Jean Macleod has been successful at writing other romances with atmosphere and tension enhancing the love story. This was an attempt that failed. The result is a cautionary tale about the importance of government communication with citizenry. The whole story would have been wrapped up in five pages if a perfectly ordinary information meeting had been held: "The estate is now a national research facility; please do not use the right-of-way for the present due to risk to health of sheep and humans; you will be compensated for loss of customary grazing land. Thank you." Even an identifying plaque at the gate would have defused the tension instantly. Instead, the scientist whom all the Highland villagers (lacking information to the contrary) think of as the New Owner makes brief appearances, arrogantly refuses to provide any information, and orders the female protagonist to trust him. (Whyever should she? She doesn't even know him. What a wanker.) Meanwhile, the farmers are nearly frantic about the loss of grazing, which in a marginal farming economy could mean ruin; a near mutiny results, the laboratory is vandalized, and frankly they had it coming. The book is annoyingly clumsy on the romantic level - three romances are settled, none particularly believably - as well as the political. It's making me crazy just writing about it, so it's time to end the review. ( )