Taken — Angeline Fortin

Second chances are only helpful if you recognize them for what they are. Celebrated actress Scarlett Thomas never wanted fame -- that was her parent's dream. Now she's ready to make big changes, but she could never have imagined how big those changes might turn out to be. Returning to the medieval Dunskirk Castle, where she filmed The Puppet War trilogy, she encounters Donell, an old Scotsman who directs her to an ancient claymore that sends Scarlett slipping back 500 years â€" to a time when her modern struggles are dwarfed by a far more dangerous conflict brewing between Scotland and England. Scottish Border lord, James Hepburn, Laird of Achenmeade, is a man at loose ends. The illegitimate son the King's Lord High Chamberlain, he has no place in his father's home and no freedom to forge a future of his own. With war against England looming once again on Scotland's horizon, James must not only fight for his country, but also do battle with his growing attraction for a slender, sassy lass who tempts him to defy his sire and his King. As the days pass, bringing them closer to war and to each other, Scarlett and James discover that their differences are not so profound as their similarities and that the 16th century and the 21st century do not diverge so much in what truly matters most. The connection between them continues to grow, but when they are presented with the opportunity to live their lives freely, as they choose, will they seize their second chance before the Battle of Flodden separates them forever? Before it's too late, will Scarlett realize how lucky she was to be taken by a Laird?