Flowers under Ice

Newly arrived home from the Napoleonic Wars in search of adventure, Dominic Wyndham finds more than he bargained for when he agrees to help a stunning Highlander woman, in exchange for a dalliance in the seven deadly sins--one for each day of a seven-day journey. Original.

Set during the terrible land clearances in the 19th-century Scottish Highlands, this darkly passionate historical takes place as Scots are burned out of ancestral homes and deported to Canada so that their land can be turned into profitable sheep enclosures by the English. Catriona MacMorrin, desperate to keep her clan together, convinces war hero and spy Dominic Wyndham to help her find the boy who could be the clan chieftain's heir by fabricating a tale concerning his late wife's baby. There's a rival claimant, however, bent on undermining their efforts and backed by ruthless, powerful forces. Dominic (a secondary character in Ewing's Illusion) is a complex hero, a handsome, dissolute libertine who is beset by demons. Intrigued by Catriona's single-mindedness and fresh beauty, he attempts to seduce her; proud and defiant, Catriona proves his match. Mutual antagonismAcomplicated by conflicting notions of honor, truth and dutyAturns to fierce passion and, ultimately, deep love. Not a mere historical bodice-ripper, this tale will surprise readers with its intelligent plot and complex themes.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Catriona Sinclair has come to London to find Dominic Wyndham to tell him that his wife has died, and that she is survived by a son. Dominic knows that the child is not his, yet he agrees to accompany the beautiful and mysterious Miss Sinclair up to Scotland to claim the child. When their carriage is attacked on the road, they realize that someone else is very interested in the boy, and in seeing them dead. Ewing has written another winner, an extremely sensual Regency-period historical. The plot is full of dangerous adventure; the writing is lush and descriptive, and the heroine and hero are well-crafted characters, who, while larger than life, seem to walk right off the page. Ewing's latest should appeal to readers of Jo Beverly and Mary Jo Putney. Ann Bouricius

Shocked to learn that his fugitive wife is dead and has left a son in Scotland, jaded, thrill-seeking libertine Dominic Wyndham agrees to go with highlander Catriona Sinclair to claim the boy on one conditionAthat they explore, in depth, each of the seven deadly sins on the week-long journey north. Although somewhat contrived, the premise is unusual, and it effectively places a determined heroine with an ulterior motive and a hero who can't resist a dare in a tantalizing, provocative situation as they work to unravel the mysteries and deceptions that are part of this sensual, intricately plotted, exceptionally well-written tale. Linked to her earlier Illusion, this story will appeal to readers who enjoy Scottish settings, a complicated, not always predictable storyline, lively dialog, and appealing, memorable characters. Ewing, a former Regency writer and a Rita winner, lives in Ridgway, CO.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.