The Highland Grooms, Book 6
From the publisher:
There’s no matchmaking an unruly heart
When a prominent Scottish family faces a major scandal weeks before their daughter’s wedding, they turn in desperation to the enigmatic fixer for the aristocracy, Nichol Bain. Remarkably skilled at making high-profile problems go away, Nichol understands the issue immediately. The family’s raven-haired ward, Maura Darby, has caught the wandering eye—and rather untoward advances—of the groom.
Nichol assuredly escorts Maura toward his proposed solution: an aging bachelor for her to marry. But rebellious Maura has no interest in marrying a stranger, especially when her handsome traveling companion has captivated her so completely. Thankfully, Nichol loves a challenge, but traveling with the bold and brash Maura has him viewing her as far more than somebody’s problem. Which raises a much bigger issue—how can he possibly elude disaster when the heart of the problem is his own?
These were interesting, unusual characters. Thanks to Donald Trump and Ray Donovan, I am familiar with “fixers” but I don’t recall seeing one in the nineteenth century before. And in the #MeToo era, I rather like seeing today’s morals applied in an earlier century. Maura is an independent woman seeking more than a title and a husband. I’m not sure exactly when that change happened in romances, but I know that it did and these historical romances are all the better for it. Although perhaps not as historically accurate? I don’t know, I will leave that to those that research the era.
That said, I wasn’t thrilled with how all the characters were treated. The secondary characters left much to be desired. Despite that, I still enjoyed this fast read.
11/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™
SEDUCED BY A SCOT by Julia London. HQN; Original edition (October 30, 2018). ISBN 978-1335629425. 384p.