Click on image to enlarge.

Category: Historical Fiction/Romance
Description: Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures Following in the footsteps of her pirate great-grandmother, Grace O'Malley takes matters into her own hands, risking her love--her life. Owen O'Donnell views the 'Deer Stalker' as a Robin Hood to the starving villagers. Only, Lord Rushmount has vowed to stop the poacher one way or another. As suspicions grow, Owen fears he won't be able to keep Grace from harm's way. Grace knows the perils facing them all, but cannot pull back in this most dangerous game ... maddening one man ... thrilling another.
eBook Publisher: Highland Press/Eire, 2007 2007
eBookwise Release Date: February 2009

3 Reader Ratings:

Great	Good	OK	Poor

Available eBook Formats: OEBFF Format (IMP) [423 KB]
Words: 89141
Reading time: 254-356 min.

"The author did a great job at showing how evil and self-centered the passions are that inflame his heart. If you want a light romance, this is not the one to read. There are sad and devastating events here, and yet Jean Harrington provides a magnificent catharsis, one that reaches across time, place and perhaps even generations. The Barefoot Queen has an exquisite spiritual and historical happily ever after ending, a romance of daring hearts and a beautiful ending born out of the pain and hardship but one full of future hope."--Merri,Merrimon Reviews

"I absolutely could not put this book down! It's been ages since a book made me laugh, cry, and run through the entire gamut of emotions. I rooted for the heroine, cursed at the evil deeds of the English lord, and gasped with shock when the unthinkable happened. The author did an absolutely spectacular job of bringing 1665 Ireland alive with vivid descriptions and a historically accurate portrayal of class divisions. I will warn you, however, that the story was quite graphic in a few areas. This only added to its believability because tenant farming in the 1600s was basically indentured servitude. This definitely earns a place on my keeper shelf!"--Lond and Short Reviews

Five Star Pick of the week! Ms. Harrington's The Barefoot Queen is a superb historical with a lushly painted setting. I adored Grace for her courage and the cleverness with which she sets out to make Owen see her love for him. The bond between Grace and Owen is tenderly portrayed and their love had me rooting for them right up until the last page. Ms. Harrington's The Barefoot Queen is a treasure in the historical romance genre you'll want to read for yourself!--Crave More Romance

"Jean Harrington has done a fine job of bringing knotty historical issues down to the flesh and blood lives of individuals. And with Grace O'Malley, a young woman whose adventures often find her lifting her skirts to her knees or getting them tangled in her legs or washing away the blood of butchered deer, she has devised a vital spirit ready to challenge any influential young actress prepared to buy the film rights."--Phillip K. Jason,Naples Sun Times

"Why me, lass?" Owen asked.

At the sound of his voice so close to where she sat crouched and huddled into herself, Grace looked up, startled.

"Why me?" he repeated and knelt before her. It was difficult for him to kneel, but he did so anyway.

She sniffed away her tears, swiping at the last few trailing down her cheeks. His finger went out to catch one as it dropped off her chin.

"I'm waiting," he said.

She took a steadying breath. The rest of her life depended on the next few words. They had to come out of her mouth entirely perfect. "Every man I know is a sheep that follows, but never leads," she began. "Except for one man, and that is you, Owen O'Donnell. All the sheep that come courting me have round, stout legs on them and withered spirits. They live in fear of the English. They accept everything. They protest nothing. What kind of man is that? Besides," she grinned over at him, "I've seen you stripped to the waist working the forge. 'Tis a powerful sight."

He grinned back. "You've seen quite a bit, I grant you."

As he took both her hands in his, a frown clouded his face once more. "I can't believe you want me."

Her tears threatened again. "Believe it. 'Tis the truest thing I've ever said."

He scrambled to his feet. "I have another question for you." This time he was smiling.

"Ask away."

"Do you wish to be a virgin on your wedding night?"

Grace raised an amazed, tear-stained face. "Indeed not. Do you?"

At that, he threw back his head and laughed, great gulps of laughter that amazed her even more than his question. She loved the sound and sight of his merriment. Since his childhood days, he'd seldom even smiled.

"You are a virgin, I'm certain of it," she added.

Again his laughter rang through the woods. "You're certain are you? Well, I'm not so certain you are."

"What!" Outrage brought her to her feet. Amusement crinkled the corners of Owen's eyes and lifted his mouth. "I've not had the lasses trying to seduce me. None except you." His expression threatened laughter again. "But you have the lads panting like dogs on a hot day. Maybe one has had success with you."

"You will never know that, Owen O'Donnell."

"You are mistaken. I will know today."