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The Journey Home
At the dawn of a new century, a new generation of MacLeods has one last chance to heal the tragic legacy of war and hidden desires that tore their great family apart.
448 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 2000
About the author
Fiona Hood-Stewart
70 books16 followersBorn in Scotland and brought up internationally, Fiona went to boarding school in Switzerland followed by university in several European venues. Europe was the playground for Fiona and her aristocratic peers before she married and moved to South America where she ran her own design business, before turning to fashion, creating her own label and owning several boutiques in Brazil and the US.
However, like the characters in her novels, Fiona has always been mystically drawn back to Scotland, and makes no secret of the fact that her family home served as the inspiration for Dunbar in The Journey Home. Indeed, she is well acquainted with all the locales that are visited in all her novels which are infused with the pattern of the author's own life experiences, giving them a truly authentic feel. As she speaks seven languages fluently, Fiona has a unique insight and exposure into customs and lifestyles that most of us don't get when visiting foreign countries.
At Present
At present Fiona Hood-Stewart lives in Europe and on her stud ranch in Brazil with her two sons. She travels frequently, regularly visits Paris, London and New York, and can often be seen at the races in Deauville or at Royal Ascot.
On Writing. . .
Fiona credits her mother with putting her on the path to becoming a writer. "Mummy always read aloud to me as a child. She didn't approve of television and I spent many hours with my nose in a book. As a child I read everything I could get my hands on."
However, like the characters in her novels, Fiona has always been mystically drawn back to Scotland, and makes no secret of the fact that her family home served as the inspiration for Dunbar in The Journey Home. Indeed, she is well acquainted with all the locales that are visited in all her novels which are infused with the pattern of the author's own life experiences, giving them a truly authentic feel. As she speaks seven languages fluently, Fiona has a unique insight and exposure into customs and lifestyles that most of us don't get when visiting foreign countries.
At Present
At present Fiona Hood-Stewart lives in Europe and on her stud ranch in Brazil with her two sons. She travels frequently, regularly visits Paris, London and New York, and can often be seen at the races in Deauville or at Royal Ascot.
On Writing. . .
Fiona credits her mother with putting her on the path to becoming a writer. "Mummy always read aloud to me as a child. She didn't approve of television and I spent many hours with my nose in a book. As a child I read everything I could get my hands on."
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 23, 2012
The author's love of Scotland is obvious in this novel. The imagery and ambience of the area is beautifully and skilfully presented. As appears to be traditional in contemporary romance, the male protagonist is American, wealthy and gorgeous, the female artistic, gorgeous, and in the throes of grief - in this case, her mother has just died. There is always a female antagonist and Serena, India's half-sister is set in position to strike like a snake.
For me, Serena was a charactiture - surely no well born woman could be that rude? Well, maybe, but it felt overdone. Her switch in personality should have screamed doubt in India's mind but doesn't. A lifetime to vicious behaviour doesn't change over night, so for me, Serena's machinations behind a veil of friendliness should have screamed danger for India.
At first I liked India and was sympathetic to her dilemma - sell Dunbar - but later, I wanted to slap her for her blind-sidedness and a complete about face where she turns on Jack Buchanan, despite the warning of an old family friend. I felt the author could have handled this section better - but of course in romance novels, the heroine has to reject the hero to the point of adject misery so that the ending can satisfy the reader.
I didn't work out who the murderer was so that was a nice surprise.
Fiona Hood-Stewart's writing is beautiful and the story well crafted overall.
For me, Serena was a charactiture - surely no well born woman could be that rude? Well, maybe, but it felt overdone. Her switch in personality should have screamed doubt in India's mind but doesn't. A lifetime to vicious behaviour doesn't change over night, so for me, Serena's machinations behind a veil of friendliness should have screamed danger for India.
At first I liked India and was sympathetic to her dilemma - sell Dunbar - but later, I wanted to slap her for her blind-sidedness and a complete about face where she turns on Jack Buchanan, despite the warning of an old family friend. I felt the author could have handled this section better - but of course in romance novels, the heroine has to reject the hero to the point of adject misery so that the ending can satisfy the reader.
I didn't work out who the murderer was so that was a nice surprise.
Fiona Hood-Stewart's writing is beautiful and the story well crafted overall.
August 4, 2008
I didn't like this book. I only read it because I found it in my bookshelf clearing out books.
Main characters are India & Jack who of course, fall in love & between misunderstandings & lies they feel they are doing the other a favor they break it off but it doesn't take a rocket science to know they will be back together before the story ends.
The story takes place in a family estate where 250 years ago a murder took place. Present: another murder takes place though it's not realized until sometime later that it's a murder & not a "natural death".
This story is basically a no brainer & I figured out "who did it" well before the story ended.
The last page was really over the top & why the editor never edited it out was beyond me, when they heard a whistling & a horse galloping away, I mean come on how ridiculous is that?
Main characters are India & Jack who of course, fall in love & between misunderstandings & lies they feel they are doing the other a favor they break it off but it doesn't take a rocket science to know they will be back together before the story ends.
The story takes place in a family estate where 250 years ago a murder took place. Present: another murder takes place though it's not realized until sometime later that it's a murder & not a "natural death".
This story is basically a no brainer & I figured out "who did it" well before the story ended.
The last page was really over the top & why the editor never edited it out was beyond me, when they heard a whistling & a horse galloping away, I mean come on how ridiculous is that?
May 24, 2010
I found it on our library shelf and thought its thickness was a challenge so I read it. I thought it was drama really- luckily it isn't else I could have thrown it away after reading the first chapter.
It's about an old story of royalty, fighting bravely in battle and the hidden conspiracy of own family members. It's about a mansion whose real inheritor is unknown due to legal rights and bloodline rights. It's really good and could not have asked for a better ending. But I must say the constant bickering of the lovers and their immaturity and their lack of trust is really head aching -.-
It's about an old story of royalty, fighting bravely in battle and the hidden conspiracy of own family members. It's about a mansion whose real inheritor is unknown due to legal rights and bloodline rights. It's really good and could not have asked for a better ending. But I must say the constant bickering of the lovers and their immaturity and their lack of trust is really head aching -.-
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews