Never Seduce a Scot: The Montgomerys and Armstrongs [Kindle Edition]

Maya Banks (Author)

Book Description

Maya Banks, the New York Times bestselling author of erotic romance, romantic suspense, and contemporary romance, has captivated readers with her steamy Scottish historical novels, perfect for fans of Julie Garwood. Never Seduce a Scot features a remarkable woman whose rare gift teaches a gruff Scottish warrior how to listen with his heart.
 
Eveline Armstrong is fiercely loved and protected by her powerful clan, but outsiders consider her “touched.” Beautiful, fey, with a level, intent gaze, she doesn’t speak. No one, not even her family, knows that she cannot hear. Content with her life of seclusion, Eveline has taught herself to read lips and allows the outside world to view her as daft. But when an arranged marriage into a rival clan makes Graeme Montgomery her husband, Eveline accepts her duty—unprepared for the delights to come. Graeme is a rugged warrior with a voice so deep and powerful that his new bride can hear it, and hands and kisses so tender and skilled that he stirs her deepest passions.
 
Graeme is intrigued by the mysterious Eveline, whose silent lips are ripe with temptation and whose bright, intelligent eyes can see into his soul. As intimacy deepens, he learns her secret. But when clan rivalries and dark deeds threaten the wife he has only begun to cherish, the Scottish warrior will move heaven and earth to save the woman who has awakened his heart to the beautiful song of a rare and magical love.


From the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Kirsten Potter's nuanced performance emphasizes the wit of Banks's novel, along with its passion." --- AudioFile

About the Author

Maya Banks is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty novels, including Hidden Away, No Place to Run, The Darkest Hour, Sweet Seduction, and Sweet Persuasion. She lives in Texas with her husband, three children, and an assortment of pets. Kirsten Potter, a graduate of the Boston University School for the Arts, has performed on stage, film, and television, including roles on Medium, Bones, and Judging Amy. An award-winning audiobook narrator, Kirsten has won AudioFile Earphones Awards for her reading of The Snowball by Alice Schroeder and her performance as Barbara in George Bernard Shaw's Major Barbara. Her other titles include The Unthinkable by Amanda Ripley, Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson, Sammy's House by Kristen Gore, and Madapple by Christina Meldrum, which was a Booklist Editors' Choice for Best Audiobook 2008. Kirsten has received recognition from the American Academy of Achievement and the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, as well as numerous regional awards.

Product Details

• File Size: 2003 KB
• Print Length: 418 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0345533232
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (September 25, 2012)
• Sold by: Random House Digital, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B007QPEDUA
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,154 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 36 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Never Seduce a Scot~ September 25, 2012

By Lisa Wolff

Format:Mass Market Paperback

When Graeme Montgomery receives word from the king that he is to marry the daughter of the clan that murdered his father, he is furious. How could the king ask this of him? Especially as the girl is rumored to be daft and unable to have a normal marriage. With the prospect of passing on his heritage through his own blood gone, he still reluctantly accepts his duty as to refuse would be treason and would end up in his death. Graeme gathers his two brothers and his men and heads off to his rival Armstrongs clan, prepared for the worst and willing to accept his duty. When he lays eyes on the lovely Eveline he is blown away by her beauty and also her easy acceptance of him. He makes a vow to himself that he will protect her at all costs but is stunned when his clam refuses to accept her and treats her badly. How can he help his clam understand that they can not punish the daughter for the sins of the father when in his own mind he still wants to destroy the Armstongs?

Eveline Armstrong is very secure and protected in her clan, especially after a terrible fall from a horse made her lose her hearing, though no one is aware of this. Circumstances prevented her from speaking as well and to protect herself, she let the charade of her being daft keep going. When she sees Graeme for the first time she actually feels his voice vibrations and she is instantly taken with him and knows he will protect her. But upon arriving at his home and experiencing the hatred and ridicule towards her, she is distraught and wants to leave even though her feelings for Graeme have deepened. The time comes when she must face her past and in the process, she just may lose more than her heart to the rival laird.

Sigh....such a romantic, sexy, heart warming, tear inducing story!! I loved it! Eveline was so strong and courageous and faced her demons with a spunk I wish I had. She taught herself to read lips, even though she can not read or write, and was able to hide the fact she could not hear for three years. I loved watching her and Graeme interact, with her trying to explain herself without talking. I admire her courage and what it took to admit the truth about her voice and I admired her even more when an accident occurs and she tells the truth as to what she saw. And Graeme, swoon. I really enjoyed the fact that he was not a womanizer, that he was going to stay true to his wife even if the marriage was not going to be everything he hoped for. Thankfully, our couple is able to express their passion for each other and Graeme's tenderness with Eveline was lovely. We get to meet the extended families of both, each with two brothers and Graeme with a sister as well. I adored Graeme for his understanding of taking away a father and mothers only daughter and I thought the resolution near the end for the rival clans was done very well. There was not much that bothered me about this book expect the fact that Eveline was able to hide the fact she could speak but not hear for so long and one small part that involved Graeme's sister and the women of the clan. Overall, an absolutely wonderful romance book that any romance fan will not want to miss! It made me smile, sigh, laugh, cheer and get angry and had me tearing up. I am so eager for more books from the lovely Maya Banks in this delicious series! 4 1/2 stars

*review copy*

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Great start to a new series! September 25, 2012

By AVG

Format:Mass Market Paperback

*4 stars*

This is Maya Banks first book in the Montgomery series and what a great start!

The blurb of this book was very intriguing and one that caught my attention immediately. You don't often read a book where the heroine is deaf and mostly not in a historical romance. I wasn't sure how that was going to work but I have to say Maya Banks did a wonderful job.

The story begins when Eveline Armstrong is forced to marry Graeme Montgomery, the laird of her family's enemy clan. Everyone thinks that Eveline is daft because she doesn't speak but what they don't know is that after a riding accident she lost her hearing. What they also don't know is that she can read lips and understand what they say about her. She is actually pretty smart and a character I really liked. I am grateful that Ms. Banks created a heroine that's strong and independent even though she has an impediment. That really is a gulp of fresh air.

Graeme Montgomery is an amazing hero. He has great cause to hate the Armstrong's but he never acts on that sentiment towards Eveline. He is very patient and caring even when he thought he was forced to marry a women that could never be his wife in every sense of the word (when he thought she was "touched").

I loved the dynamic between Graeme and Eveline. I really felt throughout the story that they were meant to be together. They had to earn their happily ever after but it was well worth it. I loved both characters so I was rooting for them all along.

Overall this was a wonderful book. Maya Banks is a great writer and she showed that more than ever in this book. Its not easy to write about a person that is deaf and give them a voice. This was never a boring story and Eveline's internal dialogues where amazing and very well written.

I'm very much looking forward to reading Bowen Montgomery's story, Highlander most wanted, the next installment in this series.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Never Seduce a Scot, A Review for the Blog Bodice Rippers, Femme Fatales and Fantasy September 25, 2012

By Shauni Steenburgen

Format:Mass Market Paperback

Maya Banks is back in the Highlands and is it ever grand!! Ms Banks has a wonderful way with words from her ever so wicked Sweet Series and the Amazing Adventures of her KGI series she casts a wide net in the romance genre. From erotica at it's best to the sweeping saga of the Highlands.. Ms Banks gives us her best.. and what a best it is.

Never Seduce a Scot brings us back to the highlands with all their passion, glory, seduction and sizzle and we meet an entire new group of individuals to fall in love with. The Montgomerys and the Armstrongs have been feuding for decades and the King has had enough. By declaring that the Laird of the Montgomerys wed the only daughter of the Armstrongs he is demanding that the feud stop now.

Graeme Montgomery clan chieftain, determined to destroy the clan that killed his father. Ready to wreak havoc along with his brothers and his clan. Until he was informed by the King that he would be marrying the Armstrong Lass.. The DAFT Armstrong Lass. Not only must he marry against his will, he must marry a simpleton who at best maybe comprehends what is going on around her and at worst.. well doesn't. He knows he has no choice to not only wed as soon as possible but to make a blood oath agreeing to the end of the feud.

Eveline Armstrong was tormented with promises of the "loving" relationship he has planned for her, by her former Betrothed. Fate stepped in, in a rather spectacular way. A disabling riding accident leaves her .... she has allowed the world to think her daft in order to stay the wedding. For three long years she suffered in a world of silence.. unable to hear and afraid to speak. Even her most dear think she is somehow damaged. She is loved and secure and quite content to hide behind her pretense. Until the King commands that she marry the Laird of the Montgomerys. Afraid but willing to make the sacrifice to guarantee her clan's safety she is astounded when she finds she can hear the vibrations of Graeme's voice. At the first sound she is besotted.. and willing to take the chance and find a way to start anew. Not as the daft girl but as the Lairds wife.

While Graeme promises her safety and has compassion and understanding for the wee daft lass he is marrying, he has no plans to actually make a marriage of things. Except well.. he is constantly pulled towards her, attracted to her body but even more the sheer joy of Eveline. Eveline is more than willing to work with him, to make a real marriage but first she has to share her secret, let him know just who she is and what she is capable of. A scary thought having to let go three years of fear to start anew. Added to the fact that the Montgomerys in general are at best horrid to her and at worst vindictive. Ready to destroy her spirit and betray her. Even after humiliated by the clan, Eveline is willing to stand by Graeme at his darkest moment, showing what true generosity of spirit is.

As Eveline fights for a place in the clan Montgomery there are outside sources that are more than willing to start the feud back up between the Montgomerys and the Armstrongs.. all the while circling like vultures waiting to pick the flesh from the bones. Betrayal awaits and in order to save Eveline, Graeme must find a way to let old hatreds die..

This was a wonderfully crafted story that had me cheering for this beautiful girl. Ready to take on the world with little more than the strength of her spirit. I enjoyed the fact that Ms Banks chose to have her heroine handicapped.. While we often choose to ignore the daily hardships. like lack of toilet paper and tampons, chocolate and well just about everything.. I don't think I ever considered how the handicapped were perceived in these times. As I said in the beginning Ms Banks brings us back to the Highlands with an incredible epic.. a sweeping saga and just a touch of magic.. making us almost smell the heather and hear the clanging of the claymores.. Can you hear the bagpipes? I promise after reading this book you will.

Shauni

This review is based on the ARC of Never Seduce a Scot provided by netgalley

More About the Author

Maya Banks lives in Texas with her husband, three children and assortment of pets. When she's not writing, she can be found hunting, fishing or playing poker.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#36 Overall (See top 100 authors)

#11 in Books > Romance

#12 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Erotica

#16 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance

#18 in Books > Romance > Contemporary

#19 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance > Contemporary

#11 in Books > Romance

#12 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Erotica

#16 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance

#18 in Books > Romance > Contemporary

#19 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Romance > Contemporary