The Jewel of Scotland

Lynda A. Janzen
Open Book Press (2005)
ISBN 0973571667
Reviewed by Nina Larson for Reader Views (7/06)

I have to admit, I am probably not the target audience for this book.  I’m not Canadian.  It took me a long time to write down this review because I couldn’t get past the idea that being an American shouldn’t make a difference.  After all, it’s the same language.  In fact, I’m even from the same continent.  However, I recently was on vacation in England where I discovered that same language or not, different cultures are very visible in the fiction genre.  So, to an American, “The Jewel of Scotland”, is slightly alien.  Once past that, it is a good read.

In “The Jewel of Scotland” by Lynda Janzen, the heroine is a single mom, Cairn, whose life is quiet and stable until her heirloom ruby brooch is mysteriously stolen.  As a single mom, her life does not stop just because she was robbed.  A year later, she recognizes her brooch on a rich society lady dining out with her cop husband.  And so the author introduces her villain and hero, Tina and Gavin Sinclair.  A romance between Gavin and Cairn develops while they search for the international jewel thieves.  That search stirs up more hornets then expected and the story crosses the Atlantic Ocean with the characters.

While this is marketed as Travel/ Adventure novel, in my opinion the romance drives the book.  The basic outline follows the format I know from Nora Robert’s plots.  However, crazy as it sounds, the reason this book read so oddly to me was that it seems realistically possible!  The hero is an unhappily married cop and the heroine a single mom.  And the adventure and technical parts could happen without needing a genius or fortune in technology and a 14th degree black belt in some obscure Asian martial art.  Also much of the character development related to the moral struggle about the hero being married as opposed to some life altering trauma from the past.   

Technically, I felt this book had an awkward beginning.  However, the rest of the book read well and I liked the happy ending.  Since this is Lynda’s first published book, a very minor flaw.  Keep reading, it is worth the time.   

I recommend this book to anyone wanting a little mystery with their romance or a little romance with their mystery.  Possible audiences include a slightly older reader, people with Scottish heritage, and Americans wanting a peek at our neighbor’s culture. 

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