Thunder on the Moor + Giveaway!

Thunder on the Moor
by Andrea Matthews

Publication Date: October 30, 2019
Paperback & eBook; 432 pages

Historical Fiction/Scottish/Time Travel

Maggie Armstrong grew up enchanted by her father’s tales of blood feuds and border raids. In fact, she could have easily fallen for the man portrayed in one particular image in his portrait collection. Yet when her father reveals he was himself an infamous Border reiver, she finds it a bit far-fetched—to say the least—especially when he announces his plans to return to his sixteenth century Scottish home with her in tow.

Suspecting it’s just his way of getting her to accompany him on yet another archaeological dig, Maggie agrees to the expedition, only to find herself transported four hundred and fifty years into the past. Though a bit disoriented at first, she discovers her father’s world to be every bit as exciting as his stories, particularly when she’s introduced to Ian Rutherford, the charming son of a neighboring laird. However, when her uncle announces her betrothal to Ian, Maggie’s twentieth-century sensibilities are outraged. She hardly even knows the man. But a refusal of his affections could ignite a blood feud.

Maggie’s worlds are colliding. Though she’s found the family she always wanted, the sixteenth century is a dangerous place. Betrayal, treachery, and a tragic murder have her questioning whether she should remain or try to make her way back to her own time.

To make matters worse, tensions escalate when she stumbles across Bonnie Will Foster, the dashing young man in her father’s portrait collection, only to learn he is a dreaded Englishman. But could he be the hero she’s always dreamed him to be? Or will his need for revenge against Ian shatter more than her heart?

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First off, let me preface by saying that I am a sucker for time-traveling-to-Scotland stories. There’s just something about the characters leaving their modern world behind, and entering the slower paced, magical world of ancient Scotland that helps my heart breathe. Now, with that said, I have read so many books with this plot, that I’ve become rather picky. I need characters that are complex, human and relatable. I need settings that I can sink into, with a Scotland that I can experience along with the characters. So I had high expectations when I dove into Thunder on the Moor.

I needn’t have worried.

Andrea Matthews did a sublime job at bringing this story to life, and setting her novel apart from others in this genre. Each character had their own voices from the very first page; flawed, rich in depth, toting quirks and their own personalities. (I adored Maggie and carried her out of the book and into my daily life. But I think I may have fallen a bit for her father.) (Sorry, Husband.) The Scotland that the author created for us though, is breathtaking. I was able to step right into the story, placing my feet onto Scottish soil and enjoying the sights and sounds, right along with my newfound character friends. The author’s attention to detail, passion for the time-period and meticulous research are evident in the way that each scene came alive. I always consider it to be a gift to the reader when an author cares about creating a scene-experience for their reader, and that is exactly what Andrea Matthews has done for us.

Bottom Line: Come with me, and experience Andrea Matthew’s Scotland.

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About the Author

Andrea Matthews is the pseudonym for Inez Foster, a historian and librarian who loves to read and write and search around for her roots, genealogical speaking. In fact, it was while doing some genealogical research that she stumbled across the history of the Border reivers. The idea for her first novel came to mind almost at once, gradually growing into the Thunder on the Moor series. And the rest is history, as they say.