#AudioBookReview – “A Hundred Breaths” by Jean M. Grant and narrated by Rosalind Ashford

Blurb


1263, Scotland

Simon MacCoinneach’s vengeance runs deep. The blade is the only way to end the blood-thirsty Nordmen’s reign upon Scottish soil. His soul might be lost, but the mystical Healer he kidnaps from the isles could be the answer for his ailing mother…and his heart.

Isles-born Gwyn reluctantly agrees to a marriage alliance with this heathen Scot in return for the sanctuary of her younger brother from her abusive Norse father. Her brother’s condition is beyond the scope of her Ancient power, for larger healings steal breaths of life from her own body.

As Simon and Gwyn fight to outwit her madman father and a resentful Norse betrothed, Gwyn softens Simon’s heart with each merciful touch. Gwyn’s Seer sister foresees a bloody battle—and an end to the Nordmen—but Simon will also die. Will Gwyn save Simon on the battlefield even if it means losing her last breath?

Review

Scottish warrior Simon MacCoinneach goes with his father, brother, and their men to the Isles to trade with a clan of Nordmen, but the time for peace is over. His brother dies in the ensuing battle, and Simon is injured. The last thing he expected is a beautiful, guileless woman to offer him help, but he doesn’t trust easily.

Gwyn possesses magical abilities as a healer, and she helps anyone who needs it. Her father is a vicious man who has terrorized her community and subjected her family to much pain. After she heals Simon, he kidnaps her in order to force her father into peace.

Gwyn and Simon were interesting characters. She was kind, selfless, and determined to save her younger brother, but her desire to save everyone, even murderers and rapists, was aggravating. I couldn’t connect with Simon. He was bitter and war-hungry, especially in the beginning. After his back-story was revealed and he started to feel guilty about his actions, I finally understood him and began to like him.

I listened to the audio version. The narrator, Ms. Ashford, did a great job with the Scottish and Norse accents. Granted, I’m not sure what Vikings would’ve sounded like back in the day, but I liked her voices for them.

This is a fast-paced story that kept my attention, but the pacing slowed at times since the H/h kept arguing about the same things. Repetition tends to happen, however, when you have two stubborn characters that won’t agree or relent to the other’s will. I prefer this rather than having a wimpy heroine that kowtows to a man. Gwyn was definitely not weak!

I enjoyed all the references to book 1, A Hundred Kisses. The epilogue was the perfect ending for this story and a great preview for the last book in the trilogy.

This book is the prequel to A Hundred Kisses and should be read or listened to first, even though both books are standalones. I listened to Kisses first by mistake, so I learned some spoilers about the prequel. In my opinion, the main characters from one romance book should still be alive and in love in the following book. Killing off the hero or heroine is a big no-no for me, and it completely ruins the HEA. That’s just a pep peeve of mine. While Simon and Gwyn have a HEA at the end of their story, their life together is cut short long before the next book begins.

Anyway, I enjoyed this story a lot, but I wish Simon and Gwyn would’ve had decades together, not just 13 years.

4 Stars