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hellodiana's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
ashcashtrash's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
andrea_author's review
5.0
Due to his distant cousin's untimely death, Scotsman Drew is shocked to discover that he's the heir to a dukedom. His first order of business is to tell his family. HIs second is to resign from the army. And his third is to find a proper English wife to help him fulfill his responsibilities.
But when he meets merry widow Ilsa, his sister's best friend in Edinburgh, he's smitten. Could she be the wife he needs? Or could her family's scandal endanger his freedom, and even his life?
I loved this book. Drew and Ilsa were interesting characters individually and adorable as a couple. The romance developed naturally and organically, with a strong attraction that grew into love and respect. The scandal didn't really hit until the second half of the book, testing the couple's devotion. This is, unbelievably, my first Caroline Linden book. Now I can't wait read through her backlist.
While this novel stands alone, you might enjoy the series more if you read it in order. The first book, ABOUT A ROGUE, is just as much fun.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
But when he meets merry widow Ilsa, his sister's best friend in Edinburgh, he's smitten. Could she be the wife he needs? Or could her family's scandal endanger his freedom, and even his life?
I loved this book. Drew and Ilsa were interesting characters individually and adorable as a couple. The romance developed naturally and organically, with a strong attraction that grew into love and respect. The scandal didn't really hit until the second half of the book, testing the couple's devotion. This is, unbelievably, my first Caroline Linden book. Now I can't wait read through her backlist.
While this novel stands alone, you might enjoy the series more if you read it in order. The first book, ABOUT A ROGUE, is just as much fun.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
colleen1011's review
4.0
I enjoyed this book. Andrew and Ilsa were a fun couple. I liked the mystery involved. I love a book set in Scotland and this book was great. I would recommend to others.
blodeuedd's review against another edition
3.0
I have become bad at writing reviews at once when on holiday! So here I go
Andrew has been in the army and now he is the heir to a Duke! Sadly an English Duke, boooo, but hey it will give him the chance to better support his mother and sisters. But he must take a wife first. Andrew was nice, just good you know
Ilsa is living life. She is a widow, her husband was an asshat. People thinks she is rather scandalous, and all I say is you go Ilsa! She was great. A thirst for living. Held back by her father, aunt and society.
They meet. She is not proper Duchess material. But Andrew is pulled to her.
There will be drama, I can't tell you, but this is real drama! And it made me mad and I would not be as forgiving as Ilsa. I was glad she had Andrew.
But then the end, what about the next book? New couple! And even more drama regarding something. Ohhh, pretty sure I know who one of them is.
Good narrator. I enjoyed listening to her and I felt she did justice to the voices and accents
Andrew has been in the army and now he is the heir to a Duke! Sadly an English Duke, boooo, but hey it will give him the chance to better support his mother and sisters. But he must take a wife first. Andrew was nice, just good you know
Ilsa is living life. She is a widow, her husband was an asshat. People thinks she is rather scandalous, and all I say is you go Ilsa! She was great. A thirst for living. Held back by her father, aunt and society.
They meet. She is not proper Duchess material. But Andrew is pulled to her.
There will be drama, I can't tell you, but this is real drama! And it made me mad and I would not be as forgiving as Ilsa. I was glad she had Andrew.
But then the end, what about the next book? New couple! And even more drama regarding something. Ohhh, pretty sure I know who one of them is.
Good narrator. I enjoyed listening to her and I felt she did justice to the voices and accents
champ81's review against another edition
4.0
What a treat: solid characters with a plausible love story making mature decisions about their future together. It's a slow start getting them together, and a broad cast of characters interferes at times, but overall, this is a love story that rewards readers.
This begins where [b:About a Rogue|52621754|About a Rogue (Desperately Seeking Duke, #1)|Caroline Linden|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1570563494l/52621754._SX50_SY75_.jpg|68001118] does, with two young men from distant branches of the St. James family tree learning that they are the Duke of Carlyle's only living heirs. Max's journey played out in About a Rogue, and A Scot to the Heart is ostensibly Andrew's story. Yet a case could be made that this is not primarily his tale; while he does find a true love match in wealthy widow Ilsa Ramsey, this novel feels more like her journey of self-acceptance and growth.
Widowed relatively recently, Ilsa has decided to live her life on her own terms, even if that means painting murals on her ceiling and housing a small pony in her home. Yet for all her harmless dancing in Edinburgh's oyster halls or solitary walks with Robert the pony, she is still chafing at restraints her family imposes.
Meanwhile, Andrew is rather delighted at what his ducal inheritance will allow him to do for his mother and three sisters. And boy is he charming in a warm-hearted, playful, and generous way. Yes, he wears a kilt, and yes, this is a convenience for the two lovebirds.
I thought the main challenge he'd face would be the obligations of the dukedom vs. the attraction he feels for the somewhat unsuitable Ilsa (wealthy and respectable gentlewoman that she is, she's not part of the ton). Both of them seem aware of this tension, but their romance feels natural and he's very willing to fall in love with her with no unnecessary drama. The conflict driving the latter half of the story is Ilsa's, and how she comes to terms with this conflict and all its reverberations determines the trajectory of their romance.
Both characters are remarkably adult--no silly misunderstandings, petulance, or pointless miscommunications to keep them apart--and make mature decisions about their shared future. At one point, a character is faced with a life-changing decision, one where so often in other books we see them making the wrong choice before they backtrack to make the right one. Not so here; the writing and the characters feel too mature for that kind of plot dead-end.
We get some glimpses throughout the book of why, when Ilsa meets Andrew, she is testing her boundaries, and I wish we'd gotten more. There is much discussion of a court case involving her late husband without any clear explanation of what actually went on there. For much of the story, her beloved but oppressive father seems like a sketch of a character; likewise, for much of the story, her prim aunt seems like a plot device rather than a complex character. A lot was going on with his sisters, including a murky subplot with the eldest and much plot-advancing rambunctiousness from the younger two.
This leaves the book uneven overall, but with two solid central characters and a believable love story, this is a worthwhile read.
I received an advance reader copy from Netgalley for an honest review.
This begins where [b:About a Rogue|52621754|About a Rogue (Desperately Seeking Duke, #1)|Caroline Linden|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1570563494l/52621754._SX50_SY75_.jpg|68001118] does, with two young men from distant branches of the St. James family tree learning that they are the Duke of Carlyle's only living heirs. Max's journey played out in About a Rogue, and A Scot to the Heart is ostensibly Andrew's story. Yet a case could be made that this is not primarily his tale; while he does find a true love match in wealthy widow Ilsa Ramsey, this novel feels more like her journey of self-acceptance and growth.
Widowed relatively recently, Ilsa has decided to live her life on her own terms, even if that means painting murals on her ceiling and housing a small pony in her home. Yet for all her harmless dancing in Edinburgh's oyster halls or solitary walks with Robert the pony, she is still chafing at restraints her family imposes.
Meanwhile, Andrew is rather delighted at what his ducal inheritance will allow him to do for his mother and three sisters. And boy is he charming in a warm-hearted, playful, and generous way. Yes, he wears a kilt, and yes, this is a convenience for the two lovebirds.
I thought the main challenge he'd face would be the obligations of the dukedom vs. the attraction he feels for the somewhat unsuitable Ilsa (wealthy and respectable gentlewoman that she is, she's not part of the ton). Both of them seem aware of this tension, but their romance feels natural and he's very willing to fall in love with her with no unnecessary drama. The conflict driving the latter half of the story is Ilsa's, and how she comes to terms with this conflict and all its reverberations determines the trajectory of their romance.
Both characters are remarkably adult--no silly misunderstandings, petulance, or pointless miscommunications to keep them apart--and make mature decisions about their shared future. At one point, a character is faced with a life-changing decision, one where so often in other books we see them making the wrong choice before they backtrack to make the right one. Not so here; the writing and the characters feel too mature for that kind of plot dead-end.
We get some glimpses throughout the book of why, when Ilsa meets Andrew, she is testing her boundaries, and I wish we'd gotten more. There is much discussion of a court case involving her late husband without any clear explanation of what actually went on there. For much of the story, her beloved but oppressive father seems like a sketch of a character; likewise, for much of the story, her prim aunt seems like a plot device rather than a complex character. A lot was going on with his sisters, including a murky subplot with the eldest and much plot-advancing rambunctiousness from the younger two.
This leaves the book uneven overall, but with two solid central characters and a believable love story, this is a worthwhile read.
I received an advance reader copy from Netgalley for an honest review.
zmcma13's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5