Title/Author: The Lady and the Laird (Scottish Brides #1) by Nicola Cornick
Publisher/Date published: Harlequin HQN, July 30th 2013
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley
Buy this book at: The Book Depository
Goodreads summary: An Indecent Proposal!
Lady Lucy MacMorlan may have forsworn men and marriage, but that doesn't mean she won't agree to profit from writing love letters for her brother's friends - letters that become increasingly racy as her fame grows. That is, until she deliberately ruins the betrothal of a notorious laird, Robert, Marquis of Methven.
Past centuries of bloodshed have left the Methven and MacMorlan families bitter enemies and Robert is furious that Lady Lucy's letters have cost him the bride he needs so urgently to save his ancestral clan lands. Now he makes Lucy a shocking proposal; in return for his silence she must become his wife and provide him with the heir he needs. It is an inconvenient marriage of convenience but can the rugged laird and the bluestocking beauty fight against the power of love?
So I've read some books by Nicola Cornick before and while the last one didn't work so well for me, the other two were wonderful and heartwarming and just all of the good things I want in a historical romance novel. So I was really looking forward to exploring the world of Scotland and lairds and KILTS with her. Sadly, there were no kilts. But it did have so many of the other things that I love that I'm willing to overlook this.
I really liked our heroine, Lucy. She's been through a really traumatic experience and I like that it hasn't left her unaffected. I mean seriously, you can't face something like that and just be ok. I also loved that at first we meet her and Robert before they both go through these traumatic experiences and are still young and hopeful and just really sweet. I loved the moment between them and was actually kinda sad it doesn't get referenced all that often.
So Lucy is a bluestocking and it's known in society that she writes legal letters. However, it's not known that she also writes erotic letters and I really had to laugh at this! I mean, really, it's funny that this perfect little virginal lady is writing letters that would probably make your ears burn (though we never really get to see any of the letters, sadly) based on what she's read in some of the naughty books in her library.
And here's the bottom line: I believed the romance between Lucy and Robert. They made a wonderful couple and once they started opening up to each other, it was SO GOOD! I did think that Lucy's issues got resolved a bit too easily and don't think that Robert's prowess in the bedchamber is the answer to this. I mean, hello, communication? I get that she loves him, but is that really the key to unlocking her fears? I'd say that she has a solid reason to be afraid and it got swept aside pretty quickly after being such a big issue for a long time.
I liked that Robert had to work to get Lucy to say yes to him, even when he'd compromised her and that she shows that although it's handy to have a man protect her, she can do a little protecting herself as well. There was some nice evil intrigue going on in the background and all in all it was a lovely story!
Though I wish there'd been a kilt somewhere in there.
My rating: 4,5 stars
Made me crave: mushroom pasta
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