A ruined lady turned governess
Can she tame the Highlander?
When Frances Goodson is summoned to Scotland to give
etiquette lessons, she's not expecting to tutor a handsome laird! The scandal
of her past means going home is not an option, so she must help wild, scarred
Lachlan MacKinloch win a wealthy London heiress. She's determined to fulfill
her task and not get distracted by the passion she sees in the powerful laird's
eyes…
Good start to the new series. As the book opens, Frances
is on her way to Scotland for a job tutoring someone in etiquette for a London
season. She wasn't given any details and believed her student to be a young
lady getting ready for her first season. Imagine her shock when she discovers
her student is none other than the laird himself!
Lachlan is not happy when Frances shows up. His mother
did the hiring unbeknownst to him. He was contracted to marry an English heiress
by his father and hers and is not enthused about the idea. However, he needs
the woman's dowry to save his people from starvation, so he'll go through with
it. He sees no need to change who he is to do so.
I loved the first meeting between Frances and Lachlan. He
is determined to send her home, and she is equally committed to staying, both
having their reasons to do so. Frances has a scandal in her past that made it
impossible for her to remain in Society and estranged her from her family. Her
work as a governess is all she has. Lachlan carries a load of guilt over his
father's death and feels that the marriage is also his way to honor his
father's wishes. I laughed at the way Frances bargained her way into staying
and doing what she was hired to do. There were sparks between Lachlan and
Frances from the beginning, and they burned hotter by the day. I loved how
comfortable they became with each other and the teasing and banter between
them. I ached for them both as they grew closer, and their feelings deepened
because both knew that there was no chance for them to be together.
Their situation became even more heartbreaking when the
story moved to London. Frances's lessons proved to be invaluable, and Lachlan was
wholly accepted. He was still unaware of some of the pitfalls in front of him,
and there were a couple of great scenes where Frances kept him from disaster.
The more time Lachlan spent with his bride-to-be, the more he realized that
neither of them wanted the marriage. I ached to see Lachlan's protectiveness
toward Frances and her determination not to interfere with what he needed to
do. I wasn't sure how they would find a way to be together. I loved how Lachlan
made it happen, perhaps imitating the methods of his ancestors. There were a
couple of interesting twists at the end that wrapped up the story quite nicely.
I liked the introduction to Lachlan's friends, who I
assume will be the subjects of the other books. I am especially interested to
see the next book, as I believe it will be about Lachlan's ex-fiancée and his
friend Camford.
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