Those who know me ken the love I have for Scotland. More of my family ancestry is rooted in the history of that wild county than not so whenever I come across a story that takes place in Scotland, you can be sure that it will find its way to my shelves–or Audible library.
The Rose and The Thistle is intriguing, captivating, and enthralling. I found myself absorbed in the storytelling as Lady Blythe and Edverard navigated a Jacobite insurgence while staying true to their families and faith. Both are on opposing camps but I love that they discovered that at the end of it all, they both had a deep faith in God that would carry them through. Laura Frantz crafted a masterpiece of a book that weaved history, faith, and fiction beautifully together as she set me right in the middle of the borderlands of Scotland. I couldn’t get enough of her talent and I am sure I have found a new-to-me favorite author (I’ve never read one of her books just because of the length. I have been missing out.)
And Amy Scanlon made it all better.
Amy Scanlon offered a new level of enjoyment to this story that I have not yet experienced. Her shifting between proper English and thick Scottish brogue was a treat to my ears. Her slow timber when Edverard or one of the other men seeking to the pitchy tone of the youngest brother to the hurried words of the Scottish women brought me right into the room. And the way she read Lady Blythe with whistful and melodious. I really couldn’t get enough.
Now, I am off to buy a copy of The Rose and the Thistle in paperback.
About the Book
The Rose and the Thistle
Author: Laura Franze
Narrated: Amy Scanlon
Genre: Historical Romance/ Historical Fiction/Scotland & England
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In 1715, Lady Blythe Hedley’s father is declared an enemy of the British crown because of his Jacobite sympathies, forcing her to flee her home in northern England. Secreted to the tower of Wedderburn Castle in Scotland, Lady Blythe awaits who will ultimately be crowned king. But in a house with seven sons and numerous servants, her presence soon becomes known.
No sooner has Everard Hume lost his father, Lord Wedderburn, than Lady Hedley arrives with the clothes on her back and her mistress in tow. He has his own problems—a volatile brother with dangerous political leanings, an estate to manage, and a very young brother in need of comfort and direction in the wake of losing his father. It would be best for everyone if he could send this misfit heiress on her way as soon as possible.
Drawn into a whirlwind of intrigue, shifting alliances, and ambitions, Lady Blythe must be careful whom she trusts. Her fortune, her future, and her very life are at stake. Those who appear to be adversaries may turn out to be allies—and those who pretend friendship may be enemies.
About the Author
