Allura
Author: Christine Young
Publisher: Awe-struck E-BooksRelease Date: May 2009
Blue Ribbon Rating: 5

Eddington, Scotland 1815
Allura McClellan is horrified by her father’s decision to take out an ad in the Times awarding her to the man strong enough and smart enough to win her hand and uncover her secrets. She’s an intelligent young woman who takes great delight in the freedom allotted to her by her father. She’s well aware that marriage would effectively curtail the adventures she’s shared with her sisters and cousins.
Hunter Gray is nothing like the other men who’ve arrived to vie for Allura’s hand in marriage and everything that goes along with it. However, he is the first to refuse to concede defeat and pursue her despite her attempts to disguise her true appearance. It’s her temperament that is of more concern to him than her looks. Hunter has worked all his life with the hope of someday owning his own land. Now that it looks like there’s a very real possibility that everything he’s ever wanted is within reach nothing is going to deter him – including Miss Allura’s disagreeable disposition.

Allura is not at all happy with her father’s dictates and decision to marry her off to the man who can uncover her secrets and prove himself worthy of possessing his land, her hand and the title Laird. What she finds most disturbing is the intensity with which Hunter pursues his goal and goes about ensuring her safety – even from herself. He’s making it impossible for her to pursue her own pleasures and any adventures to the island the girls all love could result in him discovering the secret, thus he’d win her hand in marriage. Despite Allura’s discontent with Hunter’s constant presence she’s attracted to him and soon discovers that his kisses are addicting and while she longs for the freedom she treasures there’s a certain amount of pleasure in knowing he truly cares for her wellbeing. That doesn’t make her any happier about being ‘forced’ into marriage and there’s the little issue that Hunter is rigid and refuses to allow any woman any leeway with him. As if that isn’t enough one of the previous ‘suitors’ has returned and Guy makes Allura’s skin crawl and oozes an evilness that Hunter has dealt with for most of his life.

Christine Young’s ALLURA is a delightful historical novel full of suspense, lovable characters, humor and a budding romance between two characters determined not to fall in love. Allura and Hunter’s stubborn, determined natures allowed for some interesting scenes as they attempted to get one up on each other. As a modern day woman I felt bad for Allura because technically her husband would dictate every aspect of her life and the freedom she loves would be a thing of the past. Hunter is unbending as far as to how he believes a wife should behave but falling in love changes him and his perception of Allura. Hunter and Allura are the main focus of this story but there are secondary characters whom I absolutely adored and would love to revisit in future novels (hint, hint). Especially the youngest sister Aiden and Hunter’s trusted friend Blade. He doesn’t believe in love and she’s determined to do whatever’s necessary to get him to notice her.


By Romance Junkies Reviewer: Chrissy Dionne
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