One odd thing about the listed order of the series is that Jamie and Isobel(Laird of the Wind) are already together when this book takes place. It looks like it should be The Stone Maiden, Laird of the Wind, The Swan Maiden and the Sword Maiden, according to their timelines. ( )

In The Swan Maiden, King, takes the reader back to the Scottish epic scenarios, where the most rebellious and courageous girl, and the most noble and remarkable knight are almost predestined to meet and fall hopelessly in love with each other, but the old torture technique is forced upon them: they have what it seems like impossible choices to make. Throughout most of the book, both Juliana and Gawain have to constantly face the dilemma of choosing between the reason and the heart, because the combination of the two seem inconceivable to them, and it's interesting -and often humorous-, to watch this, as both heart and reason have equally valid reasons (such as family, homeland, honor, self-preservation, and so on) that can weigh the same on the scale of the final decision.
I loved this book, couldn't put it down and would recommend it to medieval historical romance fans everywhere, even if this is a difficult title to get -looks like it's out of print! :( ( )