When a Scot Ties the Knot

Paperback, 416 pages

Published Aug. 25, 2015 by HarperLuxe.

ISBN:: 978-0-06-239277-0

(2 reviews)

"On the cusp of her first London season, Miss Madeline Gracechurch was shy, pretty, and talented with a drawing pencil, but hopelessly awkward with gentlemen. She was certain to be a dismal failure on the London marriage mart. So Maddie did what generations of shy, awkward young ladies have done: she invented a sweetheart.A Scottish sweetheart. One who was handsome and honorable and devoted to her, but conveniently never around. Maddie poured her heart into writing the imaginary Captain MacKenzie letter after letter . . . and by pretending to be devastated when he was (not really) killed in battle, she managed to avoid the pressures of London society entirely.Until years later, when this kilted Highland lover of her imaginings shows up in the flesh. The real Captain Logan MacKenzie arrives on her doorstep--handsome as anything, but not entirely honorable. He's wounded, jaded, in possession of her letters . . …

"On the cusp of her first London season, Miss Madeline Gracechurch was shy, pretty, and talented with a drawing pencil, but hopelessly awkward with gentlemen. She was certain to be a dismal failure on the London marriage mart. So Maddie did what generations of shy, awkward young ladies have done: she invented a sweetheart.A Scottish sweetheart. One who was handsome and honorable and devoted to her, but conveniently never around. Maddie poured her heart into writing the imaginary Captain MacKenzie letter after letter . . . and by pretending to be devastated when he was (not really) killed in battle, she managed to avoid the pressures of London society entirely.Until years later, when this kilted Highland lover of her imaginings shows up in the flesh. The real Captain Logan MacKenzie arrives on her doorstep--handsome as anything, but not entirely honorable. He's wounded, jaded, in possession of her letters . . . and ready to make good on every promise Maddie never expected to keep" --

3 editions

Yashima reviewed When a Scot ties the knot by Tessa Dare (Castles ever after)

Review of 'When a Scot ties the knot' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Recommended to me by my goodreads feed (thanks to whoever put it there), I turned to this for a quick break from the crucible of another story.

Surprisingly fun, mostly lighthearted romance in a 19th century England/Scotland setting with a great premise: girl with crippling social anxiety invents a Scottish mystery sweetheart to avoid having to go to balls and meet actual people. She writes letters to Captain MacFantasy for years. One day she decides to grow up and tells her family he died in the war. Years later she lives in a small castle in the Highlands with her elderly aunt when a tall Scotsman arrives at her door... and Captain MacImaginaryFigment has returned to a life he was never supposed to have had in the first place. Hilarity (mostly) ensues...

Historical accuracy: probably not this. It doesn't matter because it had me laughing so hard... I nearly fell …

Recommended to me by my goodreads feed (thanks to whoever put it there), I turned to this for a quick break from the crucible of another story.

Surprisingly fun, mostly lighthearted romance in a 19th century England/Scotland setting with a great premise: girl with crippling social anxiety invents a Scottish mystery sweetheart to avoid having to go to balls and meet actual people. She writes letters to Captain MacFantasy for years. One day she decides to grow up and tells her family he died in the war. Years later she lives in a small castle in the Highlands with her elderly aunt when a tall Scotsman arrives at her door... and Captain MacImaginaryFigment has returned to a life he was never supposed to have had in the first place. Hilarity (mostly) ensues...

Historical accuracy: probably not this. It doesn't matter because it had me laughing so hard... I nearly fell out of my reading chair. At other times the book made my eyes water with tears of "OMG is this cute. So sweet." Which is all I want from a romance story: it makes me smile and laugh and gives happiness...

The only cringy element I found was the overuse of a few Scottish signature phrases that seem to be obtained through vigorous research by reading the [b: Outlander|10964|Outlander (Outlander, #1)|Diana Gabaldon|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1402600310s/10964.jpg|2489796] series ... but that is not even enough to dock a star... how could I when this book has 2 sex-deprived lobsters as side characters.

PS: This seems to be a standalone story, I didn't read any of the other books of this series.

PPS: also ... for the Sanderson cultists: Maddie does remind me of Shallan.

flashy_dragon

rated it

May 15