Series:
Secrets of Clan Cameron (Book 1)
His past is forgotten…
Can his mysterious healer unlock his future?
When Royce wakes with no memories and suddenly blind, his
situation seems dire. The only thing he remembers is being attacked by shadowy
figures...but not the beautiful woman who came to his rescue. Now Iona
MacKenzie’s every touch drives Royce wild. But when news of a manhunt for him
reaches them, Royce must uncover his past if he has any chance of saving
himself—and the woman he’s falling for…
Good start to the series. The book opens with a prologue
as Royce pursues answers to the mystery of what happened to his little sister
twenty years earlier. He meets with two men who have promised him a meeting
with someone who knows, but the conditions change when he arrives. The next
thing he knows, his companion is dead, and Royce is knocked unconscious and
dumped into the water.
Iona is a healer on the island of Lismore. Scarred
physically and emotionally, she lives alone on the outskirts of the village
with her dog and the animals she rescues. While out late one night, she finds a
man who has washed up on the shore and takes him to her cottage to treat him. But
when he regains consciousness, he can't remember who he is, how he got there,
nor can he see.
It is hard for a leader and warrior to find himself so
helpless. Royce initially feels that he would be better off dead than being
such a burden to Iona. But Iona refuses to low him to feel sorry for himself,
and as he heals, she helps him adjust to his circumstances. I liked how she
challenged him by using his pride against him, forcing him to prove himself.
Iona keeps herself apart from people, certain that no one
wants to be around someone disfigured as she is. It is also a way to protect
her heart from the pain of more loss. But because Royce cannot see her, she
finds it much easier to be herself around him.
The relationship that forms between Iona and Royce is a
slow-growing one. The chemistry is there from the start, but they must learn to
trust before anything can come of it. I liked seeing that Royce's protective
streak is intact, although his blindness handicaps him. It was sweet to see his
kindness and how he tried to help her the best that he could. As his memories begin
to return, he realizes he doesn't like the man he suspects he used to be. His
time with Iona has changed him. Iona knows she is falling for Royce, but nothing
can come of it. He will eventually return to his home, while she is committed
to staying on Lismore as the island's healer.
There is danger in Royce's presence in Iona's cottage.
Those who left him to die want to be sure that he did, and there are several
close calls when they come searching. What is the secret that someone on the
island is hiding, and what does it have to do with Royce's quest? A partial
memory of a name sends Royce and Iona on a visit that leaves them with more
questions than answers.
When Royce regains sight and memory, both must decide
their future. Royce must return home and resume his duties as laird and wants
Iona to go with him. But Iona's fears prevent her from following her heart. My
heart broke for both as they faced a future without each other. I was rooting
for Iona to face her fears and take a chance. The ending was sweet and
emotional and everything I could hope for.
By the end of the book, some of Royce's questions have
been answered, but there are still many more. I look forward to the next book
to see how many are answered.
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