Politics has introduced MP Logan McKnight to many
fascinating people, but the lady he encounters on the lands bordering his
ancestral Scottish home outshines them all. Eleanor Craig of Hearthmere seats a
Thoroughbred like a queen, knows as much about world events as any of his
colleagues -- and is engaged to one of the worst men Logan knows. She also
seems lonely, so Logan brings her a friend. Thus should their acquaintance end,
yet it's only just begun.
The puppy Logan delivers is every bit as irresistible as
the man himself. How could this stranger sense the isolation Eleanor suffers
among her scheming, snobbish extended family and fiancé who control her life?
It's even worse in London -- until she begins meeting Logan secretly in a
secluded park. Their passionate connection frees Eleanor, body and soul. But
discovery threatens disgrace -- or worse.
Good book, though it did have a few spots that dragged a
little. Eleanor was orphaned at the age of eleven when her beloved father died.
Her life at her Highland home of Hearthmere, with its rich traditions and its
long line of famous horses, had been very happy to that point. Her aunt and
uncle became her guardians, but when her uncle died also, her aunt moved them
to London, reducing Eleanor's time at Hearthmere to one month a year. Eleanor
lives for those months when she can return home and be her true self instead of
the pale version dictated by her life in London.
Eleanor's most recent visit has been reduced to two weeks
by the direction of her aunt and Eleanor's new fiancé, the Earl of Westcott. She's
not happy about it but has accepted that her life will change with her
marriage. One of the first things she does is head out on a ride where she
encounters Logan, an MP on an incognito vacation, who she mistakes for a
shepherd. Something about Logan unsettles her and gets under her skin, while
Logan is utterly fascinated by Eleanor's looks and intelligence. But he can
also see that she is lonely.
I liked the development of the relationship between
Eleanor and Logan. There were sparks between them from the start, but Eleanor
is caught up in her "London Eleanor" persona and ignores them. The
only feeling she allows to surface is annoyance at the way he talks to her. I liked
the way that Logan recognizes that there is more to her than she allows to
show. He knows he should leave her alone, but something about her calls to him.
Because he senses her loneliness, Logan gives Eleanor a border collie puppy
that he hopes will be a friend. Eleanor doesn't want the puppy at first, but it
isn't long before Bruce wiggles his way into her heart. When Eleanor returns to
London, she never expects to see Logan again. She's stunned when he shows up at
a dinner party at her aunt's house, and she discovers that he is a member of
Parliament.
Though she knows it is wrong, Eleanor and Logan begin to
meet secretly as friends, bonding first over Bruce's training. They grow closer
as Eleanor finds herself increasingly willing to be herself in Logan's company.
She also begins to chafe under the treatment she receives from her family and fiancé.
Her family frequently shows their selfishness and disdain for the benefits they
have received from being part of her life. I detested her Aunt Deborah and
cousin Daphne and the way they browbeat her. But the one who really angered me
was her fiancé, Michael. The more I saw of him, the more I wanted her to get
away from him. His attitude toward Bruce would have been the last straw for me,
but Eleanor was still stuck in her "family first" mindset. I was so
glad that Eleanor was able to call on Logan for help in that situation. I ached
for them both because, by this time, they knew that the pull between them was
becoming irresistible. Logan's sense of honor was incredibly strong. But when
Eleanor overheard Michael's plans for Hearthmere, she knew she couldn't marry
him. What she never expected were the over-the-top actions of her family to force
her into the marriage. I was horrified by what they did and waited as
desperately as Eleanor did for Logan to rescue her. I was on the edge of my
seat until it was all over. The ending was great, especially with the
revelation of Logan's secret. The only thing that would have made it better
would be to see her family's reaction when they found out!
I had two favorite
secondary characters. First, of course, was Bruce. He was adorable, from his
attacks on Eleanor's shoes to his absolute devotion to her. He made me laugh in
many places, and I could see the difference he made in Eleanor's life. I loved
his part in her rescue. The other character I loved was Logan's housekeeper,
Mrs. Campbell. She was so kind and warm-hearted and was precisely what Eleanor
needed in her life. I liked that she was the one who brought Eleanor's absence to
Logan's attention and that she involved herself in finding out what was wrong.
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