The Renegade's Heart: The True Love Brides 1 (True Love Brides, #1)

by Claire Delacroix

Released from the captivity of the Fae, Murdoch Seton wants nothing more than to forget his lost years. Undertaking a quest to recover treasure stolen from his family seems the perfect solution-but Murdoch is not counting upon a curious maiden who holds both the secret to the theft and his sole redemption.



Isabella is outraged to find her brother's keep besieged by a renegade knight-especially one who is too handsome for his own good or hers. After a single encounter, she becomes convinced that his cause is just and decides to unveil the true thief, never imagining that their single shared kiss has launched a battle for Murdoch's very soul.



As the treacherous Fae move to claim Murdoch forever, Isabella seeks to heal the knight who has stolen her heart. But will Murdoch allow her to take a risk and endanger herself? Or will he sacrifice himself to ensure Isabella's future?

• ISBN10: 0987839934
• ISBN13: 9780987839930
• Publish Date: 1 July 2012
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Deborah A. Cooke
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 280
• Language: English

Reviews

[kimbacaffeinate]

Delacroix creates these wonderful stories against the backdrop of a medieval keep and I have enjoyed them immensely. In Renegade’s Heart we meet, Murdoch Seton. He is on a quest to recover treasure that were stolen from his family’s keep…but there is more to his story. Ensnared by the Fae Queen he must find a way to break her hold.

His quest brings him to Kinfairlie where he confronts Lord Alexander about a stolen chalice. While he believes Alex may be innocent, his instinct tells him that Alex is hiding something. On his way to face Alex, he meets Isabella Lammergeier, Alex's sister, and almost immediately I could feel the intense attraction between them. His first thought is to use this fair maiden to gain answers, but a heated kiss and her feisty personality soon have him yearning for more.

The Renegade’s Heart was delightful as it weaved several threads together. We have Murdoch’s quest to recover his family's treasure and save their home. Then we have his issues with Alex believing him a thief and the budding romance that develops with Isabella. The most exciting and intense aspect of the story for me dealt with the Fae Queen. Interaction with the Fae had me holding my breath and a scene in the woods gave me the chills. I love supernatural creatures but the only one I truly fear are the Fae. The author only reaffirmed those fears.

Isabella was a wonderful heroine. She can be outspoken at times and I loved how she stood up to Murdoch, Alex and the Fae. We get a chance to see characters from earlier tales, and meet a few others along the way. Delacroix shared Murdoch’s backstory from his ancestry, battles and of how he became beholden to the Fae Queen. Sometimes he was a little pig-headed, but his treatment of Isabella, and his ability to listen to advice made him a worthy knight. I love when an author allows me to connect with the characters and feel their emotions.

Narrator Saskia Maarleveld has this wonderful tone and accent that makes listening a pleasure. She draws you in and seduces you with her voice. She brings out the character’s personalities and her male voices are delightful without the gruff tone we normally get with female narrators.

The Renegade’s Heart held me captive making me hold my breath, laugh aloud and swoon. The story wrapped up wonderfully and gave us a glimpse of what will come next. I cannot wait to continue this audio series and highly recommend them.

Audio provided by author. This review was originally posted on Caffeinated Book Reviewer