That man is Gabriel MacBain, who is in charge of two clans who have recently come together after the death of his father. She agrees to marry a man her foster brother believes will protect her and also come to love her. When her husband is believed dead, she is commanded to remarry by King John.

Johanna was married when she was a child (typical for the time period) and her first husband is a wife beater and also apparently raped and harmed other women. And then we have Judith’s foster brother Nicholas and I maybe swooned a bit there. The little family between Johanna, Gabriel, and Gabriel’s son was so cute. They reluctantly fall in love with each other which I thought was hilarious. We actually have a hero/heroine who thank God do not have any rape scenes between them. I have been reading this since I was 12 or 13 and still have a copy of it on my shelves. I have to have some happy right now and this book is it. Original Review: I read this for Romance Book Bingo 2017: Man in a Kilt square. Taking place 10 years after the start of this book we can daydream about what Johanna and Gabriel’s life looks like now. I honestly wish that Garwood had continued on with Johanna and Gabriel’s story in a subsequent book, or maybe followed Johanna’s brother Nicholas, but the ending to this book is always a great gut punch. It’s been about 3 years and definitely needed this historical romance that introduced me what good romance writing can do.

JReview: I tend to re-read this book anytime I am sad or upset.

Saving grace book julie garwood