Customer Reviews

Sold to a Laird

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I disagree with the above review. I also love Karen Ranney and there are a few of her books that did not click with me. I really loved this one. The heroine was not cold, she protected herself by reining in her emotions. She was vulnerable and she needed a hero who could break through that shield and get to the person beneath. Douglas was a great hero. The Duke was a bit of a caricature, but it still worked.

The biggest complaint I have lately with Karen Ranney books is the cheesy covers she allows the publisher to put on them. The one on SOLD TO A LAIRD was almost enough to turn me off but I like Karen Ranney enough not to judge a book by its cover. No, the heroine is not cold, but rather repressed by her upbringing and the hero is to die for. Sensitive and a hunk. What more could you want? The author develops the romance and love slowly with none of that unrealistic immediate sex in a closet kind of situation. Ranney makes you feel the love developing and it is romantic, not just lustful. And she writes far better than the majority of romance novelists.

I have only recently began reading Karen Ranney, the first being Devil Wears Tartan. And since that book, two more have released and I've rushed out to buy both...A Scotsman in Love (which by the way, is one of my top historical reads. Loved that book!) and now this one, Sold to a Laird.

In Sold to a Laird, Lady Sarah is the daughter of a Duke. Her father raised her with fierce strictness and no love at all. She is forced by her father to marry a stranger, Douglas Eston, in order to spare her dying mother from a trip to her homeland of Scotland. Lady Sarah appears cold and emotionless, but Douglas Eston warms her bit by slow bit. It's a sensual game that Eston plays with Sarah, and one that undoubtedly left me in awe of the amount of emotional intensity some of their scenes are filled with.

Sarah struck me as an honest, innocent young woman. Her fears and emotions towards Eston didn't feel like they were coming from a naive woman, but an unknowing, inexperienced one. I've read books where the heroine had no clue what took place between a man and a woman or the desires that could rise up and consume them and they seemed a bit much. A bit over the top. Not very believable. But in this book, I found myself saddened by, and wholly believing Sarah's lack of knowledge and her fight to deny the passions Douglas begins to fill her with.

This book, as with the previous two books I've read, has such a somber mood that really makes your heart ache for the characters. Douglas was the epitome of heroes for Sarah, holding her and comforting her when she most needed it, simply being there for her, understanding her. He took into consideration her upbringing and accepted her for who she was. And Sarah, I loved that she never grew angry with the liberties Douglas took, the way he, at times, pushed her. He did it in just a way that gave her time to think through the turmoil of feelings swirling through her.

Another fantastically done, heartfelt and moving romance between two people that need each other, especially Sarah. And Douglas Eston is her perfect match. The two meld together beautifully. This is another book that I'll look back on with a warm heart remembering the gentle, soothing touches Douglas bestowed on his Lady Sarah.

Douglas is a woman's dream man. He is strong yet tender, commanding yet vulnerable, clever yet questing...and sensitive too! The book's cover depicts it all: Douglas as supporting and seducing and Sarah as awakening to her own sensuality, strength, and identity.

I am a die-hard Karen Ranney fan. I read other historical romances just to fill the time between Ranney's novels. I like that her main characters are not perfect; and I appreciate that the characters' attitudes, traits, personalities, manners, values, and personal observations remain true to the era in which they live -- unlike some writers who often lace their characters and their novels with contemporary values and viewpoints. In this novel, I especially enjoyed Ranney's attention to detail describing the various tasks Sarah supervises, the transportation, the architecture, the fashions, and the decor.

Against a backdrop of England, Scotland, secrecy, and honor, Douglas and Sarah share a journey of exploration that takes them through tragedy, grief, discovery, adventure, and love...especially love.

If I could I'd give this book a six-definitely a keeper!!! One of Ranney's best yet!

When Douglas Eston approached the Duke of Herridge looking for an investor for his latest invention. He was hoping for money, but got a bride instead. What started off as her father's last cruel act toward her turns out to be the best thing that ever happened to Sarah. Douglas shows Sarah passion, love, and the extent of her father's greed. Will she see the later before he destroys the man she's come to love?

It's a shame that Sarah's father doesn't see her for the intelligent, capable woman she is. She single handedly runs the family estate and would have loved him unconditionally had he only showed her one ounce of affection in return. Sarah is endearingly guileless and innocent as well as stubborn and cautious. Douglas had to be clever in the seduction of his wife. His approach is a heady mix of giving and taking. While it is an arduous undertaking at times, it is extremely rewarding for both of them. Douglas is patient and kind. He's unobtrusively authoritative. Sarah is a reluctant bride whose heart becomes engaged when the stranger she married turns out to be the man of her dreams. Sold to a Laird's history, characters, and even its villain are compelling. It is a charmingly sensuous story.


Nannette
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

You know how you're in the middle of a series and waiting to get the next in the series? That is what happened to me and so I decided to read this book in between by Karen Ranney. It was the first one of her books I have ever read. Holy cow, it won't be the last! The new book I have been waiting for comes in, and it SITS because I cannot put this book down! Lady Sarah is a wonderful heroine, and Douglas the hero is so sweet and sexy the way he slowly wins her it defines seduction. They hastily marry because of her father, but the sexual tension builds slowly and this author really knows how to tell a riveting tale. You will not go wrong reading this book. I finished it in one day.

I was disappointed in Sold to a Laird. It moved along to
slowly. There was only one thing that kept my interest.
Therefore, I had to finish the book.

Douglas Eston believed his invention would be profitable.
He went to see the Duke of Herridge, if he would be one
of his investors. The Duke agreed, with one stipulation
if Douglas would marry his daughter Lady Sarah.

Douglas and Lady Sarah are the main character.
They were totally opposites. Lady Sarah didn't have
any physical chemistry for Douglas until the end of
the story. Lady Sarah was a cold dignified person
throughout the book. I liked Douglas he's warm kind
and gentle with lots of patience for Lady Sarah.

I do recommend Karen Ranney other books. I enjoyed
reading they were excellent.
"Autumn in Scotland" "Unlikely Governess" "Till Next We Meet"

I liked this book it had depth and the lessons that were given about life and death were very good. This is a historical love story of Lady Sarah Baines and Douglas Eston who have arranged marriage. Sarah father is a heartless Duke who offers to fund Douglas current experiment if he `will take his daughter off his hands'. They marry and slowly fall in love - they make a marriage and partnership and it's sweet and nice. Looking forward to A Highland Duchess due out July 27,2010.

This is a good book, I enjoyed it.

Douglas Eston meets lady Sarah when she barges into a meeting he is having with her father, and starts pleading with her father to let her mother remain at Chavensworth because her mother's health is too poor and if she is moved to Scotland she wouldn't survive the journey. Sarah does not even realize that someone else is in her father's office at first. The duke of Herridge wants Douglas to produce diamonds for him, and since Douglas has the formula the duke finds a way to cut a deal with Douglas, he will give him some money and his daughter's hand in marriage in return for the diamonds. Now Douglas is shocked at first that the duke would just offer his daughter's hand like that, but since he is smitten with lady Sarah he decides to agree. And the duke threatens his daughter, if she wants her mother to remain in Chavensworth she will agree to the marriage. And so both Sarah and Douglas find themselves married.

Douglas is a great hero, he grew up on the streets and built himself up. He doesn't know how a gentleman is supposed to behave so he keeps a small notebook where he writes everything he learns about proper behavior so that he wouldn't forget. He sees Sarah and instantly falls for her, and then sets out to win her. Sarah is a likable heroine, who grew up learning to hide her feelings in the face of her father's wrath, and be always restrained. And so it is no wonder that sometimes she comes off as cold.

The two things that could have been done better are:
1. Douglas expected Sarah to sleep with him in the same bed on the first night of their wedding, even though they both acknowledged that they were still practically strangers, and he told her that he wouldn't want to get intimate with her yet because she would need to know him better first. And yet he expected her to share the same bed with him, even though he's sleeping completely naked. I found his carelessness about being naked to be highly amusing in comparison to lady Sarah's blushing and huffing lol. But back to topic that didn't make sense to me, and I couldn't understand Douglas's reasoning (I mean he could have slept in his drawers at least to make Sarah more comfortable in the beginning).

2. I loved the part when Douglas took care of Sarah when her mother died, and it was in that scene that the reader really sees how deeply Sarah loves and cares. Her mother had been her only friend. However in contrast when Sarah should have shown as much emotion if not more towards the end when she thought that Douglas had died, she didn't. And at that point in the book she should be showing much more emotion in contrast to the beginning of the book, or else the character development weakens. There were a few other scenes where she should have shown more emotion after her mother's death scene, and that did not happen. Hence while I like Sarah, her character development was not as good as it could have been.

So in the end this is a good 4 star read, and I liked it. Despite the flaws both are likable hero/heroine (especially Douglas). And I really liked the descriptions, the author has a knack for describing for example the grounds of Chavensworth or the gardens and elegantly tying it to the character's emotions and thoughts, like somehow there's a connection between the two and I love that.