WILD AND WICKED IN SCOTLAND

Author: Melody Thomas ISBN: 0061129593 1/2007 HISTORICAL Publisher: AVON
Time Period: 1874 England and Scotland

Running wild... When Cassandra Sheridan agreed to an arranged marriage to the Earl of Hampstead, she never dreamed the cad wouldn't even bother to appear for their betrothal ball. It seems her intended cares more for gallivanting than meeting his brideto-be! So Cassie decides to enjoy an adventure of her own and sets out across Scotland ...and meets a dashing stranger who has elevated dueling and deception to an art form. A dedicated spy on a mission, the Earl of Hampstead has more on his mind than a silly party. Now fate has thrown him together with a vivacious lady whom he must protect from harm, and whose sensuous beauty is proving most distracting. Worse still, Devlyn is horrified to discover she's the very woman he's engaged to marry! With their lives and reputations in equal peril, do they dare surrender to their irresistible desires?

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

Warning! Do not start this story until you are prepared to dedicate the time to read it all in one sitting! Once you start WILD AND WICKED IN SCOTLAND, you will not be able to put it down. This book reminds me of Gaelen Foley's PRINCESS, which happens to be one of my all time favorites.

Cassandra Sheriden is a young American woman born into extreme wealth. With her unusual height and love of the cello, she has always felt like an oddity. But when her own fiance doesn't join her for their engagement party, she has had quite enough of being whispered about. So, she decides to set off to visit an old school friend in Scotland, and she does so on her own and without anyone's knowledge, including her parents.

Devlyn St. Clair is a spy and has much more on his mind than an engagement party, especially since it's to a young woman he has never met, and one he has only agreed to marry to please his father.

When these two meet in an Inn in Scotland, neither has any idea who the other is. And though they don't know one another, they immediately become embroiled in danger and must count on each other to survive.

One of the first things I was happy to discover was, it doesn't take long for their real identities to come to light. Although I love surprises, it is sometimes frustrating waiting for main characters to find out each other's real identities, and this one was paced perfectly. The adventure these two embark on is fast paced and exciting, and Devlin and Cassie both discover much about themselves during this time alone in the wilds of Scotland.

Devlin is one hot and exciting hero who has a heart of gold. And although Cassie was born to a life of privilege, she is not a spoiled, unlikable rich girl. She is young and beautiful, but she is also loyal and intelligent. The perfect woman to break through the walls Devlin has erected around his heart.

WILD AND WICKED IN SCOTLAND is a fabulous read! The suspense and action begin in chapter one, and keep the pages turning throughout the story. The romance is unforgettable and will linger in your thoughts long after the last page is turned. Fortunately, this is the first book in a series and it has found its place on my keeper shelf, awaiting its mates. Melody Thomas has also written under the names of Laura Renken and Lori Morgan and is an author you don't want to miss. Happy Reading!

Deana Monteleone