A plain Regency governess In bed with the duke! Part of The Lochmore Legacy: a Scottish castle through the ages! Unceremoniously packed off to Scotland to care for the Duke of Lochmore’s young son, practical widow Joane Langdale fears she will be ignored as always. But the deep connection and heated passion that develops between her and Benneit is far more dangerous! When Benneit is expected to … Benneit is expected to propose to another, how dare Jo dream of becoming his duchess?
The Lochmore Legacy collection
Book 1 — His Convenient Highland Wedding
Book 2 — Unlaced by the Highland Duke by Lara Temple
Book 3 — A Runaway Bride for the Highlander by Elisabeth Hobbes
Book 4 — Secrets of a Highland Warrior by Nicole Locke
“The Earl’s Irresistible Challenge is a beautifully developed, wholly absorbing romance featuring two strongly drawn protagonists who are clearly made for each other. Lara Temple once again demonstrates her gift for humorous, insightful dialogue … A very strong start to a new series.”
— All About Romance on The Earl’s Irresistible Challenge
“A thoroughly enjoyable romance … Five stars for a fantastic read.”
— Caitlyn Lynch on The Earl’s Irresistible Challenge
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Unlaced by the Highland Duke is the second book in “The Lochmore Legacy” series. I’ve been anxiously waiting for this series since I first heard about it some time ago. What makes this series unique is that there are 4 authors involved and they will each be writing in a different time period going back in time to unravel a mystery.
We first met Joane Langdale (Jo) in the first book in this series by Janice Preston’s “His Convenient Highland Wedding”. I immediately liked Jo and loved her personality in the previous book. So I was excited to hear this book was going to be her story. Jo is the cousin of Benneit’s deceased wife Bella. Being a poorer relation of the Uxmore family she became a companion/servant for them when her husband died. This is how she ends up temporarily becoming a governess for Benneit’s son.
Benneit, the Duke of Lochmore is a widower with a young son, Jamie. With the responsibility of the dukedom and trying to secure his son’s future, he has a heavy weight on his shoulders. Knowing that he will be busy for the next few weeks and feeling guilty that he’s been ignoring his son, he reluctantly agrees to allow Jo to accompany them back to Scotland to help with Jamie.
I absolutely loved this couple! Their romance was one that came on gradually, definitely not a love at first sight. The way Jo was able to frustrate, embarrass and surprise him had Benneit speechless at times and had me smiling. There was definitely a slow burning, underlying awareness of something between them that both fought for awhile. It was a joy to watch them gradually let down their guard and trust and open up to each other. The romance was beautifully paced and as breathtaking as the lush descriptions of the scenery.
Ms. Temple didn’t hold back with this one, it’s definitely one of her best books to date! With fabulous secondary characters, a mystery that connects this series and a breathtakingly beautiful love story it truly is perfect! I highly recommend this book along with the entire series! Loved it!
Benneit’s wife Bella has been gone two years, leaving him to raise their young son Jamie alone. His wife’s family implores him to allow them to raise the child, but the Duke of Lochmore refuses time and time again. But he realizes that in his grief and loneliness, his son has suffered from a want of companionship on the estate. Enter his late wife’s widowed cousin Joane. The mousy woman has a tongue like a viper and for the first time in years, Benneit is on his toes…and likes it.
Joane, or Jo as she likes to be called, adores young Jamie at once and fosters his imagination. At first, she sees Benneit as a surly, brooding, gruff man who needs to be taken down a notch. Lucky for her, he’s amused by her quips and she begins to break through his hardened shell. Soon, she catches glimpses of the man behind the shield, the caring one with the deep laugh and soulful eyes. But she can’t let herself get too close before her heart gets broken.
Her sharp tongue and witty admonishments and his generous nature and secretive, boyish joy make Jo and Benneit toe the line of proprietary as their hearts take them in a direction neither intended. As the pair warms to one another on the cold Scottish hills, the woman Benneit is to marry comes into full focus. Lady Tessa checks all the boxes for an amenable wife, something that doesn’t escape Jo’s notice…or Benneit’s.
It’s so refreshing to fall into a fabulously done Scottish romance again. Temple really wove a tale of love, longing, and rolling hills to create a quintessential historical I didn’t want to put down. There was passion, emotion, and picturesque countryside between every page.
Jo was a lovely character who had her head on straight. She wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, even when she probably should keep quiet, but she isn’t obnoxious about it. Benneit had a lot of depth, more than you would think when you first meet him. They grow together, and it’s nice to see.
Overall, this book is perfect for all historical romance fans.
This is the second book in the Lochmore Legacy series, and like the first one, I read this in one sitting. The heroine of this book is Joane, who was a secondary character in the first book, His Convenient HighlandWedding. I liked her a lot in that book and was excited to see her front and center in this one. Here Jo is the poor widowed relation of Benneit’s late wife. She has spent the last two years in servitude to various members of her family, mostly ignored unless they wanted something. Here we find her packed off to Scotland to care for Benneit’s little boy, Jamie.
Benneit is the widowed duke who is fighting battles on several fronts. Most important to him is securing his legacy for his son Jamie, who he adores. To do so, he plans to build a whisky distillery on his land. That requires the cooperation of the neighboring McCrieff laird, a family the Lochmore’s have been feuding with for generations. Benneit feels that the best way to solve all his problems is to marry McCrieff’s daughter Tessa. This will end the feud, secure the distillery, and give Jamie a mother and eventually, some siblings.
I loved both Benneit and Jo. Though she seems a bit mouse-like and doormatty at first, it doesn’t take long to see that there is much more to her. First of all, I loved how she and Jamie took to each other so quickly. Once in Scotland and away from her family, the real Jo emerges. She is intelligent, loving, and can have a wickedly sharp tongue when she wants to. She is grateful for the time in Scotland, away from her family, where she can make her own plans for her future. Benneit comes across as cold and aloof at the beginning as he faces off against his late wife’s family. He is not about to submit to their desires to keep young Jamie in England. But it is his love for his son and determination to do what is right for him that shines through. Benneit also feels a profound responsibility for his people, which factors into his decisions.
I loved the development of the relationship between Benneit and Jo. They knew each other from when Benneit courted Bella. Benneit thought of her as a mouse, and Jo just knew that he made her uncomfortable. Six years later they are different people, but with their losses in common. I loved seeing how being away from her family gave Jo the chance to be herself, which manifested in a tendency to be a bit prickly. Benneit was surprised by this unexpected side of her and occasionally found it uncomfortable. Their care for Jamie brought them closer together, though they sometimes clashed over what they thought was best. Unexpected attraction built between them as Jo saw past Benneit’s crusty exterior to the caring and vulnerable man inside. He didn’t expect how right it felt to be with Jo and the feeling of family it engendered. As the attraction between them grew, dreams and desires butted up against honor and intentions. I loved Benneit’s scene with Tessa at the end as he makes the only decision possible for him. His big moment at the end was fantastic.
Besides the irrepressible Jamie, I also liked many of the other secondary characters. I loved the staff at the castle and their outspoken attitudes. Angus was fantastic with his often unsolicited advice and tendency to say, “I told you so.” I laughed at Jo’s maid Beth and her comments about Jo’s ball gown. McCrieff came across as pretty unbending when it came to the various negotiations but surprised me at the end in the confrontation with Benneit and Tessa. I loved Tessa. She was sweet and loving and would have been perfect for Benneit if it hadn’t been for Jo. I liked how she and Jo got along rather than having the whole “other woman” vibe going on. I had to laugh at her “banishment” because her appearance in the first book showed how that turned out.
There is only a brief mention of the mystery that began in the first book. There are more hints about the ongoing feud, including comments about Ewan and Marguerite, who are the subjects of the next book in the series. The empty crypt and a mention of the missing brooch also have a place and left me wanting to know more about what happened.
To say this book was made my heart smile does not even begin to describe it!
A hero who cares deeply for his son Jamie, Benneit, Duke of Lochmore, is being pushed by his late wife’s family to take Jamie and let them care for him or enroll him in school. When he will not give in, they push to have his late wife’s cousin Joane to act as a companion to Jamie until he married. He was already set to marry Lady Tessa McCrieff, but it was not official yet. The union would pull the two families together and mend a rift that had been ongoing, plus McCrieff would help support his business.
Jo, having been widowed for two years, is looking forward to caring for Jamie because she loves children. Plus she will enjoy being in Scotland and be a little more independent. Jo knew Benneit from when he was courting he cousin years ago, but they had not interacted that much. Of course he never paid that much attention to her.
But fate is ready to step in when he sees how Jo and Jamie spend time together and her special way with him. Never realizing how lovely she was inside and out, Benneit begins to have feelings for her and she for him.
Can I say that Lara Temple has enchanted me with her wonderful words that magically bring the setting of Scotland and the world of Benneit and Jo alive? She pulled me into the lives of the characters to the point I could feel their emotions and only hope they could be together forever. He is such a compelling character with his love that surrounds his son and you know he will do anything to protect him. Jo grows strong the longer she is away from her family and loves Jamie almost as much as he does.
Is there any way they can be together now that he is pledged to another? I literally could not put this book down once I started. Yes, I was up until 3 in the am, but this was much more important than sleep! To say my heart melted and I sighed several times only touches slightly on my emotions. I cannot wait to read the next story in this series and can only hope it comes soon!! This will go on my to be read again shelf and I would say one of my favorite reads this year!
Reviewed at maidamalby.com
I’m in awe!!! What a book!!!
Captivating interactions with Bennett, the Duke, his smart, mischievous son, Jamie and Jo, not quite the wallflower, but now a widow child companion. I was mesmerized. Little did I know that I would make this journey to Scotland. Give yourself some uninterrupted time to read this beautiful love story.
It’s a keeper!
Since her husband died, Joane Langdale was the poor relation who went where the Uxmores deemed she would be useful. This is how she became the governess of Jamie, the Duke of Lochmore’s four year-old son. It was for a very short time, as Benneit, the duke, was set to marry Lady Tessa McCrieff. Nothing was definitive, but it would contribute to end a long-time riff between the two families, and Jamie needs a mother. Jo and Benneit had been aware of each other the year Jo came out and went largely unnoticed, while Bella, the Uxmore jewel, dazzled Benneit into marrying her. Now widowed, Benneit has become so preoccupied with the duchy’s finances, he fears he is not paying enough attention to his son, as the not-so-meek Mrs Langdale almost points out. She is prickly, he seems cold, and their business association appears doomed from the start. They are stubborn, but not stupid, and not as immune to the other’s nearness as they initially thought.
Utterly breathtaking. These are the words that came to mind when reading Lara Temple’s stunning descriptions of Scotland and how she captures the harsh beauty of the country. The visuals are so astonishing, that even while only reading about it, I was as mesmerised by the majestic landscape and the sea as Jo was. UNLACED BY THE HIGHLAND DUKE is not only a feast of sumptuous imagery with a touch of gothic, but an outstanding character study. As the author slowly peels away the layers, frustration, melancholy, longing for a fuller life surface. I watched in fascination as Jo and Benneit emerge from behind their masks, and I was swept away in this amazing journey of discovery. I loved that there was the tiniest spark of attraction and that it very gradually ignited into an all-consuming fire. It is a thing of beauty to watch a relationship evolve so organically, so naturally, and to be able to truly believe in it. Benneit is torn between love and duty, and because he is so honourable, it took him quite a long time to come to his senses.
I was overwhelmed and enchanted by Ms Temple’s sublime prose, her exquisite vocabulary, the rightness of the dialogues, and the impeccable pace sustained throughout the book. I also found quite impressive how seamlessly the story arc flows from book one of The Lochmore Legacy, Janice Preston’s The Inconvenient Highland Wedding, as I remembered Tessa, Lord Aberwyld, and the distillery that Benneit aims to build. I didn’t think that going back in time to tell the whole story would be so successful, but it is.
I give 4 1/2 stars