1263, ScotlandSimon MacCoinneach’s vengeance runs deep. The blade is the only way to end the blood-thirsty Nordmen’s reign upon Scottish soil. His soul might be lost, but the mystical Healer he kidnaps from the isles could be the answer for his ailing mother…and his heart.Isles-born Gwyn reluctantly agrees to a marriage alliance with this heathen Scot in return for the sanctuary of her younger … sanctuary of her younger brother from her abusive Norse father. Her brother’s condition is beyond the scope of her Ancient power, for larger healings steal breaths of life from her own body.
As Simon and Gwyn fight to outwit her madman father and a resentful Norse betrothed, Gwyn softens Simon’s heart with each merciful touch. Gwyn’s Seer sister foresees a bloody battle—and an end to the Nordmen—but Simon will also die. Will Gwyn save Simon on the battlefield even if it means losing her last breath?
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This book tells a beautiful story. A Scotsman and a woman from Norse and Ancient heritage end up in a fight for their lives. According to her sister who is a seer he will die in a big battle. She has the power to save him but will loose breathes from her own life possibly killing her if she does. This book has crazy berserker Norsemen, healers, a seer, a drunk abusive father, a Scotsman bent on revenge, his father who is equally bent on revenge, a kidnapping, a forced wedding, then a courtship of sorts, a war, the beginnings of love and mercy.
Beautiful written historic romance with references of Norse and Ancient spirit realms stories inter-twined. Gwyn is a hearer of the Ancients of the Isles who catches the eye of Simon, a strong Scotsman warrior. Despite dealing with strong fathers, the approaching war between the Scots and Norse, and Simon kidnaping Gwyn, the two fall in love. Battles are fought, healing saves some and loss is felt by all. It is easy to wish that they suceed in their fight for their families, clans and love.
Simon kidnaps a mystical healer in hopes that she can cure his mother’s body and mind. Their people are enemies but that doesn’t prevent them from falling in love. Gwyn shortens her own life every time she heals someone. How much of it will she give up to save those she loves?
I don’t usually read romance novels but I enjoyed this one immensely. This is the first I’ve read from this author. I’ll be looking for more of her work in the future.
A Hundred Breaths by Jean M. Grant, the prequel to A Hundred Kisses, is an exciting tale set in 1300s Scotland. The reader is taken on a great adventure as the Scots, the Nordmen, and a race known as the Ancients fight to settle once and for all their struggle for domination. Caught in the middle is Gwyn, half Nordman, half Ancient with the special gift of healing. Though a hostage, Gwyn is no timid pawn. Her grit and spirit as well as her kindness and compassion break through even the seemingly ruthless heart of her captor. Romance and adventure combine to make a truly captivating read!
What I like about A Hundred Breaths is its unpredictability. Just when you think you have the plot figured out, it takes an unexpected turn. The action keeps it moving at a fast clip. It is truly one of those books I could not put down. Jean Grant has a way with words that makes this a compelling read.
An intriguing and well written medieval romance. The heroine Gwyn is a healer descended from an ancient line of healers through her mother and the Viking bloodline of her father. When a tentative truce between the Nord Vikings and the Scottish Highlanders is broken in a deadly skirmish, Gwyn, caught in her seer sister’s prophecy, follows the enemy to heal the dying. She is held captive and ends up married to the Scottish warden’s son Simon. These are the epic last days of the Viking hold over the Scots and the coming of the war with their new enemy to the south. A beautiful love story is entwined in the politics of these medieval days. I liked it!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Love it!! I enjoyed the first book and could not wait to read the second and was not disappointed. I was so pleased with A Hundred Breaths I could not stop thinking about it well after I finished reading it. A must read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I love Diane Gabaldon’s Highlander series as well as the History channel Vikings series… and this is nothing like either of those. There’s no time travel involved, and the Vikings are not very sympathetic characters.
That’s not to say I didn’t love this book. I did. I loved it.
What it reminded me of was Marion Zimmer Bradley and her Mists of Avalon books which I was addicted to back in high school, where the paranormal is just another part of life for certain people and cultures. That’s how it is for Gwyn and her family – at least her mother’s family. Her father is a Viking lord who stole his mother in a forced marriage to keep her abilities for himself. Gwyn and her sibling also have the powers of the Ancients – Gwyn’s ability is healing, but each time she heals she loses a bit of herself. Her father sees her as a tool, her betrothed sees her as a pawn in a larger power struggle, but she only wants to find a way to keep herself and her siblings safe.
When Simon MacCoinneach kidnaps her and proposes an end to the fighting through a marriage union, she reluctantly agrees to his terms, but there is more going on than either of them know.
The uneasy truce slowly blossoms into friendship and then feelings… and I loved the organic way the author lets those feeling develop. Jean Grant does a wonderful job of creating a rich historic portrait of the medieval villages, manors, and abbey, as well as painting sweeping coastal vistas true to the time period. She also gives us compelling characters who make you root for (or against) them and keep you turning pages late into the night.
A wonderful read, and highly recommend.
A Hundred Breaths #1 – In my confusion I read the books backwards; do Not do that! Spoilers and knowing what happens to some of the characters in advance affected my enjoyment of this well written and well thought story.
The storylines are intriguing, suspense filled and keep the reader immersed until the last page. I couldn’t put the book down and I had just read A Hundred Kisses. The author does a wonderful job of describing Scotland in the mid to late 1200s. Her characters run the gamut of good to not so good to downright evil.
There are so many interesting twists to this tale that no one will be bored. The romance, the “magic”, the past of the “tribes” that compose the population and the abilities of the characters weave a tapestry that ranges the all the emotions; love, horror and understanding, just to name a few. I found these two books on Booksprout. 5*
A Hundred Kisses #2 – This is my first read by this author and I loved it. The well written storylines just kept me glued to the pages. Unknown to me I started with the wrong book, but it didn’t ruin the story; I understood everything that was going on since the author was so detailed oriented.
Set in Scotland in the late 1200s, I was fascinated by the author’s vivid description and my happiness to find such a strong character as Deirdre. The characters range from good to evil and everything in between, along with their emotions. Just as you think you figured everything out there’s a twist, again. The romance, the intrigue and the suspense make for a wonderful way to pass a few hours.
If at all possible, read A Hundred Breaths first since those storylines continue on into Kisses. I found these two books on Booksprout. 5*
I loved reading more of the world that Jean Grant introduced in her first book in this series, “A Hundred Kisses.” These two books are quick reads with wonderful characters, romance, charm, magic and medieval Scotland! I enjoyed “A Hundred Breaths” very much and am still thinking about the characters. Grant’s smooth and fluid writing style makes for a very pleasurable read indeed!