7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
3.5 Stars, January 14, 2010
This review is from: Seduced by a Rogue (Mass Market Paperback)
When this book came in the mail I saw the cover and squealed a little at the chance of reading about sexy scottish men with kilts and no underwear. Alas, Seduced by a Rogue makes no mention of kilts or lack of underwear, yet it still gave me an entertaining read.
Lady Mairi is the apparent heir to her father, Lord Dunwythie, as her step mother has produced no sons to take her place. Because of this her father begins teaching her the things a Baroness would need to know to manage the estates. Unfortunately trouble is brewing with neighboring clans who wish to make Lord Dunwythie submit to their leadership.
Robert Maxwell first sets eyes upon the Lady Mairi in a barley field while he is on his way to deliver a message to her father. The attraction between them is instant, tho both are resistant to acknowledge it. In an effort to prove his clan loyalty and to prevent blood loss, Robert Maxwell kidnaps the Lady Mairi intending to use her to secure her father's submission to the Maxwell Clan's authority. Once in his captivity, things do not go as planned and Robert finds himself enamored with the Lady. Adding to the problem, tensions between clans grow and clan war seems imminent.... can these two crazy kids find a way to be together and prevent a clan war at the same time?
Seduced by a Rogue was my first foray into the world of historical romance. As much as the thought of hot scottish men in kilts, without underwear, intrigues me.... I had never attempted to read anything from the genre! Because of that, I have to say I stumbled a bit at first. The old style english/scottish was distracting and hard for me to grasp. I read the first 10 pages before I realized I was going to have to use the google. So, being a rather resourceful book reader, I made myself a cheat sheet and thought I would share it with you. Here are words you must know if you want to read about sexy scottish dudes, with or without underwear.
gey: very/quite
ken: know
nocht: nothing
nowt: nothing
summat: something like that
aught: anything
nobbut: only
prithee: please
troth: pledge
Now that I had crib notes, and had them memorized, I was able to bury myself into the world a bit easier. In fact it wasn't long before I found myself speaking with a scottish accent in my head.
I found Lady Mairi to be an interesting girl. She was oh so proper and controlled, but also determined. She was always in control, except when in the presence of Robert Maxwell. He was aggravating and infuriating and pushed all of her buttons. I actually did a little cheer when she lost her cool and threw a stool at him on page 98. I loved the dialogue and interactions between Rob and Mairi. Their pokes and prods at each other were easy to understand even with the Scottish thrown in. They were funny and brought life to the story through their relationship.
The story that brings Rob and Mairi together was interesting and realistic for the time period. I expected to take issue with a lead character falling in love with her kidnapper, but was happy to find it was done well and did not seem unnatural or unrealistic. I did find myself getting lost trying to figure out who was related to who and how.... who owned what lands and where they were located.
In the end I was torn about the ending. The ending to the romantic story arc was fine, however the resolution of the clan tensions wasn't clear enough or climactic enough. I expected more fight from certain factions and was left slightly confused as to what had happened and why it was over so quickly. Even with my few complaints, I liked the story and enjoyed cuddling up with it whenever I could. I may even pick up the next book to see what happens.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
great Scottish medieval romance, January 8, 2010
This review is from: Seduced by a Rogue (Mass Market Paperback)
In 1375, his beloved older brother Alex, the Sheriff of Dumfries, sends Rob Maxwell to collect money that clan Maxwell believes clan Dunwythie owes them. Lord Dunwythie rejects the claim stating he pays his fees and taxes to the king. He returns home empty pocketed to the admonition of his sibling.
Rob meets the heir to the Dunwythie estate, Lady Mairie. Though attracted to her, he places his clan above his libido and concocts a plan to use her as a pawn to obtain the money due his kin. He kidnaps her expecting her father to pay ransom for his beloved daughter. Alex offers to rescue Mairie from the unknown "stranger" for a fee. He knows that his brother is the kidnapper but his adversary does not know the identity of the abductor. Outraged by the mercenary demand, Dunwythie calls in a favor from Clan Douglas. With war brewing between the clans, Rob and Mairie fall in love, but both place their clan above their personal needs.
Seduced by a Rogue is another great Scottish medieval romance (see Tamed by a Laird) as the lead couple finds love amidst their battling clans. Filled with fourteenth century history, the story line is fast-paced from the moment Mairie and Rob meet and never slows down as readers will wonder whether this pair will share the fate of Romeo and Juliet.
Harriet Klausner
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book with wonderful characters, January 5, 2010
This review is from: Seduced by a Rogue (Mass Market Paperback)
Robert Maxwell the Laird of Trailinghail had the purest of intentions of preventing a war not starting one by kidnapping the daughter of their family enemy. He thought if he kidnapped the beautiful 19-year old Mairi Dunwythie her father would give up his resistance to letting Rob's brother, Alexander the Sheriff of Dumfries tax the Annandale holdings and all would live peacefully. It was a great idea in theory but once Rob had her back at his keep the feelings that he had for her were not one of capture toward a hostage but more primal and ran very deep to his core. Could he continue this game and see who won or would he let her go?
Mairi had been raised to take over her father's property and one day will be a landowner in her own right. Having no sons to take his place Mairi's father may have been late in teaching her but he was giving her the education any heir would receive. She followed his directive but still had her own mind and when she wanders from the keep she learns too fast how venerable she is when in a blink of an eye she becomes Rob's prisoner. But he does not treat her as such and the emotion that is flowing between them is not anger or resentment at the situation but passion and lust - both things Mairi never anticipated having.
But a change in plans occurs when Alex discovers what Rob has done forcing Robert to return Mairi to her father. The sequence of events that follow will change every aspect of their lives and relationship forever. So much has happened in the short time Mairi was away with her sister running off with a wild and impetuous boy not of her social standing, her step mother swearing she is carrying the true heir and her father suddenly out of the picture. Robert's brother decides the opportunity has presented itself and he plans to seize the property and by doing so forces Robert to choose which side he will stand with. Is blood stronger than love or will his loyalties to his family win out and have him lose the one love of his life - Mairi.
Decisions are made, destinies created and history written all in a well laid story. This book is a great mix of history, a tender love story, the sadness of battle and the turmoil of being female in a male dominated time and place. The details are exacting but do not take away from the read and the pleasure of watching Rob and Mairi work through who they are to one another as well as how they can find their place in their individual family structure.
Mary Gramlich ~ ("The Reading Reviewer") ~ [...]
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