I have read all of Hannah Howell's stories and this is actually a reprint of one from 1996. The author is a master of the highlander and Scottish romance. She immerses the reader in the times and brings the characters alive with her prose. This story has a twist in that the heroine, Lady Sorcha Hay takes the hero, Sir Ruari Kerr captive to be ransomed, along with his cousin Beatham. You see, her brother Laird Dougal was taken by the English and she needs the money to get him back! But the best laid plans do not always work as expected and secrets abound. Intrigue, unwanted suitors and suspense bring this story full circle with the attraction between Sorcha and Ruari being explosive. But as the ransom money's are exchanged, Sorcha gets her brother back and Ruari leaves to go back to his family. Will her heart be lost? Will they ever come together or will fate keep them apart? This is a fast paced story with several storylines happening at the same time that will keep you glued to the pages until the very end!

This is a voluntary review of an advanced copy.

I loved Sorcha because she was such a strong woman and had to make many hard decisions when her brother is taken for ransom.

While some feel she slipped to0 easily into Ruari's bed, I look at her background and situation where there were not many available men. Sorcha realized that there had been no man that stirred her emotions and she felt that this was her only opportunity to experience passion. With no dowry or lands, she had zero chance of attracting a suitor, so she took what she could get.

Ruari was harder to like as he was so determined to get his money back and avenge this slight to his clan and really himself. I loved that Rosse was able to get Ruari to open his eyes and see what was right in front of him!

Ghosts are not my favorite but in this case, it really helped the story as Sorcha had a confidant and spy in the keep so she knew what was going on while held for ransom.

I enjoyed the book and the machinations that Sorcha, Neil, and Margaret went through to get to the men that they loved!

I loved this book, Sorcha and Ruari were perfect together and the back and forth ransoming was quite funny, with each trying to out maneuver the other. I was glad to see that they did get their Happily ever after and finding that the heart will always be right

My Lady Captor by Hannah Howell is the story of Lady Sorcha Hay and Sir Ruari Kerr.
This book was first released in the 90's but I am just now reading it after the re-release
Sorcha is just trying to get her brother back after he was taken and with no money or real connections she thinks to take a hostage to barter with for ransom. Ruari is has been hurt in battle to being taken by Sorcha wasn't that hard for her. But Ruari doesn't want to be her hostage even though she is everything that he dreamed about in a women. Fighting his feelings is becoming harder each day. Sorcha too is becoming attached to Ruari with each day she takes care of him but she has to help her brother...but can they find a mutual place to stand so they can be together?
Really enjoyed this story!

Sorcha and her family must raise funds to ransom back her brother and come upon Sir Ruari Kerr and cousin wounded on the battlefield. Thus commences Ruari and Sorcha's rocky journey to find love in the midst of Englishmen, ghosts and fellow clansmen. Read this book in print many years ago and really enjoyed re-visiting it in ebook. This author spins a tale of humor, interesting family and characters as well as a good love story.

Ebook from Netgalley and publishers with thanks. Opinions are entirely my own.

A re release of the book
Lady Sorcha Hay is devastated to learn that English soldiers are holding her young brother captive. Penniless, the only way she can pay for his freedom is by taking a hostage for ransom herself. Her captive--a wounded knight plucked from the battlefield--is furious to be imprisoned by a woman. But nothing will stop Sorcha from keeping Sir Ruari Kerr enslaved, even as the sight of his bronzed body sets her mind reeling and her senses afire. With her dark mane and soft curves, Sorcha is everything Ruari has ever desired in a woman. As she tends to his wounds, Ruari fights the intense attraction that ignites at her very touch.
A very good read but I thought it was familiar, when I looked at the author’s books I found it is a re release & was originally published twenty years ago. The story is well paced & the characters very well portrayed. However I found Ruari was portrayed as very much a hero of a 1990’s book & would have preferred that he & his actions had been updated. If you love the author’s books you’ll like this but have probably already read it
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read

Someway, somehow I missed this gem when it originally released in 1996 AND when it was re-issued in 2009 - This book is classic Hannah Howell and I am so glad I finally got to read it!

Lady Sorcha Hay finds Sir Ruari Kerr injured on the battlefield while she is searching for her brother Dougal. She learns from Ruari that Dougal was taken by the English and will be ransomed back. While she is talking to him, her cousin Margaret finds another survivor, who turns out to be Ruari's cousin Beatham.

Sorcha is dismayed, her clan has no coin to pay the ransom and her brother is Laird, they need him! So being the smart, resourceful girl she is, Sorcha hatches a plan, she will raise the ransom by holding Ruari and Beatham for ransom! She takes them back to her keep and hopes she can keep them from learning the secrets of the Hay clan. She tends Ruari's wounds and tells him that he is her prisoner, Ruari is beyond angry and vows revenge.

Once they are back at her keep, Sorcha waits for the ransom demand from the English and tries to ignore the attraction she feels towards Ruari all while attempting to keep him from learning that most of the Hay clan are women, that she has the power to see and speak to spirits, that her cousin Euphemia is transitioning into womanhood and all the trouble that comes with that for a Hay woman. Not to mention trying to keep her cousin Margaret and Beatham from forming an impossible attachment and thwarting Ruari's escape attempts.

Sorcha meets with the English and becomes the object of Sir Simon Treacher's unwanted attention, she manages to negotiate a ransom and hopes to never see Sir Simon again. She sends the ransom demand to the Kerrs and informs Ruari. Ruari is still angry, but he wants Sorcha with a desire stronger than any he has ever felt. He proposes that they become lovers, no promises, no commitments. At first Sorcha is opposed, but she is attracted to him and will probably never marry, so she agrees. They share three incredible nights together before his family comes for him. They part and words are exchanged. But as he rides away, Sorcha knows that he is taking her heart with him.

She gets her brother back and is again subjected to Sir Simon, the man is obsessed! They manage to evade him and make it back to their keep. Six months pass and it finally seems like he has given up, so when Dougal suggests they attend the market fair, she looks forward to the chance to get out of the keep, she is still nursing a broken heart, but is not nearly as dramatic about it as Margaret is. She convinces Margaret to attend and even with a warning of trouble given by Effie, they set out.

Trouble finds them almost as soon as they reach the fair, Ruari is there and when he sees her, he is ready to take his revenge.

This book is great, there is a lot going on, but it never seems busy and all the various characters and story lines all tie neatly together in the end. The love scenes are steamy, the dialogue is amusing, the villain is vile, the problems keeping them apart seem unsurmountable, the declaration scene is very sweet and the epilogue is completely delightful.

I have no idea how I missed this book years ago, but I am so delighted to have found it! I would highly recommend this book and will be looking to see if there are any other books I missed!

Book: My Lady Captor

Reviewed by: Barb Massabrook (of)
Tartan Book Reviews
Purple Tulip Book Reviews
Celtic Barb’s Tartan Book Review Blog

Overall Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️



Scottish Border-summer, 1388

Sorcha is searching the battlefield with her cousin Margaret for her brother Dougal. She can’t find her brother but finds two other Scottish soldiers. Ruari and Beetham Kerr. Ruari is near death and Beetham has a wound he would survive from. Neither is in any shape to fight off the grave robbers who will steal and murder. This way no one can inform the authority of their stealing from the dead and wounded.

Margaret finds out her brother was taken by the English and asking for a ransom. The problem is her clan has no money. Now the Kerr clan on the other hand is very wealthy. So she saves both their lives and then tells them she is holding them for ransom. Well only to get her brother back. Ruari is furious and plans on revenge but that is after he has his wicked way with the scottish beauty Sorcha!

There are also some fun paranormal elements in this read. It's a light hearted fun read. I enjoyed it very much from start to finish. I highly recommend My Lady Captor by Hannah Howell.




I received a complimentary ARC copy from Kensington publishers through netgalley. I voluntarily agreed to read, review and blog an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts, ideas and opinions are my own.





https://www.amazon.com/My-Lady-Captor-Hannah-Howell/dp/0821774301

To start with, please make it clear that this is a REPRINT. I don't understand when publishers act like this is a new book, saying it will be published on March 27th, 2018, when it was first published over 20 years ago! I don't know about you, but I personally tend not to like romances written in the 90s, given their tendency to have jerks for heroes. This was your typical bodice ripper of the times, and while I think Hannah Howell is a good writer, I would never have requested it had known it was an old book.

Secondly, the hero. What an ass. Literally, I couldn't continue reading after he blithely takes the heroine's virginity (at her request but still), has sex with her non-stop for days with no regard to getting her pregnant, and then treats her like crap when he leaves. He actually says he's going to teach her a lesson and have revenge. I'm with his cousin on this one - making her a whore in the eyes of society and then abandoning her was revenge enough. There was just no coming back from that in my eyes, and so I put the book down.

Ruari is laying on a battlefield wounded and decides to do an inventory of the woman who may be rescuing him? He may be dying, but he’s not dead. It kind of justifies Sorcha’s decision to hold him for ransom.

This is a great book as are all Hannah Howell books. Any one would enjoy the witty conversation between the hero and heroine, as well as, the way their romance develops while trying to not like each other.

ARC received for review

Reprint from 1996

I didn't read this when it first came out. The Hay's women are all a little different especially when they are entering womanhood. Sorcha and Ruari have amazing chemistry added to lots of drama and angst that make for a very enjoyable read.

I was given this ARC with the agreement that I would post a fair and honest review and so I shall. This is not the first book by Hannah Howell and I do really enjoy her writing style. This story has a cheeky difference. First there is a family of "special" women who persevere beyond all expectations and then there are the braw Scots warriors who will have to learn to adapt (and love). Really enjoyed this.

Ruari is a very cocky, confident man, “ye could don a nun’s garb and fair glow with the light of piety and innocence as ye intone poetic, heartrending words of denial, but it wouldnae change the fact that your passion matches mine.” Ruari is not a bashful man, "...I want you in my bed.”He briefly grinned. “Or me in yours. Or most anywhere else.” Ruari doesn't like interruptions, "...a loud rapping sounded at the door. “Go away,” he bellowed then grinned when Sorcha giggled." I liked this book, I loved Ruari

I enjoyed this story. It had a touch of lightheartedness to it the paranormal element was nice touch that didn't overwhelm the story but rather a pleasant accent/addition to the story for an added small twist to make it a little more unique amount medieval highlander novels. Sorcha was smart & resourceful as well as caring but not "perfect" which made for very likable character. While some of the males (ie: Rauri) were a bit stubborn about their wounded pride needing revenge, they were still felt realistic to the time period and not overly bull headed as to not be likable too. secondary romances and characters (particularly Aunt Neil) added and complimented the overall story.

A return to a favorite type of book for me from this writer! A keeper!!

Hannah at her finest. Great read. I loved it. Such a fierce woman and a compelling man.

Not quiet as good as her other historical romances and I have read them all. Is this the beginning of a new series? I can see potential but this book didn't meet my expectations

I really enjoy Hannah Howell as an author. She gives me the stories that I love and this historical romance didn't fall short. I loved the little mystical feature that was in this novel which isn't a common thing in the novels I have read.