Border Moonlight is definitely historical fiction with a little romance plot on the side, and not vice-versa. The story is slow, but author’s colorful Scottish setting and rich history are interesting enough to (almost) make up for the lack of romance. Unfortunately, while a part of me was going “Interesting, I didn’t know that about the Borders”, the bigger part of me was thinking “I read 400 pages for that?”

Lady Sibylla Cavers was a bit difficult when she was young. Much to her father’s frustration, she had the distinct record of refusing three men at the altar all before she was seventeen years old. One of these men was Simon Murray, the new Laird of Elishaw. Humiliated by her blunt dismissal he gives her the set-down of a lifetime and vows to make her rue the day she ever refused him.

Fast forward to two years later; Sibylla is walking along the river Tweed when she spies a young child drowning in the current. She dives in to save the girl, only to get trapped by the rapids herself. Luckily, a man arrives on scene to haul them to safety. Sibylla is all thanks and praises until she realizes her savior is none other than Jilted Fiance #3, Laird Simon Murray. Simon is too much of a gentleman and, realizing that Sibylla is fast becoming ill, allows her to recuperate in his home. As she watches Simon perform his daily routine, she realizes that she may have been a little hasty in refusing him years ago. She admires his moral and physical strength, his thoughtfulness towards everyone, regardless of station. Simon, still royally ticked off at Sybilla, grudgingly admits to himself that Sibylla has somehow turned into a nurturing, caring woman who is beginning to tug on his heart in disturbing ways.

Meanwhile, Simon’s fortress, Elishaw, is in the middle of a bad situation. Up to this point he has tried his best to remain neutral, but he’s receiving pressure from both Scotland and England to ally with them. As he and Sibylla fall in love, he also has to deal with the increasing political issues around him.

Somehow, the romantic tension was nonexistent for me. Sibylla and Simon shared some meaningful looks and a few kisses during her stay at his household, but they were uninteresting, especially compared to the events happening around them. Most of the story is centered on Elishaw, on the verge of a war, and the everyday life of the Scottish people. I was very curious to see how Sibylla and Simon would overcome their history and manage to be together, but there wasn’t much conflict; Simon’s hesitation centers mostly around the fact that he doesn’t want to be dependent on one woman. Sibylla simply realizes that Simon isn’t the boor she originally believed him to be, and puts up a token fight before marrying him. I expected a whole lot more Sturm und Drang over Sibylla’s regret and Simon’s embarrassment at being jilted, but instead received a slightly unnatural relationship between two people who simply realize that the other wasn’t as bad as they thought. It basically felt like a case of close proximity breeding affection.

As characters go, both main characters were incredibly average and, I felt, had no particular chemistry. The heroine is the typical blend of feisty independence and bleeding heart, and her hero is a slight mama’s boy who is bossy as hell and stubborn as a mule but brave and faithful. When we first meet Sibylla, she’s a smart-mouthed, strong young woman who refuses to get married to a stranger. As an adult, she does a 180 and loses her charm and becomes a big ol’ goody-goody. As we see Simon get publicly humiliated on his wedding day, he comes off as a fierce warrior ready to kick some serious butt, but after he saves Sibylla from drowning he suddenly becomes more of a desk jockey than a field agent. Sure, he talks big and carts Sibylla around on his shoulder like she weighs nothing, but behind his façade he’s simply…empty.

We’re told much of what the main characters think, including their dissection of feelings and past events, which became a little tedious at times. The point of view also passes between them regularly, and while I thought it was an interesting concept, it chopped up the story during crucial moments that somewhat bothered me. The story is also slowly paced, and it takes approximately 150 pages before any semblance of a driving plot appears. Along the way Sibylla and Simon develop an unspoken attraction to one another, but their moments are so faint and far in between that I wasn’t satisfied.

My favorite part of the book had to be the historical aspect. These Scottish people actually say more than “dinna” “och” or “lassie” every few lines. Sometimes it was a little bit distracting to have to stop and figure out certain words, but overall the language lends an authenticity that I really enjoyed. The author’s setting is wonderfully detailed, and the historical side is undoubtedly well-researched. Unfortunately, the rest of the story is not so interesting.

Overall, Border Moonlight is a decent read about the Scottish uprising. From a historical standpoint, it’s better than other Scottish romances I’ve read, but the average characters and the dreary romance make this book less than memorable.