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Victorian Rebels #5
The Scot Beds His Wife
The Scot Beds His Wife is the next lush, captivating Victorian romance in the Victorian Rebels series by Kerrigan Byrne.
They’re rebels, scoundrels, and blackguards—dark, dashing men on the wrong side of the law. But for the women who love them, a hint of danger only makes the heart beat faster.
Gavin St. James, Earl of Thorne, is a notorious Highlander and an unrelenting Lothario who uses his slightly menacing charm to get what he wants—including too many women married to other men. But now, Gavin wants to put his shady past behind him...more or less. When a fiery lass who is the heiress to the land he wishes to possess drops into his lap, he sees a perfectly delicious opportunity...
A marriage most convenient
Samantha Masters has come back to Scotland, in a pair of trousers, and with a whole world of dangerous secrets from her time spent in the Wild West trailing behind her. Her only hope of protection is to marry—and to do so quickly. Gavin is only too willing to provide that service for someone he finds so disturbingly irresistible. But even as danger approaches, what begins as a scandalous proposition slowly turns into an all-consuming passion. And Gavin discovers that he will do whatever is necessary to keep the woman he has claimed as his own...
They’re rebels, scoundrels, and blackguards—dark, dashing men on the wrong side of the law. But for the women who love them, a hint of danger only makes the heart beat faster.
Gavin St. James, Earl of Thorne, is a notorious Highlander and an unrelenting Lothario who uses his slightly menacing charm to get what he wants—including too many women married to other men. But now, Gavin wants to put his shady past behind him...more or less. When a fiery lass who is the heiress to the land he wishes to possess drops into his lap, he sees a perfectly delicious opportunity...
A marriage most convenient
Samantha Masters has come back to Scotland, in a pair of trousers, and with a whole world of dangerous secrets from her time spent in the Wild West trailing behind her. Her only hope of protection is to marry—and to do so quickly. Gavin is only too willing to provide that service for someone he finds so disturbingly irresistible. But even as danger approaches, what begins as a scandalous proposition slowly turns into an all-consuming passion. And Gavin discovers that he will do whatever is necessary to keep the woman he has claimed as his own...
394 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 3, 2017
About the author
Kerrigan Byrne
71 books4,808 followersIf you're anything like me, the best night is one spent with a brawny highlander, a mysterious werewolf, a conflicted vampire, or a hot-headed Irishman. My stories span the spectrum of romantic fiction from historical, to paranormal, to romantic suspense. But I can always promise my readers one thing: memorable and sexy Celtic heroes who are guaranteed to heat your blood before they steal your heart. Lose yourself in the enchanted Celtic Isles, you never know who, or what, will find you...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 774 reviews
September 14, 2024
This book has the dubious honor of having a sex scene that made my girl parts go all dry and itchy.
There was this whole thing where she was in a tub and he was using a bar of soap to stimulate her.
You know where you don't want a bar of soap? In your twat, that's where.
Then whilst she bathes, he put his 'clever fingers' in her cooch.
In the dirty, soapy water.
And he's just plunging that shit all up inside of her.
Ohmyfuckinggod.
I have a sympathy UTI just from reading that.
It burns. I feel it burning!
BUT.
Other than that? Yeah, it was a decent little kilt romance.
And it had an actual PLOT. Like, a real one! <--I mean, considering it's a romance.
It starts out with a young woman named Sam who was orphaned, then gets taken in by skeevy Mormons (no offense to my very cool Morman friends) who try to marry her off to an old man as a 2nd or 3rd wife, but escapes that by marrying into a gang of train robbers, and ends up shooting her husband before he can kill an innocent woman. <--who turns out to be an heiress that wants Sam to impersonate herself and take possession of property in Scottland to keep it out of the hands of the guy she eventually falls for!
And that? That's like the first chapter.
There's more. Waaaaay more.
But sadly, no real kilt action.
It was alright overall, and it definitely had a lot of story to it. If you're jonesing for a cowboy-kilt mashup, then look no farther than The Scot Beds His Wife.
Derek Perkins - Narrator
Mr. Perkins was ok as a narrator, but he didn't sound sexy. I wanted one of those growr accents and I didn't get it.
There was this whole thing where she was in a tub and he was using a bar of soap to stimulate her.
You know where you don't want a bar of soap? In your twat, that's where.
Then whilst she bathes, he put his 'clever fingers' in her cooch.
In the dirty, soapy water.
And he's just plunging that shit all up inside of her.
Ohmyfuckinggod.
I have a sympathy UTI just from reading that.
It burns. I feel it burning!
BUT.
Other than that? Yeah, it was a decent little kilt romance.
And it had an actual PLOT. Like, a real one! <--I mean, considering it's a romance.
It starts out with a young woman named Sam who was orphaned, then gets taken in by skeevy Mormons (no offense to my very cool Morman friends) who try to marry her off to an old man as a 2nd or 3rd wife, but escapes that by marrying into a gang of train robbers, and ends up shooting her husband before he can kill an innocent woman. <--who turns out to be an heiress that wants Sam to impersonate herself and take possession of property in Scottland to keep it out of the hands of the guy she eventually falls for!
And that? That's like the first chapter.
There's more. Waaaaay more.
But sadly, no real kilt action.
It was alright overall, and it definitely had a lot of story to it. If you're jonesing for a cowboy-kilt mashup, then look no farther than The Scot Beds His Wife.
Derek Perkins - Narrator
Mr. Perkins was ok as a narrator, but he didn't sound sexy. I wanted one of those growr accents and I didn't get it.
Read
February 9, 2022feel like this is finally the year i'm ready to be brutal about DNFs. i could have pushed through but why bother if it's going to be a 2 star
October 15, 2017
3 O, what a tangled web we weave Stars
The Scot Beds His Wife, the 5th book in the Victorian Rebels series, was an okay read for me. It was slow going. I didn't start to really enjoy it until right after they were married, and that was 200 pages into the book. So for 200 pages I was zoning out, and kinda bored. My problems with this read was the overly flowery words that felt like filler, the crazy amount of the word FUCK in this book, and the ridiculous over the top one upping of the hero. Here are just two quotes:
"Suddenly an extremity of exhilaration and anxiety stormed through her. She was no untried blushing bride...but this man had famously fucked more women than Casanova and Lord Byron combined."-Sam
"I already told you, I'm no virgin. And everyone knows you've made love to most of the maidens in Europe, and half the married women, besides."-Sam
I mean come on!!!! He fucked more women than Casanova and Lord Bryon. That is just so hard to take serious. And lets touch on the fact that the heroine Sam was dropping the F bomb every other word. I know there were women who cussed back in the day, but they were super rare. The way in which Sam did it, and the amount of the word fuck coming from her, and the hero's mouth was again over the top and not believable. Now all that being said It was still an okay read. The last 190 pages were really good. I just wished I could have gotten into it sooner. I still love Kerrigan Byrne and I can't wait to see who's book is next!
https://jessicasoverthetopbookobsessi...
The Scot Beds His Wife, the 5th book in the Victorian Rebels series, was an okay read for me. It was slow going. I didn't start to really enjoy it until right after they were married, and that was 200 pages into the book. So for 200 pages I was zoning out, and kinda bored. My problems with this read was the overly flowery words that felt like filler, the crazy amount of the word FUCK in this book, and the ridiculous over the top one upping of the hero. Here are just two quotes:
"Suddenly an extremity of exhilaration and anxiety stormed through her. She was no untried blushing bride...but this man had famously fucked more women than Casanova and Lord Byron combined."-Sam
"I already told you, I'm no virgin. And everyone knows you've made love to most of the maidens in Europe, and half the married women, besides."-Sam
I mean come on!!!! He fucked more women than Casanova and Lord Bryon. That is just so hard to take serious. And lets touch on the fact that the heroine Sam was dropping the F bomb every other word. I know there were women who cussed back in the day, but they were super rare. The way in which Sam did it, and the amount of the word fuck coming from her, and the hero's mouth was again over the top and not believable. Now all that being said It was still an okay read. The last 190 pages were really good. I just wished I could have gotten into it sooner. I still love Kerrigan Byrne and I can't wait to see who's book is next!
https://jessicasoverthetopbookobsessi...
April 29, 2018
DNF @ 78
For a more concise and level headed summary, I'll have to refer to Kyraraker's excellent review. My review might end up a wee bit ranty.
To steal from the author's often used technique in this book: Oh. My. God.
Is this the same author who wrote The Highwayman? And did I call Tessa Dare's The Duchess Deal a 'veritable clusterfuck'? Really? Okay, I take it back.
To say I cringed my way through the 78% would not be accurate. Sometimes I simply stared at my Kindle in disbelief. Sometimes I was about to hurl it against the wall. And sometimes I even found myself laughing. Involuntarily.
The Scot Beds His Wife starts as all Ms. Byrne's books start: with the horrible events of the hero's childhood that shaped him into the man that he is today. I curse Gavin St. James' father myself by now, for fathering so many sons that we have to go through the Tortured-Hero routine again and again. Out of the five books in this series, three of them cover the stories of three of his sons. I curse ye, Hamish Mackenzie, I curse ye!
Gavin St. James (actually Mackenzie, but whatever), Earl of Thorne has two main goals in life: Emancipate himself from the Mackenzie Clan. He wants absolutelylylylylylyly nothing to do with the Mackenzie Clan, what with such an evul father and almost equally evul brother. He is the hero of book three, The Highlander, by the way. Why Liam is supposed to be almost equally evul in Gavin's opinion was a little - I don't know - contrived, maybe? Not sure, but doesn't matter. It really doesn't.
His second goal is to get his hands on the Erradale estate, currently owned by Alison Ross, an heiress who lives abroad in America. See, although an earl by his own right from his mother's side with a castle and money enough, he wants to build something with cattle, or whatever. Doesn't matter. He neeeeeeeeeeeeeds the Erradale Estate.
On the other side of the pond, Samantha Mathers shoots her husband dead in order to safe this Erradale estate owning Alison Ross. Alison is so, so, so grateful that she decides on the spot to help Samantha escape the clutches of her evil brother-in-laws by suggesting Samantha assume Alison's identity and take charge of Erradale estate. She can do whatever she likes with it, with one condition. Under no circumstances is the land to go to any Hamish Mackenzie descendant. I still curse ye, Hamish!
So, chapter three, Samantha arrives in Scotland and meets Gavin, and this is where my summary of the plot ends, because it doesn't matter. The writing was so awful that I could. not. concentrate. on the events.
This is about to get tricky now because I'll insert quotes and I may just as well copy the whole book in here to make my case. Honestly, I have rarely marked a book as often as I have here, accompanied by mostly two notes. either pp (purple prose) or OTT (obviously for exaggerations).
I couldn't anymore. I really, really couldn't finish this book. There was simply no limit to the purple prose and the exaggerations which lead to the characters looking rather cartoonish.
I know subtlety isn't Ms. Byrne's strongest talent. I even remarked on it in my review for The Highwayman, saying that her writing is a modernised version of the old-school bodice rippers. But The Scot Beds His Wife was taking the biscuit.
Further above, I mentioned a few times that this or that didn't matter. What does character development matter when there's no room for subtle shifts? What do the growing emotions matter when they're based on tales of woe that would shame many OTT NA-drama novels? It's one big pity party, anyway, in which Gavin - in particular - excels. What does it matter in which time the story is set when the language used at times is so modern that it throws me right out of it? What does the whole story matter when it's filled with all the Scottish - and American - clichées under the sun.
I didn't care for either Gavin or Samantha. It also didn't matter what lies Samantha kept from him. She still clung to them by the time I gave up and I have no interest to see how it's resolved.
True to the author's style:
I. Could. Not. Care. Less.
For a more concise and level headed summary, I'll have to refer to Kyraraker's excellent review. My review might end up a wee bit ranty.
To steal from the author's often used technique in this book: Oh. My. God.
Is this the same author who wrote The Highwayman? And did I call Tessa Dare's The Duchess Deal a 'veritable clusterfuck'? Really? Okay, I take it back.
To say I cringed my way through the 78% would not be accurate. Sometimes I simply stared at my Kindle in disbelief. Sometimes I was about to hurl it against the wall. And sometimes I even found myself laughing. Involuntarily.
The Scot Beds His Wife starts as all Ms. Byrne's books start: with the horrible events of the hero's childhood that shaped him into the man that he is today. I curse Gavin St. James' father myself by now, for fathering so many sons that we have to go through the Tortured-Hero routine again and again. Out of the five books in this series, three of them cover the stories of three of his sons. I curse ye, Hamish Mackenzie, I curse ye!
Gavin St. James (actually Mackenzie, but whatever), Earl of Thorne has two main goals in life: Emancipate himself from the Mackenzie Clan. He wants absolutelylylylylylyly nothing to do with the Mackenzie Clan, what with such an evul father and almost equally evul brother. He is the hero of book three, The Highlander, by the way. Why Liam is supposed to be almost equally evul in Gavin's opinion was a little - I don't know - contrived, maybe? Not sure, but doesn't matter. It really doesn't.
His second goal is to get his hands on the Erradale estate, currently owned by Alison Ross, an heiress who lives abroad in America. See, although an earl by his own right from his mother's side with a castle and money enough, he wants to build something with cattle, or whatever. Doesn't matter. He neeeeeeeeeeeeeds the Erradale Estate.
On the other side of the pond, Samantha Mathers shoots her husband dead in order to safe this Erradale estate owning Alison Ross. Alison is so, so, so grateful that she decides on the spot to help Samantha escape the clutches of her evil brother-in-laws by suggesting Samantha assume Alison's identity and take charge of Erradale estate. She can do whatever she likes with it, with one condition. Under no circumstances is the land to go to any Hamish Mackenzie descendant. I still curse ye, Hamish!
So, chapter three, Samantha arrives in Scotland and meets Gavin, and this is where my summary of the plot ends, because it doesn't matter. The writing was so awful that I could. not. concentrate. on the events.
This is about to get tricky now because I'll insert quotes and I may just as well copy the whole book in here to make my case. Honestly, I have rarely marked a book as often as I have here, accompanied by mostly two notes. either pp (purple prose) or OTT (obviously for exaggerations).
It really should have been, she thought, as she tried to gain her breath whilst crushed to a body hard as stone by arms as unyielding as the iron shackles she’d crossed an ocean to escape.Okay, I'm about to stop here. But I have one nugget left and no spoiler gif either because this one left me speechless:
*****
Even in such a setting, his baritone was supple as silk against naked flesh.
*****
He was no barbarian. And certainly no gentleman.
He had to be a Celtic god.
Men worshiped metal and money these days, and he was crafted of both in equal measure. Also, there was no denying that the suit stretched over shoulders as wide as the Rocky Mountains must have cost incomprehensible amounts of cash.
*****
She’d have asked him what the hell “fash” meant, if his eyes hadn’t stunned her mute. Samantha had never in her life seen anything so verdant or so shockingly, absorbingly beautiful. Not the quaking leaves of the sparse aspens on the Nevada homestead where she’d been raised, or the brief spring grasses that quickly faded to gold, then brown beneath the relentless desert sun.
*****
Set like precious gems in features crafted by the same celestial hand that pulled the treacherous Sierra Nevada from the wild, willful earth. It wasn’t only his spectacular height and breadth that set him apart from the scant crowd—if one could call it a crowd after experiencing the crush of humanity at London’s Charring Cross Station—it was his uncommon magnificence. Samantha tried to find a different word. Something less dramatic, less ostentatious, and simply couldn’t.
He was, in a word … Magnificent.
*****
But this brawny stranger with features the perfect paradox of barbarian and aristocrat seemed to have her thoughts tumbling over each other like a litter of exuberant puppies.
*****
The disaster named Alison Ross. Light as a feather, she was, and devastating as a tornado. All long limbs and electric eyes.
She was no untried blushing bride … but this man had famously fucked more women than Casanova and Lord Byron combined.This is the main tone of the book and. It. Does. Not. Stop.(Sorry, this is my all-time favourite gif)
I couldn't anymore. I really, really couldn't finish this book. There was simply no limit to the purple prose and the exaggerations which lead to the characters looking rather cartoonish.
I know subtlety isn't Ms. Byrne's strongest talent. I even remarked on it in my review for The Highwayman, saying that her writing is a modernised version of the old-school bodice rippers. But The Scot Beds His Wife was taking the biscuit.
Further above, I mentioned a few times that this or that didn't matter. What does character development matter when there's no room for subtle shifts? What do the growing emotions matter when they're based on tales of woe that would shame many OTT NA-drama novels? It's one big pity party, anyway, in which Gavin - in particular - excels. What does it matter in which time the story is set when the language used at times is so modern that it throws me right out of it? What does the whole story matter when it's filled with all the Scottish - and American - clichées under the sun.
I didn't care for either Gavin or Samantha. It also didn't matter what lies Samantha kept from him. She still clung to them by the time I gave up and I have no interest to see how it's resolved.
True to the author's style:
I. Could. Not. Care. Less.
August 3, 2020
Not my favourite Rebel...
I get why it seems easier to lie but it really does end up biting you on the bum. While I enjoyed my revisit with The Scot Beds His Wife it really is not my favourite of the series. There are so many lies and secrets kept, that I spent a lot of time frustrated with both Gavin and Samantha. Most of the fault lies with Samantha, but Gavin really does not help.
The thing that made listening a little better than just satisfactory is the chance to catch up with the gang. I am loving my revisit to this series. This is my first re-read of the series and now that I know how it all plays out, I'm enjoying seeing all the puzzle pieces falling into place. How all the parts are linked is fascinating, and I'm only now realising how much works goes into making a series. Nicknames from childhood have more of an impact when you know what kind of man they've turned into. This re-read/listen has been amazing and I've loved every minute of it...even when I've not particularly liked how things play out.
I have listened to Derek Perkins narrate a few different stories and some I've liked and some I've not really enjoyed. As a Victorian Rebel, Mr Perkins excels. He is Dorian Blackwell.
He is Christopher Argent. He is Liam Mackenzie. He is Col Talmage. And now, he is Gavin St. James. He brings each of the Rebels to life whether they be Highwayman, Hunter, Highlander, Duke, or Scot. They could not have cast a better man for the job.
When I initially saw that the whole series was performed by one male, I was a little wary. It's only now that I'm 5 books in, I've realised that this romance series could ONLY have been performed by a male. Unlike other romances where the heroine is the focal point, this series is about the heroes finding love. Sure, we get thoughts and feelings of the heroine, but it really is all about the hero.
I can't wait to catch up with The Rook to check out his Dragon Tattoo.
********************************
The axe didn’t fall as I expected
I was so excited when The Scot Beds His Wife hit my Kindle. I am a HUGE fan of Kerrigan Byrne and the Victorian Rebels series. In the previous instalments, I’ve taken emotion and physical punches (of the book reading variety) within the first few pages of the book. In this case, it was almost light. Well, maybe not light, maybe murky would be a better term. It wasn’t as dark as I expected. Sure, there was a wee bit of pain, torture and suffering but it was almost like I was observing it through a mask. But, maybe Kerrigan Byrne did that on purpose? See, our hero, Gavin, Earl of Thorne, he wears a mask to hide his darkness. Maybe we’re given this murky picture because Gavin has pushed his darkness so far behind the mask, that even he doesn’t see it clearly anymore.
His mask is the smirky smirk of a profligate rake. Gavin sleeps around A LOT! This, unfortunately, is not an endearing characteristic to me. Even when we find out why he is the way he is and what led him to be that way, I still struggled to see past it. He throws it in your face, talks about it openly and wants you to turn away in disgust. Because, if you don’t, there might be a connection. Connections mean feelings and emotions. Gavin doesn’t want to feel or connect.
Again, I am faced with a deceitful heroine. I wanted to hate her but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. While we don’t “see” her suffering, we do see her strength and courage that’s grown from her suffering. Sam almost gives you the impression that she’s one of the boys. She wears pants, rides astride, swears like a trooper and outshoots most men. I don’t think she is trying to be one of the boys, she just happens to do those things. The pants because they’re practical. Astride because it’s safer and easier than side-saddle. Swears like a trooper, because, well, I don’t know about you, but sometimes a swear word is the only way to express something passionately. The out-shooting, because she wants to live, and if you’re better than the opposition holding a gun, or you can’t outrun a beast, best to practice until you are the best.
Sam is a very complicated character. She’s worked hard since she was little, escaped a bad situation, been led astray and made a snap decision that changed her life. Her new life includes moving countries and finally finding a place where she can settle and live her life in peace. Unfortunately, her peace is a wee bit far off when the most beautiful man she’s ever seen tries to steal her peace.
I’ll be brutally honest, The Scot Beds His Wife took a wee while for me to warm up to. As I mentioned before, Gavin’s reputation does not show him in his best light. Sam holds her secrets too close to her heart and they’re exposed before she can protect herself. It's a steamy read with Gavin's previous experience coming to good use.
I kept waiting for the dark. It was like there was an axe hovering over me, waiting for me to relax so that it could attack. Every page turned was going to be the one when things would go wrong. I waited and waited and waited. Towards the end, I started panicking. How were we going to resolve everything that’s still up in the air? When were the secrets going to come out? This is one of those stories that ends with a BANG, CRASH and KABOOM!! Friends and enemies collide with some very interesting information coming to light.
For a little while, I thought this was going to be the first book in the series that I didn’t like but I should have trusted that Ms Byrne would deliver the goods. Happy smiles and hearts aflutter, with an ending just the way I like it.
Just a warning though, there is A LOT of swearing and I mean A LOT. Didn't worry me too much and actually made me chuckle because it was so unexpected.
Stacey is Sassy, received an advanced copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.
I get why it seems easier to lie but it really does end up biting you on the bum. While I enjoyed my revisit with The Scot Beds His Wife it really is not my favourite of the series. There are so many lies and secrets kept, that I spent a lot of time frustrated with both Gavin and Samantha. Most of the fault lies with Samantha, but Gavin really does not help.
The thing that made listening a little better than just satisfactory is the chance to catch up with the gang. I am loving my revisit to this series. This is my first re-read of the series and now that I know how it all plays out, I'm enjoying seeing all the puzzle pieces falling into place. How all the parts are linked is fascinating, and I'm only now realising how much works goes into making a series. Nicknames from childhood have more of an impact when you know what kind of man they've turned into. This re-read/listen has been amazing and I've loved every minute of it...even when I've not particularly liked how things play out.
I have listened to Derek Perkins narrate a few different stories and some I've liked and some I've not really enjoyed. As a Victorian Rebel, Mr Perkins excels. He is Dorian Blackwell.
He is Christopher Argent. He is Liam Mackenzie. He is Col Talmage. And now, he is Gavin St. James. He brings each of the Rebels to life whether they be Highwayman, Hunter, Highlander, Duke, or Scot. They could not have cast a better man for the job.
When I initially saw that the whole series was performed by one male, I was a little wary. It's only now that I'm 5 books in, I've realised that this romance series could ONLY have been performed by a male. Unlike other romances where the heroine is the focal point, this series is about the heroes finding love. Sure, we get thoughts and feelings of the heroine, but it really is all about the hero.
I can't wait to catch up with The Rook to check out his Dragon Tattoo.
********************************
The axe didn’t fall as I expected
I was so excited when The Scot Beds His Wife hit my Kindle. I am a HUGE fan of Kerrigan Byrne and the Victorian Rebels series. In the previous instalments, I’ve taken emotion and physical punches (of the book reading variety) within the first few pages of the book. In this case, it was almost light. Well, maybe not light, maybe murky would be a better term. It wasn’t as dark as I expected. Sure, there was a wee bit of pain, torture and suffering but it was almost like I was observing it through a mask. But, maybe Kerrigan Byrne did that on purpose? See, our hero, Gavin, Earl of Thorne, he wears a mask to hide his darkness. Maybe we’re given this murky picture because Gavin has pushed his darkness so far behind the mask, that even he doesn’t see it clearly anymore.
His mask is the smirky smirk of a profligate rake. Gavin sleeps around A LOT! This, unfortunately, is not an endearing characteristic to me. Even when we find out why he is the way he is and what led him to be that way, I still struggled to see past it. He throws it in your face, talks about it openly and wants you to turn away in disgust. Because, if you don’t, there might be a connection. Connections mean feelings and emotions. Gavin doesn’t want to feel or connect.
Again, I am faced with a deceitful heroine. I wanted to hate her but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. While we don’t “see” her suffering, we do see her strength and courage that’s grown from her suffering. Sam almost gives you the impression that she’s one of the boys. She wears pants, rides astride, swears like a trooper and outshoots most men. I don’t think she is trying to be one of the boys, she just happens to do those things. The pants because they’re practical. Astride because it’s safer and easier than side-saddle. Swears like a trooper, because, well, I don’t know about you, but sometimes a swear word is the only way to express something passionately. The out-shooting, because she wants to live, and if you’re better than the opposition holding a gun, or you can’t outrun a beast, best to practice until you are the best.
Sam is a very complicated character. She’s worked hard since she was little, escaped a bad situation, been led astray and made a snap decision that changed her life. Her new life includes moving countries and finally finding a place where she can settle and live her life in peace. Unfortunately, her peace is a wee bit far off when the most beautiful man she’s ever seen tries to steal her peace.
I’ll be brutally honest, The Scot Beds His Wife took a wee while for me to warm up to. As I mentioned before, Gavin’s reputation does not show him in his best light. Sam holds her secrets too close to her heart and they’re exposed before she can protect herself. It's a steamy read with Gavin's previous experience coming to good use.
I kept waiting for the dark. It was like there was an axe hovering over me, waiting for me to relax so that it could attack. Every page turned was going to be the one when things would go wrong. I waited and waited and waited. Towards the end, I started panicking. How were we going to resolve everything that’s still up in the air? When were the secrets going to come out? This is one of those stories that ends with a BANG, CRASH and KABOOM!! Friends and enemies collide with some very interesting information coming to light.
For a little while, I thought this was going to be the first book in the series that I didn’t like but I should have trusted that Ms Byrne would deliver the goods. Happy smiles and hearts aflutter, with an ending just the way I like it.
Just a warning though, there is A LOT of swearing and I mean A LOT. Didn't worry me too much and actually made me chuckle because it was so unexpected.
Stacey is Sassy, received an advanced copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.
October 5, 2017
After Reading
Kerrigan Byrne writes with a distinctive voice, and she writes a very specific kind of historical romance (or maybe this series is just a very specific kind of historical romance). I enjoyed Gavin just fine, but I liked Samantha/Alison a whole heckavalot. She had a terrible temper (for REALS) and it was fun to watch her wield it. She was far from perfect, making bad choices out of fear and other human reasons, which only caused me to like her even more. I have a soft spot for imperfect heroines. <3
The story was interesting, sprinkled with bouts of humor, cleverness, and drama (and intrigue), all of which I expect from a Kerrigan Byrne book.
One warning: You have to know going in that there won't be any "enlightened" men (a la the twenty-first century expectations). That's not to say they aren't good men, they just have a more realistic attitude about women and life/expectations in general (for the time). So if you're looking for feminist regency-era men, look elsewhere.
Before Reading
LET'S DO THIS!!
Kerrigan Byrne writes with a distinctive voice, and she writes a very specific kind of historical romance (or maybe this series is just a very specific kind of historical romance). I enjoyed Gavin just fine, but I liked Samantha/Alison a whole heckavalot. She had a terrible temper (for REALS) and it was fun to watch her wield it. She was far from perfect, making bad choices out of fear and other human reasons, which only caused me to like her even more. I have a soft spot for imperfect heroines. <3
The story was interesting, sprinkled with bouts of humor, cleverness, and drama (and intrigue), all of which I expect from a Kerrigan Byrne book.
One warning: You have to know going in that there won't be any "enlightened" men (a la the twenty-first century expectations). That's not to say they aren't good men, they just have a more realistic attitude about women and life/expectations in general (for the time). So if you're looking for feminist regency-era men, look elsewhere.
Before Reading
LET'S DO THIS!!
September 26, 2017
2.5 stars
***Full Review***
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Samantha has always had it rough growing up in America's Wild West but when the man she married to escape a worse fate turns out to be in an outlaw gang with his brothers, she realizes she may have made a mistake. When she makes a fatal decision to save another life, she gets the opportunity to start fresh in a new country.
Gavin has wanted nothing more than to separate himself from his brutish dead father's name and buying the Ross land gives him that chance. When Alison Ross finally comes back to Scotland from America, he makes it his mission to woo her land from her.
Samantha and Gavin have tough pasts but also deep feelings developing, their held secrets and lies will have to be overcome if they're to survive.
"I don't think I believe in villains. Heroes either. Just people. People with agendas and the things they're willing to do to get what they want."
Fifth in the Victorian Rebels series, Gavin Thorne is the middle brother of villainous Hamish MacKenzie's sons. It's possible to pick this book up without reading the others in the series as the author does a pretty good job of explaining the animosity between him and his brother Liam (hero from #3 The Highlander) and Samantha is a new character not previous mentioned in the other books. Even knowing the background between the two brothers, Gavin's arguing with his brother came off a bit immature as it seemed an adult in his late thirties should have figured out that the blame towards his brother was a bit misplaced. The relationship between Gavin and Liam fell into the pitfall of not feeling fleshed out enough, along with other relationships in the book.
She was little better than a banshee with a sidearm.
While Gavin had a tendency to come off a bit immature, his bed hopping and general rogue actions are supposed to be cover for his pain, Samantha was our hard as nails, mouth like a sailor, and stubborn heroine. There is seriously a lot of cursing in this story and most of it done by Samantha. This being a historical, I have to say, it threw me a bit. Obviously, women cursed in the 1800s but the frequency with which Samantha threw out the f word and ease of saying sh*t, couldn't help but give it an awkward modern feel; a personal dislike. I don't want to get into spoilers because this is an ARC review, but the secrets and lies Samantha holds until very close to the end of the story, made it very hard for me to ever warm up to her. In fact, the very bottom heavy feel of this book, was one of the biggest problems I had with it.
"I'm not asking ye to like me, lass, only to marry me."
If you've read the other books in the series, you'll know the author's writing can veer towards almost purple prose. The wordiness, flowery, and waxing poetic descriptive writing needed to be edited down; it kept the story from furthering along while making it drag. It wasn't until around the 70% mark that I felt the author started to get down to business of building a relationship between our hero and heroine; previously felt completely based on lust. The last 30% was full of reasons why I'm a big fan of this author, the hero and heroine engage in conversations that were witty, funny, and moving while all the secondary characters and side plot lines were coming together to create an intriguing and interesting story. Unfortunately, with some pretty heavy secrets not getting revealed until the 90% point, there just wasn't enough time to resolve and build a believable and emotionally satisfying romantic relationship for me. There was a slight secondary romance between the hero's mother and pseudo-father figure that I felt had more emotion and romance than the main couple.
With a heroine that holds onto her secrets for far too long and a hero whose emotions felt based on lust, I was disappointed in the romance. The majority of the story focused on needless over descriptive dreamy writing while ignoring to the very end the building blocks of emotion. I have a feeling the next two heroes are introduced here, Gavin's friend Callum seems to have quite the backstory with the real Alison Ross and our secretive pirate The Rook mentioned in previous books makes an upfront appearance here. The author has created a dark and intriguing world for this series, I'm going to treat this installment as a one off and be back for the next.
"Who knew being married was such fun," he panted, pressing a kiss to her temple and swatting her backside simultaneously.
She pulled back to look at him, one of her rare, reluctant smiles tugging at the corner of her kiss-reddened mouth. "You probably should have done it years ago."
"Nay, lass," he said suddenly feeling very serious. "Then it wouldna have been ye."
***Full Review***
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Samantha has always had it rough growing up in America's Wild West but when the man she married to escape a worse fate turns out to be in an outlaw gang with his brothers, she realizes she may have made a mistake. When she makes a fatal decision to save another life, she gets the opportunity to start fresh in a new country.
Gavin has wanted nothing more than to separate himself from his brutish dead father's name and buying the Ross land gives him that chance. When Alison Ross finally comes back to Scotland from America, he makes it his mission to woo her land from her.
Samantha and Gavin have tough pasts but also deep feelings developing, their held secrets and lies will have to be overcome if they're to survive.
"I don't think I believe in villains. Heroes either. Just people. People with agendas and the things they're willing to do to get what they want."
Fifth in the Victorian Rebels series, Gavin Thorne is the middle brother of villainous Hamish MacKenzie's sons. It's possible to pick this book up without reading the others in the series as the author does a pretty good job of explaining the animosity between him and his brother Liam (hero from #3 The Highlander) and Samantha is a new character not previous mentioned in the other books. Even knowing the background between the two brothers, Gavin's arguing with his brother came off a bit immature as it seemed an adult in his late thirties should have figured out that the blame towards his brother was a bit misplaced. The relationship between Gavin and Liam fell into the pitfall of not feeling fleshed out enough, along with other relationships in the book.
She was little better than a banshee with a sidearm.
While Gavin had a tendency to come off a bit immature, his bed hopping and general rogue actions are supposed to be cover for his pain, Samantha was our hard as nails, mouth like a sailor, and stubborn heroine. There is seriously a lot of cursing in this story and most of it done by Samantha. This being a historical, I have to say, it threw me a bit. Obviously, women cursed in the 1800s but the frequency with which Samantha threw out the f word and ease of saying sh*t, couldn't help but give it an awkward modern feel; a personal dislike. I don't want to get into spoilers because this is an ARC review, but the secrets and lies Samantha holds until very close to the end of the story, made it very hard for me to ever warm up to her. In fact, the very bottom heavy feel of this book, was one of the biggest problems I had with it.
"I'm not asking ye to like me, lass, only to marry me."
If you've read the other books in the series, you'll know the author's writing can veer towards almost purple prose. The wordiness, flowery, and waxing poetic descriptive writing needed to be edited down; it kept the story from furthering along while making it drag. It wasn't until around the 70% mark that I felt the author started to get down to business of building a relationship between our hero and heroine; previously felt completely based on lust. The last 30% was full of reasons why I'm a big fan of this author, the hero and heroine engage in conversations that were witty, funny, and moving while all the secondary characters and side plot lines were coming together to create an intriguing and interesting story. Unfortunately, with some pretty heavy secrets not getting revealed until the 90% point, there just wasn't enough time to resolve and build a believable and emotionally satisfying romantic relationship for me. There was a slight secondary romance between the hero's mother and pseudo-father figure that I felt had more emotion and romance than the main couple.
With a heroine that holds onto her secrets for far too long and a hero whose emotions felt based on lust, I was disappointed in the romance. The majority of the story focused on needless over descriptive dreamy writing while ignoring to the very end the building blocks of emotion. I have a feeling the next two heroes are introduced here, Gavin's friend Callum seems to have quite the backstory with the real Alison Ross and our secretive pirate The Rook mentioned in previous books makes an upfront appearance here. The author has created a dark and intriguing world for this series, I'm going to treat this installment as a one off and be back for the next.
"Who knew being married was such fun," he panted, pressing a kiss to her temple and swatting her backside simultaneously.
She pulled back to look at him, one of her rare, reluctant smiles tugging at the corner of her kiss-reddened mouth. "You probably should have done it years ago."
"Nay, lass," he said suddenly feeling very serious. "Then it wouldna have been ye."
May 16, 2020
2 stars
I don’t know what went wrong here, maybe it’s because this one doesn’t have the same title naming theme as the other books. Maybe that’s why i should’ve known it was doomed from the start? Or maybe that’s just the shallow me speaking.
I had my ups and downs moments with this series, but overall, I can say that I enjoyed every book I read so far. I tuned a blind eye on some things. I tried to understand that this is a different era. I didn’t judge it so harshly because it’s a historical romance after all. But this book pushed me so hard to the point of almost DNFing it! Which is making me sad because I was really excited for Gavin’s book!!
Normally, i find myself annoyed with the main male characters in historical romances which is always diluted by my love to the female ones. However, in this book. I hated them both!!! They’re definitely my least favorite characters in the series! They were both manipulative and opportunists. Samantha made many horrible decisions. I just couldn’t ignore that! She’s pretending to be someone else, Then she did the worst in my opinion! She lied!! I hate when people lie about big things in books. I just couldn’t accept that! Maybe it’s just me, but this was so unforgivable. Gavin wasn’t a great man. He was opportunist as well, but no one deserves that.
Reading this book, I felt cheated. I didn’t know that it would take that direction, that’s why I think the synopsis is a little misleading. This was so disappointing!
I don’t know what went wrong here, maybe it’s because this one doesn’t have the same title naming theme as the other books. Maybe that’s why i should’ve known it was doomed from the start? Or maybe that’s just the shallow me speaking.
I had my ups and downs moments with this series, but overall, I can say that I enjoyed every book I read so far. I tuned a blind eye on some things. I tried to understand that this is a different era. I didn’t judge it so harshly because it’s a historical romance after all. But this book pushed me so hard to the point of almost DNFing it! Which is making me sad because I was really excited for Gavin’s book!!
Normally, i find myself annoyed with the main male characters in historical romances which is always diluted by my love to the female ones. However, in this book. I hated them both!!! They’re definitely my least favorite characters in the series! They were both manipulative and opportunists. Samantha made many horrible decisions. I just couldn’t ignore that! She’s pretending to be someone else, Then she did the worst in my opinion! She lied!! I hate when people lie about big things in books. I just couldn’t accept that! Maybe it’s just me, but this was so unforgivable. Gavin wasn’t a great man. He was opportunist as well, but no one deserves that.
Reading this book, I felt cheated. I didn’t know that it would take that direction, that’s why I think the synopsis is a little misleading. This was so disappointing!
August 9, 2018
This started out great!
We have a totally traumatized Gavin St. James (the prologue is a bit brutal) and then we have Sam. I immediately loved her. She is such a breath of fresh air in a historical romance. She is pretending to be someone else but she has so much fight in her and goes against all the norms with her less than delicate sensibilities. I love her frank manner and that she doesn’t swoon at the first Duke to catch her in is arms. In the early stages I thought this would be one of my favorite HRs ever.
Gavin is so discombobulated by Sam he just isn’t sure what to do, I mean the woman wore britches and it seems like seeing the definition of a woman’s legs sends all the blood to the wrong locations and makes it incredibly hard to think. Then there is also the dilemma that she keeps shooting in his general direction. Sam is not some naïve twit and isn’t going to fall for anything that he is dishing out.
But then a trope pops up and Sam makes some choices and turns into a character that I really struggle with.
It made me really upset with Sam and after that I struggled a little with the story. In the end it all worked out like it normally does but this trope made Sam’s choices seem desperate and see turned from this strong woman who could take on the world to a desperate woman full of secrets and trickery.
There are some bright shining funny moments in the story that did make me laugh out loud. The couple that works on the land were hilarious and their dialogue with Sam cracked me up more than once. Also Gavin’s brother and he are on shaky ground and so the wedding vows had some extra panache to them as well.
Brothers…
This isn’t my favorite of the Victorian Rebels. That still is held by The Highwayman but it did get me excited for the next book in the series involving a bastard Pirate with A Dragon Tattoo. On to the next book it seems.
We have a totally traumatized Gavin St. James (the prologue is a bit brutal) and then we have Sam. I immediately loved her. She is such a breath of fresh air in a historical romance. She is pretending to be someone else but she has so much fight in her and goes against all the norms with her less than delicate sensibilities. I love her frank manner and that she doesn’t swoon at the first Duke to catch her in is arms. In the early stages I thought this would be one of my favorite HRs ever.
Gavin is so discombobulated by Sam he just isn’t sure what to do, I mean the woman wore britches and it seems like seeing the definition of a woman’s legs sends all the blood to the wrong locations and makes it incredibly hard to think. Then there is also the dilemma that she keeps shooting in his general direction. Sam is not some naïve twit and isn’t going to fall for anything that he is dishing out.
“I’ve had enemies before.” Her pistol remained locked level with his heart. “And you know what I’ve learned, Lord Thorne?” He was beginning to hate the way she said his name. “That it’s those closest to you that you have to beware of,” she continued. “Along with those looking to be your friend when they have no cause but their own.”
But then a trope pops up and Sam makes some choices and turns into a character that I really struggle with.
It made me really upset with Sam and after that I struggled a little with the story. In the end it all worked out like it normally does but this trope made Sam’s choices seem desperate and see turned from this strong woman who could take on the world to a desperate woman full of secrets and trickery.
There are some bright shining funny moments in the story that did make me laugh out loud. The couple that works on the land were hilarious and their dialogue with Sam cracked me up more than once. Also Gavin’s brother and he are on shaky ground and so the wedding vows had some extra panache to them as well.
“What about ye, lass? Knowing what ye do about the Lord Thorne’s infamous value—or lack thereof—for wedding vows, do ye, Alison Ross, take this … man … to be yer lawful husband? To have and to hold from this day until his interest wanes, for better, or likely worse, for richer or until he squanders yer fortune, in syphilis—pardon me—sickness and in health, until his death blessedly parts ye?”
Brothers…
This isn’t my favorite of the Victorian Rebels. That still is held by The Highwayman but it did get me excited for the next book in the series involving a bastard Pirate with A Dragon Tattoo. On to the next book it seems.
April 27, 2019
So I am a bit of a KB fan. I have read the rest of this series, and enjoyed them to a varying degree. They certainly kept me turning the pages. But this one was just so OTT- even for her!
The first comment I have to make is about the language. Specifically the word fuck and variations thereof. There was a lot of it. I began highlighting and bookmarking the bits where either the hero or the heroine used it, and leaving out anyone else who used the word- there was a lot more - and ended up with 41 pages bookmarked. This is not a deal-breaker per se. I swear. I use it. I live in the 21st century western world. I use it if I hurt myself or get a fright or if I get mad. Not all the time. But I do use it. I have never used it to mean sex. (I don't fuck my husband, and I don't talk about people fucking each other. It is not a turn-on for me.) When it is used by the hero or heroine AT each other in what is ostensibly a HISTORICAL ROMANCE, I have to ask myself whether the book still qualifies as a romance. A love story, sure. Love is expressed in different ways by people. But this is meant to be HR. A potty-mouthed girl and a promiscuous foul-mouthed man do not a romance make.
Secondly, if I were American I would have to wonder what kind of picture this book painted of American women. Sam was a gun-toting ranch-girl along the lines of Annie Oakley, but one who was a criminal (armed robber in a gang of armed robbers) and a murderer, and who had indirectly been responsible for many deaths in a train robbery gone wrong. She was crude, swore all the time and lied straight out to the man she married, . I am not forgetting the hard childhood she had etc. But while I approved of her spirit and the way she stood up to Gavin, their passionate sexual encounters (and KB knows how to burn up the page!) were spoilt by internal and external dialogue that was all about fucking.
It was also the weirdest culture clash ever- Scottish Highland men and Wild West woman. I just found it unbelievable. It did excuse the Americanisms that sometimes creep into KB's writing, but kept me disconnected and from the story and disengaged from the characters in a way that I hadn't been when reading the previous books in the series. The fact that I started highlighting and bookmarking should have been a warning about that. I know that Scots can be just as crude as everyone else, but I don't need to hear it when it is part of the interaction between the H and the h. Is it ok to forgive every kind of behaviour just because someone has had a tortured past? Is it too much to hope they can rise above it and that love helps them become better people? I am clearly an idealist- and forgive me, but I am a romantic. On the other hand, maybe that was what this book was all about- how they would ultimately heal each other. I just couldn't stop flinching every time a version of fuck spat at me from the page as they spat it at each other (And Sam told him to fuck himself in a variety of ways. Charming.)
Was also surprised at how the villain brothers were able to find Sam AND get to her in the freaking Highlands, when they had been living and hiding in America. How long did a ship take? It was a matter of a few weeks- 5 at most- before their henchmen had got to her. Those baddies were like SUPER-villains. With SUPER powers, maybe hidden in their COWBOY HATS, which they wore in SCOTLAND. A li'l bit of ole Texas in the Highlands. Yup.
I wasn't expecting Julia Quinn- we are talking about Kerrigan Byrne, here :)
I guess it just wasn't romantic enough for me. But the writing is always good and the story is never boring, so still a solid 3 stars. Because it wasn't shite. It was just a bit disappointing.
I am looking forward to Callum and Alison's story, though. That one will be beautiful!!
The first comment I have to make is about the language. Specifically the word fuck and variations thereof. There was a lot of it. I began highlighting and bookmarking the bits where either the hero or the heroine used it, and leaving out anyone else who used the word- there was a lot more - and ended up with 41 pages bookmarked. This is not a deal-breaker per se. I swear. I use it. I live in the 21st century western world. I use it if I hurt myself or get a fright or if I get mad. Not all the time. But I do use it. I have never used it to mean sex. (I don't fuck my husband, and I don't talk about people fucking each other. It is not a turn-on for me.) When it is used by the hero or heroine AT each other in what is ostensibly a HISTORICAL ROMANCE, I have to ask myself whether the book still qualifies as a romance. A love story, sure. Love is expressed in different ways by people. But this is meant to be HR. A potty-mouthed girl and a promiscuous foul-mouthed man do not a romance make.
Secondly, if I were American I would have to wonder what kind of picture this book painted of American women. Sam was a gun-toting ranch-girl along the lines of Annie Oakley, but one who was a criminal (armed robber in a gang of armed robbers) and a murderer, and who had indirectly been responsible for many deaths in a train robbery gone wrong. She was crude, swore all the time and lied straight out to the man she married, . I am not forgetting the hard childhood she had etc. But while I approved of her spirit and the way she stood up to Gavin, their passionate sexual encounters (and KB knows how to burn up the page!) were spoilt by internal and external dialogue that was all about fucking.
It was also the weirdest culture clash ever- Scottish Highland men and Wild West woman. I just found it unbelievable. It did excuse the Americanisms that sometimes creep into KB's writing, but kept me disconnected and from the story and disengaged from the characters in a way that I hadn't been when reading the previous books in the series. The fact that I started highlighting and bookmarking should have been a warning about that. I know that Scots can be just as crude as everyone else, but I don't need to hear it when it is part of the interaction between the H and the h. Is it ok to forgive every kind of behaviour just because someone has had a tortured past? Is it too much to hope they can rise above it and that love helps them become better people? I am clearly an idealist- and forgive me, but I am a romantic. On the other hand, maybe that was what this book was all about- how they would ultimately heal each other. I just couldn't stop flinching every time a version of fuck spat at me from the page as they spat it at each other (And Sam told him to fuck himself in a variety of ways. Charming.)
Was also surprised at how the villain brothers were able to find Sam AND get to her in the freaking Highlands, when they had been living and hiding in America. How long did a ship take? It was a matter of a few weeks- 5 at most- before their henchmen had got to her. Those baddies were like SUPER-villains. With SUPER powers, maybe hidden in their COWBOY HATS, which they wore in SCOTLAND. A li'l bit of ole Texas in the Highlands. Yup.
I wasn't expecting Julia Quinn- we are talking about Kerrigan Byrne, here :)
I guess it just wasn't romantic enough for me. But the writing is always good and the story is never boring, so still a solid 3 stars. Because it wasn't shite. It was just a bit disappointing.
I am looking forward to Callum and Alison's story, though. That one will be beautiful!!
March 23, 2020
What Gavin St. James wants most in life is to be emancipated from the Mackenzie name and family and he sees the way to do that is through acquiring the Erradale property currently owned by absent heir Alison Ross. She’s lived in America since her father was killed by Hamish Mackenzie the elder and Gavin has found a loophole where he can get the land if she doesn’t return and live in Scotland for a year. Samantha Masters meets Alison in the most unusual and dangerous circumstances that created trust in a matter of moments. Samantha needs to quickly leave America to escape her past and as Alison has no interest in going back to Scotland, she engages her to assume her identity and return in her stead. That sets the stage for even more interesting events to come.
Have I said lately how much I love this series? Only every month when I read another book with our group. This time it’s Gavin at the center, Liam Mackenzie’s half brother who diddled with his first wife. So, we already know he’s no saint but, as with the other Victorian Rebels, we know he has other redeeming qualities that has us rooting on his behalf. Samantha lands in Scotland with Gavin putting on the pressure for her to sell her land to him but he was unprepared to be so utterly captivated by the coarse but resourceful young woman.
There’s so much more that happens in this story but rather than have me tell it, you should read it for yourself. I adored both Gavin and Samantha but loved them even more when they were together. Both have private agendas but Samantha’s are pretty explosive. Their encounters are lively and they are surrounded by a host of even more colorful and interesting characters that provide humor, intrigue, heartbreak and excitement. The narrator just continues to nail these stories and characters and I am still in awe of how well Derek Perkins captures the nuances of them all. I’m thrilled my library has all of the audiobooks because listening to these stories is a delicious experience, making great stories fantastic. Word of caution though...Samantha’s salty language adds quite a lot surprising spice. 4.5 stars
Have I said lately how much I love this series? Only every month when I read another book with our group. This time it’s Gavin at the center, Liam Mackenzie’s half brother who diddled with his first wife. So, we already know he’s no saint but, as with the other Victorian Rebels, we know he has other redeeming qualities that has us rooting on his behalf. Samantha lands in Scotland with Gavin putting on the pressure for her to sell her land to him but he was unprepared to be so utterly captivated by the coarse but resourceful young woman.
There’s so much more that happens in this story but rather than have me tell it, you should read it for yourself. I adored both Gavin and Samantha but loved them even more when they were together. Both have private agendas but Samantha’s are pretty explosive. Their encounters are lively and they are surrounded by a host of even more colorful and interesting characters that provide humor, intrigue, heartbreak and excitement. The narrator just continues to nail these stories and characters and I am still in awe of how well Derek Perkins captures the nuances of them all. I’m thrilled my library has all of the audiobooks because listening to these stories is a delicious experience, making great stories fantastic. Word of caution though...Samantha’s salty language adds quite a lot surprising spice. 4.5 stars
September 11, 2017
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
May Contain Few Spoilers
The Scot Beds His Wife is the fifth installment in this wonderful and riveting Victorian Rebels series that this author has brought to us. I would like to point our first and foremost, that this author has a very unique style. A writing style in romance that has died the past few years. Her writing voice is tough, emotional and packed with characters that are flawed, but so very realistic. Each character you can see being real especially in this time period. I feel like the Regency/Victorian era has come across has light and fluffy but I feel that there is another side to this era most authors never talk about. However, Kerrigan Byrne doesn't sugar coat her romances. These stories are filled with men and women that make mistakes, that suffer injustices but somehow turn out to have hearts of gold. In The Scot Beds His Wife we have the story, of Liam's brother Gavin. Liam was our hero in book three "The Highlander". So it was such a delight to finally have Liam's story. I was crossing my fingers that this lovely author would writes his book so I couldn't wait to pick this one up.
This story sets off with our heroine, who lives out in the American West. She has had to make some tough choices in life, and made a easy choice to marry a man more appealing than a old lecher who had multiple wives. Before she knew it, she was robbing trains instead of a quiet life out on the coast like she dreamed and was promised. But when her husband was going to murder an innocent woman, she killed him and made a friend for life. This friend offered her a chance for a fresh start in Scotland. To take her name, and take her property and never allow a Mackenzie to keep it. So she agrees and heads over to Scotland and right on the train station, she falls into the arms of a handsome yet dangerous Scot who makes her feel in ways she never felt with her late husband. But then she learns that he is Gavin, the man who wants the land that she came to claim. But the past will come back to haunt them both, and they may lose each other just when they find a love worth fighting for...
"As much as you'd like to think your hands are clean, we both know they're not. They're stained with a million sins, with a thousand tears, a hundred deceits and maybe a little blood you pretend isn't there. You may ignore it, but I see it. I see who you are. "
"Then why did ye fucking kiss me back?" he snarled
Samantha hid her gasp behind a shrug. "Because maybe I'm a monster too."
She had her own terrible secrets, she could leave him his, safe and somehow comforted with the knowledge that both of their souls were stained with sins.
Maybe they were both beyond forgiveness.
Maybe they deserved each other.
What a action packed and sexy filled romance that this story turned out to be. I instantly fell in love with this book, and I easily read it in one sitting and had more than my share of fun with this one. There are so many things to really love about this one. What was unique was the characters. You would think that they would make a good match at all. Our hero Gavin, is a rake and a scoundrel. He is used to getting what he wants and has the money to do it. Our heroine, is no pansy. She is tough, she prefers riding horses and can rope cattle. She swears on ocassion and has no talents for music or sewing. And she has spunk and isn't afraid of Gavin. She stands up to him constantly and I loved seeing her put him in his place. It was pretty entertaining, seeing these two go at it so much. At first they don't like each other very much, they want the same piece of land. They do have some sizzling chemistry, and boy this author can write some smexy scenes here. But soon this chemistry they have, turns these enemies into lovers. Two people who learn to admire and respect one another.
But ye're the first woman I've ever felt this way about. Ye're the last woman I'll ever want
They have some bumps along the way of course, but boy this author definitely knows how to keep me fascinated, enthralled and spellbound in this powerfully portrayed story that will tie you up in knots and keep you thirsty for more!!
May Contain Few Spoilers
The Scot Beds His Wife is the fifth installment in this wonderful and riveting Victorian Rebels series that this author has brought to us. I would like to point our first and foremost, that this author has a very unique style. A writing style in romance that has died the past few years. Her writing voice is tough, emotional and packed with characters that are flawed, but so very realistic. Each character you can see being real especially in this time period. I feel like the Regency/Victorian era has come across has light and fluffy but I feel that there is another side to this era most authors never talk about. However, Kerrigan Byrne doesn't sugar coat her romances. These stories are filled with men and women that make mistakes, that suffer injustices but somehow turn out to have hearts of gold. In The Scot Beds His Wife we have the story, of Liam's brother Gavin. Liam was our hero in book three "The Highlander". So it was such a delight to finally have Liam's story. I was crossing my fingers that this lovely author would writes his book so I couldn't wait to pick this one up.
This story sets off with our heroine, who lives out in the American West. She has had to make some tough choices in life, and made a easy choice to marry a man more appealing than a old lecher who had multiple wives. Before she knew it, she was robbing trains instead of a quiet life out on the coast like she dreamed and was promised. But when her husband was going to murder an innocent woman, she killed him and made a friend for life. This friend offered her a chance for a fresh start in Scotland. To take her name, and take her property and never allow a Mackenzie to keep it. So she agrees and heads over to Scotland and right on the train station, she falls into the arms of a handsome yet dangerous Scot who makes her feel in ways she never felt with her late husband. But then she learns that he is Gavin, the man who wants the land that she came to claim. But the past will come back to haunt them both, and they may lose each other just when they find a love worth fighting for...
"As much as you'd like to think your hands are clean, we both know they're not. They're stained with a million sins, with a thousand tears, a hundred deceits and maybe a little blood you pretend isn't there. You may ignore it, but I see it. I see who you are. "
"Then why did ye fucking kiss me back?" he snarled
Samantha hid her gasp behind a shrug. "Because maybe I'm a monster too."
She had her own terrible secrets, she could leave him his, safe and somehow comforted with the knowledge that both of their souls were stained with sins.
Maybe they were both beyond forgiveness.
Maybe they deserved each other.
What a action packed and sexy filled romance that this story turned out to be. I instantly fell in love with this book, and I easily read it in one sitting and had more than my share of fun with this one. There are so many things to really love about this one. What was unique was the characters. You would think that they would make a good match at all. Our hero Gavin, is a rake and a scoundrel. He is used to getting what he wants and has the money to do it. Our heroine, is no pansy. She is tough, she prefers riding horses and can rope cattle. She swears on ocassion and has no talents for music or sewing. And she has spunk and isn't afraid of Gavin. She stands up to him constantly and I loved seeing her put him in his place. It was pretty entertaining, seeing these two go at it so much. At first they don't like each other very much, they want the same piece of land. They do have some sizzling chemistry, and boy this author can write some smexy scenes here. But soon this chemistry they have, turns these enemies into lovers. Two people who learn to admire and respect one another.
But ye're the first woman I've ever felt this way about. Ye're the last woman I'll ever want
They have some bumps along the way of course, but boy this author definitely knows how to keep me fascinated, enthralled and spellbound in this powerfully portrayed story that will tie you up in knots and keep you thirsty for more!!
What do you love most about gritty and emotional romances?
Do you admire Kerrigan Byrne's work and why?
[foogallery id="18974"]
February 13, 2019
She'd never expected that the chains threatening her freedom would be made of velvet instead of steel. That the one place that truly never belonged to her was the one place she'd never want to let go of.
So I did a bad thing that turned into a good thing. Can GR now be a confessional? Forgive me, Byrne, for I have sinned.. I saw reviews written by people I don't know (should've been a clue) before reading your latest and as a result I had some low expectations going into this one. Except THE SCOT BEDS HIS WIFE blew me away. Chalk it up to expecting the worst? No, I can't. I guess I just read a different book.. or maybe they did. Who can say.
"I suppose you're.. not wrong."
"And that's almost like being right."
"Don't push it."
I love this author. I discovered her two books into the series (I think?) so she's still kind of new to me. But every installment in her Victorian Rebels has been good (THE HIGHLANDER) or great (all the rest).
He was supposed to be seducing her with all the practiced calculation he'd garnered over decades. So.. why in the name of all the bloody Scottish saints had he been the one with the unsteady knees?
I've loved Byrne's twist on historical romance. I love that she's plumbed the darker, twistier, depths of this genre and given us some pretty damaged and bleak men to swoon over, to watch them find themselves, to live with their pasts, their demons, and love. In the fifth installment of this series, however, she travels a more familiar -- yet still impressively unique -- HR-path; a little less intense, a little less obviously dramatic, than some of the previous books and yet with the classic Byrne flavour we've come to expect. Especially at the end of it all.
"I've seen all there is of humanity, and you know what I learned?"
"What's that?"
"It's better.. to just live alone in a cave."
I loved these characters. I loved their struggles, their backgrounds, their lies, their pretenses, their attempts to battle our their attraction and their opposition. I honestly don't want to go into much of their quirks or the events that surround them because I forgot to reread the synopsis on this one before picking it up and I loved discovering it all as it came about.
"You still live with your ma?"
"She resides with me. In my castle."
And boy did we discover some doozys in this one. Damn, Byrne, as happy as I am that these two got their happily ever after you've simultaneously got me all tied up in knots now. I need the next book! And this damn thing isn't even out yet. Arrrrrg the curse of the ARC. We do it to ourselves.
"I don't think I believe in villains. Heroes either. Just people. People with agendas and the things they're willing to do to get what they want."
But seriously, readers, I'm sorry this review fails to break down the fun, the snark, the swoony, that encapsulates these two leads. I'm sorry this review fails to express the devastation our hero, Gavin, endured, like all the Mackenzie men, and how he focused his energies in a way completely unique to this beleaguered family of accomplished, feared, infamous, charming, misfits. I'm sorry I didn't go into any detail about how interesting Sam's American way of life was, how enjoyable it was to see her adjust to the Highlands and the men who live in it. I'm sorry I haven't gushed over the brilliant cast of secondary and tertiary characters, some familiar and some not, that made appearances.. and who will again in the future. I'm sorry I can't give you a hint as to how fiery and delicious the chemistry is between these two (spoiler : it's fiery and delicious). I'm sorry this review is basically wrapped in apologies. But just know that when you do read it, when you get the chance, you won't be sorry. You'll be thanking me. And so I say to you : you're welcome.
4.5 "Samantha decided right then and there to learn Gaelic. it was apparently a lovely language for cussing" stars
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
So I did a bad thing that turned into a good thing. Can GR now be a confessional? Forgive me, Byrne, for I have sinned.. I saw reviews written by people I don't know (should've been a clue) before reading your latest and as a result I had some low expectations going into this one. Except THE SCOT BEDS HIS WIFE blew me away. Chalk it up to expecting the worst? No, I can't. I guess I just read a different book.. or maybe they did. Who can say.
"I suppose you're.. not wrong."
"And that's almost like being right."
"Don't push it."
I love this author. I discovered her two books into the series (I think?) so she's still kind of new to me. But every installment in her Victorian Rebels has been good (THE HIGHLANDER) or great (all the rest).
He was supposed to be seducing her with all the practiced calculation he'd garnered over decades. So.. why in the name of all the bloody Scottish saints had he been the one with the unsteady knees?
I've loved Byrne's twist on historical romance. I love that she's plumbed the darker, twistier, depths of this genre and given us some pretty damaged and bleak men to swoon over, to watch them find themselves, to live with their pasts, their demons, and love. In the fifth installment of this series, however, she travels a more familiar -- yet still impressively unique -- HR-path; a little less intense, a little less obviously dramatic, than some of the previous books and yet with the classic Byrne flavour we've come to expect. Especially at the end of it all.
"I've seen all there is of humanity, and you know what I learned?"
"What's that?"
"It's better.. to just live alone in a cave."
I loved these characters. I loved their struggles, their backgrounds, their lies, their pretenses, their attempts to battle our their attraction and their opposition. I honestly don't want to go into much of their quirks or the events that surround them because I forgot to reread the synopsis on this one before picking it up and I loved discovering it all as it came about.
"You still live with your ma?"
"She resides with me. In my castle."
And boy did we discover some doozys in this one. Damn, Byrne, as happy as I am that these two got their happily ever after you've simultaneously got me all tied up in knots now. I need the next book! And this damn thing isn't even out yet. Arrrrrg the curse of the ARC. We do it to ourselves.
"I don't think I believe in villains. Heroes either. Just people. People with agendas and the things they're willing to do to get what they want."
But seriously, readers, I'm sorry this review fails to break down the fun, the snark, the swoony, that encapsulates these two leads. I'm sorry this review fails to express the devastation our hero, Gavin, endured, like all the Mackenzie men, and how he focused his energies in a way completely unique to this beleaguered family of accomplished, feared, infamous, charming, misfits. I'm sorry I didn't go into any detail about how interesting Sam's American way of life was, how enjoyable it was to see her adjust to the Highlands and the men who live in it. I'm sorry I haven't gushed over the brilliant cast of secondary and tertiary characters, some familiar and some not, that made appearances.. and who will again in the future. I'm sorry I can't give you a hint as to how fiery and delicious the chemistry is between these two (spoiler : it's fiery and delicious). I'm sorry this review is basically wrapped in apologies. But just know that when you do read it, when you get the chance, you won't be sorry. You'll be thanking me. And so I say to you : you're welcome.
4.5 "Samantha decided right then and there to learn Gaelic. it was apparently a lovely language for cussing" stars
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
February 2, 2022
4.5 Scottish Rogue Stars!!
Gavin St. James (Mackenzie), Earl of Thorn, is a beautiful but troubled and broken man, he’s trapped in a life he hates, struggling to get things that he thinks will bring him the happiness and status he craves. He is the youngest son of the hated and loathed Laird Hamish Mackenzie. The former Laird was a cruel and evil man who damaged everyone within his path including his children (as we learned in The Highlander, VR book #3). Gavin and his beloved mother were damaged deeply at his father’s hand and sadly he has troubled relationships with his half-brothers.
Samantha Masters is a woman who was orphaned at an early age and suffered from neglect. Sam made the bad decision to marry young a man she barely knew to escape the life her guardians had mapped out for her. She married a outlaw who robs trains, during their latest train robbery, things go terribly wrong and to save an innocent woman she kills her husband. Now she must flee from the law and her husband’s vengeance seeking brothers.
The women she saves turns out to be a Scottish heiress and offers her a way out. She sends her to Scotland to act as the heiress and claim the land she herself doesn’t want, but, if she doesn’t claim what is rightfully hers it will end up in Mackenzie hands, which is unacceptable since Hamish Mackenzie killed her father when she was a child.
Gavin & Sam both have demon’s and need to learn how to trust. It was fun watching them skirt around each other, butt heads, and try to avoid their growing attraction. They are very suspicious of each other yet their relationship just flowed so effortlessly from enemies to friends to lovers in love.
We get a great cast of secondary characters you're going to fall in love with. They fill the story with warmth, good humor, companionship, friendship, and love. Kerrigan Byrne gave us a glimpse to what may be the next couple of books in the series and I can’t wait for more Victorian Rebels!!!
This book can be read as a stand-alone but I highly recommend reading prior books in the series, since previous characters are part of the story, you'll understand the dynamics and have a better understanding having read the others. Plus, their all excellent reads so you’ll not be disappointed.
* ARC kindly provided by publisher via Netgalley for an honest review
Gavin St. James (Mackenzie), Earl of Thorn, is a beautiful but troubled and broken man, he’s trapped in a life he hates, struggling to get things that he thinks will bring him the happiness and status he craves. He is the youngest son of the hated and loathed Laird Hamish Mackenzie. The former Laird was a cruel and evil man who damaged everyone within his path including his children (as we learned in The Highlander, VR book #3). Gavin and his beloved mother were damaged deeply at his father’s hand and sadly he has troubled relationships with his half-brothers.
Samantha Masters is a woman who was orphaned at an early age and suffered from neglect. Sam made the bad decision to marry young a man she barely knew to escape the life her guardians had mapped out for her. She married a outlaw who robs trains, during their latest train robbery, things go terribly wrong and to save an innocent woman she kills her husband. Now she must flee from the law and her husband’s vengeance seeking brothers.
The women she saves turns out to be a Scottish heiress and offers her a way out. She sends her to Scotland to act as the heiress and claim the land she herself doesn’t want, but, if she doesn’t claim what is rightfully hers it will end up in Mackenzie hands, which is unacceptable since Hamish Mackenzie killed her father when she was a child.
Gavin & Sam both have demon’s and need to learn how to trust. It was fun watching them skirt around each other, butt heads, and try to avoid their growing attraction. They are very suspicious of each other yet their relationship just flowed so effortlessly from enemies to friends to lovers in love.
We get a great cast of secondary characters you're going to fall in love with. They fill the story with warmth, good humor, companionship, friendship, and love. Kerrigan Byrne gave us a glimpse to what may be the next couple of books in the series and I can’t wait for more Victorian Rebels!!!
This book can be read as a stand-alone but I highly recommend reading prior books in the series, since previous characters are part of the story, you'll understand the dynamics and have a better understanding having read the others. Plus, their all excellent reads so you’ll not be disappointed.
* ARC kindly provided by publisher via Netgalley for an honest review
September 26, 2017
ARC provided by NetGalley and Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
2.5 Rating.
Well I seemed to have regressed in this series. It started off with great promise, but unfortunately it's become a disappointment.
This is the second historical romance I've read that has more of a modern feel to it then a Historical Romance novel. I also found it very difficult to like the heroine or hero, as some of the actions and dialogue of both bothered me and didn't sit well. Also another issue is the language, there is a lot of swearing going on, for me too excessive. Some of the plot twists also didn't work for me.
We open with Gavin, who lives in Scotland with his lovely family, what a family from hell. Gavin is not overly fond of them in fact pretty much detests them. Gavin leaves his family and as well as the Mackenzie name. He decides purchases an estate next to his home and become a landowner. But the owner of said estate, Allison wasn't going to sell to a Mackenzie.
While in America Samantha saves Allison from her thieving husband by shooting him and killing him. Allison doesn't want to return to Scotland so she offers Samantha a proposition. Samantha is to return to Scotland as Allison and make sure no Mackenzie get her land.
The beginning pages of Gavin and his sad family life was sobering. But as the story continued to unfold and Samantha's life came into play I found myself thinking that this story was becoming a little to modernized and over the top for a HR. Verbiage and dialogue just didn't have a Historical feel to it and then with the constant profanity that was thrown in (I have no problem with swearing but not when it doesn't really fit the era or time period in my humble opinion), I became disappointed and disinterested in the HEA of the two characters.
I seem to see more of a trend where HR aren't being written true to the time period or era. Hoping this trend loses steam. I love my Historical romances too much.
2.5 Rating.
Well I seemed to have regressed in this series. It started off with great promise, but unfortunately it's become a disappointment.
This is the second historical romance I've read that has more of a modern feel to it then a Historical Romance novel. I also found it very difficult to like the heroine or hero, as some of the actions and dialogue of both bothered me and didn't sit well. Also another issue is the language, there is a lot of swearing going on, for me too excessive. Some of the plot twists also didn't work for me.
We open with Gavin, who lives in Scotland with his lovely family, what a family from hell. Gavin is not overly fond of them in fact pretty much detests them. Gavin leaves his family and as well as the Mackenzie name. He decides purchases an estate next to his home and become a landowner. But the owner of said estate, Allison wasn't going to sell to a Mackenzie.
While in America Samantha saves Allison from her thieving husband by shooting him and killing him. Allison doesn't want to return to Scotland so she offers Samantha a proposition. Samantha is to return to Scotland as Allison and make sure no Mackenzie get her land.
The beginning pages of Gavin and his sad family life was sobering. But as the story continued to unfold and Samantha's life came into play I found myself thinking that this story was becoming a little to modernized and over the top for a HR. Verbiage and dialogue just didn't have a Historical feel to it and then with the constant profanity that was thrown in (I have no problem with swearing but not when it doesn't really fit the era or time period in my humble opinion), I became disappointed and disinterested in the HEA of the two characters.
I seem to see more of a trend where HR aren't being written true to the time period or era. Hoping this trend loses steam. I love my Historical romances too much.
November 13, 2017
So, this is the 5th book in the Victorian Rebels series.
This book is about Gavin St. James, Earl of Thorne who uses his charm and good looks to get what he wants. And he wants Erradale Estate to start a cattle business and get away from the Mackenzie Clan. He wants nothing to do with the clan because his Dad was evil, Satan evil.
Erradale Estate is owned by Alison Ross, a Scottish heiress and while on a train one day in America, the train was robbed by the Masters Brothers. Samantha Masters saves Alison but kills her husband in the process. Now the brothers are after her and Alison sends Sam to Scotland to hide her and save Erradale Estate from Gavin.
It’s better to read this series from the beginning. It can be read as a stand-alone but you’ll not get the backstory of the Mackenzie Clan, the evil Satan Laird that was killed and the other secondary characters in the book.
The book was okay, not the best of the series. I had a bit of trouble with Gavin being a man slut and always bragging about it. Seriously dude?
Also, Sam put me off by acting too tough all the time and saying “Fuck” way more then needed. I’m not a prude since I say the word at times but thought the word was forced too much in conversation.
I also think Kerrigan Byrne pushed the characters too much in the direction that she thought they should go instead of letting them grow organically. I would have liked a bit more vulnerability at the beginning with the characters. I would have enjoyed and believed the story more when both characters where vulnerable by the end and confessing their love and happiness to each other.
The action, plot twists and chemistry between the two main characters was well done though.
Would I read this one again? No.
I would read some of the other books in the series again though so it's not like the whole series is a bust.
This book is about Gavin St. James, Earl of Thorne who uses his charm and good looks to get what he wants. And he wants Erradale Estate to start a cattle business and get away from the Mackenzie Clan. He wants nothing to do with the clan because his Dad was evil, Satan evil.
Erradale Estate is owned by Alison Ross, a Scottish heiress and while on a train one day in America, the train was robbed by the Masters Brothers. Samantha Masters saves Alison but kills her husband in the process. Now the brothers are after her and Alison sends Sam to Scotland to hide her and save Erradale Estate from Gavin.
It’s better to read this series from the beginning. It can be read as a stand-alone but you’ll not get the backstory of the Mackenzie Clan, the evil Satan Laird that was killed and the other secondary characters in the book.
The book was okay, not the best of the series. I had a bit of trouble with Gavin being a man slut and always bragging about it. Seriously dude?
Also, Sam put me off by acting too tough all the time and saying “Fuck” way more then needed. I’m not a prude since I say the word at times but thought the word was forced too much in conversation.
I also think Kerrigan Byrne pushed the characters too much in the direction that she thought they should go instead of letting them grow organically. I would have liked a bit more vulnerability at the beginning with the characters. I would have enjoyed and believed the story more when both characters where vulnerable by the end and confessing their love and happiness to each other.
The action, plot twists and chemistry between the two main characters was well done though.
Would I read this one again? No.
I would read some of the other books in the series again though so it's not like the whole series is a bust.
September 15, 2022
⭐⭐⭐
3 stars.
➕ What I liked :
Interesting main characters and interesting plot.
Tall heroine.
Interesting side characters.
➖ What I disliked:
The heroine was too abrasive and obnoxious.
Somewhat verbose.
3 stars.
➕ What I liked :
Interesting main characters and interesting plot.
Tall heroine.
Interesting side characters.
➖ What I disliked:
The heroine was too abrasive and obnoxious.
Somewhat verbose.
August 21, 2018
I don't know what to call this. (Well this, below, is a terrible review. I know what to call THAT)
I'm not the best reader for consistency. I don't even tend to be a consistent person. So I was surprised to note an inconsistency or three. This might not be a big deal, but at least one was fairly material in the marriage of convenience. I'm honestly wracking my brain for the other one, so maybe that wasn't a huge deal...but I noticed and I thought "wait a minute," and now I'm feeling awful for all you detailed types.
So...there were points that the heroine was definitely not sympathetic. Gavin St James is basically a sweet gooey thing. I loved the characters' banter, not to mention the characters in general in this book The story itself was fun too. In a lot of ways, I guess I had a lot of fun reading this. I'm not sure how well it will stick with me at the end though, and I think that all rests on that mistaken identity part. After Sam's terrible backstory, I still didn't find it a compelling foundation on which to rest her survival tactics and lies simply because it didn't seem part of of her character. Too many times I pitied Gavin, which is not my favorite emotion during reading.
This review is so hard to write. It's one of "those" 3s. Lots to love, some to say WTH, and things that definitely didn't land for me.
Sidenote: I'm not feeling Callum & Allison. I'm curious how that will be handled if it becomes book which is SO borderline yucky to me. (Too bad, Callum seemed really interesting until that 13/22 year old confession bit.)
Eamon &Eleanor on the other hand, I ship that hard.
I apologize for this terrible review. I'll be back with a better one. Someday. Maybe.
I'm not the best reader for consistency. I don't even tend to be a consistent person. So I was surprised to note an inconsistency or three. This might not be a big deal, but at least one was fairly material in the marriage of convenience. I'm honestly wracking my brain for the other one, so maybe that wasn't a huge deal...but I noticed and I thought "wait a minute," and now I'm feeling awful for all you detailed types.
So...there were points that the heroine was definitely not sympathetic. Gavin St James is basically a sweet gooey thing. I loved the characters' banter, not to mention the characters in general in this book The story itself was fun too. In a lot of ways, I guess I had a lot of fun reading this. I'm not sure how well it will stick with me at the end though, and I think that all rests on that mistaken identity part. After Sam's terrible backstory, I still didn't find it a compelling foundation on which to rest her survival tactics and lies simply because it didn't seem part of of her character. Too many times I pitied Gavin, which is not my favorite emotion during reading.
This review is so hard to write. It's one of "those" 3s. Lots to love, some to say WTH, and things that definitely didn't land for me.
Sidenote: I'm not feeling Callum & Allison. I'm curious how that will be handled if it becomes book which is SO borderline yucky to me. (Too bad, Callum seemed really interesting until that 13/22 year old confession bit.)
Eamon &Eleanor on the other hand, I ship that hard.
I apologize for this terrible review. I'll be back with a better one. Someday. Maybe.
July 23, 2018
Well this reread was definitely a surprise. After a downright glowy ecstactic first go, round two of THE SCOT BEDS HIS WIFE was a decidedly tepid experience for the first sixty percent or so. I just really wasn't loving this -- so maybe it really was those low expectations the first time around. Whoops.
Anyway, the end of this one is definitely strong and the last 30% is satisfying both for emotional content, sweetness, and juicy reveals. But I still think for all that THE HIGHLANDER earned the round up, this one.. doesn't quite make it. Please just imagine the half star rating. This is definitely a high three but I can't quite bump it up. As much as I love a good hate-to-love I just couldn't really get behind this one, never felt either character truly solidified themselves (nor did I like any of the supporting cast except Callum), and this one felt extra purple flowery. Or maybe that complaint just comes out when I'm not enjoying it (see first review for book three). Oh well.
That said, I totally blame my hazy memories of book one for why some of the reveals in this book were such a shock the first time. Because daaaaaamn how did I miss that shit. Anyway, not spoiling, not ever, but while the reread of this one didn't quite go the way I thought.. it was so worth it in the end. I am even more excited to dive into my ARC of book six (I know I know I'm shameless) now!
Anyway, the end of this one is definitely strong and the last 30% is satisfying both for emotional content, sweetness, and juicy reveals. But I still think for all that THE HIGHLANDER earned the round up, this one.. doesn't quite make it. Please just imagine the half star rating. This is definitely a high three but I can't quite bump it up. As much as I love a good hate-to-love I just couldn't really get behind this one, never felt either character truly solidified themselves (nor did I like any of the supporting cast except Callum), and this one felt extra purple flowery. Or maybe that complaint just comes out when I'm not enjoying it (see first review for book three). Oh well.
That said, I totally blame my hazy memories of book one for why some of the reveals in this book were such a shock the first time. Because daaaaaamn how did I miss that shit. Anyway, not spoiling, not ever, but while the reread of this one didn't quite go the way I thought.. it was so worth it in the end. I am even more excited to dive into my ARC of book six (I know I know I'm shameless) now!
September 30, 2019
Wishing for a new start and to escape the men hunting her Samantha Masters travels to Scotland, what she doesn’t expect is Gavin St. James, Earl of Thorne. The Earl is a notorious and fierce Highlander and an unrelenting Lothario, whose womanising is well known throughout the England and Scotland. Gavin desires the land Samantha claims and refuses to relinquish no matter how much money he offers, and so they find themselves battling wits and wills.
I did want the author to have spent more time developing the romantic bond between Sam and Gavin, but the lust was clear from the get go even as they clashed. I enjoyed their sparring but there were times where I found myself yearning for the death and intensity found in for example The Highwayman.
This may not be one of my favourites by the author but it’s still a read I see myself picking up again at some point.
I did want the author to have spent more time developing the romantic bond between Sam and Gavin, but the lust was clear from the get go even as they clashed. I enjoyed their sparring but there were times where I found myself yearning for the death and intensity found in for example The Highwayman.
This may not be one of my favourites by the author but it’s still a read I see myself picking up again at some point.
March 3, 2019
I liked it, but I didn’t love it. 3.5 stars.
November 2, 2017
ARC courtesy of publisher in exchange for an honest review
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September 24, 2017
'The Scot Beds His Wife' by Kerrigan Byrne is Book Five in The "Victorian Rebels" series. This is the story of Gavin St. James, Earl of Thorne and Samantha Masters. Gavin has issue with people getting close to him and does allot of things to break bonds that might build. When he sets his site on getting a piece of land that is Alison Ross, he goes to forward with trying to get it from her. Sam happens to meet Alison Ross on a train that Sam's husband and his gang were robbing. When Sam saves Alison life they two quickly form a friendship. Alison wants to help Sam start fresh and help her get away. Sam is pretending to be Alison to help herself stay safe and also to help the real Alison with an issue she is facing. So this secret goes on for a while as Sam and Gavin start to actually get to know one another. Gavin is clear with his past and with what he does trying to keep from forming that bond with Sam. Sam too with her secrets is trying to not bend but they can't help but be with each other.
This book is hard to review because I am sure I am giving away to much. But just know that Ms. Byrne writes some great stories and this was one of them!
"My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."
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This book is hard to review because I am sure I am giving away to much. But just know that Ms. Byrne writes some great stories and this was one of them!
"My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read."
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June 28, 2018
4 1/3 "Tit for Tat" Stars!
Man... This one had me stressed the entire time! Why? Because I cannot stand this kind of secret. I wanted to love and understand Samantha - I did actually, but This kind of secret always leads to disaster. But I suppose that was the whole point of the plot. To keep me on pins and needles until all is revealed. Success! I loved Sam and Gavin and all the side characters. Sam and Gavin had an explosive relationship! Whew! 🔥
Love this series can't wait for The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo. That title... 😏
Happy reading!
Man... This one had me stressed the entire time! Why? Because I cannot stand this kind of secret. I wanted to love and understand Samantha - I did actually, but This kind of secret always leads to disaster. But I suppose that was the whole point of the plot. To keep me on pins and needles until all is revealed. Success! I loved Sam and Gavin and all the side characters. Sam and Gavin had an explosive relationship! Whew! 🔥
Love this series can't wait for The Duke with the Dragon Tattoo. That title... 😏
Happy reading!
October 22, 2017
Prior to reading:
Gavin's book!!! Woot! Woot! But, man what a wait!!!!!
After reading:
Let me start out by saying that yes, this did not have the best historical feel to it. The heroine was too brash and the "f" word came out of her mouth way too often. At times it felt like a historical and other times, well, not so much.
However, despite that I loved this book. I would put it right up there the first book in this series The Highwayman, especially with its emotional intensity. It was a bit frustrating in the beginning with how at odds Gavin and the heroine were but once they married, I could see the shift in their relationship and I loved it. Gavin became the man he always wanted to be his entire life.
This book was definitely a surprise. The heroine was the biggest surprise but I ended up really liking her before the end of this book. I wasn't happy with one of the decisions that she made but it really added an emotional kicker to the story.
This is a book about two people who have had a rough life and don't want to open their hearts to anyone. However, neither one expected the other.
Don't let the "non-historical" feel of this book keep you from reading it. The times after they are married are very sweet.
I thought this would be the last in this series but it appears I was wrong and I couldn't be more happy. I hope the next two (at least I think there will be two, or maybe one will be within the next story, hope not) are as good as this one and The Highwayman. My two faves.
Quotes & Faves:
♥ His kiss had conveyed a sentiment she’d thought him incapable of. Tenderness.
♥
The above is one of the cute scenes I mentioned.
♥ “I’ll send the Pinkertons a message. I’ll inform them that their men came to my land, injured and threatened the life of my woman. That I put holes in them, myself. And if I see one more of their so-called detectives set foot in the Highlands, I’ll ship pieces of their butchered corpses back to their offices in crates full of their blood.” Gavin, so protective of her.
♥
♥ And then she was in his arms again. “But ye’re the first woman I’ve ever felt this way about,” he said seriously. “Ye’re the last woman I’ll ever want.”
♥ She’d stolen into love with Gavin St. James in small, imperceptible shifts of the cosmos.
♥
♥ He cupped her face with gentle hands and pulled her back enough to look into his eyes. What she saw glimmering in the green irises, branching into the laugh lines, and furrowed in the brow, caused more tears to chase the others down her cheeks. That wasn’t what forgiveness looked like, was it?
♥
♥ "Ye are necessary to me, as I am not a whole man without ye by my side.”
Gavin's book!!! Woot! Woot! But, man what a wait!!!!!
After reading:
Let me start out by saying that yes, this did not have the best historical feel to it. The heroine was too brash and the "f" word came out of her mouth way too often. At times it felt like a historical and other times, well, not so much.
However, despite that I loved this book. I would put it right up there the first book in this series The Highwayman, especially with its emotional intensity. It was a bit frustrating in the beginning with how at odds Gavin and the heroine were but once they married, I could see the shift in their relationship and I loved it. Gavin became the man he always wanted to be his entire life.
This book was definitely a surprise. The heroine was the biggest surprise but I ended up really liking her before the end of this book. I wasn't happy with one of the decisions that she made but it really added an emotional kicker to the story.
This is a book about two people who have had a rough life and don't want to open their hearts to anyone. However, neither one expected the other.
Don't let the "non-historical" feel of this book keep you from reading it. The times after they are married are very sweet.
I thought this would be the last in this series but it appears I was wrong and I couldn't be more happy. I hope the next two (at least I think there will be two, or maybe one will be within the next story, hope not) are as good as this one and The Highwayman. My two faves.
Quotes & Faves:
♥ His kiss had conveyed a sentiment she’d thought him incapable of. Tenderness.
♥
The above is one of the cute scenes I mentioned.
♥ “I’ll send the Pinkertons a message. I’ll inform them that their men came to my land, injured and threatened the life of my woman. That I put holes in them, myself. And if I see one more of their so-called detectives set foot in the Highlands, I’ll ship pieces of their butchered corpses back to their offices in crates full of their blood.” Gavin, so protective of her.
♥
♥ And then she was in his arms again. “But ye’re the first woman I’ve ever felt this way about,” he said seriously. “Ye’re the last woman I’ll ever want.”
♥ She’d stolen into love with Gavin St. James in small, imperceptible shifts of the cosmos.
♥
♥ He cupped her face with gentle hands and pulled her back enough to look into his eyes. What she saw glimmering in the green irises, branching into the laugh lines, and furrowed in the brow, caused more tears to chase the others down her cheeks. That wasn’t what forgiveness looked like, was it?
♥
♥ "Ye are necessary to me, as I am not a whole man without ye by my side.”
January 13, 2020
What if … what if passion was contagious?
This book. This book!!! I loved the heroine Alison/Samantha so much! She was so tough, sassy, and capable. Boy did she have secrets on top of secrets that settled like lead in the belly. I loved seeing love unravel between the hero and heroine as he too had secrets. An marriage of convenience is always a favorite genre of mine. This one is filled with so much more.
This book. This book!!! I loved the heroine Alison/Samantha so much! She was so tough, sassy, and capable. Boy did she have secrets on top of secrets that settled like lead in the belly. I loved seeing love unravel between the hero and heroine as he too had secrets. An marriage of convenience is always a favorite genre of mine. This one is filled with so much more.
August 30, 2020
I’ve read all seven books available in this series in seven days… yep, you read that correctly… it matched my reading mood perfectly and I just couldn’t put them down… and now I think I might have fried my brain a bit… because once I finished the last one, I fell into a mother of all reading slumps… I don’t want to pick up anything… so I will finish writing all the reviews and then just take a break from reading in general for a while… :)
This is a very emotional and intense series of historical romances to read… definitely keep that in mind going in… it varies in different books, but all main characters suffer from some sort of trauma… so depending on which installment you pick up there are trigger warnings for torture, rape, physical and mental abuse, assault… most of it happens not on the actual pages of the stories, but nonetheless has a huge impact on everything… be prepared for themes like that before picking them up…
As much as each book in this series works as a standalone, it’s best to read them in order, cause most of the characters in it are somehow connected to each other :) trust me on this :) the sixth book in this series was my very first ever Kerrigan Byrne book I’ve read and I liked it immensely better once I read the first five stories :) so I will have one short paragraph about how amazing this series is in general and then below you will find a few sentences about each story published in it so far, cause I read them so quickly one after another that they are all a blur in my mind right now :)
The writing style is absolutely spectacular and that is saying something for me, because these stories have some of the themes and tropes I am not only not a fan off, but ones I actively try and avoid in the books I read… and yet, she somehow made it work… :) not gonna lie, maybe once I reread these stories in the future I will be able to read them more critically, but as of now, all of them were 5 stars reads for me :) yes, the stories are very intense and emotional… they deal with some dark topics… and for some of you the relationships may seem rushed but I just… I couldn’t help but love all of them… the heroes of these books are usually the more troubled ones, with darker pasts… and when they love, they love with everything that’s inside them…even the darkest parts of them... they love fiercely and passionately… and I just inhaled all of it… don’t get me wrong, the heroines are no wallflowers either… :) the relationships are always intense and never easy… usually they develop pretty quickly, but they always feel well built and complex enough :) there’s action, surprising twists and turns, some gaspworthy moments and some drama… but also some sweet moments… not to mention an absolutely swoonworthy hot and sensual ones as well… like I said before, this series perfectly fit into my reading mood ;) below is a little bit about each book :) hopefully once I reread them in the future I will be able to write more coherent reviews about each story :)
The highwayman
Story about two people with a surprising connection in their past and a marriage of convenience all wrapped up in an additional mystery… :) add a scarred hero and a badass heroine and I was sold immediately :) aside from the main relationship we have some side ones forming as well which I loved with all my heart… :) it’s a very good introduction to the whole series, with some hints and foreshadowing about future main characters
The hunter
This one took me a moment to get into, because a killer for hire who is fascinated by a woman who he was hired to kill can get… tricky… especially since he’s not the best at communicating his thoughts outside to other people… but to surprise of no one, I ended up in love ;)
The highlander
This one might be my favourite out of them all, and I’m not sure why… :) it has some Beauty and the beast vibes as well as some Jane Eyre ones… the romance develops over a bit longer than usual amount of time, so that might have been a factor in my love for it… even if she’s pretending to be someone else… :) I saw some of the reveals in advance, but it was still super enjoyable :)
The duke
The synopsis of this one is a bit misleading, so let me clarify for you… our heroine works as a nurse and serving maid… she meets a duke and they spend a night together… as in, he pays for a night with her… one year later he shows up in her hospital, not remembering her and with some great injuries… and THEN she goes into a marriage of convenience to a wonderful older man and we skip forward a couple of years to when she is now a widow… again, this one has some themes I don’t like… hidden identity and whatnot, and yet… I loved it :) aside from that we have a killer mystery to which reveal I did not see coming…
The scot beds his wife
Another story with a hidden identity and quite a few other themes I don’t like in books… and yet I absolutely could understand why it had to happen like that… a lot of dramatic and surprising turns of events and a romance between very reluctant two people… which worked out surprisingly well in the end :)
The duke with the dragon tattoo
I loved this one immensely better the second time around… I remembered one big reveal about our hero who doesn’t remember his past, but aside from that nothing else… and now that I read the books in order I appreciated that much more all the familiar couples that make appearances in this one :)
The dark and stormy knight
The last currently available books went by very fast… I was curious about reading about this particular hero for a while and his story definitely did not disappoint :) what’s even better, Pru, our heroine, has three sisters, and a spin-off stories all about them is gonna be published within the next year :) I may or may not already preordered all of them… ;)
XOXO
A
This is a very emotional and intense series of historical romances to read… definitely keep that in mind going in… it varies in different books, but all main characters suffer from some sort of trauma… so depending on which installment you pick up there are trigger warnings for torture, rape, physical and mental abuse, assault… most of it happens not on the actual pages of the stories, but nonetheless has a huge impact on everything… be prepared for themes like that before picking them up…
As much as each book in this series works as a standalone, it’s best to read them in order, cause most of the characters in it are somehow connected to each other :) trust me on this :) the sixth book in this series was my very first ever Kerrigan Byrne book I’ve read and I liked it immensely better once I read the first five stories :) so I will have one short paragraph about how amazing this series is in general and then below you will find a few sentences about each story published in it so far, cause I read them so quickly one after another that they are all a blur in my mind right now :)
The writing style is absolutely spectacular and that is saying something for me, because these stories have some of the themes and tropes I am not only not a fan off, but ones I actively try and avoid in the books I read… and yet, she somehow made it work… :) not gonna lie, maybe once I reread these stories in the future I will be able to read them more critically, but as of now, all of them were 5 stars reads for me :) yes, the stories are very intense and emotional… they deal with some dark topics… and for some of you the relationships may seem rushed but I just… I couldn’t help but love all of them… the heroes of these books are usually the more troubled ones, with darker pasts… and when they love, they love with everything that’s inside them…even the darkest parts of them... they love fiercely and passionately… and I just inhaled all of it… don’t get me wrong, the heroines are no wallflowers either… :) the relationships are always intense and never easy… usually they develop pretty quickly, but they always feel well built and complex enough :) there’s action, surprising twists and turns, some gaspworthy moments and some drama… but also some sweet moments… not to mention an absolutely swoonworthy hot and sensual ones as well… like I said before, this series perfectly fit into my reading mood ;) below is a little bit about each book :) hopefully once I reread them in the future I will be able to write more coherent reviews about each story :)
The highwayman
Story about two people with a surprising connection in their past and a marriage of convenience all wrapped up in an additional mystery… :) add a scarred hero and a badass heroine and I was sold immediately :) aside from the main relationship we have some side ones forming as well which I loved with all my heart… :) it’s a very good introduction to the whole series, with some hints and foreshadowing about future main characters
The hunter
This one took me a moment to get into, because a killer for hire who is fascinated by a woman who he was hired to kill can get… tricky… especially since he’s not the best at communicating his thoughts outside to other people… but to surprise of no one, I ended up in love ;)
The highlander
This one might be my favourite out of them all, and I’m not sure why… :) it has some Beauty and the beast vibes as well as some Jane Eyre ones… the romance develops over a bit longer than usual amount of time, so that might have been a factor in my love for it… even if she’s pretending to be someone else… :) I saw some of the reveals in advance, but it was still super enjoyable :)
The duke
The synopsis of this one is a bit misleading, so let me clarify for you… our heroine works as a nurse and serving maid… she meets a duke and they spend a night together… as in, he pays for a night with her… one year later he shows up in her hospital, not remembering her and with some great injuries… and THEN she goes into a marriage of convenience to a wonderful older man and we skip forward a couple of years to when she is now a widow… again, this one has some themes I don’t like… hidden identity and whatnot, and yet… I loved it :) aside from that we have a killer mystery to which reveal I did not see coming…
The scot beds his wife
Another story with a hidden identity and quite a few other themes I don’t like in books… and yet I absolutely could understand why it had to happen like that… a lot of dramatic and surprising turns of events and a romance between very reluctant two people… which worked out surprisingly well in the end :)
The duke with the dragon tattoo
I loved this one immensely better the second time around… I remembered one big reveal about our hero who doesn’t remember his past, but aside from that nothing else… and now that I read the books in order I appreciated that much more all the familiar couples that make appearances in this one :)
The dark and stormy knight
The last currently available books went by very fast… I was curious about reading about this particular hero for a while and his story definitely did not disappoint :) what’s even better, Pru, our heroine, has three sisters, and a spin-off stories all about them is gonna be published within the next year :) I may or may not already preordered all of them… ;)
XOXO
A
June 26, 2018
Series: Victorian Rebels
Publication Date: 10/3/17
If I were able, I’d actually give it 3.5 stars because I really liked the premise of this story and was so excited to get to read it – but – once I started I was really disappointed. The story itself is good, but, in my opinion, it is a contemporary romance with horses instead of cars. I don’t know, nor have I ever known, anyone who is as foul-mouthed as the heroine in this story and I truly cannot believe you’d have found anyone in that time – male or female – who cussed like that. I think that the author might be trying to appeal to a newer, younger audience, but I don’t know about that. So, I’ll say that while I like the storyline itself, I don’t care for the characters – especially the heroine -- or their language. It took me a week to read this book, and I usually read one in a day – two at most.
Both characters in this book had bad and sad beginnings, his much, much more so than hers. Her parents died and she was raised by a foster family who worked her hard, but they didn’t treat her any differently than they did their own children. It didn’t sound like she was starved or physically abused, just required to work hard. I don’t think that was particularly unusual for the time. He was born to a cruel, evil, abusive father who used his children as punching bags, whipped them (literally) and tried to make them as hateful and abusive as himself.
Both characters handled the pitfalls life threw at them very differently also. When her foster family arranged a marriage for her with someone she didn’t want to marry, she ran off with a handsome ranch hand. She loved him (at least she thought she did) and she thought he loved her. Turns out that he was a bank robber – and she went along with him and his brothers robbing banks. She was a part of the gang – she didn’t like it, but she did still go along with it. She could have left and made her own way at any time. No, it wouldn’t have been easy – but it wasn’t impossible – and she didn’t even try. Seems she made lots of poor choices for herself rather than life dealing her an impossible hand. She just floated along until lives were lost and she ended up shooting her husband between the eyes. Because of his father’s cruel and abusive treatment, Thorne learned to hide his real thoughts and feelings and to deny any emotion. He became a lothario constantly bedding different women – hundreds (maybe thousands) of them. He didn’t beat anyone, he didn’t rob anyone, he just didn’t allow himself to feel anything other than lust.
Gavin St. James, Earl of Thorne wants nothing more than to distance himself from the legacy of his family name, MacKenzie. His father was a brute of a man who terrorized his family and his entire clan. He brutally beat Gavin and even threw him out a second story window of the castle and left him outside in the cold all night. Gavin managed to survive, but his mother ended up blinded. In order to emancipate himself from the MacKenzie name and clan, he has to have a way to earn income. So, he wants to purchase Erradale an abandoned neighboring estate, but the owner has told him very bluntly that she will never sell to him because his father killed her father. He is determined to challenge her however he can to win the estate.
Samantha Masters met Alison Ross during a train robbery. Samantha, her husband and his two brothers were going to rob the train, but not the passengers – and nobody was supposed to get hurt. Suddenly, there was gunfire – and then her husband was in the car with her and he’d just shot the male passenger in the car and had taken Alison hostage. He was going to murder Alison – so Samantha shot him between the eyes. Samantha and Alison had become friends during the train ride – so Alison came up with a plan to save Samantha in gratitude for saving her life. That meant Samantha had to travel to Scotland.
Samantha meets Thorne as soon as she steps off the train in Scotland and she’s determined NOT to have anything to do with him. He’s amazed that there is a female that can resist him. Thus begins a battle of wits, lust, and determination! Then you add in two brothers bent on revenge and you have quite a tale.
I can’t enthusiastically recommend the book, but I will tell you that the premise of the story is a good one. If you don’t mind that a historical ‘feels’ like a contemporary read, and having two foul-mouthed main characters, you might enjoy it – I do see many 5-star reviews.
"I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."
Publication Date: 10/3/17
If I were able, I’d actually give it 3.5 stars because I really liked the premise of this story and was so excited to get to read it – but – once I started I was really disappointed. The story itself is good, but, in my opinion, it is a contemporary romance with horses instead of cars. I don’t know, nor have I ever known, anyone who is as foul-mouthed as the heroine in this story and I truly cannot believe you’d have found anyone in that time – male or female – who cussed like that. I think that the author might be trying to appeal to a newer, younger audience, but I don’t know about that. So, I’ll say that while I like the storyline itself, I don’t care for the characters – especially the heroine -- or their language. It took me a week to read this book, and I usually read one in a day – two at most.
Both characters in this book had bad and sad beginnings, his much, much more so than hers. Her parents died and she was raised by a foster family who worked her hard, but they didn’t treat her any differently than they did their own children. It didn’t sound like she was starved or physically abused, just required to work hard. I don’t think that was particularly unusual for the time. He was born to a cruel, evil, abusive father who used his children as punching bags, whipped them (literally) and tried to make them as hateful and abusive as himself.
Both characters handled the pitfalls life threw at them very differently also. When her foster family arranged a marriage for her with someone she didn’t want to marry, she ran off with a handsome ranch hand. She loved him (at least she thought she did) and she thought he loved her. Turns out that he was a bank robber – and she went along with him and his brothers robbing banks. She was a part of the gang – she didn’t like it, but she did still go along with it. She could have left and made her own way at any time. No, it wouldn’t have been easy – but it wasn’t impossible – and she didn’t even try. Seems she made lots of poor choices for herself rather than life dealing her an impossible hand. She just floated along until lives were lost and she ended up shooting her husband between the eyes. Because of his father’s cruel and abusive treatment, Thorne learned to hide his real thoughts and feelings and to deny any emotion. He became a lothario constantly bedding different women – hundreds (maybe thousands) of them. He didn’t beat anyone, he didn’t rob anyone, he just didn’t allow himself to feel anything other than lust.
Gavin St. James, Earl of Thorne wants nothing more than to distance himself from the legacy of his family name, MacKenzie. His father was a brute of a man who terrorized his family and his entire clan. He brutally beat Gavin and even threw him out a second story window of the castle and left him outside in the cold all night. Gavin managed to survive, but his mother ended up blinded. In order to emancipate himself from the MacKenzie name and clan, he has to have a way to earn income. So, he wants to purchase Erradale an abandoned neighboring estate, but the owner has told him very bluntly that she will never sell to him because his father killed her father. He is determined to challenge her however he can to win the estate.
Samantha Masters met Alison Ross during a train robbery. Samantha, her husband and his two brothers were going to rob the train, but not the passengers – and nobody was supposed to get hurt. Suddenly, there was gunfire – and then her husband was in the car with her and he’d just shot the male passenger in the car and had taken Alison hostage. He was going to murder Alison – so Samantha shot him between the eyes. Samantha and Alison had become friends during the train ride – so Alison came up with a plan to save Samantha in gratitude for saving her life. That meant Samantha had to travel to Scotland.
Samantha meets Thorne as soon as she steps off the train in Scotland and she’s determined NOT to have anything to do with him. He’s amazed that there is a female that can resist him. Thus begins a battle of wits, lust, and determination! Then you add in two brothers bent on revenge and you have quite a tale.
I can’t enthusiastically recommend the book, but I will tell you that the premise of the story is a good one. If you don’t mind that a historical ‘feels’ like a contemporary read, and having two foul-mouthed main characters, you might enjoy it – I do see many 5-star reviews.
"I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."
September 17, 2017
3.5 - 4 stars
As you can see I'm a little undecided on the rating. This is because it had a fantastic early part, some lulling in the middle where my attention wandered and a great final 30%. Overall this is a good read but it didn't hit the spot quite as much as some of her others.
Lord Gavin Thorne is something of an arrogant, conceited lead male. He's got the kind of childhood you recoil reading about so there is some rationale for his distance from most connections and his hedonistic and determined goals in life. He considered himself irresistible to the opposite sex and he used this to get what he wanted. Initially, this is a turn off to the reader but you cannot look away from him.
"He'd eschewed a waistcoat or cravat, deciding instead to dress informally in only trousers, riding boots, his shirtsleeves-purposely left open a few rebellious buttons-and a vest beneath his long wool coat."
Sam was a great heroine, strong, single-minded and crass. I liked her and her life prior to Erradale was compelling, tragic and stirred all my empathy. Nevertheless, her duplicity was difficult to swallow and the secrets left me hanging on for the reveal, hanging on quite long. These two had undeniable chemistry and whilst there was back and forth, I could wait for them.
Kerrigan Bryne did a great job of secondary characters in THE SCOT BEDS HIS WIFE. The band of rough scuffs at Erradale were endearing and funny. I am pretty desperate to see Callum's story with great hopes that it intersects with Alison's.
I am here to follow this series wherever it goes and also to follow Kerrigan Byrne's writing anywhere. This might not be my favourite in the series but it is still a good read.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through netgalley in return for a honest review.
Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.
As you can see I'm a little undecided on the rating. This is because it had a fantastic early part, some lulling in the middle where my attention wandered and a great final 30%. Overall this is a good read but it didn't hit the spot quite as much as some of her others.
Lord Gavin Thorne is something of an arrogant, conceited lead male. He's got the kind of childhood you recoil reading about so there is some rationale for his distance from most connections and his hedonistic and determined goals in life. He considered himself irresistible to the opposite sex and he used this to get what he wanted. Initially, this is a turn off to the reader but you cannot look away from him.
"He'd eschewed a waistcoat or cravat, deciding instead to dress informally in only trousers, riding boots, his shirtsleeves-purposely left open a few rebellious buttons-and a vest beneath his long wool coat."
Sam was a great heroine, strong, single-minded and crass. I liked her and her life prior to Erradale was compelling, tragic and stirred all my empathy. Nevertheless, her duplicity was difficult to swallow and the secrets left me hanging on for the reveal, hanging on quite long. These two had undeniable chemistry and whilst there was back and forth, I could wait for them.
Kerrigan Bryne did a great job of secondary characters in THE SCOT BEDS HIS WIFE. The band of rough scuffs at Erradale were endearing and funny. I am pretty desperate to see Callum's story with great hopes that it intersects with Alison's.
I am here to follow this series wherever it goes and also to follow Kerrigan Byrne's writing anywhere. This might not be my favourite in the series but it is still a good read.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through netgalley in return for a honest review.
Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.
May 4, 2024
Don’t mind an outspoken heroine but she was annoying. Book had a great start, I mean you killed your Jack ass of a husband! But the story didn’t hold my interest long and since the hero didn’t emanate that overwhelming powerful masculine energy that is usually found in KB books I was ready to move on . I mean for a fully grown man he sounded 19/20 it was odd😟
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