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turtlelullaby's review against another edition
3.0
While this tends toward one of those "just have an honest conversation and everything will be okay" plot, there was enough drama toward the end that made me end up liking this... and the adorably cheesy pining Ranney is so wonderful at describing for us hopeless romantics.
roxyroxrx's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
belladonna_loves_to_read's review against another edition
Not rating this one because it contains my personal kryptonite, lack of communication as a plot device.
turophile's review against another edition
3.0
A bout with insomnia meant I finished this book in less than 24 hours. I enjoyed it but it felt derivative at times. At first, the plot reminded me of Cecilia Grant’s A Lady Awakened. In both books, a young woman finds herself abruptly widowed and penniless, unless there’s an heir on the way. What to do – find a man and get pregnant pronto!
Here, Virginia, the Countess of Barrett turns to the Scotsman whom she really wanted to marry, but fails to fill him in on the plot. She assumes she can get in, get out and no one will be the wiser. Except it’s not that easy. And did I mention the crazy valet of the dead ex-husband, whom I pictured as a straight version of Thomas Barrow from Downton Abbey (come-on, I can’t be the only one who thought that).
The story was enjoyable as evidenced by how fast I read it, but I wanted more emotional depth and development. I think the side story detracted from that. I would have liked to have seen more of how the two leads rebuilt a relationship that had suffered several trust fails.
3.25/5
Here, Virginia, the Countess of Barrett turns to the Scotsman whom she really wanted to marry, but fails to fill him in on the plot. She assumes she can get in, get out and no one will be the wiser. Except it’s not that easy. And did I mention the crazy valet of the dead ex-husband, whom I pictured as a straight version of Thomas Barrow from Downton Abbey (come-on, I can’t be the only one who thought that).
The story was enjoyable as evidenced by how fast I read it, but I wanted more emotional depth and development. I think the side story detracted from that. I would have liked to have seen more of how the two leads rebuilt a relationship that had suffered several trust fails.
3.25/5
annalynn34's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
devyn_everts's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
daisy87's review against another edition
3.0
Ok, so I have to admit that I was a bit sceptical of this particular plot, but as Sophie Jordan made it work in Once Upon a Wedding Night, I was willing to give it a shot. There's something that has been drawing me to Scottish men lately. Might be the kilts...
Anyway.
Virginia is in a desperate situation, her husband died, and before the sneaky little bastard died, he spent all the money Virginia had brought with her into the marriage on lands and houses that would be entailed right along with everything else, leaving Virginia, his mother and sisters penniless. So Virginia's mother in law devices a plan that has Virginia sleeping with a man out of wedlock to try and produce and heir. Right now, cause otherwise the world might not believe it was her late husband's offspring. So what's a girl to do but get on with it, ride to Scotland and seduce the man she actually wanted to marry to begin with? YES EXACTLY.
I could see where Virginia was coming from. She's never really gotten any parental love and this new family has embraced her so wholly that she feels responsible for them. And she's pining for Macrath anyway, so why not go with it? I felt that she was a bit too naive, because really, how do you not see coming that this proud scottish man will have a problem with this when he finds out?? I mean SERIOUSLY? Let me say it again: SERIOUSLY??? She says she loves him and then she just USES him without telling him what she's doing and UGH! That is not love. I couldn't understand that after he's trying to get her to stay with him in Scotland, she doesn't admit to her problems and try to see what his feelings would be towards taking in her new family as well. I mean, he has a big enough house for it.
And Macrath. While I did like him and his big heart, I felt like yelling at him 'Dude, you can do better'. I mean, she's hurt him AGAIN, secretly born his son and is trying to pass him off as the heir of another man and is basically just being a huge pain in the ass. I'd say cut her loose and try your luck with someone else. I couldn't see how they could get past this. Especially without really communicating about it. It all just went POOF and they were happy together again. I mean, really, show some backbone. It's ok to not be ok with something like that.
So I feel like I'm sounding very negative about The Devil of Clan Sinclair. And it wasn't that bad really, but there were some things about the characters and the storyline that rubbed me the wrong way. I very much liked the flashbacks to the time Virginia and Macrath were courting the first time around, these moments were so sweet! I could actually see where the love had come from between them and their characters were pretty similar. I also liked the quiet moments with their son and how Virginia broke convention by caring for and nursing her son herself and not leaving it to a wet nurse.
I did enjoy myself while reading this book, but I also found myself rolling my eyes quite a bit and was at one point actually rooting for the relationship NOT to work out simply because it felt wrong and there was no communication whatsoever and that always annoys me. But I'm glad they did end up together, because they had sweet moments. I'm sad there weren't any kilts though.
My rating: 2,5 stars
Made me crave: rucola soup
Anyway.
Virginia is in a desperate situation, her husband died, and before the sneaky little bastard died, he spent all the money Virginia had brought with her into the marriage on lands and houses that would be entailed right along with everything else, leaving Virginia, his mother and sisters penniless. So Virginia's mother in law devices a plan that has Virginia sleeping with a man out of wedlock to try and produce and heir. Right now, cause otherwise the world might not believe it was her late husband's offspring. So what's a girl to do but get on with it, ride to Scotland and seduce the man she actually wanted to marry to begin with? YES EXACTLY.
I could see where Virginia was coming from. She's never really gotten any parental love and this new family has embraced her so wholly that she feels responsible for them. And she's pining for Macrath anyway, so why not go with it? I felt that she was a bit too naive, because really, how do you not see coming that this proud scottish man will have a problem with this when he finds out?? I mean SERIOUSLY? Let me say it again: SERIOUSLY??? She says she loves him and then she just USES him without telling him what she's doing and UGH! That is not love. I couldn't understand that after he's trying to get her to stay with him in Scotland, she doesn't admit to her problems and try to see what his feelings would be towards taking in her new family as well. I mean, he has a big enough house for it.
And Macrath. While I did like him and his big heart, I felt like yelling at him 'Dude, you can do better'. I mean, she's hurt him AGAIN, secretly born his son and is trying to pass him off as the heir of another man and is basically just being a huge pain in the ass. I'd say cut her loose and try your luck with someone else. I couldn't see how they could get past this. Especially without really communicating about it. It all just went POOF and they were happy together again. I mean, really, show some backbone. It's ok to not be ok with something like that.
So I feel like I'm sounding very negative about The Devil of Clan Sinclair. And it wasn't that bad really, but there were some things about the characters and the storyline that rubbed me the wrong way. I very much liked the flashbacks to the time Virginia and Macrath were courting the first time around, these moments were so sweet! I could actually see where the love had come from between them and their characters were pretty similar. I also liked the quiet moments with their son and how Virginia broke convention by caring for and nursing her son herself and not leaving it to a wet nurse.
I did enjoy myself while reading this book, but I also found myself rolling my eyes quite a bit and was at one point actually rooting for the relationship NOT to work out simply because it felt wrong and there was no communication whatsoever and that always annoys me. But I'm glad they did end up together, because they had sweet moments. I'm sad there weren't any kilts though.
My rating: 2,5 stars
Made me crave: rucola soup
larisa2021's review against another edition
3.0
Like how the story is paced by externals b instead of angst/dysfunction. Protagonists communicate with each other by cautious steps in vulnerability. Refreshing!
atunah's review
4.0
I am never let down by Ranney.
In this one the hero and the heroine have to overcome quite some obstacles to be together. They meet and fall almost instantly in love, but her father a wealthy american, wants a title for his daughter and is not about to let her marry a Scot.
So they are apart with her married to someone else. Hero is an inventor of an ice machine and pines for her.
She then blows back into his life as a widow and then the even bigger problems between them start. She does something pretty despicable, but she does it for the family of her dead husband.
He also later does something pretty bad out of being hurt by her. So they both act against each other in pretty horrible ways, out of hurt.
Its how they find their way back to each other that is the meat of this story. Quite the flawed people in this one.
Only thing I didn't like was the somewhat abrupt ending. I would have liked to see it more "finished" for lack of a better word.
In this one the hero and the heroine have to overcome quite some obstacles to be together. They meet and fall almost instantly in love, but her father a wealthy american, wants a title for his daughter and is not about to let her marry a Scot.
So they are apart with her married to someone else. Hero is an inventor of an ice machine and pines for her.
She then blows back into his life as a widow and then the even bigger problems between them start. She does something pretty despicable, but she does it for the family of her dead husband.
He also later does something pretty bad out of being hurt by her. So they both act against each other in pretty horrible ways, out of hurt.
Its how they find their way back to each other that is the meat of this story. Quite the flawed people in this one.
Only thing I didn't like was the somewhat abrupt ending. I would have liked to see it more "finished" for lack of a better word.
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