Antonía Barclay and Her Scottish Claymore

Barrett’s debut romance, set in the Scotland of 1586, feels like a near miss that, at times, tries a bit too hard. At a dinner in the family castle, the redoubtable Miss Antonía Barclay meets the love of her life in the gorgeous Breck Claymore and two staunch foes in thuggish Rex Throckmorton and his evil genius father, Sir Basil. When Antonía learns that she is, in fact, the daughter of Mary, Queen of Scots, she is determined to meet her mother whatever the obstacles. Sir Basil has his own megalomaniac scheme for her, while Rex’s plan is of a much cruder nature. Kidnappings, rescues, and revelations ensue, but it all drags on for a bit too long. The polysyllabic vocabulary adds to the dialogue feeling strained. At the outset Barrett warns readers that she doesn’t mind anachronisms, and she provides them in abundance including product placements and some riffs on pop culture, with nods to The Princess Bride and Star Wars. (BookLife)