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A review by champ81
A Scot to the Heart by Caroline Linden
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.