An unexpected encounter… Will change everything!Self-made gentleman and widower Grayson Maddox has devoted himself to his children and business, leaving no time for pleasure. Until he has an impulsive, thrillingly sensual encounter with lady’s companion Miss Constance Grant! Their passion gives Grayson hope of a happiness he never thought he’d feel again. But there’s still much in both their … both their pasts to confront before they can turn their forbidden liaison into a new beginning…
“The queen of historical romance… As always, Ms Kaye’s writing is perfection, the passion for the characters and the story shines through, honestly, I can never say a bad word about her writing.”
–Chicks, Rogues and Scandals on An Inconvenient Elmswood Marriage
“It is character growth that enables them to find happiness together. It distinguishes the romance, raising it above a simple conflict between love and duty. Insightful. Highly recommended.”
–Historical Novel Society on An Inconvenient Elmswood Marriage
“Ms. Kaye is one of my favorite authors of historical fiction… A recommended read!”
–Romance Junkies on An Inconvenient Elmswood Marriage
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Set against the backdrop of the brutal Scottish Clearances, when thousands of crofters were driven off the land by wealthy landowners who wanted to farm the more profitable sheep, this is a solidly middle-class romance, which definitely makes it stand out among the usual Regency fare of dukes, earls and lords. While wealthy, the hero is the son of a clerk who has risen to own his own shipbuilding yard in Glasgow. The heroine is a schoolteacher who lost her school and her pupils to the Clearances and now ekes out a living writing seditious pieces for a journal in Edinburgh.
Something else that makes this romance unusual is that both members of the primary couple are older. Grayson is in his early forties, with two teenage children, and Constance turns forty during the course of the book. Two mature adults with a clear-eyed perspective on what they believe their lives should be like, they are both somewhat derailed by their unexpected attraction to each other, an attraction that goes far beyond the physical.
The course of true love does not, of course, run smooth. The author deftly weaves in real historical events into the narrative, the story taking place over several weeks. While the romance begins with an instant attraction, it takes a great deal of work and effort and will for the couple to actually find their way to a happy ending, something I found both believable and engaging.
This isn’t a flight of fantasy kind of romance. It feels like a story of two real people, overcoming obstacles and moving past tragedy to find a happy ending together. It’s powerful and painful and inspiring, and I’m really quite surprised to see it in Harlequin’s Historical line-up. I absolutely loved it. Five stars.
Disclaimer: I received a review copy of this title from the author.
Scottish Highlands – 1816
Miss Constance Grant mourns the loss of the village of Clachon Bridge which has recently been burned. The people had been evicted but chose to ignore it. The reason was to improve the area. One day, men came led by Robert Lockhart son of the minister, giving the people 15 minutes to grab their belongings and flee before they set fire to the village. The only reason was that they wanted to land for sheep to graze. Along with her father, Constance was a school teacher. The shock of it all killed her father. She had no other recourse but to lock up the schoolhouse and leave. Sadly, she had once been engaged to Robert, but is happy now not to have married such an evil man.
Edinburgh – 1822
Constance works as a ladies companion for an elderly woman named Pearl. She enjoys reading to the woman and walking her dog. Constance’s 40th birthday is coming up and she’s rather depressed about it. While out walking one day, she happens to speak to a nice gentleman also enjoying the view. He introduces himself as Grayson Maddox, saying he is there to find accommodations for himself and his two teenage children, Shona and Neil so they can watch when King George comes to town. He is the owner of Maddox Shipyards and is a widower. Just chatting for awhile sparks a longing in both of them. They give in, renting a room where they make love. As he is there for a few days, they arrange to meet in a park when Constance is out walking Pearl’s dog. They find such comfort in each other’s company as they enjoy learning more about one another. However, they realize that their backgrounds are so different that they could never be together which breaks both their hearts.
This story has lots of historical information of how land and homes were essentially stolen from crofters to make room for sheep. So many people suffered, starved, and died. In addition, there is quite a lot of historical information about poor old King George who loved to eat and eat! The angst of forbidden love by two people is written to be so heart-wrenching. As always, I am amazed at how Marguerite Kaye can take history and a location to make it all come together in the reader’s mind so that it’s like watching a film. One very talented author! Very done!
Copy provided by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review
A Forbidden Liaison with Miss Grant is author Margaret Kaye’s latest novel and is a standalone. I always look forward to when Ms. Kaye has a new novel and was anticipating this release. As always Ms. Kaye brings her unique and special flair to the typical historical romance and gives us something totally different from what we would normally expect from this genre. With both our main characters in their early forties and an instant and undeniable attraction, I knew from the beginning I was going to struggle to put this book down!
I absolutely adored this couple. Grayson Maddox is a self-made man, who builds ships. He’s a widower raising his two children and happens to run into Constance Grant a lady’s companion. The connection and attraction are immediate and the reader can sense that there is a deeper connection between these two if they would only take the chance to pursue it.
Constance was a wonderful heroine whose back-story brings us a look at the Scottish Clearances. A heartbreaking look at a very troubling time in history. As always, Ms. Kaye’s writing is excellent, with wonderful characters, a fabulous storyline, and a lovely HEA. I wouldn’t mind revisiting with this couple several years down the line and seeing Grayson’s children on their own as adults! A thoroughly enjoyable read that captivated me from beginning to end!
Good book. There were two things about this book that made it unusual in the historical romance genre. First, the couple is older, with Constance being forty years old and never married, and Grayson being forty-three. I love having a couple with some life experience. Second, neither of them is part of the aristocracy. Grayson is a self-made man, a successful shipbuilder. Constance is a teacher who has turned to writing political essays.
The story opens as Constance witnesses the cruelty of the Highland Clearances. The pain of seeing the village go up in flames is magnified by knowing that her former fiancé is the one enforcing them. The tragedy is compounded when her father suffers a heart attack and dies as they watch it happen. Constance packs up and goes to Edinburgh to live with a family friend. Six years later, she has made a life for herself penning articles about the Clearances and their effects, hoping to open peoples’ eyes to what is happening. Unfortunately, most people don’t seem to care. There is more excitement over the impending visit of the King.
Grayson arrived in Edinburgh from Glasgow looking for accommodations for his family during the King’s upcoming visit. His teen children want to see the King and participate in the festivities. Grayson is a widower whose children are the most important things in his life, with his business coming in a close second. He is also caught in a quandary because his late wife’s parents, who never approved of him, keep trying to get the kids to live with them. They are aristocracy and believe that they can offer a better life than he can.
I loved the first meeting between Constance and Grayson. Constance went for a walk to clear her mind and consider the fact that her quest for justice appears to be fruitless. Her ruminations are interrupted by Grayson, who had also gone walking. They immediately connect, two people who don’t realize that they are lonely until they meet someone that calls to them. Underneath the easy conversation, there is also a simmering attraction that they choose to accept and act on. Both agree that it will last only as long as Grayson’s stay.
I enjoyed watching the relationship between Constance and Grayson develop. Though the passion they experience is strong, so too is the connection they share. I liked seeing them spend time together, able to talk about almost anything. The more time they spend together, the deeper the bond grows, but neither believes anything can come of it. Grayson is fixated on his responsibility to his children and doesn’t think adding another person is a good idea. Constance gave up on marriage long ago and believes that her work for justice is more important. Both have moments when they fear their growing closeness and try to pull back, but the attempts at distancing never last. Each of them also hides a secret. Grayson hasn’t told Constance the identities of his in-laws, nor has Constance shared her writing life with Grayson. I ached for them when the time came for them to part. Both agreed seeing each other again would be a bad idea.
However, like before, their vows to stay away from each other don’t last. Both were miserable when they were apart, but still don’t see a way to be together. The time apart has brought about some changes. Grayson’s point-of-view of his in-laws has undergone a shift, thanks to his conversations with Constance. Meanwhile, Constance has a new plan for her future. It was painful to see how much Grayson and Constance loved each other, and their steadfast refusal to believe in a future together. There were some interesting scenes during the King’s visit that seemed to be Fate pushing these two stubborn people together. I loved the scene where Grayson saw the light. His speech to Constance was fantastic, romantic and emotional, and yet practical too. The epilogue was excellent, and I loved seeing the changes over the year.
I loved the attention to historical detail. The Clearances and the hardships suffered by the Highlanders were vividly described and heartbreaking. I also enjoyed the vision created of the King’s visit to Edinburgh. I could easily picture the crowds and the events. I laughed at Shona’s description of the Drawing Room. It was interesting to see how Sir Walter Scott influenced the pageantry and attitudes.