This review was originally posted on Addicted To RomanceI received this book for free from St. Martin's Paperbacks in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.






All Scot and Bothered is the brilliant sequel to this amazing trilogy "Devil You Know" and in this trilogy and I have to say that this author keeps on winning my heart and it just doesn't ever stop. She is such an underrated author in my opinion, she is one of the best when it comes to writing an historical romance. I love how old school it feels at times, without the consent issues. Just sexy romance we all know and love without all the modernisms that frustrate me about this genre especially of late. This story was unique in that it has plenty of angst but not too much and quite frankly Byrne handles the angst so well, way better than I was expecting.



All Scot and Bothered begins with our heroine, Cecilia. Cecilia may appear to be shy and reserved but has a spine of steel. She first meets Lord Chief Justice of the High Court; Cassius Gerard Ramsay at a party and he the brother of her best friends husband. And even though there is a connection between them ...sometimes life tends to throw a curveball. This curve ball happens with Cecilia is endowed with a fortune, a girl's home and a gambling hell from a friend of her mothers. But what she finds there is a disaster waiting to happen and an enemy who wants to destroy her because he assumes she is the worst of the worst....none other than Ramsay. Only Ramsay doesn't recognize her in a disguise. But soon her true identity is revealed and Ramsay will have to deal with many unpleasant revelations including falling for a woman he should hate ...who should be his enemy...but a woman who tempts him more than any other but is also the most dangerous to him because she could hold the key to melting the ice around his heart.



All Scot and Bothered is a delicious tale and I couldn't get enough of this romance and it sparks so much passion in this one. I so loved this enemies to lovers trope and the angst was done SO well. I can say this with a certainty because I am probably one of the pickiest when it comes to angst in romance. I can tell you I had such a ball of fun with all the bantering that Ramsay and Cecilia display and boy it surely was a lively time seeing these two go back and forth. It was quite elemental seeing Cecilia find her own strength and drive. She wants to do so much good with what she has been given but she also wants to find these young missing girls and find the clues to the mystery of those involved. I will say that the identity of the villain involved was someone I half suspected, it was a surprise but half not. Its a character that you have doubts about their intentions in the beginning, so it doesn't surprise you what this person becomes capable of, but its not someone that you would put at the top of the list. So very well done for this author to create a dynamic.



The romance that builds between Cecilia and Ramsay was unique and I was relieved in seeing that her identity and secrets weren't kept from Ramsay for very long, in fact, it was less than 24 hours. And I breathed a sigh of relief on that score, because I really struggle at times with authors stretching out those lies and secrets. But amazingly, this was a story that really built on the emotional connection with such depths that impressed me. There are so many intricate layers to the characters but most especially the hero that comes into play here. At first, he appears to be packed with such arrogant and conceit, but it is soon revealed that there is so much more to him that comes to light and the heroine in pushing him in revealing his true self. As a pair these two really bring such clarity and soul deep intimacy that vibrates through the whole story.



Overall I found All Scot and Bothered to be a breathtaking read that steals your breath and captivates your attention and stuns you in its delights, pleasures, joys and sorrows....