Too Scot to Handle by Grace Burrowes
Barbara’s rating: 4 of 5 stars
Series: Windham Brides #2
Publication Date: 7/25/17
I absolutely LOVE Grace Burrowes’ world. Yes, she has basically populated her own world. She has several series with dozens of books and in any given book, you might encounter characters from any of her other books or series. If you think about it, this just makes sense. After all, they are all existing in the same basic time and place so why wouldn’t they know or know of each other. I really like that she does that.
The Windham’s all believe in marriage for love, and so far most of them have found it. This Windham series features the nieces of the Duke and Duchess of Moreland. So far, one of them has found love and marriage and this book features the next one to do so – Anwen Windham.
Anwen is the youngest of four sisters and she is really feeling constrained. Because she was ill and almost died when she was young, everyone treats her as if she is an invalid. She isn’t. She’s actually healthier than most of the others. But, in deference to them, she presents a false front to the world. Meek and mild isn’t anywhere close to an accurate description of Anwen, but it is the face she displays. At least, it is the face she displays to everyone except Colin MacHugh. With him, she feels comfortable and free enough to express her true self.
Lord Colin MacHugh is a very uncomfortable Scot thrown into the midst of the ton. He didn’t ask to be among the aristocracy and really doesn’t want to be there. He’d prefer to be home in Scotland tending to his distilleries. However, his brother is a newly minted Duke and as the heir presumptive Colin must make his bows to society. He’d have an easier time of it if his brother were there, but he has married Anwen’s sister and they are off on their honeymoon.
I really like the way the love and trust grew between Anwen and Colin. It only moved forward and grew with no backward movement or distrust when events occurred that could have made one distrust the other. The immediate response was ‘I know he/she didn’t do that’ and there was no convincing them otherwise. That isn’t something you see very often in a romance book.
I won’t give you a rehash of the story because that would spoil your read. You can see the gist of the story by reading the book blurb. Just know that Colin was the target of a very nasty and cunning individual who was supposed to be his friend.
I’m giving it 4-stars because I just didn’t like what happened with the villains of the story. Yes, I understand this is the Regency period and that the aristocracy is immune to most prosecutions and that scandal is to be avoided at all costs. However, Colin, Anwen, and the Windhams are some pretty shrewd, crafty and inventive folks themselves and I think they could have come up with something better as punishment.
“I requested and received this book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”
