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23rd out of 233 books
—
209 voters
When Fate Dictates (Highland Secrets #1)
by
Elizabeth Marshall (Goodreads Author)
‘When Fate Dictates’ is the first book in the ‘Highland Secret Series’.
It tells the story of a young girl, Corran MacDonald, driven from her bed and forced to flee her home in the early hours of February 13th 1692.
The Massacre of Glencoe was a dreadful and tragic event, a shameful scar upon the landscape of a beautiful and otherwise honorable place. In its aftermath not m...more
It tells the story of a young girl, Corran MacDonald, driven from her bed and forced to flee her home in the early hours of February 13th 1692.
The Massacre of Glencoe was a dreadful and tragic event, a shameful scar upon the landscape of a beautiful and otherwise honorable place. In its aftermath not m...more
2nd Edition, 141 pages
Published
May 21st 2012
by Createspace
(first published 2011)
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Excellent word painting, amazing descriptions and truly realistic characters made this a book I won’t forget but the thing that excited me the most about this story is the way the author took real locations and weaved the magic of believable fantasy into them.
I had no previous plans to visit York, however, I must admit to having just booked a week’s break there all thanks to this story.
Nice job, Elizabeth. I can’t wait to read the next one.
Oh and I have seen some mention of ‘Team’s’ around this...more
I had no previous plans to visit York, however, I must admit to having just booked a week’s break there all thanks to this story.
Nice job, Elizabeth. I can’t wait to read the next one.
Oh and I have seen some mention of ‘Team’s’ around this...more
This is not the kind of book, or indeed, genre of book, that I would normally select, thought I. But then I took a look at what I actually read and realised how many different genres I covered. This is a clever and intriguing book that has been very well researched and well put together to present to the reader a very worthwhile read. I formed the opinion that the format of the book could have been done much better by the publisher. I also read the acknowledgement to 'editorial services' and hav...more
‘When Fate Dictates’ is a novel which blends genres so seamlessly to create a multi-layered, highly emotive and beautiful story. The protagonist, Corran, sees her village destroyed in a brutal massacre. Corran is left helpless and alone with her family and home obliterated by this bloody betrayal. After being saved from near death in a supernatural fashion by a mystical stag, Corran meets Simon, a deserter of the army that orchestrated the massacre. Corran and Simon fall in love and begin their...more
As you can see from the blurb, there is a lot going on in this book. It's not that hard to keep up with, though. When Fate Dictates is a historical fantasy, but unlike many fantasies that I've read, there is not an overabundance of characters to keep up with. Corran and Simon have trouble trusting each other, but soon learn that they have no one else to count on, and of course, end up falling in love. This is much more than a romance, though, because that is just the beginning of their story. We...more
I don't normally read this kind of book, but the historical/sci fi plot grabbed me. I hoped to be swept up into a beautiful romance, and I'm not one to get preachy, but the misogyny became unbearable within a few chapters. The main character is constantly in the dark because her lover, Simon, literally refuses to let her participate in any of the action, while she remains incredibly passive. When the plot picked up about halfway through I decided to finish it, and I thought the twists and genera...more
When Fate Dictates is a beautifully written story of love, strength, and courage born from tragedy and kept alive through belief and determination.
Elizabeth Marshall captures the innocence of love and sets it free to find its way through twists and turns in the wake of the 1692 massacre of the MacDonald clan of Glencoe at the hands of Campbell clan.
Corran, a young, beautiful MacDonald is forced to come to terms with the events that have come to pass in the bloody aftermath and reveals incredibl...more
Elizabeth Marshall captures the innocence of love and sets it free to find its way through twists and turns in the wake of the 1692 massacre of the MacDonald clan of Glencoe at the hands of Campbell clan.
Corran, a young, beautiful MacDonald is forced to come to terms with the events that have come to pass in the bloody aftermath and reveals incredibl...more
Even the introduction had me smitten!
With such a fantastic (if that's the correct term for a massacre) true life event as this books foundation - I was hooked from the start. That coupled with Ms Marshall's natural story telling ability and the realistic imperfections of the main characters Corran and Simon, this all adds up to one hum dinger of a read.
What brought the book alive for me was Simon's flawed character (he's no saint, a gambler and uses violence to right wrongs) and Corran, who na...more
With such a fantastic (if that's the correct term for a massacre) true life event as this books foundation - I was hooked from the start. That coupled with Ms Marshall's natural story telling ability and the realistic imperfections of the main characters Corran and Simon, this all adds up to one hum dinger of a read.
What brought the book alive for me was Simon's flawed character (he's no saint, a gambler and uses violence to right wrongs) and Corran, who na...more
History sprinkled with magic.
Elizabeth Marshall’s novel took me into the magic of the Highlands. For a few weeks I was lost in the glen, surrounded by breathtaking peaks, following the journey of young Corran as she fled the Red Coats.
A story of a despicable betrayal as the British Crown attempted to subdue the proud Scots. And on the smaller scale, it is a story of love and trust between the two young people who, unintentionally, crossed the path of the evil. And the path of the magic. Both th...more
Elizabeth Marshall’s novel took me into the magic of the Highlands. For a few weeks I was lost in the glen, surrounded by breathtaking peaks, following the journey of young Corran as she fled the Red Coats.
A story of a despicable betrayal as the British Crown attempted to subdue the proud Scots. And on the smaller scale, it is a story of love and trust between the two young people who, unintentionally, crossed the path of the evil. And the path of the magic. Both th...more
Now I'm a guy. I like my sexy dames and "romantic" nights but I'm not one to sit down and read a romance novel. Nothing wrong with them, just not my thing if you know what I mean. Anywho, I have to say that I really liked this book. That's because it's not your typical cheesy love story. Elizabeth Marshall's novel, When Fate Dictates, is part romance, part sic-fi, and completely unpredictable. It starts off in the Scottish Highlands and ends up, well, I'm not going to ruin it for you.
Let's just...more
Let's just...more
7 likes · like · see review
“When Fate Dictates” is a beautiful, romantic story beginning in the tumultuous days of 17th century Scotland. A young woman, Corran, and a solider, Simon meets following a massacre, fall in love and marry. As the story moves, the identity of the main characters comes to light, revealing the relationship they have to the man who seeks to harm them. Through ancient artifacts, paranormal events carry the couple through time, showing the infinite boundaries of true love, regardless of time and plac...more
I took a risk on this book and I am so glad I did. It is an original, well written, emotive adventure story with a bit of magic, lots of mystery, romance and an accurate historical backdrop, without the lecture. It felt like a Harry Potter for grownups.
I found the history to be very accurate and the telling of it was much better than a lot of historical novels, where you get a history lesson instead of a story. I know York well, I live there. The descriptions of the city were excellent.
The Scott...more
3 likes · like · see review
This is another one of those books that is rated so high and all I can do is scratch my head in pure bewilderment.
*Still scratching head five minutes later*
I don't get it. As I have mentioned in past reviews I am not a fan of bashing on a book. Heck, I have so many four and five star ratings that I would say I am rather generous with them. There was just something about this book that did not sit well with me and I cannot quite identify what that was.
I know for sure I had a problem with the p...more
*Still scratching head five minutes later*
I don't get it. As I have mentioned in past reviews I am not a fan of bashing on a book. Heck, I have so many four and five star ratings that I would say I am rather generous with them. There was just something about this book that did not sit well with me and I cannot quite identify what that was.
I know for sure I had a problem with the p...more
I've finished this book a while ago, on a transatlantic flight. Normally, I review fast, but with this book I had to take my time to think. Why? For 2 reasons: first, I was disturbed by it, and wanted to settle my emotions down a bit. Second, I wanted to get over the jet lag :)
Here are my reasons for giving the book a solid 5 star rating.
1. It's emotionally raw. I'm not quite sure how Elizabeth does it, but the events in the book scratched my soul from the first chapters. Yes, there's gore and...more
Here are my reasons for giving the book a solid 5 star rating.
1. It's emotionally raw. I'm not quite sure how Elizabeth does it, but the events in the book scratched my soul from the first chapters. Yes, there's gore and...more
This story took an enjoyable twist I did not expect. The characters were a good bit of fun and easy to cheer for. I do have to warn the reader, this is not a straight up historical fiction, It is more like a historical fantasy. Elements of magical artifacts and time travel are heavy through the book. If you enjoy that genre you will love this book. It is really well written for a first novel and has some moments of impressive imagery. The story flowed fast and the romance was hinted at but not o...more
9 likes · like · see review
Elizabeth Marshall is one amazing writer. She brings us a wonderful adventurous story. This book is not just a love story but a story of trust and faith that knows no bonds
From the time I started this book I just did not want to put it down. I was just drawn into the story and the lifes of the charactors. They seemed so reall and I wanted to learn more about them.
We meet Corran a beautiful young girl who has just seen her family and village massacred by the Kings army. She comes close to death a...more
From the time I started this book I just did not want to put it down. I was just drawn into the story and the lifes of the charactors. They seemed so reall and I wanted to learn more about them.
We meet Corran a beautiful young girl who has just seen her family and village massacred by the Kings army. She comes close to death a...more
This book started off strong and I couldn't wait to see how things would work out for the heroine and hero. However the book really started to lose steam and drag on. I felt the heroine just decided to be in love with the hero and never really saw the love develop. There were many scenes that did not seem t have a point in the book and the ended left me feeling cheated. It wrapped up way too quickly and not how I expected.
This is such a beautiful story, elequently written. Marshall connects with the reader by masterfully making fantasy feel almost real.
The characters and the storyline are so gripping right to the very end.
A 'Must Read' in my opinion, and I will be recommending it to all my book loving friends :)
5 STARS!!!
X
The characters and the storyline are so gripping right to the very end.
A 'Must Read' in my opinion, and I will be recommending it to all my book loving friends :)
5 STARS!!!
X
We know something magical is happening early in the book when the story's heroine, Corran, appears to die, but hasn't. The answer is connected to the appearance of a large stag, but we don't find out the animal's significance until later. Fans of Scottish history will enjoy the way Marshall seamlessly blends fact with fiction to carry us along on Corran's journey with the ever-resourceful and somewhat arrogant Simon. He can be overbearing, but he is a man of his time. More magic (I don't want to...more
Elizabeth Marshall did a genius job in creating no ordinary romance novel. Sci-fi meets History- this book covers a range of different genres, successful in each one. I particularly enjoyed the vivid battle scenes- the description and the way it grabs the reader is truly outstanding.
Wonderful book that I got for free on Amazon. Love the story and the characters. It has a very unexpected ending. Best part is there are 2 more books!! Cant wait for them to come out!!
A friend suggested that I try this because it combines time travel and Scottish history, but it's neither good
fantasy nor good fact!
My complete review can be found on my blog.
http://vampirekiss1967.blogspot.com/
http://vampirekiss1967.blogspot.com/
Book is filled with adventures, past , present and future...what it must be like. Traveling through time(s).
Review can be found here http://alterviews.tumblr.com/
bleh
bleh
1 like · like · see review
I love Corran and Simon and I LOVED this story. I was hooked from the beginning and found it impossible to put down. I can't wait to read the next book in the series to see how the story continues.
May 21, 2013
Nancy
marked it as to-read
May 19, 2013
Alison
marked it as to-read
May 17, 2013
Chrys
marked it as to-read
May 12, 2013
G
marked it as to-read
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Elizabeth Marshall is the pen name of the author of the ‘Highland Secret Series’. She was born on Christmas Eve at St Mary’s Hospital, at the Marianhill Monastery, in the province of Natal, South Africa.
Elizabeth grew up in a small village called Hillcrest surrounded by a large Scottish farming family.
Her primary education was delivered by Nun’s from the Monastery in which she was born. The teach...more
More about Elizabeth Marshall...
Elizabeth grew up in a small village called Hillcrest surrounded by a large Scottish farming family.
Her primary education was delivered by Nun’s from the Monastery in which she was born. The teach...more
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3 de Oct 06:15