Miranda Harris is known for her charm, wit, and ability
to solve any problem she encounters. But when her brother lands neck-deep in
gambling debt to a crafty villain and Miranda is subsequently blackmailed into
marrying him, she must enlist the help of the devil himself to save the family
honor―and herself.
Devilishly handsome Highlander Aden MacTaggert knows next
to nothing about the ways of the ton, but he most certainly knows his way
around gaming halls and women's hearts. Still, Aden is not sure how he'll
manage to find a Sassenach bride in time to save his family's inheritance. When
his almost sister-in-law Miranda comes to him for assistance, he proposes a
partnership: She will help him navigate London society and he'll teach her
everything about wagering…and winning back her freedom. The beautiful, clever
lass intrigues Aden―but is she playing her own game, or are the sparks between
them real? He is accustomed to risking his pocket. But betting on Miranda's
love is a game he can't afford to lose. . .
Fantastic book. The three MacTaggert men were summoned to
London after their younger sister became engaged. Seventeen years earlier,
their mother left Scotland to return to "civilized" London, taking
Eloise with her. They heard nothing from their mother, Francesca, until being
told of the agreement between her and their father. Each of them was to marry
an English woman before Eloise marries, or lose the money Francesca provides to
keep the Scottish lands afloat. They weren't happy about it and made no secret
of the fact. The first book, It's Getting Scot in Here, told the story of the
youngest brother, Niall, and how he fell for the woman his mother picked for
his oldest brother.
I loved the opening chapter of this book. A wager between
middle brother, Aden, and oldest brother, Coll, gives a quick peek at who Aden
is. He is known as the charming one, with a penchant for gambling. The boot
toss bet was an amusing one, as was the bantering between the two brothers. There
was also a glimpse of another side of Aden when a grimy dog stole one of his
boots. It gets even better when the dog follows Aden home.
Then comes the introduction of Miranda and Aden. Miranda's
brother, Matthew, is engaged to Eloise. She is charming, intelligent, well-liked
- and outspoken. She is aware of Eloise's desire to make a match between
Miranda and Aden and has listened attentively to Eloise's stories about her
brothers. While noticing his good looks and charm, she is also aware of his
reputation. Aden also notices her, especially that she is not empty-headed, and
considers getting to know her better. That is, until she bluntly states,
"I detest gambling. And gamblers." Aden is highly intelligent and
also very private. Even within his family, he is known as the elusive one, who
doesn't share his thoughts, feelings, or plans with anyone. Gambling is a form
of entertainment for him, a chance to exercise his brain. While intrigued by
the only woman who has spoken back to him, he's not interested in making an
effort to overcome her objections. However, fate isn't done with them.
Miranda's brother Matthew is a friendly but somewhat naïve
young man. He became the target of an unscrupulous man who lured him into
wagering far more than he can afford. Now Matthew is in debt to Captain Vale
for fifty thousand pounds, which is far more than even his family can pay. Unfortunately,
Vale has a different plan for repayment. He wants Miranda's hand in marriage
and will accept nothing less. Miranda is horrified when she finds out what
Matthew did, and furious at what he expects her to do. She is not ready to hand
herself over to Vale and seeks help from the only person she can think of -
Aden.
I loved the conversation between Miranda and Aden. She is
desperate for help but reluctant to show it. Aden is still a little peeved at
her dislike of him, especially considering his reaction to her. I loved how
they settled whether or not he would help her. I was happy to see Miranda trust
him enough to tell him the whole story. Aden's reaction was what I expected.
Regardless of his feelings for her, he is incensed at the idea of her being
forced to marry someone.
I loved the teamwork between Aden and Miranda as they
worked to thwart Vale's plans. Aden isn't accustomed to sharing his plans with
anyone, but Miranda refuses to sit back and let him handle everything. I loved
watching them find ways to spend time together to further their attempts. The
time that they spend together gives them a chance to get to know each other. I
loved Miranda's slow realization that Aden is much different than the reckless
gambler she first thought he was. Miranda surprised herself when she discovered
that she liked him and that she trusted him. Aden was all-in from the moment he
agreed to help Miranda. It didn't take him long at all to admit to himself that
he had found the lass he wanted. There was no way he was going to let Vale win.
One of my favorite scenes was at the ball, where Aden made his pursuit of
Miranda public. Her reaction: "The captain had set up a very complicated
game of chess and had moved all the pieces precisely where he wanted them, and
Aden had just sat down opposite Vale and dumped over the table."
I enjoyed seeing the admiration and trust between Aden
and Miranda turn to love. It wasn't easy for either of them to admit. Aden's
past made it difficult for him to rely on a woman. Miranda's mistrust of
gamblers was hard to overcome. Both knew that there was no chance for them if
they didn't stop Vale. As Vale's demands intensified, so did their determination.
I loved seeing the changes in Aden as he broke with his usual solitary methods
and asked for help from his brothers. I was glued to the pages as the showdown
between Aden and Vale grew closer. The scene at the card game was fantastic,
and I enjoyed the way that Aden poked at Vale. I loved Aden's deviation from
his original plan, not just the reason but the advice that made it happen. That
was just the beginning, and I was on the edge of my seat as the rest of the
plan went through. The confrontation between Aden and Vale was great, though I
thought Vale got off easier than he should have. I especially liked Miranda's
idea of what to do with the other information they acquired.
I loved how Aden and Miranda came together at the end.
Aden's honorable nature has held him back from a full declaration of his
intentions. He doesn't want Miranda to feel obligated by gratitude. Miranda is
frustrated by his reticence, but also slightly afraid that he will walk away. I
laughed out loud at how she turned the tables on him.
Secondary characters: Vale was a villain who was easy to
hate. It was bad enough to see the way he targeted and used Matthew. Vale's
arrogance and confidence in the way he spoke to Miranda were chilling. The more
that Aden uncovered about Vale, the more horrifying he was. Aden's mother,
Francesca, has continued to grow on me since the beginning of the first book. Her
love for her sons is evident, but her manipulations to get them to London come
between them. Her interactions with Aden show that there is still a long way to
go, but that there is hope. I also get the feeling that there may be more to
the story behind her split with her husband. I love the relationship between
the brothers, Coll, Aden, and Niall. They may tease and argue, but they are
there for each other when needed. By the end of the book, Coll is the only one
unattached. Thanks to his early interactions with Society, he is at a
disadvantage in his bride search. I enjoyed Aden's advice to him and look forward
to reading his story. Then there is Matthew. In the first book, he is seen
mostly as the pleasant young man who is engaged to Eloise. He handles his
meeting with her brothers well. He doesn't show as well in this book. To have
gambled that recklessly is terrible enough, but to sell his sister to settle
his debt is deplorable. I was honestly surprised that he was undamaged by the
end of the book, especially after the MacTaggert brothers learned about what he
did.
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