Beautiful and eligible, Briar Blakeley is the beloved youngest sister of a duke. Eschewing the London marriage mart, she has no plans to wed anytime soon... until she’s abducted alongside her family's handsome Scottish gardener and cast into a web of intrigue and secrets.
Swept Away to Scotland…
Wren Spencer returned from the wars with the French to find a bitter feud has split him from his clan—and his birthright. Putting the rejection behind him, he takes up a quiet life at Blakeley Manor tending shrubbery as the gardner. Three years later, a group of loyal Highlanders are determined to bring Wren home—whether he wishes to go or not. The other problem? They've mistaken Briar for his wife and kidnapped her along with him.
Forced to Wed…
Now that Briar has been compromised and carried off to Scotland, she must wed one of two men. The only question is who will she choose?
When Wren proposes a marriage of convenience, he tells himself honor drives him—not the ripe lips and bright spirit of the young woman who has resurrected his heart with something he thought he would never feel again. A rare and passionate love. But when dark deeds threaten his new bride, the Scottish laird finds himself caught up in a dangerous game and must risk his legacy and even his life to save the woman who has become most precious to him.
Lady Briar Blakeley is the sister to the Duke of Darefield. She is happy to postpone her come out and enjoy her independence a while longer. But a childhood friend appears claiming that they have been betrothed for years and he is ready to marry her. Briar is shocked, appalled and kicks Percy out. But he will not give up easily and attempts to force her to accept his hand.
Wren Spencer is the gardener at the Blakey estate, but he has his secrets. He fought in the wars for Scotland and never returned home. When trouble with Percy causes Briar to seek out Wren as an escort, he starts to soften towards her. But Percy goes to far and engages some ruffians to kidnap Briar and Wren, only Percy is caught in the mix as well. And this unfolds a wild tale of discovering deceit within Wrens family and hopefully restoring him to his rightful place as Laird!
This was a very very enjoyable read. It was a great mix of romance, adventure, plot and swoon! Wren was just such a love and he protected Briar from the start and, although he didn’t want to love, he wasn’t too stubborn when it inevitably happened. Briar was probably my favorite though. She was independent and didn’t want to marry right away, but she wasn’t pushy and feminist about it. She wasn’t thrilled to be forced to marry Percy or Wren after being kidnapped and thus compromised, but she wasn’t completely adverse to Wrens charms. Over all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I cannot wait to dive into the next in the series featuring Briar’s brother, Dare the Duke of Darefield!
TROPES
Historical Romance, Regency Era, Scotland, Beta/Cinnamon Roll Hero, Damaged/Tortured Hero, Highland Warrior Hero, Soldier/War Hero, Protective Hero, Runaway/Jilted Groom, Orphan Heroine, Virgin Heroine, First Cut is the Deepest, Married in Scandal/Forced Marriage, Abduction/Kidnapped, Forced Proximity, Hidden Identity, Lost heir, Road Trip Trope, Romantic Ride Sharing, Betrayal Trope, Suspense/Danger/Murder, Outdoor Steam, Five Star, Two Flame
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