Title: When A Scot Ties the Knot Series: Castles Ever After #3
Author: Tessa Dare
Published: August 25, 2015
Genre(s): Romance: Historical
Page Count: 384
Rating:
Summary from Goodreads:On the cusp of her first London season, Miss Madeline Gracechurch was shyly pretty and talented with a drawing pencil, but hopelessly awkward with gentlemen. She was certain to be a dismal failure on the London marriage mart. So Maddie did what generations of shy, awkward young ladies have done: she invented a sweetheart.
A Scottish sweetheart. One who was handsome and honorable and devoted to her, but conveniently never around. Maddie poured her heart into writing the imaginary Captain MacKenzie letter after letter … and by pretending to be devastated when he was (not really) killed in battle, she managed to avoid the pressures of London society entirely.
Until years later, when this kilted Highland lover of her imaginings shows up in the flesh. The real Captain Logan MacKenzie arrives on her doorstep—handsome as anything, but not entirely honorable. He’s wounded, jaded, in possession of her letters… and ready to make good on every promise Maddie never expected to keep.
Tessa Dare is always an author I can count on for the sweet and charming side of the romance genre. When a Scot Ties the Knot is extremely cute, and it has a lot of what protagonist Maddie would call “squish” on the insides. This whole book is just made of squishable perfection, revolving around just one question: what happens when your imaginary fiancé comes to call and brings devious plans of matrimony with him?
AN “UNCONVENTIONAL” HEROINE
Dare’s trademark (aside from her always excellent sense of humor) is her heroines—women who in some way don’t fit society’s ideal. In When a Scot Ties the Knot, heroine Maddie has severe social anxiety. Rather than brave crowded drawing rooms, she decides to invent a fiancé, a conveniently absent Scottish captain fighting in France. This plan, of course, backfires spectacularly.
Perhaps it’s just the authors I’m reading, but I honestly feel like the “quiet and brainy” heroine is a bit overdone. Bot that Maddie’s character was poorly drawn or that smart women don’t deserve representation, but…I’m tired of shy protagonists. With all the books on the market about wallflowers and tomboys who are so “unconventional”, I’m left to wonder where all the books about the “conventional” Regency ladies are.
ALL ABOUT THAT PLAID?
Another thing I just don’t understand is the appeal behind a kilted Scottish man with an accent. But whatevs. As a protagonist and a love interest, Logan is perfectly nice. Gruff, sexually confident, secretly a smooshable teddy bear, reads in bed wearing “sexy” spectacles, etc. But, I mean…much like the shy heroine, I’ve totally read about this character before.
To be perfectly honest, the drop-dead gorgeous guy who has a heart of gold and a dark childhood and great bedroom skills is boring. He’s everywhere in romance novels! Again, it could be the authors I’m reading, but characters like Logan are rather common, and I’m not sure Dare did much to freshen up the portrayal.
IT’S SO FLUFFY I’M GONNA DIE!
Like any of this author’s books, this novel is all the adorableness, all the time. There’s lots of hilarity and swoons and charm and heart. I certainly wouldn’t say When a Scot Ties the Knot has excessive depth or substance like some romance novels; Tessa Dare’s style is more focused on creating engaging characters and compelling plots. And of course, this book was more than successful in that regard—I polished this off in less than two and a half hours, enjoying every bit of fluff and squish that cam my way. I might have some complaints, but never doubt that this book was an extremely good read.
