A Scottish beauty
Lures the Laird to sin!
Exchanging elegant society balls for clan wars, Logan Rathmore has returned to Scotland as the new Laird of Ardvarrick. Peace is within grasp when he meets musician Ailsa McInnis from a rival clan. Her stubborn pride and innocence fascinate him -- but with her now under his protection, he must do nothing to abuse her trust. The fragile peace is dependent on his being able to resist the forbidden temptation she presents…
Good book. The story begins a few years after the first Jacobite Rebellion, and interactions between the English and the Scots remain a bit tense. Logan Rathmore arrives at Ardvarrick to take up his duties as Laird after his father's unexpected death. Until he was sixteen, Logan lived in Scotland but was then sent off to England to his mother's family to finish his education. He hasn't been back in the ten years since then. Now he must refamiliarize himself with his homeland. Two weeks later, Logan's off to visit his nearest neighbor, Fingal Contullach, the rival clan's laird. On the way, he encounters Ailsa, the castle harpist, who instantly fascinates him.
Ailsa is Fingal's niece and follows in her mother's footsteps as the castle harpist. Though a family member, Ailsa is frequently ignored unless playing, and even then feels more like part of the background. She is wary when she meets Logan, having been warned against men, but she's also intrigued.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Logan and Ailsa. It is a slow burn, as they see each other rarely over the first few months. Logan received a stern warning from Fingal that Ailsa was off-limits, but that didn't stop his fascination with her. There is a beautiful scene at Contullach where, sensing her loneliness, Logan shares his love of poetry with her. But the feelings he stirs in her frighten Ailsa, as she's been told all her life that letting a man into her life would end her ability to make music. However, when she overhears a plot that would break the tentative peace between their clans, she is determined to warn him. Once again, a short time together allows them to get to know each other a little more, but it isn't enough. Logan fights hard against his attraction, well aware of what is at stake, but there's no doubt that she's taken hold of his heart.
There are obstacles ahead before Logan and Ailsa can reach their happy ending. A selfish, vindictive man has them both in his sights. I loved Ailsa's fight and initiative and Logan's pride in her when he found her. But even when Logan claims her for his own, Ailsa has issues that keep her from believing that Logan truly wants her. She worries about being up to the task of Lady of Ardvarrick even though Logan shows her how she's valued and appreciated. The one thing he can't do is get past her assertion that her music is gone forever. Her family spent years grooming her to believe in a curse, and nothing he says will convince her otherwise. I ached for Ailsa and her unhappiness and hoped that eventually, his words would have some effect. Nearly losing Logan in another attack forces Ailsa to face those demons in a last-ditch effort to save him. I loved the culmination of that confrontation and the emotion that spilled from the pages as she finally believed. The epilogue was terrific, and I can't wait for the next book.
I loved how Scotland and its history was almost another character in the book. I liked the peeks into their daily lives, from the weeks spent at the shirling cottage to the looks at the differences between life at Contullach and Ardvarrick. Watching Logan return to his Scottish roots was terrific. The landscape was not forgotten either. The descriptions of Ailsa's practice glen, the land over which they traveled, and even the homes themselves made me feel as if I was there.
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