by: Vickie McDonough

Dancing Word Reviewer

 

Title: Maire (The Fires of Gleannmara, Book 1)

Author: Linda Windsor

Publisher: Multnomah

ISBN: 1-576-73625-3

Genre: Inspirational/Romantic/Suspense

 

After the untimely death of her parents, the King and Queen of Gleannmara, Maire, their only child, was whisked away to a safe place. She has spent all of her young life learning to rule her people and serve their gods. Now the warrior queen has come of age and is returning to Gleannmara to claim her throne.

 

The evil druid, Morlach, bled her land dry and starved her people in her absence. He claims it is his right to marry her upon her return and has already planned the wedding. But Maire prefers death rather than marriage to the ancient druid.

 

In the height of battle with an enemy king, Marie seizes her advantage and takes him hostage. Rather than kill the handsome ruler, she sees him as the answer to her dilemma - marry her hostage and thwart the evil druid's plan.

 

Although a battle-hardened soldier, Rowan of Emrys now pledges his allegiance and his sword to his God. As a child, Rowan was sold into slavery by his own brother. But the man who bought Rowan loved him and raised him as his own son and heir to all the man owned, instead of as a slave.

In an effort to protect and defend his adopted father's land and people, Rowan engages in battle with a pagan warrior queen. Though the beautiful queen holds her own against him, Rowan knows he could overpower her. Rather than kill her, and for the sake of peace, Rowan concedes to her and agrees to become her hostage and husband.

 

Though Rowan believes in the one true God, he has struggled many years to forgive his brother. Will returning to Gleannmara, Queen Maire's land and the land of Rowan's birth, reunite him with his birth family? What will he do when he finally stands face-to-face with his brother?

 

Maire grapples with her feeling for the man she has married. Though he has the body of a warrior and the scars to match, her new husband wants only peace for their lands. Maire questions a God who would make such a fine warrior into a coward. And yet she can't deny that Rowan's God protects him and guides him.

 

Through Rowan's teaching and gentle nudges, Maire's heart is turned toward his God. Yet she struggles with how an unseen god can win out over the dark power of the evil druid, Morlach.