A Dangerous Love (The Border Chronicles #1)

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A Dangerous Love (The Border Chronicles #1)

by Bertrice Small

3.86 · rating details · 499 ratings · 31 reviews

Orphaned by England's War of the Roses, betrayed by her half sister, Elizabeth of York, Adair Radcliffe is taken captive during a border raid and sold into servitude to Conal Bruce, the laird of Cleit. The laird seeks a housekeeper and bedmate --- but instead he finds that beneath the girl's dirty, disheveled appearance is a proud and spirited violet-eyed beauty who refuse...more

Trade Paperback, 407 pages

Published October 3rd 2006 by NAL Trade

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Best Medieval Romance Novels

58th out of 143 books — 124 voters

Kiss of the Highlander by Karen Marie Moning

The Dark Highlander by Karen Marie Moning

The Immortal Highlander by Karen Marie Moning

Beyond the Highland Mist by Karen Marie Moning

Best Highland/Scotland Romance Novels

111th out of 186 books — 325 voters

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(showing 1-30 of 804)

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May 18, 2010

Jennifer Armintrout rated it

Shelves: did-not-finish

First thing first: you either like Bertrice Small's writing, or you don't. If you have any distaste for historical romance, she is not the author for you. If you don't like sex scenes or long sequences of historical detail, she is not for you. And if you've read her other books and didn't like them, this is definitely not the book for you.

I love Bertrice Small. She was the first romance author I ever read, and I still read her to this day. At current count, there have only been ...more

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Jul 30, 2009

Eastofoz rated it

Recommends it for: Readers who like a lot of history droning and unrealistic eye-rolling language

Shelves: books-with-cooties, highlander

First thing’s first : this book is really bad, and I mean really bad. From the stupider than stupid language to the unfathomably annoying historical detail I was just about ready to pull out my hair in frustration once this bit of crap was over. The complete and utter joy I felt when I was finished, is indescribable ;)

I had high hopes for this read, for starters because it’s the legendary Bertrice Small and because the back blurb sounded like just the kind of story I’d like. Ye...moreFirst thing’s first : this book is really bad, and I mean really bad. From the stupider than stupid language to the unfathomably annoying historical detail I was just about ready to pull out my hair in frustration once this bit of crap was over. The complete and utter joy I felt when I was finished, is indescribable ;)

I had high hopes for this read, for starters because it’s the legendary Bertrice Small and because the back blurb sounded like just the kind of story I’d like. Yet another life lesson learned here: one should never assume anything (!) Here’s the story of Adair Randall, a pain in the butt to the core since she was a little girl. Then there’s the hero Conal Bruce. Bit of a heads up for those of you brave enough to read this, you have to wait ‘til nearly halfway through the book to meet him so sit back and consider popping on a wig before you lose all your hair early on ‘cause there’s lots of food for fodder here (!) Once you get past the first half the gist of the story is Laird Conal ends up buying Adair from a slave trader and they fall passionately in love –eventually, like around page 375 of 400! What were they doing for the rest of the time? Well they were retelling their story and how they got to where they were for the umpteenth time just in case the patient reader forgot. The rehashing in this story is unbelievable. No wonder it’s over 400 trade size pages. Adair ends up with two husbands before Conal and it’s so boring that you want to cry from the tedium of the story. We also get to hear ad nauseam how “the king sired her on her mother” because her husband couldn’t –basically the king had an itch for her and her mother’s dad decided to let him scratch it with the bonus that it might produce an heir for him. Adair wore this like shiny gold badge throughout the book –good on you sister is what you feel like saying after reading it so many times.

The plot (if you can manage to count them all) is everywhere and the writing is worse. You meet Adair as a 6 year old but she talks like an adult and says some of the most inane things. Six year olds don’t speak like that and trying to dupe the reader into believing otherwise is shoddy writing. Then there’s the excessive attention to historical minutiae –OMG like I give a rat’s a** about King Henry the whatever who’s friends with Prince James who later becomes King James the whatever but then he’s not because his cousin’s sister’s wife’s friend’s mother’s daughter Jilly is base born so he destroyed the village –this (if you can make any sense of it) has no bearing on anything at all in the story either. There is an endless reporting of historical facts that I felt like I was reading a history text book –and a bad one at that. In no way did any of this drivel advance the story, if anything it bogged it down to the point where you’ve forgotten where the h/h left off. This is not a historical romance. This is a story that takes place as history is unfolding, so for those of you who want to know about how King Richard liked to drink his wine, how Henry Tudor’s mother was too ambitious for her station or how James the I-don’t-remember-what-number of Scotland felt bad about killing his dad you’re in for a treat and a half. Pages and pages of this stuff. At first you’re like, “ok this is interesting I guess now what about the h/h”, but no! There’s more! And you get to read all about the battles and who’s leg got hacked off and where or who betrayed who –like I care!!! I’m reading a romance novel not “Key Moments in English History”! It’s as if the author was trying to impress with all her ‘knowledge’ –whether it was accurate or not I don’t know and again I didn’t care. It reminded me of those heart-breakingly boring history teachers that kill an otherwise good subject because they drone on and on about stuff that’s inconsequential. So, there’s the history element that I didn’t particularly ‘enjoy’.

Moving on to the language: good gawd the repetition! If I read one more time how Adair was “born on the wrong side of the blanket” or how after every single dead person somebody said “god assoil his good soul” I was going to start hitting my head against the wall. Enough! Get a thesaurus! Stop repeating yourself! What in the world is your editor being paid for?! I’m already not a fan of authors who do a lot back tracking/retelling in their book –you feel like saying, you know, I just read that so why are you telling me again (!). The word “filler” comes to mind here :-o Another thing about the writing is that when a scene changes there is no split between paragraphs, it just continues as if it’s part of the same scene, so here you have, oh let’s say King James the whatever talking about the battle of Who Cares, and in the next sentence you have the h/h saying how much they’d like to get it on --!! Editing!!!

As for the steam, it’s there but only really towards the end and though it’s moderately descriptive with some of that reader favourite stereotypical bad romance book lingo (manroot, sword, lover’s lance, rod of pleasure, honey pot, dripping sweet sheath --that was so gross), --why not just add his ‘wily wiener’, really, we’re on a roll with the stupidity let’s see how far we can go (!) There’s this one scene that just defies the idiotic when Conal tells Adair to go down on him and he says something like ”suckle my manroot Adair” –I think you could write a review on that line alone (!). Or there’s the “Oh hurry, hurry, my honey love! I am so hot for you tonight” –the vomit’s making its way up isn’t it? (**shudder shudder**) You might think ‘well it’s out of context so of course it sounds bad’ –believe me I am sparing you the ‘context’ so that those dry heaves back off (!) Oh yeah, can’t forget this one: there’s a way way out in left field menage scene –we’re talking a whack me upside the head with a 2x4 where did that come from kind?! Again it’s as if the author suddenly remembered she’s supposed to be writing a historical romance so she throws this in and you’ve got a wannabe orgy scene that is not only inappropriate but it’s the farthest thing from hot and sexy imaginable. It comes across as lewd. There’s also a lot of attempted rapes and gropings in the book –it’s like is that all they did? Adair gets pawed more than once by the pervy future King James. He grabs her boobs in public, tries to shove his hand up her crotch and his tongue in her mouth whenever he sees her, all that’s missing is the lascivious drooling old man look. Just ew. She tells him ‘stop’ but then proceeds to take his arm and merrily they walk into the crowd of people exchanging smiles –every single time!

No cootie shelfer book is complete without one of those “made up” problems that’s just about as bad as 368 misunderstandings. Adair wants Conal to say that he loves her but time and time again Conal, in a stellar example of abject male stupidity, says all flabbergasted: “I don’t know what love is”, cue the Homer Simpson ‘doh!’ bubble :-/ It gets so old. You feel like yelling at him “get a clue already Conal, ya dumb a** moron!”

This book is so bad on so many levels. The story jumps around like a kangaroo on crack, the writing is worse than a B-movie, and the time you waste trying to make heads or tails of it all will leave you with the proverbial ‘splitting headache’. Oh wait, the cover is very good because it actually looks like how the heroine is described. Remember however when you were small and your mom said not to judge a book by its cover, yeah, well mom must’ve been burned big time by this baby I tell ya!

Sooo, suffice it to say that this author will be not be appearing on my auto-buy list any time soon ;)(less)

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Jul 28, 2011

Lisa rated it

A great story- one I can defintely relate to, at least from Adair's point of view. A proud landowner(ess), orphaned at a young age, raised in a royal court, used as a pawn until finally she arrives at what is destined to become her forever home, with a man you at first wouldn't expect her to end up with, but as it goes along and the two fall deeper into love, you realize it all makes perfect sense!

Bravo, Ms. Small!

Encore, encore!

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Oct 30, 2011

Kesha rated it

· review of another edition

I like this book, in general. I had only 3 issues with this book. The first being it took over 200 pages before the male main character is introduced. The second problem is the history lesson, seriously this book should have been 150 pages shorter. I honestly skipped the retelling of the history. The third problem is that for this to be a historical romance it doesnt start off with a date. I get this in depth history lesson but I don't know when Adair or Conal were born.

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Aug 10, 2010

Rebecca Huston rated it

Shelves: historical-romance, england

Bertrice Small kicks off a new series, set in and around Scotland's Border country. This one takes place about 1500 or so, and as a historical romance, it's pure formula. As with most Small novels, there's over the top sex, instant lust, and yes, sex, along with characters who tend to be too good to be true. On the other hand, this is pretty much bubble-gum for the brain.

For a more complete review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/review/Book_A_Da...

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Sep 29, 2010

Kindaangelic rated it

· review of another edition

I would give this book 5.5 stars if possible. Loveddddd it and Adair was a perfect heroine. I cried..A LOT,I laughed and unbelievably I learned alot about Scottish/English history to boot! My only complaint would be the overly flowery words Ms Small uses for her sexual scenes. Manroot?? come on now...lol Great story and loved the action. I was so glad I had already gotten the next in the series from the library!!!

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Aug 04, 2011

D'Miria rated it

This was the first historical romance I have ever read. I though I would bored by the long descriptions but instead I was really captivated. However, I can't imagine recommending it to anyone else. Its one of those books you have to be in the mood to read because the beginning is extremely slow. Overall, I loved this book because of how real it made every moment feel.

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Jan 17, 2011

Vann rated it

Shelves: alpha-heroinne, boring, captive, head-strong-lady, kick-her-butt, multiple-marriage, medieval, romance, scottish, widowed, slave, adventure, bodice-ripper

this isn't romance book, but a historical one,, i cannot feel the depth of love or the bitter sweet of it,,
it's about a fast pact life journey of adair,, n i find it really boring.. full of repetition n mundane detail that has nothing to do with it story (like how to bake a medicine, how to bath a lord, explicit detail that we dont want to know)

im glad i could finish it,, finally..

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Jun 06, 2011

Carla rated it

· review of another edition

I love historial books and I love that Beatrice Small has made Adair such a strong woman. This was a very well written novel. Thanks to friends I am now introduced to a new author that I will continue to read.

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May 01, 2010

Rachel rated it

Picked this book up at Brooklyn Public after brunch today. I know it's the third book I'm currently reading, but how can I stay away from romance - especially since my last paper is almost done...

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Jun 25, 2009

Denise rated it

This was a book about the Scottish English border in the 1400's. It was a good read with lots or drama and twists and turns. I enjoyed it.

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Nov 17, 2010

Kimberly Rocha rated it

This is the first Bertrice Small book I read. I cried my eyes out. I loved it. What a strong female character!

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Jul 31, 2010

Brooke rated it

I read this series out of order by accident but this was the best of the three I've read! Much better storyline.

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Feb 28, 2011

KimKirt rated it

Shelves: romance-historical

"God assoil her good soul!" The most overused phrase in this book. It has been several months since I finished this book, but every time I think of someone who has passed I immediately think "God assoil his/her good soul." Yarg! It's like getting a commercial jingle stuck in your head (Spaceman Stu anyone?).

Anyway, I vacilated between 2 and 3 stars on this one, settle on 2. I enjoyed it until about 3/4 of the way through then I just wanted it to end already. Did...more

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Jun 28, 2011

Wendy rated it

I've always been a huge fan of Bertrice Small (The Kadin is one of my favorites). I just didn't have the connection with the characters in this book that I've had with others. I did like that some of the characters and happenings overlapped to the Kadin in the end. I also liked the different viewpoint on King Richard III.

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Jan 01, 2010

Erica rated it

it was good. it took awhile to get into it. but it was good.

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Jul 14, 2010

Tierra rated it

Way TOO much sex. Very graphic. I couldn't finish.

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Apr 21, 2008

Kimberly rated it

Shelves: historicalromance, myalltimefavorites

This is a good book although im getting a little sad for her she just lost her husband and i'm wondering what else could happen now.( a little later in the day) I have finished reading this book and i have to admitt Beatrice Small has donr it again I love this book. THe characters growed stronger through the whole book( even faced with all their trials) remarkable.

This book is a keeper and it gives me a week lesson. Always move forward no maatter what is going on i my life. I n...more

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Nov 06, 2011

Jennifer rated it

Shelves: romances

I enjoyed it. Great for a plane ride.

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Aug 08, 2011

Charissa rated it

Would have been 3 stars except for a few WTF moments.

like 1 like

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Nov 28, 2010

Joyce Vidal added it

I enjoy a good romance

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Apr 25, 2010

Tammy Jurkovski rated it

Ahhhh... as usual another satisfying historical romance from Bertrice Small.

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Jan 07, 2012

Jen rated it

Recommends it for: Mom

Shelves: historical-romance, england, scotland, 2012, bertrice-small

I really enjoyed this book. Although I had to suppress a few giggles every time I read the words “love sheath.” I had this on my TBR list because Karen Marie Moning said that Bertrice Small was an author she admired and read earlier in her life before she became an author. I enjoy reading a historical romance with great development of characters and the historical events around those characters.

· see review

Apr 07, 2011

Anne rated it

Shelves: scottish-romances

This was a pretty good read. I liked the setting and the story.

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Oct 11, 2011

Marianne rated it

One thought occurred to me - people died a lot & so easy in this book. A bit of a morbid love story - but still quite good once you get to the good part. This was my first book from Bertrice Small and I intend on reading the other 4 books in this series as well.

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Sep 27, 2011

Rachel rated it

Great love scenes and wonderful plot. I loved it and hope the next in the series is just as good.

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Apr 13, 2011

Tricia rated it

good book but reminded me of Rosmond book and skye Omally

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Jun 06, 2007

Susanne rated it

A great historical romance from a great author.
Ms. Small is simply one of the best in this genre.

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May 11, 2011

Clover rated it

Shelves: favorites, highland-romance

It was very well written and a happy ending. I am very satisfied.

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Jan 06, 2012

Lizzie rated it

Shelves: partially-read

I couldn't even finish this book. It was so stupid!

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About Bertrice Small

Born in Manhattan, Bertrice Small has lived on eastern Long Island for 33 years, and she loves it! She is a Sagittarian, married to a Pisces, with an Aries son. Her greatest passions are her family; Finnegan and Sylvester, the family cats; Nicki, the elderly cockatiel who whistles the NY Mets charge call; her garden; her work, and just life in general.

She is the author of 47 novels. 38...more

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A Dangerous Love (The Border Chronicles #1)

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