This was such a great book. The first part has to do with the battle of Waterloo, and then we switch to the island of Skoal (which is imaginary but much like the Isle of Manx) in a more gothic setting. The writing is excellent, and I loved the historical details. Michael is the younger son of a Duke and a soldier who fought in Wellington's campaigns in Spain and reenlisted when Napoleon escapes. Catherine is a married woman who cared for Michael's injuries in Spain and with whom he is now billeted in Brussels. She is known as Saint Catherine for her beauty, kindness, and nursing of soldiers, and faithfulness to her philandering husband. Michael falls in love with her, and for the first time, she wants to reciprocate with a man other than her husband, but the two are honorable people. A year later, their circumstances have changed, and Catherine needs Michael's help to claim her heritage on the island of Skoal.
It's a beautifully written story with lots of action and romance. The characters are terrific, with so many small details making them real people I just loved. It can be tricky for an author to write a man in love with a married woman, but Ms. Putney nails it with a delicate balance and lots of longing.
This can be read as a stand-alone book (it's the 5th book in a seven-book series), but I immediately got the rest of the series because some of the other protagonists appear, and I need to know their stories. ( )

Catherine Melbourne, hija y esposa de oficiales, nunca permitió que ningún hombre se le acercara con la palabra amor en los labios. Por eso, cuando percibió que entre ella y el oficial y caballero Michael Kenyon nacía una pasión imposible, decidió alejarse, huir, resistirse. No sabía, ciertamente, que el destino es capaz de vencer cualquier voluntad.

This series just keeps getting better and better. I have to wonder if these were the first books that Ms. Putney published. While are the books are very good there is marked improvement in each story. This story is just a single romance much like THUNDER & ROSES. This story is different from the others in that it covers several years. In covering that period of time there are wonderful glimpses of history. There are scenes after the battle at Salamanca. There are also the days Michael Kenyon and Catherine Melbourne spent in Brussels before the Battle at Waterloo. Ms. Putney make you see the carnage and suffering that must have occurred. I am glad that Michael was so willing to get past the things that have happened to him through his life. He is a very confident solider but he is emotionally scarred from living with his tyrant of a father and what Caroline (see Thunder & Roses) put him through. I am also very glad the Michael and his brother were able to get past the abuse that they both received from their father. I liked Michael very much. He over came a great and became a wonderful man. Catherine is a great mate for him.

Catherine is one of the very unusual woman that followed her husband while he was on campaign during the war with Napoleon. It wasn't an easy life and a lot of women died in the camps that were setup near the fighting. Catherine is a caring, intelligent and very resilient. She is capable of riding a horse for hours as well as finding a way to make ends meet on an officers salary. Catherine is a good nurse and likes taking care of the people that she loves. She is also like so many of the woman of this time, she has no idea that sex can be enjoyable. Her first husband was more concerned with his own pleasure that of his spouse. I like Catherine a lot and I was very glad that she was able to find a mate that care for her.

I look forward to reading the last two books in this series. Ms. Putney is a very good writer and she does and wonderful job of keeping her readers entertained. She has done a good deal of research for this time period. These last few books have gone very quickly. There is so much going on and I love that I learn something that I didn't know before. ( )

the best of the series. Excellent. ( )

This is a reissue of a 1996 release--good news for those of us who missed some of the Fallen Angels series the first time around.

Michael Kenyon has been in love with Catherine Melbourne for some time, though she's unaware of it. Catherine has also been in love with Michael, who's likewise unaware of her feelings. They met while she was married to another man, and both kept their feelings secret.

Now, her husband is dead, and Catherine asks Michael to masquerade as her husband so that she can claim an inheritance for her daughter.

Those are the bare facts. What's missing from the brief recital is the depth of emotion found in this story. Ms. Putney manages to make the reader feel all the heartache, joy, and fear these characters experience, making Shattered Rainbows a particularly satisfying read. ( )