The Falcon's Bride
Dawn Thompson
ISBN# 0505526794
Love Spell, September 2006, 320 pp
Historical-Paranormal
$6.99 (US) $9.99 (CDN)
Reviewed by Marilyn Rondeau
July 2006
Based on this new novel and following on the heels of her two previously successful releases of the THE RAVENCLIFF BRIDE and THE WATERLORD, Dawn Thompson is proving not only has she arrived, but is a force to be reckoned with.
Setting her latest novel in 1811, we are introduced to Thea Barrington come to Ireland to wed Nigel Cosgrove, the second son of an Earl. Thea is not in love, but the large financial settlement that will shore up her family's dwindling coffers will overlook rumors of his unsavory behavior. An unusual storm on the night of her arrival brings with it an old gypsy woman whispering a garbled warning in Thea's ear. Disconcerted by the forewarning and then by the tales of ghostly spirits haunting the castle, Thea is shaken when she sees the ghost of Ros Drumcondra that night.
The next day as Nigel is reprimanding Thea's behavior and attempting to force himself upon her he is viciously attacked by a falcon who saves Thea from further harm. While Nigel is recuperating from his injuries Thea cajoles her brother James into taking her to a nearby pagan landmark where she enters a time warp and is transported back to 1695. There she is rescued, then imprisoned by the very real and very much alive Ros Drumcondra.
From the moment he sees her Drumcondra feels bewitched by the force of his attraction, but the Gypsy warlord thinks only of ransoming her back to her betrothed to get back his castle until he realized that the most important prize was Thea herself. Thea was afraid to tell Drumcondra she was from the future, but when his mother scrys the future showing Thea his death, only then does she realize that she has been brought back to the past to save him for a future with her.
This was an absolutely spellbinding effort by Ms. Thompson. She held me breathless with excitement as the falcon Isor led this dynamic couple back and forth through the portals of time chasing their destiny to find the one place that they could be together to live and love in safety. With each journey layers would be peeled back revealing motivations, and mysterious secrets from the past. The romance and love story was drawn beautifully then enhanced with the skillfully sensual brushstrokes of a master wordsmith. Brilliant writing, a fabulously buff hero, an enigmatic falcon, and delectable elements combining gypsy lore and fantasy time travel combine together to make this one riveting and unforgettable read! I highly recommend this book.