The MacKinnon's Hope by Tanya Anne Crosby Releases Tomorrow 10/20/2015

Been reading this spectacular author for close to 25 years and her books are still one of my favorites on the planet  making me cry, laugh, melting my heart and always leaving me breathless....Ms. Cosby is one of those rare few authors that captures you right from that start until the very last word of the epilogue or last chapter. Always on my keeper shelf as all her books are. Impossible for me to put her books down so talented is this amazing short story revisited by all our favorite characters from both The MacKinnon's Bride's and Guradians of the Stone series, Tanya Anne Cosby is such a fabulous story teller!

Just a little history:

Northumbria was under Scottish rule when King David of Scotland was crowned King when King  Henry I died on December 1, 1135 due to his close relationship with King Henry so I found this interesting that this story begins five days after King Henry 1st death. 

Also the man Hugh FitzSimon this fictional character is Page FitzSimon MacKinnon ( the MacKinnon's Bride) father who always believed Page was the bastard child of his unfaithful wife and King Henry I. Of course anyone reading the Mackinnon's Bride know this is not true as Page  was being mistreated and mentally abused by her father her entire life! This is due to her father's jealousy and where both she and her mother were mistreated and no truth to his accusations as we all know he is her natural father. This is the reason she has been estranged from him for the past eleven years where this epilogue/ short story begins.

Northumbria, Aldergh Castle, December 6, 1135

Northumbria is now northern England and south-east Scotland

At first I thought this was going to be a version of the Christmas Carol after reading the prologue as fans of MacKinnons Bride of course in the role of the cruel Scrooge was to be Page FitzSimon'scruel father  Hugh as his dead wife visited after receiving word of her death. He lives alone and with guilt for never telling Page the truth even after he realizes all had been due to his unfounded jealousy of the king. Hugh always believing the worse, even though his wife had been faithful and loved him, as Page was not illegitimate but his natural child. Why had he not told Page the truth after all these years?  He does not even know why sadly and now it was too late. The evening he gets the message of his wife's passing he gets  a visit from her ghost.  As she does come to warn him to change his ways or he can pretty much expect eternal damnation for his future and eternity! Now does old Hugh change and listen to Page's mothers ghost whom he exiled and never ever even told Page she was alive. Page and he have been estranged for eleven years now and a lot has changed.

This epilogue which was more of a short story or novella to me as it is a lot longer then the average epilogue in my opinion. It brings you up to date on all the clans of this series and fans will see and hear about all our favorite characters from The Highland Bride series and her new Guardians of the Stone series. This was a double treat in my opinion and I loved seeing some of my favorite's like Laird Ian MacKinnon, Broc the Blond and Aiden dun Scotti, Gavin Brodie and more! A lot in this book centers on Malcolm MacKinnon, the young son who was kidnapped all those years ago by Page's father and the reason for Iain to kidnap Page the best thing that ever happened in Page's life! A father who made her feel worthless  an abductor who showered her with love and made her feel worthy and special but let her make decisions herself. 

Destruction has hit The MacKinnon's  village as a fire burned everything to the ground! Now with the help of other clans all from the previous books, it is really touching how all these friends and relatives by various marriages - each book in this series come to aid The MacKinnon's! Malcolm MacKinnon, Iain and Page's son who is very mistrusting of strangers and other due to his kidnapping as a child, but has also has a bit of the sight too and feels all is not well. He is correct in this, as there is a villain in the mist who has murder on his mind, and the murder of who is Malcolm's stepmother the only mother he has ever known and the one he loves more then life. The ending really surprised and shook my and touched by heart! Yep an emotional ending so have those Kleenex ready! You will have to read this wonderful story to find out!

I highly  recommend this exceptional epilogue and of course I highly recommend both series The Highlanders Brides and Guardian of The Stone series both are spectacular as I am looking forward to the next book in the third  and forth and upcoming Guardians of the Stone series. I having been reading this author for close to twenty-five years and hope to keep reading her marvelous books for another twenty-five as her books pretty much rock my world and have always captured my heart in her riveting  plotlines! I can't recommend Tanya Anne Crosby enough if you love book about adventure, Scottish history, mystery, honor,highland lore, conflict, mayhem and of course love then check all of Tanya Anne Crosby spectacular books! I guarantee it will melt  your heart and soften your soul as I know her books do that to me.

I was getting choked up as this book is near and dear to my heart as I have read and reread The MacKinnon's  Bride five times it is one of my favorite books on the planet.  Loved Mackinnon's Hope by Tanya Anne Cosby

Book Lists:

The MacKinnon's Bride Series by Tanya Anne Crosby 

1. The MacKinnon's Bride

2. Lyon's Gift

3.On Bended Knee

4. Lion Heart

5. Highland Song

6. MacKinnon's Hope

Guardians of the Stone Series by Tanya Anne Crosby

1.Highland Fire

2.Highland Steel

3.Highland Storm.. To be released February 2016

4.Highland Fury....Release date TBA