This review was originally posted on Addicted To RomanceI received this book for free from Audible Romance Package in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Proposal is the first book in the Survivors' Club Series by Mary Balogh. I have been wanting to get to this series so badly and so when I saw the first book up on the Romance Package at Audible, I knew I needed to try it and get my historical fix that I was in the mood of. At first, I wasn't sure what I thought of the book to be honest, or if it would work for me but boy I FELL hard for this book here and it was superb. It starts out slow of course but throughout the story, the author slowly reels in the reader and keeps you interested in this romance.

Our beautiful love story begins with the annual get together of the Survivors' Club. All seven members are Survivors of the war against Napolean, who were all wounded and joined forces to get back to living healthy and as normal lives as they could get to. There are six men and one woman in this group and they have each other's backs. They trust each other completely. Our first Survivor is Hugo Emes, Lord Trentham. His wounds were more mental than physical. He bears the guilt of losing over 300 men in a battle and only a few surived, and he has always blamed himself for it. But now he knows that he needs to get married and have an heir. He has always worked in business, but was granted a title after his work in the war as a soldier. But he wants to honor his late father and make sure everything they worked for isn't lost. So he wants to find a woman who is practical and logical to marry.

Gwendolyn, Lady Muir, is a widow and bears her own guilt and pain. She blames herself for her husbands death. Gwen feels like she was part of the problem despite the fact that her late husband had many internal issues. She is out in the country visiting a friend and her cousin and after a tense discussion with her cousin she goes out for a walk by the shore. But then she falls and hurts her ankle, that was already broken before and hadn't been set right and she carries a bad limp. Just her luck to damage it again. But then she sees Lord Trentham who rescues her and takes her back to the country estate. While she heals and stays at the estate, Gwen gets to become friends with the Surivors' Club including a growing attachment to Hugo. She knows that she is falling in love with him, but they are worlds apart different, but will their social class and personalities clash or bring harmony to their lives?

I do not believe there is right or wrong," he said. "there is only doing what one must do under given circumstances and living with the consequences and weaving every experiences, good and bad, into the fabric of one's life so that ultimately one can see the pattern of it all and accept the lessons life has taught

I simply fell so hard for this couple, although I wasn't sure about it in the first half. It does have a slow beginning, but I feel like the narrator was perfect for this book. I am really glad that I picked this one up in audio. I don't believe I have listened to Rebecca before, but her voice was really lovely and she displays the right tones of emotion and tugs the reader into the story so flawlessly. I had a fun time with seeing this pair find their yin-yang in this story and it really isn't easy for them. They are from different social structures but we see them each live in each other's worlds and discover how great that they are together. This is one of my favorite tropes (probably because in my own life, my parents love tale is that they were from opposite sides of the tracks....so I believe you can definitely make a relationship work in this scenario).

People do understand the language of the heart, you know, even if the head does not always comprehend it.

There is so much that goes on in this book, it begins with their love affair out in the countryside and to the streets of London and seeing them meet each other's families, see the way that they bare their souls to each other and find this deep enriching intimacy that develops between them. I simply had a fun time seeing them discover how strong they are together. That friendship and passion can go hand in hand and with each chapter we see their connection become more vibrant. The ending was simply perfect and made me sigh in bliss!!!

Overall I found The Proposal to be a story that is about healing, personal redemption and finding balance and love in life....A GEM TO FALL FOR!!!

The Thirty Day Boyfriend was such a quick and fun audiobook. It was pretty short at under three hours and normally I don't listen to such short audiobooks, but it was through the Audible Romance Package and I wanted to try out this author's writing and simply adored this story. It was short yet sexy and fun!!

The story is about the hero is a CEO of a company and known as the "Beast" and our heroine works as his personal assistant. She has a four year contract with him, and has only worked for him for two years. And she hates working for him even if he pays her very well for what she does. As she tries to get out of the contract, her boss comes up with an agreement that she becomes his fake fiancee so he can sign a deal with a company then after thirty days she will receive a huge bonus and be able to quit if she likes. But during the thirty days, there is more between them then just hate....there is sexually charged tension and love.

I had a blast with this book and was such a fun enemy to lovers romance that we have here. These two had me laughing so hard and was one of the charming novella's that I have ever read before. Even though it was shorter, It didn't lack depth that I was expecting it too. It helped that it wasn't like all sex all the time like I was expecting from it. In fact, the sex doesn't happen until toward the end of the book so you see the built up of the relationship more and we see that they have truly loved each other all this time without fully realizing it. And such a sweet ending (made me cry) so well done Whitney G......will definitely be reading more of her work and soon!!

Sweet Cheeks is a standalone novel and I thought it was time to get back to reading this author and I love discovering these wonderful books in the romance package at Audible. Sweet Cheeks was first off wonderfully narrated by two of my favorite narrators: Andi Arndt, Sebastian York. These two are fabulous together and so fun to listen to. I love their voices and how well they carry a romance to the reader or in this case "listener". In Sweet Cheeks we have a second chance trope and dealing with movie stars as a character type.

Sweet Cheeks features our hero, who is a famous actor, Hayes Whitley, who left the small town he lived in and the girl he fell in love with to be famous and live his dreams. He knew that there was one person that could keep him in the small town he hated living in growing up. Saylor owns a cupcake bakery and is having a hard time keeping her business afloat. She broke off her engagement to a man from an influential family after being together for six years. But even though Saylor loved him in a way, she couldn't see herself being truly happy with him the way that they should. But she is starting to realize that her breaking off her engagement is making her business suffer. When she receives her ex-fiancee's wedding invitation in the mail she knows that this is the one way to show him and his family that she is happy and has moved on. When her high school sweetheart returns to town, her life goes upside down because Hayes is the one man she could see herself being "in" love with fully but she never understood how he couldn't see goodbye all those years ago or how they could ever have a future when they live in completely different worlds. But she soon realizes that there is more between herself and Hayes than she originally thought, but his life in the limelight will challenge them in ways that they won't see coming....will their love survive the chaos?

I had a blast with this book and I listened to it in one day. This book was so endearing and fun and had its playful moments. I adored the way this romance builds. I have a fondness for second chance romances, and this one is at the top of my list for the year. K. Bromberg has the writing style that just speaks to me and this story was so heartfelt in many ways. You see why these two had to be seperated and become set in their own lives and build their careers and paths. You see how their second chance is the right chance. The way that they know each other, the little things and the big ways that they mean to each other. I found seeing them reconnect to breathe new life into the reader as you read or listen. There is plenty of mistrust though in the beginning of the book, but once we get to the wedding and we see Hayes truly treat Saylor to the pleasures and joy of exploring the tropics and showing her ex fiancee's family off and how petty they are and that what they have is worth everything they will throw at them. I loved seeing how they reconnect, they become so playful with each other. You truly see what great partners they are for each other, how much they trust each other despite the time that they have spent apart from one another.

There is so much growth that we find in the characters especially the heroine. At times she is a bit too trusting and can be naive in some ways but I like that she doesn't doubt facts for too long. I understand why she acts the way she does, she likes to see the good in people instead of the bad especially with a family she thought she trusted for years. But Hayes is experienced in how some people behave and treat others and he is very practical and sees people as they are and I really like the way he helps her understand how some people truly are and aren't as good as we would expect them to be. She learns some valuable lessons and I love the way she learns to accept what is even though she feels betrayed. But her relationship with Hayes and her own personal strength is what fortifies her. We see what she is able to handle and really comes into her own strength and I loved seeing her character blossom in this book and develop the way that she does. Even though I had issues with how she treats the hero at times especially towards the end. But I admired how she faces challenges and comes out on top and becomes a better person when facing adversity. It is truly remarkable to see the change. Our hero is just as delightful, we see the way that he is willing to fight for the heroine and the lengths he goes to in proving to her that he wants her and not just for the present. His life is a whirlwind of action and fame, but she is the only one he wants to share his life with. What is truly endearing was that Hayes never gives up on Saylor when the going gets tough. He fights for their love no matter what it takes and he is put in a terrible position but he accepts responsibility for things going south even though its not really his fault. He has such charm, strength, and kindness. He is a fighter and goes after what he wants and Saylor he wants in his life.

Overall I found Sweet Cheeks to be a delectable read that is full of sweet delights and surprises....a romance of rediscovering love and desire and learning the value of fighting for what is most important. A DELICIOUS TREAT!!!

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.

My Favorite Cowboy by Donna Grant is my FIRST contemporary romance that I have read from Donna Grant and I haven't read her in quite a while. But when I was offered the ARC of this book, I just knew I had to grab it up because one its Donna Grant and she is writing cowboys, so how could I ever resist? Because I never can resist a sexy cowboy in a stetson and boots. So I was really impressed with this book and I swept through the story very quickly...much faster than I even expected from myself. This is a mix of a military hero, some suspense/mystery elements, a vet as our heroine and some hot cowboy lovin'....so much goodness is contained in this book and I gobbled it up like it was chocolate.

Our story begins with our heroine, who is a veterinarian with a specific field in expertise in horses. She loves everything about horses and devotes everything to their protection and care. She works with two main ranches and is well-known as one of the best in the area. She has the expertise but she also has a deep love for horses and that makes her someone who is highly coveted in the area. When a family friend, calls her in for help who runs an auction house for horseflesh and he has four horses that are getting sick with no reason why. She is devastated and determined why and she starts to realize that they are being poisoned on purpose but she has to be careful in giving them the right medication or it could kill them or worse. And this is where she runs into Caleb who is Texas true and tough. He is a military hero and also runs his own ranch in training horses and has a gift with them. When he and his family reaches out to Audrey to help discover who is behind the poisoning and why someone is targeting Audrey, sparks fly between them and true love is about to rear its head on them both.

I have to say that I was very impressed with how My Favorite Cowboy was written here. Now there is no doubt that Donna Grant is a talented author, I have been everything from her historical's to her paranormal and now her contemporary. I love how well versed she is in the various genres and there is something for everyone to enjoy. What I really enjoy about Donna Grant is her talent for story telling. She is the type of author that will always deliver a superb story and My Favorite Cowboy is no different. This is the first time I have read a contemporary romance from Donna Grant. However, this book was fantastic. I really loved the focus being around horses and solving a mystery. I love a good mystery in a romance and I just don't see it enough and what a well told mystery this one was. There are levels of suspense so it does keep you on the edge at times, but I really enjoyed how the story evolves from beginning to end.

We see in this story though some complexities that I wasn't even expecting. Both the hero and the heroine have a deep reverence for horses and you see how much horses matter to them. I really liked seeing how these two work together in the end. Our hero is a bit of a bad boy at times though. He did serve in the military and still suffers the affect of PTSD at times. We see what a great bond that he has with his siblings and how much they stick together and help each other no matter the situation. Caleb likes his women though, he always has flings and never has been serious with anyone until Audrey. He looks at Audrey very differently than any other women he has had interest in the past. He has some issues with women though since his mother abandoned her children when they were little. But he trusts Audrey and doesn't even understand why he looks at her differently but he senses that there is something more to Audrey. Audrey is a very strong and capable heroine but she isn't one to have casual affairs at all. She is looking for the real thing and willing to wait for it. I love how determined and intelligent she is and how passionate she is about life but most especially about her work with horses. She isn't one to trust easily but I enjoyed seeing her allow Caleb and his family into her tight circle.

The romance that builds between Caleb and Audrey is sexy and sweet like you would expect from a western romance. Now I love me some hot cowboy lovin', but this had so much more emotion and intimacy that I have grown to admire about this author. I loved the level of chemistry that builds between these two, but there is also a firm emotional bond that grows with the level of affection and trust and seeing this growth is fundamental to the story. I truly adored seeing Caleb and Audrey come together, they were such an endearing pair and you gravitate toward these two.

There is a focus on the plot and the mystery and danger aspects that had some intensity to the story. I really enjoyed this part and yeah I will admit that I didn't suspect the villain for quite some time. You see the villain enter the story, but you don't see that this person is the one responbile for the horses being poisoned more like an added conflict to the story so I was really surprised when everything is revealed in the end and what a fabulous ending to savor!!



 

I was just browsing Audible’s library when I saw this title pop up and since it had been a little while since I have read a MC romance, I knew that I needed to grab this one up here. Especially with it being a 16 hours in length, which means it would take me a few days. And boy I fell hard for this story and I have to say that this author found a new devoted fan!!! Because even though this is a MC romance, the club isn’t the focus of the story, its more in the background and the focus is the characters and their powerful love story.

So Under Locke begins when our heroine, has lost her job and needs a place to stay and when her brother convinces her to stay with him and that he has a job for her, she is all for it even if it means coming back to her roots and facing the demons of her past. So Iris Taylor has moved back to Austin, and after six months of not having a job, she is relieved to finally have one again and not relying on her savings. She adores her step brother, who is her closest friend. She gets a job with her brother’s friend from the club, who is a jerk and arrogant but pays well and its a decent job and the only other job available would to work as a stripper and that is so NOT Iris. So she tries to tough it out while trying to tough it out with her boss who may be sexy as sin but as the personality of a termite.

I found that I adored this book so much and yeah the hero is a jerk in the beginning, but what really changes is when Iris starts to stand up to him. Now she isn’t this passive doormat, but she tends to get tongue tied around him (probably due to the fact that she likes how he looks) but when she finally finds her voice that is where it really gets interesting and the jerk persona goes away and we see the real hero.

Now I have to say that I LOVED both characters in different ways. But our heroine is really the voice of the story and such a powerful one at that. Iris has gone through so much in her life. Her father abandoned her family when she and her mother got cancer. Iris survived but her mother didn’t and ended up being raised by her grandmother but in reality protected her younger brother, who now barely speaks to her. But when she found her step brother, they became as close as two peas in a pod. Iris is a bit focused on the scars that she gained from her battle with cancer when she was just a child and is more than a bit self concious about it.

As Iris and Dex begin to build a relationship slowly together, there is a danger coming due to her father’s irresponsiblity with money and dealing with bad people. Now she and her brother have both a enemy biker club and a gang after them. And only by finding their father will they both be safe.

I will say that this book was like a breath of fresh air and I honestly never wanted it to end. Both Iris and Dex are complex characters and we see so much depth and true strength from both of them. I did like that this book wasn’t your typical MC romance, it was so unique in so many ways that I felt gravitated towards this story even more. It is a bit “soft” not the tough and gritty MC romances that are normally in this genre which was nice actually since I was in the mood for this style of a read. Those that don’t care for MC romance would probably enjoy this one. 🙂 The club that Dex is a part of is actually one of the more ‘honorable’ ones with their Prez making his members have clean businesses and helping them out when he can. I really liked seeing out the Prez changes how they do things once he takes over. Now Dex is part of one the original lines of families that started the club. He is devoted to his family and true to his own values which I just respected so much. I love how loyal he is to his mother and sisters. He is very protective but its so sweet not overbearing or frustrating. Once you get past his tough exterior, his character really grows on you by A TON!!

There it was. That fierce loyalty. He didn’t have a clue how that was the most attractive thing about him. It trumped his face, his ink, his body, everything. Dex Locke was true. He was grounded.

The romance that builds between Dex and Irish is full of angst in the beginning. Dex is trying to protect his club and has trust issues with outsiders. Iris just wants a good and safe environment to work in, and once they deal with their issues, then their relationship takes a new turn and boy was it fun seeing the fireworks of their dynamics work themselves out and their relationship was simply pure delight!! The dangers that surround them only strengthen their bond as they fight together.

You’ve gotta be the best thing I never knew I wanted

A story that will give you curveballs of emotion, sensual sexiness and a story that is a rollercoaster you won’t want to get off of…..A DELICIOUS TALE!!

It has been quite a long time since I have read a book by this author and man I forgot how HOT AND STEAMY she writes, because this book was probably not the best book to listen to while I was working. But oh well….I just worked through it 🙂 But this author is more erotic romance and she does write in historical romance. She only has two series that she has written (that I know of) and her audiobooks are really wonderful. The only other author I know that resembles her style is Anne Stuart’s “House of Rohan” series. So if you like those books, these are definitely going to work for you.

Sinful is the second book in the duo series. and oh boy this book was quite wonderful but different. It’s not going to be a book that will work for everyone especially since there are some unconventional moments that you normally don’t see in a romance especially in how this book ends. But lets first start at the beginning and how our lovers meet. Our hero, is Matthew, the Earl of Wallingford, and he delves into all vices especially the wicked and sensual kind. He is a painter, and he tends to pain sensual naked women and at the beginning of the book we see him auctioning off his painting, which is not respectable at all, in order to supply him with the funds that he needs to set up his art gallery that he knows his father would NEVER fund.

The heroine is a nurse, that works at a hospital. Jane knows the danger of giving into carnal pleasures such as sex. Her father abandoned them when he was “done” with her mother being his mistress. And in order to feed them, her mother became a prostitute and so Jane decided that was NOT the life that she wanted for herself. She wanted more out of her life, and even if its a life that isn’t looked highly upon, its respectable and it keeps her sane. She loves helping people and learning so much as a nurse as she has.

Matthew while going home, has his money stolen from him, and beaten nearly to death, and he arrives at the hospital that Jane works at. In fever, there is only one person he can tolerate touching him and that is Jane. When he is healed Matthew tempts her to spend the night with him, and while at first she is reserved about it, she can’t deny that his touch thrills her and makes her feel in a way she has never imagined. And even though its wicked and daring, she goes in secret to meet him with a veil over her face. Jane has always been plain, but she wants to be hidden from him, hiding her spectacles and her red hair and freckles. So when they first meet in secret, Matthew has no clue what Jane looks like. And then upon their second rendezvous, she comes up to him with no veil and no secrets, and his reaction to her is not a positive one. She finds him callous and rude and unfeeling and she becomes so disappointed and hurt because she is starting to have real feelings for Matthew and the fact that she learns that he is the Duke of Wallingford, who is a known womanizer doesn’t help much at all either.

They don’t see each other for a few weeks, and both of them miss each other. Matthew has no clue that the woman he meets on the streets is his JANE, he is totally clueless but he has a few suspicians which aren’t confirmed unless he see’s Jane at his best friends wedding where she is the maid of honor for the bride. Now its about to be a bit awkward, the feelings between them are strong and both are very stubborn. But the begin to reconcile and be honest with each other. But then Matthew’s sister has fallen ill and asks Jane for help, because he trusts her more than any other doctor. This is where we begin to see Matthew’s soft side and his good heart because of his affection for his younger sister who is seventeen but has the mind of a child. And he just adores her. This is where my heart began to soften toward’s Matthew’s character. Because he is quite a jerk to Jane and so seeing a different side to him beneath the cynisims was quite refreshing. While helping out with Matthew’s sister, their relationship becomes more cemented and the real truth about Matthew and his heart becomes unveiled. And Jane is so patient and understanding and sees who Matthew really is underneath the facade he hides behind and right when they though that they might have a future together…it all changes when his father blackmails him in worst way and he is forced to make a difficult choice. View Spoiler »

She was breathtaking in her beauty and her human spirit, he thought, unable to speak as he gazed upon her. Hers was the sort that would not fade or grow jaded with time and years, but flourish, grow more radiant with life and its experience. Hers was a beauty that no other possessed. A beauty he longed to keep, to hide away, to bask in, himself alone. She had become his. He didn’t know when, whether it had been the moment her fingertips had touched him when he was hurt, or if it had grown, like a seed, slowing spreading until Jane had become the root anchoring the shattered pieces of his heart, pulling them tight together until it resembled the organ it should

The ending of this story is NOT what you expect, because the hero will be forced to do something he doesn’t want to do to protect those he loves the most, but it has a sweet and happy ending and Matthew and Jane do end up living a happy life together just not in the way most historical romances end but it works for them. I found this ending to be very unvonventional and RARELY seen in a romance but I really ended up liking it. Seeing these two find their way back to each other realizing that being together is more important than scandal or what others may look down upon.

This romance just about broke my heart and totally worked ALL The feels, because my goodness, this author really worked me so much in this story through every emotion you can think of…it happens. And my goodness…I truly became to adore Matthew and Jane and really hate his father and his forced upon fiancee. Matthew and Jane’s love story is so vital and speaks to the heart. My heart just broke for them and what they lose in order to find each other again but they do have their happy ending which brought tears to my eyes…a much well deserved ending and the SISTER!! She was so precious and sweet and charming. I loved her personality and it hurt my heart to see how she was treated by her parents that viewed her as damaged and worthless…but Matthew *sigh* the way he is with his sister just made me happy.

“Jane, you are my confidante, my helpmate, my friend. My lover. You are everything the word wife means to me. In my heart, we are wed. In my soul, you are mine.”

This romance was sensual and full of rough emotions that ride you hard but give you the most satisfying ending that leaves you with a smile…..A DYNAMIC ROMANCE TO GIVE YOU FEELS

Side Note: I will say that the narrator was NOT my favorite, not much emotion or inflection in his voice so I didn’t really favor this narrator but eventually I grew to like his voice.

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance

I have read this author from time to time but I was browsing some holiday titles and I stumbled across the cover, and was like "GIMME" and then I read the blurb and I knew that I needed this book in my life. I started listening to this book and pretty quickly I knew that this would a book I would be having a fun time with and I was SO RIGHT. This book was hilarious and charming and full of small town goodness I always get a kick out of in a well written small town romance. This is the third book in the series though, so there could be a question on whether or not you would want to wait until you read the first two books. However, I didn't need to read the previous books to enjoy this one and I definitely did. There were many things that I loved, first off, this is the perfect book to read for Christmas. We see it go from Thanksgiving all the way through Christmas, and seeing the traditions of Christmas, decorating, baking goodies, and planning Christmas parties and turning a mean old Scrooge into Santa Claus. Its a truly festive read that gives you all the feels.

And now onto the romance, *sigh* aww this love story was so enchanting and I truly adored seeing these two come together, and learn what it means to love and find yourself. We see what great people they are at the core, and especially the heroine we see go on her journey of finding her true self and seeing what really matters in life. The dynamics of their relationship from beginning to end proved pretty interesting. At first a fling, because the heroine plans on leaving home eventually, but then the heart gets in the way but she also has to resolve some issues she has about herself before she can truly find happiness and it was really illuminating seeing her come to this conclusion. The hero is so steady and sure of himself and what he wants, hardworking and a good heart and definitely book boyfriend material for sure.

This tender love story begins with a gathering at Stone Cross Park, including all four wallflowers, their husbands and families. Rafe Bowman, is coming from America to meet his future bride, that much to his dismay, his father has picked out for him, and the Wallflowers, including his sisters, go about in assisting him in this endeavor, not before having ever courted a Englishwoman before, and a member of the Ton as well. When he arrives he firsts meets her companion, Hannah and finds that from their first meeting, he has a fervent desire for this woman and their interaction with each other stimulates his senses. Hannah, companion to the woman he is suppose to marry, is surprised when he focuses his attention toward her. She finds him arrogant, bold, cynical, but soon entrances her in a whirlwind of his kiss. At first she think its just infatuation that is between them, but as Christmas time draws closer, she begins to realize that her feelings for him reach far beyond infatuation and toward genuine and passionate love... A Wallflower Christmas is the fifth and last installment in the Wallflower series that was written by astounding author Lisa Kleypas. When I first started this book, I didn't know what to expect out of this story, I thought it might be enjoyable, but after reading the whole story within a couple of hours, its a classic love story, with the enchanting Christmas scene that even makes it even more magical. The character interaction between Rafe and Hannah was playful, witty and very amusing for this reader, there was also a intensity about their relationship, both on a physical and emotional level. This was such a well written story, that I found the story seemed all too riveting and entrancing. From the first page to the last page I couldn't stop reading, I was so drawn into this love story, that I think I forgot my surrounding. A Completely unforgettable love story that you better get a box of tissues, you will need it, it will bring many laughs and at other times many tears, that will tie up your heart strings to no end!!! A Chanting Love Story To Remember!!!

My Favorite Quote
"Then I will have to show you what happens to women who stand in my way." Before she could comprehend what was happening, one powerful arm had brought her against his hard masculine body. With his other hand, he grasped the nape of her neck, and tilted her head backward. And His mouth took hers.

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance

A Scot in the Dark is the second book in the Scandal and Scoundrel's trilogy and somehow I missed out on reading this book and had just realized it so when I saw this book available at my local library, I just knew that I had to pick it up and I am so glad that I did. I will admit that I adore Sarah MacLean, but some of her books have been a hit or miss and mostly due to reading engagement. So I decided that audiobooks are the BEST way to go and she has such a wonderful narrator for this story: Justine Eyre. Justine is fabulous in narrating historical romance especially if you love historical romance.

A Scot in the Dark begins when our heroine, Lillian Hargrove, has gotten caught up in a scandal of her own making. Lillian was approached and courted by a handsome young artist and Derek was a man she thought she was in love with but it turned out it was quite opposite on his side of things. When he invites her to a presentation of his artwork he announces he will be revealed a nude piece and Lillian is revealed as the mysterious lady and that the painting will be viewed by the public. And now there is a scandal surround Lillian and not to mention her heart and dreams for the future have been shattered.

The Duke of Warnick, a Scot, has recently come into the title and he despises everything english and for good reason. But when he suddenly learns that he has a ward and that she is caught up in a scandal, he heads down to London to handle the situation so he can return home. Even though he is fascinated by Lillian, with her passion and her fighting spirit he knows the best course of action is to get her married especially when he learns that its something she really desires but is afraid to trust anyone else. But Warnick is not wanting to admit his true feelings for Lillian since he is her guardian and doesn't feel like its appropriate. But Lillian doesn't want marriage and she wants to find a way out of her own mess but her heart become intertwined with Warnick and she only needs to convince him that their love is worth the risk....

Listen to me. You do not let them win. Not ever. There is nothing in this world they like more than tearing a woman down for having too much courage. And there is nothing in the world that makes them angrier than not being able to break her.

A Scot in the Dark was simply a wonderful story and I had so many fun times with this book a lot more than I expected and after Justine's performance in waking up this story with zest and passion, I am definitely going to listen to future books by MacLean because this narrator is superb. Now I will admit that this story does start out a bit slowly, but it quickly picks up speed and when you reach about 30 percent, is where the story really pulls in the reader to the story. I love Guardian/Ward romances and this one was so well written. I really loved the set up where Lillian posed for a nude by an artist....this is always something I enjoy reading especially in a historical romance. It shows that Lillian was empowered by her own sensuality and not ashamed of the desire she felt or her body and I truly loved that about her. She has her dreams and fights for them even if that dream is to find a man to love and have a family together. This book shows how beautiful that dream is and worth searching and finding the right man for the job.

We do get some fun appearances with other characters from fellow books which was SUPER fun and it made me want to re-read this trilogy for sure. I am always captivated by how Sarah MacLean writes her friendships and they just take in Lillian right away and accept her since they have scandals attached to their names too but in the name of love. We see how she has to find some peace with her past and accept the friendships with these ladies.

The romance that developed between Lillian and Warnick is so detailed and well done in the feels department. Now, this author is superb when writing fun bantering and boy these two just made me so happy all the time even when they were fighting. I just had a fun time with these two and see them working out their differences. They definitely have different views and boy Lillian is a fighter and she gets a bit creative with how she fights back and I loved it. I enjoyed seeing these two really find some common ground eventually and once they hit that then all is far in love and war. Because when these two love they do it HARD and STRONG!! I wanted these two to find their happy ever after so badly and it takes time and pain but they do get there and it was the journey to their HEA that made this book so moving. I was so involved in their romance and seeing them find what they needed in each other.

Overall I found A Scot in the Dark  to be a sensual, full of giggles and delicious sexual tension to win your hearts!!!  A MUST READ FOR MACLEAN LOVERS