Veena’s review of Devil’s Heart (Chattan Curse, Book 3) by Cathy Maxwell
Historical Romance published by Avon 30 Apr 13
Centuries ago a Chattan male fell in love with a Macnachtan woman, only to abandon his lady love and mother-to-be of his child in the pursuit of wealth and ambition. Unable to face her ruin, Rose Macnachtan committed suicide, and her mother cursed the males of the Chattan line to die when they found love. For hundreds of years the curse came to pass and Chattan males died once their heart was engaged. Only sons were born in the Chattan line. As soon as the beloved wife became pregnant, the father was struck by a fatal illness and died, leaving a son for the cycle to then begin again. For the first time in centuries things have changed, there are three Chattan siblings and one of them is a female – the first female child born to Clan Chattan – Margaret Chattan. Is she destined to change the course of Chattan history by bringing an end to the curse and saving her beloved brothers’ lives?
Aided and abetted by a book of spells and recipes and a cat that no one else around her can see, Margaret sets off to the heart of where it all began. On her way she is almost killed in an accident but is rescued by Heath Macnactan. Heath is a practical and logical man. He has served in the Royal Navy as an officer and does not believe in the superstitions that his Highland clan believe to be true. He has just returned home to take over as laird upon the death of his brother. Can this man of reason persuade Margaret that the curse is a figment of the Chattan imagination that is being fleshed into reality because of the Chattans’ belief in it?
Heath fell in love love with Margaret the first time he saw her in the distance in London a long time ago. Knowing how far apart they were both socially and economically, he had walked away without an introduction. Now fate has conspired to bring her to him and put him in the position of offering her aid. Can this man of logic be persuaded that there is more than what reason and logic can explain? Interestingly enough, just as Margaret is the first female of her line, Heath is the last Macnachtan. Is there more to this than simply coincidence?
In any good romance there needs to be villain, a veritable serpent in Eden. And there is certainly more than one here, but a very unexpected one at that. As the twists and turns unravel, one finds that at the core of the villainy is greed. Follow the mone,y as they say, in most murders and you will find the motive, and such is the case here as well. Clearly there is more than mere greed at play, but can Heath embrace the supernatural and find a solution to winning Margaret, keeping her alive and safe from the curse and saving Clan Chattan?
I find this an interesting period piece and an enjoyable story with some unexpected twists and turns. Overall it reminds me a lot of Nora Roberts’ series that involve the finding of the keys with witchcraft, magic, and love. I started in the middle with this trilogy and hope to circle back and read Book 1. For me, each book stands on its own, since the author does a great job of providing the background at the beginning of the book.
Grade:B
Summary:
Lady Margret Chattan, one of the most desirable women in all of England, has no interest whatsoever in marriage. When her brother’s lives are put in danger, she travels to the Scottish Highlands, intent on saving them. There she meets Heath Macnachtan, who is trying to find out who murdered his own brother. Together, they team up to investigate the powerful curse that is behind the deaths, but instead find themselves falling in love.
Exceptionally entertaining and charming, The Devil’s Heart mixes a well-crafted love story with complex characters and pulse-pounding adventure.
Other books in this series:
