Beauty and the Barbarian by Amy Jarecki

Beauty and the BarbarianNarrated by Brad Wills

I gravitate towards Scottish historical romances, in part because I read Outlander in high school and wished I could travel back in time to find my own sexy Highlander, and in part because my dad was into genealogy and I grew up hearing new facts about our Scottish ancestry that he researched online (apparently, we have our own plaid). I am especially attracted to audiobooks of this subgenre because a narrator who brings to life the burr of the characters, especially the sexy Scottish heroes, can transport me to another time and place. It’s a lot cheaper than a flight to Scotland. Beauty and the Barbarian didn’t quite transport me, but I was entertained throughout most of the book.

We meet our hero, Ian MacLeod, as he just manages to escape from his uncle’s henchman who had been ordered to kill Ian and bring back proof of his death. Ian betrayed his uncle by spiriting his wife away to keep her safe from her husband’s abuse. Injured by the henchman, Rewan, but not dead, Ian washes up on the shore of Eilean Fladda where Merrin, one of two inhabitants of the small islet, finds him. Merrin and her father Niall have lived on the isolated islet for her entire life to protect her from the superstitions and discriminations of nearby townsfolk. Merrin carries the devil’s mark on her neck and people of Clan MacLeod believe she killed her mother at the time of her birth, and she hides in fear that she will be burned as a witch.

Merrin and her father are healers and she puts her training to good use when she rescues Ian and nurses him back to health. She’s fascinated by Ian as she has only ever seen two men – her father and Friar Pat. Ian, a self-proclaimed ladies’ man, feels attraction for her but knows he cannot pursue her. Merrin does her best to keep Ian safe in her cottage even though both Niall and Ian know that his presence puts them all at risk. The men prove correct and all three must flee when Rewan comes looking for Ian.

Jarecki then takes the listener on a mad chase throughout the Hebrides as the three evade Rewan. This adventure thrusts Ian and Merrin together and the attraction between the two continues to spark, much to Niall’s dismay.

Beauty and the Barbarian is a departure from most of the Scottish romances I’ve read. The author sets the novel on two small islands in the Hebrides, an archipelago off of the west coast of Scotland, not the often overused Highlands. Jarecki received her MBA from a university in Edinburgh and has actually visited the country in which she set her story, which is more than I can say for many of the authors of historical Scottish novels I’ve read in the past. Her knowledge of the area helps pull the listener into the novel. The Isle of Raasay, Eilean Fladda, and Skye, the island where the trio attempts to hide, are described with such detail that they become characters of the story.

Jarecki’s slogan “Adventure kissed by romance” applies to Beauty and the Barbarian. The adventure is what I remember most and is probably why I enjoyed the story as much as I did. The romance between Ian and Merrin is a little awkward at times. Niall is with them much of the journey toward safety, and is constantly warning Ian away from Merrin. It’s not very romantic to be caught kissing by your dad and then yelled at.

I expected Merrin to be more reserved and scared of Ian since he is the first man she’s met, but she shows very little shyness and is downright assertive with Ian at times. I like an assertive heroine but this quality didn’t seem true to her character. The relationship grows quickly – perhaps a little too quickly – but the HEA is sweet and satisfied me. After being shunned her whole life, I wanted something good for Merrin.

Instead of Brad Wills’ performance pulling me into the story, I found my attention wandering as I tried to figure out what it was about Wills’ narration that didn’t sit right with me. His brogue felt contrived. I still can’t put my finger on it, but his general narrative had a nasal tinge to it that wasn’t pleasant. His portrayal of Ian had an even more nasal sound to it and a strange breathiness. On the other hand, Wills does a fair job with Merrin – her voice is a bit sing-songy and breathy, but I can imagine her this way. Considering she’s just met the first man of her age, and a good looking man who shows interest in her at that, it’s understandable that she would be a little out of breath.

The Friar is an old friendly man and he sounds like it. Niall speaks to Merrin as you would expect a father to speak to his daughter, lovingly and at times authoritatively, and when he speaks of Merrin’s mark you can hear some of his fanaticism and fear. Because Wills maintains consistency in his portrayals of the main characters and does a commendable job with the supporting characters, he inched his way into a grade of B-.

Overall, I found Beauty and the Barbarian to be entertaining. Wills has a few audiobooks under his belt and has plans to narrate more in this genre. If he continues to hone his brogue and burr, I’d be willing to give Wills another try. Jarecki also gets another chance from me, mostly because I love Scottish romances and she does Scotland well.

Jessica


Narration:  B-

Book Content:  B-

Steam Factor:  Not too steamy, but best to keep your earbuds in

Violence:  Fighting

Genre:  Historical Romance

Publisher:  Amy Jarecki

 

Beauty and the Barbarian was provided to AudioGals by the author for review.

 

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