Fun piece of fluff. Patricia Cabot aka Meg Cabot has a gift for creating likeable characters that get themselves into all sorts of trouble. Fun romance read - great for when you have a tummy ache or are just all stressed out. ( )

I'm pretty sure that if I cared a lot about how Scottish people were portrayed in fiction, I'd have issues with this book (where "Scotland" means basically "some generic place that's slightly exotic and very benighted"). I don't have strong feelings about it, though, so I found the book an enjoyable romp. There're no real villains, the heroine is flawed but not weak, and the hero is (as always) dashing and handsome. I read it in one gulp and while I probably won't be buying it, if I see it in the library again, I'm sure I'll pick it up as a comforting and high quality romance read. ( )

I'm pretty sure that if I cared a lot about how Scottish people were portrayed in fiction, I'd have issues with this book (where "Scotland" means basically "some generic place that's slightly exotic and very benighted"). I don't have strong feelings about it, though, so I found the book an enjoyable romp. There're no real villains, the heroine is flawed but not weak, and the hero is (as always) dashing and handsome. I read it in one gulp and while I probably won't be buying it, if I see it in the library again, I'm sure I'll pick it up as a comforting and high quality romance read. ( )

We begin in London, 1832 the heroine Emma Van Court wants to marry Stuart Chesterton, a very religious minded man. Emma intends to make her plans known to James Marbury, Earl of Denham. James is not all happy about the idea of Emma marrying his cousin. He does not believe Stuart will be able to support them. Emma gets no support from her family either to be married to a curator so her and Stuart elope and move to Scottish Hebrides.

When James receives word that Stuart died six months ago he immediately goes to Scotland to arrange for his remains to be returned to London. When James arrives he finds Emma barely making a living as a school teacher. Emma is distraught over James coming to remove her husband’s remains she persuades him to return to London. While James returns to the town to have a meal he soon learns that the man that killed Stuart left in his will a large sum of money to Emma once she marries again. He pays her a visit at the school to find a man trying to force her into marriage. James comes to her rescue and spends the night at her home.

The next day he decides to call out this man, when they arrive at his run down castle he finds Emma already there and she comes between the two men, after some arguing James offers to marry her for protection and tells her in private once she has her money she can have an annulment.

The events happen quickly the book is a fast enjoyable read. I also discovered halfway through the book that Patricia Cabot writes as Meg Cabot the young adult author. I enjoyed the book and give it 4 Stars and look forward to reading her other novels ( )

sort of a funny victorian bodice ripper.... ( )