At ten summers, Isabel Mackenzie was banished from her highland clan by her father, Laird Alex Mackenzie; then for eight years forced to assume a false identity as Lady Ella and endure a harsh existence under the guardianship of her aunt’s husband, the Baron of Greystone. With undeniable beauty and a generous heart, Ella learns to forgo any hope of reconciliation with her father and brothers.
For nine years Laird Gavin Macleod sought to rectify the devastation and poverty caused by his brutal sire. Despite his ruthless reputation, he is plagued by guilt for not protecting his family and clan during his father's reign. With the help of a neighboring clan, he brings peace and prosperity to the Macleods, along with the strength of being allied with the most powerful clan in Scotland.
When an English baron seeking reprisal kidnaps his nephew, Laird Macleod and his blackguard will stop at nothing to reclaim their kin. Yet, the moment the savage warriors arrive in England and come across Greystone’s ward, their strategy drastically changes. In hopes of exchanging the hellion for his nephew, the powerful laird gives her no choice but to return with him to the highlands of Scotland.
Captivated by her beauty and enthralled by her courageous spirit, Gavin battles his desire for Lady Ella until he discovers the futile sacrifice she’s determined to make for her family. Even at the risk of his clan, he is determined to keep Ella from her dire fate by forcing her to become his wife.
Yet, unbeknownst to Gavin, she is the youngest child and hated daughter of his greatest ally.
Why, oh why, do people publish books with so many errors?! I can understand the occasional mistake in sentence structure or something, but there is no excuse for misspellings, extra words, wrong tenses, etc. These are obvious, and EASILY corrected mistakes. Unfortunately (for me), I've been reading a lot of books like this lately and am becoming good at glossing over those obvious errors and correcting them in my head as I read. But it makes me sad when I see this time and again.
Anyway, done with rant. On to the book.
This was an excellent read! I really enjoyed it. I am apparently a sucker for a good highlander romance because I've loved nearly every one that I've read and this was no exception.
Ella is embodied with every virtue, which was a bit much, but I still liked her. The way, in her mind, that she would blame herself for things (often no matter the situation), gave her a vulnerability that humanized her for me. I loved her and Gavin as a couple. Gavin was an incredible hero - I loved his sweetness and protectiveness behind his rough exterior. My heart melted for him as he tried to get Ella to trust and open up to him.
There was a steady amount of action so that it was hard to put down - I had to keep saying to myself "just one more chapter and then I'll go to bed" - and that turned into one more chapter, and so on and so forth. I was completely drawn in.
The one thing that bothered me a tiny bit was
The ending was perfectly satisfying which was so nice for a change. Usually a book like this has this big final, dramatic confrontation (and then maybe an epilogue) and that's all she wrote. Dobsyn kept the story moving for a few more chapters after the final climax to make sure that everything was perfectly wrapped up. It was great to spend a little extra time with these characters after the drama was over and I got to revel with them in their happy ending for a little while before saying goodbye to them.
As a debut this was an excellent one - the writing was strong, the history accurate (as far as I can tell), and the plot entertaining and character driven. At times heart wrenching, and at others joyful and loving, I felt the emotions of the characters and rejoiced in their HEA.
There were so many things that made this one of the cheesiest books that I've ever read. I'll admit, I'm not a huge reader of historical romance so perhaps some of my gripes are due to the time period in which the book is written (although I don't think that's the case).
First, the female lead. Ella is perfect. Ella is loved and admired by all. She charms even the most gruff of men or the most savage of beast. Her talents know no end. Her hardships are hardly that at all. She is described as resembling a young boy in body and at one point gets whipped very badly, to the point of heavy scarring, yet the Laird of a Scottish clan finds her enticing beyond all others. In fact, everyone does. The book ends with her having a baby, but of course her body is back to it's perfect form two months later and everything is just dandy. Actually, the book ends with all of the good guys coming out on top and tragedy and death coming only for the bad guys. *eye roll* This does not jive with my idea of what life was actually like for people in this time.
Second, the book starts out with a glossary of Scottish terms in case you're confused by them (warning number one). Then the prologue starts, and the Scottish dialect was laid on so thick that I thought "are you kidding me?" You could barely understand what was being said and it felt forced, like the author was trying too hard to set-up her story. *eye roll* (warning number two, should have put the book down then).
Third, the lack of editing. It was beyond horrific! Incorrect words ("are" instead of "our"), missing words, words spelled wrong. What author doesn't proofread her work? Unacceptable. At one point, a sentence contained the incorrect spelling of the word "clan"! It was "clap" instead- seriously?? And the kicker was at the end, there were highlights and comments from the author's beta readers!! How was this not taken out of the final, uploaded copy of this book??? Pure laziness.
Two other things bothered me. One, I HATED when Gavin referred to Ella as "little one." Creepy! And could the author do no better than to give Isabel/Bella the undercover name of Bella? I know, it was explained at the end why that name was chosen, but are we seriously supposed to believe that no one put two-and-two together and figured out that the mysterious Ella is actually the MacKenzie daughter and that perhaps someone lied about her death? And I don't think the book could have been filled with any more pointless dialogue. It was obvious filler so that the book reached a certain length, which is why i skimmed most of it. I'm glad this was a free read because it was a complete waste of time.
What a wonderfully entertaining book! Author Aury Dobsyn has crafted one of the most engrossing, mood-elevating, “feel –good” romance novels that I have ever read. Definitely put it in the ‘must-read” category.
PLEAD FORGIVENESS details the adventures of a beautiful noblewoman, Ella, in the Scottish Highlands during the 13th century and takes many twists and turns, from vivid descriptions of Ella’s brutal treatment and virtual imprisonment at the hands of her villainous guardian, to her unexpected rescue by the handsome and fiery-tempered Laird Gavin Macleod with whom she falls in love against heavy odds, to learning the truth and deceptions of her past which threaten to shatter her life forever.
I have read my share of novels about romance between two highly attractive characters set in the Scottish Highlands but never one like this. The plot is uniquely fresh, highly imaginative and contains one fast-paced, action-packed scene after another, and more than a few that will tug at your heart strings. PLEAD FORGIVENESS is filled with strong, highly memorable characters, from the honorable and virtuous to the cruel and evil. There’s even a highly unlikely canine hero you won’t soon forget!
The major reason for the enormous appeal of this book is the magnetic, multi-dimensional character of Lady Ella. Besides her exceptional beauty, she is sweet-tempered and loving, utterly selfless and without pretense, but possesses unwavering courage, a steely determination, and a devotion to and fierce protectiveness of those who need her that are both touching and noble. At the same time Ella is a “healer” (the physician of those times) of exceptional ability, and possesses remarkable adeptness with bow and arrow and other weapons used by Scottish warriors. Finally, she has been trained by Monks in unconventional skills that will both surprise and delight the reader.
The author’s style is clear, crisp and compelling and combines meticulous research into the historical period presented, a sound grounding in English grammar that smoothly moves each chapter forward, with a vigorous creativity that holds the reader’s attention from the first page to the last. This is a book that is more than hard to put down.
One of the major strengths of PLEAD FORGIVENESS is a series of emotion-stirring scenes that occur throughout the book, especially the dramatic ones at its conclusion that will capture your attention and bring tears to your eyes. You’ll need a box of tissues to get through PLEAD FORGIVENESS, but the book is well worth it.
I was blown away by this book! Absolutely wonderful. I laughed and cried in equal measure. As to the reviews that complain about editing, I must have read the edited version, since I din't notice any typos, spelling, grammar, etc.
Although it was fast paced, the author did an amazing job with character descriptions....and not just main characters. The story line was intriguing and realistic. I was also impressed with how historically accurate this book was from beginning to end. The author obviously spent a fair amount of time researching medieval life, women's role, horse training, medicine just to name a few. I even googled a few things to be sure.
I really can't say enough about this book. I have been an avid romance reader for 20 years, and never have I been so caught up in a book. I never write reviews or google to find out things I learned about in the book, but with this one I did. When I learned that this is the author's first book, I was stunned by how well written it was, and that is did not have any holes.
The ending is a perfect example. I had no questions in the end, like I do with other books. I look forward to book 2 in the loyalty series, because if it is anything like this one, I will love it.
I don't know how to review this book. The actual story idea was great, at least four stars, and had so much potential. But, there were problems.
The editing and grammar issues were outrageous, especially after I read the author's bio and discovered she has a journalism degree. Really?! The lack of suffixes, incorrect word usage such as past for passed, bath instead of bathe, and the list goes, was too much to overlook. Did anyone read this before it was published?
Another glaring problem was Ella was so perfect they should have erected a statue in her honor, she was just that great. Everything from taming wild horses that others couldn't, to dragging an unconscious Highlander to safety there was just nothing she couldn't do. Even picking locks! And she's seemingly oblivious to excruciating pain.
At times the relationship between the members of the clan was confusing because they weren't explained clearly. I had to read some of the descriptions a couple of times to make sure I knew who was married to whom or if this person was related to that person through marriage.
I need to be honest so the next person might be more informed. Overall, I really liked the story but the telling of it was lacking. This could be classified as an adventurous fairy tale.
This is the second time I have read this book and I still love it. I still couldn't give it 5 stars because it still has some editing issues. The storyline is great even though at times it is hard to read the cruelty from this time period. I still wish this author had continued the storyline with some of the other characters from this book. So much potential there just waiting to be written.
I loved this book this story!! I want more!! I want to know what happens with Paen and the Fraser girl!!! When is your next book. Ahhhhhh I want it now !! Hahahaha
Plead Forgiveness is a must read! Although this book is 300+ pages, I read it in one sitting. I just couldn't put it down, and have actually read it twice. This medieval page turner is extremely well-written, but it was the intriguing, fast paced story line that kept me enthralled. I have read almost every notable historical (medieval) romance novel on the market for the past 30 years, but never have a read a story like this. Refreshing and original! Plead Forgiveness is much more than a romance between the hero and heroine, which is breath taking to say the least, but also includes such a deep family dynamic that is rarely added to romance novels. It was brilliant of the author to include this heart wrenching, but very beautiful aspect to her book. The author did an excellent job “gradually” describing all the characters. I have read many books where the charter description is so lengthy that it slows the book down. I much prefer learning about a character as get further into the book, rather than for multiple pages when they are introduced in the story. I think this is a main factor as to why the book flowed so smoothly and was not bogged down. There was action from beginning to end, along with interweaving character description. All the characters were life-like and easy to imagine. Gavin and Ella were two of the best matched H/h I have ever read in a romance novel. I found this book well-researched and historically factual, which is a must if I’m going to write a review. Actually, I was quite impressed with the author’s knowledge of this time period, more specifically the smaller details such as occupations, horse training, and highland clans. I absolute loved the subplots, which greatly added to the story line and character description. But what really makes this such an exceptional book is the ending. I hate abrupt endings, and this was the complete opposite. Not just thorough, but so powerfully moving that I cry each time I read it. Yes, I have read the ending more than a few times. If you enjoy reading Julie Garwood, Jude Deveraux and Judith McNaught, you will love Aury Dobsyn’s Plead Forgiveness.
I picked it up through the Kindle lender's library, knowing it was full of editing mistakes. And yes, it was. There were so many glowing reviews about the plot and characters I decided to overlook that. I'm so glad I did. However I did have three other issues with the book.
1. The heroine seemed too perfect. Like one of those happy, perky, never upset, bouncy women you just want to smack, but then feel guilty for not liking, because she really is a wonderfully kind, nice person and you just can't help but love her. She could ride better than anyone, was skilled with a bow. Hadn't let her abusers squash her spirit and stood up to people, defending those weaker. Just when I thought she was going to be human and do something stupid and run away - yea, a flaw - nope, she goes off and saves the day. But then, a flaw did appear.
2. Knowing her guardian/captor was a horrible, vile man, capable of great cruelty and had no honor, she believed everything he said. She took him at his word, never once thinking that he was lying to her, which he did every all the time to keep her in line. Her aunt didn't believe him, but didn't counter that with hope. Even when faced with the truth, she still believed her captor and needed convincing.
3. I get that they're newlyweds in love, but the 4+ sex scenes did not need to be described in graphic detail. I quit counting there were so many. The first one was the only needed one because it was vital to the plot. The others, no. The only saving grace was that they waited 'til they were married. Because it was married sex, it just slowed things down. "We interrupt this story so they can have another go at each other."
Over all, I've enjoyed this book more than any other perfectly edited, clean romance I've read in a while. I was surprised, too. I loved the storyline and couldn't put it down. This is one I want to read again.
Great story! Strong characters! Great writing! I would definitely buy each one. This book is a page turner. You will hate to put it down. Just one more chapter-one more page.
I loved reading the developing relationship between Ella and Gavin and his family and clan. Being a dogs person, I especially enjoyed the subplot with Ella and Arth, the wolfdog.
I have read many novels with very abrupt endings. In contrast, this story has a wonderfully long ending, which brings together both families.
I hope there is a sequel- or better yet, a series. I have been reading historical romance novels for over 40 years, and during that time had many favorite authors whose books I buy as soon as they come out. I think I have found my new favorite author.
Absolutely wonderful story. However, it really needed better editing. Had the story been less enthralling I would probably have given up on finishing the story. I read for the enjoyment and to lose myself IN the story. This story was "verra" enjoyable and I could see the story playing out in my minds eye. Typos aside, I laughed, I felt anger and felt my eyes fill up more than once. This story is worth the time you invest ... grumble at the atrocious editing but continue to the wonderfully wrapped up ending.
I read this book in two sittings. I loved the story especially the first two thirds. Due to my age (I think), I was bored with the romance part and mostly skipped over those. Used to like those parts when I was younger. I probably would have cut out about 50 pages when it began to get too predictable . Yes, I noticed the spelling errors I.e. Your for you're but See that so often on the Internet that it doesn't phase me much any more. I would definitely fire the editor though I would definitely try another book by this author.
I am a huge fan of the Scots romance and Julie Garwood. This book rates on the same level as JG's historicals (WHICH IS PHENOMINAL). Just a great story with fabulous characters that made me laugh and cry. Plead Forgiveness is definitely on my keeper shelf and I can't wait to read more books from Aury Dobsyn.
Absolutely loved this book! It is a wonderfully heart-wrenching love story that captivated me from the very beginning and kept me up into the late hours of the night because I did not want to put it down. I fell in love with the characters right off and cried many times thought the story at the difficulties that were faced. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical romances!
what a brilliant read had me in tears throughout the book has suspense with a great storyline if you love historical fiction your going to love this book. totally enjoyed it could not put it down and bella has you on the edge of your seat brave courageous woman that stops at nothing to fight what she believes in
Me and my puffy eyes would not hesitate in recommending reading this
Okay, in all honestly, this is the fourth time I read this book. I am an admitted complete cynic when it comes to romance novels, but this author touched my cynical heart, sometimes bringing tears to my eyes with the raw emotion, words of love and forever, and finding the impossible find, a soulmate! I really, really liked it!!! 😊
The storyline wasn't bad but overall it wasn't a good first impression. It had so many grammatical and sentence structure errors I am not sure I have the patience to read another book... I am just glad I didn't pay for it but borrowed it from Amazon instead.
Plead Forgiveness (Loyalty, #1) If you want to read a book where the writer completely destroyed English language, then this is the book for you. Spelling and grammar mistakes were atrocious. I, for one, do not recommend it.
I didn't like the start of the book but I'm glad I stuck with it because I ended up really enjoying the book. There isn't much action in the book but the author made the mundane really interesting.