Series: Lochmore Legacy (Book 2)
A plain Regency governess
In bed with the duke!
A Scottish castle through the ages! Unceremoniously
packed off to Scotland to care for the Duke of Lochmore's young son, practical
widow Joane Langdale fears she will be ignored as always. But the deep
connection and heated passion that develops between her and Benneit is far more
dangerous! When Benneit is expected to propose to another, how dare Jo dream of
becoming his duchess?
This is the second book in the Lochmore Legacy series,
and like the first one, I read this in one sitting. The heroine of this book is
Joane, who was a secondary character in the first book, His Convenient HighlandWedding. I liked her a lot in that book and was excited to see her front and center
in this one. Here Jo is the poor widowed relation of Benneit's late wife. She
has spent the last two years in servitude to various members of her family,
mostly ignored unless they wanted something. Here we find her packed off to
Scotland to care for Benneit's little boy, Jamie.
Benneit is the widowed duke who is fighting battles on
several fronts. Most important to him is securing his legacy for his son Jamie,
who he adores. To do so, he plans to build a whisky distillery on his land.
That requires the cooperation of the neighboring McCrieff laird, a family the
Lochmore's have been feuding with for generations. Benneit feels that the best
way to solve all his problems is to marry McCrieff's daughter Tessa. This will
end the feud, secure the distillery, and give Jamie a mother and eventually,
some siblings.
I loved both Benneit and Jo. Though she seems a bit
mouse-like and doormatty at first, it doesn't take long to see that there is
much more to her. First of all, I loved how she and Jamie took to each other so
quickly. Once in Scotland and away from her family, the real Jo emerges. She is
intelligent, loving, and can have a wickedly sharp tongue when she wants to.
She is grateful for the time in Scotland, away from her family, where she can
make her own plans for her future. Benneit comes across as cold and aloof at
the beginning as he faces off against his late wife's family. He is not about
to submit to their desires to keep young Jamie in England. But it is his love
for his son and determination to do what is right for him that shines through.
Benneit also feels a profound responsibility for his people, which factors into
his decisions.
I loved the development of the relationship between
Benneit and Jo. They knew each other from when Benneit courted Bella. Benneit thought
of her as a mouse, and Jo just knew that he made her uncomfortable. Six years
later they are different people, but with their losses in common. I loved
seeing how being away from her family gave Jo the chance to be herself, which
manifested in a tendency to be a bit prickly. Benneit was surprised by this
unexpected side of her and occasionally found it uncomfortable. Their care for
Jamie brought them closer together, though they sometimes clashed over what
they thought was best. Unexpected attraction built between them as Jo saw past
Benneit's crusty exterior to the caring and vulnerable man inside. He didn't
expect how right it felt to be with Jo and the feeling of family it engendered.
As the attraction between them grew, dreams and desires butted up against honor
and intentions. I loved Benneit's scene with Tessa at the end as he makes the
only decision possible for him. His big moment at the end was fantastic.
Besides the irrepressible Jamie, I also liked many of the
other secondary characters. I loved the staff at the castle and their outspoken
attitudes. Angus was fantastic with his often unsolicited advice and tendency
to say, "I told you so." I laughed at Jo's maid Beth and her comments
about Jo's ball gown. McCrieff came across as pretty unbending when it came to
the various negotiations but surprised me at the end in the confrontation with
Benneit and Tessa. I loved Tessa. She was sweet and loving and would have been
perfect for Benneit if it hadn't been for Jo. I liked how she and Jo got along
rather than having the whole "other woman" vibe going on. I had to
laugh at her "banishment" because her appearance in the first book showed
how that turned out.
There is only a brief mention of the mystery that began
in the first book. There are more hints about the ongoing feud, including
comments about Ewan and Marguerite, who are the subjects of the next book in
the series. The empty crypt and a mention of the missing brooch also have a
place and left me wanting to know more about what happened.
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