Disclaimer: I am totally partial to this book because I share the same name as the heroine. I'm easily swayed. However, even that couldn't convince me to give a book five stars if I didn't feel like it deserved it. One of the best things about Quick's novel Mystique is that you are always in for a surprise. If you think you know romance, this one will shake up everything. Of course, it still has several romance tropes like the heroine who runs off only to need saving later, the brusque and dark hero, chauvinistic father figures, a fake betrothal, and a MacGuffin. But those tropes only ground the novel in familiar territory while the story takes off in unexpected direction.

This book is a great read for many reasons: if you love Medieval romances that aren't gritty or violent, if you love girl power and women banding together, and if you prefer a sense of realism over magical intervention. This book is just delightful from beginning to end as the heroine proves to actually be intelligent without rude, capable, and reasonable while the hero proves to be sensitive and caring with only the trappings of a brute. Quick is a skilled writer, and this book can perfectly satisfy your craving for a happy ending. ( )

Siniestro y temible, con el pelo tan negro como la noche y los ojos del color el ámbar, Hugh el Impacable hacía honor a su apodo. Había buscado durante mucho tiempo, sin éxito, la mágica piedra que le permitiría el acceso a su nueva propiedad. Al enterarse de que la piedra se encuentra en poder de Lady Alice, intenta acercarse a ella con el fin de lograr sus propósito.
Lady Alice, una joven experta en alejar pretendientes, advierte las intenciones ocultas de sir Hugh y sabe que él estallará de ira al enterarse de que la piedra ya no está en sus manos. Pero aún le quedan sus poderes para detectar el cristal, y aprovechará esa circunstancia para liberarse y liberar a su hermano del dominio de su malvado tío.

Actually this is a re-read. :-) Which kinda says it all doesn't it? ( )

Oke. Beetje modern taalgbruik door de hoofdpersonen en de heldin doet echt een paar tamelijk onwaarschijnlijke dingen. M.A.W. Ze is te modern voor het boek waar ze in zit. Leuke held wel, chemie tussen hoofdpersonen is prima. Goed voor een paar uurtjes luchtig vermaak. ( )

A fun historical romp that has a mystery attached. Strong female (Alice) finds a stone with a legend attached and wants to study it, strong male (Hugh) wants it to fulfil the legend, they team up to find the stone. He's relentless and strong, she's clever, red-headed and stuborn. It's clever, fun and an easy read. I particularly liked where she had a book of healing recipies but the author avoids telling us exactly what was used (excepting a potion with poppies that another character was using and there is some tutting) ( )