Escaping the whispers of scandal, a fallen beauty becomes a governess in the Scottish Highlands, where she discovers an unexpected love with her fiercely guarded employer.
💚 Steamy Regency romance
🔥Scottish hero
💚 Governess heroine
🔥Grumpy sunshine
💚 Workplace romance
🔥Forced proximity
In the enchanting hills of Scotland, Katherine Bancroft, a captivating beauty scarred by scandal, seeks sanctuary from her tumultuous past. Little does she fathom that her escape will thrust her into the captivating orbit of a ruggedly handsome yet irascible Scottish laird, harboring secrets of his own.
Haunted by the tragic loss of his elder brother, Gabriel MacInnes returns to the ancestral home to salvage the remnants of a fading family legacy. Time is of the essence, his fortune teetering on the edge. And then, like a whirlwind, enters Kate—the vivacious governess to his spirited nieces. She disrupts the carefully laid plans and, to Gabriel's surprise, rekindles emotions he thought were long buried.
As their magnetic attraction crackles to life, ancient rivalries reawaken, casting shadows over both their blossoming love and the destiny of Dunsmuir Castle. Will they succumb to the scorching chemistry pulling them together, or will the echoes of the past force them onto divergent paths? Prepare for a tale where love clashes with history, and the future of Dunsmuir Castle hangs in the balance.
USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Paula writes steamy, emotional historical romances featuring strong heroines and brooding heroes with a penchant for talking dirty. Her stories are full of witty banter, scorching chemistry, and wouldn’t be complete without a touch of angst.
This book was just lovely! I can't even begin to describe just how great this book was. It was intense in all the best ways. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.
This is the second book of the series, Society of Scandalous Brides, but can easily be read as a standalone. As an innocent and young lady, Katherine in taken advantage of by the Marquess of Brookhouse, thus ruining her reputation. When she is abandoned by her family, she takes a position as a governess to two orphan girls. The girls' uncle, Gabriel, returns home after his brother's death to take care of a family business that is in complete shambles. Katherine doesn't particularly like children, but she begins to find a sort of peace in her new situation. Both Gabriel and Katherine are inevitably attracted to each other, but they need to figure out their own lives before anything can happen between them. Katherine still needs to deal with what happened and figure out what she really wants. Gabriel needs to deal with the responsibilities left to him and also with the possibility his life might be cut short, as both his father and brother died young.
This is a well-written, sweet and lovely story that is sure to tug at your heart strings. The characters are relatable and endearing and I enjoyed following their journey as they both realized they need and deserve to be loved. They had such sparkling chemistry and I enjoyed the witty banter between them. Also be prepared for a little twist that definitely enhances the story. I enjoyed the book very much and look forward to continuing the series.
My thanks to Wolf Publishing for providing a complimentary copy. This is my voluntary review.
After her scandal with a Cad Marquess, Kate is ostracized from the Ton and thus disowned by her awful parents. She accepts a governess position in Scotland for a newly-minted Lairds' niece's. While he's struggling with his new position and the guardianship, he also has a secret he's keeping. Get ready for a roller coaster ride of deceit, adventure, After her scandal with a Cad Marquess, Kate is ostracized from the Ton and thus disowned by her awful parents. She accepts a governess position in Scotland for a newly-minted Lairds' nieces. While he's struggling with his new position and the guardianship, he also has a secret he's keeping. Get ready for a roller coaster ride of deceit, adventure, mystery and love. Loved this book as much as the first!
Kate left London to escape scandal. She became governess to two mischievous little girls and found herself falling in love with their guardian.
Gabriel inherited his brother's holdings as well as his children. His fears and insecurities were holding him back from seeking happiness. He was falling in love with Kate, but he would resist. Could love win in the end? There would be complications and challenges ahead of Gabriel and Kate.
This is an entertaining historical romance with a bit of suspense. I enjoyed it and would recommend it.
Katherine Bancroft is young and innocent, but the Marquess of Brookhouse takes advantage and ruins her reputation. Cut by society, Kate takes a position as a governess in Scotland. Gabriel MacInnes returns to Dunsmuir after his brother's death. Two orphaned nieces, a family home and business in shambles needs his attention. A governess? Kate's never been maternal, but she finds her life changed by Gabriel and his family. An unexpected challenge will put their love and future at risk.
Gabriel is one frustrating hero.
Open bedroom door.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from the publisher.
This book was just lovely! I can't even begin to describe just how great this book was. It was intense in all the best ways. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.
Benjamin Bailey is an American with an interesting history. He was born into the printing business in Boston and after a tragedy, moved to London to try his hand there and to stay with his grandfather. He’s got long hair and an unkempt beard. His clothes are too big and not all fashionable and his fingers are stained with ink. He doesn’t keep track of his schedule and is either late or forgets all together for meetings and events. He’s a busy man and is trying to buy out Prudence’s brother, the Duke of Clearford, who is part owner of the print shop.
The duke has a proposition for him. Samuel knows that Prudence is hiding something. She has an aversion to marriage and often slips out of balls to go meet with her friends. He has no idea what she’s doing and in order to find out, he asks his friend, Ben, to spy on her. If Ben finds out what she’s up to, Samuel will sell his interests to Ben.
Prudence…how I loved her. She’s witty, intelligent, and by the standards set forth by the ton, not the prettiest of the Merriweather sisters. She’s often overlooked and underestimated, which made it easier for her to sneak away during social events. She’s also a stickler for schedules and keeping them. So when her brother’s friend, Benjamin Bailey, starts showing an interest in her, she’s naturally suspicious. Nobody has ever wanted her for her. There was always something else in the mix; something for the perspective suitor to gain. She was never the prize…until Benjamin Bailey.
I loved this story. Ben is not at all what the ton expects him to be and he really doesn’t care. But he does care what Prudence thinks. What started out as a business deal soon became an affair of the heart, something neither were expecting and something Prudence wasn’t at all convinced was real. This was a novel of acceptance, forgiveness, and redemption. It fired on all cylinders. It had some moments of humor (I adored Ben’s grandfather), some angst, some feels, steam, and the happy ending they both deserved.
There was a side story going on with just enough detail to keep me intrigued. Cora and her forced marriage to Lord Norton is the subject of the next novel in this series and one I’m anticipating. Cora and Prudence are friends and Prudence goes to great lengths to help Cora in this book. I’m anxious to see how Lord Norton and Cora come out in the next installment and hope to see Ben and Prudence again
I have been waiting for this story and it did not disappoint! Hot and spicy. Ben’s Cinderella moment was all I hoped it would be. Prudence finally telling off her brother was worth the wait. A hilarious grandfather thrown in for good measure, made for a lot of fun. This book also has a second story since Prudence and Cora were wearing the same costume to the ball. Already looking forward to First Comes Courtship. I love this series!
I loved that this was a best friends sister story without all the “can’t be around you” bull. Even though Evelyn has been secretly in love with Rochester for years, he is the one she calls on for help and he answers in his own way. Both of them have past trauma to come to terms with and he needs to reconnect with his family. This is a new to me author and I liked that she took a different approach to the story from similar things I have read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would read more by this author.
I LOVED this delightfully challenging journey to hea for Lord Dalton Rochester and Lady Evelyn “goose” Markham. So many heartfelt moments, teasing flirtations and misunderstandings that come to light in this wild and fun yet tempered tale. Love all the characters and seeing some from the past included. I highly recommend this book as I couldn’t put it down!
