REBECCA'S REVIEW:
"Tonight, the terror I have been dreading for decades has become all too real."
Alerted by the sound of intruders during the dark of night, Tess Hale is deeply disturbed when her father frantically pleads with her to flee. Taking only a few possessions, a small sum of money and cryptic instructions she climbs down an outer wall, and escapes with only her knives and a trusty canine as protection. Meandering her way towards their small island cottage, Tess has no indication that she has been followed until former spy and rising clan chieftain Jamie Malcolm makes his presence known.
Jamie Malcolm has no desire to cause bodily harm to the lovely young woman whom he has pursued. Apparently she has no idea why her home was raided or her father's life threatened, but Jamie knows full well that Tess holds the key to the future of his clan. It's complicated, it has been complicated for years and now he needs to gain the trust of the one person whose birth set all of the present circumstances into motion. He needs a plan, or perhaps a wager? With a vast treasure on the line, there are bound to be more villains than heroes.
This adventurous romance starts off quickly and maintains a steady speed throughout all the ups and downs of escape and pursuit, coming full circle, back to where it all began. In spite of Jaime's determined self-control, he and Tess become united for life, citing reasons of self-preservation, and while he thought it was to protect her, in the end it is Tess who protects him. An endearing, faith filled love story that gathers everyone in the series together for quite a grand finale!
*I was under no obligation to provide a positive review. 3.75 stars
Tess Hale has always been taught to fend for herself, but she never needed to until the night bounty hunters come knocking. It's 1813 in Great Britain, and Tess's best laid plans crumble when her father sends her alone in the dead of night to an island cottage to escape them. She finds herself in a world of warring clans she didn't know existed.
After a decade as a spy separated from his clan, Jamie Malcom has a duty to fulfill as next in line as chief-but his absence means he must earn his people's loyalty. He pursues a treasure stolen from his clan long ago, and it leads him straight to Tess.
As Tess grapples with her past, Jamie vows to protect her future—but lies revealed shatter the trust they had been building. For purposes beyond themselves, they are thrust into a marriage neither of them wanted . . . at first.
In the finale to the Best Laid Plans series, Grace Hitchcock invites readers to the sweeping Highlands and beautiful Scottish Isles with a romance guaranteed to delight.
