Claimed by a Scottish Lord

This story was totally enjoyable. The characters were believable and the story had lots of turns to make it a page turner. A person always wants and expects a happy ending this book keeps you wondering if that will happen right up to the end. Rose is a wonderful heroine that you understand and do not dismiss. I will read it again!

Twenty years old Rose Lancaster has lived her life inside the cloistered Hope Abbey. She has also dreamed much of her life of escaping from her gilded cage to see the world outside the cloisters and to meet her father. She finds an ancient ring that brings her new hope. Thus in 1755 towering Rose is in a Scottish village when she learns of the return of Ruark Kerr Lord Roxburghe, who was away for over a decade. The Black Dragon as he is known has come home to claim his rightful position and ransom his brother from the English Lord Hereford. He seeks an edge when he negotiates with the tough border warden and knows he needs a chip; Hereford's missing (for years) daughter, Lady Roselyn. Ruark meets Rose because her height makes her stand out in a crowd. He believes she is Roselyn so abducts her to trade her for his brother. As they fall in love while he escorts her to Hereford, each will scrutinize their desire vs their family allegiance This is a warm Georgian Era romance with a wee touch of Arthurian fantasy. The lead couple is a wonderful pairing of beloved enemies while her father is his and his clan's biggest adversary. Fast-paced throughout, fans will enjoy this straightforward by the book eighteenth century borders romance as the captor wonders just who is the captive. Harriet Klausner

I am a big fan of Melody Thomas's dense love stories and, despite the cheesy title, "Claimed by a Scottish Lord" doesn't disappoint. In this story, like many of her books, a driven, ambitious man finds his life caught up with that of an idealistic young woman made somewhat powerless by the historical time in which they both live. Ruark, the lord of the title, draws Rose into his life for complex reasons--one of which is, of course, well-written desire. Once involved with Rose, Ruark's course of action--vengeance against her truly awful father--becomes complicated as his feelings for her change and grow. Rose, younger and far more innocent than Ruark, struggles to make sense of her desire for him as well as her ambivalent feelings for her amoral sire. Their story is well buttressed by the time and place created by Ms. Thomas and it is a joy to become immersed the world she has created. Ms. Thomas's command of the language is strong in this book. When she writes of raw emotions, she manages to show and tell without being heavy handed. Additionally, her passionate prose is truly that--this book is sensually rich and makes the reader care about both the physical and the emotional sides of Rose's and Ruark's relationship. The pace of the story is subtle without being slow and, by the time the tale is over, I found myself wishing I could begin the book again.