'The Lady Of The Loch' by Elena Collins is a dual timeline story, set in the beautiful Scottish Highlands. The year is 1307, and King Edward's army is rampaging through Scotland, murdering and thieving as they try to capture Robert The Bruce. Kitchen maid Agnes flees one of the castles taken over, hoping that the Lord and Lady of Ravenscraig Castle will give her shelter. Dreams of love and a future seem attainable when she spots a handsome young warrior swimming in the nearby loch. But his loyalty to The Bruce may keep them apart as the country fights for independence.
In the present day, twins Zoe and Leah take a chance to change their lives. A job at Ravenscraig Castle is exactly what Leah has been looking for, and Zoe is determined to support her sister. But why doesn't anyone last working there? Is the rumour of a ghost scaring them off? The women shrug off the stories, and plan to make a success of the opportunity. But the pervading sadness surrounding the castle affects them too. Will they be able to fix a centuries old wrong and bring peace to the castle again?
I enjoyed the supernatural nature of the story, which is subtle and doesn't overpower. Leah and Zoe feel the intensity of the ghostly sadness and despair, and slowly they realise they may be able to make a difference. It was spooky at times, but it was not scary.
The dual timeline works well, as it takes us back and forth between Agnes's life in the 14th century and the present day. Agnes's life was hard and brutal. She witnessed the horrors of war and could only hope that peace would prevail. That she could find love and make plans for the future was admirable.
Leah and Zoe's life plodded along with little excitement. The job at the castle gave them both a chance to experience a different life. It also brought them into the sphere of new people, and that's exactly what they needed.
There was a slowly teased out mystery for them to solve as they grew accustomed to their new life. There was tension and suspense, but the overall feeling was of love and determination. A lovely read.
I was given this ARC to review.
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