Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A lady escaping Georgian London discovers love with a Scottish laird in bestseller James's scintillating second Accidental Brides romance (after Viscount in Love). After Clara Vetry publicly rejects Prince George's handsy advances, her marriage prospects are ruined. Eager to get away from society's gossips, she goes along when she's mistaken for the newly hired housekeeper of Castle CaerLaven and boards a carriage bound for Scotland. She first catches sight of her employer, Laird Caelan MacCrae, as he emerges naked from a stream. Though painfully attracted to him, Clara devotes herself to cleaning the unkempt castle. Caelan, meanwhile, is bowled over by her beauty, wit, affability, and lack of pretension. Soon the pair are stealing kisses, but Clara repeatedly rejects Caelan's marriage proposals, believing she can never replace Isla, his wife, who died two years ago. James offers a nuanced depiction of the rocky road of courtship between two characters who defy societal conventions surrounding sex and relationships. With a fast-paced plot, dynamic leads, and plenty of heat, this proves unputdownable. (Apr.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
After being humiliated in front of the heights of London society, Clara Vetry escapes to the Scottish Highlands. In order to forge her own path and avoid marriage at all costs, she takes the identity of the newly hired housekeeper at Castle CaerLaven. The laird of CaerLaven is Caelan, who is expected to produce an heir but has sworn off love after the death of his wife. Clara and Caelan are instantly drawn to one another, but Clara refuses to marry him--until circumstances force them to do just that. Despite the situation, Caelan hopes he can turn their marriage of convenience into one of love. James successfully uses tension to further the plot and keep readers invested and showcases her skills in crafting well-developed characters (including the secondary cast) involved in richly interesting stories. VERDICT The second in James's "Accidental Bride" series will be an instant favorite of friends-to-lovers romance fans, and readers of the first book, Viscount in Love, will delight in this sequel.--Jenn Laskosky
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