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Highland Grooms
#6Julie London
HQN
Oct 30, 2018/ ISBN 9781335629425
Historical Romance
Reviewed
by Elise Cooper
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Seduced
by a Scot by Julia London is a book about survival and
how someone can overcome extraordinary obstacles. The hero and
heroine had to overcome their past and learn to move forward.
London recounted how this is “It is the sixth and final
book in “The
Highland Grooms” series. I wanted to base it in the
early eighteenth century when Scotland and England were unified
and acted like bad cousins. I thought it was a great backdrop
to set a series about a Scottish family where the women were
English. I thought it would be interesting to have the English
women and the Scottish men struggling with the same problems
the countries were going through.”
A prominent Scottish family hires a fixer, Nicholas Bain, to
help them weather the possible scandal. Calvin Garbett has arranged
for his daughter, unassuming in personality and beauty, to be
married to someone whose family will help his business dealings.
Falsely accused of enticing the fiancé, the ward, Maura
Darby, is taken by Bain to marry an aging bachelor. Having no
other options, she agrees, but silently is plotting to return
for her family heirloom necklace, taken from her by the mother
and daughter. During their long journey, she vents to him about
being hurt and disappointed by those who are supposed to care
for her. Maura challenges Bain at every turn to see her as a
person rather than a problem to be solved. He realizes that
she is entitled to her necklace and plots with her to get it
back. As they spend time together, they grow closer, and sparks
start to fly between them. Bain realizes that they are kindred
spirits since he was thrown out by his supposed father and the
one possession, a pocket watch, he cherished was taken away.
They find love and realize that they can trust one another.
Readers will enjoy the Cinderella element to the story. She
was given the servant’s quarters and hand me down clothes.
Mrs. Garbett took Maura’s beautiful clothes, belongings,
pets and gave them all to her daughter Sorcha who was extremely
spoiled. Maura tried to stay out of her way, lurking in the
shadows. Both women were petty, jealous, and cruel to Maura
and would do anything to make her feel unwanted. Only while
traveling with Bain does she become someone determined, bold,
and brash.
“I wanted to write Bain and Maura as soul mates. Both
never had anyone miss them, care for them, or love them. Those
who should have protected them betrayed them. I think this created
barriers. Unlike most men of the time, Bain did not believe
she was just property and under the thumb of every man, without
the ability to make decisions for herself. He treated her as
an equal”
Relationship stories are the best when the hero and heroine
can share a similar background. They both had to face secrets,
lies, cruelty, resentment, enviousness, and spite. Taking a
journey with these two wounded souls allowed readers to share
their emotions ranging from sadness to laughter.
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