“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.” ― Victor Hugo
Let me begin with the fact that I’m not really a big fan of historicals, but have enjoyed other works by Eden Winters, so with trepidation, decided to give Duet a try. I figured I’d know within a few chapters if it would be a hit or miss. Then again, Eden Winters is an excellent writer.
Here I go… I was pleasantly surprised that I had trouble putting it down when I started. I found myself staying up past my bed time, reading more with my first morning cup of coffee, reading even more during my breaks at work, and rushing home to finally finish reading this captivating story.
Malcolm was a little slow to warm up to, but found out that first impressions were misleading. I felt somewhat sad for him that he was trapped in an age of persecution. Aah, but with his daring move to Scotland, Malcolm turned out to be not only sweet, smart and funny, but very temperamental when crossed.
As for Aillil Calliaghan, his character was true Scottish male. Very proud and true to his heritage despite English occupation. What made this tale lively, was reading how his assumptions of this particular Englishman lead to some embarrassing and comical situations for himself. Aillil Callaghan didn’t stand a chance against this particular little Sassenach teacher.
Basically, this is a two parter story: the first half leads to a tragic end (bring out the tissues), while the second half magically rounds it off nicely with a HEA for both MC’s.
I haven’t read the original, so I have no idea how it differs from this revised edition, but all in all, Duet deserves a 4.5 rating. The only reason it’s not a 5 star—some parts felt just a tad rushed during the second half.
Reviewed by: Kim
You can buy Duet here: 