Highlander in Disguise [Mass Market Paperback]

Julia London (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 25, 2005

Griffin Lockhart holds the key to his family's fate. Since his brother Liam failed to reclaim the priceless heirloom that could save their ancestral Scottish estate, it's now up to Grif to find it -- among the lords and ladies of fashionable London society.

Disguised as a Scottish earl, Grif attends the most glittering balls, hunting for the woman who is rumored to possess his family's treasure. Along the way he catches the eye of Anna Addison, a highborn young woman whose sharp tongue and even sharper wits have limited her marital prospects but enable her to detect Grif's deception. Determined to find a husband this Season, Anna draws Grif into a scandalous bargain: She will deliver his precious heirloom -- and keep secret his true identity -- if Grif can teach her how to seduce a man and win his heart. Well aware of what a man wants from a woman, Grif reluctantly instructs her. Soon Anna is besieged by suitors and Grif's exasperation with the troublesome beauty turns into heated desire. With time running out, Grif commits a reckless act in order to claim not only his treasure, but the passionate woman he believes is his and his alone.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Sprightly and fresh, London's second Scottish Regency (after Highlander Unbound) stars another member of the Lockhart clan engaged in the family's ongoing quest to steal back an ancient solid gold "beastie" to repair their bare-as-bone finances. Grif Lockhart, pretending to be an earl, sets off for London to find the treasure. Since he's more socially skilled in ballrooms and drawing rooms than his older brother (who failed to regain the beastie but returned with a wife in the previous volume), Grif's an instant hit among all the young ladies—except intelligent Anna Addison, who quickly uncovers Grif's false identity, his reason for being in London and the beastie's location. Holding the treasure hostage, Anne demands Grif's help in teaching her to make another man fall in love with her. But such dangerous lessons in flirtation lead both Grif and Anna to wonder whether their growing intimacy is merely schoolwork or the blooming of genuine emotion. Quick with humor and unafraid to send its characters tumbling headlong down the wrong path, this romance should please readers thirsting for a droll, light read. As a boon for those new to the series, this tale nicely stands alone, even as it cleverly whets the appetite for the unlucky-in-treasure but lucky-in-love Lockharts' next adventure.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

The vexsome lass had his beastie! Griffin Lockhart had come to London to find the hideous but valuable ruby-encrusted gold family heirloom. The last time the statue was seen was when Liam Lockhart's wife sold the thing to a Lady Battenkirk, who in turn had given it to her friend, Amelia. Miss Anna Addison locates the blasted beastie, but will only part with it for a price: Gif must tutor her so that Anna can win the affections of Drake Lockhart. Grif reluctantly begins to teach Anna the art of seduction, a course that yields surprising results. The second romance in London's Highlander trilogy unfolds in a triumph of wit and passion as a delightfully original heroine matches wiles with a sinfully sexy hero in a wonderfully wrought and irresistibly fun love story. John Charles
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Pocket Star (January 25, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0743465075
• ISBN-13: 978-0743465076
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #437,959 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Julia London is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen novels, including the popular Secrets of Hadley Green historical romance series (including The Year of Living Scandalously), the Cedar Springs contemporary series (including One Season of Sunshine), and numerous other works. She is a four time finalist for the presitigous RITA Award for excellence in romantic fiction, and RT Bookclub award recipient for Best Historical Romance for Best Historical Romance for Dangerous Gentleman. She lives in Austin, Texas.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A pleasant surprise!, March 14, 2005

By 

M. DETWILER "fairval4" (Martinsburg, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Highlander in Disguise (Mass Market Paperback)

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I hadn't read the previous Highlander book (don't like heroines who have kids, shame on me) so when I picked Highlander in Disguise, I was pleasantly surprised. It was a very fast read. I couldn't put it down. Grif, the hero, is yummy. I loved him. He was the prototypical hero--manly, but not overly so. Anna, the heroine, was good too. I have found that in my favorite romances, the hero is usually the one that makes it a keeper for me. The girl has to be good, too, but it's the guy who decides it. Grif did--big time. He was great. Anna was okay. I liked her, and when she did start to veer off into "I don't think I'm going to like her" territory, London would have her do something that got her back on track for me. I ended up liking her. And the verbal exchanges between Anna and Grif were hilarious. I laughed out loud more than once. The interplay between Grif and his "valet" were enjoyable also. In short, I really liked this book. I know I will be reading it again, especially before the next book in the series comes out. It features Grif's sister and it looks like a good one, too.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars entertaining Regency romance, January 25, 2005

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Highlander in Disguise (Mass Market Paperback)

After Liam Lockhart failed to regain the beastie, he married the woman who stole the valuable artifact back from him (see HIGHLANDER UNBOUND). The quest falls to his younger brother, Griffin. However, Griff lacks funding to spend any time in London even with his using the home of his best friend's grandmother while she vacations in France. He borrows heavily from his neighbor whose usury interest will cripple the lad if he fails to remit within a year to fund his search for an unknown Amelia, who allegedly bought the beastie from Lady Battenkirk who had purchased it from Liam's wife.

Anna Whittington hopes that Drake Lockhart will ask for her hand in marriage, but he seems more interested in her beautiful younger sister. Meanwhile she wonders about this so-called wealthy Scot who asks questions about her cousin, Lady Battenkirk and anyone named Amelia especially since he looks so much like last year's wealthy Scot Laird. Anna investigates and learns that Griff is an impoverished fake. She blackmails him into teaching her how to seduce Drake, but soon desires her mentor instead; he finds the beastie means little now that he is deeply in love with his troublesome student.

This entertaining Regency romance uses a theme that has been employed in many historical romances, yet the talented Julia London makes it feel as if this is the first time that an innocent asks to be trained in seduction graces a tale. The story line is fun as Griff knows from the first moment he meets Anna that her name spells trouble. This charming couple provides a solid gender war tale that readers will appreciate.

Harriet Klausner

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very sensual romance with witty dialogue and some laughs, January 7, 2007

By 

Elena Blackthorne - See all my reviews

This review is from: Highlander in Disguise (Mass Market Paperback)

I must admit that I really enjoyed this book, primarily because of the Grif character and his interplay with Anna.

My favorite part of the book was where Grif warns Anna about wearing low cut gowns and says it will prompt a gentleman to have his way with her. He's too clever. When she dismisses that idea, he tells her that some men are very good at giving a woman pleasure without ruining her good name. He also tells her that she will beg him for more. Under the guise of giving her a "lesson" he then proceeds to have his way with her and pleasures her (keeping his trousers buttoned up of course).

There are true fireworks between these two from the start. The relationship grows from intense dislike and irritation, to grudging acceptance to love during Anna's pygmalion-like transformation under Grif's tutelage. Having obtained the beastie she knows Grif seeks, Anna blackmails Grif into tutoring her how to seduce another man whom she wants to marry. Grif finds he has done his job too well, however, as Drake, who had previously ignored Anna, now declares his love. Anna is disappointed in Drake's kiss, which leaves her cold in contrast to Grif's buring hot kisses which melt her.

Anna does eventually beg Grif for "more" all while telling him that she intends to marry Drake if he asks her. Although he hasn't declared his feelings for her, Grif is hurt and incensed, accuses her of using him, and tells her he will not pleasure her like a whore while she marries another man.