artistry of writing accompanies the romance, making ONE SNOWY KNIGHT a romance that will appeal to those readers who want more from their romances, to those readers who want history beyond what one can get from a history book and a moving romance coupled with beautiful writing itself. A true delight for all medieval lovers!

Publisher: Zebra Historical Romance (October 2009)
Series: Dragons of Challon
Other book in the series: Her Restless Knight, In Her BedAuthor website

Reviewed by Merrimon, Medieval Book Reviews

Super 5 star review from Cata-Network for One Snowy Knight

REVIEW: ONE SNOWY KNIGHT BY DEBORAH MACGILLIVRAY

"Christmas miracles do come true in this third book in the Dragons of Challon series..."

In the midst of a blizzard, Lady Skena MacIain of Craigendan trudges through the deep snow frantic to find her children. At last she finds them near a fallen English knight who was lost in the storm. The children said they were following the Lady of Winter when they discovered their Christmas Knight.

Noel de Servian is touched by Skena’s care and protectiveness as she nurses him. No one had ever shown him such tender care before. Skena feels an unnatural connection with Noel which grows stronger even when it is revealed that he is the new Lord of Craigeden, granted to him by the English King Edward. But Noel has more secrets that may crush their blossoming love and danger surrounds Skena at every turn.

ONE SNOWY KNIGHT instantly captured my attention and held me in thrall. Best selling author Deborah MacGillivray writes historically accurate tales with authentic period dialog which adds a rich dimension to her story telling. All senses are engaged while indulging in this beautiful book; hearing the Scottish brogue, feeling the highland mist, smelling the healing herbs in the stillroom, sighting the colorful plaids and tasting the honeyed mead, all exactly as Ms. MacGillivray so aptly describes them. This passionate love story, between a brawny knight with a tender heart and a beautiful lady with kenning beyond most others, will call to your heart and stay in your thoughts long after the reading.

Filed Under: Deborah MacGillivray October 2009 Reviews Zebra Books	About the Book: Genre: historical ISBN: 978-1420104509 Page Count: 378 Price: $ 5.99 Reviewer: Donna
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Sensuality Rating: Sensuous Star Rating: 5 Stars Author's Website: http://deborahmacgillivray.co.uk/

posted Thursday, October 29th, 2009

http://singletitles.com/?p=2720

One Snowy Knight available in eBook from BN

One Snowy Knightby Deborah MacGillivray

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• ISBN-13: 9781420113167
  
  

Bookmarks are coming!

Yes, I am a bit late, but bookmarks will be in soon for One Snowy Knight and A Wolf in Wolf's Clothing. But the wonderful people of Iconix.biz are doing their magic again.

So if you wish one, or for the other books, let me know.

thanks

Deborah

5 Hearts Review for One Snowy Knight

One Snowy Knight by Deborah MacGillivray

Scotland- 1296 Winter has come early this year and with the drought in summer, Craigendan Keep’s food supply is extremely low. Lady Skena MacIain is a widower with two small children, managing the whole keep since her husband’s death. While she may be strong, and can take on many a burden, she is still a woman in need of love and a man’s presence to take control and replenish what the people of Cragendan need. Born of Ogilvie blood, she is blessed with the kenning, but it has never been strong enough to amount to anything until now; when the children’s Yuletide wish comes true.

Noel de Servian, had lost both of his parents at a young age, and was taken in by the Challon’s, he grew up alongside some of the strongest warriors that he has ever known; yet he’s never known real true love. While he may not be blood, he was still considered a Dragon of Challon. After his service to King Edward, he was awarded Craigendan Keep and the title of Baron. Noel had no idea that fate has big plans for him. After waking to a woman standing before him wielding a sword against a hungry wolf, Skena MacIain was all he could think about. While Noel and Skena have a special bond that forms very quickly, he has a secret that may upset Skena enough to leave this Dragon out in the cold licking his wounds.

The past is haunting to Skena, around every bend she sees her dead husband Angus, and someone is out to hurt her. She may very well be fully head over heels smitten with the beautiful Norman-English man in her bed, but she has worked much too hard to give up Craigendan. Two lives can come together as one, but the truth MUST be revealed, and it’s going to hurt.

Deborah MacGillivray never disappoints with her Historical Romances. I fall so in love with the characters and am always left wanting more. The next books in her series’ are not on the shelf fast enough. Beautifully detailed, warm, and inviting, I could cozy up with Ms. MacGillivray’s books no matter the season, this one just happens to be perfect for winter. I can’t say anything more than, thank you Deborah for creating such a magical and perfect world that you share with your readers. 5 Hearts

Book Reviews by Crystal

3rd Print Run for My Christmas Story

My editor, Audrey LaFehr, informed me that One Snowy Knight has gone to a third printing. This book sold out before it was shipped, and now the second printing has sold out in less than a week after release.

So this is very exciting new!

One Snowy Night by Deborah MacGillivray
[mass market paper: Zebra; October, 2009; $5.99; ISBN: 1420104500; ISBN-13: 9781420104509]