Adorable. All Maddie wants to be left alone and watch her pair of lobsters mate so she can accurately draw the process for an encyclopedia. Natural drawing has been her dream since childhood, and a pesky husband and panic inducing society events are not for her.

To whit, Maddie concocted a secret (and fake) fiancee, a Scottish hearth throb who was sent off to fight Napoleon. To convince her family, Maddie sent hundreds of letters to "Captain Mackenzie," letters she basically used as a personal diary.

Too bad Captain Mackenzie actually got all of her letters. And now he's come to claim the lass who used his identity.

I loved this. A very different premise, with a great writing and dialogue. Super fun.

Listened to on audio in 2017, and it delighted me even more the second time around. The narrator added a great dimension to the characters and had an excellent Scottish accent. The same (female) narrator did all of the voices and had a great range!

I turn to Tessa Dare novels when I'm feeling blue. They are always sweet without being saccharine, they have drama without being full of angst, and the heroines always have endearing quirks and passions. I love reading about Maddie's obsession with bugs, creepy crawlies, and her ardent desire to illustrate two lobsters fornicating. Dare's heroes are also the best. They, in the words of Maddie, are often hard on the outside but just full of squish on the inside. My favorite kind.

2021 - #ButDoTheyBang
Bumped my rating up to a full five because damn, the craft in WASTTK is incredible. From the allusions to the lobsters to just the sheer emotions between Maddie and Logan, this is just a masterclass of a historical. I love it.