On the cusp of her first London season, Miss Madeline Gracechurch was shy, pretty, and talented with a drawing pencil, but hopelessly awkward with gentlemen. She was certain to be a dismal failure on the London marriage mart. So Maddie did what generations of shy, awkward young ladies have done: she invented a sweetheart.
A Scottish sweetheart. One who was handsome and honorable and devoted to … devoted to her, but conveniently never around. Maddie poured her heart into writing the imaginary Captain MacKenzie letter after letter . . . and by pretending to be devastated when he was (not really) killed in battle, she managed to avoid the pressures of London society entirely.
Until years later, when this kilted Highland lover of her imaginings shows up in the flesh. The real Captain Logan MacKenzie arrives on her doorstep—handsome as anything, but not entirely honorable. He’s wounded, jaded, in possession of her letters . . . and ready to make good on every promise Maddie never expected to keep.
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This is my second Tessa Dare novel and my first ever Highlander romance! Also, I listened to this as an audiobook, and what a treat it was. Tessa Dare always crafts such wonderful heroines, and Madeline was no exception — she’s smart, talented, independent, and she loves bugs! It did take me a little bit to warm up to Logan, but he won me over by the end. Look no further for good chemistry and a HEA!
What a wonderful book. I loved it dearly. Tessa Dare has done it again. The characters are wonderful. I love the sweet romance between the two characters.
Madeline made a fake betrothed , fake letters etc. Just for ten years later a real man showed up claiming to be her betrothed. Logan Mackenzie received her letters and decided to use them and find her. While trying to be strong for his men she tear down his walls he built around his heart .
This book is a delicious funny read. I highly recommend
Tessa is an auto-buy author for me.
This book was so amazing. It was so funny, with great characters and good banter. I didn’t really grasp the notion of a book boyfriend list until now but, oh boy, I think I just started one. And let me tell you, Logan is high up on my list.
So much fun!
The old saying of being careful what you wish for certainly applies to Madeline Gracechurch. She wished for a Highland suitor, invented one, wrote to him for years, killed him in battle, mourned for several years, and was totally dumbfounded when he showed up to marry her. Perfect final novel in this series.
Oh, my heart be still! These two were so wonderful! What a twist of fate story, so full of heartache and tenderness. Our boy Logan was a gem, yet he wouldn’t be that way if it weren’t for our girl Maddie. Maddie, so clever in trying to save herself from one situation, actually does save herself and others for real! Definitely going on my favorites shelf!
There were so many things I loved about this book. The storyline was darling and drew you in immediately. The characters were enchanting and likeable and even though Logan was emotionally wounded, he had a heart of gold that you saw from the beginning. Maddie was a delightful heroine who had what we would call in the modern world a social anxiety disorder. She handled it beautifully, and he helped her on so many levels. Both of their hearts were good.
But I think what I most loved about this wonderful, delightful, and engaging book was their “memories.” Memories that they would talk about before they happened. This scene happened before they made love as man and wife and they were at the feast of Beltane. She whispered to him, “Remember the first night we made love?”
“Aye. I remember.”
“Remind me what happened next. Did we spread your plaid on the heather and make love beneath the stars?”
“We almost did. It was tempting. But I wanted our first time to be in a proper bed.”
“Oh, that’s right. I recall it now. ”
It was so delightfully clever the way Ms. Dare wove these “memories” into the story. I don’t often fall in love with book Heroes, but I’ll not forget this one for a long time. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
Who wouldn’t love a heroine who invents a Scottish soldier betrothed to avoid participating in the Season? Maddie is the ultimate introvert, which makes it hard to begrudge her a fake suitor, even once he shows up hulking and angry. Logan is a classic “I don’t have emotions” hero who is actually a bowl of pudding in the middle. It wasn’t clear to me exactly why Maddie didn’t want to be married to him, other than that she didn’t particularly have a choice, but the plot is full of delightful scenes and jokes, so it didn’t distract me too much.
This is one of my favorite books that I have read lately. So well written. The characters are wonderful and the words just flow off the page. I am currently reading a third book by Tessa. Each has been great. Was supposed to visit Scotland this summer and couldn’t, so this book brought some needed joy and entertainment. Highly recommend.
With every Tessa Dare book, you get romance and laughter pound for pound. One of my favorite writers.
This is an entertaining, well-written, steamy, historical romance novel. It has likable, engaging characters, wit, humor, a heart-warming romance, and a happily ever after ending. It is the third entry in Ms. Dare’s outstanding “Castles Ever After” series. Each novel can be read and enjoyed as a stand alone.
Historical romance is normally not my jam. But oh my gosh did I love this one!!! I’m so glad I read it because it was so good! The main reason I read it is because I’m doing a reading challenge where the month of May is historical romance.
The heroine, Madeline Gracechurch, is quirky and awkward and absolutely adorkable. From the letters to a made-up Hero to her illustrations of bugs, all the way to her pet lobsters…I couldn’t love her more. She may be awkward and shy at times, but she is also kind & loving and strong & sassy! Not afraid to stand up for what she feels is right.
And Captain Logan MacKenzie ..the way he seems to tolerate her, accepts her, and learns to adore her quirks makes him all the more swoon-worthy. He liked to make everyone think he’s got no heart and he’s unlovable, but I’m here to tell you, he’s got inner squish.
“I know there’s something in there, you stubborn creature. That beneath that hard exterior, you’re nothing but squish. You’re not fooling me.”
But along with that inner squish, he’s got some serious hard parts, too. Especially underneath that kilt. *waggles eyebrows*
When they first meet, it’s quite a shock…because he’s not supposed to be real! She made him up and now he shows up one day, almost ten years later, real and in the flesh. WHAT?! There’s lots of confusion, there’s some anger and a little bit of bitterness, and how about some blackmail thrown in for fun?
They decide they need each other and to use each other, for completely different reasons, of course. But then those darn feelings show up and get involved. The sexual tension between these two was delicious and sizzling and made my girly parts happy. And when things between them finally happened, they were good.
Verra, verra… VERRA good.
This story was cute, it was fun, definitely steamy, and it checked all my boxes for the things I love and need in a romance. It made me smile and tingle numerous times. If you love historical romance, I highly recommend this one. If you’ve been thinking about reading a historical romance and not quite sure where to start, I’d go with this one. 🙂
I could not stop laughing through this whole book! Tessa wrote one of the best epistolary romances I’ve ever read and I cannot praise this book enough!
Sweet story with interesting characters!
** spoiler alert ** I was surprised I had trouble getting into the story in the beginning, but once again this book proves to me that Tessa Dare is a brilliant writer.
Hilariously funny in places, engaging characters, clever dialogue and banter, and a charming ‘you have got to read this” lobster plot thread that will have you chortling. There is also her clever use of scottish brogue that is not overdone, and heartwarming romantic ‘sigh – ah that’s lovely’ moments in many, many, many places.
Spoiler Alert…one of my favourite parts I am sharing with girlfriends would be a succession of scenes where just when the heroine thinks she can resist falling in love with the Hero, she sees him doing something that tugs at her heart strings. 1. he wears spectacles – a complete turn-on for the ultimate nerdy woman – she thinks it makes him more manly. 2. then when she is certain she can resist him, she discovers he loves to read, and they have this passion in common and she falls a little more in love. 3. Then finally she is pushed completely head over heels when she discovers him reading her favourite book Pride and Prejudice. Snicker, snicker snicker.
All in all some very lovely romantic moments. Hopefully will get more stories around the secondary characters in his entourage.
Highly recommend – on my 2015 Favourites List
Delicious fun!
All Tessa Dare books are funny, but this is one of the funniest in my opinion. I adore the characters and their wild fake-relationship-turned-real. The audiobook version is delightful as well.
When a Scot Ties The Knot by Tessa Dare, Read by Carmen Rose
I forgot how good a story teller Tessa Dare is, but When a Scot Ties The Knot reminded me of why I love her books. Madeline Gracechurch and Logan McKenzie step out of the pages and into our hearts as their story is brought to life through Carmen Rose’s gentle voice. The story is powerful enough on its own but add in Carmen Rose’s dramatic reading and it becomes cinematic.
Painfully shy and facing her first London season, Madeline Gracechurch invents a love interest, highland Captain Logan McKenzie to spare her from being a dismal failure on the London marriage mart.
To keep her family at bay, she writes letters telling Captain McKenzie of her folly, her family and her deepest thoughts and desires. In these letters she pours out her heart but after ten years of the charade, she decides it is time to kill off her imaginary lover.
What started out as a little white lie grew into something real and ten years later, Captain Logan McKenzie shows up on her doorstep ready to claim his bride.
Logan McKenzie was just looking for a way to take care of his men. He promised them if they would fight Napoleon, he’d see they came home to their families and Scotland. Upon returning home, the men discovered they had no home and no family waiting. Doing his best to keep his promise, Logan turns to the only other option he can think of, blackmailing the girl who’d wrote him all those letters. All he wants is a place to call home, for his men, because he has never had a home of his own.
Can true love grow out of a lie?
Be prepared to lose sleep because this is one of those books you won’t want to stop reading or listening to. I think I’ll listen to it again.