A daring deception… curse…
Laird of an ancient clan, Hunt needs an heir, but he comes from a long line of men cursed to die before the birth of their firstborn. When the Duke of Autenberry approaches him with a proposition—marry my ruined sister—it seems the perfect solution. Even better, the defiant lass stirs him to his very soul.
No escaping the truth…
Except marriage cannot set them free. No matter how much Hunt desires her. No matter how much Clara burns for him. Soon she is falling for her husband, but is love enough to end the curse? Or is the tragic history of the MacLarin Clan doomed to repeat itself?
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This was my first Sophie Jordan book, but it will not be my last. I was captivated from the first page, and thoroughly delighted by characters and the romance itself.
2.5*
I received an eARC at no cost from the author, and I am leaving a voluntary and honest review. Thank you.
This book didn’t start in the best way. I was really excited to read it, since I really like the author, but it just didn’t meet my expectations.
Everything felt too rushed, at the end of the book I would not be able to tell you more than one or two characteristics of the hero, and the heroine, who was supposed to be this strong, fierce lady, just… wasn’t.
I would have loved to see the love between Clara and Hunt develop, but no, we a got a curse, a couple that gets married, and that’s about it.
I loved the idea of the curse, and I wanted to know more about it, and wanted to see how everyone came to believe it, not just “this happens, so it’s the curse”.
And this kind of arranged marriage/forced proximity/insta-love kind of trope, just didn’t work for me. And I really like arranged marriages, when the couples get to know one another, where we start to see who they really are… and that just lacked here.
I want to say good things so… the sexy scenes were quite good! And I liked Marian, Clara best-friend. I’m hoping her book will be much better.
It had a nice premise, but it did not deliver.
Her need to get away from the Earl of Rolland was so great, that Lady Clara Autenberry deliberately ruined herself by telling him she was expecting another man’s baby. Clara then fled to her brother’s in Scotland to live out the rest of her life in spinsterish misery. If only she had not met that brawny Scot, Laird Hunt MacLarin. Hunt is an honourable man, he would have loved to have a family of his own, but there is that curse that has plagued the MacLarins for generations. A MacLarin man does not survive the birth of his first child. But what if it’s another man’s child?
After reading the book description, if you think you know what to expect, think again. It takes a lot for me to really cry, and towards the end, the waterworks wouldn’t stop! I could not imagine how there could ever be a happily ever after, and it was achieved with dazzling brilliance! Sophie Jordan has again accomplished the impossible; she found every clever way to turn this type of story around and make it entirely original. There are only a few characters in the novel, but every one of them managed to surprise me several times. Both Clara and Hunt are truly lovely people, and the romance is fabulous. It progressed logically, it was very passionate, there was quite a bit of drama, no silliness, and it was so well done! THIS SCOT OF MINE is such a marvellous story that I devoured it in no time, and it is a full-length novel! What a treat!
Maybe 3.5 stars.
The Lairds of the MacLarin clan are cursed – doomed to love but not to live. And for five generations this curse has held, all the previous lairds have died before their firstborn child took it’s first breath.
Laird Hunt MacLarin has spent his life avoiding the curse – he will not marry and will not father a child – but his carefully laid plans turn to dust when a chance encounter brings Lady Clara, sister of the Duke of Autenberry into his life.
Lady Clara is ruined, she has escaped an unwanted betrothal, but the price was exile. She leaves London with her governess/companion Marian and travels to Scotland to live with her brother Marcus and his wife Alyse. She “meets” Hunt when he starts a brawl in the inn she stops at on the way to her brother’s house. She is intrigued by the handsome highlander, but at the same time appalled. He is equally taken by her, but puts her out of his mind, as they will never cross paths again.
But fate has other plans for these two, they meet again at her brother’s home – and when Marcus tells Hunt that Clara is ruined and with child, Hunt thinks he has found a way around the curse – he will marry Clara and raise her child as his own without any danger to himself! But there is a catch – Clara lied, she is not, nor has she ever been, pregnant. She refuses Hunt’s offer, but after her family and Marian press the issue, she reconsiders.
They marry and truths are revealed – Hunt is angry and tells Clara she has killed him. Clara thinks the curse is nonsense – but is it?
I liked this book, but I feel like it could have been so much better, there were a lot of things left unsaid that I think could have added to the story. Hunt and Clara are both likeable leads and have an immediate chemistry, but sadly, I felt like that fizzled out a bit by the end and she never tells him she loves him, which was disappointing. On the upside, there was quite a bit of amusing banter, some warm to steamy love scenes and wonderful secondary characters that helped the story along. I must note that there were a lot of title/formal address errors and some inconsistencies in the story, but this was an uncorrected arc, so it is possible that those will be corrected by publication and therefore, I didn’t take them in to consideration while rating this book. This is the fourth book in the series, but it can definitely be read as a stand alone with no problem.
*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an uncorrected eARC that was provided to me by Edelweiss and the publisher.*
3.5 stars
In order to get out of an engagement to a cruel and violent fiance, Lady Clara tells everyone she’s pregnant with another man’s child then flees to her brother’s home in the Black Isle of Scotland. Marcus, the Duke of Autenberry wants to help his sister and mentions her situation to his friend, Laird Hunt MacLarin, who immediately offers to marry her. The men of Hunt’s family are all cursed to die before the birth of their firstborn child, so marriage has always been out of the question for him, but a wife who is already pregnant would give him a way to cheat the curse. Even after Clara confesses the truth, that she’s not actually pregnant, to her brother and sister-in-law, they still encourage her marriage, bot to save Clara’s ruined reputation and to help Hunt see that curses are not real. But as accidents befall Hunt and their marriage gets off to a rocky start, Clara starts to question her own beliefs, and her feelings about her husband.
I had some mixed feelings about this one. I enjoyed it, but some of it got just a little bit repetitive towards the middle/end. It’s all about Clara’s pregnancy and their surety of Hunt’s impending demise. I was invested in the story at this point, so it was okay in the long run. This book was really a bit disjointed and could use some more editing for continuity, which I’m sure it’ll get since this was an ARC. It would’ve been nice to hear or be shown more about exactly why Clara’s previous fiance was so vile, and more development of the actual relationship between Hunt and Clara; she just seemed to wishy-washy to me for most of the book. Overall this was an enjoyable read that I’d recommend to others.
I received a complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The premise made this book look intriguing, but it was never able to hold my interest. The main characters were too wishy-washy for me to like, and plot lines were either not fleshed out or left unresolved.
Read my full review:
https://rebeccasreadingcorner.blog/review-sophie-jordan-this-scot-of-mine/
This is an entertaining, well-written, steamy, historical romance novel. It has likable, engaging characters, a Scottish curse, a heart-warming romance, and a happily ever after ending.
It is an excellent addition to Ms. Jordan’s outstanding “Rogue Files” series. Each novel can be read and enjoyed as a stand alone. I am looking forward to reading the next entry in this wonderful series with great anticipation.
captivating !!!!
Another Smash Hit from Sophie Jordan! Dynamite High 5 Stars for This Scot of Mine! Jordan’s writing is as impeccable as ever, she weaves a tale of love, romance, passion, fire, and yes intrigue! I absolutely loved Clara and Hunt, what an amazing couple and talk about passion! Truly a wonderful tale, this series just gets better and better!
I preordered this book because of the blurb, then some of the side characters clicked in my head!
I know I do have sometimes if not often memories like goldfish.
I have read the first one in this series and I have the previous book lined in my kindle!
Whatever it was an awesome read.
Clara and Hunt were awesome, they have their flaws and because of miscommunications and misunderstandings they find themselves in an absurd situation, each one seing in the other a way to solve its own predicament while if not for it, they might have get to know each other in a more conventional way and still end together.
But here they are, Hunt thinks Clara will save his life by providing him with the child he can’t risk to have while Hunt will salvage the remains of her reputation, offering her his name and avoiding her a life in loneliness.
They both know they should come clean but in their haste they can’t find a moment to tell the other.
It was an amazing story, filled with few angst, plenty of sadness and lot of love. Angst as they realize each one has fooled the other without thinking it may cause pain. Sadness as they dread to see time passing which brings them closer to the curse’s term. Love as the more they get to know another, they deepen the spark they felt when they first met and the more they come the end of what they think is their time together, they strengthen their bond.
I felt for them, I sensed their sorrow and the grief they feared would arrive too soon, but I loved how they tried to create memories too.
Now I have to read Clara’s brother story and wait for Marian’s.
A lovely unique story, even sexy, once you get past the deception subplot.
Hunt and Clara’s meet-cute was fun and after the explanations, they’re actually great together.
I loved the Carpe Diem mindset in view of the curse and I cheered at the improbability of the happy-ever-after ending.
Can an English Bride Break a Scottish Curse?
It’s always fun when a romance starts with a curse! In fact, this book starts with a curse that impacts all men of the McLarin line; they will not live to see their firstborn draw his first breath.
This curse has held for five generations. The current last of the male line has been very restrained in his approach to women. He knows he cannot have a family and children like most men, but he is able to find comfort with a widow who is barren.
Our heroine is hightailing it to Scotland on the heels of ruin. She consciously set up her ruin in order to evade marriage to a man whom she was discovering was cruel. Rolland states he will not let her go, so the only thing she can think of to tell him is that she is pregnant with another man’s child. She isn’t, of course. She removes to Scotland to live out her days with her brother.
Her brother, Marcus, let’s Hunter McLarin know about his sister’s downfall, and immediately the laird offers marriage. It seems an ideal circumstance for him, as he can have a wife and a child. We the reader know she’s not really with child, and Clara does grapple with whether she wants to marry this man at all, whom she first saw brawling in a pub, and then if she wishes to deceive him in order to marry. Her companion and brother think she should marry and not disclose that she is not really pregnant until after the marriage; none of the English group believes in curses and can’t quite believe that the Scot does. Only Marcus’s wife has qualms about Clara marrying before full disclosure.
They do marry, and he quickly discovers that she is not pregnant; the laird is NOT pleased. Honestly, this is the only part I did not enjoy the book. McLarin is a complex, broody, careful, and thoughtful man, but his response to finding out about this seems counter to the man we had come to know in the earlier part of the book. He does become more like himself again, but after his response to her after their wedding night, I almost stopped reading the book because I so disliked his reaction to it. I never like it when the hero acts cruelly to the heroine right after marriage consummation.
From their one time together, of course, Clara becomes pregnant. The rest of book deals with the emotional aftermath of this, as Hunt falls victim to small accidents that put him in peril, putting all on edge about the possibility that the curse has merit. The book does have a satisfying, HEA resolution.
Except for the one part I didn’t like, I found a book to be well written. The book starts with Clara as she is heading to Scotland from London, now a ruined woman. The author does a good job of only telling us what we need to know as we need to know it. For instance, the author only reveals at first that Clara is ruined, but we don’t know why or how. Even as the book goes along, we only learn a little at a time about the entire situation that transpired between her and her former betrothed. The book has solid plot turning points as the story unfolds.
This Scot of Mine: The Rogue Files by Sophie Jordan is book 4 in The Rogue Files Series. This is the story of Clara and Hunt. I have read (and Loved!) the previous books, but feel you can make this a standalone book if you wish to do so.
Clara faked being pregnant to escape being married to a man she didn’t want. Clara is exiled and runs to her brother, The Duke of Autenberry is Scotland. Along the way she meets Hunt who turns out to be her brother friend. Hunts MacLarin feels his family is cursed. Hunt feels that when their first born comes, so does the death for the father. So when his friend ask that he marry his sister who is with child, Hunt thinks he can out smart the curse. Of course Clara isn’t for it a first due to her lie but is talked into which causes issues of course when the truth comes out about her non baby status.
Enjoyed their story and this series!!
This Scot of Mine
The Rogue Files
book 4
by Sophie Jordan
What an enjoyable read! Ever since I read about Hunt in book 3 I was totally smitten by him.
Lady Clara is ruined and that suits her just fine after all she boldly let her fiancé know that she’s to have another man’s child just to be rid of him, accepting his proposal was one colossal mistake!
But things are about get a tad more complicated when she meets Hunt MacLarin and his offer she can’t refuse.
Her life went from running away from one man to another! But this one just makes her swoon!
Laird Hunt MacLarin is curesed, he can never marry and have children or love, he’s resigned himself to a very lonely life until the fates smile at him and he gets his bride and his heir. That is until the truth is revealed!
A quick read that has lots of witty dialogue, sizzling chemistry and engaging secondary characters. I can’t wait to read all about Marian, Clara’s faithfull companion.
I highly recommend This Scot of Mine it can be read as a stand alone but why miss out on the previous books they’re well worth the read!
I recieved a complimentary copy from the publisher through Edelweiss. This is my honest unbiased opinion.
Lady Clara, sister to the Duke of Autenberry, acted impulsively and ended up betrothed to a cruel man. Her friend, Marian, had tried to dissuade her from the betrothal, but Clara was determined. When Clara came to her senses, she saw only one way out – she told him that she was expecting another man’s child. Now, she is on her way to Scotland to live with her brother and his wife – in disgrace.
Laird Hunt MacLarin is cursed – literally. The Lairds of MacLarin have been cursed for five generations. They will never live to see their firstborn son and heir take his first breath. Hunt is determined to circumvent the curse – he won’t marry and he won’t sire a child. He has been very, very, very careful. His only intimate relations are with a barren widow – though he’s tiring of that and he does long to have a family of his own. He’s thankful when the perfect solution is just dropped into his lap. The sister of his friend, the Duke of Autenberry, has arrived in disgrace – she is unwed and expecting. He can marry her and raise her child as his own. Perfect solution.
Now, there is where all of the trouble begins. He proposes, she refuses. Good for her – because she knows that he believes he is cursed and she also knows that the only reason he’s proposed to her is that he believes she is expecting. Clara thinks the curse is hokum and can’t believe that Hunt firmly believes in it. Then – her family and friend convince her to accept – but she doesn’t tell Hunt the truth – she isn’t pregnant.
*** She’d show him curses didn’t exist. She’d show him that they could build a life together. And maybe, possibly, they could be happy. ***
They marry – and then the truth is revealed. Hunt is livid at the deception. Then, when they arrive at Hunt’s castle, Clara meets Hunt’s grandmother, Nana. Nana isn’t happy that they have married and especially not happy that Clara lied to Hunt.
*** “Ye be the one.” Clara shook her head in bewilderment. “The one . . . who, ma’am?” “The one tae murder my grandson.” ***
I was really looking forward to reading this story – it had a different spin and seemed as if it would be interesting. Unfortunately, for me, it fell short of my expectations. Here are a few of the things that bothered me.
• Clara NEVER, not once, told him that she loved him. He said it – she didn’t. That was disappointing in a romance. She thought about it, but she never told him.
• The solution to the curse was a little too abrupt. Plus, it is physically impossible for it to have happened as described. Clara is sitting at the table and then announces that her water has broken. Yet, when the birth happens, the birth is within the caul (actually I think her use of caul may be wrong too – she’s actually talking about the birth sack). It cannot be both. For the water to break, the caul (birth sack) has to have ruptured.
• Speaking of the curse, it seemed a pretty lame one. You’d think that with a curse like this one, he’d drop dead at the moment of conception, or the earth would open up and swallow him whole, or maybe he’d go up in a burst of flames. Yet, what do we get – a series of benign, non-fatal accidents that could have been fatal, but weren’t.
• It is rife with one of my pet peeves – title/formal address issues. These are so easy to research – there is no excuse for getting them wrong.
• I guess what struck me the most though was Clara, her brother, her sister-in-law, and Marion all being perfectly okay with deceiving Hunt about the pregnancy. They all KNEW that he sincerely believed in the curse, yet, because they believed differently, it was okay to ignore his beliefs. It didn’t bother them in the least that if they were wrong, it was his life in the balance. For that, I never came to really like Clara.
• There are a number of other things, but I’ll not enumerate them here.
I liked the basic story – or at least the idea of it – and I really liked Hunt. He was a really good man. I was rooting for him the entire way through.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.