Silver Flame by Hannah Howell
2-1/2*

Sine Catriona ("Sheena Katreena") Brodie was cursed with a murderous mother. At the age of 12, Sine discovered that it was her mother, Arabel, who killed her father and his new love, and she overheard plans that Sine and her 3yo stepbrothers would be next. Sine, along with her young brothers, escaped into the night and survived in the woods until they came across a 22yo man, Farthing Magnusson, at his fire. They begged him for food and the use of his fire for the night. After he heard Sine's story, he agreed to take them on and provide protection for them. He became like a brother or father figure to the three children, and for the next six years, he raised them to be survivors, using his skill as a conjurer to attract an audience's attention, while the remaining three wandered through the crowd plying their trade as pickpockets.

This worked well for them until they came across Gamel Logan, who was immediately drawn to Sine Catriona and wanted her, even though he incorrectly assumed she was already married to Farthing. He caught them in the act of stealing from a crowd at a fair, and used this knowledge to coerce them into allowing Gamel to have one night with Sine. Of course, that wasn't enough time, and he insinuated himself into their lives and into Sine's heart. His offer of his family's resources and men to help deal with Sine's malevolent mother and restore Sine's inheritance, as well as his protection of the boys, encourages Sine to agree to marry him. It takes a lot of back-and-forth and real moments of dire circumstances brought on by encounters with Sine's mother, to finally bring the two of them together with complete honesty.

There wasn't anything terrible about this book. The reason I gave it a lower rating was that the plot just felt overused. I knew from the very beginning of the book how it was going to play out, no surprises, and I was reading just waiting for it to end. ( )

This book as all the stereotypical pieces to an historical romance... knights, bastards, beautiful women who have been wronged, rivals, etc. I liked the character of Sine Catriona who has had to make her way in the world protecting herself and her half brothers. She has learned some amazing skills as a pickpocket but finds herself in a bad situation when she is caught red handed by the man who cannot seem to get enough of her.

The beginning part of this book was interesting and kept me going. However, it could have ended 100 pages sooner and i would have been just as happy. The last 100 pages were about her challenging her mother and fighting for what she inherited from her deceased father. It was repetitive, slow moving and not very believable. ( )

Emphasis on the Lords and Ladies in Scottish castles and (not emphasis on Scottish "clans'). Children that run for their dear lives and a man that teaches them how to survive. Obsession over a woman that a man would dare to attempt to take her from her own (husband?). Two men (one a knight) (one an heir) that fight over a woman. Another man willing to trade allegiance for the right and for the love of another woman. The Protectors and the Protected. Stolen property and stolen wealth.

There is adventure, romance and action. Some humor. Fulfills a woman's dream to be obsessed over and to be loved.

Gave the book 4 stars because even with the romance, there appeared to be a repetition of intimate acts; pretty much the same mannerisms described over and over again. The author is respectful but does not leave very much to the imagination in other words, ("I get it already"). ( )