The Stolen Hours
Published on 20. July 2023
Book
Hardback
432 pages
978-1-5290-8441-2 (ISBN)
Description
'A wonderfully satisfying read: love, passion, drama, violence, menace and peril, and characters you fall in love with' - Santa Montefiore
A reluctant bride. A forbidden romance. An island full of secrets . . .
It's the summer of 1929 and Mhairi MacKinnon is in need of a husband. As the eldest girl among nine children, her father has made it clear he can't support her past the coming winter. On the small, Scottish island of St Kilda, her options are limited. But the MacKinnons' neighbour, Donald, has a business acquaintance on distant Harris also in need of a spouse. A plan is hatched for Donald to chaperone Mhairi and make the introduction on his final crossing of the year, before the autumn seas close them off to the outside world.
Mhairi returns as an engaged woman who has lost her heart - but not to her fiance. In love with the wrong man yet knowing he can never be hers, she awaits the spring with growing dread, for the onset of calm waters will see her sent from home to become a stranger's wife.
When word comes that St Kilda is to be evacuated, the lovers are granted a few months' reprieve, enjoying a summer of stolen hours together. Only, those last days on St Kilda will also bring trauma and heartache for Mhairi and her friends, Effie and Flora. And when a dead body is later found on the abandoned isle, all three have reason enough to find themselves under the shadow of suspicion . . .
The Stolen Hours is Book Two in Karen Swan's bestselling Wild Isle Series.
Praise for The Last Summer (Book One):
'Powerful writing and a wonderful premise make this a novel you'll simultaneously want to savour and race through. I loved it and can't wait for the next in the series!' - Jill Mansell, author of Should I Tell You?
'The most exciting, enchanting and evocative story of forbidden love I've ever read. I truly loved it and am waiting feverishly for the second installment.' - Cathy Bramley, author of The Lemon Tree Cafe
A reluctant bride. A forbidden romance. An island full of secrets . . .
It's the summer of 1929 and Mhairi MacKinnon is in need of a husband. As the eldest girl among nine children, her father has made it clear he can't support her past the coming winter. On the small, Scottish island of St Kilda, her options are limited. But the MacKinnons' neighbour, Donald, has a business acquaintance on distant Harris also in need of a spouse. A plan is hatched for Donald to chaperone Mhairi and make the introduction on his final crossing of the year, before the autumn seas close them off to the outside world.
Mhairi returns as an engaged woman who has lost her heart - but not to her fiance. In love with the wrong man yet knowing he can never be hers, she awaits the spring with growing dread, for the onset of calm waters will see her sent from home to become a stranger's wife.
When word comes that St Kilda is to be evacuated, the lovers are granted a few months' reprieve, enjoying a summer of stolen hours together. Only, those last days on St Kilda will also bring trauma and heartache for Mhairi and her friends, Effie and Flora. And when a dead body is later found on the abandoned isle, all three have reason enough to find themselves under the shadow of suspicion . . .
The Stolen Hours is Book Two in Karen Swan's bestselling Wild Isle Series.
Praise for The Last Summer (Book One):
'Powerful writing and a wonderful premise make this a novel you'll simultaneously want to savour and race through. I loved it and can't wait for the next in the series!' - Jill Mansell, author of Should I Tell You?
'The most exciting, enchanting and evocative story of forbidden love I've ever read. I truly loved it and am waiting feverishly for the second installment.' - Cathy Bramley, author of The Lemon Tree Cafe
Reviews / Votes
A lovely novel which I hugely enjoyed. I envy Karen Swan's skill to evoke a landscape and a very different past so effortlessly. The love story was all that one would wish and the characters are terrific. -- Elizabeth Buchan, author of <i>Against Her Nature</i> This sweeping love story gripped us from the start, so we can't wait for the next in the series. Best historical romance -- <i>Independent</i> on <i>The Last Summer</i> A dramatic start to a gripping new series set on the Scottish island of St Kilda. The Last Summer is meticulously researched and beautifully told by one of our most prolific and talented writers. It contains all the ingredients of a wonderfully satisfying read: love, passion, drama, violence, menace and peril, and characters you fall in love with - and some you hate! Happily, this is the start of a series so your longing for more will be fulfilled. -- Santa Montefiore, author of <i>Flappy Investigates</i> on <i>The Last Summer</i> This second book in the Wild Isles series is beautifully written and has a sweeping love story, making it a wonderful read. * The People's Friend * I so enjoyed The Last Summer by Karen Swan, which provides fascinating details about life on St Kilda prior to the evacuation of its inhabitants from the island. Powerful writing and a wonderful premise make this a novel you'll simultaneously want to savour and race through. I loved it and can't wait for the next in the series! -- Jill Mansell, author of <i>Should I Tell You?</i> The most exciting, enchanting and evocative story of forbidden love I've ever read. I truly loved it and am waiting feverishly for the second instalment -- Cathy Bramley, author of <i>The Summer That Changed Us</i> A delicious romantic tale of wild 1930s Scotland . . . perfect for everyone dreaming of summer -- Rachel Hore, author of <i>One Moonlit Night</i> The queen of destination books . . . exciting . . . beguiling . . . The first in a new series, we're already looking forward to meeting these characters again . . . * Woman and Home * A sweeping page-turner with an engrossing love story at its heart, this is an absolute treat for historical fiction fans. Swan is a superb storyteller. I loved it -- Eve Chase, author of <i>The Glass House</i> Vividly drawn and beautifully atmospheric, this is a book to savour. * Heat Magazine * Wonderfully romantic and epic in feel, this beautiful historical novel is a fascinating and deliciously escapist read -- Tasmina Perry, author of <i>Guilty Pleasures</i> and <i>Perfect Strangers</i> What a great adventure! The perfect way to tell the tale of St Kilda's population in fiction form. History fans will love the fascinating St Kilda detail woven throughout this thrilling romance. Wonderful! -- Jennifer Ryan, author of <i>The Chilbury Ladies</i>'<i> Choir</i> and <i>The Kitchen Front</i> A promising new series from Swan . . . The vivid beauty and danger of St. Kilda only enhances Swan's effortlessly intricate plotting. Toeing the line between romance and historical fiction, this gorgeous story and its unconventional heroine are sure to win hearts. * Publishers Weekly *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Pan Macmillan
Target group
Interest Age: From 18 years
Dimensions
Height: 238 mm
Width: 195 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
Weight
902 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5290-8441-2 (9781529084412)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
07/2023
Macmillan
€14.49
Available for download
Person
Karen Swan is the Sunday Times top three bestselling author of twenty-six books and her novels sell all over the world. She writes two books each year which are published in the summer and at Christmas. Previous summer titles include The Spanish Promise, The Hidden Beach and The Secret Path and, for winter, Together by Christmas, Midnight in the Snow and The Christmas Postcards.
She lives in Sussex with her husband, three children and two dogs.
The Stolen Hours is the second book in the historical Wild Isle series, based on the dramatic evacuation of the Scottish island St Kilda in the summer of 1930.
She lives in Sussex with her husband, three children and two dogs.
The Stolen Hours is the second book in the historical Wild Isle series, based on the dramatic evacuation of the Scottish island St Kilda in the summer of 1930.