Three dangerous ladies-in-waiting. Three prime suspects. One plot to destroy a fledgling nation… Meet the Queen’s Angels! As a member of the Queen’s Angels–an elite trio of secret agents, masquerading as ladies-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth Bruce–Melisandre Lamond has a most useful skill: Seduction. Mayhap ‘tis her ability to understand others’ desires, or mayhap a yearning for acceptance; … acceptance; whatever the root, Mellie has become skilled in the art of love, and knows all the right ways to get a man to spill his…secrets.
After an assassination attempt on the Queen, all evidence points to the Frasers of Lovat, surely under orders from their new laird, the deceptively handsome Lachlan Fraser. But even Mellie is surprised when the Queen announces the seductive Angel’s betrothal to the traitor, wondering how far her loyalty to the Crown really extends. Can Mellie tempt Lachlan into revealing his treasonous plans, before she’s forced to actually marry the man?
After the Scottish War for Independence, all Lachlan Fraser wants for his clan is peace. He’s happy working with his hands, building a strong future for his family and his beloved daughter. But duty calls him to Scone, where he’s surprised to learn of his betrothal to one of the Queen’s ladies…the very knife-wielding wench who’d so recently saved him from a cutpurse’s attack!
He’ll marry her, aye, but Lachlan vows to unravel Lady Melisandre’s riddles first! Because once he gets her home and sees the way she effortlessly wins over his daughter, and the rest of the Frasers, he begins to suspect she’s not the cold and haughty lady she makes herself out to be. Will this mismatched couple discover the truth about each other in time, before the assassin strikes again? Or will their secrets remain hidden, the consequences of their stubbornness leading to a lethal outcome?
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This was my favourite.
Mellie, one of the queens angels, an elite group of woman spies uses her wiles to get information. She feels as if she must use her body to get info. The queen betrothes her to Lachlan Fraser to spy on him to see if he is behind a plot to assassinate the queen. When she tries to seduce him he thwarts her efforts and tries to show her she is worth so much more. As she falls in love with him and his daughter she knows her duty to the queen comes above all else. When Lachlan finds out her secret it could crush all of their hearts. I received a complimentary copy and I am voluntarily reviewing.
Even though I am a contemporary cowboy romance fan, this series has won me over to the historical romance genre. Lots of drama and action along with the romantic involvement of two strong main characters will keep you turning the pages until the very end. Can’t wait for the next one.
I’m really enjoying this series. I loved Lachlan and Mellie’s story. Both have painful past to overcome before finding love. The story captivated me from the beginning. I couldn’t put it down until I finished it. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series
Lady Melisandre Lamond, despite appearances, is no mere lady-in-waiting, but a spy for Queen Elizabeth Bruce of Scotland. Mellie has an uncanny ability to perceive the needs and desires of others, possibly because she longs for love herself, but she is a master of seduction and uses her skills to wheedle secrets out of men.
After an assassination attempt on the queen, the Frasers of Lovat are the prime suspects, with their relatively new, young laird Lachlan Fraser suspected of giving the order. Though she knows he’s a suspect, Mellie is still shocked when the Queen announces Mellie’s betrothal to Lachlan. Mellie is skilled but getting Lachlan to reveal his schemes before she actually has to marry him is no small feat.
Lachlan Fraser is a staunch supporter of Robert the Bruce and only wants peace and prosperity for his clan. He’s a simple man who enjoys hard work and spending time with his beloved daughter. He was betrothed once before and betrayed, so he has no desire to attempt marrying again, but when the Queen demands it, he’s in no position to refuse. Lachlan will go through with the marriage his queen demands, but first he’s determined to reveal all the layers that make up Mellie and determine who she really is under the mercurial facades she dons in her attempts to charm Lachlan and his daughter. The assassin is still out there, so Lachlan and Mellie must learn to trust each other quickly if they have any hope of saving the queen.
This was such a fun book. Lachlan was perfect as a hero, so genuinely sweet and caring. At the beginning, based on her behavior and unfounded assumptions about Lachlan, I had expected to dislike Mellie, but it didn’t take long for her to grow on me, especially after she started opening up to Lachlan. This could be read as a standalone, but with the ongoing mystery in this series I think it is best served by reading in order. I really enjoyed this one and can’t wait for Rosa’s book to wrap everything up.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.