by Anne Donovan
First published 2014
Feilamort possesses one of Scotland's most beautiful voices. He sings in the castle of the Laird and his French wife, but his memories of life before arriving there remain clouded. He believes his extraordinary gift will shield him from harm. Deirdre works alongside her mother in the same castle, creating intricate embroidery for the noble family. Her needle captures brambles and bronze-touched leaves with remarkable skill. Her mother pressures her to marry a man she cannot love or retreat into religious life. Neither path appeals to her. When circumstances force Feilamort to make a terrible choice, both young people find themselves thrust into adult responsibilities. They begin investigating Feilamort's missing childhood memories. Their search reveals that someone nearby wants those early years to stay forgotten. The two friends must navigate castle intrigue while Deirdre decides her own future and Feilamort confronts his buried past.
Genres: romance, literary-fiction, historical-fiction, mystery
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Scotland, Laird's Castle
Period: 19th-century
336 pages · Paperback · Canongate Books Ltd