She was only a proxy, and they weren’t supposed to fall in love!Isobel MacEwen is sent as her cousin Catherine’s proxy to marry Conlin de Braose, Baron of the Cinque Ports. But several months before she leaves Scotland, and on the same night that the baron’s ship is docked in port, she is a witness to the murder of their Scottish king. Or almost a witness. From her hiding place on that stormy … stormy night, she only sees the murderer’s shoes as he walks by. Isobel’s weakness is shoes. She loves shoes and notices not only everyone’s shoes, but the way they walk as well. And now a pair of shoes is the only clue to what really happened that night.
Lord Conlin de Braose of Sandwich has made an alliance with Laird MacEwen to marry his daughter, Lady Catherine. He’s never met the woman, and little did he know at the time of the agreement that she was known as the Shrew of the Scots. But Conlin has a young daughter he needs to think about since his wife’s death. She needs a mother, and he needs the alliance to protect his lands – and so he must remarry.
But on the day that his betrothed comes overseas to meet him, a storm takes the ship and Conlin rushes to help. The bounty he pulls from the wreckage is a woman – his betrothed’s cousin and proxy – Isobel MacEwen. The woman is beautiful, but seems a bit addled because of her infatuation with shoes! And when Conlin falls in love with the proxy, he realizes he is in a horrible bind.
Can a baron of the Cinque Ports keep his alliance to ensure the safety of his daughter and his people? Or will he risk all and break that alliance to be with the woman he loves?
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Very entertaining. Great characters. Fabulous storyline. Five stars!
Isobel lost her parent as a kid growing up with her uncle and spoiled cousin. She developed a love for shoes. Always being bribed by her cousin to do her task with payment of shoes . Isobel gets her self into more then she bargained for.
Great book no whinny heroine. Strong fierce but loving characters.
Elizabeth Rose writes a great mystery interspersed with romance and various fully developed characters that add to the entertainment of her books. As part of a series it builds very nicely on the first book of the series The Barons Quest.
Dialog was a bit repetitive and trite. The plot had moments of interest.
Scottish Lady, Isobel MacEwen’s went to the the English baron, Lord Conlin de Braose, her cousin’ ask her to go to be her proxy of the marriage to the lord , when she witnesses the Scottish king’s murder before she gets on the boat to take her. her love for shoes was the reason that is the only thing she seen of the killer, but will she be able to tell who did the killing by just that, while on the boat she almost die when she is in the water after the ship wreck because of a storm, who comes to save her of course the Lord but he thought she was his bride to be, what will happen when love gets in the way of her duty to her cousin and his promise to another women.
Even though I was gifted this book, I have become a huge fan of Ms Rose. Her books always have adventure, suspense and surprise and of course romance and love in the them and this one did not disappoint. Although in the beginning I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this book, Isobel’s shoe fettish just seemed a little over the top for me, more like a fairy tale but as I got into the book, Isobel showed her true colours in her strength and compassion for Conlin’s young daughter and for Conlin himself, who was trying to do the best for his daughter but also dealing with his great pain of loss. I also found the twist and turns keep me very surprised and would suggest any one who likes a bit of mystery included in their romance to read this book. You will be surprised by the ending. Enough said no spoilers here.
Just finished, great reading.
A romance story with a shoe fetish.
Interesting historical facts and characters.
Wasn’t a fan
Love love this book
When you see the name Elizabeth Rose, author, you know there is an adventure to be read. This was no exception. Combine a heroine Isabelle MacEwen who has a shoe obsession( yes they have spanned the ages!) with a King’s murder and you have the beginning of an intriguing story!
Isabelle agrees to stand in for her cousin as a proxy to her betrothed , Lord Colin de Braose. Going by ship to meet him, the ship flounders, Conlin comes to her rescue and pulls her out before she drowns. As the two spend time together a mutual attraction arises. But with the Lord Colin actually engaged to Lady Caroline, Isabelle’s friend what can he do? Read to find out all the adventure the two go through to find their own happily ever after!