Summary from GoodReads
Journey with Cathy Maxwell to nineteenth-century Scotland…a land of romance and dreams. There, away from the stifling ballrooms and idle gossip of London, a debutante hopes to find a life she could only have imagined…and a noble Highlander discovers that the truest love of all awaits him in the form of an unexpected bride-to-be…
He was a man exiled from society — handsome, unpredictable, and proud. Dark rumors surrounded his name. But Anne Burnett had signed a marriage contract binding her to Aiden Black, the Earl of Tiebauld. And although she’d never met him, she’s determined to keep her word and make theirs a marriage in truth. Because a well-bred lady with little fortune to recommend her has no choice. From the moment she arrived, Anne fell in love with Kelwin Castle and its roguishly handsome laird. By day, he instills a fierce loyalty in his people with his masterful ways…and by night, he tempts Anne to surrender her innocence to him. But while he is willing to offer his body. Aiden refuses to give Anne his heart…making her wonder what prevents him from truly claiming her as his wife.
Review
Talk about inta-love at its worst! Anne is in love with Aiden after mere days. Days, you should know, that Aiden spent coming up with tasks to force his unwanted-bride back to England. He had her mucking stalls with his favorite prostitute for Pete’s sake! And apparently Anne is so beaten down she’ll accept this man as her love? Seriously?
There is so little interaction between the main characters, I think Anne falls in love out of the delirium of exhaustion. The only conversations they have revolve around the “tests” a.k.a “torture” Aiden creates. She falls dead asleep every night without kisses or conversation from the hubby. Yet, I swear to the romance gods, they fall deeply, madly, and passionately in love within 14 days.
And for all the rush when it came to emotional attachment, sex itself was (pardon the pun) frustratingly put off. The smuggler scene (which reminds Anne of her father) was a HUGE set back just as the couple was beginning to build a tenuous bond. The fact that they get over this set back just as quickly, culminating in what I’d like to call The Great Afternoon Delight session, is ridiculous. The Great Afternoon Delight includes more sex with a recent virgin than in ANY OTHER romance I’ve EVER read. And I read a lot people. After waiting 3/4 of the book for a physical commitment to underscore all that insta-love I was blown away by too much sex. Loud, obvious sex in the middle of a drama filled crisis situation where everyone can hear them. Odd. And kinda Eww.
I so wanted this story to work! Regency England and Jacobite Scotland together in one tale?! Sign me up! Too bad this was such a fail. The love happened way too fast. Felt like there were 3 days between when Anne and Aiden were total strangers to completely in love. We won’t even touch their alternate lifestyle choices…Aiden’s love of dressing the part of medieval Scottish Laird was just odd. The story left me feeling as though everything was unfounded. There was no base through the action of the story or a physical connection. Left the story feeling hollow and confused.
Rating: 2/5 Don’t be lured by the promise of a duo of mouth-watering romance eras…the story falls beyond flat.
Sara O
thelibrarianreads 