The second in the seductive new Scottish historical romance Wild Wicked Highlanders series from New York Times bestselling author Suzanne Enoch! In Scot Under the Covers, a resourceful English lady and a hot-blooded Highlander join forces to trick a scoundrel, and every rule will be broken! Miranda Harris is known for her charm, wit, and ability to solve any problem she encounters. But when her … 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.
“It’s time to fall in love with Suzanne Enoch.” — Lisa Kleypas
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 womens’ 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. . .
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4.5 stars
The MacTaggert brothers are in London to fulfill the terms of an agreement made between their estranged parents. The brothers must all marry English brides before their sister marries or their mother will no longer fund the family estate in Scotland – Aldriss Park. Angry at the perceived abandonment of their mother 17 years ago and poisoned by their father’s bitterness – the brothers descend on their mother and sister intent on marrying to satisfy Francesca, Lady Aldriss and then returning to Scotland. So far, the youngest son Niall has married and has begun to reconcile with their mother. But time is running out and there are still two brothers left to wed – this story is the tale of how the middle son – Aden met his match.
After spending months with her aunt Beatrice, Miranda Harris is back in London and gets the shock of her life when her brother Matthew informs her that he has lost Fifty Thousand pounds to Captain Robert Vale and she must marry him lest he destroys her family. Matthew is betrothed to Eloise MacTaggert and is desperately in love and terrified that her brothers will learn of his gambling and refuse to let Eloise marry him. Miranda despises gamblers – with good reason, her uncle practically ruined her Aunt Beatrice’s life and has been in America trying to make enough money to repay his debt. But to save herself from a gambler – she needs a gambler. Her first interaction with Aden did not go well, but fortunately for her, her sharp tongue and scorn intrigue Aden and when she asks for his help to take down Capt. Vale, Aden pretty certain that Miranda is his perfect match so he is happy to assist and to teach Miranda that not all gamblers are reckless and irresponsible.
This was a great addition to the series; Aden is a very unique and mysterious character – I was never really certain what he was planning and was blown away by his schemes – he really is a wonderful hero. Miranda is a practical and somewhat opinionated and unyielding character at the beginning, but she is not a shrew and can admit that she was wrong, she truly is Aden’s perfect match and I loved watching them fall in love. The story is well written, flows nicely, has plenty of hot and steamy love scenes, lots of intrigue, witty banter, great secondary characters and a great ending with some interesting surprises. I did feel like the book dragged a little around the two-thirds mark and then rushed to catch up at the end. All in all, it is a great read and I am happy to recommend it. This is the second book in the series, but it can easily be read as a stand-alone title.
In the first book in the series, It’s Getting Scot in Here, we were introduced to the wild, brawny, devilishly handsome MacTaggert brothers. The brothers, Coll, Aden, and Niall, have lived the last seventeen years without their mother – Aden was only ten when she left and Niall was seven. She got tired of the Highland’s lack of social life and left with their year-old sister, Eloise. They haven’t heard a word from her in all that time and now, she’s demanding that they travel to London and marry English brides. Yes, she can enforce that because she holds the purse strings that provide support to their estate, Aldriss Park. They have to think of the estate and their crofters and villagers. Plus, she also holds a paper signed by their father stating that in return for her support of Aldriss, each son must marry an English bride AND that their mother gets to choose the bride for one of them. To say that the three brothers aren’t happy would be a gross understatement.
Miranda Harris’s brother is betrothed to Eloise MacTaggert and it is that betrothal that has caused the MacTaggert boys to be summoned and told to find brides. They must marry before Eloise does. Miranda is charming, intelligent, witty, always the bell of the ball, and … well … she’s definitely opinionated and outspoken. When she was first introduced to Aden, almost the first words out of her mouth were, “I detest gambling. And gamblers.”
Aden MacTaggert is probably the most handsome of the devilishly handsome MacTaggert boys. He is also good at wagering – his skills are legendary – and he could easily support himself and his family from his winnings. However, he has no interest in being a professional gambler – it is more entertainment for him. He’s highly intelligent and is always several steps ahead of anyone else. He’s the MacTaggert who is very private and doesn’t share his thoughts, feelings – plots – with anyone else.
Matthew Harris, Miranda’s brother, is a sweet, open, gullible young man who has run into a whole heap of trouble. An unscrupulous vulture has lured him into wagering more and more and more – much more than he can afford. The man holds Matthew’s vouchers for fifty-thousand pounds. Now, the man is demanding payment – either payment in full OR Miranda’s hand in marriage. The family couldn’t pay that amount even if they sold all of their belongings – they’d be ruined personally and financially.
Miranda has no intention of marrying Captain Robert Vale, but she can’t bring her family down either. She has to play along with Vale while she is finding a way out. She knows the perfect person from whom to seek advice – another gambler – Aden MacTaggert. He is certainly the lesser of two evils in this case. Will he help her after the way she insulted him?
Not only does Aden agree to help her, but he is also incensed at what has happened – for a number of reasons. He’s incensed that someone would lure a naïve young man into such a situation, but he’s even more incensed that the same young man would just expect his sister to pay the price. Basically, he traded his sister to settle his debt.
Aden and Miranda spend as much time as possible plotting and thwarting the machinations of Robert Vale, but he is a wily, sly, and unscrupulous man and beating him won’t be easy. Somewhere along the way, Aden and Miranda find that they very much admire each other … and … they come to love each other. However, they can only have a life together if they can thoroughly thwart Vale.
I loved how Aden and Miranda came to totally trust each other and rely on each other. That was a hard thing for each of them – Aden because he’d never had a woman in his life that he could rely on, and Miranda because she distrusted gamblers because of past family history. Their love was hard-won and their HEA was sweet.
I’m sure I’m supposed to be softening toward Francesca Oswell-MacTaggert, but my feelings are still the same. I am sure there is supposed to be more to the story than we’ve seen so far – and maybe I’ll soften when I learn it all. However, as a mother, I can’t think of anything that would make me leave my very young sons and not try to contact them for seventeen years. Then – to try to force them to her will in order to get them back into her life. No – I’m just not getting there.
Now, let’s talk about Matthew Harris. I kept reading what a sweet, naïve, nice young man he was – but I didn’t see it. He traded his sister (like a horse, or car, or …) and didn’t seem to have any real problem with having done so. I didn’t really see anything that made me think he was remorseful. Yet – he’s to be forgiven and to still be allowed to marry Eloise. I have trouble picturing these three MacTaggert men allowing that to happen without some serious stuff happening first. Something more than just resigning his club memberships.
So, the bottom line is that I loved the book and I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
4.5 Stars
Miranda Harris is known for her charm, beauty, and is known for her ability to solve even the most difficult with ease. Then her brother Matthew amasses a huge debt to a crafty villain, Captain Vale agrees to waive the debt if he marries Miranda. She will enlist the help of her almost brother in law Aden MacTaggert to save the family honour and herself. Aden & his two brothers have been summoned to London by their estranged mother & given the ultimatum that they each have to find & marry an English lady before their sister marries. Aden knows next to nothing about Britain’s aristocrats, but he knows his way around gamblers and women and Miranda’s dilemma offers him a chance: She will help him navigate London society and he’ll teach her everything about wagering and winning back her freedom.
This is the second in the series & could easily be read on its own, I love the MacTaggert brothers from boot throwing in Mayfair to dressing Rory, they are refreshingly different, Aden is the intelligent, quiet brother who holds his cards close to his chest. Miranda isn’t the normal insipid debutante but very intelligent, proper & charming. Sparks fly each time Aden & Miranda meet, they both make assumptions about each other, which they both soon realise are totally wrong. I loved how their relationship shifted from dislike & insults to attraction, working together to falling in love. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, which was well written & flowed really well. The characters had depth & on the whole were likeable, the villain was believable but I would have liked for him to have suffered more! I look forward to Coll’s story
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Scot Under the Covers is the second book in Suzanne Enoch’s delightful Wild Wicked Highlanders series. I freaking loved the first book and was beyond excited to get an opportunity to read an ARC of the latest installment. I don’t think this one was as “perfect” to me as the first, but I can’t say I was disappointed at all. I absolutely love the MacTaggert brothers. Wild wicked Highlanders…be still my heart!
Aden is the middle MacTaggert brother. His “wee” sister Eloise is engaged to Matthew Harris. Matthew’s sister Miranda is not enamored of Aden, as she abhors gambling. Imagine her surprise when she discovers that her brother is $50,000 pounds in debt to another gambler. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Matthew is being blackmailed: If Miranda doesn’t marry Captain Robert Vale, to whom Matthew owes the money, Vale will ruin Matthew’s entire family. Vale believes Miranda will give him respectability and pave his way into society. Devastated, Miranda approaches Aden and requests his help; she will help him navigate London society if he will help her learn how to defeat the evil Capt. Vale.
Aden and Miranda were both marvelous characters. Miranda was charming and witty and always knew how to handle herself in society. Aden, on the other hand, was a…well, a wild wicked Highlander. Aden was totally intrigued by Miranda; he was used to women throwing themselves at him, but here was a lass who didn’t like him due to his gambling and perceived flaws relating thereto. It was delicious fun watching them come together. Their chemistry and heat were off the charts. It was, though, once again the relationship between the brothers that totally captivated me. They may have fights, or in this case boot throwing contests, but they always have each other’s backs. I was very pleased, too, that Rory the best dressed deer made a reappearance, as did the legend of the man who made cat cheese. I eagerly await oldest brother Coll’s story. It’s sure to be amazing!
I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Part of a series but can be read alone. While Angus and Francisca have been apart for 17 years, I hope they get back together.
Scot Under the Covers is the first book by this author that I have had the pleasure of reading. I loved following Aden and Miranda’s story as they try to help each other but with their hearts getting in the way. Having not read the first book in the series, I will definitely be going back to read it as well.
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.
Scot Under the Covers
The Wild Wicked Highlanders
Suzanne Enoch
St. Martins Press, Jan 2020
352 pages
Historical Romance
Pub’s rep via NetGalley
4.5
The cover is great for this book and typical for a Suzanne Enoch story. She’s an author whose name sells books because she writes such good ones. I, however, really don’t like the author’s name to be in as large (or larger) a font as the title of the book no matter how large the author’s ego/reputation. I feel the title of the book should be the largest text on the front of the book. That’s a half a star.
The story inside is well worth the reputation, though. Ms. Enoch has such a way with the historical romance novel that you could probably sell it with just her name on it and a blank cover. This is the second book in this “wild, wicked highlanders series”. Though with the amount of backstory provided and the character development done in this book, it could be a stand-alone. The three brothers have been summoned to London for their little sister’s wedding. They are supposed to find brides before she gets married or their mother pulls out all financial support for their beloved highland home and father. One brother is already married, but these two are still in need of brides. Aden is the deep, mysterious brother and he’s known as a gambler. Miranda’s family has a past scandal with gambling, so she has no use for gamblers and she makes her opinion of gamblers quite clear to Aden at their first meeting.
Miranda’s brother is the young man marrying Aden’s little sister, Eloise. Matthew has a weakness for gambling and has recently come under the sway of an experienced gambler who’s gotten Matthew in way over his head and now wants Miranda as payment for Matthew’s gambling debt. And Matthew has agreed! The man is not only a card sharp but an odious person. And while Miranda may detest gambling and gamblers, she’s smart enough to know that only a gambler can help her out of this mess. She turns to Aden for advice and she gets more than just words. She’s not just prickly this time. It’s total attraction that sizzles between the two of them. But Aden won’t ask for any sort of commitment from her while she’s tied up in this commitment to another man. Only once she’s free will he consider asking for what he wants. Miranda understands how the game has to play out but finds it difficult waiting for each turn of the card.
Recommended. Now I have to read the others in the series and I suggest you do too.
The author explores the age old problem of gambling and how it affects not only the gambler, but family members. Miranda Harris hates gamblers because her uncle got over his head in gambling debts and had to go to America to try to earn enough money to pay it back and then her brother Matthew also gambled and ended up having to sell his horse. So based on rumors, and before even meeting him, she already takes a dislike to Aden MacTaggert, one of her brother’s future brother-in-laws. The three MacTaggert brothers have been forced by an agreement between their estranged parents that they must take English brides before their sister, Eloise, marries or their mother, Francesca Oswell-MacTaggert, will stop funding Aldriss Park, their home. It also appears that they don’t know the whole story of what happened between their parents and their father, made his wife the heavy. Eloise is engaged to Matthew, and Niall, the youngest of the brothers has married, the girl that Eloise had actually picked out for the oldest, Coll. Coll and Aden are thinking they could marry any young woman and then leave her in London, until he meets spitfire, Miranda.
There is a villain in this book, and that is Captain Robert Vale. He came from nothing but managed through his skills in taking advantage of the innocent, vulnerable and desperate to acquire promotions and a vast network of people in his debt and when he returned from India and retired from the Navy, decided that Miranda would be his ticket into society, no matter what. He manages to get Matthew into deep debt and will only exchange that debt for Miranda.
Miranda comes to Aden for advice appalled at what Matthew did and frighten of the idea that she could be forced into marrying this cruel man. Aden offers to help her, while he also wants to get to know her better. She doesn’t trust gamblers and after his mother abandoned her 3 boys, he doesn’t trust women, but as they become partners in saving her from Vale, they fall in love.
The MacTaggart brothers are yummy, the story superbly written, with humorous banter between Miranda and Aden and his brothers. I look forward to reading about Coll. The only fault I had with the story, was that since I did not read the first book in the series, I was a bit lost, until I looked up the blurb on line. The author could have easily added a Prologue of what happened between Angus and Francesca to force her to leave Scotland or a short summary of what happened in the first book. I read an ARC provided by NertGalley.com and this is my voluntary and unbiased review.
This book was a blast to read! The lead characters were a marvelous mismatch; it was animosity at first sight. But when the thing Amanda hates about Aden turns into a trait she needs to get out of an impossible situation (not of her own making), sparks of attraction fly. This is witty and unpredictable. It’s a great and wild ride.
I requested and voluntarily read an advanced review copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley and I offer my honest opinion in response.
The MacTaggert bothers are rude, crude, and socially unacceptable, and absolutely lovable. In short, they are Wild Wicked Highlanders. In this story Aden MacTaggert and Miranda Harris join forces to thwart a sleezy villain’s scheme to force a marriage to Miranda. As their plan progresses, so does the attraction between them.
Scot Under the Covers has a handsome Highlander hero, a headstrong feisty heroine, and a villain who gets his comeuppance. It is a charming romance with a bit of drama, some suspense, and a good dose of humor. The brothers are hilarious and totally devoted to each other. The other characters are clever and entertaining. I love the butler’s patience with the brothers, Ross the deer, and the rescued dog. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and look forward to the next one in the series.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.
Wild Wicked Highlanders #2, I’m so glad I didn’t miss out on reading this one. I loved this book it’s one that had me smiling at the end of it, it made me happy. It was well written and it pulls you in completely; from her details to the sprinkling of Scots Gaelic it’s very immersive. The story is about three Highland brothers who were forced to come to London and find English brides before their little sister marries or else lose the family fortune. Which means they can’t afford the upkeep of the estate or their lands and tenants. One brother has already fallen in love and married now it’s the second brother’s turn to fall.
Miranda Harris hates gambling and gamblers. The first thing she heard about Aden MacTaggert was that he was a wagering man and a good one, she takes an instant dislike to him even before she meets him. Then when she finally meets her brother’s soon to be brother-in-law he was too good looking for his own good and she hated that she felt an attraction and he had just rescued a stray dog; she would not let herself feel such things for him so she was deliberately mean to him. Unfortunately, it backfired, Aden was intrigued by the green-eyed beauty who seemed to make a rather harsh judgement about him.
Miranda soon finds out her brother is really lousy at gambling and a really easy mark, he loses way more than he could ever pay back to a Captain Vale. Instead of taking the money and completely ruining the family the debt will be paid when Miranda marries the captain. Miranda is livid she in no way will accept her fate of being married to such a villain she does the only thing she can think of she asks Aden for help. Aden doesn’t make it easy for her but he does give in and help. Part of his plan is to court her to irk the captain and take his attention away from Miranda and on to Aden and because he’s serious about courting her. The more Miranda spends with Aden the more she sees he’s not the villain gambler like she thought, he’s a good man, a smart man, a man she could see herself with forever assuming Aden can get her out of this mess. Lucky for her Aden is smart much more so than the captain.
Overall, I thought this was such a great book, I loved how everything played out. I am really looking forward to Coll’s book, the bigger they are the harder they fall. I love that one by one the brothers stop seeing their mother as a bad person and while they aren’t happy with what she did they are willing to forgive her so far all except Coll.
Scot Under the Covers was a fun, quick read that left me dreaming of a Highlander to come and sweep me off my feet!
I was utterly charmed by Aden MacTaggert. He was the perfect combination of bad boy and knight in shining armor. I loved watching him get knocked for a loop by the headstrong Miranda Harris. Aden is used to women falling at his feet but Miranda instantly shoots this sexy Highlander down. She uses her wit and charm to continuously put him in his place. That is until she realizes she needs his particular skills, gambling, to win back control of her life. What ensues is a fun romp through the ton as they entangle the mess that Miranda’s life has become.
I truly enjoyed the storyline and the characters and let’s not forget that super sexy Scottish accent.
I started the series with this book and could easily follow everything that happened. However, I so love this family that I want to go back and read Niall’s story!
A braw Scot wearing a kilt, barefoot, with a soft spot for a hungry dog and a horse named Loki? Just call me happy! I immediately fell in love with Aden! He was fun and had a great sense of humor but also a soft side, especially for his family.
He and his two brothers had come to London at the bequest of their mother, who had left them years ago in Scotland, but took their sister her. She held the purse strings and had finagled that the boys were to marry English ladies in order to keep the funds going to support their estate.
So she was trying to set Aden up by parading ladies around and he met Miranda, the sister of Matthew who wanted to wed his sister. Matthew who was asking Miranda to marry a man because he owed him a hugh amount of money from gambling! So she goes to Aden to ask his advice and their journey begins.
This author writes so smoothly and she pulled me in very quickly. A handsome highlander, a feisty lady and everything needed to keep me turning the pages! Humorous banter, strong attraction, a villain set on having our heroine and a cast of characters that are wonderful.. Loved this story as well or even better than the first in this series! Cannot wait for Coll’s story!
Oh and last but not least the cover is scrumptious!
I enjoyed every minute of this fast-paced Regency romance with captivating characters and a story that kept me entertained and intrigued from the beginning and not able to put the book down until I read the last word. I loved the attraction, off-the-charts chemistry and repartee between Aden MacTaggert and Miranda Harris. This may be the first book I have read by Suzanne Enoch but I can’t wait to read more by this gifted author. I received an advance reader copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
I am a massive fan of historical romances. I am also a massive fan of historical romances that involve Highlanders. So, when I saw that Scot Under the Covers was up for review, I knew that I needed to read it.
Scot Under the Covers is the 2nd book in the Wild, Wicked Highlanders series. This book can be read as a standalone book, but I would highly recommend reading book 1. That way, you can get a feel for the boys’ relationship with their mother and her demand that brought them to London. It is explained in this book but gets more in-depth in book 1.
Scot Under the Cover got off to a slow start. I did appreciate the slow start. The author chose to lay the groundwork for Miranda’s storyline. She also decided to let the reader get a good feel for what type of person Aden was. The book did pick up in pace after that first couple of chapters, and it kept a steady pace throughout the book.
I loved Miranda’s character growth in this book. She was introduced as a shy, sheltered debutante. She was sharp, and she knew how to defend herself verbally. Her character growth came when she was forced into an engagement to Captain Robert Vale. She was forced to depend on her wits to outwit him, and when that didn’t work, she turned to Aden. By the end of the book, she was an amazing woman, and she was worthy of Aden.
I had liked Aden in the previous book. The small glimpse that was given of him showed him to be a man who took risks, in and out of the gaming hells. If I liked him in the previous books, I loved him in this one. He knew something was going on with Miranda. Once he found out what was going on, he was going to do anything and everything to help her. What I liked is that not everything is what it seems with him. He had layers upon layers. It was interesting to see what was going to be revealed once one of his layers were peeled back.
I never do this, but I loved the villain in this book. Captain Robert Vale was indeed an evil man. Each one of his interactions with Miranda gave me chills. How he got to Miranda gave me chills. Everything about him gave me chills. I was surprised that he was juggling more than one ball, though. When that was revealed, I did have hope for Miranda after that.
Aden and Miranda’s romance got off to a slow start. She was attracted to him (and him to her), but she was too focused on trying to shake Captain Robert Vale to acknowledge it. It was when Aden found out what was going on that their romance sparked. Then it was all downhill. Aden knew that he was going to marry Miranda reasonably early in the book. It took Miranda much longer to come to that realization.
This is not a clean romance. There is sex. Now how the sex scene came about is interesting. Miranda didn’t want Captain Robert Vale to take her virginity. She asks Aden, who is more than happy to help. The sex scenes were tastefully written and were hot.
I was a little annoyed (actually a lot) with Miranda’s brother and his role in everything. How she could keep talking to him after that baffled me. I also don’t understand how Aden kept his temper too.
The end of the book was nothing short of amazing. But, I was a little put off by how Miranda and Captain Robert Vale’s storyline ended. I was left unfulfilled and feeling a little irritated. But, other than that, amazing and a real HEA!!!
This is a well written love story that did not start out that way. Miranda had no desire to get to know Aeden, who will become part of her family once their siblings marry but her brother has gotten himself deep in debt and the only way he can dismiss the debt is if she marries the man holding his notes. Because this is a gambling debt and she knows Aeden likes to wager, she goes to him for advise. The more she is around Aeden, the more she sees a different side to him. Eventually things work out for everyone and there is going to be a HEA but a lot happens first. The story is well written and entertaining in that Miranda is very out spoken and so is Aeden which makes for some wonderful banter. It is an excellent story and I would highly recommend it.
Okay, let’s start with the good: The MacTaggert’s. I love this family, every character has their own quirks and personality that shine through and besides who doesn’t love Highlanders. I’ll be interested in finding out about the true story going on with the mother, Francesca. I think Coll’s book will entertain, too. Aden and Miranda were a great match, and they kept the book lively with their constant toe to toe ‘discussions’. The story overall was a good one.
The bad: Not a lot here, but some cutting could have happened. I just get annoyed when a book is longer than it needs to be. Everyone has very busy lives and sometimes reading is a treat so please don’t make a book longer by repeating.things like the what the hero and heroine thinks about each other, over and over. Some repetition is necessary, right? Because we all do it when trying to figure something out but just cool it a little. Please.
The ugly: Miranda’s brother, WTH? I’m sorry but the complete and utter ridiculousness of this character being not just forgiven, but his behaviour excused was mind blowing to me and I dropped a star just for this. Poor Matthew, the devil made him do it, he’s naïve, poor thing didn’t know what he was doing when HE SOLD HIS SISTER to a vile bastard that would have abused her! And still woe is me, what else can I do? I’ll be disinherited. Not only was this character repugnant, he never seemed to get what was so wrong with it. After all, sisters are there to save us, right? And the MacTaggert’s reaction. What? They at the least should have beat the ever lovin’ crap out of him but our wee sister loves him so… shoulder shrug. Sure they would keep an eye on him but would you let someone like that marry your sister after he did that to his own sister, not bloody likely.
Now, this was the perfect storyline for these characters, however, I just couldn’t get past how Matthew skated with no repercussions.
I received this from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
Scot Under The Covers, by Suzanne Enoch, is available at booksellers on 1-28-20. Covers is book 2 in Ms Enoch’s Wild Wicked Highlanders series. If you love and sassy highlander in a kilt then this is the book for you. We even get a sassy talking heroine. What fun.
Aden MacTaggert, and his brothers, have been summoned to London with the edict to find an English wife. His mother is not to be messed with, she formidable. Aden has hardened his heart & been careful to stay away from relationships with women, they just break your heart. He’s resigned but not happy. Aden is a tough nut to crack until he meets a sharp tongued, straight speaking, Miranda Harris. She’s no fool and detest empty-headed ton gentlemen & gamblers. Especially gamblers. She’s heard Aden is a serious gambler & spits fire at him from their 1st meeting. She takes almost the entire book to come around. The nice thing about Aden is when he finds “the one” he knows it & go after her. No dallying about.
I’m waiting for the oldest brother to get his comeuppance. In Covers he ran out of the house naked. Can’t wait for more of that. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
#SuzanneEnoch #ScotUnderTheCovers #The Wild Wicked Highlanders #Netgalley #StMartin’sPaperbacks #historicalromance
Miranda doesn’t like gamblers, for a good reason, but she finds herself not only attracted to one, but desperately in need of his help. He’s the only one who can give her the information she needs to prevent a marriage to a man who can’t be trusted; ironically she must trust Aden and his knowledge of gambling, and pretend he is a suitor, too.
Aden has been summoned to London to find a wife by his estranged mother. His sister tries to help by introducing him to her friends, but his wild Highlander ways scares some or is a novelty to others. He’s in need of help with society and Miranda can teach him what he needs to know in exchange for his knowledge of gambling.
Pretending to be a potential suitor is the perfect guise, till it starts feeling real. He will have to win over Miranda’s distaste of gamblers while winning her hand against a villain. Danger lurks, but Aden has a plan. But will it be enough to win her heart for a lifetime?
Loved this story or romance with a bit of danger.
**Received an ARC from Netgalley**